Evolution.

[blueblue]

Some people may still believe the story of Adam and Eve but most now accept that ye all evolved from monkeys.

That evolution took time and the building of this Everton team will also not just happen overnight.

The manager is building something really special. We are probably the most entertaining team in the league at the moment. What other team can pick youngsters like Galloway,Stones, McCarthy,Barkley, Deulofeu and Lukaku.
There will be glitches along the way, the team has to learn to win ugly, to defend ugly and to win bad games as well as good games.
We do need to be patient and accept that everything won't fit into place overnight. The only real threat I see is the predators circing such a talented buch of footballers and in my opinon the biggest challenge facing the manager is keeping our players at our club.

 

[Titus Bramble]

Some people may still believe the story of Adam and Eve but most now accept that ye all evolved from monkeys.

That evolution took time and the building of this Everton team will also not just happen overnight.

The manager is building something really special. We are probably the most entertaining team in the league at the moment. What other team can pick youngsters like Galloway,Stones, McCarthy,Barkley, Deulofeu and Lukaku.
There will be glitches along the way, the team has to learn to win ugly, to defend ugly and to win bad games as well as good games.
We do need to be patient and accept that everything won't fit into place overnight. The only real threat I see is the predators circing such a talented buch of footballers and in my opinon the biggest challenge facing the manager is keeping our players at our club.

As a biologist, this angers me

 

[ijjysmith]

Some people may still believe the story of Adam and Eve but most now accept that ye all evolved from monkeys.

That evolution took time and the building of this Everton team will also not just happen overnight.

The manager is building something really special. We are probably the most entertaining team in the league at the moment. What other team can pick youngsters like Galloway,Stones, McCarthy,Barkley, Deulofeu and Lukaku.
There will be glitches along the way, the team has to learn to win ugly, to defend ugly and to win bad games as well as good games.
We do need to be patient and accept that everything won't fit into place overnight. The only real threat I see is the predators circing such a talented buch of footballers and in my opinon the biggest challenge facing the manager is keeping our players at our club.

Maybe a little blue tinted there mate, but I agree in general. We are occasionally bloody awful to watch, but can be like last night, really good to watch. Depends.

 

[Ashtonian]

Thw sad situation is that we haven't got the time to get things right, we need some instant success or we will lose players. Right now, i would argue that we are only 3 players shy of a top side. A great keeper, an upgrade on kone (not that he is bad like) and a barry from years ago and i would match us with anyone on our day. Everyone else in the side is there on merit, and we are only going to get better with Baines coming back.

Said it a few weeks ago, look at our bench now, lennon/cleverley/naismith/Mirallas/Galloway(once baines is back)/Robles/Besic

That is arguably our strongest bench in a hell of a long time!

 

[Verbal Kint]

Thw sad situation is that we haven't got the time to get things right, we need some instant success or we will lose players. Right now, i would argue that we are only 3 players shy of a top side. A great keeper, an upgrade on kone (not that he is bad like) and a barry from years ago and i would match us with anyone on our day. Everyone else in the side is there on merit, and we are only going to get better with Baines coming back.

Said it a few weeks ago, look at our bench now, lennon/cleverley/naismith/Mirallas/Galloway(once baines is back)/Robles/Besic

That is arguably our strongest bench in a hell of a long time!

Exactly how I feel, we need to win something soon or these players will be gone, think it will only take one to leave and it will have a serious ripple effect. Hopefully Bobby has a big transfer target lined up in January and the board back him.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Sadly this argument falls down when you consider that two of the keystones of this team (Lukaku and Stones) will most likely not be here next season. This team has not just started this season, it's the same team more or less as 13/14. Sadly we've done nothing with them. Yes we can sell players and reinvest the funds in other good players to go with what we have but eventually you cannot buy the sort of quality we have. The Besic's Galloways and Brownjngs of this world are not at the same level as Stones or Lukaku.

We are exciting to watch going forward but partly because we've pretty much abandoned any semblance of competent defending which is annoying given the quality of defenders we have. At some point this evolution has to end but I fear we might get only one more season at the very most out of some of the current team, especially if we cannot show any tangible signs of progression (by tangible that is not GOTs opinion on quality of football or youth of the side, it is league position and trophies, that is all these players will care about).

 

[Jamo Martinez]

Thw sad situation is that we haven't got the time to get things right, we need some instant success or we will lose players. Right now, i would argue that we are only 3 players shy of a top side. A great keeper, an upgrade on kone (not that he is bad like) and a barry from years ago and i would match us with anyone on our day. Everyone else in the side is there on merit, and we are only going to get better with Baines coming back.

Said it a few weeks ago, look at our bench now, lennon/cleverley/naismith/Mirallas/Galloway(once baines is back)/Robles/Besic

That is arguably our strongest bench in a hell of a long time!

