Tom Cannon officially signs!

[Lesta2014]

Like how he always gets a shot off and it’s on target. The amount of shots he takes that aren’t tame efforts should mean he scores his fair share. All 3 he’s taken and the disallowed one were all smartly finished! Hopefully he gets a couple of poachers tap ins too and he will be laughing! 

[Paninistickers]

[ithuriel]

18 minutes ago, Lesta2014 said:

Like how he always gets a shot off and it’s on target. The amount of shots he takes that aren’t tame efforts should mean he scores his fair share. All 3 he’s taken and the disallowed one were all smartly finished! Hopefully he gets a couple of poachers tap ins too and he will be laughing! 

His shot that was deflected was there for Ricardo to slot home too earlier in the season when he came on as sub.

He is generally in the right place to take them and has shown he can finish, wonder if he will hit double figures this season?

[sm1]

23 minutes ago, Lesta2014 said:

Like how he always gets a shot off and it’s on target. The amount of shots he takes that aren’t tame efforts should mean he scores his fair share. All 3 he’s taken and the disallowed one were all smartly finished! Hopefully he gets a couple of poachers tap ins too and he will be laughing! 

That's very similar to Kane. He has all the makings of a top striker.

[SouthStandUpperTier]

2 minutes ago, sm1 said:

That's very similar to Kane. He has all the makings of a top striker.

So you're saying we're not going to win anything while he's here? 

[Lesta Legend]

https://theathletic.com/3956443/2022/12/02/tom-cannon-everton-academy/?amp=1
 

Good write up, sorry for those that can’t see it. But an article from dec 2022 that suggests he could be the answer to Everton’s goal woes and how he has quickly developed. While any player at U21 can look like the next big thing you’d think his loan success at Preston would have made the penny drop at the Everton hierarchy.  You’d bed him into the first team and not spunk yet more millions via their broken recruitment system. Bet we couldn’t believe our luck and it says a lot when we still went ahead in spite of the injury found. 
 

It’s still early days but he looks the real deal and you can see that confidence and belief from him in his own ability. 

[Number 6]

That Everton fan comment stacks up with what we've seen so far. I like his movement in this system, maybe doesn't drop as deep as Daka but has still got some pace and makes intelligent movement. He's a very clean striker of the ball too and seems to hit the target at the very least. Matches that video of his Preston goals, lots tucked into the corner. Should keep Own happy at least.

[brookfox]

Watching Havertz bumble about in the box made me appreciate Cannon even more. Nothing overly fancy just quick well struck efforts with good striker instincts. Very early days but will be interesting to see how his career pans out over the next few seasons.

[Vlad the Fox]

Looking at the goal again it gets even better, anything other than a first time shot and he’s got two defenders to contend with.

[MPH]

13 hours ago, Vlad the Fox said:

Hope he chooses Ireland, keep him away from all the tapping up that goes on with England.

 

 

I heard his dad  was born in the Faroe Islands……

[fuchsntf]

12 hours ago, ithuriel said:

His shot that was deflected was there for Ricardo to slot home too earlier in the season when he came on as sub.

He is generally in the right place to take them and has shown he can finish, wonder if he will hit double figures this season?

His positioning,eye to be where he should be,when spaces,passes & chances open up for him,he seem to be a natural,the system seems made for him,if Enzo is going to entrust him for his No1 striker role, even from this stage,I believe he can pick up

that guantlet ..to chase down a 11-15 goal target…

importantly he becomes that player,who wants ,sees,and takes that selfish route to

goal,but also an eye for a teammate,

though IMO he has the  “ Liscence to kill “ and stands above too greedy mark….His game & attitude will also open up space for others,

 

Interesting to see what @StriderHiryu  could find & pick up,what this type of striker

Can bring more towards Enzo-tactics & team front 6 strategy,though in some circumstances we saw by his last goal…he’s a good target from defence that our 

Backline are more than capable of delivering..

 

@ithuriel I haven’t seen you around for awhile…or my senses are totally leaving or deceiving me…Hope everything has/is been ok,and just a short life’s/FT furlough was needed..

 

 

.

 

 

 

[StriderHiryu]

7 hours ago, fuchsntf said:

His positioning,eye to be where he should be,when spaces,passes & chances open up for him,he seem to be a natural,the system seems made for him,if Enzo is going to entrust him for his No1 striker role, even from this stage,I believe he can pick up

that guantlet ..to chase down a 11-15 goal target…

 

Interesting to see what @StriderHiryu  could find & pick up,what this type of striker

Can bring more towards Enzo-tactics & team front 6 strategy,though in some circumstances we saw by his last goal…he’s a good target from defence that our 

Backline are more than capable of delivering..

