Deadwood

I think your last sentence is the most telling. What ridiculous wages are we prepared to pay our, hopefully, incoming signings? Especially when it is reported we are trying to reduce our overall wage bill.

The rumoured salary of Gomes is 𧴰k a week. If that is correct, then surely that is well over the top. And if correct, no wonder Spurs' interest cooled.

I could understand that sort of money for a game-changing midfielder who scores goals but, from what I have seen, Gomes doesn't come into that category. We look to Spurs as a team that we need to get near too and overtake – I don't think Eriksson, Dele Alli or Son are on that sort of money... possibly Son as a striker.

I appreciate we have to compete in an artificial market but a decent salary and a good performance-related addition seems better in our situation.

The Italian commentary team talked about how technically gifted he is and the threat that he and Pjanic had caused the Italian midfield trio of Barella, Jorginho and Verratti throughout the match. Must add to his value on an international stage.

Video highlights of the game here Link

And indeed a lot of different clubs. Plenty of teams with deadwood to shift but maybe not many with as much as us. A bit dispiriting that there's not been much talk of our outgoing players but I guess we operate with less media ‘chat' than we used to? Expect more loans for the likes of Bolasie, Sandro and Mirallas unless they are happy to put football first and take sizeable pay cuts.

Andy #8, Brian is correct. Per Spotrac, Sandro is on £65,000/week.

John #1, Gomes is on £80,000/week at Barca.

Colombia look capable of winning the tournament and Mina fits right in.

Thanks Mike. An important update. Most blues worry that he doesn't gel with Keane.

Mina is the kind of player to build a club around. A big personality and a colossus of a player

Just about every one of those listed above, and Niasse, will bleed us white wage-wise and significantly impact our spending power this season, and next, and the one after that.

Nev Southall, not having a pop in any way against Moshiri, and nor am I, nonetheless hits the nail on the head when he compares the wealth of our man versus that of those behind the Sky six by saying we're racing a Fiat Panda whilst they're racing Ferrari's.

Good work Kenwright, nigh on £100mill to his personal good as he is as a result of selling out to our/his Panda. Fabulous divvy.

I am missing something... aren't I?

‘Mina is the kind of player to build a club around.'

What?! Absolute madness. He's come to the club, had injury after injury and looked reliably useless whenever he's got on the pitch.

A good game for Columbia is neither here nor there if he can't do it in a Blue shirt.

Hi Phil. Interesting that you comment on this thread. You're probably one of those Evertonians that think, nay, believes that Kieran Dowell will be the new Kevin Sheedy. Or that Mo Besic is the greatest midfielder we have ever had on our books because of a ten-second stint against Espanyol in a friendly 5 years ago. You probably love Duncan Ferguson.

I assume these things because, in expressing your opinion about Mina, you've revealed yourself the be the opposite in thinking to me.

Clearly this a very gifted footballer and a big personality. He had a superb World Cup, during which he was already a Barcelona player. He's struggled to adapt to the English game. Personally, I think he can be forgiven for that having never played regularly at a level with the intensity of the English game.

‘He's got on the pitch' at Anfield earlier in the season and despite missing a very good chance to score, he played superbly well. A bit more than useless.

"...looked reliably useless whenever he's got on the pitch."

What absolute bollocks.

His FIRST START for the club was at Stamford Bridge, and he turned in a nearly-MOTM performance and we got a clean sheet. Second start, another clean sheet. Third start, at Anfield, superbly poised performance under the maximum possible pressure, another clean sheet until that final Picks blunder.

Yes, he's had his issues with injuries and inexperience. He'll continue to make his mistakes as he learns the Prem next season. But useless? That's just ridiculous.

You should have seen him tonight. If you can access ESPN+, watch him in upcoming Gold Cup games. Or just wait until January when he's got 20 Prem games under his belt and he's making all of us forget Zouma ever existed.

I also disagree that how he does for his country is neither here nor there. If a player performs consistently well for his country then it implies he has talent. Mina has been excellent in a team that he knows and understands. That fact strengthens my desire to cut a bit of slack to a younger player moving to a new country and team who rarely got a run in the team due to injury and the excellent form of Zouma.

Mina is known as a big character, something we don't seem to have a lot of, and though I think Tommy may have been a tad premature suggesting we build a team around him I can see the reasoning. I hope we will see a settled and fit Mina perform to his best for us next season though I am one of the ones who worries about him and Keane as a partnership.

I think Mike is trying too hard to sell him. I've watched most of the match against Argentina and he was okay... but imperious? Na. Argentina were shocking and any semi-decent defender would have had the deck chairs and cigars out. Although he did look solid when we played Chelsea.

