Oviedo gets U21s run-out

The lad has a great football brain, reads the game well and his passing was excellent. He looks like a future defensive midfielder to me but one things for sure I will be surprised if he doesn't play for the Everton first team.

I thought Kone was meant to be playing.

My question is what's happened to Francisco Junior? He seems have disappeared since he returned from his loan spell in Norway.

Junior is the weak man's Osman, from what I hear.

He's finished.

I'm waiting on a Chinese delivery here from a shop I haven't used for take away before, so tension is running a bit high.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/407986/Everton-boss-Roberto-Martinez-backs-Arouna-Kone-despite-forward-suffering-injury-setback

If so, it makes you wonder how he got through the medical in the first place. Especially on the back of other players not passing them in the past (Sean Davis & Leroy Fer). Although them not passing seemed more to do with the board looking for a problem, so they could renege and renegotiate the payments.

To me, it seems as though we were a little naïve to sign the lad in the first place. At least, not paying the bulk of the fee upfront, which I seem to remember we did when old 'broke me leg' Whelan threatened to scupper the deal unless we did. I just hope we're covered by insurance because I can't think of many of any players that have come back the same player after having this long out, especially as Kone is already 30.

To me, this has shades of the Danny Williamson deal years back, where he made a couple of appearances before getting injured. We kept getting updates then on expected return dates before they were put back. I always thought that was a strange transfer from the get-go: swapping Rhino, one of our best players in a very poor team and a couple of million. For a player who wasn't even one of West Ham's best players. I somehow get the feeling I'm going to remember the Kone deal in the same light in a few years time.

"I expect him to be fully fit by January and by that I mean match fit. He is going to be involved in 11-a-sides behind closed doors this week to build him up again and he will be fully fit in January. I've seen some players with it recover earlier and others take a lot longer to get back. But everyone does come back."

I’d like to think the likes of Kone and Gibbo have a real part to play for us, but certainly don’t expect it. Oviedo on the other hand looks like he’s going to make a strong come back following that horror leg break.

Here’s hoping for a good game and 3 points today.

I'm coming to believe he is the reason Martinez didn't sign any back-up for Coleman and decided to use Hibbert for this season, because next season, at 18, he could become part of our first team squad as a right back.

Mike, 15, the under-21 league was set up as a direct replacement for the reserve league, so you are actually allowed to play three over-age players in it. Reserve games were often used to help people coming back from injuries and the clubs wanted to focus on youth development, but also leave themselves this option, hence an over- age player rule.

It is also noticeable that most of the boys coming through are good physical specimens, something Martinez always touches upon when chatting about Barkley. The two recent signings, Galloway and Henen are both six footers, Kenny will be a big lad, Browning and Garbutt already are and Ledson is built like a tank.

Long is average size but has lots of skill and is a deadly finisher. Scores goals out of the blue and looks a real footballer. Fingers crossed he makes the grade. The Premier League is a different Universe and not many manage the transition.

Of course, Messi, Iniesta, Silva and Hazard have shown that exceptional stuff can still come in little bottles but we're now talking about needles in haystacks.

What you said here mate!

What is EDS? Apparently they don't call them U-21s in deepest Manchester... they are the Elite Development Squad. Coached by Patrick Vieira, no less.

Hmmmm.... Not to be outdone, I think – in true Everton tradition – we should go for School Of Development Squad. Has a nice ring to it...