Restlessness setting in but Everton's new dawn needs time to break

With Ronald Koeman now in charge, that will be put right. Any incoming top-class players will be a bonus.

It's obvious, to me, that we are negotiating with clubs but we aren't going to get ripped off just cos the media say we have money to burn. Farhad and Ronald will move when the price is right. We only need, IMO, three new top players and to get the best out of our talented squad.

I'm sure Ronald agrees with me and only time will tell if I'm right or wrong.

I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere else. Has anybody else picked anything up?

I don't think he has the belief that he can achieve the necessary improvements from the existing squad. Rather there are going to be wholesale changes especially in midfield.

I am relaxed about the signings. I think the fans have been programmed to being kidded by the previous owners, chairman and board. Not this manager... and certainly not Mr Moshiri. I am 100% confident of that.

Of course Koeman is going to assess the players he has first. Why would he splurge on someone then later realize he already has someone to do that job. Clubs that sign for the sake of it, Villa, Newcastle, Leeds, QPR amongst others have never fared well.

We have a good set up, it just needs that little bit of tweaking. Better to take time on the tweaks.

Once the tour is over, I'm sure Koeman will start making his moves. I actually expect most moves to be completed rather quickly, within a short period.

It's in the Echo

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/Everton-target-steve-walsh-director-11618804

Most of his targets are probably still on holiday and won't return to their clubs until next week. I'm confident that next week we will start to see a player or two entering serious negotiations.

These players will come back rested and in fairly good condition, they won't need months to become acclimatised, a few weeks will do.

Also, the gaffa is not new to the footballing scene, he must have had plans for player bids at Southampton. All this considered, I for one, wish to buy a high profile signing just to say to the footballing world that the mighty EFC are back!

The Witsel saga is the one that worries me. As he was the first player to be heavily linked, I think most of us believed that he would be the first 'marquee' signing that could trigger the 'revolution'. Some will say that he was playing in the Euros and we have had to wait until they finished but, in reality, all the early stages of such a deal would be discussed with the parent club (Zenit) and the player's agent and not necessarily with the player himself; and there is the rub. Witsel's agent is a renowned shit-stirrer.

All of last week's talk of Napoli putting in an increased offer is, in my opinion, rubbish; started by the agent. Zenit immediately denied any new contact with Napoli and what reason could they have to lie if it was true? I believe that the agent will do all that he can to delay this deal until possibly even deadline day as he desperately tries to engineer a bidding war.

By that time, the season will already be 2 weeks or more old. Perhaps we need to show a certain resolve with this one; ie, lay down the gauntlet that there is an offer on the table but with only a limited amount of time to accept or decline it. If they accept, great; otherwise, let them 'do one'. There are plenty of other options. I really do not want EFC to be held to ransom over this deal but I fear that is exactly what Witsel's agent is trying to do.

I am intrigued by the apparent links to players that most of us had probably never heard of before those links appeared. That said, Koeman has something of a reputation for spotting emerging talent that others have missed so I am not worried. We do need, however, a couple of major signings to signal our ambitions/intent.

You are right about Stones. That one needs to be resolved sooner rather than later.

I believe we have been testing the water until we get our ducks in a row.

1. The appointment of a Director of Football.

2. Assess who wants to go and who wants to stay.

3. Assess who Koeman wants to go and who he wants to keep.

We have witnesssed a serious decline in the performance of "Our best squad" since the 80's during the "Martinez experiment".

Some of that quality has gone or aged since (Osman, Pienaar, Hibbert, Jagielka, Barry, Baines) but we have a few coming through the ranks (Galloway, Pennington, Browning, Davies, Dowell and Walsh). However, it is too early to subject them to a whole season in the Premier League and to know if they can be consistent at that level.

While a number of us are adamant we need a new CB, CM and striker and certainly a top class GK we have to allow Koeman to see what he has to fill in his blueprint.

He may even leave it to the end of the window to see how motivated some of the existing squad are to retain their place.

So patience is called for. I, personally feel that as the Kenwright era is coming to a close, so are the mediocre years, and I have every confidence in the Moshiri - Koeman ticket.

I much prefer cool, considered, thought-through actions rather than throwing millions about hastily. Clubs with the turnover of Man Utd, Man City, or Arsenal can spend a couple of hundred million year on year. I doubt we can do this, so we need to make sure our market moves are effective rather than rushed.

I think patience and trust are the operative words for now.