 

 

The Cannon signing was a very interesting one, because if you look at the system that Enzo wants to play, the standout candidate for the role was Joel Piroe who went to Leeds. Their fans say "Piroe is NOT a number 9", because he drops so deep. That's exactly why I think we were interested, because his profile fit one who could link up the play.

 

Cannon by contrast was playing for a very pragmatic Preston North End team that rarely saw the ball. But his finishing was superb, and showed a wide range of different finishes. An accomplished finisher at an early age, with real composure. But on paper, there wasn't anything to suggest that he would be good at the link-up play and all round game. However, a lot of coaches often prefer to work with younger players because they are much more mouldable. As they haven't played for other managers before, their brain is like a sponge, and they can quickly pick up new instructions, and are often hungry to show what they can do. That's the gamble I think we've taken, to develop someone with clear strengths into an all-round player that suits the system we are playing.

 

Can he become that player? Maybe, maybe not. He's really come alive in the last few games though and doesn't look overawed at all. Already we see his pressing and movement off the ball is good. So far, his obvious weakness is that he isn't the best at playing with his back to goal, especially so deep on the pitch. But that side of his game can definitely be developed.

 

I think he's a really exciting signing. With his composure and movement, this is a player that looks like he can score goals in the Premier League. Can he be a 20 goal a season striker in the top league? Well that is very hard for anyone to do, only a handful of players outside the top 6 have ever achieved it; Vardy (multiple times), Ings and Toney. But let's enjoy the ride! His attitude seems great and comes across as a likeable guy.

 

At the start of the season I thought that if we got promoted we would go big on a technical striker who was proven at being able to link up play. But over the last few months I feel like you'd have to give Daka and Cannon opportunities to stake their claims. 

[messerschmitt]

12 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

The Cannon signing was a very interesting one, because if you look at the system that Enzo wants to play, the standout candidate for the role was Joel Piroe who went to Leeds. Their fans say "Piroe is NOT a number 9", because he drops so deep. That's exactly why I think we were interested, because his profile fit one who could link up the play.

 

Cannon by contrast was playing for a very pragmatic Preston North End team that rarely saw the ball. But his finishing was superb, and showed a wide range of different finishes. An accomplished finisher at an early age, with real composure. But on paper, there wasn't anything to suggest that he would be good at the link-up play and all round game. However, a lot of coaches often prefer to work with younger players because they are much more mouldable. As they haven't played for other managers before, their brain is like a sponge, and they can quickly pick up new instructions, and are often hungry to show what they can do. That's the gamble I think we've taken, to develop someone with clear strengths into an all-round player that suits the system we are playing.

 

Can he become that player? Maybe, maybe not. He's really come alive in the last few games though and doesn't look overawed at all. Already we see his pressing and movement off the ball is good. So far, his obvious weakness is that he isn't the best at playing with his back to goal, especially so deep on the pitch. But that side of his game can definitely be developed.

 

I think he's a really exciting signing. With his composure and movement, this is a player that looks like he can score goals in the Premier League. Can he be a 20 goal a season striker in the top league? Well that is very hard for anyone to do, only a handful of players outside the top 6 have ever achieved it; Vardy (multiple times), Ings and Toney. But let's enjoy the ride! His attitude seems great and comes across as a likeable guy.

 

At the start of the season I thought that if we got promoted we would go big on a technical striker who was proven at being able to link up play. But over the last few months I feel like you'd have to give Daka and Cannon opportunities to stake their claims. 

Linking up play is all well and good but if you watched the Arsenal game yesterday, you also need someone who can put the ball in the net. I'd bet Cannon outscores Piroe in minutes/games.

Personally. I think Daka coming into the team made a massive difference because teams couldn't 100% press us, They also had to worry about the ball over the top. This then gave us more space, almost a double benefit.

 

Early days but Cannon looks like a cross between our 3 other stikers with some of the best bits of all of them.

I think this will make our system even more difficult to stop.

 

[StriderHiryu]

5 minutes ago, messerschmitt said:

Linking up play is all well and good but if you watched the Arsenal game yesterday, you also need someone who can put the ball in the net. I'd bet Cannon outscores Piroe in minutes/games.

Personally. I think Daka coming into the team made a massive difference because teams couldn't 100% press us, They also had to worry about the ball over the top. This then gave us more space, almost a double benefit.

