Anthony Gordon

[Palfy]

8 hours ago, Shukes said:

Holy shit! They have been right all along.

Gordon’s poor end of season form was down to his fashion sense. I thought it was burn out… but they have been right and I was blind.

How could I have been so wrong. I mean, we treat everyone the same don’t we. And Gordon’s form dropped at the end of the season so this can’t be a coincidence.

Sometimes you have to be strong and admit to being wrong. And I admit I was wrong. 

What’s new

[Shukes]

6 hours ago, Palfy said:

What’s new

Me admitting it haha!

[Palfy]

4 minutes ago, Shukes said:

Me admitting it haha!

True

[Matt]

Looks like he's our new number 10 

[Romey 1878]

Just now, Matt said:

Looks like he's our new number 10 

Doesn't look like it, he is our number 10.

Hopefully now people will believe we aren't selling him.

[Aidan]

2 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

Doesn't look like it, he is our number 10.

Hopefully now people will believe we aren't selling him.

You're forgetting who we are Romey.

[Romey 1878]

9 minutes ago, Aidan said:

You're forgetting who we are Romey.

Not at all, but even we aren't going to make a song and dance about him getting the number 10 (he's reposted the video on his Instagram as well) if we were going to sell him.

What was stupid was not announcing this before releasing the home shirt. Lots of kids will have got this shirt with his name and old number on and now the club will more than likely exchange for a new one.

[Hafnia]

15 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

Not at all, but even we aren't going to make a song and dance about him getting the number 10 (he's reposted the video on his Instagram as well) if we were going to sell him.

What was stupid was not announcing this before releasing the home shirt. Lots of kids will have got this shirt with his name and old number on and now the club will more than likely exchange for a new one.

Dickheads run the club.  That’s why.   They have no planning, no idea about doing things the right way commercially….  How many kids will have Gordon 24 on a new kit??? No doubt the club will do the right thing and refund/exchange the shirts.  “Oh look, more wasted money” 

[patto]

The number 10 shirt comes with his new contract to be announced which from what I heard is mega 

[FairWooney]

Shirt numbers never get announced till they are submitted to the league when initial squads go in I don't think.  It would make more sense where possible to get number changes announced prior to new kits going on sale but guess it's not always possible.

[Romey 1878]

 

[Matt]

It's a good interview in general. He's quickly crushing any doubts I had about him. He has integrity which is something we've missed for too long. 

[StevO]

9 hours ago, FairWooney said:

Shirt numbers never get announced till they are submitted to the league when initial squads go in I don't think.  It would make more sense where possible to get number changes announced prior to new kits going on sale but guess it's not always possible.

I always think that too. If a player is changing number announce it as soon as the season finishes. 

[Shukes]

Difficult as they don’t know if there transfer targets are going to come through.

Better to wait until a month before the start of the season and at least have an idea of new players.

[Aidan]

On 11/07/2022 at 18:32, Romey 1878 said:

Not at all, but even we aren't going to make a song and dance about him getting the number 10 (he's reposted the video on his Instagram as well) if we were going to sell him.

What was stupid was not announcing this before releasing the home shirt. Lots of kids will have got this shirt with his name and old number on and now the club will more than likely exchange for a new one.

Yeah I was just having a laugh. Or trying.

[Romey 1878]

11 hours ago, Aidan said:

Yeah I was just having a laugh. Or trying.

Failed.

I'm a serious person these days.

[Romey 1878]

 

[Shukes]

We all want you to. This season could be special for this lad. It will really show what he’s got.

[Bailey]

11 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

 

Am I the only one thinking goals and assists might have helped our situation as well?

[Palfy]

4 hours ago, Bailey said:

Am I the only one thinking goals and assists might have helped our situation as well?

Am I the only one thinking that the team hasn’t improved at all since last season, so he won’t get to play his own game and will have to make sacrifices again this season. 

[SpartyBlue]

2 hours ago, Palfy said:

Am I the only one thinking that the team hasn’t improved at all since last season, so he won’t get to play his own game and will have to make sacrifices again this season. 

You make an assumption here that the only way to improve is by adding players. Is it not possible a healthy DCL improves us? A full season of a better Iwobi? A more experienced Gordon and Gray? Patterson? A settled Mykolenko? Dele getting a real opportunity? How about Frank getting time to evaluate his squad and play in a way more suited to his style? 
 

Lots of ways to improve and even transfers don’t guarantee your squad will be better as we’ve often seen.

[Palfy]

2 hours ago, SpartyBlue said:

You make an assumption here that the only way to improve is by adding players. Is it not possible a healthy DCL improves us? A full season of a better Iwobi? A more experienced Gordon and Gray? Patterson? A settled Mykolenko? Dele getting a real opportunity? How about Frank getting time to evaluate his squad and play in a way more suited to his style? 
 

