Barkley more confident in vital Blues win

Ajay (#2) I hear Hewelt is the sub 'keeper.

Koeman will be off, not too far into the future. Moyes is on the verge of getting sacked again, he was with us 11 bloody years. The football we see is the result of years of Kenwright.

Not the prettiest game but sometimes you need to win ugly.

Finished strongly before the break, started strongly after it. Nice build-up to the opening goal. Great determination by Bolasie to give Romelu a nod in.

Continued to dominate, but stepped off them a little which gave them a wee spell, but nothing too threatening.

Top, top interplay between Ross and Rom for the second and from there on in we totally bossed it and could have had a couple more.

How can the ref not give a penalty for the foul on Gueye at the death?

Ross bossed it and was clear MotM which might have gone to Lukaku on another day.

Cemented top 6, clean sheet and win against a side running into form, whilst on a dodgy run ourselves.

That'll do me...

Have to give Robles a mention as well because he made a couple of decent saves at 1-0 and never looked troubled. Nobody had a bad game really.

Tougher test next week but nice to get a win again.

Some really good performances throughout the team. Coleman, Oviedo and Barry were all excellent. Lukaku had a great second half after a quiet first.

Ref probably the worst performer of the day. Terrible decisions throughout and that penalty claim in the last minute... could it have been any clearer?

I'm chuffed to bits with the three points but we can do better. A bad ref didn't help either.

What do you want/Evertonians want? From Barkley, if that isn't a MotM performance, what is?

Made one goal, started and finished the move for the second, always showed for the ball. The only true creative player we have and he gets slated on here!

Oviedo and Barkley both had their best games this season and Lukaku came alive in the second half but Ross gets my MotM. I swear he put a few challenges in too.

A good second half to watch, spoilt slightly by Taylor. The standard of referees in this league is shocking. How Gana wasn't awarded a penalty was incredible.

Not arsed about the performance at this stage. One step closer to January as well, when we can hopefully bring in a face or two and get rid of a face or two.

I wish Lennon would get more playing time. I think he is hungrier then Mirallas at the moment.

Bolaise did some showboating after the 1st goal, hope Koeman sorts him out.

Robbles looked good.

Williams almost made a mess of things, (if it was Funes Mori, I'm sure the fans would be up in arms saying his not good enough, but since it's Williams, they will probably let it slide).

All's well the ends well.

The ref was a joke – how was that not a penalty??? I bet he would've given it at the other end. We should put a complaint in...

That was in part to how WHU set up. Their 3 at the back and 5 in midfield outnumbered and strangled our own formation, not helped by us standing off them. Only Ross's ability to turn and run at them with the ball was breaking that stranglehold in the 1st half.

In the second half we pressed them more tightly, with Oviedo and Coleman supporting and getting beyond Mirallas and Bolasie more often down either flank.

Bilic blinked first in making subs and re-jigging his line up to no avail.

In the final reckoning, a good winning performance all round, from manager to players.

Oviedo has come in and grown with each performance. He plays with a chip on his shoulder it seems and it feels like he takes his defensive challenges personally. Funes Mori did quite well also. I've always liked him since he came here.

But watching Lukaku just take the game over in the second half, the guy is class. Once he starts to get some space, he's always a threat. His game has improved every single season he's been with us. This year his touch and hold-up play is much improved. And he easily could have had three assists today.

I was worried about Robles and Funes Mori both being thrown in together in place of Stekelenburg and Jagielka, but both did very well indeed and nice to have another clean sheet.

Special mention to Barkley and Oviedo. Both were outstanding today, I thought. Lukaku grew in confidence after the goal, and he was back to his bullying best.

I think I heard the commentator mentioning that Gueye will sit out the Chelsea game having picked up 5 yellows. That will make a tough job even tougher.

A mention for Robles and Oviedo too, not my favourite players but well done to both of you.

COYB

I have read all the posts and nobody is slating Ross. My post made at half-time was suggesting that IMO Ross looked nervy, dithering and yet Jamie Redknapp reckoned he was our best player. What do I know?

In the second half, he was a revelation and was looking confident well before his goal. If I make a comment that upsets you, just ignore me. I'm merely a spectator. Nobody else nor me was really slating him. Trust me when I say, nobody was ever happier than I was to see him grow in confidence.

