Next Up: Manchester City vs Everton

With the talent we have now Moyes has to try something different. I did say before we signed Grealish, that he tends to slow the game down, and he has started to revert to his Pep Instructions of keep possession.

Any of our forwards I would have in the side instead of Beto or Barry. False nine time, Moyes, false nine time.

Pickford
O'Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko
Gueye, Garner, Dewsbury-Hall
Alcaraz, Beto, Ndiaye.

If Branthwaite is on the bench, expect to see him, unless there's an injury, at 75 minutes.

My own personal challenge is to leave my past concerns behind and expect us to keep competing with the lot of them.

That and Beto may be better than Barry at chasing the long punt now that Grealish will be torn in his allegiance, apparently.

Should be better in the second half and hopefully he does not need to go a goal down in the first half to get the type of performance we have been seeing with Everton trying to attack and get forward in the second half.

Michael, not sure why you are apologising for your comments about Ndiaye. It's true.

Paul K, I have also noticed Grealish slowing things down and keeping possession but I also think that he may not have confidence in some of his team mates especially when the movement around him is non-existent so tends to hold on to the ball longer than perhaps he should.

As for formation, I can't recall how some of the lesser teams that have been successful against City have set up but imagine it'll be a defensive mindset for us. It would be nice to go there with an attack minded get at them approach and stick two up front so that their defence have something to do/think about but it'll no doubt be backs to the wall with them having 4 free defenders walking around with little to do.

Pickford
Garner, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko
Dibling, Gueye, Alcaraz, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye
Beto.

Usually he is hooked at around 75-80 minutes as he is blowing hard and spent. I think the first half in which we created nothing probably helped him last the game.

His fitness in hard games is a slight concern but, as he does more than most to lift the gloom, he is forgiven for that.

Did you comment in the wrong thread?

But my biggest worry is O'Brien trying to keep Doku quiet, he is probably the quickest winger in the Premier League, and Jake has really struggled against pacey wide players.

The problem is:- what's the finishing line-up going to look like? City can keep it going full pelt for 96 mins. We can't. Not without Grealish.

He put Branthwaite on his arse last season, these boys will struggle.

Harsh to drop Keane, but Jake might be able to handle his pace and physicality.

Remember he went off in the last match v Palace.

Pickford
O'Brien Tarkowski Keane
Garner Gueye Dewsbury-Hall Mykolenko
Ndiaye Alcaraz McNeil

Subs: Travers, Coleman, Patterson, Iroegbunam, Branthwaite?, Rohl?, Dibling, Beto, Barry

My guess is Moyes will go with the usual back 4 and play Beto instead of McNeil. Still, that's not a bad starting XI, and if Moyes sends them out with the right mentality, we should give Man City a bloody nose!

Wing backs would then be Garner and McNeil.

Then possibly a narrow 3 of Gueye, Iroegbunam and KDK.

Ndiaye then playing off Beto.

The main flaw with this is that:

- Keanes lack of pace moves the back 3 deeper than where you’d want it to be

- moving Garner to RWB weakens the central midfield (Iroegbunam isn’t especially good)

- McNeil is slow and out of form.

- Beto isn’t very good.

Unfortunately by moving to a back 3 you create as many problems as you solve. There isn’t a magic tactical approach or formation etc that puts us in the driving seat.

Realistically we will have to cede possession, defend deep, double up on their wide players and try to eke out a few chances on the break and from set pieces. Shame that we’re still talking in those terms but with each round of spending the squad should become better equipped to properly compete in these gsmes.

Unfortunately, the manager would never pick that formation or team.

I think Doku is one of the reasons we've got Grealish playing for us!

This is ideal for Beto, who I would hope has enough confidence left after a miserable couple of months and international disappointments.

I would go 4-3-2-1:

Pickford
Coleman Tarkowski O'Brien, Mykolenko
Garner Gana Dewsbury-Hall
Alcaraz Ndiaye
Beto

With Ndiaye dropping in to help Dewsbury-Hall when we're under pressure.

I just find Doku very frustrating to watch at times. Does the hard bits well, then messes up the final ball.

Ndiaye I think is told to concentrate on his low-block duties and that may be the reason he is not getting the ball forward fast enough.

Everton forwards would benefit from a faster supply and their movement would count more in creating chances.

He has been a massive liability last season and he's been awful this season too. As I said wonderful servants and players but not now. I like to see Jake playing centre-back from now on. He is our future at centre-back and in his natural position.

Garner is a great pro and plays well wherever we put him but I'd love to see him play regularly at right-back and utilise his crossing and foward runs from there. That's where the brilliant England coach Lee Carsley used him to great effect.

Let's face it, a player of Garner's intelligence and work ethic can make the easiest position in football all his. Alcaraz or Ndiaye are real Number 10s and one of them should play there regularly with Dewsbury-Hall in central midfield.

For the Man City game, we are without Jack Grealish so I'd play Alcaraz there and Ndiaye left, his next best position. Unfortunately up front it's a toss of a coin as both are useless but at least Beto has a go and occasionally gets a goal.

