What if we do not sign anyone?

Silva will need points to win the fans over. Without reinforcements I can see this getting ugly, quickly.

Sorry, I'm skeptical of this scenario. Certainly better coaching, better performance from certain key players and better luck with injuries will bring better results. But without better talent, the ceiling is low. This is a team with two top internationals (Pickford and Sigurdsson) and two good ones (Coleman and Gueye), but no real spark to ignite it.

And I simply don't believe that spark is currently in the squad. If last season proved anything, it's that this club needs new blood – and on the pitch, not just on the touchline and in the executive offices. If Brands doesn't bring in someone who can electrify us, I will be keenly disappointed. And I think the team will be disappointing, even if the results improve.

Whatever, there must at some time come a Harry Catterick moment when players are bought because they are, quite simply, an improvement on those we have and not just potential. It has also been said that such and such a player fits the Manager's system but he must also have several systems, the infamous Plan B.

Do we have the flexibility in the current group – just in case they don't all take to better coaching?

A report by CEIS Football Observatory compiled data on teams across Europe and found a correlation between squad stability and league performance.

Furthermore, it would be nonsensical of us to bring in a boatload of players with such a massively bloated squad full of so many unwanted players. Buying one or two high-quality players is certainly better than half-a-dozen no-marks.

However, we must not, in my opinion, start the season with Baines and Robinson as our only left-back options. That would be an error on a par with last season's failure to buy a centre-forward. I could live without transfers, except at left-back.

Baines has lost a lot of pace and Robinson is untested. Did he feature in the friendly game yesterday? Not sure he did. More importantly, he might be a USA international, but he is still very inexperienced and should be blooded at EFC to help his development.

The right side of many teams in the Premier League is very strong – including our own. I think it is no surprise we started to achieve good league finishes in the past when we had a strong left side.

The other point I would make to you is the importance of partnerships across the pitch. Down the years, our successes have come when we had strong partnerships. Ratcliffe & Mountfield, Stevens & Steven, Van den Hauwe & Sheedy, Sharp & Gray or Heath won us a few trophies. Rideout & Stuart, Watson & Unsworth, Horne, Ebbrell & Parkinson memorably gelled for half a season to win us the cup. Jagielka & Lescott or Distin, Bainaar, Arteta & Cahill was the foundation of regular top 6 finishes.

I see a good partnership in Walcott & Coleman... but little elsewhere. As for the left side, a Lookman & Baines or Robinson combo does not look promising. I think Lookman can be our star player, but he needs a very good player behind him to give him the freedom to play his game.

We shoehorned Sigurdsson out left due to his prodigious work rate to cover for Martina or Baines. It yielded a few clean sheets but was a waste of a very good central attacking midfielder.

I'd like to agree that Silva will improve our team and players but the question is: how much? I'm excited to see what they might be capable of. But chances are that a decent chunk of these players don't improve sufficiently or don't reach their full potential. So the question is whether Silva makes that judgement now or gives them more time?

I think that Moshiri wants to deliver at least one or two ‘exciting' transfers every year. That's partly why we overpaid for Sigurdsson, I suspect, Mosh had been convinced he would be our ‘superstar'.

If we don't buy anyone, I will be relatively content. It makes a sort of sense to see what this lot can do. But I think we'll see at least 2-3 first team players come in over next few weeks. A left-back, a centre-back and possibly another midfielder.

Personally I'd quite like Tierney, Mina and Loftus-Cheek. We still look a bit short of pace and power in the current squad to my eyes.

A lot of good people here on TW argue that we need to ship the deadwood and they compile lists with a number of starters from last season. First of all, it is unrealistic to just get rid of all these players mentioned. Second you would need to replace them with better players which is not easy.

I am sure that Silva will have success with some of the deadwood. You are not necessary a poor player because you don't function in a malfunctioning team. I am sure that some of Mirallas, Schneiderlin, Bolasie, Keane, Klaassen, and Sandro will come good if Silva manages to create a team spirit and a clear playing style. If the team is working, it is much easier to succeed as an individual.

For my liking, we just need a ball-playing central defender, a dominant central midfielder with offensive qualities. And then I am not 100% convinced that our central strikers are good enough. But again the way we have played last season it is not an easy task to be a striker.

So what we need is just a Stones, a Barkley (the one from Martinez first season with 3 years experience added and maybe a bit more football intelligence) and a Lukaku. Just kidding but ironically the three positions I think need most attention.

I agree this is the way to go.

You can have the best coach in the world but you can't flog a dead horse like Williams. You can't give Bolasie a new brain so that it works in conjunction with his feet. And sadly you can't implant a heart into the likes of Mirallas and Klaassen – cowards are cowards.

We need a massive culling to, like you say, allow fresh blood to prosper. We have too many shirkers in our squad who are only staying for the money or who just aren't good enough. Tough times ahead for Silva and Co.

Steve, this is a terrific article, extremely insightful and informative. If I would disagree with anything, it is the statement that we may not need anybody at all this transfer window.

For sure we need a centre-back; left-back and a genuine Number 10. Plus the fact a new exciting addition with whom the supporters can identify (even if it is only one), brings a freshness the squad always needs at this time of year.

Terrific piece — well done.

Too many young players with not really one totally standout lad (Rooney at 16) etc or even the excitement and expectancy of Barkley's first season.

I'm sorry if that offends people who constantly rave about our young talent but I just don't see anything special at all: honest lads like Davies, Calvert-Lewin, Kenny etc but just honest lads — nothing special.

Outside a handful of players like Sigurdsson, Walcott and Coleman, I think we carry unrealistic hope harbouring mediocrity like Schneiderlin, Williams, Gueye, Keane, Bolasie, and Niasse.

The jury will remain out on Tosun — decent enough from what I've seen... but a good enough striker to really make us a potential top 5 or 6 challenger? Hand on heart, really?

We need signings — let's not try to gloss things over, the squad of players are quite weak mentally and limited ability-wise and blaming managers all the time won't cut it forever.

