Everton Banter Archive August 01 2016

01 Aug 2016 22:28:59
Hi eds. I've seen that ronny is trying to strengthen the defence but do you know if we are after any creative centreatment midfielders as we seem to struggle with a bit of creativity in the middle of the park.

01 Aug 2016 21:19:22
Finally some good transfer news for evertonians.
ting have us as not favourites to sign fellani, benteke and blind.

On the downside they still have us as favourites to sign axel twitsel.

01 Aug 2016 21:08:29
Remember last August when the plane flew over the South coast and we beat Southampton 3-0. Everyone was raving about our performance. Unfortunately it went a bit wrong thereafter.
Well apart from Norwich at home a fortnight later Saints didn't register a second win in the league until September 26.
It's fair to say last year after the player exodus in the summer Koeman had a rebuild job to do. Van Dijk for example didn't sign until 1 September, well after the season stared. It's also very fair to say that to finish as high as Southampton did is massive credit to the manager, now our manager.
This is why, although I am eager for new personnel, I still think the foundations are in place for a good future for us Evertonians.
Finally having been close to tears when legends, the likes of Ball and Kendall left Goodison, we moved on. You cannot envisage the likes of Lukaku or Stones ever being held in the same esteem.

01 Aug 2016 21:15:38
Ye they are but myself was very eager to see new signings, which is just my patience after so long of no money.

I know we are one of the only clubs to do things the right way, but sometimes I wish we were just like others. I wanted to see money being spent so people would take notice, I know it's not always the right way but it was me being impatient. Oh well I will just wait longer.

01 Aug 2016 21:02:16
Looks like we're on the up haha. £22 mill a year for having fruity kings on ye chest haha.

Big improvement on Chang deal.

Moshiri working his magic. Does anyone honestly know what this lad from villa is like.

I do think we will have a good window and do a bit more in Jan, I think koeman has 3 big windows in my opinion

Let's crack on.

01 Aug 2016 20:45:20
Well, well, well - looks like some signings at last - West Hams late hijack of Ladrisssa Gueye has failed and he will be unveiled as an Everton player sometime tomorrow. Ashley Williams has also agreed to join us too and will be unveiled in the next 2-3 days, that is as long as the postman bites his legs off and he fails his medical lol. well anything so possible here at efc.

01 Aug 2016 20:55:38
Ok so it's a start but if your honest we all thought of higher profile players didn't we.

Williams is very good and I don't know enough about gaye, but we need some top players at the club and if rom leaves we need two strikers.

01 Aug 2016 21:01:11
Now a striker or two, a ball player and a keeper and I'm a happy blue.
Another centrbacks wouldn't hurt either 😁.

01 Aug 2016 21:08:29
Don't want to sound pessimistic but we have gone from mata, witsel, carvalho and koulibaly to gauye, Williams and fonte. Can't exactly get excited about who were now being linked with. I feel the new invester, manager and DOF are well placed to take us to another level however the players were supposedly about to sign I don't think can. Love to be wrong though.

01 Aug 2016 21:17:22
No news on carvalho mate, witsel and koubilaly are still on the go as I've not read anything saying they've been pulled.

01 Aug 2016 21:20:04
That was my point but we got to go with them. You also never know who they are talking to as we never tell anyone as a club, we have respect for other clubs unlike some who like to cause unrest.

01 Aug 2016 21:33:35
I'm not too upset by that longy, I don't rate Witsel and think he's overrated and plays in an awful league. While I would welcome Mata I don't want him to limit Barkley's playing time and certainly don't want him out wide as he's too slow. In my opinion I can't see a formation to accomodate both of them. Koulibaly would cost an awful lot considering that he's never played in the PL. If you're going to pay £45m for a defender you want quality not a Mangala and I don't see how you can really say with certainty which he will be. I do rate Carvalho though.

I like to trust Walsh on his previous record and think that Williams and Gueye will be good signings.

01 Aug 2016 21:17:38
ESPN who broke the Gueye news also state that Lukaku has told teamates he wants to leave. Wonder where our goals will come from?

