SpartyBlue

Sacking him midway through a season with no real plan in place could well ruin us. This is particularly true if we hire a manager with little/no experience at this level. Don’t really have time for somebody who needs training wheels.

Smart to include the buy option now. I know most people think he’s going to be awful but if he does well and we want to make it permanent they can’t raise the price then.

You can argue that it’s not classy from either I suppose. People complain about managers not being honest about what’s happening in the squad all the time. When one gives actual info about a situation within the team he’s lambasted. Also, a manager commenting on a player has actual utility. Motivation, letting other clubs know he’s available, sending a message to the squad etc.. A departing player taking a shot at his former manager is his perogative but there is no utility there. He just couldn’t help himself despite “not wanting a war of words”. I just feel like so many have this view of Rafa (before he even arrived) as some villain that every action is colored with that lens. He didn’t create the situation he walked into but to read the comments you’d think he’s responsible for everything that’s gone wrong with the club for the last 30 years. I don’t know if he will find success here or not but I don’t believe he has been given a fair chance by many of our supporters. Perhaps it was naive of the club to imagine he would have that opportunity but it’s not a good look.

His post isn’t really a good look for anyone. I don’t find it to be particularly classy. If you’re “not going to get into a war of words” probably don’t take a shot at the manager on your way out. Always like Digne and wish him well but he’s obviously a bit salty (justified or not).

Sometimes stop gaps are necessary. I think far more is being made of this than should be. In this window there aren’t likely to be many available options. I’ve heard that he’s a guy who plays “in the hole” as opposed to a winger so for the sake of argument let’s assume that’s true. It’s absolutely a position of need for us. No, he may not be a longterm solution but a 6 month loan on middling wages is not going to effect our fortunes one way or another. The greater concern is over who is ultimately pulling the trigger on these moves but as all we have to go on is unsupported speculation I don’t think there is much gain in getting riled up over that just yet.

This makes sense as it’s what’s needed more than a winger (regardless of the specific player) and wouldn’t block Gordon from minutes.

I defer to you/others on his ability but there is some value even if he’s just temporary depth until the summer, no? Plus, Rondon needs someone to take the heat off of him.

We certainly need a creative player in the middle to pull the strings. Doucoure is great to have in the team but he’s not that guy and Gomes isn’t quite the level you’d want. Assuming everyone stays, our front 3 is actually quite strong when healthy. Having someone to put them in good positions would be worth a lot to us.

A fair point and certainly a concern. Financially though this wouldn’t be a big commitment. Davies out, Iwobi seemingly out of favor etc.. one in wouldn’t be terrible for me. Just not one I’m bothered much by either way. If he cost Gordon in particular minutes I would be both surprised and annoyed so I get it.

A 6 month loan doesn’t cost the club much. I guess you could argue that the chance that he contributes is less than eventhat small cost but I don’t really think this is one (if it comes off) that anyone should be terribly upset by. For me, there isn’t much risk so why not take a flier? Yes, you often end up with Rondon but you also can end up with Gray. The problem is when your flier is 40m like an Iwobi and it seriously hamstrings the club when he doesn’t work out. A 6 month loan for a player who I assume would be on medium wages isn’t gonna make much of a difference to the club if it doesn’t work out.

Grhay?

Loan deal would be just fine. Not a lot of options this window, low risk, if he’s poor then easy enough to move on. Will obviously be more options and more funds in the summer so temporary help seems prudent to me.

Is he more of a winger then rather than a CM? It’s a shame Gordon is so clearly a winger. He’d have a real opportunity as a #10

I like it a lot as a loan to buy. We need something creative in the middle for sure. If he comes in and sets the world on fire we get him at a decent price. If not, on he goes and we find a longterm solution in the summer. Low risk move with decent upside that looks to address a real need in a window where there won’t be many options.

You said the whole team was average to poor. I’ll take it then that you were being hyperbolic and didn’t actually mean that. There can be players that perform well in an average or poor side and players who perform poorly on a good side. It’s not all or nothing.

That’s not true at all. Pickford, Gray, DCL, Doucoure etc..all awful? We shouldn’t lose our objectivity because the results aren’t what we want.

I want to see how often a transfer actually comes off once it has been referred to as “a swoop”.

Voluntarily?

I don’t disagree though even a disinterested James was quite productive for us. It’s unfortunate but I suppose it’s understandable on some level. He’s used to playing for super teams that are competing for titles. Now he comes to Everton and a more physical league where we are battling for 7th. Heart wasn’t in it.

Such small margins. If we had made Europe and/or Carlo had stayed I doubt we are having this conversation or anything like it.

It’s a shame because he has the talent but seemingly not the heart. If he’s playing for Bayern or Real Madrid with world class players who can hide his weaknesses he can be tremendous but if he’s asked to do more he gets exposed. The commitment issue reminds me of Kean. They believe, rightly or wrongly, they should be at an elite club. If they find themselves elsewhere their commitment and their attitude suffers.

You’re bending over backwards to support your view here. The evidence is against you. We can ignore his us vs we quotes and he still comes off badly. Not knowing who we play isn’t a mistranslation. Being on an airplane before the season is over isn’t a cultural difference. Consistently terrible defensive effort is there for everyone to see. Not ability, mind you, effort. Can you imagine Seamus or DCL ever doing anything like that? Rafa isn’t going to question his commitment if he was a “team player”. I expect the club knew for a long time that James didn’t want to be here and that explains his disinterest. If he ever cared about being at Everton that left with Carlo.

For me it’s more about his willingness to play when he’s not at 100%, to show more effort defensively, to put the team above himself and his personal success. He sits because he’s tired, he doesn’t know who we play, he refers to Everton, his club at the time, as “they” etc.. To be a team player your ultimate goal has to be the success of your club. Do you think that was the case with James? Does anyone?

He was an emergency option. Full stop. As an aside not many teams in the world could handle dropping 4 of the first names off their team sheet without a significant effect.

James didnt want to be at Everton. His comments and actions both showed that. Any speculation on what the club or Benitez want is ultimately irrelevant because the player has absolutely checked out once Carlo left. Nobody is bigger than the club.