Everton v Nottingham Forest

Happy New Year to all Evertonians.

We've done well against the Top 4 this season but we'll do well to get both a clean sheet here and score a goal (ambitious I know)!

With our mean defence, it's on for me: a home win, 1-0, and 3 points to finish the year.

Ndiaye's goal will have given him a bit more confidence to try. Everton badly need a bit more confidence and support going forward.

Actually, I think this is a more difficult game than Arsenal or Man City, since they are more likely to sit back.

We desperately need Iliman Ndiaye to be fit, especially with McNeil out injured; otherwise, we'll have almost zero creativity.

If they are both out, I'd like to see Patterson on the right, Harrison on the left, and Lindstrøm through the middle. I'm fully aware this won't happen as Sean Dyche will stick with Doucouré… but here's hoping.

I suspect it will be a very cagey game as a result. We need to be especially careful down our left side where the idea of Mykolenko taking on Elanga in a foot race scares the proverbial out of me. Need to make sure Branthwaite, who is probably our quickest defender, is there to cover.

I think we have a fair chance of winning this, maybe from a set-piece. So that means we definitely lose!

I expected us to win the home games against Fulham, Bournemouth, Brentford and a draw v Brighton. With the most negative manager there is, I'd be amazed if we score more than 1 goal.

Forest won't come for a draw though, crazy to think they have 17 more points.

Our defence has been immense and we are at home so a slight advantage.

It's just a matter of scoring – I'd give Broja and Chermiti or Beto a chance in a 4-3-3.

Liverpool are in clover but just a few results can change things dramatically so Forest will be bristling with anticipation of getting their licks in with the leaders. Remember, they are the only team to beat them.

Everton are picking up points albeit without being great but the New Year promises something better with injuries clearing up and maybe some new money available.

Forest will be tough to beat but we said that about all our recent opponents and still managed something from the games. Here's hoping.

COYB.

The game against Forest will be close, and our defence will do well to withstand the free running of wingers Elanga and Hudson Odoi, as well as the energy of Gibbs-White.

It strikes me that both teams have found their respective ways of playing with the majority of both squads intact from last season, and with the spectre of PSR hanging over both clubs.

Where Forest have gained the advantage is in being bold in attacking areas, where they have balance, and a lot of pace. Everton do not have this dynamic, but hopefully, there may be some scope for a couple of loans or signings in January which might offer the prospect of more goal returns.

I can't get to Goodison tomorrow, but hopefully our fans are in good voice, and roar the lads on to a crucial victory.

Happy New Year to Toffees everywhere!

My first game at Goodison was a 1-1 against Forest in 1979. Back then, Forest had a team full of household names (Shilton, Francis, Woodcock) and were managed by Cloughie.

Times have changed and I don't get many opportunities to get back to the Grand Old Lady but I still have the Royal Blue scarf from that day. If this is going to be my last league game at Goodison before we move to the new stadium, then I figure there might yet be some symmetry with another 1-1!

Hope it won't be but 0-0 wouldn't surprise me at all. I just can't see where our goals will come from without McNeil and an unfit Ndiaye. Then again, the GP 12th man may buy us a much-needed win.

I expect them to fall away significantly in the second half of the season… starting at the Old Lady!

Iliman winner.

If we keep compact, we can keep them to nil and we always create at least a couple of good chances. The key to a win will be somehow taking one of them.

1-0 to the Blues.

Forest are a good set-up, I liked the manager and wanted him for us. Oh well… They press really well so we have to be up for it, defensively solid too.

When will the Friedkins attend their first home match, I wonder? It would give the team a real lift if they were there for this.

Would be nice to see us win and store that in memory.

Everton 2-0.

They'll probably leave gaps behind so I think there's good opportunities for us there. 2-1 for me.

Pleased for Forest, Bournemouth too, slapping the face of a couple of the so-called 'Big Six' and no Middle Eastern money-laundering owners.

That threat will only come if they can break from one of our corners so we have to be aware of this.

