Koeman wants more aggression from Everton

Says what we have all been saying for ages.

Now sign some more players!

All change

Seamus is my nomination for Club Captain.
The armband can transform a bloody good player into an outstanding one. I believe Seamus time has arrived.

And the manager thinking that shambolic organisation and turning a football match into a kamikaze game of ice hockey is playing with"swagger".

Worst manager since Walker, Roberto.

Really need a couple of new players who haven't had the Roberto treatment to come in and help shake the others out of it.

I really don't like it but, if you want to be winning, the game has changed. You need to be in ref's face and complain about decisions. It's not nice but the game has changed...

Bunch of nancies, and the biggest is Lukaku. Take the money and get rid asap.

1: States the players are too nice, which was always a Martinez flaw.

2: States what players do off the ball is just as important as when you do have the ball, which was the opposite philosophy to that of Martinez.

3: Stating the last 3 seasons the players have been playing a completely different kind of football that he needs to drill out of them.

Basically saying we have no aggression, our tempo is slow, and we don't close players down quickly when not in possession.

I think he is absolutely right and we need to accept this season is going to to have to be part of the overall project as its going to take time to drill out of them what Martinez turned them into.

Sort him out or ship him out!

Baines takes the pens. ALWAYS.
Besic wraps a roll of gaffa tape around LuLu's fat mouth.
Besic wraps TWO rolls of gaffa tape around LuLu's Dad's cakehole.
Deulofeu gets taken to the barbers by Phil Walling, every Friday.
Barkley gets a infused with a pint of Tony Bellew's blood.
Once Bellew puts the BARK back into BARKley then BARKley "has a word" with Mirallas about his "Violet Elizabeth Bott" alter ego.

You remind Jag's that Jay's is short for Jaguar, a top of the food chain predator, not a kitten fed on "Choice Cuts".

Ramiro Funds Mori needs to make his mind up, TWO names is plenty.

James McCarthy will get right into oppositions faces, so close that they can see his freckles individually. BTW, his haircut is bloody marvellous.

Gareth Barry should wear a Saville Row suit and carry a Walter PPK fitted with a silencer.

Gana is fine, he's thought ahead.

OK, that's about all for now.

Juan Mata was seen by media being hugged by staff after the Man Utd win today and more so than any of the other players. He was even seen pointing at Mourinho and shouting / arguing his point towards him as if he knows he is going and just doesn't care.

He was on the bench today and only brought on for 10-15 minutes to wind the time down so believe what you want but was that the the attitude of someone on his way?

Some of our fanbase love to play the martyr, just read the Hibbert thread of how they are all cut up at the way he's been hung out to dry, with a contract renewed when the player was clearly no longer good enough three years ago.

Take your class, your loser mentality and shove it. Get nasty if you want to win. Every other club has walked all over 'nice plucky little Everton' for years.

Love this new manager already.

That is one of the reasons I like Liam Walsh, the young Everton reserve (at the moment); he berates his team mates when they lose the ball or make a mistake, gets angry with himself when he makes an error, most of all he hates losing.

Most of the first team just shrug their shoulders and carry on making more mistakes. They will learn under Koeman or they will be out of the club.

Let's face it, it can't get any worse than the last two years under the fraud.

Wiped out Martinez's work in one interview - he'll be contributing to TW shortly - we speak the same language!

Now Mr. K - some quality additions please preferably ones who have never heard of the name Martinez - so no Belgians!

Back to the subject on this thread, exactly what I want to hear. No more Mr nice guys or pushovers for any team looking to end a bad run of form. Nice one, Ron.

Superb :D

Hibbert has been taking the money for 3 years and hasn't earned a bean of it. The last 3 year contract was for loyalty and now he is upset nobody sent him a leaving card or gave him a goodbye hug. Everton are so bad that they have even allowed him to train at Finch Farm whilst he finds another club, nasty nasty Everton.

His number should have been up 3 years ago when Martinez took over as a Martinez team was 90% about passing and Hibbert has always been a crap passer.

However, there have been and endless stream of players happy to take the money and do nothing for it: Pienaar, McGeady, Kone spring to mind.

It's about time this club fought back, and Koeman seems just the man to put the fight back into this particular dog.

Where are our signings? The summer is almost gone and we have a second-choice keeper and a relegated midfielder. I'm sure they are both decent for the squad, but it's hardly a new era.