What if it doesn't work for Silva as well? Are players and fans going to blame him?

This is pie-in-the-sky nonsense, Steve. You seem to be desperately trying to cover all bases in this rather bizarre series of posts to demonstrate how much you know about Silva... Yet you were even taken by surprise by something as fundamental as the formation he will use.

After telling us the type of player he would bring in, are you now telling us he doesn't need to bring anybody?

You claim he is a "world class" coach, so why are you now predicting he will probably finish roughly in the same position as Allardyce and Koeman?

Are you really suggesting the guy will successfully introduce counter-attacking football with one of the most disjointed and possibly the slowest squad we`ve seen in years? Trust me, Hhe won't.

I think Bolasie will go and hate to say it but Lookman may be telling his agent he wants to join RB Leipzig on a permanent basis – let's hope not – so a left-sided forward may come in.

However, I'm concerned that, if Tosun gets injured, we are very light up top. Niasse is massively inconsistent and Calvert-Lewin is still learning where the net is.

It is clear that our best defenders in Baines and Jagielka are only going to get weaker in the current season – they simply cannot last forever. It needs a left-back, centre-back, box to box midfielder who can score, a left-sided player again with goal threat, and a top-class centre-forward.

Without those we are simply just making up the numbers in the Premier League below 7th. At the moment we haven't landed one target, and the window shuts on the 9th August with the last preseason game on the 4th August. Silva needs to add players he wants.

We need to shift a lot of players out, as without European they're just not going to play and some I am sure will just be a pain in the arses around the squad. Mirallas, Williams, Sandro, Klaassen, Besic, Bolasie, Niasse, Schneirderlin, Martina, Browning – time to say goodbye.

The things it highlights to me are the vast amount of players that we have available and how unbalanced we are.

1 left-footed senior player in the whole squad.

Lack of a centre-back in his prime.

Lack of goal scoring midfielders.

Over reliance on Tosun.

As everyone knows, we need to ship a load out and address the unbalance.

My expectation is that Silva can bring an entertaining brand of football without getting tonked too much and be competitive in the derbies. This squad is mid-table at best.

Class player — and hopefully Silva gets the best out of him!

Trying to make a case for Besic.... 4 years here and he's done absolutely nothing — add to that his woeful injury record. And the comments about Calvert-Lewin just leave me baffled.

As Jim Bennings said, the likes of him Davies and Kenny are nothing special — just honest lads.

I've been saying for a long long time, the best coach in the world would struggle with this slow, aging, ponderous squad... and this fella won't be any different We need signings and now!

Absolutely no chance of dislodging any of those big six sides. Arsenal and Chelsea will go through a transition period but ones which will still see them finish ahead of us with the quality on the field they posses.

West Ham look to be doing great business this year; if we're not careful, they could leapfrog over us.

When you put the team together like that, centre-back and left-back look particularly weak. Baines might look alright now but we've seen him slowing down. I don't think he's overlapped in the last two years. Great servant and wonderful player at his best but should really have an established lefty taking his place – criminal lack of planning by successive managers.

Everywhere else except the keeper and right-back ranges from decent Premier League standard to below average. I'd love to see someone exciting brought in but it will take some serious shifting of deadwood first.

If those media tossers who post, print and show the league table each week suddenly start only printing a 5, then you might say, all things considered, he's done a job.

Sigurdsson is definitely a top international footballer.

That's not a happy position to be in but that's where we are as a club. Silva's job is to somehow get the players – old and new – to bond as a group whilst simultaneously trying to produce good football and positive results. If he fails as badly as recent managers have at Goodison, we will end up in the deep smelly stuff.

I hope that Silva has got a magic formula that produces more than we can reasonably expect. Everton, similarly to England, are not blessed with too much talent or pace but we have to somehow navigate 38 games and unfortunately this upcoming season will see plenty of ups and downs on the pitch, hopefully more ups than downs.

Top ten and a decent standard of football is what I expect, anything else will be a bonus, anything less and I'd be worried for the future of the club.

Up front, I think we are strong, these guys will get goals. Lookman, Walcott and either Tosun, Calvert-Lewin or Niasse will do the business but the conduit from the rest of the team to them is very poor. If Silva can get a tune out of them, then I think we will surprise a fair few.

I still think we need a playmaking midfielder with the attitude of Pickford who won't accept anything but success, and a left-footed centre-back and a Baines replacement; Tierney looks ideal. Without these additions, the team's heart is non-existent and we will struggle badly if results don't go our way.

Good luck to Silva, we will need it.

The baseline to all of this is the definition of success. Moyes, Kenwright, Koeman (and Walling!) taught us that 6th - 8th is what we 'should' expect.

The last two seasons have seen negative football and a dysfunctional, disjointed team. And yet we finished 7th & 8th. That says to me that the league is very poor and that there is something decent within this group of players.

So I can see Steve's argument that we can expect better from a coach who actually coaches the players, has a plan and can explain what he wants. I've been saying this for a while now. Southgate's handling of the England squad is an example of a coach getting the best out of what he has. I expect most of last season's 'failures' to look better under Silva.

This all rests on how good a coach Silva is and how good Brands is at trimming and supplementing a bloated squad.

Without having Steve's strong view on Silva, I'm optimistic. And this time every year, I always look at us reaching top six, for starters.

Randy Learner and Ellis Short are good examples of owners who realised too late that chucking money at mid-level signings doesn't make a great amount of difference.

Burnley and Leicester have had success with a combination of good scouting and playing to the squad's strength. Can't tell me any of our fans would have been happy with signing Chris Woods, but at Burnley he does exactly what they need of him.

Some people say it's a poor squad. It isn't; there are some very good players in there, just as a whole they underperformed last season. Or could that be that they were not utilised and motivated as well as they could have been? If Silva is as good as Steve says, and he can get these players working to their potential, then there is a solid case for 6th pushing for 5th. Top 4? Only if 3 of last seasons top 6 have a collapse. Unlikely. The squads are far far above ours in terms of quality.

