Everton Banter Archive February 07 2017

07 Feb 2017 18:31:22
According to Unsworth, Matthew Pennington gave one of the best displays he has seen from any player at the U21 age against Arsenal. Now Pennington is 22 and I know there is a big step up from U21 to the first team but has anyone seen him play and is he nearly ready?

07 Feb 2017 19:02:20
Only just back after a long injury lay off.

07 Feb 2017 21:31:09
Yes I know, however when he is fully fit is he good enough for the first team squad?

07 Feb 2017 23:49:32
He has played first team last season. Didn't do anything wrong in the couple of games he played. Even Koeman wants him fit and pushing the first team, that's how highly he is rated.

08 Feb 2017 02:13:43
Thanks dentielad, we could do with him in the first team squad. Would like to see him given a chance this season,
Mike.

09 Feb 2017 00:02:47
Thought he played well at right back when Seamus was out. Pity he got injured himself. So if he plays centre half then he's going to prove very useful.

09 Feb 2017 00:46:12
Its u23 mike.

07 Feb 2017 14:10:10
I posted on rumour page why would you listen to Martinez about our defense. I didn't want to comment any more on it but I can't resist myself. Here's a few things about Martinez as manager and defense.

When he took over at Wigan they conceded 45 goals the previous season. What did the concede in his first season in charge? Almost double that 79! Good crack at breaking the record held by Derby with 89 goals conceded in the premiership.

The following 2 season's seen Martinez Wigan concede 61 and 62 I think it will was. Then in his third and final season when the were relegated they conceded 73. From 45 goals when he took over to that. In those 4 years he did manage to break a record. Most goals conceded away from home in the premiership with 55 goals.

He then has the nerve to come out and criticise our defense which imho is the most improved defense this season. Next season I imagine it to be even better when Koeman gets more of his ideas and methods across. Which probably includes defending set pieces.

It really shows how deluded he was and how lucky we were after getting rid of him. He might have some sort of an argument about his attacking play. But his defense always was one of the most diabolical I've seen any managers.

His first season everyone knows why the defense was solid. The second and third year he was at Everton showed his undoubted neglect and nonexistent knowledge of defense.

Koeman is a different story. Very impressed with how he has conducted our defense this season. The best thing is it will only get better. He is after all only here 6 months after the shambles that defenseless manager left behind him.

07 Feb 2017 17:11:18
Brilliant post NBTB. The man is a complete lemon. It all sounded like sour grapes to me. He failed to mention that we have the 4th best defence in the league!

Listening to him talk was like someone scratching nails down a blackboard.

07 Feb 2017 17:11:43
Thanks for this-just shows that sometimes statistics don't lie. I share your faith in Ronald Koeman. I have every confidence that he will improve the whole team's performance. After all "defence" is not just about the back four (or five! ) .

07 Feb 2017 17:31:13
NBTB that is amazing info. but mate, you have wayyyyyy too much time on your hands! Joking aside, I remember Bill Kenright saying "how positive our manager is". and me thinking "thats all well and good, but I hope he is still positive in a year or too if things go wrong! " Unfortunately, as we all know, things went very wrong. But, the past is the past and I think we all know how perilously close we were to the ruination of our great club. The standard of recent signings has been infinitely superior overall. but I will still say thank you to RM for the signing of Lukaku and even Barry and Robles/ McCarthy and possibly Besic. So even though I agree totally with what you say, there were good things he did.

{Ed025's Note - yeah..including leaving degs.. :)

07 Feb 2017 19:09:45
The irony is he's talked himself into the Belgium job with a world class squad. Even he may succeed there.

07 Feb 2017 19:55:18
Too much time on my hands. Not really Degsy. More like i make really bad choices about what I spend my time at. It just got up my nose. Talk about hypocrites!

Your last line Degsy has a certain air of sarcasm to it Degsy!? After all we had plenty of debates about that exact thing. You sound exactly like I did at the start of them debates when talking about Martinez :-)

Lennon didn't exactly set Everton a light but can't really say he was a bad signing. Mori is decent also. Holgate, Galloway. They are the ones that were ok to good along with the players you mentioned. As for the rest? Well, let's just say we are better not mentioning them at all.

07 Feb 2017 20:18:52
Degsy, you say he did some good things, the best thing he did was to get himself sacked.

07 Feb 2017 22:42:58
I thought you might point those little things out NBTB. But no I wasnt being sarcastic. perhaps I just started listening to your side of the view? Respecting your points!

08 Feb 2017 08:32:32
As they say Degsy the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

07 Feb 2017 09:35:48
Morning Eds/ Blues

I see a lot of posts on here saying we need a back up for lukaku. Realistically aren't we going to need to replace him? I would love it if we kept him, but for 2 years now he has stated he has bigger ambitions and with a performance like that on Saturday surely that gets noticed. Not only his goals but his work rate closing down etc was tremendous. Possibly the complete performance by him.

