Everton - The Beginning of a New Era

Everton FC - The View From My Seat

Everton - The Beginning of a New Era

New shareholder, new hope! Money to attract higher profile players, money for a new stadium? It's all happening at Everton FC, FINALLY!!

I can't honestly see any negatives. I've been saying to my Dad for the last few years that I'd hate a full takeover by foreigners that don't have any Premier League knowledge. Some consortium or whatever coming in and changing everything, slowly smudging the fantastic reputation we have as a proper football club who do things the right way. Throw tonnes of money at the club wanting instant success and having a hold over the club that they can pull the plug at any given moment. 

Well it seems to me from all the details we've all read to death, that this deal is the best of both worlds. Whatever anyone says about Kenwright no one can deny as a club we have a fantastic reputation and we are largely stable. Now don't get me wrong I know this doesn't exactly follow the club motto, Nil Satis Nisi Optimum but at least we aren't Leeds Utd for example. Having said this times run out on Kenwright delivering a glowing off the field operation in EITC and the 'It could be worse' view a lot of fans have been forced to have. It's now time that he indeed continues to prove we are 'The People's Club' in our off the field activities but now also delivers on the pitch and in that very dusty trophy cabinet! 

Spurs, West Ham, Palace and even Leicester are now looking likely clubs to move onto the next level and challenge for that top 4 on a regular basis. Money for players and new stadiums are proving their worth for these clubs. We've sat around for the last 6 or 7 years thinking, we're spending next to nothing and still competing with the other lot and Spurs for a top 6 finish. While we've been happy doing that, calling it some sort of achievement the others have been plotting their future and are now moving on a level. 

Farhad Moshiri has Premier League pedigree. He's been involved with a very good club in Arsenal. He's filthy rich! If everything we read is true..... Scrap that, if half of what we've read is true, which is more likely, then he's ticking all the right boxes. Mega deals for our current crop of stars mixed with £100M transfer kitty to bolster the squad AND even murmurs of a new stadium! If we're being realistic, this guy isn't throwing £200M at us and buying almost 50% of the club to sit back and let us carry on as we are in a stadium that is no longer fit for purpose. I love Goodison, you love Goodison, we all love Goodison.... But we're mad to think the Old Lady can last forever. A new mega stadium 50k+ capacity to begin with sounds alright to me. Moshiri in time will complete a full takeover you'd expect but for now I'm more than happy with the current deal. 

I play Football Manager, the amount of times I've jumped into the editor and given myself £100M and a new stadium at Everton is crazy... Now it's very close to becoming reality! If you're interested I always call the new stadium Goodison 1878. 

I guess that leads us nicely onto transfers. I put out this very question on my Facebook account. Name 3 players, realistically we could look to sign in the summer. Yarmolenko definitely had the most mentions, followed by Butland. Both realistic I think. I'm not totally convinced yet however about Yarmolenko, I know he's had a long-term contract and Kiev don't want to sell etc, but at 26 surely if he's that good someone could have stolen him away? Wouldn't say no though! One player that didn't get too many mentions was Payet. I think as direct competition for Barkley he'd be a fantastic signing. Unless of course he's a one-season wonder?! Yet to be seen. Mahrez and Vardy had a few shouts, Mahrez will be at a massive European club I'd bet and Vardy is already 29, Leicester would be wanting crazy money for him, is it worth it at that age to get probably a season or two out of him? Rooney, Rooney! As much as my heart tells me seeing Wayne Rooney scoring again in an Everton shirt would be fairytale stuff, my head say's it's not a deal I think will happen. Is he passed his best or has he had enough at United? Would a return home spark life into him and see us win a trophy? If the deal was there and money is no longer an issue you have to take a player of his calibre. Imagine the things the younger players could learn from him and you simply can't brush aside the experience of winning every major trophy brings to a squad. 

Yarmolenko Stats 2015/2016 - transfermarkt.co.uk

Competition
total: 15/16:		23	13	8	2	-	-	1.933'
	Premier Liga	15	8	5	1	-	-	1.285'
	Champions League	6	2	-	1	-	-	468'
	Ukrainian Cup	1	3	3	-	-	-	90'
	Ukrainian Super Cup	1	-	-	-	-	-	90'

There's a couple of foreign wonderkids who's names have popped up but, I think if we do get our current stars signed up and keep them, then this summer we need to make statement signings. If we say to Stones and Lukaku for example, sign a new deal, stay with us and promise big things, we can't go and sign a 19-year-old who's done well in Belgium. We must sign a player that's Premier League ready, first 11 ready. Maybe look towards a Bony, Oxlade Chamberlain, Payet or Butland. A couple of decent names that would stir up some real competition within the squad, players with winning mentalities. What about Ibrahimovic, free in the summer I believe. I think there's a few that aren't doing it at the minute but given a fresh challenge could become much more. Look at Lennon, he clearly needed some new scenery and he's looking as sharp as ever. I'm thinking of Bony, Walcott and maybe even a Chambers at Arsenal. Not quite working for these types at the minute but a new challenge and a club like ours where everyone is now filled with optimism could be win win. 

