£40m Sigurdsson fee finally agreed

That's one of my dream 3. Now on to Vardy and Van Dijk. Come on Koeman and Walsh you both know it makes sense. Still money to come in from Niasse, McCarthy and Ross - £50m plus from those 3, plus another £20m from the Lukaku deal. Money's not a problem then is it.

Need to offload McCarthy and Niasse. I'd get Dowell back if that's possible. Giroud and van dyke would be my preferences. I'd keep Barkley too , he could learn plenty from Rooney and Giroud!

Back 4
Klaassen Schneiderlin Gueye
Rooney Sigurdsson
Sandro or whoever comes in

And Frank Wade (#7), funny comment – Giroud was born to be a right wingback.

Probably just the protracted saga and hope to Christ he comes up to expectations but playing for Everton is going to be more than a tad different to playing for the Swans. We'll see once he is up to speed but as I say hopefully he will justify his price tag, and some.

Welcome to blue heaven Sigs.

Disclaimer: We are 7th after the 1st round of games. P. Walling was spotted naked, drinking rum and dancing round a fire on a beach in Cyprus.

Yup, we have not yet replaced Lukaku's goals, and the Sigurdsson deal dragged on, but we got our main target, and have added quality and depth in other areas - therefore its been a massively successful window already.

If we get the three other positions I mention above - fantastic!

Anyways, welcome aboard Siggy.

Hopefully the extra striker will come in before the deadline.

Once our right full-back/wingback Coleman and flying machine Bolasie are back, we will be great to watch!

We could have a starting 11 now of midfielders .

A New striker on the other hand...

I've seen the kid tear apart some of the best defences in Europe. He's two-footed, fast, skilful and superb in the air. Remember the likes of Forster, Wanyama, VVD etc all cut their teeth is Scottish football before moving south.

Just like Lukaku was sold long before he was sold so we could get players in. I think the siggy deal was done but needed time for Swansea to get s couple of deals lined up first so people don't think they got rockafella money.

Barry goes to west brom, chadli to Swansea from west brom by the looks of it and siggy to us, football merry go round...

Now just for a striker, centre back and left back left winger...
Oviedo anyone?

Koeman will be after a player to maximise this threat, someone like Giroud who can always get on the end of a quality ball into the box.

If it's not Giroud it will be a player with similar style, with some height and a reputation for headed goals as well as being a good finisher.

I only hope they have a few irons in the fire and are keeping their cards close to their chest.

And Starbucks as well.

We can focus on the game with Hadjuk. Here's to Pickford showing his best

I wouldn't be against Wellbeck as he scores some great poachers goals - but he isn't unlike Sandro in physique and style.

I like Sigurdsson a lot - but the price tag is hard to adjust to - I'll try and forget it and enjoy a great player.

Am very curious to see what formation RK adopts once Siggy is fit to play.

Well happy even if the price is ridiculous. Also apparently our previous record signing is actually Lukaku at £31.8m, after we had to pay some add ons to Chelsea.

I'm not jumping through hoops at this he is not what we need at all the team is crying out for pace and width and Sigurdsson just doesn't help with that.

He is decent but we are desperate for a visionary.

Without an orchestrator in midfield we will struggle to catch the top 6.

Now we need to sign a striker, My own choice has always been Dembele. The boat has sailed for Giroud, he doesn't want to come and the names being banded around are getting less and less appealing. I think a goal scoring target man is the kind of player we need, especially now we're signing a dead ball specialist, so now Giroud is out of the equation, I'd make a concrete offer for Bentake who is the best in the league for heading a ball IMO.

Failing that, it would be an anti climatic signing but I'd get Islam Slimani who is good with his head and would thrive in a team that play to his strengths. Leicester didn't do that last season.

I don't think Welbeck would be a good signing. He gets injured too much and has never been a striker who plays down the middle and can command the box. Although to be fair, that may be because he's never had a the chance to do that consistently at United and Arsenal. Perez would be a snip at 㾹m and would be a better choice, if we have to target all of Arsenals strikers before we finally sign one.

And it is only fair that there is a limit to the amount we pay. It ain't "our" money

We don't have better French restaurants than in France, but we certainly have more expensive ones...

For me, if we retain Barkley to give the attack some power and it will be good for him to play with nippy, technically gifted players like Sandro, Rooney and Sig, then our attack just needs one more striker to chip in some goals. We've lost Kone, Naismith, Lukaku and Niasse in quick succession and whatever our opinions, they were all senior strikers.

Realise they were in the 'senior' squad but that was more to do with age than ability!

7 - Since his Premier League debut, Sigurdsson has scored more free-kicks than any other player

8 - Sigurdsson provided more assists last season from dead ball situations than any other player in the Premier League

34 - With 34 goals Sigurdsson is Swansea's top scorer in the Premier League

29 - With 29 assists Sigurdsson is Swansea's most prolific creator of goals in the Premier League

433 - Sigurdsson covered more distance (kilometres) in the Premier League than any other player last season

Gavin, Dembele, for me, ticks all the boxes but I doubt we will make a bid for him.

