Koeman still demanding more from his forward line

Also, there's an ability problem too which may need addressing... Costa is backed by Hazard and Pedro – Rom isn't!

There are 17 teams who have ran more than Everton, this season, and after 11 league games, Liverpool, have ran over 100 km, more than Everton... Staggering?

I agree the tactics could be better, and I have yet to see a style of play develop, but surely there can be no substitute for hard work, and maybe the return of Baines, McCarthy and possibly Lennon, will up this side of our game?

Not to mention young Tom Davies, who can also put in a shift!

I'm coming round to the view that we should try using Davies more, given his energy, football brain and skills.

To get a foothold on any game, the team have either got to have superior players than the opposition, or they have got to be prepared to work harder than them.

It keeps harbouring back to Lukaku for me, though, because if he fought like Costa and really got hold of the ball, then he would give the rest of the team a platform on which we could build.

I think that some of the latter players mentioned should look at the top top players like Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez and the like to see how much work they do off the ball. Problem with our players is that they talk a good game but don't deliver one. They want the plaudits without having to do the dirty work. Bone idle really.

Whether Koeman can finally get them to make an effort on a regular basis is anybody's guess but my opinion is we should be looking for alternatives. They have coasted for too long and should be replaced. It's not like they are irreplaceable.

Mirallas is on borrowed time and contributes very little, so we have real problems with creativity and workrate, and that should be a priority in the January window.

Glad to see Baines back he does offer more going forward. We should have enough to easily beat Swansea; failure is unthinkable

Can this be the same Jose Mourinho who spent almost the entire summer two years ago publicly attempting to lure John Stones away from us, even getting members of his team to try and tempt Stones to Chelsea? Kettle, pot, black, Jose?

He is also right about the players still trying to shake off the lazy attitude that Martinez developed. Lukaku is a very good finisher but as Koeman says there are parts of his game he needs to improve, especially if he wants a Champions league team to part with mega bucks.

I don't know if Barkley will ever buy in to what Koeman wants — he has been allowed for too many seasons to abdicate from his defensive part of the game. Yes I know he had a triple leg break as a teenager but if he cant get over that then he wont be in the mindset that Koeman wants.

While Mirallas is working much harder his goal return is poor, Bolasie again for all his talent another with a poor goal return. Something Koeman highlighted when he signed him, saying his goal record of 9 goals in 3 seasons needs to improve considerably. But so far he has 1 in 11 games.

Deulofeu seems to find goalscoring easy for his countries under 23 team 16 goals so far, but another whose goal record isn't good for us. Although I think we need to play him where he plays for his country which is the number 10 role.

The entire problem is that Ron wants to play a style which is pretty much the opposite of what we have played in the last 3 years. Roberto bought players to play a slow and deliberate passing game and Ron has only bought two outfield players so far thus the team is being asked to play a style which apart from McCarthy none of them are suited to play.

Barry is too old for that style as is Baines. Gibson will never be fit enough to play it, Mirallas runs around to look busy but doesn't really know how to play that way, Deulofeu isn't fit enough or brave enough to run around and get stuck in, Lukaku and Barkley probably could do it but need to be dragged that way by the rest of the team.

Tony is right that Tom is an obvious choice – great heart, great engine and lots of ability as well – he should be given a run of games now or at least a half hour per game to see if he is ready – he sure as hell looks ready to me! I wonder if Coleman could revert to right midfield as I like Kenny and both would bring some added zest to the team. I just think that apart from Bolasie our wide players are passengers in away games at least and of all the others in the squad Seamus would be most likely to do well in that position.

Actions speak louder than words, Mr Koeman. Stop talking a good game and instead, earn your mammoth salary by getting us to play one. Starting today –- with almost a third of the season gone.

I've seen nothing to impress from you at all so far.

Personally I'd like to see quite dramatic changes after that shaming at Stamford Bridge:

Robles
Coleman, Williams, Funes Mori, Baines
Barkley/Davies, Gana
Lennon/Mirallas, Deulofeu, Bolasie
Lukaku

If Swansea are likely to park the bus, then jib the two defensive central midfielders and increase the creativity. Start with Deulofeu behind Lukaku in the Number 10 role but move all three supporting attacking players around so Swansea can't get settled.

