Blues draw with Betis but lose on penalties

Hewelt
Holgate Stones Galloway Oviedo
McCarthy Grant
Cleverley (c)
Kone Lukaku Dowell

Bench: Steklenburg, Robles, Funes Mori, Coleman, Baines, Barry, Besic, Davies, Gibson, Barkley, Lennon, Mirallas, Deulofeu.

Bring Davies on for Stones at halftime - move Holgate to RCB & Davies to RB.

(4-3-3) is a lot more likely - especially due to the big knock Funes Mori took when he landed on his hip. & I'd like to see what Hewelt has to offer.

Plus, I don't think Barry is a part of Koeman's plans, too slow for his system.

It's plain to see we are in transition, so isn't it best to get a squad of players, who want to play for Everton FC?

What's the point playing McCarthy when he's absolutely not interested in 'playing football'!! Imo he's an impostor, a mercenary.

Robles
Holgate Pennington Galloway Oviedo
McCarthy Cleverley Barry
Kone Lukaku Grant

Leaving Hewelt, Besic, Dowell & Davies to come on as subs

I will tune in predominantly to see how our back up will do. I am hoping for some good performances as competition is really necessary.

Well, he wasn't on the bench last night, at least.

The first strike is incredible; two footed.

Pennington is listed as in the travelling party. If he was going to be used for the full 90 minutes today I would not expect him to be named on the bench. Maybe only 12 players can be named on the bench?

Robles
Holgate Pennington Galloway Oviedo
Besic McCarthy Barry
Cleverley Lukaku Kone

Subs:- Dowell Grant Hewelt Davies Lennon Stones Mirallas

Someone needs to grow a pair and tell that useless fecker to close the door after him!! I'll take Geri any day up front. Anyone but that clown.

Never seen such a lazy big minded twat play the game.

I wouldn't pay £5 mill for Lukaku on this showing.

It'll take some sorting out, this fucking lot. If we can get money for any of them, fucking do it!!!

Kone has to move on. The mere sight of him pisses me off.

And Rom was out for his customary jog... and if he doesn't put in the effort in the first 4-5 games this season I'm turning on him like a rabid dog!

Trouble is it's all passing sideways, backwards and to the opposition. The younger players are particularly good at it.

Koeman has certainly got some 'sanitising' to do!

Stand outs Holgate, Conor Grant, Gerri and Stekelenburg.

Doesnt say much for the rest but it does highlight our need for a top class goalscorer.

Besic also had more minutes than anyone and looked getting back to his promising best ... still I feel will be babying his hamstring

Holgate looks the real deal...

Del Boy is going to have a great season ...

The way its going Rom and Stones will still be here and two or three acquisitions ...

Overall we seem half arsed, sloppy and tactically empty. Nobody seems keen to grab the reins and assert some bloody command.

Sincerely hope that RK and his cohorts have a "full picture" by now, upon which to build with confidence.

Koeman should already have had a basic idea of the quality of the squad and what was needed since he had coached Southampton for two years. The league starts in a couple of weeks and not one major signing has been made, even though he had supposedly 𧴜 million or so to spend. That's why he took the job wasn't it.

I actually think the money was never there and that figure is solely gonna come from Stone's and Lukaku's sales which is farcical. The fact we brought in Steve Walsh from Leicester who is known for bringing in bargains from mediocre teams around England and Europe proves this.

There is still too much deadwood in the squad on good wages who haven't contributed anything of note since they joined such as McGeady, Niasse, Kone, Gibson, Cleverley, Besic and Oviedo.

It wouldn't surprise me if Koeman resigns by the end of the window with the way tho things are turning out so far and we end with Steve Bruce or 'Arry taking over.

Losing again to crap sides in pre-season like Betis and Dresden. We finished a few years ago partly because we had a good pre season against class with Juventus, Real Madrid and Valencia.

This is same old same old and I'm sick of it, even Bournemouth have spent more and Puel at Southampton has brought in players even though they lost Mane and Wanyama to the Kopites and The Spuds respectively. It's a bloody joke.