If we lose Lukaku's goals, for whatever reason, I can only see a relegation battle at the moment.

We definitely are too nice. We really need an injection of pace, energy, aggression (and the stamina requires for these attributes) - both on and off the ball.

If we are to get the luxury playmaker we've been craving for years, the others really need to up their game. If not, they can piss off and we'll bring someone else in that can get the job done.

Rom, Mirallas, Del Boy, Barkley all have the potential to be great, but the desire, commitment, fitness, aggression needs to be better.

Link

Rooney said yesterday that it will take the Manchester players some time to adapt to the new managers style. The City players are already moaning about the new Guardiola regime (if they're too fat they're sent home). Klopp is getting his lot super fit. Poccetino is an in your face, fitness nut. Wenger is Wenger. We've got some catching up to do so I think we're going to have to be patient.

Stewart, I thought Mata was taken off injured? If he wasn't that must be bloody humiliating. Is Mata a Koeman type player?

Mourhino seemed to indicate to him that it was just to run the clock down.

Another area where "win at all costs" behaviour eludes Everton.

We NEED to step it up.

Count ME in !

So are you out or in?!

It's his team now and we shouldn't settle for bullshit excuses before a ball is kicked in anger.

Guy makes an excellent point about the rule changes and if we get in the refs face this season we are likely to end up with a lot of red cards.

Seems like he has totally sussed out the squad which is Step 1. Step 2 is what is he going to do about it and I agree with Tony that making Seamus skipper would be a good start.

According to Mourinho, he took Mata off because he was the smallest player on the pitch for United at the time and he wanted to be able to match the Foxes in the aerial duels in the latter stages.

BT of course, as is there wont, decided to have a debate about it, with all three pundits (Owen, Savage and Ferdinand?) deciding that it was a slight against Mata and that he wasn't or wouldn't be impressed with his manager.

As Dave says (#24), we need more players with the attitude of buck yourselves up, be angry if you lose out in a tackle or you get your arse ripped.

Alan Ball tendencies I see in young Liam Walsh and by God did he berate people to the benefit of the team... Why? – cos he hated losing and don't we all.

We need some steel in everyone of the team, fair, just and fight.

In the 80s for every Steven or Sheedy you had a Van den Hauw or Bracewell or Reid or Gray. Again al great players not to be messed with and quite happy to call team mates to account if they didn't do the job.

That's what aggression means here, less hugs before the game starts, less fist bumps, more in your face lets get this lot sorted. And win the battles and then win the game.

I can't believe I'm having an issue with your posts! What's next?! Jesus riding out of the clouds?!

You're right, in part.

We can have that bite, that nasty little get in their face approach. I'd love it!

But we can also conduct ourselves with class - a la the way we treat our loyal veterans.

Now let's allow Ronald to create that nasty, not in our house, get stuck in mentality.

And let's do the right thing as a Club when we dismiss our valiant, loyal servants.

As for Idrissa Gueye, the above picture gives me an idea of what type of player we've just bought just by his boots: plain black, nothing flashy. Means business.

I watched George Best in the '70s get hacked to pieces by John Hurst – his first tackle nowadays would have seen a red card! Even some of the '80s stars would have found it hard to stay on the pitch for 90 minutes based on today's standards. But yes, we do need to be more aggressive – in a calculated way

He said it, he knows what he means and he is the professional running the club so before we start arguing about School of Science versus Vinny Jones. We should just get behind him and the team while he is reorganising the club and players.

Someone who'd cajole Barkley and Deulofeu into tracking back occasionally. Someone who could bend the referee's ear every now and then (in a non-abusive manner) so that we get our fair share of penalties. I think we've got that player – Seamus Coleman!

Ross Barkley, I love the bones of you, typical easy-going scouser with a special gift, who has been rolled in cotton wool. I love you, Ross, but it's time you got over the bad injury by throwing in some tackles.

I am all for telling it like it is and in no uncertain terms, but swarming referees isn't the answer and I was pleased to hear that this really obnoxious behavior by certain teams is being banned and how many refs change their decisions because of it anyway??

What also needs to be addressed is the mayhem in penalty areas from set pieces and the habit of shirt tugging which is rarely punished by refs but more infuriating to fans are offside 'hairline' decisions which are often seen to be wrong on replays yet such calls were supposed to favour the attacking player according to Lancaster gate.

