Silva keen to keep hold of 'wantaway' Gueye

I'm sick of being a selling club... fucking sick. Lukaku, stones, Rooney... sick of it. If we sell him, then I'm going stop supporting and let my 11-year-old pick another team.

I have no idea who... but that's why we employ Brands and the rest of the scouting system.

If we have to replace Gueye with Schneiderlin, McCarthy, Davies etc, that will weaken the midfield but, with a decent striker, the overall effect on the team should be improvement.

I know... it's easier said than done.

I have been a dedicated Evertonian since the age of six when I watched my first game sat on my uncle's shoulders (he was 12) in the Boys Pen at the Gwladys Street end, now in my 82nd year, I am beginning to doubt If I will live to see a return to anything like The School Of Science and the true legends who graced the Goodison turf for years for buttons, compared to the overpaid garbage we have to put up with now.

So, if Mr Gueye wants out, get rid asap along with those who have ruined our club for far too long. (And yes, I am still a dedicated Evertonian, and always will be!)

Silva has also been told that he won't have the money to sign a replacement and he would have to rely on either Schneiderlin, McCarthy or Baningime for the remainder of the season.

Given that we aren't safe yet from relegation, I can't see Gana being sold – unless this is done from under Silva's feet by Marcel Brands.

Obviously good business based on the price we paid for him, but also will at least divert the headlines from him to the signing and generate some much needed buzz.

Deffo the smart move this.

It might help him transition from a formation he can't make work to 3-4-3 or 3-5-2. A chance much like to Boston-tits to experiment and show some acumen. Don't pass it up or you're gonna get the sack Marco lad.

We were all gutted about losing Rooney (along with a few others), all those years ago... but Gana is hardly irreplaceable. It would be sensible to sell for around 㿊-35m.

I'd also love for us to sell the crap players, but who'd have them on the wages they earn???

What we need is a midfielder that can defend AND go forward... perhaps selling Gana will give us a chance of finding that player.

Gana is being professional keeping quiet about it, if the clubs valuation is met I think he is a gone . I just hope that we have a replacement lined up to step in that is a perceived improvement. Otherwise forget it until the summer.

If he pretends there's another way to improve this clubs standing he's a charlatan.

And what difference will it make?

If I understood the latest Everton Business Matters podcast, we need to sell him at a good profit to reduce our potentially huge losses, which are set to exceed the current financial regulations (on a rolling 3-year basis)?

Gana is a 'love him or hate him' player. For me both emotions are arguing the toss all the time.

Oh we can't afford a £250k per week player

Any lightning storms due?

Day one of moshiris arrival lukaku should have been given 250k and Barkley 200.

We didn't want to pay koulibaly the necessary amount to replace stones either. But what have spent in cbs in fees and wages since?

We had deulofeu who is now wanted by Milan and we were linked with Draxler in moshiris first window. What have we wasted on wingers since? Well over 100 in fees alone.

Your right we can't attract those players now because we've set our stall out as the "going about the right way" team. That's code to potential signing for: don't go there they aren't buying the top players to build a trophy winning team or paying boss dough.

And brands will pretend he can break the top six because he's getting a king ransome to do so. He will ride this gravy train as long as possible.

So all these futile debates about managers, players etc.. It's all inconsequencial unless we are concerned about being the 7th best team in the league.

Some posters think we have good players.

Well ask yourself this

Arsenal and utd have a cf on 250k or more and back up strikers on the 140 we thought was too much for rooney!

They wouldn't touch any of our players. I can't think of three that would make their bench.

Spurs sold our record signing about six years ago to the massive Swansea because he wasn't good enough. The league is now stronger and siggurdsson is older.

You've alluded to finding another lukaku. Well we found him without a DoF. Moyes signed lots of good players too.

If you think we will DoF our way to the top 6 well Well I don't know really.

But now some fans can't wait to sell gana, change the manager, whatever. Like that will help. Nothing will change until the wage budget changes! And moshiri gets pressured into funding a top striker

Pure malarkey.

Even while leading the Prem in tackles, Gana has had only four yellows for fouls in 21 games this season (he got his fifth for dissent after the handball goal, one of three Oliver dished out for that).

Hardly "every game."

And he has only one red card in his Everton career (only two in his 300 professional games), so clearly he's not "lucky" to stay on the pitch, he's exceptionally well-controlled.

You don't like him, fine, but making up reasons is pretty silly.

I would not really give a shit who we sold anymore because none of them are irreplaceable.

There was a time when the thought of selling a Wayne Rooney ( first time around) Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta, Steven Pienaar was an almost tearful thought to comprehend.

But this current lot we have, I quite simply have no real affiliation with.

PSG: "we are interested in Gana"
EFC: "we're not looking to sell full stop"
PSG: "I bet you say that to all the clubs"
EFC: "no just the Echo to make our fans feel better, how much where you thinking"
PSG: "two bob ok?
EFC: "we will have to turn that down I'm afraid, come back with 3&6d on deadline day and we will sort it out"
PSG: "won't your fans be pissed off when you don't have time to replace him?"
EFC: "yeah but we will go on about how much talent we have in the U23's and how we need to get the wages down and release some other pointless news about BMD"
You can just imagine the conversation.

I'd rather have a 50 year old Carsley than ANY of our current so-called holding midfielders.

I don't rate Arsenal - they've just been very lucky this season - had more bad decisions go their way than the RS. They'd have lost to Millwall too. More of our players could make their team. Having said that, I'd take one of Aubameyang or Lacazette off their hands!

Going back to Lukaku, sure he left but we had him for four years. The problem was we never replaced him at all.