Asmir Begovic - Decent....

Homeward Bound?

Just writing this post and the fact we're finally playing again tomorrow night is getting me very excited about what's around the corner for our great club! If you're not sure about this new guy, if you're not sure about Kenwright's continued inclusion, if you're not sure about Martinez being trusted with a large budget, just sit back think about the last 30 years (That's my entire life by the way), a few too many relegation scares, an almost this, a nearly that and an, oh not quite this time, surrounding a single FA Cup trophy 20 years ago! For once, let your imagination just go, see what it comes up with, push out your chest a little, raise your chin... What if, just what if... Roberto's dream, our dream, the holy trinity's dream, the school of science's dream of Everton being once again a dominant force in the world of football is right around this very corner. 

Thanks as always for reading, really enjoyed the recent chat's thoughts and ideas on Facebook, Twitter etc... Keep them coming. 

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The Inconsistent View From My Seat

Everton FC - The View From My Seat

The Inconsistent View From My Seat

I started my blog all about Everton Football Club with thoughts of positive articles written throughout the season, mirroring a positive campaign for the Toffees. In reality the only consistency I can see in my writing is the inconsistency of my feelings to how our season is panning out. 

I'm 29-years-old so for me Everton battling relegation, selling on their best players and generally relying on underdog spirited performances to see the season through is normal. An FA Cup win in 1995 and a 4th place finish in 2004/05 are the only real highlights I've witnessed. As a born Evertonian of course I know all the history, League wins, European triumphs and Cup honours, but all of that is now well in the past.... Over 30 years in the past!! 

I'm hearing a lot of negativity this season...A LOT! I like to think I'm a positive person with a positive outlook but I'm also a big fan of facts and reality. David Moyes love him or hate him did prove that with next to no budget, hard work, determination, an eye for a top bargain and a solid foundation that you can be consistently in the hunt for European football. I know we didn't get much of it but finishing in the top 7 most of his time at Goodison now looks even more impressive when you think back to transfer budget allowed to him. I'm not saying I want Moyes back but Martinez is now in season 3, spent more money than Moyes could ever have dreamed about spending at Everton in the same time period and are we really looking like a consistent football team? 

As the title suggests, my views are becoming as inconsistent as our on the field performances. Some weeks I watch us and we look absolutely frightening. In the positive sense, attacking with purpose, Geri looks a world beater, Lukaku smashing in goals whenever he wants and Barkley running the show. Other weeks I watch us and again, we look frightening.... Frightening in the sense that once the opposition get hold of the ball and cross the halfway line I'm already head in hands wondering how many we are going to concede that day! We go from Barcelona to BarcaSundayLeague in the blink of an eye. 

Knee jerk decisions is the term branded around for when you sack your manager without giving them a decent amount of time. What is a decent amount of time? 1 year, 2 years or 3? Personally I think 3 full seasons is an adequate amount of time to have brought in the right players for your vision, to have implemented your philosophy and to be showing signs of how your vision is taking effect. So just over 2 and a half years in we've been treated to what now seems a shock one-off 5th place finish, a terrible one to forget 11th place finish and currently we're starring mid-table in the face once again! 

So if Martinez was replaced after just over 2 and a half years with the team still largely inconsistent and sitting in 11th, 12 points off the top 4, could this be classed as a knee jerk decision? I don't think so. At the same time is it the right time to be sacking our manager anyway? I think I'd give him the rest of the season. 

What I do think is happening at the club however which is the one single biggest issue that is holding us back.... The takeover! How can we be making decisions about Roberto Martinez's future when we have no idea what the future of the club is??!! Are these Americans taking over? If so will they have new ideas on who they want to manage the team? Do they have cash to throw at the team which will attract bigger name managers? Who knows?? 

Sat reading this article back I'm asking myself "What have we discussed today exactly? What have we resolved?" This is exactly my point, nothing really because the entire football club at the moment is in a state of uncertainty. We have potentially the best squad of players in the last 30-40 years yet the results show we are bang average. We've been led down so many garden paths regarding a takeover. We have a manager that show so much attacking potential it's exciting, yet so much defensive naivety it scares us to death when we give the ball away. We can't decide any future until the club has sorted itself out at the very top! Bill Kenwright has taken the club as far as he can go, the time is now for a big takeover and a plan for the future to be put in place to allow everyone to focus 100% on what happens on the pitch. 

