A Big Summer Ahead

I think Brands will try to use the Academy where possible and hopefully we will see some more moves like the Nkounkou one.

I expect a centre-back (Gabriel or Todibo), a centre-midfielder (Højbjerg or Allan or Doucouré) and a right-winger (Ünder or Sarr) as the main purchases. With other positions being filled by loan moves (Loftus-Cheek?), free transfers, or academy purchases.

I think, like Sam above, if we get a worthwhile bid for anyone, they could easily go. I think he might fund several young and easily malleable purchases with an unexpected sale.

I see the Italian as a ‘finesser' of teams. He only really built Parma up from scratch. I definitely think Pickford is on the table but, in saying this, I cannot land him anywhere, other than a lazy suggestion of West Ham.

Could be crazy

Maybe he's banking on the fact that West Ham Utd have previously attracted fading England stars with Evertonesque pipe-dreams of a bright future, eg, Wilshere, Carroll, Kieran Dyer, Joe Hart...

I still hold that our first priority is two combative midfielders but your article has identified a glaring vulnerability in the full-back positions. A left-footed center-back capable of playing left-back (like Lescott) would be really useful.

I don't think we need any new forwards – for me, midfield remains the key area.

Sigurdsson, Iwobi, Walcott, Sandro, Bolasie – no chance of moving them on. We are still stuck with the above players who will happily sit on the bench to run their contracts down.

You can probably look at Pickford, Digne, and Richarlison, who we need to build the team around, and are probably the only players other teams would be interested in paying decent money for.

We are well and truly screwed with FFP and cannot afford any more slip-ups this transfer window. We have to get it right.

It's possible he follows the Joe Hart Torino route. For better or worse, I don't see him going anywhere. His wages and our desire to recoup our investment limit his options and the teams with that kind of cash. I can't see them coming for him.

Assertiveness and dominance are the two qualities that you rightly point out are the priorities. Our midfield unit is the weakest in the Premier League and that just has to be addressed. Gbamin is out of my consideration for next season, Delph should be sold if it at all possible.

So I will be greedy and say I want us to sign 3 midfielders as our No 1 aim this transfer window.

Allan will come in, then we will need another younger dominant, assertive, mobile, dynamic, goal scoring, central midfielder. This player would be the break-the-bank player to get the best we can possibly get. Use Bruno Fernandes as the template for this signing. This is the signing that will transform us and our play.

Another midfielder I want us to buy has to bring some more desperately needed vigour, versatility and energy into the side. He has to raise the tempo and drive the team forward. I like David Brooks and Emi Buendia, either would add those qualities and both are adaptable and have goals and assists to contribute in their locker. Either would add great strength in depth. I like the thought of the youthful dynamic using one of those players on the right and Anthony Gordon on the left.

I think the midfield is the absolute priority area of signings; further team strengthening could depend on player sales, swaps and player plus cash deals.

I think reasonable offers will be considered for 10 of our players: Sigurdsson, Delph, Iwobi, Mina, Walcott, Bernard, Bolasie, Besic, Sandro, Tosun...

Offers should be refused and not considered for Digne or Richarlison. Those two players should be told Carlo is building something they are integral to, and that they are going nowhere until 21-22 after Carlo has had a chance to build a proper team. Only then will anything be reviewed, as all things Everton may look very different next summer.

Many of the 10 players we ‘would' consider offers for could be a great signing and asset for the right club and used playing to their strengths. I just don't think they fit into Carlo's long-term strategy for Everton.

Ancelotti will want to get his own players in who have the qualities he wants. He will want quality players who can adapt to the way he wants to play. In this respect, Carlo's tenure is massively linked to Brands's success on this front. He will only make partial gains on the front during this window, but I think that will be enough to see some real impact.

It will take two summer windows to really sort out our team, as in 2021 more players will be out of contract and a couple more will be moved on.

Get it wrong this summer and we will be fighting relegation.

Tosun, Sandro, Bolasie, Bernard, Walcott, Delph, Sigurdsson, Besic, Lössl.

A big decision to be made on Michael Keane. He looks ungainly and has been error-prone, but he seems well ahead of an injury-prone Mina.

If we can get Tosun, Sandro, Bolasie, Bernard, Delph and Sigurdsson out, that'd be a huge amount of the wage bill gone.

My ideal transfers would be Allan and Doucoure in midfield, Sarr on the wing (cheaper and younger than Zaha), Max Aarons at right-back and Gabriel at centre-back.

There's a lot of good relegated players this year that we should be looking at who'd improve us greatly and wouldn't cost too much considering the market.

Our biggest problem is that Sigurdsson, Delph, Mina, Iwobi, Ramirez Tosun, Bernard and Bolasie are on huge wages and big contracts, which makes it nearly impossible to move them on, and twice as hard to bring in better players.

My main worry is our recruitment. Leicester City and Wolves buy players that specifically improve their team and the way they play whilst we seem to have a scattergun approach. We've also had that many managers and our squad shows it massively. Half our team don't suit a 4-4-2.

Any new signings should be good enough to displace current players, otherwise there's no progress, only more of the same.

Our midfield is a joke. Sigurdsson, Delph, Walcott, Besic, Bolasie - simply, not good enough. Add Keane and Mina, who are wishy-washy, and it's a tough ask to solve our problems.

Every year it's the same. We need 5-6 players to progress. It never happens and we repeat.

This season has been my most detached ever. VAR, Covid-19, them lot winning the league, us being utter shite, and our players being cowards and out of touch millionaires make it difficult to watch and support. I'm sure I'm not alone (maybe).

Big summer! Not only for the progression of our club, but also trying to re-engage fans like me who are getting to the point of, if these guys don't give a shite why should I?

I'm not pinning my hopes on Ancelotti. He can only do so much. He needs to be backed and he needs competent people above him doing the work he can't. I have no faith in these people. They've shown us nothing which inspires confidence.

We all have our thoughts on who is and isn't good enough for the squad but generally agree that the midfield is the weak spot. Has Carlo seen enough to assert that Iwobi, Sigurdsson, Davies, Gomes and Bernard are not up to snuff or does he believe he can get something better out of them? We wonder...

