GMONEYone

I say "lets buy both veloso and moutinho" they are absolutely class and although miguel has been temperemental this season he would be awesome in a side like ours!

I know I'm dreaming a little as I cant see us having the cash/wage budget for both but just imagine a midfield of veloso,moutinho,cahill,arteta, and piennar!!!!! with the likes of osman,rodwell,fellaini etc coming off the bench! The amount of chances they would create for yakubu,saha,victor, vaughn would be unbelievable. At to the fact we already have one of THE best defences in the league a top 4 finish would then be a realistic opportunity.

Ever the optomist I am!!

COYB's

4TH for me. As much as I would love the cup it wouldnt help us long term.

£20mill+ from the group stages of the champs league would do us nicely, and we are one of the few clubs who has a chairman who loves the club and I'm betting he would release the whole amount to Moyesy along with the usual £15mill he seems to raise every season.

So a transfer kitty of around £30-35mill added to the quality we already have sounds a really exciting proposition.

Still its a bit of a dream as I personally think arsenal will get the 4th spot, but hey the boys have suprised me so far this season so why not!!!!

Heart says 4th but my Head says 5th.

TBH I think we would all take 5th as a great performance this season especially considering the amount of money spent by the teams around us and also the awful injuries our tiny squad has had to endure this season.

I just hope that at the end of the season we are able to find the money to go out and purchase 3 or 4 top quality players and try to push on and catch the top 4 next season, personally I dont think we are that far away from them now.

In moyes we trust COYB'S!!!

never heard of the guy personally but if he has some skill then why not we could always use some of that.

Only problem I have is that the rumour is on tribal football, not exactly the most reliable of sources.

be interesting to see if it has any truth come seasons end

Nico IS quality, one of the best young attacking midfielders in the league either on the wing or in the centre. Experienced international in a quality team aswell.

Lets be honest everyone we would love to have this guy in the squad this season and imagine if we do get him for next season???? A fully fit midfield of nico,arteta,cahill,pienaar and fellaini...... personally outside of the top 4 that is by far the best!!! with people like ozzie,rodwell,gosling etc to come off the bench.

And the touted price of £6million is a steal especially as at the start of the season he was reported to have turned down a £13mill switch to arsenal.

For me the only other position I still feel we could do with is a real top class ball winner as still not to sure what fellaini's best position is for me.

So in answer to this rumour its a HELL YEAH from me to buying nico, and without doubt him and peanuts could play in the same team and if a game isnt going well for us nico,arteta,peanuts are all versatile and can swap positions easily.....it works for man utd,chelsea,arsenal etc.

COYB and I really hope this rumour is true and would prove yet again what a canny manager moyes is in the transfer market.

Talented lad on the ball but useless off it, wouldnt fit into our system at all. Besides he has stated for the last 2 seasons that he was going to run down his contract and return to japan. Besides I hope now that our days of signing older players past their best has now gone and the trend of buying younger potential stars is the way forward for us.

Not gonna happen this one.

I agree with everyone who is saying lets NOT sell anyone and lets look at adding to our already depleted squad. The main reason why we have done so well in the last few seasons is because of the spirit/passion our team has added with the couple of players who have real quality on the ball ( I put peanuts in that statement alongside the likes of arteta etc)

Nico Krank is top top class and would be a welcome addition however I do think if he is available and especially for the £6mill being quoted then we will have a lot of competition for his signature, and not only by teams below us but top managers like wenger,ferguson, hiddink will definately want him and also the "fat controller" over the park will be in for him aswell.

Personally I think a fully fit midfield of piennar,arteta,fellaini,osman, and cahill just off a striker is pretty much the best midfield bar the top 4, however if it is a real option to get someone like nico then we should definately go for him as sometimes I think we rely on arteta too much especially against the top teams who have quality fullbacks who in games can sometimes mark our wide men out of the game.

However lets just enjoy the rest of THIS season first before worrying about next seasons potential signings, besides I've still heard we are going back in for Moutinho who A: wont be cheap and B: is one of THE BEST attacking midfielders in europe.

COYB'S its been another great season....so far

Team to face Newcastle.

GK - Howard

RB - Neville ©

CB - Lescott

CB - Jagielka

LB - Valente

RM - Arteta

CM - Kissock

CM - Cahill

CM - Osman

LM - Pienaar

CF - Saha

 

SB - Nash

SB - Baines

SB - Fellaini

SB - Castillo

SB - Rodwll

SB - Yakubu

SB - Baxter

Dark not such a bad side as some are making out, only changes I would probably make to it would be castillo and fellaini in for Kissock and suspended cahill, and also if moyes had the balls he would drop arteta to give him the kick up the arse he needs.

Castillo is by far our best DM at the mo and cannot understand how he isnt a regular.

And totally agree that saha is a better lone striker than the Yak, and just think how great it would be to be able to bring people like arteta and the Yak off the bench!!!!

Come on moyes its time to make the hard decisions and earn your money, players need to earn the right to pull on the royal blue and not just be given it on past performances!!!

COYB!

R.I.P Fellow Blue

Best wishes to all his family and friends

Got the best seat in the house to cheer on the blues now.

