Koeman hails 'fantastic' reaction

Everything about Koeman is "You start with the basics". Fitness, always press the opponent, don't give the ball up cheaply.

A team with talent properly directed.

On another note, does anyone know how the fella who got carried out by parimedics from the Upper Gwladys is doing. Coyb!!!!

The tide is turning, regardless of what some may say on this site.

I'm sure it wasn't just me at the game today who didn't flinch after going one-nil down? Seriously I've not felt so confident in an Everton side for years!

Gana must be the signing of the season on his early performances so far, great again today in the tackle but also pinging forward balls all afternoon, Ross can learn so much from this lad.

Can the new Everton march on & contest for the top 4? God I hope so.

Up the Blue Boys.

The whole team played great but I have to set aside a special mention for Gueye who was outstanding again today; I don't think I've witnessed a player as good as this kid at Everton for a long time. I reckon he could be the buy of the season.

In these two guys, we have a true world class leader, a manager who has been there, seen it and had dozens of tee-shirts from Greaty Market. He carries himself with dignity and class and refuses to talk BS. I am so happy to have this guy as our manager.

As for Gana... Wow.!! He is getting better by the week, perpetual motion. A latter day Alan Ball? It's late, I've had a few drinks... maybe I am getting carried away but I don't apologise for feeling really happy, optimistic and a tad hopeful!!

It's definitely a refreshing contrast to, say... Klopp, who I respect, but whose endless clowning and mugging on the sidelines gets old really fast.

Alas, once the defensive duties were neglected and the basics, ie, fitness, dead ball tactics etc were allowed to dwindle, we looked shite.

I dreamed (and I think a few others alluded to it on here) what it would be like if we could fuse the positive aspects of our 2 former managers to create a super boss... I never believed in dreams coming true – until now.

It's early days, whatever anyone says we've been gifted a great run of fixtures to start the campaign but fuck it - let's not feel guilty / insecure about that, we've done what we needed to and made our own luck. We've got momentum, confidence is building and my impression is the team have the attitude now that if someone's going to take points off of us they're going to leave the pitch feeling like they've gone 12 hard rounds.

And that all comes from the manager. He's got a medal box that weighs more than Idrissa Gana Gueye. He guards points more preciously than an Amsterdam cafe owner guards his reputation for good weed – leaving us to chill out on the banks of the canal, laughing at the ducks.

Ronald Koeman. Thank God he got into football and not coffee. None of us would be safe...

Come On, You Blue Boys!

Lee Mason showed just how low standards have dropped in Premier League refereeing with his display today. The man as so far up himself with his stern faced sergeant-major posturing and his ability to miss god knows how many fouls and not just by Boro.

I dread to think how far the game might have degenerated if we hadn't equalised so quickly as it was definitely poised on the brink of turning out nasty. Even Barry's goal was suspect due to Williams's high boot in the challenge on the keeper. A properly positioned ref might have spotted it and disallowed the goal.

The Premier League really should be ensuring the quality of referees is on a par with the importance of the league in terms of the financial implications attached to league positions for the clubs involved. Strutting, self-important little Hitlers like Mason do more harm than good for the game and can cause tempers to flare on and off the field by their poor decision making and should have no place in the modern game.

Rant over, great result, well done lads!.

I have a kind reservation for the English referees they seem to be declining in the proffessionalism and attitude to the their job. I hope the FA is watching and corrections will be made before it gets out of hand.

So many improvements are being imparted, the financial angle, the TV coverage, rules protecting the game, etc and so refereeing must improve.

Finally, when will English commentators stop mentioning Liverpool issues with those of Everton. We deserve a lot of respect now and forever. I can't wait for Tuesday game to come up.

Bye for now.

On another note, I was amused to hear Howard Webb say yesterday that Goodison Park is the most difficult ground in the league to referee.

According to the BBC, this is the best start to a campaign by Everton since 1978! Amazing what can happen when you get a class manager at the helm. We went for the cheap option in 2002 with Moyes and again the cheap/easy option with Martinez (although that didn't turn out so cheap in the end!). Thankfully Koeman has arrived.

With all the nonsense transfers like Pogba, Stones, Luiz etc, players costing ridiculous amounts of money, I give you Idrissa Gueye. This guy is every bit as good as Kante, if not better, and is easily worth 4-5 times what we paid for him. I hope he signed a long term contract 'cos he is absolute class.

