Next up: Wolves vs Everton in the Carabao Cup

It's not the easiest of draws, but with so many teams in European competition, it offers a great route for us.

• It may be a bit easier to pick up points as the European competitions start to take an attritional hold on the 'weaker' English teams still competing in Europe.

• As the RS have demonstrated in previous years (though this no longer applies to them), a team can still score freely without having a prolific No 9.

Hopefully not clutching at straws.

Maybe give Davie a rest for this game — he's 62 now so needs a break now and again, let Baines take over for this game and he might give Graham a chance ... if it comes off, leave Baines in charge for the rest of the League Cup run!

Only thinking of Davie's health and the break might do him good, not to mention some of us fans.

We are crying out for a trophy, if we are throwing games to the team at the bottom of the Premier League and will probably be prioritizing league survival, then we don't deserve success.

We need to approach this the same way we did the league game last month, stamp authority on the game nice and early and get a professional job done.

That West Ham game has "banana skin" written all over it.

Strongest team needed.

Dibling, McNeil and Alcaraz should be good enough to come in and do a job at Wolves, and in the case of McNeil and Alcaraz, if they aren't good enough, we need to move them on in January.

Certainly our reserve keeper doesn'tt fill me with optimism so I wouldn't start with him.

There may be time for Jonathan Nsangou to turn things around as he is 15 but is he really good?

Has he been banned a la Mr Ferry? Has he had a spat with another ToffeeWebber?
From his previous posts, I realise the last year or so has been tough and if he has taken a "Sabbatical" I'm sure we all wish him well.

Come back soon, Danny, it's not the same without you.

Also, with 2 in 4 this season, his record doesn't stand out at this level. The top scorers so far are all 16 and 17 and none are close to debuts for their present clubs.

The idea of giving these players 5 minutes at the end of games seems to have fallen out of fashion. Players genuinely on the up are loaned out to give them experience of better quality football.

Since Barry also needs minutes, there's a strong logic to that -- although I recognise many really hate the loan system.

But my fear is he is too small for the Premier League. He is only 5'-9" and cannot be an "on his own" striker and needs to play off someone bigger. Until Everton start to play 2 up front (4-4-2?) then he is not going to feature.

As an impact sub in the last 10-15 minutes when chasing the game, maybe. But even then, would Premier League defenders just muscle him out of the way?

Some sort of travellers’ curse was invoked by the Football League when Everton were snooty about it in its early years and didn’t enter, and so now all of its three weird handles will forever be destined to be beyond Everton’s grasp.

I could just be being a spot over dramatic here, admittedly.

Then again, I was looking at one of Ken Buckley's “From my seat” articles from 2016. There has certainly been a turnover in the TW posters.

Plenty of good more modestly sized strikers out there. If they've got the ability they'll be fine

Robert (13), I take your point but he's playing in a team that isn't very good and with a coach who doesn't inspire any confidence in his ability after a long time here.

Phil (14), I could name you plenty of very good goalscorers who were as small or smaller than Braiden and he could play in a forward line of just footballers and no Beto or Barry, although I certainly haven't written off Barry after being here for 5 minutes!

I think Danny will be back — I certainly hope so... but didn't he mention he was going somewhere round about now?

Not a criticism of Braiden but, for the team style we play, he will not be suited.

We have had a decent start but haven't been convincing. I am worried about us not doing enough in the final third. Strikers are not firing.

Hope we win but I'm worried.

Pretty much no-one plays 4-4-2 anymore. Inter played Martinez (1 cm shorter than Graham) in a double act with Dzeko and then Thuram but that was in a 3-5-2. Very few striker double acts in world football.

It was an education for me when Eto'o was here -- 5cm taller than Graham in fairness -- because he didn't need any physicality particularly. He could hold the ball up because he had brilliant technique. Miles better at it than Lukaku...

If Graham has talent, he should relish playing up front ahead of Grealish, Ndiaye and Dibling. If he needs a big man alongside him in a 4-4-2 etc, it will mean his technique isn't at the right level for the Premier League.

We were hanging on to our narrow 3-2 win a few weeks ago.
We aren't quite the Rolls-Royce of a team we would like to be, are we?

Stand off them like the first half at Anfield and that is a recipe for disaster. This won't be as easy as the headline blurb suggests.

UTFT though. COYB.

I think Newcastle actually beat the odds last season, although can't be arsed checking they're early European involvement last season.

The most rigged competition in this country.

I'd start Barry, he needs to get up to speed with the physicality in the Premier League, he has a good touch, but didn't win one header on Saturday.

Also, I hope Rohl is fit to start, and play Dibling on the right with Ndiaye having injury issues over the last couple of games.

I'm having problems submitting comments on ToffeeWeb at the moment, not working properly?

From a historic Everton perspective, neither Adrian Heath nor Peter Beardsley were giants.

Jimmy Greaves was 5'-8”. Mo Salah is 5'-9”. Just saying.

