Here's your Everton FC morning headlines on Tuesday, March 7.
Graeme Souness was wrong to question Demarai Gray after Everton penalty comments
Michael Ball tackles the major issues at Goodison Park after Everton's 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest
I heard Graeme Souness’ comments about Demarai Gray’s penalty and I don’t really get this kind of negativity within the national media towards Everton.
I’m very critical of them at times – both on and off the field – because they’re my club, and while I understand what it’s like to be a player, now I’m a fan. My expectations are maybe a bit over the top at times but it’s because I want the best for the football club. I’ll call them out when I feel I need to but I’ll also give them praise when they do well.
READ MORE: Demarai Gray has given Sean Dyche the perfect answer after private Everton chats
But when Souness is being negative about a player who has just scored a penalty and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, there’s no need for it. Why bring it up?
I wonder if it was someone playing for Liverpool or Newcastle United he’d have said ‘fantastic composure, great penalty’ yet he told us it was a poor strike. If Keylor Navas had gone the correct way he might have saved it but there were a lot of ifs, buts and maybes, so why is he being like that? Graeme has got a big voice in football.
When a player puts the ball in the back of the net, there’s no room for something like that when he’s sat in a Sky Sports studio. Gray hadn’t played for a long time, it was his first start under Sean Dyche and there was pressure on him to show his new manager what he could do.
He had the bravery to pick the ball up, put it on the spot, sent the keeper the wrong way and put us in the lead. That deserves plaudits.
Read the second part of Michael Ball's weekly ECHO column HERE.
Everton can complete free transfer of Ligue 1 star after 'great regret' shared
Everton could grab themselves a free agent at the end of the season, with Moussa Dembele set to leave Lyon.
That's according to Tuttomercatoweb, who claim that both the Blues and Aston Villa are in the mix to land the 26-year-old Frenchman, who will be out of contract at his Ligue 1 side in June.
Dembele found the net 22 times for Lyon last season but only has three goals to his name this campaign, from just 19 appearances. The French club paid £20million to Celtic for his services back in 2018, but are powerless to stop him from walking away for nothing at the end of the season.
A disappointed manager Vincent Ponsot said: “It’s not a good situation for us to know that he’ll be on a free at the end of the season. We spent 22 million euros on him. It is a great regret. More and more players are released at the end of the contract. Obviously, it is their right (not to extend).”
Read the full story HERE.
READ NEXT
Everton Stadium latest after dramatic new addition and Easter target outlined
'Forget the scoreline' - Sean Dyche sends blunt message to Everton players after Forest draw
Sean Dyche may have found vital Everton solution as unexpected new issue deepens
What angry Sean Dyche told the referee after Everton denied penalty at Forest
Everton analysis - 18-month drought sets worrying relegation trend as both managers fume
