I sense a few are saying that because you had your hopes set on N'Zogbia, and Obertan doesn't appear to be as good as him.
He's another body in and for all anyone knows, he could flourish a bit more if he's given more of a chance than he was at Man Utd, which he surely would be. People are free to air their opinions about him as a player but you'd think you were buying an inanimate object if you look at some of the comments on here.
Come off it man Neil - it's the fact that we seemed to have money to spend this summer which we could have used to progress, and we've signed cheapies and non-entities.
Even Everton shelled out on a few fees after getting the Rooney money.
It's not what I was getting at, though.
My opinion is that negatives have been overblown and positives swept under the carpet. I can see that this will have been an incredibly frustrating summer. Would I be raging about where this Carroll money has gone? Yes, of course I would. Would I be pissed off about what's going on with Barton, Enrique, Nolan etc? Of course. Has it been a Summer From Hell? Well, I'm not fully qualified to say but from what I've seen, no. I really think people have swept the signings of Marveaux, Ba, Ben Arfa and Cabaye under the carpet somewhat. You have Gosling coming back who barely played last year (if at all?) and it looks like he's beefed the fuck up, so he could really develop this year.
Now you look like signing someone who yes, hasn't hit it off at Man Utd, but also hasn't been given that much of a chance. After a troublesome few days, news comes that you're signing someone who could bolster your midfield and offer some pace on the wing and who knows, with some faith placed in him, could start to really establish himself in this league. Instead, it's "he's shit". That is what I find bamboozling.
Before someone says this, no, I'm not sticking up for Ashley. I am however sticking up for some of the very good business you've done so far this summer which has escaped the limelight due to the Enrique/Barton etc shenanigans. Potentially disruptive? I would certainly imagine so. Fucking shit? I don't agree.
As a fellow outsider, I have to say, I agree entirely with this.
I really think there's a bit of drama queenery going on here.
Look at us, we've shifted 12 players and brought 12 in. Everton haven't paid money for a player since Vanilla Ice was number one.
Things look different from the outside looking in.
If Everton sold Rodwell for £25 mill I dare say there'd be a bit of foot stamping if you were promised by Kenworthy you'd spend it all and you didn't.