Everton vs Doncaster Rovers

1. Adlephi for first train back.
2. Last National Express to get me back home by 6am.
3. Stay with sister and get a lift to the station.

My word, they make me and many thousands of others put the miles in. Give us something back, Everton.

Number 3.

However, whilst the result is of little consequence, the performances of the new guys are important.

We need some new guys to really stake a claim so that they can be used to replace some of those underachievers currently getting in the starting eleven and letting us down badly.

Those who have pretended to be midfielders so far need a wake-up call and, if that doesn't work, then they need to be dropped no matter what wages they earn.

The disease spread to Pickford on Saturday and I am sure none of us want him to start on a bad run of errors.

Dyche has to shake a leg and shuffle the pack even for the next Premier League game.

Give Doucoure and Calvert-Lewin a break as the new lads cannot do any worse than those who've let us down time and time again.

I'm looking forward to this game and hopefully a few goals to see us through to the next round. Can we win this trophy to take to the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, Please! 🤷

💙 COYB UTFT ETID💙

I'm curious, then, as to why he didn't try to get them fit (and "fit for task", whatever the difference is) by playing them in the U21s? This has been done to get other first-teamers fit in the past.

Here's hoping the result is the same as the last time Doncaster visited the Grand Old Lady.

A special game for the Snodin family as well.

I wonder if either of Maupay or Holgate will be involved?

I agree with your predicted line-up except I would have Harrison in place of McNeil who has looked a shadow of the player he was before the injury last season.

We hope for a win and no further injuries.

It's been the senior players letting us down with mistakes so far with him Young and Gueye, particularly needing to tighten up.

Virginia
Dixon
O'Brien
Keane
Mykolenko
Lindstrøm (right-wing)
Iroegbunam
Armstrong
Harrison (switched to left-wing)
Ndiaye
Beto

If Calvert-Lewin goes before the window shuts, then we have to start with Beto, recall Calvert-Lewin on Saturday if he is still with us.

Also, try Harrison on the left side so he is not switching the ball to his other foot and having to cut inside, and I would like to see Martin Sherif on the bench.

I think that lineup is strong enough, with backup on the bench if needed.

Also, I think O'Brien had more minutes in friendlies than Keane. I really hope he plays Ndaiye in the No 10 role but a more advanced No 10 role than Doucouré plays. I would also hope he encourages our midfield to get in and around the box when we attack.

I would play McNeil in a more central role role just behind Beto and Ndaiye, he has no pace when played out wide and very rarely takes on his full-back but, when he moved inside for the final 20 minutes against Spurs, he looked more effective.

I think it won't be easy to throw 4 players in who have not played together and expect them to gel. Also, just have Gueye in the holding role and let Iroegbunam get into more attacking positions.

Usually, when we do attack, there is only 1 possibly 2 men in their box which seriously limits our options. For once, Sean, be brave… what have you got to lose? Play a more attacking game — it will give the fans something to cheer, rather than the pedestrian style that gets nobody excited.

Don't distance yourself, Sean, it's not a good look.

It is weird. Plus on Saturday for 30 minutes the new guys seemed a lot sharper than those who endured the full pre-season.

You took the words out of my mouth with picking Martin Sherif for the bench, he looks a lot better than Okoronkwo at the moment.

I hope we get a decent lead so Dyche can use some of the youngsters later in the game.

We will all be able to laugh at it even more on Tuesday night…

For Doncaster Rovers in the Second Round of the League Cup after the start we've had, after the years of turmoil we've put up with, after all the managerial changes, after all the points deducted, after the viral videos of fans, after beating relegation by the skin of our teeth year on year, after Oumar Niasse, after Rafa, after Sean Dyche plays the same team that can't put 3 passes together, Goodison Park will be full, yet again!

Speculation about a swap deal, Trippier for Calvert-Lewin, a 33-year-old for a 27-year-old? I know Calvert-Lewin can walk away in the summer, but for me our chances of staying in the Premier League depend on us keeping Dom. He's the best striker we have; sell Maupay, and Trippier is past it — do we need a 33-year-old? Stick with Dixon.

The new signings are yet to be tainted by him and his outdated philosophy. We don't have bad players. I'm now of the persuasion that we have a bad manager!

But he didn't, he came out with that baloney that they weren't Premier League ready or some nonsense like that.