 

Early days but Cannon looks like a cross between our 3 other stikers with some of the best bits of all of them.

I think this will make our system even more difficult to stop.

 

I agree, which is why it's kind of clever to take someone with a natural talent for finishing and developing their all round-game, rather than take a player with a good all-round game and try to develop their finishing. The truly elite strikers have that natural composure in front of goal that I think is almost impossible to teach!

[Langston]

35 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Can he be a 20 goal a season striker in the top league? Well that is very hard for anyone to do, only a handful of players outside the top 6 have ever achieved it; Vardy (multiple times), Ings and Toney. 

Not disputing the difficulty of it but it’s not just these three is it? 
 

Shearer, Ferdinand, Collymore, Phillips, Beattie, Johnson, Bent. There’ll be more too. 
 

Collymore, Phillips and Johnson did it in their first seasons up after promotion with their respective clubs too.

[StriderHiryu]

2 minutes ago, Langston said:

Not disputing the difficulty of it but it’s not just these three is it? 
 

Shearer, Ferdinand, Collymore, Phillips, Beattie, Johnson, Bent. There’ll be more too. 
 

Collymore, Phillips and Johnson did it in their first seasons up after promotion with their respective clubs too.

All those were pre Chelsea / Man City money. I think since 2010, the list is pretty small. There probably are a few others, but it's harder and harder to do it.

[Foxmeister]

Just now, StriderHiryu said:

All those were pre Chelsea / Man City money. I think since 2010, the list is pretty small. There probably are a few others, but it's harder and harder to do it.

Chelsea and Man City's money didn't make strikers better.

[StriderHiryu]

@Langston, players that have scored 20+ Premier League goals since 2010. Bold players are those from non top-6 clubs: 2010/11
Dimitar Berbatov	Manchester United	20
Carlos Tevez	Manchester City
2011/12
Robin van Persie	Arsenal	30
Wayne Rooney	Manchester United	27
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	23
2012/13
Robin van Persie	Manchester United	26
Luis Suárez	Liverpool	23
Gareth Bale	Tottenham Hotspur	21
2013/14
Luis Suárez	Liverpool	31
Daniel Sturridge	Liverpool	21
Yaya Touré	Manchester City	20
2014/15
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	26
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	21
Diego Costa	Chelsea	20
2015/16
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	25
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	24
Jamie Vardy	Leicester City
2016/17
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	29
Romelu Lukaku	Everton	25
Alexis Sánchez	Arsenal	24
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	20
Diego Costa	Chelsea
2017/18
Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	32
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	30
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	21
Jamie Vardy	Leicester City	20
2018/19
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Arsenal	22
Sadio Mané	Liverpool
Mohamed Salah	Liverpool
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	21
2019/20
Jamie Vardy	Leicester City	23
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Arsenal	22
Danny Ings	Southampton
Raheem Sterling	Manchester City	20
2020/21
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	23
Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	22
2021/22
Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	23
Son Heung-Min	Tottenham Hotspur
2022/23
Erling Haaland	Manchester City	36
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	30
Ivan Toney	Brentford	20

[brookfox]

8 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

@Langston, players that have scored 20+ Premier League goals since 2010. Bold players are those from non top-6 clubs: 2010/11
Dimitar Berbatov	Manchester United	20
Carlos Tevez	Manchester City
2011/12
Robin van Persie	Arsenal	30
Wayne Rooney	Manchester United	27
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	23
2012/13
Robin van Persie	Manchester United	26
Luis Suárez	Liverpool	23
Gareth Bale	Tottenham Hotspur	21
2013/14
Luis Suárez	Liverpool	31
Daniel Sturridge	Liverpool	21
Yaya Touré	Manchester City	20
2014/15
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	26
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	21
Diego Costa	Chelsea	20
2015/16
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	25
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	24
Jamie Vardy	Leicester City
2016/17
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	29
Romelu Lukaku	Everton	25
Alexis Sánchez	Arsenal	24
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	20
Diego Costa	Chelsea
2017/18
Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	32
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	30
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	21
Jamie Vardy	Leicester City	20
2018/19
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Arsenal	22
Sadio Mané	Liverpool
Mohamed Salah	Liverpool
Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	21
2019/20
Jamie Vardy	Leicester City	23
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Arsenal	22
Danny Ings	Southampton
Raheem Sterling	Manchester City	20
2020/21
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	23
Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	22
2021/22
Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	23
Son Heung-Min	Tottenham Hotspur
2022/23
Erling Haaland	Manchester City	36
Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	30
Ivan Toney	Brentford	20

Think what this shows is that the need for a 20 goal striker isn’t actually there to be a Prem team. On average about 3 teams a season have one which means 14 other teams stay up without one!

