It's all about the Nais!

To give Kone less than Lukaku would be churlish in the extreme, for me he looked like a viable No 10 option today. Picking up the ball in the middle, controlling well and slipping incisive passes. 8

I thought Ross always showed for the ball and as you said showed so much more confidence than last year. Lukaku however was fairly anonymous and wasn't following up his shots? A few times he could have got something if he'd have followed up. Had a few good opportunities to score when we needed to put the game to bed and never took them.

No mention of the pass for Naismith's third goal, or the posse of Chelsea players constantly trailing in his wake as he ran at their defence, or the amazing solo dribble that nearly brought an incredible goal.

I know it's all about opinions, but it might benefit you a little if you waited a little longer before you posted your report?

Purely time for you to reflect a little longer on some of the marks you give our 'better' performers.

Just a thought.

I agree with you though about Jagielka - immense, especially satisfying given the torrid time he and the other defenders had against Costa in the corresponding fixture last season.

That said, Stones didn't play then but boy did he play today. Was thinking earlier, in a great team performance, in which Naismith got a wonderful hat-trick, it will be Stones who sticks in my mind most today. Very good throughout but also another level at times.

Paul, I enjoy your reports but I seriously hope you get to watch that game again. I thought Barkley was awesome today; always showing for the ball and some of his vision (reversed to Naismith) outstanding.

Stones was fantastic but Ross is the player I don't want to lose?

I was really disappointed when the unselfish Kone was subbed off. He'd worked so well with Lukaku again and their dialogue was continual and a delight to see (he controls the ball impressively with his back to opponents, uses it well, moves into space and has pace). The partnership (for me) benefits Lukaku plenty and consequently we seem to pose more threat. He worked his socks off and deserved to score, that he did not was down to Begovic's best save.
Kone: 8

This season Ross Barkley is not the fractious lad he was. Admittedly he can take too long looking for the perfect outlet and sometimes misses the plainly obvious. But as has been said about truly gifted players in any decade "The rest aren't always on his wavelength". This season, I see a more carefree approach in him; he's really enjoying playing and not worrying about when it doesn't happen, good. He terrified Chelsea at times today, yes he frustrated me at times, but he was happier and overall so am I.
Barkley: 8

We haven't the squad to sustain that level of performance but if the coach can come up with a few variations and tactical guile we have some better days ahead. Today was just great. By the way, good stuff, Paul, as usual.

You, Lyndon and others mention the crowd, but on my Aussie sky feed, they seemed to have the crowd mics turned right down, the place sounded like a reading room...mustn't upset the fans of the sky darlings, or am I just bitter and paranoid.

Did they play 'Can't buy me love'? if yes how did it go down and was Bill there.

Momentum is the key...You're only as good as your next game. It's all very well using Chelsea / Maureen's antics to get yourself 'Up' for it, but if you can't bring the same Intensity to Swansea???

Hammys though, something not right there. Bring back the old fitness regime. It could be that Martinez threw the baby out with the bathwater there.

Barkley was absolutely outstanding today! Not MotM, I agree, but this is the Barkley I want to see. Six!!!!! Involvement in the goals alone was worth more than that.

Strange too to give the lowest mark to someone recovering from 'shot' confidence! Barkley is class, a star, and one of us!

Chelsea are certainly all at sea but we played well and I was particularly encouraged by the probing of Barkley and Barry. Great to see Galloway growing in confidence but bit concerned we have lost both first choice full backs. This is where the much needed consistency will fall away.

Well done, Nais. Much has been written about him not being the quality we need but his attitude, both when he is picked and maybe more importantly, when he isn't, is exactly what any squad needs.

We are only 9 hours ahead at the moment and I always enjoy the early match from that point of view but must admit to watching some of it from behind the sofa, hence the need for the report. Then I woke up later and watched the other lot get hammered! " Never felt more like ..."

I have mixed feelings on Rom though. When the ball was being played into his feet with his back to goal he looked shite. Heavy touch, miss hit passes, he can be a liability who gives away possession needlessly. When they started to get the ball ahead of him and he could run on to balls he looked class. His finishing wasn't great, but given those sort of chances more often I think he will bang a decent amount in

He is not a midfielder, nor a wide player.

His first and third goals bore all the hallmarks of a striker, through his movement in the area and his clinical finishing. A high percentage of his shots end up on target.

His first touch for the third goal was not great, taking him wide of the goal, but he compensated for it by shooting low behind the keeper from what was by then a fairly acute angle.

He does, however, have one other great attribute (not found amongst most strikers) in his ability to harry defenders and get stuck in - particularly in the final third.

Until he came here, he was always seen as a striker, playing 'support' at Rangers to Jelavic who was said to have recommended him to Moyes (and we got him for nowt!).