Like, I believe, most Evertonians, I am not convinced that this is to be 'our' season unless things turn around a lot more quickly than of late with definite and necessary action from the hierarchy, starting on Saturday???

Inside Out.

Even more obnoxious is the authorities allowing some to get away with this while soft Everton play fair.

We should be as "fair" as the other clubs who stretch things to their limit. It's up to the authorities to define and impose that limit.

Given the changes in the rules for the coming season it would be silly for Ronald to say anything that would put the officials on special "Everton alert" I'm hoping that the red-tops don't wilfully misinterpret Ron's words as we'll only have half a squad available by the time the window closes - due to numerous suspensions.

I think we have been that submissive type of team. I'm not advocating swarming around the ref like some teams – in fact I'd retrospectively ban players who do that – but there's nothing wrong with an occasional word in the ref's ear from a team captain.

On the subject of referees, anyone else find the news of Clattenburg's tattoos slightly disconcerting?

Quite right. He didn't mention officials at all. Surely, he's talking about the way this Everton team have too often allowed the opposition to waltz right through them at will or permitted snide grocks like Kevin Nolan to boss and bully them into submission while they stand there throwing their hands in the air and whining about it instead of fronting up and giving a bit back.

All great teams have aggression. It's what makes winners. Win the battle first then play. Our players have had it easy for a while. Wake up lads the party is over.

Thank you, Mr Koeman.

So far, we are being told exactly what happened on the pitch, instead of Spanish verbiage, but the team do not appear to have improved one jot. Williams is imperative for us, a striker, and goalkeeper, and a centre-mid with an eye for a pass.

It looks like Ronald is quickly realising that you can't polish a turd, and "the best team we've had in 25 years" is in serious need of an overhaul. And the sooner, the better.

Loving this guy!

Them lot across the park done this the other day as they took Barca apart. Hassling to get the ball and then attacking quickly when they had it.

Small steps in the right direction for us, we need to be patient. Confident this guy will take us to where we want to be. COYB's!

Don't confuse hard but fair with dirty.

Anyone remember the Spurs game at Goodison a season or two ago when Barry gave away a free kick, turned his back on it and walked away. The Spurs player took the kick immediately, pushed it between defenders still making their way back and they scored. You have to slow the game at these moments so that your defence can re-organize. When was the last time you saw a player have a clean run at a corner? Oh, yeah, this is Everton.

Like it or not, its just making a level playing field.

A Baines penalty is a 99.9% guaranteed goal. With anyone else it becomes a lottery. Koeman must know Baines's record as the Premier League's best penalty taker and should make sure he uses that as a potent weapon in our offensive armoury.

Get rid of the schoolboy mentality of players 'fancying a go'. Too much can hinge on a successful penalty strike so common sense dictates you use the best man for the job, as you would in any other results orientated business. Come on, Koeman, sort it out, please.

He was very skillfull, built like a brick dunnie, and was hard as nails. AND IF an opponent wanted to mix it up he could and would accomodate them. It didn't happen very often because his opponents knew what was coming if they instigated anything.

Naismith had it - Carsley and Cahill were masters of it - Arteta had it in him.

Every team needs players of this ilk - the Everton team that beat the Reds 3-0 at Goodison some seasons ago was full of them.

Have a look through Leicester's squad. Not many shrinking violets in that lot from goalkeeper to centre forward.

Harping back to the subject of boot colours which Dan brought up above and Ray Roche brought up on a thread a couple of weeks ago:-

Pink boots - could you imagine Bobby Collins trotting out at Goodison in pair of them. Joe Mercer would turn over in his grave God rest him.

If I had my way I would ban all coloured boots from all Everton's players kit, and while we are at it no men's handbags - get a rucksack. And no earphones when you are getting of the bus. And yes, no pulling your socks over your knees because your cold or you don't want to get them scratched - Wear longer I shorts. And no head bands - get a hair cut. Last but not least all players must tuck their shirts into their shorts.

Have we signed anybody yet?

So we're going to reintroduce a little hardness? That'll be the difference then. Champions' League here we come.

Forgive me, I've been watching and supporting for 60+ years and the present squad is mid-table at best. Koeman will earn his corn, if he gets them higher than eighth. But being in the face of referees and committing sly fouls is certainly not the answer.

Williams, Witsel and Bony might help with that...

Gonna be a very interesting few weeks watching how this team plays when it starts to matter and seeing who comes in to the club. Think the Pogba deal finally getting done will kick start a lot of transfers and don't be surprised if we bring in 2-3 players this week.