 

Maybe when football was a 442 game, your wingers crossed it and you had the big man up front supporting a 9 as your main goal threat. Then you needed one. Now as football has evolved I’d expect our wide forwards and 8s to contribute goals meaning from the front man even 12-15 could be a very good return. No idea if the stats back this up!

[ARM1968]

39 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

I agree, which is why it's kind of clever to take someone with a natural talent for finishing and developing their all round-game, rather than take a player with a good all-round game and try to develop their finishing. The truly elite strikers have that natural composure in front of goal that I think is almost impossible to teach!

They always hit it early. Other players would take a touch or half a second longer. The greats hit it before you expect really and usually on target. 

[Finnegan]

1 hour ago, StriderHiryu said:

The Cannon signing was a very interesting one, because if you look at the system that Enzo wants to play, the standout candidate for the role was Joel Piroe who went to Leeds. Their fans say "Piroe is NOT a number 9", because he drops so deep. That's exactly why I think we were interested, because his profile fit one who could link up the play.

 

Cannon by contrast was playing for a very pragmatic Preston North End team that rarely saw the ball. But his finishing was superb, and showed a wide range of different finishes. An accomplished finisher at an early age, with real composure. But on paper, there wasn't anything to suggest that he would be good at the link-up play and all round game. However, a lot of coaches often prefer to work with younger players because they are much more mouldable. As they haven't played for other managers before, their brain is like a sponge, and they can quickly pick up new instructions, and are often hungry to show what they can do. That's the gamble I think we've taken, to develop someone with clear strengths into an all-round player that suits the system we are playing.

 

Can he become that player? Maybe, maybe not. He's really come alive in the last few games though and doesn't look overawed at all. Already we see his pressing and movement off the ball is good. So far, his obvious weakness is that he isn't the best at playing with his back to goal, especially so deep on the pitch. But that side of his game can definitely be developed.

 

I think he's a really exciting signing. With his composure and movement, this is a player that looks like he can score goals in the Premier League. Can he be a 20 goal a season striker in the top league? Well that is very hard for anyone to do, only a handful of players outside the top 6 have ever achieved it; Vardy (multiple times), Ings and Toney. But let's enjoy the ride! His attitude seems great and comes across as a likeable guy.

 

At the start of the season I thought that if we got promoted we would go big on a technical striker who was proven at being able to link up play. But over the last few months I feel like you'd have to give Daka and Cannon opportunities to stake their claims. 

 

I'll be honest, I feel like the "Maresca wants a striker who will drop deep" stuff largely came from people putting two and two together themselves and imagining a creator in that role. It started before we'd even played a game and anyone had seen how we line up. Everyone making out like the thing he values most is a striker to get involved in build up like some sort of false 9.

 

Yet actually, we've got four strikers at the club, three of them specialise in getting behind the defence and that, for all the world, looks like something Maresca values and wants to get out of them. 

 

Enzo is a manager that understands space. You don't get to work with Pep Guardiola unless you have the ability to read and interpret space and understand movement on a football pitch. What's the quote? "We don't pass to move the ball, we pass to move the opponent."

 

For me you can apply that to the way he deploys our strikers. Yes, Vardy, Cannon and Daka have clearly all had instructions to drop deeper to be a receiver, often from as far back as Vestergaard or Hermansen, but they're not being expected to do anything in terms of complex build up play. Usually, it's just to lay the ball off with a first time pass to a midfielder in space and then to turn and get on their bike.

 

The point isn't for the strikers to be creative or help fashion chances in the sense that people usually think of a striker "dropping deep." The point is to move the defence. Centre backs are forced to decide whether to follow or stay, defensive midfielders have an extra body to decide to pick up or not, you're forcing the opposition out of their comfort zone and making them make decisions quickly under pressure instead of safely sitting in their block. 

 

It's not a coincidence we've looked better over the last few games with Daka and Cannon who have the fitness, work rate and mobility to go from dropping in to receive a pass in our own half to spinning, running and getting in behind a few seconds later. It's not a coincidence that we were struggling more to create with Iheanacho in the side despite the fact everyone perceiving him to be more Enzo's type of striker because Nacho doesn't have the work rate or pace to stretch the game both ways. 

 

Cannon and Daka drag the defence up and then quickly stretch them back again. It's constant movement that I don't actually think Piroe was particularly well suited for if I'm honest. 

