gethinO

Haven't really contributed to this or the knee jerk thread but I see myself a glass half full man so here goes.
1. We've started well in Europe and currently looking good at qualifying from a difficult group.
2. The International break will give time for players to get their fitness back. I'm talking Coleman, Barkley, Gibson, Oviedo, McCarthy.
3. It's also good for others to have a break. Barry, Eto'o, Distin, Pienaar, Howard.
4. Some may laugh at this one but I'm looking forward to seeing Kone back. Think he'll offer something different and take a bit of pressure off Lukaku. Could be like a new signing.
5. We have a nice run of games coming up. Winnable games, where there's no reason for us, with our strongest XI, to go on a hell of a run.
6. I have faith in our manager. Some of the things on twitter I've seen are embarrassing. "Get Martinez out, clueless Spaniard." Very confident he'll turn it around.
7. We've lost today, but I'll still be an Evertonian in the morning. I love the club and will always give it my full support.
Lets have a nice break now and hopefully recharge the batteries over the next few weeks. Come back with a fitter and hungrier squad who are raring to turn things around.
COYB!

Haven't really contributed to this or the knee jerk thread but I see myself a glass half full man so here goes.
1. We've started well in Europe and currently looking good at qualifying from a difficult group.
2. The International break will give time for players to get their fitness back. I'm talking Coleman, Barkley, Gibson, Oviedo, McCarthy.
3. It's also good for others to have a break. Barry, Eto'o, Distin, Pienaar, Howard.
4. Some may laugh at this one but I'm looking forward to seeing Kone back. Think he'll offer something different and take a bit of pressure off Lukaku. Could be like a new signing.
5. We have a nice run of games coming up. Winnable games, where there's no reason for us, with our strongest XI, to go on a hell of a run.
6. I have faith in our manager. Some of the things on twitter I've seen are embarrassing. "Get Martinez out, clueless Spaniard." Very confident he'll turn it around.
7. We've lost today, but I'll still be an Evertonian in the morning. I love the club and will always give it my full support.
Lets have a nice break now and hopefully recharge the batteries over the next few weeks. Come back with a fitter and hungrier squad who are raring to turn things around.
COYB!

Haven't really contributed to this or the knee jerk thread but I see myself a glass half full man so here goes.
1. We've started well in Europe and currently looking good at qualifying from a difficult group.
2. The International break will give time for players to get their fitness back. I'm talking Coleman, Barkley, Gibson, Oviedo, McCarthy.
3. It's also good for others to have a break. Barry, Eto'o, Distin, Pienaar, Howard.
4. Some may laugh at this one but I'm looking forward to seeing Kone back. Think he'll offer something different and take a bit of pressure off Lukaku. Could be like a new signing.
5. We have a nice run of games coming up. Winnable games, where there's no reason for us, with our strongest XI, to go on a hell of a run.
6. I have faith in our manager. Some of the things on twitter I've seen are embarrassing. "Get Martinez out, clueless Spaniard." Very confident he'll turn it around.
7. We've lost today, but I'll still be an Evertonian in the morning. I love the club and will always give it my full support.
Lets have a nice break now and hopefully recharge the batteries over the next few weeks. Come back with a fitter and hungrier squad who are raring to turn things around.
COYB!

Haven't really contributed to this or the knee jerk thread but I see myself a glass half full man so here goes.
1. We've started well in Europe and currently looking good at qualifying from a difficult group.
2. The International break will give time for players to get their fitness back. I'm talking Coleman, Barkley, Gibson, Oviedo, McCarthy.
3. It's also good for others to have a break. Barry, Eto'o, Distin, Pienaar, Howard.
4. Some may laugh at this one but I'm looking forward to seeing Kone back. Think he'll offer something different and take a bit of pressure off Lukaku. Could be like a new signing.
5. We have a nice run of games coming up. Winnable games, where there's no reason for us, with our strongest XI, to go on a hell of a run.
6. I have faith in our manager. Some of the things on twitter I've seen are embarrassing. "Get Martinez out, clueless Spaniard." Very confident he'll turn it around.
7. We've lost today, but I'll still be an Evertonian in the morning. I love the club and will always give it my full support.
Lets have a nice break now and hopefully recharge the batteries over the next few weeks. Come back with a fitter and hungrier squad who are raring to turn things around.
COYB!

Awful half summarised by the pen. Nothing in attack whatsoever. No pace.

You'd like to think so, but somehow I can't really see us targeting him. Reminds me of when Brad Jones had to play in the Semi Final for Liverpool. Biggest game of his life and he would have been incredibly nervous so you would have thought the tactic would have been to test him at every opportunity. Don't think he had a save to make all game, which was terrible from us and Moyes.

3 months? Oh bloody hell. Will we ever have a fully fit squad? Always someone.

