Everton set on keeping Niasse

Don't sell him in the next transfer window either.

Without Oumar, we would be in the relegation zone. That says it all.

Make him the club captain, both the seniors and kids could learn something.

The relegation candidates would have been cut adrift by Christmas and would be playing in their own mini league from December onwards to see which, if any, could climb out of the funeral pyre.

Last season saw a change, where a “clear” top seven emerged, of which we were seventh. A look at the table this season, shows the same pattern emerging, after Christmas. However, for reasons we are all aware of, we are now 9th and not 7th.

We, in fact, are 6 points behind Leicester and Burnley, who, in turn, are eight points behind Arsenal, who are in sixth.

So presently, we are fourteen points from the bottom of the leading pack, where, our history, tradition and ambition say we should at least be members of and twenty seven points from the head of the column, where again, our history, tradition and ambition say we should be. 27 points is nine wins, as opposed to nine defeats.

Burnley and Leicester, are, in historical terms, interlopers at the top table party. So too, historically, are Chelsea and Manchester City. Nowadays, of course, money talks, (it always did – the “Merseyside Millionaires”).

However, now we have some money, again, (maybe not as much as City and Chelsea, but more than most), we really need to take our place back amongst the elite, otherwise, we shall soon be recognised as a permanent part of the “second tier” of the Premier League and that will not be good for our image, for recruitment of players nor for the acquisition of new fans from the youngsters only just coming into the fray, each year.

Something at our club need to change, and quickly.

Time to get people in who can spot these when they start out. Is Walsh the man??? I think maybe not...

It's a shambles though that after £200 million pissed away we are relying on the signing made 2 years ago that we used as the biggest stick to destroy Roberto Martinez with. Maybe Martinez with more money might have slowly started getting it right who knows?

Tosun, I mean we need to give him time but you pay £27 million for a striker and so far I don't think he's had a noteworthy touch in the opposition penalty area .

For this reason, I was sceptical of bringing a unknown lad in with no Premier League experience, for a team that struggled for goals all season. We badly needed him to hit the ground running.

If he can get a few more goals before the end of the season and help us avoid relegation, we might just make a profit on Niasse.

Tosun looks okay to me but we have to create to see if he can score.

He looks ungainly and his general play outside of the box may not be top class but I would bet his stats for pass completion, headers won, etc, would stand comparison with Rooney and Calvert Lewin.

Aside from his impressive goals per minute total, his strength, enthusiasm, and energy when harrying defenders is invaluable to the team.

All strikers rely on good service into the box to score goals.

Given such service, I reckon he would end up our top scorer this season as he certainly has a poacher's instinct.

You say Aguero wouldn't have been able to score in the West Brom game but hey , Niasse was on for 56 seconds and got himself in the goal scoring position so that kind of contradicts that statement?

You must make intelligent runs (Kane, Aguero, Vardy) to drag defenders out of position.

And primarily you must get yourself in goal scoring positions as Niasse did instantly on Saturday.

Sorry mate, but I doubt it, I doubt it very much.

The bar is so low now that we may as well drop the motto from the badge again. Niasse can't be faulted for effort, but anyone who is 'delighted' by this news is part of the problem.

You should be outraged about the fact that we've failed to adequately replace Lukaku. Pissed off that we're not signing a left back. Furious that we've got a dinosaur of a manager who is utterly clueless about how to set a team up to get shots on goal.

New club, new country, different language – give the guy a chance, that's all I'm saying.

If we added another forward this summer so he was third or fourth choice and was content with that I'd keep him around another year, under new management obviously.

That is the heart of the problem at Everton now. Poor recruitment of players and poor recruitment of managers. No thought as to how players will fit in, whether they are good team players and whether they are any good. Same with managers. No homework done on Martinez, Koeman or Allardyce.

Say what you like about Moyes, and to be fair quite a bit could be levelled at him, so I'm not trying to say he was magnificent but most of his buys worked because he did his homework on players. His dithering at times drove me mad but most of the players bought into team spirit and would do anything to fight for the cause.

You watch the game on Saturday and how many players could you see doing that? Not many if any. Ever since Martinez came, players have come in and destroyed and team harmony we have.

Lukaku being one of the biggest. Good player but it was all about him. Couldn't care less about the team and with the odd exception like Gareth Barry, James McCarthy, two that spring to mind, the rest are just a bunch of egotistical footballers who just don't care. Until we get the recruitment right then this issue won't go away.

