Is a playmaker going to help us stay games during when our goal is being battered by the opposition?
Is a playmaker going to have shear moments of brilliance when the opposition is about to score?
Is a playmaker going to make up for all of the goals we conceded this season?
Is a playmaker going to stop Howard losing unnecessary points?
Since Martinez has taken over these are the attacking players we've signed:
Kone- 5m
McGeady - 1m
Lukaku - 28m
Del - 4m
We have also signed Eto and Henen for no/small fees, loaned Del and Lukaku for a season prior to purchasing and loaned Atsu and Lennon aswell. That's over 40m spent on attacking styled players.
Midfielders we've signed:
McCarthy - 13m
Besic - 4m
Barry - Loan/Free
Cleverly - free
It'll end up being about 20m on midfielders we've signed:
Defenders and Goalkeepers signed:
Robles: 2m
Alacarz - free
Galloway - 2m
That'll end up being around 5m on defenders and keepers, not one of those is a first choice player, probably no more than 20 league starts between the three of them.
I do get that when Martinez took over it was our attack that needed a lot money, this isn't against those attacking players but now it's the defensive part of the game that needs attention and money spent.
Last season we conceded 50 goals, compared to 39 the season before and the 40 goals conceded in both of Moyes last two seasons at the club. It was the first time we had conceded 50 or more goals in a season since the 2003/2004 season. The defensive side of our game last season was very, very poor. Yes we play a much more attacking style under Martinez and I do understand that those tactics may result in us conceding the extra odd goal or two but we used the same tactics the season before last and we only conceded 39 goals.
Howard had his worst season at club and only declined more as the season went on, he's not at the stage of his career where we'll see him improving. Distin (also had his worst season at the club) and Alcaraz didn't do anything and have now both left the club and Hibbert is never fit leaving us with no proper cover for Coleman. How this is constantly being overly looked for a flashy number 10 is honestly beyond me. I honestly agree we need a creative playermaker, we really do lack that pure creative spark to bring others into the game and I have said it various times in the transfer threads but you're crazy if you think it's our biggest priority. I just hope Martinez is thinking the same way!
Sincerely, great response.
In my mind though, thinking back to the season before last, the reason we were so sound at the back was because we were in control of the games
and were creative and clinical in the final third. Teams were worried about us, and as a possession based side, chances against us were limited.
We play a pretty kamikazee formation anyway, with a block of four players (2 CB's and 2 holding midfielders) responsible for slowing/stopping counter attacks. To say that by bringing in a GK or a CB will suddenly make us less vulnerable is wrong imo, because the formation will always stay the same.
Also, I am certainly not saying Howard had a good season last year and, in light of his age, he definitely needs to be on the list of players needing replacing. However, my point is that, even last season, I dont remember us being under the cosh for long periods against many teams at all. I think
in the main the majority of teams in this league are concerned with stopping us rather than going toe-to-toe. Against these teams last season, just in my opinion, the major problem we had was that we should have been home and dry with or without Howard's mistakes. No team is going to come to Goodison and not have any chances, and when we concede chances I agree that Howard must do better and a replacement should be being looked for.
You can't say though, i dont believe, that we wouldn't have absolutely 'murdered' teams had we had someone who can thread the ball through the eye of a needle, or could receive the ball in the middle of a packed final third, not panic, and intelligently create an opening.
we need both, but the whole league found out last season how to stop Everton scoring. Going into a new season without a player able to remedy that leaves us in a very difficult position.
