Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur

We can't... and shouldn't take risks with Yerry. We're so light in that position.

Now he is saying "it's nothing serious." So is there actually an injury be it a sprain? Minor tear? Or is it just aches and pains and hypochondria in the British wintery weather?

For reference, my knee has been given me tremendous pain since it started snowing here in Kansas this week. Happens every year. No "injury" per se other than worn away cartilage from years of playing football/tennis on hard surfaces.

Paul Robinson (ex-Leeds goalie) on TalkSport picked up on this too and said Mina seems like Sturridge to be one of these folks who doesn't want to play unless he is "100%" but then added that players are rarely feeling better than 60 or 70%. I am not saying he is definitively a "sick note," crybaby, faker, skiver, but I am speculating that he may be.

It (a) protects any mystery injury, and (b) will give him food for thought.

Does he want it enough or is he being sold back to a warmer climate club in January. I'm not a fan of the cold or wet weather myself but if it's a paying job you just have to give it your best until another opportunity arises.

Either way, Holgate has done well and his pace may be needed.

I'm not looking forward the Spurs game, like Arsenal and Liverpool, weather they are in good form or not, they turn it on against us.

As we are not on form ourselves, I'd be over the moon with a clean sheet 0-0 – but without a doubt there will be plenty of goals.

If it is aggravated and he is out for 2 months it will have been a very reckless decision and put us under a lot of pressure.

He needs the best advice from the physios and med staff, but if there is any doubts he should start Mason Holgate. He had a solid game against Watford and needs more game time.

So I expect Silva to start him vs. Spurs.

Mina strikes me as the sort who needs a string of games in order to reach his peak. He was showing definite signs of improvement prior to this injury.
It would be prudent to keep him under wraps for one game if it meant he would fully recover.

Hard to know. I always think it has to come from the player. I just don't get this "He THOUGHT he felt pain" ... maybe something was lost in translation?

What he actually said was that he thought he felt rain and needed to come off.

It's hard to see whether he was injured or just didn't play but my research didn't back up my belief that this is a player who's just had some recent bad luck. He's never really had a sustained run in the side like say Jagielka, who could play all 38 games in a season.

Seems like we didn't do our homework here. He's had hamstring injuries twice, done his metatarsal, came with a foot problem and whatever he has now.

He's big and physical and so gets bumped about a bit. I don't believe he's someone with a low pain threshold, like Sturridge, who just doesn't fancy it. It seems more like he's just prone to getting knocks and strains.

Talking for myself, I wasn't implying he is injury-prone. Even worse, I was suggesting he is Mikael Madar Mk II... lol!

A good buy? Not on the evidence so far.

https://youtu.be/e34QlG7v2V4

I find it hard with comments, that he's not injury prone, because I can't understand, listening to Silva today saying, he's fine and wasn't injured the other night? So why did he come off?

I would love Mina to play. I think he brings enthusiasm and workrate to the team as well as his ability at corners where he is due a goal.

I am more worried about our midfield which appears to be Silva's blindspot. I think we have to go 4-3-3 against Spurs and get Tom Davies amongst Winks and Sissoko to stop them playing.

Holgate was our best player the other night, because he was the player who got the ball out of his feet, needed less touches and mostly played the ball forward crispy, except for a couple of those long cross-field passes imo.

Mina is looking like he could become a leader, but leaders don't go off if there's nothing wrong with them, even though modern footballers have changed so much.

I think Keane is a poor player, so was very worried about us keeping a clean sheet once Mina went off the other night, but I thought Keane did well, and hope he does as well on Sunday if Mina is not fit to partner Holgate.

My point was that Brands seems to be over-attracted to players just because they are at the likes of Barcelona. The Spanish giants couldn't wait to 'double their money', having decided he wasn't up to their expected standard. I suspect he will become an injury-prone liability here.

We did pay a lot, and if he continues to get injured, I'm right there with you on thinking it would then be a poor investment. Let's just hope we're wrong!

Right now my first choice would be Holgate & Mina.

For all those criticizing Mina, the knees are the most vulnerable and painful joints you can encounter, so please give the lad a bit of support and don't put him down just because he has a knee spasm.

I'd go with the same team as the last 2 league games but shift Richarlison to the left and bring in Kean. Silva hooking him at half time having played him on the wing is doing the kid no good. Let's give him a chance against a defence that allows the opposition too many shots.

Please... no Sigurdsson.

What we can ill-afford is another enforced first-half defensive substitution which reduces the options for refreshing the midfield and attack in the closing stages.

We will be set up as usual in our tried and trusted 4-2-3-1 (yawn) as we were on Tuesday. The only question being who will be played out of position this time.

Change it up PLEASE Marco and lets give the opposition something different to think about.

Onward Evertonians. Full support. 💙

Head talking - I'm expecting to concede this after what we would all call a 'good' performance. Making chances, pressing - all the usual and then go down 2-0 or 2-1 because we can't find the net. This to be followed by our regular follow up abject performance away to Saints who get a lift from turning us over at St Mary's. Cue the full pitchfork brigade.

This is definitely winnable but if any team wants to change its fortunes then we are the team to do it against.

So hard a call this for me - I do not predict a draw though.

I've just read infogol which gives strong reasons for us to win so l remain optimistic... although Spurs have lost their last 3 away games and Everton seem perfect for them. They haven't looked the same team this season. Alli and Eriksen a little off.

Whatever Everton turn up we need to put the ball in the bleeding net. If we did that the weigh on the manager and players shoulders could see us really kick on.

Anyway... Bet wise. Are Infogol right and we win? They are better than most sites in predictions. My midweek bet saw me get a scorer treble, even though Richarlison did it late. My losing bet, well that was due to us not receiving a single yellow card against Watford. Who'd of thought that!

