2019/20 Marcel Brands

[maccavennie]

I do yeah, and so does every manager/DOF/chairman/chief exec in football

Otherwise they'd sign the majority of players in January rather than the summer

A club aiming to stay up and being 20th on Jan 1st is desperate. A club aiming for CL football being 6th is desparate.

A club sat in 8th that was aiming for 7th is not desparate for signings

Spot on mate

He's right @davek if we were challenging the top 4 then yes there might have been an urgent need to get players in but we are where we are, almost in limbo in the league. No better than 7th and no worse than 12th depending on how results go.

Regardless if we won/lost against Burnley I think we can all agree we need the following

ST
CM
RW
RB
GK to push/challenge Pickford

Whether any quality one's are available in January we will have to wait and see. He's already name checked 2 PSV players so he is looking but he also wants value for money so if we need to wait then that's what we'll have to do.

If we had 10/12 more points on the board at this stage of the season then I think it would be a different story but we are too far to really make any kind of challenge in the league so it's the fa Cup or bust

 

[EverBlue92]

We saw the level of ambition in the summer. Brazil internationals, Barca players etc

The same level of player won't be available in January, what's the point in getting a Tosun type striker now when we might be able to go for a Timo Werner in the summer?

Leave him to it, he's earned our patience with his work in the summer window

Not all players that leave clubs in Janaury are gash mate, the likes of Suarez have moved as players from smaller clubs now out of the CL (like Lozano at PSV) can be targetted if the money is right and the selling club likely won't stand in their way.

We definitely shouldn't be buying for buying sake I agree, however I would be disappointed if we dont bring in atleast one signing to strengthen the starting 11.

As I said I think Lozano is definitely available this January and if we offered big money for a striker of a club like Frankfurt who typically are not well off - every player has their price.

 

[davek]

Spot on mate

He's right @davek if we were challenging the top 4 then yes there might have been an urgent need to get players in but we are where we are, almost in limbo in the league. No better than 7th and no worse than 12th depending on how results go.

Regardless if we won/lost against Burnley I think we can all agree we need the following

ST
CM
RW
RB
GK to push/challenge Pickford

Whether any quality one's are available in January we will have to wait and see. He's already name checked 2 PSV players so he is looking but he also wants value for money so if we need to wait then that's what we'll have to do.

If we had 10/12 more points on the board at this stage of the season then I think it would be a different story but we are too far to really make any kind of challenge in the league so it's the fa Cup or bust

Get the majority of them in this coming summer and see us spend the first two months of next season minimum gelling them.

The January window is there not just for teams at opposite ends of the table. If the player is there for a position we need filling now then they should be brought in. What is there to gain by sticking with the attackers we have now? We all know their weaknesses. We dont need any more time wasted to give Silva the pieces he needs to make us more of a threat. And it'll be frustrating beyond belief persevering with Tosun/DCL/Richarlison up front.

January-May should be used as far as we can to build a team ready to hit the ground running next season. We also have a cup still to play for.

 

[Kinky Koeman]

He's had all season long to get a striker deal done. He enquired about the two PSV attackers, so I expect if he doesn't get one of those he's got a back up....it's what the DoFs job is singularly about....and I expect him to do it.

We need the right signings not just signings to pacify fans for the sake of it.

 

[davek]

We need the right signings not just signings to pacify fans for the sake of it.

That's just an excuse.

The right players will be there. The question is whether this is just the same old Everton not getting them and hanging on and hanging on. If the attacking situation isn't addressed in January I'll know that Brands is just another duffer, taking Goodison gold and towing the line.

 

[Nymzee]

I fear this guy could sign Messi and it wouldn't be enough.

 

[CRIMHEAD]

I'm confused.

So Brands needs to get in a 20 goal CF in January or he's failed?

Or is it that he needs to sign Hirving Lozano or he's failed even though he's not a CF or a 20 goal scorer? I don't understand.

We need to stop overpaying for players, but now you want him to use the January window to make key acquisitions, even though 10% of the players are available at anything less than exorbinant prices?

I'm all for getting a decent piece in January, but aren't we getting ridiculous?

 

[Kinky Koeman]

That's just an excuse.

The right players will be there. The question is whether this is just the same old Everton not getting them and hanging on and hanging on. If the attacking situation isn't addressed in January I'll know that Brands is just another duffer, taking Goodison gold and towing the line.

I reckon you’ll be upset. I will however be patient and consider the difficulty of situation tasked by Brands to turn around our great team.

The issues we had in the summer are still present with regards to squad numbers and the wage bill.

If enough leave perhaps we will see the great carpet bagger put 1% back in the coffers to enable a signing to help us achieve 7th.