We have to get better gradually, like Spurs have. They bought young, hungry players, unlike us generally (see Walcott, among plenty of others).

Sigurdsson - massive disappointment for me the other night in a game he should have been taking by the scruff of the neck. Invisible. Sadly not a leader. Probably better suited to being a big fish at a smaller club wih lower expectations. As with Walcott, inflated fee, wages, no resale value, poor signing.

Agree there's plenty riding the gravy train - an owner has to know the time of day, unfortunately ours doesn't appear to even own a timepiece

Gana hands in transfer request to force move through
He signs for PSG before the deadline
We don't have enough time to sign a replacement or a striker
Cash then isn't available at the end of the season for summer signings as cash is needed for BMD

Roll on Schneiderlin & MCCarthy signing a new contract and press about it “being like signing a new player”

I hope I'm wrong but think we arent going to do anything meaningful this window and are just going to limp through to the end of the season

I would let him go if the money hits 㿅m, we are out of the cup and 7th is the best we could achieve, and we wont get relegated.
Also he is 29 and the money may be off the table in the summer.
I see nothing wrong with McCarthy and Davies been put in and players from Unsworths team having the odd cameo, we should be planning for next season and trying out what we have before the summer recruitment is decided.

I've seen comments about his passing ability, I'm personally happy to suffer any minus points he may have, his good points overwhelm them.

We need his presence on the pitch, he's playing alongside 10 pansies at the moment.

You're absolutely right there's nothing wrong McCarthy or Davies, for me it's just we're in a very delicate position and things could get worse?

Defensively Gueye brings an assurance to the team, even when not at his best he makes critical tackles.

McCarthy's long lay off worries me and Davies needs the influence of others around him to perform. An in form McCarthy would have been a good replacement for Gueye.

We are bad enough at conceding goals with him in the team, without him the floodgates could quite easily open against any team in the prem.

Silva may as well sign his own P45 if Gana goes.

I might be wrong though?

So let me get this straight... Bolasie shows up at Finch Farm:

"I am back!"
"You're not welcome here. We didn't want you back."
"I demand to leave."
"What part of 'You're not welcome here' didn't you understand?"

He's had, according to himself, a fit James McCarthy since mid-December. He selected him for the bench once, having played him in a couple of games. He didn't play him & didn't involve him in U23 games either. How is Macca expected to get match fit?

Looks like Gana is going, Crystal Palace want McCarthy, leaving Everton with a big gap in the middle of the park! I could understand Silva's reasons if we were in the top three but it beggars belief that he hasn't seen the writing on the wall here!!

Everton, being Everton, will leave it till 10 pm Thursday. Watch.

I've not heard much about Beni Baningime this season. If he was ripping it up in the U23s or showing more at Finch Farm, you would think he would at least be getting 15 to 20 mins here and there.

Tom Davies looks ordinary. I think we got a bit excited when he scored against Man City. Besic back off loan is probably the best we can hope for. McCarthy will struggle to stay fit.

I wish these tablets would kick in. My head hurts.

And you can't blame the player for wanting at 29 to go to the best team in France where some real superstars play and they talk his first language and win trophies.

Unless Silva starts being a different coach, we're screwed. I can't really see us finishing top half, even when Gueye leaves. Our midfield is soft as heck.

What's that you say, Moshiri? "We don't have to sell our best players anymore."

That's strange... I would have thought Lukaku, Stones and Gueye were in that category.

For those wanting Gueye gone, just watch the goals against column ratchet up if he leaves.

And the only plus for Everton is profit. He's not the only defensive midfielder in the world... replace him ASAP. That's Brands's job.

Would I sell him? I am not sure. If McCarthy was fit and had been playing, then maybe I would... but, at the moment, McCarthy needs a few games at U23 level to gain full match fitness and get his confidence before throwing himself into full-blooded challenges.

To be fair, I've consistently said "Sell". An improved team next season would see Gana become a squad player, why keep him when the season is done?

How does Gueye know enough to want to go if they "haven't" been given permission to speak to him.

These situations need dealing with.

As for a short term fix, how's about Bernard's mate Fred? You know the 㿞m flop at Man Utd. He was brilliant for Shaktar and if he could rediscover that form, he'd be brilliant. A loan move would be win-win for both us and Utd and Fred would go for it as he wants to play and would not have to move.

And yet again, we will all be sat here as we get beat by poorer teams than us but we will all accept it because of that word transition.

Silva out.

Or better yet, we say 'you can have him, but we must swap manager as part of any deal"

Just watch the Championship, or League football, there are plenty of players who can run about all day long, but some of them can pass and some can score goals.

I have no great attachment to most of our mercenaries, so if we can do better and the money enables it, then so be it.

At this rate, we might get back to 7th by 2030. Are you missing a plaything Mr Usmanov? It's the only shortcut back to the top table I can see.

You've been bigging up Silva all season, and talking down Gueye. I think you need to have a re-think mate!

The midfield is the engine room. And for about 3 seasons, he has been our engine, doing all the leg work alongside Schneiderlin and now Gomes. God knows where we'd have been without him. He is one of the few that we have got who always stands up and gets stuck in.

For the record, I can understand him wanting to go. He's served us really well, and he wants to play for a great team who are winning everything over in France. They might even win the Champions League. And by the sounds of it, we will not be able to bring anyone in unless we do some trading ourselves, so we might have to sell him.

It sounds like he's going to go, but let's be clear. He has been our best midfielder these last 3 years. Talking him down is just nonsense.

Loads of them moved in the summer. There's loads of them everywhere you look. A man of Brands' repute and at the head of a large scouting network can surely find someone with all of Gueye's qualities who can actually sit, plug gaps and yet also pass the ball. As I said, Fred from Man Utd could be a short term fix.

