Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Everton

We can't know what a full season of Ancelotti would have brought us but the same losing mindset is on show whenever we play a team above us. How does he solve that?

Not expecting anything from the Wolves game.

This is Carlo's club now, but make no mistake, it's still Silva's season. Carlo is just cleaning up the old mess at this point.

But as Lyndon says, the contrast with Wolves -- as well as Sheffield United and Leicester -- is striking. I will be mightily disappointed if Carlo doesn't turn out a side next season that plays, and achieves, like those three "smaller" clubs.

One of the worst things we did was advertise that we had moved on from 'plucky Everton' and that we had money. We have a team filled with footballers who think they are better than this club, it is Brands's failing, getting players without heart.

The next three purchases need to be two central midfielders who would walk over their own grandmothers for an Everton win and a right-winger who is clever and lightning-fast. We have Bernard talking about panic attacks, Keane talking about his depression, Gomes has talked about his depression... warriors required, please!

Wins are also required because, if they don't come then Richarlison will start signing up to Man Utd's official Twitter account and we all know what that means.

My team would be:

Pickford (unfortunately no alternative),
Coleman, Keane, Mina,
Sidibé, Davies, Gordon, Holgate, Digne,
Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.

Best of luck, Blues.

I wasn't so much having a go at Carlo – more the club's series of missteps.

Another thing about Burnley was they were in Europe this year — albeit briefly — as are Wolves. Some on here have been making the case it would be good if we missed Europe as it would hamper our Premier League form. Yet here we have two smaller, less expensively assembled clubs proving the opposite.

As someone said on another fanzine earlier today – despite our abject surrender in the last 30 years – we are STILL the fourth most successful club in the Premier League.

Spurs are a good cup side – but pretenders for anything else. God forbid we should "look up to them".

I hope and pray that Carlo and Moshri (Usmanov) can take this club back to where it rightly belongs – with the elite – not the also-rans.

Bear in mind that, when the Premier League started, we held two more league titles than Man Utd did.

Same starting 11 and Goodnight Vienna.

That's not being defeatist it's just a true perspective of the utter gash that our players have served up lately.

I think they need to turn in a bit of a performance tomorrow at least and have a bit of bloody self-pride in their own individual displays because, for a team of international players, they look a friggin' embarrassment more often than not, the inability to pass and move and attack like a Premier League team should.

I like Ancelotti but this stubbornness is annoying me. Even give Baningime or Adeniran a chance they couldn't do any worse!

I feel sorry for Coleman playing with the crap he has in front of him on the right wing. Iwobi and Sidibé offer little and Walcott who has pace and some skill sadly is let down badly by his decision making when on the ball.

And those long throws of Digne never work. Throw the ball to someone's feet and create something, ffs. How about even taking a quick free-kick or corner? Something different.

The same predictable crap each match since we've started back. Not many positives recently but Anthony Gordon looks likely to become a great player.

We historically are a big club but we haven't been a big club for decades! It's time to accept we have fallen behind many other, better run clubs! This summer, we will have Newcastle (with a wealth that makes Man City look poor) start to make waves in the transfer market also.

This also isn't the first time Burnley will have finished ahead of us, or Wolves! So I would suggest that I see the loons are already out having digs at Carlo and demanding this and that etc... nuts! He's not perfect, you only have to think back to Istanbul and what those over the road did to his Milan to see that.

But he hasn't signed a single player. If he plays Sigurdsson, then he must see that he is the best available option. When a 2-time Champions League winning midfielder and 3-time Champions League winning manager, doesn't play Baningime there or Holgate, there is a reason. he would know a midfielder better than us!

That is exactly the team I would put out tomorrow.

The unfortunate thing is we are now only playing for pride (as Europe is beyond us barring a miracle) and we know there's not much of that in an Everton shirt these days.

A wing, a hope and a prayer that we get a result but I don't have that much faith especially if we couldn't even raise our game against a poor Spurs side nor Southampton at home.

"This is Carlo's club now but, make no mistake, it's still Silva's season. Carlo is just cleaning up the old mess at this point. "

This is the best description I have come across which describes the Everton reality. I, like Patrick MacFarlane, think that it will take to Xmas for Ancelotti to make an impression on this Everton team.