The thing to remember is that the wage bill is what were looking at here. We sign players on five year contracts to spread the cost and stay within profit/loss limits, therefore selling them for a reduced fee is less significant.

There are some players for whom we will have to wait for their contracts to end. I think we could get fees now for Pickford, Mina, Bernard, Iwobi, Gomes, Delph, Keane and Kean. We won't sell them all in one summer, but replacing, say, three of them with players with pace, nous and authority would make a huge difference without breaking limits.

This is down to Brands & Ancelotti earning their corn. I'm not convinced Brands is good at finding players with the right character and physical strength for this league and I keep getting told Ancelotti 'doesn't buy' players. The point of bringing Carlo in was to attract better players – those two have to deliver this summer.

2 keepers
Pickford (replace) Virginia

4 full-backs
Digne, French lad, Coleman, Kenny (sorted)

5 centre-backs
Holgate, Keane, Mina (replace), Branthwaite, Gibson

5 wide midfielders
Walcott (replace), Iwobi (replace), Bernard (replace), Gordon, ???

5 centre-midfielders
Gomes, Gbamin, Davies, Sigurdsson (replace) Delph (replace)

4 forwards
Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, Kean, Simms (?)

Anyone not on the list - sell (or give away) without replacing
Bolasie, Sandro, Besic, Tosun, and probably Adenerin and Baningime (if they weren't good enough to play with no pressure, they're unlikely to play next year).

Ideal world, I'd like a couple of wide midfielders, at least one central midfielder, a new keeper and a replacement for Mina (in that order, although wide midfield and central midfield should be the main priority).

I would hold off on a left-back as I'm sure Gibson could cover, if required, if the French lad isn't immediately up to it.

I said on a different thread that this is a 3-year plan. Top half next season, top six season after that and a push for Champions League the season the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium opens. I think that signings will be on that basis, so not expecting a sudden influx of talent, especially when the FFP situation is so uncertain.

Who knows, the solution to some of the conundrums may already be on the books if Carlo can instil some enthusiasm. We could get a season from Bolasie; Delph may turn out to be the guy many thought he was...

Who knows!!!

Since he has been with us, apart from Jarrad Branthwaite, most have been expensive misfits, or he allegedly targetted the right players that we didn't realistically have a chance of getting.

It's ironic to a degree that, now we have a World Class Manager in Ancelotti, we find ourselves needing to move players on which very few takers, if any, will be interested in to release funds.

I just hope that there is a smokescreen of sorts so we can at least get the players in that Carlo has identified (a minimum of 3) to stabilise and marginally improve.

This would be a great time to boot Boys Pen Billy into touch and get Usmanov into the Boardroom. Provided he brought his big fat cheque-book with him that is!

Given the disaster in recruitment that has been the last few windows I won't hold my breath this time.

And I think you'll find that no matter who we bring in, things won't change until Chairman Bill et al are the ones being cleared out. Which is what I'd be asking for instead of producing endless lists of what-if's and maybes.

You are correct; we need a goalscorer.

As for building a team around him, we are doomed. He will have the enviable record of being relegated with two separate teams.

Look at the facts, Chelsea among others are looking to replace their keeper but nobody is looking at the England No 1. He is not a team player and we will not build any defence until he is replaced. Look how Arteta has already done at Arsenal with Martinez.

Other problems, like Pickford, how many of our players are in demand by Premier League clubs in the transfer market. Realistically, Richarliosn definitely and maybe Digne, Holgate and possibly Calvert-Lewin (if he got decent supply). All the rest are seeing out contracts where next option is to go to:

(a) a newly promoted club,
(b) a recently relegated club, or
(c) a reasonably finance Championship club.

TW is full of people looking big name players which if we are realistic, if good enough, will be picked up by Top Six/Seven clubs. We need to focus on young hungry players who are willing to work their socks off for the club and give everything, eg, Gana. If they work as hard as he did and with one creative box-to-box player we could change this around but before that we need.

1. To be stable at the back (no Pickford!)
2. Supply decent ball to forwards, not having them constantly committing to aimless runs so, when a chance does come, they still have the energy to take it.

We have just finished in our lowest position since 2004. In that summer, we had barely a penny to spend and lost Wayne Rooney on the last day of the transfer window. Expectations were very low with many fans predicting relegation but the signings of Marcus Bent and Tim Cahill, coupled with a better spirit among the squad, took us to our best finishing position in the Premier League.

Leaving him with the current squad with two or three bog-standard replacements will not cut it.

To me, Farhad Moshiri needs to invest in players like never before, but this time with proven expertise – not contaminated by Finch Farm or the West End.

It's the future of EFC; more than ever, the whole club must stick together, and then build.

But hope is eternal, and every day is a good day.

He is a young, fit lad who, to me, seems to lack the hunger and desire or footballing intelligence to find space and therefore be in a realistic position to receive it. Contrast his movement with say Gareth Barry who, despite being slower than Calvert-Lewin, knew where to go to knit play together and lessen the risk of losing possession.

Mirallas did well in his early Everton career because he made the right runs and timed them well and because he sometimes had Darron Gibson behind him who could see and deliver a pass, something our current midfielders are seemingly unable to do.

It is easy to criticise the current midfielders and lay all the blame at their feet but Calvert-Lewin could learn a little from Richarlison (and Mirallas too!) by driving at opposing defenders more than he does.

Also, social media reveals Tosun training hard on a beach and looking in decent shape, but no idea how his knee is. I think he'll be moved on.

Yannick Bolasie, is likely to stay. Whilst I don't think he's good enough, I will be rooting for him. I saw quite a bit of him for Sporting. He didn't set the Portuguese league alight, which doesn't bode well, but he looked fully recovered from injury.

Sporting are a basket case of a club right now and had three managers in quick succession this season, the last of whom decided that as Bolasie was off, he wouldn't pick him, as he tried to get the team for next season ready. Bolasie is good enough to stay at Sporting, they just cannot afford him. Also, for the wage, he was not close to being their best player.

Since he returned to England for lockdown, he's been posting lots of videos of maintaining fitness in his garden. He then did a bike ride to Goodison and around Liverpool.

Now he's allowed at Finch Farm again (Covid-19 rules prevented him until the season was over), he's been down and got his new training kit and been working out there. He also delivered some shirts to fans.

