Schneiderlin completes Nice switch

How about putting in a few bonus clauses, such as if he passes it forward more than once in a match, they pay us 𧶲,000? Or if he plays five games on the trot, they pay us another 𧶲,000. Now that's money we'll never see.

Never a decent player in my eyes, never understood all the hype about him, even when he was at Southampton, then couldn't get many games at Man Utd.

Anyway, the freeing up of wages far outweighs the lack of a fee for him (or a minimal one). Pity it didn't happen a couple of years ago. Let's hope there are a few more to follow and we can seriously start building for the future.

To think his signing was supposed to be the smooth transition from the aging Barry as we entered the Koeman era. What a mess it turned out to be.

Heck, when I saw the £2M figure, I thought it was us paying them. Seemed like a pretty good deal even then.

Works out around 𧵝k a week in wages, after Barcelona has paid a third of his wages, but if we are saving 𧴜k a week on Schneiderlin's final year, than 㿭k a week for an upgrade might not turn out to be a smart bit of business.

I think him and Sigurdsson were similar in the fact they need a specific system for them to be useful; unfortunately, neither of them are suited to the current system or the ones used by previous managers.

I think getting any money for him is a bonus given the wages he is on; hopefully, a few more follow him out the door and Ancelotti can put his own stamp on the squad.

I'll get me coat.

Given his personal circumstances then, it would appear he needed to return home.

A bad signing compounded by even more misfortune, very Everton.

This must be on reflection one of the worst deals the club made in recent terms and almost nil return on investment, and his first season, - 6 months, promised much but faded very fast the last few years.

Tough, tough times for mankind, and the transfer market, looks tougher than ever.

I'd take Alan, now even beating his age, as we need some cohesion in the middle of the park.

Let's see what happens.

That's it .

Sad as he was an excellent player at Southampton, he just lost his desire to try.

Teun Koopmeiners is a good player, at my local club. As you said, still young. I've no idea whether he can make the step up.

In any case, he's better than Schneiderlin who, as many others have stated, stole a living off us. The latest gossip is that Marcel Brands is eyeing him up.

To be continued, I guess...

Garbutt, sandro, I reckon will follow. Id like bolasie and Theo to follow but I think that will be a struggle.

Either way squad size is shrinking which is what brands and carlo want.

Best for all parties.

I'll file him along with Rehn, Samways, Linderoth et al.

When does Bolasie expire?

BBC Article

We can add Cuco Martina and Luke Garbutt to that list of (soon to be) departures though.

And possibly Sidibe who I doubt we'll be signing permanently.

Linderoth was no good but for a while he was a lucky charm as we rarely lost when he played. Also he was a no name cheapsigning. Samways is the better comparison as the “classy” waste of space

Perhaps Joe signed Barmby and played him instead.

Clear the decks for a new era, we hope.

Sadly, Sandro contracted here until June 2021.

Maybe some wheeler dealering can be done with his current loan club to get Salisu.

A bit harsh to include too much dead wood, sadly. The good news is that we have a few youngsters showing promise and that might save us a few bob.

A couple of real quality additions for next season, and we may be in the fray for the Top 6-7 places, and build on from there.

Didn't Garbutt finally leave some months back? Don't tell me he's still hanging about.

Yes, Walker signed Samways. Even though he was quite hefty, he was too lazy and immobile for Joe's Dogs of War. Although I recall after he left us and went to Spain, he suddenly evolved into a hard-tackling hatchet man picking up plenty of reds.

Zero bottle + Zero heart = One shit player.

Key weapon is a good long ball over the top. Just seems a bit limited. But his character might help him make the step up. Henderson and Wijnaldum have shown that an average player with tremendous work rate and hunger can go far.

I'm only going by what I've read up and what YouTube has to offer, can he tackle though? We need bite in the middle of the park and a will to move the ball forwards.

I don't want to backstab a player but I am delighted that freeloader has left our club.

I think I saw him play well on around 5 occasions, the others he was a ghost.

Everton need to learn from this. Just because they play or have played for Man Utd doesn't mean they are good. If they aren't good enough for them, they're not good enough for us.

Thanks Morgan. Hope Nice works out, just try harder.

Is he back on Merseyside??

I also believe there was more to the deal than the €2m fee. I'm not been cynical, but he had a full year left on his contract, worth over ٣m in wages, so he didn't walk away without a compromise.

Carlo's new midfield signing will come in soon. I think it will be Allan if we can agree a sensible price due to his age and no resale value. Carlo will tow the line with the younger aged signings in general.