We're only what, 2 wins from safety? 3 at a push? Surely we can find the right player to anchor the midfield and give it the balance we need and use the rest of the season to get things right so we can really get back into the race for the top 6 next season.

No players want to stay at Everton anyway.

How long before Richarlison, Pickford, Mina etc start making noises?

Just focus on signing hardworking dogs like Deeney and Austin would be my best advice.

At the moment, Gueye is the best midfielder in the league at protecting the back four. He has made more tackles (83) than any other player in the Premier League this season; 20.7% of Everton's total.

The only player with higher than 20% of their team's output!

I am honestly baffled that you think Fred from Man U would do a better job for us as a holding midfielder. The job of the holding midfielder is to win tackles and interceptions. Gueye is probably one of the best in Europe currently at doing that.

Surely you can see that our problem has been the front 4 playing in front of Gueye? Our defending from set pieces hasn't been too clever either? Gueye has been our best player!

Our main problem (other than set pieces) is a big massive gaping hole in the middle of the pitch where Gueye and Gomes should be, and oppositions running straight through the middle of us game after game. If Gueye was half the player you think he is, he'd stop them. But he is not. He vacates position and hunts the ball. No one else covers him, so any decent side passes it around him and then our defence is wide open. You let any defence be wide open like that and it doesn't matter if it's the great AC Milan defence, they're going to struggle, especially when playing such a high line and there being so much space in behind.

I cannot fault Gueye for effort. The lad runs hard all game and tries his heart out. Silva clearly allows him to do what he does or he would drop him. I wouldn't. I want the defensive midfielder to hold position. I guarantee you this would prevent goals, even if he hardly makes a tackle or interception. Those statistics are pointless. Lee Carsley did this so well, yet his statistics were a shadow of Gueye's. Carsley was twice the player Gueye is. Grantedhe couldn't pass either. The challenge is to find a Lee Carsley who can pass and there's loads of them. I trust Brands to find the right one for the right price. This single player would transform the side overnight.

Gueye very seldom goes into the last third of the pitch, so I don't buy the theory that he vacates the midfield. Yes he is snappy and goes hunting the ball. That's what a defensive midfielder should do. Idrissa Gueye is ten times Fred, or Schneiderlin, who may hold but not get past third gear. That's why PSG want Gueye and not them.

Our problems are defending crosses and creating chances. I hope Silva is going to concentrate on that in the coming weeks anyway.

Holding midfielders are there to put off/ slow up the opposition, allowing the other players to funnel back and regain position, maintain the shape and stop teams ploughing down the middle. Tackling and inceptions means the transition, were we get repeatedly murdered, are desperate actions and by committing just makes it easier.

Staying on your feet, something Gana often chooses to ignore, is the better ploy.

A useful player but, one dimensional. Get as much as you can, do it quickly and get the man you want in.

Everton won't miss him, I guarantee.

and my point is we should not be playing two holding midfielders just so one can cover for a limited player to bomb up the pitch to maintain his statistics. How often do we do something from a Gueye interception? He's not winning the ball and setting up attacks, so what's the point? It's much better to hold position and let Gomes and Sigurdsson be level in a narrower three with those two hunting. Now if they win the ball, they can pass, they can hurt the opposition and we can capitalise. See the difference?

By having a holding midfielder who can pass, think back to when Schneiderlin actually played well, he can take the ball off the defence and launch it. Then it's not Gomes doing that, instead Gomes can be in position to hurt the opposition.

We need to play a 433. One central defensive midfielder who sits in, anchoring the midfield and rarely straying from that position in front of the back four. This then pushes the opponents wide, as that's where we have left the space. Our back line is tall so can head crosses away all day long.

Let's see next season if you think Gueye is ten times the player Fred is. Gueye won't cost £50m either. Fred did. He did for a reason. He can tackle and he can pass.

Selling a player approaching 30 for big money is invariably right; buying them in late 20s (Bolasie & Walcott etc) is invariably wrong.

Money matters; if we want to close the gap, we need to target big money signings as players 22 up to 25 years of age.

We need him now so PSG can look elsewhere.

We are not a small club and we don't need to panic sell!

While he puts in a lot of effort which is more than can be said for some of the other muppets, let's be honest he is a bang average footballer at best.

Yes he may tackle and we need players who can tackle, don't get me wrong, but it is what they do with the ball when it is at their feet. In that department, he is seriously lacking as are several others including Mina and Zouma. He is also close to 30 and so is only on the decline.

Actually I think selling him might give Sílva the incentive to change the 4-2-3-1 formation which has been a total disaster recently primarily because it means a lot of players are not playing in what I would call their natural positions.

I have been calling out to go to a 4-4-2 system as hopefully this would mean there are not huge gaps in midfield for the opposition to waltz in too (the Southampton game being the prime example) and we would have more of a goal threat up front.

In my opinion, Sílva does not want to lose him because he does not have a clue how to replace him in his favoured formation which is not working. Selling him now for a reasonable profit makes good business sense and it might force Sílva to try something different.

I don't think it will be easy replacing him by spending in the region of 㿀-25M. In new money, that's fuck all these days.

If we want a quick fix at a decent price, I'd offer 㾶M for Drinkwater. May not be the exact fit, but isn't a bad shout if he leaves given Gomes is on loan too.

Weren't we all signing the praises of both him and Gomes for forming a decent midfield partnership just two short months ago?

Stones — no good for Everton but good enough for Man City;
Lukaku — no good for Everton but good enough for Man Utd
Barkley — no good for Everton but good enough for Chelsea
Gueye — no good for Everton but good enough for PSG

That's not a criticism of anyone, by the way, just an observation.

