RuffRob

DAILY MIRROR

* Portsmouth have entered the race for Celtic striker Chris Sutton and they are set to pip Everton to his signature.

* Sampdoria are likely to make a shock £3million bid for Everton striker Marcus Bent.

THE SUN

* Graeme Souness could be sacked as Newcastle manager in the next 72 hours.

DAILY STAR

* Everton, Fulham and Aston Villa are chasing Austrian international striker Sanel Kuljic.

DAILY MAIL

* Bolton and Everton will fight it out to land out-of-favour Blackburn striker Matt Jansen.

£3M for Marcus Bent!!! (are Sampdoria getting him confussed with Darren Bent - )

To be honest its this type of thing that is starting to put me off football a bit.

To a extent the glory days of football have well and truly gone.

You look at how many teams won the League/FA Cup/League Cup/Did well in Europe between the mid sixties to the mid Eighties (20 years). If you had a good manager and he bought wisley (not just all the best player available) he could have a decent chance to deliver a piece silverware or two , I am not just talking Everton, I am talking almost any team. Compare that next 20 years (mid eighties to now).

Since 1992 Everton are the only non top 4 team to win the FA cup, all the other 14 cups have be shared by Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Its not a level playing feild at all to be honest.

Will Everton EVER win the League again - not if the current status que remains.

How would we ever win it again - It doesn't matter now many world class home grown youngsters come though, they will just be bought up. - A decent season playing well and again the best players will be bought (al la Gravs).

In a way it good that Cahill hasn't played as well the first half of this season as he did last, because his head could be turned by a triple your money deal offered by one of the big spenders.

The only way we could compeate is that if some suger daddy comes in and we spend spend spend our way to glory. But somehow, doing it that way just doesn't seem right and to me would not be same as building a squad like in the good old days of a reasonabley level playing feild.

Last years 4th spot (a reflection that 4th spot is deemed such a great achievment in modern football) did bring me a lot of joy, mainly down to the fact that is was done the 'old fashion way'. but without pumping lots and lots of money in, these sorts of 'acheivments' are always going to be few and far between, not just for EFC, but 80 -90% of league clubs in the country.

£20m+ SWP is the perfect example of a bit part player at Chelsea, who would be a hero at almost every other club.

So the real goal in the modern football world is to find somebody to throw money in to the club.

Haven't heard Valente is injured again, any link to the story.

I thought Valente was decent in the last two game. and he was also looking good just before he got injured last time (if he is injured again)

I bloody hope so, because any luck we had last season has been paid for in full in the first half of this.

To be honest if he is half decent, free and on low wages then he could be a reasonable squad player.

But centre of the feild is probabley the best covered area, out wide (both left and right is an area that could be improved given our injuries) Can he play out wide I wonder.

So desperate as to take the chelsea coin last summer??

 

Surely he must have known he would have been nothing more than a bit part player at chelsea..a move that puzzled me then as it does now tbh.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is a sad reflection on modern day football I am afraid, the coin rules.

When you consider the quality of SWP and other top players like him, you would see them doing there thing every week on MotD, but alas the richer clubs are basically able to pay daft money to all the top players and many do end up on benches, when they would be the star player at most other premiership clubs. A lot of decent careers are being wasted as bit part players on to club benches. Scott Parker basically wasted 18months of his playing career at Chelsea.

Thats why our league is so top heavy. three or four clubs are able to pay stupid transfer fees and crazy wages. and the rest of league all battle it out for the other £1M - £5M players.

So difficult for our size clubs to build real quality squads when the likes of Parker, Lampard, Joe Cole, SWP, Rooney, Wayne Bridge, Alan Smith, Saha, Sissoko, the list is endless, all gravitate to three or four clubs.

In days gone by a lot of clubs would have at least one class player on there books (generally one or two top clubs just couldn't afford them all), but know a young player shows a bit of class and he is straight on the books of a big club, no stepping stone intermediate club, to play football - straight to a big club, just in case he is going to be massive.