I would think there need to be two additions, a centre-back and left-back. When Baines is out, we are much diminished, and I think this maybe a season too far for Jags.

That aside, there are players in there who can do better:

Schneiderlin had a crap season, but he has been a solid performer for his teams most years prior to last.

Sigurdsson is class. Even his “off” seasons at Spurs actually produce some decent stats. He was massive for Swansea in his last season and, once employed in his more natural position for us, he started to deliver.

Walcott, quality.

Cenk? From what I have seen, a good finisher, works hard. When he got chances, he scored. Could easily be 16 goals in him given the service. Rom had the same issue with us regards service. He looked at his best when the team played to his strengths.

Of the teams around us, so far only West Ham have made significant changes. Maybe this will pay off? Maybe they will do a Koeman

I am not confident as such about the season, but certainly not doom and gloom. Realistically 6th is best I think we can do but, if it can be done with some entertainment and quality play, that's a huge step up from last season. No Europa League distraction so a good cup run would be a welcome boost.

I do believe there are several players with good footballing brains in the squad. I would put Sigurdsson, Walcott, Tosun, Coleman and Baines in that category.

If Silva is as good a coach as you hope he is, he may well be able to get them playing decent football; but without a formidable centre-back pairing we will struggle again.

We need at least one big, mobile centre-half – I think we actually need two.

We had a terrible set-back last season. We basically blew the transfer kitty we had needed for decades.

My hope is that Silva and Brands are smart enough to see where this squad is really lacking, have identified the players that will address that need, and that Moshiri backs them with the necessary cash.

For me, the consequences of not signing anyone this window are unthinkable (so I am not going to think about that anymore).

As Paul T says above, we were awful this season gone, and the one before, and we still finished 7th and 8th.

Play a good style and the fans will back the manager.

He scored 5 goals in 12 starts for us (which would put him closer to 15 a season) but that was in a team that probably created about 5 chances in 10 games.

If he got anything like decent service at the behest of an attack-minded manager then I'd expect the goals to start flowing. Albeit on scanter evidence, his shooting accuracy last season was better than both Salah and Kane.

Steve, your article is optimistic to say the least but you've already sold me on the coaching credentials of Silva – it is just I don't trust the raw clay he is moulding. If he brings on the talented young players and returning loanees at the expense of new signings, I wouldn't be displeased but there are too many deadbeat seniors in the team to inspire me with confidence. There are quite a few I'd gladly never see play for the club again.

Lukasz Fabianski
Issa Diop
Fabian Balbuena
Ryan Fredericks
Jack Wilshere
Felipe Anderson
Andriy Yarmolenko

Not saying these were players we were up for and it could go all 'Koeman' for them as well, but deals are being done.

Totally agree. He managed to get his goals during a period of play totally devoid of attacking ambition, isolated feeding off scraps.

Kane at the World Cup struggled during latter stages as he didn't receive service.

Hopefully with the right formation employed to get him the opportunities he can show what he can do. His goals last season included some good finishes.

According to Phil Kirkbride and the Red Echo, the players Silva wants have been identified and agreed on by Brands and the board and Silva is quoted as being confident that those players will be brought in.

Maybe Silva doesn't think he's quite as super himself as Steve does. :-)

But if you compare this squad to our last decent one, this one is dire. Remember when we had Lukaku, Stones, an on-form Barkley playing alongside Baines and Jags in their prime? Mirallas was pretty good then too. I'd say the only position not looking weaker than in Martinez's first season is the goalkeeper.

We need a massive overhaul over the next couple of seasons if we're to perform well enough to keep Silva in a job.

The massive overhaul isn't coming. The sort of money needed to be spent to propel us to being genuine title contenders in a short space of time would never be sanctioned. It would be unsustainable for Everton in our current position.

Is there a single first team player at city valued at less than 㿊 million? They spent 𧴜 million odd last season improving one of the best squads in the world. We spent a fair bit of money by our standards, still offset by a big incoming fee. We dropped one place. Spend a bit of money on strengthening the team this year and chances are we could get 6th again without overspending

I can imagine one of your clients, as he walks to the gallows, remarking, "I don't know about law... by fuck he knows his footy"!!

It's not just about money though is it? Barkley cost us nothing, Stones a few million, Lukaku was on loan at first and then only 㿈m. Baines cost a few million, Jags the same. I just don't think that either the young lads coming through or the signings we've made recently are in the same class as those we've had in the past.

It's going to take a couple of years to turn things around at the club.

Having read through all the comments too, I most definitely agree that a left-sided centre-back and left-back are imperative, even at the risk of being the only additions.

Obviously I would like more than that, but there is the problem, as has been mentioned, many times, including yourself in that matter, about the excess of numbers, to balance things up.

I believe if we can be a very difficult team to beat, home and away, that would be a good start for the first season.

On the contrary, he seems a hardworking fella who hasn't said a word of complaint about his difficult situation. And at Ajax he was universally respected for his leadership. So whazzup with that?

I, like others, would like a centre-back and left-back but if Silva has confidence in Robinson at left-back and can improve Keane or Holgate, then would be ok with it.

The most important thing is to get rid of the dead wood: 𧴺M wage bill is far too much; if we get the squad down to 25 players and give our youngsters a chance, I think we will do better than most think.

Catching the top 4 even 6 is really hard and I think the best chance is in our youth this season; get costs under control then add two each year with real quality, not squad players.

Do this for a few years, and we should have a squad that can compete at least; and with a new ground, we would be able to attract better players. Brands work would then be coming off – this is all if Brands and Silva work out which I think they will. Here's hoping.

Yes, in that regard I agree

But, in general, our youngsters are decent. They had the PL2 title not so long ago and are strongly represented at international level.

