Kenny gets back underway first

See y'all on the Forum!

Play in blue / Kenny plays for them / They are rivals to Klopp's Dortmund.

Sorted.

I say reluctantly because I think it's a farce playing behind closed doors, with cardboard cut-outs for supporters, and probably canned crowd sound effects. Furthermore, it will only encourage these over here to press ahead with similar for the Premier League.

Yes, we all want Football, and yes, we have missed it, but I think the events of the past few months have put things in perspective, and exposed a lot of the greed that most of us knew was there, but chose to shut a blind eye to.

I am still very disappointed that most players who have barely trained for the last few months, have still picked up astronomical wages, when so many others have been struggling and unfortunately dying.

They are a huge club in German football with massive support who have been overshadowed in recent decades by their more glamorous local rivals, Dortmund. Their support is more local and regional, spreading to other areas of the nation but without the global reach of the more prominent names in German football. I am biassed, but the similarities are uncanny and bonding for me!!

Must remember its Schalke, not Shalke.

For me in this country there's too much at stake in terms of health and safety, to consider playing football, but there's motives for the focus and effort they are doing and for me it isn't warranted.

I fear after this weekend combined with last weekend the UK will see a new spike in Covid-19, I hope I'm wrong.

As it stands, if if the Premier League does restart over here, I wont be watching.

Strange days, but all stay safe and well, and top up the Vitamin D today.☘️🤟🏼🙏🏼🍀🍀🍺☘️👍🍀🍀🍀

I read the match report to see if Jonjoe Kenny was mentioned and read they kept social distances at scoring a goal – not during the match. Joke.

Then Dortmund celebrated their win in their usual fashion. Keeping social distancing into an empty stand. Joke.

Sorry, lads, if this is the way it's going to be, best watching the grass grow.

Jonjoe Kenny was not much of a factor, playing out of position at right-mid.

If Everton were to beat the RS under these conditions, I would not think that it didn't count or that it was some sort of charade.

Think it's good. The academy needs to be a bit more ruthless and a bit less sentimental to push forwards I think.

Mike- yes, we bought him from Bury I think with high hopes. Another one bites the dust.

Dortmund recorded the only home win in today's six fixtures in the Bundesliga. Given the fuss from some of our clubs it will be interesting to see how much advantage there is to be gained from playing at home in front of empty seats. Very little, I suspect.

And hopefully this rabble will tell the UK government and Premier League to make this season null and void.

Thank you,

I'm a purist so enjoyed watching some high class and quality football again.

But I accept and respect that the atmosphere, the build-up and the pint etc are all major parts of the game and ‘event'.

I enjoyed it a lot.

The argument will go on forever about how long you give a youngster to bloom. For me if you are not knocking on the first team door by 20 then there's a fair chance you won't be top drawer, however harsh that sounds.

I know you will miss out on some good players, but the academy is very much a ‘Player farm' and frankly a bit of a numbers game. It should be used to find a stand out and make good players better that we make a profit on.

45 minutes for Lookman and I see Evans made his Bundesliga debut today for Paderborn! Well in, lad. Always rated him from our U23s. Hopefully they stay up and he pushes on for next season.

Will do for now!

I can't agree with you there. Jonjoe Kenny played wing-back in 3-4-3 or 5-2-3 or 5-4-1 depending on your viewpoint.

The wing-back role is where he has played quite a bit for them. He wasn't really involved and if I'm honest, Rafa Guerreiro left him for dead for the second goal. Kenny didn't react on halfway, then stopped and tried to hand him off to the centre-half.

Schalke are a poor side and their sixth-place (before KO yesterday) is as much to do with others brings inconsistent as it is them having improved from last year.

Icouldn't get into the match without the crowd; it was strange hearing echoes in the stands and no celebrating in what is a derby match. It's a No for me with no fans.

Schalke were toothless upfront, had a very poor keeper and deservedly good stuffed. It was like watching Everton. Kenny, for what it's wort,h was their better player, but it was pretty slim pickings.

The game was clearly different with no atmosphere. Schalke folded quiet cheaply in my opinion. Time will tell if this is the norm of behind-closed-doors games. To me, the game highlighted that the bigger sides can get on the ball and dictate the play, with the weaker side having little fight or spirit. Derby tackles were in short supply for sure. I don't know if it was the occasion or that refs can pick it up in a stale atmosphere, but it was tepid on the physical stakes.

For your coupons on the Premer League, I would be getting on the big sides to win by more than 2.5 goals against the fodder. Behind closed doors favours the big 6 in my opinion, with their more technical players.

The lack of atmosphere meant that it was like watching pre-season friendlies. Possibly worse.

The Premier League can't restart in this format. There would be only one beneficiary and it's them twats from across the park!

We don't want much, just cheaper prices and our game back!

It now needs the government to act and for “Shake Hands” Johnson to call the whole sham game of football off, mostly to keep the virus from spreading, which it will if football under this guise continues, and that's before the crowds turn up in their numbers outside the grounds the longer these games go on.