I'd prefer Dembele anyhow.

Still it can't be effective in attack and difficult to defend against.

If we are going to lumber about we definitely need a more effective target man.

Why ffs, did it take this long?

I think they must live in a different world, than we do!

This guy, to me, is world class, but it beggars the question, who does he replace, in our team?

I know it's one he'll of an outlay, but I do think, in the long run, he will prove his worth to us.

I just pray and hope, that he will adjust quickly to our system, whatever that is!

A bit premature, or belated, welcome aboard, Fulfil!

Very shortsighted comment imo.

Far more likely I think that Rooney Klaassen and Sigurdsson would manage 100 between them.

That said a striker required as well although very impressed with Calvert-Lewin so far.

We appear to be signing players to replace players we have only just signed?

Unless he sees him as part of a front three with Rooney and Sandro, with Klaassen, Gueye and Schneiderlin behind them?

Which would rule out a centre forward coming in?

Like others have said, Striker, Defending and hopefully a winger now and squad should just be about ready.

And what is with the plums calling for Giroud (who doesn't want to leave), bring back Dowell (what to see in the U23's?), keep Barkley (who wants to leave) and get Van Dyke (who is another way over priced player who wants to play for the RS). Some people can't see the wood for the trees!!!

Having said that, as far as I know, the goals are the same dimensions, and in the same place, as they are in England, and this lad knows where they are!

We have got money, so let's invest wisely, get him in, and Van Dyke, job done!

Just need a couple of decent forwards to complete the equation

Just need a couple of decent forwards to complete the equation

I think DCL will thrive this season too, maybe too soon to put the pressure of being no1 striker on him ?

Saying that though , the lad is the real deal . His unequalled determination to win and do well will make it impossible to leave him out of the team .

On a serious note. I am glad the saga will be over soon with 2 weeks of the window remaining. The focus has to be on a striker.

The Wellbeck "rumour"

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/rooney-reunion-arsenal-striker-welbeck-keen-to-hear-from-everton-4194765

Very curious to see how the striker search pans out (if it in fact pans out at all). Seems pretty clear Koeman favors someone who's battle-tested in the Premier League. I was initially underwhelmed being linked to the likes of Slimani and Welbeck, but at this point I'd take either one of them. Slimani could function in a similar capacity to Giroud and Welbeck, while injury-prone and inconsistent, would supply a much-needed dose of pace.

Just a few more pieces of the puzzle to solve, defo need someone up top though don't think we quite got it yet looked a bit shit against stoke and the Europa league qualifier.

They were truly atrocious on Saturday, beyond Sunday league. Who has both their centre forwards taking a short corner?

I don't know why but I find it annoying!

On Siggurdson, I've seen him play a great deal and he is an excellent player who will bring quality to the side!

Now we need a quality target man up front and some pace out wide and we have the makings of a decent team!!

COYB!!!

One less defensive midfielder .here is to hoping.

We have enough midfielders to string across the park. A bit suspect to the long ball .

His arrival will facilitate Koemans plan to build a very organized team that works hard and is tricky to break down but also is a team bereft of pace and genuine creativity, a team that will play the percentages and hope to grab a goal or two, possibly from a set piece. 1-0 to the Everton!

As for his deadball skills, what good are they with a team of midgets? We need someone similar to Llorente or it means. Nothing.

He can't play in the EL as he's not registered. He could play in the next round though.

I'll have a martini.
Shhhaken not shhirted 😁

Courage of your convictions please. where will we finish this season and when will the Zombie football stop hurting everyones eyes ?

Not sure where he fits into the current system but is proven quality with a good track record in the league.

A centre forward who can hold the ball well, decent pace, is skilful and with good heading ability will hopefully follow Gylfi very shortly. As to whether this happens due to funds being available and the right player/s being available or wanting to come we'll find out soon enough in what has been the busiest transfer season I've seen as a blue.

I'd suggest either a £15m ish bid if funds are available or a season long loan if they are tight for Wilfried Bony who is excess to requirements at Man City is at a good age, has a good goalscoring record in the premier and other leagues and has a point to prove Pep & Co given how things have panned out for him at City since leaving Swansea.

Some migth not think a signing like Bony is ambitious enough but proven quality in the league, excess to requirements at a rival in a world cup year might turn out a prudent signing if it were to happen.

I remember when a certain Kevin Keegan signed for the rs from lowly Sc**thorpe and how we all laughed at them. Or when we signed a lad from shitty little Luton called Andy King. Sometimes you just have to take a risk.