Silva would have lost every one of the games since the break with the same players and would have got stuffed by Tottenham.

I think that Ancelotti's tactics and sink or swim selection will mean that all the players will be all ears at his team talk for the match against Wolves.

Everton will have the same defensive formation, but it will be interesting how Ancelotti organises and has coached the midfield for this game. Because of Calvert-Lewin's last performance, I could see Kean being given a start. He has averaged 8 minutes an appearance so far for Everton. Ancelotti has nothing to lose in giving him a run-out.

The one human who's always been in a massively responsible position throughout that 30-year period is still there, profiting from the club and us fans.

I know a number of readers are tired of my tirades on this issue but year after year, decade after decade, we've never got close to a good season.

Once we came fourth. Big deal. The result of that exposed us to world-wide ridicule on the basis of our appalling Champions League performance.

Yet many of us still harbour him as a crucial entity, as does Moshiri.

Many have grown bored with my posts on Kenwright but the match against Wolves – Wolves, for Christ's sake – and the broad absence of fans' confidence as expressed above speaks volumes to me.

Who's the common thread folks, for decades?

I know I've teased you before but you're correct about Kenshite. Not so long ago there were dozens of Kenwright bashers but it seems like people have short memories and you're the last one left.

Not to absolve others of mistakes but ultimately everything does go back to Kenshite the root of all evil. Even “Agent Johnson” saw us win the FA Cup.

What have we won since? Nothing. And yet so many love him on here, just as people love Trump. Amazing how people love those who destroy their lives.

“I will free one man to be your Owner. Peter Johnson, the so-called Chairman of Everton who gave you the promised silverware. Or Kenshite the crook.”

The crowd in the Gwladys Street End had been stirred up by Bluenoses so they chanted “Kenshite, Kenshite!” And Kenshite was given the club. So Pilate asked the rabble:

“What then for this Peter Johnson?”

A man named Tony Marsh yelled “Crucify him!” Then the Gwladys Street rabble rose in unison and cried “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

And so it came to pass that the bandit Kenshite was left free to rob, steal and cheat while Johnson was taken to the place of the skulls and crucified.

Pickford
Keane Mina Holgate
Baines
Coleman Gordan Iwobi Digne
Kean Richarlision

We've got to get Baines into this team, far better player than anything else that has been tried in the defensive midfield position.

Pickford
Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne
Sidibé, Gomes, Davies, Gordon
Kean, Richarlison

This won't be a game for faint hearts.

Up the Blues!!!

Surely it can't be three in a row, but looking at the projected team, I can't see where any inspiration is going to come from. I know playing behind closed doors, is far from ideal, but why can't they inject a bit more pride in to playing for the Club and the shirt?

I refuse to make any judgements on Ancelotti until at least ten games into the new season. I always want Everton to win, but this is just one more useless practice game in order to finish this farcical season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuyE-slGI8Q

After another complete waste of a season, he had two goals and an assist in the two weeks before play was halted in March.

Everton have been so predictable and easy to get to, losing every 50/50 ball due to lack of commitment, passing backwards and praying for a draw. I really can't see a victory today.

"Is Carlo a cut above our previous managers? I am not sure..."

Are you seriously suggesting Carlo is no better than Marco? They're like day and night and I'm quite sure that if Marco was still here we'd be desperately hoping for a point, today, to stay in touch with Villa.

However the challenge at Everton is something that he will not be used to and it's whether or not we are in a position to actually sign the top class level of players he needs.

Ancelotti has mostly managed Champions League clubs with world class players that simply needed an ego massaging and one or two things fine-tuning.

At Everton the overhaul looks massive, and we have already seen that his motivational skills won't really rub off too much on this bunch.

It's hard to criticize his managerial CV but as I say, this club is in a quite dire situation right now make no mistake about it.

Time will tell whether we can alter that but this is Everton, I won't be holding my breath.

I wrongly thought that the collective bad vibes in the stands at Goodison were a big part of our teams failings.. no excuses now..

The players clearly have no self pride, will to win or fight..

Carlo will is flogging a dead horse... no one can motivate these shit house players..

Has Brands done a good job so far??? Not that I can see. Richarlison is only here because he followed Silva.. and I can see him and Carlo walking if thing's don't improve.

