Martinez looking to strengthen in a “couple more” positions

I can't believe the lack of talk/targets for LM. After a season of no-one being able to play there surely it needs to be a priority? Pienaar is great but won't play a lot of football!

This am I correct in thinking is the same group that made shit smell like roses for the majority of the season and was woken out of its slumber and shown how to put a shift in by the loan signing of Aaron Lennon, which was tragically even admitted publicly by Leighton Baines.

The only trouble is Lennon may not be back and as we already know of Delboy, he's a luxury player but he won't do the dirty work Lennon did.

Let's hope Martinez can actually get his targets, it will be a very interesting end to the transfer window.

A goalie should be priority. But it won't be. He will stick with the useless yank and he will make more crucial mistakes.

The squad looks unbalanced at the moment with an abundance of wingers and Centre Midfield players not to mention 30 plus players. Once again we are being left behind in the transfer market as the teams around us snap up some pretty good footballers.

Also, some new blood on the coaching staff would be helpful. Maybe a specific defensive coach. How about bringing Keown in or promoting Sheedy who has worked wonders with the U-18s.

Martinez seems to be under the impression that ther was nothing particularly wrong last season and it will all come right. He's a real head in the sand manager.

Worrying times to be an Evertonian.

Unless Barkley discovers some form then we definitely don't have a Number 10 in dare I say it, the Continho mould.

You can't be serious, Jack? I am all for giving our own players a chance but you have to wonder why he hasn't been given a chance by the age of 23? Maybe he isn't good enough?

McAleny looked cack when I saw him against Krasnodar and to be fair I've seen him a few times before his injury, he looks like Michael Branch Mk 2.

We need a better option than this to give Lukaku some serious concerns about being first choice, not some half-baked reserve, we heard all this talk with the likes of Vellios and Mathew Kennedy, sadly they just don't cut it at Premier League level.

We are Everton Football Club for goodness sake, not Burnley or Watford, if we can't go out and find quality and sign quality then the board are so damn lucky that too many Evertonians are willing to just accept this financially strapped poppycock without any in-depth answers or investigation.

I remember the angry scenes at home to Spurs in November 1997 – we lost the match 2-0 and it was a bit scary that day in the Street End.

You can say what you want about the Kopites, Geordies or Spurs fans but, give them their due, they wouldn't put up with being sold down the garden path by the lot we've had in charge for too long.

In all Kenwright's time here, we must be the only club in the Premier League that's neither moved stadium or done absolutely nothing to the ground at all in terms of refurbishment.

We constantly hear of "searching for investment 24/7" and we are now just expected to accept we are a club that can't financially compete with clubs that we should be on a par with, like Tottenham. We have been a ever-present in the top flight. The whole story regarding the scandalous Kitbag deal tells all you need to know about the people in power at Everton.

Whether we do spend money or not during this window remains to be seen but, if we don't, and it all turns sour results-wise, what is expected to become of Martinez then?

One things for certain: last season's patience from the fans won't be there again next season.

McAleny is just not up to it.

We've been blown out the water by nearly every side in the Premier League and it will only get worse when Spurs and West Ham move to their new stadiums.

Our fans are content to sit back whilst the club goes to ruins.

Every one of us in life has opinions that's what's makes life so fascinating, debates, discussions etc.

It's just my opinion that a club like ourselves that's always been in the Billionaires league that is the modern day Premier League, should be more than capable of going out and buying quality when needed.

Look at Spurs, they need a central defender so they go out and sign a proven quality one in Alderweireld.

We need class buys and we're Everton Football Club. I couldn't agree more, Jim. But if were told we don't have the funds, what's the next step? I'm all for taking action, Jim. But explain to me how protesting in whatever form is going to make the slightest bit of difference?

As for the 24/7 search, for me that touches on the issues of who really owns us, what their motives are and why we have never been sold.

On the one hand, Kenwright tells an embarrassing story of how he was nearly duped by some con-men; then, on the other are the rumours that Sheikh Mansour wanted to buy us but negotiations never got far.

And that leaves us here now as some kind of Zombie club, with – as you pointed out – no investment and an undeveloped stadium.

Evertonians though are known for voting with our feet and not with our voices; in the early 90s attendances dropped considerably, even just before Moyes left, 29,000 at home to Man City!!

Maybe we need to find alternative ways to show we deserve better explanations.

Everything you say, Jim, concerning the club and board, I agree; it is a disgrace the way were told lie after lie, egarding moves and finances.

I have six True Blue mates and five of them haven't been in Goodison Park since BK bought in the club and said they won't until he leaves. Is that the answer, Jim? Stay away in a mass protest. I'd go along with that. But would it make a difference, Jim?

When you see our loveable neighbours quoting 㿞M for players on their books, then it's a miracle to me with this board that we even stay in the Premier League. And Tottenham and West Ham can now leave us behind with their new stadiums, new revenue, London money etc.