Trouble is put a 20 year old on £50,000+ and he is not going to want to move 'down' to £25,000 weeks when finds he isn't able to get in to the first 11.

Fanny Jeffers should serve as a warning to a lot of young players of how to go from a hero to zero. Possibley now a totally wasted football career.

To be honest, I was only just talking about this to a work colleague, considering how many we have actually scored, unbelievable how many times we have had the ball in the back of the next and not had the goal given, as a percentage of goals scored it is massive.

Fair enough, three or four over a whole season, but this season is unreal on this front, as I would think we have had at least 6-7 disallowed with a lot of them perfectly fine goal.

I agree it really does feel like every other game we are missing out, and when we are struggling to find the back of the net it really has had an effect on the outcomes of a lot of games.

Didn't we also find the back of the net againt villa, before Baros blattently handballed right in front of the ref.

I would also be interested to know exactley now may time this has happend to us this season.

Cahill was robbed a hatrick yesterday, and well my blood still boils thinking about the Collina insident and the aftermath it had on our squad after our elimination from the CL.

You never do

 

I mean 8 goals in 12 months is a great return from a 6 million pound striker..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed, if he had been fully fit and available for in all our games, but come on you have to say just judging him on him in his first proper run of games ( the last 12 or so) he has been one of our better and more consistent players.

So goals per games starting (i.e fit) this season isn't that bad considering how our team overall has been playing. In the Prem 5 in 14, if you times that up to a full season we are looking at 13-14 league goals, that top 5 or 6 strike rate in the Prem (not many hit 20+ nowadays), and I wouldn't say he is on top goal scoring form yet, so possibley more to come.

I have to say I am impressed with his contribution over the last couple of months (goals, holding the ball up, chasing down defenders, goal line clearences etc)

Forgeting the previous 8 months, and considering the chopping and changing to his supporting attacking players over the past few months, what is your honest view on Beattie over the last 12 games only?

To be honest we haven't really seen him play yet. He was dumped in at the deep end a bit against Villa.

To make your Premeirship début in a very nervouse defence is not really ideal for a play who is not yet match fit.

Like most centre back he will generally need a bit time to form a decent partnership at the back with Yobo. rare to form to be an instant hit as a CB.

Definately don't think we should sell at a lose just yet. But I am afraid we won't really see the best of him this season now. A few weeks before he will be ready and another month or so to get match fit and to grips with the Prem - Season almost over - the luck of the draw I am afraid, we did alright for injuries last season and are now averaging out this season.

Can't agree with you Fozzie.

I think Arteta is a better and more consistent player than Graversen to be honest (in less than 12 months in the Prem). So to harp back to the days of Gravesen are a bit to easy to do. We 'nicked' a lot of games 1-0 last term, I think luck played a bigger part than Gravs to be honest.

To get rid of Gravs with 6 months left on his contract and basically get a younger Arteta for basically the same money as we got for Gravs was a good move.

Having now seen Beattie get a proper run of more than 10+ games under his belt, I think he is a great signing for us. He is a very hard working player who runs all game, and is a forward who is not just about goal scoring.

This season he has started 16 games with a return of 6 goals (and you could say at least 2-3 of these starts have been games getting him match fit). That isn't a bad return from a striker who has had to play with a number of partners and sometimes no partner. If more chances are created, he gets a more stable partner and if he and the team find a bit more confidence then we will see that not to bad goal/game ratio improve further.

He has run and run for the whole of this Xmas period. So the fat, lazy, unfit, man tits argument is done and dusted for me.

Nice post to read this morning - as late last night after watching football first, I was thinking to myself that with the World Cup coming up and SWP basically only a bench warmer at Chelsea, if a cheeky loan bid would be worth a punt.

