Fraser Hornby out for two months

Heal up fast, son.

Talking of free-kicks, I'm watching a very dull Brazil v Argentina game and, as Neymar fires yet another free-kick into the Argie wall, the commentator says it is more than FOUR YEARS since Brazil scored from a free kick.

Not really what you associate with the Samba boys, is it?

Hoping to see Richarlison come on in the 2nd half.

The young kid from Man City came on (Foden?) and immediately wanted the ball and went looking for it. I know he is going to be a very good player. It's still open for Dowell, when is he going to wake up and prove it?

As I say, I must get on some people's nerves going on and on about Kieran's faults – he has all the talent going but it's not enough without the will and the fight to win at all costs.

I can also remember those around me (and myself the odd time) slagging Sheedy off for being a lazy so-and-so and shouts of frustration when he wouldn't tackle.

Dowell has the same languid style that Sheedy had but has a long, long way to go before the comparisons become more telling.

Dowell is too old to wait for another Everton manager. He either convinces Silva, who does see his quality and rates him enough to tell Brands he didn't want him going out on loan, or he looks for the exit door.

On the subject of Hornby. I like what I've seen from the young lad. But please can we temper expectations. If you look at his goal scoring for the young blues, it's not impressive. He's learning a new position still and that shows when you watch him. He's clearly not a natural finisher in the Tony Cottee / Robbie Fowler mould. He's big and strong, and has a good shot and he can develop further. Give him time but quell expectations.

Did anyone listen to the John Paul Kissock interview on the Echo podcast / website? Very interesting. He said he loved Everton too much and that he stayed too long because of it. He thinks he was as good as Dan Gosling, and that had he been the one who got the chances, not Gosling, then he thinks he could have made it. It's interesting to think that he's had a mainly non-league career and Gosling has had a mainly Premier League career, and yet Kissock thinks the difference was games. Is that really the case?

I read this week at how Tom Davies stood head and shoulders above the rest of the U21s and as the one who had the most Premier League experience, this was a major factor. Could it be that by continuing to persevere with him (in some people's opinion) that he can develop into the player I believe he will, whilst leaving him in reserves will see his growth stunted and dropping down the leagues?

As I've said before, I want to see Everton give every opportunity to the scouse kids, I'd rather see Jonjoe Kenny playing than someone like Cuco Martina. I do believe they get better with exposure and we need to bring these lads along to get them to the levels desired. Give me a scouser over some journeyman bang average European Pro just in it for the money.

People are comparing him to Sheedy. That's just nonsense. A better comparison may be a young Ian Woan. Therefore, you have to think, if he reaches his potential, he'll be as good as Ian Woan.

Would Ian Woan be the kind of player and have the quality to improve our current team? No.

Steve Ferns @ 13, yes, I think it is all about game time at the highest level and there are very few opportunities to school players in public. Look at Barkley on Monday, that was an outstanding performance at the highest level and he has so much to thank Everton for. Would he have gotten so much time at a top six club? I doubt it. Therein lies the dilemma: if we want to be a top six club, we need all our players to be complete professionals.

I hear so much criticism around me of Tom Davies almost as if some Evertonians want him to fail. I think Dowell, Kenny, Lookman, Davies and Calvert-Lewin (think about Harry Kane) are top players in the making and will all have Premier League careers.

Davies might turn out to be an England captain. I know he can give the ball away at times in dangerous areas and he can be inconsistent but I have never seen him shirk a tackle or let the team down. I feel at times it must be desperate to be an Everton defender or midfielder as there is so little movement off the ball from the front players and it's hardly surprising these kids get caught with the ball. Patience please.

I understand what you are saying, particularly about Dowell. I've been pointing out his faults for the last three years; he hasn't altered his way of playing since he first started as a 16-year-old. I've also praised the many qualities Keiran has got, they get you off your seat, like last night's goal.

I'd get absolutely no satisfaction if Keiran never made it with The Blues but would be delighted if he added some bite, fight and energy to his game and finished up as a regular for England, never mind Everton. If he doesn't add these qualities to his game, he will still make a good living out of the game... he could be so much more.

Dowell does not have those issues. He was only 18 when Martinez was sacked and could have forced his way in with a playing style that could afford him no excuses. Koeman was fond of a Number 10 as we all know, but Dowell hardly got a look-in. He did very well at Forest, but that's forgetting that come the end of the season the gloss had come off and he'd fallen out of favour (with the new more defensive minded manager) and the fans were slightly less in their praise for him.

Like Grant, Dowell offers abilities that his peers do not possess. He has something a bit different. Dowell is capable of the spectacular. For me, he seems to be an old-fashioned Number 10, the type who drifts in and out of games, is carried by the rest of the team, and then suddenly pulls off something special to justify his inclusion. Be that a defence splitting pass or a spectacular goal. I just cannot see an English club accommodating this. I believe he should look at a move to the continent and seeing if he can forge a career in Spain or Italy. He could enjoy a brilliant career there and climb to the top as they will appreciate his ability.

Would Mahrez get in our team 4 years ago? Probably not because he can't tackle, head, or kick with his right foot.

Dowell would flourish in some teams and not in others. Look at the difference a manager made at Nottm Forest. He went from best player under Warburton to subs bench under Karanker. The lad obviously has ability; let's hope it comes to fruition in a blue shirt.

I think the problem for Dowell is that we have other people (Sigurdsson, Richarlison) who can do what he does well, eg, long shots, fancy passes, but they also have other aspects to their game whereas he does not – so far, anyway.

On Kissock. I agree with the general point about game time but Kissock is a joker. Okay, maybe Gosling's few appearances sped up his development but how do you go from supposedly being at his level to playing in the 11th or 12th tier? Kissock also said last year that some pub team manager he was playing for was the "best coach I have ever worked with". I find that hard to believe. Seems to me he was a kid with a big ego and never made it.

Now the Echo regularly wheel him, Jose Baxter and George Green out for "what might have been?" articles. I remember years ago they did the same with Billy Kenny but at least he told his story then moved on. I am sick of hearing about this trio. They get more positive press than players who actually stay sober, show up to work, stay off drugs, fulfill their potential etc.

I think I'm the only one to have mentioned Sheedy in this thread and – if you took the trouble to read my post "properly" – you'd see that what I've written isn't nonsense at all.

Good comparison though, Tommy, because Woan developed into a decent First Division player at Nottm Forest. If Dowell doesn't find a bit of devil, I can't see him doing much better than that in the long term.

Dowell does have great ability, though, and – out of all the young players at the club – he's the only one I'd advise to read ToffeeWeb because he might just realise how good he can be if he can just find that bit more devil to go with his undoubted ability.

He fits their style, the fans would like him, and he'd get Premier League experience. Then we either sell or keep.

Also feel that maybe Newcastle could be a decent destination for a short-term loan for the likes of Calvert-Lewin, they need a striker badly, and maybe there Dominic could get his 15 games as a centre-forward and get to show what he can (or can't) do.