Everton's manager sure has his work cut out and I'm not convinced by Martinez and who he has been able to attract. Sorry for the pessimism. I still can't wait for season to start, with a few more new faces in, and to be proved wrong by Martinez. Our squad is not bad but that didn't seem to help Martinez last season...

Now, we have Martinez who set things alight two seasons ago but flopped badly last season and it's frustrating to see that the new season may be the same way.

Getting back Deulofeu may help if he is the real deal like before and Cleverley may bolster midfield a little but it would appear much will rest on Barkley's form and the emergence of the youngsters providing the are not despatched on loan after the pre-season games.

Some of the ''usual suspects'' may just go through the motions as before especially the ''sick note'' guys such as Pienaar, Gibson, and now McGeady again. These players, if still around, along with Osman, Naismith and Barry, will offer nothing new to the team. I hope sincerely that the youngsters excel on tour and are part of the squad to start the season unless RM really does have some other irons in the fire.

I don't believe it did much in the early 1990s when so many fans stopped going for various reasons but primarily because the team that they had seen almost dominate English football less than a decade earlier had been slowly allowed to crumble with little attempt to bring back the glory.

Realistically the questions go back right to that era; Everton should have really been where Arsenal were in the mid-90s but, for some reason, when the inception of the Premier League came about in 1992, we missed the boat. Some blame the European ban but that's too easy; we still should have had a team capable of challenging for the title in 1990 – we won the League in 1987 but fell away so drastically in the space of three years.

Since Kenwright took over in 1999, the club has stood still, almost fearful now of going back to the relegation haunted years. Perhaps the '90s scarred too many supporters and now Kenwright and his cronies will do... as long as we survive. But, as I've said, once you lose the fans, it's damn hard to win them back.

The only thing that brought the fans back to Goodison in the '90s was the unexpected FA Cup victory in '95. For a brief spell, we acted like a club with some ambition, signing Kanchelskis, spending money, everyone was happy... But, as we know, it didn't last, and Peter Johnson took the flack.

I honestly believe the only thing that saves Kenwright is the fact he's a big Evertonian.

I wonder if this was one of the deals alluded to by Roberto? Possibly, when you look at what Ogbonna has said after signing for West Ham.

So I would say we will sign a left-side defender. Also, Stoke have ended their interest in Shaqiri, so we could still try for him.

Like what's already been said, if a lad ain't cracked by 23 he probably never will. Just look at players like Harry Kane who's younger and banging in goals for fun.

We need quality players right now. It's no good keep bringing in future players all the time if it means there future will be in the Championship.

I can't wait... Phenomenal times ahead.

Some people are kidding themselves, suggesting we weren't really interested in Ogbanna, Dann etc. We were, we bid for them, and they weren't interested.

WHU and Crystal Palace for fucks sake!!

As sad as it is, WHU and Crystal Palace are our level now. So, when they beat us to signings, it's no surprise anymore.

Certainly nothing to get excited about.

EFC being very quiet about McCarthy, we need to prioritise keeping him.

Granted, I didn't see a whole lot of him, but he seems like Howard in many respects. Good shot-stopper but has a clanger in him.

If Martinez hadn't made such a ridiculous decision in dropping him, Joel Robles may have had half a season's experience in him by now and could have established himself as our number one. Hell, at least he can kick a football without it coming down with snow on it.

I've often scratched my head and wondered just how Tim Howard has clocked up a fairly decorated career with such basic shortcomings. His command of the area is absolutely non-existent. He can not and will not catch a cross. His kicking is aimless, other than 'as high as possible'. And finally, I think his attitude absolutely stinks. Much like Martinez, Howard was entirely satisfied with last season's showing and overtly disgruntled with the paying fans who thought otherwise. That alone should have seen him hounded out of Goodison Park.

Most, who have no prospect of "making it" at Premier League level are released far sooner than this, or sold on, à la Shane Duffy last year.

We are not a club that can afford the luxury of carrying deadwood, so I presume he must figure in RM's plans somewhere, otherwise, why is he still here?

My big concern is a goalkeeper; if we get the Arsenal 'keeper, that's a start. Bring in a centre back and a partner to support Lukaku, who knows Deulofeu may just be that supporting partner.

I think Cleverley will be the one that surprises a few people and could turn out to be a shrewd purchase.

I was hoping for Van Dijk but Advocat, with £50M in his pocket, wants him at Sunderland.

The above speech is the most depressing bunch of empty wallet sentences I've heard in years.

Never mind Cleverley and Deulofeu. Our disorganised, ball-watching, goal-conceding defence is weaker than a wet tissue yet we are asked to believe that it is fine and dandy. Can't blame Martinez for the lack of funds but I can certainly blame him for the lack of proper defensive coaching. Moyes was a defensive coach. Martinez isn't. We need to employ a specialist.