He's very much on a charm offensive to win the hearts of Evertonians. It's a nice contrast to Iwobi and the backlash against him for flaunting his wealth.

As I said, I doubt Bolasie is good enough, but I'll be hoping for a miracle that he is 100% fit and in the form of his life, so he can claim a place in our first team. His dedication deserves our support and he's clearly a nice lad.

Tosun was always a good finisher, but was not suited to playing up top on his own. He struggled to lead the line and didn't have the pace to stretch defenses. But, if we are playing with two up top and Tosun is given the same instruction that Calvert-Lewin has been given, ie, play in front on the goal, I think he is worth a shot, as a striking option. If we are playing with two, we need four in the squad: Calvert-Lewin, Tosun, Richarlison & Kean.

Ask a question: it's the 88th minute, there is a chance, either a header or a first-time shot… who would you back to make the net ripple? Calvert-Lewin or Tosun? By the way, I will add that I'm a big fan of Calvert-Lewin so my suggestion is as 4th choice or a back-up to Calvert-Lewin.

I certainly don't see him getting any offers from higher up the league, which is pretty damning as that is the majority of Premier League teams after this season.

I think our forwards were asked to make all sort of decoy runs under Silva with the hope to open up opportunities for wingers and midfield. With Ancelotti, I believe he wanted to see less decoy running and more into spaces to pick up through balls. Most of these did not come; hence, my case for main priorities are:

1. Stable Goalkeeper

2. Midfielders with the following qualities:

a) Clinical and cynical midfield ball-winner, eg, Gana, Reid;

b) Box-to-box player with big engine who shows for the ball and makes the simple pass.

c) Creative midfield player who sees the difficult pass: Arteta, Barkley.

If we got §1 and any two of §2, I don't think we need to look at the big name on the continent, eg, Leicester City were able to pick up Maddison; Grealish and Rice, are all options.

I believe continentals rarely can buy into Everton and are only there for the money which is why we have a lethargic squad.

First test, before any silky skills are hunger, hate losing, and a bit of fight, as per Richarlison.

Nathan, I also agree that, if Tosun is over his injury, he may be worth persevering with when considering the priorities which I have mentioned above.

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Without wishing to invite more ridicule from Mike Gaynes and possibly others, I just do not see Pickford as an upgrade on Robles (which is what I said a long time ago) and most certainly not for a 㿊M net outlay!

I do not have the time these days to watch endless amounts of football (other than Everton) but I do firmly believe that a better, more stable 'keeper is out there for us. I will agree with you also about the need for a top-quality defensive midfielder, that would help us enormously.

Big decisions have to be made by the club very soon if we are to consolidate and move forward again. I just hope that Brands and the club are prepared to do what is necessary – even if it means losing face and credibility in the process by highlighting huge past errors of judgement.

I have to disagree vehemntly with that statement.

Richy and Digne have a better workrate and produce more than the rest of the squad.

The real problems are the likes of Walcott, Iwobi and Siggy none of whom you could arguably call a continental aquisition becasue they are all England based and have been for a long time.

The problem isn't where they come from its the recruitment that brings them here.

Look at the top 6. There are very few "English" players and where there are they are outstanding players beyond our reach.

British players do often give you a solid base. I'll say that. But continentals will be a vital part of building our way out of mediocrity.

I also have been saying this ever since I saw him clatter into the back of Ashley Williams and when I commented on it during the live thread, I got devoured. I have constantly claimed since then, he is the root of our defensive frailties despite much abuse. Thanks for the endorsement.

To all others, my comment on “continentals” was a poor choice of words but I do believe that we need a mix. I did include players like Gana, Richarlison and Arteta in my ideal Everton players so it was not meant to be as prejudicial as it sounded. 'Journeymen' would have been a better choice of word.

My apologies and I am not advocating English players, as I am not English myself, but do want our players to show passion and pride in their own performance as well as for the club.

The rest of your points are well made but I think we all agreed that recruitment has been awful since Moyes left.

I thought both players were half decent before they joined Everton and would at least add some quality to the squad but Walcott's goals have dried up and Iwobi has never been a goalscorer but used to be a decent provider.

Maybe it's more to do with what is going on at the club. I have long suspected that Kenwright and latterly Moshiri have too much say on the playing side. Who knows but something is not right and it's pointless to keep buying players if this is the end result.

This DoF hasn't worked, has it? I hope we get shut of Brands now, enough is enough. Stick with a manager and let him bring in his own players. That unfortunately means half the squad aren't suitable... not that they ever were. I've never had so little faith in Everton. I'm not looking forward to watching 4-4-2, if that's what Carlo is going for.

Shame it wasn't us that could just go out and bring in the 3 players Chelsea have. We are not on the same level. We could have been... but the last few years have ruined us. I knew Walsh's signings would screw us over for years, and they have. Guy should be put in stocks.

We've seen mixed results from players who can't get a game at champs league clubs with world class players ahead of them (eg Deulofeu, Kean, Digne, Gomes and Mina). Still think this is a good strategy, though - but better with those who are desperate to get a game rather than those who are dropping down having failed.

We clearly spend far too much, fruitlessly, on moderately good players from other prem clubs. We should stop doing that altogether.

We are also extremely poor at picking up players from:

- south american clubs

- middling European leagues

- middling clubs in major European leagues

Which is strange because this is where the best value is to be had. And its where I thought Brands would be looking at most.

I see him as a central, offensive player in a 4-2-3-1 formation or as a right-sided attacker in the same formation. I do not think he is ever going to be the best option in a 4-4-2 formation or a 4-3-3 formation or even a 4-1-4-1 formation.

Unless Carlo switches to a 4-2-3-1 formation, then I believe Iwobi will continue to struggle for game time, struggle to be selected, and struggle to impress when on the field of play. All too often, we buy a player, then fail to set up and play him to his strengths.

I agree with a lot of what you say, and I have never liked the DOF policy or maybe we have just appointed 2 of the worst in the business in Walsh and Brands. I think the problem we have as a club is we will be viewed by agents and players as a middle to bottom half team, and therein lies the problem.