C'mon Blues, get right at them from the off and look to bury them 4-0 or 5-0!

If he plays and has poor games then fair enough, but to criticise him when he has hardly played is out of order.

he was shocking today, hiding from the ball and just going through the motions. He should never play for us again.

It's not just that he had a poor game – he clearly wasn't trying.

I didn't notice any lack of effort to be honest; he didn't have a good game... As an excuse, he hasn't had much game-time this season in the first eleven.

Once he loses possession, he gives up and walks, making no effort to retrieve it. He doesn't even make any effort to get back onside when an attack breaks down and gets walking in an offside position when we counter. How lazy is this? The players who are putting in a shift have got to be upset with him at times.

Against Swansea, the cross that Bolassie whipped in and flew over the bar off Lukaku's thigh would have been converted by a better striker. A good player would have been on his toes, well balanced, and able to react quickly. Rom is too lazy to be on his toes. I know he has support on here, but quite honestly I would sell while the inflated price is still there.

Okay, he scores goals – yes, and that is why we could supposedly get daft money for him. He scores something like an average 14 Premier League goals a season – for me, that is decent... nothing more.

I said after the Chelsea game that their back 3 could have put their slippers on and lit a cigar. They had so much time on the ball. Look at our lot.. Costa had them stressed out. He was all over them like a rash –- this is the difference.

So, Mr Koeman – unless you are going to magically change this superstar into being a team player, then it looks like you may have to sell him.

Patience definitely ice thin, regarding his "performances", I just wonder – in a better team, players, he would actually demonstrate, & play with other essential skills that us as Evertonians have NEVER seen.

He appears totally disillusioned with our all round tactics, attempts to play, otherwise he would attempt to improve this unfortunate status. Does anybody else think he appears totally uninterested with general play, unless the balls is actually played in front of him??

COYB

My issue is with those players around Lukaku – Mirallas, Lennon, Deulofeu and Barkley. In all honesty how many goals do they contribute – negligible and their work rate is largely non-existent.

Out of all the players mentioned Lukaku would garner serious money from a potential list of suitors. How many of the aforementioned others would ?

He is also a centre-forward who can't head a ball as he looks scared of it. He is the first Everton centre-forward I've ever seen who makes no attempt to attack a cross or a corner with his head. The Swansea keeper caught numerous crosses on Saturday completely unchallenged by our 'big' centre forward who, let's face it, doesn't lack height!

We will be lucky to get the silly money speculated for Lukaku because surely the biggest European teams want to buy more complete players who can do several aspects of the game and put in some efforts for their team. People have already mentioned the likes of Messi, Suarez and Ronaldo. Add Bale and others.

Barcelona and Real Madrid would not be in the market for a passenger on the field who may pop up with a few goals and nothing else. They certainly wouldn't pay huge money for a player scared of headers (just watch him!). In fact, where were all the so-called giants of football in the last transfer window? They've seen Luakau and made their decision on him that's why he's still with us!!

I'm going to be paying close attention to this during the derby.

Link

If true – and I'm not sure that it is – why didn't Webb inform the club(s) who these players were paid by? It's a disgrace that players would actively seek to be booked in order to attend family parties.

I wonder if we have had any players who have done this? Mmm.... Duncan, but he usually just punched somebody in order to have New Year off.

Lukaku was isolated for large periods of the game v Swansea. This against a team that played two banks, one of four and one of five.

We havent got a No 10 clever enough to get in between the lines in our squad. This, along with a centre-half, is a prority in January.

Coleman's strength is attacking, not defending; if he is asked to curb his runs it would be better to play Holgate at right back. A better defender in my opinion. No need for two defensive midfielders when both full backs are restricting their runs forward. With Holgate, I would look at 4-1-4-1... Gueye as holding midfielder.

Well impossible for me to say for sure why someone (other than me) does or doesn't do stuff.

I mean as preceptive as I undoubtedly am, I don't know what goes through Howard Webb's head.

That said, he was a ref, so it's in his nature to be twatty and dishonest.

We hear that his signings are mostly crap, his team selections are crap, his tactics are crap, his comments are crap, his whole persona is crap ...so just what is he getting paid for?

I'm not saying all this (only some of it!) It's just what I've read!