But I would bring back Sigurdsson for this one. He thrives against teams who look to come at us and afford him slightly more space and time between their defence and midfield. He's also very disciplined in pressing from the front with Calvert-Lewin.

I would also pair Delph with Gomes for a similar reason.

However, I would then bring back Davies and Iwobi for the next two fixtures regardless of performance as they will be better suited to playing against Southampton and Norwich.

We need to start tweaking our lineups to the opposition and stop playing players not suited to the opposition just because they played well last time.

I think we need to tweak the manager to get that happening. Expect versions of the same with this guy – he has shown already he cannot do it any different over a period of time.

If you need to break a loosing/non-scoring run, call on Everton.

Plus it keeps the opposition guessing and keeps players on their toes, and competition for places is never a bad thing, I would like to see some of the youngsters introduced or even named on the bench, ie Anthony Gordon and Lewis Gibson or Morgan Feeney.

A good time to play an under-performing and stuttering Spurs, but how many times have said that about various visiting sides who are going through a tricky spell, in the past?

I agree with rotation but it works best with a confident team that all know their roles. Silva has been trying to play them into form and once we win he is scared to change things around. Will it be Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison up top tomorrow?

Personally l would keep Iwobi in the middle because he comes deep to find the ball and drives us forward more than Sigurdsson does. I'm not saying Sigurdsson isn't capable of that but when he plays he is much closer to the striker, the middle is wide open and the wide players further away. I want us to fill the middle against Spurs.

I'd play the players in best form (Davies, Iwobi, Sidibe etc) with the exception of Gomes who I think is due his one good game in 4 and seems to rouse himself for higher-calibre opposition.

Pickford
Sidibe Keane Holgate Digne
Davies Gomes
Walcott Iwobi Richarlison
Calvert-Lewin

Spurs are definitely vulnerable though of course so are we! First goal (as always under Silva) may be crucial.

Only difference is that I think Marco may go Delph over Gomes. A bit more deep-lying to protect the back 4, and with better pace. I double-checked to confirm my hazy memory, and Gomes did indeed start at DM during last year's drubbing at the hands of these Spurs. He was subbed off at 53' shortly after Spurs' 4th goal. Drilling deeper, 2 of those 4 goals came from Alli & Eriksen. He came on as a sub at CM in the final match 2-2 draw (just in time for Eriksen's tying goal).

It sounds awful, and I hope we win and this propels our season forward as we enter a very difficult run of games through the New Year, but I could see us getting shellacked Sunday like 0-4.

I can't think of many positives entering this one. Spurs fans saying this one's a "must win" - they'll be focused and ready.

The one positive I have is the fans. It's at Goodison, and if the players come ready to play and the bear-pit is stirred, the crowd will raise the level of play by sure force of will.

We might need that.

Spurs will thrash us again, they are a very good side despite what people say, and have the firepower to totally annihilate us.

Although I always remain quietly optimistic, fingers, legs, arms and eyes crossed, it all makes for painful viewing at times!

This one is a contest between two mentally weak sides with manager issues.

Spurs have poor full backs but their attack is potent, of course. I thought they did ok last week against the RS, particularly in the first half, and were a touch unlucky.

I fear they'll have too much for us. Something will depend on whether we are prepared to bully them a bit. I doubt it, and that will leave their superior forwards (and midfield) to win it.

Steve Ferns was on about this "here come Everton" attitude yesterday. In that respect, I think back to April 1995 when struggling Tottenham were banking on such an outcome for the cup semi final. Maybe Tosun or Kean can sub themselves on and tap in a couple.

We had an even better run of form against Spurs in the 1980s, winning five of six meetings across three competitions. The most impressive scoreline being the last: a 3-1 win in front of a measly 12,000 fans at Goodison in the Screen Sport Super Cup Semi-final 2nd leg. It's fair to assume the short-lived alternative to European football wasn't a major priority for manager Howard Kendall. The likes of Graeme Sharp and Psycho Pat were benched to make way for Peter Billinge and Paul Wilkinson.

Our longest unbeaten run versus Spurs was 11 matches between 3 November 1973 and 1979. That run commenced with a 1-1 draw when John Connolly netted past Northern Ireland legend Pat Jennings. The veteran keeper later played for Everton while his teammates that day included World Cup winner Martin Peters. Perhaps we can begin a similar sequence of results this November 3rd? The seventies unbeaten sequence concluded with another 1-1 as Asa Harford and Co battled a star-studded Tottenham team featuring Ricky Villa, Ossie Ardilles and Glenn Hoddle.

We have put five goals past the Londoners a few times, including a 5-2 win in 1934 when Dixie Dean scored a hat-trick. Our biggest margin of victory was in 1977 – a 4-0 win at Goodison Park. The win came just 6 weeks after Everton sacked Billy Bingham and replaced him with Gordon Lee. Everton finished the season in the top 10 while Spurs were last and relegated to the old Division Two.

I believe Silva has to win two of the three games on offer this month (yes it's a mere three game month because of YET another international break).

We must win two of these three against Tottenham, Southampton and Norwich going into that horror run of fixtures we are faced with in December.

I would rest Mina and get him back fully fit – no need to have him hobbling off after 30 mins, it would just limit our subs.

We are only 3 points off 7th so let's hope these guys can build on the second-half showing in midweek.

Tell that to fans of Mjondalen and Ranheim TF in the Norwegian Eliteserien league.

Somehow I don't think Moshiri quite envisaged this when he took over back in 2016 with pound signs over his head.

One of our issues has been at centre-half with Mina's injuries and Keane's form. Sheffield Utd have an advantage in that respect as they're able to call upon a Premier League veteran centre-back named Philip Jagielka when needed.

Pickford,
Sidibe, Keane, Holgate, Digne,
Davies, Iwobi, Gomes,
Walcott, Kean, Richarlison.

I think we have the players to be top six, we just don't have a quality manager. If we lose, I just hope we take the appropriate step then to get a world class manager.