Can anyone shed any light if we really think we can keep him? I think we may need to plan without him as much as I don't want too.

Don't mean to bring a negative on our great form an the page. But that must be the Evertonian in me haha.

I believe we can go on an get europa league. However 50/ 1 to get in the top 4 looks like the only way we can keep Rom.

Let's win away to Boro Saturday an go from there.

COYB.

07 Feb 2017 10:59:43
That's a positive post compared to some on here Jimbobchaddy! I thought the same myself. But with the direction the club is going in with this new found desire to compete with the best gaining momentum he may stay. If we sign good players in the summer would he be better off somewhere else?

Look at Aguero with City, can't even get playing! Imho Utd will come strong for him in the summer. Mourinho is building there and they are in need of a big striker with Rooney and Zlatan coming to the end of their careers. Rom would fit in perfectly there.

Rom's agent would not be helping things. But if a good enough deal were offered by Everton and we continue to strengthen our squad imho there is a good chance he will remain.

07 Feb 2017 11:05:35
He'll be gone in the summer I'm afraid. I'd like to think he could stay but it highly unlikely.

07 Feb 2017 11:32:38
Agree with you NBTB I too think Rom will stay, he knows what's going on at Everton now behind the scenes and I reckon he will want to be part of it, GuernseyBlue.

07 Feb 2017 12:07:15
Seems we are all split I like the idea of the way things are going behind the scenes. I'm also hearing the plans for the stadium have been finalised for 65k seater on the dock.

Wonder if any of the Eds can confirm this or just rumours. This was the talk all round Goodison on Saturday anyway.

But hopefully Rom can see what's going on and see the direction. But he doesn't strike me as the patient player. Withoufh champions league footy he could be gone.

However that is a great point about Aguero. Hopefully Rom stays and keeps up performances like Saturday.

Who was the last player to score 25 in the league for us? I'm going to stick my neck out and say it was before my time. As I was born in the 90s haha.

Cheers lads.

07 Feb 2017 12:21:25
Did cottee score more than 20? I'm not sure he did surely someone has since Linaker?

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

07 Feb 2017 12:57:44
I'm afraid not Jimbobchaddy. Lukaku is currently the highest league scorer with 18 goals since Lineker! Some came closeish like Yakubu, Cottee, Kanchelskis. Yakubu I think got 20 in all competitions but 15 in league.

07 Feb 2017 13:05:15
You're right about the stadium on the docks being finalised Jimbo, that is something I know for sure. Although I am still in the dark in regards to the capacity and time frame of the project. If it is the proposed 65k seater, would everyone be ok with that?

Personally I think 50-55k is more realistic, depending on the demand for tickets and how successful we become. There would always be a possibility of expansion. I just hope the club are hiring a real top notch architect who can design a stadium that will make your ears bleed when all us blues start singing.

07 Feb 2017 13:47:54
If it's been finalised happy days! I am hearing its 65,000 seater. This could be the start of a super club in the making with a stadium like that and a hungry owner.

It's a great era to be blue! I am certainly looking forward to this ride! I haven't seen much success but seen us on the brink.

Can't wait to see us get there!

Up the toffees.

07 Feb 2017 18:03:01
As good as he is in front of goal his aerial ability and first touch leaves a lot to be desired. I feel we may yet get next season out of him whilst he works on these aspects of hos game. If you look at the teams who could afford him, do they actually need him?

07 Feb 2017 18:04:31
Hasnt Zlatan extended his contract by another year? If he has then he won't want to sit on the bench watching Rom run around.
Think if Costa goes then Chelsea are the most likely to want him, but will they want to pay the money required to get him. Something that could also rule out clubs from abroad.
On another note it still tickles me that a lot of supporters are still not really taking to the guy, and target him when things aren't going right. They need to understand that the man is a goal scorer, and given the service will score goals. We don't need him running all over the pitch, that's the job of the midfield.

07 Feb 2017 20:15:03
If lukaku goes, he goes. So be it. Our club is bigger than one player, and we need players who buy into the new club ethos. If he stays then great but in Rk we have a manager who has lost big players before and replaced well. And just imagine what Rk and walsh could do with the 60 or so million we would get for him. Blues enjoy the ride and let's see what comes in the summer.

07 Feb 2017 21:26:50
Good post Smit666. Agree, Zlatan signed for another year. Hardly long term planning there. Utd will be in for a big striker in the summer. Especially if they make Europe. As good as Zlatan is they will need another even with the other options they have.

07 Feb 2017 23:44:43
I thought Griezmann was a shoe in for utd. Can only see Chelsea prizing him from us but they would probably go for Dembele for half the price of Lukaku. If aguero stays at city I would put a bid in for ienhacho, hernandez or Wellbeck.