Everton vs Arsenal

Very belatedly replied to your email.

You're sounding optimistic?

Two years ago - first match after Marcel Brands exited as DoF (won 2-1)
Last year - Sean Dyche's first match in charge (won 1-0)
This season - first match after the 777 Partners announcement (???)

Just a curious trend. Also four years ago was the scoreless draw in which Carlo and Arteta had just been announced as the new, incoming managers.

Interested to see if Dyche starts him or goes with age and experience.

Funny, I think Everton will win as well.

Although I think Tarkowski's drop in form has been overstated, I wonder if he is less comfortable on the right of the defence.

Happy Birthday to Neville Southall and myself.

Ready for the usual "banter" on the train but looking forward to the match. No doubt I'll end up advising a few of the Arsenal supporters I will be surrounded by on the trip to the homeland and helping them out with directions and guidance once they stop their derogatory comments and chanting.

I should be in the city around midday, but will have to dash after to get the last train back and ride my second gauntlet, so can't hang around. But hopefully they will be quiet. I'll just sleep anyway. Hopefully with a Birthday smile on my face.

Harlech Castle? Let me know.

Four wins out of five at Goodison is impressive and we should feed off the fact that, if we are at full power, we can get a win. I am confident we will create quite a few chances, like against Fulham and Wolves, but this time one or two will be converted. Beto, Danjuma, McNeil and Doucouré all have a goal in them; we will cause Arsenal problems. Calvert-Lewin for the last 20 or 30 minutes will be an added threat.

COYBLUES! Fight for it, Any win will do but I'm going for…

Everton 3 Arsenal 1

UTFT!

The games which we must take 6 points from are Luton and Bournemouth.

A good hard but early tackle from Tarkowski should soften them up, and raise the noise level at Goodison.

Winnable game for me this one, make no mistake they are a very good side, but I just fancy Everton to turn up, and put a shift in, say it every week, but let’s hope we are not talking about the ref, or var, at the end of the game, we are long over due a kind decision.

And I'm going for a 1.0 home win, Beto with his first in the league.

UTFT.

However that is ''normally'' and Everton are in transition on and off the field so we can be excused for being just a little worried about this game.

I have always said that games are won and lost in midfield and Everton have yet to prove they can compete strongly in that area against any team.

Poor passing is still a feature and with the Gunners being a top passing team it will be a tough ask for an Everton win.

A really strong showing on the defensive side may just get a draw for the Blues as long as they cut out the mistakes.

I think Beto, Danjuma, and McNeill are nap bets to start so so who gets dropped ? Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, or Onana? I’m tipping it will be Garner. I also feel Onana will have a blinder.

Pickford,
Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko
Doucoure, Gueye, Onana, McNeill
Danjuma
Beto.

Three left footers in that side - I like that.

I hope this uncertainty and upheaval does not distract the players. That would be a vital job for Dyche. I was also concerned to read a report indicating that Thelwell had submitted 3 scenario plans to overhaul the squad, none of which seemingly met with our new owner's approval. I hope that is not a sign of things to come and/or they have a better plan.

It's just as well football isn't played 'on paper' because we would have no chance against a team as strong as this. But we know sometimes football throws up curveballs and hopefully this is one. A point would be great and help build momentum. I'd settle for that right now...

We will have to be fortunate not to conceed any goals as they look a handfull in attack, so thats the thing are they going to score more than us.

The bettings 1/2 Arsenal 5/1 Everton and 10/3 the draw, logic dictates that looks about right but I think I'd sooner take a chance on the 5/1 than bet 1/2 on them.

We are expected to lose by the masses so its a shot to nothing, but Goodison should be rocking tommorow so you never know

Isn't the script along the lines of our midfield getting exposed as wooden fence posts and Pickford making 47 world class saves to keep the deficit down to 4?

Wonder if it will be any different under the prospective new chimps?

Something that I would have never thought possible has happened to me since I made my decision to stop going to Goodison Pk, this summer, and that is that I haven’t even remotely missed going to one of my favourite places in all the world.

Hopefully this changes, I remember the time under Koeman, that I nearly never went to Goodison, and we beat Arsenal under the lights, so hopefully we can replicate it tomorrow.

Let’s hope it is a very happy one.

So difficult to predict this one but at least we have form in this one.

It will be tough but we need to endure and succeed.

I don't think it's too impressive is it?
I can only remember 4 home wins under him, the rest all defeats?

Perfect day to start changing that dynamic tomorrow.

“That night I was in Germany and Carlo lost his job. I was due to sign the papers the day before and because of that they took Carlo, and David Sullivan had phoned me to take the West Ham job and I thought, ‘definitely’.”

I'll get in Oldham on Tuesday (I go with work) that may be the day he's available.