What a difference a few months make. In May we were being hailed in all quarters as 'the best of the rest' in the Premiership, the model everyone else should be following in trying to break the dominance of the top four. Now we're out of Europe, out the Carling Cup, and with a potential managers-first-game banana skin against Newcastle and games against Arsenal and Man Utd to come, we could seriously be looking at being bottom six in prem by start of November. Shades of 05/06 aplenty.

 

Actually, I started this thread because I wanted to talk about the similarities with three seasons ago, because I think it says a lot about our club under Moyes and the current board. It isn't just the bad results that are reminiscent of 05/06 - just like this season, back then the word 'panic buy' was bandied around plenty as we ended a very underwhelming close season in the transfer market with a few last minute additions, we'd lost our most influential player in the middle of the park, the defence suddenly became leaky , etc. etc.

 

Where am I going with this? Well i think the common denominator between now and three years ago is confidence. I think its no coincidence we're on another bad run like back then - we're a confidence team, and Moyes is a confidence manager. When things go our way, we're the sort of side that gets on a role and wins five, six on the bounce - equally, when things don't go so well, we tend to go on a slide that we find it difficult to drag ourselves out of, like at the moment. And I think that's a flaw not just in our make-up as a team, but in Moyes' managerial approach as well. There's nothing wrong with the us-v-them, fight-for-eachother mentality Moyes has used so successfully at times - Mourinho won two titles at Chelsea and a Champions League at Porto doing just that. The difference is, Chelsea have two teams worth of world class players to pick from and can sign reinforcements at will - it means confidence is never knocked in the way it has been in the past few months at Goodison Park over worries about squad strength/not finding the right quality players to come in. We are always walking a tightrope confidence wise - a few bad results, we don't have the squad to turn it around, the fans start getting disquiet over off-the-field activity, it quickly transmits through to the players. And the stark fact is, when our heads drop, when we stop harrying and harrassing teams, when communication, discipline and organisation are shaken, when we have the stuffing knocked out of us, we look very ordinary as a football team.

 

I started off by asking what now for Everton FC. Well I for one don't want Moyes to go. He's still a young manager with potentially another 20 years to go in the profession - he's only a third of his way through his career, so his best is yet to come, and I want his best to be with us. Besides, I don't think we'd get any better. But what he needs to do is have a good long hard look at himself. He needs to ask why he has let what happened in 05/06 happen again, analyse it, and learn from the mistakes. He has to ask himself if he really wants this, because moping around is going to do nothing. if he does, fine - get the contract signed, and start building again. If he doesn't - well, we can't do anything about that, so it'll be thanks a lot Davey, and goodbye.

 

But whoever the manager is, they cannot affect what is going on in terms of transfer funds, investment, stadium moves etc. etc. We forget that as fans sometimes. All the manager can do is work with the resources available to him and do the best he can with them. Moyes has had periods of excelling with limited resources, and times, like now, over underperforming. We need to be more consistent, and to do that we've got to improve the quality of our football. We were woefully outplayed by Liverpool, and Liege were far better organised, far better in their movement, much better at moving the ball around, and much more dangerous. Obviously at minute we need to sort the defence out, but we also need to pass the ball better, play with more width, press space in midfield better, play with more pace and zip. At moment, we look a million miles away from being a champions league team, and to me thats as much to do with the tactics and style of football the manager employs as it is size/quality of the squad.

 

Sorry, this has become much longer than I thought it would. What you all reckon? I dont think there is enough talk on these forums about FOOTBALL, and how we should be playing it. I'm all for throwing kids like Rodwell and Baxter in, injecting pace and energy, and looking to youngsters down the leagues with a bit of energy, a bit of flair, and a hunger to make a name for themselves. Coached in the right way, an 18 year old with good touch, the ability to pass a ball and a good football brain can become a great player by 25 - thats how we used to recruit players, why is it all about splashing 10s of millions we dont have on foreigners? We need to go back to basics, back to the school of science, inject some life into the weary looking legs of our confidence-starved senior players, and move on. Maybe Moyes isn't right man for the job, I don't know, but I do know we have to snap out of this slump quickly, and stop being so prone to them.

Great post mate.

just want to get your opinions on this guys.

After another shambolic performance against liege should a couple of our underperforming (STARS??) get dropped for a couple of games as it seems they are guaranteed starting places regardless of performance.

I am aiming this at two of my favourite players that I dont feel have performed for the last 3-4 games ie Arteta and Yakubu.

These are big players for us and just havent cut it, any other teams fighting for the top 6 as we are supposed to be have managers who would make the big decisions and drop these type of players, do we have the manager who will do that?? I dont think so and I think we are starting to suffer for this at the moment.

If it was me I would go to our favoured 4-5-1 and start with the following for the newcastle game:

HOWARD

NEVILLE,JAGS,YOBO,BAINES

PIENNAR,FELLAINI,CASTILLO,CAHILL,OSMAN

SAHA/ANICHEBE

With both arteta and yak on the bench, make them hungry to come on and show us what they can do, and also it would mean someone else can take the corners (my vote is Howard - at least he will beat the first man)ha.