Cheers.

Let's for a moment turn our eyes from our quarter-full turgid glass and look at some facts.

1) It's only 11th July. The transfer window has about 50 days left to pan out.

2) We have already signed 3 players of which one is a solid Premier League pro who put in a decent shift last season elsewhere, one is a phenomenally exciting young winger who has done well for us on loan before, and the last is a prospect for the future who may get a few first team games.

3) We are very clearly making enquiries all over the place for other positions (Dann, Ogbina, etc) at a 'not' cut price rate ٦M . Obviously we won't get them all, no club ever does, and equally we may not have really bid/wanted players that we've been linked to, but there is obvious work going on.

4) Martinez has clearly stated he needs and will get a few more players in. He's highlighted centre defence and creative mid before plus he's been linked with a number of striking prospects.

5) We do have a very very good core first team that we've managed to retain whilst other clubs are losing their stars:

i) Our keeper is rated as one of the world's best everywhere else but on this site.

ii) We have THE best starting defence in the league, in my opinion, with Baines, Jagielka, Stones & Coleman

iii) Our midfield has some of the best holding players (McCarthy and Barry were phenomenal in season 1, last year everyone underperformed) plus Besic and Cleverly provide competition

iv) We have genuinely great creative midfield options from Barkley, Osman and Gibson in the centre to Mirallas and Del on the flanks plus back up in Pienaar, Oviedo and McGeady (who has had some good games). We just need to get the balance right here.

v) Up top, Lukaku despite faults remains a top class striker to intimidate defences and put the ball in the onion bag and we do have support players in Naismith and Kone to provide some cover

6) We have cleared out some of the deadwood from the squad in the form of players who were past it/not good enough and clearly a few others are being looked at.

7) We have some promising young players on the fringes who have shown well. Galloway, Garbutt, Browning will all get a lot more games this year (either on loan or for us), hopefully so to McAleny, Long, Ledson, Pennington and Henen.

Obviously my glasses aren't entirely rose-tinted and I do 100% understand that things could always be better:

8) We're clearly NOT in the financial class of the regular CL clubs like Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City who can sign from the very small top tier of supposed world class stars (although in many cases they then proceed to make them look very ordinary).

9) We DO need back-up and improvement across the spine of the team in the form of at least one centre back, a creative midfielder and a striking option that offers some challenge or something different from Lukaku.

10. Other teams around us are signing players that we are/might be interested in (West Ham under Bilic in particular seems to be the current annoyance, historically Spurs have been the same)

Ultimately though, I have genuine faith we will get players in the positions we need. Martinez definitely has his flaws and some tactical decisions have driven me crazy, but it's very hard to find fault with his transfer record since he came.

Whilst not everything worked out (for McCarthy, Lukaku and Lennon there's an Atsu, Eto'o or Alcaraz) that is pretty standard across every club and more to do with the reality of football and players just not gelling as any error on his part.

For me he's been clear in his targets and generally acted quickly/decisively (as opposed to his predecessor) and consistently surprised by delivered players of a high class or at least good potential without breaking the bank, his use of the loan system in particular has been incredibly astute to the point of upsetting idiot journalists who love the big 4.

Nothing leads me to suspect he won't deliver precisely the same in this window either and whilst I think we will see 1 or 2 more signings pre-season (especially at centre-back), I'd also expect we will be keeping an 'interest' in dealings right up to 6pm on Tuesday 1st September.

I am serious about McAleny stepping up. It's called being given a chance. I've seen him several times and I think he could step up. I rate him. Why are the club keeping him if they don't rate him?

People on here talk about players out of our reach, what's the point? I think we should look lower down the leagues, I know several players in lower leagues that could do a job for us. It's nothing to do with not being ambitious in my eyes, it's affordability and buying a player for 㿈 million every couple of seasons is not going to get us very far.

Iv'e watched Everton, since I was 9 and I'm 60 now! So Iv'e seen the great and the bad times and you could say those bad times have come back again.

I like all Evertonians want the good times back again and shouting about cups we've won like the days old. But realistically we have a crumbling old stadium and not an awful lot of cash (or so were told). And when clubs like Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Stoke and Sunderland can go after player's that we can't, I'd say that puts a question mark over just how big a club we really are. In our hearts we will always be. But realistically I'd say we have to think smaller, until there is a drastic change at this much loved club.

'We have THE best starting defence in the league in my opinion with Baines, Jags, Stones and Coleman'

There were a few to choose from, but that sentence sticks out as the most ridiculous from your post. Last season that very same defence was an absolute shambles! All four are good players in my opinion, but as a unit there needs to be some massive tactical changes.

By all means, be positive, but don't completely exit from reality.

