c1982

Thankfully, no one’s making false allegations on here then.

Quotes like this don’t help…

Rumours that he’ll miss Brentford with an injury.

Sounds like he’ll be leaving next summer like Small though… hasn’t signed his contract and supposedly doesn’t see a clear path to first team at EFC. Perfect opportunity to give him a chance vs Brentford and change that - we don’t have many other options.

Unbelievable nonsense but this is Everton and I wouldn’t put it past us!

Correct - another huge investment who will walk away for free (best case we get compensation when the trial is concluded). What will get from our investment in Keane, Gbamin, Iwobi, Tosun, Gomes? So much wasted money for one reason or another - Benitez is not our biggest problem.

Recruitment has been poor, and I’m not making excuses, but we’re so ‘unlucky’ with injuries. Maybe Benitez is onto something here with Donachie leaving but it’s going to take time. In my opinion, below is our strongest line-up: Pickford Coleman (how?!?!) Digne Mina Godfrey Allan Doucoure Sigurdsson/ Gomes Gray Richarlison Calvert-Lewin When have we even got close to this line-up? Mina/Godfrey have only once played as a pair (Leeds away last season) - most would agree that they’re our best CB partnership. Any club with our kind of injuries struggles - when Mina and Doucoure play, we win more games. When our main goal threat and target/out-ball, DCL, plays we have more dominace and possession.

Godfrey was alright I suppose.

Man City probably beat us with our full strength team bang on form - that I accept - the complete lack of effort, whatever team we put out, is inexcusable. Very poor show with no positives whatsoever. I fear for Benitez if we don’t beat Brentford - I don’t think we should be sacking yet another manager but there’ll be a lot of moans and groans if we can’t.

He’ll fit right in with that name - still waiting for plenty to awake from theirs!

The on-loan bit is fine - it even excites me as he was class pre-Arsenal but any fee would be astronomical based on Arsenal wanting to claw back all they can so it’s almost a case of what’s the point?

Tonight

His brother’s supposedly off to Stoke too - ironically, he’d probably have been his replacement - may still be but I doubt Harry will be leaving any time soon with the rehab on an ACL.

This one?

Done his ACL on international duty for Australia and out for the season.

Also from last night - I’m well and truly on the Connor Gallagher band wagon. He was good at Swansea, stood out at a poor West Brom and now looks a top player at Palace. Chelsea have been criticised regarding their player loans/youth policy for years but actually, is there another academy churning out as much quality? Off the top of my head: GK??? Rb: James, Lamptey, Livramento Lb??? Cb: Christiensen, Ake, Tomori, Guehi, Chalobah, Ampadu Cm: Loftus-Cheek, Mount, Gallagher, Gilmour Att: Hudson-Odoi Str: Abraham, Solanke, (chap at Southampton) There’ll be loads I’ve missed but there’s so much quality there.

Really stood out - very impressive last night.

This is bonkers! So replace our French international left-back who, granted, isn’t having his best run of form with a right-back who is also suffering from poor form? What about our ageing right-back whose form has been poor too? Are we selling Digne then? That’d mean our only natural left-back is out on-loan leaving us with 3 right-back and a couple of centre backs who can do a job in the position. Here’s an idea - sell some of the shite we have e.g. Holgate, Iwobi, Kenny, Tosun and sign an actual right back to replace Seamus and maybe even another left back to challenge Digne.

He’s been tagged on it - it’s nothing he’s done or accepted personally. There’s pictures of him tagged with Newcastle and Arsenal shirts too. Nothing here! If he does eventually leave, I expect he’ll go to a London club - he seems to love the place. He’s commented in a couple of interviews about it.

I’d have him on loan to see what’s what - if attitude, fitness and desire are there then welcome back. Quality has never been in question - he should have done so much more with it though.

Hopefully that puts paid to any of our fans ever suggesting he’s a fucking option anywhere on the pitch.

This was before we signed Doucoure and Allan - fact is, we’ve still missed him - he’s our best back-up. We need shut of Gbamin, Gomes, Davies and Sigurdsson (and many more). I can see why we want players like Maitland-Niles and Longstaff - they are far better than many of the options we currently have.

I think he was particularly poor vs Wolves but he was in good company and his form has coincided with the injuries and us looking generally poor!