I read the Moyes return piece and just shook my head.

Hard to reconcile the idea that those in charge are so removed from supporters that they didn't realise (or care) his return would split the fanbase in half.

Then to rub it in they appointed Benitez. Dysfunctional doesn't begin to cover it

Hey we may be about to be bought by Americans but last I checked we played in the English premier league, in England so how about English English and not American English?

What next, Everton soccer club?

Everton one Arsenal zero?

I mean, we did it recently...

Hoping to meet up with you for a Guinness before the Luton game, maybe at the Harlech. I've only been to the Midland and the Winslow of the hallowed halls, so I'm looking forward to a new frontier!

We may be in the premier league but it is a mini premier league we are in which consists of six, maybe eight teams,

The current bottom six and possibly Forest and Fulham could also be added to this.

These are the teams we need to be beating in order to to have any chance of survival, already we have failed to beat three in this group if we include Fulham.

That's it for us, three from Wolves, Bournemouth, Sheff Utd, Everton, Burnley, Luton are going down - right now all six would be favourites.

It will be the teams that can get win these head to heads and can gain points against the rest that will survive - let's start tomorrow.

It's always interesting to see what the dispassionate bookies market has to say on this.

They place us in the likely relegation group. We are 3rd favourites after Sheffield and Luton who are strong odds on to go down.

But out of the group you mention, we would be odds on to go down as 'the third club'.

On the upside, there were a few occasions last year when we were odds on or close to it, to go down, but we didn't. It's only a picture in time. A win tomorrow changes the odds. Even a draw will, a little.

It's hard to see us getting a decent result tomorrow, but I will borrow some of your eternal optimism as I set off for the game.

Personally I'm playing the long game and giving my wife some weekend attention after a summer playing cricket but I'm looking forward to getting back to supporting the Blues starting at West Ham away. By then I expect us to be healthier, but not pulling up trees.

I've no idea how good or bad the takeover issue will turn out but, if it gets rid of that luvvie koppite* charlatan Kenwright, then it's a start!

* He was not a Boys Pen Blue! Once a Red always a Red, the cunt!

Thoughts to the Daulby family.
Best wishes to all Virgos.
Come on you Blues!

If you really want to imitate Yank speak, I paraphrase the movie Airplane.
Excuse me, stewardess, I think I can help, I speak Yank.

"Everton 1, Arsenal zip."
"Everton 1, Arsenal zilch."
"Everton 1, Arsenal nuthin'."
"Everton 1, Arsenal goose egg."

For me, I fear our worries and woes continue. I hope I'm wrong because we desperately need a win and the storm clouds over Everton are brewing into a hurricane.

Not that you have but just in case it crosses your mind: Don't call me Shirley.

I did think of you in fact, without realising it was your birthday til I just caught up with this thread. Reason being I was a passenger on, The Danny! Plenty of Evertonians on board it transpired too. Derek Knox stoked the fires to great effect.

May the fires be lit in the spirit of all at Goodison Park today, to rise to the challenge of Arteta's Arsenal and meet it head on. COYB 💙

Turn up today Everton and give us supporters a performance. It isn't about the cost or the miles or those getting up at ridiculous hours to follow from their living rooms around the globe. We just want you to perform.

Yes, we want the result, but as long as you show us you care as much as we do, we can be forgiving.

Forgiving but we can't forget what those in charge have done to the club. That's a different discussion and we're focussed on today's match right now.

Let's go and get the points. Heading off this morning. See some of you there.

I will go with this squad to start:

Pickford
Patterson Tarkowski Branthwaite Mykolenko
Gueye Onana
Danjuma Garner McNeil
Beto

Calvert-Lewin on as a substitute could partner with Beto if we are still chasing.

Also occurs to me that we could have banners protesting owners past, present and future at one match. That's got to be another Everton world first doesn't it?

Let's go and do this.

Btw, I hope Derek was stoking The Danny's fires rather than yours but hey, each to their own and all that.

UTFT!

Pickford
Patterson Tarkowski Branthwaite Mykolenko
Gueye Onana
Garner
Beto Calvert-Lewin McNeil

I can't make the game today, but will be watching on the box and perhaps inadvertently disturbing the peace of my RS neighbour the other side of the wall, when Beto bags the winner!

Arsenal are a top side, but we outnumber them 12 to 11 today with the crowd and can do this.

I imagine Arsenal will be doing all they can to keep the blue hordes quiet, an impossible task when the lads are at it.

May we prevail! UTFT.

Your mentioning of Derek Knox made me realise he hasn't posted much lately. He arranged a lot of ToffeeWeb meetings after John McFarland had initiated the first one and then John wasn't too good.

