Everton vs West Ham United

His game is all about athleticsm, I don't know how many games the body holds out for once you get that kind of injury?

I'm guessing Calvert-Lewin is now more 15-20 games a season instead of the previous 30-35.

Some will blame the player for getting injured, whilst others will realise that you need more than one centre-forward if you are to be successful in football.

'Sicknote' comes to mind.

West Ham have been defensively porous so far this season but Antonio was not used last night and Bowen only had a cameo.

It will be quite a test but perhaps we will find our scoring boots.

He's a fantastic athlete, and a superb footballer. For me, he's got nothing to prove – remember, it was his perfect header that kept us up last season – and I can see him scoring a lot of goals with our new improved set-up.

A tight defence and dynamic midfield will allow our forwards to be much more positive, and that should lead to more chances created for Dom.

I will say, I hope these injuries have not compromised him, he needs to be where he was physically for his game to work and have impact. Hopefully also, he isn't now made vulnerable to further troubles.

We're not just going to leave it to the Number 9 to do all the donkey work and score goals as well. Step at a time but it's looking quite positive for us to move up the table... and stay there.

Michael (5), add to that his cracking little pass for Iwobi's goal against Newcastle.

Or is it being used in any other sense? How?

Begovic is a decent stand-in for Pickford; no reason we should not feel confident for Sunday.

Calvert-Lewin, in my opinion, needs to 'man up' and realise he is gifted and playing football at the highest level and, earning loads of money doing so.

It was also not long ago that this guy was setting up a move to Arsenal and, prancing around in a dress… so, 'sicknote', to me, suits the bill.

Who cast aspersions on his manhood?

Please enlighten me!

I remember when he first came into the team and was played out wide, left and right, inside forward, sub... he never failed to give 100% in any role he was asked to play.

Fast forward a couple of years and he's notching left right and centre, everybody's favourite penalty area player under Ancelotti, then comes a couple of injuries, around the same time a couple of fashion publicity articles... All of a sudden, he's a sicknote, injury-prone, waste of space.

I wonder about the people who aired those views, what are their true opinions?

His MotM game against Palace at the end of last season was one of the finest centre-forward performances I've seen at Goodison in many a year, and I've seen Royle, Latchford, Sharp, Lineker, Lukaku, Angell, and a lot more in my time. 16 headers he won that night... 16. Every ball he went up for, he won, a magnificent performance capped off by a superb diving header for a winner that kept us up,

(Fuck off anybody who starts splitting hairs about we would have stayed up anyway given the results that followed – that goal kept us up, for fuck's sake.)

Calvert-Lewin deserves our support, I believe he will be integral to us this season.

UTFT

We've all been frustrated by his injuries (and the club's lack of intent or success in getting another forward) but let's be fair to the lad. The injuries he's had have been genuine and you could argue the club is partly at fault for playing him when not 100% fit (see bit in brackets above).

I'll be happy when a fit Calvert-Lewin is back in the squad (even though I ditched him out of my Fantasy Football team) and hope he can stay fit. Maupay is very unlikely to score 10+ goals this season and we need all the goal threat we can muster.

A good season from him also gives us options and possibly a decent transfer kitty next summer – he wants to move to a London club anyway for his extracurricular activities, by the look of things.

Andros Townsend's injury didn't look much; but it's put him out for the best part of a year. Mina's recurring injuries are frustrating for us; but how much more so for him? Duncan Ferguson had his fair share; Delph's another and there's plenty more.

Not only are these players expected to be thoroughbred athletes, the skills they use, the shots, tackles twists and turns, leaps, saves, runs are all taking their toll throughout their careers, that's enough to see them as invalids after their playing careers. And that's without any injuries.

Anyone remember seeing Sandy Brown coming on the pitch as one of Everton's Legends. He was in a wheeelchair. I used to see Tommy Smith and Brian Labone knocking round the pubs in town, They were holding each other up! (Mind you, the drink might have had a bit to do with!) Seriously, they were both showing the signs of playing top-class football.

Colin Harvey, Howard Kendall and many more were left with their memories but also their constant pain from arthritis and Injuries. That's why Everton founded the Former Players Foundation.

If he wants to play for England and, as reported by some, to play for Arsenal, then what is the point? England, Arsenal or anyone else are going to buy a "sicknote".

It's only competitive games that will get him fitter and build up his strength and we need Dominic back permanently in top form. Sounds like it's going to be a tough call for Frank on Sunday.

