Be honest we have a great squad.

[bluestevon]

Here is that squad

GOALKEEPERS AGE

Tim Howard 34
Joel Robles 23
Mason Springthorpe 19

DEFENDERS

Tony Hibbert 32
Leighton Baines 28
John Heitinga 29 (30 in November)
Phil Jagielka 31
Sylvain Distin 36
Seamus Coleman 25
John Stones 19
Antolin Alcaraz 31
Shane Duffy 21

MIDFIELDERS

Darron Gibson 26
Bryan Oviedo 23
James McCarthy 22
Gareth Barry (loan) 32
Ross Barkley 19
Leon Osman 32
Steven Pienaar 31
Francisco Junior (loan) 21
Matthew Kennedy 19

FORWARDS

Nikica Jelavić 28
Arouna Kone 29 (30 in November)
Kevin Mirallas 25
Steven Naismith 27
Gerard Deulofeu (loan) 19
Romelu Lukaku (loan) 20
Magaye Gueye 23
Apostolos Vellios 21
Conor McAleny 21

Some interesting things to note:

Average age is 26... which sounds fine until you realise the following..

Of the 30 players named, 8 are over 30. 2 more will be 30 by November. So a third of their squad are over the hill and will need replacing in the next few years.

There are 5 teenagers

A further 9 are 20-23.

Only 6 would be considered at their peak.

Essentially their squad is one of extremes, a lot of unproven youth and a lot of aging players.

Their first team squad also had four loan players in it, including arguably their two best players.

Their backline is particularly scary, 5 players are 30 years old (or will be in a few weeks) and only two players in their prime, Coleman and Baines. Even Baines is 29 in a few months (should have sold him this year I reckon). That means a lot more likelihood of debilitating injuries.


In midfield, two key players (Pienaar and Osman) are also 32, leaving a lot of pressure on new boy (22 year old McCarthy) to fill the gap left by Felaini

Up front a lot will be required of the 20 year old Lukaku and 19 year old Deulofeu... that's quite a burde for a full season... altenatively perhaps Kone and Jelavic will exit their current slump to drag the team onwards from relegation.

To be perfectly honest, I think their squad is paper thin, replete with filler and geared towards the short term, not long. I think their policy of "sell our best player every year to service unending debt" is particularly stupid and fraught with peril.

RAWK posters would have Hitler winning WWII if they thought he was a red****e, their that deluded

 

[Kurt.]

We'll be just fine.. This season will be one of mixed highs and lows, Martinez will take a good 12 to 18 months to settle into the job and hopefully in the next two windows ( jan/summer 2014 ) we may see himbringin a few others and possibly shift a few out. I'm a realist, it's gonna take time.... Top ten this season will be no major disaster if it's clear we are doing what's neede to move forward.... Sometimes it's gonna feel like two steps forward, one step back but I'm willing to give the manager the time he needs.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

It's a decent squad I think. It is good enough to make the top four? Really is hard to say. You have to think United, City and Chelsea are nailed on for the top three. Spurs have spent an awful lot, as have Liverpool, whilst Ozil will make Arsenal much better. Whilst we've had a good window, I'm inclined to think those three have possibly had better ones.

Either way, it'll be fun finding out, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the team can do.

 

[bluestevon]

It's a decent squad I think. It is good enough to make the top four? Really is hard to say. You have to think United, City and Chelsea are nailed on for the top three. Spurs have spent an awful lot, as have Liverpool, whilst Ozil will make Arsenal much better. Whilst we've had a good window, I'm inclined to think those three have possibly had better ones.

Either way, it'll be fun finding out, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the team can do.

Depends on Lukaku mate, IF he is the top forward we've been crying out for, then a serious push for the top four is a possibility, a lot depends how the team gels together and adapts to the new way of playing

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Depends on Lukaku mate, IF he is the top forward we've been crying out for, then a serious push for the top four is a possibility, a lot depends how the team gels together and adapts to the new way of playing

Aye, you sense goals will be key. Suarez is a proven scorer for the RS. Arsenal don't really have anyone of that level, so you sense much will depend on how good Ozil and Cazala gel together. Spurs have lost their main threat, so we'll see how they invested that windfall.

We've obviously looked a little toothless thus far against three teams that have parked the bus. That's kinda been a problem for us over the past few years. Hopefully Lukaka will give us something different to break down such obdurate sides.

 

[davek]

It's a decent squad I think. It is good enough to make the top four? Really is hard to say. You have to think United, City and Chelsea are nailed on for the top three. Spurs have spent an awful lot, as have Liverpool, whilst Ozil will make Arsenal much better. Whilst we've had a good window, I'm inclined to think those three have possibly had better ones.

Either way, it'll be fun finding out, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the team can do.

With the group of strikers we started the season out with I really did wonder if we'd get any higher than a bare top half finish. If Lukaku stays fit and plays most games though I'd be confident enough to expect 7th or maybe better. Also Kone I think may benefit with McCarthy geeing things up a bit more, and he's familiar with him from Wigan.

We're dominating games and we just need goals. We'll start getting them now, but Chelsea will need to be gotten out of the way first.

 

[Joey66]

Spot on DM left us with a dads army squad the only thing I am unsure about was the replacement of Kone for Victor - that may be a mistake by RM - only time will tell!

 

[Coalman]

Very happy with the squad. Some very promising youngsters on our books and this manager will give them opportunities to shine. Genuine cover at Left Back now Barry has arrived. Not really sure we have retained Johnny H to be fair - I am guessing no-one wanted him. Him and Hibbert might struggle to make the bench this season.

