Reports: Everton put £100m price tag on Lukaku

Or the more likely scenario is a bid of £75-80 million and I think we'll.

If we don't finish in the top four then he will be sold, in 2018. If we do finish in the top four maybe he will sign a new contract, maybe not, but the thought will be we have top four, we have shown ambition, we will be able to attract better quality players.

I am expecting this summer to bring in 3-4 very good players. Very exciting times are ahead of us.

Let's hope that Moshiri makes some top quality early signings to encourage both Ross and Rom to stay. There is no one that can score goals in such numbers available who has Premier League experience.

Lukaku has scored his goals without penalty taking and no-one comes near his haul. Kane is playing with the best support in the division and he takes the penalty's otherwise he would be well under 20 goals so far.

Any EFC fan who does not recognise this lads worth should be at specsavers not Goodison. Get him a partner like Dele Alli or Son plus a playmaker like Hazard or Mahrez and he will score even more. He is worth the price quoted at his age and with his potential.

In the interview Lukaku did with the Echo, he stated how he had talked to Kompany at Man City about how they started signing huge players and then everything clicked into place. I think we're finally at that stage. We have a good (or at least 'decent') manager and a solid squad that can easily make top 4 if we bring in some quality additions in the right place.

Despite the prevailing opinion on here, Lukaku is not stupid. He knows he's developing well here and that he's the first name on the team sheet. He's adored by the match going crowd as well from what I can see. If we show ambition in the Summer and crack the top 4 next season then he'll sign a new deal in my opinion. If not then hopefully we sell him to a non Premier League club.

At 㿞m he would have a ton of suitors; 𧴜m, that's a different story. The club can now keep him for another year, without increasing his contract, and sell him next year probably for 㿔-50m. We get another year out of him and hopefully his goals will push us into the Champions League places.

I agree totally that Lukaku sees that he is developing, loved by the club, and is first name on the teamsheet. I wonder whether this seasons success has pushed him to demand a move as a prize of all the above. The lad has never been short of self belief. With 24 Premier League goals behind him, I am sure that there is little we can do about getting him to buy into a project. He is a 'now' player.

I think some sort of compromise will be made. Just short of the world record fee, but above the £80m or whatever Suarez went for. I am not sure where brinkmanship on the last year of that contract gets us. It is a £80m+ player after all, not a Morgan Schneiderlin where his potential value of £30-35m going down to £10-15m in the last year of his deal would not be crippling or financially foolhardy.

I think we are a good team, potential to get to the top 4 next year, but lets be under no illusions, Liverpool will invest. Particularly as they seem likely to be top 4. Arsenal and Man Utd, even if they miss out, will invest big. Tottenham are the new big thing and will be better than last summer. Chelsea for me are a safe bet for next year, and Man City will throw money at the issue next year. Odds on us gatecrashing top 4 are long in comparison. Even then, I don't see it enough to keep Rom.

We can't replace Rom at that money directly, but we can certainly use it to make a real, real statement with 2 quality attackers coming in. I wonder whether it is the most sensible thing to do?

We don't need to sell, don't need the money so it's a case of "have a bit of that " to potential suitors of Lukaku.

Rom should see sense and give Koeman's Everton one more season to see if we can crack the Champions League, with clubs above us in transition, it's more than do-able, well after Leicester won the title anything is!

Oh and for the record Lukaku is better than both Isco and Benzema!!!

I do however think it would make sense and save everyone time and grief, to put a 'not a penny below this price!' price on the player and let it be known "Any bid below £X will simply be binned."

The (our?) present method seems ludicrous and almost designed to annoy/frustrate.

"Billy Netbuster isn't for sale say Everton"

"Fulchester offer Everton £15 for Netbuster"

"'£15 is a joke!' says Toffees supremo"

"Fulchester increase offer to £20"

"Netbuster going nowhere say Everton"

"Fulchester say they won't increase offer for Billy"

"Netbuster says he wants to go to Fulchester"

"Everton believed to be in talks with Fulchester"

"Deal for Netbuster believed to be close says Fulchester insider"

"'We've not spoken to anyone' says Everton's Walsh"

"Netbuster believed to be at Fulchester agreeing personal terms"

"Netbuster having medical says source close to the player"

"Blues resigned to letting Billy go"

"Fulchester in cash and player deal for Netbuster"

"Everton accept £22 and Jimmy Old-Fella for Billy Netbuster."

Etc etc etc.

Would love to keep Billy Netbus...er I mean Lukaku, but if he has to go, let's do it as painlessly (for us) as possible, in a oner, nice and clean, like ripping off a plaster.

The boy still has a lot to learn before he is truly world class... But he's getting there. I just don't like his attitude towards the fans.

Also, statements like 'easily make top 4' are unrealistic as it will be a 7-horse race next year with Everton as the marked outsider.

Sadly I just can't see how we're going to break into the top 4 and certainly not without having a 25-goal-a-season man up top.

I think Everton will buy two strikers in the summer, together with a CAM, right midfielder, centre back, right back and keeper. That is regardless of whether Lukaku goes. It shows what a fantastic piece of business it was to buy him for under £30 million.

For me, I would target Pickford, Trippier, Keane, Oxlade-Chamberlain.. not sure who we would aim for in terms of CAM and strikers. In my fantasy world I think Dries Mehrtens or Lacazette but maybe too soon to target that level just yet.

Moyes, the great manager... Fellaini, the great defensive midfielder ... and now Lukaku, the great centre forward – who can't control a ball.

It's all bollocks.

The really difficult part is that I am happy that we are by far the best of the rest. But at the same time I think we are really far away from top 4. We have done really well winning 8 home games of which one was against a top 4 side. But when I look on the way we play I do not see enough quality to be a top 4 side. I don't see other than Lukaku to be able to break into a top 4 side starting eleven.

On the other hand I am satisfied with the dept of the squad. Compared to 5 years back we got a really good bench. So in order to progress we don't need more dept, we need new top top players on top of keeping Lukaku.

This is the really difficult step. I remember when Man City took off, how they had difficulties attracting the very best and had to settle for the next best at a heavy premium (Sinclair, Lescott etc) or the Robinho type of transfer.

Even if we keep Lukaku, we need to find players who are also attractive to the Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs level. Why would anyone choose Everton to Arsenal (well unless you are an Everton fan off course). I guess we will need to pay a premium to attract this level and I am not convinced we have the financial muscle to compete at this level.

But I would rather have two big big signings of this quality than four of the next level. And we all know this is risky business – we can easily buy a £50 million player who will be a failure. So I am happy with this years progression but next step is going to be extremely difficult.

Giroud would be in no better position here than at Arsenal. Mahrez, if available, would still have several options, and I get the feeling Leicester would more likely sell him abroad.

Has anyone considered how financially advantageous this champions league position actually is now in comparison to TV money either? I don't want to sound like an accountant here, but when you are debating the depleting value of your biggest asset, someone in the club will have to consider the cost/gain impact here.

Agree with Liam totally here. I don't see how anyone can suggest the teams above us are easy pickings because they are in 'transition' what? more than us?

If Lukaku will not sign a new deal – and I for one am not sure he won't if the buy out deal is achievable – the club have to make this call. Though I love him as a player and would be gutted to see him go – I feel he is a too big an asset to risk diminishing his value too much in an age of FFP and a £300m ground.

Any of the top four would stand a much better chance of winning the Premier League with him in their side. How much is winning the Premier League worth to a club (rhetorical question).

I said on another thread that if any of the BIG clubs had Lukaku, the likely top scorer in the Premier League for the season 16-17, and put that pricetag on his head nobody would bat an eyelid.

Talk of 㿨-70m is ridiculous when you look at the Stones price and the price being bandied about for Van Dijk (㿣m). The club have done the right thing and made a statement of intent at the same time.

So Rom, now it looks like you'll be staying for at least another season, go ahead and make history with us like you said you wanted to!

I would love us to bring in the likes of Lacazette to show real ambition but the likelihood is players like that will want Champions League just like Rom, so we really would have to sell the "project" and pay through the nose too. It was more obvious with City the money they were spending and wages they were paying to incoming players what direction they were heading.

Maybe our best option would be the better players from the Europa League level clubs or players from places like Portugal etc where the wages aren't what we could pay.

First of all, Lukaku might throw a strop and accuse the board of pricing him out of a move because I can't see anyone paying that money for him.

Secondly, we should set a deadline. Not much use having the money on 31st August.

Also, I'm not so sure Lukakus feels as loved as some think. There was a groan from the crowd in response to one of his bad touches and Lukaku seemed a tad pissed off to me. His sometimes blank celebrations seem, to a mind-reader like me, to be a "there you go you fuckers, not moaning now are ya".

Anyway, all paper talk as the silly season approaches.

We need a proper domineering commanding goalkeeper a vocal leader, there's a few out there like Hart, Heaton etc that we could go out for.

Also, Giroud???
I mean seriously Giroud?

He gets endless stick of Arsenal fans for his lack of mobility, turns like an oil tanker and is lazy, and there is no way he would thrive in a team that barely uses wingers or puts byline crosses in anymore.

Giroud would be a considerable step backwards if we replaced Lukaku with him.

What we need is a mobile, quick strong centre forward who can run in behind defences and get us 20 plus a season, we have one already but if we sell him we have got to get as close as possible to replacing him with something similar.

Would you rather he trapped every pass to him within an inch of his boot but only score 10 a season!!

Well, my take is that we've seen nothing yet with the ballistic, stratospheric spiralling trajectory of world football fees and club payments. All Lukaku will be in say 5 years time will be the first '𧴜M' barrier smasher; Lukaku's worth by then projectively will be circa �-500 mill.

Man Utd in particular want everything they can lay their hands on (that includes Griezeman et al) and they will stop at nothing after this season to get to the top.

I hate to say it but, like the 'shameless' (sic) gang of shite that they are, I expect we'll be hearin' the Romelu Lukaku song in the away section next season. Just like they copied the 'Roonaay' one 12 whatever years ago.

You see, what many of our supporters still haven't grasped yet is that the top 5 clubs did build their 'Romes' in the formative years of the Premier League while we hung round their back streets in Chairman Fagin's gang.

I suppose we will use the money as best as we can from now forward, and the new stadium will give us a great leg-up but Moshiri's limitations will become obvious soon enough, I fear.

I think we should never of put a price on him, and I think the best way to get where we want to be is to keep hold of him – even to the bitter end of his last year – and bribe/pay right through the fuckin nose to every and anyone that will help us...agents try to gazump us.. (a la Gabbiadini)... pay them... (at first).... Just keep going.

Our best bet isn't softly softly at this moment in time... it's Get them in... Now! Because the others will!

As for the fee, if he is going its what a buying is willing to pay.

This season alone 24 goals and 6 assists in 32 games.

Numbers talk more than opinions.

His price will go down by next year. How can it not? He will have 12 months left on his deal! More than that, within 6 months he will be able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with a foreign team. Imagine what PSG, Bayern or Dortmund would offer him? It would be astounding.

I am one of Rom's biggest fans. I would also happily forgo his poor first touch for a player who can score 24 goals in 33 games. I find the criticism of Rom from some Everton fans bewildering.

I think we are victims of Rom's and our success now. Last season I think Rom would have seen a team pushing and qualifying for the Champions League as attractive. Now I think he wants and feels he deserves to be with a team who will win the competition. Let's be honest, we all know that this is Chelsea for him.

I am not advocating rolling over, and we do hold a decent hand for now. Let's not kid ourselves though that we hold the aces here. We don't. Time isn't on our side. Even if next season we push and maybe make the Champions League with Rom, this will be a consequence of another brilliant season from him. We aren't going to do it without him having a similar year to now. If that happens our qualification isn't likely to be enough still I suggest. We are talking about a professional footballer who thinks with his head, not heart. On top of that, one who isn't an Evertonian.

I say sell this year for above £80M unless he signs a new deal. Reinvest and rebuild. I think with some decent players bought in using a bit of nous, we can continue to transition. I see nobody behind us who will push us. It is a risk, but the diminishing value of Rom I see as a bigger one I am afraid. Especially as I see nothing changing to make him want to stay for longer than two years. He isn't at the level of wanting Champions League football as some believe. He wants to be in a team that win titles.

The third club on that list is unlikely to qualify for Champions League football next season, but if it were they who offered the 𧴜m come this summer, does anyone think Lukaku wouldn't sign for them? Of course he would. He'd sign because he would think he would play in the Champions League from the season after.

It is the financial powerhouses that dominate the transfer market in England and in Europe, and these are mostly, but not always, the clubs who dominate the Champions League places.

He will be sold in the summer or January if he doesn't sign a new contract. My guess is this summer as do the club, hence the 𧴜 million fee which I don't think we need to compromise on.

Then - sign:

GK: Schmeichel / Heaton

CB: Keane / Gibson

CB: Van Dijk / Maguire

RB: Zabaleta (on loan or one year deal)

LB: Chilwell / Tierney

LB: Sessegnon (send back on loan to championship team)

CM: Tielemans / Klaassen

CAM: Sigurdsson / Rooney / Ziyech

ST: Iheanacho / Batshauyi / Perez / Dolberg

Keep Lukaku for one more year - if he wants to leave after that... then that is fine, we will get a good fee & we will be prepared for losing him.

Plus, I'm not sure he will want to leave with that squad & possiblity of top 4.

That's a squad that can compete in Europe.

If any of these so-called "top teams" want him then they can pay up or shut up. It's that simple. People need to lose the small-minded mentality which has dominated Everton for the last 30 years. The, "Oh, if we get 㾶m for X player we will have to sell because we are little Everton" or "㾸m for Y player? I think I've just wet my pants!" Etc.

Moshiri has moved us up with the big boys now so either get with it or go and support Tranmere Rovers. 𧴜m or go fuck yourselves.

As for all this accountant bullshit about diminishing returns, cost/gain bull crap etc this isn't a fucking dilapidated building we are talking about here, this is a man/child who still has his best 10 years ahead of him. He's not going to lose value, no, au contraire (as the Romans would say) he'll be worth far more in 5-6 years time and the buying club will know this.

Anyone arguing against this fee is crazy and a total mug. There's at least 5 other clubs around us that wouldn't accept any less if Lukaku was theirs.

As I said the other day, we've now got the money, so let's test their resolve and bid for some of their players, say Mkhitaryan, Rashford and maybe Mata. We will be challenging Man Utd next season for the top places, so we can't be selling our better players to them to help their cause.

It's going to be a very interesting summer. I don't think we should expect top 4 next season. Look at the names being suggested on many threads: Keane, Sigurdsson, Pickford, Trippier... How many of these players would interest the current top 6?

Man City's net spend over the past 2 summers is more than our net spend since the premier league began. We have a lot of catching up to do, and we shouldn't expect it to happen in 2 seasons.

In saying that, I do expect us to become part of a recognised 'big 7'. If we buy well then we certainly can challenge for the 4th, 5th, 6th positions, but to think we 'should' make top 4 next season is foolhardy.

Let's stop saying, 'Well, Leicester did it.' Leicester caught the big guns napping and weren't set up for sustained success.

Tottenham have provided us with the blueprint. We are probably 2-3 seasons behind them, but can speed up the process if we keep our best players and buy well. They had to recover from selling Bale and wasting a lot of the money on average players.

Obviously it is the clubs call on what tactic they decide to follow on this, and who are we to say what the financial reality for the club is? I do know though that in an age of FFP we have to be a viable business.

I don't think it is about being 'little old Everton' and I don't think your comment about getting with the plan or supporting Tranmere is either fair or justified with regards to any suggestion on here? It is about managing the situation for the benefit of the club though.

I can see a compromise of him signing a contract on 𧴿k a week with an 䀂 million release clause which becomes active if we fail to qualify for the Champions League. I suspect that the release clause is going to be the major obstacle.

Trying to persuade ourselves that the club should accept less than his market value is plain daft.

If I understand him right...

And I don't see why Lukaku and his agent will agree to what is basically world record fee level as an release clause against a wage which is only (difficult to write but in relative terms it is only) 𧴿k per week. This salary is under half of what his pal is getting in Man Utd.

If we were to tempt him to a new contract then either the salary must be higher or the release clause more attractive to his agent.