If Calvert-Lewin does start, it will be interesting to see whether Maupay does too and who gets left out, probably Gray?

Heading back to the woods for the weekend, I hope he scores a brace just to show me. Good luck Blues, we'll talk about the win on Monday! UTFT!!!!

Tony#19,

Frank won't start him, but I hope he does.

This guy isn't quite a top-class striker, but he is a serious line leader who can score goals. Exactly what Frank's team needs right now.

I can't take the 'sicknote' jibes seriously myself. The guy was repeatedly brought back too early by an increasingly desperate Rafa. His form suffered, so did his chances of a proper recovery.

Trying to compensate for an injury which isn't fully healed will almost certainly result in more injury.

Calvert-Lewin had two serious injuries in the last year, never a serious one before then. Calling him sicknote is an insult, and questioning his dress sense is your ignorance, not his, and you were totally out of order.

Lampard said during the summer, and Calvert-Lewin assured him, he was going nowhere; more media speculation.

I've genuine hope for Everton v West Ham, and we hopefully carry on from the derby.

Normally, breaks in fixtures don't often see Everton maintain their form; this time I'm expecting the same, building on the positives, improving and consistency.

Also, Nathan Patterson to break his duck for Everton, we shall see.

I don't see Calvert-Lewin starting on Sunday; he will be eased back in, and after the string of injuries, that's right in my view. Get him back up to fitness before building the match fitness.

1-0 Maupay!

We still need another striker to share the workload with Calvert-Lewin and Maupay instead of working the life out of them. Calvert-Lewin is a good solid striker, imo, who can be a top player for the Blues in the years to come.

You mention Sandy Brown, Colin Harvey, Howard Kendall and Tommy Smith, I used to stand outside the Winslow on match days chatting with George Orr, [I think you'll remember him] and quite often I would see Tommy Smith in his Echo duties shuffling along.

Probably the saddest occasion was when Jimmy Harris who could catch pigeons, was talking to a couple of Middlesbrough fans, and I can only surmise that he was getting them complimentary tickets, it was painful to watch him hobble across the road.

There are some players who can avoid injuries and some who can't, I can't imagine a footballer who doesn't want to play football.

Your referring to Calvert-Lewin as a ‘sicknote' makes me wonder if it'd be worth bothering trying to have a sensible conversation with you. The guy had genuine injuries. Not his fault. Still, free speech and all that, it's your opinion.

And as for “setting up a move to Arsenal”, do you have inside information? Or just what you read in the Star? And Calvert-Lewin can wear whatever he wants provided he scores goals like that against Palace.

The massive plus for us at the moment is the development, almost by stealth, of an incredibly promising midfield.

The other plus is our happy mix of experience and youth in defence – my sources tell me that the powers that be are delighted, in particular, with Coady and Tarkowski and their influence on the team. For my part, Patterson looks like he could be a truly formidable full-back.

If Maupay and Calvert-Lewin can gel – as I believe they may – then I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that we will have a team to trouble anyone or, at least, not to fold haplessly.

All Blues now surely feel that this is a proper structure being built. A really proper structure.

It will take time and there will be some messes and misses ahead but great credit to Lampard and Thelwell. We are self-possessed for the first time in many, many years.

We all know he is capable of being the striker we need, he just needs that run of form and luck with injuries to change.

Some of the comments on Dominic have, since he came to our club, been cretinous. Hands up who whinged "Championship at best"?

The comments on his "dress sense" and the rants about Tom Davies which I and the admirable Danny O'Neill witnessed last season are toxic.

He deserved the criticism at the time. He had the mobility of a lamp post, couldn't score or assist. He didn't look a Premier League striker.

Fantastic for him and us that he stepped up. We just stated the obvious what the eye could see, and the stats backed up.

He was brought back in when obviously nowhere near fit.

He showed once again against Palace, when fully fit, he is effective.

When you watch a player who is being picked to play again and again, and yet he is obviously not playing very well (be it Calvert-Lewin or Rondon for us), it's a lot less obvious that he is actually unfit.

In fact, if that were true, it's a poor indictment of the manager-coach-player system that sees him selected again and again. It's their job to make sure the player is fit, and to not play him if he is unfit.

With Calvert-Lewin, we also had this unspecified mental health problem that could mean he was 100% fit to play physically but his mental condition meant that he was performing well below par – something that I imagine was much more difficult for the club to deal with.