 

[Steve0]

Here is that squad

GOALKEEPERS AGE

Tim Howard 34
Joel Robles 23
Mason Springthorpe 19

DEFENDERS

Tony Hibbert 32
Leighton Baines 28
John Heitinga 29 (30 in November)
Phil Jagielka 31
Sylvain Distin 36
Seamus Coleman 25
John Stones 19
Antolin Alcaraz 31
Shane Duffy 21

MIDFIELDERS

Darron Gibson 26
Bryan Oviedo 23
James McCarthy 22
Gareth Barry (loan) 32
Ross Barkley 19
Leon Osman 32
Steven Pienaar 31
Francisco Junior (loan) 21
Matthew Kennedy 19

FORWARDS

Nikica Jelavić 28
Arouna Kone 29 (30 in November)
Kevin Mirallas 25
Steven Naismith 27
Gerard Deulofeu (loan) 19
Romelu Lukaku (loan) 20
Magaye Gueye 23
Apostolos Vellios 21
Conor McAleny 21

Some interesting things to note:

Average age is 26... which sounds fine until you realise the following..

Of the 30 players named, 8 are over 30. 2 more will be 30 by November. So a third of their squad are over the hill and will need replacing in the next few years.

There are 5 teenagers

A further 9 are 20-23.

Only 6 would be considered at their peak.

Essentially their squad is one of extremes, a lot of unproven youth and a lot of aging players.

Their first team squad also had four loan players in it, including arguably their two best players.

Their backline is particularly scary, 5 players are 30 years old (or will be in a few weeks) and only two players in their prime, Coleman and Baines. Even Baines is 29 in a few months (should have sold him this year I reckon). That means a lot more likelihood of debilitating injuries.


In midfield, two key players (Pienaar and Osman) are also 32, leaving a lot of pressure on new boy (22 year old McCarthy) to fill the gap left by Felaini

Up front a lot will be required of the 20 year old Lukaku and 19 year old Deulofeu... that's quite a burde for a full season... altenatively perhaps Kone and Jelavic will exit their current slump to drag the team onwards from relegation.

To be perfectly honest, I think their squad is paper thin, replete with filler and geared towards the short term, not long. I think their policy of "sell our best player every year to service unending debt" is particularly stupid and fraught with peril.

"Fraught with peril"

Haahaha what a bellend. Why is he talking about 30 as though it any kind of meaningful watershed in this age, it was scarcely the case 30 years ago, never mind now.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

What's fraught with peril is telling the man mountain we have in defence that you're past it once you hit 30.

 

[RFUS]

I rate Kone, so I think between him and Lukaku we've got an ace strike force. Jela is beyond hope though, and I'm still mourning the loss of Vic.

CAM wise Barkley is the best of the bunch, but hopefully Osman can still do a job there despite his awful CM performances. Another option is Pienaar -- Mirallas, Deulofeu, Oviedo can all play very comfortably on the left so moving Pienaar to the centre isn't a bad idea in my opinion.

CM wise we still lack a proper destructive defensive mid but if we're playing more of a possession game that's less of an issue. Trying to pick the best 3 from Gibson, Barry and McCarthy is clearly not easy and the fact that no one can agree on the best 2 is surely a testament to the depth we now have there.

CB wise we're overloaded but I would worry if Distin got injured. He's the only one with the capacity for jet-heeled bailouts. Alcaraz and Stones are very good backups though. I'm pretending Heitinga's not on the books.

On the wings, Kev and Deulofeu are sexual. Both can play on either side, so we're sorted there I feel. Pienaar still has something to offer on the left. Beyond that we perhaps could have done with another addition -- Moses going out on loan was a kick in the nuts; of all the Martinez ex-players he was arguably the most attractive.

Oviedo has looked shaky defensively but at least we have an actual LB to back up Leighton. Unfortunately it's impossible to have an adequate understudy to the best left back in the world -- but then, Leighton's fitness record is superb. On the other side Hibbert is surely capable of backing up Coleman for a season, but the little Irish wizard is obviously a top notch first choice RB.

In goal, Howard is... well, Howard. Not as good as people think and had his worst season for us last time out -- although post-injury looked a lot better. I really like Robles so we've got someone to challenge him now, rather than just warm the bench in the event of a freak injury (although Jan, I thought you were ace, even if you looked like a Ukrainian hitman).

So yeah, we have depth. It's ace. And we still have an amazing first XI. That's also ace. So let's be ace Everton ffs.

 

[Carlito]

I'm quite surprised that so many seem to rate Alcaraz above Heitinga.

 

[RFUS]

I'm quite surprised that so many seem to rate Alcaraz above Heitinga.

Attitude aside Heitinga is a fantastic CB.

However his attitude these days is awful. Doesn't matter how good you are if you give it 50% and sh*t out of tackles.

 

[Moomin]

Spot on DM left us with a dads army squad the only thing I am unsure about was the replacement of Kone for Victor - that may be a mistake by RM - only time will tell!

Erm, out of the 8 players over 30, 2 of them brought in by Martinez.

I'm not going to type the other fellas name,but we don't have to start making things up about him to criticize him.

 

[Carlito]

Attitude aside Heitinga is a fantastic CB.

However his attitude these days is awful. Doesn't matter how good you are if you give it 50% and sh*t out of tackles.

I thought he was going to get another chance under Martinez after watching him in pre-season. He played well enough, and is probably the best centre back at the club in terms of distribution.

If he's going to see out the remaining year of his contract then it makes sense to use him. I'd still pick him ahead of Alcaraz.