01 Jan 2019 15:16:15
After reading a lot of what is said on this site, by Eds and posters, and after listening to Brandts comments about "January isn't a good time for transfer business", I wonder what he and Moshri must think after watching that performance and a few others in December.
Maybe January isn't a good time financially but it must be obvious to the hierarchy in the club that this squad needs working on.
You only get 2 windows a year to make changes so to rule one out seems naive or blatantly irresponsible.
Like most common sense posters and Eds have said, this is a long journey. I don't think any fan would disagree but what is obvious is the changes that have to happen need to be done when any opportunity arises.
He has moved Holgate and Dowell out on loan, Niasse and a few others will move too. Does this mean Holgate and Dowell aren't ready? If not, then when will they be.
The squad needs improvement, never mind the team needing some quality now.
When Brandts says January isn't a good time, does that mean players like Loftus-Cheek, Wilson at Bournemouth, Abrahams at Villa, Doucoure, Batshuayi, Maupay, Mitrovic, Sessegnon, Aranautovic etc etc, who may all move in January, aren't worth bidding for.
It doesn't matter when you can get them, just get them.
We need better players and we need to ship out under performers.
It can't all happen at once but we have to make consistent progress and show that we are capable of attracting better players.
I won't name names here but I think we all see who the fraudsters are and who are never going to make us a better team.
Time is short Mr Silva, ask Allardyce, Koeman, Martinez, Smith, Royle, Walker .

{Ed002's Note - What he means is that the players best suited to and wanted by the club may not be available.}

1.) 01 Jan 2019
01 Jan 2019 16:20:12
Spot on Ed. Instead of throwing money at it, the problem should first be solved by getting the basics right, starting with your assistants, staff and the source of your advice in carrying out their recruitment. It just appears to me that we are going round in circles on this. On to the match, we had 60 percent possession today, good stat but no good if you do not play as a Team and are as disorganised as they were today. That was quite possibly the worse I have seen Everton play this season and I include Spurs game in that. Incapable of passing the ball to our own player over a yard. Leicester have a huge lump at Centre back, yet our flanks either floated the ball in or overhit it, meat and drink to Leicester. Taking Gomez off instead of Walcott who was absolutely woeful today baffles belief, when he did go off for Tosun that is when we had our best two chances (yes I saw Kenny's shot in the first half, it hit the outside of the post by the way) came. Finally Grandson came with us today (liverpool supporter) , he was shouting and urging Everton on, better than some actual Everton supporters and he also was amazed at the amount of booing at the end. Booing your own Team achieves nothing and quite frankly is an embarrassment.

{Ed002's Note - Right, the critical thing is it is not always the best players which will be the best fit for the club. You need players who will fit in, adapt, work that little hole in the squad and improve the team. It may need a Danny Drinkwater to fill the specific hole in midfield and not an Adrien Rabiot. You can look at sides that have taken the scatter gun approach to transfers, spent vast amount of money on the hip kids and never gotten it right (West Ham is the great example of this). The smart coaches can look at a side and think, "we can get him playing better if we add x", and "we can open up defences if we can add y" - then you have a good idea what you are looking for. Everton has an issue to resolve with the imbalance - I have said this over and over but taking LW and playing them out of position will go horribly wrong. Everton want results before the window opens it would be Richarlison - Tosun - Walcott in their preferred positions that will give a better return than all of this "false 6" nonsense - then fix it when January comes. Oh...}

2.) 01 Jan 2019
01 Jan 2019 16:46:25
I agree Ed, but maybe those targets are never going to choose us, would be wanted by other clubs in stronger positions or, if we wait for another window, will have better options.
Unfortunately we have to pay over the odds but until our league position justifies it, then that's what we have to do.
Silva, and especially Brandts, will have specific targets who they see as a perfect fit but players of quality who have choices would probably mean us missing out.
The players I mentioned are either on loan at other clubs, deemed as maybe surplus to requirement or at clubs where a big bid by us may tempt the selling club.

{Ed002's Note - Loftus-Cheek, Wilson at Bournemouth, Abrahams at Villa, Doucoure, Batshuayi, Maupay, Mitrovic, Sessegnon, Aranautovic was simply a random list of players - no more. I am not suggesting any of those are viable, except perhaps Doucoure. Everton do not need to pay over the odds, but they have been doing so. Brands should know better, Silva probably not but as I have said he doesn't provide a long term solution.}