Blue Magic
Player Valuation: £1.5m
Wouldn’t put this monstrosity of a signing past Brands.
Why is it really mediocre players are always described as a ‘star’ or, even more embarrassingly, an ‘ace’ in tabloid headlines?
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Wouldn’t put this monstrosity of a signing past Brands.
Lingard is linked to someone every single season and he never moves. It’s because absolutely no one would touch him with a barge pole.
Wouldn’t put this monstrosity of a signing past Brands.
That defence doesn't work for a number of reasons.
Firstly the reason we have a new manager to begin with is that the players weren't performing under the previous one either, in the system that they supposedly do suit. Secondly, Ancelotti is known for using the system which he believes best utilises what he has at his disposal. He evidently doesn't believe that playing the formation they were bought to play in would get the best out of these players. Thirdly, the formation isn't really what I was talking about. It's as if Ancelotti doesn't actually trust the players to have the ball. It shouldn't matter whether you're in a midfield 3 or a 2, or whether you're playing wide in 442 or 4231, it doesn't affect your actual footballing ability, and yet our plan is seemingly to play very basic football because the players aren't deemed capable of doing anything more complicated. From what we've seen of them, that lack of faith is completely justified.
Finally the thing about our fans always makes me laugh. Our fans are no different - better or worse - than any other set of supporters across the country. You just don't live in an echo chamber of notts county fans in the way you do among Everton fans, so you don't hear them moaning.
Actually one more thing, if you think Iwobi 'tries his heart out' then you've got a cheek criticising other fans. The lad's wimped out of tackles in his last 2 games, if fans are happy with that level of 'effort' then you have at least got one thing right, it's probably better we don't have a full ground.
I can't agree with that .You're definitely right here, but both attitudes are as bad as eachother to be honest. If we'd won people would be saying we were going to win the league next year, which would be equally ludicrous. I think what has caused a bit of a backlash is that people had convinced themselves everything was alright now. There were loads of posts about how Carlo had come up with this magic formula and now we were just going to win all our games 1-0 and once he had his own players there'd be no stopping us. The defeat has brought people crashing back down to earth because a) It was a truly horrific performance in its own right and b) It just highlighted that actually we haven't solved any of our problems at all, we've just masked them a bit better. The focus - rightly, in my opinion - shifts to Brands when both of those things become apparent. It's fair to say that this is a long term project and he shouldn't be expected to unearth gems 100% of the time, but it's also fair to say that it's a damning indictment of his recruitment so far that our game plan under one of the greatest managers currently in the game is effectively to have as little of the ball as possible and simplify our approach to the point that you're just asking your wide players to play like extra full backs and your strikers to chase the ball as fast they can.
If we sign Lingard I will cry real tears.
Then you're a realist and that's great. Just look in pretty much any of the threads from literally just a few days ago though, Keane had been reborn and could now be the rock around which we built the defence, Iwobi had finally blossomed, Richarlison and DCL were the best strike partnership in the league etc. For some people there was definitely a suggestion that 'legs' next to Gomes would be enough to see us motoring up the league.I can't agree with that .
I think that the vast majority of Evertonians knew that we had a terrible midfield well before the Spurs game and and that we were only getting results because of Carlo's tactical nous.
Nothing has changed for me.
Perhaps I don't spend as much time on here as yourself but can't recall anyone suggesting that Iwobi has finally blossomed !Then you're a realist and that's great. Just look in pretty much any of the threads from literally just a few days ago though, Keane had been reborn and could now be the rock around which we built the defence, Iwobi had finally blossomed, Richarlison and DCL were the best strike partnership in the league etc. For some people there was definitely a suggestion that 'legs' next to Gomes would be enough to see us motoring up the league.
Yes agree we need and expect Brands to find and sign such players but not all his signings will be obscure ones, there will be a mix (before u respond agree we havent had as many left field ones as we all hoped). This kid is only 19 though, not a great league but those stats are certainly eye catching for the league and his age. No idea of the price but given the league it wouldn't be over the top and he would be pushing for it if we came in you would think.I’d argue that Szoboszlai isn’t a Brands-type signing as he wouldn’t be a ‘find’. You want Brands to find value in the market by buying a ‘Szoboszlai’ before he has a head-turning season. Coleman, for instance, cost nothing because he was unknown...but within 18 months he’s worth a small fortune. Untapped talent is the best way to build a squad and grow its value. The moment Iwobi is bought he’s a bad investment; that’s what I find odd about who the club have bought in recent years - the value of the squad isn’t appreciating sufficiently. The strategy is off.
Lingard is linked to someone every single season and he never moves. It’s because absolutely no one would touch him with a barge pole.