Keown: Mirallas and Barkley game-time is key to an improved Everton season

In our own way we have a similar formation to the champions and with Ross being a young lad he should be allowed to float around a bit almost like Oscar does for Chelsea.

Again I'm not trying to compare these players or our beloved blues with Chelsea I'm just stating that there way isn't a bad blue print for us.

Barkley is a frustrating enigma. A jigsaw puzzle with the missing pieces awaiting delivery... What are these pieces? That's easy.

They portray the time when he finally matures and becomes a man. Sadly, his recent interview didn't fill me with hope.

Back to reality. The needlessly dropped points in the the first three games of the last two seasons must not be repeated. Martinez knows it. The players know it. Let's hope we get things right this time.

So Martinez needs to rethink his tactics and adapt because, if he preservers with his usual tippy-tappy, it'll be more of the same.

If Mirallas has committed himself to EFC, then I think we'll see a lot me of him this season than last. And if Pienaar can stay fit, then I can see us getting a lot more forward and a lot faster than we did last season.

Ross, well he's a conundrum. Bags of talent but last season it was pitiful to see him at times. Almost as if he'd hit a brick wall in his development. I think that Deulofeu, Pienaar and Mirallas will link up well with him but it'll be hit and miss at times.

Yep, teams worked us out (except Man Utd!) and Roberto needs to be able to vary his tactics but we also had a lot of important players out for a long time and we didn't have Geri either, so I'm cautiously optimistic..

Keown is a Gooner; we should be careful taking advice from a player traditionally more associated with the team we have often looked most likely to dislodge from 4th spot.