Lukaku's latest soundbytes are music to Everton ears

What a great boost for Roberto – one of the best endorsements of his dealings with players we've seen. I've been a big fan of Rom since we first saw him in a Royal Blue shirt, although there are clearly short-comings to be addressed.

Fitness permitting, I firmly believe if he gets good service, from quick tempo moves with the ball played in front of him, he'll score a good number of goals for us.

Good man and good ambitions for tomorrow.

We need to win a cup this year to start satisfying our young talents.

COYB!

I also think Martinez needs a big pat on the back, not only has he consistently said Stones is not for sale but he has backed it up with a subtle warning: Don't bother putting in a transfer request. Firmly putting the power of the club before any player, well done.

Get Mori up to scratch, get Yarmolenko signed and a decent striker, keep Rom fired up, and we can make a statement of intent early in the season that we're up for pushing the big boys. COYB.

I also think it provides a good opportunity for Rom to (in a very subtle way) say "Hey Jose..."

Link

As long as we keep this group of youngsters together I believe we are.

COYB 1-0 tomorrow.......

Made up with Roberto too, a class performance in contrast to the spoilt brat dahn sarff

We should enjoy watching him whilst he's with us because I feel he's destined for greatness this boy.

Such critics are wrong on both counts.

Well said, Jay. The lad is a genuinely fine young man and I hope he stays a couple of years within what is becoming a decent young squad.

It's good to hear Gerry saying he wanted to come back to us, as well. We're not far away from having a fine young team here.

Last week at Southampton was a timely reminder of what a talent he is.

Similarly, in any interview I've seen with him, he is softly spoken, eloquent, humble and quick to praise others. He is clearly passionate and a keen student of the game, as this link shows.

Link

The article details he is fluent in 6 languages and records and views the FULL 90 MINUTES of EVERY PL game so he can study and learn the techniques of other strikers, but also to study defenders to know how best to exploit their weaknesses. How many other professional footballers do you think are so thorough?

In the last week we have heard Romelu saying he has jibbed Ross to score more goals and now, giving sound counsel to JS and talking up the 'Everton project.' This is a young man showing leadership and helping to inspire other young players to up their game.

I for one am very pleased we have the eloquent, intelligent, studious, thoughtful and talented Romelu Lukaku at Everton. The hope now is that the club can match his ambitions so we can retain and continue to attract similar young talent.

I'm not saying Stones is going, quite the contrary, but young players should look at Chelsea's recording bringing through youngsters, it's pathetic.

If we play to Lukaku's strengths, like we did against Southampton, he's unplayable, especially with a striker beside him, and not isolated on his own.
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One thing - he says he watches every game, but where? Isn't that illegal in the UK? Just a thought...where does he get 90 minutes to record of the 3pm Saturday games for example?

In addition, it counter balances the tsunami of shite that has swamped every back page with "advice" from such notable and upstanding members of the footballing community such as er... Cahill and Terry.

Blackburn, Chelsea, Man City..... All their titles between them actually mean shit and I actually don't want a multi billionaire owner.

Whilst I realise there's the commercial element to the game, it is getting to ridiculous levels of player salaries and fees now. Something needs to change as the whole "stones to Chelsea" saga and the plethora of sky pundits saying that he "has to go to further his career" will continue.

It's a sad sad state of affairs when even the pundits are trying to get someone to move clubs.

"Success bred from money is a hollow and shallow success entwined with the knowing falseness of achievement". Quote: Neil Wood Just now!

We absolutely must play to his strengths and build our style of play around him and Ross, quick and direct play, no fannying around and he could be up there with the league's top scorers this season. Hamstring permitting...

I expect Stones to stay. Browning, Galloway, Stones, Garbutt, McCarthy, Dowell, Barkley, Lukaku – just a few names that get the proverbial juices flowing!

Besides which, why take any notice of a jouno asking Lukaku that he thinks Chelkski should fcukovski, why not ask Stones himself?

The JS comments were 1 part of a wide ranging interview. In addition to the abbreviated version given in the OP, he also spoke of his poor pre-season following the World Cup last year, playing with 4-5 injections in his foot, his father being seriously ill and him frequently returning home to Belgium to be with him, a situation known and understood by the club, the death of his close friend Junior Malanda of Wolfsburg and how this all impacted on a 21 year old living alone in a new city.

Given that Romelu was himself signed as a young player by Chelski and will have very personal and intimate knowledge of their inner workings, it was an obvious question for the Telegraph journalist to ask of RL: what is your counsel to JS and Chelski's pursuit of him?

Plenty on TW bemoan what they see as a concerted campaign by Chelski and the media to persuade JS to move. I for one am delighted that in recent days we have had both Naismith and Romelu publicly declaring why JS doesn't need to go to Chelski, all the more so that RL's counsel is profound, wise and such good counsel, repeating many of the arguments presented on here by many TWer.

But the question still remains, why no quote from Stones himself?

Nice to here what players think about the future and the manager. Let's keep our feet on the ground though, because City have some players that can score for fun; I can't see us nilling them tomorrow.

If we can keep our team together we could have a decent future and who knows maybe win a cup. But please if we get beat tomorrow don't let's read that the players are shit and the manager's shit, it's always famine or feast on here!

Substituting him last week was simply another of Mourinho's mind games to convince Stones he would be going there as Terry's immediate replacement. Does Mourinho think Stones is that thick, he'd fall for that one?

Rom can give Stones the full lowdown, in private, of life under Mourinho, and after the debacle with the club doctor, I think Stones should be aware that Mourinho's first priority is results as opposed to the health and safety of his players.

