Everton vs Olympique Lyonnais

Calvert-Lewin & Lookman to start!! Bloody crime if we loose promising young players, hanging on to the past as usual!!!

On the other hand if you don't we will see what we don't to see and you will be booed out of Goodison.

Time you collected.

Definitely happened because I was so excited I went straight on line, I had just milked the cows as well so not like I just got up. Please someone tell me it is true!!!!

That's how I tried to set it up but it didn't come out that way; however, I believe that team couldn't be any worse than what we are seeing now.

I watched Chelsea/Roma and it may of been pie in the sky but there was much discussion about Dzeko in the summer. Why in God's name he would have come here I don't know but if there was an ounce of possibility in it we should have bust ourselves to get him.

A proper Number 9 and scored an absolute worldy tonight, as well as a good headed goal.

Meanwhile we are linked with some total dross. This is all getting so painful now I just wish we would just turn it round or pull the trigger pronto.

Calvert-Lewin still has a ways to go and should have scored the go-ahead goal against Brighton but he needs an experienced partner but it isn't Sandro.

It's difficult to imagine Lookman and Vlasic on each flank starting but both these lads have ability to go past an opponent. Mirallas may get the nod in the absence of any other experienced forward but I fear he is also past his best in consistency.

It will be another difficult game tomorrow unless they can come out firing and really take it to the opposition. Koeman, however, seems like a man who will not change his style.

The coaching of this group of players is substandard and, until there is an injection of pride, passion, energy and organised game plan, we will be lambs to the slaughter. I'm going for a 2-0 win for the blues! Well, we can dream!

Each player playing in their own position – don't change it for 6 games.

Pickford
Holgate (Kenny if fit) Keane Jagielka Baines
Vlasic Gueye Davies Mirallas
Sigurdsson
Rooney

With Vlasic and Mirallas playing slightly in front of Gueye and Davies becoming wingers when attacking but also falling back when defending. Sigurdsson in a free sole role – link from defence to attack, and Rooney moving from one side to the other, on the last man, creating free space for himself.

I know it looks to us like that won't happen, but if you view it from the manager's perspective, perhaps if he keeps drilling a certain way of playing in training and then they keep trying it each match day, then finally it will gel?

Clutching at straws here, I know. But it kind of makes sense as opposed to chopping and changing formations every week.

The situation could become very uncomfortable,and all in front of millions on Sky. That's why Koeman should be replaced first thing Friday morning if the worst happens tonight.

At least by appointing Unsworth on some sort of short term basis, a hostile, embarrassing scenario on Sunday can be avoided. Unsworth will have the crowd onside and backing him and the team,right from the off, which Koeman certainly won't if it all goes pear shaped this evening.

Hoping the crowd will get behind the team in this competition and boo them at other times, even if they are trailing.

COYB! Show some guts and character and make it hell for them.

Or believing the pairing are safe in their positions?

Either way, they should not be picked together as they are neither a safe pairing or safe!!!!!!

I'm normally a positive person but can't help feeling that the season will be over in 2 weeks time! Horrible when you see the other clubs doing so well!!

I loved watching Pienaar play, loved the way he always came towards the ball, and always thought it was probably the way he was schooled at Ajax. I always think the English coach kids to run away from the ball, and it's one of the reasons that most English players are not very good with the ball in tight situations.

Even If we could master this first bit, I still wouldn't get excited, simply because we have nobody who is trying to get ahead of the ball. Maybe the sign of things to come could be the movement off the center-forward? Niasse should have played Sigurdsson in on Sunday, but I still think the tactics will always be flawed while we play without width.

I think as they have struggled against Apollon and Atalanta, Lyon are a grade above those two.

I will of course watch the game, but do not do so with any optimism or passion.

I hope so. Come on you blues. Make us believe again. 💙

But, we all live in hope. I think this weeks wages should depend on the result. Win, happy days; draw, 50%; lose, fuck all. Might help to concentrate their minds.

Not saying he's the missing link but he had pace and how can a player be deemed worthy of a place with the Champions League favorites but couldn't get into our 'all conquering' side last season?

Atalanta +3 4pts
Lyon +0 2pts
Limassol +0 2pts
Everton -3 1pts

Lyon away, then Atalanta at home to come but who knows – we might get through.

The Premier League matches are whats important , everything else is bonus material.

I would be more attacking tonight , drop one of the defensive midfielders.