Browning looked good. Loved when Sterling took him on and Tyias brushes him off with ease "not with me you don't".
Well deserved point. Should av won but a point is better than nothing.

Browning looked good. Loved when Sterling took him on and Tyias brushes him off with ease "not with me you don't".
Well deserved point. Should av won but a point is better than nothing.

Stones! What a player. Jags back to himself as well and what a goal. That's our CBs now. No tinkering please Bobby. Besic I like as well! Up and at Utd next week. COYB!

Was impressed with his very short cameo yesterday. Showed some nice touches and always showed for the ball. Looks a good buy and I think he'll be a big player for us. I even think away from home we'll be able to play Besic, Barry (very impressed with him yesterday as well) and McCarthy together. This is the best squad we've had for 20 years.

Tell you what, these pundits don't half talk shite. Surely if your getting paid to talk about football then before hand you check your facts???
Glenn Hoddle: The lad Stones, he is a Centre half but he did play right back when he was out on loan.
On loan where Glenn? Do you mean Barnsley, the club we paid a fee for him?
 
Glenn Hoddle: (Again on Stones) He hasn't played a single minute yet which is not ideal.
Wrong, he played 90 vs Leicester.
 
Ian Wright: Stones can't get in at RB at Everton because of Coleman. He might be another Phil Jones, where we don't know his best position.
He's a CB and if you did your research lads you would know this. Pisses me off that they're paid to talk shite!

Tell you what, these pundits don't half talk shite. Surely if your getting paid to talk about football then before hand you check your facts???
Glenn Hoddle: The lad Stones, he is a Centre half but he did play right back when he was out on loan.
On loan where Glenn? Do you mean Barnsley, the club we paid a fee for him?
 
Glenn Hoddle: (Again on Stones) He hasn't played a single minute yet which is not ideal.
Wrong, he played 90 vs Leicester.
 
Ian Wright: Stones can't get in at RB at Everton because of Coleman. He might be another Phil Jones, where we don't know his best position.
He's a CB and if you did your research lads you would know this. Pisses me off that they're paid to talk shite!

Tell you what, these pundits don't half talk shite. Surely if your getting paid to talk about football then before hand you check your facts???
Glenn Hoddle: The lad Stones, he is a Centre half but he did play right back when he was out on loan.
On loan where Glenn? Do you mean Barnsley, the club we paid a fee for him?
 
Glenn Hoddle: (Again on Stones) He hasn't played a single minute yet which is not ideal.
Wrong, he played 90 vs Leicester.
 
Ian Wright: Stones can't get in at RB at Everton because of Coleman. He might be another Phil Jones, where we don't know his best position.
He's a CB and if you did your research lads you would know this. Pisses me off that they're paid to talk shite!

Tell you what, these pundits don't half talk shite. Surely if your getting paid to talk about football then before hand you check your facts???
Glenn Hoddle: The lad Stones, he is a Centre half but he did play right back when he was out on loan.
On loan where Glenn? Do you mean Barnsley, the club we paid a fee for him?
 
Glenn Hoddle: (Again on Stones) He hasn't played a single minute yet which is not ideal.
Wrong, he played 90 vs Leicester.
 
Ian Wright: Stones can't get in at RB at Everton because of Coleman. He might be another Phil Jones, where we don't know his best position.
He's a CB and if you did your research lads you would know this. Pisses me off that they're paid to talk shite!

Looked a player! His movement and touch looked a class above! Think he'll be some player for us and a rolemodel for Lukaku. After seeing Lukaku's performance today, he needs someone to teach him a few things about being a top striker.

Quite happy that there's an international break now. Good chance for some to get fitter and sharper and then we can kick on in September. Yet again though, it's taken us 3 games to get up to pace and we've only 2 points. Needs sorting. I'm not too down hearted about yesterday. We scored 3 against what looks like the best team in the league (think they'll comfortably win it this year). The difference was against Chelsea we were punished every mistake where as other teams wouldn't have been so clinical. Positive is that we look so dangerous going forward that we're going to score goals this season. Tighten up at the back and we'll be fine. Transfer wise I think we need a RB cover and a CB. If Coleman gets injured then Hibbert is not adequate cover and a left footed CB would be great. Richards on a loan (to see if he's still got it) and buy Nastasic.

To think we have Oviedo, Pienaar, Barkley, Atsu and Kone to come back to that squad is very comforting. Our best squad for over 25 years. Nice to see Gibson back on the bench.

Lille and Wolfsburg! Fairly tough!

Warnock is a terrible appointment though. Clark would have been better, knows his tactics and would have them playing decent stuff. With Warnock you know it's "get in their faces" job, and it's not like it's worked for him in the prem before so strange appointment in my opinion.

No thanks. He's finished and has been for the last few years yet still demands ridicilous wages like 150k a week!