I thought the team tried hard and played well and I felt dropping Jags was a good move. He's been off form but please don't bust a blood vessel over that comment. I expect many will disagree with me on that but I was pleased to see him benched.

I do wish we had more songs to sing, and sung them, as the WHU fans are the third bunch to sing "Is this a library" with some justification at times.

Have to admit I've sold out on that side of things to enjoy the view that only the top balcony can offer. I'd have a go but would just get looked at like I had three heads... and I only have two.

Some of the stuff we played was really promising and what a shame we couldn't finish off a couple of great moves.

It's one game, but it was the sort of performance we needed.

I was worried about Funes Mori coming in, but accept that he suffered as much as anybody under Martinez; a solid if unspectacular job from him, hopefully more to come. Jags had to be rested.

Barkley playing a big part – deep joy. Let's hope that performance lifts him from his depression. EFC needs Ross Barkley playing at the top of his game, we don't have anybody else who can offer that difference.

Made my day seeing him sparkle today. Strange reaction from the fans concerning Ross, he gets more stick than anyone when he's struggling, but gets more support and encouragement than anyone when he's doing well. Sometimes I think the crowds desperation for him to be great is a little too much of a burden for him.

Very poor opening 20 minutes and worrying erratic passing all game.

I thought Oviedo, Robles, Barkley and Lukaku stood out. Williams and Gueye guilty of some amateur mistakes.

Good performance today, Ross, and well earned goal, good on you. But unless you play like Messi every week, expect flak from the usual, there again makes no difference, you will still be blamed for something.

Keep it up Blues, three points in the bag, onwards and upwards.

His work with the ball was a lot better today as well, scored a goal, had a hand in the other goal so well done. After all that I wouldn't begrudge him the MotM award but I would give it to another much criticised player: Oviedo.

I thought he was outstanding with his movement – something a lot of the other players might copy. A hard fought win but you can see a definite improvement in the team.

Oviedo too; it was going to take him a few games to get up to speed, he has improved with every game.

Coleman was my MotM. Only for Seamus's brilliant last-ditch tackles on Payet and Antonio in the first half, it could've been a loss today.

We have Bolasie, Mirallas, and Barkley who don't work hard enough. I don't think any of them would get in any of the top 4 or 5 in the league cause they're too lazy.

I would like to Mr Walsh to do his job and bring in a star or two, no more panic-buys please.

I just wish he'd cut out dithering on the ball and play the ball quicker. It is hard to figure out this is killing the movement, or whether his team mates are just statues.

First 20 minutes, I thought it was going to be one those days. Ross seems fitter, pressed more and was making tackles in the left and right back positions.

Speaking of left-backs, Oviedo was great today. He's taken a lot of stick but, after playing a few games in a row, he seems to be improving. Seeing Rom running at defenders is always a joy to behold.

Barkley showed some good fighting spirit as well, and I think this was his best match in a long time. He looked less static and mixed his game up great. Power salutation at the goal. Hope he is on the right track now, great stuff!

Lukaku brilliant in the 2nd half!

His team mates are statues! Dixie's effigy moves more than Lukaku!

The second half was very good and that wasn't only after the goal. The difference was raising the tempo and getting at Payet and Co, getting Barkley and Bolasie closer to Lukaku and the full backs higher up the pitch.

I also don't think we are competitive enough with both Mirallas and Bolasie on the pitch against most teams. Koeman, however, is (generally) smart enough to see problems and make changes.

Assured and competent, it can't be easy for the lad to be out for long periods and come into the side.

MotM for me? Difficult but I'd give it to Barry, just ahead of Barkley.

Great 3 points with a difficult month ahead of us.

I felt we were better when all eleven players folded back to the half-way line, but felt when we tried to press higher up the pitch, we failed to do it as a unit, which enabled West Ham to find little pockets of space.

I didn't think Lukaku was doing enough to make other players want to join in with him, and I think his second-half performance actually proved this.

A very big three points though, and a very big performance from Barkley, they are the very big positives, and I actually thought Robles looked a lot more assured today than I've ever seen him look before.

Sometimes the result is so much more important than the overall performance; I think today was one of those days!