02 Aug 2016 07:06:37
I'm sure we won't let Lukaku go without finding a suitable replacement first. Although I can understand why this concerns you Degsy given the Everton of old. But this is a new era. Enjoy the ride!

01 Aug 2016 20:42:10
In Italy at the mo, sports paper stating that Juve are after either Witsel or Matic guess we are at the same point.

{Ed002's Note - I would not be so sure about that.}

01 Aug 2016 20:14:16
We have activity for weeks as people have said, no news on stones/ lukaku going or any in-comings, am i the only one getting pretty p. ed off with the whole situation, hope i'm proved wrong 13 days till the start of the season COYB.

{Ed002's Note - You have been told all asummer that they are likely to leave.}

01 Aug 2016 20:24:05
Told me that about the wife but that was 40 years ago, still waiting.

01 Aug 2016 19:49:24
Seriously, the impatience and childish negativity of some people is draining.

What do you honestly and really expect? Overnight success? For the club to go and blow £150mill on "big" signings? Any signings, as long as there is signings? This is not going to happen overnight and there is some really difficult work over the coming season (s) and fans must be patient. I'd rather sign nobody than sign players for the sake of it. Even if we lose two or three players. It's about the right players at the right time and it taking time for RK's way of playing to be ingrained in the players.

01 Aug 2016 22:35:35
Totally agree with mate. We're just over a month into Koemans reign and people expect him to sign an entire team.

01 Aug 2016 18:34:18
southampton have bought Alex McCarthy could Forster b on his way 2 the blues.

01 Aug 2016 19:14:20
Please let it be, great keeper.

01 Aug 2016 19:46:41
Hopefully mate but they'd rip the hind out of the deAl. . be 15m plus to land him.

01 Aug 2016 20:03:11
Worth 15mil everday of the week. Probably have to double that figure tho.

01 Aug 2016 20:48:39
I would pay 30 million. Best keeper in England.

01 Aug 2016 21:11:05
Apparently Mccarthy is just to replace steekelenenburger so don't get your Hopes up too much.

01 Aug 2016 22:37:09
He doesn't score enough goals though Degsy.

01 Aug 2016 17:17:55
Imagine two parallels:

Number 1: Agent to player "Roberto Martinez is on the phone asking if you want to sign for him? "

Player to Agent "Who? "

Number 2: Agent to player "Ronald Koeman is on the phone asking if you want to sign for him? "

Player to agent "I haven't even brushed my teeth yet! "

Agent to play "He can't smell your breath down the phone! Footballers are so stupid! "

No comparison is there really. It's going to happen blues. Just be patient.

It's like having a tooth removed. It's first extracted, then you feel pain and look ugly until a replacement is put in. Then after further suffering the tooth beds in but after a bit of time that gleaming smile returns.

Don't be panicking after just a month with a new manager and 4 friendly matches in a week. If we would have won them all 10 nil it would just paper over the cracks that need filling and I'm sure Koeman and Co. are doing just that. We've always bought players and always bought well.

{Ed002's Note - Now imagine one parallel ...}

01 Aug 2016 18:24:38
Ahaha what a dick i am. Thanks ed. Ill be laughing all night tonight at myself. Wont tell the wife she's gotenough ammo on me.

01 Aug 2016 21:27:27
Now imagine that whilst the first tooth went rotten, others were getting infected. Instead of dealing with them all and replacing the ones that were starting to show signs of decay, false ones that were already old were fitted. Some didn't even do what they were supposed to do and one quite frankly cost a fortune from Russia and does not fit. All though this time all the other teeth were decaying and breaking. The dentist tells you that there are other new better teeth on the way, but here you are sucking soup up a straw because every time you chew, it is obvious the teeth are not fitting together right. The two remaining good teeth then start to come loose and the tooth fairy looks like she is going to take them away and put them in another mouth! Is that a parallel?

01 Aug 2016 22:38:05
I can't hear a word you're moaning degsy.

01 Aug 2016 13:28:09
anybody else starting to worry, the season starts in less than 2 weeks and i can't see any big names coming in soon. hope i'm wrong.