I'll stick my neck out even further than usual on the M&M ticket. The reason? Well the Koeman and Walsh fiasco was not as much of a failure as we would have believe. I think it was a wonderful salutory experience that cost a huge amount of money. Credit to Moshiri, he seems to have weathered the storm and has restructured the management generally in a way which we all approve of. I don't know if he reads ToffeeWeb but I would like to thank him for that.

If, and it is a big if, the bloated squad is trimmed, and we do get the bare essentials in new players (no additions is too pessimistic even for me!) I would much rather watch and see Robinson, Kenny, Dowell, Davies, Calvert-Lewin and Lookman emerge at the end of a gruelling season as better players of some standing.

The squad is not as full of deadwood as some people seem to think. Keane is an England international, FFS. As an example, if M&M can't get him to perform, then we really are in the shit.

Its a discussion forum and that is great. So my wish for next season is to really see the youngsters knocking on the door and breaking through. That is what will make me really happy as an Evertonian. Sod this money, money, and yet more money approach. Let's be patient and give M&M and the team our full support to work with and around what we have and watch it grow. Take some real pride in that.

I would be very pleased to see some key new faces as a bonus option, but I am more interested in seeing a model professional like Sigurdsson played in his correct position instead of operating from the wing to accommodate an ageing Wayne. When you look at our uncommitted, bloated squad I think we do them a great disservice. Pickford, Coleman / Kenny, Holgate, Keane, Baines / Robinson, Davies, Gueye, Schneiderlin?, Baningime, McCarthy?, Dowell, Sigurdsson, Lookman, Tosun, Calvert-Lewin, Walcott, Sandro, Klaassen, are all good, good players and I believe if man-managed professionally they will prove themselves to be so. Even the last chance saloon operator, Mirallas, may be inspired to provide us with a swan song or two.

The Koeman / Unsy / Allardyce sandwich would have killed of any aspirations of greatness anyone supporters and players alike. Am I too romantic and possibly unrealistic? You bet I could be, but I can't wait for the season to start. COYB

Steve is clearly not out-and-out advocating that we don't seek to buy players in this transfer window. Rather, he has presented a well-argued case that, if we fail to recruit new blood, that doesn't necessarily portend more doom and gloom for next season.

I am also of the opinion there is talent in the existing squad that has not been properly utilised, or welded into an effective team, by the last two full-time incumbents in the manager's chair.

I retain some misgivings about Silva because of his mixed record in recent years, in the Premier League no less, but he is unquestionably a hands-on coach with good one-to-one man-management skills.

Steve's association of Silva with Chelsea's new manager Sarri is a legitimate one in this respect. As Steve quotes, when Sarri took over Napoli with a poor defence, in reply to the question who he would sign, Sarri replied "No-one. I will correct the issues on the training pitch." And he did. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Silva can do likewise at Everton.

As for people continuing to reference West Ham as a club getting their business done and thus getting a jump on Everton (under a new manager, less we forget), did we not do similar last season? Didn't do much for us, did it?

Again, as Steve quotes Sarri's words describing the transfer market the “refuge of the weak coach. I am a coach. Give me a group of players and I will coach them.”

The structure Steve envisages is a legitimate one: Brands takes a global view of the players on our books at every level, maps their progress long-term, and anticipates if and when they can graduate to the first team. This informs your transfer policy – who to recruit and when - as an immediate pressing need, a short- to mid-term solution, or a long-term solution because there is no player with first-team potential emerging from the junior ranks. Silva is party to all this and can make his own specific requests and suggestions on player recruitment.

On closing, and not necessarily related to Steve's post, but I also like the quote from Sarri's mentor, Arrigo Sacchi, the ex-AC Milan manager who also came from a non-football background to be very successful in football management:

"You don't need to have been a horse to be a jockey."

Our resident punter Paul Tran may relate to that more than most!

Well done, Steve. A superb piece.

The problem for me is with players whose physical condition, through age and the effects of injuries, means that no amount of coaching will be able to improve their performance — Baines seems to have lost the ability to beat a man and cross; McCarthy's injuries seem to have weakened his body and made him prone to further long-term injury; Williams seems weaker and slower with every game.

In TW, we constantly see FIFA 19 managers adding to the wishlist as replacements for players which we already had. Are any of them better than the players we let go?

Remember not too long ago we were considered part of the top 6? Now, it is an aspiration. IMO we need a left-back, centre-half and a box-to-box midfielder who would drive a team forward with good passing ability.

I like the informative analysis, as ever. I don't think anybody's making grand predictions, packed with certainty, about where we'll end up at season's close. But this got my juices flowing: the juices were flowing at the start of last season, given the signings we'd made (I know, look where that went); but now, even if no further signings are made before season's start, we have a manager who, it seems, has an astute tactical mind, who has a good chance of doing better with the same squad (and in some cases young lads who have had a further year to develop).

I watched the training videos; I watched yesterday's friendly. I liked what I saw, especially but not only the advanced forays of Baines.

No predictions, but full of hope. We witnessed the interment of the Austrian side yesterday; it's Bury on Wednesday.

So I suppose the question is... Can they deliver?

I'd've also kept Funes Mori and Joel Robles... but we are more in need to sell than buy. Silva is much more of the coach we need to get the best out of the players we already have.

I'm hoping some of our younger players will be integral this season. My list to sell is the obvious. Bollasie, Mirallas, and Keane if we manage to get another centre-back in. Lots to do this month but I've not been encouraged so far. It's too slow.

Shakiri is guaranteed Champions League football with Liverpool and a good chance of winning the Premier League if Liverpool can find a good striker, midfield player and goal-keeper.

If we do get a couple of good signings, all well and good; if not, it may not be the end of the world.

I love your optimism and your analysis but you lost me when you said you would get rid of Gueye. For me he is the engine in the engine room. We need a bit of Manny Fernandes creativity alongside him – not a James McCarthy, IMO.

I don't want to be competing with West Ham, Leicester, Newcastle and Burnley. I want to be competing top 6.

