Everton ‘busy’ working on player recruitment

Is that the message from Everton though, Lyndon, as I've certainly not seen it on the official site or seen it anywhere where it's been attributed to anyone at the club.

Are both players for sale?

The fact that Kone, McGeady and Niasse are still here is alarming to say the least, and trying to bring in 32-year-old centre-halfs looks like short-term plugging of gaps and desperation.

After watching the pre season tournament in Germany, it is evidently clear that the squad largely assembled by Martinez is seriously lacking in strength and quality. We have to do business this week, hopefully Walsh and the Koeman's have their targets; let business commence.

This could be put to bed by Everton coming out and saying no players are going to be sold but they haven't done this. Instead, they have set fees that Man City and Chelsea are approaching bit by bit.

Personally,I feel if a player is determined to go, he should go; otherwise, it creates unrest and uncertainty at the club.

That is more than likely why Lyndon used the term "appears to be" – A fair assumption from Lyndon in my opinion.

Nobody knows the true picture except the people at the business end of things; Mr Moshiri, Ronald Koeman, and to a lesser extent, Kenwright. We have to put our trust in their judgement.

They are setting out on a project to improve the team and club on and off the pitch. A bit of patience is required from some of our fans.

Everton are notorious for saying nothing when there's nothing to say.

Oh wait... Bill is still involved. Makes sense now.

FFS!

With £100m to spend we don't need to sell do we?

Make an offer to players and if they want to check out whether the grass is greener elsewhere tell them to do one – simples. Either you want to play for EFC or you don't... or am I being really naive? Still, a "take it or leave it" attitude with agents would be a breath of fresh air.

I've lost count of the amount of times I've had to explain this on ToffeeWeb. Your perception of Everton transfers vs other clubs' transfers is completely skewed because you follow Everton transfers closely and you don't follow other clubs.

You pay attention to every little rumour and snippet when it involves Everton, and desperately check the Internet every day (or more) to see if any progress has been made. Therefore from the first made up rumour to the player holding the shirt seems like an eternity to you, when in fact it is no longer or shorter than with other clubs.

Meanwhile for those fans of other clubs who pay no attention to Everton rumours, it seems like Everton wrap things up quickly whilst their club turns every transfer into a 'saga'. In fact, there are fans of other clubs out there right now making the exact same complaint.

You seem to forget that when Everton do sign players they are rarely the ones the gossipmongers 'linked' us with all summer. We often pull signings off quickly behind the scenes, but people don't tend to notice them. Fellaini came out of the blue, as did Niasse, I don't think we were 'linked' with Coleman at all, nor Barry.

These stories get made up as click bait so second rate websites can get hits in order to sell advertising space, and you're letting it cloud your view of Everton Football Club. Get some perspective.

Disappointed we have not moved sooner for some identified targets. Unless RK ripped up the plans for those targets and is starting again, etc?

If so then it could be a slow season with real progression only coming next year. Like it or not, the current playing squad will not compete for top 6 spot.

If they feel they are close to an acceptable offer for both or either player, meaning they can get their first-choice players in more or all positions, they would be mad to begin recruitment until those deals were reached.

There will come a point, though, by which time they cannot delay recruitment any longer and they must cut their cloth.

A further complication is the options on the tables of the respective players involved. It is their agents' jobs to elicit as much interest in their players as possible and in the case of Axel Witsel, for example (who we can assume is first choice in a priority position for Everton), the best deal for the player in terms of salary and signing-on fee would only be obtainable after Juventus sell Paul Pogba and therefore come to the table with their offer.

There are many dependencies where these deals are concerned and, while it can be frustrating, there is a sequence of events to follow, especially when there are a number of new faces required, and especially when we have a new manager. So the deal hasn't been done months in advance as we can assume has been the case with some of the deals we see at the start of the transfer window by teams like Tottenham for Jansen for example.

My perception may be skewed, but look at a lot of the deals that have happened outside of Everton this summer. Most are linked, fee agreed and within a couple of days they are standing there with the shirt.

I'm impatient, very true, and that is clouding my vision, perhaps. I'm very worried that we'll be starting against Spurs minus Stones and Lukaku and no new signings. We'll just agree to disagree I think.

Good things are worth waiting for I suppose...

Gueye, Witsel, Williams, Koulibaly, Mata, Haller, Hiyech. Or something like that!