This is the main problem. Plus the fact that we have the Euros this summer. Stones, Barkley, Baines and Lukaku will all be there. And if he carries on as he is Deulofeu should be in the Spanish squad (Let's face it, who would you rather face if you were a full back, him or Jesus Navas?) Ireland will have Coleman and McCarthy.
Did I just name our best players?
We need a cup this year. Not so much because it's been so long since the last one, more because it could be even longer till the next one if we don't build on what we've got.

 

[Deleted member 24970]

One of the best group's in wrestling history.

Evolution: Something about Barkley, Stones, Lukaku getting older each season or something.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

EVOBLUETION

 

[davek]

Some people may still believe the story of Adam and Eve but most now accept that ye all evolved from monkeys.
That evolution took time and the building of this Everton team will also not just happen overnight.
The manager is building something really special. We are probably the most entertaining team in the league at the moment. What other team can pick youngsters like Galloway,Stones, McCarthy,Barkley, Deulofeu and Lukaku.
There will be glitches along the way, the team has to learn to win ugly, to defend ugly and to win bad games as well as good games.
We do need to be patient and accept that everything won't fit into place overnight. The only real threat I see is the predators circing such a talented buch of footballers and in my opinon the biggest challenge facing the manager is keeping our players at our club.

Have been all season mate.

We've been the best pure footballing team in the country this season. The standard of play from all involved is just spellbinding at times. The self belief these players have is there for all to see. They were gutted to walk off there last night with a point against the most awkward away customers in the division.

Ask any of those Palace players who they'd rather face again, Everton or Liverpool, and they'd run over to Anfield and away from Goodison to avoid a repeat of that last night.

Personnel-wise: yeah, there is a danger we could be partly asset stripped. But for me the most important thing is the system and the attitude. That cant be asset stripped. I have full faith in Martinez even if we do lose one star player to go out and bring in (or through) someone else who fits the criteria for a Martinez Everton set up. In short, I dont see anything but constant evolution under this regime.

 

[Ashtonian]

Sadly this argument falls down when you consider that two of the keystones of this team (Lukaku and Stones) will most likely not be here next season. This team has not just started this season, it's the same team more or less as 13/14. Sadly we've done nothing with them. Yes we can sell players and reinvest the funds in other good players to go with what we have but eventually you cannot buy the sort of quality we have. The Besic's Galloways and Brownjngs of this world are not at the same level as Stones or Lukaku.

We are exciting to watch going forward but partly because we've pretty much abandoned any semblance of competent defending which is annoying given the quality of defenders we have. At some point this evolution has to end but I fear we might get only one more season at the very most out of some of the current team, especially if we cannot show any tangible signs of progression (by tangible that is not GOTs opinion on quality of football or youth of the side, it is league position and trophies, that is all these players will care about).

Thing is mate, you can replace these players. Take rom for example, top striker, wouldn't want to sell him unless the money was ridiculous (far more than 50), but we bring in a demba ba/bacca then we can score still, not as well but still, goals. The team would be worse off for not having lukaku but its not a complete disaster. Same as Stones, he is a top defender, but sign a strong and commanding defender to replace him and at least we can be solid at the back, if not spectacular anymore.

Unless we sign a top talent, the first team would be worse for losing one of our best players yeah, but we can replace and carry on if need be as long as we can invest the sums of cash thrown at us. I would always argue that although not first choice, if we had to sell rom, but could sign a yarmalenko and a young Falcao/Lebondowski (not finished article type striker with potential) then it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world

 

[By god I'm blue]

There are a lot of blue tinted opinions here. I think Leicester might have something to say about who has been the most entertaining! They have scored more goals and won more games.

 

[Ashtonian]

This is the main problem. Plus the fact that we have the Euros this summer. Stones, Barkley, Baines and Lukaku will all be there. And if he carries on as he is Deulofeu should be in the Spanish squad (Let's face it, who would you rather face if you were a full back, him or Jesus Navas?) Ireland will have Coleman and McCarthy.
Did I just name our best players?
We need a cup this year. Not so much because it's been so long since the last one, more because it could be even longer till the next one if we don't build on what we've got.

To be honest mate, even if it was only the league cup, lifting that trophy would tell these players far more than roberto could ever tell them. It nwould mark us as a succesful team, and players want to play for teams like that.

Not just based on last night, overall you can see how these young players love playing together and lifting a trophy for this will make them want to keep doing that together. Why would rom leave if Gerry puts them on a plate for him every week and its working? for example.

 

[Jamo Martinez]

To be honest mate, even if it was only the league cup, lifting that trophy would tell these players far more than roberto could ever tell them. It nwould mark us as a succesful team, and players want to play for teams like that.

Not just based on last night, overall you can see how these young players love playing together and lifting a trophy for this will make them want to keep doing that together. Why would rom leave if Gerry puts them on a plate for him every week and its working? for example.

That's my thinking too.

 

[davek]

There are a lot of blue tinted opinions here. I think Leicester might have something to say about who has been the most entertaining! They have scored more goals and won more games.

There're not entertaining really though. They have one play and that's to hit Vardy with a long ball and isolate him one on one with the last defender. Take away his circus sideshow act and you're left with a sub-midtable outfit playing perfunctory football.