I've enjoyed what I've seen of him because he is a very good footballer with some time still available to become even better. I haven't seen any glaring weakness in him and whilst I'd like a talismanic colossus at centre-forward I think Gylfi will deliver just fine even if we don't get one.

As an aside, top teams regularly have benches with a proliferation of £30mill players on them. 'Tis the weird way of the world these days.

COYB!

So there!

Of all the players linked to Everton this summer, Sigurdsson was always my favourite one, and that includes Rooney. He is very versatile and exceptionally skiled, as we all know from his free-kicks, for instance.

I'm worried about the striker, though. Giroud seems to have told us off, Wellbeck I think we should keep well clear of. We could go for someone from the Continent. Who's this guy Dost some of you keep speaking about on here? Where is he playing?

I also think Ross, with a different team and manager, can become the player we all hoped he would become with Everton.

Be great to see him finally in blue shirt. A quality player who gives up more options. Can't grumble with this, well apart from the fee that is.

Will no doubt need a few weeks now to get up to speed so wouldn't expect to see him start until after the international break.

PS best ignore darren. He's on one tonight trying to wind people up I think. Yes! Even more than normal!

I'd bet it was a sizeable number

The striker signing (if it comes) will be interesting. I can't imagine he'll be a top scorer type - more likely a solid contributor leading the line and providing a focal point. I'm thinking he'll look a lot like a more seasoned DCL. I can almost hear the disappointment already.

Goodnight chaps.
A pleasure debating as always.

Hmmmm.

Someone, if they're sane, is 'avin' a larrf!

£40m? Wow. As my Utd mate says the Neymar transfer spoiled everything. Its all rather disgusting but the market is the market.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRnr0iuXgiY

Scratched record. Must be Martinez incognito surely?

Giroud has said he's staying. Putting a bid in for him is pointless.

Dowell has gone one loan so no discussion needed as he ain't coming back this season.

Barkley wants to leave, assuming Koeman hasnt lied. We can't force him to stay.

Van Dyke. Good player but he wants champions league, so even if we could afford to spend 70m on a defender he's unlikely to want to come. It's like the calls for Mahrez. Good player but has had one excellent season, went missing last season when the chips were down and wants champions league. With Walsh's connections yo him there must be a good reason why we haven't gone for him.

I would love a team of world class talent at exorbitant cost but we have to be more realistic.

Also apologies for the plum comment. Just woken up and was grumpy. Wasn't solely aimed at you either. But like I say, I'm blaming 530am morning pre-coffee grumpiness.

If we see the best we should go after them no matter what. I believe that is what Moshiri is trying to achieve.

I'm in the states at the moment with the family so still nice n early for me. Not back for another 10 days or so! Thank god for wifi and ESPN.

Maybe it doesn't matter as Koeman will rotate the midfield. We have made 2 excellent signings in Pickford and Keane who will make us stronger at the back but I do not believe the midfield signings are an improvement on last season and we have lost our goal scorer, so from my perspective overall we are significantly weaker as an attacking force.

From what I have seen of Klaassen who cost £24M, he does not look 3 times better than Cleverley who we sold for £8M. Also I just see Sigi as a like for like swap for Ross who is 5 years older and will cost more than we get back when Barkley leaves; so not good economics.

And where are the goals going to come from, will it be Dembele, Gironde or Benteke. I am not sure any of them will come and none of fill me with a great deal of confidence that they will score 20 goals a season.

So overall, I can only see another 7th position at best with a possibility of making a top 6 but not a top 4. Also in signing Sigurdsson, I am presuming that will mean Tom will be a bench warmer this season which is a big negative as I really see him as the future of the club as we had once hoped for Ross.

That could affect our attraction to the likes of VVD or Giroud (or others) and whether Coutinho pushes for a move.

I would imagine Gylfi will play any one of the wide left, wide right or number 10 roles. And no doubt interchangeably between them during the games as well. I don't expect it to impact Klaassen too much, more Rooney / Sandro / Mirallas areas for me.

Either way it's nice problem to have as at last we are getting squad depth behind an excellent first xi. Something everyone wants.

Who cares how we'll fit Gylfi, Rooney, Klaassen, Ramirez, Lookman, Mirallas, Calvert-Lewin, Bolasie (when fit), and our incoming striker... the point is we have a myriad of options now. With games coming thick and fast this year, we're going to be needing all the options to suit different opposition.

Just typing that list above gets me all giddy as we only had Mirallas from 2 years ago still in there. We've definitely improved the team and with that comes higher expectations. Will there be days that nothing works? Obviously. But we will also have many many days when everything clicks and we can just kick back, sip our beers and enjoy the immaculate sight of our boys in blue in full flight.

We're moving in the right direction and that's all that matters to me. :)

Bring it.

IMWT. IKWT. COYB.

