Naismith: We have cover for Barkley

Our finances are limited and should be used on cover for Lukaku. We have cover behind him.

Okay, I hear you say, that's just bad luck ! Okay, I say, when has luck ever favoured us at Everton. We have many games in many competitions coming up and need experienced players.

I was more concerned on reflection looking at the defensive errors which led to their goals, and we don't really have many to fall back on. I would also go for Micah Richards who has fallen out of favour at Man City and is available for a relatively small fee.

Now, he would provide quality cover and even if he wasn't first choice would put pressure on Jags, Distin etc. and is versatile across the back four!

I was pleased with the goals from McGeady and Naismith, although the former gives away possession too often, too easily and will have to tighten that part of his game up.

I still feel, and am not alone in that, I couldn't understand the tactics in the second half in a game which was virtually won if they had just pressured a bit more, instead of, what appeared to be an OFM tactic, protecting a narrow lead and inevitably, falling for the sucker punch, two points lost.

And before anyone says - "oh, but he lacks the quality", I say - take a look at his goals. Very few of them are tap-ins or fluky.

We have adequate cover in that role, but obviously Barkley is a special talent and he creates goals from nothing and you cannot replicate that easily. Lukaku, McGeady, Mirallas, Pienaar, Osman, Naismith, Kone (when he is back), Baines, Coleman, McCarthy – all of them have to chip in with their quota of goals.

What we don’t have is a player who can replicate his style of play – those powerful bursts from deep which can scatter the opposition in all directions, the supreme example being the away goal at Newcastle last season.

I think we are looking at not so much a change of personnel but one of a change of tactics and formation.

Personally I think Everton should have kept the Barkley news as quiet as possible until just before the Arsenal game and until we know the full extent of his injury. This negative news coverage isn't doing anyone any good. Like I suggested on a previous thread.

Have to also say that I was so dissppointed in Naismith the first season he was here, then last year I found it hard to turn my opinion of him around. This season I'm almost expecting him to be a revelation, given a good run of games and the right support.

I do think we need cover for Barkley, we have players that can play there but there not in the same mold as him, he can make something out of nothing. Over to you, Bill.

The defence looks vulnerable, the two goals we conceded were really poor. I still think when we get pressed by the other team we look like were going to concede a goal.

Leicester didnÂ’t even play well yet they scored 2 goals against us.

I still feel that the defence needs a bolster too, and as I have said on many occasions, it is no good having creative players and goalscorers doing their job, if you are susceptible to leaking them at the back.

This was almost case and point on Saturday, I applaud McGeady for his well taken goal and admit it was from an unexpected source. Post-goal though he proceeded to revert to type and give the ball away all too often. Their goals were not from good moves, but sloppy and amateur defending.

Any hint of a repeat against the Arse and Chelski, will see us proverbially taken to the cleaners. The resulting biological stains from that hypothetical scenario, could be harder to erase, as a start to the season.

Buying from Spurs is never a good idea, you always pay over the odds. I thought we needed cover for Barkley before he got injured so we definitely need to invest. I think deadline day will see us buy a couple.

As for us I trust we have enough cover with good health to get through the season. Yes, another striker and an AMC would be excellent but we haven't yet seen what Besic and Atsu are going to add to the mix. They maybe the answers we need. We obviously need more work on the back 4/3 and above all else set-pieces.

The player I would like, and I know it would be a gamble, is Ben Arfa from Newcastle. He is clearly not wanted their, and would not command a large fee. I'd imagine his wages are high so maybe that would be a problem. Funny thing is, if we were any other club I'd say we could do a loan deal. Unfortunately Pardew seems to have a bee in his bonnet about us, and would probably veto that idea.

Why does the fact someone supports Everton make him a good signing?

Let's go for Nugent whilst we are at it.

IÂ’m not optimistic on Kone being back too soon, his recovery date seems to keep being put back. So itÂ’s a given weÂ’ll get a striker in, ideally a try before we buy again.