Barry is new to UK and us but his body language stinks. I hope he proves me wrong. Dibling should start vs Man City, he needs games; he will come good I think.

3-5-2:

Pickford
O'Brien Tarkowski Keane
Garner Gana Alcaraz Dewesbury-Hall Mykolenko
Ndiaye Beto

Alcaraz and Dewsbury-Hall have neat footwork and an eye for a pass, but their involvement in games is spasmodic.

The problem, I fear, is that they all play too far away from one another. These players show in patches how well they can combine. Unfortunately, there is a Number 9 size hole in the middle of the forward line, into which the ball too frequently disappears.

I like him, I think he's our most dangerous player, and I think he must get really frustrated playing in our current set-up because, when Dewsbury Hall is in the team, then nearly everything seems to go left.

We obviously also go left because of Grealish and this is something Garner also does because he seems to have a very good understanding with Jack Grealish.

Unless Alcaraz is on the pitch, then Everton tend to overlook the right and prefer to attack down the left, which makes me think that Ndiaye must sometimes be thinking to himself that he would like to get a part of the game playing in his strongest position.

Looking further ahead, I also think that when Grealish is back, there is an argument for leaving Ndiaye on the left and bringing Grealish inside.

That would allow Dibling to play on the right and -- dare I say it -- putting Dewsbury-Hall in Gana's spot in the same line-up and formation that I posted @16.

That would have O'Brien, Gana, Iroegbunam, and McNeil ready as subs to come on and close shop.

I think we will give City a game this weekend.

Referee: Tony Harrington.
Assistants: Simon Bennett, Steve Meredith. 
Fourth Official: Leigh Doughty
VAR: Nick Hopton.
Assistant VAR: Constantine Hatzidakis.

We just can’t win with these modern day referees and I’m already fearing the worst because one of them really had no option but to give us a penalty kick, in our last premier league game🤷‍♂️

The key is to keep possession against City as we will pay for their better footballing squad.

If he doesn't, then all formation permutations are moot.

Refereed us twice last season. Away at Newcastle giving us 4 yellows and the Barcodes 1. We won 1 nil.

Refereed us at Home to Forest, gave us 4 yellows and them 1. We lost 2 nil.

He's refereed 3 Premier League games this season, issuing 15 yellows and zero reds.

Looks like he likes the colour yellow... Dewsbury-Hall beware.

I would take a point now, flooding the midfield and try and counter with Ndiaye and Beto. This is not a game for Garner at right back against Doku with his power and pace, despite feeling he should play more here.

It's a diamond for me

4-1-2-1-2

Pickford
O'Brien Keane Tarkowski Mykolenko
Garner
Gana Iroegbunam
Dewsbury-Hall
Beto Ndiaye

Anders Limpar was saying in the Echo that Barry would profit from having Beto alongside hiim, but the power and skill of Ndiaye together would be worth watching.

Might as well give it a go at the Etihad.

I think I'd probably play Alcaraz behind Beto as they seem to work well together, both feeding off each other's chaos!

I'm not sure I see Iroegbunam as an ideal starter despite his excellent cameo against Palace as his defensive wanderings (along with Gueye's) would leave us too open against a team like City.

Had we been at home, I think I would have gone with the latter.

Just shows you how differently we all see things.

Despite improvements to the squad over summer, without Grealish we're not really able to field a better side than was available to Dyche and Moyes last season.

How have we managed that?

Anyway, no need to shit our pants.

The key to any success for us is boring things like defensive discipline, defensive shape, hard work and hopefully taking the few chances that come our way.

A very conservative looking line-up you've picked there. Looks straight out the David Moyes playbook. Weird given you'll be giving him grief after the game for doing the very things you're advocating now.

I agree with Sam that Alcaraz would do better linking with Beto.

Tim's physicality may well be useful but I guess you're trading that off with the gaps that he leaves.

No perfect solutions as Robert alludes to.

Röhl and Dibling might come good, but I wanted a proper Number 6 and a right winger that delivered straight away. Despite trying, we just couldn't get deals done.

It will be the case of getting a Top 10 finish, and trying again for better players next summer. Some might come good.

It may surprise you to learn that they have won 3 of their 4 matches there this season with their only defeat coming to a very organised Spurs team, who countered very effectively.

Good formation that.Definitely a step up on Moyes's low block explaining why Nidaye and Grealish are more build up than attack.

...if Branthwaite is fit, you drop Tarky. Keane has been on much much better form.

I'm ok with Beto starting up front and just being a general menace if he's not going to score.

But still think it's him or Alcaraz at 10. Neither are scoring a lot of goals, so that is a limitation for the team.

Seen the calls for him and Garner to play further back behind Alcaraz (at the expense of Gana). That would improve the football quality, but I think it would cost cheap goals.

The defence has benefited from the screening in front of them. And without it, I think it would highlight that theyre all average defenders excluding Branthwaite.

We all see players’ contributions differently I guess. I liked Sigurdsson - a player who would vastly improve our current team in my view. But not everyone did.

Him, Townsend, Richarlison and Baines and Coleman in their prime and we’d have really good team.