I'm not sure we do have the squad that is top six material really.

Most lads have either not had a great history in the Premier League and others, Pickford, Keane, Sigurdsson for example have been perennial relegation material.

The biggest concern though is the weak mentality.

Clubs like Wolves, Bournemouth, Sheffield United seem far mentally stronger than our players who are very fragile up top (head wise).

The calls for Marco Silva's ousting are starting before the ball has been kicked never mind that it is just 10 games into the season. Whatever happened to Evertonians that such a panicky Second Division mentality has taken over such a large section of supporters (supporters is a bit of an oxymoron here). Get a grip or go back to playing Mario Brothers or what ever you do.

2-1 tomorrow.

West, Wright, Newton, Kendall, Labone, Harvey, Husband, Ball, Royle, Hurst, Morrissey

in that numerical order?

That was a GREAT side. Could, and arguably should, have been the entire England team in Mexico 1970. Can you imagine them playing the great Brazil side? Would have been fantastic.

3-0 tomorrow.

I am reading the programme from left to right. I was at this game and I am not sure if this was the line-up for the start of the game.

West:
Wright, Labone, Hurst, Newton:
Kendall, Ball, Harvey.
Husband, Royle, Morrisey.

However, Morrisey would drop back to make it 4-4-2. Husband would float, sometimes making it 4-4-1-1. Hurst would drive forward from centre-back. Ball moved up and scored plenty of goals.

That's why I get frustrated with set systems. It should be flexible, players should move into alternative positions, and intelligent teammates should cover for them.

Most of the time, our current side looks like a bleedin' Subbuteo team.

Yeah I agree with you on Yerry, he's had a good start to the season and think he will be a good signing.

As to Silva, well hes had a shocking start to the season. If this was isolated then I think most supporters would give him more time, like last season when we went on that horrendous run of around 3 months before things picked up.

However, we are back to square one really, playing awful football yet again and struggling to compete with anybody, let alone top 6 teams. How long do we give this time till he finally turns it around?

It's not like we have been unlucky with results, we have been soundly beaten with terrible performances. I really hope that Steve Ferns is right on his prediction that Silva will come good although I am definitely doubting it.

I guess it all depends on what your expectations are. Rightly or wrongly I always expect Everton to win although in recent seasons that is becoming more hope than expectation.

One thing is for sure is that we cant just accept these shocking run of results every season. Doing so is definitely second division mentality not demanding a competent football team. With what we have had to put up with for years I think our fans have the patience of saints. How many top 6 clubs could have horrendous seasons like ours and still pack out the stadium week after week?

Instead of deriding fans who so desperately want success you, should be awarding them a medal for going back week after week. They are definitely not 2nd Division mentality; alas, I think the powers that be are though.

I can't see any points in it for us, sadly.

Derek again @91 Chinese Super League ends on 30 November, so you are correct.

Yes, I understand that as I didn't miss a game in the 69-70 season, home or away. The reason I mentioned that line-up that was in the programme, is the pages in the programme were not wide enough to show actual formations.

It will come down to us taking our chances when they come, if Goodison is rocking, I see us putting in a performance, but certainly fancy Everton getting at worst a point.

In other words, that side ripped other sides apart through the middle, hence Ball scoring so much. This is pretty much what we need now. There were hints of it in the West Ham game.

If you forget the size of the squad on the books and only count the players that the current regime think are fit to play in the Everton. And that they are only a season and a quarter into creating a new team that can consistently challenge at the top.

Silva does not have a lot of options and this season he has had to deal with the loss of two of last seasons best players (Zouma and Gana). Silva showed last season, during that winning streak, the type of football his team will produce. We just need more patience.

What about Silva's record at his other Premier League clubs? Where do you get this optimism from, his record has always been very shaky.

He scares the life out of most of us, his whole demeanor on the touchline doesn't help, especially when we go a goal down, he goes into a sulk. Personally I think he should've gone after the Burnley game.

Stan @99 Shows how good the West Ham result at Goodison Park was; they lost at home today to Newcastle, a very poor team indeed.

Why play a Titanic 7-mile turning circle centre-half? I'd play a back 4 of Coleman, Holgate, Sidibe and Digne. Midfield: Davies, Gomes with Delph sitting in front of the back 4.

Up top: Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin and Kean.

Bench must consist of young Gordon and the big Geordie (Gibson) or our boy Feeney.

Forget the city game whereby we actually made an effort but still got comfortably beat. The only 2 games that have actually been good games have been wolves and west ham. Why cant we put that level of performance in, week-in & week-out? That should be a minimum.

The fact that we don't is down to the manager. He should be getting that level of effort every game and the fact that we don't says lots about the manager and the players. He needs to sort it out. We can't carry on having these bad runs every season.

Optimism aside, I think many are saying that, because there simply aren't many, if any, good options to replace him right now, that there's no use sacking him. May as well let us/him limp to the finish line, and then pick from an exponentially larger pool of options. At least that's where I land.

Mike @100: Good post.

I want youngsters on the bench to gain experience of the big time, to let them know they're not far off. It can only help their confidence.

If we are in a position to give young Gordon, or Feeney a chance of 10 minutes, how can that harm us? If they come on because they have to, maybe they'll surprise us.

What's too lose? We have to give these kids something to aim for.

Well, big Joe worked his magic and we played them off the park to win 4-1.

If only Silva could motivate the players.

I think I was at that match

If it's the one I'm thinking of we won 3-2

Mike England, one of their centre-halves, was the first player I heard called “yard dog”. He was an absolute beast

One of my favourite matches and what a team we had. Not one of our current players would come close to any of that team.

Without Mina and Bernard, it may still be a struggle... but, if they can keep Kane quiet, they have a chance.

