Talking Points before Sunderland vs Everton

I think the last 10 years will take another 10 years to work out of the system. We're all still traumatised, and operating on emergency functioning. 'He's still not scored! He's still not scored! What was Moyes thinking!'

And breathe...

Beto has had his chances and doesn't look the part. It is time to either go with Barry, or play without a 'big man' up top. Having said that, Dibling is no midget, and with his pace could be an option there. (Thierry Henry began his career as a winger.)

The truth is that any option is better than Beto, and there are a few that look better than Barry, for now.

In midfield, it is definitely time to see what Röhl can do, probably alongside Garner. I think he would give us more options and we would also have two box-to-box midfielders who could prove to be a long-term solution. With either Dewsbury-Hall, Alcaraz or McNeil making up the three, we would have some creativity supporting the forward line.

It is time to get on the front foot and let teams know we are up for a game.

Nothing to see here.

I expect Beto to start, that's how he scored his goals previously. Hopefully he's varied his finishing as most keepers will have him in their homework book!

If we get beat tomorrow night, then the Fulham game next week, while maybe not filed under yet as a must-win, it will be getting closer to that bracket.

We have the quality in the team but the manager has to realize that his game plan for a Number 9 to score is not working and he needs to change it.

It seems pointless in the manager moaning about certain players not scoring and still playing them, hoping they may turn into prolific scorers.

We are in the bottom 6 now and could do with at least a point tomorrow.

This is a winnable game as long as we are set up properly.

Fingers crossed.

Fingers crossed we get the 3 points we need them otherwise this season will just be a repeat of the last 3 years of struggling to stay up. We need to bury the ghost of those years and build some luck or a decent team -- whichever gets us in a decent league position.

Beto does make an effort, but to no avail. I look at Barry and get the impression he doesnt want to be here. It's a piss poor situation to be in.

I thought this season we would be finished with bottom half finishes and all that goes with it. Sadly it doesn't look like it.

Poor Plan A, no Plan B.

But Moyes knows what he likes and likes what he knows, I doubt he has it in him for a radical shake-up.

Prove me wrong please, Mr Moyes.

Can or will Moyes change things…? Not in his nature, but it will, in the longer term be his downfall if he doesn't.

If they win tonight they will have won 6 already and go 2nd. We will never get that with Moyes.

Rarely does the centre-forward get a pass played that he can run onto. Build up is far too slow.

To me, that would require Grealish playing deeper in a more central role.

Pickford,
O'Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko
Dibling, Garner, Grealish, Röhl, Ndiaye
Beto.

Whatever line-up starts, they need to get at Sunderland from the off because we need 3 points.

How Sunderland got is mind boggling.

Tbh, I'd take all the Sunderland scouting and recruitment staff over our shite lot any day.

Sunderland's signings all walked into the first team at least.

Sunderland sign young foreign players who go straight into their first team. We sign players that the manager says will take time to fit in. Mind boggling.

Watching the press conference, I was also surprised at how relaxed he appeared, perhaps he thinks we are close to getting results, and I suppose the outcome against Spurs was not indicative of the game itself.

All that said, we need to get something from tonight's match. On paper, we should be the equal of them, I would take a point at the moment.

Regarding the striker, I think Beto may get the nod again. Personally, I'd like to see Alcaraz given a go, not Ndiaye. Alcaraz can use his head and has a shot on him, we'd have to change our way of playing to accommodate Ndiaye as a nine, and I don't think we're good enough to do that.

That said, they may have already tried a few changes at Finch Farm, who knows? To be honest, I don't really care, I would just like us to start scoring goals again and getting results, regardless of who plays upfront.

Moyes needs to change things because every club as sussed us out. Change the team and tactics. But I won't hold my breath.

Moyes has always been like this, even if it gets him the sack, which it probably will sooner or later... coyb.

Factor in that there have been ridiculous big decisions given against us by officials in nearly every single game so far. And plenty of minor ones too, that affect games more than people realise, I absolutely dread our games coming round.

It just isn't enjoyable knowing that yet again we will probably suffer from the hands of the ref and VAR and that our club seems to be blind to an obvious massive problem.

Nothing ever changes. No right back, no goal scorer and corrupt officials.

COYB!

Move Garner to RB, give Gana Guye a rest and tell Beto to have a fight with their defenders.

The Leeds defeat was annoying but newly promoted team at their home first game and VAR in on the plot in a close game isn't a fair barometer.

And last week when a good goal was ruled out that would have changed the game.

Were not back to being shit just yet - there are signs of improvement and reasons for you to regain that optimism.

I hope we win tonight and again on saturday, but until we have a decent striker and attacking full backs we wont pull up any trees just yet.

BTW - is number 10 Charlys preferred positon?

No pace at full back, no pace in the midfield, can't press very well.

Garner has to play right-back. Alcaraz has to play. Rohl has to come into the starting XI.

We need something to happen soon for Betty - the Beto/Barry gamble - let's hope it's tonight on the counter.

The draws against Villa and West Ham felt like 2 points lost, a draw tonight would feel like a point won for each in this household!