I hope you are okay, Derek, and still watching the Blues. I know you can't always get a ticket, maybe put a post on here to let us know how you are doing. Best wishes.

Del (Derek Knox) is without signal on The Danny again today. They have been busy with lots of cruises, so he is busy on there at the moment. Pleased to report he is well though, other than the anxiety we all have for Everton to spring into life this Premier League season and get results that match performances.

Hopefully Del will be overjoyed when the signal returns when he steps on solid ground with a victory at Goodison Park this afternoon. 🙏

Happy birthday to your daughter!! May she have a present of 3 points around 6.30pm 🙏 💙

COYB, UTFT!

King, McKenzie. Latchford, Thomas and Dobson were all pretty decent if my memory serves me correctly…

I'll be there, COYB

Anthony, Happy Birthday!

UTFT!

A win and the morale will be sky high, a draw and we can take solace in a point from a top team.

A loss to last season's Runners-up might not be the end of the world, but the club and the fans need some good news.

The narrative is full of doom and gloom and on the field we can begin to change that. A Ramsdale horror show please.

I think Dyche needs to be bolder in his choice today especially with McNeil and Calvert-Lewin available, I doubt he will start Calvert-Lewin alongside Beto but it's an option to bring on. I don't think at home we need 3 holding midfield players in Gueye, Onana and Garner sitting in front of Patterson, so any 2 from these 3.

We haven't had much to excite us over the last few seasons, but I am really looking forward to seeing Beto in the flesh today. I think he has everything you need to be a top striker — strength, pace and good in the air. But he can't do it all on his own, he needs runners around him.

Even though Sean comes over as charismatic, he is never bold. But I agree with you, it has to be Mykolenko at left-back. Arsenal have pace.

Just noticed Unsworth has been sacked. It wasn't a premonition but I said yesterday it's gonna happen. I go to Oldham with work and locals haven't been happy for a while.

I'll be at the Harlech.

I intend to get to the Harlech today, I'm walking like an 'old man' and the trek from Kirkdale station is taking it out of me, hoping to see you later.

I shall predict 2-1 probably against the run of play. Can't see us not conceding but I do think we have goals in us now.

Pickford
Garner - Tarkowski - Branthwaite - Mykolenko
Gana
Young - Onana - Doucouré - McNeil
Beto

Young can whip some balls in to Beto, as can Dwight, and we have plenty to come on: Calvert-Lewin, Danjuma, Chermiti

I've had 3 trains cancelled, all being well, the 13:48 is still running, so might get to around 3 pm before I get the Harloch Castle, that's if they do not cancel that train as well.

2-1 today, Danjuma and Beto, Pickford to save a penalty.

Expect the unexpected from Everton, mate.

Quote "we're crossing the poverty line"

And I think it is Anthony’s birthday also. Fuckin cmon! UTFT!

I would be more hopeful of its success if Kenwright was gone. Self-preservation has been the prevailing interest, rather than the progress of Everton FC. Kenwright will not like the proposed share valuation.

Dyche is trying his best. Good Luck, Everton.

Put Young on the bench and Mykolenko in at left-back; otherwise, Lyndon's predicted line-up.

I think we need to score 2 goals minimum.

Still, make a game of it and who knows? More than anything now, I want to see our players go into every match and fight for the whole game, not just give in, like we did last season too many times.

Beto and Danjuma, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin and Harrison, should give us a fighting chance in any match they play in now.

Before match: COYB!! 2-0!! One player is back! One new player's gonna start. It's a new era. Top 6!!

After match: Someone has to go. We are shit as usual. Sell! Buy!!

History repeats itself...

Looks like you were keeping Derek hard at work. Spoke to him the other day and he was looking forward to having you on board.

Thanks for your message last night. 👍🎂

4-4-2:
Pickford
Patterson, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Mykolenko.
McNeil, Garner, Gueye, Danjuma.
Calvert-Lewin, Beto.

Funny to think, but actually if Calvert-Lewin is fit, he probably starts if we're just going on who is the more effective. I think from here the attack can look after itself. The real task is defence. Dyche has to shore them up, by hook or by crook.

You would think that should be him right in his comfort zone. But we can't read too much into today's game, we are playing an excellent side who can cut us open at any point. Especially with our fullbacks.

I'd be tempted to put Garner at right-back, Mykolenko on the left. which leaves our schizophrenic midfield. Just like with our defence we must pray for no further injuries (yeah, right) and hope that Onana can finally start living out some of his potential.

Hope this is just a part of his pre-match prep… or does it mean he's sitting this one out?

I know Dyche doesn’t use subs willingly but they are so important nowadays and sometimes just as important as the players you start the game with, although I’m sure loads of people could pick holes out of this statement?