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We need a unit. A fit, fighting, strong, 6ft 4 unit that can be the enforcer of that flimsy midfield we have.
Doucoure, or someone like that. None of this Jack Wiltshire shite he Walcott and half of the rest of our team would be keeping the medical team on overtime.

He's an absolute media darling. Rather invest those wages into someone else.

I think he has shown flashes of being pretty good in all MF positions. Well rounded? Ok at all, good at none? I'm not sure, but I would think some stability at manager, as well as playing a single role for an extended run would help him a lot - as would having the same players around him in well defined roles. Our MF was different formations and different players seemingly game to game last year, grasping for something that worked. Not a single MF played consistently well last year - maybe be Gana due to work rate, but otherwise, it was a revolving door of players and tactics.  
His biggest for me isn'tt his skill on the ball or in tackles - but his willingness to attack, take players on as well as fly into tackles. It's hard/impossible to teach that in any sport - a player is aggressive/unafraid or they are not. He isn'tt intimidated by driving at a Yaya, or taking the ball off a Costa - grown ass men.
He needs polish, lots of it,. That can come from good coaching and experience. Lets not forget his Mum was driving him to training  every day from home this time last year.

So this quote, from the ever positive about Barkley, Roberto Martinez in FEBRUARY 2016 is also fact...
 
We will probably look at it in the summer. As Ive said before, Ross is not a young man any more.
 
Hes a player you can build a project on. When you want to build a project it is about a player who wants to play for Everton and wants to take that role. It is one thing as a manager wanting to do something, if the player doesnt feel the same way then you cannot do it.
 
There were already rumblings that Barkley wanted to look at other options. Or at least keep his options open.
 
Back then, it was said that Barkley wanted to move on because the club had slipped under Martinez. Just about to finish 11th 2 years in a row. Several players got new contracts over the coming months. But not Barkley. As you know, even Gibson got one!
 
So after Martinez talking about it in February 2016 and mentioning other players who would (and did) get contracts sorted out, Barkley was left out by the club's own choice? That's crazy thinking. Even someone as single minded and as stubborn as you can (be at times!) see that that cannot be a true scenario of the club's choice?
 
At the end of the day, me personally, I'm not looking to blame anyone. I don't see why someone has to be to blame. If Barkley wants to move on, and he's said so behind the scenes, fair play to him. If he thinks there are better options, good luck. He wants a fresh start, new challenge...its a short career, go get what you can while you can.
 
I hold no I'll feelings towards the lad, I'm not into all this 'But he's a blue, he's screwing us' etc etc. But if people want to blame Koeman and the club, sorry but clearly Ross isn't smelling of roses. He can't always be the innocent victim. Victim of no contract. Victim of Koeman. Victim of unprovoked punch. Victim of 3 England managers. Victim of the fans.
 
Hopefully we move on soon.

In all of those snippets, it emphasises that Koeman thinks Barkley can do more. Be pushed more. Improve as a player.
 
It also sounds like Ross is pissed off with people thinking he can do more.
 
He probably does feel unloved, because he thinks what he has done is "enough". But when you're that inconsitant and have room to improve, you can't throw your dummy out when someone tries to better you.

New challenge? Do me a favour. To warrant a new challenge you need to achieve all you can at that club when in reality he'a done bugger all. 23 and still the same player as he was when he broke through at 17. He'll 100% regret this decision as his career is only going down from now on. Shame.

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/07/23/report-everton-join-the-race-to-sign-jan-bamert/

Completely confused by that article.... contradicts himself all over the place.
 
That bullying prick destroyed Barkleys confidence in the world cup after a great season for us. Then his expletive rant at him at the end of the Scotland game... stole a luck g from the game has hodgson.

http://www.espnfc.us/story/3139412/southampton-want-liverpool-probed-over-virgil-van-dijk-approach-report
 
tampering with the youngsters and now this. if true they should get a full transfer ban.

Do we reckon it'll be announced tonight then?

