2021/22 Dominic Calvert-Lewin

[Papa Shango]

Cant finish. Defenders know they can allow him space outside of the area as he wont do anything with it.

Well that's where you bring the rest of the team into play. He can lay it off to a runner (ha!) who can then put in a good ball for him or Richarlison to finish off. That's how it should work.

For far too long now we have been relying on players to perform individual bits of magic to win us points.

Put it this way, if a decent ball is whipped in and DCL is in the area then the defenders will worry.

 

[ElGato]

I think we're miles away. I don't know how good Patterson and Mykolenko will turn out to be so they might help but for me we're at least 2 centre halves and 2 central midfielders away from a starting eleven that's at that level. Then cover at both full backs, another good striker, and possibly better quality out wide too. I just don't think top 4 is a realistic aim at the moment, for me we're further away from it than we've been at any point for about the last 15 years.

I don't think we've really sold our assets at all, the only one in the last 5 years was Gueye. If anything there's an argument we haven't done enough of it. I wouldn't say any of the players you mentioned were 'flavour of the month' either. None of them were good signings but none of them were particularly popular at the time either, and 2 of them were moving down to come to us so can hardly have been flavour of the month.

I didn't say we had to have one or the other, I said if we're going to rebuild and play a different way then i'd prefer a different profile. As i've said a number of times, if he stays that's great.

Think you need 3 subs per line (defence, midfield, attack). Mainly I think we need to strengthen the squad, but priority has to be commanding CB for starting XI and a CM who can start and/or challenge our first choice starting midfield. Genuinely think the front three is fine if they can stay fit

GK: Pickers
RB: Patterson
CB: New signing
CB: Godfrey/Mina/New signing
LB: Mykolenko
CM: Allan
CM: Doucoure
CM: Alli
LW: Richy
RW: Gray
ST: DCL

Bench:
Sub GK
Holdgate (needs replacing)
Mina/Godfrey/Branthwaite
New defensive signing, full-back cover or CB starter on rotation
Donny VDB or new midfield signing
Possibly another midfielder
JPG/Gomes (sell who isn't)
Gordon
Townsend
New signing

I make that 6, of which 4 are an absolute must. Not to mention the deadwood that needs shifting. Not saying it's top four, but it's Europe IMHO.

As you say lot of unknowns in there - how will new full backs fare, is Alli actually any good.

 

[DL100]

Well that's where you bring the rest of the team into play. He can lay it off to a runner (ha!) who can then put in a good ball for him or Richarlison to finish off. That's how it should work.

For far too long now we have been relying on players to perform individual bits of magic to win us points.

Put it this way, if a decent ball is whipped in and DCL is in the area then the defenders will worry.

And that is my point, we have to play a certain way for him to be effective.

 

[Papa Shango]

Im not sure he will expect him to be as good as Drogba, not many are but his misses in games that frustrate us will frustrate Lampard also.

Have you seen some of the strikers Lampard played with? Chelsea have surprisingly had some shockers up front for them!

A good manager will find a players strengths and hide a players weaknesses. Let's see what happens but I reckon DCL misses as many chances as most strikers do. The key if getting more chances, we don't do enough of that.

 

[Nymzee]

Not in training vid again. It's a bit mad how in the dark injury news is for Everton.

Over in Germany they tell you who is injured on the day, when they're back doing individual work, when they're expected back for team training etc. Full transparency.

 

[Barnfred 55]

A lot of good points there but I doubt there would be much change from Toney/Abraham and CHO/Johnson...none of them will go cheap

I was thinking the same. At best we could get 4 young players with potential. But a) there would be the not unsubstantial risk that they don't develop to the level we require, and b) it's going to take them time to develop so we need to be patient. Patience is not something Evertonians are renowned for.

 

[Toffeepot]

Doesn't matter with FFP mate - its done on book value so say you sell DCL for £70 million that'll be not far off £70 million profit on the books for that year based on he only cost us a few quid when we signed him.

