Everton’s January Transfer Window 2017 Review by Harry Watt
There are plenty of different opinions on the January transfer window and I think it’s fair to say most are negative.
Many say it’s reserved for the desperate clubs trying to stave off relegation, a time where players who aren’t wanted leave to get football in lesser teams, a period when prices are inflated to the extreme and settled ‘good’ players aren’t willing to go through with the upheaval of a move.
Overall, it isn’t an easy time to move for footballers and we should all accept that.
Wise football supporters know all the above and go into the transfer window with their expectations low, but somehow, spurred on by the furore that the media always create, the logic can all-too-easily go out of the window.
What do I expect from Everton’s January transfer window?
It simple really; I expect us to enter February either no weaker, or ideally, stronger than we entered January.
What clouds the waters though is undoubtedly the arrival of new majority shareholder and billionaire, Farhad Moshiri.
Whereas prior to Mohiri’s arrival, Everton had a curly whirly and a packet of nik naks to play with in negotiations, Farhad’s deep pockets and alleged appetite to sign everyone (according to Bill Kenwright at the AGM the other month) have had us all a flutter with what might be.
How did Everton’s January window go?
In my opinion the window started quite frustratingly, as what seemed like the transfer equivalent of an open goal took too long for Everton to complete.
It was obvious Ronald Koeman wanted his former player Morgan Schneiderlin and in truth, the moment James McCarthy was injured in the Merseyside derby (with Idrissa Gueye already scheduled to leave for the African Cup of Nations) Everton should’ve done their utmost to make sure Schneiderlin was signed at the earliest moment.
The player was keen on the move, the manager was keen on the player, the selling club named their price, Everton had the money… but with this being Everton after all, it didn’t go smoothly.
Stories of haggling over a couple of million pounds surfaced and consequently the player wasn’t available for Leicester at home in the FA cup when he should’ve been, or at least Ronald Koeman implied after the match.
Before the Schneiderlin saga was finally reached conclusion on 12th January, Everton made their first and what proved to be their only other signing, Ademola Lookman on 5th January.
The energetic attacker arrived for a princely sum from League 1 Charlton and I don’t think any of us really knew quite what to expect. It was certainly a chance that the club took, a typical ‘one for the future’ but one that at first glance seems to have been a success (although realistically it’s far too early to judge).
The cull and the kids
Ultimately the question is, are those 2 incomings sufficient to replace the outgoings? As let’s face it, there’s been something of a cull this month.
Ronald Koeman has wielded the axe with brutal efficiency as:
Oumar Niasse
Darron Gibson
Bryan Oviedo
Tom Cleverley
Gerard Deulofeu
Have all seen the door this month and if we look at it as numbers alone, 2 in with 5 out (plus Bolasie also out for a year) it doesn’t add up.
Whilst the first 2 of those names have made zero impact on the first team squad this season and can be filed under pure ‘drain of wages’, the next three (as well as Bolasie) have seen plenty of action and an already small squad has grown smaller.
Many will counter the numbers of ‘senior pros’ out of the door by pointing towards the success of David Unsworth’s u23 side.
Yes, there are promising youngsters that have and will continue be promoted to the first team. Make no mistake, the Everton u23s have been brilliant this season; Mason Holgate and Tom Davies have proved there is some ability there, but it’s a tall order to have genuine expectations in kids who aren’t tried over a sustained period at the Premier League level.
A lack of cover
The lack of a cover striker remains a major concern for me and having browsed Everton social media, I’m not the only one.
Ronald Koeman stated Enner Valencia was the cover for Romelu Lukaku when asked on 30th January, but the contrast in their stature is there for all to see. The thought of the 5 foot 8 inch Valencia leading the line on his own just doesn’t appear a viable alternative for Lukaku.
People will say there simply haven’t been strikers available who could adequately deputise for Lukaku. I’d counter that by saying it’s not strictly about competition for Lukaku (nobody of his class is going to be available in January, let’s face it) but more an alternative. Somebody who can get 20 minutes at the end of a match or provide another physical option.
Football is, without doubt, a squad game. Players do get injured and unfortunately I feel we’re one considerable absence away from being badly handicapped in the centre forward area.
In the early to mid-part of the window it appeared that Steve Walsh identified Ishak Belfodil as an option but for whatever reason Ronald Koeman turned down the signing.
Yes, the player didn’t look great on YouTube, but Steve Walsh is employed to find players and (given that no striker has come in) it disappoints me his guidance was seemingly ignored on this occasion, especially as nobody was signed in that position.
So is the Everton squad in an equal or better position than it was going into January?
Personally I think the squad, on paper, is slightly weaker than it was (and if the team were currently performing poorly on the pitch Evertonians would be more disappointed in the situation).
In summary, we’ve made 1 excellent signing and added one good prospect. However, we’ve willingly let 5 players go (as well as number of youngsters on loan).
We’re still without cover up front and I also fear what injuries or suspensions to any of Leighton Baines, Ross Barkley and Kevin Mirallas might do given the departures of Bryan Oviedo and Gerard Deulofeu.
Everton have recouped most of what they spent on Lookman and Schneiderlin and (on the face of it) saved hundreds of thousands in wages per week given the players they’ve let go. So with this in mind, I’m expecting some form of announcement regarding the contracts of Barkley and Lukaku in the coming weeks and will be bitterly disappointed if there isn’t.
Moving forwards
Some people will say that Everton have 16 matches left this season, no cup competitions and 1 game a week for most the remaining weeks. With that in mind, people will say we don’t need a big squad.
They’ll also say the last summer window is when the mistakes were made and it was just too much to make up in January but I haven’t seen a great improvement in this window either; moves were made slowly, the old habits of penny pinching seemed to be evident and ultimately we’re ending the window a player or two light of what we should be.
For a while now Evertonians have been saying ‘next window, next window’ and things haven’t really changed as we’d have hoped. The simple reality is with a squad the size of this it must be next window and there aren’t any more excuses.
I leave the transfer window wondering what the plan is for the rest of the season?
Have Everton given up on this season and is it now just about seeing who can cut it for next season? Who’s next on the scrapheap?
I hope not. We’re not out of the mix for Europe and ultimately, it’s a double-edged sword, if we want to attract good players in the summer, we need European football.
I have a feeling there will be chances for the u23 side to audition for a place in the squad moving forward and maybe that’s not a bad thing, I just would’ve been happier if we took a chance and actively tried to make up ground on the top 6.
Transfer window out of 10? A generous 6.
Do you agree with Harry?
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