Everton vs Brentford

We can beat Brentford, Luton and Sheffield United if we show that type of desire and commitment.

Just hope fatigue doesn't lead to a tired performance. COYB.

3 games in a week with a threadbare squad is a lot to ask for but seeing the finishing post in sight and the adrenalin still flowing from Wednesday we can do this.

Attacking wise Brentford are a real threat and if fit and ready I'd stick with Gana over Onana, apart from that the mentioned team looks good

Despite wanting (for some reason) Arsenal to win the title it would feel quite satisfying if we could ruin their title hopes as well. We could be the spoilers this season.

We will have to replicate if possible, the attitude against the RS, not sure about Young at left back. He did a good job standing in for the unlucky Mykolenko, but I'm thinking so many games in succession at 38?

Everyone should be buoyed by Wednesday's performance and result, team, manager and fans alike. Let's get this over the line and get as many points as we possibly can. After all, points means prizes (£3.1M per slot I believe).

COYB 💙💙👍

We are at home so fans will be up for it as usual. 💙

Even with the best of attacking intentions, having played 2 'Cup Finals' in 4 days it could be a case of – 'After the Lord Mayor's show'...?

So, let's win and sod Luton and other results.

Brentford playing well at the moment. A draw perhaps? A win would be fantastic!

Referee: Darren England.
Assistants: Simon Bennett, Dan Robathan.
Fourth official: Dean Whitestone.
VAR: Michael Oliver.
Assistant VAR: Richard West.

But, I think I would prefer Harry Nonce on VAR!

We can win this, but are likely to be a bit leggy. If DCL is truly back to his best then we will score, one or two. So I expect some caution and back to the ‘keeping it tight' Dyche.

On the positives, Brentford are safe and away from home, so might be a bit off, which might open the door for us. UTFT!

I was also glad to hear Sean Dyche talking about how important he is to the group and even hinted, although he is out of contract at the end of the season, he would like him to extend his contract.

Brentford will probably have Toney back for this game and, with Wissa and Mbuemo, they are a useful front 3, but the reason they are down there with us is because they aren't consistent.

I am sure confidence is sky high amongst the players and that hasn't happened to often this season, so start with the same intent as we did on Wednesday and I am sure we will be fine. Probably after putting in such a stint on Wednesday, they will be a bit leggy come second half but that's something the crowd will help them find the energy needed.

After the mental and physical exertion your forgive them if their standards drop from the other they were on Wednesday.

But I suppose we could consider that they couldn't have felt more confident at any point this season than right now. Maybe they go and show it wasn't a one off.

Both did well enough on Wednesday to earn their starts!

UTFT

Anyhoos... after getting dropped off by my sister I realised I didn't have my phone or cards so I could neither get in nor call my sister.

I walked round the ground twice asking stewards to lend me their phones with no luck before spotting a tall man and his lad wearing an old Everton scarf and bobble hat. He was also smiling broadly and I knew he was a good un! He happily let me call my sister and all got sorted. His name was Steve and I promised him a pint in the Harlech to which he agreed.

Saints won with a last minute drop Sony week so far has been outstanding! Two wins for the blues, one for Saints, I got a new job and a two grand payment id forgotten about. I really really hope the Blues complete the week in style for me tomorrow. UTFT

If Luton lose that should be all the motivation we need to go out and win and be safe.

Even a draw, should Luton lose, would make it realistically impossible for them to catch us due to goal difference.

Fingers crossed the gods of Wednesday are still looking down on us! UTFT.

I'm sure Dyche will ask for more of the same from the players, and they should be full of confidence on this winning streak. Home win.

Strangely, a player to man mark could be Brentford's Wissa, he hardly looks like a footballer, but always puts a shift in and gets on the scoresheet.

Against Liverpool, the players were really up for the game after the Nottingham Forest game and Dyche's formation and tactics worked. Still need to keep things a lot tighter than the Chelsea game.

Then we have the points deductions.

Regardless who you are you can only play a style that suits the players you have, and we have a mish mash small squad some we've had to sell.

If we tried to play this open attractive football some want with these players we'd already be down. Look at Brighton last night. They tried to out-City Man City and got well done.

Right now with this squad survival is the priority and needs must. Points over style. Once we have some stability in the club and squad, then judge Dyche.

I'm hoping we can be 10 points above the Bottom 3 before the Arsenal game – just in case we have to play our joker of going into administration before the season's end!