Move on to what? Well, how about something nobody else in the Premier League seems to do, play with four attacking midfielders and ask them to do more defensively when not in possession. If nothing else, it might get the points to make relegation a thing others have to worry about before other teams wake up to our change in style.

Then look at what is wanted for next season as, at the moment, it looks like there is only one plan, one system of playing which is a copy of most other teams with the hope that something inspires the players to their best each game and appears to start with the words, "Our Father..."

If he must go, I really hope Silva takes this opportunity to try something new. If Schneiderlin slots into Gueye's position I'll be doubly devastated.

Can't believe we look set to lose a top quality defensive mid for around 㿅M. He's got 4 good years in him at the very least. Why does the club get shafted on every deal it conducts?

If I were Moshiri, I'd take the money and not give Silva a cent of it. When he gets a tune out of Yerry Mina, then he can think about spending money again. Failing that, the money could be used to get Silva out the door.

No one player is going to solve our problems. Look at Gomes. He soon got dragged down to the level of his teammates.

I also think the only player we have with the discipline to sit in front of the defenders is Schneiderlin, unless we are prepared to give Beni a run in the team.

However I feel this debate will soon become pointless after Gueyes transfer request

Although it does look like PSG are going to sign Paredes from Zenit so the whole thing could be nothing anyway.

I like Gueye a lot. One of my faves. One of our only CMs with an ounce of genuine athleticism which is why he seems to be able to get a foot in when others can't. But equally he has been part of a central midfield that has not really functioned properly for 3 years or so, which does lend some credence to Steve F's argument.

I guess it all depends on who replaces him. There was a rumour that we might ask for Meunier in exchange, unlikely he'd want to come but if he did I think that would strengthen our first XI significantly, quality player at RB (or on right of central 3). As for DMCs I do like Lobotka at Celta, similar player to Torreira at Arsenal, tenacious but a good passer and dribbler.

I wonder what the stats are for the amount of times Gueye is caught out of position leaving just a midfield of Gomes to deal with an opposition attack which will then pull one of our centre half's or full backs out of position leaving gaping holes all over the pitch so we get cut apart with ease?

What are the stats for how many times Gueye coughs up possession when not even being put under pressure, leaving the team all out of position trying to attack?

Gueye is excellent at the high press, he is composed and rarely have I seen him lose his cool when already on a yellow. He is one of the best players in the league at intercepting the ball and successfully tackling but he is about as suited to Silva's style of football and formation as Jimmy Cranky.

I honestly think sitting Schneiderlin (cannot abide him by the way) next to Gomes will improve our shape no end, will bring the best out of Siggurdsson and give confidence to the players to break forward and gamble because they know there is less chance of losing possession. It will even improve our possession stats if you like that sort of thing.

Whether Schneiderlin is anywhere near the player we glimpsed for some of his first season I'm not so sure but I honestly believe he is far better suited to play with Gomes and Sigurddson than Gueye

If you played Schneiderlin, Gomes and Siggurdsson then we would have the slowest central midfield in the whole league. I struggle to see how that would improve things but I guess you never can tell.

If (and its a big if ) we could somehow swap Gueye for Meunier AND get someone like Lobotka (who i think looks a very talented, complete, sitting midfielder) then this whole deal might just work to our advantage.

Fred from Manchester United? He'd be "brilliant" would he? I despair. Have you seen him actually play this season? You cant have seen much of him as he has been dumped pretty quickly. Just ask a United fan what they think or listen to Gary Neville;
“Does he change a game? Does it look like he's going to defend your goal? Does it look like he's going to connect back-to-front? At this moment in time, no.”

The selling club sets the fee.

Aside from that I don't blame Gana for putting in a transfer request. I would as well given how shite Everton are and the lure of PSG.

You usually write some excellent pieces but to actually suggest that Fred would be a good short term fix if we sold Gueye. Even the man who brought him to Utd refused to play him, and Solksjaer has given most of the players a start but even he doesnt fancy Fred. And as David Graves 104 said Gary Neville one of the few pundits I like to listen to doesnt rate him.

You also say that Gueye goes hunting the ball and leaves gaps in midfield, but Silva allegedly wants to play a high pressing game. So of course when Gueye presses high up the pitch he leaves gaps but thats because the other players are not pushing up to fill the gap. So to blame the the only player who seems to have the engine to play a high press, surely isn't the answer. Maybe we need to tell Gueye to sit and not press high up the pitch, but the manager needs to decide if he wants to play a high pressing game or not.

If Gana goes, I wish him well and thank him for his service to Everton.

How quick was the midfield of Arteta, Pienaar, Cahill, Fellini? Surely that was the slowest in the league at that time?

With how fit all the players are now I would be amazed if it wasn't extremely marginal with regards to how fast ALL of the leagues midfielders were. Give me a player who is quicker with the ball than can run and we might win something, no player can out run quick one and two touch football.

David Graves, perhaps I wasn't clear enough but I alluded to saying that Schneiderlin is the only disciplined central midfielder who will sit that we have on the payroll. He can pass the ball 10 yards without looking like he has just put shit in his eyes. It was exactly these 2 traits which got him slaughtered in the first place ffs. I don't know if he's the answer, probably not, but he is far more suited to this managers tactics than Gueye. And yes I remember how bad he was playing next to Tom Davies or Gueye. About as bad as Gomes is now looking.

If Silva wants to press high then Sigurdsson can do it with a striker, safe in the knowledge that if the ball gets past him there will be 2 central midfielders behind him instead of 1 if Gueye is sold.

Nobody knows what's going on at the training ground, who is busting their balls or not. All I can glean is that it must be pretty disheartening for the players not involved to see the same squad list every single game regardless of just how terrible our performances have been.

