Everton vs Bournemouth

Manager; be bold with your team selection.

Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Gueye, Tim, McNeil, Ndiaye, Harrison/Lindstrom, Calvert-Lewin

2-1

COYB!

Wickford
Coleman
Tarkowski
Obrien
Myko
Tim
Garner
Lindstrom
Mcneil
Ndiaye
Dlc.

Utft

So as not to be confused with George Pickford, let's see if Dyche reverts to type and plays those that have let him down week in week out.

Fingers crossed for a win and clean sheet.

That's my main worry going into the season. Our options at number 9 are the worst in the division for the 3rd year running. And guess what happened in them 3 seasons.

I'd start Iroegbunam and Ndiaye but maybe leave Lindstrøm on the bench

He is fast becoming a fan favourite. Why? Because he epitomises what every genuine Evertonian wants to see, commitment for 90 minutes, with a seemingly genuine desire to do his best for the shirt.

He has a lot of deft touches, a bit of trickery, ability to win the ball, eye for a forward movement, or even to drop back and defend if need be. He has to be first name on the sheet surely!

Tarkowski will come in for O'Brien who, despite some opinions, didn't look as composed as Keane did against Doncaster. Lindstrøm also didn't do enough to earn a place.

Ndiaye has to start so that leaves two from Doucouré, Harrison and McNeil.

My predicted line-up, even if I don't want to see Young ever play again, is:

Pickford
Young Tarkowski Keane Mykolenko
Iroegbunam Gana
Harrison McNeil Ndiaye
Calvert-Lewin

Of our centre-backs, Keane has surprisingly been the most effective in the three matches. While Tarkowski is struggling with his supposedly minor hamstring issue we remain heavily dependent on him talking his colleagues through games.

O'Brien would probably look more comfortable on the right but he has yet to stamp his authority in the team in the way Branthwaite did 12 months ago.

Pickford
Dixon Tarkowski O'Brien Mykolenko
Garner Gana
Harrison Iroegbunam Ndiaye
Calvert-Lewin

Pickford
Garner - Tarkowski - O'Brien - Mykolenko
Gana - Iroegbunam
Harrison - McNeil - Ndiaye
Calvert-Lewin

But, I imagine we'll see Young in for Garner at right-back, and Doucouré in for Harrison.

I'd swap Keane and Doucoure for O'Brien who's left-sided and Garner in a 4-3-3, an attacking lineup and stop us being overrun in midfield, which happened in the first two games.

Two wingers who spend more time in our half and an isolated striker is a disaster.

I would not start him tomorrow. He does have a great partnership with Branthwaite, but without him he is having a nightmare. The ease with which he was out-muscled from the Spurs corner. The repeated switching off...and that excruciating attempt at a Cruyff turn would have seen most players benched.

Of course I do realise that these aberrations are all Keane and Holgate`s fault

Not going to happen.

Also give Lindstrøm a start rather than Harrison.

Having said that apart from Tim Iroegbunam, I don't see any of the signings as improvements on what we had.

'Numbers,' I think they call it!

Pickford
Coleman Keane Tarkowski Mykolenko
Garner Gana Gueye. Iroegbunam McNeil
Ndiaye
Calvert-Lewin

It will kill the atmosphere before the game even starts if he picks any of 4 or all 4 Young, Harrison, Doucoure, Keane or

Unless we get an early goal it might be a long afternoon

I thought Young would be suspended with a 3 game ban for his straight red, maybe Premier League decided to punish us by making it just one game ….

4 3 2 1

Pickford
Coleman, Tarks, O'Brien. Mykolenko
Mangala, Garner, Gueye
Harrison and Ndiaye ( Interchanging ).
DCL

Keane plays if Tarkowski injured.
Dixon for Coleman after an hour.
Iroegbunam for Garner after an hour.
Lindstrom for Harrison last 20 minutes.

COYBs. 3 points please.

And for those of you giving 'The Gaffer' a difficult time over selections and tactics, it is Mr. Dyche to you. Smell that!

Not an easy game. Have to avoid coughing up possession, stupid mistakes at back.

