nogs

Looks like he'll be as divisive as Rom then! Must be something about Congolese players...
 
I'm firmly in the 'he'll have Goodison on its feet' camp. In a good way. Should just be coming into his peak, quick, Okocha-like ability on the ball. Four proper wingers at the club, means we're going to see some proper width again.

Reckon this is the sign of things to come from Walsh, this is exactly the sort of signing he's made his name from. Given his track record, I'm backing him.
 
Personally I think the only way we'll go 'big name' is if/when Lukaku/Stones leave, with perhaps a Mata type signing as a bonus. The reality is we're currently a mid-table club with no European football to offer, we have to box clever to get ourselves in a position to attract 'bigger' names. Notice how everyone we're linked with is also linked to Chelsea, City and Man Utd? Wonder where they'll end up going?
 
If Koeman and Walsh reckon this lad can improve us, great. Now bring in a keeper please and let's start getting excited for the new season.

But the Big 4 hasn't been the same teams for 20 years, has it? Arsenal and Man Utd are the only constants, in that period Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool and Spurs have all gone close to winning the league. Add Chelsea and Man City to the list (and Blackburn) and the odds look a lot better.

Why would you want to get rid of Pennington? Looked decent the brief look we got of him at the end of the season. And Stones is as good as gone, after the transfer request last summer he did nothing to show he genuinely wanted to be at this club. For that alone I'd have him first on my out list. No point carrying players who don't want to be here.

No thanks. Showed what he was all about for Austria v Hungary. Petulant, play-acting, couple of fancy flicks but largely ineffective against determined opponents.

Last time I checked, winning and 'threatening fifth' are two very different things...

Just read the rants on the other page. Utterly, utterly crap argument. When has ANYONE won the league playing dross? You don't accumulate the most points over 38 games without playing decent football, not in the Prem anyway - this isn't 1960s Italy or Argentina ffs!

If we've got that sort of money, Emery for me. I'm doubtful Simeone would come, I'm not sure he could re-create what he's done at Athletico somewhere he's not played. But might be worth a punt.
 
Tbh I don't really see the hype in Koeman. He's done an ok job at Southampton, but he hasn't really built on what Pochettino did, more trod water. Would he get us top 4? Plus, he doesn't seem overly interested. I want someone with the hunger and drive to make EFC great, not just pick up a big pay check. That's why I never had any interest in Mourinho, same applies to Koeman.

Starting to get critical that we make an announcement imo. Papers full of talk about Stones, Lukaku, Mori... we're in a position of weakness without a manager, even if he doesn't convince them to stay, we need someone who will have replacements in mind and an idea of budget required so we can push for the best possible prices.

Think you make a good point about goalkeepers. A lot of comparisons keep getting made, rightly or wrongly, with this squad and the mid-80s side. What Kendall had to turn a bunch of lower-table scrappers into title winners was the best goalkeeper in the world - Southall was a genius, and with a real leader in Ratcliffe in front of him, defence was sorted. Fuck knows where we get a Southall from, but we need better than we've got.
 
Stones will go, I've said it for months. I'm not bothered, I know full well he will go on to be a top player, but his heart isn't in it for us and he has become a liability with his mistakes. Go let him learn the hard way elsewhere.
 
I wouldn't want to see us go mental signing defenders. Jags is still good enough, especially under a manager who knows how to defend, and I've just posted in the Mori thread that I reckon he deserves a chance. That's a pretty no-nonsense pair for you. I reckon Galloway and Pennington have shown enough to be back-ups. I'd maybe look at bringing in one older head to balance the youth alongside Jags experience. A Richard Gough would be nice...
 
Full backs, well similar story really. Baines and Coleman were touted as best in the Prem three seasons ago, no reason why they shouldn't be again. I'd like to see Garbutt get a look, on the right Kenny and Connolly look promising. Oviedo can go for me, not a good enough defender.
 
Priority has got to be a keeper for me.

Still can't get my head around people wanting Mourinho. Does not fit in with the ethos of the club at all, and has form losing a dressing room. Do we want to take that risk after how low morale got under Martinez?
 
I disagree with this 'big name' rubbish. The right man is whoever can come in, get the coaching and fitness right, foster a sense of togetherness and belief in the squad, sort out our defence and develop the talent we've clearly got coming through. Whatever that man's name, be it Howe or de Boer or Pellegrini or Unsworth, I don't give a toss about their CV or trophy cabinet - it is whether they can do the business for EFC.
 
I wonder, how many would have thought Pochettino 'big time' enough for EFC when he was at Southampton, or even getting sacked by Espanyol? None of us our experts here, most names are being bandied about on the strength of media profile, I just don't agree that's how it works.

Do you think he actually believes that shit washes, or he is just on auto pilot?? None of the goals had anything to do with bad luck, and everything to do with woeful organisation, inability deal with crosses into the box, defenders not sticking with their men, no one being prepared to attack the ball, and a couple of pieces of abject goalkeeping. It truly is unbelievable that he can still come out with this shite.

A small piece of putty for me. Knows how to stick together when times are tough.

A small piece of putty for me. Knows how to stick together when times are tough.

Roberto 'I give the kids a chance' Martinez brings on Leon Osman instead of Kieran Dowell...

Leicester's 'performances' also consist of defending superbly as a unit, working tirelessly, moving the ball quickly and efficiently and having more shots per game than everyone else. That wins you football matches, anyone should applaud those sorts of performance.
 
When Martinez defends our 'performances', he means we have made 600+ passes, and praises the team in spite of individual defensive errors, lack of cohesion, workrate and the often ponderous way we try to break teams down. That doesn't win you football matches.
 
Congratulations Leicester btw, fully deserved and a remarkable story.

Leicester's 'performances' also consist of defending superbly as a unit, working tirelessly, moving the ball quickly and efficiently and having more shots per game than everyone else. That wins you football matches, anyone should applaud those sorts of performance.
 
When Martinez defends our 'performances', he means we have made 600+ passes, and praises the team in spite of individual defensive errors, lack of cohesion, workrate and the often ponderous way we try to break teams down. That doesn't win you football matches.
 
Congratulations Leicester btw, fully deserved and a remarkable story.

And, in case any one forgets... we lost. To an injury-time goal nonetheless (where have I heard that before??)

Showed some heart and fight second half but...
 
Another goal conceded in injury time.
Lukaku - Champions League striker? Utter chump today, really, really pathetic.
Mirallas - was that sub a personal fuck you from Martinez? Unbelievable that he didn't come on from Cleverley earlier.
How is Barkley not back playing for the U21s when Deulofeu sits on the bench? Just awful again.
Defending... Stones for first, Jagielka for second. Need I say more.
 
Don't let the second half con you. This needs to be the end for Martinez. Turning up second half at Wembley after two months of utter mediocrity and worse is not good enough. Need to start again.

If you think back to that Chelsea performance, it has just gone. This team is just nowhere near capable of that now. Utterly flat, utterly demoralising.

John Stones again. Too easy. All over.

You have to look at the ambitions of the two clubs. Liverpool sacked Rodgers because they wouldn't tolerate not competing for Europe. We've given our Championship manager two seasons to stamp utter mediocrity over everything we do. That's why we're in their shadow.

Nope Barkley went off for Cleverley.
 
Surely, surely this can't be allowed to continue. This is a horror show

That's what happend when you sack a muppet and get someone in who knows a thing or two about winning games of football.

That's what happend when you sack a muppet and get someone in who knows a thing or two about winning games of football.