Barkley looking ahead to Euro2016

Allied to that, if the comments that came out of Wembley at half time suggesting he had to be consoled by Jags because if boos for the team are correct, then absolutely no backbone either. Needs to grow a pair and sort himself out and make himself above criticism as opposed to coasting through games and expecting the world to step aside while he waltzes through the defence!!

Oh and a bit of effort wouldn't go amiss either. These are the reasons why he isn't first choice, not because he doesn't play for the RS. It appears the RS have higher standards than we do which is why they tend to get more players picked. Harsh statement but very true.

Bottom line is he's not good enough, he has proven that over the past couple of seasons with us.

At his age, Rooney had pulled up trees, Ross is not a world class player, he's average.

Anybody who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

The style does not suit him (our style suits nobody), the coaching staff are not helping him.....but he has a number of assists and goals, and is still young.

Average he is not. Nor is he world class. But he is a very good player, and I expect him to do well in the summer.

Unfortunately he's not what you'd call an "intelligent" player and plays by instinct. When you coach instinct out of him by making him play to a rigid set plan, you negate his positives. IMHO.

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Maybe it is the phenomenal one's management style that has brought him down, along with the rest of the squad this season. His form this season doesn't warrant a place in the squad for me.

Delle Alli, however, is different gravy and is far more deserving of an England spot, minus the punching of course... Show us what you are made of, Ross, and prove me wrong!!!!

I blame Osman.

I don't care how badly he's coached, he is not an instinctive footballer, he is not a classy player, his passing and decision making is awfull, he hardly ever puts a tackle in and couldn't head a queue, his free kicks and corners are also woefull.

Ok he makes the odd run forward and all to infrequently has a shot from outside the box but that does not make him a good footballer.

Bloody hell Dave. Sounds just like the casting director from Fight Club mulling over whether to give fucking Meatloaf the role of 'Bitch tits Bob'.

He's miles off Delle Alli he play's like a school kid which has got to have a lot to do with the bullshitter gaffer we have telling him it's ok to lose the ball when it's definitely not!

He could be world class with the right coaching!

Totally agree, but that's enough about Lukaku.

What about Barkley?

Way to come off as a completely uneducated footballer. Lukaku is probably the only reason we aren't down there fighting with Newcastle and Sunderland. Lukaku scored goals, made runs.

Why the hell would Lukaku have been taking corners and be expected to be making all these tackles. Barkley is the one in midfield. I much prefer my striker to be up top ready to pounce.

Barkley has been poor, slow on the ball, easily brushed off the ball, terrible defensively, and looks over weight. He should be doing much much more. At least Lukaku contributed with goals, which is his job after all.

Galls me to say but he has not developed as we would have hoped. He doesn't have the passion that is required along with the intelligence.

A player who looked world class on the local park who never transferred it to the top stage.

That's reality.

Beat about five players on Saturday who couldn't stop him before shooting wrong.

Terrible player.

He plays in one of the hardest positions going and just came second highest scorer in a team which is poor thanks to our manager.

I've read some BS on this site but to hear the above is ridiculous.

You all used to revere Cahill and Arteta. Guess what...young Ross just outscored their average goal hauls. Yeah but he is shite.

Unbelievable.

He is awesome and still learning.

That said, I don't feel he has the balls to reach out and take his spot as a main player for England.

He certainly has more ability than most of England's midfield players, but Henderson, Milner and even Lallana have the bottle to assert themselves on the games, ultimately forcing Roy to pick them.

Ross needs a stronger mentality, he needs to become fitter and he has to prove that he himself truly believes he has what it takes to run the England team, rather than just being happy being a part of the squad.

You watching the same player as me?? The one I see looks overweight, can't tackle, can't head, doesn't chase back, never looks up, can't pass, invariably makes wrong decision and can't beat the first man from a dead ball. At his age our old friend Steven Gerrard was running games and scoring spectacular goals on a regular basis.

He's no better than Rodwell was. If any mug offers 㿊m in the summer we should bite their hands off!!!!

I hope he goes the Euros as he might lean a few things from watching Dele Alli at close quarters. A player 3 years YOUNGER!!!

Ross could be great but has lost confidence playing in a shit loosing team. Not helped by disgruntled fan

He is a confidence player needs to be loved. Martinez has missed managed the whole squad. Personally I think Ross would be better off playing for city or Chelsea.

Those who descibe him as ' glorious' in the present stage of his development are ignoring the inherent qualities which set the likes of Gasser, Gerard, Lampard and Alli apart. And those don't include bodybuilding !

