Shutter Island 2?

Simon Davis 16/09/2016 17comments  |  Jump to last

A few weeks ago I was on the iPad, working my way through various topics on ToffeeWeb, my wife meanwhile was watching one of her favourite films on the box, namely Shutter Island.

Now I have seen this before and for those who do not know, the basic story revolves around whether Leonardo di Caprio is sane/ insane or the institution he is committed to is corrupt or genuinely trying to help him. Something like that anyway.

Reminded me painfully of the Martinez years and my initial conviction that he should never have got the job in the first place and the considered debates which deteriorated to mad rants by the end of first season, with family and friends. I do confess there were times when I began to doubt myself but the nightmare is over now for me and many other sufferers and no pleasure was gained at all in being proved right.

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Whatever happens from now on the sheer joy in having a manager like Ronald Koeman who has spoken clearly and concisely about the club, players, his plans and the way the team has acquitted itself to date is really uplifting.

Okay, to date we have not beaten anyone of note and we still await a 90-minute performance but what a turnaround.

Bear with me; I will get to Shutter Island 2 in due course.

I think Ronald Koeman has stated that it will take 2 years to mould the team he wants and that is understandable however fans should not forget the way we acquired his services. The stormclouds of discontent are again gathering at Arsenal and suddenly the future does not look so bright at Old Trafford. We shall see, but one thing that is easy to do when you are failing is to see who is doing well and to acquire their qualities in the form of manager, players etc.

The clock has started to tick. If this club is to truly elevate itself into a recognisable force in the Premier League two things have to happen this season. Firstly the team has to be improved again if the right players are available in the January window. Specifically the positions of Barkley and Mirallas.

I am afraid Barkley's position is too critical as midfield playmaker to wait for him to come good now and I would expect Koeman to move heaven and earth to fill this role as soon as possible. Whether Brahimi would have been the answer I do not know but let me say this. Everton's stance on not being held to ransom by Sporting Lisbon is to be applauded.

But remember that we got one hell of a deal with Gueye. If we had been able to "try" him for 4 matches and then come to an agreement with Villa over price no-one would have batted an eyelid at a valuation of £30m. Step forward, Mr Moshiri.

Someone may well be able to shoot me down in flames on this but our financial outlay this close season is more than balanced by the sale of John Stones. To have brought in what we have and to have all of them integrate so well into the team is good business but the playmaker position is vital to take the team forward.

Just a point on Brahimi - did not see him in Sporting side in Madrid the other night. Some tasty players in their side especially Gelson Martins. Why Jesus took him off after 65 mins a mystery and real game changer.

Anyway to get back to my original thread I see both Mirallas and Deulofeu as useful substitutes at the level we wish to aspire to but that is purely a personal view. With the TV windfall I am not aware Moshiri has had to put his hand in his pocket to date.

This brings me to Shutter Island 2. It would appear Farhad Moshiri's personal secretary is none other than the deadline day dickhead Jim White. The bizarre statement after the Sissoko debacle leaves one shaking your head in disbelief. To be honest glad we didn't get him and Arsenal may well have done us a favour with Perez. Yarmolenko!!! Let's not go there. Another statement via JW this week informs us that Moshiri is happy with the way things are going. So he should be. We all are.

There is one thing he can do and should do for our great club and this MUST be done this season. Get the new ground development underway. I know people will say just be patient as Rome was not built in a day but players and staff move on and at this moment in time we are not in a position of strength to resist overtures from bigger clubs.

If Spurs can attract 90,000 to Wembley and WHU can fill the converted athletics track with 60,000 then our development is a no brainier in terms of risk but all this must be done in parallel with Koeman's work on the team. So come on, Farhad, preserve my fragile sanity and take us on a journey to the promised land. I do not want to end up in a straight jacket frothing at the mouth mumbling "I told you so" ever again.

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Reader Comments (17)

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John Daley
1 Posted 16/09/2016 at 14:32:42
Quotes from the Blu Ray box:

"It's Memento meets the Yogi Bear Movie"

The Sun

"It was either this or Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares"

Mrs Simon Davis

"Fantastic first-half performances which offer promise we're about to enter a stage where we will see some sensational moments"

Roberto Martinez

"Challenges New York, New York as the nadir of Scorsese's directorial career and the ending was a load of hoary old shite."

Ronald Koeman

William Cartwright
2 Posted 16/09/2016 at 14:58:03
Millionaires, and I am sure billionaires too, are people in a hurry. Time = money etc. I am sure Moshiri has seen Everton as a major component of his portfolio and as symbiosis goes, if he does well for them they will do the same for him. I'm no soothsayer, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the insightful strategy evidenced so far:-

1. Get rid of the main culprit Martinez and replace with much better Koeman.
2. Employ the master of of scouting to cut through the £50M per player bullshit.
3. Get to grips with the media (an ongoing process).
4. Address the embarrassing old lady Goodison (short term wallpapering).
5. Get the new stadium project up and running.
6. Simultaneously with the above, improve the general team performance.

Now forgive me if I am being cynical, but each of the above is a major, major task. However it looks like positive progress on 5 out of, if not a full 6 out of 6. Therefore, if Everton Senior Management keep doing whatever it is they are doing, then that looks good to me!