One thing that occurs to me about this is that different parts of the country are currently affected worse than others with this horror. Namely the Northeast and Northwest where local authorities have already distanced themselves from opening schools, for example. London started early and now seems over the worst, but no guarantees at all.

This maybe something that needs factoring in?

I'll not be watching any games if they do get the go ahead to be played in empty stadiums in the Premier League.

I sense that the empty stadium, soulless, lifeless and meaningless plan, could backfire.

Interesting if TW did a vote on this aspect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Link

The comments on football social distancing on the forum are interesting. There is speculation in the press today that Schalke would like to buy Kenny. I hope we are not going to see a familiar saga unfold. I also read that Feeney, Captain of the Under-23s, is to be let go and the Dutch lad Markelo is to kept on and then loaned out.

I really feel there is a lack of effectiveness at the Academy in converting promise into challenging first-team squad members.

He will have a decent career, but he's not top 6 to me – and if he's not at that level, he needs moving on. Harsh, but that's what we need to do.

I must admit one of my main inspirations was to see how Jonjoe fared, and as some have suggested I don't think he is the answer to our right-back conundrum.

The best part for me was the Live Forum and seeing all the Usual Suspects and having a bit of a banter, and of course the cat puns... pussy in the, well it does make a difference from the usual fish puns... but I won't carp on about that.

Apologies for my second half disappearance, as someone came round, at a social distance of course, so I couldn't very well ignore them and say I was watching Bundesliga Fussbol!

I just hope that the FA, Sky etc, over here don't think it was a success and implement similar, but money screams doesn't it, and dictates anything but common sense and of course, ignores the fans.

Lookman got a look in yesterday after a long wait on the sidelines and scuppered his chances of getting another chance this year after missing a sitter. Leipzig have an abundance of talent going forward and Ademola is wasting away over there. I could see him moving on in the summer.

I said at the time, that night, I was hugely impressed with Leipzig, and, in particular their number 7, the Austrian, Marcel Sabitzer. One to look out for and I wish we could convince him.

I had decided after 6 minutes that I'd rather get dinner ready. Frankly, I cannot envisage much better fare if the EPL gets the go-ahead. But, as many have said here before, taking resources (such as testing kits and other medical supplies) from those who really need it so that the football clubs can keep their TV millions is immoral.

I'll be back in the mood when stadiums can safely fill with fans and it actually means something.

This is not a young kid in football terms; he will be 24 at the end of next season. If we have any chance of moving forward as a club we need to start bringing a higher calibre of player to the club which I hope is going to happen over the next year or so; otherwise, Ancelotti won't be sticking around for long.

If we had managed to bring in a Zaha last season and someone such as Grealish this season, then these signings would make a real statement.

Can you imagine the rage here on TW if we'd paid up that monster price tag and gotten 3 goals in 30 from our investment? We were very fortunate that Palace pulled the plug on the deal at the last minute.

Agreed on Kenny.

Calvert-Lewin and Holgate are finally putting in a half-decent game every now and again, absolutely pointless. We should have got rid of both last season when we could have got ١-٢million each for them. Now they'll be stuck on long contracts for eternity.

They will join the likes of Hibbert and Osman as lifers – honestly, what did those two ever do for the club? They might have played a couple of games here and there, but all they did was get in the way of some quality signings we could have made.

Personally, I lay this at the feet of Kenwright. We've not produced a single player of note since he took over – and we never will while he's at the club. Employing his luvvies like Ferguson, Unsworth and Sheedy is doing nothing but holding us back. Our scouting is shit – when have we ever picked up a decent youngster?

The whole club needs an overhaul from top to bottom... and don't even get me started on Bramley-Moore Dock – I'll believe that when I see a spade in the ground.

Typical Everton.

I was gutted Zaha did not sign last summer and I still am (especially considering we ended up wasting a chunk of the money on a bang average Iwobi).

Zaha wasn't having the best season but I would still love him in an Everton shirt.

Back on thread, the Schalke Academy is outstanding and goes massively underrated when you look at the players they have produced.

I'd also leave Sheedy out of that trio. Widely respected coach by all accounts. And what a player with that magic wand of a left foot.

Paul Tran #59, agreed, but "good on his day" is better than "ain't worth a shit", and we still have a few of those to eject.

I agree with those who think we don't produce enough quality (although I do think we're better than most). I don't really get some of the animosity towards Unsworth but I do think the role of the academy and route to the first team needs some careful thought.

Finally, I agree with Kevin that you lay almost all of this at Kenwright's (stage) door. I was once told he convinced Owen, Fowler, McManaman and Carragher they should turn their back on Everton because he wanted to focus on star signings like Moutinho and Riquelme.

All 4 of those players had played for Liverpool first team and were England internationals before Kenwright took over so whoever told you that was talking nonsense.

