Everton explore Romero option

I'd expect two new players before the window closes (goalkeeper and centre-back) at least. We need to strengthen our defence which still looks a bit wobbly.

Ideally, we could strengthen the right side of the team (right-back and right-winger) but I'm not too greedy.

Colin, with a depressed market and an owner who somehow finds the money, the time is now to be bold.

If Everton splash the money on a decent centre-back and right-winger and I think we stand a real chance of causing a huge upset in the Premier League.

It's now obvious that goalkeeping back-up is needed, having previously not been seen as a priority. Prior to this, a back-up for Coleman and an out-and-out finisher was a priority, There have been improvements in these two areas. Because of injury, a centre-back has moved up the list.

Pickford's selection was part of Ancelotti's tactics to spec up for the Fleetwood challenge. But Pickford shot himself in the foot twice. I am sure Pickford would be getting specific coaching to tackle his weaknesses. Pickford may need medical help and recognition by him of the need for it, which could be difficult.

Hopefully Romero can be our new Nigel Martyn, experienced and able to come in and do a good job straight away and maintain it for a number of seasons.

It would be painful for Pickford if a game against Fleetwood leads to his falling out of favour for club and country.

The Fleetwood game has got to have been the final nail. Ancelotti is wise enough not to publicly slaughter Pickford but he knows he's not good enough. He did the same towards the end of last season when our midfield were none existent, he still didn't slam them. He just bought better players.

Pickford will cost us more points than he wins us and that should mean he's replaced before it's too late. He's just not been the same since he threw one in against them a couple of years ago.

This would make sense if the figures mentioned are correct or Marcel Brands can negotiate even less or a loan with a view to buy option possibly even being explored.

Again, as with any players from Man Utd or City there are no Work Permit issues and are already settled in this Country, have proved they can cut it at Premier League level, and presumably wouldn't have to find a new house either.

I haven't seen a lot of him in action, but he is a regular Number 1 for Argentina, so is no greenhorn, at 33 is neither over the hill. I hear echoes of no more Man Utd rejects etc, and with a lot we have been linked with.

I would totally agree, but I think this is definitely worth exploring further, it won't break the Bank or the Transfer Kitty and we would have two International goalkeepers vying for the No 1 spot, can't be bad.

Pickford's confidence must be shot after Wednesday. It annoyed me that, after the first error, he seemed to be looking round for someone to blame rather than himself.

Romero is 33. He'll be 34 in February.

I believe Nigel Martyn was 37 when he joined us as Richard Wrights understudy. Martyn soon replaced Wright (due to injury initially) and became an incredibly solid and reliable presence for his 3 seasons here. Moyes once described him as his best ever signing.

I can imagine Romero doing a similar job. He's always looked an excellent keeper to me and reputedly has a tremendous work ethic.

For what its worth Romero's save percentage over 12 years at Alkmaar, Sampdoria, Monaco and United is 76.9%.

Pickford's save % over 8 years is 68.7%. His save % over his full 3 seasons at Everton is 65.9%. Which is below the league average. Yet people keep describing him as an 'excellent shotstopper'!

Clive, I think you are probably right, his confidence is eroding with every mistake, with every criticism it compounds the issue. I think if Carlo could take him out of the picture he would, even if its to give him breathing space.

If he gets his confidence back with a good goalkeeping coach then great. When he is on form he is a good keeper but... he needs to get his head up and work it through (sports psychologist might help)

Will he come good? How long has he got? What can he do? What should Carlo do?

Carlo is a good man manager, but he is ruthless too... I suspect his will be numbered unless he can put an error free season together.

I am amazed that Villa got Martinez from Arsenal for so little. He looked a very competent keeper and Romero also looked decent when I watched him.

Big Nev has publicly back Jordan, but I suspect it is more to do with the goalkeepers union and a worry about his mental health as much as anything else. It is a shame that Nev cannot be brought in to help, but that is another story.

From what I have seen, he is agile, quick, has a huge kick and can make good reflex saves.The downside is his positioning at set-pieces, and vunerability from long range shots as well as seeming to make wrong choices.

I don't think it's about confidence, I think he is simply a bit thick and can't learn from his mistakes. Give me a calm, steady guy, who commands his 6 yard box, with good hands and good concentration.

Good goalies organise the defence and inspire confidence in the rest of the team. A few months ago, I would have said he wasn't our most pressing problem, but now the horizons have changed. The midfield looks competitive and the attack more productive. We have tremendous competition at left back and Kenny back to compete with Seamus. Pickford has had no competition in the past and complacency has crept in.

Romero could be the catalyst for him to up his game or his replacement. Every other player has been bench when sub-standard, Keane, Mina, Davies, Sigurdsson, Schnides, etc, etc, but not Pickford.

I fear that his mistakes might cost us a place or two this season. It wouldn't be so bad if we were 12th instead of 10th but he could be the difference between 5th or 7th, or even 4th or 5th!

A lot of posters, me included, hoped that Pickford would be worth persevering with. Much like the lad that Klopp had in goal a few years back. You hope that your young keeper will learn, and possibly Pickford will, although I doubt that.

The point is, Ancelotti cannot now leave the goalkeeping situation as it is. At a minimum he needs a very strong back-up keeper, who in all likelihood will be in the team by November as I don't think any of us can see his form improving to an acceptable level.

The only good thing about Pickford is that he seems to be lucky. We haven't suffered too badly with his errors as most have happened in games we've won anyway (Fleetwood) or he gets away with some of his blunders.

