2022/23 Frank Lampard

[Drico]

That lampard or Benitez have some of the poorest win records as Everton managers is about as surprising and insightful as someone pointing out the sky is blue.

They’ve had the worst squads and are shopping in Poundland to improve it.

These folk will be howling about the next manager’s win record in 6 months time, demanding he’s sacked.

Benitez was given the princely sum of 1.7m to spend when he arrived. Whatever one things of our former manager, my biggest criticism of him was why in the name of God did he take the job on those terms? Did he really back himself to such an extent that he thought he could get by with what he had - a squad that had taken the sainted Carlo from 2nd to 11th in no time and was heading south at a rate of knots? It was only going one way - and he knew he'd have to rid himself of the likes of James and, eventually, Richarlison. He lost our other main midfield creator, some lad whose name we must not mention, in a matter of weeks, wasn't it? An optimistic take on his arrival was to hope his no-nonsense style would ruffle complacent feathers, but given the upheaval his style will always bring in such an environment, the whole thing was doomed. 1.7 million. Talk about hubris.

Frank, at least, has been able to spend money - thanks to sales and a bit on top. But he - or his buddy Thelwell, or both - have wasted it. He's only in the job now because the board is out of ideas and money. Usmanov's sanction has palpably ended Moshiri's active participation in the club and in any strategy he might have had.

The ownership of the club will likely have to change hands before any real improvement can happen as there is no appetite for the necessary work ahead by those who remain. In such an environment, a new manager is almost beyond the point. We needed a competent manager to eke out survival in this climate - but Frank is underperforming and will likely take us down. A perfect storm.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

I don’t agree. McNeil £20m Maupay £15m Garner potentially £15.5m. Just awful recruitment.

A tad simplistic, there’s a bigger picture. Not like they had upfront £55 million to go and splash.

 

[MikeH72]

A tad simplistic, there’s a bigger picture. Not like they had upfront £55 million to go and splash.

That McNeil money has to be accounted for in future budgets regardless of how much we paid up front. We would genuinely have been better off buying no one than him.

 

[Howard's Beard]

Benitez was given the princely sum of 1.7m to spend when he arrived. Whatever one things of our former manager, my biggest criticism of him was why in the name of God did he take the job on those terms? Did he really back himself to such an extent that he thought he could get by with what he had - a squad that had taken the sainted Carlo from 2nd to 11th in no time and was heading south at a rate of knots? It was only going one way - and he knew he'd have to rid himself of the likes of James and, eventually, Richarlison. He lost our other main midfield creator, some lad whose name we must not mention, in a matter of weeks, wasn't it? An optimistic take on his arrival was to hope his no-nonsense style would ruffle complacent feathers, but given the upheaval his style will always bring in such an environment, the whole thing was doomed. 1.7 million. Talk about hubris.

Frank, at least, has been able to spend money - thanks to sales and a bit on top. But he - or his buddy Thelwell, or both - have wasted it. He's only in the job now because the board is out of ideas and money. Usmanov's sanction has palpably ended Moshiri's active participation in the club and in any strategy he might have had.

The ownership of the club will likely have to change hands before any real improvement can happen as there is no appetite for the necessary work ahead by those who remain. In such an environment, a new manager is almost beyond the point. We needed a competent manager to eke out survival in this climate - but Frank is underperforming and will likely take us down. A perfect storm.

Agree with this, but I don't think it shows that "a new manager is almost beyond the point". A new manager is probably the one possible variable that can keep us in the league – likely playing scrappy, defensive football– for one more season while we pray for the situation at the top to change. Unfortunately, even if, say, Sean Dyche does come in, take us back to basics and keep us up one more year, Everton FC look to my eyes like a club circling the drain and waiting to go down. It's the same stink that hung around Villa, West Ham, Newcastle and, most worryingly, Sunderland before their eventual relegations.

 

[billyblue80]

We aren't even good at set pieces

 

[Azza]

We aren't even good at set pieces

Haven't been since Moyes left.


Doesn't help the fact our best corner taker is still Luke Garbutt.

 

[Lanolin]

Don’t agree.