To my uneducated eyes we seemed to play exactly the same high press at Chelsea as we did against the shite on Wednesday so why were the outcomes so vastly different?

Is it a case of the early goal killed us? Or that we need Gana Gueye in the team to play that system?

In any case, people complaining about Dyches tactics – and I readily admit I've done so myself – may need to rethink as we all seemed bloody happy about them on Wednesday.

I'm not sure he changed anything tactically – more a bloody-minded mindset and aggressive approach – we shall not be moved personified. UTFT

We jogged alongside the Chelsea players. Our midfield opened up like in Moses and the Red Sea.

We tried for the first 10 minutes then surrendered. It was embarrassing and bears no comparison to the derby game.

I expect Dyche will be his conservative type and play KITANO. A win and safety assured would be great but I would take a draw if offered.

Franks may pick a side to tactically nullify us, not how the reds play. We seem to play better against teams that come at us not one that come to not conceed.

I think Brentford are usually an attacking type of a team and if we can keep Tony quiet I think we have every chance of 3 points.

We certainly do play better against teams that come at us. We control games more effectively out of possession. That has been the case for the last 4 years. In home games we are expected to win such as Fulham, Wolves, Luton (twice) and West Ham we have struggled to break through the opposition lines, missed early chances and ended up losing usually by conceding late in the game.

The solution is to focus on keeping a clean sheet, be happy to take a draw and know there is always the possibility of grabbing a winner.

I haven't seen a single post this season asking for it, yet I see posts every day arguing against those asking for it.

Early vs Chelsea, Palmer went around Onana like he was a turnstile, which is why I think Onana is the first one sold this summer to balance the books — he's just a legend in his own mind.

Win this game and we are home and dry and depending on Luton game a draw could do it.

Keep it going Blues. Same intensity, same work rate. Get this done.

No-one knows what will happen tomorrow because every game is unique, it's never been played before and will never be played again. I've learned down the years that anything can happen in a game of football and that's why I attend games with an open mind.

I use the Wigan vs Manchester City FA Cup Final as an example, I think that Wigan fans would have traveled to Wembley hoping that they wouldn't be be slaughtered, while the Manchester City fans would be thinking that it would be a walkover.

You must excuse the ignorance of someone 3 months away from his 86th birthday, but I would be pleased to learn what 'KITANO' means.

Yes they battered Luton and done us a favour with their win against Sheffield United, but we can beat them.

We are nearly there to give the Grand Old Lady a top flight send off.

Managers often talk about small margins, and I think that small margins often give way to gaping chasms. That's why the first goal in a game is often so important, and how a team responds to that first goal, whether they score it or concede it.

Cole Palmer's first goal against Chelsea really seemed to deflate the players. It was so avoidable, and yet he managed to wriggle free from Branthwaite and Onana and then finesse a shot past Pickford.

And Chelsea built on that momentum while we seemed to shrink. After half and hour it had already become an exercise in damage limitation, an exercise that we failed to negotiate successfully - while Chelsea seemed to get the bounce of the ball and took a high proportion of their chances.

Gana has been excellent over the last few games – arguably our best outfield player during April – and he was a big miss against Chelsea. Calvert-Lewin too. But one of the big differences in the Chelsea game and the derby is that we never found ourselves in a hole in the derby. If anything the small margins went our way.

I should think Chelsea fans are even more at a loss to understand how they can play so well against us and then be abject against Arsenal a few days later.

I'd quickly like to praise Pickford for his performance in the derby. He's had some stick of late, especially after the Chelsea game, but he was tremendous on Wednesday night, making vital saves at vital times and commanding his area.

Thanks for the information, I'm afraid that I'm not familiar with what I regard as 'lazy correspondence'.

Have Brentford got enough to take the game to us as per Liverpool, allowing our robustness to win through, or will they sit back and let our lack of creativity cause mutterings to upset the applecart?

Seems a 0-0 to me as both teams begin googling holiday destinations…

Yes they battered Luton and done us a favour with their win against Sheffield United, but we can beat them.

We are nearly there to give the Grand Old Lady a top flight send off.

I might get slated, by come, but we can take them tomorrow. We should fear no one at Goodison.

I don't.

As a player or supporter, I've never gone into a match expecting nothing but a win.

Sure, you don't win them all, but you go on that pitch expecting to.

Last 5 games: Brentford have got 9 points and Everton have got 10. Brentford's only 2 wins in their last 11 games have been Luton and Sheffield Utd.