And is it still affecting him? Who knows?

Yes, he's not a top-level striker but we may just be getting a decent team together around him. Which he hasn't really had during the whole of his Everton career.

He's been a really good striker for 2 years before his injury in a pretty shite team. He's done good when called on for England.

Coming into his prime now, maybe it will all be good timing and we get him the supply and he cracks on to the next level.
I don't agree with the "sicknote" tag he's been given by lazy posters.

I think he's had bad luck in the last year or two owing to the fact that so much was resting on him rushing back from injuries as our only decent striking option.

A player, over a career, may have these type of years – it should either make or break his progress to that next level of striker. Let's give him the service and see if he can be the main man again.

He can wear all the skirts and handbags he wants if he gets us 20 goals a season.

There are rarities who do, on their own, shine forth but, when you think about it, they also have had their successes in concert with their very gifted colleagues. Pele, Best, Cruyff, Ronaldo, Messi have won things because of teammates on a lower plane but still a very fine one.

The only clear exception I can think of is Maradona.

God knows why I'm talking of these people on a Calvert-Lewin thread but it is, indeed, about the ensemble and I think we are producing one with manifest potential.

The difficulty he has making a decent connection with the ball has always been there, sadly, and too often he was in the wrong position to finish a glorious opportunity.

Maybe he was unfit for each and every one of those maddening moments and that's the excuse you seem to be putting forward? Sorry but I just don't buy it.

The fact that he's done this amid a team annually getting worse for six consecutive seasons under half a dozen different managers is a remarkable achievement by him as far as I'm concerned.

We'll do well to keep hold of him if he's now fit enough to come out firing on all cylinders.

PS; like most other players in our squad he needs to practice shooting from distance - and in my experience practice works!

If he scores a perfect hat-trick in the FA cup final against Liverpool, you'd still say he should have got 4 cos of that chance he missed in the first minute!

For you, he has no redemption.

MK did you miss his performance against Palace?

Too busy writing your “match report “ to actually see what was going on?

Head down looking at a screen? Might of missed a lot apart from “big moments”?

Oh yes, you lot can can multi task, apart from concentrating on a full football match!

He's got size, speed, isn't lazy, can head the ball, and I think that his one touch in the box will only get better. I wish he would use his ball control and skills to isolate a defender one-on-one more as his quickness is his strength. And maybe he needs to work on his shot with both feet especially from the top or outside the box, but that's being over-critical as he is and has been a big player for Everton for a number of years now.

This is a player that gets stuck in and I don't think that anyone can say that he doesn't put a shift in, game-in & game-out. He's a solid pro that is coming into his best years. We should be lauding this player – he should be considered for the captain position, imho.

I think he's got a long way to go before he can be considered a great striker. I really hope Frank can at least teach him how to strike the ball properly.

Scoring a hat-trick? Now that would be good to see him do. I don't think he has managed that yet, into his 7th season with us.

I don't know if we will ever get a top striker at our club again, but if we do manage to buy one or bring one through he will be off to one of the big guns before too long.

3 points on Sunday and creeping away from the bottom three please.

Gana, Onana and Garner with Iwobi pushed up (but it is the first 3 who are crucial). We are going to be powerful in the centre of the board.

Control the centre and your opponent must struggle.

DCL - 2 Hat tricks in the James Rodriguez season.
With an assist from Google, as I couldn't think of any.

Exhibit A
DCL vs West Brom
Exhibit B
DCL vs West Ham

2 in about 10 days

He's not as versatile as Kane but he's one of only two three strikers in the Premier League era to have scored more than 20 goals in a season for Everton which is pretty significant. And let's not forget he had three in three last season before he got injured.

Calling him "sicknote" is pretty weak without considering how an injury as serious as the one he suffered can mess with your mechanics when you resume playing (particularly when you've been rushed back by a manager fighting to save his job) and the knock-on effects it can have on other parts of your body. That's essentially DCL's challenge now and we'll have to wait and see whether this latest comeback is a lasting one.

Finally, it would seem to me that the mental health issues he spoke of were because he couldn't play rather than preventing him from playing. My guess is that, if he can get back playing regularly, he'll be just fine and so will we.

The question is this - ‘have we been a better or worse side in his absence?' Think we all know the answer to that.

I am delighted he is back, but we need to take it slowly.

As for those casting aspersions due to what he wears, get with the 21st Century, granddad.

