Everton might have a transition season next year?

[deipnosophist]

Aroune Kone will be our ace in the hole...vault me

 

[bluemantis]

Osman distan and pienaar need replacing. Osman and pienaar the most. But there are players in our youth working there way through. With Duffy, ty and green ect. Coming back from loan we will see where we are with them during to summe hopefully and others can be bought. we will sign Barry on a free and del is nailed on to be coming back I think.

There are some decent frees this season and we will of seen the last of wigan players. Lukaku is a strange one for me tbh I think the money's there for him all things considered. I doubt he will cost 20 mil and I would want closer to the finished article for that. Will be a good player but we can't afford to pay that much on what a player might be.

 

[Eggs]

.....ready made replacement for Distin with Stones, the transition increasingly likely to happen next year with the youngster getting more games. Could be seamless and ultimately provide an improvement. Of the others, there is less immediacy. Jagielka has a few good seasons in him and Howard will play out his contract. Osman will be a useful squad player, we have Gibson coming back to add to midfield numbers. I suggest Pienaar still has some life left in him.
The loanees present more of a problem. Lets not forget that Delafou hasn't started many games and he has strengthened wide position with McGeady. I think we'd all like to see Delafou have another season, though. The indication is that Barry will sign a permanent deal, so potential continuity there, which leaves the Lukaku 'hole' to fill.

 

[Jacko93]

Aroune Kone will be our ace in the hole...vault me

Strange thing here is, I think I agree.....

Next year is a big year for us, but not due to the reasons stated by the OP. Distin has another season in him, after that Stones can fill that role until he takes Jag's place and A.N Other comes in. as for Stones looking uncomfortable at Right Back, Glen Johnson would look uncomfortable at Centre Half and "eez der best in der werld lid" Baines will be more settled, with his age now, less chance of the circus that has followed him for donkeys years, Coleman wont move clubs, Barkley will be even more prominent next season. McGeady, who has shown huge strides of improvements now he's getting game time replaces Pienaar. Even if Deulofeu goes back we still have Mirallas. Next year I think we will see the first emergence of Conor McAleny, though whether he cuts it at this level is yet to be seen, but I see him as a natural finisher similar to what Vaughan was, just hopefully less injury prone. We will absolutely buy a striker to bolster our strikeforce, Kone will be back. Barry is getting on, and I do think we can keep him, but he will have Gibson back to take some of the pressure off, so I feel that we will see more of the October Barry that is so utterly boss when he plays. McCarthy is McCarthy and will be Everton captain within 3 years, Im sure of it.

 

[Chang Elephant]

It's a fair kop Asian Birkenhead Kopite. We will plummet as we watch the LFC reclamation of the Champions League on TV.

 

[Groucho]

Surely then, aren't most seasons transition seasons?

Constantly replacing and renewing?

 

[toffee matt]

Surely then, aren't most seasons transition seasons?

Constantly replacing and renewing?

Exactly, every season in football is a transition season as club constantly evolve

 

[MartSlinger]

We already have Jageilka's replacement in the form of John Stones.
You could say we have Osman's longer term replacements in both Barkley and McCarthy.

A young, LCB to partner John Stones is high priority for me this Summer.

 

[Jeff Jones]

Honestly, I think you're tremendous.

Only on here can we have an Asian kopite critique us and we celebrate you.

Fair play to you like. You got cojones.

I've read the whole thread and assumed all the way through that this bloke who's showing so much concern
for our future - given our aging list - is American. I mean, you could be forgiven for thinking that what with repetitive references to 'you guys'. I've just checked him out and sure enough, he is Asian. You were right again, Chico.
I think his tone was patronising, but still, it's nice to see football fans around the world taking an interest.

 

[technojoe]

Next year.. some notable over 30s

Sylvain Distin - 37

Jagielka - 32

Osman - 33

Pienaar - 32

Alcaraz - 32

Howard - 35
Plus, you guys would have to return the 3 loanees back. I can see you guys going for Barry though. But even Barry would be 33 or 34 next season. I can't see Lukaku and Deulofeu returning.

Distin and Jagielka pretty much are your first choice centreback partnership. Distin is already 37. How much longer can he last? I'll be optimistic and say 2 seasons at most.

Osman is 33. Definetly a replacement has to be found for him.

Pienaar is also probably another guranteed starter.

Do you guys think you'll have a transition season?

I think you have just too many players to buy. You guys have to really get a striker soon. Lukaku will probably go back to Chelsea. I don't even think one striker is enough, if you want to compete in the Europa.

I look forward to another red meltdown, possible rat face depatrture and board replacing rodgers a few games into next season. you heard it here first

 

[Fuleco]

Sylvain Distin is ageless.

