Niasse in pole position at Everton for now

Friday, 2 February, 2018 79comments  |  Jump to most recent

Sam Allardyce has suggested that, while new signing Cenk Tosun acclimatises to the Premier League, Oumar Niasse is currently Everton's most reliable source of goals.

The Senegalese striker is the Blues' second-top scorer with seven in all competitions but has the best goals-to-minutes-played ratio in the side with most of them scored coming off the substitutes' bench.

As a result, Niasse was handed his second start of the calendar year against Leicester City on Wednesday and while he failed to register on the night, missing badly with one opportunity and spurning another chance later on, he came very close to adding to his tally.

While impressed with the way in which Dominic Calvert-Lewin carried the striking responsibilities earlier in the season, Allardyce has acknowledged that it was a big ask of someone so young and that the 20-year-old needs time to develop.

Article continues below video content


Tosun, meanwhile, struggled to make an impact in what were two poor team displays against Tottenham and West Brom and watched the midweek win from the bench as an unused substitute.

Allardyce admits that he wouldn't say he has a “No 1” striker who would be guaranteed to start each week but Niasse is currently the closest thing he has at the moment.

“[I]f you look at Oumar and Oumar's minutes-per-goals, it's exceptionally good,” the manager said. “Sadly, on Wednesday night he missed two very, very good chances. It could've been 2-0 and then after the kick-off it should've been 3-0 but he just over-hit that one.

“He could've had at least two goals in that game for us which would've been fantastic for us and him but the most important thing at the end of the day was we won, which we did.

“But he appears, at the moment, to be the best player to score goals for us at the moment.

“We don't know too much about Cenk yet, he's coming from abroad which is the hardest thing to do as a frontman — succeed in the Premier League and especially so in January.

“I think Dominic has been the most consistent performer, I don't think there's been any doubt about that since I've been here and from what people tell me about before I came.

“But it's the goal-factor. Your goal-factor, if you are No 1 in that position, has to be in double figures.

“[Dominic] is a young man who will get better and better with experience and not too many players play that amount of games at his age up front.

“So if he improves his goal-scoring ratio... because he's certainly got the physical attributes... but he has got to improve his overall game technically and he's got to find a way of finding more goals in the box when we get to that level.”

 

Reader Comments (79)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


Brian Williams
1 Posted 02/02/2018 at 16:57:11
Hmmm... not so sure about that after Wednesday!
Jim Bennings
2 Posted 02/02/2018 at 16:57:17
Why am I already getting that worrying feeling about Tosun??

Something similar to the one I had regarding Sandro around about November time?

Time will tell but I bloody well wish we’d have just splashed out on a “proven” Premier League striker..

Peter Hughes
3 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:00:06
Jim Benning, my sentiments entirely!
Steve Bell
4 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:03:34
As a £27m signing (regardless of the fact we bought him in January) I'd have expected Tosun to get his introduction to the Premier League style and tempo by starting the majority of games, even if he's later subbed – as per his price tag.

Niasse is full of heart and running and is Everton through and through – he's also scored some crucial goals for us, but none as a starter (I think) – all have come off the bench? Why then does that make him our first choice starting striker?

Just swap him in for Tosun after an hour if we need to. Instead expect Niasse's "exceptionally good" goals to game ratio to drop off over the next few weeks, the more he starts. FFS Sam play to our striker's strengths!

Gavin Johnson
5 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:04:46
Tosun needs to get minutes to acclimatise. The logic would be to play him and then let Niasse do what he does best. Come on as super sub the 2nd half.

It's really too early to say, but my gut feeling is that we will spending big on another striker as well as the left-back we're crying out for this summer.

Dave Abrahams
6 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:06:16
"We don't know too much about Cenk yet, he's coming from abroad which is the hardest thing to do as a frontman – succeed in the premier league, especially in January" this Is Sam talking: Then why did we spend over

£20M on a player we don't know too much about, didn't anyone at the club know much about him. You do realise, I hope, that Niasse scores most of his goals coming off the bench.

David Pearl
7 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:08:41
Good news as far as I'm concerned. He has improved his presence and must keep his confidence up and make sure he gets himself into those goalscoring positions. He's also working well and can keep up with Walcott and also offers a ball to a forward looking Rooney.

I'd of thought that Tosun would of been a good option of the bench to hold the ball in the later stages of the Leicester game but Sam Allardyce chose to bring off Calvert-Lewin. So no pressure on Tosun, let's bring him in slowly and let him acclimatise.

Jamie Crowley
8 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:12:20
I think Tosun will be just fine in the end.