I'm not sure about your lineup, it scares the bajeezuz out of me. But my inner child absolutely loves it, and I think I'd pay serious money to see that lineup in action.

Some people are longing for Moyes back after the sides he put together on a shoestring with much better team spirit, but we're all longing for more than that.

For goodness sake, we're languishing in Leicester's shadow right now, who are being managed well by our favourite ex-Red manager, Brendan.

Life is one endless cruel tragedy as a Blue... on that note, I'd better sign off... #COYB!

Even the fans were pleasantly surprised. If only we could play like that tomorrow.

If I remember correctly, Klinsman dived for yet another penalty (oh for VAR then!) but the big point was Rideout being injured and they put the board up for Daniel "Can you catchme" Amokachi, who ran on the pitch before Rideout could say he was okay to continue – and then he bagged a brace.

Big Dunc was carried onto the coach at the end, drunk (allegedly).

Happy days under big Joe.

Solskjaer is a game or two from the sack and yet their top men like Woodward are untouched and yet they, as with Everton, are the real problem. Everton need to remove all trace of Kenwright and replace him and any of his cronie placements with people who have actually run successful clubs rather than keep clubs surviving as with Kenwright.

I hate to say it but getting Silva out is absolutely essential. Brands? I'll hold judgement on him because buying players is massively risky and I believe that he is a true profession rather than a luvvie's who managed to buy a trainset.

I have a feeling that, while Spurs are playing badly, they will be too good for us tomorrow.

Shame on Paul (46) There can never be any bright side to Everton losing, even if Silva is fired. Are you ready to take over?

I didn't think the score was that high, and Everton did win by 1 goal. So I cheated and looked it up.

Everton won 1 -0 and the goal was scored by Alan Whittle. I didn't think he was that old.

My wife doesn't like football, but has an uncanny ability - like most of the major bookmaker's infants - to predict Everton defeats.
Last weekend she asked me how the game with Brighton was going. I said okay, we are 2-1 up with approx 15 mins to go. “You'll lose again” was her confident (and accurate) prediction.

As for tomorrow... she has a bit of an interest in the game as she was at school with the mother of Spurs' Ben Davies - an excellent sportswoman apparently. She's told me to prepare for another defeat.

One football-related item she does enjoy is the Radio Merseyside Monday Night football phone in at 6:00pm (also available on the internet) and recommends it to all ToffeeWebbers - particularly those based outside the UK – as “essential listening for the deluded”.

I was there for last seasons 2-6 mauling so won't waste my time this year so I am going to skip it and go and watch the fireworks with the family, I reckon 1-3 Spurs.

A win and we're a mere 4 pts off Arsenal in 5th.

This entire season is just screaming for a Club to reach out and grab a top 4 spot. We need to be up to the task. Maybe tomorrow is the change we've all been waiting for?

I have no confidence in that rhetorical, hopeful question. Hope I'm wrong.

Another wasted season is looming. Unless we win, then smash Southampton 2-0. (No need to be greedy!) End of the day, though, will our next uplift of form stick or will we be back here again before too long?

The only thing I'm sure of is we don't need the next best thing or someone with potential. We need a winner with winning mentality.

I truly think any talk of relegation is histrionic. It's a weird, bad table this year. And while this represents a huge missed opportunity, I also think we can't panic. Worst case, we limp to the finish line, end up somewhere lower table, and find a very good or even great manager in the summer, before that transfer window.

Our biggest issue is that any manager who can truly solve our problems, of which there are many, won't be available until then. All the good ones are fighting for European qualification of their own, or challenging for a league title, or already playing in Europe. I don't think any manager would walk away from those scenarios to come fix our toilet, as it were.

I could be wrong, it just seems to be that way. Fingers crossed with a good dash of mild optimism and confidence. Cheers Sean.

There are several available candidates who fit the bill and hopefully one of them will be in charge before we lose too many more games.

I hate Spurs and I hope that we beat them but whatever the result, it will have little effect on the outlook for Everton.

Btw, I was pretty high on Arteta but many shot me down (not necessarily the folks here on TW).

Any of them would likely be successful if he were given the length of time and budget that Silva has had.

Rooney could be a great manager one day, I just don't think it's today. The others I'm not too high on, but I understand their appeal. Now someone like ten Heg really blows my skirt up but we'd definitely have to wait until summer.

Good luck to us! Cheers Ed.

Equally, hiring managers from Preston, Wigan, Soton, Palace and Watford gets you mid-table performances and no trophies. In any profession, you get what you pay for, full stop.

Wayne Rooney is a complete knucklehead. It staggers me next the suggestions some people come up with to run our great club.

If Silva is let go I won't be particularly bothered but I will be extremely bothered if we lose 3-1 to Spurs. They are two different factors that could be related but don't always need to be.

I mean, Pochettino came from Southampton. Though you're half-right, Spurs haven't won any trophies.

Despite the result against Brighton, since Schneiderlinn has been out of the team performances have improved. Hopefully Silva realises this and keeps him on the periphery. Beat Spurs today and we have two very winnable matches coming up to put us in a better position and in a good frame of mind going into a difficult December.

Although I don't think I'd start Sigurdsson today, probably go with Iwobi, having Davies in midfield means the transition from defence to attack is much quicker and comes through the centre more often which might actually suit Gylfi better. Unless Mina is 100% fit then don't risk him.

It's hard to decide who to go with up-front between Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin, but with Bernard being out I think best to bring Richarlison to the left to link up with Digne and Calvert-Lewin is improving so hopefully will cause problems up there. I'm not a massive fan of Walcott but I'm sure he'd be well up for this one so I'd give him a chance. Coleman just shades it over Sidibe for me.