We blew our chances by wasting money on bad managers and players and in the end you get what you deserve in life..

So fellow blues fans we all must have done somthing terrible in a previous life to be born a blue in this life...

And if your really bad you Will come back as a red shite fan when they have their long over due fall from grace..

See you all in hell... oh wait we are in damnation...

I suspect Carlo will want to be solid first and then hope to nick a goal through set piece or another stroke of Richarlison magic.

I'd like Iwobi to get a shot more centrally. He's been woeful last two games but works hard and has at least a modicum of athleticism.

I'm also gonna give Kean a start as Calvert-Lewin looks a tad jaded and I'm curious to see the young Italian given his first start since his best game against Newcastle.

Pickford
Coleman(or Holgate) Keane Mina
Sidibe Iwobi Davies Gordon Digne
Richarlison Kean

I would snap your hand off for a point but unless we score first I just don't see that happening unfortunately. I hope I'm wrong.

Perhaps Kean from the start for Dominic could mix things up. Our number 9 has looked quite rusty since the restart.

Anyway as usual, full support.
Onward Evertonians. 💙

Ancelotti doesn't really have lot of choice to improve on what we have from the remainder of the squad. 3-5-2 seems to the best option. Put Digne up as the wing back and bring Baines in. Put Sidibé in the right wingback position with Coleman behind him and hope.

The introduction of the Premier League has been a disaster for the club. Everton FC have developed a fear against playing the so-called top six, particularly away from home. That list grows longer each season. We witness other mid-table teams regularly beating top sides away from home, but not Everton.

There was a ray of hope when Duncan took over for a few games but, instead of following their instincts, Everton went down their normal route, and employed a high-profile manager.

If people think Ancelotti will "save" our club, forget it. The problem lies in the very psyche of the club.

Relegation would be the best thing that ever happen to Everton FC. We don't deserve to be in this division. Just watch Wolves destroy us today.

Branthwaite, Mina and Keane at the back
Davies, Baningime and Gordon in the centre
Kean and either of the front two up top.

I'd also be tempted to give Digne a rest and play Baines. Then either Coleman or Adenerin at right wingback.

I see no point in playing Sidibe unless we are going to sign him, playing him informs us of nothing for next season – which is what we should be looking to focus on now.

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Carlo has to spend, we are so poor in midfield, and our two wide men can't even cross a ball. Our strikers are getting no service whatsoever.

Play Richarlison on the left, and Kean beside Calvert-Lewin, Sidibe ahead of Coleman, because Seamus is getting no protection with the ineffective Iwobi ahead of him.

If Holgate is fit, he has to play in midfield, because we are totally lacking a physical presence there. If he's out, play Adeniran or Baningime because, if he picks Sigurdsson, it's like playing with 10 men.

Other managers have done exactly this to make officials pay more heed to what has been going on. Spurs and Saints players were obviously instructed to leave a bit on him, hoping that he would either shit-out (a la Iwobi) of future tackles or have a fit of the red mist and get sent off.

Come on, Carlo, make a fuss and put pressure on the refs (and the muppets in Stokley Park). I would also like to see Captain Coleman giving his opinion to the officials on this matter.

On the subject of being more vocal, Lampard reflected on his team's thrashing by The Blades mentioned that all the shouting you could hear on the pitch was from Sheffield players. Our lot are far too shy and retiring.

There is little sign of life. The players aren't responding, which is a worrying sign. Are they incapable? Not arsed?

Either way, it doesn't bode well if they're not bothered about playing for a new manager. Perhaps they've seen it all before. I know I have.

I know I'm not supposed to suggest that posters may be incorrect in what they write, for fear of upsetting their tender natures, but that aside, I would respectfully offer up two quintessential moments from the Southampton game that provide some balance and contrast to this oft-repeated assertion.

One moment was a fine ball in from Digne on the left, controlled superbly and lashed into the net by young Richarlison.

The other moment was a fine ball in from Davies on the right, pinpoint accurate for young Calvert-Lewin to lash into the net. Only he didn't. Incredibly, Calvert-Lewin – rather mechanically it must be said – allowed the incoming ball to bounce harmlessly the wrong wy off his thigh!

