Martinez targeting four more players

Stop panicking
In a Roberto we trust

With Martinez stating he had identified his targets weeks before the World Cup we now have the sound bite that rings true to Bill Kenwright. Wait for the Sky money to come in and live hand to mouth. I can see the first month of the season being another slow start because of this board's inability to bring in players early like most of our rivals.

Over to you, again, Bill.

He has refocused himself to just focus on youngsters because of pressure from Bill.

Remember how many times we heard he would get 7-8 new players and one or two from the youth team..

I will just inform you that we are going back to something wise, getting our own youth players ready.

Especially Tim Howard; I thought when we first got Robles it was a good move but the guy does not instill any confidence from my perspective!

Besides, our tried and trusted centre-backs are not getting any younger!

Anyways, Bobby has put it out there, we got Barry in (1); we're close to Besic (2) – both relatively low fees. Now hopefully on to Rom who in my opinion is a major major signing (3 - fingers crossed). Now two more to go.

Traore is one linked with a loan move and according to recent sources so is Hernandez of Man Utd who incidentally has not travelled to the States with them (4 – maybe??)... one to go?

For me, this must be a quick player who can take over from Pienaar or Osman and/or be good enough to enable Ross and/or Mirallas to have a break. Along with Kone, Gibson and Oviedo and with five youngsters mentioned previously by Roberto, all of a sudden, things are looking up.

Now IÂ’ve seen Derek Knox (8) say he disagrees with the defence and goalkeeper situation and he could be right, but I canÂ’t really name one side in the Prem (apart from Chelsea for the first time ever) who have a top class replacement for their goalkeeper.

And as for the defence, we do have Stones as a top class replacement for Jagielka or Distin, along with a couple of others if we start to get a little over piled with injuries in that department. Duffy, Browning, and Alcaraz are all as good as a lot of EPL sides' back-up players and, in my opinion, no worse than our last back-up player (Johnny Hietinga).

So, all-in-all, I think we need to stop worrying about our big spending rivals (who have lost a top top player btw and only really replaced him with half the Southampton team and some one-season wonder called Markovic) and start getting behind our team.

Onwards and upward COYB.

Part of Spurs' problem was only the departure of Bale. To me, the bigger part is that they had too many players coming in at the same time.

I watch with interest to see how the Reds are going to integrate so many new players.
Losing Suarez is one thing, but to aim to spend 100 million (albeit 75 comes from the Suarez deal) sounds a little like Spurs last season...

Rodgers coming off his best season, and losing his best player. That was what happened to AVB, isn't it?

My point is, let's be mindful that we don't add too many too quickly. If Lukaku comes back, then we have 2 new signings (him and Barry) who are already bedded into the team.

I am looking forward to the season already!

Good to see/read him put emphasis on attackers - there have been so many rumours about different types of midfielders these past couple of months.

That plus the young Evertonians coming through.... I hope the signings start happening in the next few days.... starting with Lukaku, of course!!!

We've picked a tough year for our return to Europe but it will be very interesting and we'll certainly have plenty to shout about. He did say "at least" 4 new faces and I suppose a lot depends on his impression of the youngsters who have joined up with the main squad.

7/8 is Martinez speak for 4/5, but this window is about bringing in quality not quantity. Sure we need bodies, but I think people like Hibbo can step in for 1 or 2 games and do a not-let-anyone-down kind of job.

Martinez is right: we need more attacking threat. If we do sign Lukaku for under 㿀M, it will not just be a fantastic signing, it would be a smart investment.

If we can get Lukaku and Besic signed up this week, that would be fantastic, and if there's anymore left in the piggy bank, I think we'd all rather see 1 or 2 players of genuine quality than 4 or 5 journeymen.

BTW Lyndon; Both you and Michael are doing some great work at the moment. I'm usually too tired to trawl the sites when I get home in the morning but, if it's Everton-related, you guys have been on it. Fantastic coverage.

Thank You

I never trusted Moyes as far as I could throw him.

You're right though – Roberto has given us fans belief.

So maybe the problem is not with the managers, but with the management?

Any success Martinez achieves will be in spite of Kenwright, not anything he will have contributed.

However, from Martinez’s comments, I believe he has decided that the young players, and perhaps Hibbert, will provide that support. In particular, Pennington played right-back for Tranmere last season (and scored a cracking goal apparently) whilst John Stones and Ty Browning are also options. Pennington, Browning and Duffy are all (I think) centre-backs, so it would seem unnecessary to buy new ones when we might have the next generation already at the club.

If, as Roberto seems to believe, these players could all be good enough to represent the first team, then we have 12 defenders for four positions. I can see why he wants to spend the money in attack.

Robles would become a good goalkeeper almost instantly with a week’s training on how to catch the ball, and possibly some hypnotherapy or aversion therapy to make him never punch the ball again.