Line-up for me would be:

Pickford
Coleman(c) Keane Holgate Digne
Davies Delph
Walcott Iwobi Richarlison
Calvert-Lewin

If the under 23's hadn't played yesterday then like a few others I'd love to have seen maybe at least a couple from either Gibson, Adeniran, Baningime and Gordon among the subs. It's high time these kids are slowly introduced to the first team. There still remains some strength on the bench with Lossil, Sidibe, Baines, Gomes, Sigurdsson and Kean being the ones I'd go with.

I agree that time is running out for Silva but hopefully the Goodison faithful will be in full voice and stay patient with the team. Full commitment is needed with no players hiding. It's getting to the point of now or never for Silva to deliver. I still think he can.

Unfortunately with work commitments today may mean I won't get to see the full match but fingers crossed for a good performance and three points. COYB : )

Unlike the dwindling few on TW, I can't see, even with an optimistic view, that Silva is taking us anywhere, and I don't believe it is down to language problems either. I think he is a monkey-spanker, and has had long enough to show what he can't do.

Just realised your programme was for the away match. Curiously we played them at home on 14 March 1970 and did indeed win 3-2.

I am guessing the away match must have been rearranged.

Alan Whittle was a good player. His career perhaps didn't turn out quite as well as it should have.

I'd prefer to steer away from the "he's one of us" mentality that has kept us back for decades. No-one in Liverpool's coaching set up has played for Liverpool, and they are doing fine, neither Pep or Arteta has played for Man City.

We do need a new manager though, the sooner the better. We're in a relegation battle and it's not going well.

If we turn up today, we'll get a good result. That's a big if.

Regarding Lampard, as well as being an excellent player, he's always been regarded as one with the intelligence and emotional intelligence to succeed as a manager. Intelligence is often frowned on these days - I'd argue it's the difference between the multitude of 'technician' coaches and successful man-managers.

Personally if it means he goes, I would through gritted teeth take a hit today. I would rather beat Spurs but sometimes, 'every cloud' and all that...

Like you say, 'If we turn up today', reports are saying that Harry Kane might not play, due to injury, but they have other danger men. Having said that, generally Spurs are not playing that well. So they will suddenly find form today.

Just had a look at The Sack Race and Oddschecker, both have a certain Mark Hughes as second-favourite to replace Silva.

Ambition indeed.

Southampton next week and like almost every team now such is our dire away form, we rarely muster the stomach for a fight.

Today a draw would be deemed a good result but we need to win, as we are in a relegation fight, if we don't and the next 2 months of fixtures are very tough for any team in form.

But when was the last time Everton had some decent form? Perhaps Martinez's first season, but that was a flashin the pan, as was proven later.

Let's hope today we can finish and we don't give Kane and co any early Chrimbo presents, like last season.

Intelligence is frowned on only by people aren't very bright. Some of those people invented 'emotional intelligence' to compensate for their dullness.

There's an awful lot of pessimism on here. Folks need to get a grip. We don't need optimism or pessimism, we need realism. Realistically, at Goodison we can beat anybody. Anything less than a win today would be very disappointing.

Who am I kidding, I can't see anything other than a Spurs win today - our record against them is nothing short of shocking, and they stuck 6 past us at Goodison last season. Form means nothing with this Everton side - in fact we only have 2 modes, shite and total shite.

I don't understand all this talk of a 'poor Spurs'. Even a rubbish Spurs is way better than a half decent Everton.

I'm in continuous frustration with Pickford and personally I would have dropped him by now. Despite him being often lauded for his ball playing. 75% of the time it's launched either out of play or straight to the opposition defence. Whilst it's a great tool to have it's so predictable at times and causes a turnover.

In a game that is often won or lost on percentages, we don't need to be giving the opponent more and more opportunities to have the ball. I do however think there's no chance he will be dropped and as such, Pickford starts.

Right Back. Sidibe. I have gone with him as for me he has looked solid, clever with the ball and clearly very capable. He has performed well on all occasions when given a chance and has looked more effective than Coleman. I think Coleman is a fantastic servant for our club but his time is up I am afraid. Runs into too many blind corners without that extra few yards of pace anymore.

Centre-back: Keane – Despite my reservations not really much choice in this area with Mina out. His aerial presence will be needed against Kane and will hopefully complement the better and faster footballer Holgate.

Centre-back: Holgate – I have banged the drum for Holgate for two or three seasons now and have always thought that given a run of games he would show what a fantastic footballer he is. For me, technically he's one of the best footballers at the club (better than Stones ever was) with an aggression and bite to his game which is exactly what we need at the moment.

Left-back - Digne. Despite not being as defensively sound thus far, still one of the best footballers and left-backs in the Premier League and I'm confident that no arguments will be given to this choice!

Midfield - Gomes. Was poor last time out but can run a game at times. At home with the crowd rocking think he will excel today.

Midfield - Davies. A player improving all the time and I'd personally have him as captain. Always looking to move the ball quickly and move the ball forward. Another with bite and tenacity which will be needed today. An Evertonian who clearly gets it. Can hopefully get all over Winks and co today.

CAM- Iwobi. Shades it against Sigurdssonto start as he's been unlucky not to score in last couple of outings and again, always looks to move things quickly forward. We need an element of dynamism against the so called “top sides”. I would predict that Spurs won't sit back like a lot of teams to Goodison and this should open up a little more space

Left - Richarlison. His best position for me, will work well with Digne, always moves inside and again, despite his theatrics at times, another who has a nasty streak to them at times.

Right - Walcott. I have been surprised with Walcott this season he has really upped his game and think he still has huge quality and a lot to prove. I want a winger today who can cut inside and create as well as the ability to go on the outside to swing a ball across.

Striker -Kean. A controversial call for some maybe and despite me liking Calvert-Lewin, I think this could be the game for the young man. Again I think today may offer a little more space for our forward line as they will not be as compact as a Sheffield Utd, Burnley et al and I think the lad has a special quality about him. You only score goals when you play. He is a goal scorer and will bang them in once he gets off the mark, I am sure of it.

