Worried

[dannyboy]

Maybe not Martinez's first season but after he's had a full season to settle in I expect us to be challenging for Europe.

It really depends on circumstances. If the likes of Villa and Newcastle get their house in order then they have the potential to push on and really challenge us for that 6th/7th spot.

I won't be surprised if we slip closer to mid table than Europe, and I wouldn't hold it against Martinez either. He's got a difficult job on his hands, people really do underestimate how consistent Moyes was.

 

[Carl J]

I think we have not signed anyone because RM wants to get the players back to FF including the youth lads to see who he thinks can make the step up to the 1st team. Then he will have a better idea what positions he will want to bring people into so not gonna worry just yet we'll just have to wait until the season starts and make our opinions positive or negative then

 

[D410]

Follow the money......Baines and Big Hair look to me like they will be gone yet it seems we are buying up squad players.

hmmmmmm

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

Follow the money......Baines and Big Hair look to me like they will be gone yet it seems we are buying up squad players.

hmmmmmm

Aside from the fact that no-one's gone yet & we've not brought anyone in yet, you're spot on there mate.

 

[Stan Lee Park]

Do we have an ageing squad? With Hitzelsperger, Neville and Mucha all gone and some of the younger players - Barkley, Duffy, Garbutt and maybe more - being regarded as part of the squad, we probably have a younger average age than we had a month ago.
Discounting Howard, who is still not old for a keeper, which players need replacing because of their age?

 

[formerly manx toffee]

I need convincing. I am happy to be convinced, but still need it.

 

[Moomin]

I can stop worrying about the coming season...but then I become perturbed not knowing for sure we can survive.

Someone has to be able to fix those wheels back on. There's still time.

Would it help if you could picture the following scene.

Imagine the theme tune from Top Gun, not the Berlin song. The one were Tom and his gay friends prepare for battle, is playing in the background.

Through a door will enter Bill Kenwright and he will say " Don't worry Dave, I will negotiate the hell out of Moyes and Utd"

Do you feel better now?

 

[Zatara]

Anyone saying we should sell Baines and already starting doing the footy manager thing of spending the money already is a complete and utter whopper, best left back in the country and possibly world, most creative player in our squad, the only world class player we have had in ten years, never sought the spotlight and put himself ahead of the team, ****ing quality bloke in every way and a rare example of loyalty to a club shy of the champions league the past few years with rumors abounding and a lot of you would sell him

ffs i despair sometimes and wonder why the media label us as small time with fans with that attitude

You're being VERY short sighted here.

The team is old and there is a huge gap at present between 1st eleven and kids.

In 2 seasons time baines will be approachinf 31, howard/osman/distin/jags/pienaar all 30s....thats 6 first eleven players.

How do you suggest we replace them with top class youth? Or should we keep them all until they retire? Cant have it both ways.

Its SENSIBLE to sell assets before they decrease in value. Then sign 2 more prospects OR a player for the same amount who has the potential to be the best in his position.

I would sell Baines and re-invest in a top central midfielder like strootman whose value and performances can only go up + can form a top class partnership with fellaini in the middle.

Left back had been a strong area with Baines, perhaps Martinez likes to play a different way...

One thing is for sure, for those crying about kenwrights business acumen it makes more sense to buy low and sell high + re-invest in this case.

People are thinking with their hearts and not their brains....id rather be top 4 with a young team than 5th with a couple of superstars.

 

[monty]

Aside from the fact that no-one's gone yet & we've not brought anyone in yet, you're spot on there mate.

Spot on PMSL

 

[blueboy1664]

Follow the money......Baines and Big Hair look to me like they will be gone yet it seems we are buying up squad players.

hmmmmmm

On what basis.... talk about jumping the gun with absolutely no evidence

If we bring in Alcaraz for Heitinga, really good business. Get rid of a player who continually links himself with other clubs, has made it clear that he wants out, is a high earner and not in the starting 11 and he has a resale value that we can use to strengthen elsewhere. This is a no brainer, well done RM

Kone, fast , strong and good work rate. Scored more goals than Jela / Anichede combined. Will offer a dimension to our game that we havent had since Andy Johnson. Is already playing in the prem and has adjusted to the pace and tempo. All this for a fee of less than 5 million, again absolute NO brainer, he will hit the ground running and bag goals in a period of transition under a new manager.

The likelihood of losing Felli and Baines gets stronger by the day but if were honest, we expected this.

This is where we will see more than squad fillers and the man has an eye for a buy and hopefully will have money to make big signings. This is the point where we as fans need to watch and judge but until then if he brings in Alcaraz and Kone as a starting point at the expense of Heitinga i will be happy and content.

My opinion of course.....

 

[Zatara]

Do we have an ageing squad? With Hitzelsperger, Neville and Mucha all gone and some of the younger players - Barkley, Duffy, Garbutt and maybe more - being regarded as part of the squad, we probably have a younger average age than we had a month ago.
Discounting Howard, who is still not old for a keeper, which players need replacing because of their age?

Howard / Hibbert / Heitinga / Baines/ Distin / Jagielka / Pienaar / Osman off the top of my head...8players.

They will be 30+ and either finished or with tiny resale value in 2 seasons.