The side always had a handful of decent players, the main thing lacking was leadership, fitness and belief as well as proper tactics and a couple of quality players in the right positions, not 7 right wingers.

We got lucky with the season start admittedly, not having to play any of the top sides in the first couple of months but this gives us a massive opportunity to get points on the board and build momentum. By the time the big games come around, the players' confidence will be sky high. Right now I'd be confident playing anyone (with the possible exception of city, who without Aguero are still demolishing sides).

Bournemouth away and Palace at home next – could easily be another 6 points although neither game will be easy – before we take on City. Long way to go but I'd bet my house we'll finished a long way above 11th come May. Only real issue is the quality in the squad isn't very deep, especially up front. Lukaku and Geuye need to stay fit until at least January, when we can hopefully bring in a fresh face or two.

Everton doing a Leicester?

I'd be tempted to play Funes Mori alongside Williams, as Jags can't go on forever and those two could be our future centre-back partnership. I'd rest Bolassie and start with Lennon. I'd play Barry as the more he plays with Gueye the more their partnership will grow. I would be tempted to rest Rom, start with Valencia and keep the big man hungry and maybe give him the final 30 mins if we need him.

For me, that would be enough as I don't think Koeman is one for making wholesale changes and I'm sure he views this as a trophy we can realistically aim for.

Next thing you know, we've gone up several gears and even Ross Barkley isn't fazed as he begins to put his stamp on the game with some lovely movement and sharp turns.

So 3-1 at half-time, game over and 3 points. It's a long season. Good substitutions and the new guy looks okay. Nice bit of business there, Ronnie, if the lad can produce the goods.

Next up is Norwich in the cup. Not too many changes but a run out for Funes Mori Valencia and Davies maybe? The cup competition is a route to Europe and a bit of silverware so I am hopeful they are taking it seriously.

Kevin Mirallas worked his socks off back defending one minute and up in attack the next and kept his head.

I thought he was better second half, but a man with his talent should be looking to get involved, and looking to get on the ball a lot more for his team.

And no, we're not like Leicester. We're Everton, much higher quality than Leicester. At the moment, Man City looks the only side that I would say is performing with more consistent quality than us, and they look tremendous. And we're improving, gradually, all the time. Good times.

Deulofeu could do with some more minutes, Holgate, Funes Mori and Oviedo. Valencia needs a chance.

The middle is the most difficult right now – who would you replace Barry and Gana with there? Gibson, Cleverley, Davies? Shame McCarthy is injured.

The side yesterday was a lot fitter than Day One and it showed, as I haven't seen that high tempo, slick aggressive, winning and entertaining football for about two and a half years.

I will also say, that even though we are steamrollering lesser sides at the moment, this team has not yet properly clicked. Fitness is still improving and the players are still getting to know each other. That all takes time.

So pleased to see the improvements in Ross yesterday. Still a way to go but the kid has been completely abandoned in a coaching sense for three years when he should have been getting clear direction. Quite apart from the fact he has lost a load of weight from last year, he was tracking back and not giving up and doing the basics yesterday as well as joining up the middle. A seventy-yard chasing run and tackle in the second half which then allowed Gana to clear up at the second attempt – ie, teamwork would never in a million years have happened under the clowns in charge last year.

Well done the Koemans and a lot more to come from Ross this year.

We need to get that spade in the ground before Koeman starts listening to the likes of this journo shower of shit. I truly hope we wipe the smiles of their smug faces this season.

At least we have beaten the "smaller clubs", unlike their "darlings" who got beat at Burnley!

Sunderland away is 'easier' than Man City away.

I do think the fixtures have given us an easier half-a-dozen games than the RS for instance, but it is also evident there have been considerable reason for confidence and signs of improvement in key areas.

Thinking that someone pointing this out is media bias and conspiracy is a bit sad.

I am watching the game with belief and pride again instead of waiting for the shambles to happen. Really glad we got Williams, I know Stones's potential but the few games I've seen him play so far, he is still doing the same silly things.

COYB

I would also give Lennon a run out. He will work hard, which suits the team ethic at present and he will also move a lot up and down the wing, which suits our forwards as well at present.