COYB

Dave Abrahams
3 Posted 16/09/2016 at 15:48:45
Simon, I think the one thing the majority of Blues fans want is the announcement of a new ground, one that is genuine and we can all believe will happen in the next two or three years, on the waterfront.
Paul Kossoff
4 Posted 16/09/2016 at 16:02:34
Good article, Simon, I'm pleased with the start but have we yet had a 90 minutes performance? We seem to still be in either a first half second half way of playing, even against Sunderland we could have been behind at half time.

The team again needed a rolicking from Koeman before they got going. We will need to be on top form against Middlesbrough because they will be up for it, and doesn't blue boy Nugent play for them?

Perhaps Valencia on the bench will give Lukaku some competition, as before the second half against Moyes boy's he looked like he couldn't be bothered.

Coyb.

Steavey Buckley
5 Posted 16/09/2016 at 17:42:49
David Moyes was replaced by Martinez, who also basically had little money to spend on players. Enter Moshiri, who hires the right man with the right style to spend money on transfers.
Iain Love
6 Posted 16/09/2016 at 18:15:16
I do believe Moshiri , Koeman and Walsh are going about things the right way. What is particularly pleasing is everything they have done so far.

Moshiri has brought us financial clout and Koeman. Who in turn has brought us 10 points out of 12 so far and a clear way of playing ,not forgetting the sense to change things mid game.

Walsh, I believe has brought us Gueye, the bargain of the transfer window. I admit I knew nothing of Gueye previously and never heard mention of him on any forum suggesting we buy him.

Clive Rogers
7 Posted 16/09/2016 at 21:57:46
William #2,

7. Get rid of that buffoon Kenwright (he's cost me £11m to get rid of Martinez and £26m on Niasse on his watch)

Andy Meighan
8 Posted 16/09/2016 at 23:52:50
Look Simon, I loved Shutter Island And I can totally see where you are coming from... But for god's sake, it's 4 games in and everyone is holding Koeman up as some sort of messiah. Sorry but not for me... yet.

Spurs should have beaten us; 1st half against WBA was poor, 2nd half we played well. Stoke at home was an indifferent performance but you're going to get that. Sunderland, we were ordinary 1st half, extraordinary 2nd half.

Sorry for sounding like a pessimist but I've been watching them for too long to get my hopes up. Seeing them lot win tonight has brought me down for one simple reason. When could you ever imagine in Everton's first 4 away games going to Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea and [snigger] Burnley and picking up 7 points it just wouldn't happen. That's why I'm expecting us to slip up tomorrow.

Lee Mandaracas
9 Posted 17/09/2016 at 01:48:16
@Clive (7) Except Niasse was £13.5m - still preposterous money but not just shy of our transfer record. More like slightly over the Diniyar Bilyaletdinov level of purchase but for apparently less quality!
Clive Rogers
10 Posted 17/09/2016 at 07:00:44
Lee,

He got a £13m pay package as well which we are stuck with by the look of it. £55k per week for 4½ years. More than Jags is on.

Bob Parrington
11 Posted 17/09/2016 at 09:39:19
When I was a kid, growing up on Merseyside my mum used to say to me – no use crying over spilled milk! Clever saying, that and it's proved right over the years. So, can we stop crying over Martinez, Kone, Niasse (and others) and the rest and get on with the positives that are coming our way now.

As already seen – improved board, new management team, new stadium, improved training and better start to the season.

Koeman, as per JD, not a wasted word!!

Jim Potter
12 Posted 17/09/2016 at 10:14:16
A very encouraging start.

We have been lucky that the fixture computer was so generous to us as it has allowed us to build momentum and confidence under a very sound manager.

If the lads do the business today v Boro (as they should) then we'll be really buzzing.

Maynard Hanna
13 Posted 17/09/2016 at 10:42:53
Well said. My wish for New Years: Marek Hamsik and a New 64,000+ seater stadium underway.
Eric Myles
14 Posted 17/09/2016 at 10:48:15
Paul (#4), ex-academy player Adam Forshaw also may have a point to prove against the team that released him.
Rick Tarleton
15 Posted 17/09/2016 at 18:57:38
I'm with Dave Abrahams, his post sums up my position. Koeman is of the modern breed, like Klopp, Pochettino, Guardiola, Conte, etc. They believe in the pressing game.

Sturridge, a real talent as a striker with speed and a good finisher, is expected to run back and cover his full back; Kane is too exhausted to score because he's forever running back to press the opposition centre back; Fabregas, who can actually pass a ball more than five yards, is criticised and dropped; and Barkley is told that he must emulate the great talent that is McCarthy.

I'll pass on Koeman; I preferred Carey, Catterick and Kendall Mk 1. God knows what he'd have done with Young or Sheedy.

Pete Edwards
16 Posted 18/09/2016 at 08:59:26
Rick, when has Koeman told Barkley he has to emulate McCarthy?

He's told him he needs to work harder when the team are defending... that's all, don't exaggerate it to more than it is!

Paul Hay
17 Posted 18/09/2016 at 10:43:22
Dave (#3),

Completely spot on!

Keep the faith.


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