I get the hunch Sam doesn't like him at all, and this was definitely a Walsh signing.

Tosun looked to me to have some talent. I liked his quick one-touch "flicks" and what not. I'd bet Sam wants him to knock that off and hold the ball up more.

Who knows... Tosun will be fine in the end, probably under a different manager.

Lawrence Green
9 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:17:15
When I saw Tosun in his debut game at Wembley, I instinctively knew he was the wrong type of striker to fit in with Big Sam's approach to the game. Tosun looks more like a player who needs a big partner up front and isn't the sort to lead the line on his own. If Sam is here next season, Tosun probably won't be, unless Big Sam has a change of heart and decides to play with two strikers.

Fortunately, it looks like Walcott might chip in with a few much-needed goals, but how can the club spend so much on a striker that the manager doesn't seem to fancy and one who doesn't fit into the manager's preferred way of playing? Director of Football, what a misnomer that is turning out to be.

Jim Bennings
10 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:28:16
I just don’t know!

Too many of these players don’t settle into the culture of England/Merseyside, or the power and frenetic nature of the Premier League.

Sandro apparently came out in his interview upon joining Sevilla all but saying he hated life in England and the culture was too much to get used to.

Time will tell but I prefer to see players who are familiar with the British game and with a track record like Walcott for example you know what you get.

Jay Harris
11 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:30:38
I don't think Allardyce fancied Tosun from the start. He seemed to be a "director's" choice based on the Monaco game.
Harry Wallace
12 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:32:44
Never known a time since Smith days when I’ve disliked so many players and had such little respect and trust of management team.
Peter Gorman
13 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:37:20
Dave Abrahams – you've said it, how can we not know too much about a player we've spent so much on? Unless it is another Walsh signing and he just means 'we' the coaches.

This set-up doesn't seem to be bearing much fruit. Would prefer managers to have far more say in which players come in, like days of yore.

Darren Hind
14 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:37:31
So Jay,

Who do you think is responsible for making the signings?

Dermot Byrne
15 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:41:36
Makes sense. Introduced with 20 mins here and there.

Moved to Tyneside when 19. Took me 12 years to deliver despite my £120,000 every 10 years gravy train. Sympathy gushes!

Dermot Byrne
16 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:45:45
TW committee Darren. Never got a place on it but word is there is a meeting in Caymans before every transfer window. The committe gets there, has a few glasses and then fights.

Last one standing gets their player/manager.

Word is (insert here) is a hard lad who can hold his cocktails!

Michael Lynch
17 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:46:22
Interesting stuff as usual from Allardyce. Whatever you think of him as a manager, or as a person, he does explain the nitty gritty of club management better than most.

I totally get what he's saying about Calvert-Lewin – he's been fantastic but it's all about goals in the end, and he hasn't been getting all that many. I've said before that he doesn't seem to have the knack of being in the right place at the right time that goalscorers need – just look at Theo's runs on Wednesday for the perfect example of that. Niasse has looked less than technically brilliant but he does have an instinct about where to be to get the opportunities to score. Niasse always seems to get chances – he does miss a few though.

Allardyce is clearly a pragmatist. He monitors what goes on in training and on the pitch and he bases his decisions not on hunches but on facts, figures and outcomes. Tosun will get his opportunity when Sam thinks he's got a better chance of scoring than Niasse has.

Gavin Johnson
18 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:53:20
Jamie and Jim,

Cenk Tosun is a Big Sam signing. He was sniffing round him when he was still Crystal Palace manager.

James Hughes
19 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:53:28
Dermot, that committee is on a 'need to know' basis and should not be revealed.

I appreciate you being bitter as one of the septuagenarians beat you in an arm wrestle, but come on, mate. You lost fair and square before the drinking contest.

Please don't mention it again. Next committee is looking at left-backs again, due to the final bout ending in a draw.

Jon Withey
20 Posted 02/02/2018 at 17:58:45
To be fair, we did buy a proven Premier League goalscorer in Walcott.

Allardyce was gushing about signing Tosun initially but obviously feels he needs time to adjust – no point throwing him under a lorry.

You can see from the comments above it doesn't take long for some fans to write players off – better to wait and give him a fighting chance to adjust.

David Pearl
21 Posted 02/02/2018 at 18:10:55
Great how people know instinctively who Sam likes, who's player Tosun is, etc.

All I read on here is who is our manager next season and so on. I think Sam is doing a good job so far. And the game against Leicester was the best I've seen at Goodison in a year (maybe more).

