madkiwi
Koffee please
In my opinion we should definitely try to copy Spurs model of their rise. We are going to build a new stadium, similarly as them. They tried to rebuild their squad via expensive transfers after Bale's sale to build a squad to challenge for top 4/title. That was not a way to go. These expensive players were all flops. Their best buys were young English players from lower leagues, promoting players from their youth team and buying big talents mainly from outside of England plus an odd PL signing here and there to complete their squad. For me that is a model we should try to go with here in Everton as according to our expected wage bill we want to spend similar wages on players as Spurs.
We need at least 2 good players for every position to compete longterm for top places in these days especially if you play in Europe and you don't crash out from every cup in your first chance. Just look on Liverpool how bad they are now with their tiny squad. We are likely going to play formations like 5-3-2, 5-3-1-1, 4-3-2-1, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 in a diamond midfield.
So I believe we need a squad consisting of players playing these positions 3 GK, 2 RB, 2 LB, 4/5 CB, 5 DM/CM, 5/6 LW/AM/RW, 3 ST. That is 25 to 26 players, perfect number according to the number of players in clubs like Man Utd, Man City or Chelsea.
So sorting out our current squad...
GK: We have Joel. He is at least good enough to be our backup for years coming. But he may become our starting goalkeeper for foreseeable future too, who knows, we will know way more in May, but he looks good enough to be our number one so far based on what I have seen from him this season. I am ok with Stek as our third choice, I am not too sure if he is going to be ok with that role though, other top clubs probably have a better backup than him. Verdict: We need a goalkeeper. Probably 1st choice, if Joel is so good as he is now, we may only need a backup to challenge him. keep Stek as a 3rd choice or replace him with similar experienced GK.
RB: Coleman is ok. Better wing-back than full-back. But he definitely needs competition. I am not too sure about Kenny, he is ok for me as a RB, but can't see him having a great future as wing-back. Connolly may be a little bit different, both these young players likely will get a chance to show their qualities in pre-season. That will probably decide the need to buy a player for this position. Holgate can do the job too, but he is way more likely going to play as a CB than RB for years coming. We need someone as decent as Trippier who is giving some competition to a player like he gives to Walker in Tottenham.
CB: Jagielka will get a summer testamonial and then he will go, I am sure of that. Williams will stay. Holgate will stay. RFM is a maybe. I think the biggest need for us is to get at least one centre half, maybe even two. VVD would be ideal or a similar player. But if we can't get a special player like him, then RMF will go. And then we surely need a player like Keane to replace Jagielka. Pennington will surely get a chance in summer, and it will likely be make it or leave it window for him depending a lot if we are able to buy a player like VVD too. Galloway may get a chance to be a LCB cover if we play 5 at the back longterm. This is probably our biggest need IMO. We need our Vertonghen and Alderweireld, we only have our version of a younger Fazio and prime Dawson.
LB: Baines is ok, but is getting older and needs a competition. Especially when Oviedo is gone, even through he was not good enough. Not good enough = Garbutt. Connolly or Galloway could get a chance in summer, but we likely need someone better. A young player like Andrew Robertson or Charlie Taylor could be a decent target: be a backup while pushing for Baines' place in the team for the future. We need our Ben Davies to push for Rose's place.
DM/CM: We have Schneiderlin, Gueye, McCarthy, Davies, Barry, Besic with Walsh and Charsley pushing for a place in the first team. I think we are ok here. I think we potentially could afford to sell one of McCarthy/Barry/Besic.
AM/WINGS: We have Barkley, Mirallas, Lookman + an injured Bolasie + likely unwanted Lennon, Deulofeu and Tarashaj and Dowell and Donkor are pushing. This is our big need. What we lack on the biggest teams is a quality to create in final third. I believe Deulofeu and Tarashaj won't be here in the next season, and Dowell will go on a loan. So then we have 3/4 players we want depending on Bolasie. We absolutely need to buy a player or two preferably of a quality like Eriksen. So, the absolute minimum is a player like Gylfi Sigurdsson, but we should aim higher. A player like Bernardo Silva would be perfect. A younger copy of Mata, who can play both as a winger or an attacking midfielder. Mahrez maybe, there were rumours about Ghezzal and Mertens. We need a player like that, more likely two with Bolasie injured and remains to be seen how good he will be after he is back. At least a player like Eriksen and Son, while Barkley is our (better!) Alli.
ST: We have Lukaku. We need to keep him and in every scenario we need to plan with him. But we need players around him. As a third striker, I like DCL. Showed promise for U23 and hopefully will get some minutes in this season. And then we need a top striker to be capable to play both together with Rom or without him if Rom is injured. Kone and Valencia will go. We absolutely need at least a player who comes here with a reputation like Vincent Janssen, even through he is not playing well for Spurs so far at all. More preferably we will go and buy a star like Lacazette. A big priority.
TL,DR: I think we really need to buy these:
stiker capable both playing with and without big Rom
creative attacking player who can play both as AM and a winger
backup/first choice goalkeeper
leading centre half
left back backup
And we will see if we need those:
right back backup = our youngsters not good enough and we count Holgate as a CB
another centre half = RFM likely gone
another winger/attacking player = we want to upgrade Mirallas or Bolasie
5-8 players for the first team.
It is going to be interesting to see how big names we are going to try to buy this summer and for how much. I think we really need to maximize our first team squad quality as much as possible to keep our best players playing here. Probably the most important transfer window in our history.
Can you please supply a tl;dr for your tl;dr?
