Martinez hints at adding a striker to his shopping list

, 2 August, 228comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton may be in the hunt for a striker after all as Roberto Martinez continues his quest to strengthen his side before the transfer deadline.

The manager had been fairly clear at the end of last season that he was not in the market for a new striker but in his post-match comments following today's friendly against Villarreal he suggested that the "up front" area was one of three where the Blues are currently lacking.

His main striker, Romelu Lukaku sat out of the 2-1 defeat after coming off against Dundee last Tuesday complaining of heavy legs and his deputy, Arouna Kone, again failed to convince that he is capable of adequately replacing the Belgian with another goalless outing in the first half at Goodison Park.

We know we need two to three new players and we are going to make sure we get the right ones," Martinez says on evertonfc.com.

We are looking for that area [up front], the number 10 position, and I think we need a centre-half; the three areas are quite clear.

I have been very impressed with some youngsters and I think they are ready to help the first team as well.

Speaking specifically about the badly-needed acquisition for the No.10 position, Martinez explained that it was a hard role to fill.

They arent players that are easy to find. You want players with great vision and technical ability but who can also cope with the physicality of the league.

I do feel we need to use the full window and try to bring the right people. We have got a clear idea of what we want to do.

 

Reader Comments (228)

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John Zapa
1 Posted 02/08/2015 at 19:34:21
The squad is very thin now, especially with all the injuries.

A Manchester United contact of mine mentioned a possible deal for Stones is in discussion, with Evans plus cash and one of Januzaj/Hernandez on loan for the season. I would take the deal if all 3 are on offer, although I am not too keen on Evans, the other 2 would cover major area’s needed in the first 11.

Christopher Marston
2 Posted 02/08/2015 at 19:42:43
Sounds like he hasn't got a clue who to buy.
Sam Hoare
3 Posted 02/08/2015 at 19:45:59
Trouble is how many points will be lost by the time these players come in and have adjusted?

I don’t see there being any chance we can fill those 3 positions with decent players unless we sell someone. Or unless there are some top notch loans to be had....

Perhaps the best we could hope for are:

Hernandez (loan)
Lennon (loan)
Sergi Roberto (loan)
Van Dijk (£8m)

Something along those lines would make me feel a bit better.

Tony Twist
4 Posted 02/08/2015 at 19:49:32
Martinez is clueless. I have no faith in him as our manager. Selling Stones should be for cold hard cash and nothing else and for lots of it.

We need a goal scorer that’s for sure... dare I say it... an Ian Rush. Martinez is the problem, he just won’t play a style that suits the players anyway.

Christopher Marston
5 Posted 02/08/2015 at 19:49:38
I can only infer from his comments that he has not had a plan this summer, otherwise he would’ve stated before how the squad is in need of a striker. This worries me greatly.

I don’t really have faith in his scouting system either. No vision. No plan. No strategy. No brains. Unwitting transparency.

Neil Thomas
6 Posted 02/08/2015 at 19:51:43
We still have 4 weeks to bring in players, and nowadays these players have already been hunted down by RM; it’s just that they don’t mention them until the deal's in the bag.
Mike McLoughlin
7 Posted 02/08/2015 at 19:53:26
Very worrying comments from Roberto. I agree; it doesn’t sound like a plan is in place.

We are less than a week from the start of the season and he has only just recognized we need a support for Romelu; clearly Kone isn’t that man. You let 2 central defenders go and only just recognize we need replacements.

Worrying times, Blues

Alan Humphreys
8 Posted 02/08/2015 at 19:55:37
We have got a clear idea of what we want to do

Just not who, which seems to go against what was said early preseason.

James Byrne
9 Posted 02/08/2015 at 19:57:00
John Zapa, Man Utd want an older more experienced defender than Stones; someone like Sergio Ramos who they were interested in...
Jay Harris
10 Posted 02/08/2015 at 19:59:08
Totally agree Tony.

Most supporters recognized over 12 months ago that we needed more firepower so why does the manager take to the start of the new season to come to the same conclusion?

Dzeko has just gone for £14 million and would have given us a different dimension to Lukaku.

Trevor Peers
11 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:05:14
John (#1),

I agree I’d take them three Man Utd players, that would improve the squad but there’s little chance of it happening.

I liked Lennon, he gave us speed and width, something sadly missing in the pre-season matches, and his goals virtually kept us up.

Maybe the penny has dropped about Kone and we get a desperately needed new striker, fingers crossed.

Neil Shanahan
12 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:05:37
Good to see fellas on here keeping it real as usual. The manager has had one outstanding season and one really poor one. To date, we’ve lost nobody and brought in one player. There’s still time left in the window and we’ve always been penny pinchers by buying at the very end of the transfer window for the last umpteen years. This happened before Martinez’s time and will go on after he’s gone.

The board and commercial management of the club is the problem. It’s a joke and the manager doesn’t get funded properly. Do you really believe a manager has intentionally not bought players or doesn’t know who is available when all the barstool managers are on here picking out fantasy football teams on his behalf???? Get real, support Everton and stop moaning before a season even starts. Try not booing a 20-21-year-old player as well this season lads. It makes the club look pathetic.

I guarantee those 3 players come in before the season starts, wouldn’t be surprised at it even reaching 4 (2 loans maximum).

Davie Turner
13 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:06:30
Don't think we could afford Dzeko's wages Jay. Nice of Roberto to finally figure that a new striker is needed, shame if we get one, or a new CB or No. 10 they won't get any preseason. Anyway, a win next week is what is needed, everything else is by the by if we start well this season.
James Thornhill
15 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:08:44
Kone was awful today, and he’s not going to get a minute's peace from the supporters' groans & moans this season. A striker should have been priority, we need a hard-working 110% type of player; give me Austin or Rhodes all day.
Paul Saleh
16 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:10:30
All we have spent is £4.3 million on Deulofeu, I wouldn't sell Stones as I have no confidence in this board that they would get his true value.

We knew the squad was thin last season and again here we are, 6 days before the start of the season, knowing that we are short in central defence and up front and yet nothing seems to have been done. Either the board refuse to back him or he doesn't know who he wants.

Whichever way, it's only going to be us supporters who will suffer.

I wish Kenwright and his board and Martinez would just fuck off and go.

Colin Glassar
17 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:13:12
Excellent post, Neil. After giving Kone a chance to show if he’s up to it, maybe the manager has realised (finally) that he isn’t.

Bill won’t release any funds until the very end of the window. This is how he operates, full stop.

Dave Cooney
18 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:13:38
Tony (4) -- why would we sell one of our best players who plays in a position we need strengthening in? Chelsea, the best team in the League want him but some of our fans think it’s okay to sell him. Strange. I want to watch the best players, not watch them playing for those beauts.

Also, your point about the players not wanting to play a style that suits the players. Well it suited them in his first season, apparently. I am not an apologist for my team’s manager but I think we have to give him this season to improve from last season’s boring football.

I wouldn’t judge his comments/transfer policy now -- we are notoriously late activists, which we all hate; do we not think that our manager really wants to get his players on deadline day? I don’t. It’s something he and us (and our previous manager) have to put up with.

Ray Robinson
19 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:14:44
Why has it taken him so long to reach an obvious conclusion re the need for another striker? Why wait until the end of the transfer window to buy anyone? Surely, if anyone decent becomes available now the price will go UP not down?

Coming on the back of last season's pre-season fiasco, I don't believe that organisation and prioritisation are Roberto's strong points.

And where is the foreign market that, being Spanish, should give access to?

Clive Rogers
21 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:22:03
The fans have been telling him we need a striker for months. Now he has realised Kone has gone from bad to worse and is getting desperate. If he hasn’t had a striker lined up already, he will find it very difficult to bring in quality now.
Steven Higgott
22 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:25:46
'Worrying Times' is an understatement; Martinez said before pre-season starting, "We know the areas we need to fill and we have worked hard to identify the players we need." Obviously we have lost out on who he wanted or they don’t want to come to our club because they would have signed by now.

So, if someone comes in now, it won’t be someone who will be any better than we have got now, unless we sell our players and pay over the odds for quality players -- that’s even if they want to come.

I don’t think RM has pulling power to get players in anyway. Loan players on the final day of the transfer window is what we will get and he is hoping his youngest will pull us through this season.

Dominic Tonge
23 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:26:22
Sad to say but the fact that Big Dunc offered more like a No 9 in his brief cameo than Kone has since he signed spoke volumes.

We are going to have to wait until it is the end of deadline day because BK will want to save on wages for any incoming players. I reckon we will end up with Austin or Pato.

I also have to say as an aside that I thought Rooney got a good reception... You never know: Rooney and cash for Stones?

Jim Bennings
24 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:28:22
Praise the Lord Martinez has finally smelled the coffee!!

Relying on two strikers all season is borderline insanity especially given Lukaku is at times inconsistent, and Kone... well, Kone is just Kone -- I can’t even be bothered talking about the lad.

It made me a bit sad actually seeing Rooney and Big Dunc back on the pitch in Everton kits; made me think of how I wished we were back in time to the raw kid that came through in 2002 and Fergie coming in off the bench to add the physical factor.

Lukaku has his plusses but he’s just not got that same fire in him or leadership quality that these two guys had.

We are in dire need of a real wholehearted centre-forward, I’d love to see Charlie Austin given a go; I believe he’d play the game a bit like Duncan used to: heart on the sleeve, good hold-up play, which I like in a striker.

We need something badly to happen because, for the vast majority of today until the two big attractions came on, it was all too familiar from the entire last season.

John Malone
25 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:31:45
I’d give QPR whatever they want for Charlie Austin! Today showed how toothless we are up top. I hold my hands up, I thought Kone was decent at Wigan and honestly thought he had something to offer but, being honest, he’s finished and I can’t help but get wound up when I look across the park and they’ve got three proven Premier League strikers! It’s not on and I’m now thinking that getting another striker is our main transfer target!

I don’t want to blame Martinez for the delay in bringing in much needed transfer targets as it was the same under Moyes but I would love to know why nearly every other club is spending their increased TV money and we are dragging our heels again!

The fact is Moyes never had any money were Martinez surely has so what’s the wait? The season starts next week and we’ve already got injuries what are they waiting for???

Charlie Burnett
26 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:35:01
Roberto says in his Toffees Can interview that he feels for Kone with his injury he has seen players retired from the same injury and he will always try to give him the chance to show what he can do to the fans. My view of this is we are not a charity and goals win games that make points, the more points, the more money we get at the end.

So he says a week before the season starts he now thinks we need a striker -- does that mean he tried to look for this Number 10 and failed?

In the same interview, when he talking about the Number 10, someone says the player for that role is Nolito and he replies everyone would like a player that gets a hat-trick against you but he's too attacking -- we're looking for a player that will pick up the ball in the Gareth Barry area. Am I missing something or just really confused?

We are never going to get the two centre-backs needed, it’s a massive fail from the board. With all the Stones stories about a big money transfer every club will push up the price thinking he's the replacement.

This is the Everton Way; Bill doesn’t like paying pre-season wages but, guess what: we are all going to love and clap him when that fat face goes on the big screen at Goodison because he kept our Stones.

Chris Gould
27 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:35:55
I don’t doubt that we will get a few players in, but the concern is that we are waiting to see how much we can get for Stones before we begin to bid. I think we will see a lot more of Browning this season and one other centre-back will come in. If Stones goes then we need a top class centre-back who can fit right in. That will mean Premier League experience.

Evans fits the bill (well, maybe not top class), but if we do lose Stones then we will have lost a bit of our soul. That’s how it would feel to me. This kid could be our future leader, but what can we offer him? Realistically it will not be top 4. And in a couple of season’s time it will most probably be only the top 3 who make Champions League as we may lose the 4th spot to Italy.

Jim Bennings
28 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:36:52
Just watching Kone makes me feel sorry for him.

He’s not good enough, we know that; whether it’s the injury and age that’s caught up with him or not, I don’t know... but, regardless of what striker you are, when you think he has scored just ONE senior goal in two years, his confidence must be rock bottom. It's painful to watch the lad, it really is.

Martinez really needs to see where he’s at and get his head used to the fact that the £6 million he splashed out on him two summers ago needs wiping off the board and just put it down as a mistake.

Keeping blind faith is just not fair on himself, the fans and probably most of all unfair on Kone himself.

Ross Edwards
29 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:39:54
He's finally seen the light. Amazing. Whether he actually will sign one is another matter because he said the same last season about signing a Goalkeeper then didn't.
Colin Williams
30 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:41:11
Yes, Kone did not have a physical presence today, not strong enough. But he was miles better technically than Naismith!

Gavin Johnson
31 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:45:36
Hernandez and Januzaj would fit the bill. I don't think I imagined it, but didn't Saints bid £8M for Hernandez earlier in the summer?! He's clearly not fancied by Van Gaal, so would be a realistic loan/buy. I'd still try and buy Austin but I shouldn't think the funds will stretch that far.

Either Dragovic or Van Dijk need to be brought in. We're still weak from crosses and set-pieces, and both are more commanding than Stones in this area. I'd like one of the above to be brought in and for us to try a 3-5-2 with Stones and Jags.

While Roberto mentions these being the 2 or 3 signings we'll make, where does Lennon fit in?! Surely he will be one of the deadline deals... and a No 10 he ain't.

Chris Gould
32 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:47:38
I agree with your sentiments, Jim, although I don’t think it can go down as a mistake. At the time, it seemed like a good bit of business, but then Kone got a horrendous injury which nobody could have foreseen. Certainly not RM’s mistake. The problem has been how long it’s taken him to accept that he is no longer good enough.

I’d take Austin over Hernandez. A quality, passionate Englishman over a lad who believes he’s destined for greater things. He’s just been at Real Madrid; I don’t think playing for Everton will put any fire in his belly.

On a side note, do people really think Dzeko would have come to us? Not a chance. We need to be realistic.

Justin McCarthy
33 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:50:43
Maybe, and this is pure speculation, there are reasons why the players Roberto wants cannot be bought now.

If the Number 10 is Sergi Roberto then Barca have just had a presidential election and have a transfer embargo. They also said they have completed their business for this season and will not allow Pedro to leave prior to the Super Cup games. They may decide towards the end of the window they are in a position to let him move on.

If the CB is Virgil van Dijk; then possibly Celtic will only sell if they are knocked out of the Champions League.

If the striker is James Wilson, then maybe Van Gaal will only let him leave when he has a replacement or replacements for Van Persie and Radamel Falcao.

Andy Bone
34 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:50:55
If we want Van Dijk then we need to get our skates on as Saints have put in an offer for him this afternoon.
Mark Tanton
35 Posted 02/08/2015 at 20:54:13
Everton don't even have skates, we're out there in the transfer market on a walking frame, shaking our fist at upstarts like Norwich and Palace as they come hurtling past, cheque books in hand.
Paul Tran
36 Posted 02/08/2015 at 21:03:00
He said he'd bring in two early and two late (should that be too late?). We've got the two early. It's the way we operate as a club. He learned that last season. What he said today is the usual smokescreen bullshit to keep prices and speculation down - or would you rather he negotiated in public like the Mourinho who's been criticised on here?

Van Dijk won't be going anywhere while Celtic are in the Champions League. Austin is overpriced for one who could prove a one-season wonder (like Martinez or Barkley?). If we're desperate enough to buy him, let's leave it late and get a bit of value.

What worries me is that a year ago I said we needed a keeper, centre back, playmaker and striker; I'm saying the same now. That's appalling. Martinez may well know who he wants; the real issues are do they want to come here and will we be able to do a deal?

Jim Bennings
37 Posted 02/08/2015 at 21:15:18
I very much doubt that Hernandez would join Everton at this moment in time as you state Chris, he’s just been at Real Madrid.

I just like the way Austin plays, I watched him do a year in the Championship at Burnley, I was impressed but needed to see him do it in the Premier League, but he proved himself a more than capable footballer last season in a poor team.

We need to get him, I’d hate to see him end up at Newcastle or somewhere and score 16-20 goals.

Ask yourself this: Where are the goals without Lukaku and Mirallas who are both susceptible to dipping in and out of form themselves?

Kelvin Thomas
38 Posted 02/08/2015 at 21:23:57
Take a bow Neil #11
Spragg Johnson
39 Posted 02/08/2015 at 21:55:20
Southampton will make Van Dijk a better offer and we’ll get that Herteaux lad from Udinese on the cheap.