The reason we lost both games is because he stuck to his tried and tested failure mates, I'm not gonna mention them but most will know who I'm on about.

Dyche said he was going to take action; well, tomorrow is the perfect game considering the inferior opposition.

Win this, and let's face it we should, comfortably, let's see if he's brave enough to change completely again on Saturday? My guess is he won't — it'll be back to his favourites.

That's why fans like the ones seen at Euston on Saturday are angry, and by the way, I'm not condoning that, but I totally understand their anger and frustration.

At that point they will apparently offer him a contract until May on reduced terms.

Now Ndiaye, especially, and Lindstrøm looked good pre-season (my comparison is with the likes of Doucoure not with the second-rate opposition) but they still await their debuts.

In to the next round.

We nick an equaliser in the 93rd minute. Does it go to a replay? If not, it'll be on to penalties and we will scrape it.

Starting XI: Virginia, Dixon, Keane, Holgate, Young, Iroegbunam, Gueye, Lindstrøm, Harrison, Calvert-Lewin, Ndiaye.

Subs: Only 4 coz Dyche says no one is fit.

What about last season — we were 12th without the points deductions, same manager.

We lose 2 games and now he is not good enough, the only thing that's changed is the players he has had to pick from.

We are only 2 games into the season for goodness sake.

Should be a good game, COYB!

At least there is true spirit and togetherness for Fred and he is extracting the very best out of players with limited ability.

Could he possibly be our new manager?

Get a goal or two on the board then take off a couple preparing for the weekend game.

It's Doncaster at home, for fuck's sake. Got to get on the front foot and drop the keep it tight crap. Just let the team play.

Against this level, even Holgate ought to be okay and, with our right-back position the way it is, we can ill afford an injury to Dixon. Beto has to play in case Calvert-Lewin leaves.

I'd also be tempted to play Doucoure in midfield instead of Iroegbunam. The latter should not be overplayed and I have a hunch Ndiaye will look a lot better than Doucouré as support striker, so we won't need the latter at the weekend.

It's Doncaster at home, for fuck's sake, get a goal or two, you think they will just turn up and marvel at our triple-decker stand and changing rooms?

Forget the division they are in, they are playing good football, they have good attacking players in Luke Molyneux, Joe Ironside and Billy Sharp backed by 2,986 travelling fans.

We should have enough strength to win, but I have watched Doncaster enough times to know they will not make it easy for Everton.

All the new lads should start and Pickford should be dropped for this after his last 2 performances.

What could possibly go wrong?

He has been utter gash thus far.

Expect nothing and be surprised.

What the fuck is he actually even saying here?! It's just a word salad. He hasn't even got real excuses. Play the new lads, get Dele Alli in asap, and stop talking shite!

(4): "... whilst the result is of little consequence"

(36): "On paper Doncaster are favorites"

I can see this going only one way, and it isn't ours!!!🤣

Well, some of the comments on here have us beaten already. We've had some slips on banana skins in the past, but tonight we can go in with confidence and they owe us a result and performance.

Let's get up for this one, Blues.

If he plays them and wins, he takes the credit, and if they lose, he can fall back on his "Told you so: no experience therefore not ready for the Premier League".

Virginia, Dixon, Keane, O'Brien, Young, Armstrong, Holgate, Lindstrom, McNeil, Ndiaye, Beto.

I'm afraid that, presently, I seem to have lost all faith in this manager but some might be restored if he took some of the blame for the very poor start as he is, after all, a major part in, at least, the playing side of the club.

I had to remind myself of who we were playing after reading some of the posts on here, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona? I was almost reaching for the Samaritans Helpline!

Okay, they will be up for it, so, we are at home, not having produced much in the two opening 2 matches admittedly, well very little to be honest, but I put a lot down to the team selection for starters. You only need 3 passengers and it's an uphill task no matter how good or poor the remaining 8 are.

Can't imagine being at sea or in the trenches with some of you naysayers, "Kiss me goodnight, Sergeant Major" — that is after making a cup of cocoa (or hot chocolate) and careful not to spill any on my Teddy Bear, which is called Bunnykins!

Get out from behind that sofa or chaise longue, get down to Goodison, get behind Ginger's Boys and come away happy with a resounding, confidence-boosting win!

They start predicting gloom days before a game. In the event of being right. They wallow in their misery for a few more days and by the time the next one comes around, they are up..I mean down, for it again.

