Rodriguez ruled out of quarter-final tie

Impressed by Brentford tonight, some decent players going forward, much rather the Barcodes had advanced tbh.

On another note, finding Arsenal's “Ye olde footballing team” names and numbers on their shirts a bit strange.

Honestly, I don't think he's been quite right since the derby, which is ironic, given all the pissing and moaning from RS fans about how horribly wronged they were in that match.

So-called "Expert" Gabby Agbonghalor was implying a few das ago that Rodriguez doesn't want to play because winter is too cold for him on Merseyside.

Kieran, I can believe that.

Joe, you believe Agbonghalor is an expert...

Surprised by that!

Anyone else thinking he might be having a mini pre-season?

Disappointing. I really wanted him to rip Man Utd a new one.

That said, we will still win without him.

Jeff, no I don't, I was thinking that myself when we got into November.

I think Carlo may tinker tomorrow, Olsen, Kenny, Nkounkou coming in, Godfrey and Holgate maybe in the middle of the defence, Gordon and Tosun maybe...

I hope he doesn't mess about too much. He needs to play both Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin or he will look like he has ceded the game before it starts.

I shudder to think of Tosun getting any sort of a run-out tomorrow or before the transfer window. He offers nothing and we need to find out how good, bad or indifferent Simms is – unless Brands is about to start unearthing what he's paid to do.

Oooooops, one almighty clanger from the Arsenal reserve goalie for Man City's second goal.

Yeah, Rob, and Arsenal now folding like a tent. Looks like we'll have to whup both Manchesters to get our silverware.

Now 3-1 to Man City and looks like game over. Foden, who scored, was clearly offside but no VAR in the Carabao Cup.

Rob, Sky using VAR angles, I think it would still be 1-1 first looked close.

Maybe Jeff, looked offside though. Now 4-1, and could Arteta be out tonight?

I'd just sack Round and leave Arteta to it!

We need a fully fit James Rodriguez so giving him more time and coming back for the Sheffield United game makes sense.

Tony A, I hope you are right that they are getting a mini pre-season into him. He looked like he needed some endurance work. If he comes back fitter and stronger, it will be a hell of a boost.

Calf strains usually take 3-6 weeks to recover from. It is no surprise he is not yet ready.

Pity. If fit I think he may have reverted to the 4-3-3 we started the season with.

Now, I think he may keep the same set up as the previous 3 games

Tony@18 - Copy that!

Kieran #3,

What irks me is that we have all these former average footballers: Agbonlahor, Bent, Whelan, Philips, Murphy and Robinson, and I'm probably missing a few, I won't include Mills, his son is on our books, but they're experts and know what's best for Everton.

Christy, don't forget Clinton Morrison??? Who thinks Iwobi should play in Richarlison‘s position cause he doesn't work hard enough and help his full-back! And these fuckers get paid for their expert analysis.

Garth Crooks apparently named a player in his team of the week today who didn't even play in the weekend fixtures he was picking from! Money for nothing, they know less than the average fan, but as Souness pontificates, “They've played the game”, so they must know...

I think we will miss Allan more than Rodriguez in this particular game. Don't change a winning team.

As we have gone off topic regarding pundits who played the game, I have to put up with Jim Beglin on Optus Sport on a regular basis.

He would have to be the most biased anti-Everton pundit out there – and that is saying something.

A sample of his work / commentary: When Van Dijk charged into Rodriguez in the first couple of minutes of the derby. “He only eased into him, he can expect more of that in this game.” Grrrr.

Laurie (24) - Completely disagree re Beglin. I find him to be an honest and fair commentator and analyst. Even though he's an ex-RS, I haven't found him to be biased.

The one I like is Ian Wright. I think he has a soft spot for us and he's always generous about the club and its support. He scored against us a lot, but there we are.

I also like Keown. And there's someone called Stuart on one of the channels who is tactically astute – is it Pearce?

Christy (23) - Average? That's very harsh. Agbonlahor was a very good Premier League footballer for over a decade, Darren Bent and Kevin Phillips are two of the more prolific English goal-scorers in the Premier League over the last 20 or so years, and Danny Murphy had an excellent career in which he won a number of major honours. I think they all qualify as 'experts' when it comes to Premier League football; the question about how insightful or balanced they are in their views is another thing altogether.

And Jeff (23) - while I personally find Garth Crooks to be one of the pundits most susceptible to big club bias, I believe his Team of the Week for this week covered two sets of matches (midweek and weekend), which would explain your grievance.

Frank # 25 - in the interests of ToffeeWeb harmony perhaps we can agree to differ? ;)

Get him fully fit. The team has found a way to play of late that's working. Keep it going and allow injured players time to get ready.

If this squad is the going to be the real deal, then it is imperative that players are 100% fit and raring to go when they return. We already seem to be getting a few injuries that we don't need as we are not yet strong enough in-depth to get by.

The last 3 results have been encouraging but we don't want players being less than 100% and leaving the game early with a recurrence.

It would have been nice to see Gbamin back again to show what he really has but that may be in the New Year so we need Davies, Doucouré and Iwobi to keep up the good work until Gomes, James and Allan are ready to be considered again.

I do hope that Carlo does have one or two new signings in mind come January – especially on offence.

As much as I like James, he is – when all said and done – a game changer (not every game) but – and there is always a 'but' – he falls into the luxury player category. He doesn't drop back or really break a lot of sweat, such is his talent, but he reads the game brilliantly.

