Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo (AKA Monchi)

[algy]

Unai having a few pics with the fans....

Tracksuits just don't suit some people.

I'm almost certainly repeating this story, but a (good) few years back, I went to go and watch Hereford United vs Small Heath in a pre-season friendly at Edgar Street.  Before the game, we'd been chatting away on the terrace to this old boy.   One of the first things he'd said to us, was "Arr, they call this The Meadow End [long pause] they  named it after a field [silence]".  All said with this kind of air that he was passing over some important information known only by a select few Hereford fans.

Anyway, the other came during the warm up.  We were watching the players running up and down, and he was saying "That one there's such-and-such, winger, we bought him from Random FC" and the like.  Anyway, as he was talking noticed this bloke in a tracksuit on the pitch.  Didn't really suit him as he was kind of round-shaped, looked like he enjoyed a cream cake or two.  He was also leaning up against the goalpost, chain smoking fags, occasionally shouting at the players.  My mate asked who he was, and the old boy said "Oh, him - he's been here for years ... he's the fitness coach".  Again, this was all completely serious - he wasn't trying to joke or anything.  Really struggled to keep my face straight.

[ozzjim]

Can we add new chief recruitment person to our list please between now and the summer. Monchi seems to think running the squad thinner and thinner each window is the way forward. He seems utterly incapable of actually strengthening us.

[LeonW]

Next few days will be highly indicative of whether he’s any good or has any meaningful connections.

[ozzjim]

I fear he's bloody clueless at the moment. The only 2 that's actually start that we've signed since he came are Youri and Rogers, both Unai players. Add in that Barkley was also Unai and the other one getting himself into the side, the Monchi signings are looking fairly expensive without actually strengthening us. 2 years in we're mainly using Gerard and Dean Smith's team. Unai is a bloody genius, but he's having to do everything himself. He's carrying Monchi. Save his wages.

[Toronto Villa]

It's ok to criticise Monchi but Emery has said they all work together on identiyfing players to sign. If we are weaker come Monday night then all of them (including Damien) should be fair game.

[ozzjim]

They all identify. It's his job to go and get the job done. If I didn't successfully go and purchase the services my business requires in budget to time after they had been identified, and it affected the end product, I'd be in trouble. He seems very ineffective.

[paul_e]

I fear he's bloody clueless at the moment. The only 2 that's actually start that we've signed since he came are Youri and Rogers, both Unai players. Add in that Barkley was also Unai and the other one getting himself into the side, the Monchi signings are looking fairly expensive without actually strengthening us. 2 years in we're mainly using Gerard and Dean Smith's team. Unai is a bloody genius, but he's having to do everything himself. He's carrying Monchi. Save his wages.

I think this is very short sighted. A big part of what Monchi is doing is lowering the age profile of the squad which means a lot of the signings are players that wouldn't necessarily be expected to come in and start every game immediately. Maatsen, Ned, Garcia, Onana, Turkish fella are all players signed with an eye on the next season or 2 as much as now. That's what I want the recruitment team focusing on. If Emery wants someone immediately then great, go get them, but he can't be the guy plucking players from youth teams or lower/smaller leagues.

[Toronto Villa]

They all identify. It's his job to go and get the job done. If I didn't successfully go and purchase the services my business requires in budget to time after they had been identified, and it affected the end product, I'd be in trouble. He seems very ineffective.

we haven't been docked any points. I'm sure it's a nightmare staying on the right side of that and we escaped last summer by the skin of our bollocks. The whole PSR thing has made things a nightmare.

[PaulWinch again]

In fairness to him he’s also done a good job renewing key contracts - but he/they need to make bloody sure we have another centre half and forward in come the end of Monday.

[ozzjim]

Maatsen was an ffp fudge deal, I'd be amazed if he's here in 18 months time.

Ned, agreed one for the future.

Garcia, considering Cash is made of glass has to be a now and future, so we'll judge that in the next few weeks.

Onana... Hmmm. He's hot and cold, but cost £10m more than the guy he replaced and is technically nowhere near his level. I like Onana, but he's not either consistently fit enough, or in the game enough, to warrant the money paid. Which Everton fans all said.

Turk - has he even signed? Hopefully he'll be decent.

I don't think Onana and Maatsen took much imagination or scouting. Was that £85m well spent?

[PaulWinch again]

Maatsen was an ffp fudge deal, I'd be amazed if he's here in 18 months time.

Ned, agreed one for the future.

Garcia, considering Cash is made of glass has to be a now and future, so we'll judge that in the next few weeks.

Onana... Hmmm. He's hot and cold, but cost £10m more than the guy he replaced and is technically nowhere near his level. I like Onana, but he's not either consistently fit enough, or in the game enough, to warrant the money paid. Which Everton fans all said.

