VillaChris Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 2 minutes ago, Steero113 said: Yeah but he’s dogshit, people have spoken! He's really not that bad at all. Had a pretty good career when you take long term view. Mind you we all know being Villa left back is a Bermuda triangle, I thought Neil Taylor would be a top signing five years ago and we've had plenty worse than him since Bouma did his leg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ejvilla Posted January 9, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 9, 2022 2nd choice fullback for France, he'll want to push Hernandez for a spot at the world cup. 3rd ranked team in the world at the moment. Would love to see a stats comparison with the best left backs in the league. Suspect he's up there. None of us would've been surprised if Chelsea signed him with Chilwell out, and am sure he'd do very well in that side. His stats will be impacted by the team he plays in. Tagliafico looks amazing... but his stats are from playing with a generally dominant Ajax side. Not sure how you normalise a players stats to account for being in the best team or being in a lesser league. Hickey's a project. Digne's a full international at or very close to career peak. Is there a better LB that we could've signed? Feels a bit like stars are aligning... barca's money problems, agent Rafa... and we're quietly building a very competitive squad with some fantastic home grown youngsters coming through... just need to win some more matches. If we could nick a European place, we could justify a big squad and keep Targett as a very solid option. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Midfielder Posted January 9, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 9, 2022 Some mixed feelings on the thread since I last looked. I said I was happy with this one a few pages back, but just wanted to say something to VTers, who are defending Targett saying we should have stuck with him and backed him up with youth. Firstly, I love Matt Targett for us, he's a straight up lad and he has, when he has been on form, played some absolute blinders at times, two or three games in particular, almost like god-mode left back. But there've been some howlers too when Matt has looked like a rabbit in the headlights. I know it was only the first game of the season, but that Watford game sticks in my head, Ismaila Sarr absolutely tore him up, his confidence went early on and he was "lost" in that match. I think he even got subbed at HT I could be wrong, then Young started the next game? I cant remember b yes a while back etc. I don't think in the short term Targett is finished here. He has to accept competition. At worst, it will surely spur him on to get reselected, graft in training and take an opportunity when it comes, to find a higher bar of what is standard for him. He has to, as the bar just got raised by Digne. If that doesn't work for him, he will have no problem finding another Premier League club (maybe a Leeds or back to Southampton type team) and we will definitely recoup our transfer fee on him. But, he can't expect us to not improve on areas where they need it. Digne gives us somethign different. Extra creativity. And what if Digne got suspended, or injured? Or even got COVID/related restrictions on playing for a while... What if even, we got into Europe this season or at the end of the next? We wouldn't be playing 38 league games plus an additional say 5/6 (hopefully more) combined games in cups, add all those Europe matches on top too (and better cup progression) and there is a definite opportunity for rotational opportunity and getting game time, damned away trips to Kazkahstan or Israel on a Thurs night and a match on Sunday (if Europa). Healthy competition is good. Digne, Targett and emerging youth will provide that. As I say I love Targett myself but he needs this and so do we. Also, if we plan to progress, it is through this kind of move that we do so. Our squad has holes, this was one. 3 questions: 1- Does Digne improve the squad - yes. 2- Do we need him - yes. 3- Can he hit the ground running - yes. We are a big club, but we can't call ourselves one without walking the walk too. We ideally need to be two-deep in each singular position and have youth chopping away at that even more so. This is a good move for us. His wages sound pricey but that what we have seen so far is speculation anyway, we don't know those facts yet. Having Digne, Targett (and emerging youth) is truly a "good problem" for us. I don't doubt Stevie G's man-management skills either. He will make it work. Our new manager has a minimum level of expectancy for achievement that we have not had for a long time. The guy's a fierce winner, with him as your boss you simply have to be the best version of yourself to get picked or even stay contracted here. The bar just got raised. This isn't au revoir Matt, it is just bonjour Lucas. PS. Screw Newcastle, sorry just had to slip that in. 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidlewis Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 37 minutes ago, Zatman said: Of course if it makes Targett better then im all for it but for ne strengthening the squad is to really upgrade on Targett True, Traore was that for his position and he is now but for his first few months our existing players arguably kept him out by being much better. Aided by his first injury which kept him out for a bit and then they either got injured or went crap themselves. Targett was actually brilliant for the first six months of last season, and even after Jack was injured I thought he coped very well with having no outlet in front of him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 7 minutes ago, ejvilla said: 2nd choice fullback for France, he'll want to push Hernandez for a spot at the world cup. 3rd ranked team in the world at the moment. Would love to see a stats comparison with the best left backs in the league. Suspect he's up there. None of us would've been surprised if Chelsea signed him with Chilwell out, and am sure he'd do very well in that side. His stats will be impacted by the team he plays in. Tagliafico looks amazing... but his stats are from playing with a generally dominant Ajax side. Not sure how you normalise a players stats to account for being in the best team or being in a lesser league. Hickey's a project. Digne's a full international at or very close to career peak. Is there a better LB that we could've