A Barcelona B player on loan for the ’Number 10’ role (Sergi Roberto) and a another loanee up front (probably more like a Lacina Traore or a Jo than anything decent). Not what you’d call an invigorating transfer window... especially when Barry, Osman, Gibson, Pienaar and Kone all look completely shot.

The TV money must be for debt reduction only, eh?

David Evans
40 Posted 02/08/2015 at 22:06:22
Neil Shanahan, I applaud you! I agree with everything you say.

Everton have always kept their cards close to their chest and have always kept their business quiet, so just have faith, people! It wouldn't surprise me if we signed players that haven't been in the media at all.

However, I'm hoping to god we sign Shaqiri! Perfect for what we need in my opinion. Van Dijk would be a welcome addition too.

In terms of a striker, I can't see us having enough money to sign either Austin or Hernandez. Maybe we end up loaning one but I can't imagine who. Gregoire Defrel has been linked a few times... seems decent and cheap, I'd take him!

Teddy Bertin
41 Posted 02/08/2015 at 22:07:10
Martinez says "We have got a clear idea of what we want to do." Yet he gets accused on here of basically saying that there is no plan in place. He's not going to come out and announce targets and strategy just so ToffeeWeb readers can be appeased. I don't think he should even be specifying positions tbh as it's largely out of his hands.

For those with short memories, we've had our most exciting transfer windows in decades since Martinez has arrived and while Kone and a few others have been bad buys, Lukaku, McCarthy, Deulofeu, Cleverley (I'll stick my neck out there) and Lennon were all great acquisitions. I was even excited and surprised when we got Barry and Eto'o too.

Give him a break and get behind him for one more season. Then we'll judge (and no it won't be too late then because we'll be relegated).

Guy Hastings
43 Posted 02/08/2015 at 22:07:19
’I think we need a centre-half’ -- even my cat knows that and she spends most of her time sleeping in a large shoebox in the back bedroom.

I despair, I absolutely fucking despair.

Chris Williamson
44 Posted 02/08/2015 at 22:08:46
Neil Shanahan (11) -- spot on -- I totally agree. I am getting exasperated by the negativity of some "fans" on here. It’s nothing personal and I don’t pay any attention to names, but the tone of some people -- it seems use the phrase "nil satis..." to justify their vitriol for any player who isn’t perfect.

Basic, basic psychology states that cheering a player will give confidence and help them do better. Booing them is GOING to make them a worse player. The difference between the best and the worst footballers at this level is confidence.

People who boo are idiots in not realising this simple fact. They’re not proper fans either. If they’re not simply thick, the only other rational explanation is that they have frustrations elsewhere in their lives and let it out through football.

Andy Crooks
45 Posted 02/08/2015 at 22:26:54
Chris, giving players abuse at the game is, in my opinion, confidence sapping and pointless. However, forums like this allow people to vent their concerns and, if a supporter thinks a player is shit, then this is the place to do it.

Frankly, it is only lack of passion or effort that annoys me and I rarely see the latter. If a player is played out of position in a formation that does not suit, he does not deserve ridicule if he gives his all.

By all accounts, Kone has been poor. However, he didn’t set his fee, deliberately get a horrific injury, and he does not select himself for the team.

Steven Twine
46 Posted 02/08/2015 at 22:36:19
Didn’t he say in January that we know what we need and we are working on them players?
Anthony Jaras
47 Posted 02/08/2015 at 22:39:06
Simple solution;

Charlie Austin.

Bid fast!

Jack Plant
48 Posted 02/08/2015 at 22:42:18
I agree Anthony, I was at the game today and we were utterly toothless until Rooney came on. (I was very pleased with the reception he got.)

I’d be moving heaven and earth to get Austin in, if he really is available at £15M that’s a real deal.

Brian Wilkinson
49 Posted 02/08/2015 at 22:43:21
Jordon Rhodes for me all day long.
Ben Jones
50 Posted 02/08/2015 at 23:07:12
The thing to criricise the manager on here is stating we didn't need a striker earlier. Kone is useless and we look toothless up front when Lukaku isn't playing. And everyone saying Austin -- why would he come here to play second fiddle to Lukaku? We cant afford to pay £15M for a second striker.

We all nowadays blame the Chairman and the Chief Execs do all the transfers now so blaming Martinez is pointless in that aspect, at least he’s identified the areas, which 90% fans think we need.

We’ve had a decent end-of-transfer-window period before, so I wont be panicking till the window ends and we have nobody. I think Van Dijk and Sergi Roberto would be a good start. I have a sneaky suspicion we will do a loan bid for Negredo as well.

Steve Cotton
51 Posted 02/08/2015 at 23:08:07
Do you know what if RM was sacked tonight and no further transfers came in until deadline day, then we would all be more hopeful about the coming season. There would be HOPE...
Dean Adams
53 Posted 02/08/2015 at 23:17:29
Pato for £5m?
Harold Matthews
54 Posted 02/08/2015 at 23:19:16
I don't know about a striker but I do know Mix Diskerud of the USA and New York City is one of my favourite players and the MLS window closes on Aug 6th.

Age 24, 6'-1", better than any midfielder in our squad. Wears the number 10 for club and country, fast, skilful, two- footed, good in the air, a great passer and can score goals. A terrific box to box player with current value around £2M.

Unfortunately for Mix, The signings of Poku, Lampard and Pirlo have pushed him down the ladder and the game at the weekend saw him playing 45 minutes on the right wing.

Three years ago I wrote to Mr Moyes to put him in the picture with regard to Mix but the reply from his secretary stated that tha club were aware of the lad. I even wrote to Tim Howard but heard nothing.

The are many good reasonably priced players out there but we continue to look in the wrong place.

Aidy Dews
55 Posted 02/08/2015 at 23:23:24
When it comes to the "No.10" player he’s after, I can only think that he’s missed out on his main target for that position if he’s still looking for the right fit. Before the summer started, he said he knew the players he needed and wanted, yet he’s saying the type of playmaker he’s after are hard to find?!

Hopefully he has the money to go out and get in the required players of the required quality, cos they're needed, badly!

Dean Adams
57 Posted 02/08/2015 at 23:26:35
Harold, he has only been there for 6 months. Do you think he would want a move so soon?
Ray Robinson
58 Posted 02/08/2015 at 23:35:14
Dean @ 45, with a name like Pato, Martinez might be a bit wary of spending £5m, as it means "duck" in Spanish. He has already bought a few turkeys.
James Flynn
59 Posted 02/08/2015 at 23:45:33
The Club has to consider all the contracts up at the end of the season:

Osman
Hibbert
Gibson
Kone
Oviedo
Pienaar
Mirallas

Five gone frees up a ton of wages. All seven? The owners will have to do some fancy financial (even for them) tap dancing to explain why Roberto won't have lots of money this window next season.

Yet, here they are, all seven, under one more year of contract. Given that, and owners who pinch every penny hard enough to push Lincoln’s beard to the back of his head, what’s available this window for Roberto to spend?

Dean Adams
60 Posted 02/08/2015 at 23:49:35
Mirallas had an option for another year, James, which the club utilized.
James Flynn
61 Posted 02/08/2015 at 00:06:34
Good stuff, Dean. Like the Garbutt signing two days after the Alcaraz/Distin wages came available, I expect Kevin and Brian to be re-signed early next July. Assuming they're still here.

The other five?

We have to keep in mind, all seven when fit are in the squad. That's a LOT of replacing this time next year.

Just following the money, that means Roberto has to manage his ass off this season. Because the true "clearing out" will happen next June.

Then what? With our owners . . . . .

Craig Mills
62 Posted 03/08/2015 at 00:18:51
Yohan Cabaye would have been perfect for what we need, at £10M he’s not cheap but he has proven Premier League history. He’s the kind who can unlock a defence, and a style of player that we simply don’t have.
Dean Adams
63 Posted 03/08/2015 at 00:19:07
James, that is why the big push for our youngsters is on to get them upto speed and of sufficient quality. We truely could be royaly stuffed, if things go badly.
Mark Stone
64 Posted 03/08/2015 at 00:22:02
That triallist who came on for the last 15 min today looked like he could play a bit. Rooney or something. Not sure we could afford his £200k/week though!!!
Mike Corcoran
65 Posted 03/08/2015 at 00:52:07
I’m normally more upbeat but we are in danger now....
Harold Matthews
66 Posted 03/08/2015 at 00:55:05
Why not, Dean? They’ve shoved him on the bench and he won’t be earning much.
Christian Hoff
67 Posted 03/08/2015 at 00:59:00
#46. Harold...Mix was not good enough for Rosenborg in Norway! Remember NSNO... that means no Mix. Lennon and Austin are more like it, please!!
Gavin Johnson
68 Posted 03/08/2015 at 01:11:18
Harold, I think Mix Diskerud would be an excellent signing if our board are crying poverty and a different option to the mooted Sergi Roberto deal. We’d have to move fast though if US window closes in a few days, so we can forget that deal happening as the incumbents of this board wouldn’t know how to act fast.

Diego from Fenarbahçe could be a relatively cheap option for a No 10. He’s still only 30. There’s plenty of players I’d prefer to buy, but for the money he could be a very good signing and a player who is a true archetype No 10.

James Flynn
69 Posted 03/08/2015 at 01:12:34
Dean (55) - Likely so. Roberto's stuck between the rock (money) and the hard place (less money).

I have no doubt he HAS to wait until the window is about to close in hope that he can replicate the Barry/Lukaku loan signings.

Winter and Summer 2016 windows are where the big doings will occur.

James Flynn
70 Posted 03/08/2015 at 01:39:20
Gavin (60) - Mix is what he is; a good, minor-league player. Not EPL-level.

He'll be fine in MLS.

Gavin Johnson
71 Posted 03/08/2015 at 02:01:39
James - it all comes down to money (or lack of) with this board, and I think Diskerud could be useful signing for £2-3M. The bulk of whatever budget we’ve got should be spent on a CB and proven goalscorer IMO.

If we’ve got an abundance of cash to spend (very unlikely) we should buy proven No 10 too. I was agreeing with Harold because we need to think out of the box when money is scarce. A more obvious name but another option for the same sort of fee could be Diego from Fernabahçe.

Neil Thomas
72 Posted 03/08/2015 at 02:10:19
Got a feeling it's going to be a striker that nobody expects. Maybe one from abroad that ain't been linked yet. Hard to really judge which striker I would like at EFC but one that can create as well as score plenty.
Kristian Boyce
74 Posted 03/08/2015 at 02:36:53
Stoke & Palace both supposedly after Fernando Llorente from Juventus for £8m. Martinez said we needed a striker, would be perfect for us.
Dave Ganley
75 Posted 03/08/2015 at 02:46:38
I find it amazing that people still come on here and support/make excuses for Martinez. I applaud your optimism and actually really hope you are right and we turn this around and really, Martinez does have a master plan. Alas, I think I’m deluding myself to actually think that's a feasible option anymore.
James Flynn
76 Posted 03/08/2015 at 02:52:56
Gavin -- If we spend £2-3 million it better be on better than Mix.

I love him. But he’s an MLS-level player.

Ant Dwyer
77 Posted 03/08/2015 at 03:14:21
I am finding it harder and harder to justify to myself why I’ve gone and bought my season ticket again.

I’ve had the same seat for around 20 years, next to my dad and I’ve added the seats around me to my portfolio for my two sons. I find myself using them as my excuse.

I am also beginning to think it could just be routine too, but for some reason, this season more than any other I’m seriously questioning my decision.

Firstly I am aware I am an Everton supporter who follows my team. Players and managers will come on go and the constant is us and our club. But I am really worried about the total clowns in the important seats at our club.

It is bad enough having owners without a business brain between the lot of them, well when it comes to running a football club that is.

But I am becoming more annoyed by Martinez by the passing days. How can he carry on just thinking everything is going to be OK? He has no idea, his tactics are floored, hence the fact everyone got onto us last season, but yet he is sticking with them.

The newest and biggest problem is similar to the Gareth Barry situation from last season. Every fan could see Barry was struggling, but still Martinez persisted with him. Same with Howard, Robles is not the answer but he was in a decent bit of form but Martinez wouldn’t have it.

Now he’s at it again, this time with the striker situation. Every fan knows Kone is not good enough, and most can see Naisy is a trier but he’s also a Championship player at best. Yet with all that it takes Martinez until now (even though he trains these lads all the time) to realise that we are in desperate need of a striker.

Pre-season has proven what we already all knew, Rom and Miralas are our biggest threats but we need more. Without them getting goals we have proven during pre season that we won’t score.

I hate to be negative but I can’t help but feel the best thing we have to look forward too is a poor run until Christmas so Roberto is out on his ear. Sorry but it’s how I’m feeling.

Teddy Bertin
78 Posted 03/08/2015 at 07:49:24
Let's have a bit of optimism though guys. It's too depressing otherwise. We're not going to win anything and we'll lose all our best players at the end of next this season whatever happens. This should be the time when hopes are are sky high. There was more positivity around the place when Moyes signed Phil Neville.
Jim Bennings
79 Posted 03/08/2015 at 07:54:14
Ant

Very good post that I find hard to disagree with any of it.

Martinez is a stubborn man; trouble is 'stubborn' is bad when your team is clearly not very good, your tactics not very good, and your comments are just downright bizarre, the Lukaku comments about "not having had a chance to be part of the group yet" had me laying down in a darkened room.

Sadl,y Ant, I truly fear it's just going to be much more of the same this season only without the welcome distraction of Europe which got him off the hook. I tell you this, Europe or not, this team will do no better while they play without direction or leadership.

Looking at the fixtures before November, it’s not far fetched to think we could be in the bottom three or four; it’s then easy for people to say we have winnable fixtures but the teams like Sunderland will be fighting tooth and nail. I tell you, when your down there, no game is easy.

I want to be positive about the new season but my slight tiny bit of positivity only lasts until I see us play; it’s then when I realise this is one of the poorest most punchless Everton sides over the last 15 years. Even the sides that struggled against relegation never went long without a leader: a Watson, Gough, Hutchison, Kevin Campbell or a Carsley or a Cahill..

I just don’t see it in this side.

Stuart Mitchell
80 Posted 03/08/2015 at 07:58:11
It will be a deadline day rush to get the players in as always. Leaving us going into the opening games very short on numbers. It will cost us points and wrecked confidence.

Alun Willis
81 Posted 03/08/2015 at 08:03:01
Would love to see Yarmolenko in the Royal Blue. Absolute class. Definitely worth a cheeky bid Robbie.
Jim Bennings
82 Posted 03/08/2015 at 08:15:09
I fear it won't even be a deadline day rush this time around.

I have the feeling the board aren't backing Martinez case they need to take swift decisive action if we start dreadfully.

Tony Abrahams
83 Posted 03/08/2015 at 08:52:08
Ant, I’m in total agreement with you. I’ve just got 3 season tickets, at the last minute, and I’m telling myself I’m only doing it for my godson. My sons are old enough to go themselves, but I also had to be talked out of taking my other son, who is only 20 months, yesterday.

I was rushing to get the match, and my genuine thought was, "Here we go again. I’m like my team, I’m just not ready for another football season just yet".

I think we can put up with most things, being Evertonians, but this boring football, has had such a draining affect on the terraces. IT'S JUST NOT EVERTON at the minute.

Steven Jones
84 Posted 02/08/2015 at 09:02:55
Neil at 11 .. spot on.

RM has his targets for each position and say there a 6 in each then it all depends on the players club, the player himself and the agent.

It is quite natural for Champions League football to take precedent for players and then quite natural for every selling club and agent holding out for the best deal and getting 2-6 clubs interested in their asset to get maximum bucks.

Only later in the window do the agents and selling clubs get real. The clubs are also in the process of buying replacements that do take time too ...

RM has done very well buying so far this window with Tom and Gerri -- great additions with little outlay and money available for a Number 10 and a striker.

I went to the Leeds game and also yesterday against Villarreal... Browning is a £20M+ CB in the making -- there is also Galloway who looks the business across any position in defence.

We really only need a CB in case of serious injury to Jags or Stones.

