Coleman sees action in U23s victory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f2kWIAD2A0

(With commentary by Mr Jagielka)

Hewelt
Coleman
Baningime
Garbutt
Feeney (C)
Gibson
Evans
Adeniran
Hornby
Sambou
Broadhead

Subs:
Markelo
Hilton
Baxter (yes, Jose is alive!)
Foulds
Dyson

Another obvious performance to be looking out for is Garbutt – boy do we need him to step up to the plate!

I hope well enough to get a call up. I'd rather us play 3 at the back and wingers than our current set up.

Good performances by Baningime, Morgan Feeny, Sambou and real standout performance by Antony Evans.

Apparently big Sam was there too.

I gather Evans played well which is good to hear as he didn't really develop during his loan at Morecambe (I think).

I also imagine Feeney was his usual verbose self. Well done all.

We recently brought in a new puppy - named him Seamus.

He is, along with the immortal Lee Carsley, my favorite Everton player of “all time” (read decade of Blueness).

Thrilled he’s back and hoping he takes it easy until he’s 100% ready to compete back at the top level.

Top quality player, fantastic representative of EFC, solid human being.

Give me 11 Seamus Coleman’s and the managerial reigns and I could win a title.

Baningime did well as did Anthony Evans, as mentioned previously Garbutt did enough without being spectacular.

Anyone know if his registration for first team has gone through?

Let's hope the U23s have a good run in this cup.

The 1st team is now again in the spotlight as the worst performing team at the club. Hope, hope and hope. The numbness of the mind needs shifting soon, and hopefully Coleman is back soon, in good health and marshalls the team as captain.

Absolutely brilliant to see Coleman back. He understandably looked a bit heavy footed second half, but this run out will have done him the world of good.

Both teams featured very young players and it was nice to the vast improvement in Antony Evans, he was the standout player and even though he didn't score he forced the Portsmouth goalkeeper into three outstanding saves with rasping drives.

Beni Baningime also stood out without breaking out of third gear. Most of Luke Garbutt's game was solid especially his centres and corners but he never tried to break sweat against a (seemingly) very young Portsmouth team.

It was a very enjoyable game to watch and the relatively small crowd of around 250-300 seemed to appreciate it and managed to give Seamus a nice round of applause when he came onto the field and also when he went off,

I think it will be a good few weeks before he turns out for the first team but it was a small step on his road to full recovery.

As a 16-year-old, he couldn't stop scoring but got the impression he has stalled of late. Guessing he is 19 now and looks man enough to play but is he ready?

I can't see him getting many games for Man Utd following Sanchez's arrival...

As for him being ready for the first team, no not at the moment, not in a strikers position, think he could put a bit more weight on to help him in a very hard position, but it was great to see him have such an appetite for the game again.

Last season, he appeared to have lost his interest but now something seems to have clicked with him and maybe he believes he can become a good player; he looked like a very good one tonight.

There is no doubting his talent as far as I'm concerned so it is gratifying to hear you say he has found his appetite for the game again.

I was very surprised when I found out that the game was on YouTube. Especially pleased to be able to see Seamus putting in a good shift. It was also positive to see us play with a real left full-back. I don't know if Garbutt would still be able to make it in the Premier League, but he made some really good crosses and defended when needed.

I was generally impressed by what I saw, with many hard working and very capable young players. As a team they worked very well together, far better than what was on view last Saturday. However it is impossible to decide just how good these kids are because everything is much less tense and the general tempo is slower.

With all these factors in mind, I realise that I don't see these players too often. Potential is not always reality. However, a good manager should have a handle on his whole playing staff and should be seeing them all regularly. Was Allardyce at the match? I hope he was, but I just don't know. It was just so refreshing to watch an Everton team doing the right thing and really caring, despite a small crowd.

I don't want to make incessant comparisons to the first team but it is pretty hard not to. You've covered nearly everything I wanted to say but, when I saw 10 blue-shirted players working as a team, I started freaking out a bit.

It is fair to say not one of them had a bad game and I noted two other things; it wasn't just Feeney waving his arms here and there, every player communicated with each other constantly. And secondly, I lost count of how many times Everton won the ball in the opponents half (gave up as I was too busy enjoying the match).

My advice to any Evertonian on the brink is to go and watch the kids if you can.

The thing that really struck me is how many players were in motion ahead of the ball, often at pace. As soon as a midfielder picked up possession, 3 or 4 players ahead immediately made decisive movements. Evans certainly pulled the strings, but he was given plenty of options. Baningime ran defensive midfield at a canter.

Sambou looks like a very natural player.

Oh and thanks to EFC for putting on the tubes. Much appreciated, especially with Jags on commentary. More those first-teamers should be taking a look at the approach and attitude of this team.

Kenny and Holgate are young and may improve. Williams and Martina are Championship or League One standard at best.

Welcome back, Seamus Coleman!

Seamus looked like he enjoyed himself and all of the Everton players looked comfortable. Luke Garbutt was solid and should play against Leicester.

If we get a quality left back before the window closes as well as Seamus getting back into the team, our season might just end on a happy note!

Welcome back Seamus, what a fantastic professional.

Hope Seamus is not rushed back and makes a strong recovery. We need his character and fight badly.

Peter #20, he hasn't stalled this year. 7 in 9, including two goals last week against Spurs U23.

Jamie #12, I'm just glad your favorite player wasn't Yakubu. You'd have spent 15 years listening to your wife tell you to "feed the Yak."

Oh right. I thought Seamus's participation in this game was not known until the club announced it yesterday. Obviously everyone but me already knew he was going to be making his comeback yesterday when McCarthy suffered the injury on Saturday. I do apologise!

Now lets look at filling the rest of the first team out with players who have the will, heart, and ability of Seamus Coleman!!!

(Down to you then, lads and Allardyce)...

Last night, Evans was excellent – always looking to start something, and driving forward at every opportunity.

Also, for me, Beningime should be in front of Schneiderlin – at least he looks to pass forward; he played without breaking sweat. To me, even at this stage of his career, he's a better player than Schneiderlin.

This is a dead season, so no need to rush him back.

The season is almost a dead rubber now, too many poor teams below us to panic us. That in mind, I would register Garbutt and give him the remainder of the season; if it works out, look for the left back in the Summer.

I would also drop Schneiderlin and bring Baningime in – he's a great ball-winner and plays the simple lay-off but effective.

For me, Tom Davies has lost something this season; Beni looks the more reliable out of the two for the time being.

Last night was no way to assess the lad, Portsmouth were a very young side and not very good going forward, so Luke didn't have a lot of defending to do.

He put quite a few centres in and played a clever pass from a corner, instead of another centre, he rolled the ball back to Evans on the edge of the box who had a very good shot saved by the keeper.

I certainly hope he does well but I am not pinning my hopes on him.