01 Aug 2016 14:38:34
No, not worrying at all.

01 Aug 2016 14:56:17
Although id love a signing or two, our squad and team is no where near as bad as people are making out. At least that is my belief. I have full trust in rk and above him, both moshiri and blue bill.

01 Aug 2016 15:42:00
Cropper16 we lose lukaku and stones do we still have a great squad? For one we wouldn't have 1 decent out and out striker and also be thread bare at the back. Obviously I would hope Koeman would have players in mind to bring in but they've still got to be given time to jel. If lukaku goes we need a min of two class strikers.

01 Aug 2016 16:15:09
No, I agree with you on that one. If lukaku goes we definitely need at least 1, probably 2 (depends what he thinks of dowell, Del boy at St and potentially mirallas) . Same goes with stones, again depending on the kids we may need 2. An I also agree that we should give any new players as long as possible to gel. Just don't think it's as bad as some people are making out.

01 Aug 2016 16:44:28
We keep on hearing that Stones and Lukaku are going to leave but they are still with us. The big concern is that if they stay their heart will not be in it. Stones was not up to his best last season and everyone forgets that Lukaku went missing for the last ten games of the season and missed a critical penalty in the Semi-Final. If both stay and continue in that vein we are in trouble anyway. If they commit to the club and are happy to stay I would rather keep them, if they sulk then I would rather they go, especially for the ridiculously high sums being spouted. I trust Koeman and Walsh to know what is needed, they are not stupid people, they both have been used to success and they also know that Moshiri will not tolerate failure. It will take time but the squad will be improved and we will have players who want to play for Everton rather than other teams.

01 Aug 2016 17:18:28
Who knows for the first time in years transfer deadline day might actually be worth watching?

{Ed002's Note - Perhaps the Friday before might be more fun?}

01 Aug 2016 12:57:19
I just found out that Everton's match against ManUtd (the Wayne Rooney testimonial) will be broadcast live on BT Sport on Wednesday (3rd August) at 8pm.
Apparently, both clubs will field full-strength teams - goodness knows how our shaky defence will cope with Zlatan, Rooney, Rashford, Martial, etc.!

01 Aug 2016 15:16:45
Who disagreed? How can you disagree that it is on BT Sports? Or are you disagreeing that Cowpat Sid2 said they will both field full teams? Or how he wonders how our shakey defence will perform?
I really don't get some people. But I get the same with my posts Cowpat! I state a fact and people disagree?

01 Aug 2016 16:22:26
Will be interesting to see Koemans chosen first 11 though.

01 Aug 2016 16:41:42
Now you know how we feel about you Degsy!

and you don't state fact. You state your take on the facts which are usually completely wrong which is why 99% disagree with you.

01 Aug 2016 12:06:09
Keep the faith blues. I recon we will have 3-4 new faces in by end of the week. On a downside i think both rom and stones will be gone. Think we will need 2 strikers in to replace rom and 2 defenders to replace stones. Like I've said before stones will be easier to replace than rom but there's a lot of young unproven talented striker's with something to prove we could get with plenty cash left over. Got a good feeling about the days ahead and will be disappointed if i'm wrong.

01 Aug 2016 12:35:35
Hey

. I suspect RK is planning to bring in 3 or 4 players anyway. if Rom n Stones go I wouldn't be surprised if we brought in 5/ 6 new faces. imho. COYB

Mart.

01 Aug 2016 13:59:41
We need at least 5 or 6 players, I have a feeling that we will struggle at the start of the season as it could take till the window closes to get them in, then bed them into the team.
It will be a long season but by next May I believe we will be full of optimism for the 2017/ 18 season we must be patient. RM wrecked are club and it will take time to rebuild.

01 Aug 2016 14:25:18
To be fair to rk aswell. He hasn't had a lot of time so far during this window to assess what he needs. The next window he will know what he needs and who he wants so things should happen sooner.