I'll take my £250 advice fee now, jobs a goodun

Steve Ferns, I have an appreciation for your 'thinking' on how the game 'should' be played with a sitting defensive midfielder spraying passes like a quarter back, but that's way too one-dimensional. Teams have to be built with a bit more fluidity than that. Gana is never going to be the defensive midfielder, that you want, sitting in the pocket. We need a balance in midfield. We had a balance in midfield in the Chelsea away match that was applauded by most, the 3 G's. What happened to that? It was easy for Gylfi to shine sitting on the Chelsea quarterback Jorginho. Gomez has gone backwards, despite the early promise, although I suspect he is playing 'injured'.

Who on the Everton team is a better passer than Gana? We don't have anyone who can consistently hit 'threading the needle' passes. Gylfi tries with some success around the box, but is hit and miss. Gana hit some very good passes v Millwall in last game, even in those conditions. They all hit sloppy passes from time to time, but seem to get a free pass. If he goes, we certainly won't have near as much possession, to hit that perfect pass.

Question ? PSG are trying to buy an Everton player they think can help their team. That's PSG with Neymar and Mbappe, not some lower league side. Why is that? If he couldn't pass, does anyone think PSG would want him ?

Thanks Gana. The best ball winning midfielder I've ever seen in an Everton side. Hope they give you a big wages upgrade. You deserve to be playing in a better team than Everton.

It's irrelevant if our season is over, this a business.

As others have said, if we had a 3 man central midfield, Gana could go and hunt without leaving us exposed.

Currently, all opposition teams have to do is pass it round Gana and then lump it into the box for our defenders to fuck it up because Pickford hasn't come and claimed.

Seriously, how does he manage to put in so many tackles and have so many interceptions if he leaves such big gaps and are so easily passed by? The offical PL stat lists successful tackles and interceptions only so it seems obvious to me that he's frequently exactly where he needs to be. Which is where the ball is.

It's also fairly obvious that Gana plays not only in the role Silva wants him to play, but in the formation and within the tactics that Silva employs. He's not been told to sit deep within a square box and defend that box and do nothing else. It looks to me that he's playing more as a box to box midfielder than a strictly defensive midfielder, which makes his stats look even better. Also, we play with overlapping wing backs, two wingers, a forward and an offensive midfielder. That leaves whole fecking lot of room in midfield to be covered by Gana and Gomes. And Gomes is an awful lot like Schneiderlin, he works best in a team that is good at keeping possession, especially in the opposition's half. And I'm sorry but Everton is shit at that at the moment. So what that means for Gana is that when all that fancy play breaks down he's got a very very difficult job ahead of him. One that he frequently manages to do, unlike most of the other players on the pitch or bench.

Also, I don't think he's not nearly as bad of a passer as everyone seems to think. He's just not. He's also got pretty decent technical skills and has passed players in midfield several times this season. There's a reason PSG wants Gana and not Schneiderlin or Gomes or Fred. They want a technical player with a bite.

Anyway, we'll sell him if we get enough for him. I don't doubt that. I for one will be sad to see him go. I also think that Silva will have to change his formation and tactics if he does go. We just don't seem to have anyone else who can do what he does.

Whether or not his style is beneficial for the team as a whole is an interesting debate but its not like we have done better without him.

I don't think he's going.

The amount of challenges that top players just ride. I remember him sliding in Emre Cann three times in space of of a minute and not significantly moving the ball far enough away from Canns feet. And he was baby like in this years Derby. Did he play against utd and spurs I don't remember?

Prowse beating him to knock downs was quite a worry the other day though. I didn't think I'd ever see a player as good at reading the second ball and be as determined to get there first. It just shows though that if a decent player wants it as much gana does then he is ineffective.

I whish him well. Always gives his all and always trys to play forward. Good luck mate get out of this fuck up as soon as possible.

You can't be hanging around here waiting for a stadium or super brands to magic four world class players from out of his arse

Quite a small sample size for games without but still a significant drop.

Another nonsense with stats these “key” passes are probably because he is furthest forward of the midfield!!
People sat behind a computer trying to make the game way more complicated than it is. A “key” pass according to whom exactly?

To anybody out there who loves stats, How many times a game does Gueye give the ball away? How many times does he make “unforced errors” Is it more or less than the amount of times he “intercepts” the ball?

Here's another little metaphor, you are walking down the street and on your travels you see 10 pound coins, you pick 8 of them up before anyone else giving you an 80% interception rate, you put all the coins in your pocket with a massive hole in and when you get home all the coins have fallen out. The stats will still say 80% the reality is what was the point in bending over in the first place.

Andrew #138 and #114, yes, there is a statistic that measures that. It's passing efficiency. Gueye is actually a little better than average. And he is anything but a "headless chicken", as attested by the number of interceptions he makes and opponent errors he forces. That requires awareness and anticipation. He is an extremely intelligent player who is doing exactly what he does best. But that won't change your mind about anything.

Dave #135, he's what PSG needs because for all their spectacular talents they don't have a real ballwinner. They don't need someone who "sits" in to protect the back four. They need someone willing to do the work to win the ball in midfield and trigger their frightening counterattacks -- not for Ligue 1, which they are coasting through, but for the Champions League. Gana could make a big difference for them.

Just need a Lottery and Everton win now to clear our way ahead

If Gueye tackles a player in a 50 50 but the ball goes out of play is this a successful tackle stat? If Gueye makes a hospital pass and an Everton player manages to get his toe to the ball first before being dispossessed is this a tick in his “pass efficiency” box. There are so many variables it makes some stats completely subjective yet people cling on to them like they are legal tender.