Allan will be his only exception as his director on the pitch and proven enforcer. The player and manager actively want to work together, we get a lot of positivity out of this transfer. If we get 3 successful seasons out of him this will be good business.

None of the above is true.

He wasn't as bad as some make out, but his style of play didn't fit – relaxed, not much running, sit in one position, collect and move the ball. Koeman had a plan, that being that having him, and Gueye being the bulldozer next to him, and Sigurdsson the No 10 ahead.

But, once that plan went kapoop, Schneiderlin simply didn't fit. Sigurdsson will be the next, but he can still offer something.

It wasn't until the next season that his form and attitude went off a cliff and he became the poster child for everything that's gone wrong with the Moshiri era. Still not quite sure why it went so sour.

Hopefully a few more will go soon and Carlo can start but his trademark on this squad.

All-in-all, it's gonna be a tough market and, whomever we get, hopefully will be proven and ready to play.

Let's see.

Always thought he was a neat and tidy player who when utilised correctly could be quite effective and a useful squad player.

He became a scapegoat for the team. As soon as his name was announced people were after him.

Hopefully the start of a big cull but, as with with past windows, finding takers for all those on massive wages won't be easy.

An unpopular opinion but I'd keep hold of Sigurdsson unless there's an offer too good to turn down. He'll still be a very useful squad player at many times during a season and I doubt he'll ever have such a barren run in goals return ever again. The same probably applies to Walcott but all the others can go as far as I'm concerned.

Bolasie, Tosun, Besic, Sandro, Sidibé, Delph and all the others out of contract should free up space and wages for a couple of quality additions. In terms of assets that might generate a decent fee, then I'd listen to offers for Bernard, Iwobi and Kenny.

3 or 4 proper quality additions and we might kick in quite rapidly with Carlo leading the way.

I'm sure he's absolutely delighted to leave. And the feeling is clearly reciprocated by the fans.

Took far too long to shift him but he's gone now – a good day.

I have stated on one or two threads that we supported the club 100% and left the criticism to our neighbours from across the park. I hear fans at the match saying, "We pay our admission price so we are entitled to say what we like."

I have written on this site that players like Gary Jones, Peter Beagrie, James McFadden, and Ross Barkley have frustrated me on occasions, but I never resorted to booing them, because they wore the Royal Blue jersey. They had my unconditional support, and I'm not claiming that there's anything special in that, because I believe it's what supporters do.

Sensible post and fully agree mate

It's one of the reasons why, over the years, I have made small contributions to the Everton Former Players Foundation. Not everybody was a good player, but once they put on the royal blue jersey I believe that they did their best for the team on the pitch and were worthy of my support.

And a lot of them have needed our support after their career has finished.

It is not easy to transfer players these days unless you are willing to loose a large amount on what you paid for them, but it can be gained by not paying rightly or wrongly the huge wages in some of their contracts.

Schneiderlin came with a good reputation and was not bad in his first couple of seasons but Ancelotti is his 4th manager and he was unable to adapt to the different styles he was asked to play in, and once he got on the wrong side of some supporters it spread to a point were he is happy to leave.

I do not think he is the first or will he be the last who will be hounded out by some supporters, that with today's social media it easy to show their ire.

Good luck to him.

Like I heard Sean Dyche say once "Minimum requirement is maximum effort."

Schneiderlin gave much less than 100% on numerous occasions, backed out of many tackles and 50/50's, and positioned himself behind opposing players, so he couldn't receive the ball, when it suited him.

I saw him do that loads of times and pointed it out to my "next seat" neighbours who, after watching out for it, fully agreed.

He didn't put his heart and soul into every game and in my opinion that's unforgiveable, whether you're on a 𧴜 a week or 𧴜,000.

It's a Nice move for him but it's a lovely move for us (IMO).

Bought for 㿄 million and paid over 𧴜,000 a week. Sold within 3 years for ٠ million. Quite simply, he has stolen a living from us in the last 2 years.

There are countless clips of us conceding goals and him trotting around. Not strong enough in the tackle. Not mobile enough to cover the ground efficiently. Not able to pass the ball creatively. No goal threat. No leadership. I could go on but I'll only get more depressed.

How a player like this has been bought and paid what he has is absolutely beyond me. The guy is now living in Nice set up for life. What Vieira sees in him is beyond me. He must go down as one of our worst ever buys.