The previous bad run was the fault of Koeman imo. The Norwich line-up and loss hit our confidence. You could see early on how low our confidence was. Early in the season we were an average-good side with confidence, lately an average side with confidence.

The first half we were poor. West Ham could have gone in two up. We were better second half, but not great. The goal gave us some confidence, but I thought our best spell was the last 10 minutes. Lukaku was on fire, sensational.

Barkley, baffles me the people saying he had a great game. Great to see him score, but besides that he was poor. He is so so slow in releasing the ball when he gets it; every time he dances left, dances right and a long time later passes two yards sideways. Anyone who thought he had a great game must have been watching a different game. His only contribution was a five-yard tap in.

Bolasie was terrible at times as was Coleman. Why does Koeman always bring Cleverley on first! Moyes with Neville, Martinez with McCarthy, now this, it's like to get the job you have to promise to play shite players.

A better team would have beaten us today. We got a bit lucky. I hope this gives us confidence and we can pick up. We have a bad lack of strikers though. Without Rom, we'd be way down lower half for sure. Disgrace that we got Valencia on-loan.

The other worrying aspect, we did not seem to have much of a pattern of play. The tubby Dutchman needs to seriously pull his finger out and start showing his style, rather than bang on about 'pressing' in his interview (he uses this word as often as Martinez used 'phenomenal').

Be great if we can do Chelsea, but we need to continue to improve. To be fair though RK said as much in his post-match interview (and that we were poor early on).

As I have been gallivanting in the States, I forgot about next week... any spares?

COYB.

Our problem is still an inconsistency with our wide players. We did much better in the second half going wide but that was because the full backs moved twenty yards further forward.

Kev does not add anything in his current form and I would play Lennon or young Tom next week whilst I should think Ron will play Tom in place of Gana.

Entertaining game, great result, and nicely placed in the table.

I've been meaning to say this for a while but you don't half talk some shite!

The 'tubby Dutchman '. Deary deary me.

Baffles me how Davies does not play. And Lennon never gets a sniff, it's not like the others are on fire is it?

Sometimes I think that a massive injury crisis would be the making of our club. We have some good young players who need a run in the side. They will not get it because immediate results are a priority. Moyes got 11 years at Everton; if he got 11 years at Sunderland, they would be better off than they will be when they sack him.

I am honestly starting to feel a bit sorry for him. Well... maybe not. A hat-trick of sackings? Everton was as good as it ever could get for him.

Ross, Rom, Coleman and Oviedo played well today. Thought Gueye was pretty poor.

Very pleased for Barkley today and I hope this win (and his goal) gives him and the team a lift in confidence, because that is everything.

Great tactics again from Ronald, and Cleverley played centre, rather than on the left, looked better too.

One thing that is very encouraging is the amount of crosses the wide men are getting in. You put enough in and you're going to get goals, and both of ours (kind of) were scored from crosses.

We played a team in form and got the job done reasonably comfortably in the end. Sixth in the league and within touching distance of the teams above us, yet apparently we are shit.

By all means have an opinion, but you have ripped pretty much every positive about today apart, Damien, so I wonder what game you were actually at.

On a different note, I'm posting to highlight and ask the question is there anything we can do to address the lack of singing at Goodison? It is verging on embarrassing now!

Under Martinez, you could understand it being quiet as the football was sideways, boring and repetitive but under Koeman it is a lot more attacking and cut and thrust but still, no singing!!

Even after going one nil up today, nothing??

The Goodison roar has gone and I can't understand why?? We really do need to get it back as you can see how much the players love it and respond to it and how much more enjoyable the game is when the songs are flowing and the ground is rocking!!

I seriously think the club should address it by speaking to supporters clubs and having a standing/singing section in the Gwladys Street!

I can also see why people want to criticise your views.

Isn't ToffeeWeb great. Throws up so many different views.

In truth, the team only started to produce good, more exciting stuff in the last 25 minutes or so and the crowd seemed to respond. I do agree, though, that the Street End could do with cranking things ups bit.

Barkley finally produced a performance that we know he can give, he just needs the confidence to do it consistently now. Still not convinced by Oviedo as he just doesn't have the pace to live with good wingers, got skinned a few times today. Robles stood in for Stek very well today. We shall miss Gana terribly best week.