It seems smart to tie the release clause to failure of qualifying for the Champions League. But in reality no way we are going to be top 4 next season. We might qualify by winning the Europe League but even that will be very difficult.

Imagine a release clause of 㿭 million and we then fail to make the Champions League. It will b a very costly failure. Not an easy situation for the club.

Reasoning is that:

1) I don't feel that qualification to the Champions League next season will convince him to stay anyway.

2) In a 'business age' of football I think he is too valuable to play brinkmanship with IF we receive a solid bid and a guarantee from Rom that he won't sign a new deal

3) We have to accept that his contractual position will soon start to limit our position. If he had three or four years left, this debate, and my stance would be different.

4) I think we are in a position where we could do without this hanging over our heads in the longer term.

On the other hand, the financial position means that we can demand a fee close to this 𧴜m and we should.

Don't get me wrong, I would be gutted to see Rom go. But clubs sell players. Juve sold Pogba, Liverpool sold Suarez. Spurs sold Bale, Modric, Berbatov.

I don't feel our transition needs to begin and end with Romelu Lukaku. We do need to find a different path though if he does leave.

Apologies for the Tranmere dig btw.

Is that down to Rom playing better and contributing more and therefore some of the detractors (including me) will forgive his ways whilst he is banging in the goals and we are winning/drawing the majority of the games.

Just hope we don't go on a non-winning run...

I just saw a re-run of his goal vs Man City, the one where he runs from half-way line and places it in the net. And I seem to have had one of those Lightbulb moments as my first thought was 'Why would we sell him?'

The guy is going to be the top scorer in the Premier League and at such a young age its a bargain. And I hope Everton make it quite clear the 𧴜 million is non-negotiable and we don't want any players in part exchange.

This is a big statement and it puts a marker down to potential buying clubs – don't even start offering 㿲 or 㿼 million. With well over 2 years left on his contract Everton can demand whatever they want. Sadly, in Barkley's case, the opposite is true: if he decides not to sign, then we can't be as demanding when it comes to a transfer fee... as, in 12 months, he could walk for nothing.

So – if EFC have indeed put this price on Lukaku – I reckon Man United will come in with a bid of the $100m at the first opportunity.

For what it's worth (9d) I do think Romelu Lukaku is worth that kind of money. My beef with him is his seeming inability to say "no comment" when asked direct questions by reporters.

That is what winds me up about him and has resulted (which I now regret) in me having a rant and calling him names on a recent post. I suppose at my age (68) that is a bit immature – anyway what will be will be.

But Okay, of one thing I am sure – we are on the up. That's what we like.

I think we (and he) have been incredibly lucky that he's not yet had a serious lengthy injury. That would have had horrible consequences for us in every way and this monopoly he has when it comes to scoring our goals is something I think needs to be addressed this summer, whether he stays or goes.

The way he behaves on the pitch though suggests to me that he'd really really dislike another goal-scorer to be regularly doing the business whilst he's playing, unlike the likes of even Suarez who took visible delight in setting up anyone else to score.

"The way he behaves on the pitch though suggests to me that he'd really really dislike another goal-scorer to be regularly doing the business whilst he's playing, unlike the likes of even Suarez who took visible delight in setting up anyone else to score."

Sounds great other than the fact he has six assists this year which is more than Kane, Ibrahamovic, Aguero, Mane, Dele Ali, Costa and Hazard to name just a few.

But don't let the facts get in the way eh?

The only question mark against his goal scoring record is his tally against the "top sides". But then I ask myself would he have scored more if he was being supplied by say Mata and Herreira – Fabregas, Hazard and Matic or De Bruyne and De Silva? I can only come up with one answer.

Their journos, columnists and pundits etc will say we are being unreasonable, stunting his progress (remember the Stones campaign?), being delusional etc... but stuff them. He's our player until proven otherwise.

I recall Adrian Durham on TalkShite suggesting players should think twice about signing for us a few years ago when we wouldn't cave in to Chelsea over Stones. It's like our role in life is just to develop players for them.

As for Lukaku, if Chelsea want him then they'll pay the money for him. He may well have a sulk over the club's valuation, but he appears to be his own biggest fan so surely he'd agree it should take a world record bid to sign him?!

The alternative is Lukaku stays, the squad gets a major injection and we achieve Champions League status for the following season. That's the only way Lukaku might sign a new contract.

I think that the implied wisdom is that the fee can be maximised if we sell him this summer, and selling him in the summer of 2018, with still a year left on his contract ,would materially reduce any ransom value the club have over his services, but will have delivered another season to potentially show him that the ambition he doubts is actually there.

I think he is determined on moving on whatever we do. If it wasn't 'lack of ambition' he would come up with some other pretext. Too wet and cold in the winter perhaps?

It's a balancing act between maximising money and potentially being more successful on the pitch with him in the side. I don't think he's the type to down tools personally. He takes himself far too seriously for that. At least the club is now financially strong enough to be able to make choices without its hands tied behind its back, as was the case with Rooney.

That's for Moshiri to consider and he's an accountant, a very wealthy made man and surely as fans we can leave that to him on that score? Nobody cares Pogba cost 䀅m – what they care about is that he's been average.

Bill is no longer the owner – we're not skint guys – forget that mentality.

The establishment don't like us and will do all they can to stop our progress. But they will fail because there are people in the background at Everton that will not be stopped and will provide Koeman with the backing to finish what he has started on the pitch.

Carragher has already written off our top 4 chances for next season – that actually tells me we are seen as a threat.

If I am honest, I wish Lukaku was happy at Everton but it seems to me he isn't and that's why I think it is only a matter time before he goes.

If he does go, I think Koeman and Walsh will find a replacement. They will have 𧴜m and 𧵉k a week to play with.

We will get all the idiot pundits saying we're slowing his career down by putting 𧴜 million price tag on him.

I appreciate if he wasn't there some of the others may have chipped more but if he does go we have to get someone else in who can at least score 12 or more a season and, if we could get 2 of them, then that's the goalscoring sorted!!

We do need more goalscorers though, we've been lucky Rom hasn't had any injuries to stop him playing but next season we need to cover that as well.

We can't lose him on a free next summer. He has two years left on his contract. The earliest we could lose him on a free is at the end of the 18-19 season.

I'm sure Moshiri has weighed up all the options and has decided he's in a good place to play hardball with the player/agent and possible suitors.

The media backlash is to be expected, especially from the Mirror (Manc mouthpiece) and the London based (Chelsea) rags but we must stand firm like we did with Stones. Yes, we sold him but we sold him on our terms and when we decided to.

This summer is crucial. Not just to show Rom our ambition but to show potential signings that we are now determined to challenge for honours.

"RVP's value did not drop in last year of his contract because he was class and best two clubs in Premier League"

Let's examine the facts

July 2009 RVP signs four year contact terminating July 2013

July 2012 Arsenal offer new contract

July 2012 RVP refuses new contract

August 2012 Arsenal sell him to Man Utd.

So not quite as you say then?

You then say in #72

"Why is anybody bothered whether we sell him for 㿞m or 𧴜m." ... "That's for Moshiri to consider and he's an accountant, a very wealthy made man and surely as fans we can leave that to him on that score?"

I'm sure Moshiri didn't become very wealthy by letting other people give away 㿞m of his money.

Need to think big, proven internationals who have already won major trophies is what the club and Moshiri need to be pursuing not players with just potential. Need winners in our team, players that are not phased going away to bigger grounds and pulling off results.

That said, based on what Rom said, I don't think he's opposed to staying at Everton, I think he merely wants them to demonstrate they're as committed to Champions League football as he is. Good for him.

>Frankly, I've never understood the criticism he's received on here for that desire. When players make moves that seem to be dictated by money, they get criticized for it. Here's a guy who's motivated by titles and competing at the highest level. Those are the kind of guys you want in your club.

I must have missed the memo from FIFA saying that games would be decided next season on ball control alone, as I was under the impressions it was goals that won matches!

Apparently your (and only your) season ticket has doubled in price today. You won't be bothered though.

But we might be led to believe that, in each case, the assist was really a scuffed shot that went in the wrong direction.

Keep him, I say, for his goals, unless we have an absolute certain replacement who is at least as good at scoring goals and who would be prepared to sign for us.

All the rumored targets seem like Mark Hughes signings. In other words, Sigurdsson, Pickford and Keene, like Lescott are players currently standing out at middle of the road teams. They're not stars.

Pickford in particular has it easy. He's at the worst team in the division. You can get 15 minutes of Pickford highlights every week cause his team is crap.

Everyone thought Marshall was amazing in a similar position at Cardiff. What people miss is that these guys make saves that goalies in good teams never have to make.

Peter Warren (#72), in my understanding of the FFP it makes a hell of a difference if we have 50 or 100 to spend. Our owner can't just spend his own money on buying new players without breaking the FFP regulations as I have understood them.

Against Man Utd he was shocking. Pathetic even and cost us the game, as he did in last years semi-final against them.

Oh and by the way, he has no respect for you, me or Everton FC which is why he will stop trying in a game when it's not going for him.

Goals are now easy to come by in this Premier League. The highly derided Kone got a hat trick last season and no one batted an eye lid, Naismith got a brilliant hat trick and was transferred.

"Sell Lukaku and the goals will stop" is nonsense.

There are four or five good teams and the majority are crap. So scoring only against good teams doesn't get you many points. Beat the worst fourteen and you can win the league, beat only the top five and you're relegated.

It's great Kone and Naismith got Chelsea hat-tricks but they did little else. Logically, it should be harder to score against good teams because they're better. It's not as if Costa and Aguerro get a hat trick in every match against Man Utd.

So instead of calling out Lukaku, ask why certain players ONLY perform v big teams. If you're aim is to have a side of guys who score against Man Utd and Chelsea we should bring Gosling, Bilyaletdinov and Naismith back.

Player Goals Goals Per Min Home Away Goals v Top-Six
Harry Kane 19 100 14 (73%) 5 (27%) 1
Romelu Lukaku 18 127 10 (55%) 8 (45%) 3
Alexis Sanchez 17 129 6 (35%) 11 (65%) 1
Diego Costa 17 130 8 (47%) 9 (53%) 2
Zlatan Ibrahimovic 15 150 6 (40%) 9 (60%) 2
Sadio Mane 12 167 8 (66%) 4 (34%) 4
Sergio Aguero 12 126 3 (33%) 9 (67% 0

The other subject we are involved in concerns the future of Ross Barkley who, to my mind anyway, unlike the above 'celebrity' – and judging by his reaction to his in off score v Burnley – is a more than likely candidate to become a true Evertonian in the mould of some of our past 'greats' who truly love and cherish the club and fans they would gladly die for, with money being only an added bonus.

His pounding of the club badge to me was the sign of his devotion to Everton first and foremost.

This summer won't secure better squad for the current top 4-5, some will be lucky and we've got as much hope for luck with our current squad. Money to spend with the chance of enhancing the right quality of the squad in certain areas, we're as much in a good position as the other clubs above, though they can attract through Champions League.

We're gonna go all for top 4 and some quality players will find it attractive, with them joining us having a good chance to start games. I'm rather relieved of where Koeman and Moshiri are taking us.

Nobody we try to buy will be as important as this man – we need to play hardball and if he sees how much he is appreciated, maybe he'll stay for one more year regardless.

He wants to go but not just to a qualifier that bumbles 4th place to the overrated league of so called champions, but to a team who may win it. So that lets Everton out. For the foreseeable future anyhow.

Bye-bye, blackbird, bye-bye.

How on earth are Liverpool above us when they have a shite defence and don't have the scoring power of Lukaku? How come as a team they have scored more goals than us?

You should know it's because they have strikers who play for each other and work hard for the team and when they play a good side they can hack it and don't hide. I'm only being honest and talk about what should be obvious.

Like I said, £100m for a guy who can't control a ball half the time is ridiculous, I only hope another manager falls for it and we can then bring in strikers to enhance the team and not rely on it playing well to get goals.

Don't forget, Lukaku won't want to earn that same wage for 2 more years so if the club dig in he will most likely sign an improved deal.

I'm holding onto the wish that Moshiri isn't arsed about £28 million he didn't spend and tells him he's going nowhere.

If he does go, he won't admit it but footballing wise he will realise Everton is the best place for him.

Our team shape remains too stretched to get the best out of Lukaku or our midfield. Currently he needs to anticipate 35-yard fantastic through balls and they need to make them. Hence offsides, failed passes, or passes not made. Hands in the air from the man. We shouldn't be surprised.

Said previously, we get more pace at the back or he comes deeper with a midfield of 4/5 giving proper width.

When he goes some will say "He never did that for us." Because he couldn't given the way we play.

First Everton player to score in nine home games since Dixie Dean.

Club reportedly values him at 𧴜m.

Fellow professionals shortlist him as Player of the Year.

Alan Shearer "He's 23 years old, got a fantastic goalscoring record. They paid 㿈m for him?"

Gary Lineker "He's a very impressive striker,"

Graeme Sharp "In this day and age, when you look at the Premier League and all the players, Rom is right up there with them”
“Then you look the age of those players and you think “wow, Lukaku is only 23!” People forget what age he is – he is still only a young lad."

Duncan Ferguson – "Machine"...

Jim Wilson: 'He can't control a ball.'

Go figure...

Go figure.

If we do need to sign better players to show our intent then there's a young Spanish winger at AC Milan who has scored in every full international he's played, and who Barca are after, but we could get for a song.

A) Lukaku will insist on leaving;

B) If there was anyone daft enough to pay even £70m, they'd have done so by now.

Stupid and unnecessary stance, which will anger the player and his hangers-on.

Prediction: disgruntled Lukaku to underperform next season and an even more disgruntled Everton having to sell for a cut price at the end of it.

"He scores 24 but I didn't like the 㿈 mill we spent in the first place so I need to be right about something."

It's absolutely shocking. We have had player's like James McCarthy, Jagielka, Lennon, Cleverley. Barry etc etc playing passes to Lukaku and our fans have the cheek to question his touch.

Now we have a quality player in Barkley feeding him more than most and surprise surprise both are high up the goals and assist chart. Instead of appreciating players who aren't even the finished article yet we have a crowd of back-seat drivers picking out faults.

Was Messi the best player in the world at 23? Was Ronaldo the finished article? Wake up and enjoy a real talent for a change.

Barcelona had a 2 year buy back option on Deulofeu so they have to buy him back this summer or lose that option. So until Barcelona make their intentions clear about Deulofeu there is nothing we can do. I really like Deulofeu but I don't think Koeman fancies him, hence sending him to AC Milan on loan.

It'd be unprofessional not to want to after all, especially after four seasons getting acclimatised to the Premier League, if that's what he's been doing, before declaring himself fully equipped for immediate Champions League football.

"Assist" stats are capable of deceiving us though. To me an "assist" is when a player makes a pass that the scorer converts with one touch, two at the most. Among our Rom's assists this season are the ball bouncing off him for Valencia to score against Southampton and him colliding with the scoring Bolasie as they pursued the same pass against Burnley (we lost 1-2).

Add that to his wall-pass to Seamus, who then had loads to do to score against Middlesborough, and maybe people like that manager of ours have a point when they allude to clear improvements he could make to his all-round game.

But what do we/they know when the stats are all that matters?

Well, Rom, do you think Harry Kane would fetch 㿼-85mill?'

'Yes.'

'Is Harry Kane better than you?'

'You're joking.'

'Well there you are then. Close the door on your way out of my office.'

Every full international he's played? Sure about that?

He's played two full international for Spain, and scored once.

Of course stats are not the be all but then neither are wildly speculative statements about a player's character, based on the flimsiest of fucking evidence – but just 'your opinion'.

I think Lukaku has gone beyond hoping to sign for a team that can compete in the Champions League now and then. He wants to be somewhere where they will go for the trophy.

At a push, I think he would consider Man Utd – not over Chelsea though. They have really underachieved, but he would clearly see them as the richest club in the world, massive international reputation and an ageing Ibra ahead of him.

This is what concerns me about the 'wait and see if we get to the Champions League' after 5 years he will want that next step anyway. If the club accept keeping him and losing money, as others say, so be it. I am concerned from a FFP point of view that it is a narrow minded thing to do, but as Colin has pointed out, it isn't my money and Farhad Moshiri knows far more than me.

Much like Colin, the people on here who still have criticism for him astounds me.