So I will reserve judgement till the end of the season.

Jay Woods
[LAT]

22 Posted 02/02/2018 at 18:12:39
This is quite vexing.

Not so much a tacit sign that Tosun is not up to scratch as a banner trailing from the back of a plane saying it.

Lawrence Green
23 Posted 02/02/2018 at 18:30:08
Everton FC paid £27m for a player who it appears isn't up to scratch, along with the other x millions we have spent on a variety of players., who are also deemed to be not worthy of the Premier League.

Big Sam keeps telling anybody who will listen that players from outside the UK find it difficult to settle and play in the Premier League which suggests to me that Sam has little time for those who have no Premier Leauge experience – is it too much to hazard a guess that Tosun wasn't a player that he would have chosen to have in his squad at this time?

Wednesday night's performance and result were most welcome, but until I see an Everton team perform to that level, week-in & week-out, at Goodison and on their travels, I will reserve judgement on Mr Allardyce and his methodology.

Barry Williams
24 Posted 02/02/2018 at 18:32:56
It is about time Niasse was given a run in the team. Fans seem to concentrate on his misses against Leicester, well the first one he was in the right position at the right time, something the other players have found hard, and the ball came at him with pace, the second chance was completely and utterly of his own making.

Niasse makes a massive and positive difference when he plays. He chases, he harries, he makes the opposition unsettled and he scores. He wins headers too and chases back.

I feel Allardyce will get slated no matter what he does by some, and that is their prerogative; I will reserve judgement either way until the end of the season.

I don't feel he should be given stick for not playing Tosun, which, however you look at it, will be viewed as an Allardyce signing. If Allardyce played him regardless, people would ask whether he was playing just because the manager wanted to justify his signing. We have Niasse and Calveryt-Lewin; let Tosun acclimatize to a new country (I have had to do that many many times – it isn't that easy, even with support), get to know his team mates, how they play and see the English game close up, then ease him in.

It seems sensible to me and not something that the manager should be berated for, regardless of your opinions on him. We also appear to have another goal outlet now in Walcott, so even less of a need to chuck him in at the deep end, methinks.

Eddie Dunn
25 Posted 02/02/2018 at 18:38:16
Plenty of the season is left for Tosun, Calvert-Lewoin, Niasse and Co to all get minutes on the park.

Who cares who starts as long as someone scores?

Kevin Tully
26 Posted 02/02/2018 at 18:47:18
If you pay £27m for any player, then surely you (or the transfer committee) have to be 100% certain that they will be good enough to play in the Premier League?

I mean, it's not really "take a punt" money, is it? He's probably on £80-100k a week wages as well. I can't help feeling they don't like what they are seeing at Finch Farm.

Deary me, Moshiri. Your dough is being flushed quicker than a 21-year-old lottery winner in a brothel full of supermodels. Get a grip.

James Stewart
27 Posted 02/02/2018 at 18:53:14
Ridiculous.
John G Davies
28 Posted 02/02/2018 at 18:53:48
Kevin the top flight manager who gets 100% of his signings right, even the ones over £25 million, has yet to be born.
John Pierce
29 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:03:52
Sam has talked Tosun down from the beginning, even in praising Niasse he can't help himself and gnaw away at the fact the lad missed a couple of presentable chances, and to round it off does the same to Calvert-Lewin.

It's just uninspired "listen to me", Sam Allardyce, king of all things mediocre.

Add to his gobshiteness about Klaassen & Lookman – is it any wonder these lads are squinting at him thinking ‘What the fuck?'

Whilst yeah I don't need Martinez levels of smoke blowing up the players' backsides, I do expect my manager to inspire players and create an environment for them to grow.

Boorish pronouncements just go to show how ill-suited a fit he is at Everton. It feels like he has no idea how to handle any player outside the Sam identi-kit grocks.

All the good work from Wednesday just pails away when, instead of getting the team ready for Saturday, he spouts off this load of rubbish.

Derek Knox
30 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:10:18
Having read all the posts above, I do agree that Niasse is, and has been more effective as an impact sub, there is no disputing his work rate.

I also think Tosun will come good, but as with all strikers, they look ineffective if you don't give them the ball, it does help.

I noticed against Leicester after the jittery period that Oumar had some nice opportunities but his over zealousness contributed to fluffed shots, maybe he was just unlucky on the night, but what about the other occasions?

Impact sub, by all means for me!

Michael Williams
31 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:14:30
"For $27 million pounds Tosun should be starting... he should be Premier League ready, Sam sucks, fire Walsh etc etc etc."