Top 6 quality players won't come here, as they are after minimum Europa league or Champions League qualification on a regular basis. So we tend to get players not good enough for a top 6 team, even though we pay top 6 salary.

Apart from Richarlison and Digne, I can't think of any other of our players who the top 6 clubs would be interested in. So we end up selling our better players and replacing them with even more mediocrity. So we end up paying 㿙 million for Sigurdsson or paying Schneiderlin and Bernard 𧴜,000 per week, it really borders on madness.

In an ideal world, I would want our club to be well run with good recruitment and the RS to win fuck all but at least they have put ٠,500 in my back pocket with those two trophies, I see it as compensation, even though it isn't enough. I hate them with every fibre of my being.

There is literally no hope for some people. None.

Buy a right-back: Theory, Coleman can be cover for Digne, or Delph. So we need another right back as Coleman is in his 30s. Digne will need resting occasionally if we want to try for a cup next year too. Unless Kenny is the answer.

Buy a centre-back with pace, may need to sell on Keane or Gibson to help with funds if it happens, for example.

Buy a centre-midfielder who is brilliant like a Kante or Allan, can pay by installments as quite a few players off the books this year if we go large here, plus lose Sigurdsson?

Right wing [X], I thought more about this and think Walcott and Iwobi might be a bit better next year if our defence can play higher up the pitch with a more pacey right-back who can run the whole length of the pitch and overlap (like Coleman 5 years ago), and with a centre-mid who can protect behind them. So we can leave this for another year. Both in fact are pretty good in the last quarter of the pitch historically, it's just that in this current team they get hardly any chance with the ball near the penalty box recently.

This is a way to go 4-4-2, with just 3 changes and we can afford it and play much more sustained attacking football at pace.

Thinking about some pro footballers who say we need another 20-goal-a-season striker, I'm offering another scenario to consider. Imagine we had Ronaldo or Harry Kane upfront. They still wouldn't score much more than Richie if we have a slow defence and can't play on the half-way line. That means both full-backs have a long way to run to support Gordon and Walcott or Iwobi, so it's maybe only 5 times a match on each side they get up the pitch and support them. Also, very rarely do wide players go on a solo run from a very deep defensive position to the opponent's penalty box and put the ball in for the striker to score, so they need the full-back closer to them or overlapping to create space. However, if we have more confidence in a pacey back line, with a brilliant defensive centre mid, and a clone of Coleman in his 20s, Ronaldo or Kane would have more chances. This means a new striker is a lower priority.

In summary, 3 new signings is enough already to transform this team.

Tin hat on.

Carlo has never had to deal with this shit show in his life and I just hope Crosby marina is too good for him to walk away from.

It is not to say that the recruitment policy should be entirely based on that. Only that it should be given more consideration.

Players that need looking at are midfielders David Brooks, 23; Emi Buendia, 23; and right-back Max Aarons, 20; Edouard, 22. I am delighted that Brooks has already been associated with us, I'm hoping there's some truth in that one. I think he could be as good a signing as Maddison was for Leicester City.

Players on the up like this can complement the likes of Allan, and bring in much needed energy and desire into the team. A wave of infectious enthusiasm can result from it and energise players we already have.

The big earners like Sigurdsson represent a problem. Ancelotti can't simply discard him, this is why Ancelotti will continuously talk him up. He earns too much, and cost too much to simply discard. I'm sure Brands has been tasked with finding him a club, but finding a buyer will not be easy. If no buyer is found, then Ancelotti will be tasked to get the best out of him.

We clearly need 2-3 central midfield reinforcements, but whether that will be possible is another question.

A winger/wide forward (or 2) is another priority. Desperately needed to add dynamism to our attacks. But again, much of this depends on finding buyers for 2 of our highest earners who play in these positions - Bernard and Walcott. Both are on 𧴜k+, and Ancelotti will be tasked of utilising them and getting the best out of them if no buyer is found.

Then there are enigmas such as Iwobi – where does he fit in? He'll be another big earner who cost a big fee – If we don't have a buyer, Ancelotti will be tasked with getting the best out of them.

In an ideal world: We'd sign 1 experienced central midfielder like Allen to give much needed leadership and passion to out midfield, plus a couple of younger players like Eberechi Eze and David Brooks. But that'll be 㿨 million+ in fees, and substantial wages. So at least 3 of Gomes, Sigurdsson, Iwobi, and Delph would need to move on.

Same for attackers. Someone like Edouard would be ideal, add a player like Sarr and we look a much more dangerous outfit. But that'll be another 㿞-60 million and 2 big wages. So the need to sell Walcott, Bernard, and even Kean on top of Tosun and Bolasie before we can make any other moves is apparent.

We have too many big wages to be able to make any real changes that we desperately need. So maybe the reality will be just 2-3 incomings, and finding a way to get the most out of the underperforming, big earners until we manage to ship them.

How quickly the staggering costs of Premier League football have become normalized.

Carlo must have his contacts and hopefully has a shortlist of players who won't cost the earth but have enough class to compliment what he has already and turn this club around.

If other managers can do it then why not Carlo? He knows what crap will not fit into his future plans and I am sure he has appraised those above him so they can get the paperwork ready to ship them out.

We, the fans, are sick and tired of excuses for this sorry bunch and sincerely hope positive action will be taken soon.

Gylfi is only really of any use in a 4-2-3-1 formation and if the Italian refuses to use that formation then Sigurdsson has no place at Goodison. Just because we paid a massive fee for the player should not mean he is given a starting berth regardless of how he performs.

I have a little sympathy for the player in that I recognise he is more often than not asked to play a role that does not play to his strengths. From my perspective, we also have Iwobi and Gomes who are suited to the same role as Sigurdsson so this duplication has to be removed.

Two out of the three players mentioned need to be moved on in my opinion; if that means we have to subsidise the wages of these players elsewhere, so be it because, until we do, we are going nowhere.

Gomes has his attributes but defending is not his strong point... that is an understatement, he has no place in the two in a 4-2-3-1 formation and, like Gylfi, is not suited to a 4-3-3 formation or a 4-4-2 formation either. Gomes might be okay in a 4-1-4-1 formation with a quality defensive midfielder behind him.

