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Durham Toffee
Shameless Wool
When you put it like that...
Bill has an arm coming out of his armpit...egad
Samuel Eto'o and Tony Hibbert are in the same squad.
I genuinely love that. Not having a go at hibbo, I love him and I love that fact.
You need to mix it up to win gear. Hibbo and Eto'o. Them and all inbetween, covers all bases.
Yeah mate...I agree. Boss on toast this whole transfer window's been. Couldn't be happier meself.
kithnou
Player Valuation: £70m
He was a panic buy imo, shame for all concerned how it has eventuated
hktoffee
Birds of a feather flock together
Duffy would probably be sold before 1 Sept.
I would have got rid of Hibbert this summer never mind handling him another two years. He has past it.
Alcaraz will probably leave next summer after his contract expires. He and Kone spent time on the treatment table than playing games.
If we ain't getting rid of Kone, he would probably injured anyway.
I will give a one year extension to Osman because he is still a useful squad player.
Robles, I don't know what to do. He is still young but does not seem he has improved at all. Very shaky keeper who can't catch the hoof ball.
If Distin is doing ok this season he will get an extension surely.
I would have got rid of Hibbert this summer never mind handling him another two years. He has past it.
Alcaraz will probably leave next summer after his contract expires. He and Kone spent time on the treatment table than playing games.
If we ain't getting rid of Kone, he would probably injured anyway.
I will give a one year extension to Osman because he is still a useful squad player.
Robles, I don't know what to do. He is still young but does not seem he has improved at all. Very shaky keeper who can't catch the hoof ball.
If Distin is doing ok this season he will get an extension surely.
McBain
Player Valuation: £80m
There's four of that lot you wouldn't want to see in any first team, that's for sure. I'd say there's only 18 there I'd trust to take to the pitch. We have no option at RB, a poor GK understudy, no real playmaker worthy of the name.
The age of the squad must be pretty high, it looks it.
B
Big Fat Sam
Guest
Couldn't believe it at the time tbh.
Carlito
Player Valuation: £40m
My only real doubt about Martinez before he came in was his record in the transfer market, but he's done a great job of improving the squad so far.
Spending £6m on Kone was obviously a mistake, but he could yet make a contribution down the line (stop laughing at the back).
There are still areas of weakness in the squad, most notably out wide, but thanks to the TV money it doesn't seem as though it'll take as long to address such issues as it used to.
Hopefully the priority between now and deadline day will be finding quality cover for Barkley. A lack of creativity in the middle will badly hamper the forwards, and without it I think Everton will spend the season playing catch up behind Liverpool and Tottenham.
Spending £6m on Kone was obviously a mistake, but he could yet make a contribution down the line (stop laughing at the back).
There are still areas of weakness in the squad, most notably out wide, but thanks to the TV money it doesn't seem as though it'll take as long to address such issues as it used to.
Hopefully the priority between now and deadline day will be finding quality cover for Barkley. A lack of creativity in the middle will badly hamper the forwards, and without it I think Everton will spend the season playing catch up behind Liverpool and Tottenham.
flibbyflob
Player Valuation: £40m
We are probably better off than under Moyes 3 years ago age wise though. We had very few young players then and no sign of any getting a game.
Zatara
Player Valuation: £90m
I highlighted this a year ago + also if you look at some contracts such as Gibson they run out soon. So an overhaul has been needed.
These days I think you need to look at the core of the side:
RB - Coleman
CB - Stones
DM - McCarthy / Besic
AM - Barkley
ST - Lukaku
I think inthe next 12 months we will have more of an idea on when Ledson can step up as well as the key centre back area.
I think we need a winger, centre back and a striker all around the same age as the core to really look immense long term!
These days I think you need to look at the core of the side:
RB - Coleman
CB - Stones
DM - McCarthy / Besic
AM - Barkley
ST - Lukaku
I think inthe next 12 months we will have more of an idea on when Ledson can step up as well as the key centre back area.
I think we need a winger, centre back and a striker all around the same age as the core to really look immense long term!
RFUS
Anustart
Goalkeepers : Robles
Centrebacks : Alcaraz
Midfielders : Barry, McCarthy, Besic
Wingers : McGeady, Deulofeu, Atsu
Strikers : Lukaku, Eto'o, Kone, Traore
Keeper-wise, Howard has his best season in... ever and so that's worth noting. However Robles hasn't convinced many. However I think judging a keeper on cameo appearances is cruel, and for the low fee we paid he could potentially be an excellent keeper in the future. Signings: 6/10, Performance: 8/10
For the fullbacks, whilst he hasn't signed any, the progress of Coleman and Oviedo has been immense. Coleman and Baines are easily the best fullback pairing in the league, and though much of the groundwork was done by Moyes, Martinez has truly unleashed them. For once we have a great LB backup as well, in the ever-smiling Bryan. Signings: NA, Performance: 9/10
CB-wise, though this season has been slopppy, Martinez managed to get the experienced/ancient (depending on your outlook) pairing of Jags/Distin to play passing football whilst simultaneously keeping a formidable defensive record. Alcaraz has received a lot of stick, but I think getting in a trusted, pass-not-hoof CB on a bosman straight away was at the time, a sensible choice. Though Stones was not his signing, it should be noted that he did try to sign him for Wigan and kept faith in him last year, aiding John make a rapid breakthrough into the England squad. Signings: 5/10, Performance: 8/10
He clearly has an eye for excellent holding/central midfielders. Though it's early days for Besic, he looks brilliant and Barry/McCarthy were brilliant bits of business. However we still lack a Mikel Arteta -- that central playmaker (be it off the striker or in CM), and though Barry/James are very effective, we're crying out for someone who can pick a pass not seen by 99% of people. Signings: 9/10, Performance: 9/10.
