ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

When Do We Panic?

Ive just seen David Nugent being paraded at Fratton Park by Deputy Dawg features Redknapp, this, a day after seeing Jason Koumas signing on the dotted line at Wigan.

Now, if I'm completely honest, I dont think we really needed Nugent, although I wouldnt have minded us signing him, and as for Koumas, well he's not worth over five million quid is he?

So having said that, why am I starting to get twitchy? According to todays rumours we are considering a bid for Richardson. Why are we only considering a bid, today is the 11th of July. If Moyes really wanted/wants this lad why has it taken us this long to 'consider' a bid? Is it because he is second choice after Zinedine Koumas? Thats a good sign isnt it?

I usually defend Moyes, and I still think hes the man for the job, but seriously, he needs a rocket up his arse if all this dithering is because of him. Some people are pointing the finger at BK, saying all our money is tied up in the ground move. Fact is, I don't even want to think this!

Another point people make is that most of the recent transfer activity is clubs changing like for like, ie at Newcastle, Parker out and Barton in. Although I see the point here, I just want to see of these players coming to my club! Sitting in the main stand with an Everton scarf on saying how they always supported us.

I'm fed up of watching bleeding Sky Sports News for six hours straight and never seeing the blues involved in anything! This lack of news is really getting to me now and Im getting a bit depressed. I usually try to hold it together, but now I think its getting near the time to officially panic.

I say if nothing has happened by Friday at 17:00 we should all officially panic. If there is no activity by this deadline I will contacting BK directly and demanding to know why we havnt bought Jeffers/Fowler/Ashley Ward/etc!

Stop!!!!! Panic Time!
Franny Porter, High Wycombe Posted 11/07/2007 at 17:44:10

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Ray Robinson
1 Posted 11/07/2007 at 19:31:51

I've seen some comments on here that make me flinch: "Let's see if we can make it through until the January window before spending loads of money" or words to that effect. Well by January we could be out of the Carling and UEFA Cup and in poor position in the League. How would that help? "We don't need any more strikers". Heaven forbid if anything happens to Johnson (who's non too prolific himself, anyway). Expect any of Vaughan, Anichebe or Beattie to score 15 league goals? I don't and I'm not being disrespectful too them. It's as plain as the nose on my face that the squad needs strengthening all over the park if we are to attempt to compete on 4 fronts. Moyes himself stated that the squad was inadequate in terms of numbers. We've had the mantra trotted out that it's best to buy the players early so that they can bed in pre-season. Last season proved that. I've not said this. This has come from the manager's mouth! So am I panicking just yet? Not necessarily - I'm not gutted at missing out on Nugent or Koumas but I am getting nervous about having to potentially shop round in the bargain basement sale with only leftovers on offer. So come on Moysie. You seem to have learnt a lesson after the Spurs home game last season. So now do something about a situation that you yourself recognise and get some early reinforcements on board. If BK is tightening the purse string, camp outside the luvvie's office and demand some action. I couldn't face yet another false dawn after what happened 2 years ago. There's only so many opportunities in life - and we've got another one right now!

John Patrick McFarlane
2 Posted 11/07/2007 at 20:47:51

Roy are you sure the quote wasn’t ’spend pre-season in bed!’

Connor Rohrer
3 Posted 11/07/2007 at 20:58:19

The fact is Franny we are skint. It has nothing to do with Moyes. If he actually had the money the likes of Koumas, Fernandes, Richardson and Smith would be signing on our dotted lines. In my opinion, we have about twelve million to spend. I can tell by the way we will not spend over 4 million on one player. He said that he had been trying to get Jagielka is all summer. Why would someone like Phil Jagielka be are main signing. Dont get me wrong I am happy to have the boy and he is a useful player but we should be looking to get my exciting players in. And I am not even sure he will be first choice. Will Moyes drop captain fantastic Phil Neville for Jagielka. No chance. Until Moyes is properly backed we are going to continue a yo-yo team. I think next season will be the best and most competitive so far. The likes of West ham, Aston villa, Portsmouth, Spurs and even Wigan are all spending big and while money doesent bring success it definatly bring improvement. Times are changing and we must must change with the times.

Franny Porter
4 Posted 11/07/2007 at 21:18:55

I see what yous are saying, but if we are skint, which I agree seems to be the case, why are we skint?

We almost fill our stadium week in week out, £30 mill for Rooney, we have one of the smallest wage bills in the Premiership, £2.50 for a Chang in the Top Balcony?

Im no mathmetician but it dosnt seem right does it?

Matt Bone
5 Posted 11/07/2007 at 22:19:41

I for one didnt think Nugent was worth £6 or £7m but that was until I saw Keane pay £5m for Chopra.

We do still need a striker though and knowing Moyes likes hard working versatile players I still think we?ll get Smith (and probably Richardson). The No. 10 shirt is still unallocated so suely we must be execting another striker.

The only problem with packing a team with all hard working versatile players is the old proverb - Jack of all trades, master of none. We needed another player to score 10-15 goals and Smith aint it.

hope the rumours about Baines coming onboard are true also.

Overall I felt Moyes had about "10-12m to spend so he has to think hard and decide where best to spend that money. £4m has already ogne leaving £6-8m. Baines you will need at least£5m and Smith probably £6m. Richarson maybe just £2.5m so never gonna get all three. Hope he is not thinking of buying Richardson as cover for Left wing/ Left back!!!!!

