Everton vs Manchester City

So there’s no pressure. If I was Dyche, I’d tell the squad “Play as well as you can, and have fun.”

We weren’t supposed to do well last match, either. Just goes to show that, sometimes,“everyone” doesn’t know everything.

Little Leon Osman smashing one in after Seamus dancing around their full back to set up little Leon Osman leaping like an Alaskan Salmon to bring us back to a two one victory having been a goal down.

Is Leon available tomorrow?

We can do this blues. Turn up with belief.

City are the very opposite of a 'One Man Team' but I back Mina Vs Haarland physically and more to the point he's an expert at the sly and not so sly snide wind up, which as shown in the away fixture, he 'doesn't like it up him'. So much so, he chased Godfrey out to the bye line for a bit of scythe him down payback.
Sadly there are another 9 very good players, plus subs, to make life hard for us.

At the back I always feel...Stones especially...that due to not having too much to do, they have the odd panicky mistake in them if pressured, maybe Calvert Lewin can push them about a bit.

I'm not expecting another 5 goal massacre at either end...lightening doesn't often strike twice;

What I don't want is a case of 'After the Lord Mayor's Show.'

But would, if offered, albeit very reluctantly, take the draw.

They have threats all over the pitch so we have to be on our guard for the entire match, full on focused. Of the meany threats, it will likely be Foden and Mahrez occupying their wider attacking positions. How we deal with them will go a long way to determining the outcome.

After Brighton, Pep will smell the danger we can create for them. Now it’s not only set pieces but we look like we can score from any breakaway. It’s a weakness for Man City, sometimes they can be caught cold. I’m convinced these chances will come and we have to take them like we did on Monday, if we do we can get at least a point.

We have to be on full alert when we have a corner or set piece too. They will be rehearsing their own breakaways from our own set pieces, we need to be fully rehearsed on that danger.

I expect a bit of play acting from Man City tomorrow, a dream for them would be to manufacture a red card for us, so they can have a walk in the park before Real Madrid. I hope the referee sees through it.

For me too, the team stays the same, theres a good balance to it and we have looked better in midfield since Garner has come in.

COYBLUES!!!!

I know that would leave us a a still-not-safe 34 points (could be enough) but the incentive to batter the crap out of Bournemouth would be huge and get the crowd and players up for another massive, post match, celebratory pitch invasion.

He won't even get close to Pongo Waring's tally.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65574046

https://www.evertonfc.com/news/3335562/how-everton-great-dixie-scored-92-goals-in-one-season

Let’s take it.

Mentally, Pep, is putting up excuses, before a ball is kicked.

Get at them, and be clinical, show Mahrez, and Foden,, to their rhs, and Everton can beat them.

Their keeper is prone to a few clanggers, so, I’d be shooting on site and picking up the spils.

Belief, and can do, can win this game, for Everton.

UTFTs!

A good pass from Onana once the game had been won gives him the bench again, and same again would be nice.

But definitely no start.

Same starting 11 as Monday.

Play as we did at Brighton with controlled aggression and leave the verbals out, two stupid and unnecessary bookings for Mina and Doucoure. Dominic will keep them busy and the longer they go without scoring the more frustrated and attack minded they will become, leaving more gaps for us to exploit, hoping for at least one point.

Keep the organisation no matter the score, big performances from everyone.

No mistakes, no sendings off, keep the energy going.

The team has good balance and good spirit now, lets get behind each player and hopefully the team can pull off a surprise.

COYB!
WSNBM!

I think it's highly likely the likes of De Bruyne, Haaland and a few others will be on the bench and only brought on if the game is still in the balance in the last 15 or so minutes

Expecting a close contest here and one which we can certainly get something from. The margin of victory at Brighton would and should have given the players huge confidence going into this.

It's an interesting match up; what should be a regulation win for Citteh, and if they do score early we will be in for a long, long, afternoon, but Pep and their defence will not be relishing coming up against a fully fit and fired up DCL. Plus, if DCL puts in a first half performance like he did on Monday, which was a thing of beauty. we could be on for yet another shock.