Onwards and upwards, let's hope we can go and give the Chavs a game next week, they looked pretty good down at Southampton this afternoon.
COYB

Sadly I cannot see us getting anything against Chelsea next weekend.

I wouldn't mind betting that a draw or narrow defeat was looming in a lot of minds. Saying all that, the players did finally step up to the mark and got the ground going again with some pretty good football.

John (#75) is right about organising a singing area, the atmosphere with our supporters on away matches is infinitely more uplifting and it does have an affect on the players. Sitting around the half-way line, I would say that the Park End is much noisier than the Gwladys Street at the moment but others can argue that out.

Oh, and when will ToffeeWeb invest in an English (UK) spell check? So irritating when it demands a 'z' instead of 's' and rejects the English dictionary version of words.

As I said, 3 of those have been under a manger who wanted his players to play anti-instinctive football and shattered his confidence; that is why he often dithers. Now the supporters of the club are finishing his confidence off.

Both accepted that I had a point and Ross came out and played the best 45 minutes for a long while. Can any of the Ross detractors name any player that improved under Martinez?

What more can we ask for, lads?

As for the lack of atmosphere, I think that's the same at almost ever early kick off I've ever been to.

5 points off the top with 10 games played, I'd have taken that all day long, and there's still plenty of room for improvement.

For the people describing his play as 'outstanding' could you explain his oustanding contribution?

He scored, which is obviously a key contribution. What else?

There was only one 'outstanding' player on that pitch – Lukaku.

Decent win. At present we look off the pace compared to the teams above us, but this could change with new signings

I came into the ground at around ten past one and the pitch was getting watered then, God knows how long the water had been on for. It is like this every game. One game the rain was pouring down and they still had the water streamers on. Is this the reason the players are slipping all over the place?

We played West Ham and won, that was the task today. Cut out the nonsense statements, and live in the real world.

Good three points today. That's all that really matters – three points. Start winning a few football matches , and confidence along with hopefully better football will follow. But right now, with a few of our squad not performing, I will take any sort of a win.

Hopefully Koeman can find a way to get all eleven players on the pitch to fire all at the same time. Better football might just get the crowd singing. You don't usually sing at a morgue, although to be honest some of our players would look at home in a morgue.

Last comments, off topic but be honest people, how many of you would have liked to have seen Wayne Rooney in that Everton team today, instead of Mirallas? Or even on the bench to add his experience to the game second half. I would... All pie in the sky I know, but I hope that the powers that be can find a way to make it happen.

Rooney lining up with Barkley... and Lukaku. And just think how some of our younger players would benefit with training with Rooney.

Anyhow, that win today has just about put Everton back on track. Clean sheet and three points. No squandering of leads. And no team has really stuffed us so far this season. We are not capitulating. So I do think that are are becoming harder to beat. Just get the attacking side right and we have a team.

As mentioned, test the resolve of United over Rooney. And how about a wee tickle for Charlie Austin? Get Deulofeu and Mirallas off the payroll...

And we have to play three at the back next week. Williams, Jags, Mori with two wing backs, in my opinion.

Us as fans do get carried away with a goal and a win a bit like we do when we get beat and it's the end of the world! But I have to say Barkley is definitely adding something to his game under Koeman. He is grafting a lot harder off the ball; I saw it at home against Palace before he got brought off – he never stopped pressing and when he got to his man he never stopped either tackling straight through him, and I saw the same in the second half today!

I really do hope like all blues that the penny drops with Barkley but I do fear that his biggest problem is in his head, he seems to really lack self-belief and confidence which is amazing considering the talent and ability he has!

You are talking shite pal. There are no creative players at the club with the exception of Barkley who get any meaningful game time. In terms of English players only Dele Alli or Milner (who takes penalties for the RS) have had a better 12 months – it's 10 goals and 9 assists btw for Ross. That includes the so-called prodigal son (sic), Rooney. Considering Barkley is supposed to be shite to most on TW, they are pretty good statistics.

Yes, let's haul him out of the team and have a midfield of Barry, Gueye, and McCarthy and see what they provide offensively. Unlike some of his midfield colleagues, he does actually try to hurt the opposition not just stop them.