I agree with what you said about Ancelotti bigging up Sigurdsson, that is the right thing to do if we intend to move the player on as I hope. Brands has been very slow in moving players on thus far, probably because it simply highlights and magnifies the idiotic decisions and glaring errors he himself has made in the past.

One might like to think that no "Top level" professional, particularly in midfield, could be so limited or niche as to be unsuited/inflexible or barely "okay" for just about every formation.

I'm not sure we're anywhere near competent in team spirit, commitment and the basics at present for such fine tuning to be an issue. Not to mention fitness.

We can talk racehorse when we replace some donkeys.

Assuming no-one comes in with big dough for Kean, he's playing in my team until he clicks.

Anthony Gordon looks like a keeper and, like Kean, should be developed in the first team. The rest of the wingers/AMCs are for sale. Assuming we can't shift them, Walcott can do a job on the right when he's fit and the same goes for Bernard on the left. Maybe Bolasie has something left after feeling his way back from injury while out on loan.

We don't have a centre-midfielder worth keeping based on form and Gbamin will never last a season so can be discounted after hardly kicking a ball in blue. No-one's coming in for these players with the possible exception of Gomes who is the least useless of the bunch assuming he recovers some fitness and form.

Iwobi has demonstrated he can run doggies if required but has never been taught to tackle. Of all the things you might need to teach a professional footballer, tackling is one of the most simple and we have one of the ‘best managers in the world'. He would not have been my first choice to buy in the first place but we have a lot of players we're stuck with so Ancelotti or one of his cronies need to get stuck into him on the training field for his sake and ours.

The defence can be fixed with a little common sense but we need another full-back on each side. Maybe Davies can be trained to be a utility player. Centre -midfielders often make decent full-backs on their preferred side.

I'd sell the goalie if we got an offer (as I would any of our players apart from Richarlison who will probably be the one player we do sell) but he's worth persevering with for another year.

In summary, the first player we need to buy is an athletic, combative midfielder with a winner's attitude. I can see why we went for Højbjerg on that basis. If possible, I'd buy two, in case we pull another Gbamin. The other one can always play fullback!

I agree with you in that we are devoid of team spirit, commitment and fitness. What do you think are the solutions?

I wouldn't mind him back at Everton for the right price!

Brands has put a lot of work into changing the academy and U23 objectives, which has largely been happening under the radar, even before Ancelotti joined Everton. He is close to achieving his objectives. So I think you are right in your assessment of how the academy will figure.

I also think you are right that a lot of players will be available for sale. Ancelotti will have already assessed the players he has, and will not make do with what he has got. I think that any acquisitions will be later in the window, when funds from sales are realised and Moshiri comes up with the transfer money that he agreed with Ancelotti before he started at Everton.

The truth is that a lot of current Everton players are not of the standard that Ancelotti wou!d require to effectively respond to his coaching. We have already seen players respond to his coaching, only to go back to their old ways in subsequent games. I can't see Ancelotti being happy to continue with this

Also Darren on good authority informed us that players blamed Ancelotti openly for the wrong tactics against the Liverpool youngsters in the FA Cup. Ancelotti did not respond and even more ominously did not move an eyebrow. Ancelotti is expecting the squad to work hard this Summer, no extended holidays, so the player assessments by Ancelotti will continue with a more demanding training regime.

It's going to be a markedly different Summer and pre-season than what has gone before.

If Moshiri fails to provide him with the players he needs to achieve that ambition, it tells us all, within and without the club, that lil' owd' Everton are still happy to accept the dross that Kenwright's served up for well over 20 years.

Walcott when we bought him was a goalscorer, Sigurdsson had a history of goals until last season.

We cannot continue to rely on Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin for our goals. The rest of the team needs to contribute so we should be concentrating our acquisitions on players with a decent goal contribution.

I initially thought in terms of tinkering with various positions, but Sam is right: there has to be fundamental change from the ground up. Let's face it, not many of our current players have a winning mentality. That includes our loyal servants. If they did have it, they would have wanted to be in a winning team. Sadly not Everton.

The other problem is that players that have been bought in have drifted from the high expectation levels needed, as they simply have been influenced by the age-old problem of the bad company they are now in. Any player coming into such a set-up would drift the same.

My hope this Summer is that Finch Farm changes continue. The youth development system which I thought was beginning to change, has I now find been changing in line with Premier League standards, instigated and guided by Brands prior to Ancelotti's arrival. Gordon and Branthwaite are beneficiaries of that. The next area is Medical Services where injury prevention will be governed by harder training and recovery, with an emphasis on harder training rather than rest. Ancelotti has already talked in terms of more work and training, proclaiming the warm weather break as unnecessary, and a working Summer with no extended holidays.

It is my hope that Ancelotti's extensive and strategic changes in personnel in Medical Services will fundamentally change Finch Farm into a higher fitness regime, and irradicate the inconsistent performance that, in my opinion, is large!y fitness-based due to a below standard training regime and a below-standard prevention of injury regime. There is resistance to these changes. That is why there has to be a for sale sign over most of the squad.

Fundamental changes at Everton are a must, tinkering with the present squad will not get the results that Ancelotti is used to achieving. We can speculate on high-priced saviours all Summer but they will only be effective if brought into a regime that is orientated to work hard towards winning. Such change may not bring initial success, but more a noticeable change in attitude and consistency in team performance. Everton would be therefore more adaptable to Ance!otti's team management and tactic changes in individual games.

The priority for Ancelotti and Brands will be players in and out, with this objective in mind.

It has to be a Big Summer ahead.

Formation:

I think Carlo has to get realistic here. This team won't play 4-4-2 without serious investment. That won't happen. I think the best option we have is a fluid 3-5-2/5-3-2. I don't really think we have a midfield capable of a 2. We also have financial issues for at least 1 year. So this would be a solution where a top quality right-back, maybe a left-footed centre-half, and a centre-midfielder would do.

Goalkeeper

Pickford. I would keep him. I think at his best, his ceiling is way higher than anything we could get. The question marks on his mental side mean he isn't saleable this year anyway for a price we'd need. For his faults, people forget he's pulled off saves others wouldn't. I also think him not being England's Number One will be a positive.

