Norwich City vs Everton

They will come at us gung ho for 20-30 mins then run out of steam, like a fatally wounded Impala lashing out despite it's inevitable demise. They make defensive mistakes and we can pick them off as a successful predator should. Our defenders and Pickford will have to be concentrating from the off to ride that initial period out.

It will be very interesting to see how Gomes and Davies play in central midfield. Equally Iwobi and Gordon, that's if the same midfield start. We must pass it better and have a bit more control. Also, there were too many mistakes and getting caught in possession for my liking against the RS. The whole midfield needs to be more switched on. For all of them, this is a fantastic opportunity to show they should be part of Carlo's long-term plans.

Norwich are in a bad position but that means nothing on the day as one goal can win it no matter how the game goes and where you are in the league table.

Everton haven't really impressed in any game this season to be honest and I think new blood needs to be introduced so that we can be optimistic about next season.

I expect a siege and for them this could be the end of any hopes of staying up if they lose.

No complacency and all effort and let's hope we can convert any chances we create or are given.

And if Carlo wants even more energy in midfield, I would not be surprised to see Kean start up front and Richarlison pulled back to right mid.

Keep it up tempo and keep the pressure on is what I hope to see as the tactics. Whether our central midfield can do that for most of the match is the key.

4-3-3 with Gomes Davies and Iwobi in midfield and back 4 left alone.

Bring Gordon on for Iwobi second half and go for the jugular.

We've got nothing but pride left to play for so we may as well just go for it against the lesser sides.

This might be a good option against Norwich – allowing Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin and Gordon to press and Gylfi to take pot shots from the edge of the box. He has an excellent track record in this role and the only blip is this weird season.

But, if it's 4-4-2, then better give some less experienced player a go than move him back to centre-mid or out wide.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Gylfi come into the middle to preserve one of Gomes and Davies and Bernard replace one of Iwobi and Gordon.

I think Kean will definitely get more time either starting or coming on with Richarlison going out wide.

Baines in for Digne perhaps?

Gordon should get a licence to venture forward, but wonder whether he'll come from the bench. Maybe Sigurdsson in for Davies as we should expect more time on the ball, more room to venture forward.

Bernard too will be hoping to start.

Not quite sure, but expect the same 4-4-2 but with Sigurdsson for Davies (or Gomes depending on his fitness).

I'm also looking forward to hearing the continued complaints from people about changing channel at half-time.

First World problems, eh?

I believe that Everton are going to get to be much better but next season at the earliest.

"I believe that Everton are going to get to be much better but next season at the earliest."

I've heard that before.

Sticking with Iwobi, Davies, Gordon for the rest of the season may pay dividends for next season. Hopefully some decent minutes for Kean too.

It is also a chance to rehabilitate Sigurdsson. He won't be first choice in a 4-4-2 but he does offer us a very productive option / change of formation. It may be better value to keep him for this purpose than to flog him for a low fee.

I would also hope that we have too much for them, but as survival for them is at stake, I don't expect them to roll over and have their belly tickled either. We need the points from the next 3 games otherwise any Euro aspirations can be kissed goodbye.

I must also say that as soon as this game is over I will for 90 minutes become a Palace supporter, hoping Woy's boys can turn them over.

Win, and we move to 41 points, safety from the drop, which presently we are not, and into the top half of the league.

This is a game which we need to approach with caution. The longer Norwich settle, the more they will grow in confidence. We need to start this game as we mean to go out. Early Richy goal and then go from there.

This to me is a must win game.

I would rather see someone from the Under-23s or even Under-18s given a chance before Siggi. Let's face it, he has been an expensive flop and he isn't going to turn into a world beater now!

So I think we can expect them to throw everything they have got at us for the first 25/30 minutes. So we need to be as solid as we were on Sunday, and hopefully find a cutting edge up front. Should we manage a win tonight then I could see us going on to finish the season strongly. Lose and all Sunday's effort will have been for nothing. For me, a draw has to be the least we need from the game.

We need 3 points. I'll be interested to see how Everton perform away from home in these remaining games. Surely we can get some decent results when there is no intimidating atmosphere at away grounds?

We've got Leicester, Southampton, Villa and Bournemouth to face at Goodison and I'd hope we could pick up points in those games. Wolves and Spurs away will be difficult and Sheffield United away is the other remaining game. I think Sheffield United won't be as good as they were before the enforced break.

And despite everything, his coming on the pitch against Liverpool coincided with Everton getting a better grasp of the game and almost winning it. Not because he played particularly well, bit because our shape was better, the midfield 3 was stronger than when Gordon was on (as Gordon is a forward but was being asked to play in midfield).

As a trio with Gueye and Gomes he scored 13 goals and assisted about 6 (from memory) 2018/19 season. He's been badly off the pace this year but has missed Gueye's presence and been shifted into deep and wide positions that he's no good at.

If we get (a year too late) our Gueye replacement then Sigurdsson might well become productive again - albeit as sub or tactical option for particular games.

I've estimated that even if we can resume our defensive meanness, we still need to add another circa 20 goals to break into the top 6. Sigurdsson in the right position can make a difference even as a bit part player.

We are the better team, just, but in these type of games, we invariably seem to struggle. A hopeful 2-1 to us.

The so-called dead-ball expert has proved to be anything but and he isn't scoring. Having said that, if he is selected tonight, I will be right behind him.

I would like to see the back of him at the end of the season though.

