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Time to make a move?
60 Comments: I'm sure that I won't be representing the masses with this viewpoint, but personally I think we should take Arsenal's money for Jags (provided we can edge it up to c £15M).
The only proviso being that the majority (well at least 2/3rds) is made available for transfers, or rather one transfer ? the arrival of N'Zogbia (or failing that, Donovan).
Most of the glaring issues with our current side/squad are at the attacking end of the pitch and the lack of a decent winger has been a widely recognised omission for the last 2-3 years (made more glaring by Pienaar's departure). Hence, if we really want to improve our fortunes this year, we need to add some quality in this space and for me N'Zogbia (or Donovan) tick all the boxes AND are available NOW at a not ridiculous price.
Whilst I'd obviously prefer that we cleared out the Yak, Yobo, Bily and potentially even one of Fellaini/Rodwell, the reality is that we haven't had sizeable bids for those players. So far, the only useful bids (ie, £10M plus) have been for Baines and Jagielka. Letting the former go would clearly be madness as he contributes at both ends, so, with regret, I think it's time we suck it up and move Jags on.
Whilst I do love Jags and wouldn't argue he's one of our best defenders, I think we'd all agree he's not perfect (distribution isn't his strong suit) and I'd also argue that he's far from irreplaceable.
In fact, with Johnny Heitinga we have a World Cup Finalist centre back who's desperate to start (and can actually pass the ball), readymade to come in and sit alongside Distin as the first choice pairing. Behind him we have the returning Yobo (okay, not Moyes's first choice but if we can't sell him, he'll be cover), Rodwell (who I'm frequently told is a centre-back by trade) and even Phil Neville as cover, plus the youth options (Garbutt, Dier and Mustafi).
I'd further argue that Moyes has proved time and again able to source defensive gems from the lower leagues and hone them into stars, so it's highly likely he'll be able to do it again.
Ultimately, as our strategy (ie, 4-5-1, hard-working, running our bollocks off to close down) is naturally more focused on defence, it's clear we need to balance this with some real quality and mercurial touch up front. With N'Zogbia, Gueye and Saha/Beckford bombing forward plus Baines and Coleman on the overlap plus Arteta/Osman/Bily threading balls from the midfield, I feel we could have a really fearsome counter-attacking force on our hands.
Chris James, Posted 25/07/2011 at 10:32:44
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Just when we thought we had scraped the bottom of the barrel!
This one will really piss off Moyes I think as he's a player he's wanted all year. The fact that we cant even stump it up in installments paints a grim picture of our finances.
We are treading water at the moment and you have to wonder how much longer Moyes will be motivated to do it.
N'Zogbia and McFadden however might not be a bad thing. Would allow us to sell Bily to raise some cash too...
Scouring "NewsNow Everton" this morning and Moyes has high hopes for Anichebe and also McFadden maybe coming back. We are in deep shit when these are our best headlines. I hate to be so negative before the season starts but I am dreading the two derby games as I am sure it will show the major differences and what lack of investment does to a team.
I think Jags is the one I'd sell out of 'valued' players, if we have to sell, never been a huge fan anyway. But like others have said, if Felli doesnt sign a new deal he would be the one to go if there was any interest.
"Most of the glaring issues with our current side/squad are at the attacking end of the pitch."
I believe our inability to keep clean sheets has put more pressure on the attacking players to score more.
Every good team is built on solid defensive options and while I do not rate Jags in the "top defender" stakes he will be difficult to replace even if Moyes gets all the funds to spend on replacements.
The defense last season was shambolic at times and Baines aside is in a far worst state than the rest of the team if you ask me.
But...
Do you trust the club to do it properly?
a) Everton will probably drag it out and end up selling very close to deadline day, meaning it will be virtually impossible to re-invest the money.
b) We'll mess Arsenal about and they will not appreciate attempting to do business with amateurs, and instead look elsewhere.
c) Jagielka will go into the Tottenham game having asked for a transfer, and Moyes will have dug his heels in; only to let him go on deadline day.
