Lundstram extends Doncaster loan

I sincerely hope that is not the case. He looks a very good prospect and while a loan will be good for him, I hope he stays with us and gets a game.

Who's seen him go thru a game? Not asking for a projection. He's a teen. Just, if you've seen him play, you're general impressions of him.

He's still quite young and I think if Doncaster get promoted, which looks likely, then he would be well served spending next season with them in the championship. Of course if he's really setting the world alight we could recall him but I reckon it's hard for lads under 20 to force their way into central midfield for the top premier teams.

He's certainly running the show at Doncaster according to their fans. I think the loan will do him good. The lad's a great prospect. Darron Gibson is probably a decent comparison – though Lundstram is a bit more dynamic in my opinion. Great shot with both feet and exceptional vision and passing ability, just like Gibbo.

Him, Junior and Barkley are as good a CM trio as your gonna get at U21 level. Let's hope they are given a chance on the big stage...

It is pretty simple and not peculiar to Everton. The majority of Academy players are British born whereas the majority of PL players are not. It is a question of maths really. Although we always have a clamour for blooding youth on here have a look at the squads of the Top 6 teams in the PL and see how many U21 players you can find.

What is encouraging however is that this current crop of youngsters is without doubt the best group we have had in ages.

The U18s have an upcoming Youth Cup quarter final and the U21s are coming with a wet sail and look nailed on to make the end of season play offs. Reasons to be cheerful.

Amos, Butland, Rudd, Steele, Bennett, Caulker, Clyne, Dawson, Lees, Robinson, Rose, Shaw, Smith, Wisdom, Carroll, Chalobah, Henderson, Lansbury, Lowe, McEachran, Shelvey, Sterling, Townsend, Delfouneso, Ince, Sordell, Wickham, Zaha.

How many are playing regular first team football for one of the Top 6 PL teams?

It's interesting there though, looking at that squad. Every player is either sat on a bench for a 'top club' or playing regularly for a lesser side. The theory being, lesser teams have a smaller squad and are more likely to give their youth a chance. They are then either bought and loaned back, or bought and sat on a bench – John Stones.

My trouble with Everton is that although we are a big club, we have a core of 14 players that the manager will not look beyond. He'd sooner shoehorn a 36-year-old full back into midfield than give a teenager a go.

Even in the last 15 minutes of games we get Naismith, Hitzlsperger and Heitinga instead of talented academy graduates who are chomping at the bit. These players need playing – particularly as we don't have the money to bring in ready made stars. They are our footballing future and our financial future and I don't think Moyes manages their development well enough.

How many of them were being kept out of the side by a 36-year-old full back playing in midfield?
Question applies to midfielders in the squad.

Other than Caulker (a defender) none of them are playing for a Top 6 side on a regular basis.
You remember that Top 6 side the full back playing in midfield has been an integral part.

Maybe if Barkley was getting game time he'd be in there, who knows? Is a bit strange we haven't got a single representative.

What would you consider "an integral part" to be ?
Please don't refer to " we get 1.67777 points with him in the team and 1.3555565 points with him not in the team.

It goes back to the 70s; it suddenly became a crime to be skillful in this country... flair players like Osgood, Hudson, Currie, Bowles, Worthington and loads more were treated as lepers by coaches looking to follow the "grafters" Liverpool model.

Gordon Lee famously called such players "tanner bob ball players" and our last remaining link with pure skill (Duncan Mackenzie) was shipped out by him.

Gradually the functional players who thrived from then on, have graduated to become the insipid coaches of today – Allardyce, McLeish, Moyes, Pulis etc.

I imagine there's still kids with skill but they're treated like aliens in this country, particularly as clubs can buy in skill. Strikingly only Southampton have produced skillful academy players over any length of time and now Palace are doing the same – the common factor being they were bust and had no option.

There is another way of putting it ,however. Lazy, don't give a fuck bastards versus model pros. Which side are you on?

Actually, I've just found the definition of greatness, who fits both? Messi and Pele.

As in having played in most of the games. But don't worry – I get it: you think he is shit.

He is good at shouting though so you may have a point.

Apart from being factually incorrect on all four points you make you might have a point.

Hope that helps.