I agree that Europe next year would be fantastic, but I would hazard a strong guess that that isn't the expected target within the club right now. I think the plan is to finish in European places next season and be in Europe the season after. There was simply too much to do to upgrade the squad to European quality this year. It doesn't mean it can't happen, and it's not so far fetched that it can't be the public stated aim - but the realities of budgets and where the squad was at means that I think next year is when we really expect to push for it.
davids
Player Valuation: £70m
Think with some of the football we have played the signs are there that lower level European football could be a possibility. Beto is no more than an impact sub. The decision to buy a raw kid who probably needs at least half a season to bed in using a fair chunk of our budget was a very odd decision. Makes you wonder how much input Moyes had.
Liverpool
Arsenal
City
Chelsea
Brighton
Newcastle
Spurs
United
Palace
Bournemouth
Fulham
Forest
Villa
We will probably have to finish above *seven* of those clubs to even get conference league. It would be an absolutely stonking league season to immediately manage that after the last few years, or a cup.
We're playing well and I'm loving watching Everton again and I'm excited about the future. But it feels clear to me that the smart play is to plan around challenging for Europe next season onwards, not this, although that would obviously be a huge bonus. That allows us to invest in the future for this season, which makes our (necessarily limited by PSR) funds go much much further than buying for the here and now.
davids
Player Valuation: £70m
You have to plan to finish above a many teams as possible or else it's another relegation fight. If you watch the likes of Fulham and Palace their back four look far more comfortable on the ball and pass it around faster than we do so having a striker who can hold up the inevitable long ball out should have been a priority. The two we have fail in that department. If our midfield can't come up with the goals by breaking lines themselves it'll be a very long season.
Your 60 years of watching football has provided you with another insightful gem, I see.
I wonder if it is our tactics, rather than the shortcomings of Beto and Barry that are the real issue. Barry has a decent touch with feet, it, seems he has no idea whatsoever how to challenge for a high ball, with his back to the goal, on or around the half way line. He seems to jump about a yard in front of the centre back and the ball sails over his head. Beto probably has the worst first touch of any top flight centre forward I've seen and yet we continue to hoof high balls up towards them and seem surprised when they come straight back.
Back to the goal you need to feed Barry on the deck, back to the goal you just wont get much joy on the deck or in the air from Beto . Play it over the top for Beto and on the floor to Barry and we might be getting somewhere. In the medium term Beto is just not good enough for where we want to be and the jury is out on Barry.
For now though, they are what we have got, so for gods sake, play to there strengths.
Back to the goal you need to feed Barry on the deck, back to the goal you just wont get much joy on the deck or in the air from Beto . Play it over the top for Beto and on the floor to Barry and we might be getting somewhere. In the medium term Beto is just not good enough for where we want to be and the jury is out on Barry.
For now though, they are what we have got, so for gods sake, play to there strengths.
I’d love to see what our Sports Analytics company Insight Sports made of him prior to purchasing……
Ready hope he’s just acclimatising to the league etc, which would be entirely natural for a young foreign lad.
Ready hope he’s just acclimatising to the league etc, which would be entirely natural for a young foreign lad.
davids
Player Valuation: £70m
Your glib senseless post basically points to the same outcome. You obviously haven't noticed how challenged our defenders are with the ball at their feet
I doubt with the 2 available strikers we have we'll finish above any 7 in your list ...so relegation fight it is then...son
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You may have heard of a young lad called Jarrad Branthwaite? Plays for Everton I believe. Pretty nifty with the ball at his feet.Your glib senseless post basically points to the same outcome. You obviously haven't noticed how challenged our defenders are with the ball at their feet
I doubt with the 2 available strikers we have we'll finish above any 7 in your list ...so relegation fight it is then...son
Also the fact that the options aren't limited to 'Europe' or 'relegation fight' is so blindingly obvious that pointing it out makes me feel like you must be just messing around...dad.
Don’t want to get involved in the spat you two are enjoying but Keane is a great long passer of the ball.Your glib senseless post basically points to the same outcome. You obviously haven't noticed how challenged our defenders are with the ball at their feet
I doubt with the 2 available strikers we have we'll finish above any 7 in your list ...so relegation fight it is then...son
Has to start tonight.
I think that's fair. Up to now he hasn't really shown anything that makes him look dangerous, and that needs to change even in the short term. We're probably not going to see the best of him for a while but I think it's reasonable to say we'd like to see a little bit more when he gets on to the pitch. As you say, hopefully if he gets a bit more time he'll show a few more strings to his bow.
davids
Player Valuation: £70m
Branthwaite passing to himself,now that's an idea
sadly the others toil with the basics a bit. Seems you don't watch other Prem sides and how they play out. Your posts point towards you being a 15 year old using your Mum's laptop in the basement.
davids
Player Valuation: £70m
When he has the time and space he is. Under pressure sadly not so much.