You don't need to have been the Everton manager to know we needed a playmaker and yet we still don't have one.

What a joke.

I think we are short of squad players in certain locations. I accept though as a team outside of Europe, but with lofty ambitions, we may have to bide our time for this 'marquee signing'

Trot out some bullshit which seems to criticise his predecessor's approach and a load of bollox about guitars and pianos and we're on our way to glory!

After this pre-season's piss poor performances against some very average sides our new hero would have done better to keep his trap shut and just get on with sorting out the chaos he's inherited.

Oh, and sign some decent players!

Of course we have all been frustrated by lack of transfer dealing but surely people can realise that landing the bigger fish for a club that's had an inglorious recent history is far from easy and requires patience. If the window shuts and all we have is Niasse and some loans then by all means let loose but lets show a little goodwill towards the club we love until then at least.

It seems to me that Moshiri, a huge successful businessman, is not about the quick-fix and a few snaps to get the fans happy but is about getting things right for the long term. This is why they were keen to get Walsh in place first (to avoid any more Niasse's) and are holding on for their first pick transfers rather than snatch up anyone just to get some bodies in. Only time will tell if this is the right approach but I can certainly see the sense in it.

But it just makes me question why you stick with it.

I know there's little chance we'll suddenly click into gear and start to give me my version of the eighties (I was too young to appreciate that period). But I hope, albeit tempered with some realism. If I didn't hope, I'm not sure what I'd do.

You seem to have no hope. Every thing the club does is wrong. Every player is the wrong player. Nothing will change.

The only answer I can think of is, going back to my opening sentence, that it's simply the easiest thing to do.

Lukaku and Barkley need to start bullying teams, should be frightening teams with how aggressive they are... There are not many players as physically imposing as them with the ability they have!!

If he says something like this, some will criticise, and if he says nothing, others will criticise. Let's just see how he gets on with the job.

I don't do the patience thing anymore – 30 years of pissing about is far too long – and I guess I thought Koeman (with Moshiri's dosh) would break the mould and hit the ground running.

Truth is, we're being set up for another 5-year plan – I know because it took me that long to master the 'Old Joanna' after they took my guitar away!

I just can't be doing with it!

The only thing that will change this cycle is new players who have got the desire to play this way. First of all, our so-called flair players need to understand that there is another side to the game when they haven't got the ball. Secondly, I'm afraid to say you can't carry 35-year-olds in the centre of the pitch who can't cover the grass any more.

This will take time to facilitate over a few transfer windows but as I've said before we need to target younger players with that desire and energy. I would start by enlisting another midfielder to play next to Gana in the Carvalho or Strootman style.

I would give the forward players until January to see if they can play in the Koeman style and, if not, replace them. As much as I hate to say it but this is exactly what Klopp is doing with the other lot.

This club's modus operandi under Kenwright has been to do as little as possible until the absolute latest as possible. The lack of planning given the needs we have to match our so called ambition tells me one clear thing...the ambition is as false as it has always been. Premiership survival without positive net spending is still the mantra.

My worry: Moshiri's arrival has fallen well short of the heralded changes. Talk remains of waiting for Sky money, selling Stones and Lukaku – really? Where's the independent monies? Also, Koeman is no mug and unlike Moyes and Martinez, will not hang around with this nonsense. That would leave us up the creek. Shocking.

There's always been a disparity between the hope and the reality as a blue – post-Moshiri, it's wider than ever.

And the black boots... one of my personal hates are the soddin' Rainbow Warriors who mince about the pitch giving hugs and kisses like Elton John at a Gay Pride Festival, resplendent in their multi coloured pink, baby blue, lime green, etc carpet slippers... who the fuck is going to be frightened of them with their rolling on the floor antics after breaking a nail?

Maybe if we were to look and act like men out there we would put the frighteners on some teams. No little hand slaps for putting the ball out for a throw in. What's all that about? When has a throw in for the opposition been something to celebrate? Headphones as big as bin lids, Nivea ads – what the fuck has happened to football?

Time to start roaring again and a few new songs please from the creatives among you.

And on the subject of boots – I couldn't agree more. The current trend for day-glo ballet pumps is excruciating. Particularly when worn by players who can barely perform at their required level.

