The Common Denominator

[Carlito]

The problem has always been the seemingly irreversible transformation from Everton FC, 9x champions of England and all that, into Bill Kenwright presents: the Friendly Neighbourhood Toffees.

It suited him to allow the Johnson debacle to define the club's self-image, and now the damage can't be undone.

 

[Number_25]

Recruitment has been a massive issue for us since Moyes left:

• Kone (£5m from Wigan) Bobby's first signing, crocked and was never really able to show his ability. Had a couple games where he demonstrated an ability to link up with Lukaku, but a bad signing overall.
• Alcaraz (Free) one of the worst players I've seen play for us.
• Robles (£4.5m from Atletico) offered decent cover, when Howard's arms fell off he looked alright - but not to the level expected. Sold.
• McCarthy (£13m from Wigan), decent first season and then his legs fell off. Binned off to Palace to free some wages/squad space.
• Lukaku (£28m from Chelsea), good player, scored loads, but wanted to leave when he realised we were regressing. Sold for a profit.
• Barry (Free from City), fantastic player, but was a short term fix as he was nearing the end of his career.
• McGeady (£1.5m from Russia), crap. Binned off.
• Besic (£4m from some CIS team), crap player. On the books, but not played a game in over a year.
• Eto'o (Free) decent in parts, but rumours but his attitude in the dressing room stank. Binned.
• Lennon (Free?) decent in parts, but injuries ended him here. Binned.
• Cleverley (Free) crap.
• Holgate (£500k), moneys worth. Not sure if he's got what it takes, not really developed.
• Leandro (£500K), who?
• Funes Mori (£9.5m from Argentina), odd player. Looked class one second, and then like he was here as part of some charity event the next. Sold.
• Tarashaj (£3m), who?
• Oumar Niasse (£13.5m from Russia), crap. Released
• Gueye (£7.1m from relegated Villa), great player. Sold for a profit to PSG when he wanted to leave.
• Williams (£9m from Swansea) unfit, badly mannered, crap. Released.
• Bolasie (£22.5m from Palace), crap. Been loaned out and failed at every club he has been in. Probably about to get released.
• DCL (£1.5), ace.
• Lookman (£7.5m from Charlton), decent potential, but forced a move where he ended up languishing in Germany. Hit and miss at relegated Fulham this year.
• Schneiderlin (£20m from United), one of the worst players I've seen play for us. Never looked arsed. Binned off to France.
• Pickford (£25m from relegated Sunderland), decent.
• Klaassen (£23.5m from Ajax), utter crap. Binned off after one season, looked lightweight and not that arsed.
• Onyekuru (£6.8m), never played for us. Sold for a small profit to Monaco.
• Sandro (£5.2m from Spain), was supposed to take us to the next level - ended up being crap. Binned off back to Spain where he has a reputation as a waste.
• Keane (£25m from Burnley) inconsistent.
• Rooney (£10m from United) one decentish season, but his legs were gone by the time he came back home. Probably sold a load of shirts though.
• Martina (Free), [Poor language removed].
• Sigurdsson (£40m from Swansea) flattered to deceive, showed so much ability but often lacks impact. Never worth £40m.
• Vlasic (£8m) barely played for us, now tearing up in the Russian league with CSKA.
• Tosun (£21m from Turkey) fascist sympathiser that would often shrug when asked to make any sort of run. Loaned off, but will probably never play for us again.
• Walcott (£20m from Arsenal), hard worker but lacked any sort of real impact. Released to Southampton now. Waste of money to be honest.
• Richarlison (£35m from Watford), one of our best players but struggled in empty stadiums.
• Digne (£18m from Barca), one of our best players, but struggled in empty stadiums.
• Bernard (Free), looks lightweight. Struggled with mental health. High wages. Crap.
• Mina (£28m from Barca), has ability but injuries make him unreliable. Prone to the odd mistake.
• Gomes (£28m from Barca), doesn't really do anything. Crap.
• Gbamin (£23m from Germany), legs fell off after his first game. Waste of money.
• Kean (£25.1m from Juve), never played consistently for us - when he did he didn't look arsed. Loaned to PSG, probably going to leave this summer.
• Iwobi (£40m from Arsenal), utter crap. Zero impact.
• Nkonkou (£250k from France), prospect.
• Allan (£21m from Italy), decent player, injuries have been an issue this season.
• Rodriguez (£9m from Madrid) easily our best player, but made from literal glass.
• Doucoure (£20m) glimpses this season, but not consistent. Often looks rudderless.
• Godfrey (£20m), first season has been a huge success. Probably our player of the season.