He suffered a bit through being asked to play wide and became a 'go to' player for Roberto at the 70 mins mark.

Perhaps now, he will merit more respect from the manager and fans like me who – as with Ossie – concentrated on his shortcomings rather than his undoubted value to the team.

Well done, lad!

Just shows how different folks see the same thing differently!

Ross was guilty of holding on to the ball too long at times, and was jogging gently alongside Matic as the big man hit his rocket, but his speed on the counter and good passing made up for it.

Galloway was inspired and his pace is a real asset. He has an instinct to get the ball forward and must be a terrifying sight for defenders.

On MotD, you could see a glimpse of a very unhappy Mirallas sulking when we scored one of the goals and, from my spec in the Gwladys Street, Stones's ecstatic celebration after the third goal was great to see. He clearly loved it.

I was relieved to hear Cahill wasn't playing and RM's choice of Kone to start was good if only for the extra height at both ends of the pitch. Mirallas will just have to play his part for the time being and if he is sulking then move him out in January.

Naismith certainly took his chances well, and it was great to beat Chelsea. Yes they were below par, but Everton did everything right on the day and nobody can say the win wasn't a fair result.

I thought Lukaku was way below par, he contributed nothing to our game today. All he did was moan at the players around him who were all putting in a shift unlike him. But under RM Lukaku seems no matter how bad he plays he will always start. I wonder what happens in our next league game is the hattrick hero left on the bench.

Our manager clearly loves a winger as he know has 5 to choose from, strange that he is reluctant to use any of them. I did hear that somebody told him that Jeremy Corbyn was a left winger, and RM said we will have to keep an eye on him.

I think it's all too easy sometimes to conflate the fans perceptions of a player with that of the manager. Truth is, Martinez has always rated Naismith and valued his contribution a lot more than many Evertonians do, or have done (myself included).

He tried to sign the player prior to his move to Everton, remember, and Naismith himself was taken aback to learn how much Martinez knew about his game and career up to that point. The fact he has been asked to fill in out wide on occasion, or sat biding his time on the bench, doesn't mean the manager is oblivious to his best position or feels he isn't up to the task. He's publicly praised his ability and attitude a number of times in the past, as well as acknowledging his more natural role:

"He is a gem of a boy, an incredible footballer, and I am just pleased he is enjoying his football. He has played in different positions but when he is central he is at his best, instinctive, a real threat".

He also just turned down an £8m offer for the guy, so he clearly respects what Naismith brings to the table.

He needs to be on the bench, not Naismith.

I noticed the lack of reaction from Mirallas when they were showing Martinez's reaction to one of the goals. He didn't even flinch. It's good that he is not happy about being on the bench, but Nessi came off the bench to stake his claim for a start next game. I can't imagine that Nessi wouldn't celebrate a team goal.

I also noticed the delight Kone showed when Nessi got his third.

I'm not too worried about 'Super Kev'. He's a great player but an arrogant bellend to boot. He has to learn to suck it up!

I know we have just extended his contract, but I would sell in the next window; we should get a good price, and put the money towards the Yarmolenko guy we tried to sign in the last window.

I know what you mean about the mics. They always do it.

Here's a link to the highlights where you can get more of a "feel" of being there via the sound.

http://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/2015/09/12/Everton-vs-chelsea-highlights-full-match/

The saving grace was the ability of Coleman and Galloway to get down the flanks, meaning that in the blink of an eye we would see three strikers running into the box, along with Barkley.

Martinez has to get credit for this, but it does beg the question, of what are we doing with Kev, Del, and Aaron, not to mention McGeady and even Brian, who must be slipping out of contention at left back, as Galloway looks so good.

For me, who can rarely go these days, it's good reading. Why would he not mention his mates?

Completely agree with Andy Crooks. Paul takes the time to contribute to this site on a regular basis for which most of us are grateful.

You on the other hand wish to snipe with your mealy mouthed comments.

I'm guessing I know which most ToffeeWebbers value most.

Sue, at 6 foot 2 was one of Europe's top super-models and usually a stickler about her diet. Yet here she was outside the Supper bar shoving a curried sausage into her grid and washing it down with a can of what she still cutely referred to as 'lemmo.'

Ste told me he found the whole scene 'arousing', but as Gaz pointed out to me later (a bit like that bit in Spartacus in the bath with Tony Curtis and Laurence Oliver) 'You know he loves.... sausage don't you? Some people like sausages others prefer onion rings.'

I agree: 7 or 8 for me and 10 for Nais.

I'm always curious as to the actual age of the TW posters, if I was to hazard a guess, I would say Paul is in his late twenties, early thirties, only by his style of writing.

Again, this isn't a criticism of Paul's match reports, only an observation.

Long live Ste, Gaz, Gary and Sue...and Paul too.

