Elston Gunnn

It's all speculation. ESPN speculates £65m + Remy. http://www.espnfc.us/blog/transfer-talk/79/post/2922034/chelsea-to-offer-everton-65m-loic-remy-to-seal-romelu-lukaku-return

OS refers to him as Gana, and that's the name highlighted in the graphic. http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2016/08/02/everton-sign-gueye. Maybe it's Gana Gueye, like Funes Mori.

I guess it depends on whether Koeman is going to tweak or overhaul. Assuming Cleverley is Barkley's backup at AM, backup LW may turn out to be Oviedo. Under the tweak-scenario, I don't see LW as priority. But then I see Oviedo as having some promise at LW, whereas I assume many on TT think he's not EPL quality.

This article claims he "tops Hull City shortlist." https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/25/roberto-martinez-hull-city-shortlist-steve-bruce

Deulofeu shows great promise, and might have a breakout season. Wonder whether that would rekindle Barca's interest, and their €12m buy-back clause? Maybe they'd buy him, and then loan him back to us for one more season.

Although this article focuses on need for a #1 goalkeeper, this sentence early on caught my eye: "... this side probably just needs a few tweaks rather than a major overhaul." (1) Would "a few tweaks" mean 2-3 new signings, and "major overhaul" mean something like 5-7? (2) I'd like to hear some comments on the issue of "tweaks" v. "overhaul."

I admit to having been very disappointed in and critical of Barkley last season. I subscribe to the idea that he doesn't (yet?) have a good football brain. And I'm not the only one on TT who's grumped about Barkley's not-good football brain. So here's what seems to me a logical question: is there a difference between a football brain and instinct? Does Barkley have an undeveloped or mediocre football brain but nevertheless excellent instincts?

http://www.espnfc.us/club/everton/368/blog/post/2911421/koeman-must-unlock-everton-potential-as-well-as-adding-new-signings Discussion of McCarthy, Coleman, Mirallas, among others. "... with the Blues already linked with various eye-catching players (for eye-watering amounts)..., Koeman must avoid the trap of throwing money at all issues. There is a lot of work required within the current setup, but there is also a lot of quality waiting to be unlocked."

Busy watching Euro 2016, haven't been keeping up with TT, transfer rumours, who might come, Lukaku/Stones out or stay, etc. But Belgium's loss reminds me of the absent Kevin M., so I have some Mirallas questions. Is there either a general feeling among TT-ers or by any of you in particular that: 1. Mirallas is highly likely to stay? 2. Highly likely to be Koeman's first choice LW? 3. A very good thing if Mirallas is in fact our first choice LW for 2016-17?

Witsel and Krul? https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/14/ronald-koeman-everton-axel-witsel-tim-krul

Coleman with neat crossover dribble, perfect cross for Hoolahan goal. Ireland 1-0.

Peru's in trouble. If they lose or even draw to Brazil, Ecuador can take second place in the group by beating Haiti by 2 goals. Or Brazil's in trouble. Because if Peru manage to defeat Brazil, Brazil will probably wind up third, and out. Best bet is Brazil and Ecuador win. Then the issue will be goal difference between Peru and Ecuador.

Oviedo got the assist on CR's 3d goal, right-footed cross into the box. Looked like he knew what he was doing, and did it. Link to OS and video: http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2016/06/12/oviedo-assist-in-costa-rica-win

If the comment I heard yesterday -- that Roberto's surprising pick to get out of Group A is Albania -- then the irony is delicious: they gave up a goal within 5 minutes from a corner. Albania apparently doesn't practice defending corners, either.

Roberto back as an ESPN studio analyst. I didn't catch most of what he said, but just now one of the match commentators said Roberto's sleeper team is ............ Albania.

I hope Oviedo stays. He may be more suited to play LW than LB. I'd be willing to have Mirallas backed up by Ovideo at LW, spend our new money elsewhere. No more Cleverley or Barkley out on wing, ever. Much more pressing needs in several positions other than LW.

(The following is my exaggeration -- maybe -- of Roy Keane's outburst after ROI's loss to Belarus.) Keane seems to have threatened either to keep McGeady off the return flight, or throw him off it in midair. "He can do a lot better but maybe that's the story of Aiden's career." http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36427954

I'd think Oviedo is suited to play some LW. Behind Mirallas on depth chart, but some starts when schedule is crowded, and sometimes subbing in for a tired Mirallas at 70 minutes. Better Oviedo out there than Cleverley.

The FA Cup final is Saturday, May 21. The ManU England internationals will obviously miss the friendly with Turkey on Sunday, May 22. The next England friendly is Friday, May 27, so clearly the England team will begin practicing even before the FA Cup final date, and continue the week of May 23. I think there are several ManU players on the England squad, so if police rules push the match back to the week of May 23, I guess that simply means the ManU internationals (England and other nations) won't be involved. And I can see that that is probably the least bad option. My wondering about Villa Park was simply as a favor to traveling Bournemouth fans. It's undoubtedly just my naïveté.

There's no good time to reschedule this match, so I'd think the league has to choose the least bad option. All options are bad. Is it possible that the least bad -- still bad -- option would be something like playing the match Tuesday night at 8, at Villa Park?

Many thanks. I'll look forward to the 20-minute highlights on the OS, I guess tomorrow, maybe tonight.

Ok, you're excused from the assignment. The rest of you lot, just the occasional short sentence will do.

Can't watch the match, and now the OS radio feed is gone, so more comments, please.

Hilariously lousy situation for at least some of us in U.S. Although all 10 matches are televised on the NBC group of networks, our match is on something called Esquire Network. As it happens, my DirecTV package includes all of the other nine match channels, but not ...... Esquire. It gets worse. Normally when Everton are not on one of my regular channels, I can get the match on my iPad. But, Catch-22, because my package doesn't include Esquire, I can't get it on Live Extra or X-tra Time, or whatever it's called. So ...... I'll be following this thread and your many, many, many comments about the match, crowd, Howard, everything. Don't let me down.

Howard says the speculation that there was a mutiny against Martinez "is a load of rubbish." Says poor results are down to the players. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/13/everton-players-did-not-gang-up-on-roberto-martinez-tim-howard