So the clever strategy that BK, the board and RM have is to promote youth and then spend big on attacking talent is coming together nicely... IMHO...

Jim Bennings
85 Posted 03/08/2015 at 09:13:26
Tony

I think back to going to watch Everton even in the dark days of the 1990s and, as much as we were truly utterly dross in some of those relegation nearmiss seasons, and never would I want to witness it again, the one thing I could always say was that I was never ever bored.

There was always excitement and thrills, lots of frustration and pent up anger because we were giving it hell on the pitch but the players were just not good enough back then, but at least they played with tempo, with heart and passion to at least invoke some kind of reaction from the long suffering fans, and then finally along came a talisman like a Duncan Ferguson or Andrea Kanchelskis to give the fans hope.

I look at this team now and I don’t see cohesion, don’t see passion in the way we play, don’t see tempo to our attacks or us committing men into the opponents box trying to score, I just don’t see anything, it’s like every other week last season you felt like you were merely going to watch a glorified training session when really it should have been matchday at Goodison Park and the opponent should have been terrified of the Goodison roar.

Frankly, I got bored... and it lasted a whole season -- and as for this new season? How long will patience last?

Phil Sammon
86 Posted 03/08/2015 at 09:50:09
Jim 69

’I want to be positive about the new season but my slight tiny bit of positivity only lasts until I see us play.’

Absolutely nailed it, Jim.

I look through the team and there are holes, of course, but I still think we have lots of very talented players. That optimism precedes every game... and lasts until about 5 minutes after kick off. We are absolutely mind-numbing to watch. The worrying thing is how content Martinez seems to be. He meanders along while we are tearing our hair out.

This striker situation is just the latest in a long line of head-scratchers. Every man and his dog can see that we are screwed if Lukaku is injured. The lad has ’heavy legs’ after a few friendlies... what’s he going to be like after playing 90 competitive minutes twice a week???

Jim Bennings
87 Posted 03/08/2015 at 10:00:50
Phil

I can’t get my head around how a young physical specimen like Lukaku can be heavy-legged already either, unless he’s being very poorly coached fitness wise.

The one thing yesterday proved is Evertonians need a hero, they need that cult player, just look at the attendance yesterday, and why? Because two cult former heroes were playing in a blue shirt and it roused the support just seeing them warming up.

We just don’t have one anymore, do we?

Lukaku had the makings of one when he first arrived, a battering ram of a striker in his first few games, but his demeanor and what looks like a lack of interest or willingness to work in certain games means it holds the fans back from truly worshiping the guy.

We had hoped Barkley, born and bred Blue, could be it but for me he’s just not got that same leadership or aggression that Rooney had; Ross for me is just too timid, for a midfield player he doesn’t put himself about even as much as Arteta or Cahill used to.

Evertonians need a new modern day hero but sadly I just can’t see it happening anytime soon.

Nick Page
88 Posted 03/08/2015 at 10:50:06
If the board aren’t going to back him, and we’re in dire straits come December, then how the hell is that going to help? It's not acceptable either way. If they don’t like him, they should have canned him after the last game.
Mike Childs
89 Posted 03/08/2015 at 11:03:34
True enough, Jim, the biggest thing about the hero we need is that we need him at CEO position or at the very least the manager’s position.
Jim Bennings
90 Posted 03/08/2015 at 11:08:56
The board are the biggest problem at Everton, we need to remember that.

It's true what you say, Nick, why keep him if you're not prepared to back him to the hilt after last season’s atrocity?

Some may say Martinez could have gone after the Hull debacle on New Year's Day, an abject display following a nightmare run of defeats and performances.

But they didn’t sack Martinez; instead, they keep him on and give him next to nothing in a bid to not only arrest last season’s slide but to get the club back challenging a Spurs or even a Swansea again.

They are an appalling mess.

Brent Stephens
91 Posted 03/08/2015 at 11:23:44
James (#52), "The owners will have to do some fancy financial (even for them) tap dancing to explain why Roberto wont have lots of money this window next season."

Like it, James, first crit of the 2016-17 season by a mile! Come to think of it, the club hasn’t said a dickie bird about signings for 2017-18 either -- what’s going on?

Nick Page
92 Posted 03/08/2015 at 11:41:50
The other alternative of course is that he doesn’t think we need players and is happy to promote youth and not destabilise the dressing room. Which is a pitiful excuse in the modern game, especially at a club like Everton. If so, he’s even more deluded than I already believed.

He clearly hasn’t changed his tactics since last season's farce and this season he won’t be able to excuse using the Europa League and its many distractions, apparently. Roll on Watford.

Jim Knightley
93 Posted 03/08/2015 at 11:47:29
We play one striker up top, so I don’t see the point in going for Austin. He is apparently demanding high wages, and we will have to pay at least £15 million for a 26-year-old with one top season of scoring in the Premier League. I like him, and if Lukaku was sold for £30mil tomorrow, I’d be more than happy to have him at the club. But Lukaku is our main striker, and we need creativity not another striker alienated by a lack of service. I would have liked Bamford on loan, but I’d take a look at Hernandez now if Man Utd sign another back up. It also might be worth taking a look at getting Welbeck in on loan if Arsenal sign a big striker.

A striker will improve us. Like others, I assume we want one because Martinez has realised that Kone is not up to it. But we need a CB first. I can’t believe that we are still looking for a 3rd choice senior CB with 5 days to go until kick-off. It’s disgraceful. If Stones turns around tomorrow and asks to leave, or if his knock keeps him out for 2 weeks, what are we going to do? Stick in a completely unproven kid? We are taking risks with results and, perhaps more importantly, the development of potential future first teamers. We all saw what happened to Chambers last season, because Wenger played the £16mil teenager when he wasn’t ready.

I want to give Martinez a second chance this season. I am trying my best, despite my numerous reservations, but he doesn’t make it easy.

We’ve got 5 days left. Let’s get someone in, and kick off with a win against Watford. Watford seemingly have not fixed on a formation, approach or starting eleven yet, and have favoured the guaranteed-to-fail scatter-gun approach to signings. We need to get at them with our pace and power and start the season with a result so that we can boost the players and ourselves.

I second Yarmolenko, Alun. He looks a top player.

Terence Tipler
94 Posted 03/08/2015 at 12:27:09
Good shout JK regarding Welbeck, he is far too good to be sitting on Arsenal’s bench each week. He would get plenty of games with us, as well as goals.
Trevor Lynes
95 Posted 03/08/2015 at 12:32:47
There are clubs smaller with less media money already spending over £10 million this transfer window. If we cannot raise £20 million plus from the profits made over the past windows and extra media money then where has the money gone ?The facts are we have consistently finished in the top half of the table for years and each position in the league yields extra money. Our attendance is consistently over 35,000. The media money has gone through the roof and the best finishing clubs get the lions share. We receive more than all the teams than finish below us in the league.How can these clubs spend far more than we do? These are actual facts and cannot be disputed. We tend to wait until the transfer window is almost closed before we buy player/s. Is this to save paying wages? We have already taken quite a number of young players off our wage bill by loaning them out and in that practice we do not wait until the end of the transfer window. We let Distin and Alcaraz leave without cover for centre back thereby weakening our squad.Kone has proved to be a poor acquisition after many tries. Too many players do not score goals including our supposed attacking midfielders. The fact is that Jagielka was our 4th top goal scorer last season with five goals. If Stones leaves we will need two centre backs.We need to buy Nolito or someone similar to him as our number 10. We need a back up for Lukaku.

We need cover at right back. Let us hope that Oviedo recovers sufficiently to cover for Baines as we have already loaned out Garbutt.Who will cover McCarthy or Barry now that Besic is out? It seems that Cleverley will be used as yet another defensive midfielder if either Barry or McCarthy get injured.IMO we need three or four players at the very least and they should already be training with the team in readiness for the Watford match.

Fran Mitchell
96 Posted 03/08/2015 at 12:38:19
Pato!? God no. Very average, prone to getting overweight and indisciplined.

In the Brazilian league someone like Rafael Maquez from Palmeiras could prove to be useful, and relatively cheap.

Our lack of anything in the final third is worrying. Martinez has 10-12 games to get the team playing; with our difficult start, he has it all to do. It

But it’s about time we got proactive in the market. The season begins, and as it stands the first 2/3 games will be the responsibility of the current line-up.

But let’s put a something to bed: Martinez being Spanish does not mean he has or should have more international contacts than any other manager. A manager's contacts depend on his intelligence and ability at making contacts, it’s about having strategically developed network of scouts.

Nick Page
97 Posted 03/08/2015 at 13:04:25
March 27th 2014 (source Daily Mail).....

"If that is the case, Martinez feels he will need half-a-dozen signings to supplement what he already has to cope with the extra demands. Given he hardly spent in the January window, Everton’s manager will have a transfer kitty of more than £20million to assist him.

Martinez says it is too early to start talking about potential targets but he is keen to land Jack Rodwell from Manchester City, while Everton will also bid to sign Romelu Lukaku if Chelsea let the Belgium international to leave. Gareth Barry should also become a permanent signing.

"We haven’t budgeted for players yet," said Martinez. "Where we finish in the league will be a big factor in that. Whether we are in Europe or not is a big factor. We’ve got money but I didn’t want to spend it in January. That was clear. I didn’t think spending in January was the right thing to do.

"If we get in Europe I think that makes a difference of six players. I always found you can work on a squad of 21 players in the league and for domestic competitions. You need around 27 players plus keepers for Europe. It doesn’t have to be 27 senior players, it can be young players too, but 27.

"We’re not working on the targets now; that is wasting too much time. At the moment we are focusing on the games ahead. We are working hard on recruitment and we have identified what we need for next season in terms of the areas, and then you start working on your wish-list.

"If you get into the Champions League you can look for your number one choice. If not, you’re going to number four, five, six and maybe seven or eight sometimes. But we have got money and the money is there to be spent."

Everton have been creative in recent seasons, tending to offload a big name to bring in three or four additions. Martinez, though, will be under no pressure to lose any of his current squad, as Everton still have funds from the sales of Marouane Fellaini, Nikica Jelavic and Victor Anichebe.

Not all the money Everton have in reserve, however, will go on players, as Martinez has plans to enhance the club’s Finch Farm training base.

"Every year you need to improve," Martinez said. "We need bedrooms here for the first team and the option to get digs for the young players on site as well. We are two pitches short and need a full size indoor facility for all the age groups. The demands every season change.

"That cash has been there before but it is just down to the manager to use it in little bits or use it one lot. I prefer to work in that way, to stockpile for the summer. Use short-term players and loans and create a big amount of money."

Someone, somewhere is neck-deep in porkie pies.


Steve Jenkins
98 Posted 03/08/2015 at 13:05:23
Would love Nolito for the 10 role, it came out the other day that he has a buy out clause of around £12M. Him & Sergio Roberto on loan should help sort out the creativity problem.

No creativity yet still plays with two sideways and backwards defensive midfielders... SMH... He’s learned nothing from last season.

Virgil van DijK in at CB -- these three players and a striker would make it a good pre season for signings. Right now I’d settle for just one of these three such is the lack of belief I have in the board.

I’m trying to wait until the windows closes before casting judgement.. but we’ve spent just £4M so far, that’s shocking.< We’re being out spent by Swansea, West Ham, Palace FF’S.

The board has allowed the club to stand still but now I feel we’re going backwards Whilst others are making big strides forward. Where’s all the money goin??? -- we’vwe’ve had to sell off assets and rent them back, something is radically wrong. With the RedShite’s new stand going up -- they’re going to increase the gap between us significantly with the revenue generated not to mention the amount of money & signings they’ve made.

They also seem to be signing every future wonder kid under the sun.... With our lack of funds surely we should be targeting youth players, where’s our scouting system?

Last year we signed Henen, I thought that was a sign of things to come but v little since then On this front.

Things have gone so quiet and bad in the transfer market for us that I got excited when I heard that we had "signed" a 14-year-old "wonderkid" yesterday only to discover even that is beyond us and most likely an Internet hoax.

The clubs that are overtaking us now are clubs like Swansea, Newcastle, Palace -- come on.

There is just no excuse for it this from our board, Swansea are a club that is partly owned by the fans, they came from League Two 11 years ago, almost went to The Conference and were this close to going through. They do not have billionaire owners, they are living proof that if a club is run correctly and professionally with a vision & a plan it can grow & grow exponentially.

In that time, our Club and board have allowed them to become rivals to us and will if things continue overtake us. All we get is soundbites from Kent right about how much he loves the club. The situation just seems to have become accepted -- Kenwright isn’t even under pressure anymore to answer questions about finding investment. He’s in his element now, no pressure -- just hop between the West End & Good is on enjoying his two hobbies. He puts himself & his ego before the love for the club!

The newspapers don’t care -- we’re not in London, they’re not asking where the money goes or why investment hasn’t been found in 10+ years, why we’re now being out-spent & overtaken by clubs that 5 or 10 years ago were divisions below us.

I’m just thoroughly pissed off with the status quo and what’s worse, I can’t see anything changing for minimum 5 to 10 years, I dread to think where this bunch of dinosaurs will have taken us by then.

Rant over... for now!

Alan Humphreys
99 Posted 03/08/2015 at 13:06:51
I thought the concern with Austin was his knee was shot, most of the cartilage now gone. If that was true then it’s a big risk.

We need players to fill the bench as well as the first team, players you look at and think we have a Plan B, Plan C etc. You look at our bench and realise that isn’t the case.

The team has become stale BUT we do have promising youth, who will hopefully get a chance this season but they also need help from a few new players in addition to Tom and Geri.

My concern is, once the season starts, the lads that have had some first-team game time will slip back to the U21 set-up until next pre-season needs the bench padding out.

Paul Tran
100 Posted 03/08/2015 at 13:07:40
This board won’t sack a manager that doesn’t challenge their business model. Martinez tried to push it last season, got slapped down and is now in no position to shout the odds.

As I’ve said before, our business model is based on playing transfers late, that’s what'll happen this summer. Won’t change till we get new owners. Didn’t stop Martinez finishing 5th so we/he can’t use that as an excuse.

Maybe Lukaku is heavy-legged because he’s had to work during pre-season? I remember a few seasons under the previous manager when a few players looked heavy-legged at the start of the season, no doubt due to the conditioning pre-season. It often paid dividends in the second half of the season.

Who knows what goes on in the strange world of Martinez’s fitness regime?

Richard Reeves
102 Posted 03/08/2015 at 13:39:44
We need two strikers, a Number 9 and a Number 10. We all know we can’t rely on Kone to cover for Lukaku. McAleny could do a job there but I expect the manager will bring him on in games as a substitute and Mirallas is not good enough in that position.

I would like to see Martinez focus on these two positions with what ever money he has available (if there is any) and forget about the defence. It might be a risk but I would take it and give the back up positions to Browning and Galloway. I’ve always said Browning is top quality and that Galloway is beyond his years and those two could be a revelation in the Premier League and bring renewed optimism around the club.

It’s not looking good for next season at the moment but for me that could all change with a couple of additions. Sergi Roberto and Charlie Austin would do it for me if the board were willing to spend some of the TV money.

Henen,
Cleverley,
Deulofeu,
Roberto,
Austin.

That wouldn’t come to more than £30million pounds for all those players which in today’s market is a bargain. Maybe even the addition of one of those young Barcelona wingers on loan that have been linked in the media (apologies as I can’t remember their names) and things would look a whole lot better.

If the board invested then they wouldn’t regret it; their value will only increase, irrespective of how well the manager does. They will still be sought after and I know Austin will continue to score goals, so I don’t see that as a risk, especially after another season in the top flight, putting to bed any suggestion that he is a one season wonder.

The club need to back the manager if he is going for the right type of players and I think most people who know a little about football should know if the type of players he’s interested in are worth it.
Neil Thomas
104 Posted 03/08/2015 at 14:15:07
To much talk about sacking Martinez. Why not give the man a chance? First season we were all praising how great he was. Yeah, we all agree, last season was poor, but it’s unfair to be shouting "Let's sack him" when the season ain’t started yet and the transfer window is still open.

Pre-season has been bad but how many times has a full squad been put out and how many players really go full out with the season just around the corner?

If, by Christmas, we're in a bad position and we’ve added no real quality to squad, then yeah I would be the first to get on his case... but, for now, it’s not helping us or the club by demanding his head.