We need a centre-back who is a leader and enforcer and organizer. We need a creative, energetic box-to-box midfield player who can score goals. Davies won't cut it just yet.

We need goals and assists from the left wing. Bolasie can't cut it and Lookman and Vlasic aren't quite ready.

The jury is out on Tosun but he doesn't look like a Lukaku level of goals... though we may have to wait that one out.

1. We need a left-back. We can't leave this one to chance. If Baines was guaranteed to be fit all season I would be happy, but that will not happen. As with Kenny, I don't think it is right to thrust Robinson in as he will be relentlessly targeted. He needs a more phased introduction.

2. The central defence, I have got faith in Mason Holgate, he has got a touch of class about him. I would like to see him step up to the plate and make that position his. It is a big ask though and he may be a year or two away from a regular starter. So I would say we definitely need to sign a central defender too. I don't want us relying on Jagielka and Williams will probably, hopefully will be gone in 4 weeks time.

These two positions need to be sorted sooner rather than later or our season would be much more in the lap of the gods than it needs to be.

The rest of the positions I will not lose any sleep if we don't sign anybody. It will be interesting if Brands can do some deals, swaps, loans, or bargains to get a few out and get another one or two in. I am waiting and hoping for a hidden gem to arrive late in the window.

I don't agree. He may win the ball but loses it too easily and doesn't drive the team forward. Spends too much time passing on responsibility usually to Schneiderlin. I would go with James McCarthy any day as he wants to drive forward.

Once again, we are in denial in that we have slipped from being a regular top 6 team under Moyes to competing with the likes of West Ham, Burnley, Leicester under our more recent managers because we were not ambitious enough to hold on to quality players.

Other than that, I agree there's a lot of potential in the squad that hasn't been developed.

Add to that we were paying Rooney 𧵎k a week and he was part of the Lukaku deal. 㿙M for Sigurdsson and 㿅M each for Keane and Klaassen is disgusting. Silva is stuck with them and a 44-year-old injury prone Leighton Baines.

As others have said, we had an awful season last season yet still finished 8th with ease. It's not a great league and if we show any kind of consistency then 6th is achievable.

There are only 2 really dynamic teams in the division and that's Man City and Liverpool, the rest rely on some individual ability to get a win. In Pickford, Coleman, Baines, Walcott, Lookman, Sigurdsson and seemingly Tosun then we have the makings of a decent team.

If Silva can get Schneiderlin playing to his potential then that's another bonus as there is a quality player in there somewhere. It's the centre-backs that concern me. None have blistering pace, but if Silva can get us playing like a team again and willing to go the extra mile for each other then we have a chance to have a good season.

We will sign some players, but I'm not worried about the likes of West Ham buying a new team. As we know, it takes time to bed in not all will gel. I'm optimistic for the new season and I'm optimistic that Silva and Brands will get things on the right track.

Hopefully some more fringe players will leave and we can get some more quality in but if not then, if Silva organises and gets everyone reading from the same hymn sheet, then it won't be the worst thing in the world.

This coming season I hope to see a lot more football from the boys in blue. I want to see Everton challenge for the win in every game regardless of opposition or venue. If this happens then I see no reason why we can't close the gap on the top six with a view to elbowing our way in, thereby turning it into a top seven, no doubt! A couple of cup runs would be nice too!

What is this crap about Everton being a regular top 6 team under Moyes? His average was between 7th & 8th (nearer to 8th) over his 11 full seasons, only reaching the top 6 on 5 occasions with the high point being, regarding consistency, the three in a row 2007, 2008 & 2009.

West Ham seem to worry a lot of people. I can't see why. So they've signed some players? Last year that was us. A few seasons ago it was Stoke. It's never been Burnley and they actually did come 7th. (Also, one of the players they've signed is Jack Wilshere. Hopefully he stays fit and plays some games running into three defenders and falling over, but I doubt it. He'll probably get injured and Mark Noble will be back in the side).

Silva intends to sign players, judging from recent comments, and I'd still like four new ones. Picking from recent rumours I'd be very happy if they were Mina, Digne (or Tierney), Loftus-Cheek and Lozano, but I certainly agree with the Sarri ideology. Make your players better, don't wish for greener grass.

An interesting and well-written piece, Steve, but the coach is only as good as the material that he has to work with. I still see a minimum of three players arriving.

Finishing 7th would not be a failure if we can narrow the gap to the top 6 but I don't think we'll achieve that, even with better coaching, unless we add some key players.

I love your optimism with regards to our new boss. I'm afraid I'm a terrible pessimist where our Blues are concerned, so I'm hoping and praying that you're proven right on our manager.

Joe McMahon – the railways were privatised between 94 and 97 and Thatcher was removed in 1990. You may have other reasons to dislike her, but railway privatisation wasn't hers. BT, British Airways, British Gas, Electricity Companies, Water Companies – all were hers, but not Britsh Rail. And I do miss the curly sandwiches of British Rail days.

Dennis Stevens – His average over 11 full seasons was 7.54. Yup, nearer to 8 than 7 but we need to include 03-04 when they all went the beach with 5 games to play as we were safe and 05-06 when we took time to recover from bengrobbed by Collina. The average for the last 7 years was 6th.

I love statistics. As an old accountant said to me, the first question is do you want a big number or a little number. I want to prove Moyes was useless so a big number: Okay, include his first 4 seasons. I want to prove he did a good job, Okay, just use the last 7.

I struggle to see how even the world's best coach could get this group of players finishing ahead of Burnley without strengthening.

I presume your comments refer to my posts.

When Moyes took over, we were even in a worse situation than today. Regulary fighting to avoid relegation so it's easy to quote average finishes.

My point was that, in that era, we expected to be part of the top six. Now we are aspiring to become part of that exclusive group. How times have changed. It is really about the club's ambition and poor leadership, then and now. Let's hope we have turned the corner.