Centre-Defence

Holgate starts. Mina starts. If we could get Gabriel that would be a coup. Keane on the bench. Gibson on loan. Coleman in case of injury. My formation would start with three. Mina centre of three.

Full-back

This will be vital. Digne has the potential to boss the left side in a 3-5-2 with the ball. He also has to offer defensive nous without the ball in a 5-3-2 when under the cosh. We need the equivalent on the right. I'm not sure Kenny is good enough. Coleman I don't think has the technical ability for it either, or the long-term legs.

Centre-Midfield

Right now, there won't be extensive surgery. Therefore we need a three. For me, they would be

– a new defensive midfielder to alternate with Gbamin.
– alongside Gomes in a quaterback role
– in advance of thes,e to be a Number 8. That for me has to be Iwobi. He cost too much and has too much ability to simply discount. This plays to his strengths. He's no winger. Now, if you can recoup most of your outlay on Iwobi, that's something to consider.

Forwards

Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin suit the 2. So play it. I think Kean is probably our only option in a 1 right now anyway.

Kean to alternate in. I was really impressed with him vs Bournemouth. I also reckon Tosun would be half-decent in a 2, but do you really want Richarlison to be Tosun's water carrier to allow this? Realistically he goes this summer.

To summarise (5-3-2):

Pickford
Digne
New centre-back
Mina
Holgate
New right-back
New centre-midfielder
Gomes
Iwobi
Calvert-Lewin
Richarlison.

Permanent outs

Sandro: buy him out rather than subsidising loan wages for another year. Symbolically, him going is important.

Bolasie: loan him out and recoup for 12 months what you can. An awful signing even if he had stayed fit. I'd argue Bolasie at the price, wage and age was our worst signing.

Kenny: if not good enough has to go permanently this season.

Pennington: sell for whatever, he will never make it.

Besic: I think he will be attractive enough with only 12 months left

Loans

Gibson to the Championship
Virginia to League One level
Tosun to somewhere in January's window (or whenever it's placed), he won't be fit enough I guess for this window.

Those who think Sigurdsson will go anywhere are deluded. 2 years on his money – no chance!

Sandro was a punt on a cheap transfer fee, but ridiculous wages Bolasie has been a journeyman highlight-reel player his whole career. He was never a player who would have been worth that outlay. He was never going to improve. He also would have had zero resale value.

Sandro... it was thinkable to see him as a good signing. But not on them wages – it was disastrous.

The Bolasie signing. Anyone who knew anything about football knew that was laughable.

So:
1) Bolasie
2) Sandro
3) Sigurdsson

For me.

Sandro... let's go back to 2016 or whenever. He'd come off the back of a good year for Malaga. Brought up at Barcelona, he was available for ٣M. Paying him that money was unthinkably stupid. But his signing had a bit of sense.

Bolasie. What exactly anyone saw to pay 㿊M for him, or anywhere near 㿷k a week, was ridiculous. He had only ever been, and would be, a bang average Premier League player.

Can you imagine the reaction at Selhurst Park when that bid went in...

As for whether we should keep him, I would prefer that he and all those out on loan are recalled for Mr Ancelotti to assess – which may encourage them to move permanently rather than spending a couple of months on Merseyside every year until their contracts end.

Sandro has no intention of staying past his contract. He wants to be in Spain. If the lad wanted to fight, he'd have stayed before now. What's the point in letting Carlo have a look?

I re-read the second part of your post. I agree this is make-or-break time for Moshiri's intentions for Everton. We cannot go into next season thinking we can build a team around the dross of last season and previous seasons.

The questions that Jay (#78) raises is a key issue. Kean in his last games looked more like it than others.

We'll just disagree on what he is paid other than it will cost Everton a lot less if he can be persuaded to move even at a price similar to that received for Schneiderlin.

3 years ago we beat City 4-0 which was at the time Guardiola's heaviest league defeat.

Team that day was (3-5-2):-

Robles

Holgate
Williams
Funes Mori

Coleman
Davies
Barry
Barkley
Baines

Lukaku
Mirallas

Gueye missed the match and so an extra centre-back was played.

Koeman never tried this formation again. Had he, we may not be in the mess we are today...

Fast-forward 3 years and the team now would be:

Pickford

Holgate
Keane?
Mina

Coleman?
Davies? Gbamin?
Gomes
Iwobi?
Digne

Calvert-Lewin
Richarlison

The ? marks are the areas where there need to be improvements or replacements. So focus needs to be on CB?, energetic RWB, CM x 2 with those marked ? in the above line up becoming cover supplemented by the younger players - Branthwaite, Kenny, Gordon, Kean, Baningime, Nkounkou, Virginia.

Sell Sigurdsson, Walcott, Bernard, Tosun, Delph, Besic, Ramirez, Bolasie, etc to raise as much £s as possible.

Not perfect but would be a good start...

Clubs will want to offload their fringe players to reduce their wage burden and then figure out what money they have left over to sign new players. This is going to be a very busy transfer window and Brands has his work cut out.

I knew where you were coming from, Graham. I agree. The solution(s)? That's a big one. I don't know if I could address that without writing a "War and Peace" post. When I get the time, maybe I will!

Adam, whatever formation we probably upgrade along the lines you describe. A centre-half (Gabriel, Todibo, Salisu or Zouma) to get us higher up the pitch, a centre mid player (Allan, Hojbjerg, McKennie) to add more quality, aggression, leadership etc and finally – an improved right flank. The transfer rumours indicate an open mind as to whether this is a better right back (Aarons, Dalot, Dagba, Çelik etc) or a better right-winger (Ünder, Lozano, Bailey).

Finally, on swaps, I think they make a lot of sense but hard to find the right conditions. Clubs in Italy would gladly take Kean off us. But he's going nowhere. Swaps involving Walcott, Ramirez, Bolasie, Besic and even Sigurdsson seem a lot less likely. Kenny for McKennie is the only one I can think of that seems feasible.

Thank god for the emergence if Calvert-Lewin, Holgate, Gordon and Branthwaite this season. Otherwise, we could be in an awful state.

I apologise for being negative, it's just I can't see us breaking the never ending dissapointing cycle. I still think the failure of Kings Dock all those years ago was our chance (gone).

The only way we will get players who have attracted interest of the top boys, is to pay them considerably more.

