Deadline Day

[Romey 1878]

 

At 2015 he will be nudging 32, he would be daft not to sign one that gives him an extra 2 years if it is offered.

Unless he wants to leave. In which case signing a new contract would make no sense.

[Newty82]

Overall, I think I am on the happy but curious side.

 

In...

Baines...to me he is in! So glad we kept hold of him. Will be ace again this year.

 

Barry...Yeah, pleased. Got experience. Going to be our 'steady ship' while the other mids go on and create/score.

 

Lukaku...Over the moon! Exactly what we need. Now some of those chances will actually go in!!!

 

McCarthy...very highly rated in the game. Gonna be big for us, no doubt.

 

Out...

Fellaini...We knew he would go. And what a great fee!!! Brilliant bit of business.

 

Anichebe...Didnt see that coming! But fair play...he'll do well at WBA.

 

The bits I am curious about...

 

Loans...too many. They are gooduns...but only short term solutions...hopefully we have a more long term plan???

 

The Money...much debated already. And this is where I feel a bit dismayed. So RM said, as did BK,that the money for McCarthy was already there...so take that out of any sum. People can second guess about this fee, that wage etc...the bottom line is that there is a pot of cash which I expected more of to be used for straight up signings.

 

So, lets keep an eye on that money. Because we still need it...

[Louis]

did you use a calculator?

 

6+5 = 11

11 + 13 = 24? are you converting GBP to EUR?

How would that make any difference?

[RuffRob]

I think this has been a great first transfer window for Martinez in all honesty. Better than Moyes's first Man U window

 

I have no doubt that we squeezed an extra £2.5M out of Man Utd to cover Wigan's slightly inflated price in the last few minutes of the window. (or £4.5M if your think of his buy out clause). How we got that much more than a buy out clause that any club could have triggered is great.

 

£6M up to for Anichebe beggers belief, and to cover him going at the last minute buy bring in Lukaku - didn't for one minute think Chelsea would even let him out on loan.

 

Brining Barry for a season or two while the long term defensive midfield is sorted is a very good move. short term replacement for Neville, but with a little more quality.

 

If we had managed to get Fernando in that would have made it the best window ever. What please me is even though we didn't quite get him, it shows the type of player Martinez is targeting and very nearly getting - did anybody see that one coming?. I think its a case of watch this space for a player in this position.

[Louis]

With Everton demanding £27.5 million and Moyes unprepared to offer beyond the £23.5 million escape clause in Fellaini’s contract, which expired on July 31 but was due to be reactivated on Jan 1, the 25-year-old broke the deadlock by waiving £4 million in loyalty bonuses to get the deal done in the final hours of the transfer window.

 

 

By submitting a transfer request shortly before 8pm, Fellaini ensured Everton would not be forced to pay the player £4 million in loyalty bonuses, enabling the two clubs to agree a deal worth £27.5 million to the selling club.

 

It also meant United would pay the £23.5 million figure regarded by Moyes as the limit of his valuation of a player he signed for Everton for £15 million from Standard Liège in 2008.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/10285053/Marouane-Fellaini-gave-up-4m-in-loyalty-bonuses-to-save-Manchester-United-move-from-collapse.html

 

 

If true, Moyes did us a favour not signing him when his clause was active. £4m for not handing a transfer request in!

[Hafnia]

 

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/10285053/Marouane-Fellaini-gave-up-4m-in-loyalty-bonuses-to-save-Manchester-United-move-from-collapse.html

 

 

If true, Moyes did us a favour not signing him when his clause was active. £4m for not handing a transfer request in!

He never did us any favours. He fancied his chances getting him cheaper. It just backfired on him that's all.

[Peter H]

I dont think Fellaini was his main target. I think he didnt activate the clause because he had other players in mind. Fellaini was not his last option but he was his fail safe.

Ander was to expensive with these ridiculous hostile take over taxes that they have in Spain. Sami Khedira attempt failed. Apparently they were offered Özil to, but considered him over priced. So they bought Fellaini because they knew (with little time left) that he would come and that things could get worked out quickly. (Fellaini lives in Manchester, Finch farm a short drive away.)

 

If I was Fellaini I would have been skeptic. Why come for me now? At the eleventh hour? But Moyes said jump and Fellaini asked how high? (and why would he not, he will feature for them on a regular basis and even get CL experience)

[Hafnia]

I dont think Fellaini was his main target. I think he didnt activate the clause because he had other players in mind. Fellaini was not his last option but he was his fail safe.