Where I will agree with Mike is, He does need a little more time. I think coming to this country he has realised he has to learn a whole new set of dark arts to the ones he already knows. I can remember a few occasions when smaller forwards simply "made a back" for him and he bought it every time.

We'll know more if he can get a dozen consecutive Premier League games under his belt

English players who move abroad must find it hard adapting to the heat, so a South American footballer, would be the opposite, and must find it difficult adapting to the cold?

Mina's two worst games were Man City away (Guardiola said it was the coldest day he'd experienced since arriving in England) and Millwall in the FA Cup, when it was freezing and pissed down all day (with the only fight shown by Everton being at Surrey Queys) so let's give this big fella a bit more time, especially when you consider his performances at Stamford Bridge and Anfield.

I can only see the occasional sale of the younger players, and loan deals for the older ones. Whether that just covers the wages or attracts any loan fee, I don't know.

Assuming we have central midfield injuries or suspensions all season that's fine... but the likelihood is we would need one of them or a replacement if both were sold.

Come on. We will do well to shift Niasse at all, even on a free transfer. Nobody will offer us money for this player.

I think we will be lucky to get ٣m for Bolasie and ٦m for Cenk. We may be able to get around ٦m for Walcott.

Sandro will go for free. Besic probably for around ٣m and possibly ٣m for McCarthy. Martina to go on a free also. Schneiderlin 㾶m and Mirallas on a free.

So tot that up and you're looking at 㿕m return on an investment of around 𧴫m. Then consider wages per games for each of these lads. It's an utter disgrace.

We should set prices for those we're prepared to sell and let it be known it's sale only. If they don't sell, then towards the very end of the window consider loan deals, this after maybe even dropping their sale prices a bit. What we lose on the desired sale price we'd save on the wages.

I know with Siva and Brands coming to the club following a World Cup gave them very little time to operate in the transfer window, also with a host of new players coming in it takes time for these players to bed in as a team. I don't think we will see as many first-team players being bought this summer either.

My only plea would be whatever you do don't bring any players in on loan deals. Let's make sure that every player we buy is ours to build a team around and not subject to that player going back to his club at the end of the loan deal as happened with Zouma and Gomes. Looks like we may get Gomes despite interest from other clubs but looks like Zouma will be staying at Chelsea which will be a big miss considering how well he and Keane played in the last 10 games.

It's catch 22 with loan players. If we hadn't got Zouma and Gomes would we have done as well without them? I doubt it, so loans are a necessary evil I reckon.

I wouldn't forego the chance of signing a player that could help us get into the top four (ambition) just because it's a loan. If loan players got us top four others would be easier to sign, as may the loaness themselves.

Yes, sometimes a loan player can do well for a while but we don't want to become a Bolton under Allardyce which flattered to deceive for a couple of seasons. Loanees are the current trend for many clubs that cannot afford transfer fees but keeps out of favour players active at a higher level especially younger ones.

Trimming the fat is necessary as many players in this list are never going to be any better than they are so hopefully the powers to be will act quickly if the club is to move forward.

Darren, I stand by the description. Of course Argentina were terrible, and I pointed that out, but Colombia's defense contributed to that. Sanchez is one of the best CBs in the world in my opinion, and Mina again looked fully worthy next to him. Liability? I'll take that liability all day long. And I will repeat my prediction that after what may be a harrowing first half of the season -- Mina still has a lot to learn about the Prem -- by the New Year he will be our best CB and one of the better ones in the league.

This summer, we have what looks like a settled camp, a coach that seems to have got through to the players, all of whom will have a proper preseason. Might it become easier for some of the 'deadwood' to shine?

I think it's possible, and on that basis, I'm expecting more from Mina, Bernard & Gomes.

I'm not debating that our recruitment has been terrible. I just don't think Vlasic or Martina are the best examples. I think some of your valuations are all a touch pessimistic. I still think we could get ٢m-٦m for Niasse who did well in Russia.

Not pessimistic, realistic. Niasse in theory could command a fee but you require a club to pay the wages we currently pay him. Not going to happen. What will happen is a club will pay the wages providing that there is no transfer fee involved. Happens all the time.

He didnt stand out for me especially against the poorest Argentine team I have seen surprising given the likes of Messi, Aguerro, Angel Maria and Lo Celso.

I did think he was at fault for not picking up Aguerro though when he lost him and Aspina had to come flying out to attempt a drop kick on Aguerro.

One of my all-time favorite Blues has scored for Costa Rica in the Gold Cup against Nicaragua... his first international goal in eight years. Costa Rica is winning.

Miss ya, Bryan.

The only two other comments I would make would be regarding Sandro... WTF, no-one is going to take him. He needs pulling to one side and training, get some fire in him.

The other is Galloway. I don't know what went wrong with this kid, always liked him a hard and tenacious player. Might be one to hang on too.