Koeman confirms Lukaku decision

30 minutes later the problem appears to be solved.
This man surely knows management.

Now concentrate on scoring goals Rom

The litmus test, for me, will be what happens when the Chang deal expires at the end of this season. I'm hoping for a bare minimum 5-fold improvement on a shirt sponsor deal to improve our FFP standing. If Moshiri can pull that off, then we might be able to keep Lukaku. If not, I think he will be the sacrifice to allow our continued improvement on the pitch. The sale of Lukaku will allow him to attract the bigger salaried players and continue our steady growth.

Plan B would be to keep him and trust that Walsh can find cheap gems, that don't command a big salary yet still improve our starting 11. To do that, we would also need to show Lukaku that we are serious on the pitch. (I also think he needs to buy into the project and show Koeman he is worth rejecting the big bids.)

We have no problem with transfer fees, just salaries, I believe.

Not necessarily bad news. He's whilst nobody would claim he is the finished article, there is plenty for Koeman and his staff to work with.

Averages 14 league goals a season, but if he can show the sort of improvement we have already seen in Barkley and Mirallas's attitude, he can definitely improve on that and more importantly enhance his value to the team by weighing in with a few more assist's.

Good to put this one to bed, but we still need to sign another striker.

Having said that, we still need another decent alternative in the team. We can't keep relying on one player to deliver the goods. I also think/hope that we will sign Kone, Ghezzal and possibly Hart before the close of the window.

I hope we can put this to bed until next summer.

I think him, Bolasie, Mirallas and Barkley can be an attacking force, managed right.

We do need another striker though - and I was wondering about Tarashaj myself.

He certainly looked a vast improvement on Kone. Having said that, so would Douglas Bader.

Out of the 3 players muted to be leaving during this window: Rom, Stomes and Barkley, for me the right one has gone.

Get us the goals Rom you know it makes sense. Better to become a legend here than try with CFC., where you will warm the bench more often than not in my opinion.

Now he's staying, he needs to stop playing like a big fish.

Can't remember who it was aimed at but I remember many decades ago we would talk about one of the rs (l'excrement rouge according to Tony Draper!) as like Douglas Bader - deadly in the air but dodgy on the ground. Who was that? Tony Hateley??

Maybe the radio/telegram thing explains my lack of mail. Letterbox was blocked for years.

Nutmegged him! Respect!

To be honest, I'd surprised myself

ps: "Good is on Park" was an error by the predictive text on my tablet. I didn't bother correcting it as it seems so appropriate for the new mood!

I'm as frustrated by his off field comments, poor first touch and generally despondent attitude when things aren't going his way as the rest, but he is a goalscorer. He has been playing in a team that was not set up to take advantage of his strengths. I believe Koeman will set the team up to get the most out of Lukaku. Already him and Bolasie have shown signs of forming an understanding. Attack with pace and directness with Rom running at players and he will score plenty.

I do think we need another striker, both as backup, but also as an alternative to Lukaku if the game demands it or a partner. Ideally a target man who can bring others into play. Rom did an OK job against West Brom, allowing us to play more direct balls and getting us playing in the final third, but playing with his back to goal is not his forte and there will be more tests against the likes of Hull & Burnley where they're set up in two banks of four to stifle our play. With a target man we have the players with the close passing skill to break through, as Mirallas & Barkley proved yesterday. We just need a couple more options.

Very pleased with this news and the way the club is now heading.

The fitness levels have started to improve and will no doubt continue to improve. Instead of players knowing they will automatically play, now they will have to perform week in and week out to stay in the team. I am sure in the weeks and months ahead we will also see improvements in all the players, I am especially interested to see how he handles Lukaku.

He will always score goals, will he improve his seasons tally to keep his transfer fee up the value that other clubs will pay it. Time will tell, I hope for Everton's sake he does.

When he gets to the 18 month mark his value could plummet to the 25-30M mark or we risk losing him for nowt

1) he is a crap footballer

2) he is an arrogant, disrespectful twat with a hyper-inflated ego

Any counters to 1) were dismissed as statistical distortion and pure invention as to the quality of his finishing and game play.

Any counters to 2), offering an alternative view that in interviews he often speaks as an eloquent, intelligent, humble, deep thinking and keen student of the game, were torched by flame throwing keyboard warriors.

Even following his introduction yesterday, which clearly and immediately changed the dynamic of the game and put Everton in the ascendency from which they won the game, the usual suspects could not refrain from criticising him.

Koeman is no fool. In announcing Lukaku is staying he said:

"He is not only a great player but also a fine human being. " (as clear a counter from our manager you could ask for to the above two claims by the anti-Romelu clique).

Koeman added: "It's nice to work with him and vice versa, I think he sees that we want to improve a lot in all areas. Both the team, and to develop himself into a top player is a challenge for me." An acknowledgement that the player is far from the finished product, but still, at 23, Koeman sees RL staying equal to making a 'mega signing.'

