bluenosetoffee

-----Howard----- Coleman----Jags---Distin---Baines --Besic--McCarthy-- Mirallas Naismith Pienaar Lukaku If Martinez says to Besic to mark Sanchez/Ramsey the way he did in the WC against Messi then we close their attack down. Ozil and Mertasacker are still out I think due to the WC.

It was always going to be a tough test against a newly promoted team. I don't think we tested their defence enough either though. Big Rom got closed down every time he had the ball. (Which is expected). Leicester played good football and defended well. There is positives to take away. Pienaar looked really good on Saturday. Linked well with Baines and then cut inside the box and looked a threat. The only negatives were the defending. First one can't really say much about it, Distin tried to clear it but hit it straight into the striker. The second one though, Stones was in a CB role and wasn't covering his player.

Whenever I watched Gibson play I was really impressed. If you look at him he looks around before he gets the ball and then pings it to them with precision. Great player if he can stay fit...

Shane Long completed his move to Southampton: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28793761 Hull bought him for 6mil and manage to sell him for double. He wasn't that good last season, he had moments but not worth 12 million anyway.

What I liked to see is that Everton were the EPL club of choice on the left hand side when voting. Arsenal: 18.2% Chelsea: 12.9% Everton: 25.4% Liverpool: 11.4% Manchester United: 15.5% Manchester City: 5.5% Tottenham: 6.6% Other: 4.5% Total votes: 6,688. Ok so not that many votes but Everton are still top. Howard with his WC antics!

Surely if he has rejected an approach by Liverpool then that must mean he doesn't want to come to Merseyside!!? I hope this one is a no-go. We won't be able to afford his wages, he will be wanting 60k more a week! He used to be a great player but not so much anymore! Really hope this isn't true

Liverpool won't get anywhere near the title this season. It was a weird season last year but Chelsea, United and even maybe Arsenal are stronger. They will be competing for 4th place I reckon.

I think if Van Gaal played him properly he would have a similar role as to what Yaya Toure has an City. (Not saying he is as good as Toure because he quite clearly isn't). Yet he could be that type of influential player for United.

I don't think we need him either. We bought Besic who is going to be rotating with Barry/McCarthy. I don't think we need him unless we use him in more of an attacking role. Wouldn't want to pay out the ar$e for him either...

I wouldn't want him at the club, just had a quick search on him and these are some of his past instances.... "While at Clairefontaine, he was a part of A la Clairefontaine, a documentary series which chronicled the lives of some of France's top young footballers during their time at the academy.[9][10] During the series, an episode showed Ben Arfa getting into an argument with Abou Diaby" "Despite rumors of a rift between himself and Benzema, Ben Arfa signed a contract extension with Lyon in March 2008 until 2010.[24][25] However, his career at Lyon reached an impasse after he got into a training session scuffle with veteran Sébastien Squillaci" "Similar to his actions in leaving Lyon, Ben Arfa responded to the statement by telling the French sports newspaper L'Equipe that he would not be returning to La Commanderie, Marseille's training facility, and would not play with the team for the remainder of the season.[66][67] He also stated that his relationship with Deschamps had turned sour and was beyond repair.[68][69] Ben Arfa confirmed his intentions by travelling to Newcastle upon Tyne, without authorization, with hopes that Newcastle and Marseille would come to an agreement.[70] After returning to Marseille, he missed several training sessions with his parent club and was, subsequently, left off the match day squad for two league matches against Valenciennes and Lorient.[71] Ben Arfa's number 10 was later given to new signing André-Pierre Gignac, which signaled a transfer was imminent" I realize that anybody can copy and paste but to me he seems to bring trouble wherever he goes, either with the manager, chairman or players. I don't think I would want a player like him at our club. I haven't even mentioned the Newcastle incident with him and Pardew.... Even if he was 1.5 - 3 million, would you want him at the club?

Would he be upsetting the dressing room at Chelsea if he was to say he wanted Atsu though? I couldn't see that causing much disruption for the first team..

If we sign a striker I think it will be Traore on loan. I would be happy with that to be honest. Get Traore and Atsu on loan and we look to have a good team for Europa and league. I wouldn't mind Martinez going for someone like Zaha or Hernadez from United. Could potentially get one of them on loan....

