Tom Cleverley - Now signed for Everton

[nick harper]

That's a real blow. I was hopeful of seeing how Sherwood would develop the midfield around Cleverley and Delph. There was enough in the last couple of months to suggest there was real potential - now he has pretty much got to rebuild from scratch.

Agree that he has a monumental task to rebuild the squad and of course now has to use part of whatever budget he had to find a replacement.

[Richard E]

When you've got an owner that won't spend, a team that's been overtaken by Southampton (in administration 5 years ago), crystal palace, stoke, west ham. Spurs, Everton over the last few years I guess we are becoming a harder sell for 'big' players.

Add Swansea and West Brom to that.  A damning indictment on how poorly Lerner has run the club.

It may just be post-Wembley blues but this is how I feel at the moment. Really cheesed off this morning. Not because I'm that bothered about Tom Cleverley in isolation but the more because the whole mood music coming out of the club at present feels a bit rubbish. The list of clubs we appear to have abandoned any pretence of trying to compete with seems to be getting longer and longer. What exactly is the sodding point? 

[ciggiesnbeer]

Cant say I blame you. I keep trying to look on the bright side but then our annual relegation battle kicks in, no sooner is that done than our annual "good players don't want to stay or join" season starts.

[rob_bridge]

No great loss - one of many English players this century who seemed to have 5 or 6 goodish games and then sited as the next great thing.

Seemed to start with Kieron Dyer and there have been many many other since.

[Ads]

Not all that bothered given the number of shifts he actually put in, weighed up against the likely size of his wage demands.

[gervilla]

Hardly the end of the world.  Just another body that needs replacing. ...With better.

[tomd2103]

That's a real blow. I was hopeful of seeing how Sherwood would develop the midfield around Cleverley and Delph. There was enough in the last couple of months to suggest there was real potential - now he has pretty much got to rebuild from scratch.

Agree that he has a monumental task to rebuild the squad and of course now has to use part of whatever budget he had to find a replacement.

I agree Nick.  The clincher for me was that he was on a free transfer and we now face the prospect of having to pay a considerable amount of money to find a replacement.

[Matt Collins]

Still waiting for any actual suggested better alternatives

[OzVilla]

I'm a bit disappointed as after West Ham I honestly thought he'd stay. A real test for Lerner now to back TS properly.

[ozzjim]

Still waiting for any actual suggested better alternatives

When I become a scout for a premier league side I will give you 3 pages of players who could score and assist more than TC23 for the wages he is going to be getting. On a 5 year deal it is silly money.

[saunders_heroes]

Hardly the end of the world.  Just another body that needs replacing. ...With better.

Well that's easier said than done. Especially with our record under Lerner over the last 5 years.

[Duncan Shaw]

I'm a bit disappointed as after West Ham I honestly thought he'd stay. A real test for Lerner now to back TS properly.

It was his celebration after his Everton goal when I thought "we've got him.."
I think it's too easy for people to say "oh I'm not bothered he wasn;t that good anyway" but I think he was as good as we could conceivably get in that position this window and it's a shame if we miss out.  That cup final performance will haunt us for the whole summer I reckon - I'm pretty he would have joined had we won it, saem goes for Benteke staying.

[Gregorys Boy]

Not convinced by Cleverly.  Think he upped his game as a reaction to Sherwood coming in, but I think if he started next season for us then he would just revert back to his old form.  You have to judge him on his career overall not just the last couple of months.  Our midfield is pretty weak right now.  We lack goals and players to create chances and long term need better than him to fix that.

[Risso]

I'll be disappointed if he joins Everton. Firstly because he was showing signs of being excellent for us, and secondly because I think it makes it easier to sign players if you keep the better ones you have.

[Chris Jameson]

Still waiting for any actual suggested better alternatives

Jay Spearing.