Mike,

I personally would still love us to sign Zaha he is the type of player I pay my season ticket money and travel to every away game to watch. Yes, he didn't have a good season last season and I think that ship has sailed regarding signing him, but that is the calibre of player we should be going after.

"Shake Hands"Johnson. Made me LOL!!

David - Sign Zaha?? A move forward?? He's a MotD highlights player. Looks great in the 5-minute clips on MotD. What about the other 85 mins?

Zaha would be a massive improvement for us. Far better player than Walcott, Iwobi, Bernard etc etc. He would have been a massive upgrade.

However, I think that ship has well and truly sailed unfortunately.

Kevin 61,

If the likes of Kenny and Davies are going to give us the quality that Hibbert and Osman gave us then get rid now.

We should spend big instead. Let's get the next Dutch superstar (wait - I think we did that), or spend £45 million on an assist king from midfield (hang on, done that as well), maybe spend £30million on a french box to box midfielder (wait a minute...), or £27 million on a lightning fast African winger (darn it), or £30 million on an established premier league winger/striker (I think there's a pattern here), perhaps £25 million on a proven foreign striker who can score in the champions league (have we loaned one of them out?), £30 million on Italy's next big thing, over £75 million on some Barcelona reserves, £30 million on England's best (ahem) keeper, £25million on an English promising centre back or £13 million on the biggest African sensation to come out of Russia ever...

I agree, get shut now!!!

I'm glad you agree.

If they are going to reach the levels of Hibbert and Osman then try and sell them now.

This club needs better quality or in a blink of an eye it will be 30 years since our last trophy.

I just hope Ancelotti is of a similar view.

In retrospect, I think Palace's intransigence saved us from a very, very expensive mistake.

Compared to the much cheaper alternatives of Malcom, Neres, Lozano he looks average, which is why Arsenal signed Pepe instead (looked hit and miss last season but may come good). The simple fact is he doesn't score enough to be priced so high.

He'd have become another Sigurdsson – good at what he does but not good enough to kick us on a level (like Richarlison, who was worth the money and has plenty of end product to go with the pace and tricks).

If you don't think Zaha would be an upgrade then our views on football are obviously very different.

As a fan who travels up and down the country spending thousands of pounds a year watching Everton, the last thing I want is another set of Hibbert and Osman. If that's the level our youngsters are going to get to, then I want the club to sell them now.

This club has got to move forward and has got to stop buying crap players on big fees – Tosun, Bolasie, Iwobi, Mina etc etc – and stop persevering with players coming through the club system who just aren't good enough.

I for one am sick of waiting for the club to bring in the quality of player needed to get us competing again.

Whether they would come to Everton may be up for debate but the type of players we should be trying to bring to the club are Grealish, Zaha and the like – that's the only way this club will move forward.

If we start next season with the likes of Davies, Kenny, Iwobi, Mina, Keane and Walcott etc we are going to have another year of gloom.

Are you serious there? Just their whole careers! I think you forget where we were as a club at that point, la.

Not sure what you are watching while you travel all over the country to watch footy but, if you think Zaha, at any price, is a 'massive' upgrade. I am not saying that the 3 Everton players you named are the answer, but Zaha is certainly not the level of upgrade, if indeed he is, that I would like to sign for our Club. Personally, I have my sights set higher and not necessarily price wise.

I have watched Zaha at Goodison on a number of occasions and he has not troubled, what has been a somewhat unstable defence. Not that I am advocating signing him, but Andres Townsend is a more effective player than Zaha and is more the standout player consistently in the Crystal Palace team. Zaha would have been another expensive mistake in my view. Has hardly banged in goals consistently, or even assists, given the huge price tag, has he David? Pretty happy the 'ship sailed', as you put it.

I think we dodged a bullet when we didn't buy him, based on the general opinions expressed here. Especially well expressed by Kevin at #73, which I'm not sure you quite understood.

Whilst I owned up to being silly about Kenwright, I really am supportive of what Unsworth has done with the Under-23s. That means getting players to understand their role in a team and showing a winning mentality.

It's not his fault the quality coming through is average. It's not his fault the club clogged up this age group with players who should have moved on.

But it is to his credit that limited players have won matches under his management – and he's certainly helped to get Calvert-Lewin, Kenny and maybe (I lose track) Davies and Holgate into first-team contention. Hopefully he can do the same for Gordon, Dobbin, Simms, Onyango and Branthwaite.

I'm pretty confident that, if you asked every Premier League manager who they would take out of Townsend and Zaha, the majority would take Zaha. I'm also pretty confident if you asked Palace fans who they would least like to lose from their squad out of the two, it would be Zaha.

Who would you like us to realistically go after this summer then?

I fully understood Kevin's post 73, thanks. I'm in total agreement that we have wasted vast sums of money on bang average players that haven't made the grade but that doesn't mean – because they were free – that Kenny and Davies etc are players who are going to move us forward as a club, just like Hibbert and Osman were never players who were going to help us compete.