In America we call $27 million pounds for striker "chump change." That's a nothing price to pay for a striker. You want a sure thing?... Pay real money for a Lacazette, Sanchez, or an Aubameyang.

For $27 million pounds you get a striker from Turkey who needs time to adapt to the league. Sam's right to give him that time. Let's give him time before we rip him or anyone else over this decision.

Gordon Crawford
32 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:16:23
Every player needs a proper run of games. Sadly Klaassen, Sandro, Lookman, Tosun, and Niasse haven’t had much of a chance to adapt since they’ve been here, though the later might now get his chance.
Dave Abrahams
33 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:16:54
For those fans wondering if Cenk is Walsh's signing or Alardyce's signing, at the AGM in January, Walsh stated from the stage at the Philarmonic Hall, "We both have to agree on the signing of a player, if Sam says no or I say no then the player will not be signed."

Maybe one has gone behind the other's back or Kenwright and Elstone have nipped in and signed Cenk without Walsh or Allardyce being told?

Anything is possible at Everton, it's like the mad hatters tea party going on the way Moshiri was talking that night at the Philarmonic.

Bill Gienapp
34 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:17:54
Tosun's probably thinking "I bailed on the Champion's League for this?"

Let's be honest, Allardyce is all about the short-term. Tosun's still an unknown quantity, whereas Niasse has shown a weird aptitude for finding the back of the net (Wednesday notwithstanding).

Personally, I don't agree with it – I think Niasse is more effective as an impact sub and Tosun, like Sandro and Klaassen, needs actual game time to acclimate – but it is what it is.

Clive Rogers
35 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:19:28
Tosun needs to be coached to hold the ball up and lay it off, instead of flicking first time, none of which are going to a blue shirt. He looks to have ability, but his lack of ace is a bit worrying.

Calvert-Lewin just doesn't look like a natural goal scorer and the two league goals he's got were a bit freakish. The first when Gomez went off and the sub goalie was way out of position, the second from a rebound penalty.

Niasse has the goal ratio, but it's the rest of his play that is lacking.

Michael Williams
36 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:24:38
Niasse deserves to start. He's the only #9 we have who consistently puts himself in a position to score. The only one. Aside from Lukaku and Niasse, when is the last time we had a striker who had two chances to score easy goals? Yeah he missed a couple sitters. So what. That happens to the best.

I'm also a little weary of the "super sub" tag. Of course he's scored most of his goals when he's a sub, he's only started two games this season. You do not save your best striker for the last 20 minutes. You start him.

Ray Said
37 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:33:39
Play two up front when at home.
Jay Harris
38 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:43:33
Darren,

Nobody seems to have picked up on Moshirir's statement that "He thought Tosun was outstanding in the Monaco match he watched."

I have long since always speculated that Bill and now Farhad's hands are on player recruitment. Why wasn't Walsh sacked along with Koeman?

You have to ask yourself "Is Bill behind the Rooney signing and the lack of a left-back signing, wanting to give Baines a chance to recover his place?"

Purely speculative on my part, I know, but there was a good reason Koeman threw the towel in and went off to play golf and it had to be someone stronger than Walsh who was dictating the comings and goings.

Why couldn't Lukaku be made to stay at least another year, like Mahrez? Not that I agreed with keeping him, but he was promised an exit by you know who.

That is why I think Sam is too strong for them. He will tell it how it is but he certainly wasn't keen on Tosun.

Paul Kossoff
39 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:46:00
Big Sam is putting his foot in it every time he opens his mouth! £27 million for a striker who Sam's says is already second choice to Niasse, who was up for sale and considered not good enough.

Please God we have a new manager in at season's end.

Dermot Byrne
40 Posted 02/02/2018 at 19:54:08
James Hughes #19. That is false news. The woman who beat me was 69 so your research is flawed. As for the next meeting, I have been in training so you will eat shit when we buy a decent RB!
Dermot Byrne
41 Posted 02/02/2018 at 20:01:06
Purely speculative on my part "

Yep,"Purely speculative on my part "

Yep,,,1,19:55:31,,90.205.243.13,ok,19546,02/02/2018 19:55:31,debyrne,reader,, 896289,36201,toffeeweb,02/02/2018,Tony Everan,ianjones66@yahoo.co.uk,There's more to Tosun's omissions than they are telling us.

Must be some fitness issues? Did the medical miss something? Our senior players and coaches are telling Sam he isn't ready..?

Will Wenger be “acclimatising” Aubameyang until March?

Don't think so.

,There’s more to Tosun’s omissions than they are telling us.