A permanent state of bliss

I'd possibly play Tarks if fit and I doubt Dyche will want two youngsters in the middle and could play Doucs deeper.

Hope we get an early goal to settle us and I'm especially keen to see what Ndiaye can do on the ball at 10.

Doncaster start as favourites…😂😂😂😂

I can only see this going one way, and it isn't ours..😂😂😂😂

SUBS: Pickford, Holgate, Young, Gana, Doucoure, Harrison, Armstrong, Calvert-Lewin, Sherif, Metcalfe

By the way, Dyche is giving out very little information about the probable return dates of Branthwaite, Chermiti, Garner, Patterson, Coleman. It would be good to know when they will start becoming available. Also, the true status of Tarkowski's injury because he looks a shadow of his last season's self.

Good luck to the boys who play today - we need them to give us all a lift after a harrowing beginning to the season.

I can give you an update on Tarkowski's "injury"

Apparently he's had a Branthwaite removed.

Bobby, he's a local lad and looked impressive in pre-season, scoring in the pre-season against Motherwell.

I was bemused at the decision to bring him on in added time (I think it was 92 minutes), when we were 4-0 down. What impact is he supposed to have?

He's only 17, full, of potential, but we'll have to be careful with him.

Dixon looked good on Saturday. Again, young and raw with pace to burn, so we need to be patient, but we'll have to be patient. However, if he keeps performing, then if the manager drops him for Ashley Young, I think there will be a backlash amongst a few.

As for fans enjoying being right about a defeat - never seen it.

Bobby, your shackle's comment made me think of Monty Python Life of Brian. Where do you sit? Judean People's Front or People's Front of Judea?

That scene reminds me of Evertonians. Squabbling and arguing, but all wanting the same thing!!

But then a defining mistake. It happens in football.

Initially was looking at the centre backs for the third, but in reflection, Jordan should have come to collect that, but he done what he always tends to do and stayed close to his line.

It's gone. We have tonight and then Saturday to think about.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope he get us well safe, will you be happy watching a dyche team boot it long for 90mins in BMD ?

Whomever is wearing the eleven blue shirts on the park should be supported throughout any game, whether they are good enough or not, that includes Michael Keane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin or any other players not deemed flavour of the month at any given time.

I don't support player A over player B, I support the team and it's always the team that matters. We used to get outraged when a star player was dropped, even if it was right for that player to be dropped, now we get outraged if a particular player is chosen to play.

This idea of people having their own favourites and being less than enthusiastic about other unpopular players is possibly the reason why the Goodison crowd can seem fractured at times, each of us playing football manager, and all of us being upset because the team on the pitch doesn't match our individual preferences.

As has been commented, he doesn't often stray far from his goal line or 6 yard box, but he is a hell of a shot stopper.

Should be Virginia tonight.

It's the third consecutive calendar year in which Grant McCann has managed a team against us in a cup tie. Let's hope we can manage a more comfortable win this time.

As far as tonight goes I think it will be a somewhat unentertaining narrow workmanlike win like 1-0 or 2-1. I will be watching though.

Yes, I have a very low bar nowadays.

"I can give you an update on Tarkowski's "injury"…
Apparently he's had a Branthwaite removed."

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟😀

All of the ties are live on Sky, not only Everton's.

It's a big fat Nooooo from me.

You're quick.

I think we'll win. Let's hope for a bit of pace, purpose and attacking intent. As Dyche says, it's a night for being so good he has to pick you on Saturday.

I must stop eating those Captain Birdseye fish fingers, maybe I'll try the tripe next time. Paul Ferry and Dale Self swear by it. 😀

Things to remember before we catastrophise more than needed:

1) 2 games gone

2) In all the Cups

3) 40,000 home crowds every week

4) 35,000 on the season ticket wait list

5) New stadium ready in November

6) New bidder granted exclusivity

7) Great away support

The club still has a ton of potential if managed properly.

If this club had Newcastle's owners, then we wouldn't be anywhere near this mess we are in now.

I don't want Textor or another dope like that, we've had enough of Moshiri, who may have done okay early on if he didn't adopt such a scattergun approach to hiring and firing managers.

Virginia
Dixon
Keane
O'Brien
Mykolenko

In a Diamond
Gueye at the bottom
Tim to the right
McNeill to the left
Lindstrom at the top

Ndiaye a free role to use the free space

DCL - unless we are selling him - then use Beto as the CF.