OR we could pass around collection plates at the matches, like they do in church, and use that money for a signing.... After a few seasons, that is.
Oh well, maybe not a very good idea.
Let's see Kenwright come up with a better one (one that doesn't involve smashing down walls for no real reason, that is).
A question I would like to ask is would Jags be subjected to the greedy bastard remarks made to others?
"With funds reported to be tight at Goodison Park..." ? lol
Should read:
"With funds non-existent at Goodison Park..."
Yes, it was nice while he was here but he's now 2 yrs older and not getting any younger.....
On the other hand, if it's between him and McFadden... it's USA USA USA all day long!!!!
But that's not my argument. I'm thinking - if people can mistake one ageing, injury-prone Louis Saha for one young (still injury-prone, and awkwardly enough allergic to grass) Mario Ballotelli, then maybe our board should play along and SELL Saha for a Bollotelli-esque fee!! (what would that be? Around £30mil???)
A genius plan if you ask me.
You know, I heard Jose Baxter looks remarkably similar to Lionel Messi... (not really, but who gives a shit right?)
Let's go looking for that terrier type player that we need in midfield.
It's the inconsistent performers we want out, not Jags. We seem to keep these deadbeats season after season, just like we did with the likes of Darracot, Lyons and Telfer when Lee was in charge and we were rubbish then.
We will never be a top Prem team whilst we carry Moyes's deadbeats.
We should sell him and not subject him to the "greedy bastard/traitor" nonsense that Lescott got.
Lescott is at a club on the verge of winning things and, in a short career, that's important. Fair play to him.
Can guarantee I will put a lot of shit on the board for being so fookin pathetic, but Jags is one of those guys that if the boss says "jump" he says "how high?"
If we were to sell him, it would be because (for one reason or another) we want to sell him.
Don't see Jagielka handing in transfer requests and having a sulk like a certain Lescott anyway.
Kenwright and his fellow board members are an insult to the traditions of this club ? nsno I wish they would just piss off, we have got to be the most frustrating team to support in the Premier League...
http://www.football365.com/transfer-blog/7060383/Live-Transfer-Blog-
Would like to see the repayment plan on that one!
There's also Duffy to add to potential cover.
I would love Wigan to accept it and watch Kenwright splutter and go pale.
Preferably I would prefer Arsenal to be coming in for Heitinga with Jags stepping up to take the captaincy... but those offers seem to be lacking....
What really baffles me, is our inability to secure bridging finance against Sky monies or a star sale. If I was a significant shareholder and was looking to get rid of my investment, I would want the club to seem healthy and forward looking. Ignoring Buffalo Bill, we have one of the richest men in the UK on the board and a very wealthy American, plus the Granchester family as shareholders, surely it is not beyond them to underwrite the purchase of N'Zogbia while we are waiting for funds from other sources. Not asking for investment just bridging finance for a few weeks for God's sake.
The lack of interest the board of directors shows in this club borders on criminal.
Keep Jags and let both Heitinga and Bily go as they have been really poor buys.
'Dutch' Johnny seems to think he is worth a bigger club and is only a squad member at EFC so lets see how much interest there is in selling him.
When we bought Heitinga and Bily it was unopposed in the transfer market and I have not read of any club showing interest in acquiring either of them.
Keep the players who are worth keeping and that definitely includes Jags and Baines!!
Bit of a laugh he's gone to Villa for half Downing's fee, even the hairy-palmed RS will squirm at Downing being valued at double.
Clearly the Benitez madness lives on in their transfer policy and these yanks appear as clueless as the previous.
Deluded gobshites the lot of 'em.
Never have the differences between us and them been more pronounced; more significant.
Dalglish has been backed to the hilt by his board, and bought some big players in.
You should be angry at our board, not Liverpool.
B) I think we should really keep quiet about Liverpool, and maybe people will forget to compare how utterly woeful we are in comparison.
We will struggle in a lot of games again this coming season and as I said before the first 10-12 games will see were we are headed but don't expect much more than last season's beginning.
