STM

Even though it basically rules out any decent football for Everton, I think having Coady and Tarkowski at least allows them to defend properly. They don't have the players to attempt to play football this year, so it looks as though they have gone for the defensive options. It's grim but I can see the logic.

Yeah I find it strange. I can only think that it's a good will thing because he's a long time servant who wants to play football in Liverpool at the end of his career. He will be a major loss to them, on and off the pitch. I'd have had Coady over Lascelles

I can't even laugh anymore. It's actually quite shocking to see how owners in this country can chip away at the institutions that we hold so dear. Its like watching Mike Ashley on steroids. It's clear now that SAF was holding the club together in the first years of the glazers. To see Man United in such a mess doesn't bring satisfaction because if truth be told, I'd rather they were winning the league than a Chelsea. They aren't even just average owners, they are terrible owners. When Brighton and Brentford have clear plans in place but Man United don't, there's something seriously amiss. There's a million names who wouldn't have cost a fortune, that Man United could have turned to in this window. Boubakar Kamara for example. Its an absolute shitshow and I'm sympathetic to any fan going through it because we were there a year ago. It doesn't matter if you are Man U or Carlisle, you just want to see a plan, a vision, something to get behind.

I think we might look at a CM, but it will be late, late into the window and it will be a loan....unless of course we sign Maddison. Remember Howe has played Miggy as AM in pre season too.

Yeah, I think Brighton are one of the few dangerous sides in this league. We need our midfield trio to get a hold of the ball, like they normally do. Brighton will leave more gaps than Forest did but will also be better than them in every department.

Wonder if we will have an eye on a CM on loan.

I think we are incredibly lucky that the World Cup will save him missing quite a few extra games. It's a blow but we can cope.

I've never met a Beth who's so much a Brian or a Dave.

Nephew it is, not brother. Same point.

Eddie Howes nephew is one of our scouts IIRC.

Check out JLAs latest on him. His heat map on Saturday for a number 6 was amazing.

It's not an exact science though. West Ham and Wolves aren't goal laden sides, in fact they are sides based on a solid defence. We showed last season that the likes of Krafth, Fraser, Wood, Lascelles can dip into the side and we can get results. Admittedly we wouldn't want it for very long. If we have 4/5 players injured then we will suffer but that would go for West Ham etc too.

From the 14th minute.

58.5 points is the average you need for 7th, over the last 4 years. That's 1.5 points per game. We finished on 49 points last year, so in theory we need to find 10 points this year. That sounds easy when you consider the 14 games at the start of last season but you also have to assume that we won't go on top 4 form like we did at the back end of the season. I'd also be interested to see what scope there was for transfers in January. Especially if we get a key injury, like ASM/Wilson/ Targett where we have zero depth.

Fred is utterly shite. Joelinton is class.

That's for replying. Interesting to hear your thoughts.

I think id take a draw.

Either: 1. We go back for Maddison because we know the price that gets him 2. We have someone unknown (probably abroad) who we know we can get 3. We are waiting until the last week when the market opens up and stuff starts happening to find a suitable target

I think what drives me crazy is the not knowing. I'm certain we will sign someone but who? If someone could just tell me, I could relax.

We've got 2 big games against Liverpool and City where Howe might play 3 at the back, as well as a league cup game which Botman will certainly start.

It's no surprise he's a decent defender or a good character but it's astonishing how good on the ball he is. He's going to get turned a few times this season and cost us a couple of goals but his all around play is of a very high standard which means we can take sides on rather than sit back. This is invaluable. I mean this as no joke when I say that Dan Burn will be a good mentor for Botman. Very similar sizes and styles. Hopefully Botman has the pace that Burn doesn't (not that he's slow but I mean proper pace to recover).

We will be 100% be making a move of some sort this week. Fuck knows who. Back in for Maddison with a final bid would be my guess. Dangle Dubravka in front of them.

What do we make of Conor Cody to Everton? Personally i think it's a decent signing. Everton aren't in a position to start asking for progressive centre backs. Cody is solid and a great character by all accounts. I know personalities don't win football matches, but they can pull you out the shit by helping forge a decent team spirit.

Lampard might be ok, if he can arrest Evertons slide and consolidate. I'd be shocked if he somehow turned them into a top 10 side though.

I'm fairly certain they will have a Saudi trip pencilled in. We should be looking to the possibility of any of those players getting injured or coming back fatigued. Pope and Trippier won't start, so they should be OK. Botman might go but probably won't start either.