Andros Townsend reckons Everton's players were ‘disgraces’ last season

Wow, strong words.

I was made up by what Andros said. Setting standards and holding each other to accountability at last!

But who is Andros Townsend beyond an honest international professional enduring a plethora of loans to get him eventually to the pinnacle of 13 England caps with 3 goals scored (contrast that with Barkley's 6 in 33 in the same timeframe)?

Townsend is an attacking footballer with a career-long ability to strike a football at extreme pace and accuracy from way outside the area. He's proved it for other clubs before us too.

That said, with us he's by now a mere journeyman to the world of football despite the shooting ability that dwarfs anything possessed by anyone else in the club.

Sigh – as ever under our hideous owner and leadership.

I don't disagree – I was just surprised he said it in public. Plus I'm assuming his “got rid of” applies to those dropped to the bench who were regulars as well as those who've gone temporarily or permanently elsewhere, eg, Gomes and Tosun.

Townsend is a smart guy, I think his dad is in charge of the PFA? But that apart, he also puts in a shift. His magic doesn't always come off but when it doesn't at least he works hard, rather like Aaron Lennon, and I would say Iwobi is the same way.

For him to speak up like that shows what standards were like last season.

Who's the “he” – Rafa or Iwobi? Was Rafa refusing to believe or Iwobi modest?

I know folks on here have got frustrated with Iwobi at times (Colin) but to me he reminds me of Oxlade-Chamberlain – a player I rate but who I think suffers from trying too hard, playing 100 mph and overdoing it, ergo the injuries.

Under Frank, Iwobi has settled down a bit and been smarter as opposed to mindlessly rushing around. I didn't realize until this weekend his uncle was Jay Jay Okocha. What a player he was.

Back in the day when we had few foreign players beyond him, Curcic, Rosler and Kinkladze. I dunno why but I always like these dynasties; Charltons, Allens, Ferdinands, Nevilles, Whittle/Davies.

I think Iwobi always had talent, but lacked confidence which impacted is consistency. He is definitely a lot braver in making progressive forward passes.

But most of the players now out the club are probably not the reason we were a disgrace last season.

It was a collective, which started from the top (Benitez). I think it was getting the right people to run the club and then make the right decisions on players. We started okay with Benitez but it was probably doomed and I found he was the biggest disaster. The club should have handled it far better.

The game when Gomes came on at Southampton and was absolutely dreadful – probably made up Frank's mind about him.

Dele Alli another clear example no doubt.