Mark Boulle
105 Posted 03/08/2015 at 15:17:04
It's when I read about this kind of thing that I just sigh in despair about Everton:

Leicester City sign Yohan Benalouane and N'Golo Kante

For those who don’t have a chance to read the article, the summary is as follows: Leicester City have signed N'Golo Kante, a French Ligue 1 midfielder from Caen for an "undisclosed fee".

I do not expect or even particularly want EFC to be throwing money around like the Sky 4 or 5. I have no idea if this player is any good and whether he will get into Leicester's team or just ultimately make up the numbers in their squad.

The point I am trying to make is one of refreshing the squad with low-cost players, whether from home or abroad (though I guess abroad is more likely). I know that's a bit of a Martinez word to use, but I mean it in the sense of just spicing things up, keeping the existing players on their toes and giving the fans some unknown quantity to be excited about going into the new season.

You might say I'm advocating just buying numbers instead of quality -- in a sense, I suppose I am. Bryan Oviedo is a great example, bought at low cost, from an interesting country and league, just something a bit different. Even the signings we have made in Cleverley and Deulofeu have either played for us before or are established, solid but rather uninspiring Premier League performers.

It is apparent that we are effectively skint. If, come the end of yet another unbearable transfer window, EFC really have signed another striker, Number 10 and centre-back and not sold anybody then I suppose this post will be fairly meaningless. Firstly, however, I seriously doubt we will and secondly this obsession with leaving it till the last moment and lying (badly) about it being searching for exactly the right player when we all know it's Bullshit Billy keeping the purse strings tightly shut until the last week of August just drives me mad.

Why can Everton not use the limited funds available to buy 3 or 4 "undisclosed fee" type players from places like Ligue 1, La Liga, Bundesliga, Eredivisie etc? They're out there and affordable, even for a club in our position for heaven's sake! I honestly believe that, despite all the concerns about tactics, directionless passing etc, if there were those 3 or 4 unheralded and even perhaps unheard of, new players in the squad going into the new season, the fanbase would be more upbeat and optimistic.

I think the fact the squad is never refreshed and we go in season after season with largely the same playing staff, just a year older, plays a strong role in fans feeling bored, uninspired and having a downer on our prospects before the season even begins.

Hopefully fellow ToffeeWebbers will see the point I'm trying to make here. This is not fantasy football, it's not a whinge that we can't spend £60M on new players, it's questioning why we do not appear to be cutting our cloth according to our means and signing the low-cost players we know to be out there to give the squad a kick up the backside?!

Finally, before anybody replies to that effect, I'm not trying to name potential signings here. I hope that we have scouts actively working the leagues I mentioned and more players the world over want to come to the Premier League and it's a fallacy to suggest they cannot be attracted without European football -- see the Leicester example above. Somehow though, I can just imagine all the scouts we do have turning up for work every day at the JJB Stadium in Wigan!

James Marshall
106 Posted 03/08/2015 at 15:18:08
I don’t think it makes any difference who we sign, and I hope I’m wrong, but I see Martinez as a manager that has no idea how to motivate players. We look as listless in pre-season as we did all of last season -- why?

Other teams look full of life and ambition against us.

You could put Cruyff, Pele and Messi in our team and they’d end up wandering around looking lost as they chase aimless flick-ons from the feckless Naismith & Co.

Shocking.

Nick Page
107 Posted 03/08/2015 at 15:43:46
We should be moving heaven and earth to get someone like Klopp in. Laugh all you like but we’re being passed by the likes of Leicester City, never mind Southampton, Swansea et al.

We’re a laughing stock, a joke -- even the rags are picking up on our lack of signings now -- and it won’t get any better until people give tight-arse, 24/7 lying get two fingers and stop going.

We’re probably 10 players shorts of a "squad" and there is very little, in fact, zero competition for places. And it's been the same for years. And that’s the real tragedy here.

Jim Knightley
109 Posted 03/08/2015 at 15:57:49
I understand where you are coming from, Mark, although if Martinez says he will get a new No 10, centre-back and striker, then we will have signed five seniors by the end of the window. That’s a very good amount, and the new buys so far have added quality.

I think our squad depth means that we do not have to favour such a scattergun approach to buys. The approach, as the likes of Sunderland and QPR have demonstrated, rarely works. We have to be careful with money, and spending £3-5mil on a player/or several for the sake of freshening things up could be the death knell for a club with our financial restrictions. I like the optimism transfers brings, but that optimism is pointless if the players add little to the squad in the long run.

I share your frustration though, I can’t believe we’ve not added a centre-back, and the lack of talk regarding other players is frustrating. But in my opinion, there is one obvious reason for it: Stones.

If Martinez wants three players for the squad, because he trusts the rest of the squad, then the potential departure of Stones has created a problem. Without Stones leaving, maybe we have £10-12mil to spend on those three players. If he goes, maybe we will have £40million (plus we will need an additional CB).

I wonder if the uncertainty surrounding Stones is constraining our transfer plans, because his departure will enable more progressive investment. Personally, I think we need to tell the world that Stones will not leave this club during the transfer window, or agree to sell him once a replacement is in. The uncertainty over his departure will effect morale, and could derail our season. The whole Lescott debacle hindered us badly that season, and whilst Stones is not speaking out, there seems little doubt that it will be unsettling for those involved. I think we need to sort the situation one way or the other, so that we can concentrate on the season and on our transfer plans.

Steve Cotton
110 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:07:27
Just been on skysports that LFC have agreed a deal for Adama Traore from Barcelona... Perhaps there is another of RM's targets gone.
Gavin Johnson
111 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:11:17
Let's wait and see what happens on Deadline Day. I expect two or three quality additions, but that’s just me, maybe I’m being optimistic. If it doesn’t, let's get the real enemy out... and it’s not Roberto Martinez.

BK needs to be forced out by hook or by crook. Let's get the banners out at games (no it’s not Kopite behaviour), organise another Blue Union march. Whatever it takes, to get rid of these self-serving vampires sucking the life blood out of our great club.

Nick Page
112 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:12:48
Jim, I don’t understand how you think Stones has anything to do with not buying players we need. These buys should have been sorted out well before the Stones issue.

Stones goes and we’re minus three CBs. We have five players out with hamstring injuries. There is no cover for Lukaku.

It's a fucking mess, mate, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with Stones. That if anything is a convenient smokescreen for our pitiful board and feckless manager.

Jim Knightley
113 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:18:27
Nick, that post is a laughing stock. We need 10 players?! And we are getting passed by the likes of Leicester and Swansea? That’s absurd sensationalism.

We’ve had one season where we finished in the bottom half, after a decade of consistent top 7 finishes. We have many young talented players, and reasons to be optimistic. Get a grip.

Another example of the mindless exaggeration which pervades in part because of the advent of ’trolling’ media. Something can’t just be bad, it has to be terrible. It has to be the worst. We are being surpassed by Leicester City now, who scraped clear of relegation and have a massively inferior squad...

I also don’t understand how you both describe as a laughing stock, but think that we can realistically attract one of the best managers in the world to our club.

Daniel Lawrence
114 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:18:30
It’s no different to any other season and we all know who the common denominator is, but as a fanbase we just let it continue...

Aug 2011: Lack of transfer funds frustrate Everton chief Kenwright

Also, click on the link in the article from Aug 2008....it’s the same story, year-in & year-out, but we just keep on clapping...

Kieran Fitzgerald
115 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:24:17
If you believe the story about how we are paying Chelsea for Lukaku, we have to set aside £9M each year. If we are paying this out of the TV windfall in August, then it means £9M gone out of our summer transfer budget this summer. Add what we paid for Deulofeu, Henen and Cleverley in transfer fees and signing on fees and that's over £15M this summer. That doesn't leave a lot out of what we would usually spend without us selling someone.

All we have done so far in terms of players out is release players who were out of contract. We haven't brought any extra cash in outside of what the TV deal will pay us at the end of August. This makes the £15M spent so far seem even more sizable. It doesn't look like any of our fringe players, like Jelavic or Anichebe in previous years, would bring in anything more than a pittance. We couldn't give the likes of Kone or Hibbert away given their age and recent injuries.

I think we have two options if we are going to sell someone like Stones. The first option is to avoid selling him to Chelsea at all costs. One just to piss them off and two just to ensure that they don't take all the Lukaku money in one go as part of the deal. We sell for cash plus players on a permanent deal to Man Utd or Man City. This way we can try to add decent players and still have some sort of cash injection.

The second option is to hold off on selling anyone and ensure that the likes of Galloway and Browning get proper game time over the season. This way, if we have to sell next summer, we have a better chance of replacing the likes of Stones and Coleman next summer without being under financial pressure.

Brian Harrison
116 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:27:09
I don’t think it matters how much you give RM, the guy found his level at Wigan. His tactics are flawed and I am sure the players as well as the fans have seen through him.

Listen to any pundits talking about us and they all say the same thing: the build-up is to slow, and we don’t get enough players into the box. Now you either take the line that RM is a genius and all the ex-professional players are talking rubbish, or they are right and we are in serious trouble.

Jim Knightley
117 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:27:26
Nick - as you can see from my post 86, and specifically 'But we need a CB first. I can't believe that we are still looking for a 3rd choice senior CB with 5 days to go until kick-off. It's disgraceful', you can see that I think we should have signed a CB. I'm speculating that the Stones affair may be constraining us, because it will dictate how much money we have to spend, and what quality of players we need/can go for.

Another point - I was at the Community Shield final yesterday, and watched a really rusty Chelsea. I watched as they brought on a CB (Zouma) for a left back, because they have only one left back in the squad. In fact, Chelsea only have 5 senior defenders in the squad at the moment.

There are a million miles from us, and have problems we can only dream of. But let's not pretend that these problems do not afflict other clubs too, especially when the window ends almost a month after the season starts. Bullshit notions about us needing 10 squad players do not only ignore the practicalities of a team of our status, but the nature of even some of the biggest teams in world football.

It is possible to criticise the club and maintain some perspective.

David Chait
118 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:31:57
My 2 cents: we bought Mirallas after a season as a successful Striker. Given service he can easily fill in as the back up striker if necessary. As the best one-on-one goalscorer we have, the importance shifts back to the creative provider we need.
Raymond Fox
119 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:36:23
Yes, you made me laugh, Nick. Klopp will be round here in a flash!

If some on here want to blame Martinez for all our ills, carry on; if you think changing the manager is the answer to our lack of success, I’m sorry to say we’ll all be waiting another 20 years.

The seasons not even started yet! Do you think Martinez wants to start the season by spending bugger all on players? Do you really think he’s that thick that he doesn’t realise buying quality players makes his job easier?

Dean on another thread showed that Martinez’s first two seasons are very similar to Moyes's last two seasons in stats. Make of that what you will, but changing managers won't make us a successful side.

Bill Griffiths
120 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:49:05
We should have signed all the players we need before the season starts... not before the window ends.
Brian Wilkinson
121 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:49:59
Anyone else notice how the press said very little about Rooney coming back, be it he is playing for one of their darlings.

Had a player done that from a team out of the top four going playing for his old top four club, rest assured press would have been all over it, former player set to go back to his former club after enjoying being back.

Forget about our star players being linked away, the media will do everything they can to try and make their darlings stronger, and the also- rans weaker which is where they want them.

Brian Wilkinson
122 Posted 03/08/2015 at 16:53:22
I'm embarrassed to see Kone wearing the Number 9 jersey. We need to offload... he's had his chance, even Brett Angell and Stuart Barlow were better than this carthorse.

New Number 9 please, Roberto.

Nick Page
123 Posted 03/08/2015 at 17:09:20
Jim, yep you caught me red-handed. I pulled the figure 10 out of the air. Just made it up.

Martinez stated last summer we needed 6-7 new bodies "to supplement" the current squad. They never came. He also said 27 + keepers. We have 25, the same as Leicester City who finished a mere 6 points behind us last season. Obviously we are comparable on those statistics, a club of our practicalities.

We have virtually the same squad as 2 years ago. In the last 5 years, we have brought in 22 players and let 33 go. We also have, without being sensationalist, one of the oldest squads in the league. Some of these players might need replacing at some point, some may argue now.

Poor old rusty Chelsea have a squad of 33 with 15 out on loan, and our dear neighbours are literally bursting at the seams with 42 players in their first team squad.

We are a laughing stock. But that doesn’t mean we are consigned to such a fate. You can achieve pretty much anything if you show enough willing, and ambition. Quite frankly that seems well beyond this board, regardless of where John Stones ends up.

Paul Ellam
124 Posted 03/08/2015 at 17:25:29
Went to both games over the weekend. Kone was woeful in both! The sooner we get him replaced the better.

Martinez said 3 players - defence, midfield and attack positions. Splash the cash: Van Dijk, Yarmolenko and Austin.

Trevor Peers
125 Posted 03/08/2015 at 17:48:42
Anyone who has ever played football, even at schoolboy level, could tell after 4 games that Kone was not good enough to play for the blues. Yet Roberto has persisted with him and still is, that’s got to be very scary.

Has BK decided not to back him financially unless it’s a certainty we get value for money? Maybe we would be better having a transfer committee, like the RedShite.

Jim Knightley
126 Posted 03/08/2015 at 18:01:19
Nick,

Where did Martinez say that? He also said we need 2-3 a few months ago, so based on your logic of following Martinez’s rhetoric, does that mean that we have a great squad?

Why on earth would we need a squad of 27 plus?! We are not even playing in Europe this season.

And yes, Leicester, without playing Europa League football, finished six points behind us in our worse season in 11 years. That means they are surpassing us. Because only a year matters in football, and they finished below us without playing in Europe.

We are no laughing stock. The only laughing stock is the odd self-entitlement of fans who think we should add 7-10 players to the squad. Given that we’ve already added two seniors, that means we needed 9-12 players at the start of the last window? Really? Can you honestly even pretend to defend a claim like that?

And what do Liverpool and your erroneous stats have to do with us exactly? 42 players? do you actually think a team should have 42 players? Liverpool have pissed away almost £200M to give them an incredible bloated squad. And where have you got 42 players from? Liverpool do not have 42 players! You’ve either missread something (I assume you’ve looked at a squad number list without recognizing the missing numbers) and included youth players, or you have just straight up made it up.

And if you think Leicester’s side or squad has anything on ours, then you do not understand football. How many of their team would make our first 11? Schmeichel maybe? Mahrez? Vardy? Okazaki if he performs? It’s absurd. Even if Martinez fails to learn from last season, we will finish well clear of them this season.

The 42 players in Liverpool’s first team squad is golden though. Even they haven’t signed that many players. They could put out two different squads of 18 with 6 left over!

Can we please get some perspective please! We finished 11th last season, after consistent top 10 finishes for a decade! We have some very good players in this squad. We have Robles, Stones, Oviedo, Lukaku, Cleverley, McCarthy, Deulofeu, Besic, Barkley, Garbutt and Coleman all 26 years old or younger! We also have Browning, Galloway and McAleny on the fringes of the first team.

We could put out the following side:

Robles (25)
Coleman (26), Stones (21), Besic (22), Garbutt (22)
Cleverley (25), McCarthy (24)
Deulofeu (21), Barkley (21) Oviedo (25)
Lukaku (22)

With Browning (21), Galloway (19) and McAleny (22) sitting out.

We have much promise in this team, and have a contingent of young players which few can match in this league. There is much frustration around at the moment, and last season was unacceptable. I would be happy if Martinez left tomorrow. But let’s not lose all perspective because of last season. We have plenty of players who can develop in this team, and the season before last give us many reasons to be hopeful. If we sign the players Martinez claims we will sign, then we will have a healthy squad.

Tom Bowers
127 Posted 03/08/2015 at 18:03:25
Of what we had last season, only Lukaku could be considered as a top striker although he has his faults. Mirallas has become an enigma what with injuries and inconsistency probably a result of wanting to leave.

Naismith can find the net occasionally but is, like Osman, a player who tries hard but doesn’t achieve a great deal where it matters. Everyone agrees about Kone’s inabilities and Deulofeu is another who can score goals but is more of a wing man and yet to prove he can be consistent.