I think it will be a tight affair but they should be just as worried about the prospect of the game, if not more, than Everton are about them.

Same 11 as stared the second half on Wednesday and another clean sheet.

What do you think the 'Catt' would say to that?

I tend to get the willies when we are favourite though. I think the Luton game might prove to be the most difficult.

Follow that up with wins over Luton and Blades and we're at 40 for the season. Under the circumstances, that's outstanding.

I am actually looking forward to this one as a) we tend to do well against them,and b) it's effectively a stress-free dead rubber.

Time for some Blind Faith. Do what you like but I am all in for a barnstormer. 3-0.

My worry is that Wednesday night was a really wonderful special effort. It's not like Arsenal or City who seem to win for the most part by playing the same way. Wednesday was as spectacular in the effort, motivation and spirit as it was beautiful in the way it ended.

It was also against them, Satan's minions, Belzebuth's handpicked criminals, Norway's scum.

I'm actually sitting here asking myself is it reasonable to expect that sort of effort all over again three days later? Can we reasonably expect it? That said, two-thirds of what we saw on Wednesday would be more than enough to beat most teams and we are on a good run but so are the Bees who have not lost in five. Wissa in particular is looking dangerous.

Expect a couple of changes. This game would really suit Gomes.

I would not be surprised if it ended up 2-2.

COYB

But I don't want to see any complacency from anybody tomorrow. I want the team to fight like they did on Wednesday. Lets do a Calvert-Lewin here. Chase the ball over the fucking line.

Make sure...

Another home win looming... 2-0.

COYB

I got a massive telling off from my wife for the rustic language I used on Wednesday. I pointed out that this is only the second time since we moved into this house have we seen Everton win at home.

Three points tomorrow and it might even be a good week, LOL.

It is an interesting comparison. I do think the tactics for the Chelsea game and Liverpool game where similar as you suggest. At the time, I thought that Chelsea trained all week to break down Dycheball and on the day found Everton giving them acres of space.

The Everton players seemed to lack the confidence to play that system. The Nottingham Forest win seemed to lift the team confidence and the whole tactics were more effectively implemented in the Goodison derby.

And John Hood is a good man.

Anyway, I watched them last week and Wissa and Mbeumo were magic, their pace casing Luton all sorts of problems. So it worries me that are only option at left back looks like Pensioner Young.

Will it be a hangover from Wednesday or do we have real momentum again now? Nothing would surprise me this season.

Brentford play good football and thread their passes through the opposition but they are also very suspect in defence.

I would hope for another clean sheet and score some goals from open play for a change.

My only concern is both our full backs and therefore we need a strong midfield to back them up.

Wolves have been a bit off colour recently but should have enough for a nervous Luton who are lucky to still be in a shout for avoiding relegation thanks to the Premier League and Masters.

Let's celebrate a great week for the Blues with a resounding win.

COYB

That has already cost near £6M to £9M minimium already. So not just a point deduction but also a loss of revenue. Double punishment by Premier League which affects next year's PSR.

Toney's been injured has he not?

So we should be shouting that from the rooftops that "you're safe – well done" and applaud them during the warm up.

And then if we win – we are safe as well. Double celebration!

Expect the same tomorrow after the easy win against Luton. At least we haven't got Mighty Maupay to worry about!

The most likely outcome though is that it seems quite a flat performance compared with the intensity of the RS win.

Not because we aren't "up for it". But just because tiredness and injuries catch-up with a small squad. A squad of very limited quality too.

Off the back of their own last excellent result (1-5 away to Luton) there's a good chance Brentford will do what they are good at; cede possession and play on the counter, with the excellent Mbuemo and the decent Wissa backed up by a very hard working, well drilled midfield and 3 very tall centre-backs.

That arguably makes them more difficult opponents than the RS - because it nullifies our strength (Calvert-Lewin / set piece aerial threat) and exposes our weakness (low quality players struggling to carve out chances from possession).

Ultimately, I think we will win or at least draw - but this is not an easy game by any stretch and I think Dyche will approach it in that mindset.

Personally I think we're already safe. Can't see Luton getting 9 points from their last 4 and I can't see us losing our remaining 4, specially at home to Brentford and Sheffield Utd.

Spoke to a Kopite mate today. He said our derby win was "The last swish of a dinosaur's tail".

Cracking gag, let's bury them tomorrow.

It'd also be nice to see a good cameo from Danjuma – and maybe Chermiti too.