Mick Wrende
6 Posted 11/07/2007 at 22:39:38

It is plain to see our signings are finished for the summer. We have 4 million maximum left to spend. United want 4.5 for Richardson, 6 for Smith and of course WBA wanted 5.5 for Koumas so no chance of any of them. Oh, wait a minute I am wrong, that Everton reject Michael Ball is available for nothing so lets make him our next big signing.

Mark Griffiths
7 Posted 11/07/2007 at 23:18:59

It is quite simple, we have very little money and moyes is taking his time with who he wants and will not be pushed into paying over the odds.

Yeah, we have again another opportunity to kick on from last season and establish ourselves in the uefa cup and finish in the top 6 again.

The truth is, the uefa cup could be a distraction to the league unless we invest in at least another 4 players, two being top quality and another two being very good players.

However, in todays market to achieve that goal, you need approx 25-30m which we do not have, so we are in for a slightly dissapointing season i think.

I could be wrong, but after many hours of watching sky sports, keeping a keen eye on all the possible sources of transfer information for EFC and driving myself crazy with who we will get and is that supposed target just bullshit, i think we will have to make do and hope for the best, same old season, same old everton!

BK you need to come up with a miracle.

Nick Xenos
8 Posted 12/07/2007 at 02:34:21

I’m confident that Moyes is not done with in the transfer market just yet. For one, Arteta and Cahill would not have committed their futures to the club unless they were privy to Moyes’ plans to further improve the squad. In addition, I don’t think that players like Nugent and Koumas are better than what we have at the moment anyway. I think it’s just a matter of time before our next signings.

John Gee
9 Posted 12/07/2007 at 00:19:53

Before we can attract the players we need and want, we have to prove that our club isn't that yo-yo club bouncing between bottom half and top half. We're doing this but it's a slow process. It's like an oil tanker: you can't turn it around on a sixpence. We need to be patience and trust David Moyes. He's taken us into the qualifiers for the Champions League and the Uefa Cup, it's not exactly what we want but it's a big step up from coming from 2-0 down to stay in the Premiership.

The transfer talk on this site is a joke, people seem to want a player just because Sky News talk about them. What do Sky know about football? They're just filling in time and they're schedule (bowls from Blackpool on pay per veiw, anybody?) Screw Jason Koumas, Nugent and whoever else is an Everton fan while they're playing in the Championship and angling for a move. Koumas hasn't done anything at any club he's been at. I'll take Cahill over him and Osman (who HAS performed in the premiership) over him.

And who is Nugent? He's looked good in the Sky clips but has a 3-in-1 strike rate at a Championship club playing attacking football. We should be celebrating the fact that our manager isn't a mug who's taken in by what Sky or The Sun says (good luck Harry, how about a new motor!)

We've only been linked with 2 players who would improve our squad and that's a winger (and proven England goal scorer) in Richardson and Smith (winning goal at Anfield on his debut). They are good players and they have turned it on at the highest level.

We want players to improve the team and squad ? not some transfer action just for the sake of it. Or maybe I'm wrong and we should have outbid West Ham and Villa for a midfielder who can't cut it and a striker who can't score... Best of luck to Nugent though, he seems to be a likable lad.

Kieran Doyle
10 Posted 12/07/2007 at 06:05:58

Ive talked about this on another thread but I agree with John Gee about Smith & Richardson improving our squad.

However I dont see how Ferguson will let Smith go without sealing the deal for Tevez first. And with Moyes probably wanting to do a double deal for both of them, then it makes sense why its taking so long.

Also agree on John Gee’s point on Nugent & Koumas. They wanted to come to us not the other way round. And for a combined total of nearly 11.5M Quid I’m glad they havent. At least with Smith & Richardson (sort of!) we get proven Premiership quality.

Gavin Harris
11 Posted 12/07/2007 at 08:48:55

"We?ve only been linked with 2 players who would improve our squad and that?s a winger (and proven England goal scorer) in Richardson"

Are you having a laugh!?

Ross Trotter
12 Posted 12/07/2007 at 09:27:06

How do people know the transfer budget for the season etc?

Mark Griffiths
13 Posted 12/07/2007 at 09:53:07

just seen in 2 papers and heard on the radio that keane is signing richardson from manure, 5.5m and 35k a week, and moyes will not go anywhere near both those amounts, so another target dashed, and as usuall efc will state that they were never interested in him as they do whenever they fail to land a target or get outbid by some two-bit club who are not goog enough to bite the toe nails of EFC!!!

Mark Griffiths
14 Posted 12/07/2007 at 10:06:07

I am so torn between trusting moyes and having patience and getting pissed off at the lack of transfers considering a big season awaits us and we are getting outbid for half decent players by also rans!!

Ray Hughes
15 Posted 12/07/2007 at 10:30:17

Just a tought here.. How many times under Moyes have we had real problems scoring goals..2002/2003 season when we finish 7th we only once scored 3 in a match all season in a defeat at Spurs.. 2004/05 finish 4th bt we are solely based around 1-0 wins.. 2005/06 we have scored ONE goal from open play until November.. Just a thought thats all..