Must be some fitness issues? Did the medical miss something? Our senior players and coaches are telling Sam he isn’t ready..?

Will Wenger be “acclimatising “ Aubameyang until March?

Don’t think so.,Turned on,BlueKfrog,1,19:56:10,,86.170.243.176,gated,20463,02/02/2018 19:56:10,535353,formatting,, 896290,36183,toffeeweb,02/02/2018,Gordon Crawford,gordonsdailymail@gmail.com,I love how Sam is saying it’s Klaassen’s fault he ain’t playing in Italy. I now wish this man would stop talking. ,I love how Sam is saying it’s Klaassen’s fault he ain’t playing in Italy. I now wish this man would stop talking. ,,,1,20:00:57,,86.153.244.83,ok,3311,02/02/2018 20:00:57,royalblue,reader,, 896291,36201,toffeeweb,02/02/2018,Bill Gienapp,gienapp@hotmail.com,"I'm not sure how anyone's drawn any sort of conclusions on Tosun one way or the other. He was one of the few bright spots against Tottenham and mostly anonymous against West Brom. Both were wretched team performances.

Niasse has started way more than two matches this season and I can point to several off the top of my head in which he was utterly ineffectual – Burnley, Liverpool, Manchester United, etc... he runs around and causes chaos, but that's not a reliable strategy for 90 minutes.

John Daley
42 Posted 02/02/2018 at 20:04:31
I love that the theory Tosun must have demonstrated he's a bag of toss in training, has been swiftly sized up and rumbled as 'right shite' by the manager after setting foot on the pitch twice and will probably/rightfully be moved on in the summer because he's really not up to Premier League standard, seems to be taking shape on a thread about fucking Niasse, of all people.

Massuchusetts, six months after the Salem Witch Trials, and not much has changed on WasherWomanWeb:

"She's a one, that Maggie Pufficlit. I heard she doth pass wind with nary a whimper yet leaves behind a deplorable whiff, the dirty wench. Brimstone it smells like. Bloody brimstone. 'Devil's arse' the whelps hath taken to hailing her. Afeared as fuck they are".

Barry Williams
43 Posted 02/02/2018 at 20:05:32
Derek Knox - 30

Fluffed shots, okay, but his goals-to-minutes ratio is the best at the club and one of the best in the league, which means he converts a lot too, surely! He has to be in a position to fluff shots!

His assist for Gana Gueye was sublime!

Andy Crooks
44 Posted 02/02/2018 at 20:17:50
John @ 44, I have serious man flu at the moment. Laughing at that post induced a fit of coughing that Doc Haliday would have been proud of. Great stuff.
Tony Abrahams
45 Posted 02/02/2018 at 20:21:22
Something obviously wrong, I just hope Tosun, is having difficulty adapting to the cold?

I think it was Rondon, who said that although it's colder on the charts in Russia, he found it a lot harder to adapt to England, because of the wind. He said the wind makes it feel so much colder, so hopefully Tosun, will be okay by March!

Gordon Crawford
46 Posted 02/02/2018 at 20:34:46
Andy (46) me too pal. Man flu is not a fable.
Lev Vellene
47 Posted 02/02/2018 at 20:35:10
I like it, SA is playing head-games, I think!

Tosun has had his warm-up, then a look-on, now it's up to him to prove he is actually any good! DCL needs to get dangerous and effective, not just promising! Niasse is a nuisance to the opposition, but seems to have more impact from the bench against a team already grown accustomed to some other Everton attacking approach. Until the other two do better, he'll top the stats, though!

Much like Wenger's Arsenal interview; he doesn't reassure his players, he asks them to fight for their place. Especially with that new guy coming in.

Jerome Shields
49 Posted 02/02/2018 at 20:37:38
Oumar Niasse is best choice for our leading striker. This is because in Allardyce' predictable system a good professional striker finds himself isolated and easily neutralised out of the game.

Niasse is amateurish, unorthodox and unpredictable. He belongs to no system. This means when he plays he engages the opposition defence more and allows supporting players: more lose balls opportunities, more time, and space. It doesn't look pretty.

Walcott's biggest contribution so far has been to lead Everton on playing higher up the pitch and he is aided by Niasse's play. The reason why Niasse gets opportunities is his determination and ability to get in front of his marker. His running into space to achieve this is the strongest part of his game. He also has a natural instinct to shot. The goals will come.

Before Walcott he was only a danger as a sub, because Everton had to play higher up the pitch to retrieve the situation in the last quarter of a lot of games. . . Now with Walcott, Niasse is in business for the full game and has the energy and stamina to last.

