Funes Mori wanted to return to River Plate

Sam's dilemma is that after a lot of chopping and changing, he seems to have found a centre-back pairing that works best presently and that is Keane and Jags, so I can understand him being reluctant to again change the partnership to accommodate Funes Mori just because he needs to play for Argentina in the World Cup. Funes Mori needs to be patient; just his bad luck that, when Everton badly needed a left-sided centre-back, he was out injured.

We don’t need self-centred players like this. I can understand ambition to play in World Cup, but playing well for Everton would have given him just as good a chance.

This is disloyalty to me. Bench him, we’re safe, get rid in the summer.

He was at a low point and frustrated but should realise where his immense privileges come from.

Some of my farmer mates were less agricultural on the footy pitch than him.

Would Williams get in the Argentina side? Would Funes Mori get in the Wales side? If he had not been sent off last week, Lardyce would have had Williams in the side last Saturday.

Maybe the manager should take a look at Funes Mori... I mean, if Williams can get a game, any bugger can. Now, where are my boots?

To him, playing for Everton is a job, a single point that makes up part of his career. Just like any other sensible person, if his current job doesn't satisfy the more important elements of his life, he will look to move on.

And with the World Cup at the end of the season, I think it's only fair he went back to Argentina to fight for his place on the national team because clearly he can't do it here at Everton.

I think part of Everton's defensive problems has been the inability to match together any two of four right-sided central defenders. Funes Mori for me has been a better player than Williams or even Jagielka when he has been fit.

[I'm disturbed that, on the ToffeeWeb poll on Allardyce, his approval rating has gone up to 7%; this is truly disturbing news.]

He's unlucky to have had such a bad injury and the timing hasn't helped anyone but I hope he's fully recovered. He's not one of the Premier League's best and can be rash but he's better than Williams and, unfortunately on this season's evidence, Keane.

I think he's Sam's type of defender. Win the ball and get rid. Don't be trying to play out like under former managers.

The bad, his unpredictable style can cause confusion and, as much as I'm sure he'll play this season, I'm also convinced he'll be seeing red. That's what you get when you want defenders to be more aggressive and win the ball back quickly.

Good luck, hope your good form gets you to the World Cup. Don't blame him for trying to escape, maybe he just wanted a loan to impress the national boss. I call that strong-willed and smart, going off how poor we have been. I'm confident he'll give it his all for EFC.

He now thinks he should be playing, and the fat one has said that once we are 'safe' he will play players with an eye on next year, so he should get his chance.

The same should go for Vlassic, Garbutt and Bene. Its a real shame we won't get to see Lookman over the last 7 games. What we now have the chance to see is every player playing for a starting place in August. Those who switch off and look to the summer break can leave. The ones who bust a gut in what are 6 meaningless matches (and a derby) should be applauded.

There is still a small outside chance of Europa League qualification, but I am more concerned about building the right team. Identifying the areas we have promise and those we have no cover for.

I am not convinced we have the right men up top to make the correct decisions. But I am hopeful. Isn't that the Everton way?

So he has been back a few weeks after a long lay-off and wants to know why he isn't playing? Well, we rushed Bolasie back and he is still way off the pace.

I'm not sure if these players' agents aren't putting pressure on the club to play their players with it being a World Cup year.

I remember the look of sheer terror on his face when our keeper was instructed to roll the ball out to him in the Martinez days – terror only surpassed by the expression on the fans' faces

Definitely better than Williams but that is hardly a recommendation!

Slightly off topic here, but I've just been reading on another site, that Koeman is over his disappointment at Everton. I thought "You cheeky bastard!" He's just stopped counting his money and he lands another top job as National Coach of the Netherlands.

You'll go a long way.

File under Besic, ie, another tub-thumping, fraudulent hardman – all quiff and ink.

Adios amigo. Genuinely, genuinely woeful.

And still better than Williams.

The only reason we have kept him is because of the paucity of both the transfer policy and lack of cover in the two areas he can allegedly play.

As a player, made Carl Tiler look classy. Too much banging his chest and clapping rather than delivering on the pitch.

I like ‘brand' Funes Mori, but there is no substance to him whatsoever.

File this one under "Not arsed".

He needs to be playing. Yes, he's not great but he's head and shoulders above the likes of Keane and Williams and should be starting alongside Jags very week from now on, if fit.

It's plain to see that he's very unlikely to get a chance with us barring another defensive injury crisis, so he made the (quite respectable really) decision to take a pay cut and go back to playing in Argentina.

It didn't materialise, so he's being professional and applying himself again. I honestly don't see the problem.

You don't play in that company if you're "shite".

Just sayin'...

I hope he can show enough to get himself back into the Argentine squad for the World Cup, and wish him well.

Fraudulent? In the proper sense of the word? Some criminal offence? I know of nothing.

Or claims to be a great footballer but isn't? I haven't heard any claim from him to that effect.

Being paid huge wages but chickens out of tackles like Schneiderlin? On the contrary – he doesn't shirk a tackle.

Cost us a big fee but hasn't lived up to it? It's arguable whether or not he has lived up to the fee but he didn't set it.

Fraudulent?

Given that he hasn't actually been playing – which is the whole reason he wanted a move in the first place – I'm not sure why he's being vilified.

There's very little to lose now and much to be gained of they can.

Otamendi may be "pretty shite" but he's played 28 times for the Champions elect and will pick up a Premier League Winners medal quite soon – something no one at our place has done since the 1980s! Rojo doesn't impress me that much but he'd get a game at EFC.