Lots of ways to improve and even transfers don’t guarantee your squad will be better as we’ve often seen.

I never mentioned adding players that’s why he will end up having to sacrifice his own game ideal’s for the survival of the team. But as you mentioned adding new players 100% this team doesn’t improve with out the addition of better players. 
No a healthier DCL does not improve this team as it stands, he will get no service in this team. 
A full season of a better Iwobi, for me Iwobi was one of our best players under Lampard, his work rate was phenomenal yet we still nearly got relegated.

Gordon has room to improve and gain more experience, but will he get the opportunity in this team to have a free role that he is undoubtedly alluding to in his interview, I don’t think so he will be shackled because the team hasn’t got the players to allow him to stop all the defensive work he had to do last season, Gray should by now have all the experience required he’s been around the block a few times, what he has lacked all his career is making good decisions with the ball , he refuses to pass or look for better options when in possession instead he just try’s to do it all on his own, I’m sure many managers have tried to coach that out of him and failed, is that why he became a bench player for Lampard more often than not.

Patterson is an unknown quantity at present, yet I hold a lot of faith in him only based on the plaudits he received in Scotland, but we will have to see if they come to fruition. 
Ali the great hope for the future, probably even more so now Richarlison has gone, he’s not the foundation to build any club on, I believe we will see no improvement from him on last season’s exploits, unfortunately he’s a player who’s soul love and passion for the game has died.

.Lampard’s had 7 months to work with and evaluate his team, he didn’t need that long to quickly realise that his style of football was well above the standards of a lot of the players he inherited, so had to shelf his values as a player and manager to scrape through to survival, and he’s now lost possibly one of if not the best player to fit in a team and style he wants to play, Lampard isn’t silly he knows he’s seen it with his own eyes, he knows this current team are getting relegated without better players being added, he’s had 7 months to work with the difunctional team he’s inherited and he can’t get anywhere near the improvement required to move us in the right direction.

 

[SpartyBlue]

8 minutes ago, Palfy said:

I never mentioned adding players that’s why he will end up having to sacrifice his own game ideal’s for the survival of the team. But as you mentioned adding new players 100% this team doesn’t improve with out the addition of better players. 
No a healthier DCL does not improve this team as it stands, he will get no service in this team. 
A full season of a better Iwobi, for me Iwobi was one of our best players under Lampard, his work rate was phenomenal yet we still nearly got relegated.

Gordon has room to improve and gain more experience, but will he get the opportunity in this team to have a free role that he is undoubtedly alluding to in his interview, I don’t think so he will be shackled because the team hasn’t got the players to allow him to stop all the defensive work he had to do last season, Gray should by now have all the experience required he’s been around the block a few times, what he has lacked all his career is making good decisions with the ball , he refuses to pass or look for better options when in possession instead he just try’s to do it all on his own, I’m sure many managers have tried to coach that out of him and failed, is that why he became a bench player for Lampard more often than not.

Patterson is an unknown quantity at present, yet I hold a lot of faith in him only based on the plaudits he received in Scotland, but we will have to see if they come to fruition. 
Ali the great hope for the future, probably even more so now Richarlison has gone, he’s not the foundation to build any club on, I believe we will see no improvement from him on last season’s exploits, unfortunately he’s a player who’s soul love and passion for the game has died.

.Lampard’s had 7 months to work with and evaluate his team, he didn’t need that long to quickly realise that his style of football was well above the standards of a lot of the players he inherited, so had to shelf his values as a player and manager to scrape through to survival, and he’s now lost possibly one of if not the best player to fit in a team and style he wants to play, Lampard isn’t silly he knows he’s seen it with his own eyes, he knows this current team are getting relegated without better players being added, he’s had 7 months to work with the difunctional team he’s inherited and he can’t get anywhere near the improvement required to move us in the right direction.

 

You never mentioned adding players but this team can’t improve without adding players? Of course it can. Players can improve. Fitness can improve. We can have better luck with injuries. Frank can better implement his style with a full summer and full season. It’s nice to add new pieces but it’s not the only way a team improves. These players just being around each other and gaining that experience with each other can improve performances.
 

It’s a fallacy that you have to constantly bring in players in order to get better. If that were true the level of football would increase for all clubs every year as they constantly bring in transfers. Sometimes it does make you better. Sometimes it makes you worse. We’ve spent more in recent years than a club like Liverpool. They found the right players and those have grown together. They don’t need to bring in much at this point. In contrast we’ve brought in a ton of pretty expensive signings, many of which made our club worse and contributed to our current financial situation. We have plenty of room for improvement but a transfer for the sake of a transfer does nothing for us.

