c1982

Think we'll see Barry and McCarthy dropping in more rather than Baines/Coleman.

Merson's usually very complimentary of Everton.

Stoke City 1 - 2 Everton Baines

I think it'll be Alcaraz and Stones today - heard a few rumours. Crouch could give them a tough afternoon especially with the weather. With McCarthy, Barry and Barkley back together and experience at the back in Howard and Baines I would hope we've got enough to help them through!

Rooney for Baines - done deal, otherwise look elsewhere! I honestly believe Rooney is ready to come home - 18mths on his contract left, I think he'll see it out BUT we've got clauses e.g. youth training fee etc. (and sell on over £25m - which they won't get with little on contract) so Man U would owe us whatever fee they receive so let's just do it now, no fees. One stumbling block could be Baines... will he be prepared to take the step down?

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11671/9095216/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter Off to West Ham?

We need a dmc, winger and striker and I believe Roberto will be able to address all areas in the next month.

We need someone who is always available for the ball, may not stand out in a game but just keeps the ball moving and is comfortable with the ball at their feet in defensive areas. Players like Brittain, Yacob and Westwood could be available and would do this job. I hope there's some sort of clause in Huddlestone's contract because he's been brilliant this season.

I would actually say it should be our 1st priority. Look at the last 2 games - 1 without Barry, 1 without McCarthy. I wouldn't like to even contemplate missing either of these over a sustained period with the prospect of having to play Osman in that role. Don't get me wrong, I think Osman is great squad player but not as cover in that role.

When asked about £50m for Barkley, Martinez has just replied, "£50m? We won't be letting him go out on loan in January!" Brilliant!!!

We need 4 'defensive' midfielders in our squad. We have 3 in Barry, McCarthy and Gibson. We are at least 1 player short in this position.

Read... Deulofeu, Type... Deulofeu Cover... Deulofeu, Type... Deulofeu Got it!!! I'm ready for us to sign that Belgian striker now!!!

I'm sticking with it... it's on predicted text now!!! So baggir off you fussy bisturd!!!

What you replied to was posted on 2nd Dec - before Delofeou got injured. He'll be perfect short term cover in my opinion.

We have been lucky in the fact that we've had quality replacements up to now to replace absentees but we've had our fair share of injury troubles. You can look at it in different ways - Delofeou would have been perfect vs Sunderland in my opinion so he was a big loss. Yesterday we didn't look as fluid but we were missing the spine of Howard, Jags and Barry. The big thing is that Martinez trusts the SQUAD, something I don't feel we've seen in recent years and a big reason why absentees haven't affected us maybe as much they have in previous years.

Is there anyone actually watching McGeady on a regular basis, not just for EIRE and the odd Champs League game?

He can have Osman for half of that!

Stop now!!! (fair point though!)

Mad Dogs - series 1/2 brilliant... series 3 disappointing... finales shockingly ridiculously awful!!!

Breaking twitter rumours are that it's her time of the month so that could rule that out (conventionally anyway)!

He's just got engaged to his childhood sweetheart of 9 years. Not a bad days work Seamus!!!

Alcaraz, slotted straight in - really impressed by him.

Everton 2 v 1 Southampton Baines

I said a couple of months ago that Coleman was playing poorly and maybe needs to drop out for a few games and look what happened!!! SO... Lukaku isn't at his best at the moment maybe it's time to give Jelavic another start (cue the Romelu Lukaku show vs Southampton!)

This could end up anything - great game!!!