In fact even he has acknowledged they have a point and, rightly, has been recognised on here as showing modest improvement this season.

What's mind-boggling about demanding "Nil Satis Nisi Optimum" as fans?

For the first time since Sky invented football, WE have the leading goal scorer at this stage of the season. I want to watch Champion's League football so I can only imagine the desire to play in it , if you are that good.

If we can keep him one more year and build on this, we may get that chance. To sell him now is taking a step (or two) backwards and almost done in spite, because he wants to achieve.

I think it's a bit disrespectful of Colin to say that people criticise Lukaku to "fortify your obvious dislike of him". I watch him and call it as I see it and I assume that most others do.

Fair enough, you might get the odd fan that bleats on with the same point over and over but generally speaking I think most posters are clued-in enough to have an informed opinion.

Someone said above that stats speak louder than opinions which I think is nonsense.

I'd say any scout/manager looking at a potential signing is likely to watch his actual performances rather than read about them.

There are many, many factors that dictate whether Lukaku is better or worse than his goals/assist stats will show and I think that will be reflected in the interest shown this summer.

A goal-scoring machine that we'll feck off for dosh rather than building on what we've got. That's sure to attract those top-notch players (who want to play in Europe) that we need to get to the next level.

One step back, one step forward... Put your left leg in, your left leg out.

They see a player with strength and speed, exceptional control and first touch for such a big man and who can score from either foot and with his head. They, and most importantly the club see a diamond of a player by any standard.

What I see is, when we play well as a team, then we see the Rom I describe above. When we play badly, he is less effective, exactly what you'd expect.

Did players decide 'Tottenham ain't got no ambition, avoid them' after Bale? Course they didn't. It is a reality of modern football.

Less we not forget the player himself has both his pros/cons. Both sets of protagonists ignoring it is just a modern day view for polarisation.

Goals, versus his link up play etc. Here's my point of view. My agitated state towards him has lessened the more consistent his complete game has gotten. This season has seen clear progress there.

He has and still does have issues in games we don't control. He does go missing in some games and holding the ball up will never be his strength, but he takes a chance and rarely wastes a chance, accurate too.

Forget the stats, but, without hitting search, name three moments you remember Rom for.

His brace against the RS in the 3-3, the goal against Arsenal in the 3-0, and his misses on last years semi, stick in my mind.

So for me he has gotten better but, the pivotal big moments still elude him to make him the real deal perhaps.

He's never gonna be a cult player but he has served Everton well. I hope it works put for both of us, whatever that is!

He's there to score goals and he has scored more than any other forward in the Premier League.

Again, surely everyone can see that's it's a balancing act. I think the club will most probably play their cards well.

In my eyes, buying Stones and Lukaku were very shrewd purchases as they were always going to improve and bring us a lot of sell on value. Of course they used us as much as we used them but players like that will always want to move on to win trophies at the highest level, like Rooney did. Hard for some to accept that but if you believe he was wrong to leave then you are crazy or just being selfish.

I think the club are showing a lot of self respect and are coming out fighting with the 𧴜M price tag as they probably know the time is near to let the lad go and he will go no matter what we do. If we were sitting in 4th place I'd say he would still want to leave.

I think our biggest problem is going to continue to be bringing in top proven players and so the focus should be to bring in the next level of players like Schneiderlin and Gana and work on us being a better team than a group of individuals which you could describe Man City or Man Utd as. I think the next few seasons are going to be tough going as we still have a lot of rebuilding to do and of course to replace Rom's goals.

I'd like to see us using the 𧴜M or whatever we get on Lukaku being used wisely on replacing him with another top quality forward. Of course we can't offer them Champions League or 𧷤k a week wages but we can offer them what we offered a young Rom and that is regular game time where you will be given a big chance to prove your worth.

I think that's why Rom stayed as long as he did with us as he knew that if he stayed fit he would get regular football and for strikers that is great for your confidence. Look at young Batshuayi also from Belgium.

6 foot tall, 23 years old and started his career at Standard Liege scoring 39 goals in 97 games (1 goal in every 2.48 games). Also compared to Drogba as he's fast, strong and good link-up play.

He chose Chelsea over West Ham and Palace who both offered 㿊M+ for him and I wonder now does he regret that.
I also notice his parents are from DR Congo so he'll no doubt get on well with Bolasie.

If he sees league top scorer and probably international teammate and friend Lukaku being brought in to take his place then he will no doubt be a bit peeved off and could see a move to a club like us a good way to re-ignite his career. Last year he scored 23 goals for Marseille in 50 appearances, this year he's only played 22 times with 5 goals for Chelsea. You would imagine he will look at the other careers of Chelsea players like Remy and think I don't want to go down that road.

My point is, yes, we will probably have to let Rom go... but we should play hard ball and say we want Batshuayi either on loan or to buy with a buy back clause. I think it's the only way we can bring this top quality young players to our club in the current environment as so many of this huge multi-billionaire clubs tend to buy the best players very young and then not always be in a position to play them. Similar tactics could be used with Man Shitty for Iheanacho or their young defender Adarabioyo.

At the business end of the season we will see over the run-in exactly what it is that makes a championship team and it is not always the the most expensive or well paid players. It usually is, it is logical to be so, but those factors not under anyone's direct control such as injuries, fixtures pile ups, the 'run of the ball' , the woodwork and so on will come into play.

I am a huge fan of Lukaku and want him to stay. He is the best option for the club but he is not the only option. There are so many sub-plots it's like a maze... for example, will Gana be a key player again for us next season or will the combination of Schneiderlin and Davies become the midfield anchor? Or will Steve Walsh unearth another gem? Or will we pay top dollar to improve a good player position even further with no sentiment whatsoever? Apart from luck, injuries, bad refereeing, the answer lies in how the manager and the management team see the general picture.

With or without a wider deeper commercial support and investment to follow, such as the Usmanov connection perhaps, I see the strategy to reflect the tools and assets we have at hand.

I honestly trust and believe we will move ahead with the stadium and that will use a lot of capital but with sound financial planning over the short, mid and long term that should not drain the resources to invest into the squad.

The squad is already better than we give credit for. Potential or current Champions League quality players are already on the books: Coleman, Davies, Schneiderlin, Gana, Ross, Lukaku, Mirallas?, Several others will be moved out swiftly, some others over time, but there will be new faces whether Rom goes or not. Expect also 1 or 2 to make the step up from the Under-23s, so we are getting close...

This summer is where Steve Walsh will be expected to earn his crust. We are starting to see the effect as his targets all seem to be on the cusp of a step up in their career. To assemble a squad where the mix of star dust, character, flexibility, tenacity is the overall target with the orchestra all performing to their best, nearly all, if not all the time under the direction of the most important component - the manager and his supporting structure.

After the difficulties with injuries, the investment shy Christmas, the poor run of form in the autumn, the media negativity, the traditional derby melt-down, it really pleases me to see how steadfast Ronald Koeman has been. Let him keep doing what he's doing, with or without Lukaku, with or without Ross, with or without a Rooney, with or without another hidden gem, we will move up a place or two next season because I believe we are doing it the right way.

Yes, I have seen that sometimes... but quite rarely if you consider the entirety of occasions, including a great many where the ball just bounces off him.

Either you don't actually see the same lack of control as others (confirmation bias is very powerful)... or you are just winding us up again.

Firstly he does not want to be here and constantly makes that point to the media.

Secondly no player should be deemed to be bigger than the club – it is not good for team spirit.

Thirdly, although he has improved enormously this season, I still see a player who does not want to work for the team when the chips are down.

Fourthly and most importantly he has yet to prove he can best the better defenders. Van Dijk had him totally in his pocket at their place as did most of the current top 5 including RS who aren't even that great defensively.

I know we will miss his goal contribution but that is nothing a few goalscoring midfield players will not alleviate.

Also I remember Bills words clearly "I would not sell Ronney for 㿞 million". He didn't; he sold him for 㿀m plus add-ons. In that case I expect Rom to go for about 㿲m this Summer.

I would love to be wrong and keep him for another season but unlike some do not think it will be the end of the world when he goes.

He is up there with the best in the world despite his first touch being a bit rocky. I think he might stay if we get into the Europa League. I hope he stays cos I can't see where the replacement is.

His value right now has never been higher, absolutely no chance the club will let him run down the contract to just one year left potentially costing us tens of millions of pounds, the club has to protect itself and rightly so.

I see your point, Shane. But if he goes for nowt in two years' time, we'll (hopefully) have had two more years of 20-odd goals a season, together with some other quality players being bought (without selling Rom), and thereby (again, hopefully) projecting us further up the Premier League and into the Champions League.

By that time, the extra dosh from enhanced league position and from income form European competition will go a large way to compensating for Rom leaving on a free. So in two years time, we wouldn't be left with just ambition.

But a difficult balancing act and who can predict? Not me! It's all maybe's. I'm just looking for us to consider another possibility.

The most promising thing about Lukaku is he is not yet the finished article, and needs to be around people who will encourage him to improve on his weaknesses. The first thing Everton has to do is to be active as soon as the window opens, to show the type of player that they want, and show how ambitious the club are, to convince Lukaku to stay.

As was commented Lukaku talked to Kompany of Man City who said they started to buy players and that is when things started to take off. What he did not mention is it took 3 years for City to win the league after their take over, where we have yet to complete 1 year under new ownership.

Yes it is great to play in the Championship tournament but going over the last few years even with their vast wealth City have, they are having a hard time to get to the final. I do not know what other people think but my thoughts are , the Premier League is one of the strongest in Europe, but the eventual qualifiers from it are not as good as the top teams from other European leagues.

We had to sell players before as we were a selling club with limited ambitions, but now is the time to demonstrate ,that we are not a selling club, we do have high ambitions and have the finances to prove it. Let's not let the supposed Sky Sports elites bully us and demonstrate we are not going to sell if we do not want to, just because some ex-player says that the only way a player will improve, is if he moves to one of them.

There is a point here though. Lineker finished top scorer and we won naff all.

I would like us to keep Rom, but I would happily trade him in for the right players that would bond the team into winners.

1995 was a long time ago.

Why bother watch the game at all? Just check the score on the web afterwards. I assume you'd be happy for Steve Walsh to apply these methods when looking for players to recruit?

The 𧴜m number is there to set expectations for other clubs but how many can seriously afford over 㿲m (which we've reputedly turned down once)? Maybe half a dozen – at best?

I'm sure desire is high for Lukaku, but real demand is small. Especially at that sort of money. After next season I think we'll see some movement – he'll probably be pushing hard for a move, suitors might think it's now or never and bite the bullet etc.

My prediction though is we've got at least another 12 months of Lukaku threads to bicker over. Which I can live with if he bangs in 30 goals while we're at it.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/everton/top-scorers

I agree with MK questioning the good touch/hold up claim but also see his selfish desire to score.

I see his cuts inside looking for a shot but also his inability to spot a team mate who is in better position.

I see a turn of speed and power such as v Burnley but also little desire to join others to press from the front.

I see 24 goals and also others that the team could have scored if he passed.

I see a confident arrogance but also a lack of team connection.

I see an intelligent young chap and also one who has been told he is that consistently for too long.

I have no idea what to do!

Jim Wilson - #89: 'Goals are now easy to come by in this Premier League.'

I also didn't comment on Moshiri's business acumen being poor... in fact, the opposite. I would expect Moshiri to sell in a years time if no new contract signed, just like Koeman said about Barkley. No rush with Lukaku who has 2 years left.

The perfect summing up!

Can I add: The day he signed for us was the day he wanted to leave

Maybe I misunderstood your post because of the wording. RVP was not allowed to get into the final year of his contract and therefore had to be sold.

I do agree that Lukaku's price won't necessarily drop by Everton forcing him to stay another year. Unless he gets injured or has a massive drop off in form. Once you get into the final year however it's a whole new ball game.

The biggest risk to that approach is the player's attitude and effect on team morale. Personally if he said he definitely wanted to leave I'd sell him pronto in the summer with plenty of time to spend the money. Thanks for the goals, good luck but the club is bigger than any single player.

He deservedly shared top billing with Kane at WHL it was billed as the battle of the strikers... what a mismatched it ended up being.

Yes, Lukaku buried his chance when Vertongen slipped, but the neutral and potential suitors will remember that match for Lukaku spending most of it in his international teammate's arse pocket.

Next big billing: Anfield. The pundits once again put him under the microscope asking if he could be the one who finally gave us the victory at Mordor... arse pocket!

Then we were next in the spotlight at Old Trafford; once again, the footballing world wondered if he could shake off this flat-track bully reputation and sink Man Utd... arse pocket.

I don't think it was the fact that he didn't score which left pundits, supporters, critics and neutrals thinking he can't cut it when the chips are REALLY down – it was the shear feebleness of his efforts. When Ashley Williams bollocked him, you could almost hear the entire footballing community say "Is fucking right, lad".

Lukaku was exceptionally poor in the semi-finals; again, that would not have gone unnoticed by any of the clubs Lukaku dreams of joining. They were not interest when his price was £60M. There is no way on God's green earth anybody will pay the ridiculous sum being bandied around today..

Whether you like it or not, Lukaku has earned himself a reputation as a flat-track bully, He has done nothing in recent high-profile games to alter that perception. Until he does, the clubs valuation will attract more sniggers than interest.

What we're then left with is an unhappy player (who has never wanted to be here) submitting a transfer request and possibly downing tools. Whether it's a World Cup year or not, he'll still get picked by Martinez.

I think we'd be lucky to get upwards of £65/70mill for him with 2 years left on his contract. Moshiri has not bank rolled us so far, so it would be foolish to assume we can afford to throw away £30 mill or so.

Sell him now... For those getting hysterical about the lack of replacement – we pay Walsh a handsome sum to find talent, so far he's found nothing that a 12-year-old kid on Fifa 2016 couldn't have found. It's time he did his job.

If anything he'll know that next season is his time in the shop window for definite. He'll give 100% every game if he really wants that big move as no Champions League club is going to want someone who sulks instead of getting on with their job. Look at Suarez in his last year for the RS, for example.

He did during the last few months of the Martinez mess.

Superb player on his day but, one way or another, he is off.

We have made some big strides this season, but we owe a lot to Lukaku.

He's put his time in with us. I get the feeling we'll spend big money this summer on some players that will improve us as a squad, but most likely not improve our league position.

We've been able to ship out some old squad players and they need to be replaced..and we will. But we're not signing Griezmann, Koulibaly, Isco and Benzema...

We'll possibly bring in Sigurdsson, Keane, Maguire and who know's maybe Rooney. Will that improve us, yes, will it be enough to keep Lukaku? No.

If he does wish to stay, great.

I don't hate anyone playing in a blue shirt. But maybe I just don't get offended by perceived slights and people not paying me respect.

Stats don't tell the entire story though, Shane.

I guess that is a conflicting statement. To put it into context, I think Lukaku's goal return is good but all the baggage that comes with him is a distraction.

If Koeman and the club can get him to tow the party line I would like to see if he can shape up next season, if not I would like him gone and get the squad sorted out before the start of next season.

For the posters who are concerned that we will be up Shit Creek without his goals... we are a club that is 139 years old; he's been with us three years – you do the math, we'll be just fine.

How old are Accrington Stanley?

I seem to remember plenty arguing what a disaster it was selling John Stones but have we missed him?

Of course Everton know that Lukaku isn't worth £100 million, that is their point. At 㿲M though he'll probably sell as any top class player will in the current market. They are trying hard to keep him but will not let him go for peanuts. Selling Rom is possibly too good a piece of business not to go for. I'm personally far more worried about that other useless excuse for a footballer, Ross Barkley.

I was keeping a close eye on this lad as he's been touted as a possible replacement to Bainsey and I was thinking he didn't put in one decent cross in the second half and kept losing the ball.

Funny how people can see the game differently.

Anything more subtle, you way overestimate me!

We offered him a way out with 𧵄k per week and 𧴜M price if we sell him for that then it proves we will not stop top class players leaving when they want providing our buy out price is met.

We need to realise that top players are like cars – you trade one in and get monies towards your next purchase.

As Adam (#49) said, Chelsea may sell Costa for 㿞M and stump up the rest of the price from income.

Many players leave Everton only to realise money is not everything.

