Dowell fires England into last 16 of U20 World Cup

Jonjoe Kenny should break through this next season. Dowell and Walsh may be able to as well or go on loan to the Championship.

COYB

Thought Dowell looked good too and, if they both carry on progressing as they are, we will have two real gems on our hands.

I read an interview with Paul Simpson on Football365.com and the coaching staff are putting development and the experience of the tournament first with the squad. It read like the Everton players involved are going to come back better players for the experience.

Simpson also highlighted how the clubs have bought into this tournament when they haven't in the past and have allowed a lot of their better young players to go. The fact that Everton allowed five players selected to go makes it look that we are continuing to take youth development seriously. Calvert-Lewin, Lookman, and to a lesser extent Dowell and Kenny have all been involved in the senior squad this season and it would have been easy for the club to look to hang on to them. We could have stated that it was a long season and we wanted the players to have a rest before pre-season.

Dowell and Kenny have played well, in competitive games, in a tournament, and have put themselves in the frame for a place in the Everton squad for next season. Calvert-Lewin and Lookman have also been given game time and will benefit in the same way. The club will benefit from this as all we will have to do is bring the players back that bit later for pre-season. Their fitness levels aren't going to be affected and they will be highly motivated anyway.

The Soton surplus fullback plus an over the top Rooney and a mediocre class Deeney are not going to improve the current squad. They will be taking up valuable bench room at the expense of promising youngsters who may surprise us all.

If the squad next season is a mix of selected additions (narks with quality, experience, and a winning attitude), current quality on the squad (Coleman, Gueye, Schneiderlin, Holgate, Davis, Romelu?, Mirallas?, Baines), a top goalie, (Hart?), and some excellent stepper uppers from the U23s (Kenny – surely, Walsh, Dowell, Pennington, Browning etc.) then we should be in a good shape.

The real focus within the squad building must be the play-maker and the link-up between creative midfield and the finisher(s). Looks likely to be Rooney. This could be a real backward step or a masterstroke. A gamble should be worth taking...

The window should be very interesting including for Steve Walsh's reputation for unearthing gems. No space for Ross – looks like he is a gonner. Great shame that he never was tried as a free range out-and-out attacker. I would have loved to have seen him in that role.

COYB

Kenny has now been MotM in two out of the three games. From the highlights, Lookman also looked lively and was unlucky not to score.

Dowell for me is a great talent with a quality left foot, but I'm not sure he has what Koeman wants in a midfielder. Hope I'm wrong as I'd love to see the kid exposed to Premier League minutes next season. As for Kenny... looks the real deal. As does Lookman.

Kenny is long due the recognition he is getting lately, proper skipper too. Good to see Dowell impress, he is an undoubted talent, just needs more industry.

There are others too, potentially more impressive. I can't wait to watch Robinson at Goodison Park, bombing down the left (Leighton who ?). Harry Charsley and Liam Walsh both provide lots of progressive energy in midfield. I'm not so sure about the strikers we have on the books, for power and pace I hope we get Donkor back. Niasse also played well with the U23s before his loan to Hull.

The lads mentioned above, a top goalie, a decent striker, a monster of a centre-back and a world class # 10 combined with the current squad minus deadwood / want-aways and I would say we have the makings of a team capable of pushing for a Champions League spot next season.

I got so tired of calling for him late in the season that I developed carpal tongue syndrome, but hopefully this kind of performance will give him the confidence to break into the first team more often. He's the real deal.

Love what I saw of Kenny going forward, but I'll reserve judgement until I see him play defense.