Martinez looking for a wide player

If it is only the one wide player, we are in serious shit if Lukaku picks up an injury!

Yes, IÂ’ve just seen that he expects just one more in. If that is the case, then I feel we are going to be left wanting. If itÂ’s Kenwright dictating that number, then I think it could well damage RMÂ’s long-term resolve here.

Throughout the summer, Martinez has spoken of the number of players he needs to bring in and the number of players required has changed a couple of times. I still think we’ll probably get in two more – a striker and a winger.

Personally I think we need another striker aswell but Martinez says he wants atleast another 2 youngsters to fill out positions within the first team squad so may not bother with a striker and give McAleny his chances this season?!

For a start we need a goalkeeper, like I have said on previous posts Tim Howard canÂ’t play every game on four fronts, Robles is a liability, and does not inspire any confidence in the defenders in front of him. Add to this his inability to find a team-mate with distribution or very rarely a goal kick!

I am not totally convinced that our defence, should we get any injuries, has enough depth!

We need an attacking midfielder, Barkley is brilliant, but still improving, Pienaar and Ossie are not likely to play for 90 mins any more.

We most definitely need another striker, Lukaku canÂ’t be expected to produce everything on his own, Naismith will run all day but is not an out and out striker. Kone... will we ever see him play?

We have signed a few players, and I relish that, but a lot are for the future... ItÂ’s the immediate future, that I am worried about!

I agree with Brian... a playmaker is the main player we need.

As for McGeady, the less said the better if today is anything to go by. Judging by BobbyÂ’s comment itÂ’s likely the Atsu deal is virtually sealed.

I realise of course not every PM side will play like Porto and today was a friendly – but we will meet teams like Porto in the EL and it has to be said that none of the usual top 4 or 5 teams in the PL would have been played off the park as we were in the first half of today’s game.

We need a wide player for sure; we need a playmaker further upfield; we definitely need a goalkeeper and if Kone is still on the sick list - we need a striker as Rom canÂ’t play every game.

That is my rant over but I will finish by saying Besic looks the part – he is going to be a huge GP favourite and today Stones showed what he is – a class act.

We may get Traore in I guess. This depends on what Monaco do though. With Kone in, and back-up of Henen and McAleny, we would do okay unless there is a major injury. Not ideal but not the end of the world.

Need an experienced striker who wonÂ’t mind being on the bench except when Rom needs a rest. CanÂ’t rely on Naisy/Kone for Europa although I think they can do a job if need be.

Can you please show me exactly where our Bobby said "We are only in for one more"? Have another closer look at what he says here.

Now, I did read this: "Hopefully we will have another new player coming in." I think that this is the cause of your misconstrued concern but you like others are putting words in BobbyÂ’s mouth. He did not say Â’only oneÂ’; he said "We will have another new player coming in".

How on earth does this limit him/us to ’only one’? Now if he had said something along the lines of "Hopefully we will get the one more player I need to wrap up the window," – then your misplaced comments could be well spot on.

Yep, a winger and we need back-up up-front and a midfielder with real creative flair.

Not let us down once yet, although I do have doubts about Robles. Kone and Alcaraz unfortunate with injuries so jury out and likewise with Traore and to a degree McGeady. Rest have all been big successes and Besic sounds like another.

IÂ’d be disappointed if that fell through because I like the look of him and frankly, as frustrating as Deulofeu was last season, we miss the razzle dazzle footwork that he brought; yes, he was too individual and flattered to deceive... but, apart from Mirallas, who else have we got?

Do we also assume that interest in re-signing Traoré on a year’s loan has now vanished? What a waste of time that was last January then.

Up front, if we say brought in Traore, as well as having Lukaku and Kone would be enough in my eyes with having Naismith who likes to play there too. Atsu would add to Mirallas, Oviedo, McGeady and Pienaar for the flanks, again with Naismith also being able to fill in.

I hope we donÂ’t leave ourselves short and come to regret it at the end of the season. I would rather they come in now and have nobody in January rather trying to catch up in the New Year window.

