Bolasie edges closer to Everton switch

I would be shocked if we bought Hart. A loan perhaps, but NEVER on a purchase.

Bolasie is going to be a great signing and Koeman will get the best out of him. Add Mata to that and hold on to Lukaku, we will be one hell of a force this season.

Yes to Bolasie from me. 3-5-2 is fine with the squad we have but any formation requiring a proper LW would require us playing square pegs in round holes. Bolasie would fill a gap.

Mata too would provide the craft we need whilst Lamine Kone and Bony would complete the squad.

Next week will be interesting.

Regards Joe Hart, it's tough; he seems more prone to noticeable mistakes over the last few seasons, but I still think he'd be an improvement over what we have, plus I still think there are better keepers for probably less money.

We literally have no reliable goalscorers behind Lukaku – how has that been allowed to happen?

As for Hart, all keepers make mistakes, but when you're England's number one who plays at one of the money boys, they get noticed and highlighted ten fold.

I like Bolasie and have to trust the manger to get everything out of him every week. On balance, Hart is a no-brainer, a level above what we have, and is a big voice at the back and a winner. A year-long loan to buy would be the best deal.

He's only got a few years till his pace starts to diminish so hope he makes a quick impact and can find more end product and consistency than he did at Palace. Most of their fans seem pretty happy to let him go for £25m which is never the best sign but will trust Koeman and Walsh' judgement.

Aymeb Abdennour supposedly in for medical too? A Tunisian centre half.

Actually, just re-read it... it's Ghezzal, not Ziyech.

In Koeman we trust ..at least for now.

Yep, he was up to his old tricks again yesterday which cost City a goal. His fault. But, hey these things can happen. He's only 22, still learning. Just not learning very fast.

£47.5M is a fine price for an uncut diamond.

And whether he learns or doesn't learn ceased to be an issue for me when he raised the sky blue jersey.

Mason Holgate did pretty well against Spurs. OK Lamela beat him in the air for their equalizer, and but I'm pretty sure that Stones wouldn't have won that header either.

Assuming Coleman returns after the international break, we don't urgently require cover. We need another centre-half, creative midfielder, and possibly two strikers.

What does need resolving is the issue surrounding Lukaku. Get it resolved asap and not on the final day of the window.

Add a keeper ASAP, although Steklenberg looks solid for now.

'The deal is close and he will go with my best wishes. There's no medical done or agreement 100% done.'

'It's fair to say we know his heart and soul may be elsewhere.'

News in is that Bolasie is undergoing medical at FF today...fee circa £25 million.

Hart is a good keeper but suspect, like many others. He doesn't rate as high as some of the best who are not available at this time. Stekelenburg has done well so far, as has Robles, so let's give them some latitude. (Just for the record, I was never a goalkeeper.)

I would also hope for a creative midfielder, a young Alonso that can bring out of defence, go box to box and also produce 60-yard killer passes to our forwards. We should be producing left and right backs from the youth as cover.

I will be made up with Bolassie & Kone Mk II in, even more made up with Kone Mk I, Niasse and McGeady finding new employment. Shame Roberto didn't take a club job as he brought his faves with him and I was hoping for him to take them to his new job.

A new striker is also a must regardless of what Lukaku does. Yesterday just showed why we need one before the window closes.

I have to compliment you on your wonderful little aphorism: "under the previous manager's dysfunctional reign."

This phrase can save a great deal of time during this coming season e.g.:

- "We were doing well against Spurs for a while yesterday until the team felt the effects of the lack of fitness under the previous manager's dysfunctional reign."

- "I hope we don't line up against the Shite in the same manner as we did under the previous manager's dysfunctional reign."

- "It was good to see us try to close out the game unlike the way we used to play under the previous manager's dysfunctional reign."

- "We need our defenders to see their first job as defending, as opposed to what used to happen under the previous manager's dysfunctional reign."

- "A goal from a set piece is worth the same as a goal from open play in direct contrast to the views which used to be expressed under the previous manager's dysfunctional reign."

Why don't we go for this lad Callum Wilson from Bournemouth? Young, strong, quick and very skillful and he probably wouldn't cost a fortune. Far better than the likes of Kalinic who looked like a donkey at Blackburn.

We could even abbreviate it to, quite simply, UPMDR.

Under Bobby brown shoes, McCarthy, Mirallas, Barkley, Baines... in fact, all of them, were unfit and uninterested; but yesterday they all put a shift in. I know it's only one game but thank God for a manager who is able to make us competitive with the hope of better to come.

We are attempting to rival them in the near future and in my mind this loan will never happen.

Stekers could be like Nigel Martyn this season, those 2 saves yesterday were world class.

But managed to up his game as soon as Man Utd took the game against Bournemouth by the scruff of the neck! Up until then he was a maverick.

