Everton squad audit: Who should stay, and who should go, in another big summer

Harry, you left out the most popular candidate on ToffeeWeb...MOYES!

Judging by some of the stories in the media over the past couple of days I would suggest the chances of Jack Grealish being around next season have diminished somewhat.

Eric (1),

Moyes could have written that article.

Sorry Harry!

I agree with most of your assessment, Harry.

We stick with Pickford for sure, but the back-ups don't inspire me.

Tarkowski needed rotation this season to keep him on his toes, the armband needed sharing, I feel we need a change here.

Moving Charly Alcaraz on might be the only way he gets game time.

Gana is a 50 /50 for me, again rotation would have served us better with more game time given to others.

The crucial positions are still right-back and striker, we have not bought well in these positions; Patterson and Barry need an upgrade.

Mykolenko for another year makes sense, but he needs competition.

We need a confident striker, and to use him well. McNeil is a good guy, Dibling is clearly not on the manager's radar, so a right-winger with pace and passing skill would be a major benefit.

We need at least four quality players incoming, five if we don't have Jack Grealish for another year.

The squad core is there; keep the best and change the rest.

Lose - either sell or loan:

Tarkowski
Aznou
Coleman
Patterson
Gueye
Alcaraz
McNeil
Barry
Dibling

Keep (but upgrades needed):

Mykolenko
O'Brien
Iroegbunam
Beto

The sad thing about this article is some of the positions we need strengthening has been needed for the last couple of years and has not been addressed, with the most notable being at full backs and striker.
It is not who we want. but who do we have to sign the right players to improve the squad into a more competitive team that will that will make you want to go to the game., instead of going because you support Everton F.C.

We have to bring in two right backs, move O'Brien to centreback, a new left back with Myko as cover, a defensive midfielder, a winger with pace and top of the list a quality striker. Patterson exit, Seamus to coaching staff, Gueye, McNeill and Barry exit. I also think Armstrong is talented and should be involved alot more next season, playing Gueye in every game and saying Harrison is struggling the last few weeks, shows that Moyes won't give younger players a chance.

John #5, that's some list and begs the question, who will replace them?

Obviously Aznou and Patterson don't fit the bill in the manager's eyes, and Tarkowski and Keane don't in the supporters opinion (those on ToffeeWeb anyway) so that leaves us with O'Brien and (a possibly injury prone) Branthwaite.

So that leaves us with three defensive positions to fill, assuming the others are backups, but they will need replacing a year from now as well, before we even consider the striker department which I'd say is a must.

So are the midfield / winger positions good enough as is? Without Grealish as he would cut into the budget too much. Maybe OKish? but could be improved by one more at least.

That's some recruitment for the Club to do in the summer and depends a lot on who drives the recruitment policy

The manager and his staff are seeing these players in training every day.
TW followers do not, you have to trust the guys running the club.
You may not like them, but are opinions do not count and people should realize that.

Release: Mykolenko, Coleman, Gueye.

Sell: Patterson, Barry, Beto, Tarkowski, McNeil.

Fire (out of a cannon into the River Mersey): Moyes.

Retire (back to the Last of the Summer Wine Extras Rota): His coaching staff.

John @ 9, “but our opinions do not count and people should realize that.”

What on earth are you talking about? Once fans turn on any manager, he is finished.

That maybe true of fans that go to the games; for the fans that don t, it means nothing.

I would prefer to listen to the likes of Dewsbury-Hall than a bunch of fans.

I've just mentioned what Dewsbury-Hall was saying about Everton last night John, and I'm surprised it hasn't been picked up and turned into a thread on ToffeeWeb.

We might have different opinions, John, but I think you might agree with me when I say that if they did turn what Dewsbury-Hall said into a thread, it wouldn't take long before it was turned into another thread about our current manager.

Steve@11

"Once fans turn on the manager, he's finished."

That's not really a good thing is it? Hasn't worked out too well for us in the past.

What Mr Moyes cannot or will not grasp is that it's a squad game now. Gone are the days of using 14/15 players only, all season.

Goalkeeper is not a low priority. We need a quality backup for Pickford if we're to compete in Europe or make a Cup run or both, because Jordan's good fortune with injuries will run out sooner or later.

We could easily need 10 new players, albeit some may already be in the squad.