McAleny looks a decent lively player to me if he gets a chance + Kone if he can recapture his Wigan form will be a very useful player for us, as he can play off Lukaku or lead the line in the Europa games.

Trouble is though we canÂ’t be certain that Kone or Oviedo will recapture their best form after their serious injuries!

The lad is young and if he is looked after I can see him as a star. He is tricky, direct and really quick so I donÂ’t understand the so called snags, unless he is injured!

We still need a real playmaker to get the best out of Lukaku and Mirallas.

Lets just hope that Roberto has matters under control as this season could be a triumphant one.

Incidently are we still in for Henen ?

Kone and Naismith have the ability to contribute. Ideally I would really like us to get Traore. I think he would give us another option especially in Europe and when teams Â’park the busÂ’

On the goalkeepers Robles needs a year out on loan. I posted a few days ago about Thomas khuschak (sp) being available on a free. What about him to back up Howard? He has European experience with Man United after all.

On the defence I think we are fine. At RB we can play Hibbert who has hundreds of games under his belt, stones or Browing if SC is out. Duffy is our 4th choice CB and Garbutt our 3rd choice LB. I genuinely donÂ’t think any clubs can compete with that.

Overall all teams have to take risks. We can only name a team of 25 players (excludingU21) you canÂ’t cover every base in case of injury etc. no one can!

Big thanks for the general transfer updates my man.

And we now have to sit those people down and explain, that adults have this thing called "money", and............

Kone had a serious injury, from which he is yet to return. On what do you base your analysis that he is over the hill?

Of course we have seen players never quite get over these types of injuries. IÂ’m just curious what you know that the rest of us donÂ’t. How you seen his medical reports? Have you been present during his rehab?

Anyway, we certainly do need another striker. IÂ’m very confident weÂ’ll get a winger and a striker, especially considering that weÂ’ve yet to loan any players.

Everyone was getting extremely impatient last week, and look what happened. Loan deals tend to happen late in the window. LetÂ’s see where weÂ’re at in 7 days.

Kone had a serious injury, from which he is yet to return. On what do you base your analysis that he is over the hill?

Of course we have seen players never quite get over these types of injuries. IÂ’m just curious what you know that the rest of us donÂ’t. How you seen his medical reports? Have you been present during his rehab?

Anyway, we certainly do need another striker. IÂ’m very confident weÂ’ll get a winger and a striker, especially considering that weÂ’ve yet to loan any players.

Everyone was getting extremely impatient last week, and look what happened. Loan deals tend to happen late in the window. LetÂ’s see where weÂ’re at in 7 days.

I get the feeling that Remy would be happy to sit on our bench for the 㿼k a week it would cost to get him, never mind the fee.

We should be after a hungry, ambitious, striker who wants to fight tooth and nail to prove his ability and establish himself in the team... Remy ainÂ’t that guy.

Of course I think we should strengthen but we need to be realistic: we have just purchased a striker for a massive amount of money; as we play with one up front, it is unlikely a striker with immense quality is going to arrive and want to play second fiddle.

Lads, please, weÂ’re Evertonians. We always snip up a few bobs here and there wherever we can and IÂ’ll be damned if we donÂ’t have a snipe at a few loan deals in the last jittery few hours before the window closes...

"The wide player" is a separate issue. Atsu looked a mortal lock till this African Cup thing cropped up. How long would he be away? His left sided crosses would be ideal for Lukaku.

When people say we need this kind of player and that kind of player, they are forgetting that this Roberto's squad, playing to his football philosophy. He is forever talking about the ongoing process of weighing everything up and deciding on areas which need strengthening. Bringing in the exact right people to play specific roles. Van Gaal said the same thing only last week. "Normally you try to find a suitable player within the club, but if you can't the only answer is to buy one."

Our team does not play in a conventional manner. It plays in the Martinez manner. If he doesn't bring in a creative No10 it's probably because he doesn't want one. He doesn't tell Barkley to be creative. He tells him to try to beat defenders and open things up. He told Coleman to run at people and take them on ,one on one. If he loses the ball....so what. Try again. A crazy way to play football but it is his way and it brought us 72 points.

