 Welcome to Toffy TV, and it's that time again. It's time for the season preview. I don't know the complicated summer. New manager, of course, Rafa Bonitas. Strange set of friendlies. And not too much money spent so far. Still got a couple of weeks. Still got a couple of weeks. Backs got three weeks. Till the windows shut. So going into the first game against Southampton Saturday at home. How are you feeling about the season, Baz? I'm all right with it. OK with it. I feel like overall within a squad more balanced than it was a year ago going into last season. I feel. I think the barman being back is a huge bonus. I think if he can stay relatively fit throughout the season it will be a big thing for us. I think having Damari Grain, Andrew Stran's and then gives us some wingers that went in the squad last year. We didn't really have any natural wide players so I think that gives us balance. We've got Moise Keane, as of now. Moise Keane is still an evident player so there's an extra striker there. We've still kept all the hammers Rodriguez at the moment so that quality is there. I still feel like we need a right back massively and I feel as though we could do a little bit more quality as well. I know the move feel that I'd like and I'd love a winger with pace. You could travel with the ball to play off the right. I think if we got those extra three places I'd be very happy but I'm all right. I'm OK. There's a lot of negativity around us at the moment just because obviously the manager is not everyone's first choice manager. A lot of people are not first. But not even that though. Obviously Carlo wants to leave in the club after a very bitter taste in the mouth for a lot of people. The negativity has just followed on from that. The pre-season has been very strange. Two games behind closed doors at Finch Farm. And a couple of games in America. And then obviously the game at Old South against Manchester United the week before the season which isn't a normal thing. And obviously we've had to play all those games without our two main attacking players with obviously Dominic Avalu and with Charleston. Which has meant no one's got a true idea. We're going to be going into our first Premier League game of the season. And that could be Dominic Avalu's first game back. Whether Charleston makes it or whatever as well. So it's a little bit up there isn't it? It's a little bit in the air. Obviously changing the manager, changing the style. Not quite getting in at this moment like you said. The players we want to get in. The players who maybe we wanted to get out. We haven't been able to get out. Obviously it's hard to predict when the season because I think a lot of people feel like first day of the season that should be ready. But it's never like that is it? And seeing it with the window and not jumping for a few weeks it is going back to the way it was where I always felt. It was almost like your first proper game of the season was the one after the international break in September. When you've got your squad, you've got the squad you know what you're having for the season. There is all of that and all of that does create uncertainty. And I fully understand why people have opposed just a little bit ambivalent to it all at the moment. A little bit apathetic even. The excitement is not there because we haven't got that. Even if you get that one player who was an exciting sign and like last summer we all couldn't wait to see James Rodriguez playing. And we got the Corey and Alan and we were made up to have some of the fielders and we had James and he was there really like, we've got James Rodriguez you're looking forward to seeing him play. Is anybody as good as decent as a sign and as what Andrews Tarn's hand is and as potentially a decent sign as what Damari Gray is and he's looked really bright for the season. And people really get excited to get to go to see either of those two. I think people will be excited to get to go to see full stop because we haven't been there for 18 months with a big crowd. So that's exciting. So I think if we'd have got, say we'd have got at the risk of sounding boring again, Leon Bailey. I think a lot of people would have be like, I can't wait to get in and see Bailey and you know when it's exciting. We haven't got that at the minute so people are a little bit like it feels all shamy but different because obviously Carlos not there. But there is three weeks to go and therefore you've got to hope because sometimes that's all you have. That everything will be able to create some room in the budget, albeit by getting people out to be able to bring what they need in. You know, you look at the other teams certainly in and around us or teams that finished below us last season. There hasn't been a lot of major upheaval at those clubs. There might have been from maybe a few managers coming and going but player-wise there's not been a lot. And a lot of them, including, you know, Southampton play on Saturday, days will have come from selling their biggest assets. Obviously Villa have fallen to that as well. So I think, you know, we haven't been able to get the target. We all craved as fans I think, you know, you mentioned Leon Bailey there. But I don't think a lot of teams have unless they've had to sacrifice something and we haven't sacrificed anything this summer. There are players we'd like to have sacrificed but we haven't this summer. And that does like you do, you do. It is more a thing of like the negativity creeps in by you write the boredom or the lack of excitement because you haven't bored that big player or you aren't being seen to be trying to rock the boat. I think if any of this summer the teams at the top, the top certainly, the top four from last summer or three of the top four from last season are really having a go. And that makes it so much more difficult because the belief in the hope we all have of maybe