McAleny may be useful sooner than later but RM may indeed bring in someone who is quick and ready to slot in alongside Lukaku. Ross Barkley can finish well but usually from outside the box and really is a player when on form plays well coming from deep.

However, when all said and done RM may just feel in his own mind that his current available squad will be good enough to start the season well and if not, as many of us think, then the axe will fall pretty soon. (We hope!)

Jim Knightley
128 Posted 03/08/2015 at 18:04:05
Trevor... the RS...really.

Imitate Liverpool’s disjointed transfer tactics... imitate the biggest wasters of money in the league over the last few years?

Please tell me that you are being sarcastic. If not, point me in the direction of the nearest wall.

Paul Kossoff
129 Posted 03/08/2015 at 18:08:53
Tom 118, we are not a sacking club. If we don't bring in players and change our plan of play, I expect us to be in the bottom 6 before Christmas.
Trevor Peers
130 Posted 03/08/2015 at 18:11:45
Wouldn’t work at the Blues, Jim, it would be no use having a committee with no money to spend. But seriously... don’t Real Madrid use a similar method to recruit their best players?
Eddie Dunn
131 Posted 03/08/2015 at 18:29:10
Bill Kenwright should get on the phone to Rooney and offer him £200 per week -- it’s only £10M a year; we would get so much media coverage and all of a sudden we would be a club worth watching, worth joining and worth buying.

With the silly Sky dosh pouring in, it’s a no-brainer. Wayne has won plenty of trophies, will stay in the England team (playing with Jags, Stones, Baines and Barkley, and he will be coached by his hero Dunc.

Make it happen Bill.

Nick Page
132 Posted 03/08/2015 at 18:29:49
Jim, the 6-7 players is a quote from Martinez last year. Its in a post above. Liverpool have 42 (yes, I can count) players in their first team squad. This may be cut to 30 or whatever the regulations deem necessary but there are 42 and another 6 out on loan (Wikipedia which sources it from the RS site). Same as Chelsea with 48. Leicester finished 6 points behind us last season. Its totally irrelevant bordering on kopite behaviour asking which of their players would make our squad. I don't support Leicester City and I don't watch them week in, week out so I can't make that comparison. But based on points gained last season, the best indicator of ability, maybe 4 or 5.

If we had added 3 players, well the 2 we all thought and now he's realised we need a striker, then I'd be happier. I'd be much happier still if he wasn't using the same God-awful mind numbing, obvious and totally ill-suited tactics we had to endure last season throughout this pre-season.....which I know doesn't matter etc etc (although it was a good indicator last season!).

And further, as I've posted previously, the club has net spent zero millions in the last five years. That is not ambitious rather duplicitous and I, like may others want to know where all that cash is going. Until this can be explained to me and the club commits lets say £5m net outlay in the transfer window over the next few years, it remains a shambles/laughing stock (which is the way the media view us).

Michael Polley
133 Posted 03/08/2015 at 20:22:22
I sense an air of foreboding for this season. We are short of decent players in key areas, and time is fast running out.
Tom Bowers
134 Posted 03/08/2015 at 20:40:23
As a business, Everton are doing well -- if balancing the books is the criteria whilst staying in the top flight... and that may be what the management considers success.

Trying to spend money wisely seems to be the norm except for one or two deals like Lukaku and Fellaini, neither of which brought results although Lukaku may still do that, we hope.

Aspiring to greatness takes ambition and there doesn’t appear to be any at Goodison anymore.

Andy Walker
135 Posted 03/08/2015 at 20:51:11
The club is following the same financial model as it had for the past 10 years or so. The difference though is they now have Martinez buying the players not Moyes. Moyes’s astute buys over the last decade or so are still keeping our club afloat, but it won’t be long before the assets are gone and replaced with mediocre/poor replacements, and I mean poor in terms of value for money as well as ability.

We still have a window of opportunity to get rid of Martinez and get in a decent manager who can take forward a squad with some quality players Moyes nurtured and left us as his legacy. The longer we leave it, though, the bleaker the long-term future for our club. I sense the Board recognise this and won’t entrust multimillion investments with Martinez, so we are stalled. Just get rid of him now so we can move on before we are sunk.

Mike Keating
136 Posted 03/08/2015 at 20:52:58
I agree with Michael @ 126 and....

If you add in the toughest start to a season in recent memory -- we could be well adrift by November and getting rid of RM then will resolve nothing.

I renewed my season ticket as a matter of loyalty but, if I had to pay to go to the game as a matter of choice, I seriously doubt I would be there at the end unless it was a shit -or-bust game to avoid relegation... and I don’t think my ticker could take that AGAIN.

Patrick Murphy
137 Posted 03/08/2015 at 21:00:27
If the players aren’t producing the goods on the park for whatever reason, perhaps it is them who should be given some stick? If the best they can do is ’pretend’ to play the Martinez way, then they are as culpable as much as the coach for failing to find a way to goal or failing to prevent goals from being conceded.

They are the people we pay good money to watch and if they don’t produce for whatever the reason they should be the ones who get the flak -- as well as the manager -- if things go awry. I just hope that the players do find the desire and intensity required come Saturday onwards; otherwise, it will be yet another wasted season.

Jim Hardin
138 Posted 03/08/2015 at 21:24:56
No doubt it is hard for RM just like Moyes to secure high quality players for good value offered (not loaned unless it is with an option to buy). I remember RM indicating that if you are not in the CL then you have to identify 6-8 players for the positions you wish to replace and rank them. Big Sam said something similar last season about transfers. Moyes' war room was full of lists of players per position.

For RM and Everton then it is a hope that the top 1-3 targets per position skate by so you don't have to go with the last few names. Everton have not been in the running for the top one or two at the striker, creative attacking mid ,or center back. Everton seems to have been in the running or at least some reciprocal interest for the next 2-3 at each position before losing out to West Ham etc.

So now RM is down to his number 5-8 targets at each position needed which is why I believe two things have occurred. One, we haven't gotten anyone else in yet . Second, RM hasn't publicly identified anyone yet so as not to tip his hand. These type of deals have to be close to the wire so it limits the ability of other teams to muck it up. I wish Everton was not operated this way and could buy whomever they chose, even if the club didn't have a particular need for the player at that moment (Like City and Chelsea).

Much as I worry about RM and his style of play, I actually am not worried about the lack of signings at this point. RM has someone in mind and will likely bring them in. The quality of the players he brings in is a question in my mind but time will answer that. I do wonder if Michu is on his list since we have a young striker but need a secondary striker/creative attacking player with proven ability and who is valued at about 5 million pounds.

Jim Knightley
139 Posted 03/08/2015 at 21:26:09
Nick... Liverpool’s official site lists 38 players (Excluding those on loan), as does the Wikipedia article. 8 of those are youth players with no first team experience. Your count is definitely off.

You are using data which includes youth players, but you are not doing so for Everton, presumably because you’ve not checked the official site only Wikipedia (which is written by various people and consequently different statistic measures appear). If you include those players, i.e the likes of Stanek and Ledson, then we have a squad of almost 40 players.

Do you really not see the issue here? You can’t claim that we have a squad of (enter number) players, and then that someone has a squad of (enter number) using different statistical measures, especially when you misread those measures.

It’s funny that you don't see the irony in me bringing up a subjective comparison between Everton and Leicester’s team, but you continue to make spurious claims based on your own readings and subjective measures. Please explain some things for me.

How can you claim that Leicester are surpassing us, when we finished 6 points above them. Why do you ignore the fact that we played in the Europa League, and Leicester didn’t? Why do you ignore an extended recent history, and only concentrate on one season?

Your post represents a common failing. Your original consensus, which you’ve utterly failed to defend, is representative of the type of exaggerated sensationalism which is increasing creeping onto the boards:

1)You’ve bizzarely suggested that we need to sign 10 players to have a good squad. So that’s 12 including the 2 seniors we’ve signed (ignoring Henen). You’ve then reduced that to 6-7, so 8-9 transfers this summer.

2) You attempt to support this incredible squad claim by misappropriating Martinez’s quotes. Martinez clearly referenced young players, i.e non-senior players, in his discussion of increasing the squad size to 27. That’s not six signings, that’s a mixture of signings and youth promotion. Not only that, but Martinez’s squad comments refer to Europe. Are we in Europe? No we are not. So why do you use those quotes to trying and substantiate a claim that we need to buy anywhere between 6-10 players, including the two we already have signed!

3) You claimed we are a laughing stock, but should sign one of the best managers in the world. You fail to respond to this contradiction when pressed.

4) You erroneously use ’stats’ to make your argument. You include youth players for Liverpool without first team experience in their squad, but ignore ours? You then use that measure to claim that our squad is almost half the size of our neighbors. It’s more intriguing given that you are misappropriating a Martinez quote which refers to these very youth players.

It’s hard to say non-offensive stuff about this kind of logic. I understand that you are frustrated, and want better. So do I. So do all of us. But can you please take a little more care with your argument, and not throw around ridiculous claims.

Surely we want to sensibly discuss our club on these forums? What sense does it make to make outlandish claims about how many signings we need to have a squad, which are clearly wrong, and to claim that a team who finished well below us, a team who haven’t finished above us in years and years, have now surpassed us?

It’s just talksport-esq drivel.

Craig Mills
140 Posted 03/08/2015 at 22:11:41
Chris Ramsey on Sky tonight saying he fully expects Charlie Austin to leave in this transfer window. By all accounts £15M will be enough.

I’d offer £13M & throw Kone into the deal; he might be better suited to drop down a league and QPR could be a good home for him.

Gavin Johnson
141 Posted 03/08/2015 at 22:16:22
Andy Walker - Nearly every one of your posts brings up Moyes's tenure as a comparison to Martinez like they were halcyon days. Coming out with gems like we were continually challenging for the top 4. Well I remember it that we only seriously challenged for one season in his tenure when we finished 5th behind Liverpool apart from the season we finished 4th. When I look back at his tenure I feel duped that I bought into his 'knives to a gunfight' and '40 points will do' shite.

It's easy to cherry pick a handful of quality signings by a manager who was in a job for over a decade. Yes, he made some amazing signings like Lescott, Baines, Coleman, Arteta, but for every good signing he signed a Koldrup, a Shandy van der Meyde, a James Beattie. The list could go on and on. And don't even get me started on some of his loan signings like Anthony Gardner.

I don't think the issue with Martinez is his signings. I for one trust him to spot a player - The two he's been allowed to make so far this summer, aren't too bad for 4.2m are they?! In the short time he's been here he's made 2 truly awful signings in Alcaraz and Kone and one was a free transfer and the other one had a career ending injury, which you can't really blame Martinez for.

So I totally disagree with your continual put-downs on Martinez's transfer acumen. If there's a criticism of Martinez it's the one trick pony tag that's hanging over his head. And whether he's a motivator. He's not going to be sacked so lets hope we have a start like his first season.

Andy, I honestly get the impression you would hate that to happen mate.

Nick Page
142 Posted 03/08/2015 at 22:23:38
On my recount, I notice 38 is the correct number granted and apologies. Some red must have been on and lost 4. Lol. Comparably and regardless of youth etc it's still more than we have by a long shot. Take that up with Wikipedia as they are listed as first team squad. I couldn't care less if they haven't played. We have players in our squad who've managed a couple of games a season at best.

Anyway, my point is we are and have been woefully short playing staff for years. On the Barcalys site we have the second smallest squad. This has also been true for years. It's also the fifth oldest. We are amongst the lowest spenders in the league and have also been for years. Bottom half spenders in last
ten years, and twenty years. It's on transfer
league.

Roberto said, not me, we needed 6-7 players in, pre-European adventures and that didn't include loans signing on. He said that might include youth. Might. Read into that what you will. I also added that we are in the eyes of the media a joke but that that doesn't have to be the way with a club of our standing. Hence the Klopp quote. He shouldn't be too big for us otherwise we really are average. He got his first team relegated in the first season I seem to remember. Last season they were crap.

We've signed two players. One a former loan and another a former Wiganite loan. And let two go in a key area plus youths. Keep burying your head in the sand and we'll be fine.

If we win handsomely on Saturday, I'll feel a bit better. We're already five down due to hamstring injuries yet again. Where did the medical staff go? One of these is an ex-loan now new player. No strikers. Brilliant. Much tougher games await.

One would think, with the influx of TV money we might have added some players to the squad. But no, this is Kenwrights Everton. Mean as fuck that fella. Go and have a read what he's like with his shows, how much he pays his staff.

Forza Everton

Jimmy Kelly
143 Posted 03/08/2015 at 22:23:54
Jim, while I agree with your points re the relative size of our squad and the comparisons to Leicester, I'd have to say that I'm with Nick with regard to the amount of players we need.

Don't get me wrong, I'm fully aware that we won't be bringing them all in, but I do believe that to have a genuine shot at top 4 we would need to add a new keeper, 2 centre halves, cover at right back, a creative force and a striker. If Browning or Galloway can make the step up to regular top flight football then maybe it's only one centre half, but I think the others are essential.

I've not felt that such major changes were needed at any point in the last 10 years, and it's so frustrating that we seem to be going backwards just when we thought we might be on the cusp.

Ian Hollingworth
144 Posted 03/08/2015 at 22:35:08
FFS Martinez really worries me. Surely we have planned for months and have our targets mapped out?
Even if you don't get them surely you have a master plan you work to?
We let 2 CB's go so surely getting at least one in is crucial?
Martinez said months ago about the number 10 so where is progress on that position?
Everyone knows we also need a striker although our manager only seems to have realised that yesterday.
Assume we are waiting to sell Stones on deadline day to scramble around for what is left.
By the way where does all the money go at Everton by the way?
Roberto Martinez might be a nice guy but he is not a football manager capable of managing Everton FC.
Buckle down as it is going to be a long season I am afraid.
Nick Page
145 Posted 03/08/2015 at 22:45:39
Agree with Jimmy. Perhaps I’m being facetious but deliberately so in order to raise the point. If under Moyes say for example we’d have brought in Donovan plus another player or two we’d have been better off. But it never happened. We’re always chasing our tail. There is no point having a couple of loans, adding them and not adding more.

We’ve gone sideways forever. We got fifth under Martinez largely, I believe due to the players being fitter and him adding a couple of new ideas. Last year we went backwards maybe due to Europe but mainly due to the paucity of new signings. All this after having done ever so well relative to the competition.

We seem to settle for mediocrity at the board level. In hindsight we were lucky to have Moyes but we needed a Moyes+ to move on. We could all see that. One or two extra good players is all that was needed each season.
Tony Abrahams
146 Posted 03/08/2015 at 22:54:57
Gavin 134, good post. Although it's only pre season, the worry I got yesterday was, will this team be able to fight?

We pass the ball okay, but there is no desire in the team, to try and get after the opposition. Nobody really hurts themselves to get in their opponents box.

Two players could really change the dynamics of our team, but this really counts on two people. The chairman, to provide the money and the manager, to get us the right players.

It's got to happen now though, because living in hope, is already starting to desert us.

Ant Dwyer
147 Posted 04/08/2015 at 01:41:52
Jim, as you rightly put (backed up by Phil) our positivity can only last until we watch us play. Spot on, truly spot on.

I don’t want to be a fan who goes the game to moan, but as we have said (along with Tony at 77) our football is sole destroying and boring.

I’ve paid my money to watch us when we was usless, and I knew that we were rubbish, but we have moved past that, we should be able to expect better.

We have good players, young exciting players who a good manager would flourish with. I’m not asking for Jose Mourinho or Pep Guadiola, look at some of the managers Southampton have had the past few years. Ronald Keoman and potchettino, look at what Gerry Monk has done too.

A bold manager with ambition and bright ideas would use Baines and Coleman as lethal weapons. They would flood the box to get support to Lukaku, and accommodate extra attacking midfielders instead of using Barry whilst pushing Ross Barkley out wide. Most would have tried Eto’o upfront last season alongside Lukaku instead of waiting until he was gone and trying it with Kone.

I truly hope Martinez can prove me wrong and I can look back at my rants and laugh, but I would put anything I had on us watching the same rubbish we had to watch last season and see our manager clap on the line like flipper at players trying to play his way whilst falling flat on their faces.

