What should this squad be capable of?

[Mole_Toonfan]

Think many over-rate our squad.

 

What makes you say so? most  think with 2-3 quality editions we can finish top 6 and on paper i don't see a reason to disagree.

 

We definitely shouldn't be below top 8 on paper, no way in hell the likes of West Brom and Swansea are better.

 

We finished 5th last season and since then we have added Sissoko, Mbiwa, Debuchy, Gouffran, Anita and a few more fringe players.

 

This season has been awful for many different reasons but we still have quality players in most positions.

 

People are saying CL places a lot. I'm not so sure.

 

Defensively, 3 out of our 4 defenders have questions over their ability to defend well in this division. It might take another year for them to adapt. The other defender is Saylor, so we need another CB to replace Colo who will also need time to adapt.

 

Up front I don't know where the goals will come from if Cisse has another quiet season. Last year between him, Ba, Best and Shola they got 36 league goals. He and Ba alone got 30, another 4 from Best.

 

We are also more reliant on a good injury record and form than everyone in the top 8 except the L'pool teams. Spurs have done well without Adebayor and Defoe as well as  Sandro for large parts of the season. Without Cisse, Gouff, Tiote we would lose to any first choice Spurs side imo. Colo & Cisse have been poor all season and we need them or their equivalent to be on form 90% of the time to challenge top 6.

 

I think we can push the CL places with 2 or 3 quality additions in forward areas and a replacement for Colo should he leave.

 

Not saying we can actually finish in the top 4, but challenge for it. My mantra is if Everton can be up and around the top 4 the majority of this season then with some more forward depth then why can't we?

 

 

[The College Dropout]

They've had pretty much the same squad and manager for 5 years.

 

3 additions plus a Colo replacement is 4 first-team players. That's a lot of improvement to be made. They're also 6 points off 4th without ever really playing badly or going on a run of bad results.

[leffe186]

Think many over-rate our squad.

 

What makes you say so? most  think with 2-3 quality editions we can finish top 6 and on paper i don't see a reason to disagree.

 

We definitely shouldn't be below top 8 on paper, no way in hell the likes of West Brom and Swansea are better.

 

We finished 5th last season and since then we have added Sissoko, Mbiwa, Debuchy, Gouffran, Anita and a few more fringe players.

 

This season has been awful for many different reasons but we still have quality players in most positions.

 

People are saying CL places a lot. I'm not so sure.

 

Defensively, 3 out of our 4 defenders have questions over their ability to defend well in this division. It might take another year for them to adapt. The other defender is Saylor, so we need another CB to replace Colo who will also need time to adapt.

 

Up front I don't know where the goals will come from if Cisse has another quiet season. Last year between him, Ba, Best and Shola they got 36 league goals. He and Ba alone got 30, another 4 from Best.

 

We are also more reliant on a good injury record and form than everyone in the top 8 except the L'pool teams. Spurs have done well without Adebayor and Defoe as well as  Sandro for large parts of the season. Without Cisse, Gouff, Tiote we would lose to any first choice Spurs side imo. Colo & Cisse have been poor all season and we need them or their equivalent to be on form 90% of the time to challenge top 6.

 

I think we can push the CL places with 2 or 3 quality additions in forward areas and a replacement for Colo should he leave.

 

Not saying we can actually finish in the top 4, but challenge for it. My mantra is if Everton can be up and around the top 4 the majority of this season then with some more forward depth then why can't we?

 

 

 

One big question is - how much money will be available for "quality additions"? You've spent a lot this January. I know you got fantastic value for money, but there are still a lot of wages to pay.

 

Completely making this up off the top of my head, but I'd expect Colo leaving to free up some money. There will be more money from the TV deal, plus more money from fans energized by the fact that you've actually spent something. How you fare in the next few months will make a massive impact on how you are viewed by players.

[Cajun]

I reckon we will be in for at least 2, that's based on what Pardew and Llambias said about the winter window (fool me once...  ).

 

Xisco has left which will save us lots in wages from the summer, if Colo goes I doubt his replacement will be on his sort of wages either.

 

One attacking forward is a necessity, after that it's a Colo replacement and maybe some sort of winger type player.

 

Hopefully Good has had enough experience/game time now to challenge Williamson, even if it was at full back.

[The College Dropout]

exactly.

 

With this squad i'd settle for top 8 and a big push for cups. If not that, closer to the top 6.

[The College Dropout]

IMO a first team striker and CB would be great.

[matta]

With better competition up front, and maybe better luck with injuries, a top 6 looks very plausible. Even a good push for top 4 if we manage to keep all our "purples".