I undersood there was a case to be made to cash in the likes of John Stones and Lukaku. As some suggest, possibly our hand was forced to flog JS due to the confused FFP edict. I really don't know.

But my opinion remains the same: be it John Stones, Romelu Lukaku or Ross Barkley. They have exactly the right profile in terms of ability, age and potential we should be looking to recruit and retain for the continued betterment of the club.

Only one bit of advice Romelu, stop missing sitters and earn your money!

He has many problems being an Arsenal 'supporter', but just imagine, in a few years, if Moshiri and Koeman get it right he will want to wax lyrical about us.

Not sure how I feel about that.

But he's staying now, so let's hope he becomes the player he thinks he is.. and keeps his gob shut.

"Former Sunderland defender Gary Bennett on BBC Newcastle: "I can't understand that change. You've got Paddy McNair who plays centre-back. He's played there for Manchester United. Why doesn't he drop back alongside Papy Djilobodji and play centre-back?

"I hope Jack Rodwell can play centre-back. Sunderland have lost all shape. I would have put McNair at the back and Rodwell as the holding midfield player."

He wasn't going to get the CL move he said he wanted. He's got the chance to improve under a better manager and a team that plays with pace.

He scores goals every season. He scares the opposition. He creates space for other players. .when they're energetic enough to fill it.

He'll improve under Koeman. And on that basis, he'll be part of something special with us or get his CL move, if there's a club willing to pay.

I'm looking forward to seeing him under Koeman this season.

Don't give a toss about what a player or his agent says (within reason; especially if it's recycled by the papers weeks after, to give the impression of a new quote); what he earns; how he spends his dosh; whether he's a born blue. I just want goals from a striker.

I just hope he gets on with his job of scoring goals - if he remembers how to do it - and keeps his trap shut .

Certainly his form, utterings and demeanour makes him nobody's hero at the moment !

That's incorrect. He didn't score in the last 8 matches last season, with his last goals coming in the FA Cup against Chelsea. That's 8 matches to end last year, and then yesterday's substitute appearance. In yesterday's match his introduction and presence up top changed the game. It's very good news he is staying with us.

1 basic £50,000
2 for scoring £10,000
3 not doing that stupid imploring-the-heavens look as if it's God who's got it in for you rather than your own lazy fault for missing a sitter you twat £10,000
4 controlling the ball £10,000
4 if your agent keeps quiet £10,000
5 if your Dad shuts up £10,000
TOTAL £100,000

She couldn't see which player it referred to.

And you must be lying because you have 2 fours in the contract.

Ha ha I bet your Aunty doesn't even smoke.

Hope you lumped on

Yeah, I would expect he will get a goal after returning to training and hopefully having Bolasie in the starting 11. Season has just started, he's only made one appearance as a sub for us so far and had a big impact. Him staying will only help us move back up the table where we belong.

Last season he went on scoring runs, as every striker does. Scored 12 in 12 matches, 6 in 6 matches, then there was a barren spell to end the season when the entire team fell apart under the clown of a manager we finally got rid of. I have no doubt that under Koeman, with a more direct approach and wanting to get the ball forward and into the box, that he'll go on another scoring run very soon.

I've got some news : no-one played well for the past several months under the Catalan Clown, so benchmarking and quoting stats about anyone in that period to make some kind of damning point is a pretty pointless exercise.

Let's see a fit Lukaku under a decent manager because you can be sure Koeman won't tolerate a poor performer, and clearly, he rates Lukaku for his main job of sticking them in the onion bag.

Seems we're arguing about how many goals in the current barren spell when I'd have thought it more valid to take the longer view. In which case, a goal every two and a quarter games in his first 3 seasons for us. Unless you think he's too old to take a long term view.

Maybe under Koeman (who has brought his buddy Bolasie in) he'll keep a bit quieter!

We need the goals he scores. Maybe he'll score more of them in a Koeman, revamped set-up.

In any case, things "feel" a lot better/happier and more optimistic now.

COYB.

I saw a video of Del and Funes Mori having a bit of a dance in the changing room, Rom didn't look too impressed with their dancing skills.

Lets sign another striker to have back up and competition so we can put Rom on the bench when he has a dip in form.

Gobs off more than I'd like of course. Mind you, he's good enough to generate that kind of media interest.

I have to agree with Kevin, that in fact the only club that appeared to make an approach was Chelsea.

I am happy he is staying when I predicted that he would leave.
He will score goals for us,the more he does the merrier we will all be.
There are aspects of his game he needs to work on and Koeman will do this, hopefully making him a better all round player.

Noticed McCarthy never looked at Lukaku when the substitution was made, don't think he will be flavour of the month with some of the other players either.

More likely we'll see a centre back pairing of Galloway and Holgate... Would be fantastic in a few years!

I hope Galloway goes on loan to Sunderland, looks like he'll get a chance there, while Kone can to Everton.

It's an Internet thing, right? Because half these comments would be laughed out of normal conversations.