Philinsuffolk

In answer to the original question. In my view there is 1 particular player we could and must get (probably as one of the 2 loan deals) that would be as good as 2 or 3 signings. Fernandes. Play him in midfield with Arteta, Cahill and Carsley sitting. That would do for me.

Do you think we would let Naysmith talk to Sheff United if we felt we were not going to get enough players in? Players like Naysmith, VDM etc can go and we'll replace them with others.

Heather - just my guess/opinion. But I'm not someone who makes random rumour statements nor do i maon about lack of activity. The club know we need 4 or 5 more, they will come soon. The transfer market has only got lively in recent days for most clubs.

Don't panic folks, there will be 1 maybe even 2 new strikers in. I am confident that the club are going to show some real intent..

Official site confirms that Jags has signed. A decent addition, if nothing else for his versatility. With Yobo off to the ANC this season and having the option to play Phil Neville at left back, he gives us options. Now onto the next signing..we won't have to wait long.

Zed - couldn't agree more mate, spot on. The reaction by too many has been daft. If people put aside their love and passion for the club and think for a moment about the strategic way things work in football then there would be less people stressing. Have no doubts, the tribunal about West Ham has delayed transfer activity for many teams and it all has a knock on effect. Secondly, only in recent days has there been any real transfer activity - Henry to Barca and more importnatly in Premiership terms for activity, Bent now signing for Spurs - watch Defoe leave for somewhere and the whole window is about to go into action. Which will involve Everton just like it will involve the other clubs. I honestly beleive we will have no less than 3 key new players within 3 weeks from now.

These past few seasons they had the "Galacticos" and won nothing. Capello comes in, wins them the title from a great Barca side and they sack him. Shameless. I hope they win nothing next season for the sheer arrogance they show.

The one that I wasn't at, but would like to hear about is January 1984, FA Cup 3rd Round, away at Stoke. We filled the away end and as the story goes, Kendall didn't do a teamtalk, he instead opened the window of the changing rooms and let the players hear our support. That must have been a good singsong you boys that were there. Did us proud!

Order of fixture checking - who we play first, who we play on last day, the 2 dates we play the RS!

Living in West Ham land these days, trust me Harewood would not improve our squad - Johnson, Beattie, Vaughan and Anichebe are all better than Harewood IMO. As for Defoe - good striker, but would question his attitude and whether he's up for the team ethic that we have in spades. Just my opinion of course. But please lets do everything we can to get Manuel Fernandes, a midfield involving him, Cahill, Arteta and 1 (or 2) others would be strong.

What is the clubs strategic plan to take the club ever forward in the next 5 years?

Agree 100% Licker. Joleon did a great job for us at Left Back, but lets make him an Everton Centre Half for years to come with either Joseph or eventually someone else along side him. Valente is a good left back if he could stay fit.

Zed - your last post was amusing. Adams - sorry mate, but got to agree with the others, all that there has been is rumours, pretty much all made by tabloid press that have papers to sell. Footy news isa key part of how tabloids sell their papers and out of the season they have to crank up the rumours. Lets just wait and see what happens. One thought occured to me today - the arbitration panel to consider the West Ham situation sits on June 18th. For this reason it would not surprise me if there was limited transfer throughout the Premiership until then - my logic being that the transfer system is like a domino effect. If West Ham stay up they will make quite a few significant signings (not necesserily from us!) and in turn clubs will buy players to replace. If West Ham go down, then people like Parker won't be going there.. As for Jagielka - we have to have a good Prem season and contend with UEFA Cup - as such the versatility of Jagielka (if he does come) will be an asset. Agreed, not the jewle of our crown, but then Lee Carsley doesn't get considered in this light either..

Oh my word - that is a worrying photo. Fookin hell. Surely he would want to go to a better club and not just take the huge wages that West Ham are now going to be offering everyone?!

Hi Woody, welcome to the site! I for one have not seen enough of koumas to know whether he'd be good enough for us. I presume you have watched him lots, has he improved with the additional year or so of experience? If you consider that past or present we have been linked with the likes of Barton, Reo-Coker, Parker etc - is he anywhere near to their standard as that is the kind of quality we need. Beattie - it just hasn't worked for him at Everton. He would do a great job for you, but suspect he will either stay in the Prem or go to Celtic. Shame you didn't come up, thought as a club you made a good contribution to the Premiership and I hope you make it back up come May..