We've got to make the best of where we match them, or even surpass them. Any dead ball we have an advantage with Mina, Tark and DCL, the outlet ball to DCL has got to trigger the counter we saw so many times vs Brighton, and finally, the defence has got to be 100% switched on. because it doesn't matters if we get thrashed 7-0, do another Brighton or anything in between, we will only have anywhere between 25%-35% possession.

A tough afternoon and I would be delighted with a point, which would be 4pts from 2 games where we expected nothing. It's the hope that kills you.

with possibly Harland, De Bruyne being rested and Walker, but Foden, Alvarez and Mahrez coming in fresh hardly weakens them. I see a similar game as the Brighton game with City having most of the possession and us hitting them on the break, but City have better players than Brighton.

Having said all of that I think we could nick a draw tomorrow and following the draw at Leicester the win at Brighton would show a team full of confidence going into the last 2 fixtures.

Isak, you owe me for my fantasy league side!

Isak, you owe me for my fantasy league side!

I want Everton to concentrate on maintaining position and not diving in as any player beaten means that somebody has to leave their position to cover. To me, that means we have to have somebody spare to chase and harry around the pitch without leaving a gap elsewhere and probably subbed after an hour for fresh legs, or a very disciplined midfield knowing the shape we need to keep and hope for last week's clinical counter attacking. The sooner we make that obvious then perhaps City may sit an extra player in defence.

They might want the Champions League as priority but they won't put the EPL title or the chance of the treble on the line for it.

Just gotta be very organised, let them have the ball (let’s face it no real choice in that) and hope we can be enough of a danger on the counter and set plays to get a goal or two. Somehow stop them scoring and it’s winnable.

COYB 💙💙

Frank has carried on in the way he managed us. His teams can't defend and struggle to score the goals their play deserves.

Bit disappointed with Newcastle and Chelsea who both looked off the pace you would normally expect.

Hopefully Man City will oblige tomorrow and we'll get some points ourselves.

Avoid defeat Sunday, Leicester lose Monday. Fingers crossed!

I watched Chelsea. Fucking typical Lampard. loads of possession in their own half. Then, when it came to the business end of the pitch, no-one knew where to go or what to do.

It takes time though, Frank. You're a joke, Frank, embarrassing.

Tough ask but hopefully the Champions League distraction and confidence from the BHA win gives us an edge. Not to mention the crowd and the team having a week's rest.

Foden, Mahrez and Alvarez were on the bench midweek I believe so I expect most or all of them to start. Still a daunting 2nd team!

Fingers crossed for a performance and result. A win (!) would almost see us safe.

My big fear is City scoring and the crowd going quiet, if City do get one, then we have to simply sing that bit louder.

If we go quiet, heads will drop. We simply have to keep it up in the stands, we can do this, stick behind the players for 90 mins, get into City's faces on the pitch, and sing away Blues. Let us be the 12th man, make it hard as possible for the ref to give a soft decision.

"If you want to play in the Cup Final (or whatever) next week, you'd better keep out of my way"

Could someone teach Yerry Mina the appropriate phrases? Something along the lines of, "If you want to play in the Champions League final, Mr Haaland, maybe you should consider feigning an injury now."

However, Everton need to do their bit tomorrow and the 2 remaining games and not have to rely on losses by the other three teams.

The Seagulls result was completely out of left field but just shows what this team can do when they come together.

That's not to say they can be a good side down the line but certainly they have goals in them against the right teams.

It may be too much to ask for a great follow-up tomorrow but it's not beyond them given the result at their ground and the performance at Brighton.

No matter what City's starting eleven will be it will be a tough ask as they are going for another Prem. title and will not want a team like Everton to take any points from them at this stage.

I don't think for one minute their upcoming game against Real Madrid will factor in although Pep really wants the Champions League title as well.

If Everton can settle down quickly and not give up easy possession by slack passing then they may just get some reward.

This may be the perfect game for Dyche to use his subs early as City will probably dominate possession and fresh legs may be necessary long before the last 20 minutes.

COYB.

Defend soundly and then break quickly with any turnovers.

Will need DCL and Doucoure to have good games and make the ball stick when we do get a window.

Would be very happy with a point.

I'll always feel that we can get something out of a home game against the best teams. It's when Goodison is at its glorious best.

But City really are exceptional. They're not a 'fun' team like Brighton who don't worry too much about boring stuff like defending. They get things done. I wouldn't call them prima donnas either. There's plenty of graft among their talent.

