Before last season I hoped we would sign a top glass goalkeeper. However, Howard seems to get better each game and I really appreciate him now. But what happens if he gets an injury? Carlo Nash?

Its a dilemma because any money spent on a goalkeeper would be better spent in other areas. Getting a cheap one would be pointless and a top class international keeper is out the question.

Chelsea signed Ross Turnbull who is 24 with premiership experience for free... as third choice!

I’d start against Arsenal with.....

Howard

Neville Yobo Lescott Baines
Osman Rodwell Fellaini Pienaar
Cahill
Saha

Bench
Jo , Hibbert , Baxter , Wallace , Gosling , Vaughn , Nash

Good team, Tony Rice. Although, knowing Moyes, it will probably be Hibbert in and Neville in the Defensive MF area, with Rodwell starting on the bench. We will probably see more games, where Hibbo gets subsituted around the 60-75 minute mark and Neville gets pushed back to RB, and Rodwell controls the centre mid. Also, Saha’s fitness is a question mark, and fades out rather badly in the 2nd half.

My team for Arsenal (provided, of course that Lescott is still with us):

Howard
Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Baines
Osman, Neville, Fella, Pienaar
Cahill, Jo

SUBS: Nash, Rodwell, Gosling, Saha, Vaughan, Senderos (!!), Baxter.

Ha - you you Adam & Eve it. Hibbert & Osman still gonna be 1st team choices. Everyone we play will know exactly where we can be exploited if Ashley Young didn’t tell them Florent Malouda certainly did. Expect Hibbert to be 1st choice right back all season guys- crap ain’t it! This paper thin squad has to carry extra European games (unless we go out again) and it’s AF Con.

WOW! Look at all them new signings.......oh....hang on a minute....

It’ll be:

Howard
Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Baines
Osman, Neville, Cahill, Pienaar
Fellaini
Jo

Subs: Nash, Rodwell, Saha, Vaughan, Baxter, Gosling, Wallace

That looks OK to me, especially when you add in the returning Yak, Arteta and Jags. Rodwell will be an important player for us this year, and I have a feeling Baxter is ready to step up.

I’m not too worried about signings. Sure I’d like to see a new RB and RM, and we need cover at the back, but I’d rather see the kids given the chance to develop than see us bring in most of those we’ve been linked with. We can’t afford to spend £20M on a midfielder, but maybe Rodwell will be a £20M midfielder in a couple of years...

Having said that, I still spend half my time scanning the net for rumours and gossip. It defies logic, but I can’t help myself.

What could of been

Howard
Naughton Yobo Lescott Baines
Mbia
Defour Cana Pienaar
Cahill Saha

I was at the game last night and nothing came from our right hand side as usual. Osman kept coming inside until he got switched to the middle. He scored some important goals last year Ossie, but if we’re to break into the top 4 he should be used as a squad player and replaced by somebody with pace. Teams do tend to play on Hibbo as others have said and although he’s not a bad defender, again if we want to win a trophy or break the top 4 he should be on the bench.

Baxter has shown promise and can pick a pass and Wallace looks comfortable on the ball and busy off it.

I think if Arteta is going to play in the middle when fit, we desperately need a right sided midfielder. If Mikel is going to play on the right then somebody creative needs adding to the middle. Pienaar could play on the right but I would be reluctant to switch him due to the quality link up provided by him and Baines.

As it stands the 11 DM picks will be along the lines of:

Howard
Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Baines
Osman, Cahill, Neville, Pienaar,
Fellaini,
Saha.

I’d personally prefer Rodwell to start instead of Hibbo with nevill RB, but Moyes does tend to pick Hibbert when fit.

I think Peter’s selection is spot on now that Lescott seems to be staying..

However I can’t get over excited about the team that finished last seaon...no balance or width and very little creativity...

Cahill and Fellaini should no start together and Neville offers nothing in midfield - other than lennon-esque sideways passing. We’ll struggle with those players in that formation..and play some horrible football..

Sorry, if this opinion offends anyone..I know the red hand gang like unmitigated positivity whatever the situation.

I picked my dream team yesterday at work (thats what fridays are for!) and as usual my heart ruled my head and I picked:

Howard
Baines
Yobo
Lescott
Jagielka
Arteta
Fellaini
Cahill
Pienaar
Yakubu
Jo

Now I know this team wont start the season but if we can get those 11 on the pitch for the majority of games then I really think that that is a top four side!

Fingers crossed!

Murf

I am that dismayed, disappointed and digusted with this summer's lack of movement in the transfer market that I couldn't be arsed even thinking about who will play. WHAT'S THE FUCKING POINT?

We all know Hibbert and Osman will start whatever happens and that just sums up Everton and Moyes these days.

It's all very sad.

I wonder how long it will be before we read the immortal line on the Official Site....’Lescott is staying, that is just like e new signing for us’.

I can’t wait!

I agree with Keith that we are in better shape now than we were this time last season. Yes, we are missing three first choice picks in Jags, Arteta and Yak. However, this time last year, we were similarly without the injured trio of Cahill, Pienaar, and Hibbert (I know, I know, I’ll come to him shortly!), and also the unsigned/newly signed Fellaini, Castillo and Jacobsen. Jo was still 5 months away.

Consequently, we threw in a few youngsters for the first 3 games, played Jags out of position, and hey-presto, we took a couple of Goodison spankings.