Farhad Moshiri has employed Ronald Koeman to oversee first team affairs. Good. Good choice.

Many Blues want Koeman to give our academy stars a fair chance..... seems like the Austria camp is a reasonable bite sized chunk. (Most likely he has said to Sheeds 'n' Rhino.... "You know these lads... Show us what you got!" He HAS to measure the youth AND their coaches too, doesn't he?).

Then he and his crew are sizing up the players who have returned. FFS, he IS familiar with players returning late from international tournaments...... HE was one such throughout his career!

Ronald Koeman didn't pop out of a fucking egg yesterday! The man is deeply experienced ex-international footballer at both club and national and international level. Then he has numerous layers of club level management in various leagues.

But what do we get here? People talking like he just stepped up from managing the frigging "Spellow Second XI".

Do yourselves and the rest of us a serious favour, but most of all, let Ronald Koeman see the fuckin players, then he'll decide if he wants X, Y or Z, in or gone.

'Cos, ultimately....... that's what we will all get served up with anyway!

I believe the choice of manager was right and the choice of Walsh is to identify talent within and without of the club is really positive. We, as fans though, are as accountable as the club in helping deliver success and the most important thing as Lyndon says is to be patient and positive, to trust that the club management is doing what we want too and to give them every support possible.

It isn't going to happen overnight or in a season, there'll be downs, they will operate in confidence over many things and we won't know what is happening and we will get value in everything we do not rush into buying unless the value is obvious and exceptional.

We have managed to get at Everton that which nobody else has come near doing in these difficult financial times. Everton has a great fan base and I'm sure that the future for us is great.

Koeman's no mug – he'll assess what we have and haven't got and go from there.

The thing I'm wary about is throwing silly money at ordinary players. We've seen enough of that with them clowns across the park and where has it got them? Apart from the season where they were pipped by Man City for the Premier League title.

It's folly to think this new-found so-called wealth will bring us immediate success; it won't. I'm sure Koeman and his expertise will unearth a couple of gems, so let's be patient and give the manager the time he needs. Patience, as they say, is a virtue.

I suspect that very few of us have met Koeman and even fewer know him so well that we are privy to his innermost thoughts. To suggest otherwise is pathetic. Arguments against this on the proverbial postage stamp please.

However, for the record, I'm prepared to trust a proven world class ex-player with a proven track record in the Premier League of getting a club to outperform its standing, to get it right at our club. And if he doesn't, I fully expect Moshiri, who has an equally proven track record of being a winner in business, to swap Koeman out for someone else he thinks can take us where he and us want us to be.

Most importantly, I suspect that Koeman, having met and been wooed by Moshiri, knows it also! That can only be to our benefit.

I sincerely hope and expect that neither Moshiri nor Koeman want to waste money by paying over the odds for players – remember, paying £10m too much for 2 or 3 players means we miss out on another world class talent.

I suspect that none of us know what targets are serious or media-invented. Equally I'd expect the world class exposure that Koeman has (and not many of us can match that – certainly not me), will know what's needed. So just settle down and await the proper moves to start.

Or alternatively you could embarrass yourselves further by claiming you know more than you actually do, or claim that we should sign x, y and z because you know better than Koeman. At the very least, you'll give us a laugh.

In the greater scheme of things, why would we want a Citeh cast-off? Can anybody tell me why we should even consider Bony? He hardly set the world alight with Citeh.

It wouldn't be the end of the world if, as part of the Stones deal, with the proviso of 'the figures make sense' to, given we need a Lukaku back up/partner, to take Bony as part of the deal... but not for silly money, say if they 'value' him at some ridiculous figure and call it Bony + £20M = £55M.

Likewise, given (IMO) the need to assess all players under match conditions, that we will be spunking £100M + the Stones money in the next 6 or so weeks until the window shuts and wouldn't be surprised if a good deal of Moshiri's money stays down the back of the sofa until Christmas.

So just a couple of quality reinforcements are required.

We've so much too look forward to, but have absolutely no say in making it happen. It's the not knowing what will happen that makes the preseason, and the season for that matter, a bit of a nightmare.

We've got Moshiri and Koeman. We apparently have players that want to leave, with only a reserve keeper and a handful of U21's coming in. There's so much to do, and not a lot of time left to do in. I trust these two to get it right, but I'm still a wee bit restless and a little bit nervous...as it should be.

In my experience, it's what makes an Evertonian, an Evertonian.

