Gueye heading home after Senegal exit

I hope Ron doesn't start pissing about with the team, the balance is right at the moment. Gueye's a great player but I hope he doesn't go straight back in the starting line-up. After his disappointment and long trip back, I think a position on the bench is the right move.

Amazing what a few weeks can make... Gueye was an automatic choice in our midfield (and still is, in my opinion) but now we have alternatives. I want to see him in our side the way were playing at the moment, he can make us better.

Another addition before the window closes and the rest of the season could become very interesting...

I think he improves the team, but not sure who I would play him with. I guess Koeman will have to try a few combinations. I think we'll see Schneiderlin and Gueye together before too long.

The main one he made that struck home with me was that the international teams don't train as hard as the prem sides. He said this was the case with the teams at the Euro championships too BTW, but the African nations tournament is in the middle of the prem season.

As a result he said that players come back at a lesser level of fitness than they actually went with, especially as they often train/play in searing conditions, so it may actually take Gana a few weeks to get up to the level Davies and possibly Schneiderlin are already at.

Never the less its fantastic to get Gana back as he's been a stand out performer throughout this campaign already, but even though I'm a huge fan of his, I wouldn't be changing the team up to much just yet as were on a bit of a roll.

I'd suspect Schneiderlin isn't far off a starting roll, Barry looks to me like he could/should be the one to miss out as Davies and Barkley have both been in stunning form.

If Gana and Barry do both start on the bench v stoke I'd guess it would be pointless having McCarthy on it too so he may find himself the odd one out and sneek out of the door before the deadline.

I've seen something on Jim White claiming its going to be a hectic transfer deadline day for us too, but he said that on the last one and we only ended up with Valencia.

It's interesting actually. I've always looked at the likes of Spurs with a somewhat envious eye. For the past few years they've always had an absolute glut of central midfielders. I've also been mystified as to how they've kept them all happy. Now we face a similar scenario at Everton.

My other concern is that, apart from Barkley, we don't really have anyone experienced in that more advanced, creative role. Davies, I think, most people assume could come in and do a job. But it would be a big weight on a young man's shoulders if Barkley were to be out for an extended period. Did Schneiderlin ever play there for Saints? He's a good passer but from what I know he always sits deep.

And throw in having just played 120 mins and then getting a flight back from Africa, I think the best he'll get is the bench.

Game after Stoke will be interesting though to see who Koeman goes with. Will be a nice headache to have.

I'd keep the same team against Stoke - give Idrissa a little rest.

But after that - I'd drop Mirallas.

My team going forward would be:

Robles
Holgate Williams Mori
Coleman Idrissa Shneiderlin Baines (c)
Davies Barkley
Lukaku

Stek, Jags, Barry, McCarthy, Lennon, Mirallas, Valencia

Let Davies & Barkley roam - Playing in the same role as Alli & Eriksen of Spurs.

Also allowing us to change it up easily & put on game changers, like Mirallas & Valencia.

Furthermore - we can put on experience (Jags, Barry) to close out games.

Along with a lot of energy on the bench - with McCarthy & Lennon, who can come on and work hard & finish off games.

I can't help feeling you are trying to cram the players you like into the first xi.

Your saying what a lot of us are thinking re your comment on Schneirderlin. But that is hindsight, 20/20 vision and all that.

Before we brought him in, with the absence of Gana, we looked panicky. I can't help thinking that Davis was the catalyst in creating this lovely predicament.

Maybe Koeman has seen something in training from Lookman and a couple of youngsters, to prevent him from a mad rush and possibly a mad squander on an attacker.

Whatever, it creates a lot of nice intrigue.

When you get your chance with Koeman and do well for him he's a faintly loyal guy from what I've read. I think it's reasonable to assume he will at some stage pull young Davies out of the team simply to protect him long term.

You're wrong, mate.

I think Davies can do a great job going forward - and is definitely better working back than Mirallas (which Koeman wants from players playing in that position).