Sandro is on 㿭,000 a week.

The Everton player collecting 𧴰,000 a week is Bernard, not Sandro.

Robert #92, We currently have Richarlison, Kean and Calvert-Lewin on our books, so do you think these three could be our front line three and a reason to start to transition to a 4-3-3 formation for next season?

Will #91, It seems we are in agreement that we would both have to take a week off in order to address the 'evil' question that I posed you, such are the problems at the club currently.

What do you think of Watkins? Similar player and game to Calvert-Lewin?

Benhrahma, Watkins, Jensen, Onomah, Eze, Cash are just a few who'd improve our team.

It sounds like (similar to me) you do not watch too much football other than Everton but I appreciate and respect your honesty! I will agree with you and say that we do need to offload the crap.

I have my doubts as to whether the club will make the hard decisions it really needs to in the coming weeks. As far as I am concerned, this time period really is last chance saloon for Marcel Brands.

Dependant on the price, I would be interested in taking back Kurt Zouma but as much as I loved Gana Gueye age is now a huge minus. I always quite liked Will Hughes as a footballer (budget option) even though he is a red, could be a decent squad addition if we clear some of the grossly overpaid, underperforming 'stars'.

Gabriel to Man U
Hojbjerg to Tottenham
Reguilon to Chelsea

I think it will continue to happen with every player he comes up with. The agents must be loving it, they will be touting their charge to the big six clubs 5 minutes after Marcel puts the phone down.

He must be frustrated, but unfortunately it goes with the territory of currently being out of Europe. His strategy needs to cope with that. Outbidding on the wages front can backfire spectacularly too, Mr B has definitely got his work cut out. It certainly is a ‘Big Summer' for him.

The strategy could boil down to signing Allan because of his allegiance to Ancelotti or re-signing Idrissa Gana Gueye, possibly taking Lozano on loan for a year.

Then making one or two signings of players on the up. Ones who are not going to start for a big six club just yet but have massive potential to prove themselves stepping up to a bigger club. A few names are always mentioned Brooks, Buendia, Aarons, Eze and some from abroad like Sangare. All players who are gettable if Carlo rates them.

I do like McNeil from Burnley, not sure if he's available though.

McNeil is someone who gets overlooked because Burnley are so unfashionable. He's very good. Could you imagine him an Aarons forming our right flank?

Might cost about 㿏M for McNeil alone but would get delivery into the box, good skills and work rate too.

Before the restart, I was hoping for Rabiot and Neres or Malcom for the right-wing slot in a 4-3-3. Now, with our 4-4-2, Neres or Malcom wouldn't work; McNeil would.

Unfortunately Rabiot won't be coming now. Just for completeness.

I have mentioned McNeil before as a player I would really like us to bring in. I think the problem and dilemma we have right now is where we prioritise first. McNeil would be a good addition particularly if Carlo wanted to push us to a 4-4-2 formation.

Robert, I did think that McNeil played on the left and Aarons on the right though?

I would love Sarr perhaps most of all although it is being reported that his agent is now in talks with the RS; he seems quality and will probably demand a fee we cannot stretch to anyway because of the money we have wasted on shite previously.

Sarr looks a very good fit to me. Absolutely lightning. Gets goals and assists. Great age but has proven he can do it in this league and will surely not stay at Watford. But, if the RS are really in for him, then it won't happen.

Such has been our backwards progression over last 4 years that no sane player will pick us over the likes of Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea etc. Even Wolves and Leicester will pip us to players now.

In previous games this season there have very good performances from two or three players from these teams, including the No 10 from Fulham Benrahma. He had a poor game last night and didn't do himself justice, including wasting two free kicks, but he is a lot better than he showed last night.

Whether they could do it in the Premier League is another matter, along with the price asked for them.

Look at the Brentford goalkeeper. He should never have been beaten like he was for the first goal, and I think he knew at the end that error cost his team promotion, he was distraught.

Obviously the lack of a crowd didn't help, and at times it felt almost like a practice match.

I'm still undecided on the play off concept. I know the teams go into it knowing the score, but the purist in me still finds it a bit unfair that in a league competition, the team that finishes 3rd doesn't get rewarded with the 3rd promotion place. That's just me though.

If we are going to have them, I quite liked the framework we adopted, I think only for the very first season they were introduced, but one the Germans still use. 3rd, 4th & 5th from the Championship with the 3rd from bottom of the Premier League in the mix too!!

I believe the days of players signing for a club for "the opportunity and experience" of working for a particular manager (and I do mean any manager) have gone.

That's is one of the reasons I have always felt we are paying too much for the wrong guy.

Let's see. That's all we can do right now.

Jury still out, but let's see now that we have a very successful football man (player and manager), who can hopefully have more influence on the player decision-making than his recent predecessors.

I read the writing on the wall. I can't miss it because the letters are enormous, but every time I say what I think. somebody tells me to wait and see. There is always somebody thinking patience is a positive.

I could of course counter that by telling them to wake up and smell the coffee, but I get myself enough bollockings on here. Quite what people believe they are waiting for, is something that completely escapes me.

I don't believe that this club can ever move forward until this logic-defying patience is finally exhausted and I worry that will never happen. I fear many Evertonians will die from being patient. The trouble is, they'll take the rest of us with them.

I would be happy to see "mañana" surgically removed from the vocabulary of every Evertonian:

"I want it now, I want it now!"

"Don't tell me that my ship is coming in."

Silver lining and all that...

Further links to Leon Bailey today. That would also be great.

Even if I was as poor, I'd be a lot cheaper – and I'd have resale value!

Watch endless mind-numbing footy matches which may also end in defeat and that's tough luck on the customer – better luck next time around.

Given that fact, I'm not sure what fans can do apart from being as patient as Job although it seems he was far from being patient and was more renowned for his levels of endurance.

In every sense apart from our emotional attachment to the club, we are mere consumers and therefore we can choose not to buy the product if we so wish or refuse to attend once we have shelled out for a season ticket. Despite claims to the contrary, it is unlikely that our marching through the streets with pitchforks in hand will result in a sudden change of policy by the board or owner; it might result in a manager being sacked but it won't alter the culture.