The new winger can replace Mirallas and give us another option out wide.

And to be a bit more optimistic, given the sweet moves Besic started with, granted only 6 touches, maybe we already have most of what RM needs for the season. I do agree with fears that the "one more player" "restriction", if it is a restriction from BK, might be a downer, but surely RM knows this before dumping $28m into Chelsea's face.

From what I can make out, he's not happy at Palace and would jump at the chance of joining a club like us – and he wouldn't cost that much.

A lot of people are unfair on Remy. Why do people think they are in a position to suggest he is this massive mercenary who is only bothered about his pay? Players like this don't make the top of the game. Yes, he turned down better offers to go to QPR, but he won't be the first player to turn down the North East for London. I think this is more down to lifestyle and familiarity than money.

However I don't think that's the only hole, especially given the extra EL committments.

Like others, I've reached the conclusion that Robles is not a satisfactory back up and sadly, nor is Hibbert in my view. The rest of the defence is probably OK, with Jags, Distin and Stones supported by Alcaraz (if he stays fit) and Duffy. Also Besic is actually a CB, not a midfielder, so he can slot in there and may actually be Distin's longer term replacement. Left back we are well covered, if Oviedo returns.

Striker would not be so much of an issue if it wasn't for the fact that Kone has been barely sighted and cannot therefore be counted on. Is he going to be fit just in time for the Africa Nations? I hope he has the decency to withdraw from that, given his injury record here, but somehow I doubt it.

So if Lukaku gets injured, we are left with Naismith or, at a push, Mirallas filling in. That is just not good enough. I also think Lukaku needs some proper competition to keep him focussed.

Being greedy, I'd also like a better attacking midfield back up to Barkley than Osman, because the latter can't last 90 minutes anymore.

Nugget is nowhere near good enough for this Everton team, and has never been good enough for any Everton team.

If we're going to purchase a 29-year-old striker, I would like him to have had at least 3 good seasons at the top level, England or abroad, and not just some above-average seasons in the championship.

Quite simply, because of the amount of games ahead, we have Prem. home and away, Europa League, both Cups, and then the International breaks (which I am not sure of the dates) it is a lot to ask.

Besides all this, there is no alternative should Tim get injured (please no) but Robles; it is no use playing nice football and scoring at one end, when you have a dodgy keeper at the back, letting them in like holding water in a colander!

That seems fair enough. He doesn't seem to count in Galloway and Henen in his calculations because these will not be in the first team squad at least to start with.

That also seems fair enough. This manager deserves the benefit of the doubt.

The Catalan Catterick!

Or should I say Glasstrodamus, I didn't know about the work permit bit, I thought the delay concerned the Africa Cup of Nations involvement and Everton were looking possibly, at a six-month loan, as opposed to a year, with that in mind !

Do you see another goalkeeper on the horizon, oh Mystic One?

Can't you use your 'powers' to allay the fears of us recently-starved-of -success fans, that we will have some more good news in the transfer market, and is it worth the club investing in any metal polish!

After Henen, I still think we will get two more players in before the window closes.

We never knew if Moyes was mad on him, there was always strong rumours during the period if around 2005-2007 but it never materialized.

They were the day's when Everton really struggled to find strikers worth their salt though and the idea of Nugent, being a Blue coming in and being the saviour quite appealed.

I think he got his chance in the Premier League at Portsmouth on the 2007-08 season and in all brutal honesty he failed it miserably.

Not good enough for where this current Everton team wants to be and for the quality of player we now possess here at present.

Rather than a wide player, we don't have any real back up for Rom if he picks up an injury....

Re the EL, this only represents an extra 6 games to play until the end of Feb, so its not exactly a massive burden to take on....there are also no EL games during the busy xmas period or January (thankfully).