I think there is a lot to be said for looking down the lower leagues to strengthen the squad.

When you consider that Moyes bought, Cahill, Lescott, Jagielka, Carsley & Coleman from the lower leagues it just shows it can be done.

Now, my point is that many of those players either play in their home countries, or in some cases, Spain, Italy, for example. A commentator during one of Chile's games mentioned that some of these earn about 㾶k a week and a big transfer fee over there would be less than a million dollars, (about 𧼐k). So why the hell doesn't our esteemed, phenomenal manager use his Spanish language skills and go look in areas where good players can still be bought for relative peanuts?

I actually thought he'd be doing that when he went to the World Cup so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised at his lack of movement in that direction. Or, as he recently found it difficult to pronounce Deulofeu's surname properly, has he forgotten how to speak his native tongue? Hahaha!

ps: Some of those Latin Americans end up in Russia, where they look crap because they can't cope with the sub-zero climate, so England would feel like paradise to them.

Cleverley - played for him before
Robles - played for him before
McCarthy - likewise
Kone - likewise
Alcaraz - likewise
Lukaku - played for him before on loan
Barry - likewise
Deulofeu - likewise
Besic - watched him man-mark Messi at the World Cup
McGeady - apparently always liked him?

With the exception of Besic and McGeady, all of the others had played for Bobby before he signed them up. Besic, he watched have a good game at the World Cup... and McGeady???

My concern is that he doesn't have much of a scouting network. He seems to buy players that he already has a relationship with. He's run out of players who have played for him previously that are any good. So who are his targets?

It would seem that he has managed to identify a couple who haven't played for him previously, but got knocked back. I'm betting he will go back for Lennon and once again sign a player that has played for him previously.

You can believe he has a great masterplan and that it is early days. But what has he done in the last 12 months that gives you such confidence?

People used to call Moyes dithering. But he was an astute and skilful player of the transfer market. Of course he had failures, but he knew how to buy a defender on the cheap and then watch their valuation multiply. I agree with Harold, Bobby has turned great defenders into a disorganised mess. Why would a defender, wanted by others, choose to play under him?

It is early, but I believe that Bobby's targets are being picked off one by one. You can kid yourself that we weren't really in for them, but Ogbinna has already confirmed that we were, and it's accepted that we did put a bid in for Dann.

I hope Bobby makes a fool out of me and plays a transfer window blinder, but I really don't think he will... Time will tell.

If you're right, then I suppose Victor Moses could be next??

Modern day Everton managers have to be complicit with the board's policy of only spending a percentage of what they can bring in.

"The most important aspect of this transfer window is to keep this group together" ... Sigh.

It must be demoralising for those who have believed and supported his promises -- "Wait until he ships the deadwood out and brings his own players in."

I'm getting so disillusioned with this club. You learn to expect the board to lie to you, but when you believe the promises the manager makes are empty from the outset, you start to see them as lies too.

He carried passengers last season, It's very clear that he intends to carry them again and because of this, his talented group will remain dysfunctional. Hopes that he will ship out the passengers and bad apples have given way to the terrible realisation that he can't even identify them.

The slide will continue, unfortunately so will the support for this manager and his board.

I think we all know that he sanctioned the sale of Lineker to Barça because he had been promised the job once they'd gotten rid of Terry Venables... now every summer on the transfer rumours pages, the Evertonians will banter about trying to sign the likes of Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo etc... Well, in the summer of 1986 we had the golden boot winner at a World Cup and sold him???

The chairman at the time should have told Howard to fuck off. I have heard Lineker state on several occasions he never wanted to leave Everton... okay, we won the league the next season, but after '87 we slowly went further and further backwards.

The board was full of old belligerent men, no visionaries with gift of foresight and ambition, in the 1980s, Manchester United were no better thought of than Everton.

Flash forward 30 years and it's clear that they had far-sighted and clever men running their club, and we are still basically run the same way as we were 30 years ago.

The statement about keeping the group together basically sums up where we're at. Unless there's incomings from sales, we can only afford a free transfer and a sub-£5m player (both good signings in my opinion, just insufficient).

We are now routinely being outspent by the likes of West Ham, Swansea, Stoke and probably this year Bournemouth.

I don't blame the manager for that. He works within the budget he has. If, as a sizable chunk of fans seem to want, he is sacked, do they really think we'll attract a proven talented manager? No, it'll be more of the same. Unproven / up-and-coming manager looking to use us to further his ambitions.

Still, if the heat's on him, it's not elsewhere, so Blue Bill's happy.

Regardless I think Martinez has done very well in the transfer market so far and will pull out a few more signings and surprises (who really saw Del deal coming off?)