Having said that, I didn't think Maupay played that badly considering it was his first game for a while, first derby, first time getting to know the system etc. Remembering of course, if he was a prolific scorer, Brighton wouldn't have let him leave, and we wouldn't have paid what we did for him.

The thing is with strikers of all abilities, they are a threat given the chance, and it can often take two of the opposition to mark him, while hopefully it creates an opportunity for someone else to profit.

All the great teams of our past have had potential goal threats from all departments, even the goalkeeper (Tim Howard), whereas at the moment realistically we only have a limited number who are prepared to shoot on sight, with any chance of a result.

COYB

He's also a decent lad who never causes problems. I can't wait for him to get back in the team.

Let's keep the spirit from the derby and added with the bonus return of Calvert-Lewin being available.

Everton is building slowly but with resolve, guts and purpose, though it's still early days in the season.

Tarkowski, in my view, should be Captain tomorrow.

One positive was that there have been a few chances of late, particularly in the derby, that a decent striker with match practice would have put away.

Certainly Haaland, Kane and Jesus.

Possibly Rashford, Aubameyang and Nunez but each have much to prove. Interesting comparison once Calvert-Lewin is fully fit.

Possibly Toney who has been given time to develop in a side that plays to his strengths.

Probably not Watkins, Ings, Daka, Edward, Jiminez, Isak, Wilson etc although one or two from this category may come good over time.

Personally, I always felt Calvert-Lewin was hated by some on ToffeeWeb because he isn't in the absolute top category. It's got worse since his only ever injury-hit season. It got worse still when he got into fashion (which is not my cup of tea but rather that than alcoholism, gambling or sexual violence etc).

Okay, he's never going to be our Haaland but he's still one of the Premier League era strikers we've had along with a few strikers and their fan labels, Lukaku (lazy), Saha (a genuine sicknote), Yakubu (fat, lazy and 10 years older than claimed), Ferguson (overrated). And Calvert-Lewin has spent a lot of time playing in really awful sides.

Looking forward to seeing him with the full-backs and revitalised Iwobi, Gordon and McNeil supplying crosses etc.

Seriously though, the quad is a really difficult one. You think you're fine relatively quickly. You can run and train. But the moment you try to play, with the movement involved, it goes again without warning.

I've sounded off many times about the difference between Calvert-Lewin and Kane. Kane reminds me of Graeme Sharp. A more complete forward player. Dominic is more of an in-the-box striker. Take him for what he is. But most importantly, let's get him back on the pitch. He is an asset to this Everton team.

I'll trust the current management team and medical team to make that judgement and also how they introduce him back into the fold for the benefit of Everton and for Dominic's career.

Also so that he can score the winner at Wembley next year. Frank can dance around the flag. I will just dance.

And cry probably with emotion!!

He is ours, we brought him for buttons and his return strengthens us considerably. To those who feel a need to continuously knock him for being injured, wearing a skirt or whatever, give yer head a wobble and give our boy some backing. He can return to fitness and form.

I had a dream last night that Dom wins it for us in the 80th, 1-0.

We saw under Ancelotti that Calvert-Lewin can deliver the goal-scoring goods.

He is now coming into a different team than the one he most recently played for – with a whole new midfield to boot.

I never thought him and Richarlison gelled as a partnership – they just didn't work together, in my humble opinion. With other players around him and now being even more of a focal point, it will be interesting to see how it goes. Dare I say – fewer egos at play?

But yes, ease him in gently – as the actress said to the... etc etc!

A thread about our centre forward who is on his way back from a difficult time last season due to injuries should have encouraged positive and encouraging words from supporters but that wasn't always the case surprisingly. Why for goodness sake?

Criticize as you feel fit but not the player please. He is not responsible for his injuries. His activities outside football has nothing to do with Everton as long as they didn't cause or prolong those injuries. If anyone is to blame for the injuries it has to be an opponent or the way Club themselves handled him.

If the finger has to be pointed somewhere for us not having proper cover for him it should be pointed fairly and squarely somewhere in the corridors of power at Goodison not at the player himself.

I have been critical, and still am, of that aspect. We have had a good summer window except for that so it is very wrong to start pointing critical fingers, in any way shape or form, at DCL for something that is not of his making.

Finally football is a business and devoid of sentiment. That is how is it these days like it or not. But us fans do need to look on it slightly differently and with a certain amount of sympathy so if any player, DCL in this case, reads these posts we should be sending a message of encouragement and support not undue criticism.