More of a little rant than a well thought out article today but needed to get this written so I can try to get on with my life. . . :) 

Thanks as always for reading, I'm on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ etc...

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Everton FC - Transfer Window & Squad Review

Everton FC - The View From My Seat

Everton FC - Transfer Window & Squad Review

The transfer window has slammed shut and Roberto Martinez insists Everton's goal after each window is to exit stronger than they arrived. Let's review our squad and have a look and see if we are stronger now than when we started the season. 

This January we've brought in 3 players and lost only the 1 permanently. Matthew Foulds is one for the future, Shani Tarashaj again won't be in our first team plans anytime soon as he's back at Grasshoppers on loan and Oumar Niasse arrives with big expectations after £13.5M was splashed out on him. Steven Naismith has left to join Norwich, a great move for him I think and good business by the club. A shame he's left before the likes of McGeady and Kone but the £8.5M we received is very good business for a squad player. Aiden McGeady has joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan, I don't think he'll be missed and really I'd have liked his wages off the books altogether. 

This January transfer window has then left us with only Niasse to get excited about. A little difficult to get too excited because if 99% of Evertonians are honest they will admit they've never even heard of the Senegalese striker. Niasse arrives with impressive stats, 12 goals and 10 assists already this season however that doesn't mean quite as much being in the Russian League. The Premier League in England is a completely different animal. However I like to be positive and you can only play who's in front of you. Looking at Niasse, his stats and a few YouTube videos he does look like he can play and let's face it, surely he's a better alternative to Arouna Kone. Kone had a decent spell early in the season but that now seems a very distant memory, another £40K a week we could do with moving on in the summer. Martinez likes to play with a right winger and on the left a roaming playmaker type. Niasse seems a perfect fit, he can play out wide and come inside to score and create goals. For the money we've spent I'd be putting him straight in depending on fitness levels against Newcastle United on Wednesday night. 

Not too much to talk about this January then so I thought I'd take a look at our squad and see how we can move forward during the rest of the campaign. 

Goalkeepers..... Tim Howard has been a major talking point pretty much all season. Apparently he's taken a knock in training this week and will need assessing before the Newcastle match. He's also destined for a return to the US in the summer, his Everton days are numbered for certain. With this in mind, whether he passes a late fitness test or not, I'd be saying to Joel Robles, "Listen Joel, you've improved dramatically over the last 12 months, you're going in goal as No.1 for the remainder of the season. I want you to prove you can be a Premier League No.1 and decide for me whether I'm shopping for a new No.1 in the summer or a back up for you". It is for me the perfect opportunity to give Joel this chance. Howard isn't playing well, he's made a number of mistakes that are unlike the Howard from previous seasons. He's going to be leaving in the summer so now is the time for Robles to be given his chance. I think it would be bad management to continue as we are and wait until next season to give Robles his chance to then be in a similar situation come January 2017 and having to scramble around for a new goalkeeper. Personally I don't believe Robles is the answer but will admit that he is 100% better than he was 12 months ago. 

Our defence is baffling! Say the names out loud to yourself now..... Coleman. Arguably the best right back in the league. Baines. Again, probably the best left back in the league. Stones. Chased by Chelsea and others for £50M plus. Jagielka. Great out and out defender and fantastic leader. Funes Mori, proving a quality acquisition at £9.5M, decent ball player and good in the air. Even our back up youngsters, Galloway, Browning and then add Oviedo. There are a lot worse in the division. Our first team defenders are top class and would individually walk into I'd say any team in the league. So why are we so dreadful at defending? I believe it's all about the tactics. Players are being asked to play a style they aren't comfortable with. Since Jagielka has been back from injury it seems to me he's decided enough is enough. He's rarely been playing around with the ball when under pressure and I've not seen him lump the ball up the field as much before as he has the last couple of games. John Stones is only young and is being asked to be a ball playing defender, which he is very good and capable of doing, however Martinez needs to teach him there's a time and place. 

Coleman and Baines like to play that ball directly inside either to Barry, McCarthy or a little more directly into Lukaku before making their moves down the flanks. Roberto seems to prefer the ball going short inside to Barry or McCarthy, but, Baines loves that direct fast paced ball fizzed directly up to Lukaku, he's does this often and I think it's a much better pass. It moves us up the field quicker and we can play from there rather than around the back four. All these things mixed with a clear low confidence in Howard's recent form means we're defending very deep and trying to defend space rather than attacking players. I've seen tonnes of examples of defending space rather than players and it leads to the majority of our goals conceded. The opposition get the ball down the sides and almost every ball from wide into our box you will see our defenders right on top of Howard and defending the 6-yard box and the opposition hold their run and end up with a free header or strike on goal after the ball is pulled back for them. Many of the goals we've conceded, our defenders have been there, but defending their areas of space as opposed to the attacking player. I've never seen space score a goal!!! 

