Martinez credits Galloway with “impressive” debut

Both showed up much better than most of the youngsters in our side but both Garbutt and Galloway played well.

Galloway played on the left and impressed me far more than Browning and the rest of the defence.

Young Whatmore of Sunderland ran our right back and Browning ragged until he had to go off injured.

Our kids were not so impressive unfortunately apart from Galloway and Garbutt. Our attack was pretty average and Kone was much better than the others on show.

I actually said that Garbutt and Galloway were almost ready for first team action.

As for Galloway, on todayÂ’s performance he looks like heÂ’s a more than an adequate replacement for the departing Distin. We just need to bring in another CB to replace Alcaraz and weÂ’ll be very strong in this area. What I liked most about Galloway, is that, like Stones he looks like another one whoÂ’s comfortable on the ball and isnÂ’t phased about playing from the back.

Clearly heÂ’d have played today if he had committed to the club but it appears he wants guaranteed playing time, which he will only get at relegation fodder in the PL at his age.

Shame; I think with the right attitude he could be a real player.

Bye-bye, Garbutt (gutted, but if youÂ’ve made your mind up la, then IÂ’d rather give Brendan Galloway a try).

Well in, Galloway. The only person worth mentioning on Merseyside, involved in football, who is named Brendan.

The bigger issue I have is that Baines was injured all season and we could have seen both of these players in multiple matches, and really have been able to see who is the best man to keep. But, oh well. Could have even tried Baines in that DM roll instead of Barry, but our manager is so concerned about thinking about the future that somehow includes playing an old man every single match in midfield, while youngsters sit the bench. Happy days.

The boy handled it well today I think West Ham targeted that left side but he didn’t look out of place. Then the half-time came and I was looking at look and did anyone else notice Big Dunc doing the Jog: everyone was in a line and Luke didn’t bother – he was doing his own thing. He didn’t get included with the stretch either... that made me think the boy's gone sold. We get a fee for him because he's under 21 – another one of Bill's Blunders.

Can it be that the lad has heard so much said about him that he has become a legend in his own mind already? If so, thatÂ’s not good for him, as his reported refusal to sign an improved contract shows. If he thinks heÂ’s going to walk into a first team place at another PL club outside the bottom six, then let him go and try his luck.

I just hope he doesnÂ’t fall flat on his backside and end up as a journeyman nonentity at some backwoods club that doesnÂ’t give a damn about his future development. After all, heÂ’s not seventeen any more. Meanwhile, Brendan Galloway has proved that Luke Garbutt is not the only potential first teamer in the U21s. Well played, Brendan.

ItÂ’s alright Martinez saying we want to keep him but if heÂ’s 3rd in line behind both Baines & Oviedo then heÂ’s not going to sign a new deal and make do with bit part opportunities.

He wants to play more regular games now and if heÂ’s got decent offers from top end Championship clubs or newly promoted Premier League sides and he thinks heÂ’ll get more opportunities then heÂ’s well within his rights to want to go and play and improve and better himself!

IÂ’d like him to stay, I think heÂ’s a great talent, but I donÂ’t begrudge him wanting to leave and get games and better himself as opposed to signing a new deal and being happy to be 3rd choice and take his wages for another few years.

As for Galloway, great debut! It was only one game though so let's not get too excited and just let the lad get on with his game. Fans can heap too much expectation on a young lad's shoulders and it can affect 'em!

But his performance was very encouraging. HeÂ’s a CB but played very well at LB and it never did Lescott any harm in playing there first at the start of his Premier League career, did it. Hopefully he can develop into a good CB like Lescott for us!

Stones, Jagielka, Galloway, Van Dijk. If those were our 4 CBs next season, I reckon weÂ’d do pretty well defensively.

I would really like Garbutt to stay but, if he doesnÂ’t, then I donÂ’t blame the lad and good luck to him but I do not see how Martinez is at fault either.

The more I think of the number 10, BBS should promote Ledson to learn from Ossie early on and then claim the position as his own by say the 10th game of the season.

But I really wonder why a lot of lesser clubs have players like Puncheon, Delph and Bolasie playing for them without having broke the bank to get them. We do not seem able to produce top class attacking midfielders or strikers from within the club.

I think in the long-term, his career prospects will be better staying where he is and being [very] patient.

However, I fear the reality will be; that he has a very solid season for Bournemouth, in their only year in the Premier League.

The real question for the lad, is not Â’Am I better than Baines?Â’ [nobody is], but Â’Am I better than Galloway?Â’

After SaturdayÂ’s performance, the answer to the last question, is not entirely clear!

"As a defensive midfielder you must be tactically aware. You’re at the heart of the team so you have to hold everything together and allow other players to express themselves. To do this you need to talk a lot and use your brain, because quite often you have to be in the right place at the right time. You have to cover the gap between the midfield and the back four, cover the left and right full-backs when they go forward and the central defenders when they push further up the pitch."

Do you know who said that? Patrick Veira, one of the greatest DCMs ever. How many times this season have we said "Keep Barkley away from our penalty area"?

But that all depends on wether Martinez sees Garbutt as BainesÂ’ main successor as apposed to Oviedo?!

But I think Martinez would be daft to rely on Oviedo to come by 100% fit and be the one to really push Baines from now on as after his leg break he keeps on picking up silly injuries and canÂ’t get fit!

But if Garbutt doesnÂ’t get assurances that he will get more opportunities when he signs a new deal or wonÂ’t get loaned out then heÂ’s well within his rights to say no thanks, IÂ’ll take my chances elsewhere.

Galloway has greater prospects as he can play in centre or on left. He made a good start yesterday and I look forward to seeing more of him SOON.

Anyway, if itÂ’s at Everton or some other club, heÂ’ll still have to play his way into a starting position. No club will guarantee him playing time at this stage of his career.

Link

Getting serious for a minute and going back to when my left foot was only for standing on. After an operation for damaged toenails on my right foot I was forced to use my left. Initially it seemed impossible. At best maybe six months. It took three weeks.

I was so one-footed that for the first couple of days I could only do it from a stationary position. Right foot beside the ball with left foot swinging through. Putting in hours of work, at the end of a week I could plonk my right foot beside the ball at a slow lolloping gait and my weak foot was starting to make a good solid contact.

After another week I was trotting up to the ball and smacking it really hard with my instep. It felt great. The contact was more solid than that of my natural foot which was out of use for a couple of months.

At the end of the third week I was really enjoying this left foot business. CouldnÂ’t get enough of it. Smacking balls all over the place with pretty good accuracy. Unfortunately, with tackling. control and a million other things off the agenda it was a while before I played in a match, but after only three weeks of solid training I no longer had a weak foot.

I hope Browning is in the managerÂ’s plans for next season because heÂ’s decent as well. HeÂ’s not as elegant as Stones and Galloway who I think are almost identical in the way they play but still a good player in the making. HeÂ’s already proved to me that he is our backup for Coleman but itÂ’s StonesÂ’s position (his natural position) that he needs to be tested in.

Wonder what you made of DistinÂ’s pass back in the semi final against Liverpool. That one seems to be the exact opposite. It wasnÂ’t pretty either :) I still have Â’If onlyÂ’ moments!

I always say how good Messi could be if he used his right foot more.