A long season and we now are close to having a squad which can compete on all fronts. The fact that we can cover injuries and rotate when necessary to keep the team fresh will stand us in good stead.
The whole squad will have to get used to the fact that apart from 1 or 2 , for the good of the team , they won't be starting every game.
So it doesn't matter "who fits in where" it will be more "who fits in and when"

If DCL emerges asa true CF, great, but it won't happen in time. Still 2.5 weeks to in the window. Priority plans by SW and RK, remain to be seen in terms of xfers in the days remaining before shut down.

Split should be a test..

Unless... no surely.... It can't be. Sigurdsson hasn't been bought to play right-wingback has he??? Hey stranger things have happened look where Calvert Lewin has been employed at times. And who'll ever forget his masterplan at Anfield in April. Tactical genius, our Ron.

Don't expect Sigurdsson to hit the ground running either – he hasn't kicked a ball in anger for months. No, I'm underwhelmed by this signing. We're crying out for an exciting playmaker, a quick striker, and a pacy right back – someone like Jonjoe Kenny... er....

No, we 'll end up with a Peter Crouch type forward – someone to lob balls into all game. Take it from me, folks, one thing's certain – we won't be easy on the eye... of that, I'm sure!

Is no one else concerned that we've yet to be linked with somebody no-one[s heard of? I'm thinking I might apply for a position in player recruitment, I could fit it in during my lunch break. Simply circle all those Premier League players in the Monday papers, with the highest performance ratings, then contact the club immediately.

I think I could do that in half an hour, what do you think?

We had a top striker and he left - so we have to go with potential anyway - Dembele is a decent shout depending on cost.

RK has bought five MF/number 10s.

Yes we need cover and rotation but after three turgid competitive games we still look like the team of RM's third season with a better defence.

RK talked about fitness and press. Well we are fitter but Ruzrmberok out-pressed us in both games for 180 minutes and we hardly tried against Stoke in that respect.

Great to see us having money to spend but can't for the life of me see where it's going.

If we need a big target man, or whatever, you play with the best alternative in his position, DCL, you don't stick him out wide.

Signed

Baffled from Bootle

As to comparing Barkley, well when Barkley can have a run of games showing he can play consistently then we shall know the answer to that. The fact that 150 games in he still can't show it suggests that comparison may be a long time coming. That and the fact that Barkley has never remotely come close to scoring the winner at RS says he's on a loser from the start.

Welcome, Siggy – most of us are wishing you well if not all.

Link

Glad we got this deal finally completed, I was half expecting the usual Everton performance. Bluster and apologies on deadline day and talk about how close we were to getting it over the line.

"100m on Midfield players and many would argue"

"many would argue" .is that you? Many?

And who has Koeman inherited who is better than Sigurdsson? In your, and "many" other peoples, opinion.

2017 Why is the club buying top class players and denying our homegrown players opportunities?

Go figure.

I'm personally very happy with what's going on now, the potential and what the future holds. Lots of work to do, but we're making progress.

You are obtuse sometimes, no rewind mostly.

A back up right back picked up for nothing.

Pickford, Keane, Klaassen, Sandro, Rooney and Sigurdsson in the same window. Just a typical Everton August.

We have some really good players but we seem massively overstocked in some areas and threadbare in others.

Does Koeman know what he's doing?

Don't spoil the defeatist moaners with POSITIVE stats. This last couple of weeks the crap on here has forced my mrs to lock the pills and razor blades away.
Two Euro games WON 1-0 Fist league game WON 1-0 if Everton WIN EVERY GAME 1-0 there will be some seriously pi55ed off pessimists on this site.
Even the DOWNSIDES are POSITIVE we are feeding a British club not a bloody Spanish one like the Shite.

I think that's why we've bought him.

Can someone please name the current Everton player who can do these things?

How about we put our agendas away and enjoy a good player?

Graham (208) a free transfer who moves right into the first team squad, let's give him a chance and see if he is better than Jonjoe Kenny, who isn't getting that chance even though he is well ready.

https://twitter.com/EFC_Statto/status/884129726478127105

Genuinely excited about the potential of this team.

I skirted through the posts before and the one that made me shake my head the most Neil, was the one were you said Iniesta, had no pace. Possibly the finest midfield player I have ever seen play, (bold statement) because players just couldn't get near him, and he had no pace?

Good points made about the centre forward needing to bring other players into the game though Neil, I would agree with you on that one 100% mate!

Am I allowed to be a self-proclaimed optimist yet? Or do I have to be doom-monger?

Sam # 216 - I think we have two, and at a stretch, probably 3 genuine wide players in Mirallas, Lookman, and Lennon. I do agree with you that we need a striker (target man)

Interestingly with all the debate on this thread about midfielders and possible combinations, I have not come across one single mention of Besic who was on the bench against Stoke. I think Koeman likes Mo and that is why he was prepared to let Gareth Barry to West Brom.