01 Aug 2016 11:45:10
Why not sell Stones and Lukaku for £125 million? Neither want to play for us anymore. Get 5 players in and bank £45 million profit. Firstly Begovic €8m Bruno Martin Indi £12.5m Gueye £7.2m Bolasie £25m and most controversial Benteke £32m And before anyone says he's no good (or words to that effect! ) Don't forget Liverpool don't play with wingers we do, He was a 20 goal a season striker for 2 or 3 years with a poor Villa side. Do you honestly believe he wouldn't achieve that again with us? You could still play Ross with Gueye deeper in midfield which would bring on his all round game. Imagine Mirallas right Gerri just off Benteke and Bolasie left. Goals galore and pace and power which scares defenders to death. What team would fancy facing Barkley, Mirallas, Deleufeu, Benteke, and Bolasie every week? Just a thought!

01 Aug 2016 12:48:40
This is probably rather unrealistic, but if we sell Lukaku, why not throw a bid in for Lacazette? Quick, good finisher, can play on the wing if you want to switch it up a bit. Would be a quality signing. Although I doubt he would come to us, you never know what can happen when you are willing to pay over the odds.

{Ed002's Note - Zero chance.}

01 Aug 2016 13:38:55
Hmmm I like those odds Ed002.

01 Aug 2016 13:56:45
Haha Ed02. Knew you would set me straight. A man can dream though!

01 Aug 2016 10:44:56
One thing I have learnt ove the past few transfer windows, is that you cannot take any notice if the papers, soon as you have a new manager, your linked to every player from there club or national team, one thing I'm very concerned about is the lack of fire power up front, I no they need time to watch players but bloody he'll, take lukaku out of the team we would be in the championship now, and any new manager could see that from day one, just like the goalkeeper situation, and can't understand why we haven't bought anyone yet, or 2 if lukaku is off.

01 Aug 2016 09:44:08
At least we know why Witsel has not signed yet, waiting to see if the most boring transfer in history pans out then off to Juve.

01 Aug 2016 10:34:18
The only reason he hasn't taken our offer is because we have no Europe. The offers accepted and the money is good (if we're to believe what we read) by Zenit.

I think he's actually overtaken Yarmalenko in the transfer talk that will never happen stakes.

01 Aug 2016 08:07:10
Here below is a post I put on 12th August 2015. One year ago. It was when we were rumoured to be signing Jonny Evans to replace Stones who was rumoured then to be leaving. I was criticsised then for suggesting an ageing squad was developing. I banged on about it for 2 years (as some of you will remember) It was my reply to a post about Jonny Evans adding yet further age to the squad and how we may pay for this with wholesale changes being needed just about now:

Quote:. it is mainly about unbalance of squad, youth and up and coming players versus "lazy" signings. Stones is 21 and obviously one of the best if not the center backs around. Evans is 27/ 28. Add him in to the squad with the following players signed by Martinez (I know some have gone. but in 2 years these are the players we had at center back) Distin, Alcaraz, Jags, Evans? When we signed Galloway and a couple of other kids. eg Garbutt. they were good future signings. Signing the likes of McCarthy too. But Barry, Kone, Alcarazand now Lennon and maybe Evans. to me it is adding age to an already ageing squad. One or two mature players are needed. not 7, 8 or 9. Especially when you already have 26 and 27 year olds. It all catches up later on and gives future problems. this is what I was frustratingly trying to point out last year. as players age, they are also more injury prone. Evans may well be a decent player? But without looking for another Stones from Barnsley or another Coleman from Slithgo (both signed at 20 years old) we accept that we have other clubs cast offs. Players deemed not good enough by their clubs! And I can guarantee Evans will be out injured more than Stones over the next 3 seasons. Just because of his age.

01 Aug 2016 09:31:23
I thought we'd turned a corner Degs, but now it seems we are back to the "I told you so" of old. Yawn.

Unfortunately the squad is unbalanced, both age and position-wise. We have a great crop of youngsters coming through but most of them need a year or two to be first team squad members. Our former manager did not replace key players as you have mentioned 76,000,346 times.