IÂ’d love us to get a young midfielder too that could alternate with Naisy while Ross is out. Holtby seems an obvious choice. IÂ’ve rated the lad when IÂ’ve seen him play. Not the biggest or fastest but he can pick out a pass in the last third. We should make a sensible bid and let Levy take it or leave it. I canÂ’t imagine him making it easy for us being direct rivals.

IÂ’ve not seen anyone mention Hakim Ziyech on here. He plays in the Dutch league. HeÂ’s 21 and just missed on the Dutch World Cup squad this summer and available for a modest fee. Does anyone else rate this kid??

Of the Premier League squad players we should look to now, I'd go for Kagawa, I honestly believe from what I have seen and when he was at Dortmund, given an extended run, he would be a massive addition, plus the marketing opportunities he'd represent in Japan would maybe help pay for some of his fees and wages. I think he would be a great addition in Ross's absence.

As strikers go, I don't think there are too many out there within our budget; if he would take a squad player's wages, I would go for Eto'o. As unlikely as that is, I'm not sure who else we could take in?

He's out of favor there, didn't play or make the bench on Saturday, they're supposed to want to move him on, best mates with Rom, and most importantly is a great player when on form, he's a perfect fit.

There's also the fact that Roberto may have spotted other areas which need extra cover.

From what I saw of him, Besic now has the skill to fulfill that role in front of Barry and McCarthy

How much of that was down to the half time chat from Roberto, we will probably never really find out.

Second-half tactics as so many have mentioned was 'á la OFM mode' and substitutions not only the wrong ones but also too late.

The defending was diabolical and the positioning, would have been good in darts, bad grouping, especially the second goal.

I don't think Jags is the right guy for the Captain's job either, he doesn't appear to be very vocal or influential to less experienced players when he should be.

If we try any of those tactics against the Arse or Chelski, they will chalk up a cricket score.

Those shouting Holtby must have seen something in him that I haven't... he's never impressed me. And the fact that he's a Blue doesn't make him better.

Whether by accident or design, we were a bit off the pace and I must agree with Roberto when he said we lost concentration and didn't look safe. Hopefully, Barry and McCarthy will break out of a walk and spur us on to better performances in the weeks ahead.

Very astute thinking there mon ami, after all, thinking back to Gareth Bale, he started off as a defender, (Southampton)well more of a wing back, then Spurs pushed him upfield and he didn't turn out too shoddy.

Not sure what happened to him after Spurs, someone said he was making records, or something like that!

Atsu could fill his boots as he has pace and could do runs like Barkley does and terrorize defences. As previous posts have said, Naismith is a good hard worker but can’t lead the line but is a good sub for Atsu when needed. Striker-wise, we need a finisher who has got a good football brain who finds space in the box. It might though need Bill to open his check book for that — or a good loan deal.

Losing another quality first teamer from our already small squad is just as big a blow to us as the loss of star quality. I think we will have to bring someone else in to cope with the extra games as he sure won't be the last injury we suffer this season!

Holtby and Dembele are both good shouts. Perhaps on a loan to buy deal with a reasonable, yet not extortionate agreed fee, say £8m for either. Not a cheapy cheap bargain, but an incentive for the Spuds to loan them to us in the first place. If things don't work out we send them back!

Don't get me wrong, I like both players but I wonder if they are too similar? Would a more offensive minded player alongside one of them be a more effective option? Or should McCarthy be encouraged to push forward more often like he used to do in his Wigan days?

Anyone who thinks we are likely to get Kagawa, Dembele or Nastasic without paying considerable wedge is being very optimistic. Ben Arfa or Holtby may be cheaper and for me the latter is still the best realistic option as he could actually turn into a proper player unlike Ben Arfa who is a highlights player...

In the words of the song by The Vapors, I think you are "Turning Japanese" but a good shout all the same.

We "screwed" Man Utd for £27½M for Fellaini and "only" paid £15M... Levy has every right to make a small profit from his investments, much the same as EVERYONE else. A player costs money to train, house, treat etc... Pienaar a case in point, he cost them £3M, they paid for him to train etc etc... a £5M sale is not good business, it's recouping what they shelled out during his stay at least.