The position that I think we are most vulnerable in is full back, unless of course, he changes his mind about Kenny.

As for full back, it seems we are trying to sign a versatile defender who can play left back (Vermaelen is the one most often mentioned) but also I think it's worth noting that Koeman is prepared to play players 'out of position' at full back. Both Davies and Calvert-Lewin have played wing back already this season. The Dutch generally have less fixed ideas about where a player plays than we do, and full back is probably the easiest position for good players to adapt to. There are examples of players of nearly every position doing well when adapted to play full back.

We're going to use 14 players per match, 18-20 per week and probably at least 30 over the course of the season. We want them all to be as good as possible.

Now to the "Lighter Side". Like Ciaran's 10 right sided wing backs team idea but would prefer Pickford to also play in this position. We'd have to score some goals and, with so many defensive minded players, how could the opposition score?

Bring in JJK please!

Tom Davies at right back I could come at, at a pinch, but Calvert-Lewin? I am an old fashioned sod - I just don't get it. But OK - I am not Dutch ;)

Unless the manager is going to move away from having two sitting midfielders, then it's going to have to be down to our fullbacks, to provide real width, and I just don't think we have the personnel for it just now.

But, Siggy, is another piece in Koeman's jigsaw, and he must be getting pretty close to the team he's after considering not one player signed by his predecessor, (after only twelve months) seems to be in his plans?

He was also a powerful little fucker, in his own way, so determined, his little turns, jinks, and non-stop little movements, are probably why he was one of the quickest little players, I have ever had the pleasure to watch.

You prefer Xavi, who was another great player, but Iniesta, was even up another level on him, for me. I remember watching Madrid the team, smash Barca the individuals, years ago, and thinking that if all (any) of the Barca players, could play for each other like this kid, played for them, then they would have a chance?

A few years later, Barcelona, became a great team, and I always thought back to that day, when I had watched the ultimate team player, surrounded by a team of individuals.

Sorry for the rant Neil, but Iniesta, had EVERYTHING!

I am still not sure about some people's worries here. Laurie Hartley (222), I agree entirely in what you say, the full back positions do look vulnerable, though would argue that Davies can do a good job at right-back, as can McCarthy if he stays. Martina didn't look too bad as a left-back when I saw him play a half there in preseason. At a push, could Besic play left-back?

We do have wide players. Mirallas, Lennon, Lookman and Bolasie when he comes back. In a certain system Baines and Coleman can provide width. Sandro looks capable of playing wide too.

Yes, we do need a target man, not to exactly replace Lukaku, but to provide a focal point and let Calvert-Lewin learn the job without having too much pressure heaped on his shoulders. I think Koeman is aware of this. The problem being trying to find one that wants to come and that his team are also willing to release. On top of this he'll have to get up to speed pretty quickly. I can't argue with the names put out there, but how hard will it be to get them?

As for having a glut of midfielders and No 10s etc. I call this competition. As Graham Mockford – #201 mentioned, damned if you do damned if you don't. Davies, Lookman, Calvert-Lewin and Holgate have all been given chances under Koeman, and I feel this will continue, but at least we'll have the luxury of taking them out of the spotlight when required, thus being more measured in their development. Maybe, Barkley would have benefited from treatment like this. Competition is a good thing, right?

We have done stellar business so far, no matter how you dress it up, so far being the operative phrase.

Pickford, Keane, Klaassen, Sandro, Rooney, Martina plus hopefully Sigurdsson and the lad we sent out on loan, Onyekuru as well as a number of good youngsters. It ain't bad. Yes, we do need a CF, we still have 2 weeks to get one, as said this will prove possibly the hardest position to fill well.

Also, I just don't understand people's negativity on Klaassen after just 1 premier league game in a new country, in a new league. The 84-85 team got beat 4-1 at home on the opening day of the season, imagine the slagging off they would have gotten if ToffeeWeb was available then. We followed that by losing to West Brom. The forum would have exploded!

Overall, I can't see how people aren't happy. But, we all have different expectations and perceptions. Who knows how the season will pan out. At least we have cause for optimism, you only have to go back to spring 2016 to see how we have improved.

The only problem I foresee, is would Ajax let another of their players come to us, after all we have taken their Captain in Klaassen?

The other being he has only played for Ajax as far as I know, and has been seen in the case of Klaassen, it takes a lot of adjustment, to the Prem, I have no doubt Davy Klaassen will get there, the sooner the better.

Same as Dembelle, in the sense that he doesn't play in a very competitive league, but Kasper, looks to have a real touch of class, whilst Dembelle also got "a trick" in an old firm game last season, so why not get the both of them, because I'm also sure Dolberg, could play in a deeper lying role!

I think you will find that RK and his brother have a very consistent method of looking at each fixture.

