Report: Howard out until February

Can’t get a game at QPR.
We should put a bid in for him.
A very good keeper

Howard has been woeful this season and pretty arrogant as well. I’m not going to miss his stupid scissor jumps either.

Robles is sadly not the answer and with the team leaking goals we need a top goalkeeper.

The way we have been playing lately has been fucking disgraceful and its not particularly the style of the play, its the total lack of effort.

Build from the back, spend some money or pay the best wages we can to get Cech on loan

He would be the best keeper at GP since Martyn and he kept us up in 2003/4. Howard isn’t half the player Nigel was and after his record breaking performance against Belgium has been shocking in goal.

We are crying out for a goalkeeper and a centre back with a bit about them but will it happen...............

Just hope we get a new capable goalie asap. Can’t take take much more of Howard... and Robles?... well, less said the better.

If that’s the best we can hope for we are fucked

We need the best we can get behind the wall of strength of Jag/Dustbin and Barry.

I wouldn’t trust any of those 3 to improve the 2nd worst defence in the league

If Cech wont come or we cannot afford him then that’s another story (and a shambles if its the latter) but to get him for 5 months could turn the season around.

Howard has been a disgrace this season, I can only hope Robles takes this chance.

Knowing Martinez, he’ll have faith in Robles and we’ll be in the Championship by March... Flipping sack him, Bill!!!

Seamus performances have nose dived and if anyone was daft enough to spend 25M on a RB I would do the same.

We need a new spine and someone to create chances for the front men.

Roberto takes about this time being "pivotal". Well going into the 2nd half of a bad season with a shite goalkeeper and a woeful defence will have the opposition knowing all they have to do is turn up and we will give them 2 goals.

At the moment we have to score at least 3 goals to have a chance of winning

A fucking shambles

Make a bid for the domineering dirty but damn effective bastard defending Shawcross.

Sorts out this travelling circus of a defence we have at present,

God I can’t wait to see us on New Years Day, haha what a shambles this is turning in to eh?

He is a dirty twat but would demand 100% every game

Aside from Besic and the odd time Gibson is fit we haven’t got one mouthy player

Januzaj would be great but Bill better ask Super Kev if he’s ok with that first.

Shawcross would provide some needed grit but would not come cheap as Stoke’s captain.

Lindegaard is a decent shout and Marshall as well for GKs. I think Winston Reid looks a very good CB but would we be a step up from West Ham? Not at the moment! We could use some more pace on the wings and Ayew and Deulofeu both seem better options than McGeady or Naismith out wide. Januzaj would do for me but i’d rather have him permanently than on loan.

We certainly need some more leaders out there as the current lot seem woefully short on spirit. Besic should be in there for a start as he seems one player who really cares and at the least is prepared to throw himself into some blood and guts tackles to get the crowd going.

David Marshall for me. Sign him permanently. Ok we will be stuck with three goalkeepers until the summer, but once Howard if fit he can sit on the bench for a while. Robles can come and sit in the stands with us before he gets sold in the summer!

Robles it is for at least 6 games, and to be honest I don't see what difference he'll make one way or another playing behind our shambolic outfield players.

Our lack of a defensive mindset is what's costing us, not the keeper. And I used to be one.

Some real beauts on here.

I don't know who the answer is but Howard needs to move on.

We need a new CB to compliment Stones as Jags isn't the answer although he is good. Personally I wouldn't do it at the expense of Coleman. If we're to move on up we need to keep hold of our best players and lose the bad wood.

I would seriously test out if Stoke can keep Begovic

He does have a boss song though.

We do need to spend in Jan though, another goalie on loan as a stop gap, a real quality midfielder which we need urgently, one that can find a forward pass, and a good in the air central defender.

Whether Martinez will get the cash is any ones guess.

We need to keep our best players, there’s plenty of deadwood to get rid of, before we consider going near the likes of Seamus. Sadly, though, I do think he has been tapped, and will be off to United. It will be a Martin Keown moment all over again. Boy, did we regret selling that lad.