Andy Walker
148 Posted 04/08/2015 at 08:23:40
Gavin, I have never rated Martinez, never wanted him at our club and will be so happy if he left and we got a replacement. I remember watching Arsenal v Wigan in the season Wigan were relegated. It was right at the end of the season, Wigan needed to win to stay up and took the lead, they were playing high risk attacking football, but as they had to win it was their only hope. But having taken the lead did they change their style and try and close down to keep their win and secure the EPL status, no! Instead they stayed open, kept attacking and got stuffed. It was the naivety and arrogance of the the approach that I will never forget and then their manager became ours.

I think Moyes was a better manager and I think it's only natural to compare any current manager with the previous one, whoever they were. That’s my view so I guess my posts will have a consistent message. We all have our views!

I think you’ve been a little unfair to Moyes though. Don’t forget he also bought Jagielka, Pienaar, Cahill, Stones, Fellaini. He also wasn’t as blown away by Barkley as everyone else appeared to be a couple of years ago but now he looks like he may sadly have got that one right too. I think he has a much better eye for a player than Martinez. I don’t think Martinez’s signings have been particularly good. You mention the two obvious disasters, but also Lukaku although good enough on his day is not a £30M+ striker in my opinion, we paid well over the odds.

Delboy, well he’s still not proven but I do like him. Besic similar story. I would never have bought Barry either; he was too old to put him on £100k a week or whatever it is. McCarthy wasn’t great last season either and it's a big season for him coming up.

Ant Dwyer
149 Posted 04/08/2015 at 09:53:54
Gavin and Andy, for me I find it hard to not compare Roberto to Moyes myself as one replaced another. Roberto was left a good solid side that had a plan and played with purpose; after 2 years he’s broken up all partnerships (even the ones he himself put together) and changed things that were not ever broken.

Roberto inherited a team that did not concede goals, he was then handed close on £30M to invest on a striker to push us on and instead he took us backwards. Moyes on the other hand was crying out for that type of backing with it falling on deaf ears.
I honestly believe if we had given Moyes the striker of his dreams (ie, a £25M one, remember Torres and Suarez across the park both cost less and were the noticeable difference between us and them for years) we would and could have pushed on.

In my eyes, Roberto should never have been given the job in the first place as his management style at Wigan was comical. After watching Premier League seasons of the past again throughout the pre-season, I can’t help but notice a fool talking rubbish every time I see him interviewed. Each of his Wigan interviews mirror his lame excuses and down right ignorance he shows when speaking after our matches.

Moyes did have some issues which I did not like, hence the talk of 'knives to a gunfight' etc.. but as he was with us for over a decade I fail to think anyone can come up with as many embarrassing moments (interview wise) as I witnessed from Roberto last season alone.

For me, the long and short of it is Roberto needs to go asap.

Sam Hoare
150 Posted 04/08/2015 at 09:59:16
Amazing when I’m reading that Premier League spending has passed £500M that we have spent less than £5M! That’s more than £20M below the average.

No doubt there will be more spent by us and other clubs but it shows how behind the curve we have been so far.

Will we ever challenge for top 4 again? Hopefully. But I can’t see it happening this season.

Ant Dwyer
151 Posted 04/08/2015 at 10:09:58
Wow, unbelievable Sam when the figures are put across like that. I really do wonder if our board is willing to back Martinez again.

Geri was a no-brainer, keeps the fans happy, and Cleverley was a free... Worrying.

Also, not a chance we can challenge for top 4 atm.

Charlie Burnett
152 Posted 04/08/2015 at 10:46:30
Andy Walker,

Moyes was/is a defensive manager and we were all screaming out for goals when Moyes was in charge, no attacking football, we were all saying we need a striker, our top scorer was Fellaini and he was bought as a defensive midfielder.

I have to agree with you that Moyes has a good eye for a player but he had to with no money available each window. The story behind Moyes and why he didn’t use Barkley hardly at all was because he had a big injury when he was developing and Moyes was strict that the youngsters go through the channels before they get their chance to wear the mighty Everton shirt; it's not a charity.

He did give Ross a chance and he didn’t know when to pass at the correct time, his passing was blind, he dribbled in our box and I can remember he lost the ball doing something stupid which caused a winning goal and that was the final straw for Moyes. Thinking about it now... that sounds like he hasn’t learned from all them years back; it sounds like last season.

Okay, we bought Lukaku for £28M; over-priced, I will agree... but we were dealing with Chelsea who are the best at negotiating. We paid £4M to loan Lukaku for the season and we somehow managed to sign him for £28M with installments of £5M in each year of his 5-year contract.

When his contract is over, the average striker will be worth £40M; all he has to do is get that one good season when he bangs in 30 goals and he will be sold to a Champions League team for big money. Well, he's got four seasons left to achieve that.

I don’t know where you got the information from that Barry is on £100k a week... I did laugh; Eto'o was our highest payed player and that caused mayhem so that's why he was out the door quickly. Barry will be on £50k/week max, I would say, and to be fair his experience is amazing for our youth. Against Villarreal in the first half hour, he looked amazing for a old guy; he was spreading the ball around like he was in his prime.

To be fair, to comment that McCarthy wasn’t that great last season, I ain't even going to waste the effort in typing for that comment -- he was the glue of our team last season, mate.

Mark Pendleton
153 Posted 04/08/2015 at 10:48:28
We are not at the top of the transfer food chain, a club who will (or can) spend big money to get the player we want. As such I can imagine there is a transfer chain that will mean the players we want will ultimately be available and at a price we can pay.

I think RM has his targets, but he doesn't want to let out how important it is to sign them. We all know how there is lots of activity near the end of the window, but there is often one or two key deals that then open up this chain.

We've seen RM likes to get players in early if possible but that's only been possible in the two deals we have. If we need 3 signings let's say we have £20m then we way end up getting all three for close to £20m at end of August. Moving early we may be faced with those 3 costing £30m which we can't afford.

Yes, we'd all like them bedded in before the start of the season but I understand why this may not be possible.

Gavin Johnson
154 Posted 04/08/2015 at 10:57:02
Andy -- It’s your prerogative to rate Moyes. I just think you like to rewrite history sometimes with the idea that we were regular top 4 challengers, and Moyes was flawless in the transfer market.

You’ve mentioned the other big signings he made: Jagielka, Fellaini and Pienaar... but there’s no mention of Richard Wright who cost us a big fee at the time. So did Simon Davis. Then there was Anderson Da Silva and Lars Jacobsen.

In another post on a different thread, you mentioned selling Stones would be destroying the ’Moyes legacy’, but you can’t use that player to deride Martinez’s transfer acumen. If anything Martinez spotted him before Moyes. Moyes doing the old Harry Redknapp trick (I’m thinking Kyle Walker & Kyle Naughton) and buying him when he discovered Martinez was going to sign him for Wigan.

I think Moyes certainly gave us stability and he was good at what he did -- getting his teams playing workmanlike reactive football, but he shit it whenever it mattered, never winning away at any other top 4 sides in over 10 years. He said it himself by saying we would be lucky to get out of there alive when we went to grounds like Old Trafford.

Can you imagine Jose Mourinho saying or having that mindset when he took the comparatively small FC Porto to play at Manchester United? The very top managers tend to see the glass as being half-full instead of being dour and looking at the negatives and reacting to them.

For a great part of Moyes's tenure, I always looked at BK as the villain with Moyes fighting our corner, but retrospectively I think he was a Machiavelli of the highest order. He played both sides brilliantly only revealing his true colours when he accepted the Man Utd job and played Kenwright by continuing to take the money while daydreaming about his new job.

Of course many supporters thought the dithering over the contract was because he wanted allowances from BK that there would be greater transfer funds at his disposal. BK loved him because he deflected the spotlight away from his failings and most of us loved him because we bought into the idea that he had his hands tied and we were lucky to have him. The biggest winner was Moyes and the Moyes myth was created.

To Martinez’s credit, he blew some of these myths out of the water when he won at Old Trafford on his first attempt and got more points in his first season than Moyes did in any during his entire reign as Everton manager.

Of course having Martinez as Everton manager looks a different proposition after last season and there’s big question marks over him continuing as manager going into the new season. My personal misgivings about him (which are to do with motivation) will be put on hold until the end of September.

Until the window closes and we’ve seen some competitive football, I don’t see the point of a Martinez Out campaign when he’s not going anywhere. Especially with tired arguments seen through blue tinted glasses that -- "This wouldn’t be happening under David Moyes."

Steve Cotton
155 Posted 04/08/2015 at 10:57:14
Mark (#141).

Also, as we have allegedly paid Cleverley £65k a week then he can only offer £25k a week to any new faces. Perhaps in hindsight he shouldn't have given Barry £68k a week for 3 years now...

Jim Bennings
156 Posted 04/08/2015 at 11:30:15
The fact we are the lowest spenders in the Premier League is a sad and sorry state of affairs as you would've thought the board would be adamant not to have any kind of repeat of last season.

So far, since last season finished, we are minus Distin and Alcaraz (no great loss but still two bodies gone); Lennon although short term has left, and for me he is a loss because, I believe we could have had a guy who could have been quite useful both on the right flank and coming inside. He was showing promising signs every time he was cutting inside making our attacks more incisive.

All we have added is another central midfielder in Cleverley, who possibly you’d have to say so far in his career is more suited to deep sitting than progressive attacking.

Then of course there is Deulofeu who can be both maddening and magical but won’t work as hard off the ball as Aaron Lennon did; another worry is his hamstring troubles.

We need at least three players, Martinez says he knows the areas we need them in... Let's see him given the financial backing do it then.

Andrew Clare
157 Posted 04/08/2015 at 11:44:30
Do you know the worst thing about all of our comments? Nobody is listening and nobody gives a damn!

A successful company listens to its clients and acts accordingly.

Mark Pendleton
158 Posted 04/08/2015 at 12:00:27
Steve, why has paying Cleverley £65k a week meant only £25k a week to new faces? We’ve lost Distin and Alcaraz off the wage bill but, in any case, the wage and transfer budget combine and can be used in whatever way suits.
Charlie Burnett
159 Posted 04/08/2015 at 12:03:11
Mark don't forget Lennon and also Eto'o, they are off the wage bill also.
Brent Stephens
160 Posted 04/08/2015 at 12:08:23
Andrew #145 - I guess there's no need to listen at the moment as the "clients" are willing to buy season tickets, one-off game tickets - and vast amounts of merchandising!
Andrew Clare
161 Posted 04/08/2015 at 12:31:48
Brent (#147),

Yes that’s the problem. It’s as though we have ToffeeWeb full of discontents and everyone else is happy with the status quo.

I am dreading the new season. So far we have signed two squad players with 4 days until kick-off. Not a sign of a new player, not a word from the club. The Guardian predict 8th place for us. I predict big trouble.

Either Martinez is hamstrung by lack of backing or he hasn’t got a clue. It’s probably both. It feels like we are fading away and nobody cares apart from the fans.

Colin Glassar
163 Posted 04/08/2015 at 12:37:39
Is it true we don’t get our Sky installment until 15 August 2015?

If that’s the case, don’t expect shit until that happens. There’s probably only a few pence left in the bank after BK’s ’backers’ have cleaned us out.

James Stewart
164 Posted 04/08/2015 at 12:46:01
@142 Moyes's average net spend per season was under 1m. That is quite remarkable when you think of where we were when he took over to where he left us. Whatever you think of his tactics that is some achievement.

Martinez can't really be compared with Moyes because he had a totally different job to do. We were already a good side when he took over. Moyes's last game we played some cracking football and Mirallas was on fire. I dread to think where we would be now had Martinez inherited the club when Moyes did.

Mark Tanton
165 Posted 04/08/2015 at 12:55:13
If it’s true we’re waiting for the Sky money -- and we hear it every year -- I don’t understand why we can’t or don’t borrow against it in July. Is it a bad credit problem?
Terence Leong
166 Posted 04/08/2015 at 13:11:45
Quick comments about the Barry and Lukaku buys.

Two seasons ago, a lot of fans here were rooting for Barry to be signed up. Yes, there were those who wondered if a 33-year-old should be signed, but the overall sentiments were that he brought stability to the midfield and allowed the rest of the midfielders to play.

Likewise, while there was a debate on whether to blow £28 million on a single striker (Lukaku), there was also a good number of fans here who felt that if we cannot make a statement of intent of competing with a singular buy, we are letting ourselves down, especially when a proven goalscorer (Lukaku still scored 55 goals in 3 seasons).

So, the fact is that hindsight is 20/20. Barry’s decline is probably a lot more rapid than what people expected. I still think that we bought potential in Lukaku. So if players like Ronaldo took a few seasons before he really peaked (and that was in a Man Utd team that were getting back on top), then Lukaku can be given more time.

I too am concerned that we don’t have that Number 10 who can play in the final ball. At the same time, looking around, none of the Premier League contenders bought big this season.

Not Chelsea (Falcao perhaps); not Man City (Sterling is definitely not); not Man Utd (Depay is still unproven); not Arsenal (promoting from within, other than Cech); not Spurs (who did they really buy?) ... Maybe Liverpool (Benteke)...

My point is there seems to be a paucity of striking and creative talent all across the footballing world.

Diego Costa won’t be doing as well this season. Last season he is too easily injured; this season he is starting it injured. He is almost 30 years old already. Thus, while many people point to the fact that Costa was only a couple million pounds more expensive than Lukaku, I foresee that Costa already has had his best season. Like Van Persie, Costa is already on the way down.

As like any other hopeful fan, I am hoping that our young players will come good this season. Barkley, Deulofeu, Browning, Galloway, Garbutt, McAleny, Dowell etc.

Here’s to hoping that we do a Man Utd (1996) and win something with kids!

Pete Edwards
168 Posted 04/08/2015 at 13:13:16
James @56 the Distin and Alcaraz wages would have been known to be available long before they actually left. The club from what I believe offered Garbutt his new contract before they both left so I doubt it was dependent on the players leaving before offering Garbutt a new deal.
John Malone
169 Posted 04/08/2015 at 13:27:09
Martinez is shite make no bones about it, he’s not fit to lace David Moyes’s boot’s!

The first season in charge, everyone had a lift as it was a new exciting regime the loan signings paid off and fine margins went our way!

As soon as the novelty wore off and his real personality was shown, the cracks started to appear. The players don’t like him or his stubborn boring style; there is no respect, belief or trust for the man in charge, and it’s plain to see players are not giving their all for him.

He’s got two more transfer windows to make a big difference or he’s got to go next summer before the rot sets in for Jagielka, Baines and Coleman!

Colin Glassar
170 Posted 04/08/2015 at 13:32:27
Mark, hard as it is seeing other clubs buying... Martinez did say we would buy early and... late!

I expect us to get a couple of players in but well into August. He did it his first season (Lukaku, Barry, McCarthy) and although I’d prefer to get all our targets in before the season starts, Chairman Bill seems to prefer to wait until very late so I’m not panicking just yet.

As for who those players will be, I haven’t a clue as everything is dead quiet right now and has been for some time. A terrible state of affairs but neither this manager, or his predecessor, are to blame for this.

Jamie Crowley
171 Posted 04/08/2015 at 13:36:09
I really hope we get this Sergi Roberto kid from Barcelona.

I watched him in the Guinness Champions Cup thingy over here in the States and I thought he looked very impressive.

Incredibly comfortable on the ball. His technical skill was superb. He played on the right, but from what I saw he could easily slot in behind the striker.

If that doesn't work I echo Harold's sentiments regarding Mix Diskerud. I've been saying for about a year and a half I'd kill to see him in an Everton jersey. I think the kid is class.

If if's and but's were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas...

Just hoping we're not missing Stones, Lukaku, Mirallas, et al come Saturday...! DelBoy is already out... We need these players healthy to hit the ground running with our difficult fixture list the start of the season.

Pete Edwards
172 Posted 04/08/2015 at 13:36:37
Nick, you seem to say a lot without actually saying a lot!

Two players gone from key positions, I take it you mean Alcaraz and Distin? The latter didn't play for 6 months and the former... well, no-one seemed to want him in the team anyway! I agree, the positions need strengthening... but come on!!

And as for the youths released, how many played or were part of any matchday squads? Will they really be missed!!

What has Kenwright's theatre employees got to do with Everton?

Which parts of the media are laughing at us?