Hoping for a big day today. 4-1 Everton with a Moise Kean brace.

Anyone meeting for a beer before the game?

My predicted team is:

Pickford
Sidibe Mina Holgate Digne
Delph Gomes
Walcott Iwobi Richarlison
Calvert-Lewin

I think this is our strongest line-up and should be played every week until Norwich game and see where we are then.

The game next week at Southampton will be a six pointer, followed by the horrendous December fixtures, that's when Silva's fate will finally be decided. As for his successor, surely Brands must be scouring Europe for a suitable replacement, with the right salary I'm sure we could find someone far better than Silva.

Andy Grey, now there's a beautiful memory when I think about Everton and pragmatism, and the Glawdys St helping to suck the ball into the back of the net, with “the Bayern Bench claiming we were playing rugby!!”

Let's hope that today the players get the up the fight and get a win.

It's going to be a very tough winter and there's no excuses for not having game management and no playing for the full 95 minutes.

Interesting to see what shape starts today's game, and I suspect earring on caution.

Stop the feed to Song and whilst they have threats all over their team, for me he's their Talisman as to many Kane is.

Hopefully Spurs are on for a double dose of defeat after being very unlucky against the RS last week.

Let's see what Everton turns up.

Stan, agree on all points.

Rarely do supporters come on a fan site and all make predictions of a loss, and naturally so. The reality feels very different to me - Everton are not playing well, and have not done anything to make it appear that some great change is about to occur, especially against a team we traditionally struggle against, and is currently (despite form) a lot better than us.

Very rarely will you read a post that backs up with any good reasoning, why we're likely to get a result against them. I hope I'm wrong!

Before Silva, there were complaints about our quality of football. Under Silva, when we do play well, the football is high quality, few complaints. Plus, last season we managed to do what many were complaining we weren't doing, playing well against the top sides. Liverpool supporters were a bit shocked by our quality, and couldn't believe their luck with Pickford's gift.

So it's astonishing to see people calling for Silva's head, to start all over again with no guarantee of improvement. Let's try to get some consistency following the signs of the quality we clearly have as shown for example by the West Ham game. And there's no point in anybody answering (as someone said yesterday) that West Ham are crap as shown by yesterday's defeat to Newcastle, since football does not work in that simple naive way.

Our away form is consistently bad, that is a clear pattern. But what is also a clear pattern is our home form, which is consistently good, hence the phrase Fortress Goodison. If the away form got near the home form, few if any would complain. And today's game is a home game.

You may think losing three points today will be no great disaster, if it means Silva is sacked, as there will still be plenty of time left in the season to accrue the required points for survival. However, let me say one thing

BOLTON WANDERERS!!

Why Bolton Wanderers? Well quite simply back in season 1997/98, we survived by the skin of our teeth, finishing 17th, while Bolton were relegated in 18th position, by virtue of an inferior goal difference. For those who remember, Bolton moved into their new stadium that year, and we were the first visitors there.

Now, rightly or wrongly, Bolton had a "goal" disallowed that match (the ball was deemed not to have crossed the line), which had it been given, would have probably given Bolton three points, and, yes, you've guessed it, we probably would have been relegated that season instead of them.

So, while that game was so early in the season, and Bolton still had plenty of points to play for, I don't think anyone would have realised at the time, what such an important point it was for us. EVERY point is important, no matter how early in the season.

So for anyone saying "I'd take a loss today if it meant Silva getting the sack", think again. Any point(s) we get today could be really vital come the end of the season.

Every omen and our legendary charitable status points to Spurs, but like others I'm still hoping for a shock result. COYB.

I think they have more faith in us than we do, if Kane is missing that is a plus no doubt.
Nevertheless they will field a class replacement, Son scores some cracking goals.
I cant really see us winning, a draw maybe, I'd like to be positive but logic is telling me otherwise.
I'd love to be proved wrong of course.

I'm sure Pochettino won't want to lose again on Merseyside on consecutive weekends so it's down to us.
Obviously hoping for a win, but just can not see it.
Foe me being an Evertonian these days is to get expect nothing, everything else is a bonus!

John Cross, The Mirror, sees this as Silva's last English job if he's sacked.

Jason Burt, The Telegraph, sees his problem in inheriting several people's squads, not getting enough out of his squad, and a lack of a viable alternative.

Link
- - just listening to a bit of Dylan - - you know of course he came to Liverpool and is obviously a Blue for Life:

“And what did you hear, my blue-eyed son?
And what did you hear, my darling young one?
I heard the sound of a thunder, it roared out a warnin'
Heard the roar of a wave that could drown the whole world
Heard one person starve, I heard many people laughin'
Heard the song of a poet who died in the gutter
Heard the sound of a clown who cried in the alley
And it's a hard, and it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
And it's a hard rain's a-gonna fall”

Looked out of my window this morning - - The River - - Silver and Shimmering with the morning sun and mist - - the Liver Buildings - - Cathedrals - - City Tower and The Magnificent Vistula of The Waterfront - - all fighting for my attention and striving and clamouring to come out of the mist - - yet still grey against a greyer sky and the silver lines of the River - - like a Whistler Symphony - - reminds me of the opening of The Beatles Yellow Submarine - - I will never ever forget when I saw it on The Big Screen at The Odeon - - I choked with emotion - - a dry throat and wet cheeks - - I had never seen Liverpool look like that - - Bluetiful - - magnificent - - mysterious - - ethereal - - poetic and romantic and altogether marvellous - - have a look at the photos:

Link

Let your soul and spirit
Fly
Into The Mystic

I am onto 60's bits and bobs at the moment - - just sitting at my Mac and writing and playing and listening:

“Take me for a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship
All my senses have been stripped
And my hands can't feel to grip
And my toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin'
I'm ready to go anywhere I'm ready for to fade
On to my own parade cast your dancin' spell my way
I promise to go under it”