Fast forward a year, and we all agree on Keith’s "any 11 from 13", and Moyes is no longer trying to force round pegs in square holes, or gamble on youth.

The only major point of argument seems to be our right-hand side, which again last night looked exposed in defence, and non-existent in attack. Osman is not an out-and-out right winger. We all know that. He is prone (encouraged?) to drift in, but without doing this, would we get his goals? Only Fellaini and Cahill scored more in the Prem for us last season, and last night he got himself into such good positons that he could/should have scored a hat-trick.

A spin-off of this is that Ossie doesn’t help Hibbert as much as Pienaar helps Baines. (By the way, if you don’t know, Pienaar is magnificent !). Consequently, Hibbert is often left exposed, and inevitably the better their left winger, the worse Hibbert looks.

The solution? We need a high-energy DM "sweeper", along the lines of Mascherano (sorry folks, it’s true!) to help out, and double-team with Hibbert (and, to alesser degree, Baines on the other side). I was encouraged with Rodwell last night, as he did this job every now and again, gliding majestically across the back, holding Malaga up, and nipping in with the odd interception.

Does Ossie need to be sacrificed, and a new right-sided player brought in? An Aaron Lennon-type would certainly give us more going forward, but would he give our RB more help? Maybe, a season on, Jose Baxter is ready, and who knows, maybe the promising Coleman could also step up this season.

I think you are right Peter. I’m disappointed by the window so far, some strength on the right would have been good. Still I guess Elstone, Kenwright and Moyes were telling the truth regarding limited funds and signings, hmmmmm

I also find it strange that people feel that this XI who played some decent football last year even after Arteta was out, and certainly got results, are suddenly not good enough for some. Still I should be getting used to this place ny now I guess.

Howard
Hibbert,Yobo, Lescott, Baines
Osman, Neville, Cahill, Fellaini, Pienaar.
Jo
Subs - Nash, Saha, Vaughan, Rodwell, Gosling, Senderos, Wallace.

The fact the 1st team picks itself due to a chronic lack of new signings is a disgrace. We all know we need at least 2 new 1st team players to improve but it seems that their musn't be anybody who is better than what we have got as we won't sign anybody. I’ve included Senderos — that's if we can actually tie up a deal within 2 weeks which is unlikely.

When it comes to transfers, is their a worse club than us for completing them? I very much doubt it. I am already having nightmares thinking of Arshavin v Hibbert. I’d play Neville right midfield so Hibbert at least gets a bit of help as Osman will be too busy drifitng into the middle joining the 3 already there. Sign some players Moyes FFS

If you’ve learned anything about Moyes in the past half a dozen years, you’ll know that, baring injuries, the team named by Peter Griffin will start next week. Even if we signed a top class player between now and then, there's no way Moyes will throw him straight in.

Evertonians have every right to be dismayed, disappointed and disgusted, but I’ll bet there isn't one of you who deep down didn't know we wouldn't be splashing the cash this summer. If BK can get his hands on any dosh — including a Lescot transfer — you can be certain that it will be put towards funding the Kirkby Nightmare.

Basically with what we have at present the team picks itself. The same bunch as finished last season and sadly that means Osman and Hibbert as starters. The prognosis:- more of the same. Does anyone really think this bunch will improve? We will need some extra luck to beat Arsenal next week but I fancy a draw will be the best we can hope for.

We have every right to feel disappointed at the lack of signings this Summer, but disgusted? Behave yourselves!

Yes, the same bunch that finished last season will start this. Is that such a bad thing? Granted, we have a small squad, but this brings with it a close-knit group, no superstar egos, and a team spirit the envy of the division.

Yes, I think we’ll improve. Of this squad, only Neville is over 30, so age is on our side — most of our first team should be approaching their peak. The "kids" can only improve, so I look forward to seeing Rodwell and Vaughan getting better and having more game time, and who knows, maybe Baxter, Gosling and Coleman breaking through. Logic also tells me that the more the same team plays together, the better the understanding. Can anybody seriously say that this ISN’T the best group of players Moyes has had ?

So yes, it’s disappointing that we’ve not aded to the first team, but since our rivals have actually lost their better players, I don’t see how we’re doomed. Sorry!

Basically, all comments posted have been both articulate and, in my opinion, much as my own.

We still have a little time to get some new faces in but it certainly is ebbing away.

This right hand side is so painfully obvious that it cannot be that Moyes & Co don’t also see it. Gosling and Coleman are not nearly strong enough yet, if they will ever be so. I can’t believe we have NO money, what were we going to use if we had secured the services of Naughton?

I would be happy with a strong right midfield player and continue to rely on Neville and Hibbo at full back. A better full back would be nice but its the midfield that I consider our greatest weakness.

I haven’t yet given up completely but confess my hopes are beginning to fade.

I think that to achieve any balance in the side then Cahill should start just behind Jo with Saha and Fellaini on the bench. Osman and Hibbert will both start and if that must happen then Osman must play central midfield alongside Neville with Pienaar wide left (not perfect either). This leaves Gosling on the right... by no means perfect but providing more balance than having Fellaini in the same line-up.

In an ideal world, we’d sign a quick wide player this week, get Osman on the bench, and get Pienaar into central midfield, where we will really see what he can do. Can’t see it happening, though.