He is a brilliant talent who has spent much of the last two seasons being expected to be the sole creator in a team where possession is king, movement is none existent.
Unlike Lukaku, people like Wellbeck, Kane and Vardy will ALWAYS be up for it and he wont have to play with 8 players who barely venture over the half way line.

I'm no England fan, but I'm looking forward to seeing our two much maligned youngsters against the best

Then we can satisfy the philistines by flogging them for top dollar and bringing in a big lump to play central defence and another water carrier to replace Ross

Ridiculous.

His form has dipped these last few months but still has more assists/goals than most AMCs except Mahrez, Payet, Alli.

Could do with being a bit fitter and may not be 'world class' but this lad is already a very good player and one of our own. He's still very young too and needs the right coaching to push him forward.

On one hand people keep blaming his demise in form and fitness on Martinez.
Maybe that carries some truth but I'm looking at the bigger picture more.

How many other players that have been big players in the past have still flourished playing for bad managers?

You'll find there is quite a few

I go back to a 18 year old Wayne Rooney who was a shining beacon of light in one of our worst ever season's in 2003/04, he was the only player who shone that season and was a leader of men despite playing amongst dross.

Many other players are a prime example just look at the likes of Gerrard across the park when he's played in average Liverpool teams under mismanagement, he's still took the game by the scruff or going back a few years it didn't stop Matthew Le Tissier producing outstanding moments in a poor Southampton team.

Only time will tell whether it's down to management with Barkley but whoever comes in needs to get hold of him and drastically improve his spacial awareness.

I don't think your ever going to turn him into a heart on the sleeve player that gets stuck in winning tackles and headers, that's just his personality, it comes over as lazy but that's just his demeanour.

What we need is get him trimmer, fitter and get him more intelligence on the ball because at times he's like the kid at school who always thought he was better than everyone else and doesn't pass the ball and I've witnessed this in Ross even when he's had good options in front of him so we can't keep blaming a lack of movement from others, that's an easy way out.

I think he has talent Barkley but he's 23 this year, I don't always see a great football brain there, hopefully if a new manager comes in he'll work on this and make certain it improves no end.

At the moment there's many players that don't get Barkley's hype but are well ahead of him, the lad Mane at Southampton for one and even Mark Noble at West Ham.

I think he is being confused and weighed down with too much information prior to games by our 'manager'. He is one of those players you need to let play his instinctive game and build the team around to suit that.

I'm not saying this means he should be allowed to stand around and do nothing off the ball, of course... but again, I really do get the impression he's been told to do that and it's okay by Martinez.

He seems to play much better for England when I watch them – which tells you something is up with what's happening at Goodison.

Can't believe that people were saying he had to be consoled by Jagielk at Wembley though? It looked to me that he just happened to be the player in from of our skipper, in the tunnel, and Jags, was getting ready to bounce into the changies, to finally give it to the manager.

I might be wrong but that was some transformation in the second half against Man Utd, once we changed our tactics, and decided to have a really good go. To become the player we hope Barkley can be, he's got to start doing the same thing.

Believe you're the best, Ross, and start having a proper go; otherwise, you're best telling Hodgson you would sooner just go on holiday with your mates and watch it on the telly!

Ross is playing in the hardest position on the pitch and has only scored 2 less goals and assisted 3 less than Alli who has played in a team playing better and scoring more goals.

The same fans who rip Ross would kick off if Big Bill sold him...

I am waiting to see what a different coach can bring out of Ross next season because Martinez has majorly restricted his game and I think there is a lot more improvement in him yet.

Yes, he has got goals this season, that's down to the position he's playing and the fact he has got one hell of a shot on him. He does show some skills now and then, but he has played football since he was a dot at Everton so I would expect something out of him.

Comments used to come out of Everton that he was amazing in training; well, think of them fellas that can do everything with a football in keep-ups, flick it here, there everywhere and look amazing. Put them on a football pitch and they can't do shit.

Good point, they've all underperformed not just Barkley.

This is why I don't buy into best squad for 30 years rubbish, they are all overrated in my opinion but are hiding behind the fact we have a poor manager.

I will be interested to see what happens once a new manager is in place, people predict a dramatic turnaround in fortunes but I'm not so sure to be honest.

Just why he and Lukaku are excused boots when it comes to tackling back is something I'll never get my head around either.

Oh for a coach who can coach!