Ross needs to take a long hard look at himself, to be replaced as a starter for England by Livermore, he's not doing something right, he might well have more talent and flair ( when he can be arsed to put some effort in) but it's too inconsistent. If he's not careful the boat is going to well and truely sail without him. If he wants to save his England career, he should make sure he's no 1 choice on his clubs team sheet week in week out.
I would love him to do it here, but I struggle to see it happening☹️

I pretty much agree with Rom on Barkley.
 
I won't be overly sad to see him go, he hasn't hit the notes I thought he would, and we still hope to see the same things we've been talking about for the last 4 years. But at the same time, it'll be disappointing because we all want him to be that fantasy player. Local lad, Evertonian, leads us onto great things and wins cups with us. Comic book stuff.
 
We have to seperate reality and fantasy.
 
He hasn't hit those dizzy heights and this was a key season for him to push on. He hasn't been able to.
 
But I'm not sure where he expects to go next. I can't see him dislodging anyone at any of the clubs above us.
 
It's upto him really.

Sums up my opinion really. I've not been a fan of some of his approaches, or man-management, but I can't argue that he hasn't done a very impressive job in just about 12 months. Credit where credit is due.
 
In my opinion, for this "next step", the pressure is on Walsh, Morishi et al to actually get in the players to improve the squad, not Koeman

Fucking ridiculous that he was even called up when he was still recovering. Can't stand that rat O'Neill.

Absolutely ridiculous Ireland need to be fined or sanctioned or something he literally gets played every single game unfit and ends up injured when he returns.
 
More to the point McCarthy shouldnt be so stupid to be agreeing to starting games when he clearly isn't fit. He's fucking himself over. That's that for me he isn't going to get a good enough chance in the team to prove himself under Koeman. Would like to see him gone in the summer, clearly can't get fit and is clearly not trying hard enough.

My daughter Eden was born today. 8 lbs 2 oz and 19.5 inches tall. I'm blessed!

We need a senior striker with Lookman, Calvert Lewin and hopefully others coming through. Lukaku needs a partner when we're playing 2 up top - Mirallas is good but nowhere near as good as Rooney plus Rooney could play as a lone striker to take some of the load off Lukaku.
 
I'd have him in a heartbeat if the deal's right for us. Commercially it will make sense anyway - maybe this is where the compromise on wages could come. With a few senior figures gone or going it also makes sense.
 
It's been a long standing issue - our lack of leaders. Rooney's desire and experience of winning could help massively as we look to make that next step up. We will spend a lot next summer - this may bring in big characters and probably egos... Rooney has done it all and with the support of Coleman, Baines, Williams, Barry you'd hope there's enough players who demand the respect there.

I saw a perfect tweet last night after the window shut and it pretty much sums up that window:
 
"Imagine we got rid of the shite at the beginning of the window and signed Schneiderlan and Lookman at the end, people wouldn't complain then would they"
 
I honestly think people want signings for the sake of it sometimes, I'd rather wait for the right targets in the summer than signing a player who will do a mediocre job. As much as I love our players now I'd rather we sign a player who is better than them, no room for sentiment when you want to win.
 
This window we wanted a striker but seriously take a look with what strikers was available, teams don't want to sell their bets players in Jan, especially the type we would be after. Have patience lads, the reconstruction is well underway and come summer (when we hopefully can offer European football which is a major pull) then we will get the right bodies in.

I know Koeman said Galloway would stay but with WBA close to signing Wilson (a centre back who Pulis will play left back) I do wonder if his loan will be cut short. He may as well sit on our bench rather than their bench.

Koeman has pointed out that this side is weak and not up to the direct nature and physicality of the league and that we dont apply pressure and win the second balls....
 
If this was such a concern who were we linked with in the summer to address this glaring problem? Sissoko, Gabbiadini, Witsel....?
 
Gueye aint winning us many headers fighting for the long punts from either keeper, Barry doesn't have the speed to get into the aerial battle, so now we're linked with Mata Depay and Schneiderlin, the first two wont be contesting many headers, we've assembled a team of short arses and we kee being ground into pulp by larger heavier sides, I'm not suggesting we become a Stoke side but we have to find a balance that allows us to at least compete.
 