If Ruddy doesn't cost too much, he'd be a good acquisition (in January).

He's the worst keeper I have seen at Everton, and I include Mucha and Wessels in that. We will never win another game whilst he is in goal, so we need to get out of there quick.

Maybe try Distin?

McG is the worst player, let alone winger, I have ever seen at the club.

Anyway, he's still only 45 years old... Not much older than some of our senior players. Maybe worth a shout?

You do realise that the squad numbers are not directly indicative of a player's importance to the team?

Mark #56, I recall Niall Quinn going in goal for Man City, and saving the penalty that resulted in the 'keeper's sending off! Get him in, plus he's got experience of being Chairman, and selling the club - all those problems solved in one go!

I am not suggesting Robles will be as good as any of them, and it may well be we have to buy a new keeper, but the club management past and present should have done a bit more to develop a good young keeper. Tim Howard as done a good job down the years, but as never known any serious competition for his place. I think we will just have to get behind Robles, thier will be mistakes, but he will get better. Getting on the lads back will do him and us no favours, after all are current league position as nothing to do with him.

Bring in:
Lingaard (even if it's a loan) or Ruddy (permanently and sell Robles at seasons end). Get Ayew if you can in Jan or sign a pre contract for next year and loan in Janzuj for the time being.

At CB I like: Shawcross (won't be cheap). Reid is decent enough. Caulker is strong and is a decent tackler.

Look at De Gea when he started, he couldn't catch a cold. Now he's maybe the best in the league.

Robles may turn out to be not up to it and the run that he will have now will give us much more evidence to judge him from than his isolated cup games.

Remember quite a few on here being pleased because he had looked a talented keeper in wigans cup win. Personally I wanted Pantillimon from City on a free but Robles had shown some good moments.

He does look ropey as hell but so would a lot of players given so little time.

I suspect he won't recover here and will go on to be a decent Gk elsewhere, much like John Ruddy who many on here wrote off and now want back.

Very fair point re Robles and De Gea analogy.
Not saying he is in the class of De Gea but you are right De Gea struggled badly with crosses initially.
As you say they have worked with him for years so know his potential.
I would still look to bring in a new keeper,I see this possibly being Howard’s last season

Hopefully blue Bill can find the funds to throw that one together. I highly doubt it however, anyone know what Carlo Nash is up too these days?

He must send a team out against Hull that has a "we won't be beaten today" attitude. That would be a start.

Ken, I have to question one part of your report. For our first goal I thought it was Eto'o who got clear of two markers and switched the play to McGeady who put Coleman through with a perfectly waited and directed pass. It was a beautiful goal.

I thought it only fair to mention this as McGeady has been clobbered for giving the ball away for their second goal and rightly so. And like Harold I am an Eto'o fan – play him as a striker consistently and he will score goals.

Up the Blues

Anyway, with Howard out injured, this is our chance to sign a keeper to really push him for the goalkeeper position.

Let us all get behind Robles rather than write him off.

All this stuff about buying a new keeper? What planet are you all on? I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but you're living in fantasy-land if you think that Everton will buy a new keeper to cover the keeper that we have as cover for our keeper!

Why else do you think Martinez bought Robles? He's our number 2 keeper, now our number 1 keeper for a month or so, with Stanek as number 2. This is what will happen.

We won't buy Cech, or anyone else that you all think we should. This is reality, not your Playstation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30613002

Spot on, if you ask me... I hope that BK & RM take note.

RM remains positive and unbowed refusing to mix it up anymore or making key decisive sub decisions during a game. Long ball pass stats from last season to this are halved and replaced with retaining possession around the 18-yard box with no out option, thus inviting pressure and costly mistakes.