Pickford
Kenny Keane Jagielka Baines
Schneiderlin
Vlasic Davies Sigurdsson Mirallas
Calvert-Lewin

So I expect Koeman to play his seasoned established players tonight, so I don't expect many if any changes from Saturday. When managers are under pressure, they all turn to the established players, even though in most cases the same established players got them into the mess in the first place. So sadly I don't expect to see Lookman or Kenny tonight.

I am sure despite him telling the press the board are behind him, he knows that results alone will determine his fate. I would love him to be bold and play Lookman and Kenny and play a more attacking game but he won't. I think the fans would not be as critical if he did.

We are not progressing much further in this competition unless we start producing, so we should take the bull by the horns and just go for it now. Win, lose or draw, if we put in a good showing the fans will respond and respect that, and eventually get back onside – but like you, I can't see it happening.

Unfortunately, caution is most likely going to be the theme again, for better or (probably) worse.

Stekelenburg
Martina Keane Jagielka Baines
Sigurdsson Gueye Schneiderlin Vlasic
Rooney Calvert-Lewin

It will be the usual sit deep sideways backwards pedestrian bullshit he has been serving up since the last half of last season, nothing will change. Koeman is incapable of picking a team that will attack, he is incapable of playing players in their strongest position and he is incapable of Changing his approach.

We are going to get hammered tonight and anyone on this forum who thinks otherwise is deluded, there has been no sign whatsoever of this team adapting to Koeman's style (whatever that is) and no sign of improvement over a full 90 minutes.

The sooner this clown is gone the better. Sorry for being so negative but I feel like I've had the shit kicked out of me this season.

From kickoff until we invariably fall behind, it is a system of containment. Once we fall behind, it decends into gung-ho, every-man-for-himself chaos.

This is a must-win and we need the crowd on board as well so Ronald needs to get this one right.

Why is it that so many European teams spend far less than their English counterparts yet are far superior tactically? Better coaches? Better players? Higher expectations? Better tactics? Most of those things I suppose.

Our expectations have been zilch for far too long. Somebody really needs to grab this club by the scruff of its neck. Maybe one day?

Despite the crap going on at the moment, I'm still gonna get behind the boys.

COYB 👏

In fact, it would probably be a kinder score not to turn up and take the 0-3 default scoreline...

How is that for managing expectations?

Pickford
Kenny Holgate Keane Baines
Gueye Davies
Sigurdsson Mirallas Lookman
Sandro

A team with pace; no chance of it happening though.

Even beating Lyon tonight. Are we going to then go on and win this competition? Are Everton now not just a team that make up the numbers. Is this competition not just a strain on our already tired looking players? Should we not just concentrate on climbing the league and maybe getting a decent run in our domestic cups? And most importantly. Will we manage to win any of our next four matches. Hhhmmm. I'm not sure that we will.

The predicted team has managed to do nothing all season. No real reason to think that tonight will be any different. Yet again we will start with two DMFs. Two DMFs that do what exactly?

But who knows? Our players might decide to turn up tonight. Our manager might have some sort of a plan. Who knows. So its once more on to the breach... Come on you sloppy old blues. How about surprising us all tonight.

Flair, unpredictability, several goal threats, players with a point to prove and no Rooney and Schneiderlin.

Ironically, the Dutchman will pick exactly the same too... the same as he picked at Brighton on Sunday.

His idea of freshening things up will no doubt be to bring Stekelenburg, Martina and Williams back in.

Or worse, put McCarthy alongside Schneiderlin and Gueye in midfield and achieve a state of nirvana by having three defensive midfielders in the same team, at home!

I'm seriously tempted at 28/1 for a 3-0 Lyon win TBH.

That based on our and their current form, I cannot see where our next win is coming from.

If he goes with the same team and tactics, it could be a very disappointing night.

In other news, some bloke ran a simulator against our form vs chances of progressing to the group stages – he ran it 1 million times and we have a 34% chance of making it; we need to get 4 points off Lyon over the two games, so we're fucked.

I'm working tonight so won't have to sit through it anyway...

Pickford
Kenny Keane Holgate Baines
Gueye Davies
Vlasic Rooney Lookman
Calvert-Lewin

Or Sigurdsson in Rooney's place. Anyway, pie-in-the-sky nonsense. It'll be the same idiotic line-up as usual with Schneiderlin and Gueye, Rooney and Sigurdsson.

I'm not looking forward to this game at all. Even if we win, it'll be tempered with the knowledge that Koeman has a reprieve. That doesn't mean I don't want us to win, but I just want him gone.