grabbing on to that, it just seems now and again it does open up and you get that feeling. I might have a chance but I don't think anyone's got that feeling this year. Certainly those teams have moved away from us again because we really can't go anywhere. And then the objectives get smaller and smaller. Can we get the Europa League? Can we get the Europa Conference? So the objectives get harder and harder and when you've got teams in and around you like Leeds and Villawell last season again you're always looking over your shoulder. West Ham obviously they're really well they are in Europa League. It always just fills you with negativity. But sometimes we've had those years where it does feel like that and then you end up having a good season and you don't bring in the most exciting players. But you get a team down and it settles and you can rely on it week in week out. I mean I'm hoping there's a bit of that this season. Yeah I mean the biggest example of it, albeit it was a while ago now, will have been the summer of 2004 when we lost our jack realist in me essentially. We lost Wayne Rooney and all that came in was Marcus Benton, Tim Kail. Ben coming for 500 grand or 800 grand more ever and Tim Kail coming for 1.7 million or closer to that. Everyone we got pumped for one on the opening day of the season around by Arsenal and there was a lot of doom and gloom and we're going to get relegated and this is happening and that's happening. We just finished 17th and that season we ended up finishing fourth which was incredible and it was a small squad and we got lucky with injuries. If the window is shut you'd be looking at everything in the squad and you'd go ok, they got 59 points last season. Still got the same set of players but we've also got John Philippe Cobb on them, we've got Andrew Tharnes and Damari Gray, we've also got Moise Keen. But if you're looking at it and you're saying well the goals will come from Retialas and Dom, Moise Keen might weigh in with a few. Hammers are still league at half a dozen last year. You'd look at it that way and expect Benitez to have us a bit tighter. You'd go well why can't we get it that grab that Europa League or the conference league place. We'd need a little bit of luck of course we will but it's difficult to almost do it. To preview it fully because the window hasn't shut and we might not have Hammers Rodriguez in three weeks. We might have another player out and we might have two or three in. Who knows how the budget is. And then it flips again and I know me and you were talking earlier in the week about Roberto Martínez's summer, the first month. Runa Cone and Alcaraz and Robles and Daryl Feiyw was the one who was like, it's exciting but he was a kid from Barcelona who was known and seen. And then we get to the final day. Fellain he goes and we end up at Romelu Rukachu after three draws. Exactly three draws and we end up Gareth Barry and James McCarthy and all of a sudden David the catalyst. We ended up against finishing, you know, we should have got Champions League. We were in Orange with three or four games to go. So you can't always look at it and predict it and I do understand why people are a bit negative. Not negative but a bit like can't get excited because we haven't got anything new. But one thing like I said before it should excite us all is being back in the stadium. Yeah, of course that's going to be the big thing and I think that's the thing we have to roll and brace. I think the players will thrive on that. And it could be the spark for some players, you know, James Rodriguez is obviously being doubtful somewhere about his future at the club and we still don't know that's still up in the air. But you know if we can get him a good of some part on Saturday and he gets to experience Premier League football properly home and away then that might give him this bit of God, I really like this. Or he might do well and a team might go actually we want to take it. No, it could happen. It could be the same for Moise Keane and obviously I want to talk about the new players but I just want to talk about Gabbaman for a minute. We all just want to see John Philippe Gabbaman come and play for Everton and get games under his belt and get general fitness under his belt. And get into the rough and tumble of the Premier League without having to have that thing in the back of your mind or he's going to get injured again. And get away from this thing now, you know, he's injury prone or whatever. He picked up two really bad injuries and then in the last season after he played he picked up something in training and it just couldn't have happened to anyone at any time. We just want to see him don't we and let him get familiar with the Premier League because this is the other side of it. It's going to take him when he's fit. Time to get into the Premier League, of course it is. Quick League. But he could be a really good asset, couldn't he? Yeah, definitely. He's got the physical attributes you need. He's big and strong and quick, good passer of the ball and likes to break things up. So, I think if you put him in midfield with Decore and Alan, if you go for the three of times, you'll have the experience. Him and Decore, you'll have the full mobility to move an hand. So, I think he could be a really key player for us. We needed him last season, we needed that and we still, I would still go and get another one because I think you need to be able to rotate all four of them. It's a key area but he could be a huge player. Well, he's a ball carrier, isn't he? I think that's one of the reasons why we were attracted to him in the first place. He's a ball carrier. He picks the ball up and he moves it and then he releases it, you know, whether a pass or whatever. He'll get us up the pitch because that's something I think we've been missing probably since Ross Barclay left the club, I'll be honest. Someone who