Seen as the gaffer has dispensed with tippy tappy happy tactics, it would be no surprise to see Lukaku leaving and more agile physical forwards, who can get on the end of a cross being introduced.

As results have proved, dominating possession doesn't win games, as we learned last season. And as Leicester proved by winning the title.

I love the idea of Bolasie here, he's what we've been crying out for – pace and power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x_HYDKgsCQ

Cover for Coleman? Replacement for Rudolf more like.

Has for Hart, I wouldn't mind him but I can't see it. And for those who say we don't need a No.1, Stekelenburg was great yesterday, he'll do. Yes, he was good but for both Fulham and Southampton he has had bad games riddled with mistakes and we need a better No.1 and Hart would be that but like I say, can't see it happening.

Has for Abdennour of Valencia, he was brilliant at both Monaco & Toulouse before that but found it thought at Valencia but it's fair to say they didnt have the best of seasons last time out but he's a left sided CB and we've just signed Williams who is also a left sided CB ( Although he's right footed...) and so is Mori so we'd be over loaded with left sided CB's. Atleast with Kone he's a right sided CB and would add balance to the backline and tbh, he was great in the prem for Sunderland for the last 3-4 months of last season after signing in Jan, and was coached and well drilled defensively there by Allardyce and would be my choice of CB I'd like us to bring in.

There's rumours were interested in Ghezzal of Lyon, another tricky winger, whispers of Ziyech from Twente and Koeman wants another striker so I don't believe for one minute we'll only sign another 4 players has of now before the window shuts!

On the point that Bolasie's assists stats are not very good, it could possibly have something to do with the fact Palace haven't had a decent striker for him to setup?

Hopefully we'll be able to bring in a goalkeeper, a right back a creative midfield and a striker. What about WBA's Salomon Rondon? Big, strong striker with good pace.

And Mark I wouldn't read into his inconsistency. Most players are inconsistent. Ozil for example. Genius but inconsistent. Yet Arsenal fans wouldn't want to lose him.

Honestly this guy is nothing special and, up against a top full back, he struggles!

Either:

Don't come on here with your lahdee dah posh phone voice; or

Change your spell checker!
😬

Early days but the RK buys have looked excellent so far.

He's 27, with little potential for for further development.

Pace is his primer asset and that will begin to dissipate in a few seasons time.

In the last 3 Premier League seasons he's scored an average of 3 goals a season.

Last season he created half as many chances as his teammate Jason Puncheon. His cross completion rate was around half of Puncheon's and his pass rate was 10% less... Maybe we should be buying Puncheon!!

Inter Milan bought Ivan Perisic last season for £14m

Stats are not everything of course but they are often a good guide. Bolasie is a good dribbler but his passing is suspect and end product unreliable. For that amount of money, I would expect someone a lot more consistent...

Not in any way, shape or form impressed. The guy is bang average but runs quick.

That money would buy you Bazoer, Max Meyer, Yarmolenko, Mata, Tielemans or a host of other players who offer more than raw pace, iffy end product, and a snide haircut.

I see this as a good buy. At these prices any player is a risk. They all have their pros and cons. We wanted RM out and RK in. Now that he is, we have to trust his judgement.

You almost had me right up to Yarmolenko. In terms of bang average, overpriced, overrated, completely one-footed and limited in terms of execution he's right up there IMO.

This seems to be a move for a pacey, hard working left winger with plenty of premier league pedigree. Yes, the price is high, but that is what you must pay for another Premier League team's best player.

For too long, we have aspired to spend all the kitty on a big name signing with the hope that he'll be the new Latchford/Lineker etc.

All the big clubs sign squad players – I'm glad to see we're acting like them at last and building a solid club that will endure the demands that injuries, long cup runs & European football exerts. I have faith in our manager & Steve Walsh – exciting times...

As an aside, this was the animosity that lay behind the rather public comments and fall out between the two after Man Utd away last season.

Personally, I backed Leighton Baines but a look through last season and yesterday, it is startling how many crosses do actually come in from that side. It is a clear failing by Baines – he has to get closer and make it harder than it is currently. All we sense now is that with RK there won't be many chances given.

As for panic buy, I think it's safe to say Bolasie is not very consistent, has not scored enough goals to merit the transfer fee, or created enough assists. This means we are throwing mega money at a middling player – we are overpaying because we are noticeably short on attacking options on the left and need that sorting out ASAP, this, is why it's a panic buy – he isn't the answer; he's just available.

Feel free to justify Bolasie for £25 million though because THAT seems like a transfer from a computer game.

I would still take Yarmolenko over Bolasie though.

As did Arouna Kone... Remind me again how that turned out.

I think Bazoer, Depay would be interested in working with a Dutch legend.