Who goes?

I thought in he looked woefully out of shape in the semi final. He hardly moved in the first half and looked extremely sluggish for a lad of his age. When you also consider things like Deulofeu only being able to last 60 minutes in a match, I'm concerned that the conditioning side of our training is not up to scratch.

Get them running up and down some sand dunes!!

Barkley – 12 goals /8 assists.

For Comparison:

Mane – 14 Goals/ 6 assists
Payet –12 goals / 10 assists
Coutinho – 12 goals / 6 assists
Noble – 7 Goals/ 4 assists

We have many problems, Barkley is not one of them. I find it disgusting the stick he gets from his own fans. One of the few Everton players who can hold his head up after this season.

A good manager would drop Barkley and advise him that if he wants to get back in the team suggest to him he should stay longer after practice like top players such as Ronaldo and Lampard would do practicing their shooting long after everyone had left.

I look at Spurs and think this time last year Stones was a head of Eric Dier, Barkley was a head of Ali and Lukaku was a head of Kane but our manager is taking our players backwards and their manager is turning his into top players.

As for Rodwell, I always thought he was massively over rated. When he first came into the team people were comparing him to Beckenbauer and Rio Ferdinand. I said at the time he would be lucky to be the next Anton Ferdinand and said he would more likely have a similar career to someone like Jermaine Jenas. But under a decent manager Rodwell was at least playing first team football and playing to his strengths which always gave him a chance of breaking into the International set up and raise his profile.

Andrew Surman, Bournemouth - 303.85km (188.80m)
Gareth Barry, Everton - 297.64km (184.94m)
Craig Dawson, West Bromwich Albion - 278.57km (173.09m)
Etienne Capoue, Watford - 278.43km (173.00m)
Darren Fletcher, West Bromwich Albion - 271.46km (168.67m)
Mark Noble, West Ham United - 271.31km (168.58m)
Matt Ritchie, Bournemouth - 268.71km (166.96m)
Yann M'Vila, Sunderland - 268.59km (166.89m)
Dan Gosling, Bournemouth - 267.91km (166.47m)
Ross Barkley, Everton - 267.31km (166.09m)

I'll get my coat.....

I have to say I just love the way this guy can float past a couple of opponents, and the way he can shoot with either foot. I guess it's just the "if only" – if only he'd also keep goal-side of the man he's picking up, rather than just let the guy amble past him in second gear; he doesn't need to tackle just jockey.

To end on a positive note, if he can develop his reading of the game and decision-making, then what a diamond.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

I never directly criticized Barkley, I'm simply saying he needs to improve on lots of things.

He's scored more goals this season but ask yourself what's he done since early December apart from score a couple of pens against Newcastle??
His form hasn't been good enough.

He's got potential but he needs to take responsibility more and can't keep blaming the managers style for all of it, some of it yes but he needs to be big enough to say "enough is enough, I'm going to dictate this game myself and lead from the front".

Certain players grow bigger when given the responsibility of playing in a poor team and it brings the best out of them, others tend to go missing for months like Barkley and Lukaku.

He scores goals and makes assists you say... well then surely that's countered by his lack of workrate. What, he's the tenth hardest working player by distance covered in the Premier League?

Well I'm actually shocked if that's correct. I wonder how those stats work. I mean when Ross is jogging on the spot when an opponent is two metres away from him do those steps get included?

I'm not convinced either way.

Odd that Barkley is 22 and cannot make mistakes but another 21 year old (22 this month) on here gets excused for everything because he is "young" and "learning." Seems to me such logic should apply to attacking mids also or are they just minted as is?

Give the lad a break. Of all the players other than perhaps Baines, he seems to be the player who takes being a Toffee the most to heart.

But, to put it mildly, his 'football intelligence' is not all that high (based on numerous observations - he often fails to spot or doesn't choose the best option) and his character also seems a bit lacking.

People have gone on at length about Martinez driving all the confidence out of him but the best players are not so fair-weather. That is essentially the margin we are looking at; if the lad can not self-motivate, if he suffers from crippled confidence, then he will never really be a top player, just a good one, which is still ok in my book but nothing too much to write home about.

I would never advocate giving him grief from the stands but I would advocate not going on at length about what a brilliant player he is. He isn't, and on the evidence will probably never be. Would love to be proved wrong.

Are Everton failing due to Ross's form or is it the other way about? I tend to believe that his team-mates have let him down big time, the manager, has, like he has done with so many of our talented players hung him out to dry. Stones is another confidence player who also hasn't lived up to our great expectations this season, and he has had his head turned by transfer speculation.