Chelsea do nothing to help develop young talent, and Stones is a sensible lad who knows he is still learning his trade. Chelsea just throw millions at the transfer market to buy in ready-made talent, and I think it would a terrible mistake if Stones did go there, as long-term, I even believe his development could stall under Mourinho and affect his future England prospects.

We will soon see if he has heeded Rom's and Naisy's words, as opposed to the crap from Terry, Cahill and the gutter press who are so obviously in Chelsea's pocket.

Eric, until this transfer window closes I will remain nervous about JS still being an Everton player on 2 September.

I perfectly comprehend from both the club and the player's perspective why JS has not been trotted out in front of the media throughout all this. But, rather than focus on the negative as you did, I prefer to focus on the positive and the wise counsel offered by Romelu in his interview.

"You'll never win anything with kids" — we all know that, but if they all stay and we add the odd bit of quality when needed, who knows how good we will be in two years?

Stones is our next captain, so he has to stay if Bobby's youngsters blueprint is to succeed.

I saw John Stones when he came off last week and his face was beaming when he went over to Roberto at the end of the match. I remember Rom almost flattening Robbie boy after one of his goals.

The fact that Geri wanted to come here, this young lad from Barnsley, now one maybe two young lads from South America...

But most of all, what a statement of his faith in our manager and our other players, if John Stones stays.

Looking forward to a break-through season from him; it's been years since we had a centre forward with a genuine potential to be a 30-goal striker.

They are both very likeable young men and a credit to the club. I think Stones's understandable silence on the subject of his transfer (concentrating on his football no doubt) has led some to forget this.

I think Rom's comments were for public consumption not John's, as I think they will have spoken many times about the future for them and for Everton.

It's great all the same though, for Rom to put in the public domain such an excellent piece. He's put on record, in a very eloquent way, his view that Everton are aiming to challenge the top teams. I think that John feels the same way.

Gibson — possible sacking offence if proven;
Pienaar, Hibbert, McGeady — Sell or pay off; they're costing a lot and not contributing.

That's the spirit Rom!

He scored a lot of 5-yard 'tap-ins' which led to one of the most ridiculous 'shouts' of all time from Gwladys Street:

'...He's rubbish that Latchford ... all he can do is score goals'!!

Watch them gutter hacks slag you off now for daring to cross them!

Although I don't like our players coming out with statements like that; it always backfires. That'll be one tough game tomorrow given the way City have started. As for Lukaku's statement about Stones... absolutely first class — that's what we want to hear. I'll be gutted if he goes, regardless of some ridiculous fee.

Either way I'm with you as being uncertain where Stones will be on 2 Sept. unless he comes out and says otherwise.

So having the same opinion as me, doesn't that make us equally positive/negative??

While everyone else is shitting themselves at the prospect of facing City, our boy is talking about dominating them.

Martinez is faced with a no-brainer really. He seemed to be scared of his own shadow last season. He only has to contrast the fun he had in the first season to the misery he endured in his second.

No fear, Robbie lad. It may be irresponsible (it IS irresponsible) but who gives a fuck.

If the boys wanna fight, ya betta let 'em!

As for your 2nd point which you've only commented on now, yes - we share a nervousness about JS staying or not whilst the window stays open.

As I'm sure you will acknowledge, that is a completely different subject from the one we earlier exchanged posts about - the different ways we viewed Romelu's reported comments.

Let them off the leash... ya know it makes sense!

This is also our only likely route to challenge the money boys in the most unbelievable way possible and that is by buying generally cheap and developing our own team. What a turn up for the book that would be.

We don't need to win every week or get despondent if we don't but just start putting together strings of results including good performances against the top sides. Our problem may be home performances and I may also be misjudging Martinez's capacity to produce unadulterated dross. To be fair, I rated Kendall as the worst manager ever seen at Everton until that team gelled.

Tomorrow's game will be really important; a real tonking and I'll be despondent; a good performance and I'll be mega positive; a win could indicate great things to come. I think it's really important though that the fans get behind the team and lift them.

Perhaps he has had a few words in the ears of his friends to say "look guys... I'm not going yet, I wanna see how this project progresses for another year and then see – can you drop hints to the media please."

This way, the press get the sound bites they require about him staying and he stays in the mega rich clubs good graces as he didn't "embarrass" them with a public rejection.

Apologies to all on TW, It's been a long day – so I hope someone makes sense of the logic I'm trying to make.

'Please let me go from John Stones'

Are they just making this up or are they snooping around his mate and family to get a viewpoint?

This is driving me insane on how desperate these hacks are I'm getting really angry and pissed off now...

Come on, Everton, if this is utter bollocks, come out and say something.

Be as bloody ruthless and insulting!!!!

FFS

I for one really hope he is backed by the board so as he is not to be undermined, as this will send out a extremely poor message to the whole footballing world.

I've said for a very long time that we have the catalyst for a very good side. One or two positions need filling, but that is the case at most clubs, but for me our back four (with Baines) is as good a back four we have had in a very long time and it is as good as any back four defence.

Add McCarthy, Barkley and Lukaku and, all of a sudden, you're most of your way through a side and Mirallas, Deulofeu, Barry, and Cleverley have not been mentioned.

Throw in the young talent we have already of Garbutt, Galloway, Browning, McAleny, Besic plus Ledson and we look more than decent.

Stones, Lukaku, McCarthy and Barkley are vital to how this team grows and must be kept together for as long as possible.

We just need John Stones to score the winner tomorrow and take his shirt off to reveal his top underneath which says "Fuck off you 2nd Division bunch of cockney Rent Boys. I wouldn't sign for you if gave me a million pound a week."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XPinFCIM3Q&sns=em