Yes you have to play everyone twice but it can make a big difference to get a few wins early on to boost confidence – see Leicester last season as a prime example. They didn't have to play any of the big guns in the first half dozen or so games and went from strength to strength as their confidence grew.

Hence 'doing a Leicester', ie, win the league.

What exactly are you basing your 'Everton being higher quality than Leicester' comment on? They are current Champions and playing in the Champions League, we should probably park talk like that away until we've won something. (Hopefully that will be in 2017.)

It was mentioned in football circles that Man Utd were looking at Koeman seriously; if it had been a choice between us and Man Utd we know what would have happened, so I would take any interest from the likes of Arsenal serious. He wants to manage Barcelona - that is his eventual goal and in order do so he will have to keep on keeping on to prove he could.

It is very early days and our manager honesty is very refreshing compared to the drivel we have had to endure from the "pretender". It is also true that we have not really been tested yet, Spurs being the best side we have faced to date and of course it is true you can only beat who is in front of you and we have done.

Our position in the table will increase the confidence in our squad and more importantly open a very healthy competitive edge for places in the team. Ross Barkley is one player with a lot to prove and Koeman's comments about his game are brutally honest in a positive way for the player in my opinion.

Who knows how we will do when we play Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City , etc but we know these will be tougher tests. I think Moshiri must spend the money and buy the players who will make the difference in January.

Forget all the moaning about TDD, without doubt, Big Ron was our most important signing of the summer.

No, we haven't played (barring perhaps Spurs) any of the big contenders yet – but the team is gelling, improving and getting to know the Koeman way.

Confidence and belief are increasing and, by the time we play Man City, we should be in a stronger position.

I just hope Lukaku hasn't been injured seriously. The lack of a classy backup may come back to haunt us if a metatarsal has gone.

Great start and plenty of grounds for optimism.

On another note – I have been one of Lukaku's biggest critics, but in the last two games he has really impressed not just with goals but with work rate. The second against Sunderland just would not have happened at any point last season. He may be gone in January but I have a suspicion he is enjoying his football again and may stay for the ride.

I think we can overdo the luck bit. All that matters is winning, regardless of who you play. And it's not just the winning, it's the way it's done, it's the whole thing including team spirit, solidity, etc. So that's what I mean when I say we haven't been lucky.

Maybe I should have said we've had a smidgen of luck in the fixtures without putting too much significance to it. As someone famous (so famous I've forgotten who they were) said, luck favours the prepared.

Regarding Leicester, it was my opinion last season that, player for player, we were better than them, more footballing finesse included, it was just that we were badly managed. And we're a much bigger club. What Leicester did is likely to be the one-in-20-year event that we see from the likes of Nottm Forest, Blackburn and them.

My natural expectation is to win silverware, and I regard the last 20 or so years as abnormal for us, having started going to the match in 1961 and witnessing 8 major trophies and great players and great teams. So for me the recent debate about whether we're a big club compared to the likes of Leicester is a waste of time. There's no question in my mind.

The old order doesn't apply any more, so victories of any sort in this league are to be prized and we shouldn't diminish our achievement so far.

Everton have 13 points from a possible 15 but has our opening fixture list really been any more easier than Man Utd's? Enjoy each game as it comes along and enjoy having a manager who appears to know what he's doing and stop fretting about things that may not happen and appreciate the things that are happening.

If he can do what he says, and get the players running more, and pressing more, then the crowd's reaction will only get better, and no team will enjoy coming to Goodison this season to face Everton and its crowd!

We're not talking about things on the scale of Leicester or some such, but of Everton as we used to be in the not so distant past (although distant enough for some folks to be a bit pessimistic perhaps).

You make your own luck in this league and there really are no easy games. Hope Sunderland and Moyes beat Spurs today.

According to many on TW, Koeman would never join us. Then he joined us. Then the signings were shite. Then it turns out they're not shite, quite the opposite. Then we're lucky with the fixtures, so the winning might not last. Let's see on that one... There are other instances besides, which point to pessimism and sometimes sheer cynicism. There's also an over-focus on the media, and what 'pundits' think and say about Everton.

For me, it was quite natural that Koeman would join us, and it's 'reasonably apparent' that he may have been swayed by the 'project'. It's quite natural to think that he might be here for some time. So talk of him potentially going somewhere else, especially in response to the usual nonsense from the media, is to me not worth considering, it's just a waste of time.