I can't believe this is the club that once had fans that idolised Alex Young and Duncan McKenziie. Christ knows what today's crowd at Goodison would make of them.

I'm not going to argue that Funes Mori is better than Jags but I will argue that Oviedo is poorer than Baines. Today he had the right kind of back-up alongside him and it helped because he wasn't caught leaving holes constantly.

When Baines is back, I imagine we will revert to the usual back line.

I think Lukaku's overall play is starting to improve; he held the ball up well and found his teammates with some neat passing.

I, like all fans, was pleased that Barkley scored and played a lot better in the second half. He is a real enigma who can do the most exciting things and then follow it up with poor sections of play. He really lacks confidence the difference when he scored was quite an improvement. But he is an England international... surely he can draw on that for his confidence.

We won today and a win's a win and you can only beat the opposition blah blah, but that performance won't dent the RS the week before Christmas; we'll be 2-0 down after half an hour if that's all we can manage then.

I would go with Lennon on the left if Baines is still out. Lennon has a great work ethic and, although Oviedo is doing okay, he'll need support. Cleverley will come in for Gueye and it will be his big chance to show Koeman he wants a future at Goodison.

Another big decision is whether to recall the rested Jags. I personally would. Whatever happens, Koeman will set our stall out to hold Chelsea at bay and try and pinch 3 points, as we nearly did at Man City.

Also, that arrogant ass Taylor not giving that penalty at the end needs to be looked at. On a weekly basis we see multiple penalties called for infractions that aren't even close to being that obvious and that fuck waved it off. No mas baldy, go screw. So annoying.

In the first half, on a number of occasions, he delayed things too much. Nobody has mentioned one of these times, on the edge of West Ham's box where Ross decided to have another dive. Embarrassing. I hope the plaudits he got today bring him on as there's no doubt there's a huge talent hidden away there.

I thought Gueye was poor enough, Mirallas anonymous and the rest pretty good overall.

Lukaku had a very good second half and was my MotM.

A welcome victory that I wasn't expecting.

Loads of players improved under Martinez: Stones, Barkley, Oviedo, Lennon, Garbutt, McCarthy...

That last season, he lost the plot, the players turned on him, the crowd turned on him and yes, a lot of players lost their confidence, but to say no-one improved under him at all is unfair and ignorant.

We achieved our highest ever Premier League total and played some wonderful football in Martinez's first season. He's proven that he's not the kind of manager that can get a team to grind out results, win back abusive fans or even win over confused players but the one thing Martinez did show was that, if things were going well, he could improve the confidence in a young player and help them express themselves.

Martinez deserves a lot of credit for Stones's and Barkley's improvements and first team opportunities. Give the guy a break. Most of the time, football is a hell of a lot more complicated than one man being to blame for everything that is wrong with a football club. We'be been pretty poor at points this season too.

People perceive him to be better than he is as he's a local lad. Had we signed him three years ago and he was say, French, would the positive opinions be as strong?

His touch – the way he finds space and is so so calm on the ball is amazing – the admiration from Ruud et al – great to feel the love.

He was brilliant today... his chasing, his interceptions, control in tight situations grabbed space for us and allowed runners to go on.

That shimmy and shot first half was beautiful... only the deflection allowed the outstretched arm to stop it.

We love you, Ross!

Jamie Redknapp nailed it on in regards to Ross, had Ross not been a local lad, he would get more time and patience, I've seen it before over and over, as soon as Ross makes a mistake the crowd are on his back like a pack of hounds.

Is he playing to his true potential? No, but a bit of encouragement just might give the lad the confidence needed. It's time the fans got behind Ross, accept a mistake and instead of howling, give the lad a bit of encouragement.

Not one of those players played as well last season as they did in his first season. In fact not one of those players played as well in his second season as they did in his first when there was still some of Moyes's discipline evident.

Barkley was never given a chance by Moyes – he was bound to show promise when given a chance. Before you start calling people ignorant have some facts to back your argument up with. The man asked players to do things that were totally against their footballing instincts and, without Lukaku's goals he would have taken us down to the Championship.