I had a brief interaction with a red shiter earlier today. I told him I would help him out but that I was an Everton fan. He jokingly turned and started for the door.

He was rather nice about it, mentioning we've been waiting a long time for that without snark. I said, "Yeah sorry about that". He responded, "No you're not". And with a wry smile, I confirmed that. Ah, good times.

If there's a chance it's worth a point or two, then probably better to take them now.

Bit late for that now that we're already at the appeal stage, or are you talking about the next charge?

If anyone wants it please ping me a message on 07369211765 (I may not answer until tomorrow) - but I'll be on the road from 8am tomorrow and can easily meet at the ground.

Cheers

Anthony

I have only seen a few Brentford matches this season but it seems to me their best form has been when he wasn't available.

Wonder what's going on there? Bad feelings with the rest of the team? Changing tactics to fit him in?

I mentioned to Jim I normally go into Turnstile 66 at the Park End. Fue to the famous cup last Saturday, I went for Turnstile 62, the year I was born, and we won 2-nil. Repeated on Wednesday, Turnstyle 62, we won again 2-nil. So I will certainly be in through Turnstile 62 again on Saturday. Just to be sure, I will wear my lucky underpants again, washed of course.

Be uncanny if we win 2-nil again, also heard Toney has us down for 2-nil, so don't worry if they get a penalty, it's heading in Row Z.

Up the Toffees.

John Lennon would have been 84 this year if it had been Darwin Nunez that day in Central Park.

You haven't read numerous posts on numerous threads that we should ”go for it”? “Attack”? “Better lose and play open football rather than defensive hoofball”?

You have never seen loads of posts calling for the above?
Sorry, Ernie, you must have missed them

As I said in my post, regardless who we have as manager, he can only play a system that suits the players he has until he gets the players he wants in.

Onana was disappointing for me against Liverpool the only time I remember him attacking he lost the ball and he did not challenge the approaching players. I would like to see Chermiti play alongside Calvert-Lewin I think he would carve more chances for both because he is quite fast too.

As for a small squad only 4 players out of a maximum squad size of 25 have not appeared on the field this season. That is down to Dyce's team selection.

Brentford may decide not to play Toney to make sure he is not injured so they can sell him in the summer.

One point I missed About Wednesday's game concerned the injury to Mykolenko it was actually caused by Nunez and he was nowhere near the ball. I only noticed it at home on my second replay of the game.

Brilliant, Just fucking brilliant!

See you in the Harlech

Up the Fucking Gobshite-beating Toffees!

I'm not his biggest fan but, given how he played on Wednesday and given our injuries, how do you justify that sentence??

After that performance, Dyche could play Widow Twankie for me, as long as Dyche sticks to his lucky trackie top.

See you in the Harlech pre-match, all being well, Moyes will do a job on the Red Shite to set our day up nice and early.

Sorry best I could come up with, I'll get me coat.

I suspect that Frank (80) meant that Young will likely start in place of the injured Mykolenko, making Young the exception to the team that started the derby. Might be wrong of course.

Personally, I feel it's a great fit and he's doing a fantastic job in very difficult circumstances. I really hope, when the ownership situation is sorted, they don't change managers for the sake of it. He's the best man for the job; not everyone will agree with that and that's oayk.

I for one agree. Will never make the Top 10 greatest manager in the world but we have to accept where we are and cut our cloth accordingly.

I do not believe that is a lack of vision, it is pragmatism. If we had swallowed our pride and adopted a little more pragmatism on numerous occasions since 2016, we would be less likely to have aimed for boom and ended up with bust.

What would be the point anyway? 8 years of pragmatism? That's a guarantee of only heading in one direction.

I really struggle with the idea that acceptance of sub-mediocrity is pragmatic. It's not – it's defeatist. Pragmatic would be understanding that we can't afford to sign ready made and need to assemble and blood a young side. Pragmatic would be having a go with what you have, in a style they can fit in with.

We have some expensive players. We have some capable players. We have players that other clubs would love to have signed, prior to them largely stinking it up in our toxic environment. We have our crowd. Every club thinks their own fans are great – but ours are objectively phenomenal and worth points every year.

Despite the euphoria of Wednesday, the broader context is that we're still circling the drain. We'll need some kind of ambition to reverse that trajectory.

In we go. Don't anyone tell me we can't win. I've watched too many Everton matches like all off you.

Repeating myself, but when I played and when I watch Everton, I never go into a match thinking we can't win. Ever.