However it's not that dire Degsy. As long as any new GK we buy is 33 or under we should get a good 4-5 years out of him. We have Coleman, McCarthy, Mirallas, Oviedo and Lennon who are at peak ages and should give us at least 3 years service. The issue with Kone and McGeady is that they aren't good enough, irrespective of age. We have Besic, Barkley, Deulofeu, Lukaku, Mori and Garbutt who are all under 25. Galloway and Davies are two youngsters that are definitely first team ready. Browning, Pennington, Holgate and Dowell are not far behind. Barry, Jags and Baines will need replacing in the next couple of years but should last this season barring any major injuries.

With that in mind, I think providing we buy 3-4 quality players each season, within 3 seasons we will have a good squad again. This year we can certainly make do and mend with 3-4 more signings.

Age isn't an issue, it all depends on the individual. We got 4 good years out of then 31 year old Distin, yet we have yet to get a year out of then 24 year old Gibson. It's all a matter of perspective.

01 Aug 2016 10:03:28
You took the words out of mouth Blue Tommy. Brilliant post!

01 Aug 2016 11:25:15
I disagree with both of you on a couple of important points: Firstly, yes I agree that players are keeping their fitness levels up longer than the past due to healthy lifestyles and exercise. However, not many do a Distin. Yes a few do, but most outfield players with the top clubs are off by 31. That's how we got Barry. So if you are striving to be top. you need the younger version. Barry was better/ fitter and more use to a club at 26. Yes he did a job for us. but each season on he gets booked more and more and is then a liability because so many goals are conceded from free kicks these days. So if we are striving for mediocrity. then yes sign the older players. I thought we were striving for more? Secondly: even the top goalkeepers are in this bracket. Reflexes slow down. Thirdly: 5 of the players you list will be well past it in the 3 year time span you quote for rebuilding. And that is assuming that the 12 players we bring in will all slot into the squad no problem. Look at the last 6 or 7 signings and see that only about 50% of signings do actually slot in. Fourthly: you list 7 youngsters that will be in this 1st team squad. I can guarantee that half of them will not make the grade. So to summarise, if all that you say could happen actually happens, then yes all will be well. But I can also guarantee that we will lose some players. just like Stones and Lukaku may go. We will also lose some to injury. That is life. So I stick by my forecast of 2 years ago and it is not totally negative, because Like I say. this is where Mr Walsh does come in. He will bring in the 3 or 4 players each season you say. By then we may be back to where we were 3 seasons ago. Right now in my humble opinion, we are behind that level. I respect your views and time will tell. I am still ready to eat the humble pie, but hope you are too if I turn out to be right.

01 Aug 2016 12:29:05
I am so bored to death of posts by Degsy. Always slating our team, horrendously negative no matter what happens and constant repetition of points. You keep saying you hate to be negative (and you use quote marks there as if to say 'im not negative, why accuse me of that') so how about in future, if you don't get a warm fuzzy feeling about something, just don't say it.
I wish a personal comment about someone wasn't necessary because i like reading everyone's opinions whether i share them or not, but in the case of Degsy i just get so damn depressed.

01 Aug 2016 12:59:13
Degsy every day now you post the same messages two or three times. Do you not get bored typing it over and over or do you just cut and paste? You have an opinion as do all the rest of us, it would be a boring world if we all agreed on everything. And its also VERY boring having the same conversations with you many times each day. Your posts are making me want to start watching Big Brother with the missus rather than read it. If you keep banging on the same stuff people will stop replying. I think even BT and NBTB are getting fed up with the repetitiveness of your posts.
We all know what you think of our squad and past managers so change the record. Please! COYB.

01 Aug 2016 13:34:03
This is all hypothetical. Realistically we could sign 4 players and keep Stones and Lukaku but they could both break a leg and Barkley could do his ligaments in when we play Spurs. That's football.

So, in response:

Firstly, centre backs generally last longer than midfielders. We've had several over 35s do really well over the last 20 years. In addition, for me you don't have to be a world beater at centre back, just solid.