RM must realise support is waning and the need to do something different is obvious to everyone bar him. I like RM and really want him to succeed but historically, the best managers succeed and keep their jobs because they have the tactical nouse (and extra cash of course) to know when to play a certain way and are flexible enough (not stubborn) to adapt. See Mourinho, Ferguson et al. The last managers I can think of at Everton who could get teams to play with passion either freely or digging in where Royle & Kendall, and Moyes on a few occasions.

The media and pressures are of course a lot more intense nowadays so time becomes limited. Please RM take heed of some of the more constructive comments as they represent the majority and we fear you will be out of a job if you continue not to compromise your footballing beliefs for wins. (See Wigan.)

Oh Yeah, final notes, Barkley needs to be played in his correct position and why does the club appear to be imploding with key staff leaving on a regular basis, Stubbs, Irvine, 2 key Medical staff, Communications Manager. Continued musings of RM losing the dressing room. (See Coleman's recent performances – Not in the know but looks like a player who's been told hes leaving.) Hope this is not the RM affect behind the scenes too.

First time poster so sorry for the long-winded rant.

Good point but I think you might be missing the point of some of the threads.

From what most of us have seen Robles is awful. He deserves a chance but he's getting thrown into a defence that already leaks goals, every game. The cross that lead to the Cisse goal might be a good example - Robles should have been punching that ball at least to get it out of the box!

Oh, and the rest of the team have been shite too...the Chelsea game still annoys me thinking how poor he's been, he didn't make any glaring mistakes but he didn't actually save anything. Not one of their goals was a great finish or a worldy goal, he just didn't stop any shots. He was rubbish in the World Cup too, he still seems to be living off one game where all he did was his job, it was poor finishing and not great goalkeeping. The other games in the group we're not so good for him. Get back to basics Tim, stop the shots please.

Robles is not the answer. Nowhere near, I too have not seen as poor a keeper as him in many a year. Yes, he's only had a few games but by god he looks awful.

It's either that or promote Griffiths & what's his name to first team. Because he absolutely couldn't say anything positive about Tim Howard getting injured or say once nice thing about Robles.

That says a lot to me about the approach of the goalie coach and manager and the player himself. If it was me I'd be flying around saving shots and practicing the art of goalkeeping and showing the manager and fans what I can do, not fucking about.

That, his lack of basic goalkeeping technique and authority, and lack of any urgency in games he's played so far, is why I don't see him being up to it, but I would be amazed if anyone else was brought in during the window.

We do need a new keeper, but won't get one. For us to buy a new keeper would require Martinez to admit that Robles isn't good enough. He won't do that. He doesn't make mistakes and his players are phenomenal. It must be other variables out of his control that make them look so shite.

He can't rate poor Joel at all, he can normally see the positive in every adverse situation.

Robles is going to play in goal for six weeks now, so let's get behind him and give the lad a chance. One thing's for sure – with our defense he will get plenty of opportunity to practice his shot-stopping ability!!

He concluded by saying it had been 'exciting to be stretched by so many competitions' and his job was to ensure 'that we get back to enjoying the games again.'

Time for a new keeper and centre half to stop the rot.

I don't rate Howard or Robles if I'm honest but I'm looking forward to seeing how Robles does over the next few weeks, this is his big chance, hopefully he'll take it.

He doesn’t appear to be short on confidence from what I’ve seen in interviews which also would help him if called upon at such a young age and particularly for that position.

Robles will either be an improvement on Howard or just the same. We need to spend on two full backs who can help the goalie out. We have other areas to spend on, plus we need to save for our new ground!

I assume Everton will go cheap and bring in someone who isn't suited to the slow from the back system Martinez wants to play. It will keep with the managers incredible ability to either play players out of position or ask players to do things they aren't comfortable with.

David Marshall, John Ruddy or Ben Foster have all been muted.

Alex McCarthy is more likely at this point and is a quality keeper.

Cech on loan for 6 months, I'm sure Chelsea would let him come to us.

