2019/20 Marcel Brands

[neilsyd]

Yeh I think that's the issue we're having. I've written this (below) a few times now in how I think a club with a DoF should run but it's not how it has thus far:

TL;DR - We’re gonna be just fine.

I’m a big fan of Brands and I’m a big fan of the DoF model but only when it is utilised correctly. I understand the frustrations with some on his transfer business or the business he didn’t do but I think we need to take a few steps back and assess the situation and the bigger picture.

For a DoF to be successful there needs to be a symbiotic relationship between him and the manager but there also needs to be a clear long term plan in place. In my opinion Brands never wanted Silva but Moshiri had the say in that and we’re still paying the price for that and for the Koeman/Walsh era. We currently have a squad assembled to meet the needs of about 3 managers who all play a different style of football which is just a horrid situation to be in.

I honestly believe if we’d have been fortunate enough to be able to bring Ancelotti in when Brands joined our squad would be in much better shape. I think it was actually a really shrewd move holding out on transfers this January (2020) because I think they’d have only been short-term solutions that would become a problem further down the line. We forget Ancelotti has only been here 6 weeks ish and his relationship with Brands is at its nascent. They will both still be learning the sort of player required going forward and I don’t think the thorough scouting will have been in place for a manager brought in a couple of weeks before a window opens.

The way I see a DoF working is that he comes into a club alongside a long-term manager who then decides the sort of playstyle and player profile he wants. The DoF then has a clear idea of what to buy/grow to help the manager be successful. If we need a left-back then we’ll have a list of left-back profiles to go for or we look to the academy. If the academy needs a left-back and there’s nothing coming though the age group below: sign a left-back for the academy. The reason them lot, regrettably, work so well is because Klopp enforced 4-3-3 and he is strict in the profile of player he wants. They buy carbon copy replacements and they grow carbon copy replacements in the academy whilst selling those that will never fit Klopp’s plan.

I believe this Summer is going to be the complete wiping of the slate with a lot of players out of contract and a lot that are on their last year. Ancelotti will have had 6 months to imprint his style and Brands will have had 6 months to look for players that fit this style. The likes of Iwobi would not have been bought last year if Ancelotti was in charge as they don’t really fit his system.

It’s a shame the Euros fall when they do but I’m confident we will have a prosperous summer and a great 2020/21 season.

It’s funny that because in Carlos book, there’s a whole chapter on Ancelotti explaining that a DOF is there to continue recruitment and a football philosophy no matter who is in charge. He emphasises that players the DOF brings in should not be for the manager but for the club as a whole, so if he leaves then it doesn’t matter. So all that’s wrong

 

[Blues Harp]

I’m concerned that there hasn’t even been a whisper of players leaving yet.

Who's going to want Siggy, Iwobi, Delph, Walcott, Davies etc? Expect at least 3 of those still to be at the club at the start of the season.

 

[Nymzee]

I’m concerned that there hasn’t even been a whisper of players leaving yet.

We've already sold Schneids

 

[ToffeeTim]

That's why I said at the end I don't think it's being done properly so far.

Ancelotti & Brands need to agree on a player for the longevity of the club. He's not gonna be here managing in 4 years time is he.

I want him to be here for 4 or 5 years if possible.

I'm very willing to give him patience because there are underlying problems at this club that will take ages to sort.

I just feel we need managerial stability to improve so that means we will have to back a certain manager and his style (i.e. Carlo). The DOF should get Ancelotti the players he wants and focus more on overhauling our academy and the production line. That's how to create long term improvements and sustainability at the club.

 

[Nymzee]

It’s funny that because in Carlos book, there’s a whole chapter on Ancelotti explaining that a DOF is there to continue recruitment and a football philosophy no matter who is in charge. He emphasises that players the DOF brings in should not be for the manager but for the club as a whole, so if he leaves then it doesn’t matter. So all that’s wrong

How's it wrong? Brands himself was never going to dictate formation/playing style when coming into a PL job with a manager already earmarked. I've already wrote elsewhere numerous times that the formation/player profile needs to be cascaded throughout the club so we can switch managers more easily and not hire like we have done so far.

