Niasse in pole position at Everton for now

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..

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!

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.

㿀M 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Who do you think is responsible for making the signings?

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

Last one standing gets their player/manager.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Who cares who starts as long as someone scores?

I mean, it's not really "take a punt" money, is it? He's probably on 㿼-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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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".

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!

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!

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.

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.

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?

No.

And then the dinosaur spends 㿇M on the lad.

And this guy is our manager? Jesus H Christ!

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.

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).

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.

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.

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?

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.

He is our Number 1 striker.

Well done Niasse. A lesson in Never giving up.

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

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.

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.

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?

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

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

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.

Worrying times ahead.