Nothing wrong with the supply. Just saying.

Can't quite believe people are already having digs at Carlo, ‘if he is that good' or suggesting he is a relic. I felt concerned the culture shock of coming from managing elite pros to the overpriced mismatch assembled by previous [mis]managers would have been too much, but from day one we looked defensively organised and his game management has been a colossal upgrade on anything seen here in decades. Recruitment has been appalling since the days of Moyes and the squad at Carlo's disposal is clearly in need of improvement. I am heartened to see Gordon given a chance and hope beni can break in ahead of a forlorn looking Sigurdsson. As someone said earlier, Carlo is watching these players in training and knows what he wants and he can see a player.

When Silva's reign was crashing and burning to a painfully predictable and hapless end, I thought we would turn to the likes of Howe or Dyche, both of whom would have been improvements on a manager that appeared both clueless, Inflexible and obstinate: I was astonished and delighted the club pulled off a major coup. That for me demonstrates an end to the ‘Everton Way', the patronising ‘plucky' tag is in process of being fucked right off.

Seasons over, these aren't his players, at last we have a manager with a proven track record that knows how to win, but it will take time.

Some people are only happy when they're moaning.

To be a Winning Club you have to have a Winning Chairman. This is a football fact. I am hoping that Kenwright is only there to deal with the authorities, but I did get worried last Summer when I suspected him as being involved in transfers.

He does have to go and so does his mates, if Everton are to challenge in all competitions.

Ancelotti can lay the foundation over the next two years, but beyond that other changes must take place, with Kenwright &Co top of the list.

It will be a glaring fact until it happens, and no amount of wishing or optimism will remove it.

We have a new driver in Carlo Ancelotti who will be frustrated that his machine is not good enough to get beyond 10th on the starting grid. He cannot wait for the season to end and get his car into the garage.

The best technicians and scientists available (Carlo's training staff and Brands's scouting team ) with solid investment (Mosh) must rebuild the car.

Starting with a new engine.

You don't get regularly into the front rows of the grid in F1 unless you have power under the bonnet, regardless of who's driving.

So back to today's race. The car has a technical fault, the pit crew know it, the driver knows it. Unfortunately there is still 4 laps to go. The driver is doing his best to nurse the ailing car round and finish the race.

Then the serious work can begin in earnest.

Let's see but I'll take a draw, the last two games have been the pits, the players must improve.

It will be interesting to see what shape they start with today.

Subs: Stekelenburg, Virginia, Iwobi, Sidibe, Bernard, Coleman, Kean, Branthwaite, Baningime.

He has stated regulary that he will change the system next season with the signing of quality players.

Let's just play out the last few games and see what pre season has in store for Everton.

I would agree with people on here about getting more youth into team now that the Europe ship has sailed

There will be plenty of news on the fictional new ground if we get hammered today

Is Coleman injured or is it a tactical change to rotate the squad?

2 keepers on the bench again

We are so woeful in midfield due to decades of Everton bad buys and false dawns we can't possibly compete with Wolves, who are particularly strong in that area of the pitch.

Carlo will use his ultra defensive tactics for this one, it will be very painful to watch. Hopefully we don't get humiliated.

Saying that, I will probably watch the game out of sheer masochism and a life long devotion to this fucking club.

Can't think where everyone fits if that's not how we line up.

Watch Walcott come off and Sidibe on at half time - with Digne moving to right back and Baines left mid.

Could as per Fraser start with Baines in wing back already ... with back three

Carlo, lay off the wine.

I know managers are fearful for their jobs but you have to be brave sometimes. How will we know if we have superstars under our nose who don't just take the easy option... like Ellis Simms or Beni Baningime, for example?

He's showing total lack of confidence in the squad and the youngsters. Uninspiring to say the least.

I'm predicting 1-1...

...But fire and brimstone on here this afternoon because we didn't win having actually turned up and put in a shift/controlled the game/got the wrong rub of the green/missed our chances/shite ref etc etc...

But I'd take 1-1. Prefer the clean sheet though.

See you on the forum, folk (folks?).

Up the Blues!!!

Do we have any players that Carlo would actually want to keep?

Good luck, Carlo. I hope it's not a sad end to a great career