Everton vs Brighton & Hove Albion

And our defense is still at its most vulnerable when the opponent is able to attack off a midfield passing mistake. Garner made a couple on Wednesday but Burnley didn't have the ability to take advantage.

Eliminate those mistakes, and we win. I predict 2-1 and lots of celebrating.

None of the 4 are without a bit of skill - sometimes. None of the 4 are without effort and application - sometimes...glances over at Onana and Harrison.

They're a bit like a 100 or 400m relay team. Will they run off with the Gold? Nah.
But if, over the course of the race, they stay in their lanes and get the baton changes right they'll edge out more fancied teams and pick up a bronze, in Premier League terms 8th to 10th.

I don't see Brighton turning us over 1-4 like last time. I think the may have plateaued from last season, but they're not going to come and roll over either.

They will have done their homework. It remains to be seen if we have paid attention to Dyche's - aka, Principal Strickland's lessons about maximum effort and slackers - and hope that the dog didn't eat our homework.

It is still debatable whether a Patterson/Harrison v Young/Patterson is he best option on the right. I would surmise that he may opt for change if we don't seem to be as effective after half-time. Really looking forward to this one.

COYB 💙💙👍

Although I was dearly tempted, I won't be able to come to this game, which is probably good news as I was there last season when they hammered us (although I was also at the revenge). I was also at the Luton game the other week, so…

Even further back, I lived in Spain from 1982-1989 and 1993-1998, so I've never witnessed a successful Everton team in the flesh! I will accept bribes to stay away if I thought that would transform us into the mid-80s team!

Anyhows, I'm hoping Dyche will keep the same team that played the ideal game at West Ham (I was at that one) as I think that's our style now.

Brighton are a different prospect but I've faith now in our back 4, and with O'Nana (see?) and Garner in front of them, I think we've got the foundations for games like this.

I'd give Harrison another couple of games – I was shocked how poor Danjuma looked the other night – and McNeil is probably licking his lips for this one.

But what a difference a Dom makes! That turn for his goal last week was very similar to the turn he made for our first at Brighton away – here's to three on the trot! UTFT

Seen you on here loads of times and always assumed you were either Liverpool Area, or Ireland for some reason, probably the surname.

Not sure about the bribes to ensure you stay away, would rather as many of the TW Family attend and witness a win, whoever the opposition is. Next time you are up, give us all a shout, and we can meet pre-match for a jar and a chinwag!

As much as we're all relieved that Calvert-Lewin is back and I'm excited/shocked that Dyche has fielded a strong XI in Cup games, I'm half hoping we do rest Dom in some games as I'm scared of him breaking down again.

So much so, I wouldn't mind if Dyche started Beto tomorrow and brought Calvert-Lewin on around the 60-minute mark. I know this won't happen, and it probably shouldn't happen, but with the injuries he's had recently 3 games in 6 days might be just too much for him.

And I definitely think Patterson should be our first-choice right-back from now on, with Young only used as back-up.

I would have preferred that Calvert-Lewin had been rested to be able to maintain the attacking line. If it is not maintained, it will allow the Seagulls to cause problems. This is not a strong area of Calvert Lewin's play at best.

A win confirms we're better than relegation scrappers but an iffy draw or loss at home shows otherwise.

Be nice to really nail this crew; they've done okay relatively speaking but along with Brentford they've cornered the market in smug torch-bearers for an imagined football revolution. Irritates me no end.

But, if they're still in the Premier League in 10 years time, I might reconsider.

So it will be interesting to see who plays at right back tomorrow, but I expect it will be Young. As Seamus is getting fit I'm beginning to wonder what the future might hold for the Scotsman, but if he's still working to improve defensively there is hope for him.

Tomorrow will provide a really good barometer of where we are now as a team. Will we have the know-how to take the game to Brighton as the home side, and break them down, and can we keep them out enough times to get the points? Hard one to predict.

I like the balance in our side now, we look organised and strong throughout the team. Right back continues to be the biggest, or even only, concern and this is where they'll try to exploit. Risks either way but I prefer Patterson to Young.

Dwight McNeil is playing himself back into top form, so he could be the key man tomorrow.

COYBLUES!

I think our possession stats in most games shows us to be 2nd best in most games we have played this season. I think apart from the top 6 sides you may be able to win games with less possession than your opponents but give the top 6 teams that sort of possession and that probably highlights why our win ratio against the Top 6 is so poor.

Having sold quite a few of their best players I wonder how long can Brighton keep competing in the top half of the table. There is no doubt that they have an excellent scouting system, but given the huge networks that most clubs have now I do wonder how long they will be able to keep unearthing these gems.

