ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

Kunal Desai
1 Posted 11/06/2008 at 13:56:13

Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta will be our ’new’ signings for the summer as will Manny Fernandes on another season loan deal, with view to another season loan deal followed by another season loan deal, followed by another.

Ramsey, Gera....see the pattern emerging?

Tom Green
2 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:02:10

You have to take into account what the player wants himself, does he want to play everyweek like he can at fulham or does he want to sit on the bench for us? It's a no-brainer.

Sean McNally
3 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:06:00

i understand that, Tom, but he could have played every week at West Brom. Gera himself has said he wants a step up. (Are fulham a step up?!) I'm just annoyed.............

Iain Latchford
4 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:00:16

A good friend of mine is season ticket holder at WBA. I was speaking to him over the weekend and he said that, whilst Gera is an excellent player for them he is certainly no better than what we have already.

I would imagine that Moyes made enquires about him and would have been looking to use him as squad player at best. The wages we would have offered would have reflected this, probably around £15-20K per week. Fulham will give him first team football and more than likely more money.

You can’t be too upset missing out on a player like Gera. After finishing fifth last season we should be setting our sights much higher.

Arsenal have a hugely impressive set up. Wenger flew Ramsey to Switzerland by private jet to talk to him. We probably bought him a pint at the Suites hotel in Kirkby !!

Tony Williams
5 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:00:15

Apparantly no matter what Everton do they are crap, I mean not so long ago they were getting slated for thinking about signing an aging Championship player and now we have let the world beater slip through our fingers.....

Ramsey was a blag offer blas blah, so blag that Moyes met him and apparantly he was going to snub ManUre for us but Le Arse made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

I am not too concerned about Gera, as he would have been squad cover only so big loss.

Andy Callan
6 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:27:26

Why does everyone suddenly think that Everton and tranfers have transformed in to an operation as smooth as a baby hedgehog?

Gera is shite and we need players better than him, but every single time we want a player it turns in to a complete fuking fiasco and lasts for ages doesn?t it?!?!?!?

Makes me chuckle these days...

Sign Villa, Ronaldo, Cech and Ballack I say...

Joe McMahon
7 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:26:50

The only thing I?m concerned with is on 1/1/08 we needed to strengthen the squad. Six months later we have lost Stubbs, McFadden, Carsley & Gravesen without any increase of numbers.

Let's face it Vaughan will mainly be injured & AJ can?t score in a brothel. We need players coming in asap.

Joe McMahon
8 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:32:25

Oh and I don?t think Big Vic is up to it either. I do want a move to Kirkby (don?t shoot me) but we must improve the squad as I believe in Moyes can be good for the club, we must keep him!

mark murphy
9 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:44:53

So we havent signed Zoltan Gera?? So f#ckin what??? How many of the serious contenders were in for him? Fulham is about right!
I’ll be more guttted if we dont pursue seriously the likes of Arshavin and Huddlestone to be honest. 3 good signings this summer and we can achieve 4th or even 3rd with Cahill, Baines, Fernandes, Vaughan, Arteta & Yakubu all fit and firing regularly imho.
Gera is not the standard we should be looking at anymore - that was sooo last year!
murf

Anthony Newell
10 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:51:06

Always liked Gera as a creative player but not that disappointed to be honest - another midget when we need some real powerhouses in midfield. Anyone know much about this Moutinho? - apparently Moyes is closing in

Ant Mill
11 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:51:39

I think Gera would have been a decent player to bring in on a 2 or 3 year deal as a squad player to add depth to the squad when we have injuries and would do a job for us in the Uefa Cup. He’s no better than what we’ve already got but a player of his ability would certainly be a good squad player for us and at no cost, but it’s no big loss as long as Moyes gets enough players in, because if we do get injuries I’d much rather see Gera in midfield rather than Neville!

Gavin Ramejkis
12 Posted 11/06/2008 at 14:54:12

Anthony just a quick reply Moutinho is another "midget" but one worth about £16m-£20m, then again Messi is a midget too.

Jimmy Millican
13 Posted 11/06/2008 at 15:01:36

The way I see this is that he would have been only good enough for cover in our team. You could say good quality cover for the bench, thats it.

So takin that into account doubt Moyes wanted to fork out 30 - 40k week on wages with him being on a free. Surely that would unsettle the other midfeilders like Osman who plays every week.

I think we should be looking at first teamers so the likes of Osman will be sitting on the bench, thats the type of quality we need in this squad.