 

[Crestfallen]

Ever since ‘not good enough for us’ Dour Moyes left we’ve been inconsistent to say the least. We’ve changed owners, had 5 new managers, and changed the squad over and over again.

What’s the common denominator?

The common denominator is we just accept mediocrity.The club and the fans.

 

[The Gueye Science]

Recruitment has been a massive issue for us since Moyes left:

• Kone (£5m from Wigan) Bobby's first signing, crocked and was never really able to show his ability. Had a couple games where he demonstrated an ability to link up with Lukaku, but a bad signing overall.
• Alcaraz (Free) one of the worst players I've seen play for us.
• Robles (£4.5m from Atletico) offered decent cover, when Howard's arms fell off he looked alright - but not to the level expected. Sold.
• McCarthy (£13m from Wigan), decent first season and then his legs fell off. Binned off to Palace to free some wages/squad space.
• Lukaku (£28m from Chelsea), good player, scored loads, but wanted to leave when he realised we were regressing. Sold for a profit.
• Barry (Free from City), fantastic player, but was a short term fix as he was nearing the end of his career.
• McGeady (£1.5m from Russia), crap. Binned off.
• Besic (£4m from some CIS team), crap player. On the books, but not played a game in over a year.
• Eto'o (Free) decent in parts, but rumours but his attitude in the dressing room stank. Binned.
• Lennon (Free?) decent in parts, but injuries ended him here. Binned.
• Cleverley (Free) crap.
• Holgate (£500k), moneys worth. Not sure if he's got what it takes, not really developed.
• Leandro (£500K), who?
• Funes Mori (£9.5m from Argentina), odd player. Looked class one second, and then like he was here as part of some charity event the next. Sold.
• Tarashaj (£3m), who?
• Oumar Niasse (£13.5m from Russia), crap. Released
• Gueye (£7.1m from relegated Villa), great player. Sold for a profit to PSG when he wanted to leave.
• Williams (£9m from Swansea) unfit, badly mannered, crap. Released.
• Bolasie (£22.5m from Palace), crap. Been loaned out and failed at every club he has been in. Probably about to get released.
• DCL (£1.5), ace.
• Lookman (£7.5m from Charlton), decent potential, but forced a move where he ended up languishing in Germany. Hit and miss at relegated Fulham this year.
• Schneiderlin (£20m from United), one of the worst players I've seen play for us. Never looked arsed. Binned off to France.
• Pickford (£25m from relegated Sunderland), decent.
• Klaassen (£23.5m from Ajax), utter crap. Binned off after one season, looked lightweight and not that arsed.
• Onyekuru (£6.8m), never played for us. Sold for a small profit to Monaco.
• Sandro (£5.2m from Spain), was supposed to take us to the next level - ended up being crap. Binned off back to Spain where he has a reputation as a waste.
• Keane (£25m from Burnley) inconsistent.
• Rooney (£10m from United) one decentish season, but his legs were gone by the time he came back home. Probably sold a load of shirts though.
• Martina (Free), [Poor language removed].
• Sigurdsson (£40m from Swansea) flattered to deceive, showed so much ability but often lacks impact. Never worth £40m.
• Vlasic (£8m) barely played for us, now tearing up in the Russian league with CSKA.
• Tosun (£21m from Turkey) fascist sympathiser that would often shrug when asked to make any sort of run. Loaned off, but will probably never play for us again.
• Walcott (£20m from Arsenal), hard worker but lacked any sort of real impact. Released to Southampton now. Waste of money to be honest.
• Richarlison (£35m from Watford), one of our best players but struggled in empty stadiums.
• Digne (£18m from Barca), one of our best players, but struggled in empty stadiums.
• Bernard (Free), looks lightweight. Struggled with mental health. High wages. Crap.
• Mina (£28m from Barca), has ability but injuries make him unreliable. Prone to the odd mistake.
• Gomes (£28m from Barca), doesn't really do anything. Crap.
• Gbamin (£23m from Germany), legs fell off after his first game. Waste of money.
• Kean (£25.1m from Juve), never played consistently for us - when he did he didn't look arsed. Loaned to PSG, probably going to leave this summer.
• Iwobi (£40m from Arsenal), utter crap. Zero impact.
• Nkonkou (£250k from France), prospect.
• Allan (£21m from Italy), decent player, injuries have been an issue this season.
• Rodriguez (£9m from Madrid) easily our best player, but made from literal glass.
• Doucoure (£20m) glimpses this season, but not consistent. Often looks rudderless.
• Godfrey (£20m), first season has been a huge success. Probably our player of the season.