I think Mitoma and Ferguson are their biggest threats, Harrison might have to spend a lot of time helping his fullback combat Mitoma's pace. I think if we can nullify him we have a chance. But Brighton didn't have a game in midweek, so we may have to introduce our subs earlier than Dyche normally does.

I am promising myself to swing past Bramley-Moore Dock tomorrow before heading to County Road.

That's why I don't pay too much attention to stats Brian.

In the latter reign of Martinez, it was often the other way around. Over 60% possession and lose.

I'm a purist, but its also about being effective. And for Dyche and Everton right now, being effective with what we have.

Above Chelsea tomorrow.

Brighton are a good team and in the away game last season, few gave us a chance.

35 seconds in and I nearly fell over my seat / standing place into the person in front of me.

One of the disadvantages of relying on stats of any description is that it never tells the whole story. The current obsession of playing out from the back gives a totally jaundiced view in statistical terms of on-field superiority.

Since Dyche's arrival, we've thankfully abandoned this obsession, due to having players of limited ability with the propensity for losing possession in dangerous areas. We now tend to mix it up a lot more and adopt a more direct game playing off a target man, together with the high press to recover the ball in the opponent's half, which has been much safer & more productive for us, given our limited resources.

Although statistically it equals less possession in percentage terms. But Wednesday night was a classic example of this, with Kompany's obsession with trying to play like Man City with players of lower-league ability, continually giving the ball away before they'd even reach the half-way line.

This has been their undoing all season, and why they've conceded so many goals, and reminiscent of our own situation under previous managers. The words silk purse and sow's ear come to mind?

My mates have already started a whip round to keep me from games as I must be a jinx.

Over the last 15 years I have been to almost every game home and away and seen maybe 30 away wins out of say 300 matches (can't be bothered to look up the stats).

Osteoarthritis this season has stopped me travelling away and we have already won 3 away before the end of October.
I was also out of the country for Palace 3-2 and Palace 3-0 in 2022. Oh yes, away on business for the Bayern Munich game.

Contributions to my travel plans gratefully received.

COYB, massive 3 points. 100% effort and focus for the probably 100 minutes throughout! 👉🥳 💙 UTFT

Last time I was up, I went in the Harlech but I quite like a drop in the Denbigh Castle where they sell better Guinness and there's a photo of my Uncle Alex on the wall (to the right as you look at the bar).

I've just been told I'm being made redundant after 16 years and I'm probably going to take retirement. I should get a nice payoff so that will fund me a game or two.

I'm hoping to get up there either just before or just after Christmas but I'll stay away until we've accrued some more points!

UTFT

Brighton are no mugs and will be primed to come away with the points again, although no doubt we are in better shape and have a ‘mini' run on the go.

I don't think it will be a 1-0 more likely a few goals each with the Toffees coming out on top.

3-2 to the Blues with the Goodison faithful roaring us home. UTFT.

The only worry for me is Mitoma and the pace he has.

I thought the Young - Patterson combination looked more secure than the Harrison - Young combination and I would lean towards that.

This is a game where we need McNeil and Harrison - Young to keep their flanks pinned back but, with the form of our centre-backs and central midfield, I am pretty confident we will continue our successful run of form.

Let's look for an early goal to give the crowd something to lift the noise level.

We just need to be the 12th man and the team will do the rest.

3-1 Everton win, McNeil banging one in and doing his salute to the Park End stand.

Calvert-Lewin 2, Doucoure, Harrison and Branthwaite.

They rested on the week and like having the ball
and do it well. They're not as sharp as last season but are always a danger and we are not so stable so as to take advantage that they're not as solid as they were.

We'll have to run a lot, I think. Playing Ashley Young against Mitoma? Mmmm…

NSNO

I normally go to the Harlech myself before the game, one of the few pubs where you can get to the bar, even though they get chocker. The staff are very efficient and manage to process orders fairly quickly. The Royal Oak (rhymes with 'joke') just down the road is mayhem.

Give us all a shout next time you are up. Don't know whether commiserations or congratulations are merited for your impending redundancy, so I'll plump for the latter and take a pint off you! :-)

Everton songs on YouTube tonight before heading out early tomorrow morning. I'm sure I will be travelling with a few Brighton supporters. I'll educate them on the way up.

We should go into this confident.

Dave Carruthers @ 4,

Ashley Young should not play. He is a liability and I do not rate him in the least. I genuinely don't like him in Blue, and hope he never plays another league game again. The nail in the coffin for me was the derby.