Signing Hudson Odoi for £50 million on a 5 year deal is £10 million per yr on the books so for that year in question you're still £60 million up on the accounts (not factoring wages there just transfer fees).

Ah yes I understand that...Additional wages, long finger etc. It's still money in versus money out at the end of the day even if we do fall within FFP restrictions. Though it is 'monopoly money' to big Mosh so could happen I suppose...I still don't want to sell DCL for the record

I was thinking the same. At best we could get 4 young players with potential. But a) there would be the not unsubstantial risk that they don't develop to the level we require, and b) it's going to take them time to develop so we need to be patient. Patience is not something Evertonians are renowned for.

You can say that again...but hurry up about it! lol

 

[davek]

This has been Everton's issue for some time now.

Our investment strategy is driven by when we think it is the best time to sell our assets. That means we are always held to what's available on the market at the time of sale. Who's to say that another forward who is more reliable as a goalscorer and fits the profile of the team is available in the summer? Maybe we then end up paying premium for a dog bin bagman because the selling club knows we need him as well?

The proper approach, for long-term stability, is I) identifying areas in the squad we need to strengthen; II) identifying and then tracking players who we think fit the bill; III) when they become available then move for them; and only then IV) look at the existing squad and take a view as to what assets are best to sell in order to free up or fund an inbound move.

We are far too reactive in the market, which has led to some woeful signings made in order to fill gaps that we've made by simply cashing in. Need to be more strategic in our thinking.

He WANTS to leave.

Let him.

We'll be just fine.

 

[Toffeepot]

He WANTS to leave.

Let him.

We'll be just fine.

he told you that did he?! ffs

 

[Barnfred 55]

I mean I'd prefer to sell the crap players over the good ones.

Selling good players is part of the game but we have to replace them effectively and we haven't done that.

So there's nothing wrong with wanting to build around the talent we have.

Our squad really isn't as awful as people make out. It's been managed awfully this season.

If we'd got a player like Gray in in January, for example, I reckon we'd have got Europe under Carlo , because we lacked pace on the flanks and even though I don't think Ancelotti gave King a fair crack, he isn't a winger.

I agree mate. We have some poor players in our squad that we have needed to call on because of injuries. There's also a lack of confidence in certain players in key positions, notably Keane. But everything we've done in that transfer window I've been very happy with, with the exception of selling Digne and perhaps bringing in the Villa lad in a position that wasn't a priority.

At match 27 last season, with pretty much the same squad, we were a point behind 4th place Chelsea with a game in hand, and 3 points ahead of Liverpool with a game in hand. Right in the hunt for Champions league spot. The problem is not just the players.

 

[Barnfred 55]

He WANTS to leave.

Let him.

We'll be just fine.

Ha ha. I said in a post earlier that nobody on this forum was a mind reader. Apologies mate. I forgot about you. lol

 

[Street end man]

Just for my own interest really and leaving world beating strikers like Drogba and co. out of it just to be fair.

Would Dom get the nod for you for over lesser thought of strikers, like say a Peter Crouch, Andy Carroll and Big Dunc as a target man when they were in their prime?

 

[Houghty19]

Once again dont get how DCL is now crap when so many people were on about him being missing was why we were doing crap. Surely its one or the other?

 

[Barnfred 55]

Doesn't matter with FFP mate - its done on book value so say you sell DCL for £70 million that'll be not far off £70 million profit on the books for that year based on he only cost us a few quid when we signed him.

Signing Hudson Odoi for £50 million on a 5 year deal is £10 million per yr on the books so for that year in question you're still £60 million up on the accounts (not factoring wages there just transfer fees).

That's fine as regards FFP mate. But do we have the actual dosh?. I'm not convinced that we do, especially with the cost of the new stadium running side by side now. Time will tell I suppose. But we'll be a lot better with salaries next season with Siggy, Delph and Tosun all falling off the books in the summer.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Confirmed out for Saturday. Back training before the next game.