[seteefeet]

I thought he was absolutely fantastic until his head was turned last summer.  Best CH we've had since Ally Robertson in my view.  Great reader of the game, calm under pressure, got a bit of bite so no one messed him about, scored a few goals too.  I honestly thought he was one of the very best CH's in the league for a while and could easily see why Man City or Arsenal mighty pay £25m for him as he was better than anything they had.   He was only held back by the impression that he was a Utd cast off and that no big club should want someone that arrived via the West Brom and the Utd scrap bin.  Had he arrived from Juventus and been named Joninho Evanio, he would have been raved about.   

For me, the rot set in long before taxigate.  Perhaps he was just having a massive sulk because he wasn't allowed to go play Champions League football and earn £100k a week at City (and I think he would have played, not just warmed they bench).  Whatever the reason, the collapse in his performances is the greatest I've ever seen at the Albion.   He could have been one of our all time greats and guaranteed a slot in any all-time XI that we pick.   In the end he has probably been as responsible for our relegation as anyone.  Sad. very, very sad....

Agree 100%. I once said that he had so much class, he could play anywhere on the pitch for us.
Turns out that "class" is the one thing he truly lacks. His sulky, half-hearted performances since the Man City deal came to nothing have been astonishing. Add the taxi debacle to that and he certainly doesn't come across as a classy individual.
Shame because, as you say, he could have been a great player for us.

[Hull Baggie]

I thought he was absolutely fantastic until his head was turned last summer.  Best CH we've had since Ally Robertson in my view.  Great reader of the game, calm under pressure, got a bit of bite so no one messed him about, scored a few goals too.  I honestly thought he was one of the very best CH's in the league for a while and could easily see why Man City or Arsenal mighty pay £25m for him as he was better than anything they had.   He was only held back by the impression that he was a Utd cast off and that no big club should want someone that arrived via the West Brom and the Utd scrap bin.  Had he arrived from Juventus and been named Joninho Evanio, he would have been raved about.   

For me, the rot set in long before taxigate.  Perhaps he was just having a massive sulk because he wasn't allowed to go play Champions League football and earn £100k a week at City (and I think he would have played, not just warmed they bench).  Whatever the reason, the collapse in his performances is the greatest I've ever seen at the Albion.   He could have been one of our all time greats and guaranteed a slot in any all-time XI that we pick.   In the end he has probably been as responsible for our relegation as anyone.  Sad. very, very sad....

The only part I don't agree with is that you think he would have played for City (and in the Champions league), can't see it myself. I'm certain he would have been on the bench. I'm sure at the time of City's interest it was widely reported that he was seen as back up.

[Backofthenet]

I for one will not be sorry to see him go. Whilst I accept he appears to have some class he also has a complete attitude problem. Even when he was supposedly playing well he certainly didn't perform like a true defender for me. Showboating in your own penalty area is certainly out and considering he was 'allowed' to do this when TP was in charge says something about his 'better than you' attitude.
Link that to the taxigate debacle and we will be better without him. He won't want to play in the Championship because he no doubt thinks he's far better than that.
I have a serious issue with players like that because if they think like that and think they are better they wouldn't be in a team getting relegated. The reason they are is because they are not good enough and don't have a mindset to fight for the right. We have certainly lacked players like that in a lot of areas and it's odd now that near the season's end some are putting in more of a shift. I wonder why.
Send for a cab.

[leeiswba]

I for one will not be sorry to see him go. Whilst I accept he appears to have some class he also has a complete attitude problem. Even when he was supposedly playing well he certainly didn't perform like a true defender for me. Showboating in your own penalty area is certainly out and considering he was 'allowed' to do this when TP was in charge says something about his 'better than you' attitude.
Link that to the taxigate debacle and we will be better without him. He won't want to play in the Championship because he no doubt thinks he's far better than that.
I have a serious issue with players like that because if they think like that and think they are better they wouldn't be in a team getting relegated. The reason they are is because they are not good enough and don't have a mindset to fight for the right. We have certainly lacked players like that in a lot of areas and it's odd now that near the season's end some are putting in more of a shift. I wonder why.
Send for a cab.

 he hasn’t been anywhere near the standard he was previously but to say he’s ‘showboating’ is garbage. It’s called calm and brilliant defending/football, it’s what made him stand out from the rest. How many times did his ‘showboating’ cost us goals? My guess is none as it wasn’t ‘showboating’ it was the correct thing to do at the time but only people with certain ability can do it.

[baggiejohn]

he hasn’t been anywhere near the standard he was previously but to say he’s ‘showboating’ is garbage. It’s called calm and brilliant defending/football, it’s what made him stand out from the rest. How many times did his ‘showboating’ cost us goals? My guess is none as it wasn’t ‘showboating’ it was the correct thing to do at the time but only people with certain ability can do it.

I think he has "dropped us in it" a couple of times, but I agree he is a class defender.

IMO, it's only the Barcelona incident that's turned the fans. If I was Head Coach, & my job was on the line, he's be one of the first on the team sheet for me.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Personally - I cannot wait to see the back of him.

He has been average at best all season - if not worse - he's going through the motions and has treated this club with a lack of respect.

At the point we needed our captain to be a leader we got this shyster - he and Barry deserve all they get from us.

