David Moyes doesn’t rule out adopting a new strategy if strikers continue their goal-shy form

No use sticking with the same team and tactics, it's not working... try something different!

But will he act?

He has not really carried that into the new season despite having a weirdly assembled but still decent squad.

Too right he should be thinking about changing things. There are options. And there are options from the bench too.

In Branthwaite's absence, he has to get O'Brien into the centre-back position -- either in a back four or a back three.

Our slow, narrow play has become too predictable and too easy to defend. Hopefully there is a change against Sunderland.

Hopefully Nathan Patterson has been training his arse off this week. Now would be a good time to prove he's got something to offer.

Moyes has no right to whinge. He was in charge of who came in. He failed to buy strikers, fullbacks and pace. So far, no one has put their name to the mainly dreadful purchases. Jack aside, we have again squandered the little wiggle room we had after years of being spendthrift due to sickening criminal mis management.

To Monday night: Moyes has a natural goalscorer in the team, but like the rasping dinosaur that was his predecessor, he ignores the obvious. Every Evertonian knows who it is. Is Moyes truly oblivious or just bloody-minded?

The guy never changes formation or mixes it up. Like a clairvoyant's dream, he is more predictable than sunrise.
Hence his appalling record against bigger teams.

Monday will be no different.

The starting line-up will tell me everything an hour before Monday night's kick-off!

48 hours before kick-off... Why?

So expect the drought to continue, I’m going for a goalless draw.

Crack on...

Would you also share how you know that, contrary to the club's public assertions, Moyes was entirely in charge of who came in? And why I'm in error in believing that we did in fact buy a striker and a fullback? And why you are already certain that Dewsbury-Hall, Röhl, Barry and Dibling are "dreadful"?

Thank you in advance.

'Does he have brown eyes?' Yes
'Does he have a moustache?' No
'Does he have a ponytail?' No
'Does he make us defend 20 yards behind the midfield?' Yes
'Does he have big ears/' No

Is it Michael Keane?

It's funny but how you accurately describe the lift Moyes gave us last season — I was just watching Forest v Utd. It reminded me of when Dyche first came here. Lots of purposeful forward movement, lots of good crosses, lots of goal scoring opportunities, an overall good performance and decent result.

But, what happens next? The early enthusiasm dips. Opponents realize how you're going to play. People stop focusing on how many chances you created and how few your average players converted. Then the stagnation and lack of Plan B sets in.

We've got Michael Keane at centre back all season, that means the lowest of low blocks. We've also lost Doucoure, so no press. We've also lost Calvert-Lewin who was an adequate centre-forward.

We've spent a fair amount of money, but that was replacing high-quality free transfers. So the squad in the short term is probably worse than last season. Maybe next season we will see some of the kids bloom, but we need to show a little patience.

I was sat behind 4 guys who are in the management team at Finch Farm for the Academy and I asked them how it was going?

They said since the new owners have come in it's been galvanised and there's a lot of expectation and attention now on youth. I asked if Moyes was engaged and they said he's very much involved and pushing for results. He and Baines are constantly on the case and Moyes is “very much” behind the new positivity.

As for our natural born striker... is it Pickford? He's got a very good conversion rate of shots on target.

Subs will be brought on with 5 minutes left and we will have no Plan B.

Popular at parties and bar mitzvahs. Not so popular at Everton, or was it?

Mike, my answers are:-
As stated in various pressers by our ex Dyche and indeed Moyes. They have each said he does it in training regularly and is a natural.

When you buy a player and don't play him because you then state that he isn't good enough, in my mind, that is a failure to buy a fullback.

In fact, said fullback is so angry with this situation that he wants to leave in January (according to popular press and serious rumours).

A striker. Just point me in the direction of that goalscorer please. A worse version of Beto surely wasn't the plan, but hey, it's Everton. So it was.

The last paragraph. We are a quarter of the way through the season. Looking at returns on investment. Playing time. Goals and wins. None have achieved anywhere near that. Apart from Dewsbury-Hall on playing time. Plus three not needed and pretty poor goalkeepers, I personally believe in we failed in the transfer window again.

As I stated, squandering money. As of now, at this moment, we are plummeting towards relegation (again)!!! Sunderland is going to be a vital match where 3 points are obligatory.
If not, things can go from bad to worse very very quickly.

If you believe I am incorrect, then we see things somewhat differently.

I'm not smart enough to understand your reference to a 20-year-old book about a formation not used at Everton.

I'm also not smart enough to understand why you would invent BS quotes by Moyes about Aznou, of whom he has never said anything resembling him not being good enough. Needing time and physical development? Yep. Not good enough? Not one word.

And the "popular press and serious rumours" about Aznou? One obscure website. One. Africa Foot, whatever that is. No quotes, no source, not even a byline on the article, which means it's an absolute lock to be clickbait.

(And just as an aside, even in the unlikely event it's true, who gives a rat's rump about a teenager allegedly pouting? He'll grow up and get over it.)

I am, however, definitely smart enough not to get into a deeper debate with somebody orbiting the Alien Planet Relegation. You wanna believe we're "plummeting", you go right ahead.

I hope he isn't another Nathan Patterson.

The book reference is a tongue-in-cheek joke.

We are now only 4 points above relegation, with no signs of improvement up front. Without scoring goals (yet again), we will not rise to loftier heights, in my opinion. If you believe this is incorrect, then perhaps you may be the starman.

Moyes doesn't tend to move from his rigid set-up. I hope he does tonight. I hope the front man, probably Beto, scores a bag full and midfield grab the game by the scruff of the neck. I hope our comedy defending v Spurs from set pieces was a one off.

My preferred line up tonight would be:

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

Coz so far, the two Bs have been lousy. Charly Alcaraz isn't quite the ticket and Iroegbunam is at present looking like a poor Onana.
Yup. No chance of my line-up happening as long as Moyes has a hole in his arse. But I would back it to do something better than we have been doing.