picks the ball up and moves you up the pitch, the amount of times that we get the ball, it's so critical, you know, we've been criticised so heavily about it in the last few years of defenders just passing to themselves. And then last season it was passing to themselves and then passing to midfield and then losing to midfield and then you're on the back foot. He's someone who will drive you into those attacking areas where you can start taking chances, players can start moving and I don't think we've quite had that. I think there was moments Garner did that a few times, but not enough for me. He really could have done it more and I see him doing it, but of course it's all down to whether he can get fit and get up to the speed of the Premier League. But he is a new sign, I know we've dug about it in the past, but he is a new sign because he's not, you know, he's barely kicked the ball and angered in the Premier League and he, you know, if managed correctly at the start, I think he could be a major asset to us this season. Yeah, definitely. It depends where he plays. I mean, I've seen him in the six just sitting in front of the back foot, but his passion in the English is excellent. And he gets you going quickly that way because he does get a turn and you're away, but we saw him in United States playing almost as the 10th at times and travelling with the ball, with the core I behind him against Premier Mass. So he's done a little bit of everything, but you're right if we can look after him and keep him fit, he could be a real big effect on the season this season, definitely. So the new sign is obviously on just town's incoming face. A lot of, a lot of eyebrows raised when he came in, including my own. You know, getting a play for nothing, free chance fair, Crystal Palace hitting 30. So far it's set the tone for sort of the way the summer's been, but again, reflecting on things that have happened in the past, he could just be one of those signings, couldn't he? You can play in three, four positions, works hard, got a turn of pace, two-footed, and be someone we can just, I suppose, just rely on to come in and do a job when we need them to. There's no, I'm not, I can't honestly say to you saying he's the most exciting player in the world, he's going to open up the door, you know, the pitch up and open doors for the players, but certainly I think if you're trying to get players out of the club and you want to get rid of a Bernard or you want to get rid of a couple of other, you know, even being sent to players, he can fill the gaps in the squad. So for me, I think it's an intelligent sign and obviously the way it's gone so far was not really spending any money. It looks even more intelligent. Yeah, you need versatility in any squad, and you need a level of performance. I think Everton have probably suffered greatly over the last three or four years of not knowing what performance levels people are up to. You know, Bernard being a case in point came in his first season, he was fantastic. The second season for whatever reason, the manager broke the partnership up and then Bernard never really recovered from it. So every time he played, he was hoping that he'd get up to a level, but he never did. And other players you've had in a Wobie's being one of them, you know, is he going to be good this week or terrible or whatever. You don't know, you just never knew and still don't know where you're at, and that's been Alex a Wobie's issue. I think Andrews Tarngrin, you know you're getting probably, you're getting a seven, probably out of them, or a six and a half every week. Every regardless of what, and sometimes it'll be an eight, but it won't dip below the six and a half because of the weight, right? And he's good with both feet, like you've said. I think cutting inside and hitting the ball with his left foot, I think he'll get some goals for us. Good crosser of the ball, most accurate crosser of the ball in the Premier League last season, so we've got the best header of the ball in the Premier League as well in the Dominic Alvalun. So that's good. That feels like a plan. The manager said early on, didn't he? I think much of even being his first press conference was like, well, we've got someone who's really good at doing things like heading the ball. So the simple thing is that there's plenty of sense first, let's give him more opportunity. And he went and got him and, you know, you're right, he can play left back, he can play centre of the field, he can play left wing, right wing. So he's a steady player, and sometimes they're what you need more than the flash, person that turns up six or seven times a season. So it's a no brainer, he was a free transfer, his weight isn't that huge, and he'll come in and the lad. All's I've heard, I've been impressed with everything I've heard when he's spoken. And I think he's done quite well for this season in terms of the games he works out and his attitude seems to be spot on, so it's a very low risk sign. And obviously, Damari Greig coming in as well, £1.5 million from Bailaver Cusin. He's a player who's obviously, when he was at Birmingham, highly talked about going to Leicester, never quite fulfilled his potential, went to Germany and, you know, we've brought him back. Again, he's looked bright and pre-season, looks like he's got a bit of a tear in a pace. Again, he actually does look like someone who I think to myself, do we know what we're going to get every week with him, just because he has been inconsistent in his career so far. But his level's also higher than Amazon. But he's 25, and this is the time now. He's got an opportunity to come and play for the team, probably week in, week out. And for him, this is an opportunity, a really big opportunity that, you know, if he takes it, you know, it'd be a really good move for him, and it's good for us. It's not really a risk because of what we're paying for