Is the squad too small?

[ianefc]

16 games to go.

The squad is fine.

Could've done with a striker, but if there is t one good enough and available, then what can you do?

 

[ianefc]

We're a selling club still.

Moshiri OUT!!!

 

[Titus Bramble]

The players we've binned were fringe at best, but useful in an emergency

I'm still hoping we get another signing in today

 

[Catfish Blues]

We've got 26 senior players, not including Pennington et al, and not including those out on loan.

I hope we havn't !
You're only allowed 25 seniors in your squad, plus as many U21'S ( strictly speaking, born on or after 1 January 1995 ) as you want.

 

[RaleighBlue]

Yes. It is too small. But I prefer this to the way it was, honestly.

I'd rather throw some U-23's out there if we have an injury crisis instead of nohopers like Cleverly and Gibson. Miss Del though.

Still need to bring in players in the summer if we want to actually compete though.

 

[Tony Hibbert's 3rd leg]

Cover for each position is about right

 

[Hickson9]

We have 21 fit senior players. The below is presuming we stick with our three at the back/wing-back formation:

Robles, Stek

Holgate, Jagielka, Williams, Mori

Baines Coleman

Morgan, McCarthy, Barry, Davies, Gueye, Besic

Barkley, Lookman, Mirallas, Lennon, Bolasie

Lukaku, Valencia, Calvert-Lewin



Loads of midfield depth and fine at goalkeeper.

The obvious issue is if Baines/Coleman gets injured, we will be looking to our U23s then.

Lukaku would be a major blow as well but we are obviously going to invest a lot in that position in the summer.

For just 16 matches I think it should be OK.

 

[PeregrineT]

No, it silly to say we need more than 20 players with no cup games.

Is anyone seriously going to claim that the likes of Niasse, Gibson, and Cleverly were ever going to play again this season?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I hope we havn't !
You're only allowed 25 seniors in your squad, plus as many U21'S ( strictly speaking, born on or after 1 January 1995 ) as you want.

Includes players like Davies, Holgate and Lookman.

 

[Carlito]

For what the club is trying to achieve this season (nothing), it's fine.

An injury to Lukaku could be the difference between seventh and tenth. Other than that, there's no reason why this lot shouldn't be able to stay the present course.

I don't think our questions regarding Moshiri will truly be answered until the summer window closes.

 

[Catfish Blues]

Includes players like Davies, Holgate and Lookman.

Maybe I'm being pedantic, but they're not seniors though.
We have :-

Seniors
--------

Baines, Leighton John
Barkley, Ross
Barry, Gareth
Besic, Muhamed
Bolasie, Yannick
Coleman, Seamus
Funes Mori, Jose Ramiro
Gueye, Idrissa Gana
Kone, Arouna
Lennon, Aaron
Lukaku, Romelu Menama
McCarthy, James
Mirallas Y Castillo, Kevin Antonio Joel Gislain
Pennington, Matthew
Robles Blazquez, Joel
Stekelenburg, Maarten
Valencia Lastra, Enner Remberto
Williams, Ashley Errol
Schneiderlin, Morgan

That's 19, and


U21's likely to play
------------------

Davies
Holgate
Calvert-Lewin
Lookman

There are a few other U21's on the fringe, but, ignoring them, that's 23 players, not 26.

 

[EvertonRhys]

Yes, but we don't have too many games, we have a decent manager and okay quality. We'll be fine. Strange that we didn't push on like we were supposed to, but I tend to believe that the signings we do want to make aren't available until summer. The quality of the backup youth should ensure that we're able to still push for Europe this season.

 

[Aberblue]

I don't think we'll miss the deadbeats we've sold/loaned out in the slightest. I'd far rather a lad from the Under-23 squad got a runout than someone like Kone, Niasse or Cleverley who has no future at Everton.

Edit: We do need a forward as cover for Lukaku, however.

 

[Catfish Blues]

I don't think we'll miss the deadbeats we've sold/loaned out in the slightest. I'd far rather a lad from the Under-23 squad got a runout than someone like Kone, Niasse or Cleverley who has no future at Everton.

I don't think anyone would disagree about Kone, Niasse or Cleverley.

But losing Oviedo and Deulofeu without, so far, replacing them, leaves us short in those areas. If Bolassie wasn't injured then Deulofeu going to Italy wouldn't matter, but he's out for the rest of the season, so what happens if Mirallas is out for five or six weeks, or Baines for that matter ?

It's plainly good, personally for them, that Oviedo and Deulofeu have been allowed to move on, either permanently or temporarily, but it might not be good for the club.

 

[BinglyBlue]

I'd prefer a lean squad with the quality needed to compete, especially given the quality of our youth at the minute. January is a sellers market, id rather play the remaining 16 and throw in youth now and again then just buy players to deepen the squad.