It's simply confirmation bias, you notice the things that back up your perception and you don't notice the ones that don't.

It's depressing that players seem to be holding out for other clubs rather than signing for us. It would also seem to be the case with Witsel.

Getting close to the start of the season without any recruits in areas that are weak is pretty criminal in my view and is pissing me right off!

We've got to prioritise a replacement, or have Kev lead the line, which I think he could do.

Chill out, guys, no pun intended, and let the deals take their own natural course.

I have a lot of respect for Everton's policy of respecting other clubs and their players' interests under contract. In fact, the majority of clubs behave like this and it should not change. Just because the awful Sky 4 (sorry 5 including the Redshites but excluding Leicester) wish to stir it up for marketing's sake, don't get drawn into it. It will just wind you up and give you an ulcer!

I have faith in Moshiri. I think the Christmas window and next summer will be the key windows, especially when the game plan for the stadium is more clear. In the meantime, Koeman will be doing a stabilization and consolidation job with or without Rom and John.

Meanwhile, I still believe the squad is better than one would normally expect after a manager has been replaced as a result of two bad seasons, and it may be that the quality available is actually making Koeman shift his targets? However, there is no doubt that the well-recorded imbalances and weaknesses, such as GK, back-up № 2, big centre-back, left-sided midfield, creative № 10, especially if Rom and John depart, will require some Band-Aid actions and next week could be very interesting... Or, then again, as boringly frustrating as last week!

Where is it common knowledge that we are "in talks" with Man City and Chelsea? It is mere paper talk which may be primed by agents wanting to create stories. Where have EFC or Chelsea come out and stated that we are in talks? Do not propagate falsehoods.

Both are staying at the club as far as EFC are concerned.

I think the reason most of us are panicking is that, having seen signs of improvement at Barnsley and MK Dons, we then witnessed a limp performance against Dresden and a total embarrassment against Real Betis but we should remember both of those games were with abnormal lineups and neither were our full strength side at any stage.

We have already been told reinforcements will be arriving so let's see how we look after next weekend before we start to get suicidal.

Are both players for sale?"

You're right. There hasn't been anything official from the club and nor would there be in this instance.

Privately, both players will have their price, though, and if they have both indicated a desire to leave (Stones apparently has and even if the Mail's report today suggesting that Rom has followed suit is wide of the mark, he has made enough noises about wanting to leave for a Champions League club), then that will apply to an even greater degree.

Keep the faith.

You can be an ostrich for all you like but don't be so naïve and cocky with your comments when the truth lies elsewhere – you need to get wise about the media and agent agendas.

I think it is common knowledge ...

Big difference, of course, being one has ball control and scores goals and the other just scores goals. So, if one has ball control and the other Disney, question is how many goals will be made by which particular player? My dosh is on Bony.

This would be a fantastic bit of business by Everton. Once Bony is in, Guess who has the upper hand with regard to the hands on the power levers?

By the way to the guys talking about the "no no no"s, which film had this as dialog?

"No no no no no no no no no no no no no"
"No no no no no no no no no no no no no"

By the way There's only one № 10 and he's Spanish.

Link http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/goodison-parks-201617-makeover-good-11675465

So Everton – flim-flam personified.

• Recruited Koeman & Walsh, two individuals who are known to be very savvy with limited funds available.

• Not made any big noises so far this window.

• Instead of saying Stones and Lukaku are 100% not for sale, we read they do in fact have their price, albeit both prices we read seem fair.

I know it's early on and it's too soon to start panicking but Spurs is two weeks away and the squad is clearly not good enough. It's surrounded by uncertainty from incoming and outgoing players and it needs uniting, and if it means getting rid of John and Romelu to start the shaping of Ronald Koeman's Everton, then get it done.

I'm not panicking, but I am concerned that we may not be able to lure some of our priority targets. It may be that we have to settle for a little less.

Regardless of this, I am very positive about our future, but we may have to settle for slower progression than many had hoped.

We will see...

I love you!!!!!

We have a new manager who ticks the boxes I would reasonably have hoped for in a new manager, so, so far so good. He and his brother have already said they're looking at signings, so that's good.

I believe we could do quite well (for starters) with the current squad, and we don't need to get rid of anyone, so we're in control. I agree that extra signings will probably improve things, and they will come in good time. So I'm having a beer now. Chill out, fellow Evertonians!