Ander was to expensive with these ridiculous hostile take over taxes that they have in Spain. Sami Khedira attempt failed. Apparently they were offered Özil to, but considered him over priced. So they bought Fellaini because they knew (with little time left) that he would come and that things could get worked out quickly. (Fellaini lives in Manchester, Finch farm a short drive away.)

 

If I was Fellaini I would have been skeptic. Why come for me now? At the eleventh hour? But Moyes said jump and Fellaini asked how high? (and why would he not, he will feature for them on a regular basis and even get CL experience)

 

£125k a week kinda softens the blow I guess

[marcopaulo]

[Lowensda]

I like Vincent.

[Romey 1878]

He's been complimentary of us in the past too, seems a top bloke.

[marcopaulo]

if he likes us so much maybe he'd like to come here too?

[Romey 1878]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/03/everton-transfer-deadline-day/print

[The Regulator]

It is worth noting, as Martínez attempts to impose a possession game at Goodison, that both McCarthy and Barry completed more passes per 90 minutes last season than any Everton player (51 and 59 respectively compared to Darron Gibson's 46.4).

 

 

 

"Then I got the call to say it was agreed and I could come in. I was sat here finalising things when, all of a sudden, James McCarthy walks through the door. We were both watching the television and it was great news when they said Lukaku had been done as well, though obviously he was not here as he's away with Belgium. You want to be joining a team that's improving rather than going in the opposite direction and Everton have definitely strengthened. Obviously there are some fantastic teams out there who have spent a lot of money but there is no reason, when you look at this squad, why Everton cannot compete for fourth."

 

I like Barry already. And I honestly don't miss Fellaini.

[rubecula]

That is a great read Romey.

[Sibdane]

I like Vincent.

 

I've always liked Kompany. Class player and consummate professional. It's easy to see why he's Citeh's captain.

[Sibdane]

Excited about Barry after reading that. I wasn't against his move here in the first place, but now I'm even more confident that it will turn out to be a good piece of business. My opinion of Kenwright has skyrocketed lately with the signings of Martinez and this transfer window.

[MikeO]

"Kenwright, meanwhile, finds himself in the rare position of receiving credit where credit is due."

 

From almost everywhere.

[MikeO]

Regulator got a gold star .

[rubecula]

I am filled with a warm after glow now the window has closed.

 

Actually I think I just peed me pants

[Toffee_in_LA]

I am finally letting all this soak in. Having only been an Everton fan a relatively short time compared to some of you (going on 4 years now), I had never really paid attention to the transfer window. There were always talks of bringing players in but relatively speaking, I was always left disappointed with the players we brought in. This year however, wow! We got a striker that is both young and has a track record of putting the ball in the back of the net (I like Jela, but 1 goal in 25 games is just...). Barry on loan gives us a great chance to evaluate his talent and if he is good enough, we can sign him on a free during the summer. Finally, McCarthy is a young midfielder that is very talented and will only continue to improve and get better working with RM. Not to mention Deulofeu and him possibly staying past this seaon, who I've been very high on since the beginning. Never been this pleased after a transfer window.

[Mike Preece]

We did some great business, and overall im delighted just wondering who would be dropped to accommodate Barry or will he be

mostly on the bench, be interesting to see what Roberto does with 2 totally different midfielders coming in, but have more

options and more competition can only be good.

 

But im in no doubt that Bastard Moyes and his shower will be back in January for Leighton Baines unless the

insulting disrespectful twat is sacked before then.

[Quinn31]

We did some great business, and overall im delighted just wondering who would be dropped to accommodate Barry or will he be

mostly on the bench, be interesting to see what Roberto does with 2 totally different midfielders coming in, but have more

options and more competition can only be good.

 

But im in no doubt that Bastard Moyes and his shower will be back in January for Leighton Baines unless the

insulting disrespectful twat is sacked before then.

Something tells me we will sign Baines to a new contract before then. Either he signs a new long-term contract as one of our top paid players (possibly top-paid), or we may HAVE to sell him in January. Baines' future is up to Baines, no one else, something tells me that if he wanted the move, he would've pushed for it this summer.

[Mike Preece]

He didn't push out of respect for the club and us fans, a man of honour is our Leighton.

 

But even with the window shut United according to the press ( yeah I know you have to sift the shit to get at truth)

have already stated their intent to try again.