Richarlison's Everton Aims

Not for the first time, an Everton player gives an insight how shrewd an operator Carlo is in his one-to-ones with players.

He told Richarlison he is in his top 10 forwards that he has managed. Given just who Carlo could place in that list, that's got to be a fillup to a player's confidence.

Carlo has always struck me as someone who knows how to get the best out of players. I do think that, whilst Koeman deserved respect at the time, I imagine he lauded it over the players a bit. Carlo, on the other hand, is probably the first coach we have had since Kendall (first time around) where, if he talks and says something, you listen.

Hopefully we can have a really positive next window and clear some shit off the books.

With the exception of City, I haven't seen any really decent football since the resumption of the beautiful game and unfortunately, I can't see tonight's match being much different.

I fancy a low scoring draw with Dominic on target for us. Also, please, please, no Iwobi. It is quite obvious he doesn't want the ball and when he does receive a pass, you can see why.

Onward Evertonians.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a front three with Kean, maybe a midfield of Siggy, Bernard and Davies. Even Baines for Digne.

Sadly I think the weak spot is centre back, Keane was excellent in a deep, low block without the ball, just like he was at Burnley luring us in to buy him. However, we will be much higher up the field and we will have the ball more, that spells disaster on the counter.

A high press is needed cos Norwich always play from the back and aren't very good at it, that's why three up top work for me.

I will of course be proven totally wrong as Carlo picks the same XI and tactics. 😎

I agree with the high press but Norwich seem to be vulnerable on the break so I think Carlo will want them to sit deep and break fast.

All will be revealed in a few hours including an indication of where we finish the season.

Lose and we will likely end up bottom half.

Win and we stand a chance of 8th.

Fine margins indeed.

We're going to see a lot of rotation. The games are furiously frequent – it's like a World Cup schedule. We simply have to rotate.

I'd expect to see changes in the line-up having a game 3 days later, on the road no less.

An aside – I'd asked a question on another thread I can no longer find. Are contracts up June 30th? Are Sidibé, Martina, Garbutt, and Niasse no longer Everton players at the end of this month?

Not all his fault – he has even been played at left back in some games – but he isn't the future, and I can't see Carlo playing around with the formation of the team in order to accommodate him. Messi or Ronaldo he is not.

Sad but there we are. I suspect he will be shipped out at some point soon.

I expect Everton will play similar to against the RS defensively, looking for a improvement in midfield in pass retention and positive possession. I also expect that Ancelotti will look to capitalise on this with more support to the attacking play. Finishing will have been a big part of training preparation for this match.

I don't expect any changes to the line out, but early substitutions to provide different threats. If there is going to be a change it will be either wing.

Ancelotti will also be aware that it's important that players turn up. He will put emphasis on this in his prematch talk, not wanting a repeat of his previous experience on the touchline before the break.

I just had a look at our remaining fixtures, and just wow. We hold the fate of where we end up in the table largely in our own hands:

Leicester, Spurs, Wolves, and Sheffield Utd still left on the schedule. If we actually have any aspirations of finishing in a Euro place, it's entirely up to us at this point.

As Jamie C rightly points out, games are coming thick and fast. In his presser yesterday Carlo mentioned how they have checked the data from the other leagues that re-started and noted a big drop off in energy levels between game 1 and 2.

Playing the same XI in back to back games within 3 days of each other after a 3 month lay-off would be asking for injuries.

And on a personal note Jamie, how's yer doin' down Florida way - both business-wise and in wider society? I see your Cocid-19 numbers rising steeply.

Hope you and your family are safe and well.

Dennis #53, agree on Siggy, but I'm assuming he will start today for the simple reason of squad rotation. Gomes and Iwobi looked absolutely gassed at the end of Sunday's game.

Jamie #45, expect Sidibe to be around for another month -- reportedly we've asked Monaco to extend his loan to the end of July.

Whoever gets on the ball early in the game, can wear the other team down by letting the ball do all the work. Hopefully that will be us and by letting the Norwich players chase the ball will wear them out, and we can pick off their defence at will.

3-0 to the blues. Richarlison 2 and DCL to score.

As for Norwich, this is their dream fixture to turn things round. Every struggling club, player on a bad run or non-scoring striker can't wait to get to play us because we are the biggest charity in football. If fuck-ups were an invention, then Everton would hold the patent.

Carlo must, therefore, demand that the players continue to apply the same effort and concentration given against the RS. Three nil please.

I don't see how this lockdown can fail to affect some teams, it was not like planned pre-season. Some teams would have undoubtedly come out of it sharper than others and, for that reason, I will be nibbling at the 9/1 on offer for Palace at Mordor tonight.

Norwich are half-decent going forward and will cause us some problems, but their defensive frailties are well documented. A more positive approach should see us expose them and pick up all the points tonight.

Interesting that Norwich are without Pukki, Buendia and Cantwell. So a 2nd string attacking force from them.

We really should win.

Yes, numbers on the rise here. To be expected re-opening, and there's a lot more testing being done now. I think the % from number of tests to positive cases is the same or down a bit. But it's a concern to be sure.

Business wise it's rough. I'm in a re-opened state, and that's saved my bacon. But I just looked and we're down about 40% in sales for the year. Rough sailing. It'll be fine, we'll survive. Fam well, TY for asking.

I've read cases are like wildfire in Brazil? If you get a chance tell us about your neck of the woods. I hope your brave wife is healthy and well.

Pickford is the early favourite followed by Keane. We should win today but it won't be pretty.