Everton Discussion

[Stan]

Demarai Gray to Saudi  

[RandoEFC+]

Four clubs in for Gray apparently including Al-Hilal. I don't know if we can afford to be letting him go as he is one of our few players who are capable of moments of quality and grabbing a match-winner, but at the same time Dyche clearly doesn't fancy him much as his fitness levels aren't up there with what McNeil and Iwobi can deliver. Last year of his contract as well. If anyone is willing to pay a fee for him I think we'll be tempted to come to the table because even if it's only a few million, that actually makes a big difference for us in our current situation. If there is interest from Saudi Arabia, hopefully he'll go there because it'll probably enable us to fleece more money out of that buyer than any other.

[Dr. Gonzo]

On 25/06/2023 at 00:17, RandoEFC said:

Kenwright is a seemingly unflushable turd but I do believe that he's only been kept as an interim and the board has been cleansed of all of his appointments and replaced with the new investors. He'll be gone within the year I expect.

Moshiri is the bigger problem now. It's gone under the radar with the Kenwright headline but he's actually put himself on the board too.

We just have to hope that the incoming MSP guys and the other two local blokes who joined the board last week can be the adults in the room and steer the ship in a less shit direction.

Idk if you'll be able to get Moshiri off the board now. He's sold a lot of his shares in the club, but he's still holding 49% isn't he? So he's still quite a big voice in terms of shareholder votes - and there's probably something in the agreement he's got with the other shareholders that guarantees him a spot there.

[RandoEFC+]

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Idk if you'll be able to get Moshiri off the board now. He's sold a lot of his shares in the club, but he's still holding 49% isn't he? So he's still quite a big voice in terms of shareholder votes - and there's probably something in the agreement he's got with the other shareholders that guarantees him a spot there.

No that was ages ago. He initially bought 49.9% but later on he put another £100m down and it became 94%.

I think the initial 49% thing was so that Kenwright can say he didn't hand over full control of the club to some maniac without them having to prove they weren't a maniac for a year or two first. Sadly, Kenwright is a fucking idiot who couldn't see that Moshiri is indeed a massive maniac so he ended up becoming majority shareholder anyway.

[Dr. Gonzo]

1 minute ago, RandoEFC said:

No that was ages ago. He initially bought 49.9% but later on he put another £100m down and it became 94%.

I think the initial 49% thing was so that Kenwright can say he didn't hand over full control of the club to some maniac without them having to prove they weren't a maniac for a year or two first. Sadly, Kenwright is a fucking idiot who couldn't see that Moshiri is indeed a massive maniac so he ended up becoming majority shareholder anyway.

I wouldn't say he's a maniac. just shit at running a football club.

[RandoEFC+]

9 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I wouldn't say he's a maniac. just shit at running a football club.

He's as close as you'll get in reality. By all accounts he'll be fully committed to one major decision, then suddenly wake up one morning and change his mind to the complete opposite with no rhyme or reason. Not a normal person at all by all accounts and absolutely mystifying that he's ever managed to make a billion quid.

[Dr. Gonzo]

5 hours ago, RandoEFC said:

He's as close as you'll get in reality. By all accounts he'll be fully committed to one major decision, then suddenly wake up one morning and change his mind to the complete opposite with no rhyme or reason. Not a normal person at all by all accounts and absolutely mystifying that he's ever managed to make a billion quid.

Tbf these are accounts by people who hate his guts

[RandoEFC+]

4 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Tbf these are accounts by people who hate his guts

Are they? They're club employees mostly revealing information about how directives from above change from one day to the next because he changes his mind about stuff whenever the wind changes.

There's plenty of examples of it. He went all out to appoint Rafa Benitez when none of the board wanted him including the Director of Football. Rafa was his man, yet Moshiri then went and signed El Ghazi on loan after Benitez said he didn't want him because his mate Kia Joorabchian told him to.

He allowed himself to be filmed in an interview in January this year saying the words "we need a striker, we'll sign a striker" knowing full well he couldn't guarantee that. Lo and behold, we never signed one and that video can eternally be used as evidence that he'll make promises he can't keep or even just lie on camera.

Also in January, he was running around London trying to convince Bielsa to come in and manage the least athletic and mobile squad in the Premier League while our actual footballing operation was trying to do proper recruitment up in Liverpool.

The list goes on. He's a proper lunatic I'm afraid.

