Everton's lost identity

We need someone in the team who can get a grip in midfield and provide a bit of oomph and aggression. Oh for a Lee Carsley or a Tommy Gravesen, never mind a Peter Reid or a Paul Bracewell.

I never thought I would write this, but it's interesting that the word from Middlesbrough is how well Mo Besic is doing there. Now we can all debate how good Mo is, but you can't deny he's a trier (even if “over-enthusiastic” at times) and he shows that he does care, unlike too many of the shower wearing blue these days.

I also think you're right about following the Atletico Madrid model. The mad transfer activity of the club shows that you can spend loads of money and make things worse.

There needs to be a balance between developing players through the academy and clever recruitment (along the lines of Tim Cahill and Seamus).The emphasis has to be on players with the right character coming into the team, not just the fact that they cost £27 million (or more).

All of which makes you wonder just what the hell Steve Walsh does all day!

Most business corporations want to put out a 'mission statement' and wrap it up in a nice glossy set of photos or promotional video.

I think we as a club have a history which is rich in tradition, but one that we also suffer from. "Only the best is good enough" is a wonderful mantra, but it becomes a bit of a stale one -liner if it is clear to all and sundry that we do not live up to it. In fact it becomes a big millstone which we can't get out from under.

Next time there is a wizzo presentation opportunity, AGM or end of season bash, there should be a concerted effort to draft a 'mission statement for the club which really covers all bases.The skill then becomes the Shakespearean Salesman's input; with the gimmicky, catchy sound-bites that stick in the mind, or on the bottom of your shoe if you don't get it quite right....

As a start point I think Paul's message is as stated, very interesting. For my input, I suggest the following 'key points' which could be rolled out as needing to be captured in any promotional message :-

1. School of science – beautiful footy, where football skills, strategies and intelligence come together.

2. Play the game – pretty obvious on the face of it, but a commitment to fair play (no diving), no time wasting, respecting the refs decisions, delegating communication through the Captain, all contribute.

3. Home grown talent – Appreciate the qualities that the youngsters bring to the squad, namely a sense of family, respect / love for the Club that does not diminish with age (no matter what the cost) but understanding that if youngsters don't make the grade then they can usually make a living for themselves in football (or out of it) as the case may be.

4. EitC – Job being well done and should be maintained, but not at the expense of the Club's first priority – developing a winning mentality and the football it creates.

I think you get my drift; the mission statement should be updated and expanded on with due deference for our history as well as a charge-up for getting us out of the difficult situation we are in at present, for example will this be the season when our run in the Premier League finally comes to an end?

Any ideas...?

Otherwise, we stay like lonely folk on a dating website that will become anything for a date or a quick "win".

How many times over the last few years has everyone in the stadium known what needs to happen except for the man on the bench with the power to actually make that decision? Martinez literally talked about ‘educating the fans' and the other managers have shown the kind of arrogance that suggests they either don't care what the fans think or they think the fans don't understand the game.

Oh, and will anybody, ever, pick a team of eleven players all playing in their natural positions?

We need a manager who can command the respect of the squad, motivate them and get them to express their talent and enjoy their football. Parking the bus and long-ball tactics breed negativity and quash creativity. The game has to be enjoyable for the players and fans.

The manager, whoever he may happen to be only has to identify which eleven players plus substitutes are fit for purpose and players that suit his particular system for any given matchday, Drill them during the training days leading up to the match day, and tell them what their jobs are individually and collectively. If they fail to do their jobs as an individual for a few games then drop them and draft in the next in line to do that job.

Management must stop picking the team by numbers, ie, if your best left-sided defender is not quite as fit as the makeshift right-back playing left-back, is that really a good enough reason to continue playing the makeshift player?

Likewise, if you have a winger that isn't quite as fit as the young forward who finds it difficult to play on the wing is it not worth risking playing the bona-fide winger, even if he can't last the full 90 minutes. Just two examples why the team is losing too often and failing to win far too often.

I get the feeling that too much information is being fed to the players, who on the whole tend not to be rocket scientists. So crowding their heads with mind-boggling stats and complicated plays cannot be of much help if they are struggling to master the basic principles of the game.