Purely on ability these two players given an even break will play for England for many many years and one if not both of them will if they leave Everton, will probably collect many medals for their new clubs. I don't want to see either of them in any shirt other than the Royal Blue of Everton or their national jerseys.

The club won't move forward if it allows young talent to leave and join other clubs. Some fans seem to yearn for players who will run around a lot and get stuck in at every opportunity, we do need those sorts of players in the team but not at the expense of the more talented players. The McCarthy's, Besic', Barry type of player have their roles and they, Barry apart haven't pulled up any trees this season, in fact how many players in the current squad can say they have given everything for the cause?

I'm hoping that a new manager will look at the squad, rid us of those players that aren't good enough to be here and keep those players which he can build a team around, Stones and Ross are both players who meet the latter criteria and any talk of taking the money and running should be given short shrift. Lukaku I have my doubts about purely because he doesn't seem to be a team player but if a new boss thinks he is worth keeping I wouldn't argue.

If Roberto stays in charge I would hazard a guess that two if not all three of our star players will leave and that really doesn't bear thinking about no matter how much money Mr Moshiri is willing to invest in the club.

He's consistently too greedy. If there's a break on goal and he has the ball he chooses the wrong option every time. When he needs to keep the ball down, he blazes over the bar. When he needs to lift it, he hits a daisy cutter. He goes missing in the big games too often.

People say that he's young, he's still learning and that he's very much a confidence player. He's not 16. If you look at the likes of Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, they were dictating games at the same age.

I agree that he's offered more than a lot of players this season but he's not as good as he thinks he is. I thought he was the worst player on the pitch in the semi-final.

For comparison a 53 year old man (me) can run 10km in under an hour - but of course I am not intermittently standing still then sprinting flat out etc. These figures might mean more in terms of working hard if we could see a measure of speed & acceleration (i.e. quality) rather than just quantity.

http://talksport.com/football/premier-leagues-15-hardest-working-players-average-distance-covered-game-201415?p=14

As professional athletes, running 12 km in 90 mins shouldn't be hard, whatever they do it.

(13.1 miles in 1 hr 44 mins, November 2014.)

Ross's form fell off significantly over the last few months but before that his support to Rom was very effective. The lad has great talent but something happened to his attitude and concentration. He also seemed to have gained weight which slowed him a little.

This could be due to problems with Martinez regarding motivation but then again it may just be the lad himself. I cannot see him getting much playing time with Hodgson and his RS picks especially as he loves Sterling who really is crap.

Rom will always score goals but is so different to Vardy, Kane and Aguerro who are all much more mobile and do more off the ball.

Not sure what the intention is for next season because if Rom goes then Niasse would seem to be the replacement although not yet been able to prove himself. Certainly the money from Rom could be used to buy a speedy support striker as what we have doesn't fill the bill.

Also, some people need to calm down, we're not giving him 'stick', just giving our opinion, which happens to differ from others.

Maybe we're frustrated because he could be/do better.

Other than all that, he's not a bad player!!!!!

He gets away with it over a season at club level. I'd take him but start him? Nah.

I can't recall how many times we've argued over his merits and weaknesses – I know I've initiated two threads on the subject that never reached any useful conclusion – but I've had a fit of conscience and just wanted the lad to know that it's because we all want him to succeed so much that his career merits so much debate.

In all truth, he's a bloody good player and one who I am sure will benefit from the forthcoming European Competition. Go show 'em, Ross!

"Stat attack on ToffeeWeb.... again."

Like it or not Shane, but stats can inform a debate and opinion.

Can we put our trust in only qualitative data, that is, the singular opinions of posters such as these offerings?

Craig Walker @ 67: "He's consistently too greedy. If there's a break on goal and he has the ball he chooses the wrong option every time. When he needs to keep the ball down, he blazes over the bar. When he needs to lift it, he hits a daisy cutter. He goes missing in the big games too often."

Paul English @ 73: "Barkley is so unfit, overweight, can't tackle, can't head; he lacks aggression, lazy, doesn't score enough, or make enough goals, loses possession. Other than all that, he's not a bad player!!!!!"

Or is it fair to balance such an extreme evaluation with quantitative data as some have posted here, which makes a nonsense of such views?

I'm not denying people's right to have contrary opinions, but if those opinions can be challenged and shown to be flawed by hard data, then give me a 'stat attack' every day of the week.