Patrick Murphy
173 Posted 04/08/2015 at 13:52:57
Mark (152),

Perhaps the money that was used to buy players last summer was borrowed against the Sky money which arrives this August. When that money is repaid on the 15th according to Colin Glassar, the club will then be in a position to borrow against next August's TV money.

I’m not certain that’s the way it works but it would seem a plausible explanation.

Nick Page
174 Posted 04/08/2015 at 14:02:05
"Come on" what, Pete? We’ve lost two CBs. Another is potentially on his way out. Do you think that’s okay? Has anyone done anything to quash the media rumours?

We have at least five (if Martinez isn’t lying) hamstring injuries already -- is that okay?

What happened to Danny Donachie and Steve Tashjian?

Why did Alan Myers leave so abruptly?

Are you happy that we’re consistently amongst the lowest spenders in the Premier League?

Are you happy that Kenwright has invested nothing into the football club and sold off all the assets?

Are you happy that we’ve got a ground that is on its arse, described as the worst in league by our CEO?

Are you happy the chairman said, over 10 years ago, that he is the best man to "sell" this football club and here we are, years later, with nothing to show for it, no investment, nothing?

I’m not spending all day arguing with delusional Kenwright apologists again. This is Everton Football Club and it should not be consigned to the pages of the history books, just yet.

Jim Knightley
175 Posted 04/08/2015 at 14:04:34
Gavin - I also feel that you are rewriting history a little. Where we were when Moyes took over, and where had we been for much of the last 10 years before his appointment? We were a bottom seven side. Moyes turned us into a top seven side on a net spend of £1-2M a season.

Now you can pick and choose bad buys, which the very best managers in the history of football have plenty of, or you can look at his complete transfer record. That record speaks for itself, via the transformation of our side and squad under Moyes. For some of the stinkers, there are the likes of Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Coleman, Arteta, Pienaar etc. Even some of the fails, like McFadden, were sold on for a profit. Moyes's transfer record was overwhelmingly successful -- if it hadn’t had been, then we would not have moved forward as a football club.

I also do not understand how you can deride the Stones deal based on hearsay? We were clearly tracking him for a while, and brought him. He was purchased by Moyes, and goes down as another one of his great buys.

I also do not understand how you, or others, can still keep bringing up that big four stat.. firstly, it’s wrong. We won at Spurs and City when they both finished in the top 4. For some reason that’s ignored, because of some peculiar historical revisionism that you accuse others of engaging in.

It was a problem of Moyes’s of course, the big game failing, and symbolic of us under Moyes. We were the nearly men. But we were incredibly efficient, and over-achieved in view of the money spent. We did not overachieve in the eyes of the generation of fans in the 80s, but we did overachieve for a club who spent £1-2M a year net. But we often failed on the big occasions, even if there were some stories of success in there (like the FA Cup Semi-Final with Man Utd). When Martinez came, he was heralded because he demonstrated an ability to win in those big games under Wigan.

Unfortunately, we’ve only realised what we’ve lost when Moyes left. His stability, and the sense that the club would retain its top 7 in the hope of finding a buyer who would allow us to compete with the top 4. Now we face the possibility of losing that status us a top 7 club, under the tutelage of a manager who is less tactically sound than the often dour Moyes.

They both have bad points, but I know who I’d rather have buying our players. I also think that Moyes was hamstrung by our financial position, and that we would have achieved the success we wanted if we had had an extra £10-15M a year like the clubs around us.

Martinez is also hamstrung of course, but nonetheless had the luxury of investing heavily last season. But I would rather someone like Moyes spent our money, rather than Martinez, because I feel like Moyes brought with a plan in mind.I struggle to understand Martinez however, and his penchant for a short passing game but his desire to invest in attacking players who run with the ball, who shoot too often, who play with their head down, and who do not pass the ball quickly.

I’d also echo James last sentence: ’I dread to think where we would be now had Martinez inherited the club when Moyes did.’

Moyes, in my opinion, rescued us and an awful squad. He had his failings, but I do not think there were many better relative successes in the history of the Premier League.

Under Martinez last season we lost our way, and I think he made so so many mistakes. We were not fit, and our pre-season was wrong. We needed another creative player. We played in a way that did not suit the players, and isolated Lukaku. We lost our defensive solidarity. We had our worse season in a very long time.

Martinez has a chance to make it right, but I feel that it will be a struggle. The Stones affair hasn’t helped, and I’m struggling to see how we will be in a respectable position after our opening run of horrible fixtures. That would be the same for any manager of course, but it will be a problem for a manager and squad under pressure. Fans will line up to criticise him on here, irrespective of the circumstances. Lukaku will be insulted left, right and centre. Barkley too. I expect that Martinez’s job will be hanging from a thread by the end of October.

Unless, of course, he can do what we hoped he would do. Win some big games. If he does that, then things will look more optimistic. We need the 3 players Martinez mentioned, but we do have a good and very promising squad. As I referenced in a post above, we have 14 very promising players ranging between 19 and 26 in our squad, who can form our future. A few of these, Lukaku, Stones and Deulofeu, have the capacity to be top players for the best clubs in the world. Some of these, namely Coleman and McCarthy, are good enough for CL clubs.

It’s not all doom and gloom, and maybe, just maybe, we will get 3 good players before the window shuts, and we will still have Stones? If Martinez fails, then I expect he will go, and then we can hope that a better manager inherits our squad. A manager with a lot of Moyes about him, but with some of the adventure of Martinez.

Eric Myles
176 Posted 04/08/2015 at 14:20:31
Great post Jim, until the last few words. What is adventurous about possession for possession's sake in your own half?
Eric Myles
177 Posted 04/08/2015 at 14:29:21
Colin (#150), at least that’s been the excuse in previous seasons for the BVI loan, it’s to keep us afloat until Mr Murdoch’s cheque arrives.
Mike Corcoran
178 Posted 04/08/2015 at 14:53:28
With the current squad, it might be time to go 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1. This would mean putting Browning or Galloway in though but would utilise Baines and Coleman better, Cleverley and McCarthy in the centre and a mix of Lukaku and two from Mirallas, Barkley, Osman or whoever hasn’t got a hammy at inside forward. Mad but it might work.
Phil Sammon
179 Posted 04/08/2015 at 15:01:55
Great post Jim, I agree with so much of that... but I also agree with Eric 162.

This notion that Martinez is ’adventurous’ or the often spouted line on MotD, ’He likes to play good football’. It’s absolute shite! I would hand on heart rather watch us punt it up to a 6ft-8in striker all game than watch this ponderous dirge.

Martinez’s entire gambit is that you can compete with the big spenders by being a well-oiled unit and getting very good at what you do. I agree, but sadly I think he’s taking us in completely the wrong direction.

Every team in the modern era that over-achieves does so because of fitness and desire. Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, the Chilean national team... they all have technical players, just as we do, just as every team does... but they had the desire and workrate that we have abandoned.

You go through our team and I genuinely think we have top players all over. We just completely lack direction. Two of the best full-backs in Europe and yet we refuse to get a cross in. We actually deliberately try to play through the middle... where our own manager admits we lack a Number 10 to unlock defences. Talk about playing to your own weaknesses.

£28M on a striker who attacks very well and holds up play terribly. Every single ball he gets he is asked to do the latter. I’m not comparing the two, but it’s like buying Aguero and then asking him to flick on long balls.

It’s so fundamental, it hurts.

Thomas Surgenor
180 Posted 04/08/2015 at 15:05:45
I consider our closest rivals to be Spurs. So, when you consider our net transfer dealings to theirs, we are really splashing the cash!

I know Spurs selling Bale offsets the accounts but more often than not they make a profit every window in recent years.

I still expect us to have at least one more exciting permanent signing (hopefully of the double figure price bracket) backed up with a loan move for a wise old-headed CB for cover.

Eric Myles
181 Posted 04/08/2015 at 15:17:52
Thomas #166, we also always make a profit on player sales.
Matthew Williams
182 Posted 04/08/2015 at 15:22:27
Sign Austin or Berahino. Rom on his own won’t cut it for us... so do something NOW, Bobby!
Colin Glassar
183 Posted 04/08/2015 at 15:35:43
Eric, we are the most ineptly run club in the prem. If there was a 'useless cup' to win we, with this board, would walk it..... Or, probably not.
Patrick Murphy
184 Posted 04/08/2015 at 15:38:07
Phil (#165) Perhaps Sylvain Distin agrees with you when he said yesterday, although he may not have been citing Everton players in particular.
"Bournemouth’s story stimulates me. It’s very refreshing and I told the manager that. All the lads are very humble and generous in their work," Distin said.

"They haven’t been touched by the amazing things that the Premier League brings, maybe, but also they haven’t been touched by the downside. The complacency, taking things easy, taking it for granted.

"They know they are living the dream now and they want to fight hard to keep that dream alive. It’s beautiful and refreshing for me to experience that."

We keep hearing how the dressing room is a tight-knit group and has an all-for-one-&-one-for-all type of spirit but how come we haven’t seen that manifest itself on the football pitch in the heat of battle too often in the last 12 months?

Andrew Clare
185 Posted 04/08/2015 at 15:40:42
Thomas (#166),

You may be right expecting one more exciting permanent signing and a loan player but quite honestly if we don’t sign at least three permanent high quality players (centre back, Number 10 and striker) we are going to struggle. I would like a top quality goalkeeper as well.

What we really need are new owners urgently!

James Flynn
186 Posted 04/08/2015 at 15:47:40
Pete (154) - True. Heck, the wages coming available was known when Distin and Alcaraz signed their contracts a few years ago.

Specific to Garbutt, I believe that his man had settled the particulars with the Club long before he re-signed. Do I KNOW that? Of course not. We can only look at what happened. His man did not take him out onto the market, the Distin/Alcaraz wages came free 1 July, Garbutt re-upped a couple days later.

Anyway, my Garbutt opinion was just in passing. I was thinking about Roberto’s ability to re-freshen the squad and why I think, in this window, he’s (sorry) hamstrung.

It’s been mentioned in here over the years that our wage-scale is budgeted for 10th place. I'm not sure what’s that based on. But I do recall that TWers saying so, where fellows who routinely chime in when it comes to the money. So I accept we’re budgeted for 10th.

This, and the Garbutt signing having to wait until other wages dropped off the ledger, leads me to believe that Roberto’s big decision-making will be this time next summer.

Let’s say, certainly possible, Mirallas and Oviedo do well this season. With the other 5 departing (which I expect), plenty of wage finance will be there to sign them. Let’s add, by some divine intervention Gibson actually stays healthy. Money for him too.

Which still leaves us with the wages available from Osman, Hibbert, Kone, and Pienaar departing (Realistically, despite my pie-in-the-sky hopes, Gibson too). In EFC financial terms, a major chunk of dough for Roberto. In 2016, for sure not now. That’s me speculating.

The Garbutt signing was just of a piece.

Paul Cherrington
188 Posted 04/08/2015 at 16:20:26
Good shout that, although wouldn’t want to pay loads for him.
Chris Wilson
189 Posted 04/08/2015 at 16:21:04
I would be afraid that Michu would just add to our swollen injury list.

As an American Everton fan, I always love hearing of American players being suggested as options. But even I would have to say "nay" on Mix Diskerud. He's just way to inconsistent, and we would need for our new buys to be an instant impact. I don't think he has the pace right now or the physicality - he'd get knocked off the ball a lot; good passer, OK ball skills, kind of a weak shot (not that we ever shoot the ball). No European teams showed interest after his contract elapsed at Rosenborg; just other Norwegian teams and the Columbus Crew. So that makes you wonder. He was basically asked to be the play-maker at NYCFC before Lampard got there, and before Pirlo was even being considered; and he couldn't do it.

I would actually be interested in activating Nolito's buyout clause. I think he would be brilliant; instant offensive production and versatile; unfortunately in his late 20s. But I think he would be a game-changer for us.

Ian McDowell
190 Posted 04/08/2015 at 16:27:35
Excellent time to decide we now need another striker 7 days before the first game. I think 99% of fans knew this in January.
Conor Skelly
191 Posted 04/08/2015 at 16:28:43
Jim and then Phil sum it up perfectly.

More and more people will start waking up from Martinez’s reign of verbal diarrhea after the first few games.

Moyes’s teams were not only better organised, fitter and meaner than Martinez’s, they were also prettier to watch.

The team at the moment looks like it’s been told to just go out there and make it up as they go along in the idea of playing some sort of total football. It’s a total cop-out.

Jay Harris
192 Posted 04/08/2015 at 16:51:47
My disapproval of Martinez's appointment and subsequent management is well documented. However, I believe he is currently being hung out to dry by the death of 1000 cuts.

Our cowardly board instead of either coming out and backing him or sacking him is painful to watch.

It has been obvious to a blind man that we have needed another "quality" goalscorer for over 12 months now and IMO RM is being told to either make Kone or Naismith work or sell before you can go out and buy.

If Lukaku doesn’t play against Watford and we do not get all 3 points then the whole club should hang it’s head in shame.

"If you know yer history," Bill. Well start making some now instead of carping we have no money while sending millions to the BVI every year.

If we are only sending £8 or 9 million a year to Chelsea for Lukaku then according to the accounts and my reckoning there should be about £30 million plus the extra TV money this year available for new signings and extra wages.

Where is the money, Bill?

Trevor Peers
193 Posted 04/08/2015 at 16:53:26
Roberto's insistence that Kone would come good, for the whole of last season, must rate as one of the biggest errors of judgment ever seen by an Everton manager. Now the penny has dropped, it’s probably too late to do anything about it.

It seems certain Kone will play a lot of games this season with virtually no goal return.

Colin Glassar
194 Posted 04/08/2015 at 17:09:15
The thing is, Jay, BK and his band of merry men hire managers they can hide behind. It’s probably the first question asked at any interview. "Are you willing to take all the flak and aggro from the fans while we hide behind closed doors?"
Chris Gould
195 Posted 04/08/2015 at 17:22:17
Well said Jim, Phil and Conor. It’s already time for a dose of realism, even if the season hasn’t kicked off yet.

Yes, there’s time left to buy, but this pre-season has only highlighted the fact that we haven’t learned a thing. I can’t be bothered with fake positivity. Even if we buy 2-3 players, I don’t believe RM will have a clue what position to play them in or what tactics will get the best out of them.

For us to be positive, we need to see something that ignites some hope and passion. I don’t think we’ve witnessed anything close to that in the last 12+ months. Where is it going to come from? We don’t have a leader on or off the pitch and there’s no direction!!

I hate the fact that I’m dreading the season starting. I feel like I give my all. All of my children get home and away kits every season. Lunchboxes, gloves, pencil cases and bloody duvet covers!!

We go to as many games as we can afford. I’ve paid my dues and I don’t deserve to feel like this!!! It’s a bloody cheek to treat us with such contempt!!

The board won’t give us what we deserve, the manager isn’t capable, so I look to the players: Play to your strengths, play with passion, leave everything out on the pitch, and I will forgive any mistakes or failings!!

Just show us that you care, and regardless of whatever shitty tactics you have been given, work your bloody nuts off!!!

Nick Page
196 Posted 04/08/2015 at 17:39:19
Chris, you should send that post to:

firstname.lastname@Evertonfc.com

and tell the manager what you hope and expect. It's what we all want.

Bill Gall
197 Posted 04/08/2015 at 17:41:11
The difficulty with waiting to sign players at the end of the transfer window, and that seems the norm for Everton, is (a) we will have to have played 4 difficult games in August that may be beneficial, or disastrous, and,(b) if we do sign someone we will have more difficult fixtures in September before they become effective, even longer, to adapt to Mr Martinez’s style of play.

Jay Harris (#181) :His comments appear to be right about the Chairman and Board, but unfortunately this is not something new with these people.

We were all aware that we needed certain types of players brought in weeks ago, and maybe Mr Martinez is bringing it up now to cover himself, after being told by the Chairman and Board he will have to wait until the end of August.

Craig Walker
198 Posted 04/08/2015 at 17:50:05
The only way strikers will be on Roberto's shopping list is if his missus sends him to CostCutter to buy a box of matches.
Jay Harris
199 Posted 04/08/2015 at 17:53:05
I think the problem for BK and cronies this time though Colin is that supporters have had enough of the "I am only a poor impresario and we have no money" and his new manager does not have the ability to manage a club of Everton's size.

