OTF

So we'll be able to wear them for most of our matches in the premierleague this season?

If the back four is Campbell, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor and Enrique then I'll be quite worried. Three of them are very slow. Their lack of pace will no doubt look to be exploited by everyone we come up against. Even with Simpson or Perch there we're not that much quicker, and with no real specialist defensive midfielder so shield our centre backs things could get pretty messy. To be fair Campbell probably is ok once he gets moving, it would just be changing direction and initial accelleration that he's poor at. I guess we have to hope that at the first available chance he clutters into opposing players and slows them down that way. Steven Taylor has looked pretty good for us at right back in the past. Going forward he's not great on the ball, but he does love to push into the opposing box and has a decent knack for chipping in with the odd goal. Unfortunately he's also far from express.

Plus it was only natural for people to be excessively pessimistic after being relegated... and in turn it's only naturalfor them to be excessively optimistic after being promoted as 'Champions'. I think we'll survive, but it will be a long long long way from pretty... and Dan Gosling won't have a say in it.

..and tell me why he's supposed to be stoutly loyal to Everton? They picked him up as a 17 year old (turning 18 in one month) on a 2 and a half year deal, it's not like he came through their youth ranks from a youngster, and it's not like he's anything close to a local. He was given a run in Cup competitions but barely got a look in in the League, even with a lengthy injury list. He would not have got to play in his preferred position at the club, being behind many well established players, and one young player in Jack Rodwell. Everton fans will try to paint the picture that he didn't sign because he wanted more money, but I'd say it would be much more to do with wanting to play in his preferred position. If he stayed around there his development was likely to stagnate with the potential for him to play even less first team football now that they have a number of key players returned from injury. Do that for two years and you could easily find yourself in the football wilderness. These days if you're not reasonably well established by your early 20s then you're likely to be not much more than a utility journeyman.

...If Simpson, Perch and Steve Taylor are all out at the start of the season does this mean we're going to have to endure Ryan Taylor at right back?

No chance of this happening, no doubt still being linked because the supposed journalists completely missed the comments from Hughton to the contrary regarding our interest in him. Gone back to their old habits of chucking our name in there when randomly speculating, oh joy. I'm sure when we have a few more barren transfer periods they'll move on and use Tottenham or the like instead.

Not convinced, but I'd say he deserves a chance to prove himself. It was not so long ago that we played Peter Ramage in the Premier League, I'd have to say that Williamson is better than Ramage (though Ramage always tried hard). It's never good going into a season with someone who is unproven, particularly so when they're likely to be partnering someone who can potentially lose interest and confidence like we saw with Coloccini in his first premier league season. Neither are particularly quick at all, and quite slow in terms of acceleration so that's always a cause for big concern in probably the fastest league in the world. Sol Campbell won't help in that respect. It's lucky we've got Enrique to inject a little pace into our back four, as Taylor himself is not at all quick.

The one good thing is that it should be easy for him to stay fit and keep his touch throughout his layoff. Williamson is decent but we definitely need more depth in central defence. I don't really think that Campbell is the answer, but he'd be better than nothing.

Leazes, everyone feels the same in regards to ambition. We're not agreeing with you as such because your opinion in relation to ambition is an easy conclusion to reach. Unlike you however we're trying to find some direction and answers to the current predicament, something you've never done in realistic terms. You're the equivalent of a politician who's entire campaign is pointing out the shortcomings of the alternative rather than having any policies of your own.

It would be an amazing bit of business if he went for anywhere near 30 mill. He's a good hard working player but I don't think even Man City would pay that amount of money for him. Though they're very different players I wouldn't have the value of Milner any higher than Adam Johnson who is also a year younger.

Done nothing for us in black and white, but it's a sign of the predicament at the club that people (myself included) still see some potential in him. I could come up with some form of argument to discount his poor form for us as a result of his injury problems and off-field distractions enough so that I could see some promise for him this season, however chances are it's all just some form of misplaced pre-season optimism that will come crashing to the ground after seeing Barton play a few matches. Hope not though!