This is very definitely a seller's market, I believe a lot of clubs have been taken aback by the asking prices they've been quoted in their initial inquiries for players outside the Premier League. Every club in the Premier League is loaded and the rest of football are looking for a slice of the pie.

No club enjoys this brinkmanship. The days of leaving it until the last minute to save a months wages are over. They would all dearly love to get their business done early, absolute fortunes are at stake here, timing is everything.

Of course, Koeman has to make an assessment of what he has inherited, but time will not stand still. A good player is a good player and if Everton want him, you can be sure others do too.

Wait and it's too late, you snooze and you lose, dither and you, err... wither.

I think the manager will get to talk to them next week? if he hasn't already done so. One thing I am sure of is that he will already have a short list of replacements for either or both of them and is ready to make a bid(s).

I have watched and listened to our new boss in his interviews and his hands on training sessions with the players in Austria very closely. If I had to choose two words to describe how he comes across I would have to say "in command". He will sort this out I am sure.

As far as a marquee signing is concerned I would settle for Mata.

The good players (and their greedy agents) will take time to be coaxed. This is the way of it; what is holding up the Witsel deal, for example? We are not known as a top European club and it will take time to shift this perception.

For me, it is all about WHO rather than WHEN. I'd be much happier to get Koulibaly, Witsel and Wijnaldum two minutes before the transfer shuts than get Scott Dann, Fellaini and Scott Sinclair tomorrow.

Rustle rustle rustle.....

We do have a good squad but it is really unbalanced. Firstly we don't have a left-footed winger at the club. (I don't think Dowell is a winger.) We have 4 right-footed wingers and 4 left-backs. We have 6 central midfielders and only 1 that is creative (Barkley).

Davies looks more like a box-to-box player (a damn good one but, at 18, he is not going to play every game). Koeman and his team have a lot to figure out.

Question to whoever reads this: out of Mirallas, McGeady, Lennon and Deulofeu, who would you keep? You really need 2 right-footed wingers and 2 left-footed wingers (unless you're Martinez). Again... Baines, Garbutt, Galloway and Ovideo – Who do you keep?

Most successful managers have a squad of 24 and a couple of fringe youth players pushing the 1st team. Everton have that but the problem that Koeman faces is that Bobby stockpiled players in positions and left other areas thin. I would expect to see players leave first.

In reply to your question, I would certainly get rid of McGeady who will never cut it in the Premier League. There must be doubts also as to Deulofeu's ability to be anything other than an erratic impact player.

Maybe in his case Koeman's efforts to improve discipline and fitness will reap dividends but a team aspiring for a berth in the top six will need a much more consistent output than he has delivered in his career to date. So for me, the players to keep for this season would be Mirallas and Lennon.

As regards the left-back position, Luke Garbutt seemed to struggle at Fulham last season. There was no evidence in reports he was a player ready to break into a top Premier League team. I can see him returning to the Championship before the end of the current transfer window.

The doubts about Oviedo concern his injury record rather than his ability. Baines has reached a stage in his career where he is increasingly injury prone while Galloway's performances tailed off dramatically around November last year after a promising first couple of months.

So there are doubts concerning all our left backs. It may be that other positions are of a higher priority and we must make do with what we have through the coming season.

Koeman needs to assess his current squad, deal with the possible want-aways and then see who else he needs.

I think we may see a Mirallas resurgence which would be almost like getting a new player. I am looking forward to the season!

I would be more than happy to be patient and wait for the players we are now going for – unlike the previous regime where most seasons it would go down to deadline day only for us to be disappointed.

He's got to be ruthless and purge those who either aren't good enough or don't want to play for the Blues.

I'd offload Stones at the drop of a hat; if someone wants to pay silly money for him then grab it... likewise with the enigma that is Lukaku.

For what it's worth, the same goes for Barkley, he's too inconsistent and doesn't put a shift in for one so young.

For me, if they don't get Mata, then I'd play Deulofeu at Number 10.

Mirallas needs a kick up the arse. Nice with the ball, but like Lukaku, bone idle.

My one wish is we off load Lukaku.

Moshiri, I know merely as a quiet man who had a role at Arsenal. To make guesses about what they will do or can do seems presumptuous. I hope they know what they are doing, that they can motivate the squad and get the best out of certain individuals. Above all, I hope that they have a tactical vision for how to play in most circumstances and, unlike Martinez, the acumen to know when and how to change the tactics when things are not quite working.

