Time to address the Spine

Been going on about the centre back for almost 2 years now. I think I've bored everyone enough with that.

And the midfielder to plug the gap, which will stop leaving Allan and Doucoure exposed when they go hunting.

Up top I don't believe we're too bad in the context of where we are right now. Calvert-Lewin as point man with the options Richarlison, Gray, Gordon or Townsend behind him. As well as Simms and Dobbin coming through.

I don't think either Rondon or Benitez ever thought he'd be thrown in as often and frequently as he has been but even I'm struggling to understand the persistence in his inclusion. Saying that, for the sake of balance, in my opinion, he did show glimmers of doing some decent hold up play against Hull.

Dobbin; I see a potential number 10 rather than wide player. Not an out and out striker, but let's not fall into the English disease model of sticking him out wide because he's young and slight.

To the theme of your post though Tony, get the spine right and the body is strong.

However, that's unlikely to be achievable in january (or even in the summer) so it may now depend on who we can move on. Delph is out of contract in the summer (and a useless paper weight now), and if we can move Gbamin out (on loan if needed) then the midfield looks most bear to me. This should be our priority.

An 'enforcer' would be very good, but the number one characteristic for me here is being available in space to take the ball, retain it, and use it pro-actively. To develop attacks and see the key passes that initiate them. I'd certainly take a 'De Bruyne' over the 'Henderson' but I get the argument for the latter too.

Outside of that, I think the next biggest issue is the goal threat from the right. Gray and Richie give us plenty from the left, Gordon is 'getting there' on the right, and Townsend is a decent option for competition, but think we lack that outright attacker who could play on the right in a front 3 like the dark side do. Maybe this is where Dobbin can find his niche, but a 'Jarrod Bowen' type in the interim would be great too please santa. :)

I think we're OK up top if we can keep players relatively injury free. Some of the link up play between Gordon and Grey on Saturday was great and desperately missing a goalscorer into the mix.

Otherwise, exactly what Bill Shankly did in the early 1960's with our neighbours.

I still don’t believe we’ve replaced Gana. Allan isn’t a holding midfielder for me and is much more effective at being aggressive and chasing the ball. With the players we’ve got i’ve often wondered why we’ve not gone for a narrow diamond in the middle with attacking wingbacks. You could have a holding player (gana/barry type) with Allan and Doucoure being box to box midfielders and use Richie as a attacking midfielder or second striker behind Dcl. We could then use attacking wingbacks or more defensive ones depending on the game. It would allow Doucoure or Allan to cover the wing backs when they go forward or they could push and the wingbacks could sit and focus on defending alongside a holding defensive midfielder.

When attacking teams we could use Gray/Gordon/Townsend and when we need to defend against tougher teams we could use Coleman or the new left back.

Either way a holding dm and extra body is 100% needed in the middle of the park and we need a CB who is aggressive and a leader!

Midfield enforcer? I always thought Beni Baningime would be the man. He may still be judging by his performances for Hearts until he got a bad knee injury before Christmas. A good friend up there, a Celtic fan, rates Beni highly and speaks very well of Patterson, too, which is praise indeed from a Celtic supporter.

He insists on playing deep and therefore stops the MF from getting forward or leaves gaps between the MF and the defence.

He lacks the speed and concentration for a modern CB and for me he would be the one to replace first. Godfrey is not great in the air but has considerable pace about him. Holgate just needs to go as does Mina because of his injury record. Brandthwaite is a great future CB but just needs a bit more experience.

I don't think Allan And Doucoure are too bad but we do need a goalscoring centre mid similar to Manny Fernades. I was hoping Gbamin would be that man but that ship appears to have sailed.

Up front we are too reliant on DCL and have no natural deputy although I have high hope for Simms. Rondon is not the answer and neither is Tosun. Dobbin is too similar to Lookman.

You know it's obvious; I know it, most people know it… maybe even the Caldy Clown does too – we shall see.

Michael Keane has admirable qualities but pace is not one of them, by a distance. Therefore, with him in the team, we have no choice other than to defend deep. This imposes huge restrictions on us in terms of "transitioning" from defence to attack in a way to stretch any, repeat, any, opposing team, from Man City to Norwich City.

With him we have our goal-scoring potential limited because of the time afforded to the opposition to set their defensive stall out once, indeed if, we win the ball in our area. We therefore have our midfield stretched by having a vast area to cover between our area and the opposition's, and we have our one or two strikers feeling like the loneliest men on the planet unless we have a dead-ball opportunity.

According to the pacy Calvert-Lewin, Godfrey and Branthwaite are at least as quick as he is. Hopefully Patterson and Mykolenko have that sort of pace too. If those four can soon gel together into a competent high defensive line, I'd expect results to improve no end.

Centre back position is also the area needed to concentrate on just not strong enough, I had enough of Michael Keane three years ago and he hasn’t changed since then. Mina should be at Butlins, the holiday camp would suit him,mind you Finch Farm is a more up to date holiday camp and suits quite a few of the players.

Benitez has to advance on four fronts, increase the number of players available by decreasing the injury recovery times, introduced younger players on the books, improve the players he has, and bring in strategic transfers.

He has brought in a right and left fullback. He needs a good midfielder and a attacker. It will take all his experience to get a value for money player for these two positions. He has made changes in Medical Services and Training, which should kick in the coming months. Young players are being tried and selected on a regular bases

. My disappointment is the improvement in performances from individual players, compared to Ancelotti. Ancelotti did improve some players, though there where still inconsistencies in individual performances, Evidence of individual player coaching from Benitez is not as forthcoming.

This puts more pressure on Benitez to bring in players to fill the technical and tactical gap , that does exist in the Everton squad.

the January Transfer window is not a easy window.