Koeman's challenge for Barkley

Interesting that RK wants to improve him defensively; something RM apparently ignored.

He's got all the tools; let hope we see them consistently.

The last few seasons were the worst I've ever seen from a fitness perspective for some of our players.

Fitness levels are everything to these lads and it will help reduce the stupid injuries, raise confidence and a winning mentality over time.

If you don't, Koeman won't give a shit, he'll get someone else to do it and, to be honest, right now Mata is easily twice the player you are. Nobody on this Everton side should feel safe after last season's displays.

Never understood any footballer, that didn't want to work hard for the team, especially considering, that the more you are involved, the less time you have, to dwell on any mistakes you might have made.

Barkley spends too much time thinking, but he never really anticipates. maybe someone who has really played the game, can finally put him on the right path, to fulfilling his true potential?

Well..besides the obvious (he's a blue, plays for Everton, local lad etc).

Can't exactly put my finger on it (fnaar!) but I just.. like him.

As a player, when he's on blob, he can look immense and when he properly puts his foot through a ball, hard for a keeper to get near it.

But he gets distracted and dispirited - easily - and too often becomes a spectator on the pitch.

There are too many games that seem to go on around him, games where he seems to be stuck in a kind of no-man's-land and looks like the victim of some cruel piggy-in-the-middle game.

For me, he needs 'telling' and hopefully Koeman will sit him down and simply tell him exactly what is required (what is expected in each game, what his 'tasks' are in each game).

Personally, I would actually give him a shots-per-game target (3/4/whatever).

I would also tell him 'you're built like a fucking big grock, don't let anyone even think of shouldering you off the ball.'

(some players need telling, some can figure it out).

It's funny, when you ask a lot of Evertonians what Barkley's position is, there is often a pause first (that you wouldn't get if you asked, for instance, Baines position) and that makes me think if we're not sure, he probably isn't.

Anyway, for us and for himself, he needs a good season.

Possible he could benefit from playing in the same side as Williams - to have a leader to watch close up, a leader to scream at him "he's your man, fucking get on him!"

I'm really hoping so, good luck to him and..

Up the Toffees!

However the main reason is his brain got scrambled by his previous manager.

I really do believe Barkley was confused as to what was expected of him, position to play, tackling, etc. I think this is a massive season for him as Evertonians have given him enough time and he can no longer be making the same mistakes as he was making when he was 17, which in my opinion he was still making at 22.

He has got to learn quickly about when to release the ball, when to shoot, tackle, chase back – even jockeying and harrying would be a big improvement on his defensive work.

If it was bad for the supporters, imagine how bad an experience it was for the players, when your Boss who holds absolute sway over your daily actions can influence you in such a negative way. Especially if you are young and impressionable.

Fast forward a couple of years after its all gone tits up and we see just how important the managerial change was. I think Koeman was / is probably the best, if not the only option to sort out the muddled psychological playing field he inherited. This is not intended as another anti -Martinez rant. We have all done those to death. It is an objective view of the real and lasting damage he did / could have done if allowed to continue further.

Almost to a man, the players were pushed and pulled around. Played out of position, played when out of form. Dropped when in form. Dropped and shut out if their face didn't fit, and played in key roles if it did - regardless of form. No authority on the pitch, and no stamina to deal with the physical challenge. Wrap all that up in the difficult task of organizing a team of socially dislocated young guys with the world at their feet literally, with none of the day to day grounding stuff that ' normal people' have to deal with and it is a psychoanalysts dream ticket!

What I like about RK is his pragmatism. I think he genuinely wanted Stones to stay, but accepted the personal and business logic of the situation. As I think he understands and accepts the Rom to Chelsea situation too.

I think it is this pragmatism which he showed at Southampton, twice, was why he was the only choice for Moshiri and all credit to him for the appointment.

Interesting that while Luvvy Bill was drooling after the Chelsea quarter final result, Moshiri looked somewhat embarrassed? perhaps that's just my impression. However there are 2 interesting events from that day; 1st Rom pulls out all the stops with a stellar performance against his old club, as if to show evryone exactly what he is capable of, and 2nd (I believe) that Moshiri did not ever discuss with Martinez, the teams performance or his future prospects or his dismissal. . . ?

So, with Moshiri's absolute trust and backing, I think RK is tasked with undoing as much of the psychological damage caused by Martinez and crew, as well as the fitness issues and the defensive shortcomings. It will take some time. I hope RK will be as patient with Ross as we need to be with him.

Peter Reid excelled at the former, because he knows that he can't be giving full blooded tackles all the time, due to his knee. So what he and Bracewell did well was to press and harried and cut out passes.

Ian Rush was a master of the latter. He would press from the top i.e. giving defenders no time on the ball.