My sister is concerned for me and messaging me every day!! She's offered for me to stay at hers or give me a lift. Bless her, she is a great person!

We can and will do this, Blues.

EPS, or “Evertonian Pessimism Syndrome”, is a condition where a person, for example, a couple of days after a euphoric occasion, resumes studying the Premier League table for all possible pitfalls. How many points do Everton need to win in the case of Luton and Nottingham Forest winning all their games? Could our team be deducted further points for lodging a spurious appeal?

In particularly severe cases, the sufferer will also start looking at the top of the table. Could Manchester City stumble or have points deducted? Could Arsenal drop points, and lose the Title at home in the final game against opponents they have battered frequently in the last match of the season?

It is a draining condition, one that confounds logic, brought on from years of having chips rained upon. I can't be the only one out here.

As to the remedy or cure. I think it will take more than a blue pill to rectify, but a win today could go a long way as a placebo.

But don't worry about the top of the table. For most of the season, I couldn't even tell you who is challenging. Apart from when they play us, I really don't care what that lot do. They're on a different level than us and are practically playing in a different competition.

And it grates on my red mates that I couldn't care less about them when they'd love me to be bothered about how Trent or Mo are doing.

Today, will Everton be fatigued or invigorated and ready to go and take out Brentford?

Better times, hopefully soon. They will come but imo, consistently, only after the ownwership of Everton is resolved and then by an "honest and professional organisation, with integrity". That will take some doing. Survival this season in the Premier League to be secured, and to get stability and a reset of the club.

I heard on the grapevine, this week that a couple of young full-backs at Burnley are being looked at and we shall see.

But with several players out of contract, I don't expect many to be renewed and big savings to be made in wages. It will be interesting if Calvert-Lewin is given a new long-term deal or just an extension. That will be one to watch.

For me, Branthwaite must be kept at all costs, as a priority, if possible.Next: to beat Brentford. UTFTs!

It is highly dependent on selection, pace, player focus and player motivation. All as a result of a continuously weakened squad and a lack of academy progress. Dycheball comes down to fine margins and can be derailed if the margins are against Everton.

IMO, it is something we have to get used too, since further inevitable point deductions are down the line as a result of the complete mismanagement of the club.

Adding to that, consistency isn't something that's entirely in our hands given our style of play; much depends on how the opposition approach the game, and we also need our fair share of luck.

Win this and it doesn't matter what other teams do.

When we knock the stuffing out of Brentford (apologies to John Hood), the people who have been thinking about buying EFC will start experiencing FOMO. As a consequence, I expect even more good news next week.

Up The Blues!!!😉

Is that a new detergent for removing stubborn biological stains in tricky areas? I am one on here who thrives on good news, so please spill and enlighten in one move? :-)

I've gone through the table, from top to the bottom. Games left, who is going to slip up, who is going to go on a good run, how many points to be lost and won!! For fuck's sake, I deffo need help!

Derek. "ET Fomo Homo" was a spoof comedy about a gay alien who had a fear of missing out. Or did I dream that? (I did hit the cheese pretty hard last night.)

I'd bring in Onana or Gomes for Doucoure, who I thought was the only player who was poor the other night, and play Young at left-back with Mykolenko probably out.

Winning individual battles is key, as is supporting those around you.

You are a professional and know how to win. Now go and make it happen. COYB

Win this day, beat Brentford, and things will get better.

UTFTs!

Same effort today Everton and Evertonians.

I'd like to see Danjuma come in for Harrison. Agree with maybe swapping Doucoure for Onana.

Get the job done tonight, Blues.

UTFT

Absolutely brilliant. I've actually got someone close to me who's like that, ie , I can see us losing every game and Luton winning theirs etc etc.

Made my day that post as I'm eating my pre-match breakfast – 2 poached eggs on wholemeal toast just in case anyone is interested. No, didn't think you would be.

I agree with most of that post but Harrison had his best game of the season on Tuesday night and I wouldn't swap the energy of Doucoure, with all his faults, for “The Sleeping Beauty”.

I just hope Gueye is fit to play as, without him, we will be left with (as Dave Abrahams calls him) Sleeping Beauty to replace him.

I am sure the midweek game will have taken a lot out of the players but, when sides are winning, the adrenalin overtakes the tiredness. Be just as focused and just as aggressive as we were on Wednesday and that should get the job done.

Each league position is worth about £3m.

Luton lose today and a point will do us.

Cheer us on today buddy like I know you and the other stalwarts always do.