[Palfy]

3 minutes ago, SpartyBlue said:

It’s a fallacy that you have to constantly bring in players in order to get better.

It’s not a fallacy it’s a requirement some times the players don’t always for fill the managers believe in them that’s the gamble. Look at the amount of players brought in by Liverpool, City, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, and the money spent so far this transfer window, read what Ten Hagg is saying at Utd demanding more money more players. If you don’t keep buying every season to improve your weakest positions you don’t stand still against your competitors if they are buying you go backwards.  
If Liverpool bring in 4 players to improve the team and City don’t respond then Liverpool pretty much win the league next season, that’s how important it is to keep freshening the team up every season.  

[StevO]

On todays training video doing a bit of one on one coaching with Ashley Cole. If he can learn how to get past him, not many did, it’ll do him the world of good. 

[SpartyBlue]

On 23/07/2022 at 03:18, Palfy said:

It’s not a fallacy it’s a requirement some times the players don’t always for fill the managers believe in them that’s the gamble. Look at the amount of players brought in by Liverpool, City, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, and the money spent so far this transfer window, read what Ten Hagg is saying at Utd demanding more money more players. If you don’t keep buying every season to improve your weakest positions you don’t stand still against your competitors if they are buying you go backwards.  
If Liverpool bring in 4 players to improve the team and City don’t respond then Liverpool pretty much win the league next season, that’s how important it is to keep freshening the team up every season.  

Older post but I still say bringing in players doesn’t inherently make you better. Many teams bring in players and get worse. Also, if new transfers improved you as a rule then every year you’d see clubs playing at levels never seen before.
 

It is true clubs are always trying to improve with transfers and address needs but sometimes just developing the players you have, getting healthier etc.. is just as valuable. There is advantage in stability. 

[Palfy]

4 hours ago, SpartyBlue said:

Older post but I still say bringing in players doesn’t inherently make you better. Many teams bring in players and get worse. Also, if new transfers improved you as a rule then every year you’d see clubs playing at levels never seen before.
 

It is true clubs are always trying to improve with transfers and address needs but sometimes just developing the players you have, getting healthier etc.. is just as valuable. There is advantage in stability. 

Of course there is an advantage in stability, look at Everton Lampard is buying players to try and gain some stability, but standing still and not buying and hoping to improve what we have isn’t going to work. The big 5 or 6 have been spending in particular Arsenal and Spurs in the numbers they have brought in this season, City and the shite haven’t bought that many each but have spent big on quality over quantity. The top 2 won’t change this season they won’t be caught by the team’s below them who have spent money because they have counteracted that by buying themselves. What will happen this season is that City Utd Chelsea Arsenal Spurs and the shite will move further away from every team below them, Newcastle and West Ham are spending to try and stay with them but have still dropped further behind, Leicester who so far have only bought an average keeper this season will not finish above 9th unless they start spending before the window closes. Because of the buying power of the top clubs and the gulf they have already created over the years with that power teams like Everton unfortunately will pretty much struggle for decades to try and get into the top 4-6 even Newcastle with the title of richest club in the world will take years of spending to try and bridge the gap and get close to City and the shite. 

[SpartyBlue]

7 minutes ago, Palfy said:

Of course there is an advantage in stability, look at Everton Lampard is buying players to try and gain some stability, but standing still and not buying and hoping to improve what we have isn’t going to work. The big 5 or 6 have been spending in particular Arsenal and Spurs in the numbers they have brought in this season, City and the shite haven’t bought that many each but have spent big on quality over quantity. The top 2 won’t change this season they won’t be caught by the team’s below them who have spent money because they have counteracted that by buying themselves. What will happen this season is that City Utd Chelsea Arsenal Spurs and the shite will move further away from every team below them, Newcastle and West Ham are spending to try and stay with them but have still dropped further behind, Leicester who so far have only bought an average keeper this season will not finish above 9th unless they start spending before the window closes. Because of the buying power of the top clubs and the gulf they have already created over the years with that power teams like Everton unfortunately will pretty much struggle for decades to try and get into the top 4-6 even Newcastle with the title of richest club in the world will take years of spending to try and bridge the cap and get close to City and the shite. 

My point is simply that transfers for the sake of transfers mean nothing. You hear complaints from people every year about other clubs making moves. If bringing in players inherently made teams better than teams would get better every year. Obviously they don’t. 
 

As someone from the States it is interesting to me. Football has an obsession with bringing in lots of new players every season. It’s seen as a sign of progress. It’s not true to nearly the same degree in American sports. Of course you improve if you can but it’s at least as much about development and keeping your core together.
 

I think too often we believe the only way forward is additions. Developing young talent and having more experience with your core playing together are other ways to improve. I’ll be curious how a club like Forest does this year with so many new players. 