This is my routine on Match Days - - to get myself into “the mood” - - to try and not carry too many negative waves - - - to surround myself with word and music and images that lift my soul - - raise my spirits - - get myself ready for the journey - - Charon calling me and rowing me over The Mighty River - - or is that Gosia driving her car - - and the call of The Sirens in The Dark House - - or is that Sandra just asking “what are you having George” - - Do You Believe In Magic:

“Yeah, do you believe in magic
Yeah, believe in the magic of a young girl's soul
Believe in the magic of rock and roll
Believe in the magic that can set you free
Ohh, talking 'bout magic
Do you believe like I believe (Do you believe in magic)
Do you believe like I believe (Do you believe, believer)
Do you believe like I believe (Do you believe in magic)”

For me going to the game has to be something - - have meaning - - touch something - - the football has been bad for some time now - - BUT - - does that reduce or chip away at “the going to the game” means - - absolutely not - - friendships, rituals, routines, conversations, debates, even arguments but no matter what friendship - - camaraderie - - feeling something mutual - - a belief that it will all come good - - I have just closed my eyes for a moment - - floating - - flying - - on the Astral - - recalling Sunday Mornings of my childhood - - 10.30 Mass at St.Ollies (St Alphonsus) - - home to sausage and bacon and eggs and tomatoes gravy made by Mum - - Sunday morning Family Favourites - - BFPO40 - - then a play out or to The Art Gallery and Pier Head and home for Sunday Roast with Around The Horn and Jimmy Clitherow in the background - - Ah Take Me Back:

“Sunday six-bells, and in between the silence there was conversation
And laughter, and music and singing, and shivers up the back of the neck
And tuning in to Luxembourg late at night
And jazz and blues records during the day
Also Debussy on the third program
Early mornings when contemplation was best”

Once many years' ago I was living on my own and I was lying on the floor in my house - - a bit low and lonely - - listening to Van - - Hyndford Street - - let myself go and dreamed a dream of my sister Colette who I hadn't seen for a while - - silly family stuff - - I saw her in my mind running up Great Mersey Street with her Holy Communion Dress on - - the veil blowing behind - - I woke with tears - - of joy and happiness - - music can lift your soul - - when I go to the game today I will take my harmonica and sing a little song for Everton - - Geronimo:

Maybe tough times being a Blue - - but we are True and Blue - - I Love going to the match - - to sit in the circle with all my friends from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest - - to talk and listen and muse and act soft and laugh and sometimes cry - - but always there - - as Gaffer said “no matter what we will always have Everton and TDH”

“Tonight, 'neath the silvery moon, tonight
Tonight, 'neath the silvery moon, tonight
And the leaves, shaking on the trees, in the cool, summer breeze
And the people passing, in the street
And everybody that you meet, tonight
You will understand the oneness
Tonight, you will understand the one
Tonight, 'neath the silvery moon, tonight
Tonight, let it all begin tonight
You will understand
The Oneness”

Can we talk it over
One More time
Tonight.

Cosmic grooves sent over the airwaves to all Blues - -God Bless Everyone said Tiny Tim Cahil.

With a firm handshake from George Vincent Van Mc Kane - - Listen to The Lion

Loving your work George

George - 4-0 today?

"Sunday in the afternnon
What have we got to lose"

Cosmic grooves all the way.

I think we are gonna win this one

In Liverpool with the family so gonna get a home game in.

Spurs game went last year, a shocker to be sure, hoping for better today but realistically think it will be a struggle but a good game anyhow.

Looking forward to pie & chips at a reasonable price not like down South, love coming home.

Whether Mina is fit or not for me Holgate should start, when was the last time Keane created a goal with a cleverly waited pass or scored. I am sure Spurs will come here trying to get their season back on track, but unlike the Spurs of the last 2 seasons this team is a long way off that form. So hopefully with the backing of 40,000 Evertonians we may get the victory we desperately need.

Thanks for ushering those long a go memories back, even for a few minutes, cosmic groves back George with an extra 10%. for your lovely post.

COYB

For who knows where the time goes.

But being 1969, he more likely scrawled "Obla di, Obla da, Alan Ba-a-all, Is the Greatest of them All".

I get your comments about all
points being important no matter when games are played and the significance of each point and some supporters being pleased if we lose to help managers get the sack.

I am always of the opinion that the final kick of the match is more significant in terms of points earned or lost etc...and the outcome of the game etc as goals scored earlier or chances missed in games means both teams would approach the rest of the game differently.

I probably could word that better...

If Everton had not had that point against Bolton, both Bolton and Everton may have approached their next games differently etc.

If Everton had drawn their game against Liverpool in the first Derby game last season instead of giving Liverpool a boost, we may have been better the next few months, and Liverpool may have not gone on the run they did and Man City may not have been spurred on to keep up with Liverpool..

It's all ifs and buts.

Having said that, going with 3 nil today but not sure which side will win!

Enjoy the match.

Not withstanding that there are no decent candidates...I'm not for letting Silva have time to play himself...and us, out of this...because I doubt he can.

So everybody, what would you rather have...

We take action to stop the rot with ten games gone - or with ten games left.

Then ask yourselves; Do you feel lucky, well - do you?

1) What should we do re: Silva?
1) Histrionics aside, do you genuinely believe we will be relegated and therefore he should be sacked ASAP?
(for context, 6 pts separate 6th from 17th and there are 28 matchdays left after today)
1a) if you do, which manager would you tap to take over mid-season?
1b) If you don't, are you patient until the summer, or would wait the entire term of his contract?

2) What is your goal for the club right now?
2a) Avoiding relegation at all costs? (Any manager is better than Silva)
2b) Finishing somewhere 7th-17th? (Finding a very good manager in the summer)
2c) Prioritizing long-term strategy and building a consistently top 6 challenging team? (In Silva you trust)

I'm not asking so I can debate you. In fact you don't even need to answer here (just to yourself). If you want to answer here, great.