This is a forum for people to express their views and that's brilliant but there is no need for the abuse and vitriol, we are Everton and we are better than that, aren't we?

Some players are not good enough, some past their best, but if a player doesn't try or hides in a game, he deserves criticism. I get that but it's the way that we do it that has changed.

You would hear it on the terraces from the odd one or two but most would shake their heads and, as John says, talk about it in the pub later. Now, with the internet, we can all have views – me included! – behind the safety of a screen.

But we are Everton guys – just be happy to see them go and wish them well... and close your eyes and say a silent thank you upstairs.

㿔M – yes, FORTY MILLION QUID – let that sink in for a while...

That said, I suspect, from her photographs, that Mrs Schneiderlin is blissfully unaware of his "dead-wood".

Shame he can't get near to that sort of passion in a match.

I tend to think that special criticism is always reserved for players that show a lack of passion for the shirt, and sadly – as far as Everton are concerned – Morgan Schneiderlin is about as guilty of that as anyone I can think of from the last 30 or so years. It is only right that fans like myself feel happy to communicate that sort of dissatisfaction – whether that be from the stands or on here.

Schneiderlin has never been a great athlete; he has always lacked pace, stamina and significant strength. He is a decent footballer, and in a good team can play a certain role. Unfortunately we have not been a good team while he has been here but, rather than fight to improve us, he tried (unsuccessfully) to do no more than pull his own weight.

In my opinion, he showed limited desire, limited mobility, and limited belief in himself and his team-mates. He spent most of his time at the club just going through the motions. If I am right about all that (and obviously I might not be, but I'm a fan and that is my criticism of him regardless) then I think the club is better off not having someone like him around.

I think he's one of those players who was too good for that level, but not Premier League quality, and was found out. I think he was lucky to be in a team that had momentum from back to back promotions, with a close-knit squad that made him look a better player than he actually was.

As soon as he stepped up to Man Utd, he showed that he couldn't hack it. I think he got found out at international level too as the French team didn't play him after his Man Utd move either. He'll probably do well at Nice, dropping down slightly in level.

I think Christine at #85 is right that the freedom of the internet is partly to blame but we also hear often from fans who (used to!) attend the match but can't abide the antics of those in neighbouring seats who do nothing but snipe and bitch and moan. On this forum, we can't do much about the second lot but it's true that we, as curators, generally take a fairly lenient view of what we 'allow' to be said on here. That means we tacitly accept what Andrew is saying.

John at #78 talks of "personal verbal attacks" as if the criticism is being delivered directly fact-to-face with the recipient. This is clearly not the case; I doubt that any of the players read ToffeeWeb, or hear the majority of criticism offered at the match. And surely anyone in the public eye has to have a thick skin anyway?

Like many things in life these days, it comes down to diversity and tolerance — diversity of opinions, personalities and styles of communication — and (I think just as important) tolerance of opinions, personalities and styles of communication.

If you come on a forum like this, you should expect plenty of the first – diversity. I would respectfully suggest if you found yourself posting more than once expressing your intolerance of that diversity... well, how can I put this? It gets really boring.

The irony for me is it's our older members who seem to complain the most. At the risk of being ageist, you'd think they'd seen and had to put up with a hell of a lot more diversity than the younger ones who (again more ageism here!) seem to be the most strident critics. But getting old seems to bring with it an increasing conviction that your way of doing things is what matters, which seems to me in itself to be rather intolerant.

Interesting observations on Schneiderlin playing. There must be such players in the Premier League, when you think about it. Going should release some slack in the transfer budget.

Although, it is reported Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club are getting 𧵄 million in business disruption insurance due to cancelling of the Tournament this year. I find it very hard to believe that Premier League Clubs had not similar type insurance in place.

No-one has asked the question and because of the PR surrounding the gulf in empathy with local communities and their obsession to keep the gravy train running, they would never voluntarily offer such information.

Let's be clear: criticism is a key part of ToffeeWeb and other fan sites; we all want success, we all want improvement. Criticism is not being intolerant to change; without the internet, there would only be letters to the editor in the Echo... god forbid.

But when does criticism become abusive? Surely that's the line that I am saying we have no need to cross. The fact that it is crossed with abandon or without thought is not because of aged geriatrics who have a rose-coloured view of life before the internet, it's because generally they think before opening the mouth.

How can a debate or view be expected when it's a one-liner made up of words around excrement?

Leeway is always given, but the older generation HAS seen it all before, just not laid out bare and personalised as is the norm these days. You suspect players or club members don't read these pages but you don't know. Thick-skinned, no, they are just like you and me, some will like water off a duck's back – to others, as sharp as a cutting knife.