Something has to give this season.

Colin Glassar
200 Posted 04/08/2015 at 18:05:12
We say the same every year, Jay, but every year we continue to drift, aimlessly, as a club. No investment in the team or stadium. No progress on the commercial side. No prospect of any sort of investment etc....

Yes, something has to give... but what? When? Not with this lot in charge. They are like the orchestra on the fucking Titanic!!

Mark Tanton
201 Posted 04/08/2015 at 18:07:31
It's just such a risky business model, leaving our transfer dealings so late, effectively writing off the first month of the season every year.
Jack Cross
202 Posted 04/08/2015 at 19:22:54
I don’t think we can blame RB, for going in to the transfer market late, after all, the money has to be released for the players.

My question mark over him is, will he make the right choices?

Gavin Johnson
203 Posted 04/08/2015 at 19:23:46
The funny thing is, if we get to midnight on deadline day, and we haven’t brought anyone in, people will have a grumble on forums like TW for a couple of weeks and then nothing else will come of it.

The minority of people who are proactive and try to organise something will then be shouted down by some of the said moaners for having for having RS tendencies. Part of me thinks that we set our bar in life and we deserve what we get.

What’s the saying... Shame me once, shame on you;shame me twice, shame on me! But in Bill's case, he shames us year after year, usually when the early bird season ticket notices come through. :-D

Jack Cross
204 Posted 04/08/2015 at 19:27:42
Gavin Johnson. What action do you suggest we take? Maybe if you lead the line, others will follow. There always has to be a leader in every organised dispute.
Pete Edwards
205 Posted 04/08/2015 at 19:41:57
Nick, you don’t have to spend all day arguing with a Kenwright apologist as I’m nothing of the kind... but please let me know where I have said I am one, I’m really interested!

On some of your other points (I don’t need to retype what I said on the previous post points I was replying to), No, I’m not happy that the ground is in a bit of a state and that we don’t spend the same as some other clubs.

In regards to the two medical staff members who left, they worked under a former manager, people leave when there are changes in management every day so nothing unusual there.

Alan Myers we might never know the real reasons he went but he seemed happy and was doing a great job at getting more people involved and raising the profile of the club. It might have been nothing as much as it might have been something sinister; we can only speculate... and that's generally when shit gets made up.


Jay Harris
208 Posted 04/08/2015 at 20:36:41
Pete,

The medical people that left were highly rated in the game and a couple of them basically said they could not agree with Martinez's training methods.

My view, for what it is worth, is that Martinez did not like all the loyalty felt towards Moyes and decided to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Whatever he has done is academic now anyway.

He will stand or fall on the performance on the pitch and the supporters will soon let him know if that is not working.

Charlie Burnett
209 Posted 04/08/2015 at 21:02:20
Come on, guys, we have been here loads. He leaves it all last minute because:
  1. If we do grab someone, he saved on not paying out pre-season wages.
  2. How many times have we had that last minute deal that didn’t go through or had a medical on the last day and didn’t make the time or we discovered something but it was too late?

For example Leroy Fer. What Ever happened to that Belgian kid when Kompany tweeted that Everton have just made the signing of the window?

Who else? Let’s try list the ones that an excuse was made for?

Brian Williams
210 Posted 04/08/2015 at 21:21:11
Well Leroy Fer hasn't set the world alight so we should be glad we didn't get him.
Jay Harris
211 Posted 04/08/2015 at 21:25:18
The level we shop at nobody will set the world alight Brian.

You could argue that Barry, Besic, McGeady, Kone etc haven't set the world alight too.

I happen to think that Fer is exactly what we need. A real box-to-box MF player. I think Besic is very similar but slightly more defensive.

Mark Tanton
212 Posted 04/08/2015 at 21:26:26
Negredo was one. Double-barelled named kid -- Olae something wasn’t it? McCarthy was nearly one until peg leg rang up Sky Sports News!
Mark Tanton
213 Posted 04/08/2015 at 21:30:54
Will Besic get a look-in this season? Or will he spend it watching that rusting Leviathan, Barry, throwing his tiller full starboard and turning over a square mile every time the ball changes direction, groaning and creaking and threatening to capsize?
Tony Abrahams
214 Posted 04/08/2015 at 21:53:43
Barry is okay when Everton have the ball... but he’s everywhere the ball has just been when we don’t!

Is it the Board, or is it the manager? History shows it’s usually the last day of the window, which most definitely indicates, it’s the Board.

How can a team even be remotely successful when they are still planning for the new season long after it’s began?

Charlie Burnett
215 Posted 04/08/2015 at 21:57:46
Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe. I just googled it. He was a Moyes's secret squirrel signing who signed for Norwich so I guess another one that was going to sting us up the arse.

Who remembers window by window thinking we’re going to sign Vagner Love or Moutinho? How many times did I hear his name. We do get played around, it is like a theatre show really.

I can imagine we are going to announce our big summer signing and the fans reply, "Oooooo, no you’re not!"
Ross Edwards
217 Posted 04/08/2015 at 22:09:38
Kevin Ratcliffe has had his say on Stones on Radio Merseyside. He says that we 'cannot afford not to sell at £30m'. It's bad enough when we have the likes of Rio wading in, but now our ex captain says we should sell.

Has the man got any grudges to bear or something because he nearly always negative about us these days. Is he bitter about not getting a role within the club or something because I can't remember the last time he said something positive about us.

Even when he summarised our European games last season for ITV he was grudging in any praise he gave us.

Eddie Dunn
218 Posted 04/08/2015 at 23:09:44
The season hasn’t started and I expect a late deal or two to placate the hordes of frustrated Evertonians, but it will be piecemeal and will only but the regime time.

The news above about Distin is interesting (Patrick #173), and it reflects on something I wrote towards the end of last season. That half of the side seem to be in their comfort zone, day-dreaming their way through their careers, thinking of getting home to the luxury pad and the gadget-heavy lounge with the skinny WAG knocking out a protein shake and filling the jacuzzi with demi-sec.

Jags and Baines look lively, as does Coleman and Barkley. Cleverley looks a good buy, but Kev looks like he is trying to catch the eye of a Champions League club. Naismith looks pissed-off, as does McCarthy. I suspect that the players are as non-plussed as the rest of us. Barry will stick around for the money while Rom and Kev will hope for a move to Spurs.

Lots of problems ahead, with the injuries already piling up and players asked to play unfamiliar roles. It is mostly down to Martinez. He just can’t inspire them. We lack creativity and it was amazing to see Rooney being so dynamic and positive in his play.

We need to throw off the shackles. I hate it when I see Roberto explaining to every sub what his role is, as he waits on the touchline -- he even did it to Rooney, in a friendly, for fucks sake. I’m glad Wayne didn’t listen to him, or he would have sat just in front of Jags and read the Beano.

Paul Cherrington
219 Posted 05/08/2015 at 09:21:12
I think Eddie above is right that a lot of players last season seemed to be sleep walking through it all in their own little comfort zone. That's where the "nicey nicey" approach that Martinez seems to adopt towards players can fall down; sometimes you need someone to lay the law down and make them perform.
Steve Harris
220 Posted 05/08/2015 at 11:22:27
I couldn’t've put it any better myself, Chris. I still go up every week, more out of habit than enjoyment, but usually when I’m halfway up the M6 I think "What the fuck am I doing this again for???"

I took my 6-year-old up to his first game last Sunday, all kitted out in the new kit, spent a fortune on loads of knicknacks in the clubshop trying to encourage his enthusiasm, but when he turned round to me halfway through and said "Why are we so rubbish, dad?" I didn’t know what to say to him.

You can rightly put a lot of the blame on the Kenwright and the nonexistent board but, with the players Martinez has at his disposal, we should be playing a far better brand of football than the dirge we’ve been serving up for so long now and I just can’t see how that’s going to change, with or without any new signings. Seems like, whoever plays or comes into the side, it doesn’t make a scrap of difference to how he sets the team up or how we play.

People keep moaning about it being too negative on here but, like most people who go to watch us regularly, I just can’t see any positives at all and unfortunately can only see another bleak season ahead.

Martinez backers, please feel free to slag me off and tell me how the tactical genius is going to turn us around, but I will take plenty of convincing!

Mark Tanton
225 Posted 05/08/2015 at 12:09:47
I see Roberto has picked his side for Saturday. Not hard, it picks itself doesn't it really.
Simon Jackson
226 Posted 05/08/2015 at 12:11:09
I’ve read a lot of posts on here about transfers... yes, we’ve only brought in a couple of players, but clubs know at this point they have time to sit back and keep wanting more money and bigger wages for the player. Look at the Redshite, spent £100million every year, where’s it got them!!!!

If it takes us till the end of the transfer market to get the right player at the right price for Everton, then we have to wait. It’s frustrating... but part of the Everton way. Do we want to be in dept up to our eye balls just so fans are happy we have the players in early?

We have a good team that just needs a little tinkering; we will be okay. Let’s all have faith, a friendly isn’t the same as a real Premier League game.

Steve Cotton
228 Posted 05/08/2015 at 12:49:58
Sako free agent about to be snapped up. Plays on the left and will guarantee 12 goals a season,

Don’t worry though, Roberto, he is going to Palace who already have 2 left wingers...
Steve Harris
229 Posted 05/08/2015 at 13:50:58
Well, you Martinez lovers haven’t disappointed me; same pathetic lame sarcasm without once again offering any meaningful hope that things will be any different... brilliant, lads. I can’t wait till Saturday now with those words of wisdom ringing in my ears!
Brian Wilkinson
230 Posted 05/08/2015 at 14:13:01
I know I keep harping on about Jordan Rhodes, but with Charlie Austin being over priced, we need to get in there now before Boro snap the guy up.

Otherwise, we will be having Januzaj for a season then handing the guy back.

Daniel Lawrence
232 Posted 05/08/2015 at 14:18:07
Brian,

How do you expect an established Premier League team with a guaranteed £99 million a season in TV money to compete with a top six Championship team.......?!

Guy Hastings
233 Posted 05/08/2015 at 14:44:53
Ross 202 - Phil Thompson is more positive about us than Ratcliffe.
Erik Dols
234 Posted 05/08/2015 at 14:50:47
Steve, I merely saw an opportunity for some light-hearted banter, nothing personal mate. If you ask me, last season was clearly dissapointing and Roberto Martinez will have to fear for his job if we don’t improve big time. And yes, the team clearly needs more reinforcements. The squad is not complete at this time.

But apart from that, watching football for years have teached me at least one thing: pre-season games, and dare I say even the transfers in the off-season, say almost zilch about how the forthcoming season is going to progress. The first two seasons under the helm of Martinez are more or less exact copies of Moyes’s first two full years.

At the start of his third season we seemed to have a very poor squad, sold our biggest asset and got next to no one to replace him. A year later we were playing in Champions League qualifiers. I do not expect that to happen this season to be honest, but I refuse to participate in doom mongering before the season has started. For me, it can really go either way this season.

Colin Glassar
235 Posted 05/08/2015 at 15:17:09
To be honest, Steve, I’m not feeling optimistic at all about this season. I felt even worse 10 years ago when we got Marcus Bent as I was convinced we’d be lucky to avoid relegation that season. Well, we finished 4th somehow. So as Fergie said, "Football - bloody hell". You just never know.
Steve Harris
236 Posted 05/08/2015 at 15:45:14
That's fair enough, Erik. I just want someone to come up with some plausible reasons to why we’ll not once again be subjected to slow sideways, backwards passing; no quick attacking imagination in the final third; complete lack of movement; no closing teams down,; same old lethargic, lifeless attitude; and same old taking-the-piss after-match comments after another lamentable performance from our friend Roberto.

You say that pre-season games have little bearing on the real thing but, after last season's debacle, it would've been nice to have seen just a hint of a visible change in attitude and playing style. But sadly, I haven’t remotely seen any signs of that.

I honestly hope that you're right and once the season starts, I’ll be proved wrong and we’ll at least have a team that's exciting to watch and worth me travelling the 250-mile round-trip I undertake every week... but I won’t hold my breath!

John Keating
237 Posted 05/08/2015 at 15:52:40
Colin (#215),

Don’t worry about not being too optimistic; things will look a lot better come the 11th game.

I recall you’re a fully paid up member of the "give him 10 games" club.

Sean Dullard
239 Posted 05/08/2015 at 16:14:33
Totally baffled by our constant silence in this transfer market. It started with a bang with the 2 signings then pufff, gone.

I really am shocked by what's happening. I can't understand it considering this season needs to be a good one. But everyone we are linked with have suddenly found pastures new!

I really hope he has a rabbit trick!

COYB

Brian Wilkinson
240 Posted 05/08/2015 at 16:27:53
Spot on Danial, shocking the likes of boro are prepared to pay for quality while we hang about passing water in the wind.

Rhodes is an out and out striker, good in the air, handy with both feet, and will get you goals.

Be gutted if he ends up at Boro.

Conor Skelly
241 Posted 05/08/2015 at 17:10:02
You're right in saying, Colin that many have applied the romantic notion of the "Footballs a funny old game" cliche.
But with how the team performed for most of last season and in this pre-season no amount of Shankly / Ferguson'esc soundbites can paper over the cracks and convince many of us we have a competitive future under Martinez.

His tactics don't work and he lacks the character needed to push his players to go the extra yard. He's an idealist and part of his projected Utopia is a conflict free happy place where you don't have to deal with confrontation.
He's trying to create his own comfort zone where he feels safe and football is a happy place with beautiful goals and rainbows .

Unfortunately football like any place of work, has a proletariat (players) who will want to do the minimum amount of work for the maximum reward Vs the bourgeoisie (BK) who's interests are to achieve the opposite and get the most amount of performance at minimal cost.
Between these two categories is the manager. It is a managers job to maximize the labor output of the players, so already there is a natural conflict there.
In management we'd all like to be adored and respected by our staff and only have to delegate the nice jobs like passing and ball work. But, to get the most out of your players you have to be willing to enforce the difficult shitty tasks too like fitness training, defending set pieces and taking somebodies head off if they don't give 100%.

Colin Glassar
242 Posted 05/08/2015 at 18:05:36
John, I’d give any manager 10 games (minimum) at the start of a season. I seem to recall that in his first season I predicted three draws and a win (and that’s what happened).

Last season was a disaster so he’s on a short leash right now. Only time will tell but with this board any manager will struggle.

Conor, there’s nothing I can add to that. You’re right.

John Keating
243 Posted 05/08/2015 at 18:39:19
Come on, Colin, forget seasons past... what’s your prediction for the first few games this season?
Darryl Ritchie
245 Posted 05/08/2015 at 19:41:53
Charlie@195 Leroy Fer has just failed his medical at Sunderland.
Ian McDowell
246 Posted 05/08/2015 at 19:48:28
First 5 games D, L, D, L, L.
Ian McDowell
247 Posted 05/08/2015 at 19:52:24
Then again, considering my football coupons from last season, I am garbage at predictions, so let's hope I’m miles away.
Colin Glassar
248 Posted 06/08/2015 at 09:17:45
Ok John, W, D, D, L, W. There you go.
James Marshall
249 Posted 06/08/2015 at 09:25:51
He can add whatever the hell he likes to his shopping list, it doesn't mean he'll take it to the shops.

Even if he does, he'll be shopping at Poundland, not Harrods.

Paul Cherrington
250 Posted 06/08/2015 at 09:35:17
I think Conor @ 218 is spot on as well. That is the main reason we are where we are with players that should be doing better if you look at their quality. Martinez will not push them to do the hard things and risk a row hence it doesn't happen.
Nick Page
251 Posted 06/08/2015 at 13:00:32
Boom, and there goes Lukaku....(source Daily Post)

Martinez, who dismissed the suggestion that Lukaku has a hamstring injury, had insisted Lukaku would be ready to face Watford this weekend.

But the Everton boss now concedes he is unsure if Lukaku will play.

"He hasn’t done much with the group," Martinez said.

"The next 48 hours are making sure he doesn’t get a bad reaction and we are going to be very careful with him before the weekend."

He added: "Rom needs extra assessment over the next 48 hours to see what his role is going to be at the weekend."

Stones probably won’t make it either. How many times did this happen last season! More lies and deceit. It's a disgrace.


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