Second, what were we thinking sending up the kids first to take the pens? Should have had some more experience in there. Surely Oviedo can take a spot kick? And what about Cleverley?

Lastly, I don't want to rush into panic buying. I want to bring the right type of player in. Still some time to go, so let's chill a bit, peoples.

Regarding transfers, Martinez said two summers ago that we needed seven players. He didn't realise/mention that we needed to ship as many out of the club. Martinez failed to do this. Part of the reason Koeman was bought in was because he's replaced departing players with better, cheaper ones. Thats what we need as a club.

I'm saving my angst till September, when we'll have started the season and finished the transfer window.

I'm not buying the bollocks that he was rusty etc, he was useless the last third of last season and stank the Euros out. Geri looks so much more of a threat up front, cash in on Lukaku and invest the money wisely on two decent forwards to supplement Geri and we will be a far more dangerous team going forward.

For those who are going to say what about his goals, I will remind you that he hasn't scored for Everton in 13 straight games now. Cash in, get rid.

Don't think you'll get too slated for that comment.

I starting to think myself we should just sell Lukaku and Stones and bring in some new blood and with it some enthusiasm and effort.

It just seems so stale. And those two particularly I just get the vibe they're going through the motions.

We need to inject some life and excitement into the squad.

I'm usually wrong so we'll probably hold onto both, Lu will lead the league in goals, and Stones will be a rock at the back...

Two solutions:

1. Sell him
2. Buy players clearly better than him so his ego is battered

TBH I've had enough of his demeanour on the pitch. He scores goals (usually) but at what cost to team togetherness and morale?

How demoralizing is it to see this:

Walk from point A to point B. Make a half-assed run, starting a bit too tardy on the run by the way, then turn and stretch out your arms asking why the ball wasn't delivered. Walk, sulking like, a bit more. Have a long ball put up in the air - jump to make it look like you're trying but let it sail over your head and watch the ball go the other way. Another long ball up and it comes off you 10 yards. Repeat ad nauseam.

Then every other game for 10 seconds fight like mad for a ball, destroy everyone in your path, and slot it home for a goal.

Maddening!

Does it help lift the players around you?

I dunno

We need a positive optimistic vibe right now so I would ship the 2 of them out immediately. Sod the money whether its 40m for Stnes and 57m for Lukaku why hang on for 10m more when there are players we can get who want to play for the club.

The same pair were responsible for losing us a fair number of games last season and this season will be even worse if they are forced to stay.

I was actually surprised to see Rom get 60+ minutes ... after a week of first phase fitness he was not going to be too sharp nor risk injury ... Del- boy is 3 weeks further down the line in terms of prep hence he is more lively.

Rom is the best Forward of his age in Europe and probably the world. He is rated at 60+ million for a reason. 25 goals last season gives you a clue.

Not one person has suggested a name to replace the selling of Rom - no surprise as it would sound ridiculous as soon as someone would try a name ...

Go on I dare someone ...

I get that you rate his goalscoring but if he doesnt want to be here watch that dry up immediately.

Mourhino saw something in him he didnt like and he is no fool when it comes to judging top players.

Martinez has gone now. But the same average players are still here... the ones that took us to 11th place two seasons on the trot.

Apart from Coleman, Funes Mori, Barkley (still has frustratingly not reached his potential), Lukaku (inconsistent), Stones (very green); none of the rest are top four team material. These guys are footballers and should know how to play the game. They are getting payed for what they like doing; some are getting payed for just getting out of bed.

I can't go with Martinez leaving a lasting effect on these under-performers (although he was useless). These players put in a woeful past 2 seasons. you can blame it on the Martinez effect, but that's nonsense.

It's not like they are suffering post traumatic stress after being kidnapped, or witnessed a terrorist attack! Ffs, they were only asked to play football! Apart from the players I mentioned, imo the whole team needs to be replaced. and thats without mentioning the three stooges... Kone, Niasse and McGeady!