Hard working is great but quality and consistently delivering match winning performance week-in & week-out is better.

I can't tell you that Bolasie will be a success with us but I can definitely say he's the type of player that we need. Fast, strong, direct. What more do you want?

Likewise Gana. The type of player we need. Will he be a success? Let time figure that out.

I'd be concerned if we were buying more McCarthy/Barry/Besic types.

These moves are in the right direction, and the right direction is the only way to go.

Bolasie doesn't have the best stats (goals / assists) that would get us brimming with excitement, but then again Mahrez had only scored 6 goals in 60 games for Le Havre before Walsh spotted him.

Not comparing the two players, but just saying that regardless of prior success, if you put the right player in the right team, with the right system and right players around them... then you might just unlock something special.

Bloasie could well be that player for us.

Or, you know, perhaps he's rubbish and not worth all this money.

It's going to be quite exciting finding out though .

Would RK not be using this type of acquisition to reassure Lukaku of where then club is going and more importantly the type of service he can expect on the pitch? "Feed the Yak" so to speak? I see it as leverage by gaining one player and retaining another Everton's Under-23 side both significant for future success.

If he turns out as well as they did...

Link

Goals wins games not fancy skills on the wing but I think if we can keep Lukaku then Bolaise and Rom can pair up well. I trust RK and Walshe who I presume recommended Gueye but I really hope they bring in 2 strikers this week and not be so focused on defenders. Who do people see as our best targets for strikers?

Maybe... just maybe, they see something in Bolassie that you don't. Maybe, unlike yourself, they're aware of what player they need to fit the system that they wish to play. What were Vardy's or Mahrez's stats before last season?

It took the right manager, system, and players to get the best out of them. I will assume that Koeman and Walsh believe that they will do that with Bolassie...as opposed to just chucking 30 million on him simply because he's available.

Why do you think so poorly of Koeman and Walsh? What has either of them done in the last few seasons to make you think that they will just waste £30 million? I can't think of anything.

Is what I want in now:

With midfield back up to come soon.

I'm happy with Holgate as a backup rightback - and Kone played there in Ligue 1, so we will have plenty cover.

Although, I think Iheancho would be tricky to get - so the likes of Slimani/Bony/Remy I think we can easily get.

Personally I'd like two of them, each offer something different than what we have. Bony and Remy as backups sound good to me.

What would you have said if we were bidding for him?
What would you have said if last summer we were bidding for Vardy?

Leave it to the professionals.

Did you see the amount of negative reaction to the purchase of the two players who practically saved our asses on Saturday? I think after that display we should drop the backseat driving.

Bolasie is obviously an integral part of the Gaffer's Gameplan for our ascent up the table.

As I said before, we can now offset the outlay for more expensive signings, with the killing we made costwise on the players we brought in, who showed more than positive signs. Koeman has already shown he is a good judge of horseflesh, so let's enjoy the ride!!!!

Bolasie is overpriced, underwhelming, and is in no way worth the money.

To answer your question re Albrighthton , I would then and still would now say he is not a player who is at a level we need... As for the put him on the wing and then won the league, I'd say that had more to do with their more productive players or vardy, mahrez, Kante's standout season and momentum with some excellent man management and not Albrighthton (how many bids has he attracted since winning the league- how many man of the match performances did he have) you are grasping at straws kidder.

Regarding Vardy, I can't answer that because it would depend on the size of the bid (although I would have thought that was obvious) so Vardy for seamus Coleman money .. Yes please. Vardy for Pogba money... Not on your life.

So thanks for the random and baseless question, hope I answered it. Next time you've got a question, leave it to the professionals.

I think that's part of the reason to bring in Guide, someone who can break up play in midfield, provide defensive cover and begin attacking moves. Barry will be phased out of this team over the course of the season and be let go at the end of the season when his contract expires.

"For fuck sake Brian, would you stop going on about bloody Menorca! ".

Some of us whinge when we aren't spending and whinge when we do. It's amazing!!! Given Walsh amd Keman's records with players, I think it is safe to say they know more than we do!!!

McCarthy being deployed at RWB made me wonder. If Bolasie is hard-working and can put in shift defensively, could he be competition for Coleman in the right wing back slot?

Stekelenburg
Williams Jagielka Funes Mori
Bolasie Gueye Barry Baines
Barkley
Lukaku Deluofeu

Might Work?

Also, people need to stop whining about the money – it's not your money so why do you care about the fee? Palace set the fee, not us, just like we set the fee for Stones/Lukaku etc.

So what if we end up paying £30m for Bolasie? Will you struggle to buy the next edition of Football Manager as a result? No, I didn't think so.

Excellent point. Internet hard men, keyboard warriors.

