What a week!

From transfers to Theo, there was a lot happening in Toffee world, and the mailbag covers it all, so let’s break it down simple:

Good.

Better.

Best.

Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images

You know what...let’s take a few minutes and revel in everything Seamus from Wednesday’s match.

He deserves it.

Finally, let’s finish up with Seamus getting all the love he deserves from the Gwladys Street End

Wait....I lied...

Just one more reminder why nobody is better than Seamus:

To your questions!!

---

I hate to be a party-pooper right off the bat but my man Christian is right on the mark here.

I am not completely against Wayne Rooney starting against lower-level teams when the Toffees SHOULD have the balance of the attack and Rooney’s vision and passing skills (which continue to improve) can be put to good use.

That being said, when matched up against a team like Leicester Rooney can’t be trusted from the first whistle.

I know....I know....he scores.

However, with Theo, Tosun, Gylfi and others also capable of pitching in goals, Rooney can be used as a late sub in those matches when he can ping balls AND make runs.

As for Wednesday’s match against Leicester, we shouldn’t forget it was a crossbar that kept an overwhelmed Everton side from going down early before the Toffees snatched the initiative and scored the first goal.

Prior to that Everton looked disjointed and as you said, convoluted.

I am hoping the knock on effect from Mangala is that the midfield space will open up (more on that later), Morgan will kick on with the chance to show his passing abilities, and Rooney’s vision won’t be needed nearly as much.

Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images

I have been in Wayne’s corner the entire season, and continue to be, but at his age and with the numbers of matches he has given his full effort, Big Sam needs to use the English legend intelligently in order to get the most out of him and head into next season with Rooney healthy and ready to play the best role he can for the team.

(Hopefully for another manager. Sorry Sam.)

---

Impact= substitute

Play Tosun!!!!!!!

---

Weird is one word.

Asinine is another.

So is short-sighted.

As is shambolic.

Also misguided.

Idiotic, also a word.

Blasphemous is in the dictionary.

Obtuse is an adjective.

Confounding is fun to say.

Infuriating is preceded by ‘an’ not ‘a’.

Counter-intuitive has six syllables.

I think you get the point.

The decision making by Big Sam, and more so the board, has been nothing short of calamitous. We’ve needed a left back for 18 months, yet we have developed NO TARGETS AT THE POSITION, much less actually signed anyone.

Then, we ship one of the most talented young players (Ademola Lookman) out of the country, apparently against Everton’s wishes!

To cap it all off, Big Sam then told reporters Davy Klaassen should be sad for not sealing his transfer to Napoli.

Wait....wait.....

Klaassen is good enough for Napoli, the Italian league leaders who sit a comfortable 24 points ahead of an Atalanta team that made Everton look like children, but he can’t sniff the 18 for Everton???

To be honest, I am fascinated that the Toffees EVER complete a signing. Not only are we the only club apparently unable to negotiate two transfers at once.

Even once we DO break though and get close to finishing a deal it always seems to hit a number of hiccups, usually Everton’s unwillingness to part with a few more dollars.

This trend lost us Olivier Giroud this summer, stalled our Gylfi Sigurdsson negotiations (and killed the summer momentum), and apparently cost us Geoff Cameron a few seasons ago.

A Premier League level CB/RB/DCM?? He MIGHT have been useful.

Here’s how Cameron re-told it to the New York Times:

..... Cameron revealed that he had agreed to contract terms with Everton before joining Stoke and was poised to team up with his fellow American Tim Howard, only to have M.L.S. block the deal because it wanted more money from Everton than the reported $3 million Stoke had offered to sign Cameron away from the Houston Dynamo.

“Timmy called me and said, ‘Don’t sign for Stoke, Everton wants you,’ ” Cameron said. “But I’m happy the way it worked out, because I’ve created my own path. It’s cool I’ve been able to make my own name for myself at my own club.”

Ok...that’s enough transfer angst for now.

---

This is better.

---

I am assuming you referencing being an Everton fan, in which case I can only tell you that is WILL get better.

I mean, I would be lying.

But I CAN say it!

Seriously though, hang in there.

Evertonians expect (and should receive) more from their team, but it doesn’t mean it couldn’t be MUCH worse.

Try Aston Villa on for size.

Or Sunderland.

Or Leeds.

So many other big clubs have seen their brief downturns become club defining mediocrity that both their fan bases and front offices seem resigned to.

Everton may have a laundry list of issues to address, but understand that the Toffees still at least operate in the same vicinity as the clubs they are chasing.

