McCarthy misses Krasnodar trip

XXX
Coleman Alcaraz xxx Oviedo
Gibson McCarthy
Mirallas Barkley Pienaar
Kone

Can you believe this FC Planet Krasnodar didn’t even exist 7 years ago and are now in Europa League!?!? NOTHING FISHY about that happening in a place like Russia....

Anyway, here is my team:
Robles
Browning Jags Alcaraz Baines
Gibson Barry
Osman
Atsu Kone/McGeady
Eto’o

Howard
Stones Jagielka Alcaraz Baines
Besic Barry
Atsu Osman McGeady
Eto'o

Subs: Robles, Browning, Oviedo, Naismith, Lukaku, Kone, Gibson.

Now, Mirallas as well, it must be all the ball work that they must now be doing in training, unless he was still working harder than most because he missed a lot of pre-season.

Anyway, we now face an awkward trip into the unknown, to play a game 65 hours before we start at Old Trafford on Sunday. I can’t predict the scores, but I hope that things will start to get a little easier after this intense period. But if we want to move forward as a team, these are the things we are going to have to get used to.

I wasn’t happy going out the League Cup to Swansea, but I’m glad we don’t have to go to Anfield to play another cup game now. Maybe we can leave that till later in the season when we will hopefully be in much better shape?

I wonder how much Bill has splashed out for visas?

The colour red
Kopites
Frankenstein football creations (aka Chelski Citeh PSG)
Top of the table fans (of which I was one in the Alan Ball days! Somehow stuck!!!!)

So many injuries, many in the same area. Surely it’s not a mere coincidence. When you then look at Atletico Madrid’s 15-man side which, more or less, went an entire season sans injury while fighting on so many fronts, it does make you think... Not to mention the premier league sides who, on par, seem to have far better luck with long-term casualties.

Mo. Try lying down for 30 minutes in a darkened room.

I didn't really see McCarthy playing tomorrow night anyway. It may as well just be Besic, Gibson, Atsu, Osman or McGeady with Naismith behind Eto'o. I would say we could start Lukaku; I really think that fella needs to start producing the goods. I keep hearing about his lack of fitness from Martinez; question is: Why?

Well perhaps he should play games Lukaku then.

I'm starting to think me brother might have been right about us going after Welbeck as a cheaper option. I've got to admit that he is looking the business at Arsenal; he seems to be free of the shackles that held him down at Man Utd.

I would have thought tomorrow would have suited Distin, slightly slower pace than the Premier League's frantic nature. It seems the big man is slowly being fazed out now. I will feel a bit sad when he does go but understand he can't go on forever. This season more so he has started showing signs of father time finally starting to catch up.

I'd be giving Browning the right-back start with Oviedo or Garbutt holding left back, Alcaraz partnering Stones, as they did quite well back in January with each other, I think it was away at Stoke???

Also, how come Arouna Kone still has not travelled?? Just what the hell has happened to that guy? You're talking about 12 months out now with a knee injury ,right?

As fans it's easy to see "shit" performances, but we've only half a clue as to why that might be. Aside from injuries that players get asked to play with, we also saw at Mordor Lukaku playing on the wing. You think he's going to turn in a top drawer performance playing out of position?

That aside, even though his performances have not been brilliant, he's still had a hand in a lot of our good play, creating chances directly and indirectly and also scoring a few goals.

Centre mid is not really a problem for us. We've got 4 quality players for 2 positions, then as backup we have Osman and Ledson who I think deserves a chance. We've seen Browning and Garbutt both step up from our academy and fit in perfectly, and Ledson is probably also of similar ability.

A club like ours can't afford to buy too many more quality players than we have; certainly not somewhere like centre mid where we are already strong. So, I'm glad we're making use of our youngsters. It's the only way we can compete with richer clubs without going bankrupt.

Just what the hell is going on with time out for injuries? Kone, Pienaar, Coleman, etc etc, we always seem to be about 4-6 key players short and Martinez just keeps giving positive vibes.

The manager is responsible for setting the tone and providing leadership. You need those people to be strong and give confidence to the 11 that have to play, not make them believe they can't win or compete just because of a few injuries.

Man Utd also have lots of first-team players missing; more than us I think, so any idea that we're the only club to have important players out is mistaken.

Sturridge is out until after the internationals. How crap do they look tonight? Man Utd have a long list out as well as a nice 3-match suspension and Welbeck has a hat-trick tonight. It is made worse for us in that, in Coleman, Mirallas and Barkley we have such creative players out. Kone having sat on the bench just the once and not even travelling to Russia is also worrying.

You thick Kopshite goof, I don't think so, he was sat in the stand.

But there's no getting away from the fact that, toe injury or not., fitness issues or not, sooner or later we need better from him.

Yes, he is 21, but for me his touch is pretty awful and he seems to drift through too many matches just not looking interested, whereas Welbeck looks alive and always on the move.

I keep looking at Lukaku and thinking "Come on, Rom – use that power and pace to bully players" but, even at Anfield, too often he's knocked aside by a weaker looking man.

I want him to succeed madly – that's probably why I'm expecting more from him.

I will be patient, as we all will be, but he cost big money and another month of lethargic-looking performances and no real goal sprees and you know how quick fans become restless and impatient.

