Leeds United vs Everton

I thought you'd forgotten to do the preview!

I hope you're right on Mina over Holgate. Rafa's approach may be exactly what we need. It would be nice to plunge Leeds into crisis with two defeats from two. Be interesting to see if Kean is on the bench instead of Broadhead and more so gets a run-out. I've no specific animosity to Leeds but they aren't us.

Sorry, gotta be calm.

Definitely Mina for Holgate, and maybe the 4-2-3-1 from last week's second half instead of the 4-4-2 we started with. And Coleman, Digne and Allan had better be at the top of their game given Leeds's varied attacking abilities.

The second thing we'll have to deal with will be the Bielsa factor. A total fanatic who will demand and get the full 100% from his players. Everyone who plays Leeds has to deal with the Bielsa factor. There has not been much structure to his Leeds teams, but his players show up all over the place and, if you don't match their efforts, they will run all over you.

As Lyndon has just reminded me, we went for them at Elland Road last time, it was one of our rare performances on the front foot and we proved to be too good for them, despite their lung bursting effort.

We have better players than Leeds. We have better players than everyone who finished outside the top eight last season. Rafa's task is to get out players, not just to believe it, but to know it.

The odds makers believe we have a 2/1 chance of beating Leeds today. I think I'll avail myself of some of that before I turn in this morning.

I'll be on the Live Forum after a few hours kip, I don't mind if the moaners, the negative, or the abusive turn up. I Just hope the Hillman Minxes stay the fuck away.

I watched the manager's press conference back last night. Have to say, he is very good at handling the journalists, who inevitably asked dumb questions.

Without reacting and stating "we are Everton & I am Rafa Benitez" his response when asked about him facing Bielsa's Leeds for the first time as if it was a big thing was excellent. Smiled and very calmly reminded them he'd dealt with him often when at Valencia and they were in Italy at the same time, so he knows all about him!

We showed last week that we have it in our locker, but I anticipate an initial "batten down the hatches" approach today.

Put your seatbelts on blues, and if you bite your nails, wear gloves until half time!!

"I'll be on the Live Forum after a few hours kip, I don't mind if the moaners, the negative, or the abusive turn up. I Just hope the Hillman Minxes stay the fuck away." What about the Hillman Imps?

Joking apart, I get where you are coming from. I used to love the Live Forum during the match, but it does seem different these days, and has lost some of its 'atmosphere' now, whether that is down to the Hillman Minxes / Imps or Avengers is a matter for conjecture.

As for the game today, all the so-called experts and pundits have us down for a mauling today, but play the way we did second half against the Sinbads, and we can get something there and keep the Rafa bandwagon rolling. Any win breeds confidence, so let's hope it hasn't evaporated so soon after a week.

Agree too with calls for Mina over Holgate, who I just don't rate at all, and I think the usually dependable but unspectacular Keane made errors last week by playing alongside him, and having little or no connection. Although his dithering that led to their goal was unforgivable and an individual error, but in defence of Keane, no-one in midfield was 'showing for the ball' but he still could have hoofed it somewhere!

COYB

It is absolutely crucial not to concede an early goal. I would sacrifice a winger (Gray to come on late and hit them on a counter) for more solidity in the midfield in the form of Davies providing protection to Coleman.

Pickford
Coleman Mina Keane Digne
Davies Allan Doucouré Townsend
Calvert-Lewin Richarlison

Subs: Begovic, Holgate, Kenny, Nkounkou, Gray, Gbamin (/Delph), Iwobi, Kean

A couple of lessons from last week that must be learned; Richarlison central playing off Calvert-Lewin and Gray on the left, not the other way round.

I would also like to see Mina as the left-sided centre-back with Holgate on the right and Keane on the bench.

Full support, Blues! Onward Evertonians 💙

Took a few cheese cube treats, but that's what they eventually told me.

But defensively they are certainly frail. The game itself could be an absolute cracker.

I watched the highlights of Utd v Leeds. Utd ran at and through them, they can't defend high balls, and their keeper doesn't like daisy cutters.

I like Lyndon's team.

Up the blues!!

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/from-the-archive-blog/2014/nov/07/everton-leeds-football-goodison-1964-archive

I think I may be more of a Morris Marina but I'll be there, today.

Horrible club, horrible ground and horrible fans! I think I've only seen us win there twice in 50 odd years and one of those was a cup match.

It's time we start playing our centre backs based on the opposition and not just how well they play in previous games.

I liken him to Linford Christie, quick off the mark or out of the blocks, but shite at football. (especially defending) Should be on the bench the park bench ! :-)

Holgate's pace will come in handy, as we don't have a pacy enough backline. If you are looking at leadership, I think Mina will definitely add to strength to that.

Though, when you look at last season, Keane is more likely to either make his way up the pitch, for headers or to carry the ball forward.

So, it's really a toss up.

I think the front four is as solid as it gets; if anything, I think Rafa should ask them to interchange their positions (Gray/Townsend/Richarlison). All three of them can play across the line, and their mobility can create gaps. It'll keep the opposition guessing. Iwobi to come on in the 2nd half, if any of these three are not playing well.

We know they play a very high tempo game so I think the first 20 minutes could be crucial, keep them out then try and impose ourselves. We can't afford to play an open game as that will suit them down to the ground.

Aside from the clanger, Keane and Holgate did ok last week. I can only recall Southampton having 2 shots. There's not too much to choose between any of our centre halves currently. Godfrey is obviously the future. The other 3 are competing to partner him in my book.

I'd be happy with the same team as last week, but I suspect Rafa may tinker to strengthen the midfield.

I believe it's streaming on Peacock, but only available in the US of A.

They're my two tried and trusted places for streams. Watch out for the pop-ups and make sure you have good Internet security!

If we get second half Everton from last week against Leeds from last season, this could be a proper end-to-end humdinger. Not one for the fainthearted Evertonian or Moyes induced generation!

Here's hoping for a performance. If we get a performance, a result usually follows. Focus on the performance not the result.

And then if we don't get a result, at least we watch our team perform.

Heading into London for the afternoon to find somewhere to watch the results come in. I'm all for Camden, but the other half is thinking more London Bridge area. She always did have a bit more class than me!!

Not just Everton players that are self- isolating. The Newcastle keeper apparently lost two stone in a week while in hospital - no second jab.

The various managers quoted, whilst advocating vaccination, emphasise "it's a personal choice". Why not "it's a moral obligation to other people and to the employer who you expect to pay you when you're isolating after contact with an infected individual"? It's bad enough missing players through injury, without having to deal with these self inflicted and avoidable absences.

As well as avoiding signing injury prone players, I'd also avoid non-vaccinated ones who effectively knowingly put themselves in same position vis-a-vis potential unavailability. That, or insist on a clause stipulating no pay during self inflicted and avoidable absences.