He is a loan signing that I am sure every Everton fan would love to see at the club. A long shot, but I am sure SWP would be desperate to ensure he plays enough football between now and May to make sure he is right up there in Svens thoughts.

Deffo, if on a free worth bringing in although he would be after decent coin.

Can't see him bothering for less than an 18month contract.

I think we are further advanced than when he arrived. The level of expectation proves that. Since our appaling start we've taken twenty points from thirteen games. That's sixty points a season form without being able (for whatever reason) to score and missing key players. That's fact and if people think that level of performance is unacceptable then surely that shows that DM has redefined the level of our ambition. In my opinion that's no reason to show him the door.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is spot on and a point that is often missed. We are majorly disappointed we haven't kick on from last season, and look to have gone backwards if anything. But a lot of this is down to so many new players, the injuries we have had and then the lack of confidence that most teams go through when losing becomes a habit.

I say Moyes deserves another 18 months to mould and further build this squad.

Its a known fact that teams who chop and chance manager every time there is bad form end up losing countless millions of pounds. Some thing Everton just can't afford to do.

Trying to be optomistic on that one Fozzie, only going by what the journalist have mutted - £2M (but even I'm not that optomistic )

Sorry Fozzie, I really have to disagree with you an a lot of your comments;

Why do you say the player have no respect for the manager, I haven't heard anything along these lines, unless you have heard otherwise.

I agree that Moyes may seem he doesn't know who to play or were to play them sometimes, but this is largely down to the fact a lot of the players are new to the club and we have had a lot of injuries I would say. I think the problem is a lack of decent striker partner for Beattie, and pace available. I agree he doesn't know what the best 11 is and how to best play them just yet - But I think it will come. That is the problem with bring so many new faces in at once- but I think we will agree new faces were needed this summer.

Since we have seen Beattie have a good run of games, I think he has been a really good player for us. His work rate have been excellent, and I think when we can get a settled partner for him, the goals will come. He just hasn't had a steady partner to play up front. He did have an unfortunate start to his Goodison career, but I think he is coming good.

I aslo disagree about Davies, I think he is also starting to play well now he is settling in to the club.

VDM, yes we did sign him carrying an injury and after 5 months he still doesn't seem to be ready, we have taken a bit of a risk, but we only played £1.5M.

with regard to Kroldroup well the jury is out until he plays.

We have been unlucky with our injury list this season so far (I surpose it was going to happen with us doing so well on that front last season)

Carsley last game of last season

Pistone and Naysmith before the season starts

Beattie in his first Prem match of the season

Kroldroup before the first match of the season

Vaughan after just a couple of games

Arteta an hour before the game in bucharest

Davies shin splits

Valente as he was just settling in

VDM just as he was getting match fit

Ferrari

Moyes has had all these injuries to contend with as he has been trying to get this new look squad playing together.

I just think you are condemming Moyes a little early - and I think he should get a fair crack at the whip with these players.

I seem to be the positive to counter balance your negative and visa versa - I guess the reality of it is somewhere in between.

I still think we will be a top ten team come May.

To be honest it is a fine line in the prem between the clubs in about 5th or 6th position down to about 15th and 16th (generally speaking that is).

There is not a lot in it, to be honest

The fact that we have got so many new player in the squad, had more than our fair share of injuries and bad luck, that squad over achived last year and were not really ready for europe exploits this season have all compounded themselves, and hence had the players confidence drained somewhat, and we didn't manage to bring another striker to the club

The player have shown they can mix it to a certain degree with decent teams, we gave Villareal two decent games, as well as Man U and Chelsea. We have beat the likes of Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Bolton and Blackburn.

The players just need to find a little more consistency and confidence against the smaller teams.

I don't care what anybody says we have a better squad now with the likes of Beattie, VDM, Davies, Arteta and Neville (and hopefully Kroldroup when we see him) than we had 12 months ago.