A more furtive imagination than mine, could possibly hint at a possible match going love tryst along the lines of Rita, Bob... no don't go there, I'm showing my age.

We'll have to wait to hear from Paul to dampen our expectations, over to you Paul.

Perhaps they drink in Ken's Room of Nonsense and join the queue for the 'fat van'!

I'm getting straight on the phone to Alan Bennett, there's a play in there somewhere.

No keeper would have saved Matic's goal either.

I do agree he has a lot to learn though, but young lads usually do.

I thought Rom contributed a lot on Saturday and I will continue to support him. Of course he has room for improvement but who doesn't?

Every player has strengths and weaknesses but for me the amount of stick Naisy gets is far greater than Lukaku who has got inferior ball control and half his workrate.

If only we could get Barkley and Lukaku (both big heavy men) to put themselves about as much as Naismith does we would have 3 top performing players.

Exactly why is he arrogant? He didn't have the best of games, but constantly troubled Chelsea's CB and was alot more dangerous than Costa. His build up was also pivotal to the second goal. His got 4 goals and 1 assist from 6 competitions this season. That run might have included Barnsley, but it also included Chelsea, Spurs and Southampton away and City. I think he can make 20 in all competitions this season, and he is the best striker at the club by far. If we get the right service to him, like we did during the Southampton game, then he will score alot of goals. He is not a finished article, but if he was he would not be playing for us. He is a player capable of 15-20 league goals in a season, with room to improve.

It's ironic that some of the criticisms previously directed towards Naismith relating to his control and touch, are also thrown at Lukaku. They disappear when players play well, but reappear when they don't. I've read people say that Jags was finished, after the opening games last season. Is he? I've read people criticise Baines, and state that we should have accepted United's offer for him. Mirallas? him too. Osman? of course. He is not fit to wear the shirt. Kone? Kone was finished a few weeks ago. A dreadful player. A horrible buy. These fans come out of the woodwork to have a go, and then disappear when things change.

We need a little patience, especially with the younger players and the bit-part players.

In relation to suggestions somebody is e.g. arrogant, there was a recent comment that Ross "is not as good as he thinks he is". I've never once seen the lad praise his own skills.

One bollock fell off laughing at the Duke quip. Is there a YouTube clip of the aformentioned Duke?! Or could you "find" one for us?!

My criticism of Lukaku is that his movement is poor, his heading for a big man is distinctly average and I wont mention his first touch. Added to the fact that is workrate is poor as well, but given the ball on his let foot in the box and he is a good finisher. Now whether that is enough in today's game I am not sure. Now you might disagree with my comments, and that is what makes football so interesting is the differing opinions.

I would also like to ask the manager why have we got 5 wingers on the books, costing how much in wages if you don't want to play with wingers. After all he signed 3 of them and got Mirallas to agree a new contract only a month ago.

This need for some people to assign character traits to players based upon sod all real evidence, when what they truly mean is "This player frustrates me !", is tiresome.

These people calling Lukaku "Arrogant", utterly bewilder me. The recent articles and video evidence shows a very likeable (my opinion) young man who seems intelligent and keen to develop with Everton.

Romelu plays far better when he can spin off a defender and chase a ball; in fact, when given that opportunity, he is absolutely thrilling, because he has that strength in abundance.

To criticise his shortcomings with his back to goal isn't exactly fair. Do we lambast Tim Howard for his crap attempts at throw-ins?

With Arouna Kone now able to function, having finally shaken off his terrible injury and regained full strength, has offered some enticing glimpses of a Lukaku & Kone partnership; one which can only benefit the youngster as an Everton striker in the longer term.

The more that I have read about just how serious Kone's knee injury was, the more surprised that I am that he ever made it back on a football pitch. What I've seen this season from Arouna has me tipping my hat to Roberto Martinez. How different might things have been if the injury hadn't happened or had been considerably less serious?

Neither Martinez nor Kone had any control or influence over the knee injury, it was just the way the cookie/ligament crumbled.

Kone impresses me more each week, and I like that.

Hats offs to Naismith as well, £8M was a damn good offer but he's proved people wrong. People can change their opinion if the players deserve the praise.

Oviedo is also still regaining full fitness, his knee still blows up like a balloon after a game, because he isn't absolutely 100% yet.

These things aren't measureable with a thermometer, a ruler or a set of scales, only by observation. Thank heavens that Kone is begining to get back to his best. Given the surgeon's view of the damage, Arouna must be bloody delighted to be able to play football at all again, let alone in the EPL!

We can change our opinion of a player based on his form, but personal attacks are in a very different league of criticism. Naismith has not shown the silky skills like Messi or Ronaldo but he plays to his strength and works his butt off to the perfect game he had last week.