Atsu fits the bill perfectly then!

Since we're all excited about the Lukaku signing I thought I'd start a thread about our squad for the upcoming season. In my opinion we need another 2, a winger and a striker. Whoever they may be is another discussion but this is how I see Bobby looking at our squad for this season.
GK - 1. Howard 2. Joel
RB - 1. Coleman 2. Hibbert 3. Browning
CB - 1. Jagielka 2. Stones
CB - 1. Distin 2. Alcaraz
LB - 1. Baines 2. Oviedo 3. Garbutt
CM - 1. Barry 2. Gibson
CM - 1. McCarthy 2. Besic
RW - 1. Mirallas 2. ?????
LW - 1. Pienaar 2. McGeady
AM - 1. Barkley 2. Osman
ST - 1. Lukaku 2. Naismith 3. Kone 4.?????
 
Other players to add to the equation:
Duffy (unsure if he's good enough tbh)
McAleny (Same as Duffy really)
Lundstram (looks a prospect, might be too early)
 
Now, if I'm being fussy I would say we need another 4:
1. Cover for Coleman at RB, dunno if Hibbert is passed it, but then again he's solid enough and he's not going to cost us a game with good players around him.
2. A young left footed CB. Distin is a beast and he's playing like a 26 year old rather than a 36 year old. Alcaraz, his cover, is prone to injuries but could be an excellent player if fit, really liked what I've seen from him. Yet again, a CB is not a priority I wouldn't have thought.
3. We definitely need a RW as we have no one to cover Mirallas. Last year we had Gerry, we haven't replaced him and with more games I think it's a must.
4. I would like 1 more striker of decent quality. Unsure if Traore is that man though.
 
Therefore after discussing the posibilities, I have come to the conclusion we need 2 more. A Striker and a Right Winger. RB cover and the CB will have to wait until it comes a priority I think. Thoughts?

Since we're all excited about the Lukaku signing I thought I'd start a thread about our squad for the upcoming season. In my opinion we need another 2, a winger and a striker. Whoever they may be is another discussion but this is how I see Bobby looking at our squad for this season.
GK - 1. Howard 2. Joel
RB - 1. Coleman 2. Hibbert 3. Browning
CB - 1. Jagielka 2. Stones
CB - 1. Distin 2. Alcaraz
LB - 1. Baines 2. Oviedo 3. Garbutt
CM - 1. Barry 2. Gibson
CM - 1. McCarthy 2. Besic
RW - 1. Mirallas 2. ?????
LW - 1. Pienaar 2. McGeady
AM - 1. Barkley 2. Osman
ST - 1. Lukaku 2. Naismith 3. Kone 4.?????
 
Other players to add to the equation:
Duffy (unsure if he's good enough tbh)
McAleny (Same as Duffy really)
Lundstram (looks a prospect, might be too early)
 
Now, if I'm being fussy I would say we need another 4:
1. Cover for Coleman at RB, dunno if Hibbert is passed it, but then again he's solid enough and he's not going to cost us a game with good players around him.
2. A young left footed CB. Distin is a beast and he's playing like a 26 year old rather than a 36 year old. Alcaraz, his cover, is prone to injuries but could be an excellent player if fit, really liked what I've seen from him. Yet again, a CB is not a priority I wouldn't have thought.
3. We definitely need a RW as we have no one to cover Mirallas. Last year we had Gerry, we haven't replaced him and with more games I think it's a must.
4. I would like 1 more striker of decent quality. Unsure if Traore is that man though.
 
Therefore after discussing the posibilities, I have come to the conclusion we need 2 more. A Striker and a Right Winger. RB cover and the CB will have to wait until it comes a priority I think. Thoughts?

Just finished reading Craig Bellamy's autobiography. Good read. Didn't realise he was so close to signing for us. Said he met Moyes in a hotel in Cardiff and was impressed. Went on holiday to think about it and came back really excited and ready to sign. Met Moyes again and said he was like a different man. Started telling him rules like "If we're 1-0 up and I move you to the right, I don't want you complaining about it". Put him right off and he signed for Blackburn instead and had an excellent season, scoring 17 in a poor side. Real shame that as at the time I remember us crying out for a pacey striker and I'm sure he'd have done well for us. I know he wasn't the most popular player but he wanted to win so bad, his frustrations sometimes got the best of him. Of course, being a Welshman, I may be biased but he showed how committed he was as he never, ever missed a friendly for Wales, even in the days where Toshack was in charge and we were a shambless. Remember a 40 year old Litmanen running show for Finland at the Millenium where we lost 2-0. Bellamy's interview after the game is priceless. He wasn't one to hold back that's for sure. Went on to talk about Gary Speed, whom he idolised, and said what a fantastic man he was. Still wonder what went through his mind that day as he seemed to have everything in his life at the time.