Proper ‘start' of the season from here hopefully.

It's going to be a hard watch with the huff and puff of Dyches selection today, but the midweek win will have helped.
Fingers crossed they can pull something off, Spurs was highly predictable, this one less so.

It's the end of summer, so 2:1 to the Toffees with a 96 min winner from one of the new boys. UTFT!

108 points left to play for.

Let's get 3 today. COYB

That would be my starting 11 as well. Just cannot see it happening. I reckon only 5 of these players will start. If Duche reverts back to the team that has been hammered in the first 2 games then we really do have a problem for the rest of the season.

Went to the Doncaster match on Tuesday and Garner was pretty crap to be honest, he is a player I like by the way. Whether he was rusty after a bit of a lay off, I don't know, but his all round play and passing were woeful, hence why he was subbed probably.

At least it's an afternoon kick-off so I'll be back in a reasonable time for the hounds!!

Just listening to The YoungBloods in the background:

“Some may come and some may go
We shall surely pass
When the one that left us here
Returns for us at last
We are but a moment's sunlight
Fading in the grass
Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now”

I am on my 3rd Chance of Living, and I am not going to waste it - - I have lots of organising this morning to be ready to visit The Dark House - - friends - - Blues - - I fully understand what a tremendous effort Danny and many other Blues make to watch their Team - - can hardly wait - - love 3.00.KO's - - Wowww Garden Party Rick Nelson:
“When I got to the garden party
They all knew my name
But no one recognized me
I didn't look the same
But it's all right now
I learned my lesson well
You see, you can't please everyone
So you got to please yourself”
My Daughter Julie (Jules) will pick me up and take me under The River - - coming out into the Sunshine of Scottie - - childhood memories flooding through my whole Being - - passing Whittle Street on the way to TDH - - 33 Bus to School each morning - - The Dockers Bus - -upstairs full of Night Shift Dockers - - coughing their lungs out - - the Bus full of smoke - - beautiful how those that look after us gave us the 33 Bus - - the Magic Number that protected me the whole of my life:
“If you believe in magic, come along with me
We'll dance until morning 'til there's just you and me
And maybe, if the music is right
I'll meet you tomorrow, sort of late at night
And we'll go dancing, baby, then you'll see
How the magic's in the music and the music's in me”

Always went dancing when I was young - - somewhere to go every night - - if you could - - my Sisters would dance with me on Friday Nights as they listened to Radio Luxembourg - - before The Beatles - - Bobby Vee - - Buddy Holly - - Elvis - - getting ready for Saturday Nights out - - Friday Night is Amarmie Night - - Joan with her 10 Foot Tall Beehive - - her and Colette backcombing each others hair and dancing with me - - so when I was a teenager - - wow Reece's Monday Night for soul Music - - The Babalou - - The Mardi - - The Sink - - trying to look cool - - you see we don't just go the the game take ‘selfies” and then go home - - Everton - - it's in our Soul - - our Blood - - We Are the Spirit of the Game:
“You got soul, and everybody knows
That it's all right, whoa, it's all right
When you wake up early in the morning
Feeling sad like so many of us do
Hum a little soul
Make life your goal
And surely something's got to come to you
And say it's all right
(It's all right)
Say it's all right
(It's all right)
It's all right, have a good time”

The Impressions - - with Curtis Mayfield - - Mmmmm - - all part for me of the whole Package of Being a Blue: these are the things that saved me:

Can hardly wait to go along Scottie into Smith Street and Westminster Road - - if you are in TDH - - I will see you then - - if - - for any reason, you are not - - I will see you in my Heart - -in my Blue Soul - - you are all there - - we are The People - - maybe we should finish here with Ma Joad: she knew everything and was right - - always:
"Why, Tom us people will go on livin' when all them people is gone. Why, Tom, we're the people that live. They ain't gonna wipe us out. Why, we're the people - we go on."
"We take a beatin' all the time."
"I know." Ma chuckled. "Maybe that makes us tough. Rich fellas come up an' they die, an' their kids ain't no good, an' they die out. But, Tom, we keep a-comin'. Don' you fret none, Tom. A different time's comin'."
Send with a firm handshake and an open heart your friend - - George

At least it's an afternoon kick-off, so I'll be back in a reasonable time for the hounds!!