So Gueye is “a little better than average” with his “passing efficiency” so he would fit in well at a club doing “a little better than average?”. Or would he be a perfect donkey /water carrier to charge around if surrounded by far better players (this is what PSG want him for, they are full of pea hearted mercenaries who don't want to put the yards in). Perfect for a team just above mid table then right? Unfortunately that's a position Everton aren't even in at the moment!

I would imagine Marco Silva would reel out pages and pages of “stats” to prove zonal marking is the best way to defend set pieces yet that's clearly not the case either.

I am so happy for you and Cathie that I've got tears in my eyes.

Mazel tov. I share your joy. Celebrate heartily.

Share your joy with Gerry and his wife Cathie, you know better than most the share joy you must have got when
told that brilliant and relieving news, so glad for you Gerry and especially for your wife Cathie, wishing you many more happy and healthy years together.

I don't want the midfield depleted after selling Gana . Dont sell unless we get a perceived upgrade. Gana is an important player but I don't like keeping players who want to go, it normally doesn't end well.

Same for Cenk, don't loan him to Palace, make them pay up front or walk away. If the deal goes through then have a gamble on Batshuayi or maybe Brands has another better prospect earmarked.

Tony, really sorry to hear about it mate. I hope she passed peacefully, but I doubt makes the death any easier to take. I'm 5 months down the line and it's yet to get easier for me. I just try to be as positive as I can. All the best mate. Let me know if you need someone to chat to about it.

Plus, if he wants to leave, then it is better to get it done. Otherwise, he may develop a bad attitude that could rub off on others.

The only time he has a good game is when the other outfield 9 have had a bad game.

Well liked in the dressing room, but cash in and use the money on 1 or 2 more coming in.

So we should get rid of the lad because he was the best player in a relegated team?

I sincerely hope that, whatever happens, no decision is influenced by that kind of idiotic thinking.

I say just use some of those funds and get Batshuayi in, and maybe recall Joe Williams or try Beni Baningime, or James McCarthy even, to plug the midfield gap till season end. Anyone but Schneiderlin, please! A striker is surely a more pressing need at this time.

On a side note, is Antonee Robinson back from injury, and does he have a return clause in his loan with Wigan? Otherwise, we might be forced to look at Brendan Galloway for left-back cover against Wolves!

If we are going to lose Gana, and at this point it appears to me we will, we might as well have a bidding war of sorts to jack the price up.

I'll still miss watching him. Some say he vacates his position, while others like myself think he's a real asset. That's been done to death.

But I really enjoy watching him play and I'll miss seeing every tackle, every challenge, his effort, and covering every blade of grass.

The tough thing is, as I try to convince myself we will be fine without him, I truly believe we won't be as good a team without Gueye.

As an asset though, I think cashing in on him is a no brainer because of his age, the position he plays, and his importance to the side.

I am so disgusted with Everton right now.

I thought Moshiri had said we wouldn't sell our best players.

Gana would be great in a midfield three containing one 'enforcer' and one 'playmaker' alongside him. He isn't the holding midfielder because he has no discipline, he isn't the playmaker because he has no technical ability, as gylfi holds the third attacking midfielder spot, Gana just ends up running out of position like a school kid.

We need to look at pushing Gomes further forward with a player like Allan from Napoli (not likely at 28) or a Gareth barry if you like to sit deep and literally protect the back four.

Silva seems very determined to keep him, and surely we'd only sell if the manager gave his consent?

For me, the answer to both is such that the business case for selling is strong. He will be brilliant in a side that needs only his destructive qualities; we may benefit from somebody who has additional qualities.

Looks like he's off anyway and great business, good luck to him.

This will be a true test of whether Moshiri and the snake oil salesman back Silva or not.

If Silva genuinely wants him to stay, then he should be backed.

There is no doubt that financially Everton are in a mess, but surely the owner should be telling the DOF to get rid of players who haven't kicked a ball all season rather than one who has played every week. I know, it's not easy trying to offload these players especially when you see how much a week these players are on.

Our wage bill dwarfs all the other teams in the Premier League apart from the top 6 clubs. But we are a mid-table club – not a club that most seasons qualifies for the Champions League. As Arsenal are finding out, when you pay Champions League wages to players when not qualifying for the Champions League, you're in financial difficulty.

Gueye is a key member of the team in the way Silva has set the team up all season.

When Gomes was first introduced, it was all working fine and dandy right up to and including the 96th minute at Anfield, even though André had a tendency to have only one good half of football.

The forwards played a high non-contact press on the opposition defence in their own half, making it difficult for them to pass out to their midfield. When they did, we gobbled up stray passes and were well placed to counter in numbers.

Our defensive lines were also higher and more compact, thus squeezing even more the space the opposition had to play in. In this set up, Gueye was primarily the sitting midfielder, but also the seek and destroy midfielder of stray passes by the opposition.

Gomes was technically more capable, strong in possession, good close control and a wonderful knack of turning away and getting free of close markers. But they were also disciplined and interchanged if and when the opportunity arose in-game. Both players spoke of this in interview.

The challenge was always going to be when the opposition sought to counter this set-up, or injuries forced changes.

The first time Silva blinked for me this season making a selection more concerned about the opposition, rather than picking his side and challenging the opposition to deal with us, was in the absence of Gueye for the away game at Man City, he went with 3 centre backs and played Gomes and Sigurdson together in central. No need to repeat how that played out.

It is an exercise in futility to continue to debate the merits and demerits of Gueye on TW because individually opinions on the player are now fossilised.

Bollocks, all of it. This season he has displayed a consistently good range of short and long passing. When fit this season, he has continued to be one of the most – if not THE most – effective players on the park in the role he is asked to play.