Incidentally, I’m playing a little game with myself on ToffeeWeb this summer. On each thread, how long does it take before someone slags off Kenwright (response 3 seems to be quite common) and how long before someone uses the phrase ’like a new signing’ in an attempt at sarcasm/wit. Try it, it comes up a lot.

Can I also second Darren’s appreciation for Michael and Lyndon. I do like cricket, so occasionally watch that over the summer, but the main sport is still ’who might Everton sign’ and ToffeeWeb is excellent in carrying the rumours, but also judging the veracity and reliability of them. I also love posts like Robbie Muldoon’s on the Lukaku thread, and the guy whose mate works at the club shop and is printing Lukaku shirts. You might be making it up, but I choose to believe I’m getting some classic inside information.

But Martinez as said he wants four strikers in his squad and considers Naismith as one along with Kone. So Rom and Traore will be the other two, hopefully.

Then I think he'll want a winger to replace Deulofeu in the squad. Martinez likes to have plenty of wing options amongst his squad.

"I'm amused by the glass half empty comments." I think it's born from experience, Mark!

I was always happy if my glass had some evidence that at some time in its life it may have held some form of liquid.

Then Bill took over.....

Even if we do get Lukaku and Traore back, it isn't really improving on the squad is it? It is just getting the players back we already had. I thought with us finishing 5th, being in Europe and with all the extra TV money we would go out and sign about eight players to really bolster the squad but all we hear is that the youth players will be given a chance, even though most of them have yet to make an appearance for the first team.

Hopefully I will feel better about it next week but, right now, it's a feeling of disappointment!

Kone, Traore, Lukaku and Hernandez in my opinion would be 4 quality strikers that I would be happy to start the season with.

Being realistic, if we come out with 4-6 points, it would be a good return given that, as usual, we will probably have to rely on Â’loanersÂ’ to provide attacking options.

As to signings, I canÂ’t get beyond the fact that Lukaku has repeated that he wants to sign for a Â’bigÂ’ club and CL football, Besic is an unknown quantity (if he signs) but, if the likes of Oviedo, Alcaraz, and possibly Kone are fully recovered from injury, we can look forward to having at least a stronger squad to deal with what is going to be a very hectic season, especially with all those Europa League games coming up.

For example, if Martinez wanted Lukaku, do you think Chelsea would've let him go before they'd secured Costa?

Do you think Lukaku would've been open to a move to a non-CL club like ours before all the CL clubs at home and abroad had indicated they didn't want to sign him? I'm sure if RS or Juve or another rich CL club make a bid now, he'd go there instead.

When money is limited or if you're not one of the most desirable clubs, then you need to effectively feed off the scraps that are left when the rich clubs have had their pickings. Sad but true.

Jimmy(5), I think Roberto has been fairly consistent with his message, people just don't want to listen. He's told us that we need to add 7 or 8 players and that he wants to give a chance to some of the Under-21s. We've already signed Barry. He's said he's looking at four more external signings. That makes five experienced players. Then hopefully two from the youth team. So, it doesn't seem like he's refocused at all really.

I shouldn't really be shouting about the Lukaku info, but that report in the Mail says it's 48 hours away so I might as well spill what I know.

I think he's smart in buying young but frees and loans for old.

It's also interesting that we'll have three Premier League players back in Gibson, Oviedo and Kone too.

We're down a Deulofeu though (maybe McGeady covers that as he was bought 'early'). Mirallas could also play right-wing in an emergency.

Assuming all that happens, left Wing could do with some young blood for sure. Although I'm happy for Pienaar to play there when he can; I still think he's classy, if not a goalscorer.

Mainly I'm happy to see Stones and Barkley feature regularly this season and we'd be mad to sell them as we could never afford to replace them.

Another 2-3 loans on top of the permanent signings and I for one will be very happy.

I also agree with Martinez's assessment of not needing anymore defensive cover. We can field 2 decent sets of back 4:

Coleman Jagielka Distin Baines
Hibbert Stones Alcaraz Oviedo

Some of those players are getting a little long in the tooth but all of them will be okay for at least another season... and hopefully Duffy might be able to make step up.

Signing Barry was step 1. Signing Lukaku and Besic is step 2. Step 3 will be one more permanent signing, either Cleverley (MF), Redmond (attack) or Galloway (defence). These signings cover the areas Roberto has said (see Echo interview yesterday) need strengthening.

Once these areas are covered, he can go back and, patiently, get his 4 loanees. Traore seems a cert. Hernandez has been linked. The other two I will leave for others to speculate on.

Needless to say, I'm quietly confident Roberto's revolution will go into high gear next week.

I agree: Cleverly would be a good signing.

Admittedly, I don't watch him week-in & week-out and SFA must have seen something from the lad to show so much faith in him, but I for one would not be excited by his arrival.

I've got visions of your mate kicking stones grumbling 'it's not the Muldoon badge....it's MY badge.... I designed it....I did the work and it's gone down as his.....OK, it only took me five minutes to knock up but that was my genius - all Robbie did is stick it on Wet Toffee or whatever it was and BANG! all of a sudden it's the Muldoon Badge and the rest....is...well....history.....(harumph....!)'