We've just returned from Menorca - whereabouts are you?

Everton fans know that there's a budget, like there is at every club. Therefore if the club spend an amount on a player that they think exceeds the market value of that player then they're likely to feel that that extra money could have been used elsewhere.

You throw Football Manager comments around like other posters are kids but it kind of makes you look like a kid.

"Goals wins games not fancy skills on the wing"

It's funny you don't see more teams going with a 0-0-11 formation with eleven strikers.

Great to see Bolaise in. I think 3 more signings can now be expected. Would like to see Kone and Mata. COYB

The market is inflated - everyone knows that, so the price is the price. We either pay it or we don't buy anyone.

I don't see anything foolish in that. Everton have set inflated prices for our own players, so you can't have it both ways.

Let's get that table .

Well 'kidder', he wears the blue of Everton now so back him and give him a fighting chance. Also, I assume you are not including yourself as one of the 'professionals' are you?

Hopefully this will turn out to be an astute bit of business; will likely be in the side ahead of Del Boy or Mirallas.

We still need a striker, creative midfielder, right wing back, center half and keeper.

We may think nonsense (clearly I do not, not ever, whilst others clearly do, albeit accidentally and/or momentarily) but them press twats think it, steal it, get it published, pass it off as truth, back each other up by quoting it ("reports suggest "), then fucking deny it ("club moves to deny speculation ").

Us lot having a bit of jocularity is all well and good. For fuck sake, if it wasn't for some pointless shite for football fans to nurdle over then no-one would go the bloody match !

Apparently some women (and indeed men) like buying different styles of shoes, and spend their weekends pursuing this "need". It's filling a need.

Some fellas stand on railway platforms with notebooks, wearing outdated anoraks (retro stuff from the 70's n 80's, it seems, stuff from jumble sales and suchlike) and carrying satchels with Tupperware boxes of fishpaste sandwiches and tartan vacuum flasks with warm Campbell's cream of boredom soup, plus if their Mam had time there might be a tunnocks caramel wafer in there as a treat, but most likely just a couple of rich tea biscuits.
Them lads are just as dedicated as us Evertonians, but there's not a shred of controversy in their sad pathetic lives !
"Was that train Norman ? "
" Yes Edwin, and it's number was etc
(I'm filling in here 'cos I' very never actually liked fishpaste).
Many of this crowd eventually tire of the utter predictability and finally hop on one of the trains and wind up hundreds of miles away at Old Trafford, or if the fish paste was a long way past the sell by date, Anfield.
ALL of these do this to avoid the faint urge to procreate.

My point is :
We NEED pointless shite in our lives !

Thank "The Holy Trinity" that I was born a Blue, just imagine standing in the drizzle every weekend, head full of pointless bloody numbers ?

Then coming home with fuckall to argue about !
COYB !

If you re read (or just read) the thread you will find that I had the temerity to express my doubts about his consistency, sorry if my use of a popular vernacular offended your sensibility, however to pull you up, I have in no way shape or form said I want him to fail- You are misquoting me on that.

To further clarify, I hope he does prove my doubts (and his form for the last four or five seasons) to be unfounded, I also hope Arouna Kone scores buckets full of goals and comes good, I hope Aiden McGeady can recapture his Celtic form. But it's just that, hope... Blind hope.

But hey if that's what you want to base your opinions on, that's your prerogative. He's our player now and I will be at Goodison cheering him and the rest of the team on.

Do I hope he will be a huge success? Yes

Do I think he will ? No.

But as I said before I hope to be proven wrong.

Posters on this site who think it's too high say so in their posts but you decided to tell them that it's not their money. If we spend £30m on Bolasie instead of, say, £20m then it'll mean £10m elsewhere.

Obviously Koeman, Walsh & Moshiri reckon it's worth it; some people don't.

It's fairly simple, but comments about Football Manager and it not being the fans' money are silly.

Frosted glass !

Unless your wrist aches it's a fail.
Yes, OK I am bloody jealous.

(BTW I have a provided YOU with the bloody research project of a lifetime !).

Everton have signed plenty of players over the hears that made me gasp – and not with amazement. I am backing Koeman's judgement on this one.

The Frosted Glass is a delight akin to a tricky Trevor shimmy or a twice scored Sheedy free-kick.

The barkeep prepares your glass in the freezer, then, when your throat is drier than Tutankhamuns parchment you request "Frosted Glass" !

But, you knew that, didn't you ?
You just enjoy sitting on the ball like "The Red Headed Dynamo" or the man upon whom all agree is "Magic", and could jump over a mini. But more comically leave "the anfield iron" looking for his reputation.

Aching wrist ?
Beer so cold it can't be hold.
Beer so frozen you drink a dozen !

Request a "Frosted Glass", you'll bless my name.