Rooney returns...

[JimJams]

Just thought it might be worth making a thread to discuss what we think this transfer means for the player and for Everton. It's pretty evident he won't be missed at Utd so the discussion will obviously be about wether or not he'll prove a good signing. Is it worth the risk? Is there a risk?
Personally I don't really see where he'll fit in. As a striker he's looked done for a number of years so theres perhaps room for him as an attacking mid, but Everton have signed Klaasen and are looking at Sigurdsson as well. If Rooneys signing means they do not pursue the latter I'd say that alone is a bad move. But if they do get him, where is Rooney to play?
Would Evertonians be happy to see Rooney leading the line next season?

Surely this is going to be a disaster.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Could it just be about raising the profile of the club? Because Rooney is a spent force. It's not even just that his legs have gone, his touch and control isn't there either. I'm not sure what he's supposed to contribute unless Koeman thinks he can just keep him within the width of he box, feed him chances and hope for the best.

 

[Red]

He'll be working at their pie stall. It's in his contract that he must not, repeat not eat the wares.

 

[Bilo]

I think they'll get one decent season out of him and eventually in hindsight it will be considered a decent if unspectacular deal for Everton. He has lots of experience which will be valuable for Everton's young squad, and he's very versatile being able to play 8, 10 or 9. I'd hazard a guess that he'll manage around 10 goals+assist which provided he doesn't start every match up front is perfectly fine.

 

[Pagnell]

A waste of £650k a month that could be much better spent elsewhere. Still, it goes to show that there is occasionally room for sentiment in football, despite it being all about money these days.

 

[Leewilson]

Think it's a good move. Sometimes players need a fresh challenge. Rooney isn't finished. He's not the player he was but at a club where the pressure will be a little less, I think he'll flourish.

 

[HarvSFC]

There was talk of Rooney flourishing in a new midfield position/under Mourinho just last summer.

Neither happened and the FA even dared to drop him from the England team. (Finally)

Shame how it's ended quite early for him, but you can imagine part of it is down to his own lifestyle choices and that probably won't improve now.

Can see him clashing with Koeman in the future ala Barkley and Mane.

 

[SALTIRE]

Can see him being used as an impact sub and to help bring the younger players on behind the scenes. Unsure it'll work or last long and I thought Everton had moved on this summer from bothering about him.

 

[Smudge]

As I said in the other thread, he wont be in our strongest 11, but we have a squad severely lacking in any kind of depth or experience, so he will be invaluable in that sense. I think being back here is a big motivation too, looks very fit on the pics released today, which he hasnt always been. We will sign another striker before the window closes to properly replace Lukaku, and I think Rooney's main position when he does play will be that attacking midfielder/ support striker just behind the one or two forwards. We're in Europe as well, so could potentially be playing a lot of games, so having lots of players able to play in the same position will benefit too, as well as having someone on the bench who can make more of an impact that Arouna Kone...

As Ebeneezer Goode said above, it does also raise the club's profile enormously, which will no doubt help us in the long run when it comes to attracting better players. Look at Arsenal for example, they are in the Europa League this year and havent won a title in 13 years, but they still have that profile that they can attract a club record striker signing. We cant do that just yet. We've made good signings though so far this summer, just need to transfer that to success, and that, coupled wih having Rooney, raises our profile and makes us a hell of a lot more attractive to players wanting to come here.

 

[HarvSFC]

I suppose you guys are used to signing Gibson, Cleverley and Phil Neville from United.

 

[Smudge]

I suppose you guys are used to signing Gibson, Cleverley and Phil Neville from United.

Ha! Exactly, its a huge step up in that sense! Now we sign Rooney and Schneiderlin!

 

[Bilo]

To be fair, looking at expectations, only Huddersfield can say they've had a window on par with Everton. They're doing some great business and that affects the Rooney deal as well, they won't rely on him.

 

[Smudge]

To be fair, looking at expectations, only Huddersfield can say they've had a window on par with Everton. They're doing some great business and that affects the Rooney deal as well, they won't rely on him.

Spot on. If Rooney was our big signing this summer, Id be worried. But he's not, the other 4 main signings we've made are all a big improvement on what we already have in positions we needed it. Our keeper and central defence let us down so much the last 3 seasons, Pickford and Keane will help fix that. Sandro is 100% a better forward option than Kone or Valencia, and gives us the option to play 2 up front. Klaassen gives us the kind of goalscoring attacking midfielder we havent had since Cahill. The other 4 improve the first 11, Rooney improves the squad, which lets not be arrogant, is something that also needs beefing up. I keep seeing us linked with Cuco Martina at Southampton. Id take that right now, not because he's better than Coleman or Baines, but we are desperately short of full back cover. Coleman will miss the start of the season too.