Just for proof I said the bold: https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/marco-silva-new-poll-added.104365/page-912#post-6795530

 

[ganistuk]

I’m concerned that there hasn’t even been a whisper of players leaving yet.

Probably because not many are in demand and in all honesty why would they be? The majority are overpaid and comparatively under perform... not a good combination and exactly why we need to shift them but likely not many takers.

 

[neilsyd]

How's it wrong? Brands himself was never going to dictate formation/playing style when coming into a PL job with a manager already earmarked. I've already wrote elsewhere numerous times that the formation/player profile needs to be cascaded throughout the club so we can switch managers more easily and not hire like we have done so far.

Just for proof I said the bold: https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/marco-silva-new-poll-added.104365/page-912#post-6795530

My bad mate. Just agreeing it looks like

 

[Nymzee]

My bad mate. Just agreeing it looks like

Either way it's not worked so far but hopefully this Summer is where they wipe the slate clean and we start again. We'll know more half-way through the season once recruitment/playstyle is in place and we can check how the youth teams play.

 

[murphy89]

The squad is disjointed because we've only had two seasons (three windows) to transform an aging squad suitable for 451 into young, dynamic squad capable of playing both 433 and 451.

If you write down the players in the squad at the start of this season, without injuries, it isn't as disjointed (minus a fourth CB). I don't think we acknowledge the extent of our injury crisis this season, especially in the middle of the park. We lost three first-team (Ok, Delph's debatable) midfielders for the majority of the season. Look at the impact injuries have had on City and consider the overall quality of their squad.

I honestly don't think the defensive 442 we played up until the final two games is Carlo's preferred long term formation, instead it was what he had to play with the players available to him.

I think the DOF model works and I think we need to be more patient. It is also difficult for us to judge without really understanding the brief given to Brands, not just in terms of targets but also from Moshiri. A big target of Brands has been to reduce to wage bill and age of the squad. I think to the main, he has done that but we still have a hangover of players that we are struggling to shift.

I know we all want the players in earlier but it was also clear that last summer was sell to buy. We spent very little net.

 

[orly]

The squad is disjointed because we've only had two seasons (three windows) to transform an aging squad suitable for 451 into young, dynamic squad capable of playing both 433 and 451.

Hello buddy where does Fabian Delph and Iwobi fit into this description please

 

[davek]

The Architect.

FFS.

The amount of people conned by this feller. Unbelievable.

I suppose it just underlines how desperate Evertonians are to put their faith in someone - ANYONE - to get us to a better point.

It was obvious from the business done last summer, and the lack of nous he's shown throughout his time here concerning shifting players out of the club, that he's badly out of his depth here.

This has to end before we head into the transfer window. Pay him off and cut our losses.

 

[davek]

Does anyone genuinely have faith in him to sign the right players in the right positions and at sensible prices?

I want to believe he's up to the job but I'm struggling to get enthused by the DOF model.

Nope.

His MO is to buy late, buy unfit / injured, and buy for fees between £20M-£30M.

It's unsustainable.

He has to go.

 

[Blue Shoes]

I’m concerned that there hasn’t even been a whisper of players leaving yet.

Teams will know we're desperate to get rid so can wait until later in the window to get a better deal. When we start buying, certain players will be further down the pecking order and will become cheaper again. Let's be honest, there's hardly going to be a clamour of clubs interested in them so teams can afford to play the waiting game.

 

[Sweeneytoad]

He's been brought in to sort out the mess than Walsh and Koeman left and has improved upon that with Delph and Iwobi. Now I read we are after Ivanovic and Zaha. This man needs to be shown the door.

 

[Azza]

He's been brought in to sort out the mess than Walsh and Koeman left and has improved upon that with Delph and Iwobi. Now I read we are after Ivanovic and Zaha. This man needs to be shown the door.

lol lol you need to stay away from Twitter jarg.