Forest linked with swoop for Holgate

We should not be selling to relegation rivals, especially since Holgate is a capable defender – when he isn't paired with a headless Keane.

I agree. Sell Keane and keep Holgate. Mina should go too if anyone is daft enough to pay his wages.

It's hard not to wish they weren't all sold.

Holgate will be needed at right-back and centre-back even midfield before the end of this season.

Tell Forest the price is £30M, take it or leave it.

I agree with Joseph, we shouldn't be helping to strengthen other relegation-threatened rivals. Bloody lunacy.

I would sell him. It brings in some cash and weakens the Forest squad in the process.

Come to think of it, the same could be said for selling almost anyone in our squad to Forest.

Who can we sell? Selling players must be what Everton are trying to do.

We definitely need to do something to get a couple more in but please stop replacing them with more deadwood.

If we have to sell to fund a striker and productive winger, sell. Holgate and Keane may be needed in 5 or 6 games, but he could be deputised easily by someone in the U21s.

But we need a striker and productive winger (and a creative midfielder… well, actually a whole new team) urgently for all remaining 18 or 19 games.

If it's Holgate or Keane, bye-bye Mason.

With both healthy, a variety of managers played Keane. That's not an opinion.

This has the names backwards, "Holgate is a capable defender when he isn't paired with a headless Keane".

Of all our centre-backs, leaving out Jarrad this season at PSV and Mina a mirage, Keane is the only one who has some footballing skills. Coady, Tarkowski, Godfrey and Holgate do not.

And the only advantage to playing Holgate in the midfield is when he passes directly to an opponent, AGAIN, it will at least be further up the pitch.

Forest or Southampton want Holgate? Good.

Also, as far as dumping wages, both make about the same.

Keep one of Keane or Holgate?

All the best, Mason.

James, I'll have what you're smoking...

I disagree, James. Both Keane and Holgate are average Premier League defenders, but Keane is the more mentally fragile. Plus, Holgate is about 3 years younger than Keane.

I think Holgate can play well in a back 3 and even as a right-back in an emergency. I would sell Mina and Keane for whatever we can get and keep Holgate.

Day 7 of the transfer window and sweet fuck-all so far. Nothing ever really changes at Everton, does it?

As for Holgate, I'd rather sell Keane and Mina before him.

I'm probably the only one who agrees with James #9.

I like Michael Keane. He can play. Defends well, but like all of our team, when the confidence is low, can make a mistake.
It seems some get it in the neck for every error.

I don't see the two combining to make a dominant force. But Keane is a talented player who we could get more out of.

[Tin hat at the ready.]

How long does a 'swoop' take to actually happen?

Alan, a function of starting altitude, dive speed and swoop angle.

Trying to compare our defenders is the ultimate futility as is comparing forward options. The reason is that we do not have a functioning defensive or attacking midfield only a set of traffic cones. When we lose the ball going forward, as we do every time, the opposition race through our midfield like it doesn't exist. Gana has surprised me, he looks like a busted flush.

Your right Martin, the problem is identifying the right players. When we signed Siggy and Klassen I told my son that’s the midfield sorted. When we signed Doucoure and Allan I said that’s the midfield sorted. Then we signed O’Nana and Gana Gueye again and said the same. I’m just a speccy so I hope I can be excused but scouts should be able to spot the real deal.
Re Holgate I’m gutted. I thought he and Godfrey would be our CBS for years. We should never have sold Duffy! UTFT

Martin - It's not agreeing or disagreeing.

It's this sudden discovery of how good Holgate is, now that some other club might be interested in him.

And how much better than Keane, Mason's become after all these years with no indication he is.

If neither leave, I pull for them if they're playing for us. If one goes, seeya, and I pull for the one who stays.

Whatever happens, Holgate wasn't and isn't a better CB than Keane.

Perhaps we should keep them both and send Coady back? He's no great improvement so far.

James # 19, I think it's a fair observation. I think it also applies to Tarkowski. Although they each do certain things well especially if we defend deep, as a duo are Coady and Tarkowski really an upgrade on Holgate and Keane?

Personally I think Mina remains the best CB on our books.

I think I would have to agree with a couple on here in preferring Keane to Holgate. Dysche quite fancied him and given he may be coming in couple weeks he knows how to get the best from him, also I think there is an argument that some of our best passers of the ball are Keane and Pickford, and we may need some of his long range passes this season, also he could often score from corners,, mind you that was when we had the likes of siggy or Townsend that could actually take a corner

I’ve never fancied Keane, but what Robert has written about it not really mattering when a team defends so deep, is quite thoughtful.

Holgate is a classic case of a player who thinks he's better than he is. He had one good half-season when he was much younger and people started talking about an England call-up, I think it went to his head and he fancied himself too much. Can't say I'd be disappointed to see him leave.

Prefer Keane over Holgate. The latter is a disruptive influence. Keane is a confidence player but needs to man up I would say. I like Mina but he’s a skiver. What we need is pace OR just let Coady or one of the defensive midfielders (who can actually tackle) play as a sweeper (libero). Not sure if any other team plays this system anymore but I can’t stand a flat back 3 with two wing backs….432 with a libero and two strikers would get us the pitch quicker (happy to play more long balls to Onana in a Fellaini nuisance type role).

Nick, how do you know he is a disruptive influence?

In other center-back news, Jarrad has gone has gone the full 90 minutes in PSV's last 2 games, a 0-0 draw and a 2-1 victory.

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