So I think there is a bit of an inferiority complex amongst some Evertonians. But some of us have the opposite, a kind of superior way of thinking that is natural, stemming from being brought up on great Everton players and sides. We are the School of Science, the Lords of the Game, the Aristocrats of English football, the dwelling place of Young, Wilson, Vernon, Ball, Labone, Harvey, Kendall, Reid, Southall, Latchford, Sharpe, etc. Our current squad fits well into this tradition. So, are we a big club compared to Leicester, Southampton, and the like? Need you ask?

Arsenal could buy a player costing £100 million if they wanted to – it is Wenger who doesn't want to!

Koeman being on £6 million wouldn't make any difference if they wanted him.

It's clear that, in order to be successful, you have to have a highly motivated team. Most teams aren't. It is also very important to play the high pressing game over the full 90 minutes. Some players just aren't capable of this.

Simeone at Atletico Madrid appreciates this and so does Koeman. It's quite clear who needs replacing in our team and, once they are replaced, we will be unstoppable. In the meantime, we are doing pretty well anyway.

I didn't see much of the game as I was working but we had a Boro fan in the bar and said we deserved the points. Also, really nice not to worry every time we concede a corner.

Consider that if you win home and away against the bottom 10, you have 60 points in the bag before you take on the rest! If we can keep winning these games and mess up less than the rest of the teams around us we will be there or thereabouts come end of the season.

The mark of a team successful in Europe is to play two games per week with regularity, and to win. That's our stated aim this season, just the first of the three Koeman is currently signed up for.

On that basis I really don't expect huge changes for Norwich. As the season progresses I expect the players to get even fitter than they are now, with ingrained winning ways. After all, not only does our manager talk the talk, he walked the walk like a colossus when a player.

If/when he leaves, I'm confident he and Mr Moshiri will have by then reestablished us to former glory, hopefully to last a while longer than the Catterick & Kendall enterprises did.

Granted the goalie dropped a clanger with their goal. It was a foul, but a 6 feet 4 inch goalkeeper, who can also use his arms, should never allow himself to be put in such a position. Next time, Maarten, make sure you've got a pointed elbow waiting to greet the striker's incoming nose, instead of your soft forearm. This time, no harm done, and you've been calmness exemplified this season.

Question – can you do a Tim Howard 'star-fish'?

I think Koeman will rest Barry, Rom, Jags and possibly Baines on Tuesday vs Norwich.

Davies or Gibson should deputise for Barry but I've a feeling he may put Barkley alongside Gana and give Cleverley an outing in the position Ross normally occupies. Holgate or Funes alongside Williams with Oviedo at left back. Valencia up front instead of Rom.

Somebody pinch me. It feels like when I went to bed, Martinez was manager, and we couldn't hold on to a lead for toffees. (Forgive the pun). Team and fan spirit was awful.

Then, seemingly overnight, Ronald Koeman is our manager, someone's talking about a new stadium. Not just anyone, only our new billionaire owner, no less!!!

Romelu is still here. Steve Walsh has joined us. We've picked up some players on the cheap who have turned out to be amazing. And we're 2nd in the league, and playing like we were back in the '80s?

Burnley beat the RS, Watford beat Man Utd. And Chelsea can only manage a draw with Swansea? It is going to happen. 'Er in doors' is going to wake me up. And Everton will have lost 3-0 to Stoke again!

But just for the time being, I'm still in my "if Carling did dreams" state of euphoria, and my God, I'm enjoying it!
COYBs. Woo hoo!!

Robles, Holgate, Funes Mori, Valencia, Lennon, Deulofeu, Gibson, Cleverley, Kone, Davies, Pennington, Oviedo... heck, even Niasse should all get a go to see if the new training is having an effect.

Put out a strong side and put Norwich to bed and let's be in the hat for the next round.

Agree totally. Worth giving a couple of players a full game, maybe Funes Mori, Deulofeu and maybe Valencia if Lukaku has a knock. There's only two more weeks and then it's another international break so tiredness is not an issue.

To be honest, Ron made a statement of intent in the last round so don't expect too many changes.

Stekelenburg
Coleman, Williams, Funes Mori, Oviedo
Barkley, Gana
Mirallas, Cleverley, Bolasie
Valencia

Subs: Stekelenburg, Williams, Gana, Davies, Barkley, Bolasie, Mirallas.