So a few slight tweaks and I think this can be rectified. Defending the attackers as opposed to space, playing the ball further forward quicker and playing our passing game further up the field rather than deep in our own half. Roberto Martinez needs to show he can make these tweaks, his job for me relies on making some form of tactical changes to get us winning more games!

Midfield is an area where we are strong. Barry is proving that age is really only a number. He's been simply fantastic this season. We all know he has zero pace but that's why we have a McCarthy or a Besic sat in there with him. They dove tail perfectly. These players mentioned added with Cleverly and Barkley make us pretty strong in the centre of the park. Cleverly had a lot to prove for me when he arrived, I wasn't convinced but, his work rate has been excellent and now he's started passing the ball forward more often he's proving a decent squad member. Besic and McCarthy will be the main two I think when Barry does finally tire! McCarthy breaks down play better than most and Besic who also has this ability adds that extra bit where he can pick a pass and also has a trick or two also, he's been extremely impressive in my opinion, just needs to try and stay fit. 

Barkley is class. 12 months ago he dwelled on the ball more often than not, he made the wrong decision when in possession more often than not and he lost the ball a little too regularly. But had that magic and natural ability. Now however, when he dwells he does so with the strength of an Ox, he waits to make the right decision, he doesn't lose the ball as often at all and he sets up goals and now scores them regularly. Oh and he still has that magic and natural ability. For me, Ross Barkley is improving immensely and at the rate we should expect for a 22 year old. Yes please remember, he's 22. He has another few years before he should be at the peak of his powers and he's already this good!! Let's not spoil him, now is the time for making mistakes and learning. We can allow that in return for what he already gives us. 

Lennon, Deulofeu and Mirallas out wide are great attacking options. Lennon puts in a real shift going forward and tracking back. Mirallas can pull out a goal from nowhere and deserves more playing time than he's had this season. Gerard Deulofeu, he's magic you know! When Geri came back to us on a permanent deal I said he could be our Gareth Bale. By this I mean in previous years when we've been on par with Spurs but they've achieved that bit more, it was down to having a special player that in games was the sole difference. Spurs had Bale, we didn't have anyone. I really believe now however that Deulofeu is our star man. He's getting better and better, week by week. The amount of chances he creates and the fear he puts into the opposition is a great advantage to us. He needs to find the net a little more but isn't exactly doing bad in that department either. Again he's only a young player! 

Others in our midfield area such as Osman, Gibson, Pienaar and McGeady are at the end for me. Osman has been the most under-rated player in the Premier League for years, along with Mark Noble from West Ham. But he's finished now. Gibson is injured far too often and is taking up a wage we could re-invest into the squad and McGeady who is out on loan hasn't hit the ground running, he's a non-starter. Pienaar again like Osman has been a good servant to the club but doesn't quite cut it anymore and I'd have a couple ahead of him in the first 11. 

Up top Lukaku is proving every bit a £28M striker, nothing else needs saying here. Niasse, we've already discussed and are hopeful he can add to the team via goals and assists. That leaves us with Kone. Another that needs moving on in the summer. Leandro Rodriguez was brought in and has played a lot of development squad games but is yet to be near the first team squad despite being older than Lukaku! Interesting one he is, at his age you'd think he would be appearing here and there but hasn't....?  

So come the summer I'd be looking at quite a few to be on the departure list opening up spaces for a couple of prospects and several new signings. January is rarely the exciting window, I suppose we should mention the fact we have kept all of our star players this window, that's a positive! In the summer though I'm not even nearly as confident we will be saying the same thing. Let's hope by the summer there has been a takeover that appears imminent, that then attracts a better manager, should Martinez continue with only a Plan A, maybe Pellegrini? A Takeover may convince Stones, Lukaku, Barkley etc to stay and the transfer market could become a completely different place with a bit of financial backing from the possible new owners. 

Lots to discuss, many avenues Everton could go down in the next 6 months but for now let's be honest, we don't have a bad squad and a few tweaks and we could go on a great run and finish up the table and another cup run! 

As always thanks for reading, I'm on all the usual social media. My Blog has now had over 1000 reads which I'm really pleased with, feel free to share! I'm also now published as a regular on breadandbutterfootball.co.uk so check that website out too! 

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