Dowell on target as England triumph in Toulon

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Connolly involved down the right, but these Mexicans are very tricky and dangerous.

Involved in the build up and clean finish. 2-1 England.

Oh dear! What a woeful miss.

The Everton boys playing very well.

I hope Silva and Brands are watching this. Maybe, just maybe, we have a few squad solutions already on the books.

Didn't see the game. Did anyone notice where Dowell was playing. Was he out on the wing or in a No.10 role?

Well done to the team.

He said it never bothered him, because he knew he had the skill to produce a moment of brilliance that could change a game. I wonder whether that is inate self-confidence, or something instilled by a manager or coach? Kieran Dowell seems to be a similar type of player, can he withstand the pressure exerted on him by all of us, especially if he appears to be a “lazy” player?

Whether he is quite there yet, the next season will tell. I really hope so as he could be a very special player.

"There isn't a lot he needs ability wise but he lacks one thing. I can teach him how to be a bastard."

Keiran has got a lot of ability but to take the next step he needs the above.

As a pure football talent he is worth a place in the first team squad.

I'd add this about our youngsters. Kenny, Connolly, Dowell, Lookman, Davies, Calvert-Lewin, Holgate. I know I'm forgetting some, but that's 7 off the top of my head, who have been in and around the first team. So far, these kids have come thru winning things, Club and country, still so young. And they are talented.

I'm of a mind that this next season will be about Brands and Silva actually finding a team out of the current mess. If, by January, we're seeing a fit, battling, cohesive team, I'll be happy regardless of where we finish.

If that happens, I believe (these and other of our youngsters) will be ready to do battle in 19-20 and 20-21 and we'll really be on to something exciting when headed to Bramley-Moore Dock.

As said above he needs to find some grit and consistency to add to his talent. David Silva is a superb ball player but he also works unbelievably hard and is much tougher than his stature suggests.

He could probably use another loan in the Championship to show that he can be productive consistently and fight hard for the team at the same time.

Did anyone pay more attention (or at least have a better memory) than me about this?

It will all come down to whether Silva & Brands think he is ready or not but, if not, then he'd be better off getting 30-40 games next season in a decent footballing Championship side.

I've read that there's a high correlation between successful development and how many first team games young players get between 17-21 which is a crucial stage of progression.

I like the comparison to Stan Bowles, here's hoping Dowell has half the talent... a flame that flickered all too briefly as many did in the 70s with all that smoking, boozing and chip-buttie eating they routinely did.

I've only seen a little of Dowell play, but the consensus is that he is the Sheedy/Brady type player, which managers often mistrusted because they prefer work and team ethic to flair. (Insert your Gordon Lee quote here.) But when players like Brady, Tony Currie etc turned up playing for the opposition, the fans always wished they were playing for us.

We've had so little to cheer recently, we are all grasping at straws and hoping for something special. I really hope this lad will become that player. And more, I hope he does it playing for Everton.

He's 20, get him around the first team squad, and see how it goes, because not many play every week now, and it just might be better for him to have 10/15 games for Everton next season, rather than 25 somewhere else.

For a big lad he doesn't relish tackling an opponent, so although he can do all the things you say unless he learns to do the hard work as well he will struggle to consistently get a game for whoever he plays for.

I've been saying this for three seasons now, it's constructive criticism to help the lad. He can get to the top of the ladder or he can be an also-ran; I sincerely hope it is the former.

A mate of mine met Leon Osman at a function around five years ago and when asked to "name names" out of youngsters at the Club who he thought might make the grade, Ossie specifically picked out Kieran Dowell. I've taken an Iinterest in Dowell since then (another mate knows him) and (as others have said) if he could just get a bit more "devil" in his play, he could be top class.

The Guardian are saying we're making an opening bid for James Maddison. If that's the case, he'll be contesting Sigurdsson for the No 10 role so it seems likely that Dowell will go out on another loan.

Martin (67) He actually looks taller than 5ft 10ins. I know that is the height quoted in the media but those sources are not always accurate. The Sky Sports Football Yearbook has had Seamus as 6ft 4ins for several seasons.

He has exquisite technical skills. Excellent close control. Can run at pace with the ball. Comfortable with both feet. Capable of an explosive shot with both feet, be that a moving ball or a still ball from a free kick. His stamina seems much improved: in the recent Toulon Tournament, England played 5 games in 12 days. Kieran's time on the pitch was thus:

1) Full 80 minutes vs China;
2) Subbed at 66 mins vs Mexico;
3) Given a breather and came off the subs bench vs the weaker Qatar for the final 18 minutes;
4) Played the full 80 minutes vs Scotland in the semi-final;
5) And the full match vs Mexico in the final (where, of course, he scored the tournament-winning goal).

In the final, he produced the single most exquisite passage of play from any player on the pitch. Not his goal, but the chance he set up for Tammy Abraham.

I don't exaggerate when I say Kieran was Neymar-like how, in the congested heart of the Mexican penalty area, he retained control, weaved his way past 3-4 Mexicans at close quarters, and still found space to lay it on a plate for Abraham... who woefully missed.

Last pre-season, he impressed as much as anybody before (disappointingly, for some) he was loaned out to Forest. He was doing very well at Forest before a change of manager saw him out of the team.

Now I'm old school and like a blood-curdling tackle as much as any 'traditionalist'. But increasingly the importance of that side of the game is rapidly diminishing.

The most appealing – and successful – modern day teams are constantly on the move and the ball with it that there are very limited opportunities to get a tackle in.

I would hope Marco Silva brings some of that style to Everton. And if he does, it won't be a hairy Orc that fits best into that system, but players with the skill and ability of Kieran Dowell.

You are so correct about folks looking for short-comings in players, when in reality there isn't a perfect player on the planet.

I was very annoyed when Dowell was allowed to go out on loan as, from the pre-season, he looked the part, helped by scoring a couple of great goals. Every player, young or old, has room for improvement but, as you say, if the basic talent isn't there in the first place, there is little chance the player will become better.

Dowell seems to be a level-headed lad and doesn't appear to shun the hard work; it's just that, unlike Davies, he appears to do things with an easy-looking style. Davies and Dowell do have a chance of making the grade, although I'm not as sure about Davies as I was 18 months ago.

I watched the Scotland side in the same tournament and came away wondering what all the fuss was about in relation to Fraser Hornby? He's a big lad and looks powerful, but I didn't see anything in his performances which made me sit up and take notice, unlike Dowell who I've been impressed with most times that I've seen him play.

I was just on the verge of citing that exact same bit of skill against Mexico but you've said it all, except maybe the bit about Dowell anticipating the short pass and charging forward to intercept the ball before his mazy dribble.

Focusing on his strengths; there is a great player there - as folk like Dave have long pointed out. It is now up to our club to develop him. I'll happily admit I would consider it a comparative success if Silva only manages mid-table this season but gets the side playing attractive football whilst incorporating and developing the talents of Dowell, Davies, Connolly, Beni, Kenny, Calvert-Lewin and Lookman. We'd reap the benefits for years.