Leeds United vs Everton

But IF will remain an injury risk and I'd happily go with the team mentioned for this next game.

But please tell the players to stay on their feet. James I'm looking worriedly in your desperate late lunging direction!

You rattle off a lot of attacking German managers you like but omit the obvious: Klopp. Personally, I grew up in the 80s, saw the Socrates Brazil team flounder, Italy win the World Cup, Italian teams dominate in Europe, 1-0 to the Arsenal and all that so I've been raised to appreciate the art of the defensive game.

Interesting in this match that after the last two games there has been a lot of talk about our lack of attacking intent. Last time we played them we lost and Carlo said it was because we got sucked into Leeds' all out attacking game.

I'm unsure about the back line and Digne in midfield but I'd prefer to see Davies or Delph ahead of Sig or Gomes in midfield. I'm hopeful of a 2-0 win.

We cannot, highlighted by the pathetic display last Saturday, allow any of our slow (Seamus) or can't-be-arsed players (Sigurdsson, Delph) near this game.

My line-up would be:

Olsen,
Holgate, Keane, Mina, Digne,
Godfrey holding alongside Doucouré.
Iwobi, James, Richarlison
King instead of Calvert-Lewin on the basis that we just won't lump balls in thinking Dom's going to win everything.

I'm giving Iwobi the benefit of the doubt from stinking out Goodison last match but King could replace either Richarlison or Iwobi & play Calvert-Lewin.

COYB

It always beats me that any Transfer Window, is open generally for about four and a half weeks, yet everything is a game of Cat and Mouse, and left to the very last minute, which is exemplified here in the case of Josh King.

I suppose the fact that we actually got it over the line, is better than to not have got him at all. Having said all that, January windows are rarely a flurry of activity, and in our case the main objective was to offload a few of the lingering deadwood cases in this one. That objective pretty was much achieved, so Josh King can be perceived as a bonus.

If he doesn't get a reaction from them tonight, he may as well pronounce the patient dead and start again.

I'm gutted as I was going to watch the match & have a beer I bought from Tesco's; however, I've just received an email from Tesco's saying I can't drink the beer until Saturday as I bought it just before the store closed. This one is the “No Fu King Way” rule.

Wonder if it's worth bringing Richarlison off the bench for this one? Sneak a 1-0 here.

Olsen
Holgate Keane Godfrey Digne
Iwobi, Davies, Doucouré, Sigurdsson
Rodriguez
Calvert-Lewin

We need pace at the back so Godfrey for me for cover. I would pick Rodriguez just behind Calvert-Lewin in a 4-4-1-1 formation.

Olsen
Holgate
Keane
Godfrey
Iwobi
Digne
Doucouré
Davies
Rodriguez
King
Calvert-Lewin

Sit very deep, play it long to two muscular strikers to grab hold of the ball. Rodriguez to float around being magnificent and Digne and Iwobi getting balls into the box.

I sincerely hope the Newcastle game is a watershed moment for Carlo. Personally, I never want to see Sigurdsson in an Everton shirt again. Along with Gomes, he's not suited to Premier League football. The first thing you have to do is win your battles in the Premier League. Those two play like it's still the warm up! I know it's not realistic for them not to figure again, but for me, they should be filed in the same category as Bernard. They can come off the bench for the last 10/15 minutes when Rodriguez gets tired, or when the game is won.

You are in trouble if you have to rely on players like Sigurdsson. You are in even bigger trouble if he is your captain. Personally, I only want to see brave players in this Everton team now. Bravery meaning always running around and giving it 100% even when you are not playing well, like Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin, or always wanting the ball and dictating play with forward passes like Rodriguez and Tom Davies (not sideways and backwards like Gomes and Sigurdsson).

Newcastle has to be a watershed. We can't finish in the top 6 carrying passengers.

Additionally, Clavert-Lewin needs closer support and better crosses or he will struggle again to find the net.

I expect that we will grind out a win which will keep us in the race for the 4th Champions League spot.

Not much joy in the way we play but we are where we are with this group.

I do not think this is what he meant. When I watched, I took this merely as a misinterpretation, an issue of translation.

From my understanding of what he said, he meant beyond as in 'we are currently 8th, and 4th is in front of us, so we must improve if we are to get there'. And not 'it is beyond us, the chance has gone'.

Not that it matters much, but I don't think Carlo is the type who would 'throw in the towel', especially as 4th is still in our hands.

Our first 11 would give any of those teams a good game. But does anyone honestly see Bernard, Gomes or Sigurdsson regularly coming off the bench to score the winner, or maintaining our level if they get a game due to injury or suspension?

Is Pickford going to make no more blunders?

As good a season as he is having, is Calvert-Lewin going to keep scoring at the same rate in the second half of the season?