Same with managers. Martinez just got relegated but all Kenwright could see was a lucky cup win. It became apparent that Koeman had shocking relations at Southampton with players why wasn't this highlighted before we got him? Who's doing the homework on these managers? Allardyce, well a complete panic appointment who should never be within a mile of the club.

As sad as it is to say, we are pretty much in the same mess as when Moyes first got here. It's shocking to see how far we have fallen over the last 5 years and someone should be held accountable, shouldn't they Mr Kenwright! But they won't because the fans just won't protest or give him a hard time at the AGM. That's the problem at the club now, no accountability. Having fans lauding Niasse staying just shows how low the bar is just – like Paul McCoy said. Pitiful!!!

The youngsters have something to prove and it shows in their effort on the pitch.

I just don't see enough desire out of the rest of them including the manager. Niasse stands out like a sore thumb when he comes on. The lad is limited but he wants to win matches.

I wish he would have the balls to play Lookman instead of the unfit Bolasie. Play Davies with Gueye and leave Morgan to play with his game of thrones mates.

It was torturous in the Park End on Saturday having to put up with the PA system blurring put white noise for 30 mins and watching that awful display. The only highlight was Niasse.

The 'second tier', outside the elite, are Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal. They get near the elite, occasionally win a domestic trophy at best, and spend less than the elite.

We are 'third tier', below 'second tier'. We get near the 'second tier, but not near enough to nearly win even a domestic trophy. We spend less than the 'second tier'.

Below us is the 'fourth tier' – the rest. They never really win anything, apart from the infrequent domestic trophy, or very occasionally, like Leicester, spring a 1-in-25 year surprise (which in itself seems increasingly unlikely).

Moshiri might get us into the 'second tier' provided spending is judicious and we have luck. But the next level, the elite, the 'top tier' is beyond us without the wealth of Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea.

If fans not wanting to sell our most in form striker so players who aren't scoring can persist is wrong then there's something clearly wrong there, too.

Yeah, let's sell our only scoring striker because ‘he is shit'. That's akin to ‘take away Cahill's goals, what does he offer?'.

Selling Niasse at this point in the season is cutting off our nose to spite our face.

I agree that we're in the 3rd level, tucked in behind Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs; that said, Arsenal and Spurs fans are irate at the lack of spending at their respective clubs in recent times so maybe we have a chance to nip in and usurp one of them in the next few years.

It's sad to be talking like this, knowing our history and how good our team was in the 1980s, but that's 3 decades of institutional mismanagement for you.

He also uses his pace to harass defenders into making mistakes. He isn't pretty to watch but, if you give him the right service and support, he will get goals.

Even the BBC-esque media pundits nearly choke when Niasse, the unconventional footballer, gets into dangerous positions; the awkward playing Niasse causes panic. Gangly, plays out of position; yes; more like Forrest Gump than Nottingham Forrest (once Premier League equivalent football professionals); but like Forrest could run, Niasse can score.

'Score, Niasse, score! (for 'Run, Forrest, Run!) I am made-up he is not going anywhere, we simply need Niasse he will bring the appeal of Everton to the continents of this blue planet, with Senegal (the country) being in one no exception, rather if he gets to play in their World Cup again, Niasse will be a cult hero.

This is Niasse, the 'Water-boy-esque' person non grate footballer, who couldn't get a locker, whose sports bag was left in the Nil Satis Nisi Optimum famous Everton club corridor, who out-stayed his nemesis Koeman – albeit Koeman acquired a love for the Senegalese mis-fit because he kept him in the managerial job longer than he would have otherwise.

Admittedly Niasse looks best as an impact sub rather than starting, but he is a goal scorer. If he's happy with a place on the bench, great.

Unless you are a mega rich club you are not going to get too quality players to sit on the bench every week. You need players like Niasse for this reason he is well worth keeping.

He was Player of the Year in Russia, now we know why. He continues to score vital goals, but there's no pleasing some folk!

I think I am justified in having a go at Wayne but I have to admit his goals have kept us away from the bottom three: erm... up to now!!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueCvMz0SLKs

When we purchased Tosun I, like some others, stated that he could never score more than the occasional goal irrespective of his ability given the fact we barely create any chances. Our system is useless.

Now I look at Niasse's record and I am asking myself: how can an average at best forward have such a good scoring record amid such crap?

Can he be just lucky? Or does he do something his team-mates are not able to do? Do we actually play better football when he's on the pitch?