You can disagree with the acquisitions, but spending upwards of £200 million pounds in 18 months (yes we sold some players so it’s not a net total) proves that SOMEONE in charge cares about the well-being of the club, even if they have no idea how to run a club successfully.

I think the thing that would put fans at ease would be to have a manager/front office who are on the same page and operate as a single unit to address the squads needs.

Hopefully Everton will finish the season strong, their new signings will settle in, a new manager will be brought in, and the club will restore/repay your faith.

Don’t give up, stay the course, and NO MATTER WHAT remember.....

At least you’re not a f***ing Red.

---

Love it.

---

I didn’t know Oumar had a brother!

---

It does seem like a fairy tale, doesn’t it?

Arteta comes back and immediately leads Everton into the upper echelon of European teams.

Let me start by saying I think Mikel Arteta is going to be a great manager. He has shown patience and has been soaking up Pep Guardiola knowledge like a sponge.

Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images

He would bring enthusiasm and a knowledge of the club.

But he shouldn’t be our next manager.

After the Big Sam debacle (which will hopefully end shortly after the season) the Toffees need someone who has the PROVEN ability to fulfill their own vision, and motivate players to perform ABOVE their own expectations.

I don’t want some PL retread, (Silva), but would much rather see Everton bring in someone they TRULY believe in.

With all that being said, if I had my pick of the litter of coaches who would probably say yes to Everton I would whittle it down to two choices:

Paulo Fonseca

Photo credit should read ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images

OR...

Thomas Tuchel

Photo by Pool - Getty Images

Both men have vision, passion, and a resume to back it up.

They are exactly the type of forward-thinking (yet not reckless) managers Everton need to grow into the club the Toffees so desperately want to be.

Perhaps after one of the two men above comes in and builds a solid top 4 foundation, Arteta (presumably then with experience as a first-team coach) can lead a Bramley-Moore based Toffees to the title!

---

I haven’t even touched on Theo’s brace yet!!

In two matches Theo Walcott has shown himself to be every bit of the 19 goal scorer he was last campaign for Arsenal.

His calm finishing, mixed with his Lennon-esque defensive workrate, has given Everton EXACTLY the spark they needed to finish the season strong and not get dragged into a relegation battle.

With his energy and goal scoring prowess helping guide the Toffees to calmer waters, far from the edge of relegation land, Theo can establish himself as a bonafide star and leader of the team.

Not to mention a rock upon which to build next seasons campaign.

Have to admit.

Pretty good signing thus far.

---

3 main reasons:

1. Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams will (should) be sold this summer.
2. Eliaquim Mangala brings pace to a position the Toffees currently have none. (Holgate eh...)
3. HE HAS A LEFT FOOT!!!

For all of the joking about left back, what can’t be underestimated is the impact of have a left-footed centerback.

Unlike right-footers moonlighting has lefties, Mangala has better angles to find outside backs and wings without having to turn his hips and put himself in a poor position should a counter attack happen.

Mangala will allow Cuco (and eventually Baines....maybe......Garbutt???) to push higher up the line when our left CB has the ball.

This has the domino effect of pushing the left sided winger higher (or if Gylfi further inside for forwards to run into the corners) and opening up space for our midfielders to find passes.

This exactly the issue (due to more than just lacking a left-footed CB) that has caused Morgan Schneiderlin to struggle. As opposed to reading the play, breaking it up and distributing to well dispersed wide players, Morgan has been forced to pass from tight, congested areas, neutering his greatest strength in the attack.

Managla’s inclusion is step closer to a balanced team that actually has options in the an attack.

---

I wish ol’ Steven could still put a shift in for the Toffees.

From his physics-defying headers to his substitution hat-trick against Chelsea Naismith always provided joy and effort. Plus his charity work off the pitch was Seamus-level.

He certainly had his flaws, but there was no denying his ability to contribute positively to the score-line.

On a personal note, Naismith also scored the only Toffees goal I have seen in person:

A second-half leveler against Manchester City.

Innocuous as that goal may be in the history of the club, it (and Naismith himself) will remain forever emblazoned in my memory.

Sitting in the stands and watching that goal go in is my second favorite memory from my Toffees fandom.

The first?

Seamus’ return of course!!!

---

TOFFEE TUNES

Strange Trails

Lord Huron

A little old (2015) but Strange Trails is one of my favorite albums from one of my favorite bands.

Lord Huron picks up the pace from their previous albums and rocks out.

This is a perfect album for those Toffees fans seeking refuge from the roller coaster/ dumpster fire that is this season.

Enjoy!

Favorite Track: The World Ender