CampionSaint

https://www.goodisonnews.com/2023/08/20/everton-interested-in-signing-mama-balde-after-che-adams-bid-is-rejected/ This is more consistent with what seems to be actually happening 🙂

If they were that close to buying Adams he wouldn't have been playing yesterday and become an injury risk prior to a move. Don't believe all you read 🙂

I would still be really surprised if Adams or Tella leave in this window. I think they are worth far more to us than any of the buying clubs would be willing to pay and we are pricing them high as a result. Everton look like they are moving on to another target, Burnley have also moved on from Tella and Leverkusen won't pay what we're after for Tella. I also can't see us selling either without a replacement at least at their level. I also can't see that there is a suitable replacement for either available to just slot into our system. After Downes comes in by Wednesday I would have expected someone like a Harwood-Bellis / Vyner and maybe MacAtee / Hayden to come in plus No.2 GK. Big Paul, Sully, McC, ABK, Aribo, Djenepo to move on. Though ABK only if we can replace.

I think we set ourselves up for trouble yesterday before we started. Our defence isn't the greatest as we know but to have 5 attacking predominantly attacking players in AA, Tella, Edozie, Alcaraz & Armstrong was asking for it defensively. In midfield only Smallbone is competent defensively. They needed Charles instead of Stu imo. It's been difficult enough when JWP & Lavia have protected the back 4 so going with just Smallbone as good as he's been this season was naive at best. Really surprised at Martin as I think he's made a really good start overall but that was a big mistake and it was no surprise we conceded so many. Hopefully lesson learnt !

I understood he'd only just started training so wasn't fit to start.

He's definitely good at shot stopping and his distribution is excellent, and at 20 has room for improvement and is rated about the best in Europe for his age. His weakness is apparently on crosses and may need to do a bit of work at commanding the box but overall a good buy I think. I suspect the deal will be structured in such a way that we'll only pay the full amount with add-ons if he proves a success.

Agree with this outfield but would still have Forster over McCarthy.

I would still be in favour of playing KWP at RB and have Tino instead of Theo further forward on the right. He played more in midfield for Chelsea even though it was at academy level and he has shown the ability to be really creative in the last third.