 

TLDR: I personally think Daka, Vardy and Cannon are exactly the "type" of striker we need and that Maresca values. They don't need extensive ball skills or great ability to do the "dropping in" we need, they just need a bit of coaching to tweak some of their natural instincts which Maresca seems to thrive on (see Wilf, Ricardo, JJ and Hama.)

 

It's a shame we don't still have peak Jamie Vardy. He'd have absolutely thrived. 

 

[FosseSpark]

Cannon is light years ahead of Daka IMO with regards to the variation of his play, speed of decision and strength on the ball. Daka perhaps makes better near post runs whereas Cannon seems to favour checking back to the penalty spot (very small number of games to go on) so there's still lots for him to work on. 
Also keen to see how he is in the air when presented with a headed chance, which we haven't seen much of yet.

 

[fuchsntf]

1 hour ago, StriderHiryu said:

The Cannon signing was a very interesting one, because if you look at the system that Enzo wants to play, the standout candidate for the role was Joel Piroe who went to Leeds. Their fans say "Piroe is NOT a number 9", because he drops so deep. That's exactly why I think we were interested, because his profile fit one who could link up the play.

 

Cannon by contrast was playing for a very pragmatic Preston North End team that rarely saw the ball. But his finishing was superb, and showed a wide range of different finishes. An accomplished finisher at an early age, with real composure. But on paper, there wasn't anything to suggest that he would be good at the link-up play and all round game. However, a lot of coaches often prefer to work with younger players because they are much more mouldable. As they haven't played for other managers before, their brain is like a sponge, and they can quickly pick up new instructions, and are often hungry to show what they can do. That's the gamble I think we've taken, to develop someone with clear strengths into an all-round player that suits the system we are playing.

 

Can he become that player? Maybe, maybe not. He's really come alive in the last few games though and doesn't look overawed at all. Already we see his pressing and movement off the ball is good. So far, his obvious weakness is that he isn't the best at playing with his back to goal, especially so deep on the pitch. But that side of his game can definitely be developed.

 

I think he's a really exciting signing. With his composure and movement, this is a player that looks like he can score goals in the Premier League. Can he be a 20 goal a season striker in the top league? Well that is very hard for anyone to do, only a handful of players outside the top 6 have ever achieved it; Vardy (multiple times), Ings and Toney. But let's enjoy the ride! His attitude seems great and comes across as a likeable guy.

 

At the start of the season I thought that if we got promoted we would go big on a technical striker who was proven at being able to link up play. But over the last few months I feel like you'd have to give Daka and Cannon opportunities to stake their claims. 

Thank you &.  @messerschmittfor the response, though @Finnegan gives also again good feedback..

Afer another selection masterclass change.. it's good to read over another successful GameDay, the actual football banter, than the first pages of finding first negative criticism over players, who have done little wrong.. 

 

I don't know if it shows the "system" is self-serving, Or Enzo has an eye for every single player in our squad... But I love the idea evertime "position or selection"  quanderies & queries are thrown up in this (23 + cup) season so far.. the gauntlet has been picked up, and solved potential flaw and weaknesses... At present many negative agendas are being seen as quite  pathetic punditry or totally misplaced... 

Plus it's a nice obvious feeling having, 20+ weekends & gamedays, even on the Weekends we suffered losses, there are/were more positives and wellbeing... 

[Saxondale]

23 hours ago, Lesta Legend said:

https://theathletic.com/3956443/2022/12/02/tom-cannon-everton-academy/?amp=1
 

Good write up, sorry for those that can’t see it. But an article from dec 2022 that suggests he could be the answer to Everton’s goal woes and how he has quickly developed. While any player at U21 can look like the next big thing you’d think his loan success at Preston would have made the penny drop at the Everton hierarchy.  You’d bed him into the first team and not spunk yet more millions via their broken recruitment system. Bet we couldn’t believe our luck and it says a lot when we still went ahead in spite of the injury found. 
 

It’s still early days but he looks the real deal and you can see that confidence and belief from him in his own ability. 

Don’t forget Everton needed to shift players for FFP revenue. Maybe if they were in a stronger financial situation they wouldn’t have sold.

[Lesta Legend]

7 minutes ago, Saxondale said:

Don’t forget Everton needed to shift players for FFP revenue. Maybe if they were in a stronger financial situation they wouldn’t have sold.

Maybe but at the same time they spent £12m on a youth player from Sporting who now warms their bench. A waste of money with FFP in mind for their next accounts. 
 

Their loss is now our gain.