From the context, I presume it's not like the Loco-Motion, Macarena or Funky Gibbon but rather a strange singular form of a name for the science of quantity.

Could be wrong... as I often am.

It may be correct to believe the player, any player is not worth this type of money, but in today's cash rich football world proven goal scoring strikers are few and far between and this is why if he is sold it would be at the very least on a par with the 䀅 million Pogba fee.

As I suggested on another thread , this could all be set up already between Raiola and Moshiri – more money for all concerned.

For all Lukaku's rumblings about wanting to play in Champions League, watch what happens when Man Utd offer us the money or not, Lukaku will jump over there to be with his mucker like a rocket, I think.

I do believe Moshiri will not cave in and will only sell if he gets the fee he wants. In saying this, I do hope Lukaku stays.

I do agree, though; I can see Lukaku ending up at Man Utd – especially if Ibrahimovic decides to move to the States with the Galaxy. A swap for Rashford and £40 million, I'd be over the moon with that.

How much do you think another club might pay for him if he were sold tomorrow?

I watched the Everton - Leicester game for the second time today and what really caught my eye was not only the great goals but the performances of Davies and Holgate. We go on about Rom and Ross but these two can be the jewels in our crown.

That's my point, Pogba has hardly justified the £89 million.

I think so; still, it's early days and let's hope genuine hope for the future.

Times are looking better, the breeze and the air on the river are feeling better, says the fisherman, who catches a few, but seriously, I'm more hopeful now than any time since 1985.

This time it seems real, and hopefully no more false dawns. Farhad Moshiri has transformed the club, it's like a different club and the general atmosphere across the club has changed.

Now to take on The Hammers... Upton Park was overall our best away ground in the last 30 years. Stratford will be interesting but we hopefully can seize the occasion and win.

Here's to a good week ahead for all Evertonians.

He has said, "I want to play in the Champions League", which is not the same thing at all.

I believe his latest utterance and his refusal to sign a contract extension, is, as has been interpreted by many, a direct challenge to the board and management of EFC.

He hasn't said, "If you want me to stay, show me you truly have ambition to achieve a Champions League placing by making some significant signings in the close season", but he has certainly implied it.

If the board and management do show this ambition, I believe he will sign an extension as he will know that the club is building a team around him and his ambitions (as well as ours).

Otherwise, I fear it will be a case of goodbye.

Me, I wouldn't pay £30 million for both combined, but that's me. I think if he's sold it will be £60/70 mill, that's a great return on our investment and hopefully Walsh and Co have everything lined up for quality replacements.

On a lighter note, Dave (#161) – about the same age as Bradford Park Avenue.

I do not want to lose him and expect the club to do all they can to keep him and and Ross and build a Championship-winning team.

If he does end up leaving then we will have to move on and cover him, just like we did when Lineker left.

He scored 40 goals the season he played for but we ended up runners up to the RS in both the League and Cup.

The next season we won the League by a landslide over Liverpool and Tottenham a distant 3rd. Around 5 different players scoring in double figures, if my memory serves me right.

There's a big gap between a fiver and £100 million, Dermot!

Just making the point that what goes around, comes around.

I agree it's massive to have a well-performing Lukaku in our team. Question is, how near to the line are we, the line of creating bad feeling by trapping him at the club, if, if, his mind is really decided that he wants to leave?

Suppose he does want to leave (which he has actually not confirmed as such), but we keep him here next season, the 𧴜 million having not been offered. What kind of a Lukaku will we have next year?

We would hope to have the "Professional" version, a player that wishes to maintain his stock, to perhaps keep himself sharp and vital, to give of his best (he did say he wants to do everything he can to help Everton).

The other version can easily be guessed at. There's also another transfer window in the New Year of course.

If we exclude the good business aspect of seeking the maximum transfer fee when considering the 𧴜 million, then what else is the purpose of that figure? To try to retain Lukaku for long enough to convince him to stay... perhaps by means of our signings in the summer window?

Will that work? What if we have an inauspicious start to next season, and are not doing so well late in the year? Does all this rear its head again?

I'd like Lukaku to stay at least as much as anyone else, but we're already past the stage of the tail starting to wag the dog. I don't think taking a stick to Lukaku will pay dividends, ultimately.

This said, perhaps an important part of the exercise is Everton laying down a marker.

The missing information to us as outsiders, is mostly, what are Lukaku's true intentions? I think we'll only get to know that if or when he hands in a transfer request.

I wouldn't want to be involved in the negotiations on behalf of the club, that I can say for sure.

No one's mugging us for a 𧴜m asset now. Lukaku's agent even said 'Everton don't need to sell'.

My only thought on this is; why ONLY 𧴜m?

3 years of development and probably a Golden Boot, you'd probably expect his value to have doubled. So looking at his 𧴜m price tag in regards to the new money, it's about right.

And so it begins.

Whatever happened, we'd have to play differently with more of the other players stepping up to fill the goal gap. Our midfield is almost strong enough now to take it in our stride.

I just worry that Lukaku-gate will overshadow our very important Summer transfer window and make it very hard for Koeman to plan for next season. Wonder if he could be persuaded to sign just a 1-year extension which would mean we could keep him next season, plan around that and really have a crack at breaking that glass ceiling

I don't think Rom sitting out games and starting from the bench would do Romelu any favours especially in terms of next years World Cup...

Romelu will be professional. He is ambitious but not stupid.

I wouldn't pay £30 million for both [Pogba and Lukaku] combined, but that's me".

But, of course, neither you or I is paying. So, back in the real world, what is a realistic price for him?

You say "I think if he's sold it will be £60 / 70 mill". But you also say
"A swap for Rashford and £40 million, I'd be over the moon with that".

On that basis, you rate Rashford as worth only £20 / 30 m?!

Bit crazy that, mate.

It may, as you say, "be pretty obvious" to you, if that is the interpretation you chose to put on it.

However, until he actually publicly says "I want to leave Everton and nothing is going to stop me," I am prepared to wait to see if, subject to strengthening of the squad in the upcoming Transfer Window, he may decide to stay.

It will cost him a lot of money by asking to leave but he will get that back by moving and a lot more besides. So come on, Rom, we know you want to go... put your transfer request in now.

No problem with that; no one should pretend...he's made it plain he is not staying so do the proper thing and ask to go.

In comparison with some of his camps previous antics (and I have to give Riaola some credit here) I feel that he has handled this well, coupled with his (Rom's) well received interview.

I would rather that any further 'public' talk is left now to the end of the season. I don't feel Rom has to say anything else on the matter. A transfer request does nothing. The club knows that whilst he doesn't wish to force a move, he isn't signing a new deal. The ball is in Everton's court now, as much as they would rather it wasn't. Rom can sit tight. We can't.

This is why I would reluctantly advocate selling in the summer. I would also be talking with Chelsea about the possibility of Batshuayi being involved in the deal IF the overall package met the clubs valuation.

Btw Brent I was just throwing numbers out there; really doesn't matter. I would swap Lukaku for Rashford straight up and be very happy with that.

Sorry if I got that wrong and his abysmal record is as you state 1 in 2. I may again be wrong but I'd have thought Barca's buy-back option might depend on Everton wanting to sell, that is, first option.

The point I was making is that a lot of the talk is about buying better players to appeal to those we, the supporters, think should or would stay if we did. The fact of the matter is that we've sent one player, who I quite rate, on loan to Italy.

Another who I also rate has been told to sign the contract on offer or be sold. A third it seems is in dispute over the buyout clause in a new contract after being told he might only fulfill his potential elsewhere.

Perhaps Mr Koeman might like to clarify the matter.

Don't get sucked in by modern transfer fees. In previous times they did reflect the true consensus value of a player. These days they are just figures manufactured between agents and the media.

It would be nice to think of it as a dance "Do you do the twist love?" "No!" "How about the math?"

Sadly it is simply another death-by-a-thousand-cuts nick to the language of Shakespeare, via Trumpland.

That said, in 1968, in St Margaret Mary's church, I actually did hear an Irishman use the expression 'You do the math.'

I was an alter-boy preparing the alter for mass when lisping Fr Joyce told me to run to the priest's house next door and fetch Fr Burke.

When Fr Burke arrived I heard a panicked Fr Joyce tell him "Chrithte Joe, that Oxthtail hath gone right through me... "

Well you know how it ends.

Recently released from therapy and am now feeling better.

By the way Usmanov may come on board earlier than expected seeing as Arsenal are now on the slide and need a real team-rebuilding programme after several years of stagnation.

As I thought!

There are logical arguments for both spellings. The word “mathematics” can be considered as a singular and as a plural noun. Both the Oxford and the Merriam-Webster dictionaries say the word is plural – hence the s on the end – but also that it is usually used as if it was a singular noun. So, most people would say “mathematics is my best subject” and not “mathematics are my best subject”.

The shortened form “maths”, then, makes sense because the word is still a plural noun and so should still have the “s” on the end. On the other hand, it could be argued, “math” makes sense because it seems wrong to remove the letters “ematic” from the middle of the word and leave the final “s”.

Does it really matter?

The guy wants to leave, let's get the most money we can and reinvest. Yes he's scored goals this season but he's not the only striker on the planet. Milk Chelsea like we milked city for Stones (remember him?), reinvest and move on.

The club is far far bigger than any one player and I am absolutely sick to death of his 'I'm too big for Everton' bollocks and his slimy agent.

I just hope the deal is done early doors and doesn't drag on till late August. We've had a good 4 years out of him, let him go and bring someone less disruptive in who wants to be at the club.

Also I've never actually said to my Mrs "I'd love to shag Jennifer Anniston."

So if he went to United for "Rashford and £40 million", doesn't that make Rashford worth only £20 / 30 m?

Maybe just the way it was written. My guess is he won't go this summer. But who knows!

Two years left, and if he "downs tools" he'll hurt his prospects a lot, I'd think.

I'll be cheerfully and blitheringly naive for this one, and hope we get one more year's worth out of Lukaku; and if we suck after that, I'll take the reduced price more likely for a player in his last year!

I'd be more worried if he subscribed to the Chinese Renminbi TV, commie channel, specially tailored for foreign devils wanting to earn big money in China...

Ciaràn McGlone (#151): 'an unhappy player (who has never wanted to be here)'.

Jim Wilson 148: "Can I add: The day he signed for us was the day he wanted to leave." Opinions to be fair. Nothing wrong with that.

Except perhaps that they are absolute tosh based on what? "The day he signed he wanted to leave; never wanted to be here."

The first day? Hmmmmm... Some evidence from the first day, lads? A quote perhaps. A retrospective quote perhaps? And please don't give me the old Champions League lingo...

Opinions? Yes. But without a shred of credibility. The words of rank and unwavering prejudice and animosity. Shameful.

Snappy soundbites. But not smart, lads.

The sooner the matter is resolved, the better it will be for the club.

That's not media speculation, it's direct quotes from him and his 'mentor'. It certainly doesn't sound like someone who intends on being at Goodison next season.

Just, to be honest, like the rest of us.

A very nice analysis!

I hope his later instances of showing his own joy at scoring a goal, as well as his actual joining in on the fun when his team mates scores, might MAYBE make him a young man that recognizes his place within a team. I sure hope so, for his sake as much as for the progress of EFC!

As I've said before, I choose to be naive, but his recent displays with our supporters makes me hope he'll finally be open to understand what EFC can bring him long term, and that he still has the option to walk away if we fail with him on board. Reality sucks!

Well he is 29 now and he won the Player of the Year in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. So I think it is fair to say the answer is Yes

The World Cup. Russia '18 will begin after Lukaku's 25th birthday. Qatar '22 will be when he is 29. Belgium have a really good side.

You may recall that in the Summer, Romelu was struggling to establish himself as the Belgian number 9. His competition has changed as Origi has not had a good season, Michy Batshuayi has hardly kicked a ball in anger, and Benteke's stock has fallen with his move to Palace, but Rom's position is still far from secure.

Rom needs to move quickly in the summer and establish himself as the main striker in his new side. Failure to do so might see the Chelsea man, or the Liverpool man usurp him.

If the transfer becomes protracted, then Everton will hold the cards more and more. The buyer will have to meet Everton's price. Otherwise, sorry Rom, but you're staying and if you fail to play well, again, you're out the team. As for moving in January, that's too risky for him in a World Cup year.

Of course Rom wants to win the Champions League, but he's 23 and probably has another 7-10 years to do so. Belgium's side is such that 2018 is a great shot at winning the World Cup; 2022 less so, and most of the current side will be gone by 2026, and who knows if Belgium will have a good side by then.

You will note that Belgium have a lot of 2nd generation Africans in their side, and this is as a result of a deliberate ploy on their behalf to supplement what was perceived to be a lack of talent. They have recruited heavily from places like the Congo and the Ivory Coast.

There was a famous (in Belgium) match where Bereven played Brugge in the Cup Final with 10 players eligible for the Ivory Coast in their side!

All of this means Romelu needs to have a great season, next season, to carry out one of his key ambitions in winning the World Cup. If Everton keep him until the tournament, and Rom doesn't have a bad season or World Cup, then his price will hold firm regardless of having 12 months left.

Of course if he has a bad season and no one wants him, the price will plummet. But we should expect a bidding war will keep it high. And who knows, a good start to next season and he may even sign the new deal, if he doesn't in the summer.

Do you really think that any of the new-day mercenaries care about their national teams (Britons are special there, actually!), as compared to how much exposure they might get, and their club price being equally raised?

You might want to check out the Belgian King Leopold II and his attitude towards his African 'colony' and how he treated his subjects before you proclaim how proud Africans would be to "raise" the Belgian Flag today...

As you point out, Belgium does have a terrible history towards Africa.

But no more so than our fair city, the city that made more out of the blood of Africa than any other in the world. Does that stop Africans like Victor Anichebe from being big blues? Of course not.

Belgium's rise on the back of African Recruitment by persuading players to choose them over the likes of DRC and Ivory Coast is not fiction but fact.

And would it really take a direct quote from the day he joined us (with accompanying sour baked photograph) of him saying "I don't really want to be here" for you to draw a fairly obvious conclusion?

Smart, you say... Aye, okay.

Lukaku still has ages to become the finished article and a top side won't wait for that to happen.

In my opinion, he's better off here at least another year if he is looking after his game?

To be sure, a lot of folks on TW have interpreted the facts to infer he does want to leave, but that's just their interpretation, not the actual facts.

It's a good idea to be careful about what you assert as 'obvious'.

What I'm 'hoping' for is that he may by the end of this season have realized that a "name" is just that, and that his big pay-day will come from never having been placed on the bench, and thus getting a lot more experience!

Still, he's actually been smiling, and celebrating for others' goals lately...

Cthulu influence? Burn alive, then ask???

Why would I be careful about what I consider to be obvious?

I'm perfectly happy with my assessment. There's tons of evidence that he'd rather be somewhere else. It's obvious to those who care to look at it, rather than acting like lovestruck teenagers in denial.

"Suarez, Lewandowski, Benzema, Cavani. That's it. I'm not looking at the rest. No chance. I watch what they do in certain moments and I think 'that's interesting,'" he said. "Now you are starting to compete and you want to show who is best . I want my team to be the best.

"I want my team to be the most attractive to play in the league. At the end of the day, the big aim in football is to win as many titles as you can.

"I'm close [to them]. Close. At the minute I am one of the best strikers in the league. I can't not say that. If I don't say that I am one of the best, I am shooting myself in the head. At the minute I am one of the best in the Premier League -- 100 percent."

Lukaku comes across to me as someone who wants glory. He often talks of titles and records. Sure, if we can demonstrate to him that we can challenge for titles, then he will stay. But I think he wants to challenge now, not in few years. He appears to have made a decision not to sign a new contract, and to push for a move, but it is for Everton to make a decision to sell him.

It's a very long 'inconvenient pit stop' Ciaran. Hamilton would be going crazy.

I would hazard that 3 years is above the average for a player to play for a single Premier League club but I might be wrong.

There is nothing in your last post that is any sort of backing for the 'obvious' point that in your prejudiced words that Lukaku is 'an unhappy player (who has never wanted to be here)'.

A genuine question Ciaran: Do you get any – any – delight in supporting Everton because to my knowledge – and it is only my knowledge so it is not 'obvious' – you have never said a cheery word on here.