Another decent run like we had before this week and we will find ourselves in the top half of the table. I still think we will make the top 10 by the end of this season, and considering our 3 points from 8 games, rock bottom of the table start we had in the end that will not be a bad season over all.

We will have the chance to bring in another striker or two in January (and with Nugent I hope some pace), we can off load Bent, get Vaughan fit and on the bench.

Two player big name player who may be interested in a loan deal until the summer.

Henrik Larrson from Barca and Inzaghi of Milan - they have only managed a handful of games for their respective clubs this season. I know inzaghi would like to go to the World Cup, but is struggling to get a game at the moment.

Beattie definately needs a bit of competition up front.

Why? What is Per like?

Just wondering on any potential bench warmers accross europe that can score a goal or two?

If we must sell to buy (although I don't really beleieve it totally) who do you think we should sacrifice to raise funds.

Bent - rumour of £2M offer from Charlton, lets say we could get £1.5M - Snatch there hands off I say.

McFadden to Celtic or Rangers? £2M maybe - should he stay or go? I would like to keep him for a while longer, but if we did need funds, I would say he is a player we could do without and at least draw some revenue from.

Kilbane - £500,000 at a push.

Our player, haven't done enough in the last 12 months to warrant any decent fees to be honest.

It just highlights how light our squad is really, when you consider injuries in the equation - (can blame DM for that though).

We could do with a no fear youngster to come thorugh the ranks and set the premiership on fire with his goal scoring ability. Anybody know when he might be back in contention for a place in the squad.

From January to May - There must be a number of players who would consider a loan move to try and book a place in the World Cup

I can think of Bridge and Huth at Chelsea who would consider themselves as having a decent chance of going if they can get regular football under there belts.

Moyes and his scouts need to be scouring european benches to see who is available, and looking to impress there national coaches before May.

I agree, I think they may be on there way down to be honest (I don't mean relegated, just not challenging the top 3 maybe)

Some of the best player are nearing retirement, twighlight of there career or leavign in the club.

Bergkamp, Pires, Lungberg, Henry and Cole to name a few player I can't see being at the club next year.

They are going to struggle to Viera in the same way United are going to struggle to replace keane.

So suprised neither man U or Arsenal went for Parker.

It pains me to say but I think Liverpool might be Chelsea's nearest challengers next season.

http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=34...+Tekke+decision

This boy can certainley find the back of the net.

Was a rumour last summer.

I would definately think he was worth a bid if Wigan are the only team in for him.

A bit of a risk as he hasn't played British football, but we just need soembody who can find the back of the net.

To be honest, I don't think it is as doom and gloom as everyone is making out. Just yet.

0-4 home defeat againt Bolton is a terrible result, and to a degree unacceptable.

But the scoreline is a bit freakish to be honest, everybody has said that the scorline flattered the opossition, even the opposition. I would be more concerned if we had been played of the park for 90mins to be honest. But from what I gather that wasn't the case.

One think that will be taken from our last two results is that the players will not be able to rest on their laurels over the Xmas period and relax somewhat having just bagged 4-6 points.

They didn't deserve to lose 4-0 on Saturday and they have the Xmas period to put it right.

Yes, I would definately prefer to have the point we lost last week in the bag, but if it means they pull their socks up over Xmas and can manage grab 9-12 points instead of 4-6 then things will look a lot rosier going in to the second half of the season.

Other than a mad 5 minute spell, I would say we were the better team over the cause of Saturdays game.

But it is up to the team to put things right this holiday period.

If all the player are as truly 'embarressed' with the last couple of performances as they say,then hopefully Villa will feel a backlash.

A good performance is needed ahead of the derby match.

I feel the Everton need to get at least 10 point if not 12 points from the next four games to get the fans back on side.

A tall order, give our current form

Villa - away

Liverpool - home

Sunderland - Away

Charlton - home

But not impossible.

But it need to start at Villa with 3 point.

A definate Has been -

What happened to him once he left Liverpool? Done nothing