The fact that Everton have overpriced players on their books and a lot of soft-touch contracts is proving problematic. It will therefore take time to realise money from the sale of present squad members. The other factors are how individuals react to the coaching of Silva and whether they fit into his plans. It may take a year to sort this all out.

I also think that the Board are looking for Brands to realise funds from the sale of players to fund transfers. Steve's article is showing the default position. Personally, I think we need signing in defence urgently to give Silva a chance.

The type of deals will be something like:

Gibson of Middlesbrough is an example, Everton where trying to Part exchange Besic for Gibson, but Middlesbrough didn't want Besic. . .

The other is a loan deal for Mina with Barcelona that they previously did good business with. Also, tagging on Digne. Any straight deal is mere media speculation.

There is going to be no "splash the cash" deals. Everton were a disaster at this last Summer. It's back to what they have been good at and unfortunately what Mr Bill is more comfortable with.

Pickford
Coleman
Keane
Holgate
Baines
Gana
Davies
Lookman
Walcot
Sigurdsson
Tosun

Imo, the above is a decent side which, with the right manager, will win more games and get more points than 14 others in the Premier League.

Clearly we have plenty of back-up players but I'd sell most of them but clearly then we would have to sign some.

Robles, Rooney, and Funes Mori have gone (I'd have kept Funes Mori and moved both Williams and Jagielka out). I'd consider the futures of Sandro, Klaassen, Besic, Williams, Jagielka, Martina, Pennington, Browning, Galloway, Mirallas and Niasse all being elsewhere.

That would be 14 players moved out of the club so we would have to buy 3 or maybe more, but between Dowell, Robinson, Kenny, Calvert-Lewin, Bolasie (who I would keep), Connoly, and the 6 or so kids who have recently signed deals, we would be okay for cover.

The squad isn't too bad, we just need to freshen it up a little.

Sure, we are well stocked. With mediocre and/or ageing players, who we mostly cannot move on because no-one else would have them, especially given the daft wages some are paid relative to their talent.

Hence we might not sign anyone or certainly not very many, but this is not a good thing, more unwelcome evidence that we had our chance with some decent transfer funding and we blew it.

2. Gana is not and never will be "box to box". He's no use in advance positions.

3. A big worry is that Gana and Schneiderlin can't play well together. If Silva operates with two holding midfielders, then I hope he can sort this out. Individually, they have the ability – can't they operate like Kante and Pogba for France?

4. "Thatcher's reign has crippled Britain forever"... well that's one narrative. Another is that the Wilson, Callahan and Heath governments and the National Union of Miners had a pretty good crack at it too. The 1970s were awful and I don't want to go back there. You needed a mortgage to buy a colour TV in those pre-globalisation days.

If we go with what we have right now, then we will be battling against relegation this season again.

We need a top class striker (preferably two!), a top class left winger (either Lookman is crap or he's not interested, based on what I have seen of the training camp videos in Austria) and a commanding center back who can play the ball, someone at a minimum comparable to Jagielka at his peak. I think it's a bit much to expect Silva to upcycle all of those out of the squad players we currently have.

And that's all assuming that Sigurdsson and Davies provide some punch going forwards from midfield (we've lost Rooney). Maybe that's achievable, as I like Siggy a lot and he's got quality.

Look around at the top 6 and they've got quality in all corners, with all of them having both a top class goalkeeper and multiple top class outfield players. I don't see that throughout our squad, and you can't rely on the kids to develop into world class players quickly enough.

Secondly, Gueye will be 29 in September, and has a good 4 years in him. I can't imagine we'd sell him willingly, he looked great for Senegal in the World Cup.

Easy prediction: we will finish 7th or 8th, and the upside we can hope for is that it becomes a platform for the following season.

Robinson could easily slot in at left-back if we didn't get anyone.

Hewelt and Stekelenburg are perfect back up for Pickford.

Besic has plenty to offer & looks very good after his loan.

Connolly is great and can play in a number of positions.

Pennington can certainly do a job if needed.

Jagielka will always be reliable.

Holgate looks like the first choice alongside Keane –- and I really like the pace and skill he offers (he will probably drop to first-choice backup if or when we get another centre-back).

McCarthy coming back, alongside Baningime are both very good players.

Dowell & Vlasic are both extremely good young players.

Sandro hopefully fulfills his potential.

Lookman looks unbelievable so far; I think he will be first choice left winger for the start of the season.

Mirallas is looking good, even though I think he'll be gone.

Tosun, Niasse & Calvert-Lewin are a very good range of striker options, all so different and offering so much starting and off the bench.

Bolasie, if back to his best, could be great.

There are some who would be squad players: Martina, Williams, Mirallas, and as such, I don't think they'll be here at the end of the transfer window, or play much part, if they are still here.

Squad:

GK: Pickford, Stekelenburg, Hewelt

RB: Coleman, Kenny

RCB: Holgate, Jagielka, Pennington

LCB: Keane, Williams

LB: Baines, Robinson, Martina

RCM: Gueye, Besic, McCarthy, Connolly

LCM: Davies, Schneiderlin, Baningime

CAM: Sigurdsson, Klaassen, Dowell

RW: Walcott, Vlasic, Bolasie

LW: Lookman, Sandro, Mirallas

ST: Tosun, Calvert-Lewin, Niasse

More than enough good players. A bit of stability would do Everton the world of good. I think West Ham will finish bottom half of the table. Very similar situation to Everton last season – very tough start to the season, huge squad change and a new manager. Very unstable - especially if they start losing.

Pickford
Coleman(c) Holgate Keane Baines
Gueye Davies
Walcott Sigurdsson Lookman
Tosun

Subs: Stekelenburg, Jagielka, Kenny, Schneiderlin, Klaassen, Vlasic, Calvert-Lewin

That would be my best team with the current squad, with Robinson, Baningime, Dowell, Sandro & Niasse all pushing for a place in the line-up.