Frankly, it bemuses me when people 'grade' his passing and say the completion stats are false 'cos, for example, Gomes and Sigurdson are attempting more adventurous passing. Such claimants are watching different games to me, because in the poor run since early December Gomes and Sigurdson are two of the worst culprits of giving the ball away cheaply on simple 5- to10-yard passes a Premier League footballer should be making with his eyes shut.

At least Sigurdson contributes with assists and goals, but Gomes has consistently been the poorest of our midfielders for 10-12 games now. But it is Gueye who bears the brunt of the criticism of the midfield set-up.

In this bad run, the forwards were not pressing as high or as effectively as before, Gomes was being crowded when he received the ball, to the extent that Silva clearly started playing him deeper (I presume in an attempt to get him on the ball more so he could better influence the game. Note to Marco: it hasn't worked) with Gueye being asked to patrol the width of the midfield area either side of the half-way line. A big ask.

That left acres of space to cover as the forwards were not tracking back as effectively as earlier in the season, and the defence – possibly out of lack of confidence and nervousness - dropped ever deeper. Last night against Huddersfield, the defence's default starting position was much improved of late, a good 10-15 yards further forward. This has been a systematic failure by the manager, who to date has not found an answer to his preferred system being found out by the opposition.

If Gueye goes, Silva will need to find a solution to how he has set up the team for the bulk of the season. It would be lovely if we could come up with the sort of replacement for Gueye with all the attributes you listed in a post a couple of weeks back.

But if such a fantasy player is available, or even existed, I rather fancy there would be some fierce competition for his signature from clubs willing to spend 𧴜 million on a player with the skill set you asked for.

All I see time and time again is Gueye out of position. If I need to take my own pictures and post them so those watching on TV can actually see the problem, then I might have to do just that.

And Steve, Gana is out of position because of the role he is being asked to play. I'd stick with selfies.

It looks like we could be in for a rough 24 hours if clubs are going to be pecking at our squad.

If only they were in for Sandro, Schniederlin and Bolasie.

"[Silva] also played 3 at the back and a midfield of Gomes and Sigurdsson against Burnley."

Yessss...and..?

Horses for courses. I did a comparison at the time of the two times Silva sent out a starting XI with 3 at the back - against City and Burnley - when people were discussing the merits of continuing with it or not. Coincidentally, Steve Ferns complimented me on my analysis.

The set up in each game was not like for like. Firstly, it was foolish to experiment with it for the first time in arguably the most difficult away fixture of the season - away to City.

What Silva got drastically wrong in that game was he still allowed the full backs, Coleman and Digne, to bomb on, leaving ample space behind them for a team as talented as City to exploit.

The three CBs, unaccustomed to the system, did not know when to hold their position or go out to meet the challenge. Things only radically improved when, after conceding the second goal, Silva reverted to a flat back four.

The Burnley game was again a one-off. It followed a few days after a 6-2 mauling at home to Spurs, Gueye was still not fit to play the whole game, and it made sense to counter Burnley's duly delivered aerial challenge with 3 CBs.

But THIS time the full backs stayed at home more and both the defence and midfield was more compact and difficult to play through.

Agree with you that Gueye is clearly playing the role the manager asks of him and that this has varied as the season has progressed.

The biggest failing in midfield is Gomes, not Gueye, and the manager still trying to accommodate him.

Ade has got a decent chance of developing into a good player.

If there was a possibility of a straight swap with Palace for Wan Bissaka I would jump at it.

Even better if we could put Tosun into the mix and have a double swoop for Wan Bissaka and Zaha plus give them the Gana money.

I feel Zaha is just on high end of the limit of the quality of player we could attract.

After the mass Silva out calls this past weekend, it would be ironic if this is true, with him walking and not getting the sack. It would also highlight where the power lies, with Brands flexing his muscle as the DoF.

It may only be the second time he's put it in neutral / park in his managerial career (Watford, here), but they are so close time-wise it'll seem he has commitment issues to just about all and sundry I'd bet.

Funny thing is my attitude. If he goes, he goes. Won't really bother me. If he stays, fine. Turn it around Chief, good luck.

All the media feeds will have picked this up from the same single original source, which could be an acne-ridden teen getting imaginative in his bedroom in any corner of the globe, or a hack journalist with column inches to fill and a deadline looming.

Boy really needs to troll around the internet more.

I see some Everton midfielders doing this but the tackling is weak and far too many opposition players come away with the ball in that middle third.

I agree Gomez has been nothing like he was when he first came in and Bernard has scarcely been seen but Silva has to take the blame for constantly starting them.

Sadly Everton cannot match paying exhorbitant wages to top class players who sit on the bench most of the time as the so-called top six can do and until that can happen then Everton will remain a mid-table team.

They spout shite that a deal was agreed but it only fell through because of the threat from Silva.

Saves them looking bad for refusing to pay a decent fee for a decent player!

As Brian Clough said to Sam Longson his chairman at Derby, Sam you just write the cheques and leave the football to me. Good Chairmen should be seen and not heard as most know absolutely nothing about football.

Again, the story might be a load of nonsense and let's hope it is, but when a Chairmen starts getting involved in buying and selling players then you're in trouble as a club.

Moshiri promised we would not sell our best players and to do that when the manager and the team is under intense pressure and scrutiny does not bode well for the club.

I see teary Bill's hand in this "Ok Gana if this is what you really want we will be good to you as we were with Rom".

Take a look at Fernandinho, Kante.