To label him 'sicknote' is disgraceful. He had two serious injuries last season, after four seasons of being almost an ever-present, and that's playing at the sharp end in the toughest league in the world!

He will never be a prolific scorer but, as mentioned above, his record is on a par with some past Everton legends.
In his favour, he is a big, mobile unit, whose presence in the box draws defenders' attention and creates space for other players.

Good to see you back, Dominic, hope you can stay fit.

He'll probably never be hugely prolific but give him the right first-time service and he'll always be dangerous. Concentrate on what he's good at and try to improve his deficiencies. I'm certainly glad to have him back.

In his absence he seems to have been reduced to scruffy tap ins only.

Obviously Lampard has strengthened the team in the last window and hopefully the results should follow but he has to start winning games.

Defensively and in midfield we look a far better squad than we did prior to the window opening. But I think it's quite obvious, for whatever reason, Lampard didn't get his 1st, 2nd or 3rd option striker and was forced to sign Maupay, a good honest player but not the striker we need.

I think DCL is a good striker but he has his limitations and for me Everton have relied on him too much for the last 4 seasons. We needed a striker to challenge DCL and that has never happened since he was promoted to the first team, and we all know how competition for places is vital if teams are to be successful.

He won't start against West Ham but he will definitely feature later in the game. I am very hopeful for our first win on Sunday.

I also wonder about all the “sicknote” comments. We all seem to overlook that Rafa played him several times early last season with a broken toe. I wonder how much that contributed to his quad injury as he would have been stressing other parts of his body to protect the foot.

We all have our limitations and, when they are spotted in a footballer, the manager and his staff have the responsibility to work on them to improve things as best they can.

That is their job. Our job is to support their efforts and the team which we do, although sometimes in a roundabout fashion.

Welcome back, Dom, and get scoring again asap. We need your goals.

There are dangers of recurring injuries in busting a gut (like you would when fully match fit) without being match fit. This applies to anyone coming back from a lay-off, not just Calvert-Lewin.

Therefore we must be patient with him whilst he gets back to 100% – most will give him that patience but clearly some won't! I suspect Lampard will be in the former and so it is unlikely we'll see him in anything but a cameo or desperation.

As to what constitutes top quality, whilst Calvert-Lewin isn't a Kane or Haaland (who cost money that we can't even dream of), he compares very favourably with the next level who are still very good players. Although it's early days, I'd put him above that redshite that cost £85M – he's been underwhelming at best so far.

Let's get behind the players we have – I can't understand not doing so.

Anyway, we'll beat West Ham tomorrow – be positive chaps, try it you might just like it.

He's no Harry Kane.

He's no Graeme Sharp.

He's Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Judge him for what he is and what he brings.

Okay, I now contradict myself, but if you push me to compare against Everton forwards I have watched, a more talented and athletic version of Duncan Ferguson with perhaps a hint of Wayne Clarke in him.

A goal sniffer. An in-the-box striker.

Let's get him back on the pitch and get him in the box.

Dave Hickson, he ain't, but then Dave Hickson would not have been allowed to be Dave Hickson in the modern era. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I hope he comes back and returns to his previous level and I hope he doesn't then look for a move.

Most of his goals are one touch. Nothing wrong with that. Bob Latchford was no multi-touch goalscorer either!

But that's bread and butter stuff, the real icing on the cake is goal threat. Opportunities to get the ball into the box early, to get him into the box to score.

He is a vital piece of the jigsaw that enables the team to do the other stuff better.

I'll probably be punching the tele come 4 o'clock tomorrow but until then 3-1 to the Blues with Dom getting one off the bench.

Dom has his strengths we have to utilise. I'd say we may see him after the hour mark depending on how it's going. Don't mention the Cannonball Kid – someone may join this thread we can do without. lol

We are definitely a better side with him playing when he is fit, let's hope he stays that way.

Not having to be reliant on scraps and lofted balls will suit him. We forget that he is a really good player all around because he is superb in the air.

McNeil, Garner, Maupay all make him a better player. Everton have not had this level of connection at the top for years.

Be thankful he's our player, most of the teams in the Premier League would love to have him. It's like being on the Live Forum with some of the comments on here.

No matter how, a must: 3 points tomorrow.

If fit, DCL has to start.

COYB - I'm seeing 2-0 or better in my tea leaves, and I'm going to bloody miss it..