him, and he's got an opportunity to do something, gives us that little bit of pace, gives us that little bit of wit. We've played him down the middle as a more of a number 10 as well in pre-season, so he's another one that gives us something that I don't think we had before. No, no, we didn't, he's direct, he's allowed, he's got to put everything together now. The potential's been there. He's got a good turn of pace on him, he's got quick feet, he goes by players as if they're not there at times. But he's never been able to reach that consistency, and I think that's the issue with him. I think he's just turned 25 a couple of months ago. So this is the one, this is his move, you know, good age, big club, opportunity to really nail down a position. He's talked about getting back in England frame and all that. Well, you've got to be consistent to play for England. You can, if you play for Everton, Dominic Alvaloon, Joven Pickford, Michael Gain, Ben Godfrey, we've all proved it in the last year and a half. The manager will watch it, and if you do well, and he's got a tough task because there's a lot of bright attack and talent England have got, but the only way you're even going to be in a conversation is by being consistent, and it's up to him. And he's another one, he can play wide right, wide left off the front man, and there is a low risk, and he's, you know, one and a half million. The worst case scenario, he comes in and does all right, and Everton sell him for five, six, seven, eight million quid, you've made money on him. But I think for him, he's only signed a three-year deal, so Everton has been sensible with the contract as well. So it's up to him now, you know, he's very, very highly rated at the game. I've never wanted him at the time, lest it took him there, and he played, you know, a good number of games for Lester. I didn't score the goals he should. If there's a criticism of him as that, maybe get some shots away as well a couple of times on Saturday at United. He went by a couple of players and they opened up for him, and he popped it off instead of just getting it out of his feet and having to go. But he's a direct runner, and we don't really have to see many of them in the squad, so I think he's a welcome addition. I think his level, I think his potential's high, whether he gets there is down to him, but I'm happy that he's in our squad because he gives us something else. And obviously he brought in, has me a bag of itch as well, back of goalkeeper. Again, looked alright in pre-season, looks quite steady, someone a little bit different than Jordan Pickford, someone hopefully will push him like Robin Olsen did last season and show that, you know, you're not always going to be the number one if you don't stay at your level because there's a fella there who can come in and do the job because he's got experience, Premier League proven, played a lot of games last season in the championship and can take your place. And as proven in the second half of the season, going into the Euros and obviously in the Euros, Jordan Pickford at his highest level is a fantastic goalkeeper, but you've got to keep him at those levels. You've got to keep him on his toes every day, keep challenging him every day because we've seen that, if he's not, obviously when he drop off, the drop off can be a massive drop off for Jordan Pickford. So to me again, it's a no-brainer really. Yeah, he's a steady goal, 6-for-6, big keeper, you know, and I'd have no issue with him being in goal for us for games, the same as the way Robin Olsen did last year, I think Jordan Pickford, in Raffa Benitez, I think he doesn't mind dropping people if they're not pulling the weight, so Pickford will know that. He's sure of the weekend if his mind's not fully on it, bit rusty for the first one when he dropped it, so he will have to get his level up, but you're right, from February onwards, Pickford was exceptional and was fantastic in the Euros, so that's the Jordan Pickford we want on. I think ask me a big of it, can push him to get to those heights again. Yeah, but they're still obviously with three weeks from record until the window shots, there are obviously a few gaps we've mentioned, we've mentioned right back, obviously that's the clearest one because it's a position which I don't personally feel we've got a start at the club, I think we've got two back-ups there, and obviously Seamus Coleman is the most experienced, but I think we've got to get that done, we've got to get some money because the time's ticking away. And it's glaring, it's a glaring obvious position, and if we can get a couple out as well, maybe a midfielder as well, and then obviously it depends on who we can get out if Moise King wants to leave, then you'd want another centre forward in as well, but there's still work to be done. All the definite work to be done, the right back position is becoming a little bit of an issue now, well not a little bit of an issue, it's becoming a big issue because we've needed one for a couple of seasons, we needed a back-up to push Seamus, we had the procedure two years ago because there was a question about Seamus Coleman, last season there was talk of getting the right back in, Max Arans was mentioning last season, they can get him and then Seamus, there are three injuries in the opening few months of the season. There's been talk all summer, well known we chased Denzel Dumfries, Max Arans has been mentioned, there's been two or three other fullbacks mentioned as well in that, so evidently they've been on the hump for a right back, and hopefully it'll come to a conclusion within the next three weeks and we'll get one in because it's an area we need. And then the rest of the squad, you're right, it depends who goes out the door, if we can get a couple of midfielders out the door, then Frank Zambo and Gwis has been mentioned, Dennis Sicari is, who I would love has