Turk - has he even signed? Hopefully he'll be decent.

I don't think Onana and Maatsen took much imagination or scouting. Was that £85m well spent?

I think you’re probably overreaching a bit. Maatsen was in the Champions League team of the year and he’s shown a lot of potential. Onana when fit has been really good, and it’s atypical with his career to have so many injuries.

[LeonW]

Paul_e and Toronto, you both make good points, but if we finish the window as we are, no amount of long term planning or squad management, or any spin is going to disguise the fact that we’ve effectively decided to throw away a season where we’ve got into the knock out stages of the champions league (for the first time in 4 decades) with a good draw, still in the FA Cup and still have a decent chance of qualifying for next seasons champions league with the fluctuations in the league. That for a bit of cash for Duran and Carlos, not fixing the right back issue (unrealistic to rely on the championship level Spanish kid), lack of centre back coverage and swapping a Dortmund reserve for Philogean would be unambitious at best. Negligent and poor management at worst. Factor that in with the increased ticket prices as the justification to compete.

But, there’s still time before the window shuts to at least address some of the issues before we try and find Kourtney Hause’s number or check out what Samatta is up to.

[paul_e]

Paul_e and Toronto, you both make good points, but if we finish the window as we are, no amount of long term planning or squad management, or any spin is going to disguise the fact that we’ve effectively decided to throw away a season where we’ve got into the knock out stages of the champions league (for the first time in 4 decades) with a good draw, still in the FA Cup and still have a decent chance of qualifying for next seasons champions league with the fluctuations in the league. That for a bit of cash for Duran and Carlos, not fixing the right back issue (unrealistic to rely on the championship level Spanish kid), lack of centre back coverage and swapping a Dortmund reserve for Philogean would be unambitious at best. Negligent and poor management at worst. Factor that in with the increased ticket prices as the justification to compete.

But, there’s still time before the window shuts to at least address some of the issues before we try and find Kourtney Hause’s number or check out what Samatta is up to.

If we finish the window with no new signings then yes it will have been a disaster, but Emery is on record today as saying the plan is to get 2 or 3 in. so we can't make that call yet.

What we can say though is that of the players that have left this window the only one that is a big loss is Duran, the rest were either underwhelming or rarely played.

[ozzjim]

Maatsen was an ffp fudge deal, I'd be amazed if he's here in 18 months time.

Ned, agreed one for the future.

Garcia, considering Cash is made of glass has to be a now and future, so we'll judge that in the next few weeks.

Onana... Hmmm. He's hot and cold, but cost £10m more than the guy he replaced and is technically nowhere near his level. I like Onana, but he's not either consistently fit enough, or in the game enough, to warrant the money paid. Which Everton fans all said.

Turk - has he even signed? Hopefully he'll be decent.

I don't think Onana and Maatsen took much imagination or scouting. Was that £85m well spent?

I think you’re probably overreaching a bit. Maatsen was in the Champions League team of the year and he’s shown a lot of potential. Onana when fit has been really good, and it’s atypical with his career to have so many injuries.

Not sure what I've said there that's not fair Paul. I like Maatsen but he's not anywhere near Digne as a left back. Left winger he'd be ace, but for the money, for the position, we'd have been way smarter to get Chalobah for example in the Kellyman FFP deal.

Onana, as said, I like him. £50 million... We've been had. £30-35 tops.

[LeonW]

Paul_e and Toronto, you both make good points, but if we finish the window as we are, no amount of long term planning or squad management, or any spin is going to disguise the fact that we’ve effectively decided to throw away a season where we’ve got into the knock out stages of the champions league (for the first time in 4 decades) with a good draw, still in the FA Cup and still have a decent chance of qualifying for next seasons champions league with the fluctuations in the league. That for a bit of cash for Duran and Carlos, not fixing the right back issue (unrealistic to rely on the championship level Spanish kid), lack of centre back coverage and swapping a Dortmund reserve for Philogean would be unambitious at best. Negligent and poor management at worst. Factor that in with the increased ticket prices as the justification to compete.

But, there’s still time before the window shuts to at least address some of the issues before we try and find Kourtney Hause’s number or check out what Samatta is up to.

If we finish the window with no new signings then yes it will have been a disaster, but Emery is on record today as saying the plan is to get 2 or 3 in. so we can't make that call yet.

What we can say though is that of the players that have left this window the only one that is a big loss is Duran, the rest were either underwhelming or rarely played.

Agreed. I was hardly a fan of Carlos but would rather have him than nobody. Sublime as Kamara is, moving him to centre back removes our best midfielder.

There’s still time but we have had a few games short now which is far from ideal. Even Bunedia could have been useful as evidenced by his performance away at Monaco. It would be lunacy if we’d have let him go on loan only (with no obligation to buy) for a few quid and have no replacement.