TheRam wrote: ↑Sat Nov 08, 2025 9:08 am
Couldn’t have signed players we actually needed because at the point in the window where we signed Dibling it was too late.
They massively fucked up and signed this lad because they knew a deal could be done late on in the window when we had nothing else lined up.
No plan for half the players we signed. Just about getting a lot of them in for the sake of it.
The overlap of the signings seems crazy. Alcaraz and KDH. Grealish and Dibbling. Couldn't we have just signed 1 of each.
Like you say it seems like we just bought some good players (with questionable scouting) rather than address positions and attributes we are missing in the squad. Just the very basic plan of raising the floor of the squad by signing decent players. Not worked because they might not be that good and all the problems with the team before the window are still the problems now
I feel the new people (not the owners because they are a little removed from the decisions) are as inept as the last lot. The plans changed from proven quality to young players but there's still nothing behind it for it to have a chance of working. Not good scouting. Not driving a hard bargain. Not fixing problems we have. Just we buy young players now
Cods wrote: ↑Sat Nov 08, 2025 3:19 am
U21 England international, as well as being one of the most exciting prospects out there.
6'1" winger/attacking midfielder with quick feet, press resistant and a possession maintainer.
Same with Barry, it won't happen overnight, we need to be patient and nurturing.
Liverpool have bought 22 players worth more than him, and spent almost 12x times his value in just the last window.
He's neither a risk or all that expensive. Have patience.
Dont dispute any of that and I am certainly not writing him off, I havent seen enough of him to form an opinion. Also fine with making signings for the future, but around the Aznou price point. As a club in our position, recovering from both poor league standing and bad financial management, it was such a bizarre overeach to buy him.
He wont become ready on the bench and if he aint doing it in training, then he is going to need a loan. So our marquee summer signing to bring in a new dawn at the new stadium is a lad who isnt ready to compete for a starting spot. Thats not me lacking patience, thats me suggesting he was the wrong signing for what we were in the market for. Rather, we had kept the kitty and had another look for fullbacks in Jan.
Bob Sacamano wrote: ↑Sat Nov 08, 2025 10:59 am
What a world we live in that I’m made to feel like a simpleton for signing a cool young winger. If I’m wrong then I don’t wanna be right.
I dont dispute that his centre parting should be off its nuts dancing to 808 State in the Hacienda, circa 1988.
It's hard to tell having not seen him play much but he does have a bit of a "not arsed" presence about him. I'd expect a young player out to impress busting a gut and putting a shift in at a new club to try and impress but in the brief time he's had on the pitch that hasn't looked the case.
It's mad that we have the oldest squad in the Prem (believe I read that last week in The Athletic), and there are people - with a straight face - having a moan that we didn't set out to get even older.
"The best you can hope for is to die in your sleep." - Kenny Rogers (plausible Evertonian)
Evertonian in NC wrote: ↑Sat Nov 08, 2025 1:37 pm
It's mad that we have the oldest squad in the Prem (believe I read that last week in The Athletic), and there are people - with a straight face - having a moan that we didn't set out to get even older.
Maybe we could sign 10 3 year olds (no right backs) problem solved
Gash wrote: ↑Sat Nov 08, 2025 12:12 pm
It's hard to tell having not seen him play much but he does have a bit of a "not arsed" presence about him. I'd expect a young player out to impress busting a gut and putting a shift in at a new club to try and impress but in the brief time he's had on the pitch that hasn't looked the case.
His style does seem a tad lethargic (which is fine if you do superb things with the ball)
Way, waaaay too early to pass any sort of judgement though, obviously.