Your disappearances on match-day threads when the tide turns against your comments and we score and do well are, I suspect, for more than a few of note if not legendary.

Just say 'I don't like Lukaku'. Don't attempt to expand on this with... erm... 'evidence' for the 'obvious' that so many of us have missed.

It's my opinion that he will stay for at least one more season. We're in Europe next season, not quite Champions League, but the next best thing.

As I say thou, just my opinion.

I'm just hoping that he will realize that the clubs that can buy him will either have to blindly let go of their top forwards, or that he will have to play a bit-part for any of the Champions League teams, spending a lot of time on the bench. I don't think his ego will remotely understand this, though...

If he goes, good money for EFC, though!

A fave of mine is "I envisage..."

They all amount to "Based of half rumours, I dead big mad guess that.."

(nb: I didn't at any stage (not being a soothsayer) say I had any evidence that he would be here next season... nor did I for that matter state that he wouldn't be here next season.)

Take care now.

Get the two golden oldies in – Kompany and Rooney, and Rom will stay.

Very clever bloke, Paul Ferry, lad.

So, I live in a flat, not an apartment, use a lift, not an elevator, can spell theatre, wouldn't know a condo from a johnny and, if I ever wore a baseball cap (yes... mmm... right) would know what way round to wear it.

Worked a treat.

Yes, Minister was so true to reality.

Cloughie's favourite was "Now then, young man, tell me what you think, and then I'll tell you why you're wrong." And he was always right!!

Sorry.

ps: The Sun is still banned. Hopefully, for eternity.

Classic put down that; just zips them up.

They obviously weren't Evertonians (NSNO).

Long day Blues, too much Brewdog, catch up in the morning...

Q: Why did Suarez, Bale, Ronaldo etc. leave clubs that were in the champions league?

A: They went to clubs that paid more wages, had better players in their first team and squads and a far greater percentage chance of winning the Champions league year after year.

I want 26 players in our squad with Rom's ambition. Sadly we have watched too many at Everton who are glad to be at the club and bloody lucky that they got so long at a club of our stature.

Moshiri, Koeman and Lukaku are winners, people with burning desire and ruthless ambition. Modern football is big business that needs big egos. Maybe the silent Mr. Moshiri will prove to have the biggest of them all a la John Moores.

I hope so, this will provide the catalyst Everton need to get back to the Champagne days, not whether we keep a player or not.

Please stay at the best club in Europe, Rom!!!

Oh! And please keep our great club forcing its way past the Sky TV old guard, Mr Moshiri.

He's going, probably this summer if not definitely next; some on here need to get over it.

Stan Schofield "There's no evidence he wants to go"

(Scratches head)

Some on here remind me of deluded kopites during the Suarez transfer saga, practically everyone knew he was off but they were still denying it till he was actually pictured in a Barca shirt, even some mates of mine.

He had his good friend and mentor even go public with it only last week, was Drogba lying? our manager even commented on it. The sooner he's gone, the better. Let him go and win all the fucking trophies he wants.

Whether he leaves this summer or next he isn't signing a new contract and wants to leave. That much is plain to see, there is factual, irrefutable evidence of it... he's gone, leaving, upping sticks, every stop he makes he'll make a new fucking friend...

Given the available evidence of his itchy feet (again, it IS evidence) it's hardly a hop, skip and a jump to conclude he'd rather fuck off sooner than later.

You have no evidence (zero), that he wants to see out another year of his contract.

I want him to stay, love Everton, wear an Everton bathrobe to the shops and call his first child Sheedy... But I fear that would be as pointless as pissing up a rope.

"Romelu has told me he wants to play for Chelsea."

"I will not sign a new contract."

These statements were made, that is a fact; but because I believe what they said, I'm interpreting it? You would be an excellent replacement for Sean Spicer when he gets the boot, mate.

Has Lukaku demanded a transfer? The answer is no. He has said he won't sign the contract offered. He has not said he will not see out his contract. Get over it.

It in no way should be surprising that he aspires to play at one of the top clubs in the world and compete for the top trophies, and that Everton is not a club that can offer that due to our mediocre past three decades and cheap owner. Koeman came out and said as much when he said Lukaku must leave to a big club to achieve his ambition and that he expected him to go to a club like Barcelona one day.

Barkley has also not signed a contract and has one year less remaining than Lukaku. Koeman has been blunt saying Barkley will be sold this Summer if he doesn't sign, while he has said no such thing about Lukaku. Right now, it is looking much more likely that Lukaku will be here next season and Barkley will not, by the choice of the club. How that will turn out none of us know and will play out in time.

I support Everton FC, not RL FC, no big deal, we move on as we always have throughout our history. Thanks for the memories, Romelu, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Yours truly, sad troll!

Read what I wrote and try again.

"I'm 21, I need to be playing in a good team. I needed to be in a place that felt right."I decided very quickly I wanted to come back. This is the place I belong."

Recently he said:

“I can never have enough of football. I eat it from the moment I wake up until I go to sleep. I'm subscribed to everything you can think of: Chelsea TV, Manchester United TV, Real Madrid TV. I want to know everything about how these guys train and live their everyday lives.”

Very recently, Romelu Lukaku is asked "are you going to sign a new contract?" His smiling response "No."

My interpretation of what he is saying is that he now wants out.

Didier Drogba has stated publicly that he knows what Romelu Lukaku's plan for the summer is. Ronald Koeman doesn't – but wouldn't it be nice if he did.

A poignant recent quote from David Unsworth talking about the Under-23s on the official site:

“What all these lads are when they step up into the first team is desperate to be Everton players. I love that desperation in a young player.

“They're not big-timers, they're just desperate to represent this Football Club and this Football Club brings them up in the right way.”

Meanwhile the other day Duncan Ferguson gives a couple of young fans a lift home from the game, gets invited into their home and to top it off, has a cup of tea and his picture taken with them.

The above snippets highlight the difference to me between the personalities and their respect for the club.

It may seem irrational to others with a different perspective but it does explain to me why I get wound up when he talks to the press about wanting to play Champions League football and his contract.

I won't question Romelu Lukaku's ability as a goal scorer and the value of those goals to the team. I won't rant or call him names this time around but what I will say is this – if he does want out, that's fair enough for me. I won't bat an eyelid but I would if it was Ross Barkley though.

We have a manager respected in world football, he has the backing of the new majority shareholder and we are on the up. When Romelu Lukaku is sold, he will be replaced by a top quality striker and I am convinced that Everton Football Club will continue its rise back to the top of English Football – and that this time round we will stay there.

If he goes, tell him it wont be to one of our rivals and he will be going abroad; if not, enjoy your next two years at Everton!

When we made our offer to Chelsea, he took a long time to think about it, he was IMO waiting for a better one, he waited and he waited... and he waited. Nobody came in, nobody else was prepared to pay what we did.

Look, even Lukaku's biggest critics would have to say we have done alright by him. He has scored plenty and has doubled in value, but time and time again he has very clearly expressed an ambition to play at a higher level. He does see us as a stepping stone; always has.

Lukaku's problem is not many clubs are higher than Everton – 5-6 here, maybe another 15 abroad? – and quite a few of them are on the slide.

If Lukaku only wanted Champions League football, he would have signed for somebody like Celtic, what he really means is he wants to play for a top paying Glamour club, one of the elite. If Man Utd (who won't qualify) came in, he would go past pleas to stay in the same manner he went past Gael Clichy... but despite Colin's tenuous claims of "links" there has been no credible reports of any interest at all. The big boys remain unimpressed.

Two possibilities, one certain outcome. Either Everton accept a bid considerably lower than the reported asking price, or Lukaku will be here next season.

Surely you meant "altar".

I don't, however, think he feels any sort of attachment to the club. He doesn't care what colour shirt he wears, as long as it is with a club that he believes will further his quest for glory. Unless something dramatic occurs over the summer, I don't think that club will be Everton.

If he stays, it will be because we refuse to sell, and will be for next season only. I hope he scores 30 this season and 40 next. Then we'll slap a £150 million price tag on him.

He could surprise me, and buy into the potential we clearly possess, and sign on long term, but I doubt it. We're not nearly ambitious enough for Lukaku.

We now have to wait for the next line from Team Romelu, I think.

Colin, you were right of course, in post 192 – "And now it begins". No surprise that The Sun kicked off proceedings. The more it changes, the more it stays the same.

Laurie, Duncan Ferguson is one of us, mate, and whilst having a cup of tea, he said he wasn't sure if either Ross, or Rom, would sign new deals, but he did expect Lukaku to still be at Everton next season.

Bollocks the lot of it, saying Everton don't want to deal with Chelsea because of the John Stones saga, but everyone knows it's really because Usmanov and Abramovic hate each other!

Sounds familiar doesn't it?

Personally, I think there's a very good chance he will agree to stay for one more season. No doubt his agent will tell him that he should leave while his stock is so high. The Premier League's top scorer is an impressive title.

I think Rom believes in himself, and will feel that he can score 30 for us next season if he stays. His stock will continue to rise.

It isn't possible for Everton to make him stay regardless of the contract (players can bring too much negative media attention and divide the dressing room. The club won't risk this). All he has to do is hand in a transfer request and pull a 'Payet'.

However, I don't think he would do that. I think he cares about how he is viewed, and I think he wants to be admired and revered. I think there is every chance that he can be talked into staying one more year.

Nobody can say for sure that he wouldn't sign a new contract once that agreement has been made. After all, he'd be making a lot more money if he signed, and I'm sure the club would agree to backdate the contract.

He says he won't sign and probably believes he is going to leave. Everton have said that he won't leave for under 𧴜 million. So now his agent will be asking interested clubs if they'd be willing to pay it.

He'll test Everton's resolve and realise that Moshiri won't budge. He'll tell Rom to pull a 'Payet', which I don't think he will.Rom may well stay and may well then sign a new contract.

Who knows? Time will tell? Hopefully all of the summer's Rom media speculation will allow us to quietly get on with other deals a little stealthily.

Just because he hands in a request, (a la Stones), does not mean we have to accede to his demands. With two years of his contract remaining, it's Everton, not Lukaku who hold all the aces at present.

If we did turn down such a request, it would do him no good to 'go on strike' to force a move, not with a World Cup around the corner. He needs to play and be seen to be doing well if he wants to be a part of the Belgian squad, assuming they qualify for the finals.

Be a good boy, Rom, and honour your contract. Another good season and Mr Moshiri might think about your request if we don't make the top 4.

Like many London based journalists, Mr Law has failed to realise that Everton are back in the elite and there is a top seven in the Premier League now.

However, the penny seems to have dropped with his compatriot Sam Wallace. In an adjacent article he suggests that it would be impossible for Spurs to attract Barkley with a salary at the level offered by Everton (assumed 𧴜k per week) as this would be 㿀k more than Harry Kane is being paid!

We've only had several years of the lad talking up a move only to see him mess up his big opportunities – first in the world cup at the end of his loan meant we were the only club to cough up the 㿈m... then last year he played like a Belgian Brett Angell in the FA Cup semi final and followed it up with a pretty sure Euros

He's now finally managed to nail a season where his goal stats indicate the player that he thinks he is. Up till now they have been good by Everton standards... not necessarily any other top clubs standards.

Lukaku has probably only seen us as a club that he was going to spend 2 years at. His constant gobbing off in the media about a move suggests that.

It's a bit sad really. This once grand club has treated it's fans so abysmally in terms of quality players for so long that a player who is a top notch finisher without having any other real qualities – with a large dose of arrogance – is treated like some sort of hero.

It's like watching Forrest Gump make a fool of himself time after time with Jenny who spends half her life trying to run away from him. But like Forrest – the same fans may be there for him at the end when he needs a place to kick back for his final days once he's done all his globetrotting. Not me; lower the price to make sure he gets sold.

We saw it with Stones. He suggested Stones was in London looking for houses when he was in fact with Everton preparing to play at Barnsley!

This is the beginning of what will be a summer long saga. I've even seen somewhere this morning that Rom now subscribes to MUTV and Chelsea TV! Personally I couldn't care less if he sits watching them with a Man Utd top and Chelsea pants on so long as he's banging in the goals for us on a Saturday!

Thank you for pointing out what I consider an embarrassing, stupid and lazy mistake on my part (broke my own rule, wrote quickly but then didn't read post back before posting).

And to be clear, this is not me being sarcastic, I am happy to have such mistakes pointed out as I feel it helps keep the general standard up (and in this case, me on my toes).

I believe good grammar and spelling are important and an indicator of a reasonable level of intelligence, so if/when mine can be improved, I'm all for it (so there'll be no narked "Oh THANK you, professor!" from me).

Don't worry, I'm sure it will all be over shortly for you. And you can switch your considerable talent for spotting terrible footballers elsewhere.

And I'm sure you will join me in congratulating Rom on being included in the PFA Team of the Year.

A striker who doesn't talk about playing for other clubs whilst earning 㿷k a week with 4 years remaining?

A striker who understands that the role of a forward sometimes involves working for the very team mates who you spend 90 minutes moaning at if they don't do as you want?

A striker who can actually control a football, use their body to hold of a defender and pass to a team mate?

A striker who doesn't decide to have an easy afternoon when they are up against a top 6 side who have a centre-half who is a bit better than one who plays for Sunderland?

Will you be buying the Lukaku DVD that Liverpool fans will probably tease us about? Or be seen climbing a lamppost in Liverpool city centre to see the Lukaku 20+ goals a season open bus tour go past?

Unfortunately that is the way things have become in this club nowadays

Looking forward to seeing what "team" can be built with the funds his goal tally this season earns us.

Looking forward to watching him go to a team who will not afford him anywhere near the indulgences he's enjoyed at our club. Trust me, this is the best he will ever have had it.

"Will you be buying the Lukaku DVD that Liverpool fans will probably tease us about? Or be seen climbing a lamppost in Liverpool city centre to see the Lukaku 20+ goals a season open bus tour go past?"

Let me just think about that for a minute.... Ermm, no!

You have spent four years constantly telling us what a terrible player he is, and today's post is another in a long line.

But then you say

"Looking forward to seeing what "team" can be built with the funds his goal tally this season earns us."

Surely no-one is going to pay serious money for such a flawed footballer?

My question to you: are based on which things, according to whom, and the evidence for the statement lies where?

If intelligence were fixed genetically, then how could any improvements to spelling and grammar, which in your view denote a 'reasonable level of intelligence, not also impact upon the improvement of intelligence?

Use of grammar and spelling has little or nothing to do with intelligence.

I won't be taking you up on your offer.

Of course players have failed to justify their transfer fees, but rarely do clubs say "We don't think this guy is a very good player but never mind here's a ridiculous amount of money anyway" at the time of the transfer.

The point is, Peter Roberts has been banging on about Lukaku's abilities as a footballer for four years and he's still wrong.

Do you honestly think there is a fan on here who thinks Lukaku is staying for life?

Man Utd last season paid a ridiculous amount of money for another Billy Bigtime... do you think anyone would take him off their hands now for £89 million?

Juventus are an example of what we mean, they offloaded Pogba their 'superstar'; last night they knocked out the great Barca, reached the Champions League semi-final, are well on their way to winning Serie A. They are a better team without him, just like Everton will be when the gobby one moves on.

I confess to being a pedant over the written word. I agree with Eugene; good grammar, spelling and, I would add, punctuation are essential for clarity. It isn't easy though and it does require a good level of intelligence to get it right – and a lot of practice, correction and being corrected.

I used to proof-read comments from colleagues, several of them English graduates, and send too many back as requiring correction to have confidence that intelligence was the sole determinant. Writing under pressure and laziness were also issues.

The other evening I wrote "...have know idea..." in a hastily typed email fired off so I could get out for a last pint.

Sad thing is, I woke up at 04:30, my subconscious and my bladder joining forces to nag me awake and checked the bloody "sent items".

Perhaps, rather than indicative of intelligence, good spelling, punctuation and grammar show you've had a decent education and gained from it.

If Romelu wants to go to Chelsea, then I'd be tempted to ask for Tammy Abraham (a young Lukaku clone who works hard, has scored a bucket-load in the Championship and just needs to bulk up a bit).

And/or Lewis Baker (an excellent young midfielder who has scored 14 goals in 35 games on loan to Vitesse this season). Both youngsters would not quite make into the Chelsea first team next year one suspects but could be superb if developed in ours.

