Ronald Koeman discussion

[applecrumble]

Encouraged? No. I'll be encouraged when we're in the top four...none of this "Top 6" BS.

We're 7th and our season ended in early January. The players he's bought are a mixture of good and baffling. The results since before Christmas are welcome, as has been the performances in parts...a massive improvement on the muck served up from September to December. The worry is that we are still very imbalanced. We have nothing apart from Lukaku as a goal threat, and he's player he inherited and one we could still lose this summer...ditto Barkley.

The Summer window was a mess through no fault of his own. Why buy players you don't want in January? We should be looking at bringing in multiple players in the next window, so you can't really judge him on that. The team is much better balanced than Martinez left it that's for sure.

 

[GwladysBlue]

Encouraged? No. I'll be encouraged when we're in the top four...none of this "Top 6" BS.

We're 7th and our season ended in early January. The players he's bought are a mixture of good and baffling. The results since before Christmas are welcome, as has been the performances in parts...a massive improvement on the muck served up from September to December. The worry is that we are still very imbalanced. We have nothing apart from Lukaku as a goal threat, and he's player he inherited and one we could still lose this summer...ditto Barkley.

We've been 11th for the past two seasons, this season was always going to be about making progress. We could even end up with European football to look forward to.

Koeman has gone on record saying that after one more transfer window he believes he'll have a squad to compete with the big clubs.

Lukaku and Barkley will both be signing new deals.

I think you had an agenda against Koeman from the very start, nothing personal against him, you would have gave any incoming manager the same harsh criticism.

All of my family are Evertonians and I work in Manchester with people who support United/City, we can all see the makings of a team here, just seems strange that you can't.

 

[Gwladysstreetlad]

Dont you worry yourself about 72 points. You wont be seeing it under Koeman.

Possibly not but we might actually see some real tangible success under Koeman like a trophy. Something we'd never of seen under El Fraudo (unless it was competing for the championship play-off trophy!).

 

[Frank Gallagher]

the forum should be re-named 'davekSpoutsGibberish.com'

deary deary me. I'm not totally convinced he is an Evertonian

 

[DanB90]

Dont you worry yourself about 72 points. You wont be seeing it under Koeman.

You know, considering we had an awful run of games where we couldn't buy a win earlier in the season, we're currently only 4 points worse off than we were at this exact stage in Martinez' first season.

*shrugs*

 

[Gwladysstreetlad]

Great.

Ye it's great isn't it. It's brilliant we aren't stuck with the dunderhead idiot who put us in the position were we'd be happy with that.

 

[davek]

We've been 11th for the past two seasons, this season was always going to be about making progress. We could even end up with European football to look forward to.

Koeman has gone on record saying that after one more transfer window he believes he'll have a squad to compete with the big clubs.

Lukaku and Barkley will both be signing new deals.

I think you had an agenda against Koeman from the very start, nothing personal against him, you would have gave any incoming manager the same harsh criticism.

All of my family are Evertonians and I work in Manchester with people who support United/City, we can all see the makings of a team here, just seems strange that you can't.

We've gone from 11th to 7th. Just let that sink in. 4 places from the central point of the also rans to the slightly more positive end of that midtable spectrum.

Hard work and discipline has been restored. That's an improvement, clearly. But that's nowhere near enough and it better get better season on season significantly.

 

[GwladysBlue]

We've gone from 11th to 7th. Just let that sink in. 4 places from the central point of the also rans to the slightly more positive end of that midtable spectrum.

Hard work and discipline has been restored. That's an improvement, clearly. But that's nowhere near enough and it better get better season on season significantly.

If moving up those 4 places is so easily done, how come we finished 11th in consecutive seasons?

I just fail to see how you can defend the previous manager for finishing 11th consecutively, but Koeman somehow has to be a miracle worker in his first season here.

I think you're being overly harsh, I also think you could be missing out on enjoying the current feel-good mood around the club through pure spite.

 

[mkrudden]

We've gone from 11th to 7th. Just let that sink in. 4 places from the central point of the also rans to the slightly more positive end of that midtable spectrum.

Hard work and discipline has been restored. That's an improvement, clearly. But that's nowhere near enough and it better get better season on season significantly.

Whilst I'd give RK for bringing us back to minimum standards, Dave is spot on here.

It's a process and we can't skip steps but that doesn't negate that with the budget to spend like he now has, we need to be doing far better next year.

 

[The Rhino]

Whilst I'd give RK for bringing us back to minimum standards, Dave is spot on here.

It's a process and we can't skip steps but that doesn't negate that with the budget to spend like he now has, we need to be doing far better next year.

Eh Leicester spent more than us this season we have hardly spent a kings ransom ala City and Utd. Is Mourinho going to get the chop because he won't finish in the top 4 after spending £90 million on ONE player?