All he needs is a good supply of quality ball. Only fear is that he won't get it from Gordon or Gray.

Hope I'm wrong.

We can register our first win of the season.

Before Carlo, the lad was played all over the front, even wing back. I remember Rafa had him chasing shadows half the time while half-fit.

You don't have to play like Messi to get 20 a season. He's not going to score a load of outside-the-box worldies or dribble past 5 men and score.

But there are many great poachers, Lineker & Klose are the best two I can think of who were right-place, right-time guys.

I always go back to the Chelsea game when Ferguson was caretaker. Dom was immense that day, the defence couldn't cope, he was nasty & aggressive that's how he should be.

Coming into his prime now. Some people think the World cup will divert his attention, but he's not going to the World cup unless he's smashing in a load of goals for the Blues.

Iwobi is probably our best playmaker from open play but no one else has great vision or passing to make the most of opportunities in the final third and I suspect we may struggle to open up teams that are not susceptible to the counter. Patterson offers some penetration from the right but Mykolenko is mediocre on the ball and most teams will know that and funnel our possession his way.

I expect a tight match with both teams trying to counter and much may depend upon which team can win their individual battles. Fingers crossed for a scrappy 2-1 with a late goal from substitute DCL.

Big chance tomorrow to shoot us up the league, for once do not do an Everton and fluff the chance.

Certainly got the players now to dig out a win, feeling confident about tomorrow.

Looking forward to the game. The new look midfield is shaping up to be the best we have had in a long time. Overdue a win,

UTFT!

His main shortcoming - and why he'll likely never be an *elite* Premier League striker - is that he possesses no real shooting ability... and thus rarely conjures goals on his own. But if you play to his strengths, he can be very, very effective.

All good and well saying performances are getting better but ultimately it's results that Lampard is judged on, it could easily go ten or eleven games without a win but at least we've put in a performance. That isn't good enough.

3 points an absolute must tomorrow.

Can't allow Moyes taking a hattrick of 1-0 wins away at Goodison.

Gladly take an abject performance and 3 points courtesy of the ball going in of Rondon's arse.

I know everyone has their views and opinions. And we live in a nation where we are afforded them through hard-won freedoms.

But I hope we are respectful tomorrow. I know our city has had a troubled recent past with the establishment and rightfully so.

But I don't confuse politicians with Royalty. Give me the Queen over any political leader of my lifetime any day.

We have the Royal Liver Building, the Royal Liverpool Hospital and we play in Royal Blue.

I know it's personal choice, but I hope we don't disappoint and behave like them.

Then we go and get the 3 points.

I'm republican by nature and the idea of subservience sets me on edge especially the blood line and accident of birth variety.

Be dignified at the game and honour the silence then subscribe to the republican movement if the need to protest persists.

While I was away last week, I was sent a WhatsApp video of the minute's silence at Anfield before their Champions League game against Ajax last week, and it just shows what vile rats those fans are, as well as some of their dirty vile rat players. One scum club from top to bottom.

But Brett Angell? Seriously?

He may be recovering from injury, but he did put in some apathetic performances last season. I totally agreed with Michael Kenrick's opinion regarding him.

One thing that I find surreal is the skills and value attributed to him when he is not playing, which imo bears little relation to most of his actual play.

I do have real concerns regarding his recent enthusiasm to play, given the recent call-up of untried centre-forwards to the England squad, with just over a month to go to the World Cup in Qatar.

Such is Southgate's lack of depth, just being selected may put him in contention, but is that good for Everton with a new centre-forward with only one match under his belt, a Merseyside derby?

They can't be us.

Ever

Support him. You show yourselves up as very old-fashioned... as someone said, "Get with it, grandad."

3 points tomorrow.

It's a sign.

Tell yer Ma. We're going to Wembley.

Well said, Barry.

West Ham have had some decent results against us of late; one I went to we lost 3-1. I fully expect us to be winning tomorrow and getting this season (belatedly) up and running.

Calvert-Lewin has a fair bit to do to reach that level but, if he keeps fit and gets the service, who knows?

I'm no royalist but we will both observe the minute's silence in our impeccable manner, my upbringing expects me to do this, regardless of where we come from.

I will stick my neck out here and will go 1-0 Everton that has been in my head all week.

Calvert-Lewin will be on the bench, I reckon, small steps and all that, as well as an international break coming up which will give the lad time to get physically fit for the games ahead.