Perhaps too, older people do have different values, different measures to make judgements by. That's what makes the forums what they are, diverse and a bloody good read.

I doubt that any of the players read ToffeeWeb, or hear the majority of criticism offered at the match..

Firstly, as someone else pointed out, you don't know for sure that the players don't read ToffeeWeb, do you? Secondly, as I suspect you're actually right, how can you say that players don't hear the criticism / abuse from the crowd?

Anyone who has seen the crippling fear that players such as Cleverley, Simon Davies, Ross Barkley amongst others, played under would know that's nonsense. Even if they don't hear the specifics (which Kevin Sheedy used to for certain – yes Kevin Sheedy while hugging the left touchline!), the generalised abuse that greets certain players when they cock up cannot fail to go unnoticed.

Most mates of mine who support an away club state when they visit Goodison how critical the Everton crowd is of their own players when things aren't going well. Only certain players seem to be able to rise above the criticism (Sharpe in his early days, Calvert-Lewin currently). Not sure about Tom Davies yet.

Constant criticism, as opposed to a one-off groan of disappointment, cannot possibly have a positive effect. The only sin that warrants that is lack of effort and commitment – which Schneiderlin at times did seem to suffer from.

Yours, a cranky OAP.

The supporters of Everton expect the best. Only the best is good enough, and if it's not the best then they will demand the best.

I don't know if I'm right on this thought but perhaps it's part of a broader Evertonian culture and sense of being, that we are inculcated with the essence of our motto to the depth and extent that Sir John reflected upon, rather than just playing lip service to it. Isn't that what "born not manufactured" was also all about?

I know I've raised this viewpoint before and not got much traction for it so I won't push it. But for me, it is absolutely fundamental to our identity as Everton Football Club. And demanding the best – from our players, our managers, our coaches, our Directors of Football, our Board, our owners, and yes, our supporters – is just that, absolutely fundamental.

If that means criticising players who are not good enough, so be it. It's part and parcel of having those high standards.

I would go further and say that the dilution of those high standards, the acceptance of "plucky little Everton", making excuses for players who are not giving or doing their best – right down to the mindset that has Evertonians saying "that was one point I never honestly thought we would have got today" after a derby game – underpins our long downward slide in the Premier League era.

On the one hand, Moshiri is showing ambition by splashing the cash on managers/players, BMD and a fancy HQ.

On the other, we still have the Kenwright/DBB 'aw shucks, aren't we a lovely community club doing wonderful things' axis.

I think we have a tendency to fall back on the latter, with an implicit assumption that to be as ruthless as we need to be 'isn't Everton'. And we're falling between both stools.

This situation provides an opportunity to change the culture, the level of expectations, which should be reflected in everything the club says and does.

I'm not in the know, I'm up here in the Highlands, but I'm sensing that there are people in the club either afraid of such a change or too comfortable with mediocrity.

In any organisation, it starts either at the top, or at grass roots. If those at the top aren't demanding the best, at least we should.

I'm expecting a win tonight.

Therefore Everton fans following John Moores lead demand the very best from Everton players, not more than they can provide but the best they can do with their ability and effort. On Sunday, they played to a plan against a team with better players, had only lost one league game all season and I imagine were very long odds to smash Everton. They didn't and we got a deserved draw keeping a lot of Everton fans happy with that point, a point in a Derby game at home might have left a lot of fans unhappy usually. Not in this case I'm sure.

Everton, by comparison, takes a punt with their transfers, one could say of course that every transfer is a punt, but some with less risk than others. We no longer buy the best.

Our pockets are not the bottomless pit of Man City, yet many expect us to consistently compete at the same level. We may do it a few times in a season but we have not the strength in depth or the talent in the first eleven to challenge at that level.

People point to Leicester, it was a combination of management, team combination and effort that got them the title. If we are to compete, it is through the same combination. Right now, we have the management, we have to find the right team and make it work.

That's where we are, those lacking the effort on the pitch are not for the club. But also we have to accept that it's not going to happen next week. The trick of good management is getting the best out of what you have and continual improvement of players by training or replacement. Ancelotti is starting to slice and dice as he can, interesting days ahead.

