Michael Kenrick 02/11/2024 20comments  |  Jump to last
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Everton travel to Southampton with another slew of injuries affecting the line-up for their encounter with the club sitting bottom of the Premier League.

Injury problems continue for Armando Broja, James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam and Youssef Chermiti, with Abdoulaye Doucoure added to the list of absentees. Dwight McNeil is declared fit but Branthwaite is only on the bench again. 

The two changes are Jesper Lindstrom coming in for Jack Harrison and Orel Mangala replaces Abdoulaye Doucoure.

The standard start for Everton, kicking it back to Pickford for the mind-numbing hoof upfield that loses possession. But they won a free-kick that Lindstrom struck nicely for Ramsdale to collect.

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But The Saints looked to play joined-up football, passing it around plenty until Walker-Peters was slow to get back onside. Then 38 Saints passes before Everton got the turnover and broke but Lindstrom messed it up. However, Gana forced a great turnover in the Saints' penalty area but Calvert-Lewin wasn't really interested despite the ball in direct to his feet. 

Everton got forward quickly, Young to McNeil to Lindstrom but his cross evaded Calvert-Lewin. McNeil was fouled by Lallana but the ref saw an infringement when the ball went in. 

Everton were taking more control and playing the ball fairly well until it was meant to find Calvert-Lewin. The Saints tried to get forward a bit quicker but this time Archer was offside. Gana went down after he was baulked. 

Gana fed Ndiaye who cut in to somehow win a corner, which he then blasted high and wide (although it looked like a deflection, not given). A quick Saints free-kick saw a very strong sliding tackle on Archer by Tarkowski that was good value for the ensuing yellow card. 

Gana looked to break quickly but stalled and then saw it turned over when McNeil was dispossessed. Saints tried to mount an attack but didn't. Gana was called for a nothing foul. The free-kick was headed behind by Tarkowski for a Southampton corner, but it was played in too far back to threaten. 

Still, after 30 minutes, the home side had tasted possession in the Everton area, and wanted more. But Evern got forward with Calvert-Lewin on the ball, crossing to the spot where he himself should have been. 

Young was forced to take the 30-second treatment break for taking a drink on the touchline.  But Everton were largely controlling the play without really threatening, both teams seemingly poor in that fundamental aspect of the game. 

Mangala pushed the Blues forward, Mykolenko winning another corner, punched away by Ramsdale. Lindstrom tried to drive in on goal but Lallana surely impeded him? But no protest. 

Everton forced a turnover but the ball was played in behind Calvert-Lewin as he set off to make space. Saints broke well with Archer but he screwed his shot beyond the far post under close attention from Young. A deep free-kick found Tarkowski ghosting around the back but he could not get the header on target.

McNeil powered forward with the ball but could not play in Calvert-Lewin. Then Ndiaye burst through but could not beat Ramsdale with his weak shot. At the other end, it needed a crucial touch from Pickford to keep the ball away from Manning as Saints had one of their better spells, winning a corner that Howard-Bellis headed down well a yard wide. 

So ended a fairly even half, with few guilt-edged chances for either side.

The second half continued in much the same vein. Young did well to intercept and as Everton pushed up, Lindstom's cross was ballooned... but it came back around and Young played a great low cross for Mangala to hammer goalward, Calvert-Lewin ducking with Ramsdale blocking it.

Ndiaye got to run in with he ball bu  he was well tackled by Harwood-Bellis. 

Everton:  Pickforsd, Mykolenko, Keane, Tarkowski [Y:24'], Young, Ndiaye, Mangala, Gueye, Lindstrom, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs:  Virginia, Begovic, Patterson, Coleman, Branthwaite, O'Brien, Armstrong, Harrison, Beto.

 

Reader Comments (20)

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Derek Knox
1 Posted 02/11/2024 at 13:57:52
I do like the look of that side.

Hoping it inspires a good win.

George Cumiskey
2 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:03:43
Deffo going to win today!

We've got two goalies on the bench — can't lose! 👌

Christy Ring
4 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:10:22
I like the line-up apart from Branthwaite on the bench.

In my opinion, no matter how good Keane has been, Branthwaite has to be the first name on the team sheet, ridiculous.

Alec Gaston
5 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:18:14
Dyche is an idiot.
Bill Fairfield
6 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:19:21
Branthwaite on the bench again. What a waste.
Rob Dolby
7 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:25:30
I would have played with a back 5 today and matched them up. Our formation of 4-4-1-1 struggles against anyone who plays 5 at the back.

Big chance for Lindstrom today, he got the hook at half-time a couple of weeks ago, I just hope he has learnt his lesson.

Not much on the bench, Harrison and Beto.

Clive Rogers
8 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:28:35
Branthwaite will be gone in the summer.

He will be thinking he needs to get away from Dyche.

Les Moorcroft
9 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:29:36
Nice to see us blues full of confidence.

Doom, doom, doom. UTFT.💙

Mike Hayes
10 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:43:36
Two goalies again… what a gormless bastard. The sooner he's gone, the better. He's no clue.

No Doucoure at all and Branthwaite on the bench says it all. Hopeful of all three points.

Neil Lawson
11 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:46:06
My two penneth in total agreement. How can Branthwaite be left on the bench? It is ridiculous. It is preposterous. It says such a lot about Dyche and his approach.

As with last week, hoping for a solid performance from Keane. One significant error and the ritual slaughter of him and of DynoDyche will commence.

And yes. Branthwaite will be gone. Why would he stay?

Alec Gaston
12 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:47:21
Clive 8 - he will be off in January at this rate
Ajay Gopal
13 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:52:04
The subs bench says it all about the state of the squad:
2 goalies
4 defenders
1 rookie midfielder
Harrison
Beto

And we have McNeil playing through an injury.

If we get any result today, it would be nothing short of a miracle.

Alan J Thompson
14 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:53:22
2 goalkeepers, 2 right backs and 2 central defenders. Now that's a bench to put fear into the opposition and I bet they fall for the belief that we have come to defend.
Neil Lawson
15 Posted 02/11/2024 at 14:56:36
6 of the 9 subs are goalies and defenders. That makes sense. The options to change the game positively are unlimited. If you are a player under 21 ( or even a bit older, Armstrong excepted...but he won't come on) why would you stay. You aren't ever going to play.
Si Cooper
16 Posted 02/11/2024 at 15:08:31
A manager can pick who he reckons will do the best on the day can’t he?
He doesn’t have to stick with the guys who ‘didn't let the side down’ the previous week or whoever is ‘training the best’?
Just seems as though the starting eleven can’t all be the best options for today based on the best we’ve seen from individuals in the past.
Doesn’t mean they can’t get us all the points, but it does look like the most conservative way to select your starters you can get and I can’t get used to the (apparent) mindset.
Best of luck to them all though.
COYB!
Mike Hayes
17 Posted 02/11/2024 at 15:12:32
Dyche proves he can’t even pick his nose - he wipes it through his head 🤷
Michael Lynch
18 Posted 02/11/2024 at 15:51:01
The usual dross in the first half. Lindstrom, McNeil, DCL all look like they belong in a pub team. Our midfield is sluggish, our defence solid.
Christy Ring
19 Posted 02/11/2024 at 15:52:29
So our best attacking option is kick it back to Pickford, and hoof it up to a totally isolated striker?
Ernie Baywood
20 Posted 02/11/2024 at 16:05:00
Christy, it's either that or catch Southampton trying to play out.

The latter looks pretty possible.

Mike Hayes
21 Posted 02/11/2024 at 16:14:50
Utter shite from Dyche as usual but the players aren’t exactly shining 🤷

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