Like most of you, I'd have liked to have seen one or two big signings, but at this stage, I hope that they know what they are doing and that's the best I can hope. Football depends on empirical results and we can only hope that the steps have been put in place for success to begin early in the season. In theory, after the Spurs game, we have quite a gentle start to the season and ought to expect to be quite well placed after six or seven games.

Personally, I am a little worried we are about a month behind in our organisation for the coming season than we would ideally like to be. That will make it harder, with potentially a lot of compromise, to hit the ground running in 4 weeks time.

Everton Football Club have gained so much more than signings by having Mr Koeman as our manager. The squad of players we have could achieve much more than last season. Players have a fresh start, an opportunity to show they're committed to the manager's plans.

The club need to tell Stones and Lukaku a date has been set. No offers that meet our valuations, then no sale, door closed. If we sell one or both players during the final week of the transfer window. I would be disappointed.

I would not be surprised if one or two signings come in. I got what I wanted. A top manager who will say it as it is.

The delay in acquisitions is a sign that the board and Ronald are being realistic and not rushing headlong into wasting money just to satisfy the fans who hate it when the RS buy players. Liverpool like us have had a lot of turkeys as a result of this, Benteke to name just one.

Be patient; Moshiri has already proved he is very shrewd. Remember a house is only good with a strong set of foundations and a good builder!!! I as an Everton fan haven't been this optimistic for the future of the club in decades.

The style of play will also change under Koeman, but unlike others I don't see the players inherited as possible top 4 at their best. At best, with things going our way, 5th could be achieved but there is so little to choose between many Clubs – we could finish around 10th.

Two or three top quality additions is what I would like to see, Tadic (if Mata is out of reach) would fit the bill and Millik to give support to Rom (if he stays around). As for central defenders, that looks a minefield... look what Sakho cost the redshite. Getting the best out of Baines and Coleman as Lyndon mentioned is also a priority if we are to move forward.

Koeman will have players he likes and a shortlist that would have been presented to the board and tentative enquiries have probably been made. Once Walsh is on board, I expect the ball to be rolling on the transfer front. It may go something like – Koeman tells him what position he wants to strengthen and Walsh will recommend certain individuals. It's basic common sense; like I say Koeman will have his favourites but he may be waiting for Walsh for some advice.

First week of training at Finch Farm and a week away in Austria to assess what he currently has at the club (Step Three). I'm sure he will know that we have a good bunch of younger players and this period is when he'll be looking at whether any of them will be able to step up next season. Is it too soon for Kenny or Jones to be Coleman's competition? Should Browning or Galloway be cover at full back or centre back? Is Pennington good enough to be considered?

Why did he play Davies at right back yesterday? Does he see something in him that may mean a change of position? Is he, Williams, Walsh, Grant, Dowell or Henen ready? Are Rodriguez or Niasse any good?

There are so many questions but only he knows the answers. Patience is virtue and in general I'm not but I think we have to be in this situation. Now the lads are back from Austria and once Walsh is on board I expect it to be all systems go, until then I'm afraid it's just sit back and relax. Moshiri and Koeman have a master plan and sometimes they take time to unfold.

Most of us would hope for slightly more – whilst not a return to the days of Moyes – seventhish with signs of ongoing improvement.

(Ironically, had Martinez's career with us read 11th, 11th, 5th rather than the other way round, even I would have been struggling to find fault and he would certainly still be with us – Niasse or not!)

So how shall I bet? Main bet on the bookies' 8th and a saver on 7th? Anything higher would be dreamland.

I've been moving country for a couple of days and have intermittent internet access but has Stones officially requested a transfer??

The Premier League is piss poor and – with the right tactics, attitude and setup – any team must fancy their chances of beating anyone in the league at home.

Don't know were you should put your money but as for finding fault if we don't win every home game, I will find fault as we're not the best so can always improve.

The Steve Walsh story is an interesting one. Possible that a tried and tested English alternative, localish to the area but with a fantastic pedigree is a real boost.

I think there are some rumors that can be considered as reasonably true and I sense the Niasse out to loan is another one of those. Again, a sign of another step in the process. The existing players have been given an opportunity to show what they can do, and a quick analysis later and a logical decision emerges, possibly to save the player more personal embarrassment if anything.

Interesting too, to see how certain players are emerging from the process. Mirallas I sense will have been marketed as a potential new big asset (which most of us expect). Gibson is also emerging as a 'character' within the club when previously he was a bit of a lost soul.