Just how Citteh currently justify what they paid for Stones is a mystery to me. I cannot believe he wouldn't be way better had he had three seasons of Koeman rather than the Catalan Clown.

Martinez contaminated our players with lassitude and losing tactics. I remain very confident that our Ron will knock such shite out of them pdq and even maintain what he's already achieved, if not improve on it, well before we implore him to sign another contract.

Seriously, what can the boys do with that???

I haven't been to Goodison in a while, so I thoroughly enjoyed today.

Ross, great game, son.

But the game could have been a lot different if West Ham had been more effective in Everton's last third, and their goal-keeper Adrian could have done better for Everton's both goals, even though he pulled off a couple of great saves in the first half.

How can you say Garbutt improved? He only played 5 games then disappeared on loan.

McCarthy came with Martinez, played well first season, then went off the boil and suffered injuries.

Lennon was great on loan, but went downhill after being signed and hasn't been an automatic choice since.

I thought Williams had his worst game for us today, but the defence looked more capable with Funes Mori; and Robles never did anything wrong, even making two good saves. Coleman recovered from a slippery start to look like the swashbuckling wingback we love; Gana failed to impress as he usually does, but Barkley produced his best stuff for a long time; he just needs consistency now, not sitting back on his laurels.

Barry improved after a lousy first 20 mins and Oviedo is getting better with every game, but special mention to Lukaku. He played like a 㿞m striker today and held the ball up, brought others into the game, set up Barkley majestically and worked his arse off.

One criticism is our pathetic corner taking: surely there must be someone better than Mirallas? He just lumps it into the goalies arms – no zip, no direction and no use

It could all unravel at Chelsea next week, they are playing very well and getting better with each win. We still have some serious problems with too few players scoring goals, and despite what looks like a really good defensive record so far, we give away daft goals at times and there's a lot of work to do to stop that

But let's just celebrate a deserved win, some very good individual performances from Rom, Ross, Oviedo, Bolasie and Barry.

Keep working, Ross, it shouldn't be a surprise that you got rewarded in the game – you clearly worked harder than I've seen before.

You start by announcing you were at the game – congratulations – but you then go on to tell us how bad Barkley was.

Which game was it you were at? And which Barkley were you watching?

Anyone else notice we got rid of the hoodoo of not being able to win 2-0 btw? Has it really been almost 2 years since we shut out a game at 2-0?

Should have been 3-0 tho – that penalty was nailed on, ref is a pleb.

What summed him up for me was when he took that ball down in the second half, turned and ran with it. Superb stuff but then he goes and loses it. He'd done the hard part. It was a great save from Adrian in the first half but a player with more guile would have scored instead of just putting his laces through it.

Thierry Henry spoke after the Boro game about how he played with Dennis Bergkamp and how the Dutchman would never pick the wrong option. He showed the clip from the Boro game where Ross got to the byline and instead of pulling it back to Gueye (I think it was) he tried to thread it through 4 Boro players' legs and wins a corner. Better players in that position would have just set up a goal.

Wasn't a great match and still was very good, if you get me? The deflection kept out that goal – otherwise, it was in the net.

I don't know what match Damian was watching either, and Terry, are you for real? Martinez didn't make any player better. That has to be the most bizarre post I've ever seen on this site.

Like I said, he had a better game but he frustrates the hell out of me because he should be running games and bossing the midfield. I want Ross to succeed at Everton but I just don't see it happening...

I hope I'm wrong. At least he seems to have reacted well to being dropped but he needs to start dominating games regularly.

In my opinion, he is at his best when either he can run at teams and then have a shot, or he has no time to think, and act instinctively to play a wonder pass or hit a great shot.

If people (and that is "fans" who've never been able to kick their way out of a wet paper bag, never mind compete on the big stage) just get off his case for a while and let the lad relax, we may yet see the best of him – and in a blue shirt.

To say he looks 'class' is just ludicrous. If someone said he played 'quite well' fair enough, but 'class'? The only class player we have plays upfront.

Jury's still out on him for most but he's not in the dock and he needs to understand that. Instead, he's in a win-win situation if he develops what he at least started to show in the second half, a real appetite to compete when we don't have the ball, because that will buy him some licence if/when he cocks up in possession. It ain't rocket science, Ross.