Tosun was always going to have problems with Allardyce's system, but could play well with Niasse. Allardyce has not changed his system. Walcott on his own initiative has heightened the attacking line. In Niasse's case, all Big Sam knows is that he creates opportunities and as a result will score goals. No other striker he has is doing that.

Allardyce's system was unfair to Calvert-Lewin in that he creates opportunities and as a result will score goals. No other striker he has is doing that. Allardyce's system was unfair to Calvert-Lewin, but he deserves credit for his play.

Don Alexander
50 Posted 02/02/2018 at 20:42:38
Whatever Tosun's qualities or lack of with a football at his feet/head he is patently not a big unit, nor is he pacy and nor is he prolific as a scorer if even the aging Arouna Kone was on a par with him in Turkey this season. He did score a belter in one match in the CL though. In 96 games for Besiktas, Turkish champions for the past two seasons, he scored 41 goals

I think it was Mike Ganley (apologies if I'm wrong) who before Tosun signed pointed out the Icelandic centre-forward Alfreð Finnbogason playing for Augsberg in the Bundesliga, where they ended just below the halfway mark in the past two seasons. He's scored 21 in 44 appearances for them though and his value, and I know this spirals when a move to the PL is mooted, is said to be about £10 million. He's of very similar height and pace to Tosun but he presumably has a real insight into Siggy's mode of play having played more than 40 international games with him, scoring 11 goals in the process.

Still, with our team of transfer masterminds, what do I know I suppose?

Colin Glassar
52 Posted 02/02/2018 at 21:59:56
Am I the only one who thinks that Sam talks out of his arse a lot?
Jamie Crowley
53 Posted 02/02/2018 at 22:55:55
Colin -

No.

John Davies
54 Posted 02/02/2018 at 23:17:09
“We don't know too much about Cenk yet" says Fat Sam. WTF?

And then the dinosaur spends £27M on the lad.

And this guy is our manager? Jesus H Christ!

Andy Williams
55 Posted 02/02/2018 at 23:31:51
Tosun has the character to come through. I read a lot about him before he signed. Besitkas kept buying big name strikers Gomez, Aboubakar, Negredo and Ba but every time Tosun beat off the competition from them to regain the main striker spot. I think FS is playing mind games with him. And I think (that is hope desperately) he will come good.
Eddie Dunn
56 Posted 02/02/2018 at 23:59:33
Sam didn't seem enthused about Cenk after the Spurs game...very begrudging of any praise, which I thought was weird under the circumstances. I wonder if it is Sam's way of keeping everyone grounded? Definitely the opposite of Martinez! He makes Koeman seem like a luvvie theatre -type. mmm.
John Boon
57 Posted 02/02/2018 at 00:00:39
Colin(54). I agree. Every time he speaks he is likely to do harm to individual players and the team. Every Evertonian would like to see Tosun succeed as we wait in suspense to see if we have once again wasted millions of pounds. Allardyce seems to feel obliged to spout negative about anything he sees as not perfect in his eyes.

A good manager should be able to keep certain opinions to himself. He should also be able to really let players know when they aren't pulling their weight. He doesn't need to tell the fans what a player should have done. What he often tells us about a player's problems is basically sheer unadulterated gossip. We want you to get the best out of every player.

It is so easy to praise Walcott and Coleman and we all agree with what he says about them. Loud unflattering comments are hardly likely to inspire an under achieving YOUNG player. He blamed Lookman for moving to Leipzig instead of Sam's choice of a Championship team. Leipzig are doing very well in the German league. If he plays regularly he will have proved he was right to do what he wanted. I hope he comes back to Everton a better player.Besides he will probably be glad to get even further away from Sam by moving out of the country.

Ashley Roberts
58 Posted 03/02/2018 at 00:26:44
I know Sturridge is a bit of a sick note but let’s be honest if we could have got him on a loan as well as Walcott, who both want to be on the plane to Russia, this would have been a major win in my perspective. It was regularly touted in the media that Everton were interested, so I am not sure why it was nothing more than a rumour. He has scored goals wherever he has been and would have been a big leg up on Tosun or any striker we have. I think this was a big loss on our behalf, even if he was coming from the red shite.
Dave Evans
59 Posted 03/02/2018 at 00:41:09
Some of you suspect this /suspect that experts need to chill. Your insights into the management of players ( I suspect) Sam already knows
The last effort from the players good. We won and deserved it.
Perspective. We are away from relegation zone. We are closing gap on those above. We did more business on new players this window than all but four clubs.
One signing scored two goals. Mangala and Tosun as yet unproven. Fans of many other clubs would think we would have hope over flowing not walking in winge street.
David Pearl
60 Posted 03/02/2018 at 01:01:16
There is absolutely nothing, and I’ll say it again.. Nothing (at all) that I don’t agree with that Sam Allardyce has said above. I would like someone to explain what’s so wrong with any of it?