Calvert-Lewin will start so my view is we should put players near him who can feed off him – Ndiaye and Lindstrøm

Play 4-3-2-1 for this one:-

Pickford;
Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko;
Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure;
Lindstrom, Ndiaye;
Calvert-Lewin.

Up the Blues!!!

Pickford, Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Young,
Gueye, Mangala, Ndiaye, Broja, Lindstrom, Harrison.

Hoping we are first to do that. Same goes with Bournemouth and I hope we defeat them comfortably.

So I'm going for a 6-1 win for the Blues tomorrow.

His game has not improved and personally I would only use him as a sub late on to bolster the midfield if we need to.

He has even scored more goals than Doucoure as a right-back in that time. I know Dyche is stubborn, in not selecting 'something different' in the way of tactics and personnel, but Young has been better, or should I say, more consistent, than many of his younger counterparts.

Sadly I'm presuming we will be without our 2 best attacking players (Ndiaye and McNeil) so it will be a tough ask with the form Forest are in.

I'm very thankful Dyche finally kept 3 central midfielders so we don't get completely over-run. Hoping Tim Iroegbunam is back fit soon as he's a superior player to Doucoure and I think he could be a real asset for years to come.

Sign Mangala up permanently, he's done a really good job to shore up the engine room too.

In Chris Woods, they have an in-form striker who puts Dom to shame as well as two big, solid centre-backs that are dangerous at attacking set-pieces.

I don't want to rush Broja or rely on him to stay fit but he's a step above Dom and is miles ahead of Beto. Hopefully a lot more to come from him and Chermiti (again, no rush).

Our ultra-defensive style and tactics may confuse them, cause them to play differently to how they prefer to, and so we may take advantage of that.

I don't see them sitting back if they get an early advantage so we need to score first and probably more than once.

The only doubts injury-wise would be Coleman and Ndiaye, the latter being the biggest miss. If that is the case, then I'd prefer Armstrong to start before Lindstrom.

It would be out of character for Dyche to change from what he sees as a successful formation in recent games and another draw would see him claiming the plaudits at the press conference for "matching it" with "Top 4" sides in four successive games.

And a lot see this as being "competitive" as we draw away, almost, from those recently promoted sides.

We've steadied the ship really well defensively and picked up some really good results lately but the lack of wins is still glaring.

Again, we've got a tough January with some of the old fabled bogey teams we face, so today's match against a good Nottingham Forest side will be pivotal, we've done well against them in general so hopefully we can keep that run going.

We know that we can defend really well but can we change that into an ability to defend well and score as we really need to do?

I think that we can progress today with a win but probably by one goal in a scrappy game. One is enough, scrappy is fine.

What is it now, 3 wins from 17? In other circumstances, that's a sackable offence, so if Sean Dyche wants to keep things moving forward, then at some stage he needs us to start winning with more regularity at Goodison.

Today is an opportunity to sacrifice some of our solidity for a little bit more creativity. I understand why drastic change is not on the menu, but some kind of change surely is – Lindstrøm or Patterson at right-wing perhaps? McNeil (if fit) in for Doucoure to play behind Dom? Or give Dom a rest and start Broja?

Something!

I've generally been a supporter of our current manager… but, if he goes with the same line-up, I may tear my hair out. Doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of madness. Come on, Sean, make a couple of small tweaks somewhere to try and get the 3 points on the board, it would be the perfect way to end what has been a surprisingly positive month.

We need to be more positive in home games and get the Goodison faithful going. They can roar the team to a good result.

COYB.

"Our ultra-defensive style and tactics may confuse them"

I think they've seen enough of Dycheball over the last few seasons — the only thing that will confuse them is us playing an attacking game.

Every team knows how we will play.

It's a tough test for us and expect the same Dyche set-up; we can win but really need to score first. Sometimes in these Christmas fixtures you get the odd wacky result, and it would be good to see us win comfortably which would be against the odds.