Many of our best players over the years have been somewhat unheralded & often largely unknown. I think it's a mark of a decent manager if he can bring in that type of player & all too often it's the big money signings that have failed to impress for Everton.

Added to which, Koeman has been brought in to manage with the resources we have, both in terms of playing staff & financial resources to support him – we are not in a position to just buy success.

£50M on what? Chips? What are you talking about?

I did not pick up that marketing strand that said "Folks it's going to be sell to buy, we can only afford a DM and reserve keeper, other than that it's RK making do and mending."

Really? Is that where we are? Has RK signed up for that? I don't think so. Wonder how many of the renewed season ticket holders agree?

I guess that why Mosh has recruited their 'talent spotter in chief,' although I somehow doubt he will be able to replicate his success with us because the clubs who ended up with egg on their faces have responded by extending their spending into a veritable Football Wonderland in the race for honours.

On the other hand, the policy of signing 'no marks' which you laud has not proved itself at Everton where Moyes's unheralded sixthish rapidly declined to an eleventhish norm under his successor. And that was with 'the magic' of Lukaku, Stones and Barkley there to aid them.

Having said that, I see no reason why, given time, Koeman can't build a 'New Southampton' here and thus restore the relative success of the Moyes years.

Of course, it's not what we dreamed of in the early 'Mosh Dosh' days but hey, we all got carried away at the talk of £millions to spend. What we longed for was a Godfather of the Fairy variety rather than the emissary of the Russian species we ended up with.

Again, it's a call for patience, dear friends. And Evertonians have that in abundance!

I have renewed and I travel a long way to the games. I am disappointed but not surprised at the lack of transfer activity. I just think that we can't attract better players at the moment. Perhaps we might get one or two in at the end of the transfer window.

I did think we were much more assertive in the Man United friendly and I am encouraged that we will get a realistic assessment from Koeman at the end of our games rather than the constant massaging of egos we got from Martinez. I have faith that we will improve under Koeman but not before a few casualties.

I'm still not convinced by the hype surrounding Moshiri; for all we know, he could be an asset stripper! I'll reserve judgement on his reign until we move to a new improved stadium or renovate the old lady.

As for Ernie's point at 114, I think there will be some sell to buy largely because our top stars don't want to play for us and there is a lot of dead wood in the squad. I'm looking forward to seeing Holgate, Davies and Dowell getting opportunities. If we play at our best, we can make the top six, but I don't think it will be this season.

The squad needs strengthening – a fact apparent in May. Here we are in August days away from a tough opening game woefully under resourced and deep uncertainty hanging over two key players. Not acceptable. You indicate that it is.

There are plenty of reasons for not spending money. Do Man City have to sell to buy? They haven't bought Stones yet. Chelsea waiting on a few sales before getting Lukaku? Hopefully we have some deals in the pipeline... and it's not unusual for business to be conducted late in the window when the dealing gets a bit more desperate.

And you're right, the use of the word "embarking" was probably wrong – I meant whether this is what Moshiri's reign is starting with.

This isn't negative, this is good housekeeping. Give the opposition the ball, for no good reason? Perhaps they use too many balls in training these days. They used to cost a lot in my day.

I can't disagree with your assessment of Ross. He is problematic.

He is ineffective at closing down and on the ball he ponders far too much. He also has a rather frustrating habit of throwing himself to the ground and feigning a foul whenever he gets caught out. These are things which should have been ironed out of his game before now. I've begrudgingly accepted that he's not the messiah, simply an above average midfielder.

We should not be building a team around him.

So far as I can see, Moshiri's wealth means, in the first instance, that we don't need to sell. I presume that was part of the attraction for Koeman, who must have got fed up with repeatedly selling at Southampton.

We've got Koeman, and a new team around him. We've got a couple of signings: a good GK, and a midfielder who seems to know how to get stuck in. The latter fits with Koeman's observation that we need to have more fighting spirit, an observation that resonates with the fans' concerns.

We've got some fine youngsters coming through, in the Everton tradition.

There'll no doubt be more signings, targeted at what Koeman decides we need, not targeted at throwing cash around for the sake of it. We've got players like Stones, Barkley and Lukaku who some say are not what they were. Well, maybe Koeman will get them back to what they were.

All-in-all, it seems to me that there's been a lot of progress on the management side after the recent crap we've had to put up with. Whether there's still management bullshit or not, I don't know, but I'm not going to assume there is at this stage. They seem to say very little, which suits me, having first supported Everton when Catterick was manager. Also, recall that Kendall didn't waste time on meaningless management waffle in the '80s.