All these anti Bill and anti Sam ramblings constantly is just unbelievable, so utterly boring. . Maybe you lot also believe we never landed on the moon (it’s mafe of cheese.., blue cheese).

James Hill
61 Posted 02/02/2018 at 01:14:22
Jay #38 Moshri stated that he goes to watch Monaco because he lives there and loves football. He simply said that Tosun played in the CL game against Monaco and was outstanding on the night.

Sam was targeting Tosun at Palace so your theory there is a little wayward.
I think Walsh role is bring new young talent to the club which he is doing.

We have had some long term injuries to 1st team players which along with shocking fixture list we were dealt with for the start of the season resulted in the demise of Koeman through having to play young and probably not ready youngsters.

While the youngster did us proud they were clearly not up to it yet. Hence some off them going out on loan.
If you want to you can find sinister conspiracy theories in anything. Also I think we just bought a left sided defender who can play both CB and LB. So your LB theory is stuffed too.

Ernie Baywood
63 Posted 03/02/2018 at 02:51:02
I'll just keep harping on about the same thing. I don't see any plan. Nothing makes sense. No strategy to improve. No identity.

We desperately need a striker. So we spend a lot of money on a striker. Except he's going to be given time to acclimatise. Ok, so didn't really solve our problem then.

I guess it's longer term thinking then...

At a club with a manager that is a firefighting specialist and isn't a hope of still being here next season.

At the same time we've got a few foreign boys who haven't settled. So we spend January trying to send them back abroad on loan! That should help.

Mind you, we've got a very talented young homegrown winger. Send him on loan.

Yep. Congratulations on the long term thinking.

Mind you, I've probably embarrassed myself here by actually thinking that any of the words uttered by Sam will be reflected in his team selection.

Mike Dolan
64 Posted 03/02/2018 at 02:54:59
Tuson is a 12- 15 goal a year prem player who will be able to lead the line a push around a defender. He can also lay off the ball. Him crushing people in the front and Mangala crunching the bastards at the back and I am beginning to feel hope that finally we have dropped this school of science shit and want to win something again.
Jim Hardin
65 Posted 03/02/2018 at 03:37:20
Mike,

Nice predictions for a player that has done nothing so far. I hope you are right as he must be able to score them from the bench. Can you tell me who is going to win the Super Bowl so I can put my money down on a sure thing then?

Tahir Abdullah
66 Posted 03/02/2018 at 03:56:56
Sam’s conduct in talking about “fringe” players is reprehensible. The sports psychologist (position) that he was punting after he became manager, is on a hiding to nothing.
Nitesh Kanchan
67 Posted 03/02/2018 at 04:43:57
Niasse should start today against Arsenal. Arsenal play it from the back and usually make around 10 to 15 passes before they score the goal.

If we press them from the front, like Niasse does, we can win this. Arsenal defence is there for the taking. If we sit back and allow them to dictate play and keep punting long balls to Calvert-Lewin this game will be over at half-time... like Palace.

Peter Barry
68 Posted 03/02/2018 at 06:08:57
Oh dear have we bought another 'Tosser' with Tosun?
Ian Hollingworth
69 Posted 03/02/2018 at 07:31:55
How is Tosun going to acclimatise to the premier league sat on the bench.
I thought he was part of Moshiri Fab Four.
Jason Broome
70 Posted 03/02/2018 at 08:17:12
They took away his locker.
Put his stuff in bin bags.
Restricted his game time.
Kicked him out of the first team.
Made him train and play with the kids.
Told the world "he's not a player."
Said he had no future at the club.
Changed his shirt number.
Loaned him to Hull.
Tried to sell him.
Paid £62 Million for Rooney, Sandro, Walcott & Tuson.
... and now...

He is our Number 1 striker.

Well done Niasse. A lesson in Never giving up.


John Daley @44 Funniest post in awhile. Still laughing.