Maybe a slightly more safe, or defensive option that we could use against certain teams.

I don't really rate Mirallas - not big, strong or aggressive enough to be a Koeman player. Even Lookman looks more aggressive than him, with his little frame.

How is Barkley going to score when most of his shots this season have been dragged wide or blazed over?

Davies is already a better player than Ross but doesn't look like a frequent scorer in spite of that magical effort vs Citeh.
With our current squad, dropping Mirallas would be crazy – after Rom he's easily our most likely goalscorer.

On a separate point, running stats alone prove little; just as significant are how quickly and where the running is done.

Mirallas: 3 goals, 2 assists
Barkley: 3 goals, 5 assists

Barkley might miss a few shots more shots than Mirallas, but at least he is in the position to have a shot.

The more shots, the more likely you're going to score.

Puts the onus on them to push harder for selection rather than for Koeman to persuade himself that someone might be good enough.

Tom Davies has done just that by seizing opportunity by the scruff of the neck. Koeman & Koeman must be delighted at giving him his chance and he's stepped up. Gana did exactly the same from the moment he made his debut. Barkley appears to have acted upon Koeman's instructions. Mirallas has applied himself more, still room for improvement though. Perhaps there is a quiet revolution underway, hope so.

Koeman has got a conundrum now: I doubt he'll play him at Stoke but, come the Bournemouth game (barring injuries), will he play him?

Personally, I'd bench him and I never thought in December I'd hear myself saying that. But welcome back, mate.

Stoke apparently wouldn't allow him to move to another English club.

Maybe this a game to give Schneiderlin a start and drop down Gareth Barry? I think the ball will spend a lot of time in the air, not one of Barry's strengths, and Schneiderlin is tall and quite useful in the air.

I can't believe you are a genuine ToffeeWeber, I genuinely can't believe your a blue who is speaking honestly.

How can you say Tom Davies is better than Ross Barkley?

What planet are you from?

Tom is a great prospect, but he's about 10 games into his career, Ross has surpassed 100 with a similar goal and assist record than Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes, and you are daft enough to put a novice like Tom above him.

Not only is it unfair to Ross, but it's also equally unfair to Tom as he's already going to have huge expectations on his head without people like you making that type of statement.

I like to think that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but if that's genuinely your honest opinion, you need help.

Sorry.

It may also depend on whether Koeman wants to play 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 in this game. Has anyone noticed if he changes if the opposition has a particularly good winger?

I guess Koeman wouldn't rate Messi then.

We don't need a whole team of 6'-2" stormtroopers. We're here to play football.

Williams
Schneiderlin
Gueye
Bolasie
Lookman
Valencia

By strong, I don't mean brute size mate.

It's about the attitude & aggression. Putting your body on the line & giving it everything.

A characteristic that is EVERY one of Koeman's signings possess.

If you need the rest of my comment – "Even Lookman looks more aggressive than him, with his little frame."

And to be honest, I don't think Messi is a Koeman type player – doesn't mean he doesn't think he's amazing. It's just the way Koeman sets up his team – especially in a very physical English Premier League...

You're right in that Mirallas isn't as aggressive as some, but he might be considered by Koeman as aggressive enough, because that's not the main part of his game. He's an unusually skilled ball player, and he's influenced games using those skills, without doing much cross-country running or slide tackles.

Davies may be a prospect playing further forward at some point and I definitely see glimpses of that. He needs more time though to grow in stature and impose himself in games.

As for the defensive midfielders in general, we have robust options now, and this is an important area of the field to control (just ask Leicester). It also depends on what formation we play now, as Koeman has gone for three central defenders lately, and two holding midfielders may be a bit redundant in that lineup.

Whatever he chooses, the acquisition of Gana and Schneiderlin, the emergence of Davies and the return to fitness of Besic and McCarthy provides us with an abundance of very strong options.