James Garner
Re: James Garner
Don’t both of these graphs basically illustrate what I’ve said about him?
Quality off the ball
Anonymous on it
Quality off the ball
Anonymous on it
Re: James Garner
How many 6s are amazing on the ball in terms of forward play?
He's a defensive stat monster, reads the game great and moves the ball around well.
I think an upgrade on that costs you £70m+
I think our issues stem elsewhere not with Garner. Whomever we play alongside him tends not to be a good forward passer, and the full backs offer nothing.
Then our wingers aren't pacy.
So we can neither pass through a team, nor hit them quickly in transition.
Replacing Garner wouldn't rectify those issues.
He's a defensive stat monster, reads the game great and moves the ball around well.
I think an upgrade on that costs you £70m+
I think our issues stem elsewhere not with Garner. Whomever we play alongside him tends not to be a good forward passer, and the full backs offer nothing.
Then our wingers aren't pacy.
So we can neither pass through a team, nor hit them quickly in transition.
Replacing Garner wouldn't rectify those issues.
Re: James Garner
Pretty much the same players as Elliot Anderson based on those graphs then.
Stick a ball playing midfielder next to him and we might be able to work on something.
Stick a ball playing midfielder next to him and we might be able to work on something.
Re: James Garner
Couldn’t care less about a player like garner playing through balls.
Nice if he does, doesn’t matter if he doesn’t.
Nice if he does, doesn’t matter if he doesn’t.
Re: James Garner
He has the most defensive actions of any midfielder in the Premier League this season, but apparently that's not enough?
I think everyone would love a 6 who had the defensive stats he had plus the ball playing ability of Pirlo, but they rarely exist and they never play for Everton.
Think we should be happy with his development this past year, and appreciate that he's one of the best defensive midfielders in the country. His ball playing itself is decent for his position, rarely gives it away and positionally is excellent, preventing teams breaking on us constantly.
If he suddenly became a silky deep lying playmaker on top of that we'd be selling him for £100m. As it stands we probably will still be looking at teams sniffing around him without him having that level to his ball playing.
I think everyone would love a 6 who had the defensive stats he had plus the ball playing ability of Pirlo, but they rarely exist and they never play for Everton.
Think we should be happy with his development this past year, and appreciate that he's one of the best defensive midfielders in the country. His ball playing itself is decent for his position, rarely gives it away and positionally is excellent, preventing teams breaking on us constantly.
If he suddenly became a silky deep lying playmaker on top of that we'd be selling him for £100m. As it stands we probably will still be looking at teams sniffing around him without him having that level to his ball playing.
Re: James Garner
Not enough for what? Is someone saying drop him?AjaxAndy wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2026 12:20 pm He has the most defensive actions of any midfielder in the Premier League this season, but apparently that's not enough?
I think everyone would love a 6 who had the defensive stats he had plus the ball playing ability of Pirlo, but they rarely exist and they never play for Everton.
Think we should be happy with his development this past year, and appreciate that he's one of the best defensive midfielders in the country. His ball playing itself is decent for his position, rarely gives it away and positionally is excellent, preventing teams breaking on us constantly.
If he suddenly became a silky deep lying playmaker on top of that we'd be selling him for £100m. As it stands we probably will still be looking at teams sniffing around him without him having that level to his ball playing.
We surrender the ball and our front 6 get through enormous amounts of defensive actions. I’m glad he’s good at it!
Re: James Garner
Originally that I think he’s dropped off form and retreated to his workhorse self last few months, rather than just before the England call up when he was showing up much more meaningfully.