 

[Death]

Unfortuantely we got a bit carried away with all of the 'Mersey billionaires' stuff when Moshiri came on board, as well as clubs being aware of the fee we got for Lukaku, and now it's very important that we get back to something like the 'frugal' Everton image we had before.
If you look at how Spurs and Atletico Madrid conduct transfer business (at least in recent years) they are in for quality players but the other party always knows they are only willing to pay realistic fees. Brands seems to be quite rightly trying to cultivate that image and present us as an outfit that works towards a strategy rather than being reactive - which is unfortunately very necessary after Steve Walsh set us back years by swanning to Milan with his shades on.

I'm still waiting on Walshy to come back with a mix of inter/AC all-stars. Heard he was nanometers from resigning Pistone. Such a shame.

 

[CRIMHEAD]

As I said I think Lozano is definitely available this January and if we offered big money for a striker of a club like Frankfurt who typically are not well off - every player has their price.

Isn't that EXACTLY why we have Brands, to NOT do stuff like this? Our time horizon to threaten the top 4 is not this season. I want at least 7th and European footy (assuming 7th gets it). I'd love to see a 20 goal scorer, but we aren't making up 13 points on Chelsea.

Frankfurt is sitting 1 point out of 5th and 4 out of 4th. Seb Haller is maybe their best player and has 9 goals and 8 assists. Why on earth would they move him now? If he's the guy we want and he's available in the summer for half of what he's available for now, I think you'd wait.

Alassane Plea is another interesting player. Again, BMG is sitting in 3rd. They aren't moving him for anything less than a kings random. That's simply not good business with our time horizon. Just like they aren't moving Hazard even though he might be a nice fit at RW.

Now Denis Zakaria isn't playing as much as he'd like there, he's got some serious potential and would be an interesting option...

 

[dublinbluenose]

That's just an excuse.

The right players will be there. The question is whether this is just the same old Everton not getting them and hanging on and hanging on. If the attacking situation isn't addressed in January I'll know that Brands is just another duffer, taking Goodison gold and towing the line.

It's not like bringing in a gym instructor or nutrionist, if there isn't an instant improvement in players conditioning after 6 month you get rid. DOF is a long term appointment as you well know.

Striking situation has needed to be addressed, since arguably a year before Lukaku left. It's not fair to put that level of bad strategy at Brands door.

We've made some really poor decisions recently when trying to address the problems in January. I'm comfortable with us not signing a striker in Jan assuming it will be addressed competently and succinctly in the summer.

 

[PeregrineT]

We are desperate though: we need to be getting players in now to play the way Silva wants to play with NEXT SEASON in mind.

Do you think it's a better idea to wait and get them mid-summer window and just have the rubbish pre-season games to blend them in? I dont. That would be typical amateur Everton stuff....and I thought times were changing in terms of recruitment patterns?

Oh yes, its clearly important we get them in NOW, instead of in the summer.

I mean look how long it took the likes of Richarlison and Digne to start performing. Like at LEAST 10 minutes. You are so right, we cant afford to wait that long.

 

[Timak]

The striking situation is because of a lack of chance creation, not a lack of a good finisher.

The problem is the midfield balance is wrong.

 

[Charro]

I expect this feller to be busy in January, and if he isn't I'd want to know why. He can see what we are desperate for.

He’s already explained why.

 

[Zatara]

People expecting us to sign a conventional CF will continue to be disappointed in the near future, I think.
In common with many clubs at present are aim is to play with Forwards who can play across the front line , highly mobile and with the perceived ability to interchange. Players such as Richarlison who can be used centrally for Brazil as well as for us.
Lozano , a player who many want us to sign, is another player who is described as a Forward rather than a winger due to his ability to play across the front.
If Brands is being truthful about his intentions (and I suspect he is), I think he is correct in prioritising giving our promising young forwards game time to further their development.
For me our problem so far this season is not the lack of a goalscorer but our failure to produce enough chances. Our approach play has generally been very good but we have been too hesitant and slow around the box ,often squandering the ball with a poor pass and allowing the opposition to counterattack. If we can speed up and improve our decision making in this area it will give our capable young forwards the chance to score the goals we crave.

Id like a wide right forward...

It's an interesting comment by Brands. The 84/85 side had 5 players who scored more than 10 goals that season and the opposition didn't know what was going to hit them.
The following season we concentrated a lot of attack through Lineker (I'm not knocking him. He was superb). But when he was injured we simply didn't win the games we needed to.

Good to spread the goals like Brands highlighted.

I'm confused.

So Brands needs to get in a 20 goal CF in January or he's failed?

Or is it that he needs to sign Hirving Lozano or he's failed even though he's not a CF or a 20 goal scorer? I don't understand.

We need to stop overpaying for players, but now you want him to use the January window to make key acquisitions, even though 10% of the players are available at anything less than exorbinant prices?

I'm all for getting a decent piece in January, but aren't we getting ridiculous?

To be fair Lozano had 11 goals in 17 league games so could be a 20 goal forward.