Summer 2018 Transfer Window

[BlueToff]

Pushing it that I think. Didn't he score 4 pens and 1 rebound from his own missed pen?

I don't think he had a bad season by any means, but I wouldn't use his goalscoring record as an example of his usefulness.

It's literally a fact that we'd have been 10 goals worse off though? He did score those penalties?

Do Kane's penalties not count towards his goals?

And no, you're correct on your last point. There's other ways to measure it and overall I'd say it was probably a 6/10 season. Some good performances, some bang average. But his 10 goals helped us. That's statistical evidence.

 

[BlueToff]

After 50 odd appearances for Everton, you can tell if a player has 'it'.
DCL doesn't have 'it'. He's simply not a striker, he cannot score.

I think he has what it takes to be a useful squad member for where we're at and where we want to be in the next 2/3 years.

If he can't improve his finishing/goalscoring in the next few seasons, then he won't be good enough.

He's 21, not 29.

 

[Lanolin]

It's literally a fact that we'd have been 10 goals worse off though? He did score those penalties?

Do Kane's penalties not count towards his goals?

And no, you're correct on your last point. There's other ways to measure it and overall I'd say it was probably a 6/10 season. Some good performances, some bang average. But his 10 goals helped us. That's statistical evidence.

It's 'literally' only a fact if whoever else took the penalties missed them all, which is unbelievably unlikely.

 

[BlueToff]

It's 'literally' only a fact if whoever else took the penalties missed them, which is unbelievably unlikely.

But he took the penalties... He scored the goals. It's irrelevant - they're still his goals. Would you have backed anyone else in that squad to score that goal at Anfield, for example, barring in mind who was on the pitch at the time? Gylfi, maybe, but I know who I wanted to step up and take responsibility...

As you've said, there's better ways to judge his season. But, he has contributed with important goals, from the spot or otherwise.

 

[PhilM]

I think he has what it takes to be a useful squad member for where we're at and where we want to be in the next 2/3 years.

If he can't improve his finishing/goalscoring in the next few seasons, then he won't be good enough.

He's 21, not 29.

That's the crux of the matter. For his age, I do believe that DCL brings a fair amount to a game: namely his attitude and overall work-rate.

He's also scored some fairly important goals during his time in and around the first XI, even when asked to fulfil the selfless task of lone striker.

So some of the criticism he gets from the fan base (inc. on here) is incredibly unfair; nevertheless, his finishing is a just concern (to an extent).

If he's given the right opportunity to improve his finishing and can increase his goal return then he could be a good player for us in the future.

If he can't, then I do still feel that he'll offer a lot to a lower PL or high-level Championship club so there'll be some form of financial return.

 

[Lanolin]

But he took the penalties... He scored the goals. It's irrelevant - they're still his goals. Would you have backed anyone else in that squad to score that goal at Anfield, for example, barring in mind who was on the pitch at the time? Gylfi, maybe, but I know who I wanted to step up and take responsibility...

As you've said, there's better ways to judge his season. But, he has contributed with important goals, from the spot or otherwise.

Jesus you're struggling with this.

I'm not trying to knock him or claim the pens don't count, I agree with you that he's been a decent performer in the main. I'm simply pointing out that your claim that we would be 'literally' 10 goals worse off for a 'fact', doesn't really stand up to scrutiny because it's highly likely that a decent portion of those goals would have been scored by someone else. In fact, seeing as Rooney has missed more than 50% of the pens he's taken in an Everton shirt, there's an argument that we might even have scored more goals...

 

[BlueToff]

That's the crux of the matter. For his age, I do believe that DCL brings a fair amount to a game: namely his attitude and overall work-rate.

He's also scored some fairly important goals during his time in and around the first XI, even when asked to fulfil the selfless task of lone striker.

So some of the criticism he gets from the fan base (inc. on here) is incredibly unfair; nevertheless, his finishing is a just concern (to an extent).

If he's given the right opportunity to improve his finishing and can increase his goal return then he could be a good player for us in the future.

If he can't, then I do still feel that he'll offer a lot to a lower PL or high-level Championship club so there'll be some form of financial return.

Exactly.

The lad has plenty of time to improve but even if he doesn't, he's on a long-term deal and will be able to make the club a profit in terms of his fee.

He's incredibly well-liked within the squad and has - through workrate alone - forced himself into the first team picture when most of us thought he'd merely be an U23 player for at least the first 12 months.

 

[BlueToff]

Jesus you're struggling with this.

I'm not trying to knock him or claim the pens don't count, I agree with you that he's been a decent performer in the main. I'm simply pointing out that your claim that we would be 'literally' 10 goals worse off for a 'fact', doesn't really stand up to scrutiny because it's highly likely that a decent portion of those goals would have been scored by someone else. In fact, seeing as Rooney has missed more than 50% of the pens he's taken in an Everton shirt, there's an argument that we might even have scored more goals...

Fair enough.

Bad wording with 'literally'. Let's leave it at that.

It is a fact that he scored 10 league goals though.

He only missed one penalty that we didn't score from (ultimately), as far as I can recall (against Brighton at home)? Don't think we got another one after that did we? Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Raino85]

I like all 4 of those players, but they do seem a bit mix and match.

I like them in certain ways (although i'm not Tosun's biggest fan), but i just think they smell of "Walsh"
E.g if we are to play a 4-3-3 (1 holding, 2 centre mids), were are we going to play sigurdsson
Can Tosun & Walcott press?
Does Gana have the physical attributes and the on the ball ability to stay in an improving team, or is he just a "good" mid table player?

 

[Raino85]

Why not? They all play roles that we need.

Do they?
What roles are they?
Will Walcott & Tosun press and make runs off the ball to pull defenders away? I havent seen evidence of that?
Will Gylfi look to move the ball on quickly and also push on with a press like the above?
Is Gana good enough or physical enough to be the sole defensive midfielder and protect the back 4?

 

[COYBL25]

People seem to be forgetting that Gana was almost doing the job of two players, every time he played alongside Schneiderfraud.

Then " lead legs " Rooney got moved into midfield, which just meant even more work for him.

Even Kante or Makelele would struggle next those two. ( I`m not comparing him to them by the way ).

He needs someone alongside him, who compliments him.

Over to you Marco.

 

[Raino85]

gana has the best or second best interception stats in the league

kante may be ahead of him but it's close

Kante can do something with it when he gets it though

 

[Kinky Koeman]

 

[Frang]

People seem to be forgetting that Gana was almost doing the job of two players, every time he played alongside Schneiderfraud.

Then " lead legs " Rooney got moved into midfield, which just meant even more work for him.

Even Kante or Makelele would struggle next those two. ( I`m not comparing him to them by the way ).

He needs someone alongside him, who compliments him.

Over to you Marco.

big willy C - the new yaya toure if you will.

welcome

 

[BlueToff]

Do they?
What roles are they?
Will Walcott & Tosun press and make runs off the ball to pull defenders away? I havent seen evidence of that?
Will Gylfi look to move the ball on quickly and also push on with a press like the above?
Is Gana good enough or physical enough to be the sole defensive midfielder and protect the back 4?

While I understand your doubts in regards to the others mate, can't really knock Gylfi for that.

He always looks to move the ball quickly and always looks to press. He's constantly one of our hardest workers when fit.

Gana, too, is a very good defensive midfielder. If tasked with the job of simply being a shield in front of the back four, there aren't many better in the league.

Ultimately though he doesn't have the ability on the ball that Kante does, or the vision/passing range of a Matic.