So, although I'm inured to disappointment, I'm not going to start now, before the season even starts.

Good players make good decisions. Ross makes poor ones all the time. If we break and he has players left and right, he'll choose the wrong one. When he needs to shoot low, he puts it over the bar. When he needs to lift it, he hits the keeper.

I think last season was make-or-break for Ross and he did get goals but he was poor in a lot of games.

Lukaku we will miss most, but I think his head is too far in the clouds now. The way things are at the moment we are in a far weaker position than last season, its worrying.

I'm not bothered about Stones going, but if Lukaku and Barkley were to leave, we are threadbare in too many positions and we need to push the boat out on the signings front, quick.

On Saturday he again was able quite a few times to receive the ball with his back to a player, retain possession, turn his man and get away. It's just what comes after. Come on, Ross, excite me.

I thought he actually looked a lot fitter on Saturday. And maybe I was just wanting to see it but I swore I saw him a few times track back with a bit more purpose; ditto with a few balls in the air.

The problem is that neither of them are involved in negotiating with other clubs or pitching our club to agents and players. It's a bloody important role and it requires a lot of skill. Whose job is that? Whoever it is ,maybe they aren't particularly good at it.

Erwin Koeman let the cat out of the bag. The one and only Mr showbiz is running the negotiations.

Then get in touch with Mino and job done, mate, you'll be supping champagne for brekkie. All I can say, Raymond Mitty, is why haven't you put yourself forward before? Was it because Martinez didn't believe in defending? Regardless I will buy your shirt when you sign.

Phil Walling #115 My views aren’t based upon the success, however fleeting it may prove to be, of Leicester City, but a reflection of where I think we are as a club at the moment. I would guess that Moshiri has brought in those people who he believes can deliver the success he wants in the manner he wishes to attain it, which will probably be a step by step approach rather than trying to achieve what may be a one season flash in the pan, I’m sure he will want susatainability.

Perhaps the abilities of the last two managers were the more limiting factor in terms of our success, or otherwise. Especially as the latter had what were quite notable signings, by Everton’s recent standards, to work with. However, if one recalls Kendall’s team without stars in the ‘80s, there weren’t too many big money household names signed to achieve those mid-eighties successes. We haven't got the money or the appeal to lure the very top players to Goodison Park, so building steadily by developing players, scouting for bargains & a bit of well-judged cash splashing where needed is our only way forward, imo.

I think Moshiri will give Koeman time, & some money, to build – but I suspect his expectations will be higher than the relative “success” of the Moyes years. Tbh, it’s exactly what I expected after the take-over by Moshiri. No Chelski/Mansour City extravagance but a chance to build & only sell on our terms. So patience is indeed the order of the day.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, or Barcelona either!

Another a day and still no more transfer activity

The Leeds side that saw out the 60's was one of the finest sides ever to Grace a football pitch in the UK, probably better than the Everton side that pipped them for the title in 1970 after Leeds gave up the chase to try to beat Celtic and go for the European cup and then the FA Cup. Players like Gary Sprake, Reaney, Madely, Terry Cooper, Billy Bremner, Jack Charlton, Eddie Gray, Norman Hunter (booo!!), Sniffer Clark, Peter Lorimer, John Giles, Mick Jones. Truly superb.

The Leeds I don't want Everton to emulate is the side that came up from the second division in 1964 who were a bunch of thugs and who were allowed to establish themselves by their thuggery. No Evertonian who saw games in that period would ever accuse Everton of similarity in any shape or form or wish that Everton would play like that now, even if we had tough players like Morrissey at the time. Tough you had to be then, dirty was a weakness that was Leeds strength for a while. Never would Everton have physically attacked another side as Leeds did to Everton several times in that period. They were the most hated side in England and rightly so and even their subsequent brilliance never quite got rid of the bad taste.

The task, in its self, should not be over-difficult for a man of RK's talent and experience but it will only work out if all the pieces in the puzzle are in place p.d.q. as, for whatever reason, progress does seem to have stalled.

The news that BK is 'still conducting transfers' as RM used to put it, goes someway towards explaining why deals in and out are seeming to take forever and, as is customary in that quarter, the 'time window' will be used to its full extent.

