Paul Merson cannot believe Everton did not make any January transfers
Paul Merson has let rip at the Everton board for their “clueless” strategy in the January transfer window and their inability to replace Anthony Gordon in Sean Dyche’s squad.
The Toffees were the only Premier League side not to make a single addition during the winter window, with their marquee transfer of Arnaut Danjuma being hijacked by Spurs even after the player pleaded his colours to the Merseyside cause. [Marco Conterio, 24 January]
Sky Sports pundit Merson admitted he could not believe his eyes at the “utterly mindblowing” actions of the club in the last month when writing for the Daily Star (Saturday 4 February, page 46), especially when considering the substantial acquisitions a number of close rivals made during the same period of time.
He wrote: “I was stunned that Everton didn’t make any January signings. Flabbergasted.
“How can you be 19th in the Premier League, like the Merseyside club, and still somehow weaken your team during the transfer window? It’s utterly mind-blowing. It’s worrying and clueless.
“Surely you’ve got to roll the dice and take a chance?
“If it doesn’t work out, you then have to face the consequences, but you’re giving yourself a chance. It’s not a two-horse race down there, it’s a five or six clubs going hell for leather and all of Everton’s rivals have spent.
“Will they even come straight back up if they go down? It’s no guarantee as the whole squad will leave. I feel for the fans, they’ve said it all along. They watch their team week in, week out, and they’re right about their football club – the board have failed miserably this window, it’s been a total disgrace really.
“It’s crazy how you can sell one of you best players in Anthony Gordon and still not reinvest.”
Dreadful failure
There is no other way to describe Everton’s transfer window than as an abject failure.
How the club can decide to let their most valuable player leave the club mere days before the window closes and not even have a replacement in line is quite impressive in itself.
The deal for Danjuma had already fallen through, so it’s not as though they thought they had a ready-made replacement in the wings, so what was on earth was going through their minds?
Farhad Moshiri has stitched Dyche up with his lack of support in the winter window after probably promising far greater riches before his appointment. The squad the Englishman has at his disposal probably shouldn’t have the quality to survive, but in his experienced hands, Everton definitely still stand a chance.
Tests don’t get much tougher than Arsenal, though, and the Saturday lunchtime kickoff will be a great marker post for the formation and tactics that Dyche is going to instil at Goodison Park over the coming months.