So still no realistic options for selling him ...

Rom did it in a poor performing team that did not play to his strengths ...

Best option is to keep him ... to add to him and set the team up better to his strengths and also get a very strong fitness regime going and get Rom to be part of the high pressing which RK is building into the team and he will get more transition situations in the top third ..

I predict if we do that then he will get past 30 goals this season.

Go on I dare someone ..."

Suarez, Neyemer, Bale, Ronaldo?? Higuain and Ibra if you'd have asked a few days ago.

I will let you all do the maths and the logic bit ...

Cutting nose to spite face is not the way to build a successful team.

Robles - Not good enough
Coleman - Good but Not performing
Stones - Good but Not interested / poisoness
Pennington - Not bad but not ready
Baines - Not the player he was
Oviedo - Not good enough
Holgate - Not good enough / ready
Galloway - Not bad but not the finished article
Jags - Good and honest but not fit
Lennon - Not bad but no end product
Besic - Not good enough
McCarthy - Not good enough
Barry - Not young enough
Davies - Not bad but not ready
Grant - Looks good but too early to tell

Gibson - OK but never fit
Dowell - Not ready
McGeady - Not good enough
Barkley - Can be brilliant but not consistent enough
Cleverley - Not good enough
Mirallas - Can be good but not consistent enough
Delboy - Excellent but not the finished article
Lukaku - Not interested

Kone - Shite

Too many ifs, buts and maybes. Koeman has a big job on his hands. Patience needed. Don't expect a top half finish this year. I think it may get worse before it gets better.

Besides that, yours was a ridiculous post asking who could replace him, without putting any conditions on the names to be put forward.

I do find it appalling, though, that Martinez can sign Atsu, Traore, Alcaraz, Kone, Robles, Eto, Niasse, McGeady etc and walk into another job. Bill Kenwright has many reasons to hang his head in shame but the appointment and the extension of contract to the utterly useless Martinez is the very worst of the shit he has inflicted on our club. Without our new owner, Kenwright and Martinez would be relegating us. So, I think Koeman deserves time and patience.

He is shite in the air;

Cannot trap a ball whatsoever;

Does not hold the ball up when needed;

Cannot make simple passes;

Never attempts to make a tackle;

Forever caught offside last season;

Missed dozens of chances made for him by a team that doesn't play to his 'strengths';

Sulks;

Is lazy;

Hasn't scored a goal for us in THIRTEEN straight games;

Is garbage at taking penalties;

Is convinced he is far better than he actually is;

Has a knobhead father and agent; and

Most importantly... DOESN'T want to be here.

Other than that, he's fucking ace.

Harry Kane- Good BUT knackered from euros
Delle Alli- good BUT temper is a liability
Hazard- decent BUT ropey last year
Aguero- Good BUT can be injury prone
Ozil- Good BUT can drift out of games
Mahrez- maybe good BUT could be one season wonder
Suarez- good sometimes BUT prone to biting...

No-one is perfect and to suggest our entire squad is deficient seems unhelpful to me. A lot of this team are the group who came 5th 3 years ago. They just need to get fit, get motivated and get versed in a tactical system that gets the best out of them. That's what we pay RK a lot of money to do..:

Lukaku hasn't played for a while - he's been on a jolly in Miami with his mate Paul Pogba = not fit.

Stones and Lukaku causing unrest? Where does this fanciful notion come from? It's not new to anyone on here, or at Everton that Stones wants to leave - is this causing unrest? I don't see any unrest, or hear about any either - just because we drew 1-1 in a friendly everyone throws their toys out of the pram, and claims our squad is suddenly rubbish.

The management team at Everton don't agree with you, and that's why they're the management team, and you rant on forums with knee-jerk claims, and counter-claims.

We'll be fine, don't panic (Mr Mainwaring), all is not lost yet. We've just got rid of a rubbish manager who's clearly and obviously left his mark on the players, so it's going to take time to change. Koeman doesn't have a magic wand and this upcoming season is going to require some patience, and acting like adults, rather than whinging and moaning constantly. As you can see, the whinging and moaning is something that the last manager has left with us supporters, so you can hopefully understand why the players who spent every day listening to him directly, are going to need some time to get it out of their collective system.