I do also love the way the naysayers are rewriting their historical view of Moyes (aka dour, dithering Davey). I personally was a big fan of DM and although I wasn't blinkered to his failings I recognise what he did for our club in making us hard to beat, slowly improving the side on a net positive transfer spend and ultimately turning us from faded glory relegation battlers to a team expected to challenge for Europe every season. This however was NOT the dominant view on these pages which were (surprise, surprise) full of bile towards everything from playing style to transfer targets.

In terms of the new guy, there's no denying last season was a bit of a dog in everything but our Europa run and I'm as unhappy as anyone to see the blues loose and our league standing slip. However the season before the same manager (and similar squad) posted our record points total and had a genuine crack at 4th.
He did this by adding a more creative and possession side to our game (the same which has for years been the preserve of the top club/national teams in the world in Barcelona + Spain and has secured Arsenal a consistent top 4 slot).

Last year he tried to push this further and stuck to these tactical guns even when results weren't falling our way on the pitch (although some performances were still exemplary - the first 70 mins vs arsenal was incredible, we made them look ordinary and forced them to sub Sanchez)

There's a strong argument that our players/the PL aren't suited to this style and to be fair and also that a more direct attacking football style is re-asserting itself on league and national stage and to be fair to RM he himself has evolved the tactics and resorted to a more direct format later on (somewhat bizarrely it was the switch to a more direct game vs Kiev rather than possession which led to him being pilloried
on these pages).

Which of these 2 seasons represent the 'real' Martinez Everton team? That's what we're going to find out over the next few months I think. Personally I think he's done enough to deserve the benefit of the doubt and our full support till Xmas at least.

If the team ends 2015 with 40+ points on the board and playing well then he's managed to restore the spirit and success of his first season.

Anything less than 30 points from the first 19 games should mean a big reassessment from the board and a call on whether new leadership is needed in January.

Somewhere between the two though and if we're playing well and making progression it'll be enough to earn support till the end of the season at least.

Moyes made sure him and his players were well looked after, but with Everton now slipping to twelfth in the wages league, anything above a top half finish will suit this board down to the ground.

"DOWN TO THE GROUND" were slowly getting pulled there!

Which manager will we see this season? Are we going to get the man who gave us some inspiring football and had us dreaming of greater things. Or the man who put out the bunch of unfit individuals who didn't appear to know their collective arses from elbows.

Has El Burro learnt that players need to be fit, set pieces are important,as are clean sheets, that we need quick direct and incisive passing to score. That passing the ball sideways and slowly and allowing the opposition to stroll back is ineffective and awful to watch.

we could sign Zlatan, Messi, Ramos and more but if we the same man as last year leading them we will still be F#@ked

We certainly need a more experienced CB this window to come in and challenge both Jags & Stones for their spots but also when needed, come in and do a job with no fuss! Now with Ogbonna going to West Ham and Dann looking like he's signing a new deal, maybe we can push ahead with a move for Genk's Kara Mbodj?!

I know I've just said above that I think Cleverley could possibly be looked upon as our No.10 but I think we need a more creative player for that role. We need more of a cutting edge going forward and game changers and Deulofeu for that is a great signing but we need a creative playmaker that gets a few goals to play behind Lukaku. Hopefully we've got enough cash to go out and get the players for the positions we need. I wouldn't mind seeing someone like Kagawa, Praet or Hakim Ziyech for the playmaker role!

Personally I think we could do with a GK and IF Ospina is available for as little as ٣m, then Martinez needs to force Kenwright to part with a bit more of the TV money and get this lad signed! He's a very good GK and young for a keeper too and will get even better and could be our No 1 for years!

I'd like a striker but I think we can get by till January or next summer at least. I'd like to see the likes of Long or even Henen given a chance this season and see what they can offer the first team?! I really do think our priority is to get in a good, 3rd choice CB and a creative playmaker, especially a playmaker, were crying out for a player that can unlock stubborn defences.

Phil, you criticise Chris James for saying,
'We have THE best starting defence in the league in my opinion with Baines, Jags, Stones and Coleman'

Actually, Chris is either correct or very near the money with that statement. Only Chelsea come close....but we'd need Moyes or a manager who can defend to be in charge instead of the (defensively) clueless Martinez.

I wouldn't like to think where we will be in 10 years time with our manager (and Kenwright's) head-in-the-sand attitude.

He plays his cards close to his chest and I have no doubt that we will see a surprise signing prior to the season in a Number 10 role.

We have the makings (with the average age getting better also) of a really good side who will be challenging certainly for top 6 and with the addition of one or two more, the top 4. I think this is Lukaku's year and I have put my money where my mouth is as at 75/1 for top scorer it's worth a punt.

I can't wait for the season to start!

Corners, free kicks, throw ins, etc are a vital, sometimes only chance of scoring or conceding. They must be organized and practiced.

How many players did he promise last summer? 7-8? What makes you think he will do any better this summer?