Just imagine what a team like Ajax or Dortmund could have built with spending power like that.

 

[tommytowne]

Recruitment has been a massive issue for us since Moyes left:

• Kone (£5m from Wigan) Bobby's first signing, crocked and was never really able to show his ability. Had a couple games where he demonstrated an ability to link up with Lukaku, but a bad signing overall.
• Alcaraz (Free) one of the worst players I've seen play for us.
• Robles (£4.5m from Atletico) offered decent cover, when Howard's arms fell off he looked alright - but not to the level expected. Sold.
• McCarthy (£13m from Wigan), decent first season and then his legs fell off. Binned off to Palace to free some wages/squad space.
• Lukaku (£28m from Chelsea), good player, scored loads, but wanted to leave when he realised we were regressing. Sold for a profit.
• Barry (Free from City), fantastic player, but was a short term fix as he was nearing the end of his career.
• McGeady (£1.5m from Russia), crap. Binned off.
• Besic (£4m from some CIS team), crap player. On the books, but not played a game in over a year.
• Eto'o (Free) decent in parts, but rumours but his attitude in the dressing room stank. Binned.
• Lennon (Free?) decent in parts, but injuries ended him here. Binned.
• Cleverley (Free) crap.
• Holgate (£500k), moneys worth. Not sure if he's got what it takes, not really developed.
• Leandro (£500K), who?
• Funes Mori (£9.5m from Argentina), odd player. Looked class one second, and then like he was here as part of some charity event the next. Sold.
• Tarashaj (£3m), who?
• Oumar Niasse (£13.5m from Russia), crap. Released
• Gueye (£7.1m from relegated Villa), great player. Sold for a profit to PSG when he wanted to leave.
• Williams (£9m from Swansea) unfit, badly mannered, crap. Released.
• Bolasie (£22.5m from Palace), crap. Been loaned out and failed at every club he has been in. Probably about to get released.
• DCL (£1.5), ace.
• Lookman (£7.5m from Charlton), decent potential, but forced a move where he ended up languishing in Germany. Hit and miss at relegated Fulham this year.
• Schneiderlin (£20m from United), one of the worst players I've seen play for us. Never looked arsed. Binned off to France.
• Pickford (£25m from relegated Sunderland), decent.
• Klaassen (£23.5m from Ajax), utter crap. Binned off after one season, looked lightweight and not that arsed.
• Onyekuru (£6.8m), never played for us. Sold for a small profit to Monaco.
• Sandro (£5.2m from Spain), was supposed to take us to the next level - ended up being crap. Binned off back to Spain where he has a reputation as a waste.
• Keane (£25m from Burnley) inconsistent.
• Rooney (£10m from United) one decentish season, but his legs were gone by the time he came back home. Probably sold a load of shirts though.
• Martina (Free), [Poor language removed].
• Sigurdsson (£40m from Swansea) flattered to deceive, showed so much ability but often lacks impact. Never worth £40m.
• Vlasic (£8m) barely played for us, now tearing up in the Russian league with CSKA.
• Tosun (£21m from Turkey) fascist sympathiser that would often shrug when asked to make any sort of run. Loaned off, but will probably never play for us again.
• Walcott (£20m from Arsenal), hard worker but lacked any sort of real impact. Released to Southampton now. Waste of money to be honest.
• Richarlison (£35m from Watford), one of our best players but struggled in empty stadiums.
• Digne (£18m from Barca), one of our best players, but struggled in empty stadiums.
• Bernard (Free), looks lightweight. Struggled with mental health. High wages. Crap.
• Mina (£28m from Barca), has ability but injuries make him unreliable. Prone to the odd mistake.
• Gomes (£28m from Barca), doesn't really do anything. Crap.
• Gbamin (£23m from Germany), legs fell off after his first game. Waste of money.
• Kean (£25.1m from Juve), never played consistently for us - when he did he didn't look arsed. Loaned to PSG, probably going to leave this summer.
• Iwobi (£40m from Arsenal), utter crap. Zero impact.
• Nkonkou (£250k from France), prospect.
• Allan (£21m from Italy), decent player, injuries have been an issue this season.
• Rodriguez (£9m from Madrid) easily our best player, but made from literal glass.
• Doucoure (£20m) glimpses this season, but not consistent. Often looks rudderless.
• Godfrey (£20m), first season has been a huge success. Probably our player of the season.