What is the old adage about lies, damn lies and statistics?

According to stats; wee little Leon Britton of Swansea was once the finest passer of a football the world ever did see. I watched him shortly after the news broke and his contribution to the game was minimal for all his great stats.

Agree with you both.

My point is, certainly in regard to assessing a footballer, qualitative data is extremely subjective and oft times determined by the preconceptions some have of particular players.

In such cases, they are only determined to see the bad in a player and so remain blind to his better attributes.

As Paul says, we could better judge a good number of our younger players under the guiding hand of a different manager.

Personally, I see plenty (and then some!) in the likes of Stones, Barkley, Deulofeu and Lukaku who, within a better set up, would transform us into a ... truly 'phenomenal' team.

I can't quantify how many times I've been frustrated with Ross because he's chosen the wrong option, e.g. he breaks with the ball and has a player to his left and right but he gives it to the wrong one, or when he's tried to beat a player when there was a pass on, or when he's passed it sideways when he should have beaten a player, or when he's received the ball and should be turning but passes it straight back to where it came from, or when he's shot when there were better placed team mates or when he's passed when he should have shot.

If you haven't seen this happen an awful lot then you need to get your head up from the facts and figures page in the matchday programme and take note.

To fulfil his potential he has to conquer is his own desire. He wants to score goals and play in the number 10 role. Good?

We saw it last week the pass was on for Niasse simple tap forward but Ross kept it and had three players around him when he tried a shot. He did not score If you look at the MotD replay from behind the goal he could not have scored the goal was completely covered. The defenders are catching on to his cross box runs. The 2nd goal came because he actually passed it at the end of a similar run.

Ironically in his 1st season with Roberto he was spraying passes around like Kante (Leicester) and so many Everton players were scoring that defenders were trying to mark others and leaving gaps for Ross to score.

For the last two years Ross's average position has moved closer and closer to the goal. yes he is scoring more goals but leaving greater gaps. In the Southampton away game we saw Ross passing and running from the centre of the park this is were he can make the greatest impact.

If he leaves Everton that is where any manager will order him to stay for the majority of his playing time.

I've seen all you mention too, Craig. I've also lost count of the number of times I've thrown my hands in the air and said "FFS Ross!"

But there are also many more times I have purred with pleasure at some of his play.

I used your post @ 67 as an extreme example of how folk like yourself exaggerate the 'bad' of Ross to confirm your own prejudice against him.

When someone says (as you did) "If there's a break on goal and he has the ball he chooses the wrong option every time. When he needs to keep the ball down, he blazes over the bar. When he needs to lift it, he hits a daisy cutter", a person might conclude "strewth! he must be crap!"

But when the stats place him up there with his peers with 12 goals and 8 assists (never mind the evidence of my own eyes) ... well, against your quoted comments, you're clearly talking bollocks, Craig.

Oh! And FYI when watching Everton, I'm 100% focussed on the game, with no time or inclination to post on here or the live forum, or bury my head in data sites or the match day program.

But thanks for your concern and advice on that front. Much appreciated.

Lennon appeared rejuvenated for a while but then seemed to be chasing shadows and running into people. Mirallas has been nothing like his old self and, apart from his goal last weekend, Cleverley runs a lot but achieves little.

As I indicated earlier some of this can be laid squarely at RM'S feet as it just seemed he was unable to raise the intensity levels when it mattered in so many games.

He shouldn't be so sure he's going given his current club form.

Anyone who honestly believes that Barkley is average needs to give their head a wobble.

Those who think blaming lack of movement is an "easy way out" are either deaf dumb, blind or don't watch Everton. The way we line up, our system, does not lend itself to options we are rigid and The options are as limited as it gets.
The more limited the options, the easier it is for the opposition to nullify his game.

BTW, "Get him more intelligence on the ball"? if ToffeeWeb have a dumbest statement of the year award . . .

Tony A

I don't think he has it in him to be the boss Mate. He is not a Keane or a Souness. Boss's are good with or without the ball, but when Ross doesn't have it, he may as well not be on the pitch.

Still a diamond. Just needs a manager to help him shine.

Praise indeed from our manager. But this is the same Michael Ballack who got booked in the 2002 World Cup semi-final and, knowing he would miss the game in any event, shortly afterwards scored the goal that sent Germany through. In fact, he honestly carried that team throughout the tournament.