But maybe his comments about keeping this squad together shouldn't be scoffed at. Aston Villa have lost their two CMs from last season in Cleverley and Delph, and are probably going to lose Benteke. They were close to relegation with those three, so to replace them and improve the team is going to be bloody difficult.

As for the transfer targets, let's not all jump on the media bandwagon; most of the players have a price, wages etc... Look at Leeds, Portsmouth, all bought and bought and bought... now look at them!

We have a structure and we have to keep to it. Yes, we all wonder where the money goes, but it's the life of an Everton fan. We still have plenty of time to get the players in, that means we aren't paying over the odds, also causing unrest in the dressing room.

I look forward to the season and hope RM has learned from his mistakes last season,

Martinez's cringeworthy comments only reinforce my belief that he is not up the the job. We need a goalie; get Ospina. We need a CB; get Dann. And we deffo need an yer alternative to sulky arse Lukaku; get Austin. Three players all proven in the Premier League, get your wallet out Bill and less talking and more action from Bobby.

Oh and it might be an idea to get someone else to do the press interviews because Bobby is increasingly excruciating to listen to.

This squad finishes 8th-12th in my eyes and we need one or two more first team caliber transfers to push higher up the table and have a good crack at the cups.

There's time still to go but West Ham, who finished one place below us last season, have spent around £25m already while we have spent £4m. I would hope we might have at least another £10-15m to spend but time will tell.

I think we have missed a trick on players like Wijnaldum, Mitrovic, Cabaye and Alderweireld. I realise they all cost big money but surely we have enough cash available to be buying these types of players? The board surely have no excuses regarding transfer funds after all this TV revenue came in. We should have plenty to spend in my opinion and all this talk of only 㾻m to spend angers me!

We are being left behind (top 6) and caught up (bottom half) at the same time. But, as I said at the start of my piece, I am trying to keep the faith. :-)

What is all this crap about being short of CB's? If push comes to shove and Jags or Stones is out for a while, then clearly Bobby has players who can play in those positions. Barry and Besic are both more than capable.

So we had a bad season last time around, so what!! The season before we were one of the best teams in the league. Del boy is back and we almost have the same team that finished 5th.

Give the team a chance, wait and see, then if things go as badly as some believe (not that they ever do go that badly) then and only then do you have grounds for being so miserable. Come on Evertonians, smile, be happy, don't worry!!!

I'm still hoping we sign Lennon and a centre back and it is still early days in the transfer market so we might be pleasantly surprised. All you can do, when you are an Evertonian, is hope; absolutely nothing is guaranteed.

People who support Billy should read Kendall's book. Even though Howard speaks highly of Blue Bill, he does mention that, even as a director, it was Kenwright who set up the deal to sell Keown to Arsenal. The chap just can't hold on to anything if there is a whiff of a profit in it.

You are right of course, but about this time last year I was slaughtered on here for suggesting Martinez was complicit with the board's transfer policy. People like Colin, who are now in total agreement with you, are merely conceding yet more ground in their relentless defence of their idol.

It's okay for the manager to dampen everyone's expectations (on behalf of the board) with two months left of the transfer window... but critics are supposed to wait until the window closes before criticising. I'm sure some of these guys would let their houses burn down before they called the fire brigade...

You get what you accept and we have too many fans ready to accept Jack Shit.

Howard is a good keeper. I don't think we should be buying another one. We have Robles.

Probably a #2 though...

In his first season, RM, probably even in his own mind, over-achieved somewhat and we all went agog with expectancy for last season which quickly turned to frustration early on, saved only by a run in the Europa League.

We need to be patient and see what happens before the window closes and also how early results go. Let's all understand that some of the names mentioned here as Everton targets may have only been media speculation.

Many fans have been calling for Bobby's head after last season, including myself, which was probably unfair, so perhaps we ought to sit tight a while longer with this manager to see if he is the real deal. I am sure that the first dozen games will be crucial to his tenure.

We will probably see a lot more movement of players at Everton over the next little while.

I know he's a bit on the old side but Vlaar would be a great backup to our current centre-backs as he has bags of experience and would still do a job for the next year our two.

I really wish you were our manager!

Spot on and I agree with your entire post.

I must agree with most of what you said, I think we are still kidding ourselves when we think that we are still a powerhouse in the Premier League, because we're not. What we are and always will be is a great club with the most loyal and best supporters in the world. But, unless we do start spending, we are going to find ourselves playing Championship football.

Every fan, if they are being honest, must admit that there were moments last season where we were beginning to look over our shoulders. Teams like Sunderland, Stoke, and West Ham should never be able to attract players over us, but they are... so, unless we start spending and showing players we're a big club, we are going to end up a average club who can only attract average players.

I thought we had turned the corner last season by showing our intent in spending 㿈M on a player, but we still need to follow that up.