Other than that everything OK?

 

[Kever10]

Average position under all managers including Moyes has been roughly 8th.

We are VERY consistent in that respect. The club eventually reverts to that position, almost regardless of cash spent.

This is a good point and 1 that is very often overlooked. The fact that there are other teams in the league and they change and adapt too. That each season is different and you don't just play the exact same scenarios out like some weird groundhog day simulation. No reason is ever applied that takes into consideration other teams tactics or personnel, adapting, improving changing, to create new problems to overcome.

Each season and each game is filled with incalculable variables that mean the expectation of continual and sustained improvement is just fantasy, unless you can ensure it somehow. Like by spending lots more money, be it in transfer fees or wages, by attracting a certain quality of player (usually a combination of money and the prestige of challenging for titles), having greater strength in depth (aka being able to afford to pay better players to not play, aka, more money), or by taking certain substances to enable unrivaled performances with suspiciously fewer injuries and questionable recovery times.

There are bound to be occasional fluctuations because of the variables each unique game throws up, but in essence, things will have a way of reverting to to type unless 1 of the contributing factors change.

You need better players to finish higher and challenge for trophies. You need more money to spend on better players. You need to finish higher and challenge for trophies to earn more money.

The game is rigged. Deliberately.

 

[tommytowne]

The common denominator by my petty mind is that players we sign, no matter what calibre they are, come here knowing that they will be in the shadows of our neighbours.
As a consequence they just come along for the ride and say all the weasel words when a microphone is pushed in their faces.
There are obviously the notable exceptions but by and large I truly do believe that given the choice, prospective signings of the type we need will look elsewhere.

 

[Crestfallen]

The common denominator by my petty mind is that players we sign, no matter what calibre they are, come here knowing that they will be in the shadows of our neighbours.
As a consequence they just come along for the ride and say all the weasel words when a microphone is pushed in their faces.
There are obviously the notable exceptions but by and large I truly do believe that given the choice, prospective signings of the type we need will look elsewhere.

Like signing for Espanyol, Torino or 1860 Munich.

 

[tommytowne]

Like signing for Espanyol, Torino or 1860 Munich.

Maybe.
Thinking on a bit more, the real common denominator is LFC itself. For a myriad of reasons we've lived under their exposure for so long its permeated into us all.
Its an all-powerful feeling whereby whatever we do they will do it better.
I'm straying off topic here but just suppose we were to replicate all of what they've done in terms of trophies won? Their response....we did it first. You just cannot win. Until we somehow rid ourselves of this inferiority complex we're done for.

 

[Igrok]

Average position under all managers including Moyes has been roughly 8th.

We are VERY consistent in that respect. The club eventually reverts to that position, almost regardless of cash spent.

yeah, mean reversion...middle ground forever...

 

[trueblue84]

Recruitment has been a massive issue for us since Moyes left:

