nyblue23

It actually looks like Baines slows up his run there to allow the through ball to pass as if it would trip him otherwise. Strange.

I’m still crossed then. Was it Richarlison or Vlasic or both who are AMs, not wingers? While you might be right that both are better suited to the middle, both are nearly exclusively used on the wing. That’s the point.

Spoiler: We finish between 7-10.

I have seen Vlasic play and he's been pretty much exclusively used on the wing by all three Everton managers since he got here. Whether it's his natural position or not (and you're right that it's not), that's where he keeps getting played. As for Lookman, it's a matter of opinion. If Richarlison is an improvement at all, he's certainly not enough of one to warrant that price tag for me, and Lookman is slightly younger with loads of ability, so I hate to stunt his growth by throwing someone who's only arguably and marginally better than him into the starting XI before him.

Baines, Jags, Coleman, Tosun. Mirallas and Sandro might. Keane might. There's seven. Schneiderlin better not as he was absolutely woeful. Davies not great again. Overall, though, not a terrible game. We looked lively in the first half. Sandro and Tosun linked up well. Mirallas played very well and Dowell had a good first half. Bad lapse by Keane for the goal, but we weren't really that shit.

Schneiderlin absolutely awful this second half.

Ha yeah. Said it tongue in cheek because he's definitely struggled with physicality, but I really think there's a player in there. Tosun has looked phenomenal and Dowell has had some good touches. Jags and Keane definitely seems our best CB pairing right now; I don't think Keane and Holgate are mature enough to play together quite yet but here's to hoping they get there this season.

He’s only been on the ground once that I can remember.

Great control and shot from Tosun off the bar.

Very happy he’s gone.

My dead grandma is better than Bolasie. Not so convinced he’s better than Lookman and Vlasic.

Does he, though?

That’s what I was meaning to say; I realize my pronouns weren’t quite clear.

Of course we need more than 2 wingers, but only two can consistently start, and if we’re paying more than 40 million for one of them, you can guarantee yourself that he’ll be one of them. Lookman hasn’t said a word. Allardyce chose to send him on loan, and he pushed for a move to the Bundesliga over a Championship squad. That’s it. But if we really see something in the kid, as most of us do, I’d rather not Everton guarantee that he’ll be sitting on the bench most weeks.

It's a lot to pay for a guy with 5 goals and 4 assists in 38 matches. I fear for what this means for Lookman. Walcott is still our best winger. Lookman needs game time to develop. If we pay 40+ million for Richarlison, I doubt Lookman will get that time.

Romey said: "If you want a substandard player with a shit attitude then that's your choice, but I want better." You said: "If we wanted that we could just stick with Cuco..." After which I defended Cuco's attitude. Make sense?

Of course not. Never said that. But that's what we got him for. If that's what we value him at, it makes 27 million for Mina look like highway robbery.

Oxlade Chamberlain likely out all season according to Klopp.

If 27 million is all it takes to get him, we should be snapping him up. If Keane was 30 million and Stones 50, that’s a steal for a player of his quality.

Think Cuco has a pretty good attitude. He just happens to be fucking awful at football.

Croatia bossed the midfield the entire game as was expected. The dive for the free kick was typical of France's tournament - a bunch of cheap little bastards, but they're good at doing it and unfortunately it's part of football. The penalty was a penalty, although it was always going to be controversial using VAR in the final to award one. The other two goals were just well taken goals from a side playing against an open defense trying desperately to get back in the game. The difference the entire tournament was the strength of Varane and Umtiti. They were just far better than every other CB pairing. Not a cross went into the box that one of them didn't get a head on. They're the only two French players who, for me, should be able to hold their heads high, not having participated in any of the shady tactics that Mbappe, Griezmann, Hernandez, Matuidi and Pogba seemed so fond of.

Wow. 17 goals. Irdning must be very very bad.

I do wonder exactly how that conversation went. It also seems he’s a bit delusional about his ability. http://www.espn.com/video/latest-videos/600/video/3563757

Vida having a good game against him given the mismatch.

Sad to see Belgium go out like that. Really don’t like seeing Mbappe’s tactics there at the end. Not great from a player so young and so good. Belgium easily could have had two and inarguably should have had a free kick from a very dangerous area in the last ten minutes thanks to Hazard. Just not a pretty finish.