Andy Williams
71 Posted 03/02/2018 at 08:20:09
When did people start judging a player two games into a club career after moving from another country? I have never seen such love for a player as that by the Besitkas fans after he moved - and not just them, even Galatasary fans were hailing him. Patience “Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.”
Barry McNally
72 Posted 03/02/2018 at 10:54:12
The fact that Niasse is considered number one is a damning indictment on the club. He is simply not good enough to wear the jersey.
Danny O'Neill
73 Posted 03/02/2018 at 10:57:01
I don't like the "proven Premier League" thing. I don't like it when people use it about Managers. Wenger, Mourinho, Klopp, Guardiola, Pochettino even Ferguson didn't have previous Premier League experience until their first Premier League job.

Likewise, Thierry Henry, Luis Suarez, Sanchez, Aguero didn't weren't proven Premier League players until they played in the Premier League.

Okay, I'm using extremes as they were clearly top talent that will succeed. My point is you buy good, not just buy Premier League journeymen because they have proven to do an okay job in the Premier League.

Hopefully we've done our homework on Tosun and he has the talent and potential, which I prioritise over Premier League experience. Personal opinion of course.

Danny O'Neill
74 Posted 03/02/2018 at 11:02:40
Agree Andy, most people (if not everyone) in any walk of life or sphere of employment always take time to adjust to new employees and new surroundings; particularly if it is a change of country & culture.

Born in Germany and started his career there so I suspect he should adjust reasonably quickly.

Also, a player scoring 4 goals in the Champions League you would hope has enough about him to make an impact in our self-proclaimed best league in the world.

Shane Corcoran
75 Posted 03/02/2018 at 11:04:08
Didn't Allardyce say that Tosun was as good as they could expect to get in Europe? He talked as if he knew him well.

I find it very odd that he's out of the team so quickly. Was it just the Spurs game he started? And Niasse in ahead of him who wasn't fancied by Sam at all initially.

Then again, most of Allardyce's decisions seem to have little consistency to them. I mean we're probably going to have yet another centre back partnership this evening. Can Rooney and Sigurdsson play together today or is it just on work days?

Stan Schofield
76 Posted 03/02/2018 at 11:23:24
Signing Tosun was always on the basis that he added to the existing striking cover, so it's not surprising what Allardyce has said. It seems sensible to allow Niasse to have a run out, allow Tosun to bed-in at the club without undue pressure 5 min after being signed. And of course having Wallcott adds to what we have, given that he clearly scores goals.
Tommy Carter
77 Posted 03/02/2018 at 11:25:28
This season is dead in the water for us. We have nothing to play for but that means we probably have very little to lose.

We have invested heavily in Cenk Tosun and the only way to know if he'll be good enough or not is to give him games. Big Sam should work on the theory that if Cenk is fit, he starts every game between now until the end of the season. Give him that run and see how he gets on. If he plays poorly in a game, let's see his mentality and see if he can bounce back from that. We have a Derby game, the only big game left. Let's see if he has the guts to put in a performance.

The alternative is to keep changing it and looking at Niasse and DCL both of which we all know are not the answer

Roger Sunde
78 Posted 03/02/2018 at 13:12:45
Had a bad feeling about Tosun since we started to get linked with him. He looks okay, nothing more, nothing less.

Guess that's what £20 million gets you these days, something bang decent.

Paul Thompson
79 Posted 03/02/2018 at 14:48:47
Tosun - a player that has done nothing so far' (#67). You couldn't make it up. Two incomplete games FFS, the first of which (Spurs) he was one of our better players. He'll need time, but I'd still prefer to start him rather than Niasse, whio is better as an impact sub. Either way, Tosun will get his chance and after that we can judge whether he has done 'nothing'.
Robin Cannon
81 Posted 04/02/2018 at 00:50:55
I've never seen a player quite like Niasse, who's such a combination of good and incompetent. His movement and positioning is great, he can't control a ball to save his life, there's no middle ground. I haven't seen any part of his game that's just "okay" – it's either good or awful.
Teddy Bertin
82 Posted 04/02/2018 at 11:18:30
We're essentially do all the things that we called teams like Chelsea and Man City out for. Signing other teams' best players like Tuson, Sigurdsson, Sandro, Klaassen etc, benching them, not giving them a run in the side and ruining their careers.

We've gone from being a club that everyone admired under Moyes, and for two seasons under Martinez, to a club that ruin other people's teams for no reason, play utterly awful football, ruin players careers, offer nothing to the Premier League and are laughed at around the country.

Victor Yu
84 Posted 05/02/2018 at 06:01:12
Martinez said that same thing about Niasse after a couple of games. Koeman mentioned something similar about Sandro after a month. Now Cenk is dropped after a couple of games.

Worrying times ahead.


Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.


About these ads