Lookman omitted because of groin injury

He's playing quite well tonight and he got the assist in.

Unfortunately, he hasn't been given enough game time to prove if he was good enough for the Premier League and, if reports concerning his media account are true, perhaps its best for both parties he moves on.

So the arguement will revolve around those who think pounds in the pocket is better than the player on the pitch.

I don't think it's a case of pounds in the pockets — it's more a case of getting the negativity out of the dressing room.

When it didn't ultimately work out as he'd wished, he came back (to an updated squad), still with the hump.

He hasn't shown any personal wish to really be here and get stuck in to winning a place so, for me, he can fuck off again. Gladly. Simples.

"You couldn't make it up."

Read this thread and the matchday thread.

Plenty do and are.

Anyway, if he does end up leaving, it's no great loss, is it? He is hardly a first-team regular is he?

It seems that he still wants to go despite assurances from the new set-up; if this is the case, cash in on him and get the maximum amount possible.

There is absolutely no point in having a player on the books who doesn't want to be there. Whether he has an attitude problem, many have speculated, but there is obviously something not right.

If we can almost treble our outlay, and Charlton benefit too (almost ١M) we get someone in the January window who does want to play for us.

As Sandro has been allowed to go on loan, it seems that the lad is staying, so perhaps he is happy with the new set-up.

No problem with him enjoying his time in Leipzig or with him wanting to go back there, but he needs to be more professional.

Word is he will be moving nowhere this window.

SSN report that he's staying.

- Richarlison
- Bernard (back after the international break)
- Sandro
- Bolasie

So I wonder who will play tomorrow on the left then? Maybe Lookman will get a game and surprise us all? Or perhaps it will be Calvert-Lewin down the right, and Walcott down the left? If so Lookman will surely make the bench?

Marco Silva and Marcel Brands both said how highly they both rated Lookman, and indeed Silva went as far to say that this boy is the present and the future of Everton. That was a big statement and I think they are both right, this boy against Allardyces wishes got himself a loan deal at a Champions league club rather than Derby where Allardyce wanted him to go.
Not only that but he got game time for Leipzig and more importantly scored goals. Just to emphasize how well he did Leipzig were according to reports offer us £22 million for a boy who had only been with them for a couple of months.

Maybe a Digne and Baines left combo? Probably not.

He has shown that he likes to play Calvert-Lewin and Sandro on the right, when Koeman played them on the left and so did Allardyce for Calvert-Lewin. Silva plays them on the right and moves Walcott to the left.

It would upset the whole balance of the side to play Sigurdsson there, it looked a mess on Wednesday with the front four of Calvert-Lewin, Niasse, Sandro, and Sigurdsson. Sandro stayed wide, mostly on the right, and Niasse and Calvert-Lewin played up top. Mainly Calvert-Lewin at the tip of the spear and Niasse dropping deeper into midfield where all the flaws of his game were horrifyingly magnified. Sigurdsson didn't like being on the left and kept coming inside. This made it a mess to me.

Tosun will lead the line. Silva was very much behind the Turk in his press conference. So, Walcott will be wide, Sigurdsson at the base of the attacking diamond, and therefore, you slot Calvert-Lewin into it (rewarding him for his two-goal display). I'd expect Walcott left and Calvert-Lewin right, as this is what Silva played Walcott Left in the Bournemouth game after Richarlison went off and Calvert-Lewin came on, and then when Walcott came on against Rotherham.

The adage of just like a new signing springs to mind. The lad will get game time this season. Richarlison's suspension has already shown that to be the case. He will be a useful player who can play either wing or even centrally as an alternative to Sigurdsson or Tosun.

Lookman just needs to get his head right now. He's not got his own way so let's hope he looks at the bigger picture and realises he's got to take his chances in the 1st team. Footballs a fickle business. if he doesn't give his best he will be damaging his own career ultimately.

Quite right.

He gave the appearance / impression that he would sulk if he didn't get his own way, and was allowed (not sure how) to go behind Allardyce and Walsh's back and arrange his own loan deal with RB Leipzig.

New regime, and you will do as your told, knuckle down and you will earn your reward.

He has a bright future ahead of him, he had his head turned and will hopefully learn from the experience.

Well done Marco, the window is a total distraction and English teams were at a total disadvantage for the last month.

Parity should be in place from now on. Shouldn't it???? We will see!!!

Silva has made it clear that Lookman is part of the future. He's also said that he's injured. They appear to be the facts. Anything else is speculation.

The reason the kids go to the championship is because it closely resembles the pace and physicality of the premier league. Also, the kid is unlikely to have his head turned and want to stay.

He forced his own loan move and clearly wanted it to become permanent. Silva has admitted that he wanted to go. He also posted Instagram pics that were cryptic at best, provocative at worse.

I think he has an awful lot to prove and hasn't been prepared to knuckle down and put the effort in. We pay him good wages and he should be willing to give everything to succeed with us. He had a season without a lot of playing time because he is very raw and the Premier League is fast and physical. The Bundesliga is a softer option.

He's now staying, so hopefully he'll get his head down and take the opportunities that will come his way. He has a lot to prove.

I think the staff and fans have seen enough to know he has something special. I only want players here who can compete, torment, and win against the top six sides. I think Lookman will come into that category.

Like Chris says above, he has a lot to prove and needs to knuckle down and focus on EFC .

If his attitude was good then surely he would have got some game time considering the lack of wide options on the bench.

Anyway, hopefully lessons have been learned and we can all move on together.

I don't quite know how any player can 'arrange their own loan' as claimed without the club who holds his contract and the club loaning him agreeing to it.

I would also like a link to Silva's comments in the public domain that 'admitted Lookman wanted to go'. Or that Silva commented in public that Lookman wasn't in some matchday squad because he was 'sulking', which is another claim repeated more than once on TW.

Not saying that any of the above is categorically not true, but I personally have not seen, read or heard anything from the club or the player suggesting it is the case.

Rather, it has been repeatedly said many times by Silva that he is our player, our present, our future, and is staying. As per his presser today, Silva expressed how wearisome it is to hear the same question about Lookman when he had answered it at each and every presser: he's staying.

About time we had a manager who is trying to get us winning again and not bowing down to player or agent pressure.

I said before a Koeman came, I would have Silva as my top manager target, a couple of seasons down the line and I am like a dog with two hows your fathers now that we have the guy in.

Make no mistake we will get the best out of Lookman, he has to perform to be selected or if he still has an eye for the future away from Everton, he then has to put himself in the shop window.

I personally think the style of play we have now will change Lookmans mind about a move in the future.

Final note and only an assumption, I think Lookman was not selected Wednesday, with the transfer window still in his mind, fully expect this to change at the weekend, with him getting some game time.

After Silva showed promise at Hull, and then got a great start at Watford, then I thought he'd be a good one for us, and that's after having been a casual Sporting fan and watched him manage the club.

The majority of the players are mercenaries, as are the coaches. We are happy on here to consign A, B and C to the football dustbin, so we can't whinge too much about the player's own hopes and dreams.