The Stones saga will roll on. Interesting to see the rumor (reliable?) for Bony as part of the deal? Has Bony become a bad player since joining Man City? Probably not, but pulling him away from another Rodwell scenario could be a master stroke, playing and commercial wise.

Myself I would settle for a season where we play to our strengths and rebuild the lost team spirit. Where the new stadium becomes a realistic planning / investment strategy and we have a feel good factor around the Club again, at all levels.

NSNO - COYB
Respect to Koeman and Moshiri and the responsibility they carry to us all.

There's something very strange in the Witsel deal as the Italian media are saying Inter and Napoli had £21m offers accepted but we are offering between £28-30m and still negotiating!!

I expect Stones is gone. The thing I worry with this is his replacement & the inflated price we'll pay,not necessarily him leaving. (Koulibaly is a prime example.) It has to be the right deal for the club. I like Bony & think him with Lukaku or to compete with him is a fantastic option. He's a top player who went to the graveyard that is the Etihad.

Ross will have a big season under Koeman & hopefully will learn from him & finally fulfill that potential.

Lukaku has to stay,there's nobody out there (unlike Stones' position) to replace him. There are centre half's out there but not any 20+ goalscorers. The only other top striker I feel would make an impact would be Slimani. Lacazette maybe but is he available? Maybe Haller but he's an unknown at present.

By the looks of things I think Baines (fitness), Funes Mori (not going Olympics), Gibson (attitude) and Mirallas (enthusiasm) have all impressed & think will thrive under Koeman. Hopefully he'll give Browning, Galloway, Davies & Dowell game time as well as bringing in a few players as that will be the right blend. I'd love to see a few academy boys play important roles next season. < >And then finally the step we've all been waiting for – Step 5.

Moshiri got his man, Koeman's got his staff & knows what he wants, Walsh on board. We start signing players.

The list for me would be:

GK, RB (possible-could be Browning/Kenny),
CB (x2 if Stones leaves-one that can cover RB would be best),
CM (could be Davies)
No 10, winger (could be Dowell) & striker.

Just my opinion.

I don't care how much money we have or how much money there is in the English game; there is still a lot to be said for how you spend it rather than how much you spend. Quality not quantity will always prevail.

Martinez and his backroom boys – done.

Kone, Niasse (a deal that needs an investigation as to what the hell went on) and anyone else at the club who can't cope with the demands of achieving a top four finish.

Over to you, Ronald.

This is due to the Euros and the state of the squad that other Spanish clown left us with.

Patience, my Evertonian brethren, it will all look different when the new season starts... Trust me.

All the talking and negotiations taking so long will leave so-called bigger clubs to swoop in at the last minute. By signing one top player already would have shown real intent to the squad and future potential signings.

A new week ahead may bring more news.......

I was looking on the Echo website, and a headline said, "We don't want a marque signing, we just want good players", so those Liverpool fans are finally learning.

I just want the same thing for Everton, because the only thing that more money is going to do, for teams in this super rich Premier League is create more waste.

I must have missed him as I've been watching John Stones...

I'd still like Witsel and we are still bookies favourite to sign him. I don't care about not being his first choice so long as he works hard once he is here; if anything, the fact that he is not signed yet shows he is not 100% mercenary. We are unlikely to be the first pick for many top European clubs and that will take time to change.

Koulibaly would be a top signing (if horribly overpriced); if not, then Rugani could be intriguing. Imagine Stones will be off to Man City soon if the overriding media opinion is to be believed.

I like the idea of Rui Patricio for £6m. A good GK at a bargain price.

Haller and Ziyech would then be good replacements for the likes of Kone and Niasse unless they have impressed RK in training.

Would be happy to line up against Spurs (assuming the selected players have trained well and got in good shape) with something like:

Patricio
Coleman Jagielka Koulibaly Galloway
Witsel Davies
Deulofeu Barkley Mirallas

Subs: Funes Mori, McCarthy, Dowell, Baines, Haller, Ziyech, Robles.

I'd pick Galloway rather than Baines against the lightning quick Walker and because Spurs are a big-sized team.

Whilst I can only admire your bold imagination, I'd be more traditional and prefer to start the season with a conventional 11 players on the pitch.

Hungary came to Wembley in 1953 and totally destroyed England 6-3, Hidegkuti scored a hat-trick in a roving centre-forward role. I think Feranc Puskas scored a couple, England had not lost at home for 90 years, they lost a return game 7-1 not long after in Budapest, this is England's heaviest defeat.