It depends how you look at it I suppose. It's possible that relative to other teams in the league this is worse because the overall level is higher, but as a direct comparison it's not even close. Some of the mid to late 90s squads had numerous players who had no top level career at all other than their time with us (Thomas, Angell, Barlow, O'Kane, Farrelly, Ward, Grant, Branch, Cadamarteri, Oster, Holmes etc). This squad is poor but pretty much all of them have had and will have top level careers.

 

[Lobster Johnson]

Haven't been since Moyes left.


Doesn't help the fact our best corner taker is still Luke Garbutt.

WHO?

 

[hktoffee]

A tad simplistic, there’s a bigger picture. Not like they had upfront £55 million to go and splash.

To sell Richy and replaced him with these three. It’s negligence.

 

[billyblue80]

Sound familiar? This weird 451 he plays doesn't work

 

[MikeH72]

It depends how you look at it I suppose. It's possible that relative to other teams in the league this is worse because the overall level is higher, but as a direct comparison it's not even close. Some of the mid to late 90s squads had numerous players who had no top level career at all other than their time with us (Thomas, Angell, Barlow, O'Kane, Farrelly, Ward, Grant, Branch, Cadamarteri, Oster, Holmes etc). This squad is poor but pretty much all of them have had and will have top level careers.

This is important. What were those players like in comparison to their opposite numbers at Bolton, Coventry, Sheff Wed, Sunderland, Middlesbrough etc? The current squad and the 90’s squad are never going to play each other so that’s a pointless comparison. Someone like Les Ferdinand who banged in goals left right and centre in the 90’s wouldn’t get anywhere near a top 6 squad in this day and age.

Currently I believe we have the second worst squad in the league after Bournemouth on paper, I think that 90’s squad was maybe around the 5th/6th worst when you actually look around at everyone else’s squads.

 

[Lanolin]

This is important. What were those players like in comparison to their opposite numbers at Bolton, Coventry, Sheff Wed, Sunderland, Middlesbrough etc? The current squad and the 90’s squad are never going to play each other so that’s a pointless comparison. Someone like Les Ferdinand who banged in goals left right and centre in the 90’s wouldn’t get anywhere near a top 6 squad in this day and age.

Currently I believe we have the second worst squad in the league after Bournemouth on paper, I think that 90’s squad was maybe around the 5th/6th worst when you actually look around at everyone else’s squads.

It's all subjective isn't it. I mean on paper you'd be very hard pushed to say that the Forest squad is better than ours, or Fulham, or Southampton. Obviously games aren't played on paper so it's hard to say with any certainty, but we have a team full of international footballers and people with extensive top level experience. They are rubbish for sure though, no argument there.

 

[MikeH72]

It's all subjective isn't it. I mean on paper you'd be very hard pushed to say that the Forest squad is better than ours, or Fulham, or Southampton. Obviously games aren't played on paper so it's hard to say with any certainty, but we have a team full of international footballers and people with extensive top level experience. They are rubbish for sure though, no argument there.

You could argue Southampton’s players are worse, that’s valid. Forest’s issue is an entire squad of new players not being able to gel overnight for obvious reasons, but strictly on paper I think you’d struggle to make a case for their players being worse than ours. How many of our players do you think they’d take? Fulham certainly have better players than us all over the pitch imo. Most of theirs and Forest’s players are internationals as well, that genuinely means nothing these days.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

To sell Richy and replaced him with these three. It’s negligence.

Have a read of the Athletic article today and see what background they’re operating in. It’s negligence alright…from the board.

 

[Simon Buttle]

You could argue Southampton’s players are worse, that’s valid. Forest’s issue is an entire squad of new players not being able to gel overnight for obvious reasons, but strictly on paper I think you’d struggle to make a case for their players being worse than ours. How many of our players do you think they’d take? Fulham certainly have better players than us all over the pitch imo. Most of theirs and Forest’s players are internationals as well, that genuinely means nothing these days.

I wouldn't say they are worse, their issue is they have a squad full of young lads with limited experience at this level but they do have some talent in that squad. Whether Jones is the guy who can get the best out of it and help grow those lads into PL players is another question altogether, not convinced myself.