Huffing and puffing for a point is more likely, a loss would keep us firmly in the danger zone and pile on the pressure with Bournemouth next. How we love Bournemouth…

Up the Toffees! 1-0 to the Blue Boys.

Second paragraph is spot on; I'm always afraid of the opposition when we get a corner or free-kick that they will break away and attack our defence, in fact I'd leave Branthwaite back defending any breakaway,

We can win this but I don't expect it to be pretty – how can it be with the present squad? Although Brighton away was the big difference to that way of thinking.

We win this 1-0, a Branthwaite header seals the deal. It won't be pretty – but when is it ever under Dyche?

I did read elsewhere that Everton are in discussion for naming rights for the new stadium, which could be worth between £300-400M to the club.

But let's get what is in front of us out of the way first.

Dyche is unlikely to do this so anticipate a very strange game of football where no one actually wants possession of the spherical object.

I just hope and pray our next manager is one of these New Wave thinkers like Iraola or Gasperini (Atalanta).

No more Dycheosaurs, please.

2-0 to us today.

Forest have two pacey wingers in Elanga and Hudson Odoi and pace worries most sides. But Chelsea had pace and we coped well enough against them.

Tarkowski will know all about their centre-forward whose name escapes me from their time together at Burnley.

I hope Ndiaye is fit and I hope both Lindstrøm and Broja start as I think that will give us more of a threat going forward.

2-1 to the Blues and the start of us moving steadily up the table.

I'm going for a big 3 points and a shaky 2-1 win.

Fair play to Iwobi, though, he can actually play football. Something I highly doubted during his time at Goodison.

It doesn't seem right to play a low block at home, especially against one of the relatively smaller clubs (by today's standard), but I think we need to let them have the majority of the ball so we can keep our defensive shape.

It won't be easy on the eye, but any kind of win would be a beautiful surprise.

My first game as a season ticket holder when they ripped us apart. My first away game, when Trevor Ross cooly scored a late penalty to equalise, and their beatings of Liverpool in the European and League Cups.

I'll settle for an unmemorable win today to ward off those 1986 vibes I'm starting to feel!

No question Forest are flying but – just like Everton – they do not dominate the possession stats. I thought Coleman had a good game v Man City, I would look to keep him there and bring Young in at left-back.

Go with experience and old heads; if either tire in the second half, have the option of switching and bringing Mykolenko or Patterson on.

I think we will get chances today and it's all about making the right decisions and putting our chances away.

We will know a lot more when we get the starting line-ups, but I have a good feeling for today's game: do our job and I fancy 3 points for sure.

Up the Toffees.

Yes, Branthwaite is the obvious choice to leave back at the corners – him and Mykolenko.

I think Dyche may surprise us by starting Lindstrøm in this game – he can strike a football, that lad.

Remember, if you can keep possession of the ball, there's no need to run around like a fucking lunatic.

I hope Ndiaye is fit for this one, we are missing McNeil and what he can offer the team.

Hoping for a decent game and a win to see the year out!

Mykolenko should be around the top of the box on set pieces. Few people on our team can hit a half volley as pure as that left foot of his can.

Colin Malone, are you blaming Dyche for not re-signing Barkley now??

I reckon Forest will start to drop away and today could be the start of that.

Any chance of locking your Jack up in the cupboard under the stairs or is a certain Mr Potter still in situ?

Tough one today. COYB

Note he doesn't start for Villa unless they are playing a much lesser team. He comes on if the game is won or if they need to take risks to get back in the game.

He's not what we need.

It was Forest who deserved to get docked that outrageous sum but they got off far too easily just based on timing, then still tried to claim they were treated unfairly. A 6-10 point deduction would've relegated them and it would have actually been fair. Fuck Forest straight into Hell.

"Hey, thanks to the team of players who got us promoted into the Premier League but we will now replace all of you!"

I fucking hate this club and their shady obese mobster of an owner, I bet he stinks like garlic and unwashed ass constantly. 10-0 to Everton, banish Forest forever!!!