[Mole_Toonfan]

Tbh i don't think we need to spend a lot of money, what i'm looking at is depth not a load of major first team signings.

 

A winger to provide some competition to make Marveaux a full time AM, striker to provide Cisse some competition and a CB to give Taylor and Mbiwa some competition if Colo leaves.

 

The club seem to want to back this as well if you listen to their quotes, Pardew has mentioned many times he wants a striker and to improve the "under belly" of the team.

 

I honestly don't know how much cash Pardew will have to spend but i don't think we need much.

 

There's been lots of talk about Douglas from Twente to replace Colo and if we signed him he would cost nothing and the other signings ( striker aside) would probably cost very little.

 

We will see of course but i don't think we need to spend a lot, should also be considered that Xisco leaving and Colo possibly leaving will free up over 100k on the wage bill that could be used on other signings.

[The College Dropout]

Marv will be cover for wide and AM IMO and we won't add someone in that category unless they're young and very cheap like that lad we where after. It's not particularly needed.

 

 

A striker, yes, I hope so. Very much needed. I hope they don't think Gouff is enough but knowing them it;s likely.

 

 

Really do need another CB as Tayls injury record is horrible.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Marv will be cover for wide and AM IMO and we won't add someone in that category unless they're young and very cheap like that lad we where after. It's not particularly needed.

 

 

A striker, yes, I hope so. Very much needed. I hope they don't think Gouff is enough but knowing them it;s likely.

 

 

Really do need another CB as Tayls injury record is horrible.

 

Thing is that is what i'm expecting, if they can actually offer some attacking impetus no matter how young and cheap they maybe then that will improve the team.

 

We probably won't spend substantial amounts on anything outside the CB or CF but if they can come in contribute like Bigirimana did then i will consider that an improvement.

 

[Guest neesy111]

We need more goals in the side imo.  I'm getting more worried about Cisse.

[Neil]

As it stands right at this moment? Definitely the push for Europe option. Short up front which will limit going further than that.

 

As for Newcastle, probably the same.

 

 

 

[leffe186]

Your midfield seems fine. I mean, losing Cabaye to injury would probably be the biggest blow of all, but you have some decent quality cover. Keeper and cover are prob good enough. Simpson leaving will presumably be alleviated by Raylor returning. I think all you need is a forward and one CB, two if Colo leaves, to put you in that group of eight that probably should be at least challenging for top four. There should be enough money available to cover that.

 

The main issue then is investment in kids, importing people like Inman and Good, since there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of quality coming through. The other teams in that group of eight all have several youngsters on the verge or on loan at Prem/Championship teams (I don't know if this is the case at Everton tbh, although they are usually strong there). You've clearly started to invest there too, and this is where your French policy may bear even more fruit.

[Kanj]

Aye good post leffe.

 

I'll agree - another CB (or two) and another top quality striker and I'd be very happy - of course with none of our top players leaving / but if they do, replaced with players of the quality we've been signing.

[Toon Hoser]

At the very least, this squad should be capable of felling enough tall hardwood trees to fashion a sturdy vessel, stitch together old kits for sails, sail to Norway, raid various port villages and bash some skulls.  It’s payback for all that Viking bulls**t.  The relaxed, unsuspecting Norwegians will never see it coming.

[Deuce]

[The College Dropout]

2 CB's is very ambitious. Taylor, Mbiwa are considered first team, so we'll only be able to bring in another first-teamer there. Probably able to play left-back too ala Bassong.

 

 

Leffe - why doesn't AVB start Benoit-Ekotto?

[Mole_Toonfan]

(If Colo leaves)My hope for next season with regards to CBs is that we buy one CB to compete with Taylor and Mbiwa and one of the many kids we have that play CB are good enough to be 4th choice.

 

Surely its not too much to ask for one of them to come good?

[Tooj]

(If Colo leaves)My hope for next season with regards to CBs is that we buy one CB to compete with Taylor and Mbiwa and one of the many kids we have that play CB are good enough to be 4th choice.

 

Surely its not too much to ask for one of them to come good?

 

That would be the ideal situation. Everything seems very quiet on the Douglas front and with him being a free I can definitely see us still hovering around that one. Especially if what Unbelievable has said about his agents etc is true.

 

Then hopefully Streete, Mbabu or Satka can push on as Satka seems to be highly rated. Although as Streete is a bit older he'd be the most likely one to feature.