In better news:

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

I hope someone rubs smegma onto one of Ancelotti's cigars one day

[Rick]

Have you really offered Coleman another contract? 

[RandoEFC+]

On 30/06/2023 at 16:41, Rick said:

Have you really offered Coleman another contract? 

Yes, he was one of our most solid players last season. Three years ago, when the expectation was to compete for the European spots, he was a weak link in a team containing players like Digne, Richarlison, James Rodriguez but he had his best season in a while last year and now that he's playing for a bottom six team he's actually not a weak link anymore.

Our situation is so bleak right now that we're offering around our best youth prospects just to generate some cash flow in order to patch over the gaping holes in the first team. Ishe Samuels-Smith is about to join Chelsea for £4m. On the face of it, a good chunk of cash for a player who hasn't kicked a ball for the first team but it could easily look like we've had our pants pulled down in a few years' time if he comes good for them.

With our financial situation, I don't understand these rumours that Dyche fancies trying to get Dele Alli up to speed this season. If he makes a certain number of appearances, we have to give Spurs £10m which is apparently a huge amount of cash for us. He isn't cut out for a Sean Dyche workhorse team either. I'm hoping the strategy is that because he's got a bit of a name, maybe the club will be able to picture him looking fit in training and generate some positive publicity to increase the chance of the Saudi mad men throwing some money at us for him.

[OrangeKhrush]

you might get a kabbab for Deli Alli, if lucky

[Dr. Gonzo]

8 hours ago, RandoEFC said:

Our situation is so bleak right now that we're offering around our best youth prospects just to generate some cash flow in order to patch over the gaping holes in the first team. Ishe Samuels-Smith is about to join Chelsea for £4m. On the face of it, a good chunk of cash for a player who hasn't kicked a ball for the first team but it could easily look like we've had our pants pulled down in a few years' time if he comes good for them.

The way Chelsea treats their youth prospects, he might end up coming good with you back on a loan and you manage to buy him back for not too much money after they say they want him back then barely fucking play him. Accidental 4D chess move, perhaps.

[Reluctant Striker]

In the years leading to relegation, Villa had an ongoing story with full back Alan Hutton. He was actually released at one point, at the end of one contract. Did not quickly find a new club. Before the new Villa manager re-signed him, as there was nobody any better possible.

[RandoEFC+]

Ashley Young on a one year contract is the latest.

Another relegation battle ahead I'm afraid.

[Dave]

33 minutes ago, RandoEFC said:

Ashley Young on a one year contract is the latest.

Another relegation battle ahead I'm afraid.

In your financial situation, what do you expect?

He was very consistent for Aston Villa last season and is good to have someone in the dressing room. If anything it strengthens my belief you'll stay up again next season.

[RandoEFC+]

9 minutes ago, The Palace Fan said:

In your financial situation, what do you expect?

He was very consistent for Aston Villa last season and is good to have someone in the dressing room. If anything it strengthens my belief you'll stay up again next season.

I don't expect much else but the fact we're having to turn to 38 year old journeymen to patch up the squad when we haven't spent a penny on a player this summer or even in January just goes to show what a desperate situation it is.

I'm not complaining about his quality or experience. This is where Moshiri and Kenwright's stewardship has left us. Forgive me for not being overly excited about it though. Given that we've not still not spent a penny since selling Gordon for £40m+, Simms and Samuels-Smith for another £8m between them, released Mina, Coady, Begovic and Davies to free up some wage budget leaves you thinking we might be able to throw a few small fees about. This deal to me says we're not even going to be able to think about bringing in a left back to challenge or improve upon Mykolenko which is one of the weakest spots in the team and the squad. It doesn't bode well.

[OrangeKhrush]

It was always a safe bet to say that Everton were going to struggle again,  the question was whether they will have enough to ensure that 3 teams are worse than them. 

[Stan]

On 09/07/2023 at 13:18, RandoEFC said:

Ashley Young on a one year contract is the latest.

Another relegation battle ahead I'm afraid.

Yeah I don't get this one. 

 

 

 

[RandoEFC+]

He's versatile, experienced, capable as a squad player I'm sure. The fact that he's 38 is largely irrelevant if he's fit enough to play a decent number of games because it's a free transfer on low-ish wages and a short-term contract, no worries about a lack of resale value.