Keep the faith, a lot more has happened up till now on the transfer front than most of us were expecting....we got the all important permanent CM and Striker additions that we desperately needed. Now it's a just question of uping the quality and size of the overall squad, as opposed to the first 11. Mirallas and Barkley will presumably take two of the 3 AM places (subject to form and fitness) so that leaves Ossie, Pienaar and Naismith battling for the last starting position with Oviedo also an option later on.

Certainly looking a lot better than it was 12 months ago.....for the first time in god knows how many years, we look like we have a balanced squad with now big holes anyway.

Based on the astute moves at the back end of the window last year I'd be amazed if we didn't add another 2-3 before the transfer window closes, although loans more likely than purchases.

A winger is our main priority! Kone will take up the Europa League front, Lukaku will hold up through the Premier League, and with Naismith putting in his fair share in both. Arsenal only had Giroud as their pivotal striker and Chelski have Diego.

We need a winger more than anything else because Pienaar is ageing and McGeady still needs a good 6 months to adapt to the Premier League. Mirallas was a complete joke in his first season and we were bashing him out left right and center after every performance. Give McGeady another 6 months or what have you and he’ll come good.

After the big spending on Lukaku there probably isn’t anything left in the kitty and so loans may be all that’s left.

If Atsu doesn’t come then we had better hope that the current offensive guys stay healthy.

Somehow I just don’t see Kone being of much help but some of the youngsters could surprise us given the opportunity.
Besic looks a real catch and I hope Oviedo gets back soon.

Now forgive me, if I am missing something here, but he has just played well on the biggest stage of all. Our pre-season performances thus far have been totally lacking in promising forward attacking (Nais being the exception) McGeady in fits and starts. Okay Lukaku hasn't featured yet, but where is he getting his service from ?

Barkley is a rising star, so we can't heap all the responsibility on him alone.

I would have no hesitationin signing Atsu, and assuring he would be gainfully employed in most fixtures !

If I understand these types of contracts well, there is no line item stipulating guaranteed playing time. It is basically worded in such a way, that we would end up paying significantly more money if he does not play x% of games during season, with exception of course to injury.

I'm surprised Kenwright didn't have him playing every minute of the first team, U21, U19, U17 and U11 teams. And for the Ladies.

But as Mike says in #67, if he turns out to be gash, why would you play him?

Pienaar and Osman are lesser players now, Barkley is not a creative player and Mirallas is inconsistent in terms of his final ball (Although likely to set up the most in our midfield). I think our starting 11 would be fantastic if we could get a creative player in to play on the left hand side of the midfield.

I think Atsu is the answer. He played well in the World Cup after all. I don't personally think there is much in this delay lark, I bet it is just work permits. It is not as if RM didn't know about the Africa Cup of Nations!

Kagawa, like Park Ji Sung, was signed partially to exploit the markets of Japan and South Korea. Neither player ever nailed down a regular starting spot.

We only have 4 league games before the sept international break so should hopefully not be an issue. Surely we can survive 4 weeks without any injuries.....(touch wood, cross toes!)

Undoubtedly what we need is pace and players who can skin a man from out wide. putting good balls or crosses into the box. Particularly in the system Martinez wants to play.

Atsu and a striker on loan and I'll be happy for the season.

Derek(69) Roberto needs to decide who plays and who doesn't and when. If Atsu gets into the team it should be based on his performances, and not because there is some clause saying that he must play.

Regardless, I'm sure Martinez and BK will sort something out either with Chelsea or for another target.

It seems Martinez agrees as he's been working on Traore & Atsu, so even if they don't come off, he'll have other options.

If you want/hope/think/believe we'll don anything else you'll be disappointed.

Our midfield is as strong as any. In the centre we have real options. We do need another wide player, especially with how high octane their performance is, but Roberto knows this and will sort it.

In Naismith and Kone we have options. A Traore would be great but of not, at least until January we will be ok.

Obviously this is injury permitting, but all teams must run this gauntlet we must just hope to invest wisely and then pray for the best of luck!

The lad blows hot and cold a bit and according to Pardew has "professionalism issues", but he is quality.

Could be a good loan signing; "try before you buy" and make a decision on him next summer.