Everton are badly missing Jack Grealish

He was so good at keeping possession, and seldom lost the ball. Also, opposition players targeted him, which left room for the likes of Dewsbury-Hall to excel.

But it's hard to understand why bring in George, a fast young winger, when Moyes decides to move Armstrong, who was starting to establish himself in midfield, and put him totally out of position on the left?

In real terms, we shouldn't be missing him as much as we are for a number of reasons.

For example, Dwight McNeil had 7 goal involvements by the first couple of months last season, so we know he is capable under different regimes. Tyrique George provides a greater goal threat than Jack while Tyler Dibling at his best has a similar skill set.

We can't replace Jack's class and experience but we should still have a threat.

Also, it must be said, since his early heroics, his only worthwhile contribution came against Bournemouth. He did get 2 assists in the Brentford debacle which proved fruitless. It is clear that, even with Jack in the team, in only 1 of his last 15 games did he make a game deciding contribution.

Therefore, it is too simplistic to say we are struggling without Jack as often we weren't getting the best out of him when he was in the side. Our lack of goal threat is systematic in nature.

Indeed, we have scored 5 goals in 5 games which is similar to our rate for the rest of the campaign.

Fully agree on the trust element. The way Grealish kept possession and kept the shape was so vital for Moyes.

It should be noted Moyes was going to play Alcaraz left-wing on Monday until the injury on Sunday, but there is definitely a 'safety first' approach Moyes has and he values a player who has the discipline on the ball and off it.

Grealish provides that, but then with that real touch of class in the final 3rd too.

What he gives you is an ability to hold possession, an intelligent football player who also drew so many fouls from opponents.

As much as I like Ndiaye, he's far too loose in possession at times and his ball retention and hold-up play isn't as good as Jack's.

Such a shame really that we get a stellar signing and he lasts half a season... you could say "Typical Everton!"

Did Grealish sustain a serious foot injury v Villa? He claimed he had been feeling pain there for a few games previous to the Villa game but never mentioned it to the club officials — seems a bit strange to me.

These 38 chances are put forward without any real information about who they were against and what sort of chances they were. He is attributed with 6 assists (5 in my estimation) and two goals over 22 games -- nothing to gloat about when he is getting £300k a week.

These professional fouls fans claim are part of his class act— they will call opponents who gain these fouls cheating bastards, which they are, let's be honest.

Seems to me we are not getting value for money when he is being paid for 35 games but only playing for 22. I think City should be paying us a big rebate for the loss of 13 games by Jack.

I also hope Everton swerve signing him again next season, loan or otherwise, going on his efforts this season.

I believe Grealish sustained a calf issue in training in the days after Villa. He went for treatment and it was discovered he had an injury in his foot that had not been spotted. Stress fracture so likely to have built up over time. ButI don't believe it was actually the stress fracture that led to him going to require treatment during the training session after Villa.

Ultimately, loan deals can't work the way you suggest. No club would take that risk.

Everton accounted for the money going out as soon as they agreed the deal. He sustained the injury while working for Everton, so not much can be done.

Given, as I write in the piece, Grealish is by far Everton's most creative player in every metric, and has the most goal involvements, I'd suggest he is the quality of player required to elevate this squad to the next level. But the deal would have to be correct in the summer for it to go ahead.

Grealish was once a quality player when he was a big fish in a small pond at Aston Villa but had enough quality for Man City to pay that huge sum for him. He earned a few medals at City and it could be said that he fitted in well there but, in the last two seasons, he was selected less often than when he first came.

City seemed glad to get his wages off their hands and I doubt that there were any English clubs interested in taking him on considering those wages, plus a fee of £50M to take him on permanently next season.

I don't think he has done enough to make that signing even though it is obvious the fee would have to be seriously reduced along with those wages.

Watching him this season, it looks to me that his best days are gone. He can't play full out for 90 minutes, it's noticeable how he reserves his energy. Watching him coming back into the game after an attack, if the ball comes back quickly, he is in an offside position many times.

I'm not sure he is Everton's most creative player. Garner adds more to the team, for one, with his all-round game and getting a sixth or less of the wages Jack gets -- until his recent rise of course... I hope it was a good one.

Grealish was an obvious improvement on the players he replaced from last season -- it would have been a joke if he hadn't have been.

It will be very interesting to see where Jack finishes up next season, especially after this injury. City don't want him back, they don't want to continue paying those vast wages for so little return.