If that is annoying to us mere mortals, we can be sure that the new manager will be even more frustrated although we can only hope that Moshiri will act to sharpen up the club's negotiating team before the January market opens.

But as several posters have remarked, we must learn to be patient.

As if !

Phil, maybe you are right at the moment, maybe the first job is to get us back to the level that Moyes had us at a solid team and a fantastic team spirit as opposed to the train wreck we have at the moment courtesy of the idiotic reign of the relegated buffoon Martinez. Then and only then can we start to move forward, with a solid base to work from. Think we all need a big reality check as to where exactly we are as a club at the moment.

Sorry Martin, that is complete crap. The Everton side of 69-70 is the best Everton side I've seen, and as good as just about any English Champions before or since. OK, the Leeds side had some great though dirty players and , as a side, frightened other teams whenever they played them but that "fear" factor helped Leeds bully lesser opposition into defeat. They were a horrible shower of bastards with a crooked, corrupt manager who no doubt "helped" his team get points they would not have got in other circumstances. Better than Everton? Give your head a wobble.

The way this recruitment drive is shaping we are going to be the poor relation in terms of player quality once more, unless there's a late dramatic change.
This squad, even if Lukaku and Stones stayed, which is about 20-1 that happening, will not feature in the higher reaches of the League I fear.

Is this some new job he's been given? Well-established that once Moyes knew the money he was/was not getting, Kenwright left it to Moyes on players in or out. Only when the banks were banging on the door was Moyes given no choice. And the Lescott business, which forced both Bill's and Moyes' hands.

Which only leaves "conducting business" as Kenwright handling the money-end of transfer business. Moshiri has handed that to him?

I don't think so.

And Phil Walling, I expect Koeman to get us to where Martinez was in season 1 – chasing Champions League, not where Moyes was in season 11 (but, in reality, I don't think he is capable of it).

That said, the continuing presence of Kenwright on the Board has always seemed to me to be an unfortunate confusion and one that will need to be resolved sooner rather than later if we are truly to become a more focused outfit off the field in terms of transfers and so on.

If Stones is going then things should start to move on the transfer front.

My theory is that they are expecting an avalanche of inward 'done deals' later today and are going to do all the announcements in one go.

Expect Jermaine Beckford to be unveiled by 5pm today.

No news on Bony coming over as part of the Stones deal – shame if not. I fancied him and Lukaku upfront.

I am off to Cyprus tomorrow and by the time I am back ten days later I am hoping for some big changes with loads of incoming ...

He's a good defender and the fee isn't huge, so not a bad bit of business. But at 31 years old, he's not one for the future, but more to steady our defence for now, til the young players are ready.

At 27 he should be at his best, anyone seen much of him to comment if he's any good?

Might want to go back to Germany though.

New keeper and 2 strikers now, cos I think Lukaku may still go.

Schweinsteiger is well over the top and behaving like an Eto'o, I've read. As for Mata, nobody knows where to play him!

Now to clarify the Lukaku situation. Before Saturday, I hope!

By that logic, Lukaku was a Chelsea cast off, however he's turned out to be the closest thing to a 20-goal-a-season striker we've had in a generation (or two).

Kevin Sheedy was a Liverpool cast off who couldn't get out of their reserves.

Hey, it was just a thought anyway. Not sure we'd go for Mata (for reasons you state – ability but where do you play him?) and the World Cup winning, 1 x Champion's League winner, 8 x German Bundesliga and 7 x German Cup winning Schweinsteiger will probably head home.

In addition with the new RK press, physical recipe not really sure Mata or Schweinsteiger fit the mould... ??

I agree about that Everton side and watched every game of that season. I also watched Leeds many times in those years and they developed into a beautiful side. They were at least as good as Everton at that time and didn't press us in the end although we did have a bad patch. They put their chips on the European cup though and lost everything.

It could be said that the 1970 Everton team were one season wonders. Now that's what you call controversial not that a superb Leeds side was as good as them or not.

Leeds WERE a great side but I think we were better. They were spiteful little narks, snidey, underhanded shits epitomised by Jack Charlton in his Little Black Book. I'll always be grateful to Morrisey for one of the best stories from football.

They also had an unpleasant arrogance about them, do you recall them beating Southampton 7-0 and taking the piss out of Saints? Even the commentator said "It's almost cruel". I know we battered Southampton a couple of times but I don't recall us strutting about the park humiliating them. (now if we could do that to the RS)..