Marshall would be my long-term choice but more likely wouldn't be available until the summer.

Like others I wouldn't be against selling Coleman, if it meant being able to strengthen the squad overall - keeper, no nonsense CB & pacy wingers being top of the list.

We need some tough leaders in the team. CB for one and Besic needs to come in for Barry (but won't).

Kone has to start against Hull.

In fairness, he's NOT the only keeper going through this weird scenario, because most weeks it seems that visiting keepers and coaches seem to do similar.

That doesn't alter my opinion of Joel, 'cos based upon the games when he has played, I have no confidence in him at all.

I'd secure John Ruddy without delay.

But the very idea of Shawcross as our CH? NO!

Bring your boots for 2pm.
£5 subs please.
Instalments accepted

Which of the 3 goals was Robles fault at Newcastle?

Can somebody from the club evaluate the stewards and turnstile operators before the club implodes.

Personally, I would rather we got relegated than stooped to the low levels of Shawcross and Pulis. They really are the dregs. Cheating and thuggery have never been our way.

I would rather we lost as Everton (retaining our core values) than win as Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, inter alia.

Buckle up lads and take your nitroglycerin pills - going to be a roller coaster ride!

I thought Colback scored the 3rd goal which went though his legs, which not uncommon.

He was wrong footed for the Perez goal and I couldn't blame him for that.

For me he wasn't at fault for any of goals, other players in our team were, Barkley most certainly.

I'm not trying to make out he's a super goalkeeper, but he's nowhere near as bad as you paint him!

That’s why they cost more than their weight in gold.

It was nothing short of pathetic. Howard has looked bad at times but at least he makes an effort to stop shots. Being "wrongfooted" is a far too generous excuse for being caught totally flat-footed and immobile, and making no effort whatsoever to move his massive frame!

Never underestimate the worth of a good keeper. Big Nev won us plenty of points and remember what happened when he was injured and Mimms came in. I think we'd have won the league under Lee with a good keeper.

If it was my summer transfer budget, I'd have bought a top keeper and centre back rather than chuck it at Lukaku and said so at the time.

Cech is a pipe dream. He's on wages of 140,000 a week, which is twice as much as the top paid Everton players, plus Chelsea want to win silverware this season and it would look really stupid if something happened to Courtois and Cech wasn't available for Chelsea.

Everton should have been scouting goalies. I figure a goalie coming from a lesser league in Europe would cost a lot less than someone already in the Premier League. My guess is a goalie will be brought in and the goalie won't be a household name.

I suspect however that having stuck his neck out to buy him RM will have to play him and in a funny way it may be the making of the lad and restore some peoples confidence in RM’s judgment if it comes good. I really hope so. Or maybe I should go easy on the wine gums and sherry......

Robinson is a bit old, I know, but I don't worry too much about age when we buy keepers. We bought Nigel Martyn when he was much older than Robinson, and he served us well for a number of years after he signed.

It's alright talking about being better, it's what everyone should strive to be. But I hope there was certain things lost in translation, because even if it might make sense, we are not living in an ideal world, are we?

Back to basics, "whatever that may mean", or a refusal to change. Total opposites, but which one will it be?

For christ sake please bring a goalkeeper in and fast, I really do not think my ticker will stand up to 6 weeks of Robles in goal.

A younger more athletic keeper is required. Howard is a stopper and has slowed down considerably. Maybe a long rest will do him good... 6-8 weeks especially as he has this World Cup hangover and has been poor this season or very inconsistent.

This window is an opportunity to start off-loading some of the deadwood. Moyes wants Pienaar so there is a start. I just read we are looking at Tim Cahill on loan. He is 35... I’m not sure that’s a great idea. Bring him back as an inspirational coach or something to instil some fight and self belief?

We should beat Hull 2-0 by playing on the break. I reckon Hull will settle for a point and set up to hit on the break. Let’s park the bus and see how they like it?