 

[Pagnell]

To be fair, looking at expectations, only Huddersfield can say they've had a window on par with Everton. They're doing some great business and that affects the Rooney deal as well, they won't rely on him.

They've lost their best player, who was also their only real goal scorer. Which, despite being expected, has reduced the quality of their window somewhat (although it's still been a great window in comparison to most other top flight clubs). But they've not yet brought anyone in that guarantees a regular supply of goals, rather players where it might happen. And that most definitely includes Rooney these days.

 

[SALTIRE]

They've solidified the midfield, keeper and defense which helps them out greatly, however upfront is still lacking and regressed really with Lukaku off, and if they wan't to challenge top four and with Europe this season too for Everton, they probably need another 3 or 4 in yet.

 

[Bilo]

They've lost their best player, who was also their only real goal scorer. Which, despite being expected, has reduced the quality of their window somewhat (although it's still been a great window in comparison to most other top flight clubs). But they've not yet brought anyone in that guarantees a regular supply of goals, rather players where it might happen. And that most definitely includes Rooney these days.

I agree with that, they definitely need a striker but lest we forget two months ago we were laughing at Everton's joker owners. And having good windows is even less of a habit for them than it is for us.

I personally rate Klaassen extremely highly having watched him so closely. He's talented enough, but add to that that he has incredible work rate, is a proper team player who tracks back and forth despite being more of a 10 than an 8 (often giving his team an man up in the middle), and he was the captain of a very talented Ajax side. Not sure why that transfer isn't coveted more in England, he's very highly rated here for so many reasons. Additionally, Sigurdsson is as close as you get to guaranteed goals without talking strikers or players way, way out of Everton's range.

Essentially, they've sold their best player by a mile and imo will be a better team going into next season.

 

[Stevencc]

Sigurðsson and Giroud would be fantastic signings in an already strong window for Everton.

There's a lot of Giroud to Marseille talk at present though.

 

[SALTIRE]

Sigurðsson and Giroud would be fantastic signings in an already strong window for Everton.

There's a lot of Giroud to Marseille talk at present though.

Aye now they would be real quality signings and worthy of making the rest of the top six stand up and take note.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Giroud actually had a significantly better minutes-to-goal ratio in the league last season than Lukaku. It was probably helped by being a sub so often, but still.

 

[Stevencc]

Yeah, he always seemed to come on late a nick a goal for Arsenal last season.

 

[SALTIRE]

He's a bloody good striker, I feel he gets some ott treatment off the Arsenal fans. Mind you now they finally have their golden man in Lacazette, I can only see Giroud being surplus to requirements.

 

[Bilo]

Lacazette isn't a better player than Giroud.

 

[Leewilson]

Arsenal are idiots if they get rid of Giroud. Chelsea were lucky Costa was fit most of last season or any period of substantial injury would have been difficult to replace his goals. What happens if Lacazette gets injured? Furthermore, Giroud is perfect to bring off the bench in the last 20 minutes in a plan B more direct/balls into the box approach. He's scored a few headers when brought on late in matches in the past.

 

[SALTIRE]

Lacazette isn't a better player than Giroud.

I personally don't know if he is or isn't, but the fans have been crying out for him for a long time and now they have him which will satisfy them for a bit. The laughable thing is Giroud gets in the French squad whilst Lacazette doesn't!

 

[Drewan]

Glad to see him back to Everton.

 

[Pagnell]

Apparently Ethel Lovehole, 67, from Anything You Want in Bootle said the same.

 

[Bilo]

I personally don't know if he is or isn't, but the fans have been crying out for him for a long time and now they have him which will satisfy them for a bit. The laughable thing is Giroud gets in the French squad whilst Lacazette doesn't!

He's an early bloomer, showed much promise in his early twenties but his development stalled (and has stood still for a while) and he'll be one they'll look to upgrade on within two years. I'm not saying he'll flop completely or that he's a poor player, he's just not better than Giroud and will bring as much frustration, if not more, to the Arsenal fans. The list of players who outscored him from open play last season would astonish you.

 

[smat]

He's an early bloomer, showed much promise in his early twenties but his development stalled (and has stood still for a while)

 

[Stevencc]

In my honest opinion, he is nothing but a shit piece of shit.

 

[Bilo]

[lots of stuff proving Bilo's point]

I'm not sure his record of 27-21-28 disproves the statement "he has stood still for a while". So thanks for that, I'm too lazy to find stats these days. I'm old fashioned, I like to watch players. You ever seen Lacazette play mate? Do think carefully, you may have seen him many times without realizing. He can be incredibly invisible.

You'll look for an upgrade in your forward position within two years. Put it in your sig!