 

[Kiwi]

main areas of weakness that we need to address are Pienaar, Osman and the loss of Lukaku and possibly del.
Don't see CB as a problem with Duffy and Browning being given a chance as rotation players with stones slotting in if Distin retires, however Distin despite his age is incredibly fit and as fast as any PL striker at the moment.
Need a wide, central attacking midfield player to perform the role that pienaar and osman do as their legs are going. someone on a permanent as well as maybe a Barcelona Baby on loan
Need a striker upfront, as we havent really seen Kone, and need either back up to him or a first choice player.
however because of the focus on youth and promoting them into the first team I don't see there being as much of an issue, lessening the impact and need to buy in players.

 

[Jacko93]

The only reason this is a transition season, in the true sense of the word, is because we have a new leader and style of play. The players he has now, apart from the few he brought in, have had to adapt to this new style. Any players he brings in for this point forward will be brought in specifically because they suit the style he wants to play.

Rodgers however did this in a different way, He tried the passing game, with lots of short, sharp passing last season and it never worked, so he changed his style to much quicker counter-attacking play, also known as 'the long ball' While this has been effective, its only worked because the players he brought in weren't good enough.

Henderson for example, has looked more effective this season in a midfield thats being bypassed from Gerrard (playing the deepest role he has for years and is only topped by Suarez for assists tells it's own story). This means that Henderson can play 10 yards further forward and negates his need to play in the role which he is absolutley useless at, defensive duties. He's not the greatest ball player, and had been embarrased on occasion last season, the lack of balls through the midfield, and over them instead has meant this skill of his hasn't been required.

Going into next season what is Rodgers going to plan for? Passing football, or the long ball? Do you risk spending more money on useless players.

 

[Ashtonian]

The problem with our older players is who to replace not when. Distin has proven me wrong so far this year, i genuinely thought this would be his final year and he is still going strong. Injury will be what stops him, not age. Osman is only an impact player nowdays so realistically we need to replace him with 2 midfielders to cover both roles he plays in. Perhaps one of the youngsters who are ready to can bridge that gap?

Striker wise we need 2 of them yeah, but signing one and bringing someone like Mcaleney through next year could be the answer there. Plus have connor make a name for himself in europe to push the first team strikers in the league games.

The mian areas i see we need players in is midfield to rest enough of them over the course of the season. Stones coming through and the prospect of Duffy being able to play (he's no worse than Alcaraz) covers defence.

Europa will be the best thing to happen to us next season if/when it happens. The amount of young players who could develop next year for the first team is astonishing. Truely enough to pursuade Kenwright the Transfer money is fine where it is and not on the pitch....

 

[jwjy]

I look forward to another red meltdown, possible rat face depatrture and board replacing rodgers a few games into next season. you heard it here first

Don't understand the hate for Rodgers here.

The only reason this is a transition season, in the true sense of the word, is because we have a new leader and style of play. The players he has now, apart fro the few he brough in, have had to adapt to this new style. Any players he brings in for this point forward will be brough in specifically because they suit the style he wants to play.

Rodgers however did this in a different way, He tried the passing game, with lots of short, sharp passing last season and it never worked, so he changed his style to much quicker counter-attacking play, also known as 'the long ball' While this has been effective, its only worked because the players he brought in weren't good enough.

Henderson for example, has looked more effective this season in a midfield thats being bypassed from Gerrard (playing the deepest role he has for years and is only topped by Suarez for assists tells it's own story). this means that Henderson can play 10 yards further forward and negates his need to play in the role which he is absolutley useless at, defensive duties. He's not the greatest ball player, and had been embarrased on occasion last season, the lack of balls through the midfield, and over them instead has meant this skill of his hasn't been required.

Going into next season what is Rodgers going to plan for? Passing football, or the long ball? Do you risk spending more money on useless players.

I won't deny that against 'big' teams, we do go for the long ball. That's a tactic in a sense. Rodgers knows our defending isn't that good. He knows our front two are excellent strikers, he tries to limit the midfield, cut off the opponent's balls into midfield, and lets our strikers run riot? Isn't that a tactic in a sense?

Against Southampton, we knew what they were going to do. We played a midfield diamond, we nullified the attacking threats of Lallana and Rodriguez, stopped Shaw and Chambers from overlapping, stopped crosses getting in constantly. We got the ball forward to Suarez and Sturridge who tried to break the high line of Soton.

I wouldn't think Rodgers would enforce on the so called 'long ball' tactics next season. We are definetly going to have some real money to spend this summer, at least 40m, and you probably dont watch us much, but during Rodgers's first half season at Liverpool, he played our posession game very well. Sure, results were disastrous, but the posession part, we got it right. Shows that he knows how to create a passing game.

If he can somehow evolve us into a posession based side like Barcelona, just for example, meh, i can see us doing well next season on all fronts.