For the sake of argument, let's assume the departures of George, McNeil, either Beto or Barry (not both), Coleman, and Patterson.

Let's likewise assume that Grealish, Mykolenko, Keane, Gana (not a starter anymore, perhaps, but certainly quality in depth) and one of Beto or Barry will be back.

Assume Dibling and Armstrong go out on loan (Armstrong should have returned to Preston in February, and should again with four guys ahead of him). And Branthwaite, despite the rumored 2-month time frame, isn't ready to start the new season.

So if all that proves out, what will we ideally want to add in July?

2 strikers – one quality 15-goal starter and a replacement for whichever of Beto or Barry departs.

2 pacy wide men (if George stays, we can get by with one).

A top-quality #10. That assumes Dewsbury-Hall drops to his preferred #8, where he starts alongside Garner, with Gana, Rohl and Iroegbunam in the mix. (Can Rohl or Alcaraz play #10? I hesitate to believe it.)

4 defenders across the backline -- a top-quality attacking right-back, a speedy centre-back (we need to be 5 deep there because of Jarrad's issues), an attacking left-back (let's hope it's Aznou), and a versatile young defender who can understudy both right-back and centre-back.

Worst-case scenario is these all have to come from outside. Best-case scenario is Grealish stays, Dibling comes out of his shell and doesn't need to be loaned out, Aznou blossoms into real competition for Mykolenko, and one of the young keepers joins the mix. That reduces the shopping list to maybe 8.

That's a lot. Big summer.

We're apparently loiking at a goalie from Bristol Mike even though we have Travers of a similar age.

I might be wrong but I thought Alcaraz was only on a 2-year contract which surprised me seeing he cost £12M but thought that there maybe an optional extra season.

Maybe we should have a look at one of TFG's other clubs, Cannes, and see if they have anybody for whom we could do a straight swap for Gana who might appreciate being back in France in a pleasant, beachside location.

I'd also like to see Branthwaite and O'Brien as first choice central defenders but have my doubts about Tarkowski and Keane as back up if Branthwaite's injury problems become ongoing and while I think we could go another season with Mykolenko and Aznou as left back it does look like we need to at least sign one right back.

Without doubt we need another striker with Beto as back up as Barry doesn't impress and unless we can get a ball playing midfielder we should be okay for a season until said ball player is found.

As for another keeper, I'd rather not put temptation and the bench in Moyes mind and would sooner see one of the younger keepers out on loan return and is it possible to play an overage keeper in U21s.

Who should go? The Academy coaches don't fill me with enthusiasm but maybe half a season for the new bloke running it may be a bit short.

"We need a quality backup for Pickford if we're to compete in Europe or make a Cup run or both."

We won't be doing either, Mike. We won't qualify for a European football and Moyes does not put importance onto the cup competitions.

I think there are going to be quite a few disappointed people this summer.

The board’s hands were tied last year because of the number of players leaving the club so they had to do something. That's not the case this year so there will not be an large influx of newbies.

Andrew,

This squad needs every penny the rules allow to be spent on 5 or 6 players minimum.

It remains to be seen if the owners have full commitment to the rebuilding of the club. Anything less than the full amount spent is negligent.

Right-back and centre forward are priority for next season, after that I would say a left-back, centre-mid, and a winger with pace.

Any money left then get a centre-back, that's depending on who stays and who goes. So we are gonna need at least six quality players so we can challenge for Europe.

Does anyone know how to get rid of the random r n that are there when I post?

John - 23

Next time try editing your post and delete them. I just did that 3 times and eventually got rid of them all! :)

Hi John/Andrew,

I've flagged the issue. Can you advise me what devices you're using so I can provide some extra detail for tech to work out the problem?

Thanks.

Happening for me too when return is pressed. I've removed them via the Edit Button.

I'll accelerate the issue with the Help Centre.

If we (Moyes) don't make some brave and crucial changes to our current first team eleven, we will be at exactly the same point this time next season having the same arguments.

Most of our first eleven are not good enough for top half, European chasing, football. The only players that should be nailed down to keep are Pickford, Branthwaite, Garner, Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, if we hope to progress.

If we can find improvements on the rest... we should!