My honest appraisal is that we can finish anywhere between about 6th and 10th. 6th if King makes a good impact and we don't get too many injuries. 8th is about par. 10th if things don't go to plan.

We may be in the mix for 6th place, but I don't consider us in the mix for 4th place while we have an error prone keeper and a squad still containing too much shite from last season...

I seem to recall that, when Doucouré picked up his 5th yellow, the commentators mentioned his ban and gave the cut-off date and I'm sure I can remember thinking, if it happened in the next game or two, he would have been okay.

Please Carlo, no Sigurdsson in midfield.

Has anyone from Everton even asked about this? We are desperate for someone with some pace to allow us to attack a bit more, well a lot more than we did on Saturday.

Why bother with Delph? He's not going to last a week.

Keane is okay to play tonight.

King cannot play tonight.

This is the mentality of a Newcastle, A West Brom or a Sheff Utd (No disrespect intended to them but in their current predicament) team. Not Everton FC.

I fully see the requirement of being realistic, and thinking we can win 4-0 week in week out is not. But Scraping a 1-0 win !
Yes, against a team clearly superior to us like City or the shite then I get that to an extent.

3-1 Everton. A controlled performance with 100% effort and some flair and skill mixed in please.

Olsen
Holgate Mina Keane Godfrey
Gomes Davies Doucoure Digne
James
DCL

SUBS: Virginia, Coleman, Nkounkou, Delph, Siggy, Iwobi, Richarlison

Iwobi was below par, but no worse than Gomes when he came on, or Doucoure.

For me, 3-5-2 with Digne and Iwobi as full backs.

or

4-4-1-1 With Iwobi and Richarlison on the wings, Digne at left back and Godfrey at right back.

Digne just doesn't work as a winger - he's at his best when arriving on the overlap. He's not a player who will get the ball, dribble, and drive into the box. He'll play neat interplay and cross. If it is him and Godfrey on the left, Digne will again spend the evening crossing the ball aimlessly into the box. With no movement around him making the space necessary for his crosses to be worthwhile.

I hate to say it but I can't see us getting anything tonight.

We know what they will do, they will close us down and make us spill possession for 90 minutes. That means we have to battle them non stop for 90 minutes. Whoever comes out on top of this ongoing battle will win the match.

We need midfielders on the pitch who can close down and get close to the Leeds players and fight for the possession. We have DCL and James Rodriguez creating for him. We have A big threat from set pieces and corners. If we keep it tight by fighting we can come away with a win.

Big problem is no Allan. He's the player we need tonight. The closest we've got is Tom Davies so he's got to start. Gomes and Sigurdsson are not mobile enough, Leeds will run through them.

I would sacrifice Iwobi before Richarlison because Richarlison has got more tenacity about him which is needed tonight.

I think the time has come to be creative with Holgate. Move him to the DCM role. Tonight is the perfect match to do it, and I think the only way we will get the result.

Olsen
Godfrey Keane Mina Digne
Doucoure Holgate Davies
James DCL Richarlison

For me there are no weakest links in that team with regards fighting spirit, mobility and tenacity and that's what it will take.

In the modern pressing game all the best teams demand all their players are super fit. Pace, energy, stamina, high work rate.

They also need all of the other qualities for their positions eg defender's that read the game and intercept but can make a block or tackle when needed.

Promisingly we do now have a couple of young defenders and forwards with pace and energy in the team.

Our recent buys in midfield have started to address this with Allan and Doucoure no slouches. If Doucoure can improve his passing and positional sense he'll be a top class midfielder.

Leeds go one on one, believing they will win most of their individual battles and have the player's and game plan to execute it. They don't change if winning or losing. This can be exploited by doubling up on them, quick counter attacks or simply playing good through balls and crosses to runners.

We will have a lot of defending to do and battles to win. Stay solid at the back, play a bit of keep ball in safe areas, don't be rushed into mistakes or give the ball away cheaply.

It should be a good game.

If we do get beat tonight, at least it's likely to be entertaining viewing!

I think the key tonight is how Richarlison and DCL play as both have been way off the pace in recent games.

I like that team. Can't see Carlo playing Holgate in midfield though, if memory serves me well he has never played him there?

Subs: Broadhead-Bernard-Sigurdsson-Gomes-Delph-Mina-Coleman-Nkounkou-Virginia.

Whenever I pick a team, I feel like a ten year old again looking through his match day programmes wondering why Latchford has a perm if he is such a tough guy, thinking we need to see more of George Telfer, wondering if Martin Dobson should be playing for England, and scratching my bonce as to why we never see Drew Brand play in goal!

However, the team I pick, cos I know better than Ancelotti, has the return of Davies, Godfrey and Holgate (Ancelotti has already stated Godfrey and Holgate will start) to add some aggression, sorely missed against Newcastle. Godfrey to add pace at centre-back, so we can play a higher line and accommodate Digne in his natural position. James behind DCL, with Richarlison/Iwobi either side, with Digne and Doucoure getting forward too, thus some actual attacking intent, plus Davies moves the ball forward quickly as well.

