The poor recruitment started the moment Martinez walked through the door so it’s not just 2 years more like 5. Also as I’ve said in another post, I think the problem goes beyond recruitment, most of these players were not bad players yet their performance levels at Everton are appalling. There may be another issue that Carlo and Brands have to sort out on the coaching side rather than just falling back on ‘we bought the wrong players’
Martinez just bought upper crap Lukaku aside so I could reason why we’d regressed. Under a Koeman I could accept it when it was Schneiderlin and Williams two players who didn’t really want to be here , and ok Klaasen wasn’t suited to the pace of this league.
Recently though it’s spreading to everyone. Look at Richarlison’s goal on his debut for us v Wolves. We’ve not seen anything like that pace power and composure recently from him. Even his hard work and good ball retention is also now gone. Digne used to bed very quick and very tidy on the ball, that’s now seemingly gone as well. I’m not having that Allan who was a top CL midfielder is also now a bad buy, or that Docuoure has suddenly regressed also.
There is something fundamentally wrong at the club that needs sorting out before we fire more managers, spend more money, and end up in exactly the same place.
Did it?
Barry, McCarthy, Lukaku weren't bad were they?
Alcaraz was gone after 2 years, Robles did okay for us in the end and was brought in as back up. Kone, aye, the injury made that a waste, but even he popped up for us in spells.
We were all thrilled with the Schneiderlin that came through the door in 2017, and he turned into a crab.
Some shocking purchases down the years, yes, from all of them. Like I've said though, three years ago if you'd have told us we'd still be in this mess of saying only about 7 or 8 players were good enough, that we'd still be playing Coleman at right-back, that we still don't have a midfielder who can progress with the ball, that we still don't have a right winger, then I don't think any of us would be happy.
I don't know why we're playing Richarlison up top when he's an inside forward, it doesn't get the best out of him or Dom. I don't know why we're playing Digne down the left with absolutely no assistance at all. I don't think any of the players you list are bad players so that's why I question the coaching because it can't all just be on the recruitment - most of them will be here next year and we'd want them to be if push came to shove (Digne, Rich, Pickford, Dom, Allan, Doucoure, Godfrey, Mina etc).
It's a lot of issues boiling together as one.