Lukaku will thrive off a classy target man - Mario Gomez is that signing.
Schneiderlin would be an upgrade on McCarthy, can we push Gueye forward to fit another DCM in?
 
Koeman didn't make this mess, it's clown-shoes legacy but it's Koemans watch now and the pressure is on, we were a disgrace when clown-shoes was phenomenalling us weekly to loss after loss - I wonder now if some of the players have it in them to pick themselves up, or if the mental scars, the post traumatic clown-stress disorder has tainted them long term. We're shockingly bad, and the average sides in the league are giving us a stuffing and we got trounced by one of the best sides in the league 5-0, theres no such thing as too good to go down, we need a bit of character, some chemistry, change!
 
Team of short arses living off of faded memories of a clowns phenominal first 80% of a season and a couple of cup semi finals. Hating the experience and have been hating it more and more to a critical mass for months leading to years. Demanded honesty from clown-shoes, demand the same from Koeman, lets hear how bad it really is, point the finger, name the names, pay off and move on the abject failures, too many feint hearts not enough dogs of war.

The latter, for sure. Lukaku can't and won't play the way Koeman demands. He's low energy, that's his style, or something...
 
At the very least, I'd like to see us care, and he doesn't adhere to that ideal when leading the line. I read body language when I watch form home, as it's the only opportunity I have to asses the players. It's been said before but, Lukaku cares about himself and his personal accolades. He sees his development as a superficial extension of his personality; something to make him more appealing. In my opinion he plays because it's fashionable to do so; it's not about pride, winning and the success of the club. It's about his FIFA rating being better than it was last year.
 
When asked about how he feels about Everton he's never made any illusions about his dedication to the club. In his defense, he's honest about these things. Simply put, he plays like he doesn't care. His ambling about is what abject talent looks like. He is not ALL of the problem, but unless he begins to play as Koeman would like, then we are stuck firmly in the shadow of Lukaku's ego. After assuming this was the case, I'm now convinced.
 
I eagerly await post-Everton Lukaku, and I feel validated in that opinion because it's my dream to see and feel Goodsion, while he takes it for granted. He's enabled to treat the club and supporters as an afterthought to his stepping-stone agenda. Let's not support mediocrity. However impressive his individual stats are, he needs to be held to a higher standard.

Watching Barkley actually hurts at the moment, and I feel bad for him. You can see the fear in his play and it's not nice to see. The lad is clearly talented, he's got more talent than the likes of Henderson for example, but for whatever reason he can't apply that immense talent whereas others with lesser talent can.
 
I am desperate for him to succeed here and I truly hope we don't ever come to a point where we're forced to give up on him.

Time for him to move on - really?
 
Lets face the facts he is, a quality younger player still only 22, created the most assists for us last season, on his day is a very dangerous player. On top of that he loves the club and is one of us.
 
If we sell him how much will we have to spend to replace him, and what sort of message does that send out to the other academy players, that they will never get a chance even if they are as talented as Ross?
 
Ross is the type of player that makes a good team better, its not easy to make incisive passes or create chances if there is no movement ahead of you which there has not been as confidence has been low for the last month.
 
We need to see how Koeman develops his squad after another couple of transfer windows and see how Ross fits in then before we start calling for him to be sold.

Like Hale without Pace, Morcambe without Wise and Eric without Idle, our beloved Baines was always going to be a shadow when compared to the incomparible duo he shared with Pienaar in their halcyon days. A pairing that showed there was more to football than brute force, where quick thinking and quicker feet made the ball do the work and had every side we faced perplexed at how to solve the footballing rubix riddles they regularly rolled out. There were a few highlights to the regime we had before clown-shoes dismantled it and the Baines Pienaar combo was the master stroke.
 
Anyway, left backs with Baines class and capability don't crop up often so enjoy him running the flank whilst you can because we could be in for a journey through barren years with the likes of Naismith, Pistone and although an honest grafter Unsworth was no maestro.