I tell you what i'm not just saying this because its the shite who have bought them but if Moyes had been given the money that Kenny has used and he had spent £75 million alone without wages etc on Carroll, Downing and Henderson i would be seriously questioning his position.
I would rather we spent nothing than spent vast sums of money on average players like those 3.
You must be one of our american cousins to get touchy over that!
I wasn't having a go at yanks per se......(maybe it's 'cos I said "yanks"- ooh - very sorry)
Dan 34
Needless to say "EXACTLY"
It makes us look petty and bitter. The reason some people start attacking Liverpool is because they are deflecting their anger and frustration.
Liverpool, it pains me to say, are absolutely streets ahead of us, and on current trends, it's only going to get worse.
I'd rather not talk about them, because it makes me so sad to see one club go one way, and another club go the absolute opposite.
However Suarez is breathtaking and is probably the best striker in world football right now, along with Forlan. It would not surprise me if he finished with the golden boot.
Carroll has well is a real handful and will cause all teams problems and is the closest thing to Big Dunc in the league.
We had a genuine chance of surpassing Liverpool last season and blew it by weakening our squad while they strengthened. I doubt we will get that back anytime soon.
Can't really see it happening though, as Moyes doesn't operate in this way- he likes to keep a settled squad, plus Yobo will be on his way out anyway after falling out with Moyes
A real shame though because I'd genuinely love to see that sort of player in royal Blue - a tricky winger who can score goals and create out of nothing - could have been a return to the heady days of Kanchelskis!
Much as I hate to join the baying throng as I don't think Bill K is as bad as he's made out, this is developing into one inept transfer window too many for me. I was prepared to accept that wew were going to be shopping for freebies or that we had to sell to buy, but the fact we can apparently do neither when we have a host of international players on offer (Yak, Yobo, Heitinga, Bily and Felliani/Rodwell) is difficult to explain away.
Either we're holding out for too much cash or we're somehow bungling our dealings, either way there should be some accountability and a head on a block.
"However Suarez is breathtaking and is probably the best striker in world football right now, along with Forlan. It would not surprise me if he finished with the golden boot."
You have got to be kidding surely? The lad is a good player but best in the world right now not in anyones wildest imaginations. A few goals at the Copa America does not make you a world beater. Do you really think for example he will score more goals than Ronaldo, Messi etc.
Keep everyone.
LOL. He's another diver and moaner following the example of his club captain. Forlan is miles better than him, an absolute natural marksman.
No it's not dangerous to scoff at the Shite. It's really funny actually watching them blow £85m on a few average players. Title contenders ? Not a chance, and I doubt if they will even make the CL spots. This is gonna be Blackburn '95 all over again except that these are now outdated tactics.
Us? Sure we'll be grand when Mc Fadden is flying down that wing again and putting in crosses to no-one in particular... ; - )
We cannot afford to let go our best players. They are our bread and butter and the others... well, as mentioned, nobody wants them except at a knockdown price or on a free.
However, Moyes has to get into the frame of mind of using his fringe players more often and not persist with players who are not playing with 100% effort every week.
This is how it would work: if any newspaper or media source anywhere, including Twitter, invented any rubbish about Everton buying a player it would turn the whole article instantly into white space with the headline "made up Everton transfer rubbish". This would save us all a lot of time.
Just for fun as I knew it was trash when it was written, I kept the Guardian from 1 June 2011 where they made up our "possible transfer targets" which were (try not to laugh):
Shane Long
Gervinho [collapses laughing]
Demba Ba [ditto]
Michael Owen
James Milner
Charles N'Zogbia
What a load of total rot.
I do know (or see anyway) that Moyes sends out a team week in and out designed to attack. We must have the least defensive team in the league.
We lack in finishers. That I do know for sure. We need to put it into the net. We need to finsh our chances. THAT'S the difference between us and those who finish above us.
Really James? We regularly play 4-5-1 with more often than not two holding players in midfield. That isn't a team designed to attack, that's a team approaching a game with a containment attitude.
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