Tony Wqaverleas
14 Posted 11/06/2008 at 15:09:19

Christ on a bike.
A side whose arses narrowly escaped the relegation trap-door last season have signed a player and we haven’t. Ergo we’re doomed, we won’t sign anyone at all and Moyes will walk out on us.
I really have to try very hard not to weep bitter tears of frustration at the panicking that goes on on this site at times.

Anthony Newell
15 Posted 11/06/2008 at 15:14:37

Thanks Gavin, all concentration/transfer pot should be devoted to getting some muscle/stature in central midfield then. Don’t get me wrong, would love someone like Arshavin but don’t think it’s going to happen and you would expect that Arteta and Pienaar would get regular berths next season in any case. We desperately need someone who has some composure, can get their foot on the ball and drive us forward

Kevin Gillen
16 Posted 11/06/2008 at 15:44:23

Alan Ball was a midget and Bobby Collins and Napoleon Bonaparte. Why are we picking on midgets all of a sudden. I’m 5’11’’ by the way.

Mark Pendleton
17 Posted 11/06/2008 at 15:50:49

I think there’s equal criticism had we signed or not signed Gera. Moyes is likely to have and will make many "enquiries" about players. It’s what happens. It’s just that this time of year each one (plus a few made up ones) become headlines. I thin kif we’d seriously gone for him we’d have got him. As for Ramsey it’s good that we’re going for these sorts of players and being treated as a serious option for them. How long ago would it have been laughed at had we thrown our bid in alongside Man Utd and Arsenal?

As for Moutinho i’m not sure there’s serious interest there. I think Moyes was in the crowd and assumptions are being made. Either way i’m confident that weaknesses in the squad will have been addressed by the start of the season and the only player we’ve lost that actually makes a difference is Carsley to date.

Brian Waring
18 Posted 11/06/2008 at 15:59:58

Made up he hasn’t come to us. I want us to be showing a bit more ambition than a 29 yr old championship player, even if he was on a free.

Andy Flanagan
19 Posted 11/06/2008 at 15:52:55

We are Everton fans and thus are biased. It’s important to be subjective and put things into context. Players, especially foreign, see wages and location as priority. Gera to Fulham for example. He’s going to a club on the down rather than one like Everton on the up. I have no doubt that if Everton were situated in London we would have a much greater chance in capturing players. We see Everton as being great but to others we are not as attractive as we might like to think. Why would Asharvin leave the club he is captain of and who have just qualified for the CL and won the Uefa Cup just recently? Lets live in the real world, we would be right down his list of preferred clubs. Newcastle only get players because they pay stupid wages. This situation is not going to change until we significantly invest in the wage structure.

Tony Johnson
20 Posted 11/06/2008 at 16:01:42

I dont think Gera would have been a regular at Everton but the one thing what we were told by David Moyes after the season finished was that we needed both quality and quantity and so far going back to last January the amount of players that have gone through the exit door is alarming.
McFadden, Stubbs,Fernandes (been and gone) Carsley,Gravesen,Wessels,Boyle,Vidarsson and Anthony Gardner have all left.
Ok a few of those players never got near the first team and you can argue that not much quality has left but they were still part of the squad and could be called on for reinforcements.
Its still realy days in a way but I think we are going to have to start gettiing things done and dusted soon.
Remember what happens when the hectic fixture list kicks in like it did last year and in the end our lack of numbers and class in depth cost us arguably a trophy in the form of the Carling Cup and UEFA Cup and also it botched up our chances of sneaking fourth place.
Pre-season traing starts next month, I expect there will be a few new faces in by then but if there are not then I would really be getting more than a bit concerned.

Shaun Nesbitt
21 Posted 11/06/2008 at 16:11:01

Everton are today closing in on the signing of Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso after months of speculation over the players future. Arsenal and Manchester United are also said to be interested but it it the Toffees who are now favourites to land the Portuguese international. (A Bola)

The 22-year old has impressed whilst playing for Sporting last season in both the league and Champions League leading to speculation that a £18 million move to the Premier League could be on the cards but few predicted Everton may of signed him. Veloso has six caps for Portugal and is currently playing at Euro 2008.

Connor Rohrer
22 Posted 11/06/2008 at 16:11:42

Couldn’t say I’m that bothered to be honest. Decent player and I’d have taken him but all he would have been is a squad player. He made the right decision career wise joining Fulham. He’s probably got a higher wage and is guaranteed first team football. Good move for him, they have some decent players and I’m sure he’ll fit in.

Lets be honest If Moyes was that desperate to capture him he would have. He obviously feels there are better options out there. To be honest I’d rathet buy players who are going to make the likes of Osman, Neville, Jagielka and Johnson squad players. Thats the way forward.