Too many changes? Weakened team? No point having a squad if you don't play them, the likes of Dibling, Röhl, Barry definitely need game time.

Coleman
Mykolenko
Keane
Tarkowski > Branthwaite

Garner > Iroegbunam
Armstrong > Röhl
Alcaraz

McNeil
Barry
Grealish > Dibling

I'd think something like that, but may be less change.

Harrison Armstrong is out on loan at Preston.

And Carlo Nash has been gone for nye on 14 years!

The replacements are just vs Mansfield starting 11.

Hope Dibling, Rohl, Branthwaite, Barry get some minutes.

Anyone it is on sky sports + for uk viewers.

Just saying.

It is a perfect opportunity for the manager to start some of the bench warmers and a youngster or two.

Wolves however will be out for a modicum of revenge after the league result and may opt for the league side to start.

Last season, it was pesky Bournemouth who knocked us out as well as two league wins but Wolves are pretty poor.

The slippery banana is a correct way of putting the game in perspective and our record in the competition has been for the most part awful.

Let's hope Moyes has the right tactics on this occasion.

The only thing that can stop us beating Wolves is Moyes being negative or cautious; that's not going to happen on Tuesday night, is it?

Two-nil to the boys in blue.👮

Put as strong a team as can be played. We have quality now in most positions. Although the goal scoring department leaves me a tad worried.

Mat was only 47 and was married with two children; however, the stresses and burdens of his life were clearly too much for him to bear.

I will forever remember him as a kind and friendly neighbour who always had time to talk and, with hindsight, someone I so wish I'd spent more time with and got to know better. I'll also never forget the nightly image of him walking his dog with the family cat bizarrely following a few yards behind.

Us men can be so closed about how we feel and what life is doing to us. If you have family, friends or neighbours that seem quiet or appear to be struggling, give them your time. Without you knowing, it might be enough to keep them going through immense difficulties and give them a reminder of their true value.

You'll never be forgotten, Mat, and to any of you that are struggling like he was, please never lose sight of how special you are and how important you are to those around you. The world is full of people like me who might seem like dumb lumps of meat but who would actually do anything they can to help and support you.

My next-door neighbor took the same tragic measure about 15 years ago. I still think of him and recall the questions I asked myself at the time.

But for the injuries to Jarrad, Röhl and Aznou it would have been an opportunity to give them a few minutes. We must be careful about making too many changes because the players have to get used to each other's game and, due to the lack of preseason recruitment, they are still building up partnerships.

Having said that, I think it is important to get Dibling and Alcaraz on the pitch and maybe experiment with Barry and Beto.

If they beat us on their patch, then what do they call us?

My family and extended family were affected by unfortunate events like this. Both men 22 and 30. I just wish they spoke. I haven't found answers but you and his family have my prayers.

There are a lot of sports personalities and showbiz people dying comparatively young these days!

I believe Vitor Pereira is a decent coach and turned around their season last year. He has just signed a new contract, which is a strong endorsement by the management. Of course, they have lost a couple of key players, but I think they will be okay.

Hope they are focused on the league game next weekend, and treat this game tonight as a free hit. Ndiaye will also be targeted by their fans because of his goal celebration -- surprisingly not yellow carded by the Everton loving referees.

Moyes will desperately want to win this, so he will be pragmatic, I suppose:

My expected XI:

Barry
Grealish Alcaraz Dibling
Iroegbunam Garner
Aznou Keane Tarkowski Patterson
Pickford

Subs: Travers, O'Brien, Aznou, McNeil, Gueye, Dewsbury-Hall, Beto, Ndiaye

Dibling and Alcaraz should start and Gueye should get rested. This isn't about weakening the team but recognising that you need to freshen things up to stay strong.

As Michael discusses in the OP, Moyes is currently atrophying talent on the bench whilst we fail to seal results with tiring players on the pitch.

Two weeks running in the Premier League we've been poorly managed by failing to make proactive substitutions when needed and ended up with 1 point from 6. If things had gone our way with those subs, it could have been 4 out of 6. We'll never know though, because we didn't even try.

I'd go with

Travers
Coleman O'Brien Keane Aznou
Garner Iroegbunam
Dibling Alcaraz McNeil
Barry

Ndiaye and Grealish to come on in the last 20 minutes to kill them to death!

And maybe Beto after having 70 minutes stewing over Moyes telling him he's running out of chances.

"Lineker was 5'-10”."

I think he still is. 😉

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Were they playing dominoes then?

Imrie Varadi Joe Harper Rooney Alex Young Alan Whittle Danny Cadamarteri Fowler Owen Peter Eustace Alan Biley etc.

Sorry to hear of your neighbour. Wise words from you.

The problem is it is hard to identify. They make a decision and time, are happy with that decision and can seem okay as a result.

I have people I visit. Though my life is hectic, I gave them my time. My wife called it Jerome's Legion of Mary. I sometimes talk about Everton -- the suffering seems to lift their spirits. They even ask me how Everton is doing now.