His position is "ten-a-penny" in the market. We are also well stocked with other players at the club (McCarthy, Beni)

Then look at how the club has performed since we have signed him. Yes he may appear in Opta stat tables for high amounts of successful tackles etc. That's great for him on a personal level, but he's hardly pushed us on has he? Same could be said for the team he got relegated with.

If Silva actually is threatening to leave, I'd sell Gana on principle.

The hierarchy is set up with Brands above Marco. If the Club decides to sell Gana, manage what you have ya whiner!

Take some cues from Sarri. Manage the players you have.

Gana, and Lookman both subject to speculation.

I posted the about failure of Silva to control the short term, arresting the slide quickly rather than ‘working through it'. It will give both players and other clubs reason to want away and bid for our better players.

If you don't control the short term there will be no long term.

That's the price paid for being mediocre, you invite thr Wolves to the door. Rinse & repeat for the last 24years.

With our season over, other teams can smell the weakness. So if we sell we just have to start again. But it's a situation entirely of our own making. Mediocrity.

Getting my coat and all that.

He may well have been put under pressure for results and is responding accordingly like "How can I perform when you sell players that I want to keep and won't buy players that I want?"

I have a feeling the same thing happened with Moyes and Koeman.

I suppose it may depend on what Silva has been told he has to achieve? Maybe he would feel hung out to dry by selling and not buying but I think the writers are playing games, to be honest.

I did just hear from a mate we want Drinkwater for 㿀 million so who knows.

No. Not for me. If that's Silva's mindset, he needs an attitude adjustment.

I think that most managers who have worked in european football are now coaches only and are well used to the D of F making decisions about who gets sold and bought. Its more common in the Premier League now as well. If its the way our club is structured now then Silva has to bite the bullet and accept this may happen or pack his bags and look for his third club in three years. Financially the club would benefit and he would lose if he left under his own steam. Silva's reputation may be damaged badly if he demonstrates he is unwilling to bend the knee to the D of F on these issues.

On the evidence of this season he has more than enough work waiting for him out on the training pitch as I cant name a single player he has improved during his time here and should crack on with that rather than banging heads with the D of F who is also a board member.

Marco's had more than enough backing this past summer. Winter isn't the best time to buy when you're in 8th place, with nothing to really play for. And if that means selling an asset so you're poised to buy another player (striker!) come summer, for you and your team, as the manager?

That's sound business, not being hung out to dry. You do the best with what you have and look to bolster in the summer.

We're not talking about 4 fire sales of starting players here. We're talking about a single player, 29 years of age, who supposedly wants away. I don't see that as a rug pulling, hung out to dry exercise.

There may be something afoot as well behind the scenes. We'll never really know I suppose.

If that is the case they should never expect him to "just go with what he's got" and expect a progressive run of form.

Maybe it's not the case and they don't mind being anywhere above relegation? If so, I don't see him staying.

I obviously don't know but I assume the board will have given him a target?

It may look like it's the wish of the board if the rumour is true.

You cannot build any reputation by floundering around in mid table obscurity. If we were 7th and at least trying for sixth and still in the cup, especially given this seasons draw, we'd be buyers not sellers.

We remind me of a NHL team going nowhere wanting to tank and rent their UFAs players down the stretch. Stunningly average.

We are under a DoF model, coaches are expendable and the DoF gets to sell and buy as he wants.

Silva knows that, if he quits, it just strengthens the suspicion he ain't good enough.

As for all this talk of Brands being able to sell above Silva's head and being Silva's boss, do not be so sure. It's more that they work together and in tandem. Brands can't fire silva. He can only recommend such. Brands also said no player comes in or out with Silva's agreement.

I saw one comment on another thread celebrating the fact we're in 2nd place in the "best of the rest league". Fuck me... is this what we've become?

Steve, if you get your phone out and start taking photos of gaps in our midfield at the Wolves game, do remember that Gana is following Silva's instructions. The same Silva, who is determined to keep him. The same Silva, who you rate so highly as a manager. Seems Silva rates Gana as highly as the majority do.

Like Jamie, I will miss him if he goes and will start watching the PSG games as well to enjoy his brilliance.

For Andrew #138. Your pound coins would be a lot safer with Gana and you'd have a lot more. I looked at the dreaded 'stats' for the last game he played v Millwall. Gana made 55 successful and 9 unsuccessful passes plus another 8 successful contributions, being fouled, tackles, interceptions etc. Gomes was next with 42 successful v 11, Gylfi had 16 successful v 3, Richarlison had 19 successful v 10, plus a successful contribution of a goal.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned, the B word. I think Gana's wife is French, so with the turmoil that B is destined to bring, it would suit them better to be living in France and in Europe.

I prefer Silva tactics as played by his sporting side to those of his Everton side.

William Carvalho never went wandering. He held position. He took the ball off the back four and knocked it short and fast to Adrien Silva or Joao Mario. I want to see a midfield three who play this way.

There's no place for gueye and probably not for Sigurdsson in such a midfield.

Obviously this would have been discussed with Silva, but it is down to Brands to find the talent now and so far he hasn't really impressed me.

Regards Gueye, he is 29 years old and has a CL club after him packed with some magical players.
What footballer given the opportunity wouldn't want to play with the likes of Neymar, Mbappe, Cavini, Alves, Buffon, Rabiot, De Maria, Silva and the rest.
Like any footballer he wants something to show at the end of his career, medals and he ain't going to get them with Everton so for me it's an absolute no brainer, this is a huge opportunity for him.

I agree with MK and I think it's very obvious Silva is looking after number one by saying he really wants to keep him at the club etc etc.

In saying this I do believe if the club are going to sell, they should set the price and if PSG don't match it, tell them to fuck off as he has been a good performer us.
If he goes he will be missed and Silva knows it!