Aidan

11 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

You do know this is Everton?

Good point, well presented.

39 minutes ago, Bailey said:

Or that we actually wanted genuine competition for Digne? 

The rumour states he was a target if Digne were to leave. I can't see us spending £20m on competition for Digne anyway with the current state of the squad.

3 hours ago, Palfy said:

The part of this that I find intriguing is the Ancelotti’s Everton are also interested were they to sell Digne was that a consideration when Ancelotti was here

Probably just preparing for the worst case scenario.  Id imagine we have a contingency plan for most of our top players

1 hour ago, badaids said:

He's one of the most error prone players I've ever seen.  I'd love to see some stats on how many mistakes leading to chances of goals a season he has made.

Two errors leading to a goal in his whole Premier League career according to the official Premier League website, I'm not sure who their stats are provided by though but I'd guess it's opta.

It shocked me, too.

Not sure about errors leading to a chance, can't find anything regarding that.

Either drop him from the team or play him god knows why he would just put him on the bench. I'd much rather have seen Godfrey play LB today but that's a whole different topic.

If he's causing turbulence behind the scenes I have no issue with Rafa dropping him and making an example, even if we don't have a replacement for him to play. I feel we've needed managers to do that for a long time and Rafas on the receiving end because of the form we are in.

Quite vague but it's something I guess.

Honestly with the state of our defending every single week I think Rafas time is up, there is clearly nothing more he can do with this squad of players.

If there isn't a change of system at half time I'm not fucking bothering with this second half.

I don't understand how we can take a throw in from their third and fall victim to a 3v2 in defence.

Just now, dunlopp9987 said:

Sad to say that bet is a lost cause now

Yep

Well at least my to win from behind bet is on.

1 minute ago, msloan78 said:

We gone with Kenny at LB or Seamus at CB/RM?

Think it'll be Kenny at LB myself

I'm quite worried about this one, Brighton are a very good club and I wish we'd have pinch we'd their manager. Hopefully Dom is fit enough to start although I hope we don't rush him back if he isn't.

                    Pickford

Coleman Keane Branthwaite Godfrey

              Doucoure Allan

         Townsend Gray Gordon

                  DCL/Simms

100% I'd like to see Simms start ahead of Rondon and Branthwaite ahead of Holgate & Digne. I'm not entirely sure if any of these players aren't fit to start at the minute.

If we bring him back to Goodison (which I doubt he would want to come back anyway however stranger things have happened) then it just further shows the massive disconnect from the club to the fans. No wonder the 27 years 'protest' was introduced. 

2 hours ago, RuffRob said:

Every single transfer comes with some element of risk. Its getting the risk profile right, and this is what the club have been guilty of in the past.

It's about minimising that risk though isn't it? If we signed Patterson, I'd hope it'd be alongside another RB ready for Coleman to step down.

He looks like he's going to be a monster physically when he gets a bit older and also seems to have decent feet for a lad his size. Even if he doesn't become a world beater, having the option of a solid left footed CB would do us the world of good.

I hope the scout's have done their job right with this one. He struggles to break into the Rangers team - admittedly ahead of their captain Tavernier.

According to whoscored he's played under 13 full professional games worth of minutes for club and country.

I don't want to moan at potentially bringing in reinforcements for the RB spot as we've been crying out for one for years, however is a kid who has hardly played much professional football ready to step in and rotate with Coleman who seems to be struggling to compete at this level week in week out? I think we need a player who is ready to step up and go straight into the team.

I'm not a business man, so will not be offended if anyone calls me incorrect, but my interpretation of the Digne situation is this.

Digne wants to leave, thus automatically devaluing him as other clubs understand he may put pressure on the board to go. This won't always be the case as fundamentally the club make the final decision, but this surly is a factor for the buying club to negotiate.

Further to this a replacement is already through the door (or so we think). Another negotiating factor for other clubs who will know our FFP 'wiggle room' and want to take advantage of this. They will understand we need to sell to raise funds otherwise face fines.

One more factor maybe that Rafa sees Digne as a player who does not fit into his style of play. He no longer becomes a key player for us and the argument of his importance to the squad is lost during negotiations.

The only valuation we have of him is the quality he's shown over the past few years and the 3.5 years he has remaining on his current deal.

I'd be surprised if we gained more than £25m for him.

The amount of positions needed to be strengthened in the squad could only mean Digne is on his way.

To add to that I would imagine it's more the player forcing a move than anything else, considering the above.

It's a shame because Digne is one of our best players and replacing him will be a risk. If it doesn't work out and this new boy (presuming we are getting him) isnt up to scratch, our whole defence is even more of a mess.

2 hours ago, Harv said:

Very true and that scenario would be the case for who ever was at our particular wheel.

As you rightly point out, if we can't spend. Next best unload a couple, need to hang on to some. Just to put a side out as awful as they are.

We are well and truly snookered for this season and may be next.

I'll go and pour a drink.

Cheers.

 

I honestly don't see the mid term the future of this club being particularly enjoyable for fans.

2 hours ago, RuffRob said:

Martinez - on the back of solid team and best squad we have had in years, then downhill

Koeman - money, money, money and still costing us dearly now and then downhill

Silva - again spent plenty and squad and debt legacy still with us and then downhill

If you think panicking and swapping out Benitez for another Koeman or Silva is the way forward then we are doomed.  And even if you did, not sure how you get them here with no compensation money or transfer kitty to entice them. At this moment in time -  What do you offer a manager to come here?

 

Saved me replying thanks

I'm not sure what people think Rafa is going to do in a couple of transfer windows with absolutely nothing to spend. It might not be too bad if we could offload some of the dross we have at the club - but we all know thats not going to happen.

First match in my whole life I've ever intentionally missed, but I'm not in the right mindframe for this one, so going to sit it out. Hope you lot enjoy it and we get some points.

6 hours ago, RPG said:

Might be a reason to playe 3-5-2

Think it'll be more of a 7-2-1

Chelsea have been conceding goals lately, however so have we! I'm afraid we are about to get annihilated though.

Would be gutted and even more concerned if the only person at Everton who actually cares about the club left.

I can't se him walking, if he leaves it'll be because he's been forced out.