Should we prepare for life after...

[blueblue]

I think that from the moment Lukaku arrived at Everton he felt we were a stepping stone to one of the big CL clubs.
I think he never really made a secret of that and has spoken about it often enough. Things have been complicated by the change of ownership and an apparent increase in spending power available to the manager, who is also new and very ambitious.
Maybe after all we are good enough for a CL player like Lukaku... we will find out shortly.

Strangely... it is my feeling that RK does not rate Lukaku as highly as Lukaku does and the freedom to sign the players he wants with the huge transfer fee Lukaku would fetch would not upset RK too much....but that is completely my own opinion.

The Barkley situation may be something similar.... he has come through the academy and we Evertonians live an academy graduate more than any other player.
But, when you look back over the full season you would have to question if RK is complately convinced by him. He has been dropped on a few occasions this season which is hardly a good sign.
I look at Spurs, the supposed front runner for his signature , and I wonder where he would fit into that team.
I would not be surprised to see him end up at Utd or City....again, if he leaves.

 

[Papa Shango]

State of our fans not being arsed if these two leave. Mosh and Koeman really got everyone drinking the koolaid at the moment, a couple seasons ago there would have been war if you said our three best prospects would all be sold within a couple years. Now everyone's like "don't care' well just buy loads of awesome players to replace them... As if it's all garaunteed to work out wonderfully lol.

we sell both this summer and I'll be disgutsed

They are just players.

Barkley isn't even THAT good.

Not saying he is bad or anything...

 

[bazzer25]

That's it though: the break with the past was supposed to be that no longer would we be in a position where players would get off due to ambitions being thwarted. Moshiri stated this was the first objective of his regime, but he failed to deliver that outcome because he failed to invest heavily in the transfer windows he's been involved in.

The feller's a phoney. Our fake sheik. He WILL oversee a stadium build but that is purely self interest as it adds millions to his share value.

I think it is too soon to make that observation at this moment in time. His first priority may have been to get the stadium situation moving forward which he has done, I know you don't like the way he has done that but after looking it over I don't see it to be a big problem. If we invest heavily in the summer, which is an unknown, simply because it has not happened yet, then it will be a big step forward. I don't see him as a phoney yet.

 

[colin t]

I think it is too soon to make that observation at this moment in time. His first priority may have been to get the stadium situation moving forward which he has done, I know you don't like the way he has done that but after looking it over I don't see it to be a big problem. If we invest heavily in the summer, which is an unknown, simply because it has not happened yet, then it will be a big step forward. I don't see him as a phoney yet.

It's likely the summer's dealings will tell us all we need to know.

 

[willo30]

Wow, the top scorer in the premiership doesnt turn up enough.

Stop people, have a cup of tea and think how can a striker for the seventh place team but top goalscorer in the league and not turn up enough.

He's got all them in 15 games which is great but my problem is when he does have a bad game it ends up being an absolute stinker.

My point is we are geared up to play to his strengths and in 20 games he's not given enough.

 

[Seathestars]

State of our fans not being arsed if these two leave. Mosh and Koeman really got everyone drinking the koolaid at the moment, a couple seasons ago there would have been war if you said our three best prospects would all be sold within a couple years. Now everyone's like "don't care' well just buy loads of awesome players to replace them... As if it's all garaunteed to work out wonderfully lol.

we sell both this summer and I'll be disgutsed

I'd be more sick if Barkley left than fat head up front, at least Barkleys a blue and I don't think he's that good either.
So you're quite happy to be shown nothing but contempt by Lakaku, because every time he opens his mouth it's like a kick in the teeth.
I wouldn't miss him at all, thanks for your service but now do one if you think you're bigger than Everton.

 

[artetas_biggest_fan]

I'd demand £70-£80m for Lukaku and would accept anywhere around £35-40m for Ross. That with the money that's already there should mean Koeman can buy 5 or 6 quality players to come in get us ready to seriously challenge for something next season. I'm honestly feeling very positive about the future.

The figures being mentioned for Lukaku are staggering. Admittedly it's three years ago, but Suarez went for just shy of £70m. To think Lukaku could come close to that figure nevermind surpass it beggars belief. The rapid movement (speed over short distances, twists, turns and skills to go past defenders), the interplay with teammates, the technique, ball control, the constant nuisance to defenders, Suarez is light years ahead in every category of the lumbering lump. The only thing Lukaku has over him is he's physically bigger so gets on the end of many crosses...which also brings up a flaw that he's heavily reliant on great service otherwise he's anonymous. If everything isn't geared towards him he's not a factor, I'd be amazed if any of the CL clubs haven't seen this.

Barkley at 35m I actually think would be a bigger loss. Been critical of his lack of football brain as he still plays likes he's having a kick about on the street, plus no manager has yet been able to get him playing in a disciplined manner that benefits the team. However the potential has always been huge, and he could well fulfill that with more technical players around him, so more one touch passing and less hogging the ball for too long.

 

[Moomin]

He's got all them in 15 games which is great but my problem is when he does have a bad game it ends up being an absolute stinker.

My point is we are geared up to play to his strengths and in 20 games he's not given enough.

Come on now, so every game he never scored was not good enough.

Good luck finding a suitable replacement who will score every game then.

 

[davids]

he failed to invest heavily in the transfer windows he's been involved in.

I seem to remember we put bids in for players who just didn't want to sign, didn't one of them have a fee agreed then go to Spurs?,or maybe that was all paper talk...

 

[MACCA75]

I seem to remember we put bids in for players who just didn't want to sign, didn't one of them have a fee agreed then go to Spurs?,or maybe that was all paper talk...

I remember we bid 12 million for Shearer and 6 million for Alan Smith from Leeds too..

 

[Jokerdan]

I'm concerned that Tom Davies for his age is probably more influential in his role on a consistent basis than Ross has been in recent seasons. Will we be discussing him being lost to us in the next 2 or 3 seasons or will we have progressed as a club on the field sufficiently to be able to retain him and attract other 'class' players. I hope and pray it's the latter because we're overdue some success.

 

[davids]

I remember we bid 12 million for Shearer and 6 million for Alan Smith from Leeds too..

The Alan Smith was always paper talk,is the present owner making phantom bids?Davek will, I'm in no doubt have the scoop on that.

 

[David Snooks]

Would hate to see Ross go. I started supporting from the Sates in Martinez's first year, and Barkley has easily been my favorite footballer. I will be the first to admit he has not played at the level he did when he was 19, but he has showed promise, especially this season. Do not get me wrong I would like to see us sign Sigurdsson but you have to think Sigurdsson is the main man at Swansea. Although I do rate him, I am not sure he would improve us to the extent some may think. I believe him and Ross playing next to each other would be great though. The thing with Ross compared to Rom is he is local and you can see he is bothered with results. I thought he was poor in the derby but one of the only players trying to impact the game. His celebration against Burnley showed me how much he loves the club. With this new investment and restructuring of the squad I think it is vital to maintain our identity as a club. I do not care if we are hated by other clubs but I would like to see us uphold the "policies" of integrating local players into the first team. You need that passion and connection in the team and club to make it special.

 

[davek]

I seem to remember we put bids in for players who just didn't want to sign, didn't one of them have a fee agreed then go to Spurs?,or maybe that was all paper talk...

Lukaku reckons they were there to be signed up and the club failed to pay out for them.

 

[bazzer25]

Lukaku reckons they were there to be signed up and the club failed to pay out for them.

The evidence for this?