Silva: We need to add quality signings

"We must be sure they can improve our squad."

I like his openness about what we need and his direct approach to the two players he has already landed on.

Silva's soundbites do sound similar to that of Moyes, Martinez and Koeman a few weeks before the window closes. Perhaps the club is just getting ready to dampen expectations for this window and will review it in January.

I had hoped, between M&M, that targets would be identified, and a few unheard-of bargains would be acquired, not just splashing large sums on well-recognised names.

Any negotiation with Watford was always going to be difficult and top fees would be asked for. I just hope the quality Marco refers to, as being genuine game changers.

Otherwise it is Koeman Mark 2, and history repeating.

Even game to game changing 4/5 players often results in bad performances.

Silva was, in part, brough to the club to coach and improve the existing squad. Buying 5/6 players is no better than Koeman before him if that is indded the case.

Silva also needs to show the club he can actually improve the team before he gets the funds we spent last season.

Must be tough for the kid to give up his Barca dream -- he just turned 25 on Friday and to know he won't make it there is a bitter pill. But to lose his place for France and miss out on a World Cup medal is certainly far worse.

Incidentally, Calciomercato reports the deal is for £14 million, not 22. A player of Digne's talent would be an absolute steal at that price.

I think Silva is being conservative suggesting it might be 6 players. Mind you, if Richarlison's any good and with Walcott on the other side and Sigurdsson playing a No 10 role, at least Tosun might have a bit more service. And hopefully, they will weigh in with some goals of their own.

On a separate note, Digne and Mina may be good, if we get them. But are they good enough to compensate for Keane? Well, we haven't got long to wait to find out.

On a positive note, Coleman played well... and Pickford and Gueye will soon be back.

And Cucurella reportedly will be added to Barca's roster for their upcoming US Champions Cup games. They begin Saturday against Spurs in LA and then play Roma on Tuesday in Texas. Digne and Mina are still listed on that roster as well... be interesting to see who actually shows up.

I saw him play for U23 and was really impressed. Fast box-to-box and a defender. I believe by the end of his loan spell at Bolton he was playing great and played in their do-or-die last game of the season.

Also, he had good reports playing for USA before the World Cup. This signing will surely be a road block for him? Not to mention Bainsey can put in a shift.

LMFAO!

At last... we have been saying that since the inception of the Premier League. What a sad state of affairs after spending well over 𧴜 million.

As to whether Digne holds Robinson back, I'm not worried. First, getting more talent into our club is just a good thing, no matter where it lines up. Second, Digne is a superior defender but not much of a contributor in attack, so I see him as more useful in a back three than a modern back four, where Baines and Robinson are at their overlapping best. And Silva supposedly uses a back three more than any of his predecessors.

And third, Silva may have already decided that Robinson needs one more loan season. He lost a couple of youth seasons to injuries and Silva might want him to get more experience. He does still ball-watch too much, the way Coleman used to.

Neither Williams nor Pennington look good enough and Jagileka has seen his best days go by as has Bainsey. In midfield Everton are weak despite the hard work of people like Gana and Davies. They need more strong running from the midfield area and despite the shooting ability of Gylfi we may only seeing that sporadically.

The defensive midfield area sees reckless tackler Besic and a rather weak Schneiderlin but I prefer a fully fit MacCarthy over the both of them.

Offensively Everton have options but somehow no combination gives me real optimism. Okay Richarlison has to be a plus but who to choose with him from Niasse, Tosun, Walcott, Calvert-Lewin, Bolasie, Mirallas, Sandro or Dowell.

So it's over to you, Silva, let's see you do your stuff.

18 days to go till season start and we've (almost) signed one single solitary player

Tick tock ⏱

Over the next two weeks, there will be non-stop rumours, players linked, deals close, deals mooted, imminents, and 99% dones....

Gk - fine
Rb - fine
LB - need
RCB - fine
LCB - need
DM destroyer type - fine
DM playmaker type - need
AMC - fine
RF - fine
CF - if someone top quality is available, why not?
LF - need

I think it's 4 signings absolutely necessary, and a striker the level above Tosun would be preferred, and maybe another CB.

I'd bring in a LB, LF, CB, and a playmaking DM now. I'd wait 12 months on the other players. Giving chances to Davies, Dowell, Baningime, Keane and Holgate to stake a claim over the season.

Richarlison is at a smaller club and no doubt we will be significantly increasing his wages to make him want the move, while Watford are going to make a very substantial profit, if the quoted figure is near accurate, for a player who seems to have fallen out of favour.

If we don't find that easy as a transaction, god help us if we try for a player whose club want to keep them. It's not as though Watford have been having to fend off bidders for him.

A case could be made for still needing two new centre-backs. But we will probably sign one even though I'm increasingly convinced Keane is a dud.

The spine of the team through the middle has to be quality, from central defence, midfield, to centre-forward. We have no spine at all.