The time to start delivering is now.

I expect Gibson to come in for McCarthy and I hope RM gives a start to Browning.

I’m agreeing with Kieth Glazzard about Balotelli’s great impersonation of a former Red, Emile Heskey. I have to admit Balotelli had a good game but he hits the deck far too often looking for a foul and should have been booked.

I see the Shite got away with another sure fire penalty against Basel today.

This weekend's game is more important.

I'd like to see Jags saved for the weekend game. His partnership with Stones is looking promising.

I wouldn't mind Browning getting a start.

I've been a big backer of Lukaku. There's been lots of rumblings about playing the "kids" and giving them a chance and Lukaku is only 21. He is learning and getting better. I thought he did well on diagonal balls played out wide to him in the Liverpool. The down side is he was miles away from the 18 yard box playing the role he was asked to play.

I want to see him score more, but game plans where he's a wide right winger reduce his opportunities to score. 2 goals and an assist isn't great, but it isn't terrible through 6 Premier League games. There needs to be a better plan where he's positioned closer to the 18 yard box.

I hope he and Eto'o share time in Russia and with the injury situation the way it is I'd like to see a weekend lineup with both Eto'o and Lukaku starting.

Everton need to get through the next couple of games without further injury issues and hopefully more players will be available after the upcoming international break.

I'm a Yank and live in North Carolina. I really think Tim Howard not playing for the US team is a plus for Everton this season. Even if he wants to be the USA #1 after year he'll have trouble regaining his spot if Brad Guzan of Aston Villa keeps getting better (and I've thought that Guzan is better than Tim for the last year or so).

Lukaku is younger and hopefully will outstrip Welbeck in years to come but at the moment the English man looks quicker, more creative and surprisingly more dangerous in front of goal. And for £10M less. £10M that may have bought us an attacking playmaker or rapid centre back to replace Sylvain.

Hopefully Lukaku will prove a wise investment in time but I do have fears over whether the potential will become realised or not. As has been said before, it's hard to coach a good first touch.

In other news... and I can not for the life of me believe this; Kone is not making the trip to Russia. I know people who come back from re-attached legs faster than this. How in the world is this possible??

If there was one game ALL season that we needed him it’s this one. What a waste of epic proportions by Martinez. It is just beyond comical. All those wasted wages as well. He should give some back.

Well, my point is that I think it is down to confidence. A player full of confidence will have a good first touch because he knows there will be options to lay it off. At present, those options are too often missing.

Comparing Wellbeck to Lukaku is interesting. Lukaku is more physical. Wellbeck at this point in time has better 1st touch.

I'd much rather have Lukaku because to me his ceiling is much much, much higher.

Lukaku is more the natural goal scorer than Wellbeck. There are games where chances will fall to Wellbeck and he's hailed, but in the long run Lukaku has much more potential (my opinion).

I don't think Wellbeck will ever be a 20 goal a season scorer, but I do see Lukaku reaching that level.

It's the problem Everton face as a team of modest means. Yes, it would be nice to have more polished gems in the squad, but they cost a bloody fortune which Everton don't have.

And when I see him on TV giving interviews about who he wants to aspire to, I feel like saying just do it on the pitch you wanker.

I know you believe in going in to lower leagues for players Jim, like myself. I would have gone after that striker Assomalonga (maybe spelt wrong) Notts Forest . I think we could have made him in to something special.

The major concern for me is people said when Anichebe was young and 21 and his touch was nothing short of woeful "oh Vic's only young he will get better" but for me you hahave either got it at that age or you haven't.

Rooney had it and I will bet the likes of Suarez and Messi could do the basics of controlling a ball at 21, after all 21 is hardly a wet behind the ears 17 year old.

Like others, I’d like to see Browing and Garbutt get a start but certainly some game time. It’s been great seeing these youngsters break through and they’re going to start to add some needed depth to the squad. Result permitting, I’d love to see Ledson get 5/10 minutes this evening to mark his steady breakthrough into the squad.

I had a terrible first touch and improved it through determination to the point that it wasn't terrible anymore, just OK. I then got told by an ex-pro that, if I let him coach me, he would improve my first touch to a top class level in a matter of months.

If a shit footballer like myself can improve my first touch just by practising it a couple of times a week, then a pro-footballer can easily improve their touch as they do it every day.

I completely agree that Lukaku's touch is woeful at times, but compared to last season it's improved ten-fold. Clearly the staff and Lukaku himself recognise that this is something he needs to work on.

The problem with Lukaku is that he's only played one way before. His sheer strength and pace have led him to be a player a that thrives on the through-ball. Kick it in front of him and watch him go.

But unfortunately, to be a complete forward, playing only in this rather direct way will not cut it at a top team. Top teams require their players to have more than one string to their bow.

Teams like Chelski and Citeeh can afford to buy "complete" players. Teams like Everton, need these players, to break the glass ceiling, but can only usually afford to buy players with the "potential" to become "complete" players.

I realise that this is probably a contradiction, us having spent £28 million on potential. But the club must believe that Rom has the ability to fulfill that potential that quite quickly. And, imo, judging by the rate his touch has improved, they could be right.

At this rate, we'll be diving hard into the January market for reinforcements.