They look at the opposition, see their style, strengths and weaknesses - pick out one or two and decide whether to play with three or four at the back and then decide a few basic tactics - they then send the team out to execute this. every fixture and every team different.

As per Stoke they felt there would be space down the oppositions left and decided to use 3 at the back and then a shock of DCL as the wing back .

It failed and RK changed it at half time.

This way of operating has a lot of benefits - the coaching team are well aware of what to do, look for etc . and he has readymade approaches.

This also means that they are not easy to read from the opposition coaching teams and more importantly they on occasion get it right and make some big wins against some of the top teams away and at home...

This is why they need lots of options and personnel - especially with 60 games this season on the cards .

I just think he has to do something about right back - or is Martina the answer? I think we will find out soon enough against City with Sterling on their left wing. (Wish I hadn't thought about that).

I think the ToffeeWebbers that are unhappy at this stage would, by and large, be those who are miffed that Lukaku has gone and hasn't been replaced. I might cop a bit of flack for this but I reckon Rondon or Benteke would suit us down to the ground.

I don't know where Lennon is at and whether Koeman likes him (rumours of him being loaned out to Watford) If he is truly match fit and sharp then great.

Mirallas has been far too inconsistent for the last few years. 4 goals in 37 appearances last season, not enough goal threat for me; especially when compared to the likes of Mane/Sane/Son etc.

Lookman I really like but only has a handful of starts. I hope we'll see him emerge into a top talent this year but we cannot rely on it.

I still think we lack reliable quality out wide, at least until Bolasie returns (and even then his end product is questionable).

Think PSG might be looking to ship out Draxler now they have Neymar and possibly Mbappe coming in. Very unlikely I know but for me that would be a signing that would really make a statement!

Agreed, the problem is if you are a RB with a lot of ambition, would you want to play second fiddle to Coleman when he returns. Yes, a few questions will be answered against Mn City no doubt!

Well worth a listen this lad.

https://youtu.be/Bwk38srACrA

But all we have done is signed midfield players, and apart from Sandro a promising player no doubt no strikers. Giroud made his feelings perfectly clear weeks ago he wanted to stay at Arsenal, and his goal the other night has made it impossible for Wenger to sell him even if he wanted too. There has been some speculation about Benteke oh please do me a favour, people critisized Lukaku but he was 10 times the player Benteke is.
So we have wasted the whole summer with no quality striker brought in, and lets face it our major problem apart from Lukaku is scoring goals.

Now I agree Rooney will score some goals and Sigurdsson will definitely score goals. But if Sandro gets injured we have no back up for the main striker role despite spending a fortune this summer. I just hope that Koeman and Walsh will delight me by bringing in 2 top strikers and please not Benteke.

He is back next season - he has a massive future ahead of him. It was a big coup. In him and Sandro we have two young strikers with room to grow. In Rooney we have a player with two seasons left in him.

So who do we buy? I like Dembele personally - but then 4 of our 5 strikers would be 21 or younger. Giroud is great but he doesn't want to leave Arsenal and Wenger doesnt want to let him - he also isn't exactly pacey and our front line is lacking in that respect.

We also do not want to buy a striker who can play deeper really - Sandro and Rooney already offer that. Both peel off, come deep for the ball, and Sandro drifts wide even when playing through the middle.

So we need an out and out striker willing to compete with several others for his position. Someone who can start for us through the middle, hopefully offering the pace we lack. Or else a real target man who can benefit from Sigurdsson's crosses - but then that will leave us potentially a little static.

I think the perfect buy has already gone for a pittance - Hernandez. There was talk of us offering a contract to him too, but that ship has sailed. He is quick but great in the air - a poor man's Morata.

Batshuyai is not a bad shout, but Chelsea are not going to let him go are there? They already have a small squad. Welbeck offers pace and a decent return per start recently, but has alot of injury problems. Batshuyai also goes missing and would likely cost £30 million.

I'd personally look at Vardy - he has pace, has scored remarkably well under the Shakespeare, and guarantees goals. He has the ability to take us up a level and would threaten the best defenders - we don't have anyone capable of doing that currently. He is older, and in time will be displaced by our younger talents.

I'd also consider Villareal's Bakambu - he can lead the line, and is strong and quick. He has signed a new contract but does not start every week - his goals per game ratio is very impressive. I think we could do worse than go in for Perez - he did not get much of a chance at Arsenal, but is capable of leading the line, and could work well with Sandro in particular. I also think Slimani is being overlooked by Leicester - as target men go, him and Llorente are both capable of scoring 15 league goals. I'm a fan of Josh King, but I doubt Bournemouth would let him go. Dolberg looks good too.

The issue, I think, is getting in the right striker for the right fee so close to the end of the window. I expect the delay is in part because of our current trio - The form of Sandro and Rooney in training and games is surely going to impact on the nature of our replacement. Will he be a starter? Or a back up?