I can't comment on Rohl, Aznou, Alcaraz, Armstrong or Dibling as I've not seen enough to form an opinion.

We're looking at the same ordinary players every week and, because they're playing for Everton, we're being soft on (some of) them.

13th position last season with 48 points.

11th this season with 47 points.

12th position next season with 46 points... at best!

Unless we improve the squad.

Quality is required.
We were left in a dire position by the previous regime and had a depleted squad before we started the search for numbers under the new ownership.
Even then and in typical Everton fashion, not all of the recruitment team were in place.
With avoiding relegation by a whisker for successive season after season after season, and the bare bones of a squad it was (and always has been) imperative to buy wisely and assured quality.
Typically with Everton (again) this never happened.
Parting with serious money for some seriously poor choices in both fees and wages has been (typically) Everton for decades.
The new regime faired no better.
The club struggled to catch the required numbers limping into the new season with some dreadful and mainly unheard of names. With the manager, Moyesosaurus complaining that most of them were not good enough. Nor fit enough for varying reasons. The manager has proved his point, refusing to play to any degree a majority of the new recruits. Those who have played have rarely played again, except the abject Barry.
Everton wont qualify for Europe.
Therefore that selling point to prospective new comers wont be pulling them in.
Moyesosaurus' history with new players and youngsters is chequered. Most line the bench, because most are poor or worse.
The New Regime has failed to recruit numbers and quality. Is so far no better than the rubbish useless kenwright / moshiri yes men of recent decades.
Something dynamic and rare has to occur. Everton at the window being in from the off and pooling in recognised, quality players with the ability to endure the Moyesosaurus way.
My predictions (and with the world cup adding interference) Meet the New Recruitment Team. Same as all the other ineffectual RT's

This debate is unfortunately pointless

It doesn't matter who should stay or go, what matters is who Moyes wants.

When asked who the top 4 players he ever managed were, he stated Leon Osman as one of them (the others being Rooney, Vidic and Rice).

Sums it up. In all his time at Everton, only 2 players one 1 was a generational talent.

Why? Cos Moyes will only play try-hards. Grafters who put in a shift but will never quite be good enough to win anything. Rice would probably never have seen the first team if Moyes had arrived at West Ham a season earlier.

And Moyes has taught those pesky Everton transfer gurus a lesson. "Don't bring me a rough diamond from Southampton. I will break their spirit, their career and you'll have wasted £40M. Don't think I'm afraid to never play them or give them a chance, they can be a really expensive seat warmer for all I care.

I want players with an average record, but who will put in a shift and most importantly, he needs to agree with everything I say.

You nearly fucked up with that Grealish guy, but thankfully he was messed up enough to need a father figure.

The fans? No, they love me, they are so happy with not being relegated every season. I did a lot of work on that over many years "

McNeil may well have earned himself a reprieve, and any players we bring in this close season will be much more Moyes like. 29 years old+, good but not great, no controversy, hard-working and perhaps even likeable.

Really beggars belief that some Everton fans slag off Moyes. Look at the job he has done in the last 12 months. Any neutral fan I talk to can't believe the turn around.

On the playing front, I think a proper right-back has to be the No 1 priority. However, unlike others, I think that we should stick with some of our younger players who haven't hit the mark yet.

In particular, I think we should stick with Barry and Dibling. They both seem to lack confidence but, if we back them, I think they will come good in the long term.

Edward @ 14,

John's statement was “You may not like them, but our opinions do not count and people should realize that.”

He is wrong with a capital ‘W'. If the fans decide a manager's time is up, then he will be gone. I am not saying it is always a good thing, but it is simply a fact.

As for John's follow-up that this only applies to match-going fans, and that it means nothing for supporters who don't attend the game?

Now that I have stopped laughing, I have to break it to John that fans who don't attend the games mean nothing to the club.

Reading the latest reports then I think you might have called it right Stu @33. I've just read that he his interested in a quartet of players, one being Delap, the others being Ben White, Jack Grealish and John Stones.

I don't mind experience, but you can see the way it's going if what is reported on the BBC, is actually true.

John C @ 21. Totally agree with what we need from a fans perspective but I don't think the owners agree.

Keeping us where we are no with minimum investment looks like the plan. If there was real ambition they could have have boosted the push for Europe by adding a couple of first team ready players in January.