Best to get cracking on bringing in youth now to develop or replacing them.

 

[Zatara]

On what basis.... talk about jumping the gun with absolutely no evidence

If we bring in Alcaraz for Heitinga, really good business. Get rid of a player who continually links himself with other clubs, has made it clear that he wants out, is a high earner and not in the starting 11 and he has a resale value that we can use to strengthen elsewhere. This is a no brainer, well done RM

Kone, fast , strong and good work rate. Scored more goals than Jela / Anichede combined. Will offer a dimension to our game that we havent had since Andy Johnson. Is already playing in the prem and has adjusted to the pace and tempo. All this for a fee of less than 5 million, again absolute NO brainer, he will hit the ground running and bag goals in a period of transition under a new manager.

The likelihood of losing Felli and Baines gets stronger by the day but if were honest, we expected this.

This is where we will see more than squad fillers and the man has an eye for a buy and hopefully will have money to make big signings. This is the point where we as fans need to watch and judge but until then if he brings in Alcaraz and Kone as a starting point at the expense of Heitinga i will be happy and content.

My opinion of course.....

Alcaraz -- Heitinga FREE ok...IF Stones and Duffy arent ready yet. Personally Id rather integrate them in now...duffy can step up as proven.

Kone -- Stupid and disgusting signing. We CANNOT afford to spend ANY money on players with no resale value. If we lose a Baines/Fellaini then we go and invest in youth.

We absolutely should ONLY be spending cash on u23 players with lots of potential.

 

[Zodiak]

Do we have an ageing squad? With Hitzelsperger, Neville and Mucha all gone and some of the younger players - Barkley, Duffy, Garbutt and maybe more - being regarded as part of the squad, we probably have a younger average age than we had a month ago.
Discounting Howard, who is still not old for a keeper, which players need replacing because of their age?

Howard, Baines, Distin, Jagielka, Pienaar, Osman and Jelavic are all 28 and over and every one is a key first team player, not a sparingly used squad player.

And yet those key players will all need to be replaced on the "limited" budget that's supplied by our board. That is a big concern.

That's why many are perplexed at the LIKELY signings of another two 30 year olds, one of which will cost 5+ million.

The defence is the biggest worry, only Coleman as a first teamer is in his mid twenties. Of the others, Baines is approaching 29, Jagielka 30 or 31?, Distin 35 and Howard 34.

That defence will need to be rebuilt fairly soon and with what cash? Alcaraz at 30 is not the long term answer either.

All well and good coming back with Duffy and Stones, but there is no guarantee either will be good enough to replace those already in the positions.

We're going to need Martinez to be very very smart in the market in finding young talented players at pretty modest prices.

It can be done as Moyes has already proved, so lets hope Martinez is as equally shrewd with his limited budget.

If the strong rumours come to fruition and he brings in the Wigan lads for 5+ million plus wages, then he hasn't made the brightest of starts!

In my opinion of course.

 

[Zatara]

Howard, Baines, Distin, Jagielka, Pienaar, Osman and Jelavic are all 28 and over and every one is a key first team player, not a sparingly used squad player.

And yet those key players will all need to be replaced on the "limited" budget that's supplied by our board. That is a big concern.

That's why many are perplexed at the LIKELY signings of another two 30 year olds, one of which will cost 5+ million.

The defence is the biggest worry, only Coleman as a first teamer is in his mid twenties. Of the others, Baines is approaching 29, Jagielka 30 or 31?, Distin 35 and Howard 34.

That defence will need to be rebuilt fairly soon and with what cash? Alcaraz at 30 is not the long term answer either.

All well and good coming back with Duffy and Stones, but there is no guarantee either will be good enough to replace those already in the positions.

We're going to need Martinez to be very very smart in the market in finding young talented players at pretty modest prices.

It can be done as Moyes has already proved, so lets hope Martinez is as equally shrewd with his limited budget.

If the strong rumours come to fruition and he brings in the Wigan lads for 5+ million plus wages, then he hasn't made the brightest of starts!

In my opinion of course.

Nail on head, adding Jelavic to my list above thats 9 players we have who in 2 seasons will be over 30 and either finished or with tiny resale.

Then point to the kids, theyre going to be 20 in 2 seasons and who knows if they have the talent?

Id sell a few old players now and get some young lads in and drop a few positions while rebuilding of im honest.

 

[davek]

Alcaraz -- Heitinga FREE ok...IF Stones and Duffy arent ready yet. Personally Id rather integrate them in now...duffy can step up as proven.

Kone -- Stupid and disgusting signing. We CANNOT afford to spend ANY money on players with no resale value. If we lose a Baines/Fellaini then we go and invest in youth.

We absolutely should ONLY be spending cash on u23 players with lots of potential.

Only in 3 of the past 17 seasons have we had an Everton player get more goals in the league than Kone got for a team like Wigan this season. If he comes in and gives us two seasons of that, and maybe a bit more with better service, then he'd have been worth £5M or whatever of anyone's money regardless of re-sale value. And, apart from his goalscoring, he's obviously someone who Martinez sees as being influential in the way he wants other players brought into the game as an attacking unit.

I can see your point on re-sale and his age, but we have to believe the manager has this right if he gets him.