This could be massive. We're at the time of the season where every point and game played makes the league look completely different.

A win and we're, in all probability, pretty much there. Leeds and Leicester would need 2 wins and that won't happen.

COYB!

Because City can afford a slip up against us but not in the semi-final v Real Madrid I suspect Pep will rest Haaland, De Bruyne and a few others, and start with Foden, Alvarez and Mahrez - all quick and skilful but not very physically imposing. McNeil will need to help Mykolenko deal with Mahrez as he will punish us if given any time and space.

Great chance for us to take advantage of the demands on their squad and put some daylight between us and the clubs around us. Time for a gritty win.

City will not get out of second gear and will still easily beat this lot of over paid underperforming championship players...

BIG IF. we stay up the same shite will be served up next season coz that's Everton...

It's not a foregone conclusion that we'll lose, it's simply likely that we will, same as last week. When we won.

Interesting what an outstanding, convincing victory can do to the outlook. Despite the perilous situation, I'm really looking forward to the game.

But I think there has been a different mindset by both players and manager over the last couple of weeks, starting at Leicester where the intent to get at Leicester was there for all to see and could consider themselves unlucky not to have won the game.

Then Brighton, again, we didn't have as much of the ball as we did against Leicester but that intent to try and win the game was there again, and I think this new mindset is playing to our strengths.

I think had Dyche been able to select Calvert-Lewin in all of his games, I don't think we would be anywhere near relegation. I genuinely believe that having a fit Calvert-Lewin has made a huge difference, and I believe City defenders won't relish playing against him. Seems teams with forceful number 9s who are good in the air give them problems.

City have brilliant players all over the pitch but I just feel, if they have an Achilles Heel, it's in the air and defending set-pieces which is our strength.

As said above, start hard with a couple of crunching tackles. Pep may take this game seriously but he's not on the pitch and can't get injured and hence miss the Madrid game (and possibly a final).

Can't see Haaland or De Bruyne starting. Mahrez is good but lightweight and doesn't tend to like it ‘up him'. I'd be more worried about Foden who's got fight and will be trying to get into the Champions League team.

I'd actually prefer Haaland to start as I think Mina will have him all day in a battle.

Just setting off now for the game, if it is can Derek, Jim, Derek or Bill send me a text and let me know.

Up the Toffees.

I've read on these pages so many times that we were subject to imminent defeat.

I'm not hiding from anything. I've had some traumatic experiences and journeys these past few seasons.

We have beaten Arsenal and took a point off Man City and them. I know today is a different proposition, but we've beaten the much-admired Brentford and put Brighton to the sword.

Apparently Leeds would have too much for us. We beat them. West Ham too. Anything is possible in football.

Train approaching Runcorn. Nearly there. Show up, Everton. We will. We care deeply.

We are in with chance it is regarded as a free hit I suppose, so who knows we might suprise a few again.

What we don't want are sending offs and injuries to our best players.

Kevin, Dyche will start with Garner and look to use Onana later. I think he has learnt his lesson on that one.

We have to get lucky playing 12.

Sorry mate I decided against it, as it is the same people who always turn up, even when offered a lift, and as you well know, the Staff at B M Pub are only too willing to phone a Taxi after.

However I would like to suggest for the last Match of the Season against Bournemouth, that we all meet as we did before the Fulham Game, at the Harlech Castle. That was a cracking gathering and near to the ground too. Peter Moore is coming up from Worcester again and a Cornish Blue (not a cheese btw) who despite being a lifelong Evertonian has the difficult balance of work, family and distance to consider, has obviously been before, but is also coming to that one.

Only the team let us down that day, but I feel despite the result today, which I hope is a repeat of last week v Brighton, but maybe not to so many goals, the game against Bournemouth and similarly v Wolves (away) will be all hands to the pumps for survival. A good atmosphere as per our last home game v Palace (last season) is almost a guarantee. Just hope no stupid pitch invasions give any opportunities to deduct points, and they will after the last warning !

While he cannot pass if McNeil does his usual duty we may find Holgate to be functional. Just let him focus on defensive responsibilities and give him an obvious outlet regularly. He has done it before under Carlo’s instruction. Come on!!!’