He gone.The Dutchman has called upon Barkley to add "productivity" to his game, and has also questioned the 23-year-old's work rate and pressing ability.
Koeman was visibly frustrated with Barkley during Monday's Merseyside derby with Liverpool at Goodison Park, and ahead of the Boxing Day trip to Leicester City he has again spoken of where the player needs to improve.
He said: "First of all I don't like to say because every word I say about Ross is used by the media in a negative or positive way.
"Of course I think the player needs to improve. He needs to improve the tactical aspect of his football, out of his position, he needs to be more clinical and have more creativity in the offensive part of the team. But he is working hard on that and trying to get the best out of himself.
"Maybe that type of aggression meant he lost a bit of control in that action but he is working hard. But he needs to improve to be the player that maybe everyone expected when he was 18 or 19."
Yep. I think that the next 6 months are going to be make-or-break time for Barkley. The squad is filling out nicely for the next few years (even with the inevitable loss of Lukaku), but they're not going anywhere without a reliable CAM. At this point, I'd be happy with Barkley living up to even 80% of his potential if it meant that he could do so on a weekly basis. If he can't do that, then I trust that Koeman and Walsh will find someone who can. (I don't think it'll happen this January for a variety of reasons, but the "Gylfi Sigurdsson to Everton" rumors that were circulating had me absolutely salivating).If (now I'm fantasizing) Barkley could show a bit of football awareness and acumen to go with his physical gifts...
Don't tease me. If they landed Sigurdsson in this window I'd even allow myself to get excited about a possible Europe spot.Yep. I think that the next 6 months are going to be make-or-break time for Barkley. The squad is filling out nicely for the next few years (even with the inevitable loss of Lukaku), but they're not going anywhere without a reliable CAM. At this point, I'd be happy with Barkley living up to even 80% of his potential if it meant that he could do so on a weekly basis. If he can't do that, then I trust that Koeman and Walsh will find someone who can. (I don't think it'll happen this January for a variety of reasons, but the "Gylfi Sigurdsson to Everton" rumors that were circulating had me absolutely salivating).
Seven months ago I was screaming for some semblance of a midfield, and now I have no clue how to feel. I think that Barry (God bless him, but he's 150 years old) will be the first to sit, but after that you've got three players for two spots when Schneiderlin gets up to match fitness and Gueye is back from Africa. I agree that Davies has to play every week until he shows signs of cooling off. I think that Schneiderlin is a more natural pivot than Gueye and would be a perfect partner for Davies, giving enough on both sides of the ball to let the youngster play his hair-on-fire style. Then again, Gueye is so good at snuffing out opponents' attacks that he can allow Koeman to play a scrub like Funes Mori without much risk. When Gueye returns, I'm guessing that Koeman will play matchups: start Gueye against teams that are frisky on the counter, Schneiderlin against teams that want to play possession, and switch one out for the other at the 70th minute if they need to snatch a goal or kill a match.There are now many midfielders. Davies has been so electric that he can't be sat down. Schneiderlin has yet to play a full game and has sat deep when he has played. His natural role seems to overlap with Gueye, who has been Everton's best player this year but is currently away at the African Cup of Nations.
At this point, I think Phil's done as a starter. He's a liability when Everton plays four at the back and isn't quick enough anymore to handle a 3-5-2. He's a serviceable backup and would still have his uses if Everton were in more competitions, but at age 34 it's time to move on after the season. I hear that Moyes is getting the band back together up in Sunderland...Notably absent is Jagielka, who is out of favor and pissed off the supporters after tweeting a picture of himself drinking wine after a loss last month.
I keep playing around with it and it's one midfielder too many, especially with Coleman now essentially a midfielder.Seven months ago I was screaming for some semblance of a midfield, and now I have no clue how to feel. I think that Barry (God bless him, but he's 150 years old) will be the first to sit, but after that you've got three players for two spots when Schneiderlin gets up to match fitness and Gueye is back from Africa. I agree that Davies has to play every week until he shows signs of cooling off. I think that Schneiderlin is a more natural pivot than Gueye and would be a perfect partner for Davies, giving enough on both sides of the ball to let the youngster play his hair-on-fire style. Then again, Gueye is so good at snuffing out opponents' attacks that he can allow Koeman to play a scrub like Funes Mori without much risk. When Gueye returns, I'm guessing that Koeman will play matchups: start Gueye against teams that are frisky on the counter, Schneiderlin against teams that want to play possession, and switch one out for the other at the 70th minute if they need to snatch a goal or kill a match.
Good news today on that front, as United winning the EFL Cup gets Everton one step closer to Europe. As long as Middlesborough, Millwall, Huddersfield Town, or Lincoln City don't win the FA Cup, then 7th place goes to the Europa League.And who's to say that 7th place won't get a spot in the Europa play-in game?
They are what they are, agreed - the best of the rest.Spurs 3-2 Everton. The final score flatters the visitors, as Spurs dominated throughout. I have no idea why we lined up in a 4-3-3, especially with Gareth Barry as a DM. He provided less than nothing today. I'd say sell him to whoever wins the Championship playoff, but at this point I don't think he'd even start next season for a newly-promoted side.
Further fume goes to the CBs, who were second to every ball and looked altogether awful. My opinion of Ramiro Funes Mori is well documented, but Ashley Williams was just as bad today. Reshaping the defense should be the top priority in the offseason.
At this point Everton have proven that they're not ready to challenge the top 6, but that's OK. I'm willing to give Koeman and Walsh a couple of windows to clear out the dreck. For now let's lock up 7th and get back to Europe next year.