£57mill is overpricing him, even in the obscenity that is world football.

Bite their, arms, shoulders and torso off!/p>

Rom's heading is quite good actually ... 4 or 5 cracking headed goals I think last season.

His control is much netter than people see on hear .. some brilliant interplay and one or two games it was exceptional past season ...

In fact he is perhaps the best player we have had since Rooney and Kanchelskis .. I do not know a better one we have had ...

Wake up and look objectively and appreciate what is the best striker we are likely to get a look at in an Everton shirt until we break into the Champions League.

The golden four we have including Del-Boy, Barks, Rom and Stones Holgate and Galloway are going to be special too) is an amazing collection of talent .. lets use our new money and our great support to keep them together and build something special ..

Docks Stadium, Great new owner, European Heavyweight Manager and a great scout ... times are looking up ...

Wake up, and smell the Roses ... enjoy the ride ,,,

COYB's !!!!

Don't know who rattled your cage love, but perhaps you should learn to read. I said nothing of the sort.

Maybe I should learn to read.

Agree with those above that say Stones and Lukaku should be shipped out sharp. Not doing squad moral any good. 97m for the two is already a massive sum.

Was that a quick visit to Wikipedia?

He's actually scored 92 goals for Lyon in the last six years.

(Although it's more like five years really, seen as though in his first season in the senior squad...2010/2011 he only spent 190 mins on the pitch in total).

The season after that he was often played in midfield, not as a striker.

To say he scores 12 goals a season is just bollocks:

In the last three seasons he's scored:

23
31
22

His total of 23 last season was reached despite his campaign being disrupted by injuries by the way.

Also, anyone who has ever watched him on a regular basis will know he brings more than just goals to the party. His instant control, movement, speed of thought, positional sense, non-stop harassing of defenders and link up play leaves Lukaku for dead. 

ZERO goals in last 13 games for Everton plus a missed pen and several sitters in the semi= over rated big lump that needs to be moved on for the sake of the team.

We all know there are five or six players who are shite and need shifting; so will the manager... but the longer we wait, other teams are bedding their new boys in. If we have money – and that's a very big if then let's see it. Smells of Blue Bill...

90% of those kids are nowhere near ready and in all likelihood be elsewhere in 18 months except maybe Galloway ... So a massive job here and it starts Monday. I expect, not hope for, two signings Monday, Ross a new contract, along with Lukaku staying and John Stones the money we spend... shame.

He isn't anywhere near as good as he thinks he is. He isn't very impressive when he plays for Belgium and presumably he's passionate about playing for his country.
He is too lazy for Koeman's pressing game. He spends at least 5 mins with his hands on his hips every time he sprints.
I hate to use him as an example, but I will...Suarez was made to stay an extra year for the RS and showed what it is to be a professional. The fucker worked his arse off in every match and was an absolute terrier to every defender. He nearly won them the bloody league. His work ethic, desire, and pride was immense and their fans still love him.
Do you think Rom will show the same standards if he's made to stay?
The answer is of course...fuck no!
He doesn't have heart or desire and can fuck off if anyone is dumb enough to pay us such obscene amounts of money as are being reported.

On the one hand he's marvelous to watch when he's motivated. Problem is, he can literally look like he's being put out while he plays - like it's a chore and a bother.

For me, I'd prefer someone who is always switched on. Someone who would slap their Mama to win.

I just don't get that feeling, I'd say roughly 75% of the time, when Rom is playing.

But when he's truly motivated, he's an absolute fucking beast of a player and wonderful to watch.

You just never know if you'll get Superman Lukaku or I'd rather be golfing Lukaku.

I don't want that kind of mindset leading the line at Everton.

Sue me, I love to watch Vardy. He seemingly is a bit white-trash; a smarmy little shit... but he never, ever stops and runs through walls to win.