[tuamigos]

Arsenal reportedly withdrawn interest in him

http://readwestbrom.com/2018/04/24/arsenal-no-longer-interested-in-evans/

[WBAinDEVON]

Personally - I cannot wait to see the back of him.

He has been average at best all season - if not worse - he's going through the motions and has treated this club with a lack of respect.

At the point we needed our captain to be a leader we got this shyster - he and Barry deserve all they get from us.

now this i do agree with. good ridence to both

[timdon]

Arsenal reportedly withdrawn interest in him

http://readwestbrom.com/2018/04/24/arsenal-no-longer-interested-in-evans/

I don't think that Man City will be interested in him now either. Can see him ending up at somewhere like Everton.

[baggiebof]

Leicester is another possibility, they bid for him in the summer. I think they'd see Evans and Maguire as a strong centre back pairing. They're both good on the ball so would suit the style of play that Puel, if he is to remain as boss, likes to play.

[tylerm]

He is a very good player as we all know but he has done himself no favours here
Get rid - to who ? I don't really care now

[Atomic]

He is a very good player as we all know but he has done himself no favours here
Get rid - to who ? I don't really care now

Me neither. Him, Barry and Chadli simply have to go. To who, how much, I really don't care, just get them off the wage bill.

[tylerm]

Me neither. Him, Barry and Chadli simply have to go. To who, how much, I really don't care, just get them off the wage bill.

Unfortunately Barry has triggered another 12 months in his favour. Hopefully he wont want it and will retire

[mulliganstired]

Unfortunately Barry has triggered another 12 months in his favour. Hopefully he wont want it and will retire

Hope so, but I think he'll soak us for the money and turn up for training.

[chipperclark]

  Anyone notice when he is not in the team ....we seem to win or draw??  Start of the season we were winning/drawing ..... end of the season winning/drawing without Evans?

Any substance to this ...I wonder.

[smosher34]

Can see evans ending up at everton . Family still live up north so can see that happening . Not been the same this season must of had his head turned somewhere

[AlbionFan]

I can understand the ill feeling fans have for Evans and his rapid fall from grace with them. But I think he is a good quality CB and if he decided to stay with us another season, I for one would welcome that.

Fans calling into question his quality, stems from the downer they have on him. It should be remembered that he came through United's academy to become a first team regular making 198 appearance, most of them played under SAF, he won 3 Premier League medals and, I believe, a Champions League medal, but I could be wrong with that one.

So, for me I apply the old footballing adage to him "Form is temporary, class is permanent"

[wodenson46]

I can understand the ill feeling fans have for Evans and his rapid fall from grace with them. But I think he is a good quality CB and if he decided to stay with us another season, I for one would welcome that.

Fans calling into question his quality, stems from the downer they have on him. It should be remembered that he came through United's academy to become a first team regular making 198 appearance, most of them played under SAF, he won 3 Premier League medals and, I believe, a Champions League medal, but I could be wrong with that one.  So, for me I apply the old footballing adage to him "Form is temporary, class is permanent"

Completely agree, but for me it has been the relatively recent lack of desire to demonstrate his class in an Albion shirt that has been the problem.

[AlbionFan]

It shouldn't be overlooked that, so far this season, Evans has played 23 of the 35 games we have played. That represents, in percentage terms, missing 34.28% of the games played.

When you have injuries to that extent, a players form is bound to suffer. Additionally, coming back from those injuries, into a struggling side is never going to be an easy task for any player, a prime example of that would be Harry Kane, who has struggled since coming back from his recent injury. These are extenuating circumstances that no player is entirely responsible for.

We all interpret a players demeanor to suit our own narrative, mine is that I think Evans is a good professional, he's made mistakes when he should definitely have known better, but who hasn't. If he decided to stay for another season, highly unlikely I know, I think that would only be good for West Bromwich Albion FC.

[Dexy]

I wouldn't dream of defending the Barca incident but I do believe Pulis switching to a back five at times and even more so playing between Hegazi and Gibbs has been a factor , both of those have been poor position wise and a number of times Evans has been caught trying to cover for them . When you compare it to last season of Gmac and Nyom/Brunt theres a massive gap in understanding .
Class defender , poor season but will get a decent move.

[JMullen95]

Another clean sheet without Evans in the team. Hang on, there might be a correlation here?

[The Black Pearl]

Another clean sheet without Evans in the team. Hang on, there might be a correlation here?

He can defend well, but his concentration lapses are appalling and quite frankly, I don"t and never have rated his ability to defend.

[JMullen95]

You only have to look at the stats to realise how bad Evans has been this season. I can think of crucial mistakes against Newcastle, Watford, Spurs, Chelsea, Liverpool home and away in the cup and Arsenal away and that’s just off the top of my head.

[timdon]

He can defend well, but his concentration lapses are appalling and quite frankly, I don"t and never have rated his ability to defend.

Surely a bit contradictory.

[zippyandbungle]

Never agreed whesome were going crazy with praise, don't agree that he is awful either

He's a good defender that had his head turned, it happens , it would affect most of us.
And people that keep mentioning the taxi incident, it's all or nothing , can't pillarise barry but not Livermore because he scored against spuds