Philinsuffolk

Quite. Good question. Wonder who will play left mid. Outside chance of Heitinga CB, Distin LB and Baines LM? Doubt it, but in hard times could offer a little more robustness in terms of keeping things tight. Regardless, go and fight for this Blues...

Win Everton. Just win.

Form is temporary, class is permanent. I'm not talking about players, I'm talking about fans. Hold your nerve.

They will show heart today and win.

Should win - but have a nagging doubt about this one. However, can see us getting a late winner, 2-1.

Two words - Leeds United.

LOL - fair comment Captain Ferguson. I assure you I am nothing to do with the club (I wish!). Project Manager in Suffolk if that helps distance me sufficiently. However, fully acknowledge that I am a strong defender of the club in general and mostly take the positive side of things. Respect the varying views on here, mine just happen to be at one end of the spectrum. Do I think Kenwright has done a good job for our club? All things considered, I do. Hopefully I have clarified where I stand - don't really feel I ought to, but nor do I think it fair that people start speculating that I'm a club representative just because my comments are considered as overly positive.

Having started this thread, I just wanted to acknowledge all the comments and agree in terms of his form so far this season. In this regard the comment from MarcoPaulo is fair in terms of the specific timing of my post. My starting post talked about the job that Baines has done for us in the past year - which I stand by. Hoepfully he (and others) will soon get back to the kind of form that many showed over these last 12 months.

Who says we have failed with any of the big targets? Big targets based on whose say so? Tabloid newspapers that have a job to do and link about 40 players every summer with every Prem side? Who says 'Billy' wasn't a top target? I'm not necessarily disagreeing, I'm just saying that we are all working from pure conjecture. We can't have it all ways. Next June we can ask Moyes to publicly issue his list of targets and then wait for the price to double on them all? Just a bit of devil's advocate..

I am sure that coming out and saying this, combined with another signing or two before the transder deadline will focus the minds of the players. With injuries and departures, the starting team almost picks itself through default - not a good position for any club to be in. In Moyes I trust.

I just wanted to give a nod to Baines. Not really because of his crucial penalty today (given our start to the season that was a pressure kick), but I was just thinking how consistent and reliable he has become. We all recognise that his partnership with Peanuts is a strong one, but in his own right Leightonhas been doing a fantastic job for us over the past year.

Saha is doing superb and he seems genuinely motivated to make the most of the chance we have given him. Personally I am not convinced that he and Yak will wor well as a combiantion (much as I'd love it to), but either way if we can get to the stage where we have Yak, Saha and Jo fit for a sustained period of time then there is goals in this side.

If we keep the thread on him for 12 years or so he may finsih his career with us!!

I'd like to see us reach a minimum of the last 8 of the Europa Cup and to achieve a top 6 finish. That would demostrate ongoing overachievment given the resources.

Danny Williamson!!!! Is your memory that good or have you got that book that lists all those that have played for us? If that is memory, I am impressed. His contribution was pathetic. Mention of Williamson is so amusing it has cheered me up. So after a difficult few days thnaks for that c1982! Danny effin' Williamson...lol

I thank Lescott for the 3 years of good service he gave us - he was an integral part of the progress we have made in recent years. However, he plays for another club now. We should stop using our energy talking about him - it makes us look ridiculous.

In terms of 'contributions' to the Everton cause on the pitch it has got to be Keeley. Kroldrup deserves his place at CB alongside him.

Good point by Bill, doesn't fit with the Moyes policy overall. Personally, I do think he is a decent CB, assured, strong and has some level of leadership ability. £3m does sound like a maximum figure given his age. Get the feeling he's a decent professional though.

Just give us a general overview of him please - what are the best parts of his game and what are his weaknesses? Thanks

For God's sake any Evertonian over the age of twelve has been through far worse than this haven't they? New Year's Eve 1983 against Coventry anyone? Cue, the Manor Ground, Oxford, a sloppy backpass and...! No need for panic just yet folks. I'll reconsider my stance after the 2nd leg of the qualifier and Wigan at home.

I agree that we probably would have bought in replacements by now if we had sold him weeks ago, but it doesn't get over the point that we would have achieved several million less for him. The point that we wouldn't have lost our opening 2 games if we had bought in replacements is pure conjecture. Arsenal beat us regualarly regardless and its disingenuous to Burnley who beat Man United in the week. My point above was merely saying that in business terms (not footballing terms) we have achieved a decent sale. Rooney on his own would never have been able to move us on, the money we achieved for him has allowed the club to build. Likewise, the Lescott money will do similar in some shape or form.

We did tell City a price - we told them it was £30m and we got £24m (allegedly). So, if we had told them the price was £22m we would have presumably got £18-20m? It's called negotiation position. People are entitled to be critical but we can't have it all ways here. If we had sold him 4 or 5 weeks ago then we probably would have got £15m. We have waited to get good money so we now have more money as a club (regardless of how those funds are now used). If you ask me, we have got this about right - we have achieved top, top money for Lescott and have got a week to bring replacements in (and we all know that they are having talks behind the scenes about several players). The players will arrive.

It's a great thought. Though personally I would stick with 4-5-1 with Tim supporting Yak. Too many if's to worry about it though!

In regards to the Board being held to account - if you say so.

It would be lovely to think this could happen, however the threat of injury always hangs over a player. If before January he got an injury that ended his career he would want to be on the CIty contract not the Everton one. It's about money more than anything else.