Perhaps we have enough youngsters already.

If that is satire, it is close to genius.

(Although as Thicky McThickface can't even spell my name correctly, I fear not.)

It is quite possible we will be a better team when Rom leaves and of course we may waste the money on another 'Billy Bigtime'. To claim you know which of those outcomes occur is sheer speculation.

There have been two main complaints about Lukaku on numerous threads which are summarised as thus:

He has the wrong attitude, he's too big for his boots and stating his ambitions to leave Everton are disrespectful.

He is not a very good player.

I understand why people may think the first, but personally I am not too arsed. The club will always be bigger than individual players.

The second I think based on the evidence is ill-informed or conflating the two issues.

You never know though, they did pay £89 mill for an average player.

Off the field, I am almost certain things will be better because we won't have this constant bickering between fans because of his actions and words. Have you ever stopped and thought for a minute what his teamates think of all this bullshit that he creates, then see his lack of effort on the field.

I would suggest Ashley Williams in his face at Old Trafford is a clear example of what they think; they've had enough of his crap.

Juventus didn't suddenly improve without Pogba. They've been winning the league every season for years now, as well as winning the Copa Italia. Last season,they were knocked out in the Round of 16 and the year before that, reached the final of the Champions League.

Good God, they've been a powerhouse before, with and after Pogba. They didn't improve by getting rid of him.

There had been bickering about players on here since...

What makes you think Lukaku going will stop it?

Your accusation was that Pogba hurt Juventus and they've become a better team without him. That's demonstrably false, proven by the fact they were winning all domestic cups with him as well, and reached the final of the Champions League with him. It's been his first season back in England in a rebuilding United team.

Juventus have been powerhouses for years and continue to be so because they can attract the best in the world. Everton on the other hand are not and can not.

Lukaku as a footballer is a very flawed player. As a finisher he is very very good and along with his athleticism is the only reason he is a professional footballer.

Let's break it down into components:-

Control:– poor, pretty awful by premier league standards. Would he play for a Barca with that touch? No chance.

Passing:– hit and miss. Sometimes looks good but in general it's a lottery.

Intelligence:– pretty dim football wise. Movement is reactive, no idea on how to make the angles for the likes of Barkley to cut passes.

No doubt you will tell me that all the above is a load of nonsense. The reality is this you look at a player like Tom Davies – an academy product who has been schooled properly. Compare what he does with a football – not just because he's a midfielder. Intelligence, one touch play, movement, passing.

Above all else, Lukaku talks about himself like he has nothing to learn from the likes of Harry Kane – He actually does. He could learn more off Harry Kane than any other player and that is humility and hunger – he probably confuses hunger with ambition cos that's the type of person he is.

Kane wanted to make it as a player so worked his socks off - that's hunger. Lukaku wants to win trophies by moving to a club that wins trophies – that's ambition. I dare say every player is ambitious; not all of them are hungry

Either way, hurry up and get him sold – I want a striker who is hungry.

Your words aren't still present above, but I'll paste them here for you again:

"Juventus are an example of what we mean, they offloaded Pogba their 'superstar'. Last night they knocked out the great Barca, reached the Champions League semi final, are well on there way to winning Serie A, they are a better team without him, just like Everton will be when the gobby one moves on."

You said they are a better team without him, your words, mate. No, they were a great team with him and continue to be a great team. It's only you and a few others who keep saying Everton will miraculously improve without Lukaku. It's you saying that, and then accusing others of saying Everton will fall apart without him. I didn't say Everton will fall apart without Lukaku, scan up and down the thread, you won't find it.

Just stop, stop it. You keep spouting off nonsense, saying you didn't say it, accusing others of saying things that they didn't say, and just keep going and going. Just stop it, please. You play this holier than thou character, posting things like you support Everton FC not Romelu Lukaku FC, accusing others of not being real Everton supporters, or at least not as great of a supporter as you.

We all support Everton on here, all of us. Some of us believe Lukaku is a very good player and will help Everton FC if he is still on the team next season. That does not make me or anyone else a Romelu Lukaku FC supporter ahead of Everton. Honestly, shame on you for making those accusations.

Your ridiculous obsession with him, along with other posters on here who want him gone from the club, is going to have to stop; sorry to be the one to have to tell you that!

You've commented 23 times in this thread alone, about Lukaku. Lukaku is just about the only thing you ever comment about on this site. Obsession, look in the mirror.

It's a shame that you confuse facts and opinions. Whether this is deliberate or inadvertent, I don't know, but it's there. Particularly with regard to your responses to my posts on this thread, your muddling of fact and opinion underlines that it's no surprise that the media get away with what they do. They seem to know how to light the blue touch paper, and then too many folks run with it.

I fully expect you'll continue as you've started, despite (I recall) a self-imposed restriction on commenting about Lukaku, which you made last year. I think David @336 is spot on, you seem obsessed. I'm not sure what you'll do when Lukaku eventually does leave.

Remember Michael Owen's first touch? He went to Real Madrid. Who talked about his all-round game? Torres was named in our press as the best striker in world football when he had the same amount of goals as Adebayor. The same amount as Lukaku has now.

Even having the nonsense to compare what Man Utd have done compared to Juventus seems ludicrous when everyone knows United have been rebuilding an aged squad since Ferguson retired.

All that just to pick flaws in the best striker you have seen at Everton since Lineker. Then make out some fans have suggested Everton will fall apart if he goes?

Quite right, Kevin. You do have to smile at the number of times some people post about Lukaku.

Please provide one quote of anyone on this thread that said Everton will be doomed when Lukaku leaves.

Editors, honestly, can someone step in here.

Take Liverpool, for example. They sod Torres to Chelsea for 㿞M, and almost immediately bought Andy Carroll for 㿏M. Was he worth 㿏M, no way, but Newcastle saw Liverpe same scenario is certain to happen to us. So we sell Lukakool had the money, and therefore bumped his price up.

Thu for the reported 𧴜M. Who do we sign to replace him? At the moment I don't know, but you can bet that whoever it is will likely have an extra few million added to his valuation.

Besides, I'm still of the opinion that Lukaku will still be with us next season. European football is guaranteed, and we are no longer in the position of having to sell to survive. Lukaku "won't down tools" as some have mentioned, due to the world cup in 16 months time.

If however, he is adamant on going this summer, and the club reluctantly agree to sell him, then good luck, Messrs Koeman and Walsh, in finding a replacement.

Personally I hope we are interested in the kid. He's 19, big strong, and very much like Lukaku at the same age. I also like Batshuayi.

If Rom's adamant he's going there's no point keeping an unhappy player. If we can get 𧴜m, fantastic, otherwise take 㿞m and ask for Batshuayi and Abraham. While you're at it, sign Rooney on a free, and there's our strikers for next season.

Rooney is at the stage Gazza was when we signed him except with astronomical wages. Batshuayi has done nothing for club or country to show he's up to much. Abraham is doing well on loan in a lower division but so is Conor McAleny, not to mention Geri. So I don't think that would be a good move.

I'll repeat, please provide the quotes where people on this thread said Everton will be doomed when Lukaku leaves, as you claimed.

"When apparently cornered by the elegant and articulate arguments put forward by George Carman QC, Wilson considered his position, remembered his previous pleas against ad hominem attacks, and said 'I'm bigger than this'.

"Then he thought 'Bollocks to it, I'm going for it' "

"Wilson stood up, the court was hushed ."

" 'Well Mr Carman' Instantly bringing into the minds of the jury and everyone in the court the rotund and ridiculous foil of the popular Canadian cartoon series South Park, and reminding everyone present of his recent vicious destruction of the cases of Ruane/Ru-inane and McGlone/McClone."

"In the uproar that followed the only sounds above the whoops of those present were the banging of a gavel and the shout of 'CASE DISMISSED!!!"

You have chosen a particular interpretation, which is your opinion. But you are either not seeing this simple logic, or you are refusing to admit the non-uniqueness of interpreting those statements. It's logic Captain, as a certain Vulcan used to say.

Realistically, knowing his value, I highly doubt Rom plans to see out his contract and leave on a Bosman. Koeman's already said the club will sell players rather than let that happen.

Gavin, I'm not to keen on having a player with a girls name tbh.

I'm definitely in the pro-Rooney camp. I don't think comparing him to Gazza is fair. Gazza was writeen-off when we signed him. Rooney's younger and not had the injuries that Gazza had when we signed him.

I think Gazza had already been in rehab and picked up a pill addiction by the time he rocked up at Everton too. I can see why people wouldn't want Rooney, so respect your opinion about him. I just think the benefits far out weigh the risks.

Batshuayi has played well on the few occasions he's played. He was never realistically going to get a head of Costa in his first season. His stats when he played at Marseille and in the Belgium team are exceptional.

Tammy Abraham is a different class to McAleny, Kieran. Connor couldn't hit a barn door in the championship. He's only started scoring now on his umpteenth loan to a first division Oxford United. It's apples and oranges. They're also totally different kinds of players.

Abraham is the real deal and would already be in or around the first team at any of the clubs out of the top 6 in the Premier League. He's 19 years old, fast, strong and scores for fun. He's the joint top scorer in the championship and is already head and shoulders above Championship standard.

Lets be honest, no home grown youngsters are going to make it in Chelsea's first team. I see Abraham having a career path similar to Andy Cole who coincidentally was also loaned and sold to Bristol from Arsenal.

As I say, I hope we get 𧴜m for a player who wants to leave. But if we can't, a deal of 㿞m and Batshuayi/Abraham might suit all parties.

Behind the scenes, you can bet your bottom dollar that the club are making Steve Walsh earn his wages. It will be very interesting to see who he identifies as the players we will buy with the daft money we should be getting.

There is a risk that the money may buy an Andy Carroll but also there is a chance we will unearth a Luis Suarez that's the beauty of it.

Either way, we desperately need a striker with an all round game – not Just a finisher.

"No Brent, a lot of my posts have been to reply to ridiculous Lukaku-ites, like you, who think and claim that our club will be doomed when he goes, absolute nonsense".

Your assertion that I think and have claimed we will be doomed without him is clearly false, unless you care to prove me wrong. We know no proof will be shown so why expose yourself to ridicule?

I wonder whether, in making that assertion which you can't prove, you are confused, a poor-man's WUM, or stupid. I have my own view (and would note that those possibilities aren't mutually exclusive).

And there it is in the shell of a nut. You hate Lukaku, you admire and respect Luis Suarez.

Un-fucking-believable.

So much for Nil Satis Nisi Optimum.

Christ, I hope Kenwright isn't involved in the talks as we'll end up signing Tony Abrahams with Dave thrown in for free.

You seem so fixed in your views about the man I can seriously imagine you not wanting him to play well and score so you can post some vitriol, like you did after the derby.

For you to say we could find another Suarez seems totally bizarre when one of your gripes about Rom is his character. Suarez is one of the biggest scumbags in the game.

I must apologise.

I only posted my comment because it tickled me that you had made such a basic error .

I always enjoy your posts and being a lapsed Catholic myself I couldn't resist.

I certainly didn't intend to release John Wilson on you!

By the way, I never made it to altar boy – my mum couldn't afford the elasticated pumps – it was plastic sandals (I believe they are now called jellies) for me purchased from Woolies in Broadway. Life really is cruel.

Catholic priest victim too!

By the way. it is Tammy Abraham ours is Abrahams, it is like Smith and Smythe, the Smiths are two a penny, the Smythe's are much rarer and more expensive, we are the Smythe's of this world!!!

“It's a really important big summer for us and the club will continue to make big investments, the squad will continue to grow and improve, and it will be a very busy and exciting summer for Everton fans."

Unfortunately, he follows up with a more sobering:

"What we've got to do is operate in that window as we always have done, looking out for best value and being as good as we can in terms of negotiating and getting the best bang for our buck in that sense."

And after that he's only 'pretty sure' we'll be busy!

“I'm pretty sure Everton will be busy in the transfer window.”

How much depends on Lukaku being sold? Time will tell. Hopefully nothing.

How about we send him out on loan and ensure he is able to play against us. Apparently he doesn't play well against big teams. :)

Link

I do apologise for ignoring the fact that despite being one of the best players I've seen in the premier league with an unnatural determination to win and run through brick walls for his team he was a walking red card...

At the end of the day when big dunc got a red card it was done in an honourable pistols at dawn format...

I wouldn't mind- I was talking purely about talent and footballing ability but hey! We will endure whinging wantaway egotististical hot/cold divas who have no affinity or desire to stay at the club but do not even mention bringing in a maverick of unbelievable ability.

I used to go to Noggsy baths and afterwards we would go to Butler's cafe for a cup of Oxo and a Wagon Wheel.

I remember going to Dovecot baths and it was a mirror version of Noggsy. Strangely, Norris Green baths were called "William Roberts Public Baths" and Dovecot baths were called "Robert Williams Public Baths".

Not faux outrage just your unbelievable hypocrisy.

You want to side with Suarez over an existing player despite him being a complete fucking arsewipe who disrespected our club at every opportunity or have you forgot him cheating to get Rodwell sent off or doing the swan dive in front of our bench?

Fucking off to further his career at the first opportunity despite his club defending him for being a racist and biting opponents.

You are a joke.

Can't remember Butler's cafe, unless it's the cafe in the baths, on the balcony. We used to go there for Oxo and toast.

Looking back, the diving boards were amazing, that big rigid one, with three boards at separate heights, and the spring board opposite, with 10' deep water. You wouldn't get that nowadays!

However, Suarez has been in well functioning teams with good service to him. No fucking comparison as far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't want a gobshite like Suarez anywhere near our distinguished club.

I'm sure you would disown the club if by some crazy chance we ended up signing him even though he's behaved pretty much exemplary in his time at Barca... I'm sure you also called for the club to sack Duncan Ferguson and Stephen Pienaar when they were found guilty of drink driving. I'm sure you also called for an investigation into the claims Big Dunc said something racially offensive to Luis Boa Morte.

I could replace the name 'Suarez' with 'Dybala' – would that make you feel better?

His "tackle" on Mirallas, his antics to get Rodwell sent off, his biting, constant diving.... Not in a million years would I want him to play for our club. Not because he was a red, because he was and is a horrific person on the pitch.

Coutinho, Firmino, I'd take them every day of the week. Suarez, if I saw him screaming for help in the middle of the Mersey I'd just ignore it and leave him to his fate, assuming he's faking it yet again.

Butler's cafe was the first shop on Broadway as you approached from the baths.

I remember everyone being terrified of the rigid diving board and we were even told that someone had "split their stomach open" after belly-flopping off it.Ha! the things you believe as a kid.

I used to go to Norris Green library all the time – it seemed really plush.

Those baths were the backdrop to my summers, being a Norris Green lad. I agree .Health and Safety would have kittens. Scores of urchins leaping off the boards all at once. Jesus, the climb to the top board required oxygen!
Six and a basket. 6d to get in 1d for a clothes basket to be kept safe. of course you could leave your clothes in the cubicle if you were a stranger to the area.

Always hated Wagon Wheels... they were huge, and shite!

You brought Suarez up. Just pointing out it's a stupid example.

You accuse Lukaku of disrespecting the club because he wants a move away then use Suarez as an example who militated for a move to Barca. Double standards they call that.

And btw, if any player in my club was found out to be a racist, I'd want him gone straight away, just to be clear.

I am of the opinion he will go this summer and I hope the money is well spent. No-one knows if that is a good or a bad thing.

We had a tuck shop at Ellergreen, and I remember buying 4 Wagon Wheels for elevenses, eating them all, felt sick as a dog later on. I still like Wagon Wheels, but not 4 at once, even though they're now tiny by comparison. I reckon Wagon Wheels would help the team with Koeman's pressing game, they must pack so much energy.

Brilliant baths... remember doing anything to avoid the water in the footbaths. Why? On Norris Green website there are some good pictures of the baths as well. Learnt to swim there. Happy days.

If they were still there, Lukaku would stay.

As I say, no problem at all, when I went back and looked I thought 'Fuck!' for the reasons I mentioned.

Despite the happy-to-wallow-in-ignorance 'philosophy' of Mr Wilson (who once read a green book Link ) I believe pointing out sloppy spelling/grammar ultimately improves TW.