I am pleased for the lad that he scored and was involved a little more than usual, but it was hardly worthy of the 'class act' platitudes, that many are so keen to bestow upon him.The truth is, that he continues to fall short.

There was one point in the game for me, which glaringly illustrated his lack of vision and dullness of thought. He played Bolasie (surrounded by 3 West Ham players) out to the right, with a neat pass and then just stood motionless, expecting what? For Bolasie to take three players on and deliver a cross?

A class player, when making the initial pass, would have been instinctively running into space, screaming for the return, or at least running to Bolasie to help him out. The result was that Bollasie lost the ball and predictably, the move broke down. Just a small point perhaps, but for me it spoke volumes about Ross Barkley, the player.

As I have said several times on ToffeeWeb, I want Barkley to be the real deal, as much as the next person; I just cannot see it ever happening. To reiterate, I would exchange him for an ageing Wayne Rooney in a heartbeat. Evertonians would then be treated, even at this stage of his career, to a real class act.

I agree that Barkley is not a 'class' player but he did have a good game on Sunday.

I do not agree though with your point that we have a 'class' player up front. Lukaku is far too lazy to be a 'class' player. In the first half he just wandered about aimlessly for most of the time. Yes, he looks dangerous when running at defences but his general centre forward play is poor.

He doesn't press the ball, he makes no effort to make runs in the box and certainly never across the defender or to the front post. He is scared of heading the ball as evidenced by his constantly half-hearted attempts to challenge any centre half to a high ball from the keeper. Just watch him! He must be the easiest to play against for high-ball challenges for any Premier League centre-half (he's no Duncan Ferguson).

Yes he scored with a header on Sunday but that one was like heading a balloon over the line from a yard out. I have never seen a centre forward to be less interested in jumping for corners to try and head a goal. Some one needs to show him film of Latchford, Royle, Gray and Sharpe (and that's just our centre forwards). Look at the work off the ball done by the likes of Costa, Aguero and Sanchez and the runs they make into the box and still tell me that Lukaku is 'class'.

This is why no really big clubs wanted him in the summer. He is only 'class' in his own head and those of his agent and his dad. I still hope that he proves me wrong and ups his game because, if he could (and I doubt he can), he would be really 'class'. He can score maybe 15 to 20 goals a season but if he really improved his lazy all round game he could score 25 league goals. Just for the record he also looks to be selfish and not a team player as he only really looks interested when he has the ball.

There, that should upset a lot of TWers or do I watch a totally different player to others? He did have a better second half on Sunday but that would not have been too difficult after his pathetic first-half efforts. I want him to be 'class' but I hate to see a lazy (and possibly overweight) player ambling through games looking disinterested for most of the time when, in a team like ours, everyone has to give their all for the whole game. None of our previous captains would have put up with his attitude and I hope the manager can improve it now.

Where you say, "He was a lot better in the second half on Saturday" – if he could play more consistently like that, he would get very few complaints and clubs would be lining up to give him his craved-for move away from Goodison Park.

"People are desperate for him to be class and as soon as he does something well, it's 'Ross was outstanding, is class, was MotM, what a player.'"

As usual, you've got things arse about face. Some people are so desperate to be proved right in their predictions of failure, that even when they state before the game that 'Barkley better not start', 'I'll go absolutely ape shit if Barkley plays'...

He then goes on to make them look a hollering hoople-head by proving instrumental in a win, scoring a great goal, being involved in almost everything of merit we produce going forward, visibly growing in confidence and influence as the game progresses and is ultimately rewarded by being given man of the match, they don't even have the good grace or humility to admit that they were maybe a little bit hasty in this instance, nor the common sense to at least keep it shut and leave off fucking hammering him for a week. 

Regardless, any opinion you in particular may hold about Ross's performance is automatically rendered null and void by the fact you've previously declared on here that you 'detest him', 'really can't stand him' and 'once superglued a picture of his face to a sock that I then slipped over a bog brush and used to battle a stubborn turd bobbing up and down in the basin, whilst shouting "Go on then Barkley, sink or swim lad. Sink or swim. Yeah, that's what I thought. Drowning like a bitch. Choke on it. Get your head right under that rim  and give it some welly you lazy wanker", before removing the sodden shit-covered contraption, letting out an audible gasp, sinking to my knees and sobbing,  "At last, God has deemed me worthy to gaze upon your true face. Behold, the real Ross Barkley everybody!"
 
