Broja: “I've just had to be patient”

I'm sick of just seeing a big centre-forward get the ball smashed to his head from Jordan Pickford. Ball on deck and start getting men about him.

You'd be pleasantly surprised that Premier League football players actually can pass the football if you try training them on a regular basis, Sean.

Admittedly, I don't know much about Broja. I'm hoping that over a few months, he'll be successful, make the art of centre-forward play fashionable and be renamed Armani.

From what I've seen of him, he's very different to Calvert-Lewin. He prefers to run with the ball and has a far better technique than Calvert-Lewin.

If we are just going to carry on smashing the ball to the forwards head then it's not worth even playing Broja though because he's not that type of player.

I do think we need to move away from Calvert-Lewin now though, he's not staying here, we've been too persistent with a player that is not our future and I can't see the logic in it.

If I'm a manager and I've had nearly 2 years working with a group of players and training them, then I'm getting them to work on different ways of playing, using the ball, being more expressive and confident.

I actually believe that's one of the reasons. He won't sign. He's waiting to see If Dyche gets another contract. Then he will know if he will only get more of the same.

Broja looks a bit hot 'n cold to me, I've seen good and bad, but you must surely know that Dyche will not change his err... "style" to suit him. He won't for Beto. He didn't for Chermiti.

Leopard... Spots

Though Dyche will have him 'on the grass' for 3 months to get him Dyche Fit.

Though then again, Dyche might not even be here by January.

But as said above, we'd need to change our style. Shall we hold our breath?

Would be great but I've heard Man Utd and Chelsea are very keen, though he would be almost guaranteed game time here.

I'm not convinced about Broja, don't really know why and I hope I'm wrong.

Man Utd could do with him, Chelsea don't need him, greedy shitheads.

And also our manager changing his style to suit Broja's game.

You should be either given a knighthood or dispatched immediately to the salt mines for two decades at least.

Then again, there is no guarantee that he will hit the ground running, and more importantly as many have pointed out – unless the modus operandi is changed, he will just be a different name on the shirt!

Evertonians sometimes get stick because they love the club, but unfortunately the standard of play can be truly exasperating, but still they turn up in their droves getting the life strangled out of them.

Good luck lad - Everton definitely need a talisman right now and Armando the Evertonian, has definitely got a great ring to it.

It would be interesting to see what a change in fortunes up front could do for our team, and I don't necessarily mean changing strikers. A few goals from anyone would more than likely change the mindset of the players and supporters.

Confidence is important in football.

Calvert-Lewin has shown his competency in the past, has had former strikers singing his praises, is/was an international. I'm in the camp that says there's still a player there.

I also think he likes Everton but to be fair to him, he probably's gone a bit stale under the current management regime and needs a change of team/playing style for his own health.

Early in the morning and I'm nursing a belated birthday hangover mate.

I definitely deserve a knighthood, Paul.

Sorry, bit too cynical for a Wednesday morning.

Never had Broja down as a target man. He's actually quite quick given his size and got two good feet and can dribble. Not sure how that fits into 60-yard pumps from Pickford.

That's good Denis, I'm done with target men now.

Would like to see him in a front two with Chermiti (Beto) and Ndiaye just behind in that controversial No 10 spot.

This is what a sensible, interested footballer, would do, I'm sure.

Goodbye Bernie. MK was behind that, for sure.

I'm not sure it was Michael, but feel free to blame him if you want!

I wish I was 31 with my life ahead of me.

Has there been a top footy player since say 1970 whose first name was Bernard? Bernie Wright, Bernie Abrahams, Mick Bernard, Bernard, hmmmm. Bernie the Bolt.

That twat Bernie Winters - Mike was Syd Little, I think to his Eddie Kippax Large - who I never for one second thought TWEB would bring back to my mind. Lordy. With his twat hat, twat dog called Smorgiss or similar, and his twat teeth and grin and dickhead cheesy noise he made while grinning and spitting 'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE'.

Bastard. Is he dead?

Just checked, May 4 1991

And we think Dyche is bad?!

Tony, in addition and contrary to Dyche, I wouldn't want Ndiaye to defend, I would want him to attack.

Attack is the best form of defence.

Maybe wrong here as never played up front (in my youth, an unskilled ball-winning centre-half, not bad in the air and evil in the tackle but with very limited distribution, fortunately though I had a Beckenbauer type playing alongside me) but the chance that Calvert-Lewin had against Brentford, for me he didn't need to have that extra touch that took him wide, should have just blasted it first time.

Seems to me he needs that extra comfort touch. Happy to be corrected though on that by the footballers amongst us.

I believe he was also a chimney sweep (it was before the big money). He drove a motorbike with sidecar. Commanded the box, too. He played in the golden age along with Wally Brand (the ball of fire) and limp-along Leslie, the tricky winger with a bad leg.

You're going to need lots of it, with this set-up.

Not forgetting Ishmael, the Romany centre-forward.