[Palfy]

2 hours ago, SpartyBlue said:

My point is simply that transfers for the sake of transfers mean nothing. You hear complaints from people every year about other clubs making moves. If bringing in players inherently made teams better than teams would get better every year. Obviously they don’t. 
 

As someone from the States it is interesting to me. Football has an obsession with bringing in lots of new players every season. It’s seen as a sign of progress. It’s not true to nearly the same degree in American sports. Of course you improve if you can but it’s at least as much about development and keeping your core together.
 

I think too often we believe the only way forward is additions. Developing young talent and having more experience with your core playing together are other ways to improve. I’ll be curious how a club like Forest does this year with so many new players. 

The thing is with Forrest you won’t be able to judge whether their signings have made a difference or not in this league, because you haven’t seen the team that got them promoted play in the PL to make a comparison, yet they may still go down with say 38 points and you will no doubt say, signed 12 players yet didn’t do them any good proof that buying players doesn’t always work, but if they didn’t buy players they might have gone down with 24 points we can never really know. I think City will win the league this season because they have improved their team by bringing in better players in transfers, not because they have improved and promoted better players they already had in their system. You didn’t advocate promoting Simms to the first team which strangely I did, you don’t believe he’s ready which means the only option is to buy to improve, yet in my eyes that is going against what you are trying to advocate. 
Brendon Rodger’s hasn’t bought an outfield player this season in an interview he said if the team stayed as it was he was happy with his squad, now if they don’t make signings they would make a good indication of whether new signings improved you or not. But the evidence is there that in general new signings improve a team you yourself have been saying how some of our signings will help us improve, if it wasn’t the case then why do the huge majority of teams buy new players and why is there such an emphasis on the transfer windows. Transfers for the sake of transfers would be ludicrous, but what team or teams can you name who are buying players just for the sake of it ?

[SpartyBlue]

1 minute ago, Palfy said:

The thing is with Forrest you won’t be able to judge whether their signings have made a difference or not in this league, because you haven’t seen the team that got them promoted play in the PL to make a comparison, yet they may still go down with say 38 points and you will no doubt say, signed 12 players yet didn’t do them any good proof that buying players doesn’t always work, but if they didn’t buy players they might have gone down with 24 points we can never really know. I think City will win the league this season because they have improved their team by bringing in better players in transfers, not because they have improved and promoted better players they already had in their system. You didn’t advocate promoting Simms to the first team which strangely I did, you don’t believe he’s ready which means the only option is to buy to improve, yet in my eyes that is going against what you are trying to advocate. 
Brendon Rodger’s hasn’t bought an outfield player this season in an interview he said if the team stayed as it was he was happy with his squad, now if they don’t make signings they would make a good indication of whether new signings improved you or not. But the evidence is there that in general new signings improve a team you yourself have been saying how some of our signings will help us improve, if it wasn’t the case then why do the huge majority of teams buy new players and why is there such an emphasis on the transfer windows. Transfers for the sake of transfers would be ludicrous, but what team or teams can you name who are buying players just for the sake of it ?

Fair enough point on Forest but there are other examples where it’s easy enough to say that making too many changes is a detriment to a club’s season. I’m not saying that transfers don’t help. Of course they can. They just aren’t inherently a positive. I can think of a couple dozen additions over the last few  years that made Everton worse in the long run and so can you.
 

There is this idea (mostly from supporters I’ll grant you) that transfer = progress. That isn’t always the case. Regarding City etc.. I’ll repeat my earlier point. If bringing in transfers inherently made your squad better then every year the level of football would rise. It doesn’t. Sometimes it helps a team, sometimes it hurts a team. All I’m saying is I don’t think if a team brings in 6 transfers they will definitely improve over a team that only feels the need to bring in 2. The object is to get better and that means different things for different clubs. 

I don’t think Simms makes the case you believe it does. He’s not playing for us right now because he’s not been deemed ready. His development towards being a premier league player IS an example of not having to always do it with additions. Maybe he gets there maybe he doesn’t but we aren’t just dropping him as an Everton player because he’s not there yet. A better example is Gordon. We are choosing to develop a young talent rather than just bring in someone for the position. Whether it works out or not it makes the point that you don’t have to just buy to get better. You can develop players you have like Gordon, or find a better position for someone like Iwobi, or just have players reaching their prime like Pickford. All of that can improve us and none of it has to do with a transfer. 

You hear it every window from people that if we aren’t signing players we are “falling behind”. It isn’t necessarily true. For several previous years Liverpool spent far less on transfers than Everton. They didn’t fall behind because they had already found those they needed, developed them and maintained a lot of stability that improved their squad. 
 

This season we did absolutely need a bit of an overhaul so lots of additions made sense. Some years that is the case. Other years (hopefully next summer) we will need far less.