Still utterly depressing we should be looking for upgrades on Mykolenko, Keane, Maupay, etc. to drag ourselves clear of the pit of a league and this sort of deal is clearly the best we can do. Selling half the academy and not even being able to afford renewals for squad players like Davies and Begovic to scrape every penny together and this is the best we've got to get excited about. Honestly got to be the most joyless club to support in the country over the past 10 years regardless of us hanging in there in the top flight.

[Reluctant Striker]

I was not especially impressed to see Ashley Young back at Villa while he was there. But, he did put in a number of more than adequate performances, as RB, LB, CM & on the wing.

Its almost a player Everton may aswell have in the squad, rather than see what he does at Luton. Who were reported to also be interested.

And he's not too much older than Milner.. who has somehow got a job at Brighton.

[RandoEFC+]

Current situation:

GK - Begovic gone as backup goalkeeper. Pickford appears to be staying and Lonergan has extended his stay as 3rd choice. Joao Virginia may step into #2 role after returning from loan but is very unproven.

FB - Mykolenko isn't really good enough but looks like he'll have to do as our primary left back. Coleman and Patterson are a decent pair of options at right back relatively speaking. Young will cover both positions along with Godfrey if it becomes necessary. It's not great but it might do for the coming season.

CB - Tarkowski is obviously a good option. Branthwaite is a decent addition on paper having done well with PSV on loan and he should suit Dyche's system but you still never know how he'll fare in reality. Keane, Holgate and Godfrey all aren't good enough to improve the team but I suppose you could argue they've been around for years and haven't been quite bad enough to relegate us (yet).

CM - With Gueye, Onana, Garner and Doucoure we have reasonably good options at the forefront of the squad. Gomes might be brought back into the fold if he can't be sold. Gbamin will have to go. Iwobi can also play centrally. There's probably enough there to allow Warrington to go on loan but we've lost our emergency cover in Tom Davies so it's a risk. Maybe Ashley Young can plug that gap now. I'll be amazed if Alli actually features. Even if Dyche can get a tune out of him, we surely can't afford to spunk the £10m we'll owe Spurs after another half dozen appearances from him.

Wingers - McNeil and Iwobi are sufficient as first choice. Gray, if he stays, is decent backup/rotation. There's not much after that with Townsend being released. I also would sell Gray in a heartbeat if the Saudi League does throw £8m or so at him. We've been quite heavily linked with Gnonto and Danjuma (loan) in recent days and could do with signing both probably.

CF - We can't rely on Calvert-Lewin to stay fit. Maupay is supposed to be off to Salernitana but is hopeless anyway and Ellis Simms has been sold. The coaching team is having a good look at Tom Cannon in pre-season after a successful loan at Preston so he might feature this season but it's probably a year earlier than the ideal time for his development. We definitely need to sign a striker.

Conclusion - as long as we replace any further sales and sign a couple of attacking players, there's enough there in most positions to survive if the squad is managed properly and we get lucky with injuries (lol, it's Everton, who am O kidding). Another centre back would also be nice but I'd absolutely take 17th if offered it today. Can't be fucked with this season already because relegation battles are exhausting.

[Dr. Gonzo]

21 hours ago, RandoEFC said:

He's versatile, experienced, capable as a squad player I'm sure. The fact that he's 38 is largely irrelevant if he's fit enough to play a decent number of games because it's a free transfer on low-ish wages and a short-term contract, no worries about a lack of resale value.

Still utterly depressing we should be looking for upgrades on Mykolenko, Keane, Maupay, etc. to drag ourselves clear of the pit of a league and this sort of deal is clearly the best we can do. Selling half the academy and not even being able to afford renewals for squad players like Davies and Begovic to scrape every penny together and this is the best we've got to get excited about. Honestly got to be the most joyless club to support in the country over the past 10 years regardless of us hanging in there in the top flight.

I think even at 38 Young's an upgrade on Mykolenko tbh.

[Lucas]

If Leeds were making that signing in Everton's position, I'd be pretty underwhelmed. You'd definitely be feeling it's groundhog day there.

The only thing I would say, and I've said it time and again, Dyche is a brilliant man manager. No one has a bad word to say about him in the dressing room.

I don't think he really believes signing Ashley Young is going to improve the quality of the team massively, but I do think he'll firmly believe someone like Young will be a brilliant voice of experience.

Perhaps Dyche feels Everton could do with more leaders, those voice of reasons in the dressing room everyone looks up to. Why do you think Liverpool kept Milner for so long. Sometimes those guys are invaluable to team spirit.

[Dave]