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We're not better than having players like Garner in our squad and contributing a lot.

I still suspect our fans are desperate for Everton to be something they're not (yet).

superpull wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 10:17 am We're not better than having players like Garner in our squad and contributing a lot.

I still suspect our fans are desperate for Everton to be something they're not (yet).

Don't think anyone's saying he shouldn't be in the squad (or at the moment he shouldn't be starting in cm he absolutely should).

I'm saying he's not a prem level starting cm for a side with aspirations.

He's not. He's bang average but runs his socks off.

Great signing I'm personally very grateful for, but just like McNeil we need to move on and up when possible, because when Grealish stops winning games for us you'll be looking around at the side and saying hm why aren't we winning why aren't we controlling the ball, and it'll be because of players like Jimmy G, who are simply bang average football players.

brap2 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 11:19 am Don't think anyone's saying he shouldn't be in the squad (or at the moment he shouldn't be starting in cm he absolutely should).

I'm saying he's not a prem level starting cm for a side with aspirations.

He's not. He's bang average but runs his socks off.

Great signing I'm personally very grateful for, but just like McNeil we need to move on and up when possible, because when Grealish stops winning games for us you'll be looking around at the side and saying hm why aren't we winning why aren't we controlling the ball, and it'll be because of players like Jimmy G, who are simply bang average football players.

100% agree he is in the next round of players we need to upgrade.

But he is very much the Ebbrell/Carsley of this squad this year IMO.

Moyes is loving Garner btw. He said something like ''there's not many people playing better in the league in his position at the moment'' the other day.

Bluedylan1 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 12:05 pm Moyes is loving Garner btw. He said something like ''there's not many people playing better in the league in his position at the moment'' the other day.

Moyes has always loved players like Jimmy G (which I’m not saying is a bad thing at all)

brap2 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 11:19 am Don't think anyone's saying he shouldn't be in the squad (or at the moment he shouldn't be starting in cm he absolutely should).

I'm saying he's not a prem level starting cm for a side with aspirations.

He's not. He's bang average but runs his socks off.

Great signing I'm personally very grateful for, but just like McNeil we need to move on and up when possible, because when Grealish stops winning games for us you'll be looking around at the side and saying hm why aren't we winning why aren't we controlling the ball, and it'll be because of players like Jimmy G, who are simply bang average football players.

How many Prem level starting players do we have for “a side with aspirations”? Not sure we have more than three or four.

superpull wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 12:00 pm 100% agree he is in the next round of players we need to upgrade.

But he is very much the Ebbrell/Carsley of this squad this year IMO.

Woah, is this deliberate Ram bait?

Escalator wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 12:20 pm How many Prem level starting players do we have for “a side with aspirations”? Not sure we have more than three or four.

Yeah, good question.

Pickford, Branthwaite, Grealish, Ndiaye, Gana, I’d say for sure

*but then again, is a mid 30’s Gana strictly aspirational, as great as he is?

sam of the south wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 12:22 pm Yeah, good question.

Pickford, Branthwaite, Grealish, Ndiaye, Gana, I’d say for sure

*but then again, is a mid 30’s Gana strictly aspirational, as great as he is?

Define aspirations? If it means you could see them in a Champs League team, then yeah, Pickford, Branthwaite, Grealish, Ndiaye, Gana, you could add the new signingns in as an unknown quantity at this moment in time (Barry, Dibling, Rohl).

That said even CL squads have some variance in quality and Garner, Myko, Alcaraz, JoB, Tarks are 1st team players who wont let you down and no team is the finished article tbh, you're always looking at where to strengthen.

Matt1878 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 12:27 pm Define aspirations? If it means you could see them in a Champs League team, then yeah, Pickford, Branthwaite, Grealish, Ndiaye, Gana, you could add the new signingns in as an unknown quantity at this moment in time (Barry, Dibling, Rohl).

That said even CL squads have some variance in quality and Garner, Myko, Alcaraz, JoB, Tarks are 1st team players who wont let you down and no team is the finished article tbh, you're always looking at where to strengthen.

I mean yeah, you could go down the infinite rabbit hole of definition if you wanted to, but I guess my hot take was which top teams would want our best players right now, and would they pay them comparable or better money to play for them (as well as the transfer fees we paid to get them)

So yeah, if Dibling, Aznou, Barry, Rohl have great seasons then of course they’d be in that conversation, but not yet, otherwise they probably wouldn’t have signed for us.

I think our aspirations must be to compete with the likes of Brighton, Villa and Forest, I don't see a world where we complete with anyone above that regardless of who we buy unfortunately.

Even the best of the rest hit a ceiling where even if they have the cash PSR prevents them spending it, and their best players get picked off by those above them making it a closed shop.

Sad but true, we're unlikely to see us competing for anything meaningful in the league any time in the next decade or probably beyond. If we could get a cup win and some decent European runs that'd be the absolute limit of our glass ceiling.

Only way we ever compete beyond that is if PSR is abolished, and even then we're only mid table rich so wouldn't necessarily help.

sam of the south wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 12:20 pm Woah, is this deliberate Ram bait?

Must be. Was directly after Ram’s post. Must know he’s going to tear him a new one!

superpull wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 12:00 pm 100% agree he is in the next round of players we need to upgrade.

But he is very much the Ebbrell/Carsley of this squad this year IMO.

I've got a clean slate for the whole squad to be honest, anything seen under Dyche is written off. I've been impressed with Garner's upturn, totally understand that some dont look at him and think he is a top 4 sort of player, but I'd like to think that as we progress some players will progress with us. He seems to have a good footballing head on him, he can play all over the park, I'd like to see him encouraged to be a bit more progressive and the front line will show for him if he does, he's nowhere near the top of my to be replaced list yet.

Since pre season, Garner has looked much more dominant. United in a friendly, Mansfield in the cup and away at Wolves isn't enough to prove himself but he's made a good start.

I won't go overboard but I do back him to have a very good season if he stays fit.

The Doc wrote: ↑Thu Sep 04, 2025 8:38 pm Since pre season, Garner has looked much more dominant. United in a friendly, Mansfield in the cup and away at Wolves isn't enough to prove himself but he's made a good start.

I won't go overboard but I do back him to have a very good season if he stays fit.

I hope he does stay fit because he’ll be playing as both fullbacks at this rate.