Cornish Steve

We have Deulofeu instead of Lennon. I'm confident we'll get another striker, a playmaker, and maybe a backup defender.

Henen was signed. So was Deulofeu. Didn't even know about TC's Welsh cousin. And I will be flabbergasted if we don't sign players before the window shuts.

Touche - except that I like being excited and optimistic!

Then stop reading the news. It's almost all made up anyway.

An improvement on last year, for sure. Probably around 8th. It would nice to win the FA Cup.

You guys are doing a number on my usual optimism. Here I am reading a thread about being excited over the coming season, and it's mostly become a whine-fest. If you feel depressed about something, can you please post here instead? Personally, I'd prefer to get excited and not have to read so much negative drivel.

You're a right bundle of joy, aren't you!

As I remember, I was equally excited about him joining at the time - and he did score in his first game!!

c1982: Comment upon hearing that Lacina Traore would be joining the team... Take that!!

Then I misunderstood you. Sorry.

RIP Cilla

Based on the current league standings, then, it will have to be West Brom, West Ham, and Watford. (Why are the W teams always so bad?) If you were to force me to answer, then it would be Norwich, Watford, and Sunderland.

Not when you suggested we should be spending on the first team and not on youth players for the future, no. Otherwise, why would I bother to comment?

You don't like Howard?

Everton 3-2 Watford Cleverley

Off we go! The rules will remain the same as last year, with a couple of clarifications. Each week, you need to predict just two things: the final score and the first Everton goalscorer. Please use the same format each week: Home-team x-x Away-team Goal-scorer For example, you might predict Everton 2-0 Watford Lukaku Here's how points will be awarded: a: 1 point for the correct outcome (win, lose, or draw) b: 1 point for the correct goal difference c: 1 point for the correct number of goals scored by Everton d: 1 point for the correct number of goals scored by the opposition e: 1 point for your prediction being better than the average prediction f: 2 points for predicting the first Everton goal-scorer g: 1 point if your predicted goal-scorer scores other than the first goal h: 3 bonus points if you get everything right Here is the fine print on these rules: You receive 2 points if your goalscorer gets the first goal and 1 point if he gets one of the other goals. You do not get 3 points if he scores both. If Everton fail to score, no one gets any points for predicted goalscorer If you predict correctly 0-0 (no goalscorer), you receive the 3-point bonus You can choose "own goal" as your goalscorer, in which case it doesn't matter who from the opposing team scores that own goal. If you predict no goals for Everton but do predict a goalscorer, you receive no points if he scores. For the technically minded, the definition of "better than the average prediction" is quite simple: (ABS[yourEvertonscore - actualEvertonscore] + ABS[youropponentscore - actualopponentscore]) < (ABS[averageEvertonscore - actualEvertonscore] + ABS[averageopponentscore - actualopponentscore]) To be listed in the points-per-prediction totals, you must have predicted the score in at least one-third of the games. Predictions are for Premier League games only, not for cup competitions. Here are some examples. Let's say it's Everton playing at home to Watford. The final result is 2-0, with Lukaku scoring first and Naismith scoring second. If you predicted 1-0 (Lukaku), you score a+d+f = 4 points (and maybe a point for being better than average) If you predicted 2-1 (Naismith), you score a+c+g = 3 points (and maybe a point for being better than average) If you predicted 3-1 (Barkley), you score a+b = 2 points (and maybe a point for being better than average) If you predicted 2-0 (Naismith), you score a+b+c+d+e+g = 6 points If you predicted 2-0 (Lukaku), you score a+b+c+d+e+f+h = 10 points Note: all predictions must be posted here prior to kickoff: no exceptions. If you want to change your prediction, please do so in a new post; don't edit the first one. The change must be made prior to kickoff. (Last year, I was lenient on this, but not this time around.) If the game time is 3:00pm, you must post your prediction no later than 2:59pm that day. If you change your prediction after kickoff, your prediction that week will be null and void. Hopefully this is a clear description of how the prediction game works, but please feel free to ask any questions. Just to add a little spice: Each calendar month, I shall donate 5 pounds toward the running of this forum on behalf of the monthly winner. At the end of the season, I shall purchase a 20-pound gift card at the Everton store for both the season winner and best points-per-prediction winner.

I didn't say that, and every indication is that there will be. I have no problem at all, though, if we spend more than most other clubs on bringing in some of the world's most talented youngsters. We've been beating out other teams in that area recently, including ManU for this Norwegian guy.

Disagree with you. We need a strategy to move up the table and stay there. Doing the same as every other club won't cut it. The youth we're bringing in right now are a major step up from the youth of even a couple of years ago. What does this mean? Hovering between 7th and 10th for a couple more years and then pushing our way up to the top four. I absolutely believe in this strategy. It will work, but it will require patience. Most clubs don't have that and scream for the manager's head when the here and now isn't spectacular. Can we dare to be different?

I have no idea. No team has yet played a single game. Ask around Christmas time.

Because he's being given the preseason to win back his confidence. If it doesn't happen, he'll be out.

Be patient. This time next year, they'll be running a story about how Everton, reigning champions, "bid 20 for Eden Hazard then 25 and could be forced to pay 30." How could Chelsea be so shortsighted as to stop Hazard from playing for a top team?

The BBC report suggest he made a great through pass for their second goal.

My comment was aimed at the suggestion that "Garbutt went on loan because he knows the state of play at our club." He went on loan because he needs the experience of playing week after week.

Utter crap.

I actually think this lad will come good.