Neil (#73), I didn't specifically have you in mind, though your post may well have been one of a couple that sparked my comment. I do recall the situation prior to Moyes's appointment [thanks so much for reminding me!], although I felt that then, as now, we were very much on the outside looking in.

However, I do agree that we've lost ground in the last few seasons and Silva will have his work cut out trying to make up for lost time. I thoroughly agree with your last two sentences, the Club has suffered through poor leadership from the Board for far, far too long and that, at the very least, leaves any manager rather working with one hand tied behind his back.

Silva's first priority is to build team spirit and confidence and make the team perform better than the sum of the parts. That's what Moyes did but put too many restrictions on self-expression. Martinez let each individual express themselves but forgot to keep the team tight. If Martinez had a “defensive coach” it would have made a good combination.

Koemann dismantled the team, the confidence, and the individuals which now leaves Silva picking up the pieces. Let's hope he is up to it.

Listening to you yesterday there is no ego to your nature, no trying to be a know all just a great love of football, well done Steve and jeep those posts coming they are well read and interesting.

I would also love a creative midfielder, but hope that Tom Davies, can improve, because nothing much seems to get to this kid, and he never stops trying imo.

Also another centre-forward, is a necessity surely? Although I'm sure there will be occasions during the season, when Walcott might be able to do well down the middle.

I hope what Seri says, that Silva does, and then going to Goodison, can become a pleasure again, which is definitely my biggest wish for the new season anyway... Although I would love to see all our kids, celebrating a trophy at Wembley though!

I guess a lot will depend on how many he can ship out, but I would be quite happy with 3 signings in those positions provided they are quality signings.

I have posted many times that I believe the rise of the club is linked with the stadium and a longer term strategy on the pitch is intertwined with that.

May drive me insane week by week but it wouldn't surprise me. It is how many businesses work.

Many players are not good enough, skill wise, mentally and in team chemistry as many people have mentioned.

My hunch is a few rough diamonds at average cost, and no bank buster xfers in..

I'm reckoning 15-20M will be our outlay this window for our signings. Of course I could be miles off, but lessons learnt from last year, I'm sure FM has told, M&M, to be frugal and get the extra out put from the squad.

I'm not bothered about the rest and what they do, but we have a massive season ahead, and must play with more style and manner, than was shown last season, when we we killed the spirit of the game, from a skill and entertainment perspective.

Hope, hope, it kills us, but that's what we have.. Thinking about it, just getting rid of some of the ale house players, could also impact positively this squads psyche..

Let's see what happens.

I am still waiting with more confidence to see outgoings than incomings, and without the in-depth analysis of the overall squad, I am expecting to see a quiet, under the radar approach this season with progress if not in league position then at least in performances and attitude and a cup run would cap it off for me.

I am still waiting with more confidence to see outgoings than incomings, and without the in-depth analysis of the overall squad, I am expecting to see a quiet, under-the-radar approach this season with progress, if not in Premier League position, then at least in performances and attitude and a cup run would cap it off for me.

Without a goal scorer, this season will be just as bad as the last, let's hope Moshiri hasn't sewn his pockets up.

But never does the author suggest we don't need to, nor that we shouldn't, merely hypothesises.

It's a good discussion because it takes the idea of management away from the Footmall Manager/sky influenced conception that management is nothing more than buying players and choosing the formation.

Indeed, at Everton we have a number of younger players who could be trained, some formerly top-players who have lost their way, and from last years evidence, a lack of unity and togetherness. Working on these aspects is equally important to signing a 30+million pound playmaker.

Also, as croatia showed against england, having the fitness to play intense football for a full 90 (or120) minutes can also make the difference.

So yes, Silva can still make big differences to.our team without big personnel changes.

I don't think we can make it with all of those youngsters (I still hope, though...), but if we only get one addition for the seniors, then meh. Two or more, then we can start teaching the young-uns for next season!

But, I do want the buzz of some signings as I am a fan not a PL manager nor the owner of a football club..

Pleased I am neither to be frank...or Bob...or Deidre.

My point being Thatchers Government did untold damage, and it's why I compared to the damage done to the Everton squad for paying way over the odds for average players and paying Rooney 150k a week (60k a week more than Salah), thanks to the Walsh/Koeman combo.

You're welcome mate.

We don't even have a proven goal scorer (Tosun has looked okay but hasn't scored regularly or against the bigger clubs yet)

We need someone up top at a minimum. Also a proven left back ‘back up' to Baines. We all know what happened last season WITHOUT a proven goal scorer and back up left back

Walsh failed to deliver on his previous if fleeting success in unearthing talent at Leicester and Koeman appeared more comfortable strolling around a golf course and referring to his Club as 'Everton'.

The squad is indeed bloated, ageing and unbalanced. Far too many average players on big salaries. Brands apparently winced at the roll call and has set about looking at ways to trim the hefty wage bill.

As much as I admire Steve's optimism I believe the next two seasons will be about treading water and survival. Patience is a virtue and we are going to need plenty of it as Brands and Silva deliver the change that is needed to get Everton back on an even footing. You standstill in football and you go backwards, in that sense the task ahead is enormous as Everton continue to supplement the wages of the current coaches of Belgium and Holland.

Now I am not saying Silva can make a silk purse out of a sows ear, but if he can only improve half the first team by 10% then maybe next season will be one to enjoy rather than endure.

A centre-back (Mina, Lascelles, Vida or Wallace)
A left-back (Tierney, Digne, or Laxalt)

Then possibly:

A box-to-box central midfielder (Loftus-Cheek, Barrios, Doucore, or Lemina)
A winger (Lozano, Bernard, Malcolm or Zaha)

I thinks it highly unlikely we'll end up with Mina, Tierney, Loftus-Cheek and Lozano but fingers crossed!

In reality, Mina and Laxalt plus a loan and a few youngsters for the U23s is more plausible.

Thanks for a very interesting piece.