Agree with you no this Romey. We have to be realistic and not just dismiss all other clubs. Spurs are showing huge ambition and the Toon won't give up trying until they win a Cup one day! We all love Everton but lets be realistic about our key rivals - Moyes called us a "proper football club" recently - that is really important that we are seen like this. It is us not the players that ultimately give other club's fans their perception of us.

A(bsolutely) C(hampion) M(ilanese) I(nzaghi) L(iverpool's) A(rch) N(emesis) I kept away from the reds fans at work today. I considered the result as "job done" and puts to bed any further crowing and any new song about 6 times. I also suspect that it screwed with their minds a bit that I just ignored the whole thing! And as for their fans clambering walls to get in...Speechless, absolutely effing speechless.

Save Bayern Munich for the semi final - 23 years on! Lets just make sure we get to the group stage and go from there. I am sure that after 2 years ago, there will be no such mistakes this time..

Official site confirms that Mr C has signed a new 1 year deal - great news, a dedicated club player that has served us very very well!

Yep, Spurs at the moment. They finished 5th for 2 seasons - the previosu season they probably would have been 4th had it not been for the last day bug affecting the squad and then this season they finished ahead of us having been in the UEFA Cup until the latter stages of the tournament. However, I reckon we're 6th best in the country and moving forwards. Consider where we were say 5 or 10 years ago and call that progress. Unless a club gets taken over by a tycoon (would we really want that?) then progress in these Premiership days can only be evolution not revolution. If we add 3 or 4 quality players and a couple more squad players this summer there is every reason to think that we'll have another good season.

Good reading these. Can't resist adding a few. Age 37 now, started supporting the Blues in 78 and started going 83, so got to enjoy the 80's Blues. In no particular order; 1) Consecutuve weekends, October 84: first, my only ever time on The Kop, for Sharpy's moment! Fantastic. Next time you see a clip of that goal watch the 7 or 8 Blues on the pitch celebrating (none me of course) - most celebrate with the players but my favourite was the lad who did an impression of an aeroplane fly-by as way of celebration. The following weekend being on the Gwladys St to see us trounce United 5-0. 2) Ripping Sunderland apart at home 4-0 that season, including a great team goal involving Steven, Reid and bullet header from Gray. 3) Bayern Munich. Say no more. I'll probably think about that night in my final hours on this earth should my eventual departure be a gradual one. 4) Away at Spurs, Easter - as good as won the title that night. When 2-1 up and under pressure Nev's save that night was unreal. Spurs fans threw snooker balls at us that night and it was scary trying to get back to the coach but at 15 counts as education! 5) Jumping to the 87 season - I went to Highbury late in the season. Train delayed meant got into the ground after 10 minutes having missed the only goal of the game (Wayne Clarke for us) - but I'll always believe I was the first Blue to jump up and down that day when I heard on the radio that Wimbledon went ahead at Anfield - informing my fellow Blues with my big mouth and seeing them celebrate with our players looking around in disbelief! But, celebrating at Chelsea last Sunday...I'm telling you, success for us is coming soon..

In case you're interested, as of 11am this morning the club still had tickets left for Stamford Bridge this Sunday. At £48 a go for a game with only so much at stake, but there should be a good atmosphere in our part of the ground and we may just end the record that Jose has of not losing at home since he arrived. Altogether now...we're all going on a Europan Tour..

Sheedy (oh how I still remember Sheedy taking the piss in the Ipswich Cup game with his r-taken free kick!) - I happen to agree with you. Maybe it is against Portsmouth (who are bound to taunt him for his Southampton past) - but I think he will score as well. Oh, we just simply have to win... Come on you Blues. Lets make this a white hot atmosphere and pull the boys through this one.

JD - that is a fascinating point, had never occured to me. I was taking it that Southampton has a good catchment. I love Goodison as much as you all, but it is time to go..not necessarily so that we can have a mega-bucks owner though.

We get £500,000 if United win the league - and taking the wider view for the love of footy, the game shows Chelsea that money alone won't do it all of the time. Gutted about yesterday, just praying we don't now bottle it - we must must beat Pompey (we really also need Reading to lose or draw tomorrow night). Come on Blues - lets finish this job..