Hopefully Lukaku, Mirallas and Coleman are all playing. I know this is the first game of the season and I have said it has a draw written all over it but this game has to be treated as a must win! After Leicester we have Arsenal & Chelsea both tough games but the most winnable one in August is our first. COYB

I wouldn't say he is a direct replacement. Pienaar is a work horse who will track back when Baines goes forward. Ben Arfa is lazy doesn't track back much and isn't consistent enough. I would say Martinez would look at Atsu as a direct replacement.

Does anybody else think it is stupid that Lukaku and Mirallas might not play at the start of the season because of "lack of match fitness". These players are professionals and get paid 75,000k a week! It has been a month since the end of the WC and Belgium got to the QF! Chile got to the last 16 and Sanchez is playing for Arsenal. What is one more game!? If Lukaku and Mirallas don't play against Leicester I will be disappointed. This is a game where Lukaku can make trouble for the defense with his strength and quick movement!

I don't think anybody is underestimating the Europa league. I personally would want Everton to win the Europa league, it would be a tough ask but if you are talking about the road into champions league then it would be the better option to focus our efforts more into the competition. (Only problem is would league form slip?). I don't think Europa league is a easy competition but it is going to be harder than ever to get top 4 this season. United looked sharp in pre-season and also Spurs have looked good too.

Normally I am optimistic about these type of games but I have a feeling it is going to be a draw.... Newly promoted team, first home game of the season and the fans optimistic about the coming season....Hopefully I am wrong and we can turn in a performance. Lukaku should be fit and ready with Mirallas.

8 million as well!

I do agree with you. United haven't really signed world class players though. Good players but not someone who could change a game. United will be a different team this year, that is a fact. The passing they did in the pre-season was great! Van Gaal is a great manager. Even Ashley Young looked decent in pre-season! (He looked like the type of player that first arrived at United). Spurs will be a different team with their new manager. The manager plays like Martinez, quick counter attacking, passing football. Also I reckon Solado is going to have a good season. If the manager plays him in his more natural position, just behind the striker then he will be banging the goals in. It is going to be more difficult to get top 4 this season but I do believe we can do it at the same time! I don't think Arsenal are going to be as good as everyone is making out! They always have a good start to the season but then injuries start to hit and they become a shadow of what they once were. Sanchez is a great buy! I will be surprised though if Ramsey, Wilshere, Walcott, Chamberlain, Cazorla etc all go a season without getting injured! Liverpool, I really do think they are going to struggle next season, selling Suarez and not replacing him with somebody as good is going to be tough. They will be the ones competing for top 4. Sturridge won't score as many goals. I reckon he will score less than Lukaku this season. Unless Sterling and Countinho step up to the plate and assist him like Suarez did. Don't get me wrong I think Sturridge is a great player but not a player who could change a game or get the golden boot come the end of the season.

Exactly, nothing can be really be said about the pre-season games! Pienaar will start for Everton come the start of the season. Lamela from Spurs has had an outstanding pre-season, doesn't mean he will cut it in the premier league. Anyway going back on to the discussion at hand.... I can see Atsu going somewhere like Villa or West Ham. They have been linked with him and Villa need a winger with pace, someone who can keep up with Agbonlahor and big Benteke. At a team like Villa, Lambert could guarantee him games. At Everton all we can offer him is a impact sub.

That is exactly what it will be, Blackpool are going to struggle this season. Good experience for Lundstram though.

Exactly, I don't know where he would fit in either. If we didn't sign Barry or Besic then I would have wanted him! He is a CAM as well and I don't think he would get ahead of Barkley. He can play a CM role but McCarthy/Barry have a good working together. Not forgetting Besic arrival....

Atsu would have had a similar role to Gerry. Where he could have been an impact player coming off the bench. Atsu wasn't going to start ahead of Mirallas or Pienaar. Even McGeady for that matter. Atsu would have been good to come on late in the second half. His pace would have gave defenders a problem but not to ar$ed if this doesn't come through, we will find somebody else.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/392621/DONE-DEAL-Arsenal-snap-up-teen-star-dubbed-the-next-Jack-Wilshere This made me laugh, "dubbed" the next Jack Wilshere! Don't get my wrong Wilshere has shown potential in the past but the last two seasons he has been distinctly average. I do hate it when players get "dubbed" the next best thing. They aren't the "next" anything they are their own footballer.

Will Galloway go into the U21 team with Henen? (When we eventually sign Henen).