Atsu suffers penalty agony in AFCoN final

Atsu came off after 116 minutes, exhausted, The Guardian made him the best player in the tournament, this was before the final took place.

Something isn't right there.

Plus Atsu has never before played in the Premier League! Anyone who writes him off for his showings in an Everton shirt so far is extremely closed-minded in my book.

What is strange is that Roberto should bring in a young loan player who clearly needs game time to improve and settle and then not give him that time...

Atsu was very unlucky to get that hamstring before he went off to ACON, and we need all hands to the pump over the remaining weeks of the season. At least now, with the addition of Lennon, we now have genuine options out wide and Roberto should use them.

Self confidence is important, and if Atsu has had his mojo massaged a bit by his (good) performances for his country, then that can only be a good thing.

Comments on here that Atsu is "crap" are cheap shots. The lad has played at a high level, and Chelsea generally don't sign mugs do they? I am sure all the lad wants to do is be given a start or two to show what he can really do and we should all wish him well in that.

Given his run of form in the AC of N, seems an odd move to take another winger on loan during the transfer window.

So are we now at the point that we can't fairly judge any Everton player? No-one has had a good season and most have been massively below par.

Hence my "something's not right" comment earlier. Good players all looking shite all season points to big problems. Yet big opportunities if we can fix those problems – as we do have good players.

He and Lennon will freshen up the wing play and give serious competition to Mirallas and McGeady. I am pretty sure that Atsu is not cup-tied – so he could play an important role in the Europa as well.

As Ajay says, we need competition there.

I suppose this is one of the problems of loaning young players - the benefits will often go to the parent club.

I'm sure Atsu will do well somewhere.

He's been a bit unlucky up to now with injuries and being picked as a sub, but there should be no reason he can't get more game time for us before the end of the season.

Besides his goals he had at least two assists.

It must be difficult for an African coming to the English league but he is the type of player that should not be expected to play to a rigid system.

With his ability he should be given free rein and have at least 30 minutes playing time as the lad is a game changer.

Liverpool brought their wonder kid in for the Derby game and he really shone.

Surely Atsu is worth a few games especially at home against the lower clubs.

If we are playing at Chelsea or the likes it may be better to have more defence minded players but at home he is definitely worth his chance.

If he plays as he did in the African cup he will lift the fans at Goodison

There were many petty fouls on him and the ref was really too fussy but he did shine through !

Barry has been getting a lot of stick of late yet most fans were keen to keep him after last season, has he really tuned into a bad player in a matter of a few months??

Naismith is a regular now as not being good enough, along with Osman, Pienaar and Kone (which I have always felt was highly unfair).

I just think sometimes fans need to look at the bigger picture. Things like confidence, settling in, fitness, form, not playing in best position – sometimes it can just be something as simple that the player isn't right for the club or vice versa but it doesn't mean that they are bad players.

As for Atsu, as Sam has said, he hasn't had anywhere near enough game time to be judged. He must be in good form now although obviously deflated. Give him some proper game time between now and the end of the season before judging him.

I don't know any Celtic fans that even slightly like McGeady, so I'm not sure where you got that information from?!

If you can get someone up there to swap him for Van Dijk, I'd be happy...

Never happening though.

I have a few friends in Glasgow and none of them would have a bad word said about him?

Unless they're the only ones?

Over here we have a saying that a player will always play to his stats on the back of the baseball card which contains his career and season stats. Thus Kone will be Kone: not good enough to keep Wigan up with truckloads of goals (not); and Lennon will be Lennon: inconsistent with only flashes and not stretches of excellence. As role players, that is okay but not as regulars. Only Atsu, who doesn't have career stats at this level, is the unknown and has the upside and potential.