But the signing of players, these days, is not just intended to strengthen a team, although that still is, and should always be, its main purpose. The signing of players has a positive effect on fans and on the squad itself. Players already at a club will perceive a lack of activity in the transfer market as a sign of low ambition or financial constraints, neither of which is good for their morale. This is somewhat odd, but that's the way it is. An Italian journalist, or club director, once said that you need to change the shop window every year, even if you're not adding to its quality. It's a bit like that, I think.

Anyway, I don't think anyone believes we won't be signing anyone, and I'd certainly be disappointed if we didn't at least sign a left-back (yes, by now I've heard enough of Robinson, but he's only a very young lad, and as yet unproven).

In fact, I see no reason why a front four of Tosun, Sigurdsson, Walcott and Lookman can't consistently trouble defenses and do some damage offensively.

It also tells me that he's a football naive in splurging like he did last summer, to no perceptible improvement, and, in fact, creating a genuine problem that may last for a season or two, at least, for his new management, coaching, and director of football staff to deal with. So, for me, in anticipating movement into the top four, more endurance and patience will be required this season, and next, and the one after that, and the one after that in all likelihood. ...by which time, our new stadium might just signify to the world beyond ToffeeWeb that we are truly intent on "breaking through"....Sigh.

That'll be 25 years of mediocrity organised by you Kenwright. Cheers, and, in fairness, never mind the preceding decade of mediocrity either.

We've had our "two steps back" (again); time for one step forward... even if it is only a baby step this season.

I think Silva will improve [most of] the players who are already here. Therefore, with or without additions, I think we would rise up a place or two in the Premier League this coming season, which would be a decent outcome.

I think one of our shortcomings is we have more than our fair share of nice, friendly players . We can be bullied and outfought by too many teams.

Vida and Mina fit the bill for me with those aforementioned qualities. I want a left back in the Stuart Pierce mold too. (If you waltz past me I may have to kill you.)

Man City bought Kyle walker who gives them more of this resilience . I think he added to the fact that Man City became a much tougher unit , unable to be bullied and outfought last season.it is the reason why Stones a lot of the time can't get a game ahead of Kompany or Otemendi. (I think Stones is getting there though , looking more powerful lately.)

Walker may be resilient but I'd say City bought him because of his high energy and searing pace which allows him to keep up when broken against.

We have an incredibly slow team, especially around the middle of the team where only Gueye has any type of pace to him. I'd be much more excited about Tom Davies if he had some genuine gas to add to his energy and fervour.

Last Summer Koeman bought Rooney, Klaassen, Sigurdson and Keane; surely four of the slowest players in their positions. And we suffered for it.

Holgate helps. Coleman is fast enough. Robinson is rapid and obviously Walcott and Lookman get by. I'd love a new quick CB and a fast box to box would be handy. Resilience is good. But we really need a bit more pace.

We have too many nice guys and not enough mean bastards. Man City have got beautiful footballers and they are complimented by enforcers. De Bruyne has got a bit of both! Sorry to bang on about Man City but last season they were the best I've seen since our boys in the mid eighties. If there is a model to follow it is that.

Either way we are still a way behind!

Having said that, I think we do have have a decent squad, and if Marco is really the brilliant coach that we (Steve) think he is, we should be able to get some decent performances. I would be happy if we finish mid-table but our youngsters form the spine of the team, with promise of a better tomorrow. The team should be built around:

Pickford
Coleman Holgate Keane Robinson
Davies Siggy Baningime
Walcott Calvert-Lewin Lookman

Backed up by:

Stek, Kenny, Jags, Williams, Feeney, Baines, Gana, Klaassen, MacCarthy, Dowell, Vlasic, Tosun, Bolasie, Niasse

I also think Tosun could score a decent number of goals next year.

Have no idea if Robinson is good prospect but - if not - we really need cover at least in the left back spot.

As always, he looks a decent player on YouTube. It's not Walcott who should be worried about his place but Lookman and Bolasie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG9a9xCl0mM

Sounds to me like we need a box to box midfielder like that guy he played at Watford – Dacoure was it? He's a seriously impressive player I would like us to sign.

Slimani of Leicester at Sporting – big strong and good in the air.
Brown Ideye – West Brom flop – at Olympaicos who scored one in two for Silva. He was mobile and had pace.
At Hull he used Niasse and Hernandez. They were pacy and went wide into the channels pulling defences apart and creating space.
At Watford he went with one of Deeney or Gray. Neither impressed and Silva wanted to bring Slimani in.

I think Silva's Everton will have less space in behind the opponents than Hull. So we need a more all-round striker, good with his back to goal who can link up play. So sure, Tosun can do this. But I think Calvert-Lewin has better qualities for this and if he can grab an opportunity, then he could force his way in. But sure Tosun can do the job well, holding it up, laying it off and bringing others to play. He can also score a few himself.

Also don't see it as confirmation (if the transfer does happen) of Lookman's imminent departure. One, because we need a squad; two, because both players can play in different positions.

In a 4-2-3-1 we'd have options of:

One of Lookman/Malcolm/Vlasic/Dowell as Left attacker
One of Sigurdsson, Lookman, Malcom, Dowell, Vlasic or Klassen as 'No10';
One of Walcott, Lookman, or Malcom as right attacker;
One of Tosun, Calvert-Lewin or Malcolm as central attacker

Plenty of variety, pace, and skill.

Vlasic and Dowell have seriously got their work cut out to get into the team. It will be very interesting to see if they can step up and force Silva's hand.

We'll be totally fucked.

Pre season games tell us nothing except maybe fitness/injury status.

Well I'm off to put a hundred quid on us finishing 7th no matter what. I wonder if I can get odds on us having a better season than last season? I don't mean league position, goals scored or whatever, just better. It simply has to happen.

Have I just relegated us after 60+ years?

However, there's an article on BBC Sport (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44917081) that quotes Napoli's president, Aurelio de Laurentiis, as saying, "[Sarri] wanted to take my whole team to England".

Seems that was okay for Napoli but not Chelsea.