That's brilliant. Love it.

To be fair I've watched a fair few Liverpool games in which Kuyt has played and I'm still not sure whether he's any good, or just tries hard.

I just hope that he can keep his temper in check on the numerous occassion throughout the season where things aren't going our way. The right motivation and attitude is a start, but doesn't matter if he sees red constantly and makes brash challenges as a result. A lengthy spell with him in his preferred midfield position would be nice. It's horrible to see him played out wide.

I wonder if a player has ever signed somewhere and come out saying that the ground/area is a shithole and that he's looking forward to away matches just to get away from it. Other than Sunderland signings obviously. Now that Gosling is officially signed we have to forget about him until he returns from injury. I wonder how different a player he is to Guthrie.

I thought he was fantastic against Bolton first game of the season. Arguably the best player on the pitch. Didn't he pick up a knock and just drift out of the first team picture once Fat Sam left? A similar thing happened to Cacapa - looked immense, got a bad injury about 30 seconds in against Portsmouth, got blamed for the goals and never recovered physically or mentally. It may have been a knock or minor injury that did take him out of the team early on. I know he was then played out of position in midfield and openly lamented that not long before he was moved on. Technically he was more capable than the average defender, but was a little panicked under pressure and liked to overplay things a little.

If Gosling! signs, as a show of self discipline Kevin! should leave the Board! AND If Gosling doesn't sign, in compassion for our suffering Kevin! should leave the board. The number of times that halfwits derail threads is bewildering. The end result is that the few meaningful posts become lost in the piles of shite.

There's plenty of worse players you could pick up for 1 million or more. Him with Anton Ferdinand would be... interesting though, with both prone to the odd error. Could be like a Boumsong Bramble reunion.

No thanks. Could never understand how he came to be valued so highly so quickly and all despite his advanced age.

Rozenhal looked a very composed and accomplished player in defense when there was no pressure on him. As soon as there was though he was lightweight and very ordinary. Did pretty well to get rid of him for essentially what we paid for him. Wasn't given a great chance to settle but I don't think he would have - not right for the English game, particularly at a side where you will be put under a lot of pressure. Completely off-topic sorry

Thought the same thing. Cahill isn't technically quick but he has great acceleration and certainly isn't weak. In terms of technical ability it really depends what you're talkingg about. Technically he's one of the best headers of the ball in the game, but isn't great with the ball at his feet. Completely agree about the general Everton consensus. I think they'd be pissed about him leaving (and not just about the money) if they didn't have a very strong midfield.

I dunno, his (lovelyhands) movement and pace is pretty good but he needs other players to bring the best out in him (ie. routledge and maybe guti). mind his finishing and hold up play is not great. His finishing is not bad I'd say. He makes the runs off the ball that other players don't, but you're correct in that he needs other players to play the right balls for him to take advantage of them, but that's necessary for someone playing in that role. Hold up play is not great because he doesn't have the physicality to match it with your average Premierleague defender.

The announcement isn't strange coming from the club. It's a deliberate act to distract us from the fact that there's very little movement in the transfer market. When you consider how many players were sold when we were relegated it doesn't make sense that they're not being replaced at all. Announcements like this are designed to draw our attention away from that kind of detail. Consider that in the season we were relegated we had - Given*, Owen, Viduka, Martins, Duff, N'Zogbia, Bassong, and Beye and they've been 'replaced' with Simpson, Routledge**, Best, Perch and Williamson. * - I realise he was sold halfway through the season, but that was because of the extenuating circumstances and mismanagement at the club. ** - I actually think Routledge is a good player who adds another dimension to our game.

Bramble's really not that bad. Maybe it's time wiping the bad memories, but he had some very good aspects to his game and on several occassions was able to mark good players out of the game. Horrible pairing with Boumsong brought out the worst in him. All said and done though, wouldn't have him back here.