Whilst I agree Gana has been a revelation and outstanding so far, he isn't anywhere near Alan Ball who is probably our greatest ever player. Having seen him play, I can say he was incomparable to anyone in blue since and we've had some good uns.

I don't want to put Gana down, though, he has been terrific.

I believe we'll be good enough next year or the year after for Champions League football though.

Paul Merson made a similar comment on Sky yesterday. I think he mentioned that Everton probably have around 13 or 14 very good players but the rest of the squad lacks depth and quality. Next two windows will hopefully allow Koeman to add to the pool of players at his disposal. A keeper, striker and box to box midfielder must be the priorities.

Clough was the greatest exponent in English football of this philosophy with Nottm Forrest turning journeymen and has-beens into a fantastic team. If Ronald can work his magic on the likes of Cleverley, Besic, Lennon, Funes Mori, Valencia etc... and make them into highly competent cogs in his machine, then we can really, really compete this season.

As for Leicester last season, a fish rots from the head down and if you have a crap manager, like we did, it doesn't really matter what the players are like. I will take nothing away from Leicesters' achievements and anyone belittling them is only jealous in my view. Loving watching them in the Champions League and hope they go far and give a couple of the 'big' sides a bloody nose. They can stuff their breakaway European league.

As for Everton, we're currently on a great run of results which would not have happened, in my opinion, had we had to play Man City, Arsenal or them earlier as fitness and confidence would not have been where it is now. The players' confidence is obviously increasing week by week and any inferiority complex they had will be going away. I personally do not believe the Leicester achievement is a 1-in-20-year event mainly due to the mass amounts of money that have flooded the league. Each team has the cash to buy players that would previously have only been found in a 'top 4' side. It is no longer the norm for the 'big sides' to walk over everyone else, although it is obviously still harder (normally) to play against them.

Personally I do think we can do a Leicester this year given we finally have a top manager in the dug out – which is the most important thing at a club. You have to go back at least 20 years to be able to say that and on current form (early I know) I would put Koman ahead of Big Joe, so you potentially have to go back to Kendall Mk1 since we had a world class manager. Man City however look unstoppable at the minute but that can change. The only real issue as I've said above is our lack of squad depth. It's a long season and we can't rely on Lukaku, Gana and Barry being able to maintain this level for 9 months. However, the ride is fucking great at the minute and I hope we can wrap the main players in cotton wool and give them a rest against Norwich.

I think we now have the manager and first team capable of finishing top 4 and personally see us as serious contenders. Only injuries and lack of squad depth can/will stop us.

Just saying...

On the subject of history, it's not simply dry history for me, it's about something I innately feel after supporting Everton since my dad took me at age 7. I was talking about Everton with him a few years ago, and he said Everton would never do anything nowadays because there's so much money in the game, and Everton aren't rich enough. I said we could do with someone buying Everton, like the Man City situation. But we both agreed that we wouldn't really want this to happen if Everton became like any other rich club, with money and hard-nosed cynicism dominating over stylish football and passion (Goodison Park style).

Anyway, I feel (for what it's worth) that our 'new era' is not just about having more cash, it's also about this 'project' that's been talked about. Indeed, I recall Ryazantsev saying it was more than just a project. In a way, I feel things are improving in a way that's consistent with the Everton I grew to know. It's mainly a feeling, based on things seeming to be fitting together nicely like a jigsaw.

A young red recently asked me why on earth Koeman chose to join Everton over Southampton. I told him that, when I was his age I'd seen several trophies, and then more, and gave him an inkling of the history I'd experienced, the kind that makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck at Goodison. It seemed to make an impact on him, and I think changed his perception a bit. But that's really the only reason I go on about it, because other folks ask such questions.

The bonus is I don't have to sit in work on Monday listening to the Red Shite going on about another Bobby Brownshoes disaster.

This has made a huge change to last season where at every opportunity, they would just charge forward and leave glaring holes at the back.

Anyone see West Ham on MotD; I think it was the 3rd goal they conceded; the Hammers had a corner and ALL 10 of their outfield players were in around the West Brom box. Of course the inevitable happened and West Brom won the ball, charged the length of the field and scored.

Ghosts of watching Everton last season; hopefully laid firmly in the past.