Moutinho would be an excellent signing. He’s a quality player, has an excellent work rate and is a natural leader. Yes he’s small but his enthusiasm and ability make up for his lack of stature.

I’m not saying where going to sign him but he’s in no way out of our League. He’s not a world class player and he hasn’t proven himself outside of Portugal. The English premier League is an attractive League to play in and joining Everton would definatly be a step up from Sporting. The likes of Man utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Barcalona have alot of quality players in his position. I could only see him joining Arsenal and even then he’d have to play second fiddle to Fabregas as there very similar.

I think Moyes main targets at the moment are Tom Huddlestone and Michael Johnson. I’d take both to be honest.

Phil Bellis
23 Posted 11/06/2008 at 16:12:12

Andy,
We had an extensive list of potential signings and the players you mention were, indeed, included but dismissed for various reasons
In fact, Gera was 35th

Joey Dela
24 Posted 11/06/2008 at 16:45:19

Gera hardly played a game last season for WBA he was good two seasons ago! So why buy a crock??????

Art Greeth
25 Posted 11/06/2008 at 17:28:58

Quite simply, if Mouthinho DOES come to us, he would be the very best midfielder to appear in the Royal Blue of Everton since the days of the Holy Trinity.

Michael Brien
26 Posted 11/06/2008 at 17:34:37

We were not the only one to miss out on Ramsey - Moneybags United did as well - I presume they are crap in comparison to Arsenal?

Just be patient everyone and show some trust in Moyes. Last summer's deals were okay don?t you think?

Nelly Blythe
27 Posted 11/06/2008 at 19:25:23

I heard on the grapevine that Gera was very keen to join Everton but...FAILED the medical .
No more than a squad player for me so no big loss as far as I’m concerned.

Harry Charles
28 Posted 11/06/2008 at 20:04:36

We have lost or players ,and need to replace them;= Kilbane -- Wessels -- Turner -- Boyle -- Stubbs -- Carsley -- Gravesen -- Van der Meyde -- McFadden -- Vidarsson -- Kissock--Fernandes -- Gardner... We were already short of players to go forward as the last half of the season showed. A lot of these players are dead wood, so to replace them will take a lot of thought and money.

Harry Charles
29 Posted 11/06/2008 at 20:50:25

We have brought in Baines -- Pinnear --Jagielka -- Gosling -- Rodwell--Jutekiewicz.... and hope that Fernandes returns.

Fran Mitchell
30 Posted 12/06/2008 at 01:06:58

Andy Flanagan, I think you meant ?objective? not ?subjective?.

On Gera, would have been an ok signing, however if/when we sign Moutinho & Veloso (or just any 2 centre mids) then we will have them as well as Ossie, Cahill, Gosling, (h. charles says he has left??? Either I missed that or you got your wires crossed) Arteta, Pienaar, Kissock so will Gera really be missed?

Why are people moaning about this? Makes no sense, he would have been an ok signing, but there are a million players out there as good as Gera, so it's not a loss.

Basically, Ramsey, Moutinho, Veloso are the ?type? of players we should be looking at, young, talented and ?guaranteed? value increase. Paying £16-18 million for Moutinho is no problem when his value will almost certainly raise each year.

Losing out to Fulham? I think not; Gera will start the season along with Simon Davies and Jimmy Bullard.. .says it all I think.

Michael Kenrick
31 Posted 12/06/2008 at 06:23:36

Harry, I think at least three of the players you list ? Turner, Van der Meyde and Kissock ? are still with the club.

Jason Kraxton
32 Posted 12/06/2008 at 07:31:50

Jokes...jokes...jokes...

Zoltan Gera? Please wake up guys...this fella should not and will not play our club as he is not the quality we need!

If so, we would just have kept Cars

Joe McMahon
33 Posted 12/06/2008 at 08:29:24

Michael - the trouble with Turner, Van der Meyde and Kissock, who the fuck wants them. I can?t see Arsene flyin Turner out to see him in his private jet.

Harry makes a point, we were way down in number at the beginning of Jan, and we have lost 4 first team players (quality debatable). I?ve a feeling we will be seeing a lot more of Neville in Midfield & Hibbert in the starting line up.

David Foster
34 Posted 12/06/2008 at 12:51:08

Zoltan Gera has signed for Fulham purely for the money. He probably feels he can get more money at Fulham than Everton. If it was for Football reasons then he would of signed for us. Do we raelly want greedy players like this at our club no great loss good luck to him.

Tom Green
35 Posted 12/06/2008 at 13:59:20

Sean, yes Fulham are a step up from West Brom.