But I expect that Koeman will most likely bench Davies. And stifle our midfield with Gueye...Schneiderlin and Klaassen all running around the same space. With Siggurdsson getting starved of ball.

Who knows? Our manager has some strange views on how the beautiful game should be played. He's stuck in some time warp thinking that this Everton set up can play the total football that Ajax and Holland once played.A pressing game? They can't play that way. We need tactics that suit our players. FFS. Calvert-Lewin playing as a RWB. Maybe Koeman might try Siggurdsson in that position. Anything is possible.

The only thing we need is a striker, Welbeck would fit the bill nicely.

With what we have in the kids, there would be an excellent fusion of talent coming into the team.

We've got Lookman, but big Ron won't play him. We've got Kenny, but he won't start either – it's a bloody myth that Koeman 'is dutch so he loves young players... Prove it!

Look at the other right-backs being given a go at the moment – Kyle Walker-Peters at Spurs and the Liverpool's young lad, Arnold.

Just far too conservative a manager, who'll never take us below or above 7th – Moyes 2.0

And No! Schneiderlin and Gueye shouldn't be in the same team – it doesn't work! Yes, we need a left back, but I don't know who's out there. Jags and Williams are liabilities.

My team: Pickford
Kenny Holgate Keane Baines
Gueye
Davies Klaassen
Sigurdsson
Sandro Lookman

Don't get me wrong – I think Rooney should play, but where do these players fit in together? I'll tell you – it'll be Davies Lookman and Kenny who are on the bench, plus Dowell at Forest, Liam Walsh in the U23s. These players aren't getting a sniff this year. You better believe a manager like Alec Ferguson would capitalise on the chemistry of these young lads – they win the Premier League 2, they win the U20 World Cup – and they're not even under consideration from this manager.

If I'm wrong, good! I hope I'm wrong.

ps: Long-time reader, first time contributor. I went to the Ruzomberok game and nearly lost the will to live. Had a lot to get off my chest. Ta!

Not going to mention Giroud, apparently he's not available!

Provided more assists last season from dead ball situations than any other player in the Premier League.

With 34 goals he is Swansea's top scorer in the Premier League.

With 29 assists he is Swansea's most prolific creator of goals in the Premier League.

Covered more distance (kilometres) in the Premier League than any other player last season. I'm surprised at the last stat.
Will Ross leave now or will he see he's been a silly boy and stay?

I have no doubt this will be done next and some good shouts from posters on various attackers.

For now I am sitting back and enjoying seeing our number one target pass his medical and waiting for the photo of him holding the Everton shirt up.

We can but dream!

I have said all Summer that we should go balls out for Vardy and spend Lukaku's level of fee on someone who can really take us to top 4 potential.

As it stands right now despite the euphoria and even with Koemans coaching I still cant see us breaking the top 6 over a season.

That top class striker may be the difference so cmon Mosh get the final piece of the jigsaw sorted.

By which I mean the clamour (by some) for Welbeck. You might as well advocate signing Usain Bolt.

Hoping for a 2 0 win tomorrow! I'll be following on BBC Sport or here depending on signal!! ESPN are not the best.
Yn..-66

"It can't be, we only sell to buy . We definitely won't sign a player until Barkley is sold Etc etc

I totally agree regards Sakho. He's an accident waiting to happen. Few decent games for Palace doesn't constitute the fee the RS are asking. If they rate him at such a high value why don't they just keep him.

Still think we 18/20 players who can seriously challenge for a first team starting place.

"Kyle Walker-Peters at Spurs and the Liverpool's young lad, Arnold."
To be fair, Andy, these lads have got some game time due to injuries to the regular incumbent. They'd be on the bench otherwise.
And didn't Koeman play more young players than any other manager last season? I recall a stat along those lines.

I'd have Janssen from Spurs, they want to move him on and have never really given him a chance, strong, fast, good hold up play, good passer plus if Van Nistelrooy & Van Basten single you out for praise there must be something to this lad?

I agree almost entirely. Probably could add that VVD played in the same league as Dembele and has progressed well since.

Glad that you referenced DCL here too, he plays far better through the middle. Plenty yet to prove admittedly.

Just hope we can give him 3 games to settle and not write him off as quickly as some have already written off Klaassen (Darren H and Mr Larkin obviously excluded due to problem with manager and need to criticise the signing as part of their roles in a kind strange Groundhog Day!).

Yes. But they are playing aren't they? Coleman is injured but Kenny is not playing, he signed Martina to cover Seamus.
Klopp and Pochettino haven't gone out and bought a bang-average utility player and played him instead, they've played these youngsters and trusted them, and they'll probably keep their places in the side now because they have looked the part.
I really hope Kenny and Lookman are in the starting XI for the Europa League group games (if we make it) because I'm sure they're games these lads can handle, plus rotation will surely be necessary.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/aug/16/gylfi-sigurdsson-everton-swansea-transfer

Some excerpts:

"A quiet man in the dressing room, Sigurdsson was always seen as a model professional, inspiring those around him with his performances and commanding the respect of players and staff with his dedication on the training ground."