That way, the opposition is pressed into mistakes, giving the ball away, make poor passes etc.

These are the other critical aspects of defending, which is essential to make it difficult for your opponents to attack.

I believe that these things, Ross can do without having to nullify his attacking attributes.

Martinez made Everton way too open and the players made so many mistakes that used to result in conceding goals. Under Moyes we were boring too defensive and rarely won the big teams.

I just want to see Everton beat Liverpool... it's really annoying me that we always struggle to beat them – it's been way too long!!!!!

Koemans the blue eyed boy for now, I'm just wondering how long before he is shite.
He's making excuses already, lets see what happens after a couple of games!

Nobody knows what Martinez said behind the scenes to players, it was pretty evident that anybody rocking the squad boat was disciplined, so theres little doubt he wasn't all 'hail smiley morn' in private.

With regard to Barkley, I hope very much that he becomes a better player but to my eyes he lacks in the grey matter department, you need to think quickly in games and I'm afraid he aint got it.

And as for describing him as a "midfielder" don't even get me started. He's a supporting forward or he's nothing.

What interests me is the depth of mind game playing that the team may have been subjected to. Also in Ross' case, this aspect of his character seems to be crucial to his game?

It seems that disagreeing "strong" characters of the team seemed to be dealt with very brusquely by Roberto behind the scenes:- Distin, E'to, Mirallas, even Baines, whilst our Captain, Gentleman Jags, (and I mean that as a compliment), seems to have been doing all sorts of good things behind the scenes but not imposing himself on the pitch? Don't forget how his treatment of Baines was absolute folly, and probably the final reason why he was dismissed.

Footnote;
Let's wait more than a couple of games to see the impact of RK. However I have a sneaking feeling (hope), his impact will be almost immediate, simply because of the skill in the squad at his disposal, their frustration at the last 2 seasons and the influx of some really good new and young players coming through. Ironically Martinez should get some credit for that.

Roberto ( who I supported for the first 2 years) was guilty of the utmost neglect as regards fitness, set pieces, work rate etc and far from making excuses already I think RK is merely trying to manage our expectations . The problems can be fixed but not in six weeks- fitness can be built but the players have to be coached out of the stupid one yard passes which RM seemed to encourage and a different mindset is required.

I have heard ex players comment that Ross is not the quickest learner and perhaps RK can give him simple instructions as to how to play. It is after all a simple game and Ross is good enough and strong enough to dictate play especially with players around him who are pressing the opposition. We haven't pressed for three years which made us easy to play against as other teams had time to build play and we played so slowly that we were very vulnerable to a pressing game.

I think RK will sort this but it may take til FA Cup time to get us really competitive unless we suddenly land the right targets in the transfer market.

If he has seen enough in training to suggest Ross is willing to listen and learn from a master, then we really will have a player. If Koeman can get his defensive levels up, you've got your box-to-box complete midfielder.

Apart from Osman, I cannot think of any other player that gets as much stick as Ross.

With Koeman's coaching, and a bit of patience from the fans, Ross will do it; if we support the lad, give him encouragement, he will do it.

I just hope the boo boys don't drive him away.

Thing is, I don't think Koeman is the kind of manager to watch him making mistakes and keep playing him. I for one will be do my best to get behind him.

The man is built like a tank, he has plenty of pace, his touch is sublime, however, I it seems that the one person entirely unaware of ALL of this is Ross Barkley!

I do seriously wonder if that terrible leg break has left him with a "mental block" and he has "issues" that he isn't getting past. I love having local lads in the side, lads who probably sleep in their kit (OK, it's just me that does that) and it's bloody clear to see he has talent to spare.

On the practical side, he is going to have to convert potential into performance. This really is his season to convince. C'mon Ross, do it lad!

There were signs of a different Ross on Saturday. He's not in condition to chase all day but there was more effort.

If the above is true then we'll need patience. We'll also need to acknowledge that the club failed Ross terribly in terms of his development. Hopefully we see more signs from him and we can encourage him as he improves.

There just seems to be something missing "upstairs". Whether it be psychological, as some have touched on above, or whether it is that he is just missing that "footballing brain", I'm not quite sure.

To me, this is the main thing that is holding back a good player, from become a truly great player.

The longer he has to make a decision, the worse that decision often becomes. Every time I see him running at the defence at pace, it's almost like you can see his brain ticking and he doesn't know the right ball to play, or when to just smack it.

His preseason goal v Barnsley was sensational. One incredible touch to turn his man, and bang. His goal at Goodison against Man City was a sublime first time strike. Even his assist to Rom in the 4-0 against Villa last season was one touch magic. This all goes to show what he can do when he is relying on instinct alone.

Can you coach decision making? If so, then we could still have the biggest diamond of them all.