The One and Only

[Tubey]

I've written a balanced piece for the home page which focuses on Tim Cahills comments post Villarreal, but largely it makes note of the fact we're now the only club in the entire land not to enter the transfer window.

Despite "professionally" not fuming about it in the article, I've got to say that personally I find it absolutely disgusting and a complete indictment on the board.

I know we're a bit of a joke over recent years but this transfer window is a bit special in that we had the manager come out and declare he wanted business done early and he wanted to improve the squad - neither has happened.

So the question is a simple one - why are our fans, players and even our manager so seemingly content with the looming catastrophe about to hit our club in a few years time?

 

[chicoazul]

Tweeted it mate, to spread it around. All of my 100 followers or something. Dead popular me like.

Good points like. I think it's being aware of the line between being optimistic and being aware of the fan's feelings.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

With no hopes and expectations for the season it makes 8th place look like a good achievement, almost the opposite of last season.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

What's the net spend of all the individual clubs though?

How much have the likes of Aston Villa (Sold Downing & Young for £30m+), Sunderland (Sold Henderson) and Newcastle (Sold Carroll) spent this summer?

 

[Oxon]

Eric Dier FFS!

He counts as entering the market right?

 

[Tubey]

Tweeted it mate, to spread it around. All of my 100 followers or something. Dead popular me like.

Good points like. I think it's being aware of the line between being optimistic and being aware of the fan's feelings.

You don't have friends, you have acquaintances.

People laugh at you, not with you.

 

[Tubey]

What's the net spend of all the individual clubs though?

How much have the likes of Aston Villa (Sold Downing & Young for £30m+), Sunderland (Sold Henderson) and Newcastle (Sold Carroll) spent this summer?

Oh great, you just sounded the Damon Alert.

Of course you're right, but "Everton remain the only club not to have bought or sold a player in either positive or negative net spend" is a less catchy headline. ^^

 

[VaguelyBrown]

I know, really makes you want to do bad things to certain luvvies, no?

What got my dander right up earlier today was reading that oh-so-very corporate line-toeing piece on the OS from Felli, saying how excited he is about the new season. And then another one from Mustard saying much the same "EVERYTHING IS AWSOME HERE AT EBEPTON!!!!!"

Right Felli, yeah. So exciting that you haven't even signed a new contract to keep you here yet. Got ya.

They really, really do think we're dumb as a box of rocks. Sickening.

 

[chicoazul]

You don't have friends, you have acquaintances.

People laugh at you, not with you.

Fair points like.

 

[Matt Damon]

What's the net spend of all the individual clubs though?

How much have the likes of Aston Villa (Sold Downing & Young for £30m+), Sunderland (Sold Henderson) and Newcastle (Sold Carroll) spent this summer?

Villa: Net spend
Minus £21million (i.e. sold more than purchased)

Oh great, you just sounded the Damon Alert.

Of course you're right, but "Everton remain the only club not to have bought or sold a player in either positive or negative net spend" is a less catchy headline. ^^

Sunderland since the last window took in £40million in fees.

Newcastle £35million.

We'd have to recheck who've they've actually signed since.

 

[Tubey]

Villa: Net spend
Minus £21million

Therrrrrrre we go.

 

[Matt Damon]

Therrrrrrre we go.

Well considering we looked closely at them thanks to the "MOYES TO VILLA" brigade... what did you expect?

Sunderland since the last window took in £40million in fees.

Newcastle £35million.

We'd have to recheck who've they've actually signed since.

ALTHOUGH: Joey Barton wouldn't be kicking off if Newcastle had been splurging it all would he?

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Oh great, you just sounded the Damon Alert.

Of course you're right, but "Everton remain the only club not to have bought or sold a player in either positive or negative net spend" is a less catchy headline. ^^

Title irrelevant - the argument becomes less emphatic when you consider the facts.

Sure, we haven't signed anyone - but the notion that we're alone in not strengthening is simply incorrect. Let's not let frustrations cloud judgement.

In a manner akin to say, Aston Villa - If we sold Fellaini for £30m, and signed someone else for £12m - would that be an improvement? - Would that increase expectations?

No.

I've actively avoided all transfer news at other clubs this summer - partly due to depression! - But I'd be interested to know how much the 13 teams who finished below us last season have invested in their playing squad - after sales in the past 12 months.

Anyone up for working that out?

 

[davek]

I know, really makes you want to do bad things to certain luvvies, no?

What got my dander right up earlier today was reading that oh-so-very corporate line-toeing piece on the OS from Felli, saying how excited he is about the new season. And then another one from Mustard saying much the same "EVERYTHING IS AWSOME HERE AT EBEPTON!!!!!"

Right Felli, yeah. So exciting that you haven't even signed a new contract to keep you here yet. Got ya.

They really, really do think we're dumb as a box of rocks. Sickening.

Definitley the best poster of the 2011 crop. Keep posting sense mate.

 

[Tubey]

Title irrelevant - the argument becomes less emphatic when you consider the facts.

Sure, we haven't signed anyone - but the notion that we're alone in not strengthening is simply incorrect. Let's not let frustrations cloud judgement.

If we sold Fellaini for £30m, and signed someone else for £12m - would that be an improvement? - Would that increase expectations?

No.

I've actively avoided all transfer news at other clubs this summer - partly due to depression! - But I'd be interested to know how much the 13 teams who finished below us last season have invested in their playing squad - after sales in the past 12 months.

Anyone up for working that out?

I'd actually say Villa haven't really weakened. The Young sale is a loss but I think N'Zogbia is the superior player to Downing. Similar to how we improved when we lost Rooney I think Villa will play a different way now and improve a bit in the short term. Shay Given was an ace signing too.

Blackburn have a negative net spend too but that's just losing Phil Jones, a young centre-half who wasn't even the best at the club, and Goodwillie may prove to be an astute signing - or not, who knows? But they haven't weakened, they've simply gained money. Smart transfers to be honest.

Chris Eagles in and Ali El-Habsi out for a net profit was good for Bolton. Fulham have bought a pile of crap. We all know the problems at Newcastle. Sunderland have made mediocre signings (the Wickham fee is mental), Tottenham will show their hand in the market sooner rather than later...

The problem is I don't like comparing Everton to other clubs - as a club of our size who finished 7th last year, we should be doing more than we are. As I've said before I'm not worried in the short term at all, but long term it's a fact that most sides in this league are capable of some liquidity if they need players, yet we aren't at all.