Let the full backs loose too. One at a time mind !!

I would also like to see Harrison coming on at some stage.

Jack, you are talking about Sean Dyche. That's not what he will do, we both know it. He is risk averse, a ditherer.

The best we can hope for is for one or more of the players to simply rip up the game plan and go for it

I still believe that Everton players are unhappy with their own performances and will have taken a long hard look at themselves as the problem, and rectify it.

I still believe that Dyche is on borrowed time and he has too improve his game tactics accordingly. The players have the ability to improve, S.Dyche does not but only time,will tell, and that is something Everton cant afford..

Expect-able result 3---1 home team

But no matter what's happens its who plays we can't afford to get key players injured.

Bin Pickford, he deserves to get dropped to help re-focus his mind.
Rest Branthwaite and Tarks, no need to rush back or risk injury.
Rest Dixon, he should start at the weekend and young players need managing game by game.
Rest McNeil, for me he's a key player for us and allow Harrison a left midfield chance.
I would normally rest Dom, but if he wants to go, do we risk injury before transfer window closes, 50/50 or start Beto?
Then play new signings and youth and see who's got the right attitude to scrap when needed.

Our record in this tournament is fucking shameful as we all know,no excuses,no bullshit, play your strongest team and believe Blues...the fans of this great club are fucking owed BIG TIME,so play to win and just go for it Blues, play our new lads and trust in your youngsters too.

It's high time we won this thing . and PLEASE no penalty shootout's eh Lads...only shit house teams need them to win the pots!!!

Do you: (1) think that a win tonight, just like last season, will help, even if it is just a little, with. morale and confidence both on and off the pitch?

(2) that the longer we stay in this cup the better it will be for said morale and confidence?

and (3) cup results can allow some of us to dream - nothing wrong in that - and provide a glimmer of sunshine as winter looms?

Yes, the league is more important in the long run, but things like the odd cup game and even the hated international breaks, can bring a little much-needed distraction for some.

Thanks for revealing your daily gratitude list, I needed to read that.

Last time I posted on here, Lampard was still in charge. We could all see where his career was heading - to the BBC pundit sofa.
The fact that Sean Dyche is still our manager, well, it probably will not make the top ten of any match-going Blue's gratitude list.
He'll be gone soon, hopefully, and we can forget about him forever.

The players are good, but if you are set up to not score or create much, you are going to look like shit players, and your confidence, form and morale are going to get worse every passing month, no matter how professionally remunerated you are or how ‘hard' you are working in training.

This Margaret Thatcher loving manager is not to my tastes, and I'm glad many of you are on the same page.
He's not a necessity for survival. Life does not have to be this grim.
He is an austerity measure that we are meant to accept as essential.
A measure put in place by irresponsible lunatics as a fuck-you to all supporters.
I'm sure he'll find a new formula, we will win a few, then not win for twelve games, repeat process, survive, beat a big team at some point to get everyone vibed up, then back to shite again.
This is what we have been relegated to, yes, we have already been relegated, to a different strata of the Premier League where the Burnley's of this World used to reside.
But, a different Coach/Manager could possibly change all this for the better. I have to believe this could be true, otherwise what's the point?

Im on holiday with the Family in Prague. Having a great time, a stunning City, it seems it must have escaped major damage during the WW2.

Good crack with Malmo fans in the Old Town Square bars this afternoon, theyre playing 2nd leg Conference League, v Sparta Prague tonight. 2-0, down but in great spirits.

The Czech beers are great and going down very well, and at good price as well.

But hopefully for Everton tonight, a small step in the right direction, with a victory in normal time over Doncaster Rovers.

UTFTs!

'The third round draw has been tweaked for this season and here is all you need to know.

Carabao Cup third-round draw: Changes
This season will see the Carabao Cup draw made in two stages.

The first part involves the teams in the Europa League and Champions League.

They will be placed in bowl one, and the other 26 sides are put into bowl two.

Teams in bowl one [Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool and Aston Villa] cannot be drawn against each other in the third round.

They are pre-drawn to determine if they'll be at home or away and separated into six different ties.

Then, the first six teams out of the hat in pot two will be drawn to play one of the six European sides.

Chelsea are also in European competition this year, but they are between legs in their qualifying campaign, so can't be included with the other European teams.'