Injured duo ruled out of trip to Hull

Similarly with McCarthy consistently up and down; a one-dimensional player, his now injury prone record leaves him on the shelf, for me.

Is he at Everton? The thought of Cleverley and Barry playing together all January isn't good. Rest assured, Gibson will still be injured!

Mo has another 4 years of his Everton contract to run but is out injured at the minute. I can't remember if the club gave a likely return date to fitness but imagine it won't be in January at any rate.

Besic won't be ready until the end of the season, because of a knee injury sustained in the pre-season against Man Utd that needed surgery. We'll probably see him next next season.

I've predicted ever since his latest injury that we've seen the last of Besic. I say he'll be moved on in the summer without ever having the chance to put on an Everton shirt again. And I've been saying so since long before the Schneiderlin rumors.

Hull are a rubbish team but seem to raise their game against Everton and after their home defeat last time out may be even more desperate to get something as they really are in dire straits.

We just need Everton to play as well as they did at Leicester which includes the first half an hour that they always go missing in.

Gueye going to Afcon should be mitigated by McCarthy returning and hopefully, Davies staying in the side. Barry should never be first choice again.

Hopefully with Gana away we will get reinforced in January and also Tom Davies will get more game time.

I like the team spirit in last few games; we may have a little deadwood but entrust the manager to bring in a little more quality in the next few weeks.

First, the guy cannot stay healthy, cannot be counted on, and we know how managers love that.

But second, and more important, keep in mind Koeman has seen lots of a healthy Besic. He went against him three times in the past two seasons (Besic got the start alongside Davies against Saints last spring), and took a real good look at a him this preseason, twice as a starter and twice as a sub.

And what did Koeman do? He immediately went shopping balls-to-the-wall for Gana, Witsel and Sissoko, defensive mids all. Had Sissoko not bailed at the end, he'd have bought two of the three for £38 million... BEFORE Mo got hurt.

I say the man doesn't write those checks (especially that ridiculous £30M for Sissoko) if he fancies Mo Besic. Nor does he have any reason to keep him around if Gana, Macca, Schneiderlin, Barry and Davies are all on hand.

So that's why I predict he's already gone.

We must be paying them a small fortune to keep them on the payroll. I'd rather get rid of all of them and use their wages to better effect.

My guess is that Besic will be given some time in and around the first team (when fit; I think they are looking at February) before they make a call on him. I for one think he is a Koeman sort of player. One who can get around the pitch, pass the ball and contribute in attack and defence.

He signed a 5½-year deal last year as well. Getting rid of him isn't going to be as straightforward as McCarthy, who wants to leave and will have Premier League suitors who can match his wages, or an Arouna Kone for example who has limited time left on his deal anyway.

Don't get me wrong, he needs to stay fit, his injury this time (ACL) is bad luck more than anything else though? It is not like a hamstring of McCarthy that seems to be a deeper issue; or the catalogue of injuries someone like big Dunc had throughout his career.

These players won't get better deals elsewhere, so we may have to wait for contracts to run out.

Davies is way too young to be relied upon in the engine room. Can't think of any 18-year-olds who have been regular premier league starters in centre midfield. It's such a physically demanding position. I'll be surprised if he makes a real breakthrough this season. I think it's far more likely he'll continue to get tasters of action before going on loan once we get more senior players in.

I know many on here will disagree, but it isn't stifling his development getting players in who are fully developed and acclimatised to the physical demands of Premier League football. He's 18 and probably not going to be a regular starter for a couple of seasons... if he continues to progress.

He may well be a potential superstar, who knows? But many variables need to be considered, such as: weight of expectation, physical demands, lack of experience, and a level of maturity that is required to handle the pressures.

It's all very well wanting Davies to be a regular, but what happens when the kid has a dip in form and makes mistakes? It's inevitable at his age and it would certainly be tough for a kid to deal with.

This is why most youngsters get a chance at fullback or in a forward position. These roles are less physically and mentally demanding than centre-midfield or centre-back.

Quality passing with his left peg, presses well and retains possession with surprising strength. A real hint of a more athletic Jack Wilshere.

While Schneiderlin would improve us I think his travails at manure have probably demonstrated he is not a top 4 player. I think we should only be looking at potential top 4 players if possible given that is the road we are aiming for.

I would add Cleverley and Lennon to the list as neither would make the squad of any ambitious top six club.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/Everton-transfer-rumours-35m-moussa-11646488

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/21/juventus-Everton-newcastle-moussa-sissoko

Also, Besic has exactly the same "deeper issue" as Macca with the hamstring... the current injury is a knee, but he has missed extended periods because of hamstring issues. Three months and two months, if I recall correctly.

Finally, I'm not sure how you see Besic contributing on offense. In 35 appearances for us he has no goals, no assists. In fact, in 149 career senior games for club and country, he has scored exactly one goal. One. For a midfielder. Not a stay-at-home defender like Hibbo, but a box-to-box midfielder. That's almost impossible.

As for McCarthy I think, despite being not that old, his body is breaking down. He plays at 100% intensity and has played a lot of games from a young age (iirc he was starting for Wigan as a teenager). The writing was on the wall last season and we should have sold him in the summer. We'd have recouped our initial investment. I don't see us selling in January, unless the player tries to force a move. A pity because I really like McCarthy and he was a good signing but when a player starts getting repeatedly injured it usually only goes one way.