If he's the only one with the particular set of skills needed to score in the present context (unbalanced team/poor tactics whatever you think the case to be) why doesn't he play more minutes? Can't Calvert-Lewin be coached into Niasse's mould?

Confused

It will be as well to bear in mind too that their fortunes also improved after Oumar went there on loan, where he also scored some important goals, almost resulting in Hull escaping the drop.

I don't think anyone should underestimate the impact and effect he can have.

His greatest impact may well be coming on as a sub with 30 minutes to go, but nevertheless, if he scores a goal (or more) in that time frame and turns no points into 1 or 1 point into 3, he is doing what is asked and what he is paid for.

That is more than can be said for some of the other playing staff that are currently "gracing" Goodison Park.

The kid is currently keeping us out of the relegation zone. No arguments or analysis please, he has to be kept.

H'es an absolute nightmare for defenders with an instinct for being in the right place to score – and amongst those who've scored six or more Premier League goals this season, only Kane, Salah and Aguero score more frequently than Oumar!

Also, a goal every 98 minutes is truly tremendous and up there with the best ever in the Premier League.

A cult hero in the making, if not already there.

He may be gangly, unorthodox and unpredictable but those are exactly the reasons why opponents find him difficult to play against. He's a great old-fashioned goal poacher, a description which has mostly disappeared these days with so much emphasis being placed on workmate, pressing and tackling back.

In the good old days, many teams had a centre forward or inside forward who would spend their time prowling the opposition half, and had the knack, like. Niasse, of getting into the penalty area and being in the right place at the right time to pick up balls, and instantly react and score goals.

It's a sadly lost art for the most part nowadays but I think, with his early days being spent in his homeland, playing without the 'benefit' of modern coaching, Niasse learned the very basic art of putting the ball in the back of the net.

Great that he's staying. No way should he be sold even at the end of the season. He is an ideal impact sub, and should become an integral part of our first team set up.

Go Oumar!

The only Roy of the Rovers stuff amongst a collection of overpaid prima donnas.

Yes, I remember Vardy scoring that once in a career worldy. I don't dispute that Vardy is a consistent high scorer for his team.

The point I was trying to make (albeit clumsily) was that you don't have to be a consummate footballer to put the ball in the net on a regular basis. Given the same quality of service and support by his team, I am sure that Niasse would score as many goals as Vardy.

More like a modern-day Straq to me and therefore just as deserving of affection.

How about a 4-1-3-2 formation with Niasse coming on upfront?

Pickford
Kenny (Coleman) Keane Williams Garbutt (Baines)
Gueye
Walcott Sigurdsson Bolasie
Tosun Rooney

Niasse always plays better when coming off the bench... is it because he is not as good when he starts a game and in that logic says he is better coming off the bench.

If we go back to the last season or so, Everton have nearly always started a game poorly, often ending in giving a goal away and chasing the game; this could be down to poor team selection or formation, for whatever reason, we just do not start a game and put the other team to bed.

That is why probably Niasse does not seem as effective when starting.

That is where our problem lies, starting a game on the front foot and getting that all-important first goal in a game. If we can rectify that, confidence and results will follow.

He is big. strong and given a yard can put the ball in the net.

In the short term he can help as he has shown and certainly for the remainder of this season as there is little else unless you persist with Calvert-Lewin and we all know Sandro is a bust.

The crowd has started to get agitated again, but if we played this way for a while, I think we would see goals, excitement, and it might even stop being a chore, going to the match again?

It is really sad to read so many posts that state that they can only look forward to the end of the season. I must admit that I am one of a growing group who have the same thought in mind.

Just hope it will be in the Premier League next season.

That silly diversion aside, I can only agree with everyone else in saying Niasse is indispensible to us at present. I wouldn't say build the team around him, but he definitely can make an impact as a second half sub.

Minutes on the pitch 2015-16 = 169 goals = 0
Minutes on the pitch 2016-17 = 0 goals = 0
Minutes on the pitch 2017-18 = 590 goals = 6

So this season is 99, but overall it is 127.

Lineker was a goal every 122 minutes in the season he played for us.

Allardyce out – ANYONE else in.

Our worst managerial appointment EVER. And I mean EVER.