Brent (#32),

Good post, and £9m is chicken feed these days.

Bringing in Funes Mori or Williams needs to be put on hold for the time being.

Half-expecting that Jags needs a rest when Williams's ban ends. From our boss, nothing surprises me anymore.

I don't think that is Keane but I would like him to have the remaining games to develop a partnership with Keane/Holgate. They are young enough to be the future so try them now.

After that, I'd like to see Funes Mori and Keane given a go for the remaining games. I get the feeling they would really compliment each others game, not just because they're left and right footed.

Funes Mori likes to attack everything and I get the impression Keane would rather sweep up than get involved in the nitty-gritty side. See if they can build up an understanding over the last 5 games.

This is another player I like who I'd like to see do a job for us. Nothing to lose now Sam – give him a run.

I believe he just wanted a few competitive minutes before the World Cup. He doesn't want out, he wants to play.

We need a central defender that is physically quick and strong in the summer; regardless of how people try to talk up the return of Funes Mori, he's not the answer, turns like the QE2 and a partnership of him and Keane, two non-talkers, would be a disaster.

Jagielka and Keane is the best of a poor bunch but at least Jagielka talks to his defensive partner although he shouldn't be playing regularly and probably won't next season.

Holgate ain't the answer either, at least not yet; I'm not overly impressed by him.

Williams should have played his last game.

We need a top quality centre-half in summer.

Keane and Funes Mori would be a disaster waiting to happen in my opinion. The only solid centre-back we have is Jags so, for me, it's him and one other as first choice. Next season is a different matter of course.

Also didn't fancy Wembley a few seasons back when he deliberately tried to injure an opponent and got sent off/suspended.

Great at badge kissing though. And still, better than Williams.

Main question for me is when? When was he hoping to move on loan? The window shut on 7th February, so is Funes Mori saying he was fit and not playing and getting frustrated at not doing so back in February?

It doesn't make sense to me...

Don't really understand the critics here.

So he does make mistakes. Come on!! Who doesent??

Only one better in our defense today is Jagielka, and he's 36 or something.

Keep him, and make a pair out of him an Keane and maybe our defence problems is solved for years to come.

Just my opinion.

He had 19 appearances and 1 goal for Argentina before his injury and scored the winning goal for River Plate in the South American equivalent of the Champions League just prior to signing for us.

Argentina are not exactly crap and are one of the favourites for the World Cup. Would they seriously be selecting him and describing him as a future national captain if he was as bad as some folk here are making out? I doubt it very much. Would Williams, Jagielka, Keane or Holgate stand a chance of being picked for Argentina if they were Argentinians? I doubt that also.

He needs regular game time in a settled team, which he hasn't had with us yet, in order to really show what he can do.

If he gets that, we could begin to see the best of Ramiro Funes Mori.

That's not all Funes Mori's fault of course.

Being signed by Martinez/Kenwright will be something few players will want to remain on their CV's as they seek to progress their careers but Funes Mori has been unfortunate, to say the least, with injuries and by being denied a protracted place in a competent defence whilst with us.

He's only 27 and, with a good World Cup, he could enhance his reputation as a player to a much better extent, so I for one hope he does, to Argentina's and Everton's benefit as well.

Can be quality but error prone with his concentration much like a few of the top South American defenders.

I think, though, it is hard to judge him severely as he done pretty good in most games playing in a team that has stuttered in recent seasons (or even more) under poor management.

Everton's back line has been far too often exposed even to lesser teams because of the weaknesses in the midfield area, where there have been too many gaps and players not closing down.

When Funes Mori first came, Coleman and Baines were in top form, attacking-wise, but far too often, when attacking, nobody covered them adequately and Everton were easily exposed. That trend has gotten worse this season.

Everton need a couple of stronger midfielders for next season.

As recently as 2015, the Super Liga was rated the world's 4th strongest league, only behind Spain, Italy and Germany.

As for the stereotyping – that South American defenders are 'error prone with poor concentration' v I suggest the poster of that remark takes a closer look at just how many Latin Americans you will find lining up for the very best sides in the world every week. They are among the toughest, most resolute and ruthless defenders you can name, whatever their origins.

Funes Mori's desire to play is a positive. That he was willing to return to his former club River Plate on loan is understandable on one level, debatable on another.

At the time of the transfer window, River Plate were on a truly awful run 9 defeats in 11 games. Given the strange league set-up in Argentina, that constitutes nearly half a season. It is a 28-club league in which teams play each other once in the regular season, then there is a protracted 'play-off' series.

Similar to England, there are 7 games of the regular season left (ending in mid-May). Given their below mid-table placing at the moment, River Plate look unlikely to qualify for the extra games in the play-off series.

They are still in the group phase of the Copa Libertadores – the South American equivalent of the Champions League – which continues throughout the year, so he could have got some game time against quality opposition from other countries.

Funes Mori has some shortcomings to his game. His passing and distribution is sometimes woeful. He is in good company with his fellow central defenders at Everton on that score.

But a 'fraud' who shirks out of challenges and tackles...?

Nah... not having that.

In the World Cup qualifying, Argentina finished second out of ten teams with fewest goals conceded behind Brazil. They were not even top three in goals scored. It was not the defense that was keeping them from easily qualifying. The lack of offense nearly kept Argentina out of the World Cup.