[Deuce]

(If Colo leaves)My hope for next season with regards to CBs is that we buy one CB to compete with Taylor and Mbiwa and one of the many kids we have that play CB are good enough to be 4th choice.

 

Surely its not too much to ask for one of them to come good?

 

I have a feeling that if Colo leaves, Mr. Williamson will be granted his "rightful" place as 3rd choice CB.

[TRon]

I think the squad is capable of going as high as 5th again but that will depend on how we are managed as well. The right formation and changes made in a game can have a big impact over a season, and with Pardew's record I still have doubts on that side of it. Plus Spurs looked a very decent side so they have moved on a bit and will provide stiffer competition. I would be disappointed at anything lower than 6th though tbh. High expectations maybe, but we really are building a decent squad.

[Mole_Toonfan]

(If Colo leaves)My hope for next season with regards to CBs is that we buy one CB to compete with Taylor and Mbiwa and one of the many kids we have that play CB are good enough to be 4th choice.

 

Surely its not too much to ask for one of them to come good?

 

I have a feeling that if Colo leaves, Mr. Williamson will be granted his "rightful" place as 3rd choice CB.

 

Don't scare me like that 

[leffe186]

2 CB's is very ambitious. Taylor, Mbiwa are considered first team, so we'll only be able to bring in another first-teamer there. Probably able to play left-back too ala Bassong.

 

 

Leffe - why doesn't AVB start Benoit-Ekotto?

 

Nothing untoward I think, he's just easing him back into things after an awkward injury. I guess the main problem is that we don't have proper cover at LB, so we can't afford BAE to break down before the run-in. Fryers is one for a year or two's time, Vertonghen needs to be playing CB and Naughton is quite obviously a RB out of position. If Rose has genuinely improved (and isn't simply a one-eyed man in the land of the blind) then I'd have loved for him to be rotating there next year...but it just doesn't look like it's going to happen. We just got away with having no centre-forward for half a game, and no left back for most of a game, which I'm pretty chuffed about.

 

As for 2 CBs if Colo leaves - well you might just get away with it if you're not in Europe. I just think you need at least four. Can't see any of the kids being one of those four, and so that leaves Taylor, MYM, and Williamson. Even with one in, you can expect Taylor to get injured and a couple of suspensions for all of them, so you're back to the question - is Williamson good enough to play 10-15 games for you next season?

 

We have five centre-backs, but if Kaboul had been expected to be fit it wouldn't have surprised me for us to have released Gallas or sold Dawson (as was rumoured to be happening). Effectively, we have had four this season. In the league alone, Vertonghen has played 22 games, Gallas 18, Dawson 15, and Caulker 14. You can probably take a handful of games off Vertonghen because he was at LB, but even so, they will all play at least 20 league games this season.

[Yorkie]

(If Colo leaves)My hope for next season with regards to CBs is that we buy one CB to compete with Taylor and Mbiwa and one of the many kids we have that play CB are good enough to be 4th choice.

 

Surely its not too much to ask for one of them to come good?

 

It would be nice to see more of the 'development' squad purchases actually develop. There's only a few from this list that I've seen for more than a sub appearance, but the majority seem to have disappeared without a trace. Quickly scanning the files on .com, these appear to be all the 'young lads' we've paid a fee for, I'm probably missing some (not counting the multitude of local lads who never make it):

 

Tamas Kadar, Wesley Ngo Baheng, Ben Tozer, Fabio Zamblera, Ole Soderberg, Haris Vuckic, Samuel Adjei, Joan Edmunsson, Yven Moyo, Nile Ranger, Mehdi Abeid, Curtis Good, Romain Amalfitano, Gael Bigirimana, Kevin Mbabu...

 

Vuckic and Bigi are the only two who've looked capable of performing at this level (feel really bad for the former, he's been desperately unlucky with injuries - I see a lot of talent in Haris). Even if we pluck one or two gems out of a batch of ten, it's decent going, it's just a pity none of them appear to be defenders yet.

 

I appreciate the fact we have scouts abroad. But I do wonder about the academy set-up back home at times. It's not a subject I'm clued up in, but when you consider the tiny amount of players we've groomed into Premier League players since the 90s, it raises a few questions imo.

[Tooj]

Do Tottenham fans think that Walker isn't anything special Leffe or is it just me? He seems like an inferior Glen Johnson but perhaps with a better shot on him. Yes he's ok going forward, but I don't think he'll ever be as good as Johnson in that regard, yet because of his pace and stamina people think he's pretty good because he's up and down all game.

 

I also don't think he's very solid defensively and has lapses in concentration and is often caught out of position,