In terms of wingers, Deulofeu was a very effective signing and Atsu looks an astute signing -- though of course, early days. McGeady was a no brainer for the minimal fee, with European commitments. His utilisation of Mirallas has not been quite as effective as I'd hoped, so there is room for improvement here. Signings: 7/10, Performance: 7/10.
Up front has been a huge breath of fresh air. Lukaku was a clever loan signing, though arguably a no brainer, but he used him effectively and had us with one of the year's top scorers for the first time since Yak in '07. Signing him permanently was a major coup, just like signing someone of Eto'o's calibre. Traore flopped but that was down to injury, much like Kone who, despite the hate, has been unfortunate. The early signs though are that Martinez has a clear vision for strikers and we will not have to wait long to see a number 9 (or 5... ffs) slotting 20+ goals. Signings: 9/10, Performance: 8/10.
Martinez has a refreshing ability to see what we see. When there's a hole in the team, he addresses it -- something Moyes stubbornly refused to do (see: Right midfield, 2006-2012). The further forward you go up the pitch, the more Martinez seems to know what he's doing, though you could argue he had little to add to Moyes' established, excellent defence. However contrasting Robles and Alcaraz with Lukaku and Eto'o or Barry and McCarthy does seem to highlight the shortcomings in this department. I'm not too worried though, as Martinez tried to sign Stones and has shown that he knows how to build a defence that can play football and stop the opposition from doing so, too.
Right now, the one major hole for me is a playmaker type. We'll see if Bobby fixes that. If not, I'll be a bit disappointed as even if Ross was fit, he shouldn't even be an automatic, 38 game player off the striker in my opinion (he's only 20 after all). With 2 defensive minded CMs, you really need some guile there and for me Barkley is more of a driving midfielder, and Naismith a Cahill-esque, ghosting slotter. Arguably, we also need a right footed Oviedo, as Stones looked shaky at RB and the less said about Hibbert the better. But ultimately, with the budget and wage bill we have, Roberto has done one incredible job in turning around our squad's depth.
Centrebacks : Alcaraz
Midfielders : Barry, McCarthy, Besic
Wingers : McGeady, Deulofeu, Atsu
Strikers : Lukaku, Eto'o, Kone, Traore
Keeper-wise, Howard has his best season in... ever and so that's worth noting. However Robles hasn't convinced many. However I think judging a keeper on cameo appearances is cruel, and for the low fee we paid he could potentially be an excellent keeper in the future. Signings: 6/10, Performance: 8/10
For the fullbacks, whilst he hasn't signed any, the progress of Coleman and Oviedo has been immense. Coleman and Baines are easily the best fullback pairing in the league, and though much of the groundwork was done by Moyes, Martinez has truly unleashed them. For once we have a great LB backup as well, in the ever-smiling Bryan. Signings: NA, Performance: 9/10
CB-wise, though this season has been slopppy, Martinez managed to get the experienced/ancient (depending on your outlook) pairing of Jags/Distin to play passing football whilst simultaneously keeping a formidable defensive record. Alcaraz has received a lot of stick, but I think getting in a trusted, pass-not-hoof CB on a bosman straight away was at the time, a sensible choice. Though Stones was not his signing, it should be noted that he did try to sign him for Wigan and kept faith in him last year, aiding John make a rapid breakthrough into the England squad. Signings: 5/10, Performance: 8/10
He clearly has an eye for excellent holding/central midfielders. Though it's early days for Besic, he looks brilliant and Barry/McCarthy were brilliant bits of business. However we still lack a Mikel Arteta -- that central playmaker (be it off the striker or in CM), and though Barry/James are very effective, we're crying out for someone who can pick a pass not seen by 99% of people. Signings: 9/10, Performance: 9/10.
In terms of wingers, Deulofeu was a very effective signing and Atsu looks an astute signing -- though of course, early days. McGeady was a no brainer for the minimal fee, with European commitments. His utilisation of Mirallas has not been quite as effective as I'd hoped, so there is room for improvement here. Signings: 7/10, Performance: 7/10.
Up front has been a huge breath of fresh air. Lukaku was a clever loan signing, though arguably a no brainer, but he used him effectively and had us with one of the year's top scorers for the first time since Yak in '07. Signing him permanently was a major coup, just like signing someone of Eto'o's calibre. Traore flopped but that was down to injury, much like Kone who, despite the hate, has been unfortunate. The early signs though are that Martinez has a clear vision for strikers and we will not have to wait long to see a number 9 (or 5... ffs) slotting 20+ goals. Signings: 9/10, Performance: 8/10.
Martinez has a refreshing ability to see what we see. When there's a hole in the team, he addresses it -- something Moyes stubbornly refused to do (see: Right midfield, 2006-2012). The further forward you go up the pitch, the more Martinez seems to know what he's doing, though you could argue he had little to add to Moyes' established, excellent defence. However contrasting Robles and Alcaraz with Lukaku and Eto'o or Barry and McCarthy does seem to highlight the shortcomings in this department. I'm not too worried though, as Martinez tried to sign Stones and has shown that he knows how to build a defence that can play football and stop the opposition from doing so, too.
Right now, the one major hole for me is a playmaker type. We'll see if Bobby fixes that. If not, I'll be a bit disappointed as even if Ross was fit, he shouldn't even be an automatic, 38 game player off the striker in my opinion (he's only 20 after all). With 2 defensive minded CMs, you really need some guile there and for me Barkley is more of a driving midfielder, and Naismith a Cahill-esque, ghosting slotter. Arguably, we also need a right footed Oviedo, as Stones looked shaky at RB and the less said about Hibbert the better. But ultimately, with the budget and wage bill we have, Roberto has done one incredible job in turning around our squad's depth.
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