The bench sums up why we needed King, I have put Broadhead in there as he had a good game for the U23s recently, and is a striker. Bernard can come in for a tiring Richarlison, he links up well with Digne, plus we have options to change James, and options to change formation.

Easy this management lark!

Also, with King now in the squad, we might see Richarlison actually step up to the level we expect.

If Leeds can negate DCL and James out of the game, the rest of the team team are bringing a feather duster to a knife fight, we're not going to score.

I suspect DCL is starting to lose confidence along with his diminishing chances of actually touching the ball.

Carlo, I believe would take the draw right now if he could.

I'm just nervous, full stop.

“ The Athletic also revealed that it was Everton chairman Bill Kenwright who was on the phones accelerating proceedings, making it happen whilst chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale was ‘grafting' to push the deal over the line.”

So good to see The Transfer Impressario hasn't given up his train set. Jeezus wept. How naive of the naive to think he's “just the Chairman”.

Nihil mutatum

On other hand, Leeds defense is very porous...we need to explore that...failing that, hoping our defense to withhold Leeds young attacks for major minutes of the game suicidal.

The Bednarek red card was a joke, and the David Luiz one was equally if not more ridicuous. Both were clearly not intentional or cynical fouls. But according to the letter of the law, as they made no 'attempt for the ball', they are deemed straight red cards. Beyond a joke, but the problem is neither VAR nor favouritism, it is just baffling rules.

And in relation to the offside, again, baffling rule. How can it be that you are offside because of where your hand (or in this case, tip of finger) is? You can't score with your hand, so in no way can your hand 'interfere eith play' and be offside. But according to the rule, you can. For me offside should simply be where your feet are. Simple, no matter where your arm, knee, legs, or head...it is about where your feet are - nothing else. this would make it far easier and zero controversy. Offside was created to prevent people goal hanging. The problem again is not VAR, but the illogical rules.

Godfrey. Holgate. Davies.
None of them will be outfought.
Guaranteed they will compete 100% in thier own duels with direct opponents.

Link?

https://youtu.be/TUuKMc8K3VE

briliant stuff.

I guess lockdown is getting to everyone.

Thanks Brenan . didnt think we was available!!? Bonus if he is!

I expect a much, much better game than on the weekend. I can't see another listless performance under Carlo.

Everyone has an off day. Carlo won't stand for two off days in a row.

That being said, this game frightens the life out of me. We don't match up well with Leeds at all IMO. This Leeds side is very dangerous.

But positivity first, we'll be up for the game I'll bet.

He gets maligned for being defensive sometimes, but I don't see that. What he's done with Burnley is fantastic.

I think he'd set up England to win.

His time at Burnley is probably coming to a close. If Southgate ever leaves, I'd love to see a Dyche-lead England.

For evidence I offer the unexpected and horrific consequence of our recent loans/departures... the elevation to the squad of Mr. Human Footballing Detritus In Cleats. If I actually see #30 walk onto the pitch to play, I will be hurling large objects at my TV long after it is actually destroyed.

We all have our thoughts on what is wrong from Pickford to Richarlison but the truth is that the squad is not yet strong enough.

Adding Josh King may help the offence but without some real creativity from other areas they will remain an average side always at risk of losing to crap like Newcastle.

Today will be especially tough as Leeds are a better team than the Barcodes so a big improvement is necessary.

I like Dyche. he is funny, honest and has done well. But for the national team he wouldn't be a good fit. Much like Graham Taylor 30 years ago. The media would hammer his style, he'd defend himself but it would get toxic.

The fact that Newcastle have taken 6 points from this eratic team says a everything.

Mike Gaynes -

I take an interest in Ireland and England. Of course it's all USA for me. That's all that matters. But I always root for Ireland, and then England.

To be clear, when Ireland play England, I want Ireland to win. But I always pull for just about any Anglo-Island team out there when they play.

Hoping that all the criticism from the last game has sunk in, and regardless the result, we get a team of players that show they are willing to fight to wear an Everton shirt. You may have skill but if you are not willing to put the effort in, it is wasted.

I'm having a nibble

It all becomes clear why you get so angry if we lose. You've done your dosh and you blame Carlo because you're a mug punter

Casho

Dont you start as well. I advocating a win here and your still not happy

With our slow midfield and Leeds fast presssing game, you cannot see past a Leeds win.

That is where the Everton factor kicks in, when all logic points to a miserable night, we step up and pull something out of the bag.

I just do not have a clue how the game will pan out, but rest assured, Everton will have us scratching our heads thinking where did that come from.

Lets dooooooo it !

No room for Kelly's or imposters hiding in shaddows tonight.

Every man needs to stand up and be counted