Radio DJ and presenter Dave Vitty has ranted on the All Together Now podcast about Everton’s decision to let Ellis Simms and Lewis Dobbin leave on loan this summer.
As things stand, Frank Lampard currently has one fit first-team striker available to call upon and that’s a 32-year-old Salomon Rondon with one league goal and nine league starts to his name since arriving last summer.
Therefore, it does raise the question as to why the likes of Simms and Dobbin were allowed to leave on loan without any form of replacement being lined up by the board, which has left them very thin and troubled in the striker department.
Speaking before Everton’s Carabao Cup tie in midweek, Vitty questioned why and who sanctioned those two loan deals without having anyone lined up to replace them and improve their striker department this summer.
(24:31) “I mean, you know, ordinarily, you’d have probably seen a run out for Simms and Lewis Dobbin, but obviously, you know, we’ve got so much cover up front that they’ve gone on loan.”
Will Everton sign a new striker this summer?
Yes!
No!
(24:47) “How is that sanctioned? How are those loan deals sanctioned before the necessary replacements have come in because that just shouldn’t happen.
“If Sunderland had been talking to them about Ellis and Derby had been talking to them about Lewis or whatever, that’s fine but surely the way that you discuss it is you kind of go, yes in theory we are up for that, we think the player would benefit from that, we think that we benefit from their experience, etc, etc, just let us get the replacements that we need in and then thereafter then that will happen, right?
“But you don’t go and stick them out on loan for a season-long loan, and then suddenly we find ourselves with nothing but Rondon, who I mean, he should look like a world beater against Fleetwood but I wouldn’t put money on it.”
TIF Thoughts on Everton’s striker situation…
It is a bizarre decision that Everton thought it would be good to see two young strikers head out on loan so early in the transfer window and without anyone clearly lined up as it’s impacted their start to the season with just one goal being scored by an Everton player thus far.
Reports have suggested that Everton are now eyeing up a last-minute move for Joao Pedro who appeared bound for Newcastle United, although considering he only netted four times last season, he wouldn’t necessarily appear to be the man who can fire them up the table.