"Sigurdsson has been directly involved in 53 Premier League goals since the start of the 2014-15 season, which as a midfielder is second only to Tottenham's Christian Eriksen. To provide a bit of context, next on that list after Sigurdsson is Mesut Özil, then Eden Hazard, followed by Cesc Fàbregas, Sadio Mané, Riyad Mahrez, Dele Alli, David Silva and Philippe Coutinho – you get the picture. Ross Barkley, for what it is worth, is down in 13th place."

"There is a misconception about Sigurdsson that he is no more than a set-piece expert. Sigurdsson, without question, is brilliant in dead-ball situations... he is comfortably top of the pile for chances created from set-plays... yet the 27-year-old has much more to his game. An intelligent player who likes to roam and link play, Sigurdsson is at his best when he finds pockets of space to open teams up with a first-time pass or clever backheel. That bright football brain makes up for the fact that he lacks pace: he is, by his own admission, “not the kind of player who is going to get the ball and run past the full-back”. For that reason Sigurdsson needs to play through the middle as a No10, where he can have the biggest impact on the game."

"Managers, coaches and players came to admire his work ethic in training as much as his goals and assists on a match day. Team-mates would talk about the way the goalkeeper coach would look at Sigurdsson on a morning at the training ground and ask: “Today?” More often than not Sigurdsson would give a nod back, which meant that he wanted to do some extra shooting once the session had finished. He would spend hours striking the ball from the edge of the area with both feet – naturally stronger on his right, he scored some terrific goals for Swansea with his left, and got his reward in those headline statistics."

I will be ecstatic to see him in blue.

Of dire importance is a right back. Koeman loves to play narrow, just look at what we've bought.

Full back is the only real outlet for width. The fact we've not bought a geniune replacement there is baffling.

Whilst JJK is treated like the second coming on the basis of virtually no premier league minutes.

Baines is slowing down, and Coleman is a question mark, no matter what we think, you just never know with bad injuries like that. The fact we've to this point ignored the position so key to freeing space for the players we've gotten in is criminal.

Bodging a player in there for 5/6 months will affect the team for sure.

Somewhat ironically we do need a lazy, statue up front to complement the free moving parts we have. Sandro, Rooney, Gana, Klaassen, & Davies all move a lot, I mean a lot!

Maybe it stretches our shape too much, but lets see. Watching Klaassen gives me so much hope. Late arriving in the box, a la Platt, Lampard, Cahill, Speed needs the totem that keeps the ball.

Dzeko would for my money be the chap. Snide, technically sound, goal scorer and used to the prem. Good qualities for our requirements.

As for the right back, Michael Antonio at West ham is the dude we need. Up and down, can play both RB & RWB, auxiliary forward, excellent in the air, oh the lad can finish too.

As Koeman wants the flexibility for a back three, we will get a LCB in but I think that's not as important, 4 at the back is more attacking, 3 without a distributor is soooo defensive.

Could be an exciting deadline day.

Andy, it's a good point you make but if you think that Trippier won't get straight back in I think you're mistaken. Kyle Walker left was ALLOWED to leave...because Trippier looks the real deal and can do as good a job as Walker defensively and can cross the ball better.

And you're pushing against an open door when you mention playing Lookman and, yes, Kenny. I've seen Kenny play several times and would have liked to see him get a run out but I'm not the manager. Whether Martinez can do a decent job remains to be seen.
But to imply that he, Koeman, doesn't play young players is a bit unfair.

And now that striker.

If they're out of contention by January, however, I hope we make a move. Powerhouse of a player.

The highest sum Ajax have ever paid for a player = 16.5m euros.

We know the stats regarding Gana before he came in (distance covered, tackles made etc), and Sigurdsson seems to fit into the same catagory. Very impressive goal, assist and distance covered stats, so hopefully it will work out.

Surely you have to be in contention for that to happen. *cough*

Their best player by a mile. Surprised that he hasn't attracted more interest.

Got him for next to nothing from Forest. Excellent player, would cost a lot!

Jonny Evans is the fella for LCB. Strong, can play both positions, first team and prem ready. A lot of snobbery about a player like this, but won with united, and is superb at international level with NI.

I "wrote Klaassen off " Did I really ?

I learn something new about myself every day on here.

Now 㿙million for one Iceland player. Could be this new arrival will be getting the Gordon two fingered salute sometime in the not too distant future.

Strange days.

Definite no for me on Kneecapper Evans. Too many mistakes. Besides, WBA is desperate to add another CB... strongly doubt they'd sell one.