They've got younger players coming through and I doubt there will be a queue of English clubs interested in him. They might convince a Southern Arabian club to have a go but I hope Everton give this deal a good coat of looking over before they go anywhere near him.

Garner is a really good player but his creative contribution is quite poor. He averages a goal every 33 games and has 7 assists (direct assists), not goal involvements in 100 games. That side of his game needs to improve a lot.

Grealish is a great loss to us creativitely and no one comes close to him with regards to this side of the game. Yes, he isn't the most athletic but I'd take his ability, talent and creativity anyday. As you can tell, I'm a fan.

I think there is a lot more to a central midfielders game than scoring goals. Colin Harvey scored 18 league goals in nearly 400 games for the Blues. Gareth Barry wasn't here long but was a key player, and there have been many players over the years who stood out for other teams but never scored many.

Grealish is one of them -- averages around 6 a season, I believe... but I don't put him down for that. I just thought we were getting a player not many other clubs were interested in— granted that the wages and potential transfer fee put an end to that interest.

Yes, Tony, I had an idea you were a fan, lol! And I doubt very much you are the only one... but he's not my cup of tea.

As much as I'd like him here next season, I've got a feeling we won't take up the option.

The only good thing about having Moyes here right now is he will fight tooth and nail to try and keep him and he will sulk like a good un to make sure Kinnear signs him up.

If we don't sign him, we will stagnate and have zero creativity once again.

He's good, but if he's our best player, that says more about Moyes and the 3 Amigos than Grealish.

He's not going to do a Modric and boss games deep into his 30s. For his wages we need to be signing 2 of the 23-year-old 2026 version, not the 30-year-old version.

You might be right about the sulking bit though.

Unless it's a free or nominal fee and massive wage cut... George has looked bright, needs more minutes before the end of the season to establish if he could be the answer.

The fact that he appears to enjoy being at Everton might help us win his signature to a small degree. It would seem neither of you want to keep him.

Tell me who is a better footballer than Jack Grealish at Everton that we currently have on our books? Let's see if you can convince me we have someone better...

I'd like to keep him if he isn't on ridiculous money and the fee isn't huge.

I'm not here to change your mind mate, it's about weighing up the options, is there someone who is better, or could be better.

For fans like us it's easy, to say keep, buy or sell. I'd hope the club are searching for the next jack grealish, as however good he is now, he is probably past his peak.

Probably what they thought they were getting with Dibbling.

We will struggle to find someone at the level he is at now to replace him, but if he got say a 3 year deal, would say George be at a better level than Jack in 2 years as age catches up ?

Do you think the 50m clause is acceptable?

Gazza cost us a reported £1M.

Grealish will cost us a reported £tens-of-millions, if we're "lucky".

So for me, Jack, thanks for your less than expected performances in comparison to your exorbitant salary but, with best wishes, try to find another club to massively pay for your decline.

And please, Everton recruiting team, just succeed for once or twice in emulating other "ordinary" teams who recruit immediately impactful strikers for pretty much the same money, repeatedly in some cases, than you've repeatedly done thus far… a la Kenwright.

On the playing side, I'd say he was good for us in the early season, he was something different that teams didn't expect from us… but then the opposition figured out all balls will go through him on the left and tag-teamed him.

If we'd have had an overlapping winger on the left he could play the ball to for a quick cross in it might have been more productive. But more often than not, when he didn't draw a foul, he'd hold the ball and turn to his right foot and the opposition defence would be back in position, outnumbering our lone striker. Drawing the foul had the same effect except that we could have Keane up there too.

So, it's a No from me for retaining him on big money and £50M transfer fee unless if we sort out the left-back / winger situation.

But would I pay a £50M transfer fee?Only if they threw in Foden as well.

I'd be enjoying it too if I was the best paid player, on loan or full time, at the club.

I'd be enjoying it even more if I could get them to keep paying me City grade wages for another 4 years, while kicking a ball at the wrong end of the East Lancs Road where we only pay Everton grade wages.

If he was that keen and liked us that much then he'd be prepared to take a 'drop' back down to 'normal' wages.

If he wants something that starts with a 2 then he's taking the piss and can fuck off.

I'd rather watch a younger player developing over 2 or 3 years than watch Jack deteriorating.

I agree with Eric @20, he probably thought he had a shot at the World Cup squad. With no teams matching his wages, will he go back to Man City and rake in the last of his mega contract now?

Only Wolves,Burnley & Forest have scored less goals than Everton this season.