But the overall message from the manager should be "Go out on to the pitch, do your best and for God's sake enjoy the game." Too many of our players look as if they would prefer to be anywhere else but out on a football pitch, that's no way for any team sport participants to be and it certainly isn't a demeanour that suggests they will win very often.

Obviously confidence is in short supply and has been for a good while, but even when this group is winning they don't seem to be enjoying it. There is something wrong with the whole set-up on the playing side and it'll take more than mission statements etc to put it right.

Football should be fun even for the highly-paid professionals and at the minute there is absolutely no fun on view from the players or the fans. If there's a person out there who has the gift to help the Everton players to enjoy the game once again and can get those players to produce their best in a professional manner, then please write to Mr Moshiri c/o Everton Football Club.

Substance and style are not mutually exclusive – at the moment ,we have neither.

Our next manager is crucial, and unfortunately may take time to establish and mould the club. We can't go back to Moyes but he did set out his stall. It's a pity he never had the proper bankroll and then started talking about himself in the third person.

I feel like I'm writing the same thing over, but Moshiri will have hopefully learned from this expensive Goldilocks approach to recruiting a manager.

I never thought we were in danger of the drop this season... but another mess like this next season, and well it would be far from impossible, regardless of what we spent so far. Let's just hope he doesn't brick it and get in Big Ron or Harry Rednapp a couple of games in if we aren't in the top 6.

Appoint managers based on the style of play the club chosen and embraces, rather than appointing managers with such varying philosophies as we have over the past few years.

Finally, sign players that will fit in with how we play – not a scattergun approach that we use currently.

No Football Club would sell its best Centre Forward in a generation and not have secured the services of a competent replacement.

No football club would start the season without cover at left back, never mind loaning out Galloway and consigning Garbutt to the U23s.

No football club would have stated the season without getting in a left sided Centre Half and finally no football club would have gone out and bought numerous No 10s as we did.

Why did we do this. It was and is madness. It has leal us to the most embarrassing season I can remember. The seasons when we dallied with relegation had their excuse – no money to spend. Money is no longer an excuse.

Why is it always EFC? We all knew Burnley would beat us – when I heard the stat that they had never won from a losing position for 54 games – it was obvious we would oblige. "It was ever thus", to coin a phrase from Oliver Hardy.

Something is going on at Goodison and it stinks. I don't know what it is but the smell is getting stronger by the minute.

Moyes got it partly right, but was never able to produce the tights and consistency of Kendall. I blame this on the Board who allowed him to have a glass ceiling; The People's Club with little finance, supported by pundits.

Martinez developed the offensive tactics, but defensively he was naive and didn't realise the necessity to move inconsistent and comfortable players on.

Koeman was a fraud, who bought in players for a god knows what system. He hadn't a clue. The Youth development policy started to breakdown.

Allardyce has been a complete disaster, with his short termism mind set. Not interested in coaching and has dismantled the youth policy. I think only Unsworth can redeem the Everton Way, but where is he going to get the support.

Most Everton supporters on ToffeeWeb can identify with style of play you crave, but the Board and Management haven't a clue unfortunately. A lot of the problems are because of this and repeatedly on ToffeeWeb the contributors identify the weakness according to the traditional template.

"It was ever thus", never knew that saying came from Oliver Hardy, I always associated it with Joe Mercer the old Everton player, maybe Joe was a Laurel and Hardy fan.

Sky presenter asks:

Q. What is this club's ambition for the new season ahead?

A. To play entertaining football throughout and win the League Cup !.

To me... nothing else matters!!!

So maybe the next step is to take the rest of the season to identify a manager who also fits our long-term needs and wants in that regard? If there is no experienced manager of that type available, get a younger one who has shown the right intentions!

I'm still not a fan of Walsh's efforts so far! But there could be differences between what the scouts are asked to find, and what Koeman or Allardyce are capable of using...

Jurgen Klopp: Man Utd v Liverpool is 'biggest game I can imagine'

"Moyes got it partly right, but was never able to produce the tights and consistency of Kendall."

Thank god for that. Moyes in tights is not a pleasant thing to imagine.