Be interested to know what you guys think?

Price tags (press speculation - conservative estimates): Defour, € 8 m - Witsel, € 9 m - Jova, € 11 m - Mbokani, € 16 m, Dante & Camozzato - € 6 m

Defour 8m ??? He is worth a lot more than that going by the performances against us and the red shite. Personally I always thought he was the better buy out of him and fellaini.

Standard are a very good team who have a tenth of our budget, but it just shows how an efficient organised team that plays to their strengths can be successful. Moyes just needs to do the same to us, dont keep playing players because of WHO they are and play the guys who will give their everything.

I know this sounds a bit crazy but a couple of our big names could do with dropping for a couple of games to give them the kick up the arse they need ie arteta,yakubu for a start!!!

I think this lot ARE good. Don't wanna rub salt in it, but were EFC ever a threat? Except for Spino's howler, would you ever have scored? Ask yourself the right question. Clear pen for me, but the angle might be somewhat different.

Yes it was a penalty no doubts. And we made them look this good!!!!

Just heard moyes saying "our players played really well tonight??" and all he is moaning about is how deffour should have been sent off!!!!How about he comes out and just says we played shite, and drop some of the big names who aint doing it and play some kids!!!

Dont know if its just me but he doesnt look happy and wouldnt surprise me if he leaves soon.

You guy's think fellaini is not that good?

 

but he was the best player of standard and we overplayed everton?

 

Everton played poor, no insparation just lateral.

 

Is this the level of the premier league??

not the level of the premier league but the level of us at the moment. Standard are a DECENT side at best and no offence an Everton playing well would piss on them.

Standard deserved to go through and we have no one to blame except ourselves

As for fellaini, only time will tell with him but one things for sure :£15mill standard got the best end of the deal!!!

arteta for me. Before everyone jumps on me this is why: he is without doubt our best and most creative player on the ball, but always gives the ball away and we rely on him so much. His set pieces are terrible, cant beat the first man on corners. And the games when really big players turn a game and take it by the scruff of the neck he just hasnt been doing it.

Believe me I AM his biggest fan but he has been poor so far.

Neville, easily.

He was shocking!!!! Not his fault totally as he isnt a Def Mid and is a crap footballer.

But to be honest he wasnt the worst by a long shot!!!!

Time to look for a new manager methinks....

I really hope not, the players have to take the brunt of it. They simply are not playing well.

yet another sub standard performance. No class no ideas and no quality!!!!

a championship standard team have totally ouplayed us and deserved to go through!!

tomorrow we will hear the same old crap : no lack of commitment, we have the quality, we will come good next game etc etc

If we arent careful our season will be over, already out of league cup and uefa, wont be long till some league 1 team puts us out of the fa cup and we will be playing for a mid table prem finish ( at best!!!)

Sorry for the negativity but really struggling for any positives this season so far!!!!

..and we're out. unless.....extra time anyone?

we dont deserve extra time!!!! but yes I would take it.

got a lucky goal, hopefully use that to spur us un!!!

Their goalie has been OUR best player!!

we are making this lot look good!!!

players on £30k+ per wk and we cant even pass 5 yards. always back or long!!! Might aswell go and sign vinnie sideways back!!!!!

4-4-2 for me!!!!

Get saha and yakubu up front. The yak is really struggling on his own up front and the ball isnt sticking to him to let the likes of cahill, arteta, osman to push on and support.

We keep playing long balls at the moment as confidence is low so no need to play 5 across the middle, and its not working so far.

Defo dont want Neville in the centre of the park and would like fellaini/castillo playing the holding role alongside osman if cahill gets the ban for the 3 games we all know he will.

Lets go out and try to WIN games like we did with success last season, fed up with trying to keep it tight and snatch a goal like we have been so far, especially last saturday. At home and great chance to boost morale for everyone and we went to get a 0-0, that just doesnt suit us!!!!

Come on moyesy!!!!!

Rant over.

Lets be honest we all know with the players we have we are never going to play the most attractive passing football like arsenal etc.

However we seem to have gone backwards and now seem to punt the ball long at every chance, and without having a strong target man to hold it up it ends up coming back to us with interest.

I think it is all down to confidence, the boys at the back are so scared of making a mistake they just end up getting rid of it asap without looking for a man, hate to say it but we are starting to play like England have for the past 5 years.

The good teams and even some of the bad teams are now wise to that way of playing in the prem, and especially in europe as they keep the ball even better.

I would sooner we lose a goal by trying to play football than watching a game like saturday where we I think Howard, Joseph, and Jags touched the ball more than any other player on our team.

We have the players to play a good game, just need someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck and play it simple. God how we miss Carsley!!!!!!!

I was Everton last season on it and won the league and champions league (beat united 5-0 in the final).

You should give bill kenwright a call, could be a job available soon!!!! ha

Neville would be better than him anyway.

Behave anyone would be better than neville!!!

I do actually agree with you that Lescott could do with being benched for a game or two though, just to take the pressure off him for a bit but at the moment apart from Jags none of them are doing well!