I absolutely demand and hope for Everton to be at the top of the tree. It's what I was brought up on during the 60s, and then had the pleasure of experiencing again during the mid-80s. I wish with all my being to be battering the RS, but that doesn't prevent me from being objective at the same time. So if we are going into a derby with a weakened side against a very good RS team, it is perfectly rational to fear being beaten, and to be satisfied with a hard-earned point. Not “happy” in the sense of meeting all aspirations, but “satisfied” within the context of a particular set of circumstances.

Regarding criticising players, I try not to do it, but then players can fall into different categories. Some are very good players going through a loss of form – support them. Some are young lads in whom you can see potential but are not yet the full deal – support them. Others are just not good enough but try – support them but also point out their inadequacy. The really unforgivable ones are those who have talent but don't put the effort in. They deserve calling for what they are.

For me, Schneiderlin falls into the final category, and I am delighted he has gone from our club. I doubt he will have too many sleepless nights fretting about my opinion of him.

The same thought occurred to me. The football in the 50s was dire, relegation, 3 seasons in the second division and then at best, mediocrity with little in the way of redeeming features apart from the likes of Collins, Parker, and Hickson between transfers out.

The football we put up with now is nothing like as bad as then. There are a couple of main differences.

The standards between the absolute best and the weakest were not as skewed by cash as now. And the fans were nowhere near as outspoken, or expectations so inflated.

That is not to say they were meek and mild and didn't let their opinions be known. Goodison has always had a crowd that could turn rough, and they did. But no freely available forum was there.

In addition, footballers and the man in the street were pretty much peas in the same pod, in outlook and remuneration, so no gulf existed as now. Plus the potential for huge cash outlays being wasted didn't really exist, or were widely reported, no matter how accurately.

Football was not as available and exposed as now, and reporting was limited to papers, and much less partisan, but not totally so. There seems little doubt to me that the level of partisan vitriol from the likes of Keane is getting stronger and is seen as being very much part of the spectacle, all of which can stimulate rancour one way or the other, often towards players.

In many ways it's unsurprising that we see the degree of vitriol we do.

They clearly have a good scouting team and I sense when they buy a player, they know how and where he's going to play. They have a wealthy family of owners that have instilled a good mindset into the club, while maintaining good links with the community. They even cocked up with a manager, didn't panic, then recruited a better one.

Contrast that with our decision-making; a hand-picked manager sacked two months after a scattergun spending spree, the unnecessary hiring of an expensive 'saviour' manager, then hiring a younger manager with a patchy record, plus a DOF that buys expensive, peripheral players, but not the solid ones we need in key positions.

Now, I think hiring Ancelotti was a very good decision. Someone asked me my thoughts when we hired him. I said he'll do a good job if the club lets him.

Let's hope they stay out of his way.

But I think our lack of money has certainly hampered our progression, and although he is often attacked on this forum, Moyes ability to buy cheap and sell expensively helped us compete at a level that outstripped our finances.

Although we now have a billionaire owner he is far from the richest Chairman around. But he has splashed the cash but unfortunately the DOFs and managers haven't spent his money wisely. Our wage bill per revenue is one of the highest in the Premier League, so that's why Ancelotti has his hands tied in the market because of his predecessors' inability to spend money wisely.

I hope that after a period of getting our finances under control we can give Ancelotti a budget were his experience will allow us to progress to a higher and more consistent level.

Whilst Everton FC had a burst of success which was masterminded by the manager, the club was able to secure higher sponsorship via NEC etc but even then it was miles behind United and those over the park when it came to commercialisation.

As the decades have come and gone, that commercial gap has grown to such an extent that it may well be insurmountable. Moshiri has pumped hard cash into the club but the fundamentals which were in place during the previous eras haven't changed and therefore most of that cash has been wasted and seven years after the Moyes' era we are still treading water or perhaps slowly drowning.

The pandemic will make it even more difficult to sustain never mind grow the club, as once it was relant on attendances today it is reliant on TV cash. Evertonians of today can't expect the best they mostly have to hope for the best.

We all were sold that pup by Kenwright & Co, of lack of money. When they did get money, we saw that their lack of competence was the problem all along.

The way this Summer transfer window plays out will inform us whether Ancelotti has been able to lift the level of competence by his reorganisation prior to the break and whether Brands is allowed to do his job without interference, working with Ancelotti.

I simply don't buy the idea that we were once somehow more caring, more kinder to underperforming players. It's a complete myth. If anything, the footballers have got it easier these days. The Goodison crowd is nowhere near as tough as it once was.

Today's fans are just as likely to go home and post a criticism on a website than stay after a game to give the player who has upset them both barrels. I think some of the people on here are getting a little Gladys Knight. Time seems to have re-written every line.