Jags and Keane ain't good enough, Gana, Schneiderlin, Davies... no thanks. Sandro, Calvert-Lewin wouldn't get in the squad of any quality team. I will give Tosun a break for now, see how he does this season... the rest can sod off.

As for outgoings, hopefully we can offload Williams, Martina, Mirallas and Klaassen. Schniederlin too if a good offer comes in. Pennington and Vlasic out on loan along with Browning and Galloway.

Besic, Niasse and Sandro I think are worth keeping in the first team squad, along with Dowell. And please don't sell Lookman!

If Klaassen moves, that will free us up to get the box-to-box more creative midfielder I am sure he wants.

Options for this position will be under discussion. I don't think Watford will sell us Doucoure but Silva will have one or two players in mind. Maybe from Portugal? Maybe Loftus-Cheek...

Steve, is there anyone over there he could target for that midfield position?

Other than that, no, there's no one I'd suggest. You saw Pereira in the world cup for Portugal and he didn't look good enough for the price tag he'd command 㿅m+. He obviously didn't play for Porto yesterday, and he's the best of the lot for passing midfielders.

Renato Sanchez is back playing for Bayern and seems to be doing ok. He was the next big thing in Portugal, but was shite since Euro 16, and worse than shite last season for Swansea. Maybe he can come good though, as he's only a kid.

4-3-3:
GK - Pickford
RB - Coleman
CB - Holgate
CB - Mina
LB - Digne
CM - Gueye
CM - Loftus-Cheek or Doucoure
CM - Sigurdsson
LF - Richarlison
RF - Walcott
ST - Batshuayi

Out go Davies, Mirallas, Schneiderlin, Williams, Martina, Klaassen

I was all for Batshuayi, until he cracked himself in the face at the World Cup after missing from two yards.

Awful miss.

Blimey!

"Marco Silva says that, ideally, he would be looking to bring in as many as six players before the transfer deadline but admits the emphasis will be on quality not quantity."

He mentions in the first lines that in an ideal world he thinks we need as many as 6 players before the deadline, and in last couple of lines, then admits that the priority will be bringing in quality and not quantity.

In other words, his earlier comments of only bringing in 2-3 stands.

You never know, though, if they do well in offloading a lot in the next couple of weeks, Moshiri may free up the money to get another player nearer the deadline.

It's just one of dem songs...

I would want him to focus on getting juice out of what we have. All of our players (apart from Sandro and Klaassen) have "done it" in the PL so should be capable of doing it again if the manager can just get them fit and able to gel in a system that works. That's what he's paid for.

Looks like 3 will come in (Left forward, left back and central defender). I'm not even sure how he intends to set up the midfield let alone know what the gap is. Two DMs plus an AM (Gana, Schneiderlin and Sigurdssen?) But Gana and Schneiderlin can't play together as neither of them has the distribution skills, and we need at least one of them to do that . So its a replacement for Schneiderlin that is the real missing piece (because in the pure DM role I think Gana is more consistent).

Personally, I would like to see Mooy of Huddersfield come in as he seems to fit the sort of player Silva would fit into his team - but if he gets the three aforementioned I for one will be happy going into the new season.

I just don't see what he adds to the side, every now and again, he has a good game, then reverts back to being poor, he always seems to get picked which I can't fathom either.

Tierney, Mina and Lozano would of been my preferred choices. Looking likely that it will be Digne, Mina and Richarlison.

So we are looking to address LB, CB, LM. I still believe the priority should be pace and power like a toure type in the middle (doucoure), then a seasoned playmaker to help ease the burden on Gylfi (id still take Mata if possible). That makes it five needed, the 6th player I'm not sure about, back up keeper or striker maybe?

Tierney of Celtic yes, but can't see us getting him, if as we are led to believe, negotiations over Digne are well advanced.

Loftus Cheek, I would have in a heartbeat, even if it was only a loan with a view to buy (fix the fee first) as I think he could be the dynamic midfielder that would compliment the team.

Off topic but related is the interview give by Besic on Everton's web site. He was very confident in his own ability, without any arrogance, and refreshingly very respectful to his midfield partner against Lille, Connolly. When asked if he was 'guiding him through the game', his response was "he's a very good player in his own right, a grown man who doesn't need guidance from me " . . . or words to that effect.

I really like his style, demeanor, call it what you will, and I think he could be a surprise package for us this season. After his great performance against Lille, I think he was given a short run out at the end of the Porto game, as a gentle reminder that he is in Silva's plans. If Silva can get him to smooth off the couple of rough edges, the hot flush moments he is prone to, he could be a very good player for us. Still seems committed to Everton; more than can be said for Lookman for example.

I'm not sure he would be the right fit for us, he's quite small and 28 soon, so would have no resale value. Saying that he is better than most of our lot. Maybe we could do a swap with Davy!

Koeman said that exact same thing.

Hes in the battle for centre midfield spaces with Matic / Pogba / Fellaini / Mata / and their Mourinho-favourite young prospect McTominay.