Holgate injury complicates Silva's preparations

I am very concerned that if pushed too much he runs the risk of an Achilles rupture which is basically a year out. In the meantime, running is going to be very difficult for him and increasingly painful over significant distances, he will need a lot of rest. This is the last thing Everton needed and explains why he didn't feature at all against Valencia.

We are now more desperate than ever for that all elusive quality Centre Back.

It's completely unbelievable that with just a week to go till the season starts, we still haven't signed a CB. A LB, CB and midfielder, at the very least, should have been the top priority this summer and it beggars belief we're in this situation. Especially after shipping out two CBs.

Whoever we get in ( assuming we actually do) will have zero preseason with us and will need to get to know manager and team mates during the season.

Any injury to Digne and we've basicallly got the same defence we had 8 years ago!

We are going to ship goals for fun this season I fear.

On the Holgate situation, hell we need at least 1 centre back anyway.

Not good that we down to 2 only days before the start of the season.

Methinks you over egg Mason having achilles tendonitis.

I've had it myself at a similar age to Mason, at a similar time of the football season, and seemingly in a similar situation, based on the Echo story, namely, pre-season training.

The cause in my case was over-training, causing inflammation of the tendon. Mason' s condition sounds similar.

Yes, Achilles tendonitis can be caused by a degenerative condition in older people.

There is nothing to suggest the latter is the case with Mason. Simple rest and no excessive exercise for the tendon is all that is needed.

In my own case that took 2-3 weeks. 40 years on, being wiser for the experience, I've never again had problems with my Achilles tendons. And I'm someone who walks 5kms and cycles 10kms almost every day.

Mason will be fine.

However, it sounds like Holgate is being properly handled, meaning he's resting it. It could heal in weeks, or in months -- no way to tell. And he won't be able to train while he's resting it, which means that even after he's pain-free it'll take a while to get fit again.

Very disappointing, but yeah, as Jay says he'll be fine.

Center half is a serious problem this year.

I've got a mutt (called Toffee, what else?) I take for a morning and evening walk and I live next door to a national park with a cycle path beneath the canopy of a centuries old rain forest and natural lake, unencumbered by traffic.

I try to cycle there at least 3 times a week.

But your suggestion of being a cycle courier has given me an idea for a second income!

Then again, knowing the nature of Brazilian drivers, nah! I think I'll pass on that one!

Why have Marcel and Marco Marco left it till there's 3 days to go of the window to bring in a new player? Bizarre stuff.

You blame Silva and Brands for leaving it late? Even though Silva has pleaded for more signings:

Link

No mention either of blame towards the board who have final say on matters of finance.

Me personally have no blame whatsoever for Silva or Brands. Silva has been quoted several times saying that we need signings, again though I'd like to point out that he has nothing to do with transfers.

Just like Mourinho, Benitez, and several other managers who are not to blame for lack of spending.

Brands has been brought in during a dark period for us. The last 2 years, the club has been run, again in my opinion pretty poorly and naively, with frivolous spending and a lack of stability.

Once appointed, Brands was also quoted as his first point of order being for him to trim the squad and reducing the wage bill. A massive task in itself to do with a below average and aged squad on mammoth salaries.

Personally both have my full support, Brands has already reduced the wage bill by over £22 million in player wages now off the books (once Mirallas has gone), with over 3 weeks to get rid of more.

Silva has started to change the drab, mind numbingly boring anti football style that FS had us playing. I know we are still along way off, but again it's not his fault he hasn't been fully backed yet to bring in his own players. You only have to look at West Ham in comparison to new managers and being backed.

That being said, he has my full backing now, but by Christmas if he hasn't at least kept us on a par with last season's table position, then my opinion might change if performances are still poor.

This has been a long-running problem for Everton, in that suitable players do not want to play for Everton and others candidates have their eyes on our ridiculous contract policy. The fact that Silva was the only Management candidate for the job tells its own story.

Brands introduction has not attracted suitable candidates and he has not had hidden gems up his sleeve to bring to Everton. This is disappointing, as is the giving of a two-year contract to Stekelenburg. It could be said that Walsh was more successful in that front, but hadn't good enough Managers to work with. But he did pin his colours to Big Sam, a big mistake. Martinez was also better in his first transfer window. Brands's success has been off-loading players, reducing the wages bill, and minimising losses on previous transfers. . . probably the remit he was recruited on. The incoming transfer policy results could throw up hindsight problems for Brands, if we are left without cover in defensive positions.

Silva has attracted Richarlison at a price which seemed high and risky, but now has been proved a true reflection of his potential.

The Barca connection established by Martinez seems to be one of the best transfer policy moves in this past 20 years, even providing back-up against Man Utd, and hopefully seeing that disastrous relationship for Everton kicked down the road where it belongs. No Rojo, please.

I hope Keane finds his potential if Mina is signed, and end the nightmare he has been having playing alongside Jags. I will be watching Ben Gibson's career with interest and reminding his detractors on ToffeeWeb of what could have been.

As I thought, the Everton rebuild is a long-term project. Hopfully Brands and Silva can do enough in this transfer window to live to fight in the next transfer window.

First they are identifying a small number of players who can do what is going to be required off them in a SIlva system. Second they're busy cleaning out as much deadwood as they can. Third, Silva is beginning to impose his expectations and style, which isn't easy and takes time. We will see a high tempo Everton, moving the ball more quickly this season and we will, on the whole, see players who are capable of doing it. Those who are unwilling or incapable are finished. I am optimistic. It won't be overnight though.

Walsh's initial signings live on and have made a contribution. Rather than being pessimistic, I am being realistic. I agree with your three things.

But you would have expected Brands to have a portfolio of targets, that's his job. There is clear evidence that Silva knows what he is about. But the job is long term and the success of this season will be determined by how Moshiri sees it. No top four this season, but will 7th be good enough? Or will we have a bad run, because we haven't got the players we need?

We have had managers who have failed to sort out the issues that Brands and Silva are still struggling to address. They are currently on the wrong side of 'Don't give me problems, give solutions' modern Management thinking. It will be their ability to get enough time to turn it around, which thankfully they look capable of doing.

Everton are better placed now than they have been for these past three seasons. Moshiri won't be in the mood to sit and wait, having learnt from these last two years that a plan needs to be in place and to be working.

Good luck to them both and Good Luck to yourself for this season.

But even if we sign Mina, I think that is what we will end up starting with. To bring a CB straight into the team 3 days after signing him would be a massive indication of just how bad the position is.

The Holgate injury is disappointing but let's face it, his stock has risen not because of stellar performances but with not actually playing!