Secondly, for me goalkeepers peak between around 28 and 35. So I don't see how any of this is a problem. Tell me you would turn your nose up at a 35 year old Nigel Martyn right now. The man was great for us until he lost it. at 39. Even Howard was good until 35.

Thirdly, there are players who will step up e. g. Galloway for Jags, Davies for Barry. Also, that is 50% of signings by the god awful team of Martinez and Kevin Reeves. We now have Moshiri's money, and a Walsh/ Koeman partnership. I'm not saying they won't make mistakes, but I doubt they will have that poor a record when it comes to signings.

Fourth, providing no serious injuries or attitude problems, I can say with some certainty that Galloway and Davies will make it. Holgate and Dowell are also very highly thought of, so I would say that they also stand a good chance of making it. I am, however of the opinion that a far higher percentage of youngsters can make it given the correct training and the right amount of game time. I think we have a great youth setup (funnily enough that's the one positive contribution Martinez made) and we will start to see this in the coming years.

Finally, I don't think we are necessarily behind. I just think that we haven't moved with the times so other teams have improved and overtaken us.

I'm just presenting an alternative viewpoint. Realistically, as I've said before, the reality will probably end up somewhere between our visions.

01 Aug 2016 15:37:41
I really don't see where you say I am slating the team in that post WorcesterEFC. I agree implied that we have suffered bad management. but that surely cannot be seen as slating the team? Blue Tommy please tell me the several over 35's center backs we have had? Agree that keepers tend to go on until 35 now. but only specialones go past that. Yes Martyn was special. Stekelenburg is 33 now. All I am saying is that is probably a stop gap. If we sign Ashly Williams that too is probably a stop gap. Barry if he makes the first team (and so far Koeman has not even looked at him properly) is a stop gap. Jags is probably now a stop gap. Kone at best is a stop gap. McGeady, Gibson are both probably stop gaps. Hibbert, Osman and Pienaar (who were stop gaps) have all just been released. I would prefer to see us sign some 22 to 26 year olds. Sorry if that appears negative. Actually I am not sorry. and I am sure Koeman would rather sign players in that age group. Blue Tommy I take what you say about the youngsters, but are they ready for a whole season of first team action now? Or do you mean as cover here and there? Because add up all those 7 stop gaps I listed and add in to that perhaps youngsters being used as stop gaps. say 3 . mean we have included 10 stop gap players in our squad, add Niasse in too. then maybe, just maybe the loss of Lukaku and Stones. My personal view is that it is too much change in one go for any squad. It is no criticism of any individual players. just a comment made from my limited knowledge of football.

01 Aug 2016 21:53:49
Realistically, most squads are compiled of 10 stop gaps as you describe them. Or even if they aren't stop gaps, they often leave as the club is a stop gap to them e. g. Stones. And as you are pedantic enough to ask me to name a few shall I start with Weir and Stubbs, who did tremendously well for your idol Moyes. And you mention Stekelenburg as a stop gap, well he's a reserve keeper. Aren't most reserve keepers stop gaps. We've had a few over the years. Wessels, Nash, Mucha etc.

01 Aug 2016 06:53:19
west ham are set to enter the race to sign gueye from villa according to the s*n they are willing to meet the clause in gueye contract and offer him ore in wages wouldn't be surprised if oose out again so far a total and utter forgettable transfer window to date.

01 Aug 2016 08:30:23
I agree but we must get behind whoever wearing the blue or whatever shirt.

01 Aug 2016 08:56:40
Other clubs are going to be "in" for any decent players. That is the world of football. We must trust the club to show that Everton are going places. We still have time to secure players but what usually happens is the Euro playing clubs get their players in first. then the ones who are not signed by them choose the up and coming ones or the ones who offer more money. That to me is the scarey bit. The money has gone quite mad. It always was in football. I remember Trevor Francis going for 1 million and Shearer too. But these days. Niasse 13 million? Even in today's money I must be worth aroud 20 grand based on Niasse's value! And I am 59 with a dodgy knee!