Yep, the Everton Positivity Police are well and truly back after the second leg against Rubonberok.
The PP operate on Twitter mainly but do of course appear on Facebook and a fair few of most popular Everton supporter sites. Their objective is to hunt out any, and I mean any, comments about the team (and occasionally the Club) that are anything less than what is considered “100% positive”. It really doesn’t matter how balanced a view is being taken, how considered the opinion, and however keen / fanatical / committed / loyal the source of the view. If it’s not wholly “positive” your immediately labelled a glass half empty type rather than the half or nearly full variety of blue.
Ive had enough of this tosh. Watching the game on ITV 4 and desperately trying to avoid the inane commentary of Sam what’s his name and Andy Townsend, I did what I usually do whilst watching a live game on the telly. I wandered onto my Twitter feed which is pretty much nearly all blues, and did what us social media managers like to call “engagement” or you will also recognise as “tweet”, “chat” “argue” “moan” “Cheer” “debate” and “shout at the Tv and iPad Pro, all at the same time.
I joined what I have to say felt like a massive majority in voicing, ok tweeting, thoughts about how dreadful a performance that was for 80 minutes. I may have suggested that our generally encouraging transfer window, so far, was honestly only half a job. I could possibly have mentioned a thought that we have lost an almost guaranteed 20-25 top level goals from Rom and seem very likely to lose the frustrating but still, to me, clear talent of Ross B, yet we are nowhere close to replacing these guys, certainly Rom.
I think I then became emboldened as the team continued to labour against the European equivalent of Forest Green Rovers – no offence to those eco warriors and small club going places – and did suggest that we haven’t seemed to have a strategy in place for coping with Room’s departure and the new look squad, which has a fair bit to recommend it, looks horribly unbalanced. I wandered into territory that clearly drives the PP wild, by adding that we’ve stocked up on decent midfielders, look like breaking our transfer record to add another very good one soon in Glyfi, but honestly don’t have a quality target man. True DCL, at last played where he should only be played, as a CF or one of two up top, looked great for ten minutes and scored a really well taken goal. But we’ve talked about Giroud for so,long now it’s as if he’s signed and is about to make his debut. He hasn’t and frankly it’s not looking likely but we can still hope.
The keeper looks worth his £30m and the rest. Keane will I’m sure be rock solid. Sandro looks like, well I’m not sure if I’m honest but I think he will get a few goals and cause defenders headaches. Klassen went from world beater to anonymous over two legs but then superbly set up the DCL chance. Lots to come from him I’m sure. So yes there’s good things going on….but….and here it is PP…..we are still some way off securing the balanced squad Koeman needs to compete on four fronts but crucially, to have a pop at that fourth place and or a trophy. The transfer momentum has stalled, a bit. There’s a danger of unfinished business and a squad short of that top notch centre forward, a mobile centre back, and pace….yes pace…..on the wing to deliver some width we are so so missing.
Ok, is that really “negative” ? Have I suggested we’re doomed ? Is it so unrealistic to expect continued spending given that we are likely to see incoming fees top £170m in just ten weeks ? Yes I know about amortisation as so brilliantly explained on the superb new “The Blue Room”. But I don’t care, fees received has to be significant and we can surely afford to spend £270m if getting £170m in ? Anyway, that’s another debate. But here’s the thing. It is NOT being negative to call last nights “performance” poor. It was rubbish. It’s early, yes. Apparently our players are not up to speed in terms of fitness, touch, etc but the season starts in eight days. And in case anyone has forgotten we have the toughest league start in living memory, well mine anyway.
So, dear PP folk. Ease up a bit. Pragmatism is fine I get that, I’m a bit of a pragmatist myself and yeh a bit glass half empty but look, were not there yet transfer wise. It’s not seen us deliver a balanced squad and frankly we look a bit ponderous, woefully short on pace, width and strength in the air and finishing. We need to complete the very decent job done so far and quickly. That’s all I’m saying, and I think a lot of other blues right now. Mr Moshiri is clearly a NSNO kind of guy and I’m thinking he will have spotted what we have and act, soon, to get that balance right. COYB says he in incredibly positive fashion !!
Cheers, Rustyman
Brian, sorry I missed your comments, keep em coming !! Dowell ? Really surprised he’s gone out on loan. I guess there’s some sense to it, but I think he could have developed alongside first team as part of the squad and got bench time with some appearances as the season goes on. Honestly think he’s nearly ready. Maybe I’m wrong and loan to Forest will be the making of him. Ross ? Well looks like he’s staying now dunce that injury to his hamstring and from October he’d be a cracking addition to the squad and would get game time, albeit mostly as a dub, but who knows, he might turn it all around and prove Koeman wrong, have a great season, and stay……
Rusty
Kieran Dowell , Ross Barkley and Koeman don’t mix. The boss wants workman like players who run all day. Klaassen is a classic example of a Koeman player. Klaassen is not a player maker. First impression he is a good player but not going to unlock tight defences. Dowell scores spectacular goals, Barkley gets you off your seat, Klaassen is steady Eddie a perfect fit for our manager.