I'm not saying I want Vardy. I'm saying I want that mindset up top.

Yes!

I hate Suarez. I'd not want him ever to wear the jersey.

But I want that approach and mindset from my striker.

Perfect example / analogy Chris.

I just got back from Lourdes, so am chilled :) And no I didn't pray for Everton!

Should we let Lukaku go? Ermmmm ...No.

I'm sure there's a method to it but as soon as I saw today's lineup it was obviously not going to be too enjoyable to watch.

So not much point judging it. If any pre season game was ever about fitness rather than performance then this was it.

If we get rid of the likes of Lukaku and Stones, and keep criticising Barkley, Mirallas, and others, then this is not the Everton I grew up with. It'll be the relatively mediocre Everton of the last couple of decades. For the great Everton I want again, we have to keep these players, managing them with strong leadership and discipline Surely that's what Koeman is there for.

Seems cheaper and more rapid than the continual procrastination of improvement for marginal profit against speculation.

I want:
Silver above profit.
Everton to win the EPL before I die!
AND before our "Norwegian Country n Western" tourist neighbours!

Win, NOT profit!

Or evidence for that since the Euro's?

Sx

From my dad worshiping TG Jones .. to my hero Alan Ball ... to my hope Duncan Mackenzie ... to Pert Reid and the rest ...to Duncan Ferguson, to Rooney, to Barks, whoever give sus the chance to dream ...

When we won those two titles in the 80's I felt a vacuum, it was the values and dream of Everton that were more important ..

Kendall, Harvey, Reid, Sheedy, Heath, Sharp, Tricky Trev Steven, Psycho - PVDH, Stevens, Harper, Ratcliffe, Mountfield, Southall, Gray, not a team but people that were Everton
We as Evertonians just need to be Evertonians not analysts .. we need to support the next generation and hope they can achieve ...

COYB's

What a manager, alrite. We'd have all been looking forward to a relegation battle if that clown was still in charge. Proving what I've always known. Kenwright really hasn't got a clue about football.

Those who understand need no Floridian explanation.

Those who don't understand don't matter.

Sunshine State.

Unlike Stones, I would accept defeat with Lukaku. He is beginning to remind me of Adebayor, who agitated for a move and did not really play to the maximum towards the end of his time at Arsenal.

Koeman has a huge job on his hands without having to manage someone who is not committed. I think the delay in agreeing a deal is the search for a replacement.

If we buy half decent no 9, then with Geri's recent performances, and perhaps Mirallas finding his scoring boots, we may just be able to replace Rom's goals between 3 players. Barkley and Lennon can then hopefully chip in from midfield to make us a real attacking force.

Let's just look at the facts (as I interpret them anyway) and throw away paper talk: we have no idea that the amounts being bandied about by the media have any grounding in reality, whether it be the money we have available (why would a chairman show his hand and thus inflate the prices of any targets?) or the valuation of players either to buy or sell.

Koeman rebuilt a Southampton side twice. It could be argued that Everton don't need so much as rebuilding, but some major tweaking. If Koeman is a better manager than Martinez and Martinez got this squad to 11th, then we can expect an improvement.

Koeman has had just 5 preseason friendlies to assess the squad at close quarters. That is also the same for his brother and fitness coach. He has kept a lot of the Everton backroom staff, so we have new blood and continuity behind the scenes. On top of this players have been away in tournaments. Therefore early days, but some old hands to go to for information on the current squad/youngsters.

For those who are getting impatient, Koeman has already ran the rule over players that are superfluous to requirements, McGeady, Niasse, Osman, Pienaar and Hibbert! Of course, it is much quicker to let players go than recruit. But I would say he has been pretty swift here.

There has already been criticism of Steve Walsh!!!!! What is he supposed to do? On top of assessing the squad, Koeman has Walsh to identify targets and they have to converse on this, Koeman was away with Everton doing the preseason friendlies. Walsh's appointment doesn't (for me) mean we are trying to do things on the cheap; we have paid compensation for him and Koeman, so quite the opposite. Walsh may identify some gems for excellent value, what is wrong with that!!!???