Link

So much hope and excitement in the new club ownership, new stadium talks, and the signing of Ronald and Walsh.

The way I feel right now, though, I'd see the signing of 'Ernie the Milkman' in an optimistic light!

There was a medical late today apparently. Could be Williams.

I think it was Gueye at Finch Farm today.

Williams is away until Wednesday on his jollies.

Still got my original (autographed!) copy of Ball of Fire. It came out on the back of his man of the match performance in the 1966 World Cup Final and his transfer from Blackpool to the Blues.

Bally was my one and only schoolboy hero and the best and greatest player I have seen play live in the blue jersey of Everton. But even I as a starstruck kid thought it way premature for a 21-year-old to be publishing an autobiography.

Still, I lapped it up. A nailed-on Chrissy present from me ma and da each year was the Alan Ball Football Annual.

Sadly, I'm not in Blighty to get to see the linked theatre production.

At this point, the rain is hammering down in Bristol, Ham Green. Fancy a cuppa?

Then sort out a teleportation situation if you can. I can have a brew waiting before you leave!!!

So, either we have a crap squad which lacks depth and needs improving, in which case, why on earth did we sack Bobby Brown Shoes? Surely he was right and should have been given more time.

Or we have an excellent squad, which could finish top 4-6 and we shouldn't be too worried we haven't bought any new players in.

Hows about a cellar converted to a red vino specific ocean?

Nice piece about our current situation.

I was gutted when he left for Arsenal in 1971. No doubt a good deal from a business viewpoint, bought for £110,000, got best five years from him, sold for £220,000, but terrible for the fans.

I also read Brian Labone's 'Defence at the Top', and Howard Kendall's 'Playing for Everton'.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/01/everton-ashley-williams-swansea-10m-deal

What's your position Tim? What do you think of the squad?

Me, Martinez should have been sacked long before he was, and the current squad simply is not good enough.

It remains to be seen if we can add the quality required to get us going and give our current players the kick up the arse they obviously need.

Too many positions where we have no real competition; this must change.

Look at who wants out, check out which youngsters have what it takes, see which careers can be re-ignited – all this will take time.

The longer this seeming inaction goes on, the more confident I feel. All I want from next season is improvement and evidence we are headed in the right direction.

Just look at what actually happens with signings in other clubs, it's no different to ours. These things just don't run smoothly and it's not in the control of the club to "just get it sorted" etc.

I am hugely frustrated but it's no different to any other club – has Pogba signed for Man Utd yet? Has Witzel signed for anyone yet? Have Man City got Stones yet? No No No No. It's not just us.

You cherry picked some transfers to make your point. Mike at least picked Everton transfers to make his point.

Now let's look at other transfers once a fee was agreed: Xhaka to Arsenal done and dusted in a few days. Batshuayi and Kante to Chelsea, few days after fees agreed they were holding up the shirt.

I could go on... But there you go. I still believe we take longer than other teams in general to tie up signings, but not in every single case as Mike points out.

It was showing so much promise with a supposed £100m to spend and no need to sell any star players. Now, the only transfer activity is two of our best players leaving, none of the crap we want gone or showing any sign of being moved on, and the only incomings are 30+ centre-halves. It's not good enough and deep down even the most optimistic Evertonian will agree.

This is supposed to be a new dawn, a new generation and new pedigree of player being brought in. Where the fuck is it then? It seems like anyone of any stature doesn't want to come and the club don't seem to want to spend the money. Pull your finger out and don't give me the crap about the Euros delaying things, other clubs bought players during and even before it started.

I think it is naive to compare us to the likes of City, United etc, because of differing circumstances, especially in terms of changing the structure of acquisition in the club. Clearly we've been after one or two big targets that have not come off (I think we are still after Witsel with Gueye as the back-up choice) and we need some patience.

Personally I expect another two buys to come in before kick off (plus Williams) and I think we will bring in an extra two before the end of the window. We have a great manager, a great Director of Football, an exciting owner and some young and talented players. Patience is necessary.

The squad is disorganised, unbalanced and lacks leaders. Let's see what big Ron does with what we have and adds some players with backbone – like Williams for starters. I suspect that many existing players will turn out better under some discipline and genuine guidance.

He has been given a budget that most managers would drool over, then just rush out and buy over-hyped and overpriced players. I am not saying Jose Mourinho is a chequebook manager, but he has paid stupid prices in the past on flops, who have then moved on, or languished in the reserves.