Up the blue boys!

Think on, old buddy, that you will have me (or Christine, or both) screaming the lads on!

As for tonight, well I'm a little worried that I feel so confident. I think we will win 4-0 and I'm searching for my telescope to watch Christine do her Irish Jig. (Am I still allowed to say 'Irish'?)

In Frank I Trust.

This season's top has brought me no luck yet, so I'm going to wear last season's home top, the very one I wore for the Palace home game – washed, of course.

Done my bit for the cause, fingers crossed.

Too often people come on here and make comment that we can be just as bad as them, but I disagree, we are not, never have been, never will be. One minute of silence. A statement that we will forever be better. No matter what.

We deserve it. The team do have a different approach to the game and Frank Lampard has developed a solid base at the back, a working midfield, and just more finish upfront to tick all the boxes.

It's coming on – just make sure it happens today. COYB

Nevertheless COYBs. We must be at it from the get-go. No rustiness and a clean sheet. UTFT!!

Hope to see as many that can make it to The Bramley Moore after the game, all meeting at the Dixie Dean Statue after the game, and we can share taxis down.

Hope George McKane is reading this too.

God save the King.

"60 seconds, surely everyone can do that today."

Not at Mordor they can't. I think it lasted 19 seconds and even then, the vile creatures were shouting and booing before that!

Sorry for mentioning that lot, but it had to be said.

Just thinking about songs with Silence in their title… Silence is Golden was sung by The Tremeloes, whilst Sounds of Silence was sung by Simon and Garfunkel. Whatever, there will be total silence this afternoon.

By the way, the missus told me last night that as well as the 70th-minute round of applause for the Queen, there will also be a round of applause at the 34th-minute mark. Is this correct, and if so, who is it for?

This is what you get when you found a political system on the family values of Henry VIII. At a point in the not-too-remote future, the stout heart of Queen Elizabeth II will cease to beat. At that precise moment, her firstborn son will become head of state, head of the armed forces, and head of the Church of England. In strict constitutional terms, this ought not to matter much. The English monarchy, as has been said, reigns but does not rule. From the aesthetic point of view it will matter a bit, because the prospect of a morose bat-eared and chinless man, prematurely aged, and with the most abysmal taste in royal consorts, is a distinctly lowering one.
Christopher Hitchens

Surely it doesn't matter whether you support the monarchy or not. It has to be about decency.

There is a time and place for everything and making a protest about someone at a funeral or a time like today isn't the place or the time.

Would those who support freedom of speech be happy if someone who didn't like your mam or dad turned up at their funeral or wake and spouted off about them? I doubt it.

The crowns of England and Scotland being unified in 1603 and being passed to the Scottish King. French (Norman), Scottish, German. It's rarely been English since 1066!! Maybe the Tudors?

Anyway, I hope we observe and more importantly, bring the 3 points home today.

Nuff said BBC. Normally the Beeb cover the YNWA anthem in all of its stage-managed vacuousness, hanging on every note. However, they managed to swerve covering this Anthem because they knew it would give them a conundrum.

How could they continue with their love-in with the Monarchy and their incestuous relationship with that vile club?

She's done a job she was born into and done it well. That's what we're remembering, someone who has done a hard job for 70 years. She was our head of state. Whether you don't believe in the monarchy or you do.

I would have thought to pay our respects by keeping silent for a minute would show that we, at the least, have manners.

Rob (125), you said it and it's right. They are a scumbag club from top to bottom, yet get all the praise from the media. I would have thought that our club and us, the supporters, can show them up.

Stephen, it wasn't republicans who gave us a Parliament, we've had a Parliament from aroung 1300. What the Civil War was about was not a republic or a monarchy, it was about an elected Parliament wersus the King's ultimate power. The Parlaiment soon asked another Monarch to come over once Olly lad had died.

Bizarre stuff to say the least.

A win for the Blue Boys today. It's long overdue and I'm confident going into this one.

On a large building site in the late '70s, two fella' had to be separated after constantly arguing over the merits of having a monarchy or not. After the fight that never happened, they were always referred to as “Oliver” or “ Charlie” after Oliver Cromwell and King Charles 1. Now that there is a “Charlie” on the throne, I hope it doesn't kick off again!!

On a personal note I thought Villa's match day programme was touching and a very personal tribute to our late Queen.