Koeman would not have accepted the position if certain recommendations were not in place imo.

As for selling players, no matter what your opinion of Kenwright and Co, is they have always been able to negotiate top dollar when selling players, now we also have Moshiri et al. I feel that will continue, but possibly even more so!

I for one am not feeling impatient. We have a long way until the transfer window shuts, it will take time for the players to shake off the Martinez way and adopt the Koeman way. It will take time for new players to bed in, but we are in transition, this will take some time, but I feel we will eventually see positive results.

If we are indeed targeting better quality players, then there will be more competition, a longer negotiation process. we also have to convince players to come to a team with no European completion. Which means having someone like Walsh on board is all the more important, picking up quality players for which Everton are a step up career wise instead of a step down!

Anyways, a bit long winded, but there you go!

Hardly any of them do! Offer them a move to a CL team and I'll bet every one of them will be off.

"Wanting to be here" nowadays means that your fear of your career going backwards is greater than your hopes of it moving forwards.

So, on balance, we should retain the services of lesser players because they at least want to be here.

Is that why people love Besic so much?

Hungry, nasty, young players please who want to shove it to all and sundry and are a team, managed by an equally nasty, durable bugger who doesn't give a shit for moaning, media seeking, self-obsessed, talk-a-good-game merchants that Everton currently have.

Where has all the self-respect gone in footballers? Long overdue for a player press ban, a few piss ups after games so that a team might even come together and be mates.

If they try and turn Koeman over in respect of transfers, he will tell them to shove it and leave. He doesn't require the money being bandied around on here – look what he spent at Southampton. His style of play will not be suited to the majority of current players as it involves constant pressure and hard work – that's been missing for nearly 3 years and now these players are too set in their ways to change. A pressing game needs to be coached and each player directed to a position of advantage; it will take months with fresh new players... impossible with the current crop.

A fire sale and at least 8 new, young players arriving throughout the season. I anticipate a few notable wins, but ultimately a mid-table finish and then improvement for the following season, by which time, 80% of the current team will be gone.

Patience from fans, ruthlessness in the dugout and on the pitch, transparency and a proper business plan from the financial crew is needed at EFC for the next 5 years.

Lukaku's is £65 mill, Stones is £45 mill. If we got offered that in cash for them we would take it. With astute buying (Walsh & Koeman) we could get in 4 - 5 very good players for that.

Every player has his peak & sell by date. Neither Lukaku or Stones will improve enough in their lifetime to be worth more than today's price.

As for the sell by date, at Everton we seem to keep many players past theirs & pay them inflated wages as well.

Now is time for change.

Many loyal Evertonians don't mind factual based insights and commentary but when a series of subjective emotionally driven comments that are violently derogatory to our players, our management and the club then we have the right to challenge on where the facts are for these opinions?

Hence my comment - what is the point of data?

Accepting the Betis game as a training stint, I believe our man will have to show something special in the opening games of the season if he is to achieve his ambition of a move to a big-time club.

Of course, he may choose to honour us with a modicum of effort in front of the Old Trafford crowd next week on the basis of needing a big stage on which to perform. At least the home team will have two or three more than decent strikers to compare him with !

I know it's within everyone's right to express their feelings, and I do it myself at times, but mostly inwardly. For me, if someone is having a bad patch, fans barracking them is likely to make things worse. In 55 years of support, I don't recall it making things better. But I do recall the roar of 40,000 fans (often 60,000 when I started going) making things better, spurring the lads on, especially when the chips are down.

It doesn't matter how much money is in the game, every player responds to encouragement from fans. It's the manager's job to give bollockings when needed, targeted bollockings aimed at improving. I don't believe it's the job of the fans, regardless of our 'rights' to express our opinions.

Ultimately, I think criticism from fans is illogical. We're more likely to get players to play the way we want them to, with fire in their bellies, if we provide fire as well.

if Lukaku and Stones want out, continual criticism from fans wont't help. Especially given the clearly acknowledged management problems of the last couple of seasons.