I truly admire what he is doing, in selecting quality players, who will improve us. Which brings me to Ashley Williams, I think would be a great buy even though he is 31, another player like Gareth Barry, who knows the Prem. inside out and rarely has a poor game.

We all want quality at Everton, but the likes of Witsel and Koulibaly (both very expensive) have never played in the Prem, I dare say they would be great acquisitions given time, but what an outlay. In both cases they don't appear to be showing any desire to come!

When you look at Southampton, when RK arrived, they were selling players right left and centre, ( the Redshite buying the majority of them) and he still managed to build a team, now that's what I call a good manager!

Everything might click into gear from the first whistle, but that is highly unlikely, given we are possibly going to lose two key members of the team, i.e. Stones and Lukaku, any replacements will need time to bed in won't they?

Martinez wasted a golden opportunity in the last 18 months of his tenure and dismantled most of the good things about the squad - but that's all water under the bridge now and we have to hope that Ronald can squeeze every ounce of energy and desire from his players and build a team in the coming season(s).

Expecting Everton's squad to move seamlessly from miserable failures to high-flying performers is asking a little too much, they as a group may have the talent but they will need more than that if they are going to achieve what we all wish to see. It might take most of the coming season for the team to get back on the right track.

I believe the squad is pretty good, the players who've gone so far don't need replacing with incoming transfers, and we need to add some specific quality in particular areas, perhaps to suit the shift to a different way of playing.

Look back to Martinez's first season, where I was told he didn't play 'winning football' and that the players 'couldn't pass the ball'. We finished fifth with record points and goals.

I'd love a transition like that this season, with the proviso that it actually carries on improving!

You're an Evertonian and that's good standing in my book. This is not a personal attack, I don't know you at all, but it is a rant against the absolute shallow drivel in your post. Also against the presumptive arrogance that all Evertonians "deep down" agree with you.

I believe you are completely wrong and should be following the instamatic demand for success now type of club.

Moshiri has made all the right moves and I think we have made big steps forward from last season:-

1. The crap manager and his cronies have been replaced.
2. New ground strategy is being organized.
3. The grand old lady is being given a facelift in the meantime.
4. The commercial deals are under scrutiny.
5. New manager and support team appointed.
6. Director of football appointed.
7. Big names persued without success (suspect many behind the
scenes reasons but not for want of trying?
8. Big names not sold yet but if to be reluctantly sold then for top
dollar.
9. Top class additions arriving (Guye, Williams) and more on the
way.
10. Budget for player investment still largely untouched and
sitting ready for the right time and place.
11. Existing exciting youth policy being supported by the
incumbent management.

You know what? Moshiri and RK are doing just fine. Appreciate it.

With that in mind I would make the following obervations. Bobby wanted to play 4-2-2-2 but didn't have the players to do it, therefore he continued to play square pegs in round holes.

Everton failed to win because they failed on two fronts firstly to press home advantages. Secondly they couldn't defend in the formation they were set out.

Bobby failed to address gaps in the team, if you want to play 4-2-2-2 make dame sure you have the players, if you don't sick your tactical hat on and do something. I will admit at times he did,the Man U and Arsenal wins are pointers to that.

The squad has some good and some OK players, but they are better than 11th, with no changes and a better manager I think we would have finished 7th or above.

The squad has some areas which need improving for strength in depth. It also needs improvement on the left side, mainly left wing.

Our current position reminds me a lot of Tottenham a few years back, a lot of players coming up through the ranks, some new buys but no clarity on what is needed and where. Sure people will say a new keeper, centre back etc, but there is a difference between playing Cham man and buying in a player with high ratings and bringing in someone who improves the squad/team.

I would go back to the England problem, putting the 11 best players on the pitch does not win you a game, putting the best team on the pitch wins you the game. As fans we want to see Barkley or Stones out there, but sometimes we are better off as a team with Williams and Jones. That's not to say class doesn't have a place, it does not it can't be at the expense of team. What I hope RK will do is form a team, rather than assemble a good squad.

Whoever speaks of Everton having WORLD CLASS players are mad. In my opinion Everton does not have ANY world class players in the squad as of right now.

Too many punters and pundits use this term on a very casual way – world class for me means that a player be in a world 11 or the squad at least.

A player having a world class moment is not the same as being world class – doing the business week in week out consistently over your career.