This isn't true. If a team that qualifies for the Europa through either league or domestic cup wins wither the Champions League or Europa League they enter the Champions League next season but their Europa spot doesn't pass to anyone else.8th might get a spot too, if Man Utd wins the Europa, or City or Leicester (ha!) win the CL.
If you look at the tweet, it seems as if Lukaku - a notorious practical joker and ball-buster - may just be causing mischief.Romelu Lukaku is reportedly "not ready" yet to sign his new contract.
A new deal tying the Premier League's top scorer to Everton on a long-term deal has been close to being signed for several weeks.
But Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur suggested this morning that Lukaku putting pen to paper is not immiment.
Yeah Lukaku's toothy grin gives me a glimmer of hope that he's just making fun of the whole contract saga. If he isn't, then he's all-the-way gone and, with only two years left on his current deal, could conceivably net a transfer fee less than John F'ing Stones. Good times.If you look at the tweet, it seems as if Lukaku - a notorious practical joker and ball-buster - may just be causing mischief.
He has 2 years remaining, which means they will sell him in Summer 2018 at the latest.So looks like Lukaku is officially not signing a new contract. Is he a free agent after this season or next?
I'm still going to worry, though. I agree that Everton is maybe, kinda, almost on the brink of something special, and there are worse choices than staying put. I also agree that it would be a crapshoot if he signed with just about any other PL side with regards to a guaranteed Champions League spot. But if Chelsea wants him back, or PSG wants out of the Edinson Cavani business, or the cream of Seria A back up the Brinks truck, then I can't think of a compelling reason for him to stay. There are plenty of teams in plenty of leagues that are built right now to compete for the CL every year, and Everton's simply not one of them (yet).“It’s not an issue. We have a strong relationship with the player and his agent. We are very happy with Romelu and want to reward him.
The club is committed to an improved contract for the player.
No-one should worry. He’s our player”
Um, yes it would. I think you've got the blue-tinted glasses on here. Everton are a good side, but they're pretty clearly behind the rest of the top 6 right now, AND they have much more limited resources to improve the team going forward. Even if you think Everton are close to the Manchester clubs right now (and that's questionable), both will like spend huge sums (>100m?) on improvements this summer, while Everton won't. Instead, Everton will have to fight just to keep their best players, as Lukaku and Barkley have both been rumored to leave.It would not be insane for Lukaku to look at his current situation and think that his chance at CL football is right where he is.
Pro-Everton bias conceded, but regarding the bolded:Um, yes it would. I think you've got the blue-tinted glasses on here. Everton are a good side, but they're pretty clearly behind the rest of the top 6 right now, AND they have much more limited resources to improve the team going forward. Even if you think Everton are close to the Manchester clubs right now (and that's questionable), both will like spend huge sums (>100m?) on improvements this summer, while Everton won't. Instead, Everton will have to fight just to keep their best players, as Lukaku and Barkley have both been rumored to leave.
Everton also aren't a young squad. Lukaku, Barkley, and Davies are the only players 25 or younger to regularly feature this season. Next season, Williams will be 33, Coleman 29, Baines 33, Barry 37 (if he's still there), Mirallas 30, Jagielka 35: that's six of the nine players with the most starts for Everton this season. That might be balanced out a little by full seasons from Schneiderlin, Davies, and Bolasie, but on the whole this is not a team where a lot of the key players are on the part of the aging curve where you'd reasonably expect them to get better (compared to, say, Spurs last year, where most of the squad was 25 or younger). Instead, you'd expect many of them be declining. That means most of their transfer buys have to be aimed at replacement for players aging out rather than pure upgrades, which means it's harder to really improve or build depth. And with twice-a-week football in the Europa League, lack of depth will be a real issue.
I think the likelihood of Everton beating out three of the big 6 over a full season to finish 4th next year is very small.
I don't even think Everton have enough of a core right now to do that. Maybe this is semantics of what a "core" is, but I don't think there is enough depth of top-tier talent there. How many players do Everton have that would start for the teams ahead of them? Lukaku, sure. Gueye and Schneiderlin, probably (even if Schneiderlin's time at Man U didn't work out for reasons that remain unclear). Coleman/Baines, maybe for the teams with weaker FBs (City, Utd, Pool at LB), but Baines is getting old. Barkley, probably not, as the top 6 are awash in great attacking midfielders right now. Davies, unlikely but maybe too young to say. No on Williams, Jagielka, Funes Mori, Robles, Mirallas, Bolasie, Valencia.My hope, stated more clearly and recognizing the truth of your post, is that Everton have enough in terms of a core of quality players, a good brand, and money if they choose to spend it, to follow the path of City and Chelsea into the top tier. We can argue over the % of chance of that happening, but the ingredients are there if used wisely.
Fuck me. Week in week out all year, Coleman has been Everton's best, along with Lukaku and Gueye. This is awful.In today's WCQ between Ireland and Wales, Neil Taylor destroyed Seamus Coleman with one of the most dangerous tackles I've seen all year. Taylor got a straight red, and Coleman left on a stretcher. No official reports so far, and I'm not a doctor, but I'd be shocked if his leg isn't broken. Just brutal. Like, I won't even link to the video, that's how brutal.
Edit: It looks like Coleman fractured both his tibia AND fibula. How horrible.
Well, you're 2 for 2, so there's that.Every time this thread is bumped I get nervous that either someone has broken something or Lukaku is leaving.