What part of you doesn't understand that my post refers only to the point about how many games he'd gone without scoring. Not difficult.

Completely and utterly correct, without fault, aberration or a missed step. A statement as perfect as Sharpies goal at "The Compost End" of our disused property.

Well said Sir.

To expand upon the point, entirely made.

I'm entirely dumbfounded by this delusion that Newcastle fans are the greatest in the land, or indeed the equally silver allergic hammers. Throughout my entire experience as an Evertonian, I cannot recall them encouraging their team by way of chants nor anthems.

The Barcodes repeatedly lavish self praise upon eachother whilst continually ignoring their team/players, how very inspiring ? It's worked a bloody treat since "The Inter Cities Fairs Cup" (1968) hasn't it? (A trophy so long forgotten that even Indiana Jones couldn't find the fuckin' thing!)

The Irons (interestingly "cock our knees" rhyming slang for homer satchels), have a long litany of "hymns of hatred". This has been burnished to a gleaming finish since Brooking scored the only header of his "glittering" career in 1980.

My point is, make noise, chant, cheer, encourage and you WIN! The other stuff is for losers.

Case in point: the night that we did Bayern, I can only recall singing "Everton! Everton!" ALL night! It frightened the shite out of them! But most importantly, it drove the lads in the Royal Blue Jerseys ever onward!

I'd love Everton FC to completely ban ALL abuse (even the "Hang the Kopites one by one" stuff). Drop the 'underdog' bullshit, it's the fare of serial losers.

Praise, honour and inspire.

This is not Goodison Park, it's ToffeeWeb, but we can do similar. We can make it clear to Man City, journalists, or anyone else, that we're Everton, and our best players are not for sale.

Very true! Just recently watching the athletics from "The Irons" new rented space, I'd bloody hate for us to be that far from the touchlines.

Imagine just how desolate that place is going to sound with 12,000 in there, all of them a solid 10-minute jog to the pitch? As they're facing bloody Milwall in the derby of the 'Stendahs' in a couple of seasons time when "the new ground curse" has taken full effect?

Suffer in silence – it will all come right in the end is it?

Really?

Concerns have rightly been raised about management problems. Mismanagement was the root cause of Everton's problems last season. That's why we have a new manager, to sort the problems out that arose from the root cause.

Given that it's likely that the performance of players like Lukaku is a result of the mismanagement root cause, the players are unlikely to be the main problem. The guy has scored 60 goals in 120 games, the last 10% or so of those games being problematic. So I don't think Lukaku is the problem. The problem is the effects of the mismanagement, which we can now hopefully remedy. Negative criticism of the players from fans is unlikely to help.

That's just another way of saying what I said in the post.

So, no, we don't suffer in silence, we encourage players, and to do otherwise is in my opinion self-defeating and therefore illogical.

I mean, those 'Ammers fans won't be able to spit at players now, will they?

I hope Koeman is ruthless and gets shut of those who are an affront to those who pay their wages.

Not this season, I'm afraid, but Walsh and Koeman can deliver a team who will be proud to wear the Blue.

No doubt an extension of your argument is that vocal criticism by fans is the very reason we finished as low as 11th. That argument has been done and dusted on here many times before – I just don't buy into it.

I guess the shortcomings and failures of our players must all be down to me!

Mourinho has an indifferent record of judging players. After all, he got rid, not only of Lukaku, but of Kevin De Bruyne, Arjen Robben and Juan Mata - to name but a few.

Have wanted to go to St. Augustine as visiting the Golf HoF is on my "bucket list".

I am excluding Funes Mori and Coleman, Lukaku and Stones, from the rest of the team, as they could make us a killing. Also, I am talking about players we bought as opposed to players who came through the ranks.

Alright, if he wants away, let him go for as much money as we can get, but only if we get a replacement first... FFS, not someone like Andy Carroll. I'm still laughing now.