As for Mr Heslop, not sure what set him off, but he was in like Flynn with his "knowing stuff doesn't mean you... know stuff!" tirade.

Hmmm... That gives me an idea – a superhero for our times.

Picture a silhouetted figure, surveying the city from the top of TJ Hughes.

A large blue 'W' visible on his chest.

Suddenly his body tenses, his super-hearing picks up the sound of a teacher in a school in Halewood, teaching 6-year-olds where a full-stop goes.

"People learning? Not on my watch!" he mutters. He leaps from the building, points his fist skyward and with a cry of "You think you're better than meeeeeeeeeeeeee " he's gone.

Film poster: "YOU'LL BELIEVE A MAN CAN FLY... OFF THE HANDLE AT THE MENTION OF CORRECT SPELLING!!!"

There's a load of office buildings in Stanley Road, Bootle, with the names of Oxford colleges. Does Oxbridge own Liverpool or something?

Any one liking Tielemans, looks a clever player since I switched on 10 mins ago...

I wouldn't be surprised. Oxford is known to be well-endowed. Something I can't claim to be, in any sense at all.

No, Lukaku is not as skilled as Suarez in many areas of football skill, but he's at least as good, and arguably better, at consistently finding the net regardless of who he's playing for.

In terms of all-roundedness as a footballer, including gentlemanly behaviour and an example to youngsters, Lukaku beats Suarez hands down.

Who would everyone else pick, being honest like...?

Great weird thread this... one last thought, from a great humanist (please excuse the Americana)... "You and me baby ain't nothin but mammals...

He would be a relatively unexciting, but very useful super hero. When you can't find you car keys, call Locator Man. "Here they are, says he."

Where did I put my pint? Here it is, says Locator Man.

My missus usually does all this when I can't find something and I tell her I've looked everywhere, and she says, "What's this then?" finding it immediately. Locator Man would save me all that hassle. A real super hero.

Jesus. It's like Jar Jar Binks jotting down marginalia. 

"Meesa not a grammarian as such, you get me (little curly coat-hanger hook could be apropos here, but meesa really not that arsed)"

Forget the whole gentleman stuff... that's just ridiculous. We are a team who in the '60s had 4 or 5 players who would tackle every match with murderous intent.

A fella I know played for Bolton in that era and he said the likes of Johnny Morrissey "wasn't right in the head". We were winners though.

"Locator Man"!

I'm lost for words.

The deep pool was in the right hand corner. Plastic containers for your gear, was a shit tip of a place. Always went home with nits.

Brian Labone was a gentleman, but was very hard in the tackle. We need players in that tradition, fighters as well as skilled footballers, but not cheating gobshites like Suarez who bring the game into disrepute as a matter of routine.

Can you not see the absolute hypocrisy having slated Lukaku for his attitude and disrespect of the club. And then coming on a defending the biggest shitehawk ever to play for that lot.

I don't care what sort of a player he is, he's a fucking horrible gobshite. The fact you are more sympathetic to him than an existing Everton player who has been exceptional this season just demonstrates your irrational hatred.

Everton have been quiet and respectful up to now. Top premiership goalscorer. Costa going to China?? Manchester United have a 35-year-old. It's how much those clubs want him. Champions League football is were it's at and those clubs mentioned want it.

Lukaku is a wanted man and the current pool of strikers is small. It's not about comparing strikers past and present. Market forces decide.

As for how many posts I've written on this thread, I'm not going to do a David Barks and count all your posts but if it's a two-horse race we are either neck and neck or you may even be ahead of me.

Brent@432: Locator Man will find the words.

"No Brent, a lot of my posts have been to reply to ridiculous Lukaku-ites, like you, who think and claim that our club will be doomed when he goes, absolute nonsense."

Those were your words, given as a reason for your posts on this thread. But in fact, you can't provide any evidence of that, in this thread. You lied. You're just obsessed with hatred of Lukaku.

Utter, utter moronic daftness.

And regardless of some of us loving our incessant "niceness", we'd be far better off with skillful players who also have a passion for putting themselves about and not shirking the dark (but legit) arts, like Collins, Ball, Kendall, Reid, Bracewell, Cahill and so on.

Well if you read his post #431, he actually does try to justify it.

Who's your favourite player – Lukaku or Suarez?

"Forget the whole gentleman stuff... that's just ridiculous – we are a team who in the '60s had 4 or 5 players who would tackle every match with murderous intent."

Well, just a bit...

What I hate is this on going saga of will he leave won't he leave all created by him and his camp btw, and also in my opinion and many others that he has been disrespectful to our club, fans and teamates. If your fine with that no problem; I'm not.

We have all seen his goals but my other issue with him is that whilst he's a consistent goalscorer I have very rarely in his time with us seen him have great games,the Hull game recently is a perfect example. He stank the joint out for almost 80 plus minutes, then scores two late goals when the game was at 2-0 and effectively over and grabs all the headlines, but he did not have a good game and that happens over and over again.

Lastly, posters like you and Stan will accept no criticism of him whatsoever, it doesn't matter how poor he plays, what he says in the press, how he acts on the field, what he has family, friends, agents and mentors say... It's always excuses, like the team isn't playing to his strengths, he doesn't mean what he says and on and on. It's always someone else's fault in your eyes when it comes to him; I don't agree with your views, that's all.

Nobody leaving their trenches, Eugene and John with a couple of lol one-liners and an honorary mention for Moggsie.

But Colin @425 takes the prize – "When I was under water, everyone just pointed and laughed."

What a chillingly accurate description of Norris Green baths. It was like some sort of real life Game of Thrones for kids. No bullying too great, no crazed, manic dive considered suicidal enough. Stuff left in lockers considered to be "donations" – talk about sink or swim.

Looking back, it is as terrifying as it is funny

H&S, Care for the welfare of your fellow man, Civilised enjoyment? ... we left all that to the posh kids who lived ... err ... somewhere else

Mentioning Waterworths brings back a memory of my dad.

When Waterworths closed down we had the following
conversation:

Dad: "Aafter Waterworth's closed down, they found a rat that was 76 years old."

Me: "How could they tell how old it was?"

Dad: "They found a date up its arse!"

Happy days.

I think we need a super-hero exclusively for TW.

I would suggest " Alter Boy".

He could go through all posts correcting our grammatical mistakes and typos.

I'm up for the job but on one condition: someone pays for my black elasticated pumps. I still can't afford them!

Messi or Ronaldo would strike up a big debate but Lukaku or Suarez is a no brainier for neutrals.

[Alter Boy points finger at screen, hoping for lightning bolt (or something) but... nothing happens.]

The shame you just brought on David may have just forced him to reconsider many of his life choices. Without doubt, he isn't the man he thought he was.

Careful how you wield your power.

Clear as day what you are doing and it's pathetic.

As a footballer Luis Suarez ranks up there with Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp as the most skilful all round forwards I've seen in the Premier League, FULL STOP. A bit a flawed genius – played on the edge, dirty rat bag who by all accounts cried when he lost 5 a side games in training. (I kind of like that bit myself.)

Maybe the issue is that I'm admiring an ex Liverpool players football abilities- tough shit.

If you want to climb down of that huge high horse of yours maybe when we sign the next striker you can give him a dossier on what you expect of an Everton player maybe a nice clip of good old Phil Neville standing up straight after Dirk Kuyt nearly chopped his legs off so he wouldn't get red carded maybe even a 5 minute reel of Phil Jagielka not contesting any poor refereeing decisions...

Wait what am I saying?! Oh the outrage!!! I'm sarcastically suggesting that Everton players have been too nice for too long.

On a serious note – I argued the toss with several fellow blues that Barkley recent tackles in the derby were nothing short of disgraceful – so please do me a favour and argue the fact that I'm presenting

That selling Lukaku is an opportunity to may be signing a better footballer for less money. I think most people on here seen it as that you CHOSE not to.

Easy, this football business, isn't it.

By night he transforms into a fearless vigilante who unleashes the POWER of his shift key and CAPITALISES words in his posts for EFFECT at the LEAST EXPECTED juncture, thereby making it IMPOSSIBLE to defeat him in a battle of WITS.

In my time in the 1960s, Dovecot baths, next to the Calvary church, was known as the Harold Davies and was famous for more than its soothing bathing waters. Everywhere you went within its hallowed walls you would find turd droppings of all sizes, colours and quantity. Big floaters in the 10 foot diving pool, more sightings in the big pool, the showers, and on the seats in the changing cubicles. Conversely the toilet area, designed for the purpose of defecation, would appear to be spotless for the duration.

Swimming was quite a challenge and doing so in a straight line was near-on impossible. Diving from the high board was risky and may end up with you surfacing as King brown nose.

In summation, there was more public plop lying around than you would find on a visit to the gross Bangladeshi shanty towns sprawling around Dacca.

He has many faults, but his teammates and fans always love him. It's obviously highly unlikely that we will unearth a hidden Suarez, but if it was possible, then he would instantly become my favourite player.

His attitude on the football pitch is win, win, win. It's a joy to watch. Yes, he steps over the line occasionally, but that's because he plays right on the edge. With so much passion and desire, he's bound to lose it from time to time.

He inspires his teammates to work harder and be better... and then he fucks up and gets suspended. But then he comes back as hungry as ever (no pun intended).

The chances of finding a hidden gem as good as Suarez are obviously slim, but I'd take a hidden Suarez over Lukaku any day of the week. A Suarez in our team would almost guarantee Champions League football.

But seeing as it's highly unlikely, I hope Lukaku stays.

Now let's just say we didn't have Lukaku but we had 㿼m to spend... would you be happy to go and spend all the money on Lukaku? – be honest. The answer from me is a resounding NO.

If that player was the sort who grabbed games by the scruff of the neck – made those all around him play better, single handedly bullied defences, linked play and scored goals then yeah – do it.

In the risk of infuriating Graham Mockford, that is what Luis Suarez did for Liverpool... He made a legless Stevie G look 5 years younger, made Raheem Sterling look like a 㿞m player, gifted Daniel Sturridge numerous goals and nearly won them the league on his own.

I watched Lacazette last night and he was brilliant... a bit of luck and he would have had 3 or 4 goals. There are stacks of players out there.

Chelsea fans don't want him to go but a season or two of bulking up and Premier League experience and he may well be top quality. Batshuayi is more experienced but would probably cost a fair bit more.

Have to say, despite dodging shite, violent lunatics and 'courting' couples (and having one's retinas burnt to fuck by whatever bleach they put in the pool), it was during the 1960s probably the highlight of the week.

I have no doubt Lukaku is doing the business, but are Everton Football Club really a one man team, will we crumble and be relegation fodder if Chelsea match our valuation? Truth is we do not know, what I do know though is you cannot have Lukaku as a whipping boy if he goes missing in the big games without a rod of thunder coming your way and clapped in irons for even suggesting it.

I want Lukaku to be a beast in the big games and turn into the best centre-forward. Then and only then would I agree with the many who say he is irreplaceable.

Everton will go on, with or without Lukaku, Ronnie will see to that.

The last time I went there was 1972, on a weekday afternoon when it was fairly empty, and it seemed like paradise then, all quiet and clean.

That was also the last year I was in Norris Green library. What a wonderful place. An Art Deco building full of treasures. I read 'Ball of Fire' by Alan Ball, 'Defence at the Top' by Brian Labone, and 'Playing for Everton' by Howard Kendal in that library. Fantastic.

When Koeman was arriving, I commented that Lukaku would need discipline and hard work, would have to put a shift in and improve. You're either (1) making things up, or (2) genuinely forgetting the gist of previous discussions. Either way, you need to check the facts, again.

I just mentioned Norris Green library. On one of the last occasions I was in there, I read an account of a famous physicist, Wolfgang Pauli, who had the status in physics that Ball, Best, Pele and Messi have in football. Pauli was at a talk by another physicist, and was frowning during the presentation. The other physicist noticed this, and stopped, asking Pauli what the problem was. Pauli said he had noticed inconsistencies in the material being presented, and wondered why the presenter had published so many papers on it. The other guy said to Pauli, do you have a problem with me publishing? Pauli replied, no, I don't have a problem with you publishing, but I do have a problem with you publishing faster than you can think.

Not at all, just next time we hear you banging on about Rom's disrespect at wanting to move on to a bigger club, we can just remind you about your footballing hero.

Lukaku is the best striker we've had at the club in a generation and I'm afraid that replacing him is going to be a damn sight harder than you suggest.

Your ref re Pauli's comment is spot on.

Sometimes we shoot from the hip, when a bit of reflection before hitting the submit button would have presented a more balanced view before posting.

That's not to say that constructive criticism should be avoided. However, destructive criticism helps nobody.

3 points tomorrow... COYB

You've given me some ideas for naming the protagonists in my new novella "Keyboard Warriors".

Step forward... Alt Numloch and Shif Teffeight.

I thank you, sir.

Your like the KellyAnne Conway of ToffeeWeb! I think I'll get my advice elsewhere, thank you.

It really is pathetic how you have tried to get credibility by twisting a point that I made about the sale of Rom and potentially replacing him with a better player by insinuating that I somehow hero worship the most repugnant character to have ever played the game of football.

Not once have I said Luis Suarez is a role model so please shut up on that score – you are embarrassing yourself.

Luis Suarez – is one of the best "players" to have graced the premier league yes or no? I'm not asking whether he is the greatest humanitarian or not... I am talking about football ability. I know you seem to struggle with this concept so I'm really trying to make it clear to you.

Diego Maradona cheated us out of a world cup, took ephedrine to lose weight, was a coke head but was the best footballer I've ever seen am I ok to say that? Or do I need to apologise for it?

There is very little wrong with my moral compass – I recall with great annoyance how done fans thought it was okay for Tim Cahill to celebrate a goal by mimicking hand cuffs to honour his brother who had been sent down for glassing someone. So please do me a favour and stick to the subject we are discussing.

As for Lukaku the gentleman? I couldn't care less if he lay his coat on a puddle for Ronald Koeman to step over – he hasn't shut up about leaving our club since the day he got here. If a player wants to leave us – then it's bye bye.

I'll leave it to you to discuss the merits of being disloyal to the club vs a dirty player on the pitch or whatever. I'm talking about getting in a player of a better quality for less money than the one we sell. I'm sure other people aren't struggling with that.

Lukaku is the best goalscorer we have had since Lineker – he's not the best striker. Wayne Rooney is. Lukaku is a finisher and that is it this is why we struggle when we need him to do some hard yards, he doesn't want to know.

Like Lineker before him – we will be selling the player who has the goals next to his name, whilst the club wins nothing. In selling him, we have the opportunity to buy a striker who can bring out the best in the likes of Ross Barkley by being able to link play intelligently, who can identify the correct run to make.

I'm looking forward to seeing who we will buy. I'm looking forward to not seeing his name in the press talking about needing to be at a big club. I'm looking forward to fans focussing on Everton FC winning things – not Romelu FC winning a golden boot.

David (#475) – Totally agree. Lukaku has been linked with most of the 'top' European clubs, so if there is a 'better footballer' than Rom that we want, then the likelihood is those clubs will want him too.

The truth is, to replace Rom, we're going to have to get players that aren't the finished article and develop them, someone who has flown under everyone's radar, or players that simply aren't at his level and/or become less reliant on one player for the majority of goals.

Not impossible to replace, but very difficult.

We have a young, talented team likely playing in Europe next season with a very well respected and well known manager, a fair bit of money if you believe what you hear and possibly one of the premier stadiums on the horizon.

We've got to aim for the top young talents in Europe and say that, unlike certain other big teams, we can almost certainly guarantee them starting places in a team that is on the up.

It would mean we have enough change to go and buy Michael Keane & Gylfi Sigurdsson from Swansea.

How much would we get for Rom? You didn't say.

If Lazacette is going for 㿙m, would any other Premier League club be interested?

Would Lacazette come to Goodison Park rather than any other Premier League club?

Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2017/02/07/arsenal-transfer-target-alexandre-lacazette-to-cost-60million-this-summer-6432073/#ixzz4etS6zSxh

Hardly from a reliable source I know.
£45 million? Not a chance.

You my friend are an out-and-out Wilsonist!

Do your superpowers extend to locating the money ring-fenced for the King's Dock?