If that is right, I hope we sign him on a permanent basis. It would trigger the 㾸 million release clause in Konoplyanka’s contract.

So far, we are securing players who were in the team last season. Although that is a positive step, it is not improving the team from last season. We need some better players than we had last season if we want to push on.

Besic now also appears to be a problem because heÂ’s coming from A Non-EU country and needs to play a few more games for Bosnia.

This all could work out last minute in Bill’s favour once again, but only time will tell.

Where’s all this TV money gone?

Fair enough if we pay 㾾M for Lukaku, that’s a decent chunk, but there should be a bit more in Bill’s by now very dusty wallet?

I fear 4 players won’t be enough, we ran out of gas towards the end of last season, some of it due to lack of competition for places.

Martinez is an excellent manager and my hope is that he can again do good business in the loan market and maybe unearth one seriously undervalued player to buy. This might be good enough to allow us to compete for top six. The complicating factor is the Europa league. Stronger squads than our have struggled to cope with combining it with the PL. I'd want to see us use a lot more younger players for the Europa League otherwise it could be a poisoned chalice.

I dislike the current PR spin. Signing Barry, Traore and Lukaku is not bringing in new players- we had them last year. Personally, I'd sooner have Lukaku on loan, because I think he has a lot of shortcomings and isn't worth 㿀m plus. I trust Mourinho's judgement on that. He is clearly not convinced.

Besic- will happen once red tape is dealt with
Galloway- will happen once mo dons stop being greedy.
Lukaku- looking possible if not another striker
Traore- will likely return on loan
Atsu- or other Deulofeu type on loan
One other surprise.

But if you can try to look at in it a balanced way it is in truth hard not to be concerned that we are in danger of throwing away a reasonable start under a hugely impressive new manager.....who I respect greatly and think that with even half decent backing he can take us forward.

We didn't invest during the January window and in my view that cost us a 4th place finish.....well that plus a crazy gamble on Traore's fitness. We are alleged to have 㿊m plus to spend. Really ? Well who knows but even if we had more than that I'd still be worried given the quality being bought elsewhere at admittedly outrageous prices.

But tonight it seems much clearer....Lukaku and Chelsea have said no. So there goes the rumoured coup and a crucial part of the jigsaw remains un solved. Besic should still arrive but it now looks very iffy before next January if reports about his eligibility to play here are to be believed.

So it's not about how much is in that glass. No, it's surely right to ask why we are less than four weeks away from the start of the season and the squad is desperately short....again. We have no reliable forward line and look exposed on both flanks. Ross is the only real top class creative player, though Mirallas and Coleman and Bainsey will of course weigh in with some assists but its thin don't you think ?

The defence is not the big transfer priority it used to be and I feel Stones will come through even better this time around, and Jags and Bainsey will not be the worse for a disappointing World Cup showing. If Besic makes it we have those two holding / push fwd midfield positions well covered....if not it's a weakness.

So my four to six additions are all wide and up top and no I don't think Kone will be the answer. I hope Roberto has more up his sleeve than this very second-best option of Chelsea's misfit young winger whose name I've already forgotten. We have a tough start and momentum will be important so even for that reason alone I can't understand why you can be slaughtered for expressing concern at our snails pace transfer progress ? Hasn't Roberto himself talked about how vital it is to have additions in for pre season ? Yet suddenly the mood is changing and it feels like yet another mad scramble for loans and sidelined players to keep us guessing whilst watching transfer deadline night on Sky.

Roberto did well last year in those last few frantic days and it's far from impossible he can pull it off again, so fingers crossed. But all around look stronger, and Utd will hardly be last years soft touch again. So yes I'm worried the 㿊m isn't there and yes I'm worried we've missed our chance last season. Maybe the kids and Ross can do the business but yet again with Everton it's all a bit eyes closed and hope.

I don't think we even have cover at goalkeeper or defence. I hardly think any of us would want to see Robles or Alcaraz on the team sheet for any length of time.

Rom as mentioned, Besic, Traore (Martinez seems to rate him), Atsu and some other Spanish gem from Barça for a season.
But then I would also be happy with signing James Rodriguez, Marco Reus, Mario Gotze and Thomas Muller. :)

Given our early games include Arsenal and Chavski, surely we want at least the same-sized squad as last season or do we stick with Black Bill's annual "Let's buy that guy, Noah Bardy." If it works, he smells of roses; if not, he chooses one from his cupboard of overused lies, such as classics like "We really tried to get player x." The usual sheep will lap it up, of course.

Now it's 6am here and I am off for a swim in my pool.

I think we should ship him out, get him off the wage bill, and get another centre back in. They are atrocious stats for a CL-chasing defender.

Did we play a 1-1-5-4 formation in the games Alcaraz played in?

If the Lukaku deal goes through, I wouldn't expect to see too much more spending but a few exciting loan players would augment the squad lovely.