There have been many T-windows in the past where, at this stage, we had either signed no players or made average acquisitions. At the moment I am pleased with the two new additions and am hopeful of more. If we were to move on and nab the coveted No 10. (Shaqiri, etc) and a solid CB (Kjaer, etc) then the posts would be discussing our CL ambitions.

Maybe I am being overly optimistic (some will undoubtedly say deluded) but, like I say, let's at least wait and judge the squad that starts the season. Keep the faith!

I think when Martinez talked of 6/7 players he was saying what we all know. My view is that either he was trying to bounce the club into building on the momentum of his first season, which it should have done, or he displayed incompetence by blowing the budget on one player, then misusing him. No evidence for this, just my view of an ambitious manager getting a door slammed in his face. Hasn't mentioned it since, has he?

There are three separate issue here. One is our board's parsimony and strange financial habits. The second is Martinez's caution and unwillingness to buy anyone he doesn't know. The third is whether Martinez will be competent enough to manage the players' fitness and play a balanced team.

There's been some talk on here about Martinez's 'acolytes' 'getting their excuses in early'. Looks to me like there's plenty getting their criticism in early too. For everyone ignoring a burning building there's plenty shouting 'fire' on a warm day.

I'm trying to recall a transfer window where we bagged a load of brilliant players after 11 days, so I'll save my praise/criticism till the start of the season.

Martinez has come out and said that primarily he wanted to keep the group together, but this to me is simply accepting that last season's standards are now exactly that, acceptable.

We have signed two players who may slightly alter one or two things, Deulofeu more so than Cleverley I believe, but that's providing he's not going to warm the bench.

What would to me send out a statement of intent is if we had bid for a Alderweireld or signed Ogbonna or made an ambitious move for Charlie Austin and made the Ospina or Scott Dann moves happen.

Why should the players who failed on virtually a weekly basis last season all of a sudden be capable of producing the goods? We can harp on about two seasons ago, but they are all two years older now and too many have regressed.

Football never stands still, we should have learnt that lesson after finishing 4th under Moyes, teams are forever bettering themselves, just look at Crystal Palace?
They finish above us but they know the importance of bettering a squad that punched above its weight but at the same time has the foundations to become better.

Everton always seem too interested in looking back and trying to recreate the past; we are too afraid of speculating to accumulate.

Just add the transfer talk he comes out with to the list of other stuff he says that you pretty much ignore.

Anyone who thinks the likes of Conor McAleny are good enough is deluded he is probably a half-decent Championship player at best.

If one of our CBs get injured, then we are in trouble. The same goes if Rom gets injured... then what?

Still getting acquainted with this forum, I chanced upon the comprehensive list of comings and goings over recent times and it was noticeable how many significant signings have been made well into each window -- so often on the very last day of trading.

On that evidence alone, it seems inappropriate to get too animated about our club's dealings at this point in time. But, then, what else have we to talk about?

That couldn't possibly have been the case .... or could it ?

In a nutshell, that's what Everton have done... with Lukaku being the tie. We need to spend a great deal more on the suit if we are going to look good. Maybe the shoes need changing too.

So what if West Ham have signed so-and-so? I don't care! Do we really want to be Sunderland with 㿞M to spend and then fight relegation year after year?? Unlike most on here, at present I'm happy with my lot.

Let's look forward to the season and welcome the players that do come because we will sign the players Martinez wants and not all the players papers link us with.

We could have paid off the total debt and still spent more on players with this season's money ALONE. It's time to put Kenwright on the spot by any means necessary, this phoney's pulling more strokes than Sepp Blatter and some gullible fools are having it!

"Do we really want to be Sunderland with 㿞 m to spend and then fight relegation "

Or do we want to be like Everton and spend virtually nothing and watch all our rivals spend THEIR TV money?

We can't afford to stand still -- we MUST improve our squad to do just that, so if we want to improve on last year that is what we must do. We are two defenders short from last season with Distin and Alcaraz going, we have replaced Lennon with Deulofeu and signed Cleverley on a free.

The rest of our squad is slowly ageing and needs refreshing, our two signings so far are not enough. With the current TV deal we should have more money than ever before but if Kenwright etc are serious about EFC it needs to be invested in the team.

Seriously though, an aging, experienced campaigner in the No 10 role would suit us in the short term, along with the progressive development (rather than the pressuring) of Ross Barkley.

It's trying to compete on a limited budget that has led to us being trophy less for 20 years, that in a nutshell is the problem.

The Premier League as a competition is a joke, it's a money race, same 6 clubs finished top 6 last season, what's the betting it will be the same again this season!

I've never regarded Stoke, Swansea, Palace or West Ham as our rivals, yet they all finished on the same or better points total than we did. And they are all improving their squad or trying to. What does that tell you?

