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The debate with Wayne Rooney.
But then Rooney had a lot of debate about his two periods at Everton, didn’t he?
Even with Manchester United, throughout the seasons with a softening of feelings, he sparked conversations around beer glasses and the family food circle.
“Would you like to get it back?
In the end, they did. Rooney returned in the summer of 2017 and was the most sensible goalscorer in a season that nevertheless bit and spat on Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce and Steve Walsh.
But the mention of Rooney, a 34-year-old waiting for Derby County to return to the Premier League, is causing a stir.
After the milestone of his return, it was 3 years ago! – Theo Squires wrote that Marcel Brands would no longer make the same mistake with Everton.
Phil McNulty, the BBC’s football editor, disagreed: “I really think he was Everton’s most productive player this season and was the victim of his own altruism.”
Tony Scott of the All Together Now Podcast added: “There is an argument that Wayne Rooney’s signature is larger than most Marcel Brands firms.”
Others responded to the fire. Terry McAllister replied, “A Wayne Rooney exhausted by the 30-year-old look with the highest salary in the club?”
“He scored some goals this season, but how many were penalties? Three of his goals were scored in the same match. I think it brings back a dazzling romance. Error.”
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McNulty believes Rooney’s mindset would be an extra on the existing team. “Ancelotti would love someone with his attitude now rather than the comfortable and weak mentality that most of them had towards the end of last season,” he continued.
He added: “This firm [was] larger than some Brands firms. I have the right attitude and I’d do anything to play for us.”
In truth, the total discussion provides a dark reading for Brands and Everton.
We’re talking about a player who was replaced in 24 of his 36 starts on his only crusade before heading to DC United. He broke the club’s record by being replaced the maximum of times in a season without getting married for it.
By Christmas, Rooney had scored 11 goals in all competitions, racking up 3 assists along the way, but after the start of the year he would lay the bottom of the net.
To be honest, he won the ‘individual functionality of the season’ by sealing his hat-trick against West Ham United with a surprising shot of his own half.
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But Cheikhou Kouyate, Manuel Lanzini and Pedro Obiang were the midfield rivals who covered up their opponent that night. Against Manchester City and Liverpool, he took before the hour twice.
Actually, it was a combined comeback for Rooney. But Everton is not happy with the player he was when he got home.
Yes, it was effective. And yes, he has an ideal elite mindset, the guy ancelotti needs to paint with.
But it’s the amount of paints he and Brands have in their hands.
It also highlights fans’ frustration that Everton has not yet found cures for its midfield problems. You want an undeniable overhaul and the task is to locate players who have the features that Rooney still possesses to this day.
But the football director will have to hire an ‘energy’ midfielder – as Ancelotti pointed out at the start of his reign – as well as players who are likely to compete with players like Manchester City or Liverpool.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton is looking to get started and another summer is underway at Goodison Park.
Marcel Brands will be a busy guy as he looks at Everton’s team in the movement window.
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That’s a delicate question. But if anyone can succeed, is it actually Ancelotti, the 3rd champion of the Champions League? Surely Brands, who helped PSV Eindhoven to 3 years of glory?
Rooney, an addition forged upon his return. The most productive thing about a bad organization is perhaps too difficult.
But it didn’t live up to where Everton was looking to pass then and was looking to pass now.
This total season reeks of mediocrity and has never stopped since.
Ancelotti and Brands want to replace that perception. And that will start largely with the midfield.
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