For three years, you've been writing guff about Lukaku's ability as a footballer which has been demonstrably proved to be idiotic. Unless of course good footballers suddenly get nominated by their fellow professionals as Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and in the PFA Team of the Year. Well on course to win the Golden Boot and worth 㿼m (your valuation).

Many people included me have acknowledged his weaknesses and improvements he still needs to make in his game but you continue to knock him at every opportunity.

Your dislike of the player blinds you to his qualities. He has improved this season as he's matured and learnt and I suspect he will progress to be the best centre forward in world football. I'm sure many would disagree with that assessment but the fact there is a genuine discussion to be had shows the guff you post about him to be the nonsense it is.

Now you've made your point about Suarez, I'm sure you won't be complaining about any player wanting to leave a club to further their career, because he was at it for two years with that lot before he got his way.

How on earth can you suggest that Rooney is the best striker we have had since Lineker?

He had the potential to be so but he was sold far too early.

We could have built a team around him but instead took the money and wasted it on.... Whooaa, hold on a minute!

Oh the irony.

Simon @495: Even Locator Man couldn't do that.

Hoping he stays for another season and then success encourages him to stay longer.

"We brought in half-a-dozen players on the sale of Rooney, and finished 4th that season, hardly wasting money in my book."

You might like to research that claim a little closer.

Thankfully, ToffeeWeb has an excellent Link that should aid you in that.

It clearly shows in June 2004 whilst Rooney was wowing the world as an 18-year-old in the Euros in Portugal, we signed Marcus Bent for 𧹺k and Tim Cahill for ٠m. That's it.

NONE of the Rooney money was spent in the summer window because, of course, he was flogged late in the day on the final day of the transfer window on 31 August.

We had an AMAZING first half of that season – as high as 2nd at times –on the rag-bag elements left behind.

In the January 2005 window we splashed ٤.5m on James Beattie, who within 5 minutes at home to Chelsea got himself sent off and later got injured so he barely featured.

We also got Plessis from Lens on a free (nope! I have absolutely no recall of him – released on a free 4 months later) plus Arteta on loan (who of course we signed on a permanent deal that summer).

In the same month, we also flogged possibly our most influential player at that time, Mad Dog Gravesen, to (and even now, I can hardly believe it as I type it) Real Madrid for ٠.45m, Kevin Campbell to WBA on a free and Nick Chadwick to Plymouth for 𧶲k.

Poor recall and reasoning on your part, Brian.

Rooney wanted to leave; unlike now where we can control the Lukaku saga to our terms, back then we were on our arses. We all wanted Rooney to stay, but ambition and money forced our hands in selling Rooney. Like I said, we did not do too badly that season.

"Wouldn't take 㿞m for our boy" on Rooney's return from the Euros.

One month later, tearful phone call to ma:

"They're taking our boy, ma." (for 㾶m upfront plus add ons).

Let's hope the times they are a-changin', eh?

"What's all this talk of IQ? I thought IQ tests were originally devised as tests of stupidity rather than of intellect." and "Ray, yes, I agree about IQ tests, load of shite, often with questions that are posed ambiguously, a fact which always seems to escape the tester."

And "Ray at #345: "My view about IQ tests is that all they measure is what the person who set the test is seeking to achieve."

In short, IQ tests were designed originally for the purpose of helping children with special educational needs: Alfred Binet, which then evolved to became the Wechsler (Adult) test (WAIS).

However, psychologists have had an unhealthy obsession with psychometric tests since Francis Galton's human laboratory and his cousin Darwin's 'Origin of the Species and the 'Descent of Man, both of whom were influenced by the economist Thomas 'not enough food to go around Malthus (ie Malthusian).

IQs in the average range of the general population are 80-120 (so a 100 is said to be the middle). It is a perfect tool for capitalism and the economy – as if the person has a high IQ it's more likely to lead to a strong economy, this is the real reason we have examinations, and are educated in schools - as it's more efficient, as Paul Willis (the sociologist) stated in his works, Working class kids from deprived backgrounds, 'are learning to Labour.' for the economy.

Critical Sociual Research

Go-ed the Mockers, forget made up nonsense about people admiring and respecting Suarez simply because they have stated the blindingly obvious, forget all the other diversionary stuff you like to employ.

Just his weaknesses. Nothing else. Let's have them. You have admitted he has them and claimed you have acknowledged them.

The floor's yours. Let's see if you can bring yourself to do it.

Word is Sky and BT are creating the mid table cup to keep saddos like me properly interested all year. Gonna be called the Shop Window Trophy to make life easier for the eternal top 4.

Easy...

He needs to influence games more when it's not going his way.

He needs to hold the ball better with his back to goal.

He needs to win more headers.

Will that do you?

He doesn't put enough in when the going gets tough.

He has the touch of a jack-hammer

You couldn't get the Echo under his feet when he jumps.

Fair enough Mockers, we'll leave the other flaws alone for now, but I noticed you say you are expecting him to go this summer? How?

If the top boys ignored his come-and-get-me antics last year, what makes you think they will pay £40m more this time around?

Because essentially the everlasting answer is "but he scores goals "

Liverpool have benched their most potent goalscorer in Daniel Sturridge. Who many would argue has the same attitude to the game as Lukaku. "Don't expect me to work – I'm here to score goals".

Admirably klopp has given him an ultimatum – you play for the team or you don't play. They are nailed on for champions league despite not having a player who has any where near Lukaku's goals this year. They just share the wealth.

Lukaku's "weakness" if it was to be bundled into a big package and labelled with one striker would be "not a team player"

Doesn't work for the team. Moans at the team. Talks about himself moving away from the team. Is poor at linking with the team. Yet demands much from his team.

Be interesting to see him when he is among other big egos. Somehow I think he will struggle.

Rocky Marciano had average boxing skills... but he knocked his opponents out.

I can't see the logic in your post, to be honest, mate.

Lukaku has scored 25 goals in 32 starts.
Not sure what return of goals would make some fans happy if that's not enough.

He's an average footballer who's a good goalscorer; let's hope they didn't have scouts at Anfield or Old Trafford or we'll never get fucking rid!

Just occasionally the blinkers come off. Usually if I am post 525.

Close it, MK, to save everyone!

"The tenant in the demised premises stands aggrieved by the pronouncement made by the learned executing court upon his objections constituted therebefore wherewithin the apposite unfoldments qua his resistance to the execution of the decree stood discountenanced by the learned executing court".

Gets everywhere, that man.

No nudges, winks, rolling of the eyes, knowing looks. He is not Mike Winters, he seeks no laughs of his own. He is perfect. The straightman's straightman.

Of course we will see. I think someone will come in for him at around 㿼m. But of course who the fuck knows.

The trouble is that you and your compadres Roberts and Rowlands have painted yourself into a corner. You have consistently slagged the lad off. And this season he has mostly shown you to be wrong. Yes he's had a few poor games but overall he's been fucking brilliant.

You don't rate the player that's clear and I'm not going to change your mind. And I don't want to.

He's been voted by his fellow professionals as one of the top 6 players in the country. I suspect they know a little more about what makes a top player more than you and your blowhard mates.

I've never heard Darren say anything positive about any contemporary Everton player, except for backing John Stones last season. Even though he was playing shit and continues to be shit at Man City making mistake after mistake. His backing of Stones was either to be contrary and cause a reaction like normal Darren Hind posts, or Darren being blinded by his fandom towards Stones, his devotion seemingly more important to him than Everton keeping clean sheets.

Sorry, Darren, I'm just using the argument you use against any one who dares praise the manager or one of our players and you call them out and accuse them of being fan boys. I know It's a lot easier to pull other people's posts down for their backing of players than it is to say something positive on TW.

Yes, Lukaku isn't a Messi, but he just happens to have the best goal scoring record for his age in world football. Sorry, I thought a striker's primary job was to score goals.

To Peter and Co, a hard tackling grafter who'll run through walls like Denis Stracqualursi would be preferable to a prima donna who knows where the net is and actually does what he's paid to do - Score goals and win games.

Whatever next on TW? Slagging off goal keepers for making saves or defenders for making tackles. Complete and utter lunacy!!!

The pressure our few non-combatants cause our defence isn't easy to assess by stats but the on-pitch bollocking from a seasoned pro like Ashley Williams speaks volumes.

Lukaku's goals are welcome but he really should show way more commitment AND KEEP HIS FUCKING GOB SHUT.

I am sure Dr John Wilson, as well as dissing Darwin et al and reordering the world of social science, can point us all in the right direction in terms of cosmology and particle physics.

I think Dr John is the Eric Monkman of ToffeeWeb and if you don't know who he is, Google him if you want a good laugh and see a truth polymath at work.

"Ah you want to sell our top goalscorer who we spent 㿈m on because he doesn't work hard enough? Ah well looks like you want Denis Stracq."

LOL What's next? Anyone who says that they are content to sell Ross Barkley because he has no tackling ability is met with the reply "Ah - let's get Scott Gemmill out of retirement"...

Once upon a time, ï¹°Evertonians were known as fans who demanded pride in the shirt. A talented maverick with no guts for a battle would be lambasted a player having a tough time of it but showing plenty of bottle would get full support.

What we are seeing right now are the symptoms of deprivation being deprived of a player who can challenge for a Golden Boot has seen the same fans ignore his down-tools acts against Liverpool where he allowed their defence the easiest afternoon they will ever encounter.

What's that I'm about to hear? He was isolated? What's isolation got to do with the lack of interest in jumping for a header or putting his shoulder into a challenge? What's isolation got to do with not defending from the front and helping his team out against Man Utd?

I bet he was isolated in the changing rooms after the game after his sulky can't be arsed act actually made Leighton Baines to raise his voice and Ashley Williams nigh on explode.

No we don't have to buy Denis Stracq if we sign him... believe it or not hard work and being able to finish aren't mutually exclusive.

The club would survive without him, as we will once he's gone (and all players eventually go), but the point is, what is in our best interests at the moment, on balance? Well, a lot of us believe that Everton's best interests are served, at the moment, by keeping him.

Football is essentially about scoring goals, Lukaku does that, and a lot of us quite like that. Simple really.

Quantum Theory: if Lukaku mis-controls at Goodison, does Lacazette, 500 miles away in France, mis-control at the same time?

Chaos Theory was famously and irrevocably debunked in the lecture delivered in The Crack(e) by Professor Stanley Unwin, great man, much missed.

Moreover he is not the first to have contractual issues while with our club. I recall our fans in the late seventies singing 'Give Bob Latchford his money' while he was in a lengthy dispute about his contract. That is all forgotten now and all we remember about Bob is the goals he scored. It will be the same with Lukaku.

Lukaku does the hardest thing in football which is to put the ball in the net. With his next goal he will equal Alex Young's total of 87 goals for the club in all competitions. He will have achieved that in less than half the time Alex was with us. In years to come it will be his scoring feats for which Lukaku will be remembered. All the other stuff about the weaknesses in his game and his ambition to play for a bigger club will be mere footnotes.

The M-theory of Rowlands-Roberts posts predicts a catastrophic quantum fluctuation of the space-time continuum in which all Rowlands-Roberts posts coalesce in a singularity through which the posts disappear up the arses of the creators through a chaotic information black hole.

You have now called Rom an average football player who is good at scoring goals. Your comment would make sense if say, Rom was a goalkeeper because he would be an average player who is good at scoring goals (for that position-he would likely be the best ever at scoring). However, he is a striker and his job is to score goals. He is very good at that. He has, at his age managed to score a higher goals total than players roundly accepted as very good to excellent to world class.

He may not be perfect but he is also not average. Average players do not get voted in by their peers to PFA player of the year lists. BTW, what is the games without a goal counter at for Rom?

For all the Mockfords and Stans of this website, things you need to get your head around concerning your hero.

Firstly he treats OUR MY club with the utmost disdainful disregard and disrespect.

And the really big one: he doesn't like playing for Everton and he wants to leave.

It's almost like if you argue long enough he'll read it and change his mind and think we're a brilliant club so what on earth has he been talking about for the last millenia.

Having said all that, IF LUKAKU LEAVES EVERTON THEN EVERTON ARE DOOMED!! :-)

I'd stick to underwater basket weaving if I were you or could it be David Beckam studies.

But don't forget,

If first you don't succeed then sky diving is probably not for you. Sorry to tell you mate the clock is tickin', the food is Turkey, and with every second, Romelu Lukaku inches his way out the door... down the Green Mile.

Can't argue with that. Well some will.

Is Schrodinger's cat dead? Who dunnit?

"String theory? Whatever happened to chaos theory?"

Ah, well, there was a minor perturbation which put paid to that...

You're interpreting the wrong way, Sincerely, Stan Schofield.

By the way, I share the sentiments you expressed I the last paragraph of your (auto corrected) post #482.

I have enjoyed this thread.

Gavin

Peter's right; Yours is A proper straw man argument.
Did you miss the time when I called Seamus my favourite players?
Argued that Robles should have been playing two seasons ago ?
Called Baines a Rolls Royce of a player ?
Called Holgate a future international and called for him to be installed before Koeman had heard of him ?
Defended Davies as a top class defensive midfield player who is developing another role at eighteen ?
Called Barkley our most skillful player? and...
Called for Koeman a twat for jeopardising his future at this club.

I could go on but I'm not sure there is any point. Your post is as blinkered as your claims that because I didn't rate Martinez, I must have loved Moyes. with you it has to be one or the other? Breaking news... The game in NOT like that,

You see there is a real problem with the likes of you, Mockers and little Sir Echo. You only see what you want to see. If I criticise Koeman's signings as not being good enough. You desperately want to portray it as something it isn't. I'm slagging off every player in the squad.

I'ts as if you watch the game through the eyes of a wide eyed eight year old. everything is black and white and all our players are brilliant and they cannot be criticised,
You simply don't understand how people can criticise players who play for the team they support. It's called balance. B-A-L-A-N-C-E.

Now I know you guys will have seen me type that Gana and Schneiderlin are very decent players... but you will deliberately block that from your memory, you will only remember my perfectly legitimate point that they go to ground too early and will not be top four players.

Time will tell if I'm right, but both are knocking on and will have to hurry up if they are going to prove me wrong... and they DO have to prove it. They are not just top four players because a few wide eyed fans want to claim they are.

This season alone I have said Lukaku has been "fantastic" "unplayable", I said he was "probably The only player in the world" who would have scored the goal he got against Bournemouth. I've even said he has given "the only 10/10 performance I have ever seen". These things are not enough for you Mockers and the yawn stifler with nothing to say.

You want total devotion. Intelligent people cant/wont give it. There IS a flip side to Lukaku, He does have a really bad attitude. He does not fight enough for the team when the going gets tough and he can still control it further than most people can kick it.

Try to see the praise just as clearly as you see the criticism; accept the criticism as legitimate . Accept that people will observe that no top team as shown enough interest to support your claims. Try to accept there are other players out there and screaming nonsense like "you love and respect Suarez" every time somebody gives a perfectly good example merely serves to make you sound hysterical.

If you guys can do any of the above, these thread would shrink, if you could do all of the above, they would all but disappear and perhaps we could get round to discussing somebody else.

John Stones does not play for Everton. I made my opinion clear when he was here, haven't changed it, I think he will be the top central defender in world football... but I have never brought his name into a thread since the day he left.

Unless we are discussing past matches or possible future signings, he has no place in Lukaku, Barkley, or Koeman related threads.

If I didn't know better, I would think his name is getting dragged up so often simply because people are not totally convinced by their current argument and he offers a diversion for them.

Unless he returns to Everton, I'm done talking about him.

Get a perspective.

I think...

Funnily enough, I have seen baskets underwater at Norris Green baths, the metal ones provided for changing, but already pre-woven.

Post had me in fucking tears, reminded me of David Brent googling Dostoyevsky then trying to work his 'knowledge' into the conversation.

"We were talking about Dostoyevsky earlier weren't we? Yeah..Theodore Michaelovich Dostoyevsky, born 1821, died 1881."

You never know, there might be one or two people who are a bit pissed off on here listening to Dr John Wilson spouting shite about Science, Sociology and Everton in general.

Apart from being about the most patronising sentence to ever open a TW post, it appears that university didn't do much for you in the self awareness department.

Unless of course you are just a massive wind-up in which case congratulations for being so toe-curlingly authentic.

Link