His Premier League record since he took over,

won Huddersfield
draw our neighbours (a)
won Newcastle (a)
won Swansea
draw Chelsea
draw West Ham (a)
lost Bournemouth (a)
lost Man Utd
lost Spurs (a)
draw West Brom

I don't see any great surprises there apart we would expect to beat West Brom at Goodison, maybe get a draw at Bournemouth but that's debatable. On the other hand, we drew at Anfield and drew with Chelsea here at Goodison.

Are you a relative?

I was hoping we'd sell Niasse and bring someone in this window, but any incoming striker has to settle and we need goals now so Niasse should stay as our super sub and the situation be reviewed in the summer. He seems to have a knack of scoring whenever he comes on at Goodison.

Klopp becomes a kropper!!!!

Let's hope it's the start of many, will certainly bring them down a peg, they looked very ordinary tonight. Fair play to Swansea, they took the game to them.

"Sonny, don't tell me how, just tell me how many!!"

With Oumar, it's better to ignore the how and just focus on the how many!

He's the only guy who can consistently score and the only one who gives his all after putting on an Everton kit; the only one who isn't scared of whom the hell he is up against. Anytime we go behind, he is the only one who steps ahead and bails us out and gets the crowd into it, whereas others are scared of going further behind and end up like a rout.

He deserves all the support from us and I would love to hear the Oumar chant along with the Everton chant consistently throughout the stadium, so other players take notice as well.

The other thing I have said numerous times is our midfield is too slow. We need to have a central attacking midfielder who can hold the ball by shielding it for more than 5 seconds when we build an attack or to take pressure off the defence. Also, one who can run with the ball when counter-attacking from our box to the other box quickly without losing the ball with his pace and then laying off a pass without needing to hoof it forward.

Sigurdsson can get into the box, albeit slowly, but he is more than capable of picking out a pass or putting in a cross for the strikers to finish. Rooney can do that but he can only last for 45 mins but also can end making a fatal pass quite often. Davies and Dowell will develop into one in 2 or 3 years time who will do it consistently. But right now we need one of Mahrez or Shaqiri, who are gettable for a decent price as they are not in the top 6 clubs – else they would have been difficult to get. They are not fixed Number 10 players. They can play anywhere in midfield, especially Shaqiri, who plays with Allen or Adam.

The last thing I would like to know is what kind of owner Moshiri is? If he is a Man City or PSG kind of owner, then we are in for exciting times ahead. Man City and PSG were hardly known by anyone, always in the bottom half of the table, before being taken over.

Even for them, it took at least one or two seasons to get it right. Initially signing all money-grabbing players, including Aguero, saying that as an angry Atletico supporter, before they won their first major trophy, the Premier League, after which all the big-name players and coaches got interested. I think Chelsea also did the same thing as Abramovich never sold his best players, Lampard, Drogba or Terry, but only bought them.

But if he is a Monaco or Valencia kind of owner, then we are doomed. Both clubs' owners promised a lot in the first season, spending a lot, then next season started showing their true colors with sell-to-buy policies but doing it correctly, bringing in the right replacements, the thing which will eventually fail.

AC Milan's new owners have done the same thing as us, spending money on money-grabbers or midtable team players as initially Man City and PSG did. I feel in the summer we will get our answer, if we are going the Man City way or the Monaco way...

In the summer, two top defenders and one pacy central attacking midfielder are a must, obviously without selling any top players, as we don't have one, unless we hastily sell Sigurdsson or Tosun after just their first seasons. Young players like Lookman, Davies, and Vlasic should either be loaned out or played consistently but should not be sold at any cost. We have got a very exciting team coming up in 3 or 4 years time.

However, the direct quote on the subject from Klopp was:-

"He was shouting at me all the time. Sorry, I reacted one time," said Klopp.

"I remind myself I am a human being and not a professional manager who takes that all the time."

He added: "At one point, I said 'please'. He felt quite good because nobody can do anything. He is in a good position. I'm sure I'm not the first manager."

It seems like his halo as the media's darling manager, is slipping and, under pressure, he begins to show his true self.

I don't care if he scores all his goals from the ball bouncing off his arse while he's looking the other way. Better than someone who doesn't score but has the first touch, trapping, dribbling skills etc of a Ronaldo or a Cryuff.

"I don't see any great surprises there apart we would expect to beat West Brom at Goodison, maybe get a draw at Bournemouth but that's debatable. On the other hand, we drew at Anfield and drew with Chelsea here at Goodison."

Does our appalling shots on goal come as a surprise at all, or do you feel attacking is an over-rated tactic and we can 0-0 our way to safety?