The cushions which rained down from the stands after Ipswich had destroyed Gordon Lee's team were not hurled in silence. They were accompanied by a level of abuse you just don't hear anymore. The fury and the vitriol which accompanied those deafening boos after the Coventry draw just wouldn't happen today. People don't seem to get that angry any more. Personally, I believe anger has given way to ridicule.

Scouse humour has always been barbed, almost to the point that, if somebody isn't on the receiving end, it isn't deemed funny. I often talk about an incident at Chelsea when Phil Neville was warming up in front of the travelling blues ready to come on. We were getting hammered and everyone was pissed off. One professional piss-taker lured Neville into dialogue and, just when Phil was on side, the piss-taker then destroyed him and Moyes with the funniest of put-downs. Those around simply fell about laughing... Was it abuse ? Well yes, I guess, but "It's okay as long as it's funny"... Right ?

Are today's young fans more abusive than their arl fellas? Absolutely no way. It's my opinion (only my opinion) that the lines in football (as in society) have become blurred.

The funny put-downs of the past often go too far these days and can come across as snidey ridicule. Maybe today's generation are just not as witty as their predecessors?

I'd say life in general was grittier back then. People were better at arguing because it was all done face to face. Because of social media, there's a tendency for things to be one extreme or the other, people aren't accountable and act accordingly.

There is some good from it, though, plenty of good, rational debate on here and Twitter, with both Blues and other teams' fans.

I've seen them in other situations blagging their view of the management and novices believing them! Years ago, I went for my first ever interview for a primary school deputy's job. One candidate was boasting that this was his fifteenth interview. I wonder why, but he was so plausible. The school that did take him on had no end of trouble with a lazy, inflated egotist who was then dismissed!

Now 1948 was not long after the Second World War, so after six years of living with the war, you would think a football match wasn't anything to get angry about, but those Toffee fans were well riled up. Shows in a way how much we Bluenoses care about football and especially Everton!!!

Seventy odd years watching what, let's face it, have been mainly average teams.

Take a bow mate, I know how modest you are and you probably just think this is what you do, but that's impressive... in normal times they would probably present you with some sort of award... for bravery!

You are some Evertonian Dave. A lot of poor seasons, but the successful ones must taste twice as sweet to you.

Anyone else with that sort of service under their belts?

As you say, Darren, those of us of a certain age have seen more poor seasons, a lot more, than good ones, but for me and I think most fans when you first start going to the game it is just magic, pure magic.

I couldn't wait to get to the match and see these players I had only read about, Peter Doherty, Raich Carter. Tom Finney, Stanley Mathews, my favourite TG Jones – couldn't take my eyes off him. I just loved the game of football, playing in the streets and bombed sites then watching on a Saturday or Wednesday. I always wanted Everton to win but to see “the match” was everything to me. I made a lot of friends going to the away games and I never regret a minute of following the Blues although, like lots of fans, I've cursed the bad performances on many occasions.

A few weeks ago I said I don't miss football, because of the virus. I meant it but the taste, flavour and smell of it is drawing me slowly back in and I'll be back as soon as it is safe. Goodison Park don't you just “fuckin” love it, with apologies to Terry White over in America.

I'm listening to Radio Merseyside's commentary as I'm typing this post, my 'Young Lady' is downstairs watching the game on BBC 2. I haven't seen a minute of the televised games, I decided not to take advantage of the coverage because it's not football as I recall it. 5 substitutes from 9 could be the toehold that leads to it being made a permanent addition.

On the subject of crowd behaviour, you will no doubt recall the slow handclap of the late 40s and early 50s. I liken this to the booing of the crowd today, which is directed to the team as a unit, and bears no resemblance to the vilifying of individual players. Like any other fan, I have my moments of expressing displeasure, but I have never booed an Everton player in my life, and I have never criticised any player on any thread of this site.

I find it easy to forgive them their failings, because I believe as I have stated many times 'anything can happen in a game of football' the players are not machines that can be programmed, and the human element makes it the game we love.

Your posts are ones I always read as you are a fantastic supporter who has a season ticket every year and you have a wealth of knowledge, your grandson is the same age as my son so both these young lads have never seen us win a trophy yet.

My support like yours is always give the players a fair chance but I can never accept a complete lack of desire and work ethic and players that don't care about their performance. Sadly I have seen Morgan and others like him do just that and so I can never put my support to them. Lack of talent is one thing but make it up by workrate.