January 2018 transfer window thread.

[ToffeeTim]

Gueye is our best player by a mile. Without him, we cannot get the ball back from anyone and our backline is badly exposed. Did you not watch the WBA game?

And this idea that a midfield anchor or box to box player won't come to Everton is silly. Doucoure is at Watford. These players are not THAT rare.

Dendoncker is also yet another SLOW decent midfielder that we don't need.

I disagree very strongly with that tbh. He is extremely I'll disciplined when sitting deep by himself, and not good enough technically to be useful alongside another crab like Schneiderlein. He needs someone to carry him too, just not to the same extent. I'd rip up our whole 4231 blueprint and get technical players in. Athleticism alone is worthless.

 

[Barnfred 55]

If they did that, I would be chuckling as hard as when Moshiri went nutso at the AGM. In fact, can we get someone dressed up as a hammer whilst driving a taxi to hold up his number when he's getting substituted off.

500 local taxi drivers queuing up for West Ham kits as we speak

 

[Rollo Tomassi]

They are far, far better than us at transfers now.

Keita, Salah and Mane all brilliant value for money compared to Sigurdsson, Bolasie, Klaassen.

very true but i think we have done better with Walcott and Calvert Lewin as opposed to Oxlade-Chamberlain and Solanke

 

[BlueToff]

I would sign Brozovic before Nzonzi. A far better player technically and offers much more on the ball. I'd replace Gueye too if I was in charge. He's grossly overrated by our fanbase. Our midfield is our biggest weakness. Certainly not a strength like some of our fans delude themselves into thinking.

Gueye isn't overrated at all.

It's just that he is very good at one particular job and role in the side. Play him elsewhere and you're taking away the best part of his game, but play him as the sweeper in front of the defence and he's excellent at it and key to us playing well.

And while I agree Brozovic is a good player and has a lot of potential, he also flatters to deceive a hell of a lot.

There's a reason why several coaches in a row at Inter haven't used him.

And I really doubt that, in our 'system' (not that one exists particularly) he couldn't be used as a central midfielder (a 6 or an 8). He'd need someone like Nzonzi next to him. If not the midfield would simply get overpowered - as it does anyway mind.

 

[BlueToff]

100% this.
Gueye kills 90% of our attacks by meandering forwards then making the complete wrong decision when he has the ball at his feet near to the opposition box.
He is also very poor with his distribution of the ball.
His redeeming quality is his hustling and harrying of opponents, but what's the point of that if you're going to proceed with gifting away possession afterwards?

Schneiderlin, crap. McCarthy, crap. Besic, crap. Rooney, crap. Keep Davies and Beningime, give Klaassen a chance and start again with another two signings on top of those.

I'd happily replace the lot.

But that's why you don't task Gueye with that job.

It's like Koeman asking Williams to be a ball-playing centre-half.

Gueye is good at snapping at players, winning possession and quickly turning it over to someone who can advance the play.

He's looked just fine this season when next to Rooney, who has been able to get on the ball and play us forward, with Davies as the spare man.

It's not rocket science to play people in their correct position.

 

[BlueToff]

@Timak Genuine question, have you ever seen Keita play?

I've yet to find one person, Liverpool fan or otherwise, who has seen anything more than the odd 20 minutes, some YouTube highlights and that video of the tackle in training.

By all accounts he's a great player, but the 3 or 4 times I have seen Leipzig over the last two seasons, he hasn't played, for one reason or the other.

So I'm reserving judgement on whether that £65m is well spent.

 

[Nymzee]

100% this.
Gueye kills 90% of our attacks by meandering forwards then making the complete wrong decision when he has the ball at his feet near to the opposition box.
He is also very poor with his distribution of the ball.
His redeeming quality is his hustling and harrying of opponents, but what's the point of that if you're going to proceed with gifting away possession afterwards?

Schneiderlin, crap. McCarthy, crap. Besic, crap. Rooney, crap. Keep Davies and Beningime, give Klaassen a chance and start again with another two signings on top of those.

I'd happily replace the lot.

Or we just utilise Gueye for his strengths and not keep asking him to do more than he can? Just a thought.

 

[Big Fat Sam]

Or we just utilise Gueye for his strengths and not keep asking him to do more than he can? Just a thought.

Would be nice, but too much to ask of our manager, so best to get rid.

 

[Nymzee]

@Timak Genuine question, have you ever seen Keita play?

I've yet to find one person, Liverpool fan or otherwise, who has seen anything more than the odd 20 minutes, some YouTube highlights and that video of the tackle in training.

By all accounts he's a great player, but the 3 or 4 times I have seen Leipzig over the last two seasons, he hasn't played, for one reason or the other.

So I'm reserving judgement on whether that £65m is well spent.

Well spent.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Gueye isn't overrated at all.

It's just that he is very good at one particular job and role in the side. Play him elsewhere and you're taking away the best part of his game, but play him as the sweeper in front of the defence and he's excellent at it and key to us playing well.

And while I agree Brozovic is a good player and has a lot of potential, he also flatters to deceive a hell of a lot.

There's a reason why several coaches in a row at Inter haven't used him.

And I really doubt that, in our 'system' (not that one exists particularly) he couldn't be used as a central midfielder (a 6 or an 8). He'd need someone like Nzonzi next to him. If not the midfield would simply get overpowered - as it does anyway mind.

I watched a video of the lad Brozovic, and whilst he looked pretty good Inter always gave him plenty of options. In almost every clip there were 5/6 Inter players ahead of him and that makes me ask 2 questions.

Firstly, how effective would Brozvic be in our current set up where we rarely get even 2/3 players ahead of the play?.

Secondly, if we were to become that adventurous to get enough players ahead of the ball with good movement, I'd like to see how the likes of Davies, Rooney, Klaassen, even Beni perform, before spending more serious dosh on yet another unproven overseas player.

 

[billyblue80]

I feel like we need a signing as a boost if anything

 

[Saint Domingo]

They are far, far better than us at transfers now.

Keita, Salah and Mane all brilliant value for money compared to Sigurdsson, Bolasie, Klaassen.

Only recently under Klopp. The Rodgers era was absolutely awful for signings. Klopp is stupid for persisting with Mignolet Moreno Lovren Clyne Lallana Henderson Can etc.

Wijnaldum was a waste of money, Ox is average for what they paid. Matip is poor, as is Karius and Grujic. So basically he bought well in Mane and Salah. Too soon to tell on Van Dijk (but an awful start) and Keita hasn’t kicked a ball yet.

They’re hardly pulling up trees in recruitment, it’s just that any club looks good when measured against us under Koeman and Walsh.

 

[Milkman]

If we loan out Besic to Middlesborough would that be enough of a reason to bring in another centre mid? I hope so. I hate 90% of this team.

 

[Saint Domingo]

I feel like we need a signing as a boost if anything

We had 2 and the difference was negligible.

 

[BlueToff]

Well spent.

As I said, every report I've seen/heard seems to indicate he is very good.

But I'll wait and see until I've actually seen him play.

The RS have just spent £75m on a defender whose only real weakness is actually defending...