I wish it were true but I can not see any of Ballack's drive and determination in young Ross. It is frankly insulting to Ballack to make the comparison but since when has Martinez let truth get in the way of a good yarn.

To reiterate my point earlier; Ross is a lovely player on his day, one of our own and definitely a bit unique. But like all the players this season, his character has been found massively wanting. We could do without the hyperbole.

If this club ever truly aspires to be successful; to win titles and get beyond semis, then it isn't Barkleys at all we need but more Ballacks.

Not one player from Leicester. That would surprise many. Only one player from the top ten clubs – Noble of West Ham.

Gareth Barry – Our oldest player is the hardest working in the team and 2nd in the Premier League. Does this mean that we are not letting the ball do the work? Why isn't McCarthy in the list? I find it very confusing.

His comments about John Stones's leadership qualities are for me very significant.

As far Barkley and his weight. Harold (God rest him) pointed out earlier in the year that both Browning and Besic had put a lot of muscle on from work in the gym and suggested that this had slowed them down. It looks like that could be the case with Ross Barkley. I want the lad back that used to burst out of our half and run at opposing defences.

1) The club sell Barkley, Lukaku, and Stones and we watch their development on match of the day. Oh yes, the club make a good sum of money.

2) Say goodbye to Roberto and his fantastic coaches. Hire a manager whom will develop the young players.

Barkley is not fulfilling his potential at present. Let's hope the club can see it before he wants to move on. The manager has failed to leave him on the bench and take him out of the firing line. He is not beyond being dropped for playing poor or a lack of confidence.

Our expectations are way of track with the way the team have played this season.

I believe with a fresh approach from a different manager the likes of Barkley, Stones, if they stay with us could, kick on big time and be not just the future of EFC but two of the best English players in the Premier League.

To write them off now under Martinez is very short sighted – but hey, that's just my opinion.

This is what I mean about building the team around him. this set up would bring the best out of him. don't remember many people moaning about Pirlos lack of tackling or tracking back with that set up as it made up for that.

I read an interview with Pirlo where he described himself as a wandering gypsy on the football pitch. By that he meant he moved around all the time just trying to find a bit of space to play in and pick a pass. I think playing him like Pirlo in that deep lying role would enable him to do that more than where he is playing at the min.

People go on about stats, I often wonder which is more valuable, talent or belief? Barkley possesses one, but not the other. Unless he finds it, It will continue to hold him back, just as much as Everton's tactics do at the minute.

In all my days of playing football, I've never received a yellow card. That is all.

Most of the Everton players do nothing. They are not special, they are not a team and they do not perform. This last 2 years has been some of the worst football witnessed on a sustained basis for many a year. Martinez can take a huge slice of the responsibility but so can the players.

They are not the best for a generation, they are not fit to lace the boots of the mid 80s team much less the Holy Trinity. They are average players who rightly should be talked about in the same breath of the mid 90s teams. Their record is similar to that. No heart, no chemistry, no putting the fans before personal aims, very little effort and shit football.

You can throw all the stats you like at this, but the bottom line is we have a shit football team and the likes of Barkley is part of that shit football team. Do you think any top club would put up with the lazy attitudes displayed by our players? No me either. The longer we apologise and make excuses for shit performances the longer they will keep happening.

Just saying Barkley is one of us is rubbish too. If he really was one of us he would know how much we actually hurt but these insipid performances, especially at the khazi across the park. Instead we get the same shite and complete lack of effort again and again. If these players are really so good then they're doing precious little to convince me and many others.

The table doesn't lie and it says we are.mediocre at best. Probably about right. Good job there is the likes of Villa Sunderland and the Geordies in this league or we would have been up the proverbial creek without said paddle. That's how good our players are!!

A shining light in world of apology and blind ignorance.

This all said, he's not been playing particularly well for a couple of months now. Too many times he runs down blind alleys. Even in this form, he looks about the only player along with Lennon capable of doing anything in this pedestrian Everton team. It says a lot about where we are in the league and the changes we need to make this summer.

Yes Ross and the others could ignore him and play their natural game but then they would probably be out of the team and a job. How long would you last in your own job if you chose to ignore express directions/instructions from your line manager and do it your own way?

Like it or not, when your boss tells you to do it that way you have to do it. Most of our players will look rubbish while this clown is in charge. I suspect Ross would love nothing more than to put his foot in a bit but has been told not too.

What are Ross's stats like against the top teams? How many winning goals has he got when it's mattered? How many derby goals or assists for example? It's one thing converting two penalties against Newcastle...