 

When he came over to us fans at the end of the Cardiff match, he was the nearest to us and last one there, and I thought " Oh shit is he saying Goodbye"

but thank god he was,nt.

 

I just don't want him to go period. As a player and a man Leighton Baines is a class act.

[SimonButtle]

I can't wait to see us kick on up the league now, some great business done by Bill, especially with regards to keeping Baines. We have signed 3 very good players who will help fill some of the gaps and now our first 11 looks good enough for a European place imo.

[Quinn31]

He didn't push out of respect for the club and us fans, a man of honour is our Leighton.

 

But even with the window shut United according to the press ( yeah I know you have to sift the shit to get at truth)

have already stated their intent to try again.

 

When he came over to us fans at the end of the Cardiff match, he was the nearest to us and last one there, and I thought " Oh shit is he saying Goodbye"

but thank god he was,nt.

 

I just don't want him to go period. As a player and a man Leighton Baines is a class act.

Like I said, Leighton's future is up to Leighton. United can't coerce him into a move, his future is his decision. This is assuming United still maintains an interest in signing him, who knows, they may go in for a younger option (Coentrao again).

[Sibdane]

We did some great business, and overall im delighted just wondering who would be dropped to accommodate Barry or will he be

mostly on the bench, be interesting to see what Roberto does with 2 totally different midfielders coming in, but have more

options and more competition can only be good.

 

But im in no doubt that Bastard Moyes and his shower will be back in January for Leighton Baines unless the

insulting disrespectful twat is sacked before then.

 

I'm thinking Osman. He's been terrible these last few games. He's a true blue at heart, but he needs to step his game up.

[Cornish Steve]

 

I'm thinking Osman. He's been terrible these last few games. He's a true blue at heart, but he needs to step his game up.

 

I'd agree with you, but the influx of new players does bring with it challenges to the first team makeup.

 

Let's assume that Roberto's preferred formation is 3-5-2. In goal, there's no question that Howard remains, with Robles as an excellent backup for some games. At the back, Jagielka and Distin are rock solid, and Baines and Coleman are obvious starters are wing-backs. So who becomes the third true defender? My guess is Alcaraz - who's been largely forgotten in recent discussions. Stones is the obvious backup, so I suspect that Hibbert and Heitinga will get minimal time as starters. Oviedo will provide cover for Baines.

 

Controlling the midfield, it has to be Barry, McCarthy, and Barkley. Osman's days as a starter must be over, at this point. Up front, it's going to be Kone and Lukaku. That leads to the following team setup (which is really exciting):

 

Howard

Alcaraz Jagielka Distin

Coleman Baines

McCarthy Barry Barkley

Kone Lukaku

 

So what about Deulofeu, Pienaar, Gibson, Mirallas, and Jelavic? Power subs? Alternates when game strategy must change because of our opponents? Personally, I think that the performances of Osman, Mirallas, and Jelavic during the first three games have effectively rules them out of the starting line-up for the next month or two at least.

 

It will be very interesting to see the starting line-up against Chelsea. Obviously, Lukaku can't play, so maybe Deulofeu will be given a start. That makes sense given how open the game is likely to be.

[Mirallas]

 

Midfielders: Delofeu, Mirallas, Naismith, Gibson, Osman, Barkley, McCarthy, Barry, Pienaar, Kennedy

 

 

Strikers: Jelavic, Kone, Lukaku, Vellios

 

 

You're not the first one to say that, but let us get this straight once and for all: Mirallas is not a midfielder, he can't do midfield. He's a 100% pure forward ,even if he's put on a wing. He can't defend even if his life depended on it, he doesn't have the overview, passing talent or man cover that a midfielder ought to have. He's a dribbler and a goal scorer. He pressures, breaks through defenses and scores goals. He is even perfectly usable as a center forward.

[Cornish Steve]

He's a 100% pure forward ,even if he's put on a wing. He can't defend even if his life depended on it, he doesn't have the overview, passing talent or man cover that a midfielder ought to have. He's a dribbler and a goal scorer. He pressures, breaks through defenses and scores goals. He is even perfectly usable as a center forward.

 

Based on the experience of the first three games, I would say not. He lacks the power, skill, and ball control to play as an out-and-out forward. Admittedly, I'm not familiar with the team from last season, but from what I see this guy is something of a liability. If he's proved to be valuable in the past, he needs to reclaim that form on the practice field. The number of opportunities he's wasted so far this season is scary. (And please forgive my bluntness.)