• Kone (£5m from Wigan) Bobby's first signing, crocked and was never really able to show his ability. Had a couple games where he demonstrated an ability to link up with Lukaku, but a bad signing overall.
• Alcaraz (Free) one of the worst players I've seen play for us.
• Robles (£4.5m from Atletico) offered decent cover, when Howard's arms fell off he looked alright - but not to the level expected. Sold.
• McCarthy (£13m from Wigan), decent first season and then his legs fell off. Binned off to Palace to free some wages/squad space.
• Lukaku (£28m from Chelsea), good player, scored loads, but wanted to leave when he realised we were regressing. Sold for a profit.
• Barry (Free from City), fantastic player, but was a short term fix as he was nearing the end of his career.
• McGeady (£1.5m from Russia), crap. Binned off.
• Besic (£4m from some CIS team), crap player. On the books, but not played a game in over a year.
• Eto'o (Free) decent in parts, but rumours but his attitude in the dressing room stank. Binned.
• Lennon (Free?) decent in parts, but injuries ended him here. Binned.
• Cleverley (Free) crap.
• Holgate (£500k), moneys worth. Not sure if he's got what it takes, not really developed.
• Leandro (£500K), who?
• Funes Mori (£9.5m from Argentina), odd player. Looked class one second, and then like he was here as part of some charity event the next. Sold.
• Tarashaj (£3m), who?
• Oumar Niasse (£13.5m from Russia), crap. Released
• Gueye (£7.1m from relegated Villa), great player. Sold for a profit to PSG when he wanted to leave.
• Williams (£9m from Swansea) unfit, badly mannered, crap. Released.
• Bolasie (£22.5m from Palace), crap. Been loaned out and failed at every club he has been in. Probably about to get released.
• DCL (£1.5), ace.
• Lookman (£7.5m from Charlton), decent potential, but forced a move where he ended up languishing in Germany. Hit and miss at relegated Fulham this year.
• Schneiderlin (£20m from United), one of the worst players I've seen play for us. Never looked arsed. Binned off to France.
• Pickford (£25m from relegated Sunderland), decent.
• Klaassen (£23.5m from Ajax), utter crap. Binned off after one season, looked lightweight and not that arsed.
• Onyekuru (£6.8m), never played for us. Sold for a small profit to Monaco.
• Sandro (£5.2m from Spain), was supposed to take us to the next level - ended up being crap. Binned off back to Spain where he has a reputation as a waste.
• Keane (£25m from Burnley) inconsistent.
• Rooney (£10m from United) one decentish season, but his legs were gone by the time he came back home. Probably sold a load of shirts though.
• Martina (Free), [Poor language removed].
• Sigurdsson (£40m from Swansea) flattered to deceive, showed so much ability but often lacks impact. Never worth £40m.
• Vlasic (£8m) barely played for us, now tearing up in the Russian league with CSKA.
• Tosun (£21m from Turkey) fascist sympathiser that would often shrug when asked to make any sort of run. Loaned off, but will probably never play for us again.
• Walcott (£20m from Arsenal), hard worker but lacked any sort of real impact. Released to Southampton now. Waste of money to be honest.
• Richarlison (£35m from Watford), one of our best players but struggled in empty stadiums.
• Digne (£18m from Barca), one of our best players, but struggled in empty stadiums.
• Bernard (Free), looks lightweight. Struggled with mental health. High wages. Crap.
• Mina (£28m from Barca), has ability but injuries make him unreliable. Prone to the odd mistake.
• Gomes (£28m from Barca), doesn't really do anything. Crap.
• Gbamin (£23m from Germany), legs fell off after his first game. Waste of money.
• Kean (£25.1m from Juve), never played consistently for us - when he did he didn't look arsed. Loaned to PSG, probably going to leave this summer.
• Iwobi (£40m from Arsenal), utter crap. Zero impact.
• Nkonkou (£250k from France), prospect.
• Allan (£21m from Italy), decent player, injuries have been an issue this season.
• Rodriguez (£9m from Madrid) easily our best player, but made from literal glass.
• Doucoure (£20m) glimpses this season, but not consistent. Often looks rudderless.
• Godfrey (£20m), first season has been a huge success. Probably our player of the season.

Rodriguez was free and iwobi was more like 28mil, otherwise that is one depressing list.

 

[The binman chronicles]

Yes I get that, certainly not City, Leicester debatable, though certainly not in the year they won it.
Moyes brought in decent players and there’s nothing to say he could not have continued to do that with even more of a budget to spend.
We’ve had seriously bad recruitment since he left.

Leicester have posted good points totals in 3 of the last 4/5 seasons, including this one which is more than Moyes ever accumulated at an easier time. So going forward I think that would have been tough.

The good thing about the Moyes teams and the first years of Martinez/Koeman and the later half of 1st Silva season is that we could play decent enough football, beat who we were supposed to beat and win by more than one clear goal. But that at the end of the day more or less got us the same amount of points. Least this team have broken down the barriers by beating the better teams, it should be a lot easier to fix the issue of how to win against the bottom half of the table than the other way around.

I totally agree that the football has been dire but harking back to Moyes with some rose tinted glasses is not the answer. There were many frustrating seasons under him also.

 

[ste d' indica]

Ooh you can see my seat from ther.... EH HANG ON YOU 'KIN CHEEKY SOD!!!

 

[nsno-chris]

Roberto Martinez, it all his fault

 

[PaddyJames]

Mike Walker.

We were still classed as a 'big club' when he arrived having been one of the main clubs that got the Premier League through. He came in just as the money started flowing and look what nearly happened to us. Apart from the cup win in 95 (we still finished 15th in the league that year) we just never fully recovered and the timing couldn't have been worse. We missed out on big money, big players and are now seen as a 10th to 7th club with 6th being a big achievement. We have ended up shopping on the middle shelf and more often than not ending up with dross. What is even more painful is I loved this jacket as a kid but now it makes me wince