been mentioned, Mattias Nunes, who the echo ended up doing a piece on last night despite saying the other day it was never happening. So, you know, there's options there evidently I think are looking around who's available, we know they want another winger but whether there's any room to bring one in, essentially I've been mentioned from right on the tridders alone or Rod Rigo is another one. So, quite clearly there's targets, but I think for me the key evidently I've got to do the first thing I think Rafa Benitez really has to sort of do with starting centreback partners. You know, that for me will be is where it all starts and we know Llychodin will play because he's the best we've got and he should be playing anyway. And then you've got, for me it'd be Yeri Mina and Ben Goffrey, they'd be my starting two, but I don't know whether it will be because Yeri Mina was given what, 20 minutes at Old Trafford of the weekend and he's not played for Benitez. It's key isn't that we get off to a good start in the first three games, you know, pick points up. Three tricky games isn't it? No, no, they are of course they are, but it's, you know, because this is almost like the continuation of pre-season in these first three games. You know, teams are settling down, none of them have probably played the level of pre-season game they wanted to play at. And it is, it does feel like, you know, till you get to that back after international break, still feels like, and there's always like weird results as well. You know, last season we've seen like Crystal Palace going to Old Trafford daily doors and, you know, beating them. There's always like weird, weird results in the first few weeks as teams are settling down and getting to know each other. You know, it's not going to be straightforward, but it is important that, you know, we get, we just pick up a few points and, you know, a couple of wins will be nice in the first three games, just to settle us down. As, you know, Rafa Benitez is on the training ground coaching the players, because you have all come back at different stages as well. So you've not got a true reflection of what your team is. So I think it's really important, I mean, you know, obviously it's always important to pick wins up, but we could just settle everybody down, you know, players, fans, everybody down. So that, you know, we're building together and fans back in the grounds as well. It's going to be an important start of the season. I think Saturday's huge, first game. Everton win that, we all go home with the bombs in our step. You know, being back at the match full crowd, win the game and look forward to Leeds away then with that little bit of confidence and then hopefully it always happens with the transfer window. It seems like nothing's happening and then all of a sudden, we always say it, all of a sudden people start going. People start getting a bit impatient and looking at squads and we need to get these people out. Everyone, it's the game of poker, isn't it? You're waiting for someone to blink first, I guess. Well, it's going to be a very interesting three weeks, but if we can get what we need in, but the big, the start is imperative. Get the win strategy and we'll all feel a little bit brighter about everything. Yeah, there you go. I'm sure we'll do another one of these just after the international break is on as well. About where we are and how we move forward with the season. For me, the season, I've got no expectations for the season whatsoever. I think this is the summer, the chickens have come home to roost in many ways. In terms of spending and stuff like that. Financially and just a lot of different things. For me, I've got no expectations. I've got no expectations. I just don't know how anyone can have expectations because Everton Football Club has just been in the last few years on such a rollercoaster ride. I honestly thought this summer was going to be the first summer where we might have a chance to have a little bit of peace and build and grow. We haven't, again, in typical Evans style. No expectations for me just going there and hope the players deliver. They know what they're doing and they put the performances on the pitch and they work hard. Out of that, I'm sure something will grow if they do that. That's all you can ask for, isn't it? And then start understanding the tactical side of the process. The manager's got to foster that work rate. I'm not sure Carlo Ancelotti did. It's good that the manager is what Carlo Ancelotti is. I've said it a million times if you give me 20 well-class plays and ask me for a manager to be Carlo every time. We haven't got that at Everton. We need a manager that's demanding and a manager that demands hard work first at the moment because we've seen this set of players letting quite a few managers down. If we do work hard and stick together, and we stick together as a fan base with them, then things can be achieved. Because we're not going to get it hoping something great is going to happen and them walking around the pitch. But if they work hard, we'll respond to them. And if we respond, we can help them as well. So it's going to be interesting and you probably like it. It is going to be interesting and very interesting. That will start on Saturday at Gunsham Park here. That's going to be very, very interesting. We'll see what happens. But hopefully we start with three points and we go from there. So let us know your thoughts in the comments. What are your thoughts on this season? New manager? A few new players? What else do we need before that window shuts? What are your expectations for the season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Don't forget, give this video a like. Subscribe if you haven't and if you want more great videos, tune us over on Patreon where we do daily live shows. The link is in the description and it's on the screen now. See you later.