It makes sense for all concerned, Romero wouldn't even have to move, so it would be a brilliant move for him coming to a club on the up like us.

At 33 he still has a good few years left, I think he would be up for it and fully motivated to help the team. Plus he is South American, and that has become almost compulsory.

To have a Nigel Martyn type keeper again!!!

Didn't Richard Wright fall out of his loft and dislocate is shoulder at some point?

Stef, yes indeed like Pickford, possibly, he fell from a lofty position with a bump, very aptly he was allegedly looking for a suitcase hmm! :-)

Wright also did his ankle on a sign on the goal line in a warm up. Think it was at Chelsea. Not very bright.

Yeah, the sign that warned him not to warm up in that goal!

It's like tripping over the trip hazard sign, you couldn't make it up.

Most keepers aren't that bright, it's one of the reasons they become keepers. I should know, I was one. You have to have a bit of a screw loose to play in goal, and Pickford certainly has a screw loose so he's qualified.

All players make mistakes, but obviously if a keeper messes up, it's magnified massively. Pickford is a good keeper, he's also still quite young at 26 so has time to mature as a keeper.

That said, we need reliability and results now (not later) and Don Carlo isn't a sentimental manager. Pickford also isn't the most likeable character in my view, a view shared by many by all accounts – this certainly appears to work against him for lots of supporters.

Personally I always back goalkeepers, not least because I know how bloody difficult keeping goal actually is, and how badly you're shown up when you make a mistake. There does of course come a point where a manager has to make a choice, and Romero seems like a sensible one.

Martyn and Southall are the only two world-class goalkeepers we have had in my time of supporting Everton. Howard was good (much better than Pickford, in my opinion) but probably stayed on too long.

I'd like to see Romero come in. Another reliable goalkeeper is Ben Foster at Watford. I know he's 37 or so, now but he's a good solid goalkeeper, who looks after himself and a good bloke off the field. I used to play 5-a-side with him when he was on Stoke's books, many moons ago. He's played for Man Utd and I don't think he'd be phased playing for us. He just gets on with it, unlike Pickford.

I think if we can get this goalie at the price quoted, it will be a shrewd signing.

Really hope this is true, would be a quality signing.

#16 and 17 - Yea, he didn't have the best of spells. Didn't he get 6 pumped past him by Arsenal not long after we bought him?

And people slated Howard... :D

Should have been in for Martinez though (not Bobs as mentioned elsewhere).

This is the first goalkeeper rumor I've heard that makes sense.

Romero is a quality keeper, and at the price quotde he'd be a fine acquisition.

Eddie #11

Nev's public backing of Jordan was full of double-speak. I watched that press conference at a friend's and that was his conclusion. Pickford was selected for the next game. I think if Pickford makes one mistake with England he will be gone like Robinson.

Robinson was harshly treated. I remember Steve Gerard's look back at Robinson after the ball had skewed under him into the goal. I never had time for Gerard after that and thought the slip that lost the League was payback.

I hope that something can be done to help Pickford, because a fall from the level he is at could have an adverse effect on him personally.

I'll take Fraser Forster from Southampton on loan with Davies going the other way. This will free up the cash for a centre-back because he wouldn't cost us anything and he's not a bad keeper — better than Pickford!

According to the Red Echo, Carlo has said he has full confidence in Pickford and we will not be bringing in any goalkeepers this window.

Raymond #24, the only way Fraser Forster could improve our club would be to wrap himself in Christmas lights and stand next to the Dixie Dean statue with his arms out.

I disagree, Mike. He had a bad spell at Southampton but he was outstanding on loan at Celtic.

Sam #8

Nigel Martyn's debut was away at Boro on 21 September 2003 (L 0-1) at the age of 37 years 2 months and 9 days.

His last game for us was at home to Arsenal on 21 January 2006 (W 1-0) at the grand age of 39 years 6 months and 12 days. He was the last player born in the 1960s to play for our club.

Well done for the memory.

I've read that Carlo isn't interested, sadly. Would be a big upgrade on Pickford.

Shane #27, it's easy to be outstanding in a one-team league where you face fewer shots than any other keeper in the country. Forster's "bad spell" at Southampton goes all the way back to 2017 and includes being third choice behind Alex McCarthy and Angus Gunn, neither of whom is what anybody would call brilliant.

According to a news story this week, Saints won't even loan out Gunn to Stoke unless it's a swap for Jack Butland, so it's obvious they don't have faith in Forster even as a backup.

We need to do MUCH better than that guy.

I think we are done with recruits apart from trying to get a centre-back on loan.

In the circumstances, we need a top-class 'keeper not just a panic buy to put pressure on Pickford.

We might try to get Donnarumma in January other than that I don't see any other realistic improvements on Pickford.

If you do a search for top goalkeeper in the world, you still get Lloris and De Gea and even Mignolet and Reina in, there such is the scarcity of top goalies right now.

Having said that, I am given to understand though that some of the MLS keepers might be worth a look.

Perhaps Mike G or JC might offer some insight?

Ancelotti has given him the dread vote of confidence on the BBC... often not a good sign.

Mike, I expected the one league team comment. Completely disagree.

Having nothing to do for most of the game and then being alert to act when needed is a key attribute for a keeper.

However, he was outstanding in keeping Rangers out at a time in the season when they were very much on the up. Gerard went on about him for weeks afterwards.

I'm not saying he's the long term answer but we have a complete liability between the sticks now.