Also, if they want the fans to applaud on 70 minutes to mark the length of service, then I hope the ref stops the game at that point; otherwise, it's very difficult to applaud while the game is progressing.

To be honest, I would rather whenever we are asked to respect the passing of a Queen or the likes of Rhys Jones or Olivia Pratt-Corbel, I would prefer it's done before the game rather than during the game.

Also with the game being live on Sky, I think it's even more important that we show that Evertonians know how to respect a minute's silence for whoever it's for.

Anyway, about Calvert-Lewin. My thoughts about him is that he might be a good centre-forward but he's not what I'd call a "goalscorer".

I mean like Lukaku when he was with us. He could get the goals in the box, or he could run through defences and score, like the Chelsea game at Goodison. Think that was Moshiri's first game. Anyway, he could regularly get between 15 and 20 goals each season.

Mind you, I don't think Richarlison made the chances for him as much as he could have done. I think with the team we've got now, we are looking much more like a "team" and I think we've got players in who can play a much better passing game than we've seen. I think Onana, Gueye and Tom Davies (if he plays) and Iwobi, look much more like a strong midfield who can be defensive and attacking.

Gray and Gordon can either provide crosses, shoot, or do intricate passing moves and create chances for Calvert-Lewin and I think he can return the favour and create chances for others. Then we have two young full-backs who can gallop up and down the wings, adding to our attacking moves.

Then there's McNeil and Garner, so we have a decent-looking squad now. Might take a bit of time to gel but in the derby we made quite a few chances and I can see us making more chances each game now.

I don't see this as a must-win game, as West Ham are a good side. What I hope, and I think, we'll see, is our lads creating many more chances than we have been doing. I thought we could have won the derby with the chances we made; and if we keep making them, then the goals will come.

ps: Brian, I totally agree with your post, it's spot on.

We are unbeaten in 5 now and we have to have a proper go at these today. They will be dangerous as well but really, if we want to do anything this season, these are the teams we need to perform against.

However, Leeds, Brentford, Forest and Villa are the teams we should be beating so it really is up in the air.

As far as a minute's silence goes and the national anthem, let's not have Everton in the media this week for the wrong reasons. If you don't believe it in, keep silent, don't sing, just don't be a bell and bring your club down.

We needed a decent striker who can score goals to start the season.

Also drop Iwobi and play Doucouré – a much better player. Simples.

This is a test for Frank's backroom staff. Can they get something out of Finch Farm which is notorious for lapses during football breaks. The repetitive training system hopefully will pay dividends and will have gelled the squad more together.

As for the Queen, I am confident they can do respect at Goodison.

Difficult opponents they may be but West Ham have hardly had a storming start to the season and 3 points would be a massive boost for our current tally. Just hope the extra week has been beneficial for the players gelling and the soothing of some bruising and niggles.

UTFT.

If we're going to stay up, these are the games we'll need to win. Our next winnable match is over a month away.

Today's game is hard to call, they need a win as much as we do, so I'm expecting a tight game.

They are a team of experienced Premier League players with a few decent goalscorers so I think we need to score a couple at least if we are to win.

It has a draw written all over it for me, but we have home advantage which I hope will tilt the game in our favour.

Could it be too soon or is he always gonna be a sick note after his recent history.

Sure he brings something extra to the attack especially in the air but we really need to see some run of games under his belt to see the team get more goals (and win games).

Today could be a good start but he may just be on the bench.

The must win games to me, are the ones we had to go through at the tale end of last season.

Mind you, I've a feeling that we are good enough to win and we'll win more than we lose this season...starting today, hopefully!

Colin 167. :) :) True enough! ;) Though things weren't helped by his son Mordred turning gangster on him!

There were a few positive signs in the derby, but not a great deal before that. I've certainly seen nothing to suggest we'll be comfortably clear of relegation this season. We'll need 10 or so wins to stay up, and today is one of the better opportunities to get our first.

Your comment might have held water a year ago but Iwobi is now playing very well and Doucoure is nothing but a very athletic player who can't pass the ball, which is a pretty basic thing to lack.

Yes I can understand, but I thought we are showing in the box much more as the season has progressed. I've thought, this season, we would do well to steer clear of relegation and stay clear.

We'll have to wait and see how things pan out; but I'm more confident now than at the start of the Transfer season. I suppose it's as we each look at things but I'll only think more about must-win games as the season is in its second half.

It's better than the flatter to deceive First XI Ancelotti managed to get to 10th.

We should win this.