signed? Feels a bit like stars are aligning... barca's money problems, agent Rafa... and we're quietly building a very competitive squad with some fantastic home grown youngsters coming through... just need to win some more matches. If we could nick a European place, we could justify a big squad and keep Targett as a very solid option. Yet, the majority of Everton fans that I've read comments from seem to think he's been crap for the last 18 months and he's on monster wages. If true, I'd rather us have made do with Targett for now and seal the deal for Hickey in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 There is no doubt that a few seasons ago he was flying and one of the best lbs in the country. Not sure what has happened this season. It does seem a big change in direction from our owners of bringing through younger players with sell on potential and the reported £25m does seem high cost. But like coutinho, if we can get him back to his best, we will have a very top player on our hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 16 minutes ago, vreitti said: Nah Zatman's eye-test says he's garbage. didnt say he was garbage, just not an upgrade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhan_Zhuang Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 3 minutes ago, Villarocker said: Yet, the majority of Everton fans that I've read comments from seem to think he's been crap for the last 18 months and he's on monster wages. If true, I'd rather us have made do with Targett for now and seal the deal for Hickey in the summer. They are just p***** Digne wants out and possibly to us... Just now, mikeyp102 said: There is no doubt that a few seasons ago he was flying and one of the best lbs in the country. Not sure what has happened this season. It does seem a big change in direction from our owners of bringing through younger players with sell on potential and the reported £25m does seem high cost. But like coutinho, if we can get him back to his best, we will have a very top player on our hands. Rafa happened and his defensive philosophy disagreed with Digne's natural style? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Villarocker said: Yet, the majority of Everton fans that I've read comments from seem to think he's been crap for the last 18 months and he's on monster wages. If true, I'd rather us have made do with Targett for now and seal the deal for Hickey in the summer. We can still get a Hickey type in the summer and then rotate next season with Digne. I think Gerrard has quickly concluded Targett is a liability, not good enough with crosses into the box which is undeniable and vulnerable defensively if he dosen't start well in a game. I think Targett will be sold in the summer. Some will probably see that as harsh but would hint at Gerrard's ruthless nature. Edited January 9, 2022 by VillaChris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejvilla Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 I don't know, but I imagine fans of the most successful clubs don't get too sentimental about replacing good servants with upgrades. A mindset shift we will need. Few, if any of these lads will be here when we're winning the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughable Chimp Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 (edited) 27 minutes ago, TheMelvillan said: This statement a bit iffy. Most obvious one being that TAA is an RB. But the general sentiment is true enough. Edited January 9, 2022 by Laughable Chimp 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 7 minutes ago, Zatman said: didnt say he was garbage, just not an upgrade You accept that he's better going forward, what if that suits the system better? Is it then still not an upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vancvillan Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Spending $25m to bring in a proven and experienced player to compete with a 26 year-old who only has one great season of PL football makes sense. That's what we did with Danny Ings. Glad to see us follow the same idea here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aston_Villan4 Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 4 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said: This statement a bit iffy. Most obvious one being that TAA is an RB. But the general sentiment is true enough. I’m assuming he meant fullbacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMitch Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 16 minutes ago, Villarocker said: Yet, the majority of Everton fans that I've read comments from seem to think he's been crap for the last 18 months and he's on monster wages. If true, I'd rather us have made do with Targett for now and seal the deal for Hickey in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 12 minutes ago, Zatman said: didnt say he was garbage, just not an upgrade Dlgne is better going forward can take a set piece and actually cross a ball, an he's not a upgrade on Targett? Give me a break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughable Chimp Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Just now, Aston_Villan4 said: I’m assuming he meant fullbacks. He's still wrong because he's clearly not counting a couple of RBs rated higher than Digne in some of these seasons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannedfromHandV Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 I think, if motivated he can offer a lot more going forward than Targett plus he’s another option for set pieces, I think he’s scored a few free kicks for Everton. Worried obviously by his temperament and application given his past 12-18 months or so but Everton have been on a wayward journey for years and he may just be disillusioned there, being reinvigorated here (or elsewhere) might draw out his best again during what should be his peak years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiezels Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 1 hour ago, TheMelvillan said: This is all we need to know. get him in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Stevo985 Posted January 10, 2022 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted January 10, 2022 If you don’t think Digne is an upgrade on Targett then maybe football isn’t for you. Would be another excellent piece of business 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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