Certainly he's turned it around through no shortage of hard work. Certain cult hero status when he eventually does move on.

It's all very well suggesting that we do a swap etc, but players are human beings at the end of the day; have families, children in schools and such like. It's not that easy to just up sticks and move; that is assuming the player(s) would agree in the first place.

I do laud you however on the absence of Schneiderlin and Martina; I think most of us realise that replacing both with able players could transform us. However Sam does not look like dropping either in the near future; and unless replacements come in this window, there is little chance of any change; sad but true.

Yes totally agree it is not as easy to just swap players but would be nice to get both off the payroll. I was probably just thinking wouldn't that would be nice.

At the moment Schneiderlin and Martina should be no where near the first team, not good enough and cause of most problems each week.

I suppose also it depends on Moshiri, if he really wants us to move forward then maybe we sometimes have to pay over the odds also for players like Mawson.

Which of our defenders impress? None in my opinion. It's little wonder Sams picking two defensive midfielders to try an protect the back four, but that's not working very well now is it.

The problem for me is that all of our players are below top six standard except Pickford. Performances should improve when we get Coleman back and we can integrate our new signings. We shall wait and see!

[Sorry the post is off topic; I commented on Niasse earlier in the thread.]

Honestly, I don't think it is his wages. He could probably get the same amount or more at other clubs. Don't get me wrong, I love it that he is a blue but why is he still here?

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2018/01/22/fearless-niasse-welcomes-competition-for-places

Also (I think) there is some sort of clause that if you request a transfer you waive the right to receive any financial settlement from your club.

Every signing seems to add more dross to his squad and he hasn't a clue what to do with it!

Long-term we should demand better, but for now he is an example for the rest of the squad of how to keep your head held high in the face of adversity!

Niasse is a lone wolf operator who adheres to no system and therefore cannot be neutralised by system tactics. He moves the ball into space whatever way he can. By his athleticism and a never-say-die attitude, he provides momentum and unpredictability. Once in a shooting position, his natural striker instincts take over.

He is successful as a sub with Everton, because he is brought on to save the day and Everton are forced to play higher up the pitch. Niasse, like other strikers, is left isolated if a defensive system is adapted. But he is still a loose-ball threat.

Shots on goal are first determined by midfield play, which if overly defensive is not creating. He wasn't Russian Player of the Year for nothing; those that are supposed to be better than him would not achieve it if they played in The Russian League.

What on earth has happened to Klaassen? There is never even a mention of him in any news medium. Not much about Ramirez either.

Koeman must have had the sun in his eyes when he made those pre season signings. Any Everton supporter could have done better.

He also didn't want to give Niasse the slightest chance to play.

Regarding the judgement of Evertonians, since you mention Niasse, I recall that last season, most posts on ToffeeWeb mentioning Niasse were basically saying that he was absolutely shite, and that somebody needed to be taken to task for signing him in the first place.

The problem is that neither was afforded a decent amount of time to settle in as the rest of the team were also not of form, and the hunt for points has been so pressing that they are too big a risk to play. I think that under different circumstances both could have done well. Think ex-Ajax man Pienaar.

The problem isn't that these players are garbage, it's that they were the not the signings we needed in the positions required. Why buy Rooney, Klaassen AND Sigurdsson? Why no wingers or a decent left back over the summer? And most importantly of all, why not re-invest some of the 㿷M Lukaku fee on a proven striker?

Koeman and Walsh got it all wrong. I feel sorry for the likes of Niasse, Sandro and Klaassen who have all been brought in without careful consideration. I hope Sandro and Klaassen can pull things back as Niasse has done. I'm pretty sure Klaassen has a solid professionalism and will keep plugging away. Hopefully Tosun will also be given the chance to find his feet before being similarly dropped.

The question is where to go from here. This season is a writeoff. We're not going down, but we're unlikely to break into Europe either. The board need to decide on a long-term manager who can bring a vision for the future, but also grind out results in the short term. The dead wood needs to be cut and key positions need to be filled long term. I'm far from convinced Allardyce is the man for the job, but who is available to replace him next term?

Personally, I judge him by his goals return. If he wanders around the halfway line sucking his thumb but bursts into life once a game and scores, that will do me.

Niasse does so much more: he closes down and really annoys defenders and whenever he has been on the pitch has looked our most likely goal scorer. I would love to see him paired with Tosun or Lookman.