That is why I said not every game, and I don't think the Man United Cup Tie is one to welcome him back, possibly too early. It all depends how much importance Man United put on this game.

From what I have seen, since the qualification rules of winning this Cup have changed and NOT guaranteeing a Uefa slot, many are fielding more-or-less a second-string side, and placing their eggs in the Premier League basket.

Due to the amount of upcoming games, I'm sure we will see James again before too long. I don't totally buy into this theory that he doesn't like playing in cooler conditions either, he is a professional at the end of the day.

Even his dog knows that the best way to keep warm in cold conditions is to run and build up a 'some inner heat', it's not as if it is an endurance contest with Bear Grylls, 45 minutes either side of a warm break, and another kerching in the Bank, job done! :-)

I had to laugh when I read Agbonlahor's ridiculous comment about James. Clearly he's never visited Madrid in January – I have, and have never felt bone-chilling cold like it!

Agreed Martin, had New Year's Eve there a couple of years ago, was glad to get back to balmy Liverpool.

Madrid has the highest altitude of any European capital. It's perishing in January. Agbonlahor's geographic knowledge on a par with Savage's claims about distances between Birmingham, Blackburn and Wrexham.

Martin 33, I agree. Was Baltic last time my missus and I went in January.

Is Gbamin a figment of my imagination?

Does he really exist!!!????

Seems Arteta is under pressure at Arsenal after another defeat; with Kronke in charge, you fear he may pull the trap door very soon.

I always think that it's a massive step up from being a coach to actually managing a club, the dynamics of the 2 jobs, although appearing the same, are vastly different. As a coach, you work with the players and are always looking to improve them, so by-and-large there is no animosity between players and coaches.

But as manager, you select the team so that means some players will be disappointed, so you have to deal with that – a coach doesn't. Then, if a player isn't getting the game time he wants, the manager has to deal with his agent – again, something a coach isn't involved with.

So to expect to take a coach – albeit a coach working under one of the world's best managers – and it to work out, is a big leap of faith. Which is highlighted even more when results start to go against the team. Because he is inexperienced in dealing with this, it puts him under enormous pressure. I hope Arteta is given time to learn the job of manager, but I fear – if Arsenal can't turn this slump round quickly – he may pay the ultimate price.

Jeff, Bob, Bobby - did the Bernabeu tour (have since been there for a match) - had the pleasure of seeing Tommy Gravesen training (with snow visible!) on one of the live TV feeds in the ground.

What are we to make of this ITK snippet, courtesy of Clickbait Central (aka Sport Witness):

Journalist Wbeimar Muñóz certainly thinks there is something else going on [with James Rodriguez], as he detailed in recent comments to Win Sports.

“I still think, because it happened to him in Real Madrid, in Bayern Munich, and now in Everton, that James Rodriguez has a problem of psychological type” he said.

“I attribute it to his so happy life, because he keeps a great assortment of model friends here and there.

“I believe, and forgive me for being so frank, that Mr James Rodriguez will have to choose between football and taking care of himself one hundred per cent or dedicating himself to show business.”

Mick#39.
Mick. he does since you changed his name *LOL*

Rodriguez is the best footballer I have seen at Everton (since ~1987).

He will have off days, as all visionaries do.

Be grateful.

I wouldn't play him against those bruisers from the steel city, he would not enjoy being whacked by that lot. We need him properly fit and then he can sit on the bench and come on as an impact sub.

I don't think Sports Witness is a credible source, Michael, but I definitely think there is more going on with Rodriguez than a little injury, even if I haven't got any information to back up my theory though.

I'm hoping he is enjoying his time at Everton but has realised he needs to get himself in better shape to really do himself justice in this very physical and demanding league, with my only theory being that most great players are usually very self-aware.

Michael at 42 - interesting take. Without doubting for a moment his talent and massive impact on our performances since joining, something about his on-field body language and demeanour sometimes doesn't sit right.

I'm a massive admirer and trust Carlo has him sorted – but still I hope it's imagined.

I'd have loved him to be pitted against this shower tonight.

Jamies,
Thought I would introduce some "pond" balance.

"The Steel City is a common nickname for many cities that were once known for their production of large amounts of steel."

"With its famous cutlery-making trade first mentioned in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Sheffield – aka “Steel City” – was once the steel-making capital of the world. These days, Sheffield steel may be more associated The Full Monty – the 1997 comedy about unemployed steel workers forming a male striptease act to make ends meet."

LOL HAPPY HOLIDAYS OR MERRY XMAS AS WE SAY IN THE UK>

Frank (25), I have to agree with Laurie. In the Everton games I've had the misfortune to watch with him as commentator, Beglin invariably provides inconsistent perspectives depending on which side has been penalised! Maybe the anti-Everton bias stems from the Gary Stevens tackle in 1987.

Beglin is the worst by far.

Every foul against an Everton player is 'he got the ball, not intentional, went down easy, just part of the game'

Every Everton foul is 'that's rash, they do that a lot, it's a definite foul, it doesn't matter if he got the ball, it's not a question of intent, you can't do that'.

Everything Everton do is in the pejorative, it's unbelievable. I noticed it a few years ago and now pay attention when he is the commentator and it's unreal.

Merry Christmas Jay!

Three of the five sons were born in Pittsburgh, so for me, there's only one Steel City! ;0). But I do love me some pond balance.

Cheers.

Looks like he is not fit for Sheffield or City games.