It's like the ToffeeWeb version of some twat banging the Birdie Song on repeat. We get it. You don't like him and don't rate him. Fine. You don't have to obsessively harp on about it, endlessly, like Dr Loomis detailing the precise nature of the evil dwelling within Michael Myers, to anyone within earshot, even when he's just waiting to see the cock doctor or stood at the fish counter in Morrisons.

Could it also be that 'cause you love Ross, that your opinion has been well over-exaggerated?

I think your analysis was way OTT. What about when he, countless amounts of times, had the ball, danced left, danced right, and eventually, when he didn't know what to do, passed it two yards sideways and in the comparison completely slowed play down? Ross has one okay game (and has been poor on and off for 18 months) and people are acting like he's Xavi. Certain other clubs are known for overhyping players, let's not be one if them.

Derek (who was able to articulate his thoughts without having a hissy fit, like John),

I agree with a lot of your points and I have said them on here.

I thought he was superb towards the end, but he is nowhere near consistent enough. Scoring goals though. Better than Ross, though... way better. 😃

I can't believe the stick he gets. Not only is he a fantastic player, he can't be accused of being arrogant or a prima donna; he seems a genuine bloke as well, yet that doesn't stop the constant criticism. Can't we cut the guy some slack, particularly given the management shit he's played under in the recent past? Maybe give him less scrutiny and more chance to breathe in this 'new era' of ours?

People have simply stated that Ross had a very good game. Some have mistakenly taken that to imply that Ross is consistently a good player. I don't know a single person on TW who believes that or has said that.

Let's leave the last word to Damian "I thought he was superb towards the end". Well said.

Which of the following was I making up?

1) that you said you 'detest' Barkley?
2) that you said 'I actually can't stand him' in relation to Ross?
3) that you said you constructed a Bog Bross (tm) to drown down your crapper?

Deny the first two and you're lying, because they were on here for all to see.

Denying the third would be a redundant rejection on your part because I was clearly either (a) taking the piss, not seriously suggesting you made such a statement, or (b) making a deductive leap based on the damning evidence of the first two statements [I'll leave it to others to determine which].

"I think your analyis was way ott"

Analysis? Where did I offer any? If you're referring to the sentence summing up Barkley's performance, let's break it down, compare it to your own and see which is OTT:

Me: 

"Instrumental in a win": clearly he was

You:

"he was poor": bollocks 

Me:

"Scored a great goal": started the move in the middle of the pitch by turning away from his marker before spraying an inch perfect ball out to Lukaku, heading into the box and hitting the return, first time, down low and hard past the keeper. A technically difficult strike pulled off to perfection.

You:

he scored "a five-yard tap in": bollocks

Me:

"involved in nearly everything good we produced going forward": He created a chance for Lukaku to get a shot away early on.  Came close to opening the scoring himself by wrong footing two defenders on the edge of the box and making room to get a shot off only to be denied by a deflection and a damn fine save. Had another shot that was deflected over the bar. Played a part in the build up immediately preceding the first goal by setting up Coleman for the effort that was pushed aside by the keeper into the area where Bolasie would Roadrunner his arse. Had another shot that sailed over the bar. Scored the second goal. Had another shot that was deflected wide. 

You:

The goal was "His only contribution.": bollocks

Me: 

"rewarded by being given man of the match": well, was he named MotM or wasn't he?

You: 

"Anyone who thought he had a great game must have been watching a different game":

Link

Although I make no apology in my criticism of Barkley, the signing of a seasoned, proven Number 10, or to use the old fashioned term, 'schemer' (Rooney perhaps), could possibly bring the best out in Ross. Through no fault of his own, to be completely fair to the lad, he has never had an old head to learn his craft from, in his designated position.

It could be argued that the manager and coaching staff should be ironing out any shortcomings, but it is on the park, in the heat of Premier League matches, that the learning curve is at its sharpest.

Looking forward to seeing Ross this week. If he works as hard as on Sunday then maybe the penny has finally dropped.