Fact is the top 6 are very very strong and at best under the current ownership we can make it a 'top 7'. Only a further takeover (once we move stadium like Man City did) by a very wealthy individual like Usmanov or some arab/oligarch/Chinese state backed group will we realistically be aiming for finishing in the top 4 or winning the title. Those demanding change because Koeman hasn't us in the top 4 are deluded to the strength and finance of the 6 clubs above us.

 

[mkrudden]

Eh Leicester spent more than us this season we have hardly spent a kings ransom ala City and Utd. Is Mourinho going to get the chop because he won't finish in the top 4 after spending £90 million on ONE player?

Fact is the top 6 are very very strong and at best under the current ownership we can make it a 'top 7'. Only a further takeover (once we move stadium like Man City did) by a very wealthy individual like Usmanov or some arab/oligarch/Chinese state backed group will we realistically be aiming for finishing in the top 4 or winning the title.

Sorry mate I wasn't talking about positions in the league. You're spot on, those above us and their spending habits make it difficult.

Doesn't mean we can't play better football. Doesn't mean we can't go to Spurs and try and dictate the play.

Doesn't mean when the RS show up we can't attack them rather than just turning it into a fight for 45 mins before we gas.

I know this sounds like I'm being an arse, not meaning to. I just think there is plenty to improve on and, if we buy properly, we can catch those above us next season / the season after.

 

[The Rhino]

Sorry mate I wasn't talking about positions in the league. You're spot on, those above us and their spending habits make it difficult.

Doesn't mean we can't play better football. Doesn't mean we can't go to Spurs and try and dictate the play.

Doesn't mean when the RS show up we can't attack them rather than just turning it into a fight for 45 mins before we gas.

I know this sounds like I'm being an arse, not meaning to. I just think there is plenty to improve on and, if we buy properly, we can catch those above us next season / the season after.

I agree I think we can improve and what I've seen of Koeman at Southampton was that when he's confident in his back 4 he actually does give it a go against the top sides, I think he has played it safe because he knows Mori and Williams with Robles behind are not good enough to be trusted with defending against the top sides if we played too open. I actually think we'll win at Anfield this season aswell!

Today's game is massive for us, if we win EL is all but guaranteed and we'll be able to attract a higher calibre of player next season. Bring the likes of Keane, Rooney and 2 or 3 other decent signings and I'll be looking forward to seeing us back in Europe and in the cups. Although the stadium news is the one thing atm im looking forward to hearing about.

 

[Kev50]

We've gone from 11th to 7th. Just let that sink in. 4 places from the central point of the also rans to the slightly more positive end of that midtable spectrum.

Hard work and discipline has been restored. That's an improvement, clearly. But that's nowhere near enough and it better get better season on season significantly.

Why had it better get significantly better? We are back where we've always been after the utter tripe of the last two seasons. Fair play to Koeman for dispelling the worst football I'd seen from Everton in 35 years in such a short period

 

[windymiller]

The Summer window was a mess through no fault of his own. Why buy players you don't want in January? We should be looking at bringing in multiple players in the next window, so you can't really judge him on that. The team is much better balanced than Martinez left it that's for sure.

No one can be quite sure what went on in the summer but clearly it was a mess. You're absolutely right that this summer will be a defining one for both Koeman and the board. Everyone can see where we are in dire need of improvements so there can be no excuses from Walsh and Moshiri and the only excuse Koeman can have is that he is not getting the support he was promised.

Eh Leicester spent more than us this season we have hardly spent a kings ransom ala City and Utd. Is Mourinho going to get the chop because he won't finish in the top 4 after spending £90 million on ONE player?

Fact is the top 6 are very very strong and at best under the current ownership we can make it a 'top 7'. Only a further takeover (once we move stadium like Man City did) by a very wealthy individual like Usmanov or some arab/oligarch/Chinese state backed group will we realistically be aiming for finishing in the top 4 or winning the title. Those demanding change because Koeman hasn't us in the top 4 are deluded to the strength and finance of the 6 clubs above us.

There is an inherent paradox in your post in that the "very strong" top six were torpedoed by a very ordinary Leicester side less than a year ago. There have been big changes in the management of those teams but, with the exception of Man U, little significant change to playing personnel. We need to change our mindset that crashing the party at the top is basically unachievable. This as much as anything is what holds us back at a club. I'm sick of the plucky little Everton nonsense, we're a Grand Old Team and it's time that everyone realised it.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Encouraged? No. I'll be encouraged when we're in the top four...none of this "Top 6" BS.

We're 7th and our season ended in early January. The players he's bought are a mixture of good and baffling. The results since before Christmas are welcome, as has been the performances in parts...a massive improvement on the muck served up from September to December. The worry is that we are still very imbalanced. We have nothing apart from Lukaku as a goal threat, and he's player he inherited and one we could still lose this summer...ditto Barkley.

But I thought 5=15 Dave.

Who are the baffling transfers then?