Hungary were the best team in the world at the time and although they never won the World Cup in 1954 there were suggestions that the German team that beat them in the final had used drugs to do so.

Don Revie played this deep lying centre-forward role for Man City not long after, to great effect.

Sorry for such a long post, but is very quiet on here today.

You don't favour wearing brown shoes on matchdays by any chance?

The good news is, both Koeman and Man City are about to complete a transfer deal (this week, I'm guessing) to sort this particular problem out.

Wilfried Bony would be a like-for-like replacement for Rom but having two marque strikers at the club would be a statement of intent to the rest of the Premier League that Everton Will Be A Force To Be Reckoned With!!!

Although partition took place in 1922 (hope I'm correct on that Irish blues), the Irish Republic still had some ties to the British Empire... Dominion Status or some such... for many years. I think final total independence didn't occur until the late thirties.

Seems that, at the time of the Goodison game, some people still couldn't accept that the Republic of Ireland was a foreign, sovereign state. Incidentally there used to be an Irish Blues website and there was some great footage of that game on it.

Yes, with the releases in the summer, squad numbers are required, however potentially the rise of some of the youngsters can fill that void. We need 3-4 quality players; keeper, centre-back (regardless of the Stones "Will he go or will he stay?" outcome), creative midfielder and backup / competition for Lukaku.

Given the serious under-achievements of the past two seasons, it can become easy to lose sight of the view that this remains a very good squad that, in my opinion, requires the final sprinkle of genuine top-drawer dust over it more than it needs major overhaul. Maybe that's what our new manager is thinking having seen them – hence the seeming inactivity and our restlessness, as Lyndon's title refers to.

Patricio
Coleman Jagielka Koulibaly Galloway
Witsel Strootman or Schneiderlein
Mirallas Deulofeu Perisic
Lukaku

Subs: Funes Mori, Barkley, Davies, Baines, Haller, Ziyech, Our new Dutch keeper.

Let's change the guard and chase immediate success. Mourinho, Guardiola and Klopp won't be cautious with money this summer.

Get some of the Italy team in, an Icelandic, a couple of Germans. Bollocks to youth systems and patience!

A fit Gibson could make some difference (his ability can be the only reason so many managers; Ferguson, Moyes, Martinez and now Koeman persist despite fitness issues, off field incidents and lifestyle rumours) but a genuinely top drawer creative midfielder would unlock a lot in any of our front 4 options (assuming a 3 playing behind a 1).

Let's see what the next 6 months shows us with EFC being managed by an actual, genuine, professional manager and coaching staff.

I discovered tonight after looking into takeovers of clubs , that Man City spent way over 120 million in 2008-09 season and finished 10th.

I do think we need to get a move on with signing someone but It has to be the right players.

Moshiri & Koeman are light years away from Kenwright & Martinez, thank god.

It is difficult right now with so much money flying around and clubs resisting change.

Let's allow Ronald to get his ducks in a row.

I have little doubt that the coming season will see improved fare on offer by Everton but 'market forces' may restrict the level of attainment to just two or three league places.

Perhaps, however, this will be the season when we do have something to cheer as a Wembley trip sees us return with some silverware.

Having the club run more professionally will, in itself, show we are on the up!

Peter Corr, also an Everton player, appeared in this game at outside right, he was the brother of Gerry Corr, the father of the Irish musical group, The Corrs.

When Peter retired, he lived in Preston and became a scout for Everton and helped persuade Howard Kendall to sign for Everton.

I'm very optimistic about the future, with or without some of the big-name signings. This team we have must realize its true potential. The real jewel in the crown are the kids for the future.

"There must be doubts also as to Deulofeu's ability to be anything other than an erratic impact player."

Spot on. The kid has talent, loads of it, but is still all over the place.

John #51

We need a long term left back to replace Bainsey, who I think we may have seen the best of. Injuries are kicking in and he's all of a sudden 32. Been going up and down that left hand side for a long time now. Still a very good player at this point but staying injury free is key at this stage.

Oviedo is finished at this level. The injuries have taken about 2 yards off him. Pre-injury he was looking a proper player as well. However he is now reminding me of Kendalls 3rd spell.

Galloway was a makeshift and its doubtful Garbutt is the real deal.

We need a left back.

Who knows which players we will sign from now on, but it would be nice if some fans give the team and Koeman some breathing space to develop the squad.

Last year we had, they should be top 4- top 6, its all the managers fault bollocks all season, lets be more patient and realistic this time please.