I hope Ndaiye gets a start, maybe out wide to start and McNeil play in the No 10 role where he is way more effective than playing wide.

Those including Mangala — as far as I understand it, he is ineligible for this game. I know Dyche is cautious by nature but I would like Gana in the holding role and have Iroegbunam and Doucouré either side of him with instructions to get forward at every opportunity.

I know Doucouré has come in for some stick in his last 7 or 8 games but he was press-ganged into playing the No 10 role which I don't think he is equipped for, so let's see if he can turn his form round as what he was originally bought for — an attacking midfield player.

I would also play Keane and O'Brien — they did well against Doncaster. Yes, I know they're a League Two side, but I don't think Tarkowski is 100% fit, so I would leave him on the bench. Coleman to start at right-back and maybe Dixon can come on later if needed.

Well, you had plenty of problems the last couple of years but it looks like you are rearing to go now. You're on your third go of life hopefully you've got six more to go, those brilliant memories will help you with that.

Very best wishes, George, I think you are in the mood for a 4-0 win bet!

Up The Blues.

Why rush Coleman back? Let's see how good Dixon could become but, if he runs out of steam and loses his way, we can then play a fit Coleman.

Not going today, but will watch somehow by hook or by crook (I don't know any crooks by the way) pleading the 5th Amendment on that one! Hoping as always for a win, and a kick-start to our disappointing start thus far.

I would imagine it will be pretty much a packed Goodison Park again, as it was Tuesday against Doncaster. Take care, mate, and see you soon.

Whilst not brilliant, I thought he added a bit of energy and game management we'd lacked. He broke up play and made a couple of tactical fouls which we'd been missing in the first 2 games.

I know it was only Doncaster but he's definitely one of those players who does the unseen stuff and leaves a hole when not playing.

Can I ask seriously on what planet is there absolutely any justification for not starting Tim Iroegbunam?

Play the actual footballers please, Mr Dyche. God knows we don't have many of them.

Garner, Iroegbunam, Ndiaye, O'Brien, Dixon. These players are the future.

Onward Evertonians. 💙

Not for mine.

Must-win?

I think you're being a little premature with the panic button there mate. What if we draw Do we render the remaining 35 games academic?

I think we need an extra man in midfield, so I would consider 4-3-3 (though Mr Dyche won't agree).

Let's enjoy the game today without their sad, miserable faces looking on from the bench! UTFT!

It's probably a must-win for Dyche going into an international break.

Got to be Ndiaye and McNeil swapping over in the game, when needed.

I remain haunted by the start last season Fulham, Wolves and Luton games we thought we'd win and had chances we couldn't take. The Brighton game continued that theme.

Dyche needs to freshen his starting line-up: Ndiaye has to come in.

The Spurs game, we were beaten by a better team who will probably finish Top 6. In the Brighton game, we should have scored first but didn't, which could have changed the match. Besides Brighton look like a good side.

Today I'm expecting a close game; what little I've seen of Bournemouth, they are no mugs.

The betting has Bournemouth as slight favs at 7/5 but also pointing towards it being anyone's guess what the result will be, 6/4 us and only 9/5 a draw.

Who knows? Maybe a lovely surprise is on the way sometime this season.

Yes, Iroegbunam deserves to keep his place but I won't mind if he comes off the bench now and again as long as he is on the team sheet. It's a long season and he is a relatively young player — I don't want to burn him out.

I'm more than happy with the lad and the way he has performed up to now.

But criticism of Doucoure's selection is completely justifiable. I can't believe anyone could watch his first two performances and then select him this week.

Against Brighton he was a severe hindrance. He can't possibly line up today.

Up the Blues

And A Camel I believe, but not sure if it was the actual animal or Brand of Cigarettes ! :-)

Sincere thanks. Missus and Kids are disappointed mind!!😉😉👌