I think you would have liked Bernard Levin, he had a tongue on him and could hit out, he might have made a good striker!

I remember him on ‘That Was The Week That Was'. He was talking away when a fella came out of the studio and gave him a good fourpenny one on the chin, remember them!

He had given the fella's wife a bad review on a new play. To give him his due, he carried after a short pause.

Just remembered Bernard Silva — what a player he was for Man City and before you correct me what's an ‘O' between friends!

With McNeil, Lindstrøm or Harrison supporting him, Dyche in charge, and Mykolenko at left back, he might as well leave.

Broja looks a decent player, but he's got no chance with the way we're playing – and the players we have – at the moment.

I think Dele Alli has more chance getting a game than O'Brien and Patterson under this manager.

There was a certain Bernard (“Bernie”) Slaven who played for Middlesbrough, and was something of an icon up there, scoring 147 goals from 1985 to 1993.

On the issue of Broja, I expect he is going to need a bit of time to readjust to the helter-skelter of Premier League football after so long out?

Not only that, our style of play is such that forward players get limited service as far as threaded passes or crosses to run on to, so Broja may find himself having to carry the ball and create his own chances.

From what I recall, he is direct and pacy, I just hope he gets his chance, even if it is off the bench to start with.

Richarlison could not pass and his pass completion to Calvert-Lewin was close to zero attacking. Digne did pinpoint cross to just beyond the penalty spot, but they were rarely met by anybody.

What Ancelotti did by telling him to get first to the ball, was cut out his weakness of not getting in front of his marker and getting into position in front of goal.

Calvert-Lewin has more of a defensive role holding the ball and putting pressure on the defensive line. Dyche in recent comments has conceded he does not have individual scorers, but a team of scorers. So Calvert-Lewin can be often seen behind the line of attack as others try to score. He rarely challenges in front of goal and never attacks the near post. McNeil's crosses just went to the goalkeeper.

Broja in Dyche's system would have the same defensive duties and may have more attacking craft, but I can see him coming on as a sub rather than starting.

He should try being a fan of this club for 30-odd years. Then he'll know all about being patient.

Forgetting Silva is plain embarrassing.

Slaven, I remember him, good goalscorer. Ran for Middlesborough mayor and published an autobiography he called Legend? Does he count though, being a Bernie not a fully fledged proud Bernard.

Great story AC. What world cup was that?

You flatter m DA. I remember grumpy old Levin. He made Paxman look like an even sweeter little Bo Peep.

I am so done with Yanks wishing me 'happy holidays'/'thanksgiving'. Next year I'm going to buy a redcoat uniform to wear all week and a musket.

Bernard Levin was a truly great man. A real " Liberal". His essay describing ET as a work of art is a wonderful thing. He was fearless, decent and inspiring.

Richarlison never needed to pass to Calvert-Lewin as he could finish on his own.

In my honest opinion, we have never been the same in attack since we sold him to balance the books. Despite his struggles with injuries, I would have him back in a heartbeat!

Richarlison was not, and never has been, a particularly good finisher. He doesn't shoot well at all and misses plenty of chances. He scores his goals on passion, effort and a total commitment of body, head and even face to get on the end of passes and crosses.

That's what we've missed since he left.

That was Richarlison and at times he could connect just right with the ball.

David# 40

Richarlison playing for Dyche would drive him mad.Though he would be selected for those one off shots, that dragged a below par team to mid table security.

Wasn't Ishmael the harpoonist in Moby Dick?

People say I should get out more but I can't think why.

Ishmael was Abraham's first son, his mother was Abraham's wife Sarah's handmaiden Hagar.
Ishmael is traditionally seen as the ancestor of the Arabs. In the Qurʾān, he is considered a prophet and messenger, and is thought to have helped Abraham build the Kaaba in Mecca.

He's not particularly fast but he's definitely better at running with the ball than Dom.

I think the Broja loan was yet another desperate and ridiculous signing and was a risk too big to take. Poor recruitment again!

Even if he proves to be an upgrade, we have potentially missed out on a player who could have come in and made a difference from the start.

3 months and counting, nothing to show. I hope it's true we aren't paying a penny for him but he still takes up a valuable loan space.

January will be here soon and I'd look to end the Lindstrom and / or Harrison loans if possible and bring in a better winger.

There was never a sense of him being in control of what he was doing, no link-up play, no consistency… but lots of sulking. McNeil and Ndiaye are simply better and come with less baggage.

I've no idea what Spurs saw in him to want him, they already had better players. I certainly wouldn't be doing them a favour to bring him back.

I think he may be a better bet than Broja who has hardly set the Premier League on fire at either Chelsea or Southampton. Still, it will be good to have some different options up front.

As is the case with the majority of players, keeping them happy goes a long way to keeping them fit.

Playing good football and winning games helps players keep their mojo.

This season, Dyche stays to build cohesion and resilience. It will be an interesting summer!

Can it be true?