RuffRob

Hardly a 'mantra' but with no DCL or Rondon this weekend, so this weekend a bit limited on senior out and out strikers - i.e there is none!!. May as well try Alli against Cheslea and see how he gets on. At least we will know a bit more afterward if he is an emergency option or a complete dead loss. After DCL and Rondon, who else do you stick there as our goal threat on the weekend?

Getting a striker in might just become the new priority. Better happening this week than in a months time when the window is shut. Stick Alli up front and see how he gets on - doesn't sound like we have much choice at the weekend. Broja to me should become our top target if indeed he is out for months.

I do hope VAR is a little kinder to us this season - think we definitely suffered a little bit last season. I would think we will start of this game set up much like we did against the big 6 last season - counter attacking. Will be nice to see us hopefully be a little better in possession than we where last season, but this is very early days and Chelsea is a tough start. It a passionate and hardworking effort for 90min from all the player is what I am hoping to see above anything on the first day, which hopefully we set the president of how we go out on the pitch for the rest of the season. Lets make Goodison the most horrible place for any teams to come to.

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/02/report-details-everton-close-to-paying-8-4million-for-new-signing/ Emm, I didn't think there would be a fee involved for a player PSG seem to want off their books for the final year of his contract. Not exactly as cheap an option as original thought is might have been if you stick wages on top of that. You never know what 'figure' journalist have heard a whisper about - so not sure if it a £8.4M deal (i.e wages) or a straight transfer fee.

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/08/02/everton-michy-batshuayi-chelsea/ and here lies the problem with a lot of players - simply getting paid far more than they are worth far to early in their careers, before doing anything much of any substance. you can't blame the player - if some club is going to offer you £90k a week, you are going to take it.

but that argument goes for pretty much any international goal scorer around. Statistically most goal will be against lesser teams and some will be against decent opposition. Everybody's stats will slant towards scoring more against easier opposition, because you simply score goals. If a teams xG is higher against a poor team, by default so will a players xG. I would hazard a guess if you peel back every goals scorer it would be the same - didn't Harry Kane once score 5 past San Marino and a few day later get a hatrick against Albania or some one like that, I bet his list also goes on of goals against soft opposition. (I am not trying to compare him to Harry Kane by any means). I think his international goal ration is as valid as any other player in a top European team. So a probably a bit unfair to poo poo them as lesser than others. Again not saying I am overly keen on him as a signing, but a goal ratio of better than 1 in 3 in domestic football and better than 1 in 2 in international does make you pause and think he might have something about him.

But you also have the fact he has got in to a not to shabby Belgium squad and scored 25 goals in 45 games. That's a decent return by any standard. Not saying I want him here, just he's not the easiest to judge.

I think it was the Baz fella on Toffee TV that mentioned it, but not 100%. Like I said take it with a pitch of salt. I think the club recruitment are now actually actually considering 'character and attitude' as well as footballing attributes (5-6 year late!!) - so I am sure they will now do their due diligence - signs are good at the moment this is now being done a lot better. I think all the players coming in need to tick the right boxes when considering hunger, passion, hard work and over all character.

https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/everton-fc-news/everton-michy-batshuayi-transfer-news-latest-rumours-lampard-chelsea/ Topic should probably be moved to Rumourama section again. I am not really sure what I think of him as a player - another lost to Chelsea having a blotted squad and has just never been able to carve himself 'home' where he could build season on season. Got paid over inflated wages at too young an age. Coming up to 29years old, he seems to have held on to the dream of being Chelsea player for far too long. Didn't do a great deal at Palace over the 18months he had there. Has roughly a 1 in 3 goal scoring record, so seen strikers with a lot worst goal scoring records at the club. Not a transfer that would see me doing cartwheels, but the Chelsea contingent managing the football side of the club will know far better of what he would bring to the party.

I had hear somewhere that Dennis has a bit of a poor attitude - turn up late for training type of thing and not overly popular in the dressing room. I can't remember where I read or heard this and not going to hunt it out, so take it with a pinch of salt. but if the case, maybe not of the type 'character' we are after and Forest dressing room welcome to him along with £180K a week Lingard.

its all sounding pretty much like this deal is happening. Read he is on around £100k a week at PSG and used to be on £70K when he left us. Obviously better if PSG still pay some of his £100K wages still, but if not. What to you think would be better deal? for us pay £100k for 12 months (£5.2M) and look at negotiating an extension in 12 months if he does the business or go straight for a two year deal at maybe closer to around his old £70k (£7.3M). (which would work out roughly at £100k this year and then £40k next year for comparison).

I think you have it right - its a risk worth taking. His experience and high energy hard working attitude will not go amiss around the place and I would hazard a guess that he has Everton in his heart and will not becoming simply for a nice final pay cheque. We all have niggling doubts that he will not have the legs he had when he left us, here lies the risk. but if he does have some legs he will make a significant difference in this squad. For a team who battled relegation last season, little things like this all add up and can help keep you out of the mire.

Think we would all prefer a younger version, but beggers can't be chosers. He is never going to be more than a short term sticking plaster, to cover us for a window or two until a few more quid is at hand. He's available, he's happy to come and I am sure will give it is all when he comes.

Sounds like its just agreeing how much wages we cough up for the year. 33 in September, but not had massive volumes of football over the years, so might well have a couple of years in him. 12 months wages is all it would cost us. Say Delphs wages, so put like that, I would have gana in the squad all day.

Even with the price of petrol these days.

Definately, I have always said he should be chipping in with aroubd 6 or so goals a season. Hoping his new found confidence will help in this department. The one that beat Newcastle was so valuable. Half a dozen or so would go a long way in a season.

Good to see him influencing games just as he did at the end of last season. It's very encouraging that Frank and his team have been able to improve a player so much in a very short time. I think I am right that pretty much everyone of us had lost hope with iwobi. Now he is a valuable member of this current squad.

He is already looking a shrew investment. I am really hoping he is one of those CBs who has a long shelf life.

As well as his two goals, he looks like a player who really wants the ball and has a real assured touch on him. On day one he has gone some way to answering concerns and any grumblings that he's a player who doesn't or can't score goals. He will get his fair share of goals and assists.

Parents at fault not the kids. We are in this age where people simply think their kids simply have a sense of entitlement. Players now have to simply tell the kids "you not allowed on the pitch, please get off", and give them nothing.

Mc Neil x 2

That will help him settle to life at Everton.

Mc Neil

Is that right? happy days then.

That would be our last loan card this window then. As it's his last 12months with PSG, you would think they would just let him go then as free agent next summer in anycase. They must still be covering part of his wages then for this loan to make sense.