First home game I've missed all season but I honestly couldn't build up any excitement for the hour and half drive over to watch it. I'm losing the will to subject myself to the shit we have to put up with from this manager.

Good luck tonight boys, will be cheering you on always, just form the sofa for a change. If this ones a loss – he has to be sacked in the morning, I can't put up with the aggravating and soul-destroying interviews and lack of enthusiasm for our football club any longer.

If Koeman wasn't under so much pressure to get a win on the board, I could see him playing a very different side, but the predicament we are in means he is looking desperate for a morale-boosting result.

The Premier League is far more important and we are going to need our squad fit and healthy, especially our centre-halves and the sooner we are out of this, the better.

If you we can go far in Europe (which I know is unlikely atm) that would be great – get our players used to playing in high pressure environments against European opposition.

Pickford
Kenny Holgate Keane Baines
Gueye Davies
Sigurdsson Mirallas Lookman
Sandro / Calvert-Lewin

I would not play Rooney; as I have said many times before, having to accommodate him has been the problem, making the team unbalanced and inflexible.

Apparently Sky are saying Keane isn't playing. Injured?

Despite all the evidence to the contrary, I keep on hoping something will click.

At least if it's on several decent TV channels, the internet streams should be readily available and of decent quality.

The actual line-up will make us all groan and hold our heads no doubt. If true that Keane isn't playing then we have the joy of welcoming Williams back.

Answers on a postcard...

Instead, enter Rooney, Klaassen, Sigurdsson, Sandro, Vlasic...

To quote Rafa Benitez (during his Valencia days) – "I asked for a table and they bought me a lamp..."

That's not to excuse the total dross we've been served up in recent months, which is as bad as anything I remember in nearly 60 years of watching the club. Or the failure to field a side which shows some semblance of balance or tactical acumen.

Will he be sacked? I doubt it. Moshiri's judgement is on the line at the moment and I'll be surprised if he pulls the trigger at this stage. But this is football! Anything can happen in the next half-hour...

15 years ago, how many of us had heard of Villarreal? Not too many, I'll bet, myself included!! But we all recognise their name now because they've become European regulars. You can also see the same thing happening now with Krasnodar and Bate Borisov.

Regular European football also helps attract players. Cast your minds back to the European ban in the late 80s. Look how many English players headed to Scotland to play for Rangers. They didn't do that 'cos of the quality of the Scottish League, or the scorching Scottish sunshine!! They did it because they knew Rangers would be in Europe every season!! And as well as helping Rangers, it also enhanced their own playing profile, which they couldn't do with an English club at that time.

People wanting us to get knocked out need to have a long hard think about just what it is they're wishing for – especially when players are turning us down because we don't compete on a regular basis in the Europa League, let alone the Champions League!!

The fact he has changed everything and he is putting square pegs in round holes shows you it is Koeman's fault. This is his design. He is the author of his own misfortune.

As for tonight, I believe that somehow we will win. I foresee a Koeman renaissance in order for him to cling on to his job.

I can't see our crappy defense keeping their forward players down to less than 1 so I guess we may scrape a draw or it's another loss. I certainly can't see a win atm. Very sad times.

I agree about the U23 game.

We held all the aces against Man Utd, and ended up with a busted flush.

What on earth is going on with the recruitment, it is a shambles .... is one of our directors a double agent for Man Utd?

He's going to march out Lyndon's line-up, two defensive mids, and I'm going to lose my mind.

I'd love to see, especially at home, a 4-1-3-2 type of set up with two attacking center forwards. I honestly don't care who plays where – we are a team with too many #10s so it really doesn't matter. Just try a more attacking set up.

Oh, and if he starts Davies at least I'll be happy about that even if it is a two holding mid boring set up. Doubt that will happen as well.

Jesus man!

It'd be a tad ironic if two of the players Koeman wanted to ship out in Niasse and Mirallas earned him a stay of execution.

Holgate, Keane, Williams, Martina
Schneiderlin, Davies
Vlasic, Klaassen, Mirallas
Calvert-Lewin

No Rooney and Lookman finally gets a hint of some game time.

Midfield John Daly (nothing past him) and Eugene Ruane (sp?) for "creativity".

The Invincibles

It's been ugly and frustrating so far but every worm turns and it's just a matter of when it happens, what spark will get us moving, If the players and manager are stupid then they are only 12 games stupid.

Fingers crossed that its tonight when the real Everton and the real Evertonians show up.