I agree with your sentiment, though. As a collective, we have sadly become apathetic and indifferent. I often have this debate with younger family members who seemingly accept mediocrity. It comes to light when having the "this player vs that player" debate. I get told I am being unrealistic as that's not where we are. Perhaps, but I counter that by arguing: "Where do you want Everton to be?"

And please do keep giving your views (not that you need my consent of course!!). I agree with some, I have different views on others, but I always respect them. I could say that about just about every person I know.

In fact, the only person who is 100% aligned with me on Everton these days is my dog, who always sits there nodding in agreement at my sentimental stories of past success or frustrated rants such as post Wolves!!

While we have fans with this mentality the downward spiral will only continue. Everton have not won a trophy for 25 years – for 11 of those with the same manager – does this count to the illustrious history?

You will remember a few years ago when the talk of Kirkby was filling these pages? Bill Kenwright's kite was flashed up on the screen at Goodison and he received applause from a sizeable minority of the crowd. Since then, his deeds and misdeeds have been well-documented support has dwindled. I must confess I have never come across a match-goer who has any time for him. Nor have I ever come across one anywhere online who has said "He's one of us so who cares."

Therein lies the problem. It's not just Kenwright's popularity which has dwindled. His influence in negligible... Yet people still see him as being the problem.

A duplicitous fooker he may be, but Kenwright didn't spend 𧺬M on Shite. He was always far too interested in what he could get out of the club than spending it. He's gone as the caller of shots. Quite why people hold him responsible for the shit show we are witnessing now is beyond me.

The Evertonian was once a knowledgeable fan. That's gone. we have been infiltrated by happy clappers and poor judges who point the finger of blame in the most ridiculous of directions.

The wily old fox will not attract the promising young players we need. To them, the prospect of signing for him and Brands must seem about as attractive as signing on the dotted for child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. There are only two reasons they will sign for us:

A) nobody higher up the ladder wants them.

B) we pay them far more than they are worth.

I don't agree with Patrick either. The fanfare which has greeted Ancelotti's arrival will be very familiar to Moshiri. It happens every time. Every poor signing and appointment has been greeted with this incredible outpouring.

It's going to be years before they realise they have nailed their colors to yet another rotten mast. By then the appointment will be deemed a disaster and once again, it will be deemed Moshiri's fault again.

Ask a section of our fan base where the root of our problems lie and they would probably point firmly in the direction of Tom Davies.

I don't want to get into the name game, because as you allude to, people throw blame at different levels depending on their view and position.

Your post did make me refer back to a previous discussion we had recently and, without saying it directly, you've highlighted that theme again. The reason we can throw blame out at players, managers, the chairman and owners (depending on where you sit) goes back to a lack of strategy stretching back several years. We have no end-to-end strategy or system, which creates disjointery that would make a South American political regime look organised.

There are systematic fault lines throughout the club at all levels. We have a randomly assembled playing squad that lacks shape. In fact, it struggles to be put into any form of shape because we don't know what style we want to play. This is largely because of the manager merry-go-round we have been on since 2013.

Then we get to the owner who has seemingly written a blank cheque for the reckless spending by a series of managers when there is obviously no longer-term vision in place – other than building a new stadium. Well, it would be nice to have a decent team to watch play in that stadium first. If you look at most examples, those who get it right build on the pitch first and the stadium follows. You don't build the roof before the foundations and walls, right?

When I have conducted planning, I first figure out the objective. What have I been asked to do, where do we want to be and how do we get there? Then you plan on what activities need to happen and what goals need to be met within a target timeline iin order to hit that objective. And then, you put the right people, top-to-bottom system and processes in place to achieve the goals that get you to your objective. And then communication. Everyone is bought in, everyone knows what we are trying to achieve and their part in executing the plan.

Everton have been conducting spray gun tactical activities in the hope of getting a quick win. The players don't know what the latest manager wants. The manager is still figuring out what he's got dealt and not sure what direction the board want to go in.

There was one against Newcastle, but the big one was that pass to Walcott against Bournemouth (a lovely touch in a fine general performance).

Yes, they are just glimpses and we paid a lot for him, but if this young man is properly supported by us all and properly coached then I feel we may have a real jewel.

Like yourself, I see genuine great potential in Moise Kean and particularly if he is played down the centre as a striker in either a 4-3-3 formation or even a 4-3-1-2 formation which currently would accommodate either Gomes, Iwobi, Sigurdsson or Bernard as the 'one'.

I think much depends on Moise himself and whether he genuinely wants to succeed at Everton or not and whether he has the will and drive. As a club, we need to give youth a chance, it has worked for us with Holgate and has seemingly bitten us on the arse by not really giving Vlasic a chance as one example.

I thought Calvert-Lewin was shite after lockdown and that has to change, I hope Carlo gives Kean a real chance, I feel we will see a player on an upward curve if this is the case.

I do think bombing the lad out, as we did with Vlasic, will be a mistake unless of course, he doesn't want to play for us which changes things.

We have a CEO who only talks about charity & community. We need one solely focused on a successful football team and business.

We have a Director of Football who buys brittle, peripheral, largely ineffective players. We need one who buys strong, effective players with a defined role, who make up a team. We've recruited the wrong type of manager time and again, let's see about this one.

We have a Chairman, who in my view, stands in the way of the club making the changes it needs to make as a business.

The owner? I have conflicting thoughts on Moshiri. I can't doubt his financial commitment and vision. I'm torn between thinking that Kenwright's convinced him we're a well-run club with a great chairman that just needs money, or that he's a daft rich man that thrown his business principles out of the window.

We're still a badly-run club, we're now one that spends more money.

I'm increasingly convinced that at a time of money pouring into the game, Bill 'couldn't find the right investor' because they all wanted him out of the way. He found one that let him stay.

I don't have insider knowledge – from up here, I can't think of any other reason why getting a wealthy owner has disappointed us so much.

The club must change first. It must be run like a ruthlessly ambitious, successful business. Until I see evidence of that, I think we'll carry on drifting, whoever the manager is.

As others have noted, I see the possibility of a good, young side taking shape. I also happen to agree with you about Vlasic though I'm not sure his impatient family helped.

Dreadful we may have been for a while but there is just the sniff of something happening.