As Chris Gould says, their signings will have time to bed in, reach fitness levels and feel less like strangers than someone signed on deadline day.

If a player signs for some other team instead of us, so what? That is his decision, it means fuck all.

Everton FC is (and always was) a wonderfully run club, that is why it is 62 years continuous in the top flight (second only to Arsenal, I believe).

Also, Martinez is the best thing that happened to our club for many years... his best attribute is he is brave. I was so sick of Moyes he was so defensive and conservative. I always knew we would not win anything with Moyes, he is not brave enough.

I am sure we will win something with Martinez sooner rather than later....just give him some time and trust his judgement. He has only had two seasons with us... a great one and a bad one... but why judge him on his bad one? Why not his good one?

Jayus... come on! We blues are better than that....

But it looks like it will be more of the same next season unless something drastically changes, feel we are missing out on business deals now.

Have you heard of or seen Jed Wallace? (21) wolverhamton. Creative midfielder. With vision and can score goals. Maybe not for this season but one to watch for next. Lower league I know, but I'm a strong believer in looking outside your own league. Has you know Jim.

I hope I'm wrong.

Martinez did not say "We might sign them"; he didn't say "We hope to sign them"; he didn't say "We need them, but we cant afford them" ... What he said is "We WILL sign them".

If (as the acolytes seem to be finally accepting) he is complicit with the transfer policy, then he would have known how much he had to spend and he'd have known he was going to blow virtually all of it on one player... so what the fuck was he talking about???

Now it seems that by stating you don't believe that the Number 10 Martinez has been promising will materialise, you are calling "fire".

Lead them up the Garden path once, Roberto, shame on you.... Lead them up it twice, shame on them.

Cheers.

One of the three issues I mentioned was Martinez's incompetence at blowing the budget on a player he misused. Hope you saw that.

I share your doubts about the magic No 10 coming, we'll probably end up with a journeyman on loan from the end of August.

It's not about being an 'acolyte' of Martinez. When a non-spending club has only bought two players 11 days into the window, I'm not convinced it's time to panic. Yet.

Darren, you can feel free to accuse people of doing nothing while the building's burning. There's no difference in me talking about people crying fire before you can smell or see the burning.

We'll see who's right in time. If we don't strengthen the squad by the start of the season and you see me defend him, by all means call me an 'acolyte'.

Don't hold your breath, it's a long time since I've defended him, despite what some people seem to think.

If, on the 1st of September, the squad looks weaker than it did at the end of last season, I will be the first on here to have a go at those responsible.

Enjoy your Sunday lunch, Jack.

As for Charlie Austin, I think he is over-rated and over-priced and always injured. We have better -- just look at the youngsters who played yesterday.

It's a gamble either way and with an over-cautious manager and non-investing board, expect to hear more of the 'keep the team together' nonsense.

Where better for him to ply his trade rather than watching every week that at Goodison where he'll play every week because he's a class act, he fits the mould of the playmaker we need (plus a bit of bite & industry), and we have an excellent relationship with Barca by all accounts. I'd be on the phone to them (and his agent) all day every day trying to make it happen.

"Seeing as we're looking to replace Tim."

Really? Who says? FM-crazed Blues???

Certainly not the guy who actually matters... Señor Martinez.

What makes people think this stuff, never mind post it???

People have very short memories, especially when it comes to goalkeeping.

Wake up and smell the coffee. Howard may have been one of the best 5 years ago, but not one of the best for 5 years. We need to give Robles a chance if we don't buy a class goalkeeper.

Bad as we were last season, if by a miracle we'd swapped Howard for De Gea, the season would have looked different.

That's how important a decent keeper is. We need one.

I'll refrase that Mike. We should be looking to replace him. He was an half decent keeper when he first came to us. But he hasn't been the top of his game for I'd say the last three seasons. (In my opinion Mike)
And I'm not alone in thinking he needs to be replaced Mike. So are we all FM crazed blues?

It's called giving an opinion Mike, And Ive given mine, just like your entitled to your's. The only difference is Iv'e given mine without name calling.

oh by the way I hope you don't mind me calling you Mike instead of Michael? If you do, please accept my apology.

Here's the thing. It doesn't matter if you or any Blues fans think he needs to be replaced. Martinez has shown no inclination or desire to replace Howard. And even if he did, we have Robles, with Stanek and Griffiths as cover.

It's not really 'opinion' if it has no basis. Until we're linked with a new goalkeeper, it's just idle pointless FM fantasy. And even then, it's likely just dubious press rumour until something actually happens.

As for Robles, I personally believe that he also is not good enough to take over from Howard (long term). As for Stanek and Griffiths, I haven't seen either of them, Michael, so I could not say anything positive or negative regarding them.

On a different note, it's just come on the interactive that Sterling, Liverpool and Man City have agreed on a 㿝 million transfer. The most expensive English player ever.