Then make it happen.

Anyone who will actually play our young talent consistently.

Anyone who will actually willingly play the ball through the middle while attacking.

Anyone who won't accept slow, sideways players.

Anyone who's approach first and foremost is to put the ball in the back of the net, not defend first.

I'll leave it to Brands to find that man, in lieu of me pulling names out of a hat.

Jamie, what a coincidence, had this exact discussion with my local friend (the one near Philly) around what we wanted from our next manager. I may have had my answers in your exact same order!

The Brands comment is fair; I think the dearth of available options is exactly why nothing's been done.

Considering our shortage of Centre Backs, I would have expected to see either Gibson or Feeney at least on the bench, but with Silva he won't give the lads a breath of hope for their futures with us.

I think based on what I have seen this season we would be naive to think we are beyond relegation.

Silva isn't the manager for me he has no plan B and lacks the cv and charisma to make me believe he can achieve anything other than mediocrity.

People will have their own opinion of who should replace him but the lack of ambition in the last few appointments would suggest we should be targeting the 'they would never come here' managers and stop wasting everyone's time with second teir stop gaps.

Not a very good one - apparently he didn't like the distances to travel to away games.

I cant beat that, but I did see the same message on the entrance to the French Foreign legion Parachute base in Calvi. You didnt go there looking for trouble

Do we have an Evertonian "Banksy", or is this just a couple of the chaps spreading the word

Brands was saying yesterday that Gibson and Feeney needed to step up a level before being considered first team material.

Besides Mourinho, who are the "will never come here" managers you're thinking of who are actually available right now? That's the problem to me; there is no currently available pool of options beyond mostly same-old, same-old.

Keane seemed as nervous as hell and they both talked about the need to score a goal and then change the style of play and stop the full backs bombing forward. It was if they were deciding tactics on the hoof but also explains why we sit back when we go a goal up instead of going all out to destroy the opposition.
If anything ever convinced me Silva has to go it was this interview.

Otherwise it will be a long long hard season like the one we have had to endure so far. EFC so far has been like a tiny tree in an storm, bending all the time. Up the Blues and remember those words, eat sleep breathe them all the time.

It may be true or not, but it's the sort of story you ask why would a journo bring it up? So possibly no smoke without fire!

I don't know what his reluctance is to blood the youngsters, the way some of our senior players have been it wouldn't do any harm, and possibly jolt some of them into action.

Hibbert, Osman, Jeffers, Grant, Rooney, Duffy, Rodwell and Barkley spring to mind. Is all.

The piece you link to is penned by the world-renowned footy journalist...ehrm...Vijievan Jeevathayalan.

His source is another footy clickbait site Football Insider and a similarly speculative article by another football journalist illuminary...Wayne Veysey.

No doubt he sourced HIS info from a similar speculative article.

The story really doesn't have a lot going for it, Derek.

But we live in different times. Sadly.

I'll see your Mancini/Cahill and call with Allegri/Rooney 🙌🏼

Oh, and Lucas Moura is better than anyone we'll be starting today, so doubt Kane's absence is an issue. Spurs have been very very good without Kane in the past.

It sends a message to them that they are in the plans for the future, and as I said before they couldn't do any worse than some of our stuttering so-called senior players.

I have the pleasure of not watching today due to prior commitments. My thoughts and prayers are with those who have to endure the 90 minutes.

On the other, I perfectly understand the anguish and concern many are expressing.

Yes, we were torpedoed in two consecutive home games this season to the Blades then City; one perhaps unexpected, the other expected. But you have to go back to February when City beat us 2-0 at home to recall our previous home defeat.

The performances this season - other than the previous PL home win v WHU - have not displayed the same fluency or easy-on-the-eye football of the end of last season, but we are still decent at Goodison.

Contrast that to Spurs who, up to February last season, boasted the best away record in the league, but then it fell off a cliff and continues to be poor this season. No away win in five.

So why so many seem willing to cede the game before a ball is kicked in anger, I don't understand. They are in as poor a form as we are.

Of course, we can all quote 'Everton that', that if a team hasn't won in a stretch, or a player is going through a goal drought, a fixture against the Blues will resolve that.

There are factors which do not make for happy reading, not least that it is 21 PL games and counting that under Silva Everton has never recovered from conceding the first goal of the game to register a win; 18 defeats, 3 draws, 3 points out of a possible 63 is our return.

Nor are we very good at scoring goals in the second half of games. In 10 games to date this season we have scored 3 in 450 minutes of second half football: Richarlison's winner at home to Wolves; Siggy's late second v WHU; DCL's goal v Brighton last week in losing 2-3.

It will be perfectly understandable if there are collective groans should we concede the opening goal, or need a goal in the 2nd half. We're not very good at either.

But today remains a game we most certainly are capable of winning.

The team I'd like to see would be 4-3-3; Pickford,Sidibé, Keane/Mina, Holgate, Digne, Gomes, Davies, Iwobi, Walcott, Richarlison, Kean. The front 3 taking a leaf out of the RS playbook and to be fluid positionally, and the mid 3 giving them quality service a la Tosun to Charlie on Tues night.

The chances of this being the team is zero, but hey ho you can dream.

I agree in trying to tweak and improve those players who are established if you know they are capable of playing better but there are only so many chances you can give before continued failure, errors, mistakes have to result in a different approach.

It's far easier for new and inexperienced players to be slowly introduced into a positive winning environment but there comes a time to take a chance.

Either Silva is happy the current lot are performing well or at least to his instructions or he's letting them continuously get away with underperforming.

Spurs great example. One of the best teams in the league who havnt go going. It happens, they are capable of better but until they prove it the manger will drop players and isn't afraid to play youngsters.