He's an idiot on the pitch at times, and I don't see what he brings to the side. Veterans are supposed to play with their head, position themselves well due to aging legs, etc. He does literally none of that.

Play Patterson. The kid will develop and progress. There's a player there, I see it. I'd prefer to see Patterson get skinned rather than Young get burned. Patterson will learn, Young is a fool and well past his prime. Young was also a diving little cheat his entire career.

Sorry, I know there's always those people who say, "get behind the player, he's ours." I just can't with Ashley Young. He drives me bat-shit cray-cray!!!

D'you like him or not?

I'd put Young in the same category, he's hard to like (I'm more inclined towards the Jamie C view). I'd rather watch Patterson develop there, than watch Young get skinned – annoyingly he didn't get booked against Burnley which ruined my accumulator!!

This should be a decent test, it will be tricky but I'm confident we can win this. I don't really buy into the ‘tired players' stuff, especially at this time of the season – the more you play, the fitter and sharper you should be!

3-2 to Everton, though I'd take a scrappy 1-0 win right now.

Patterson will get turned inside out by Mitoma – that's why I would double up on him as I feel he is the only threat Brighton have.

So let's keep it going this weekend!

No, he's shite… and no, we weren't!

Seamus is a God who plays for the shirt and Ashley is eking out a last big payday from anyone who'd have him. I'd play Patterson 100% anytime, any game.

Unfortunately we haven't managed to beat the biggest 'B's of all, home or away, under Dyche or anybody else, since Carlo was here.

A win for Everton tomorrow transforms our season imo. Should Man Utd pull off an unlikely away win or even just a draw, a victorious Toffees performances sees us go above Fulham, who have been much celebrated this season in the media.

I do hope something can be quietly brokered with Spurs in regard to the Dele Alli situation; given the work the manager and backroom team have done in giving us back our DCL, it just seems to me a risk worth taking to entrust in Dyche's and Thelwell's judgement on Alli.

Given that we don't have a pot to piss in, we would have on our hands a potentially potent player competing for the Number 10 role. If Alli can even get to 75 per cent of his old self, he would be an asset worth having.

Dyche could have a defensive trick to play but our general play drops off with changes. Maybe stifle them early and work Beto on the counter with Calvert-Lewinlate if needed. I like the idea of Patterson in front of Young but not sure if I would do it away.

Possibly tuck Doucoure inside early to force them to the wings or some other innovation to throw Brighton off stride. There is enough commitment and athleticism to outsmart them for a decent early start. Whether we can find the lanes for possession could be the question but McNeil may have the answer.

With Seamus almost fit again, we don't need a 38-year-old liability, and should stick with building a team for the future, with Patterson aided and supported by the greatest Evertonian in the squad.

Lewis Dunk isn't the quickest so looking forward to Beto in the second half having a go.

Easier said than done but the key is scoring first. If we carry on where left off against Burnley, we should be okay.

Also Estupian and Solly March out injured will be a blow to them, both very decent first-choice players. We will still need to play to our maximum tomorrow to get the win.

Brighton will have more to them than Burnley, but we are in decent form. Hope for the win and, if we do, it will mark further progress under Dyche.

Come on, Blue Boys.

Everton forever.

Should be a good contest of two contrasting styles.

3 matches in less than a week will be a test of fitness for the likes of Calvert-Lewin, Harrison etc and I wonder if we'll be a touch leggy.

McNeil has been good but not great since his return. Wonder if he's saving it up for another Brighton masterclass.

I hope Sean Dyche plays his best starting line-up. I'm no stat geek, but the amount of calm assured interventions and distributions with either foot that Branthwaite makes with no fuss in every game is impressive and is becoming a game-changer. If Jordan Pickford can find his long passes, and short passes with accuracy to Everton players tomorrow, I see Everton out-running Brighton.

Labone, Kenyon, Ratcliffe, Mike Lyons, Jagielka… this lad is going to be a future Everton Captain if the club can get assurance as to the future ownership.

But 40 years on, and what seems, 20 minutes ago, the 1983 season was the beginning of some thing very special for Everton. There's no comparison in the squads on a one-to-one basis but, then and now, some very good players in both Everton teams. That team became a magic team, this team can become a very good team.

But hearts and minds will win the day, and tomorrow, Everton, courtesy of Calvert-Lewin, Garner and McNeil, will seal the win.

There's blue skies forming on the horizon for Everton, regardless of what the media make up – and I believe Evertonians have their own immunity to the bile the media spew out most weeks about the club, in context, to the takeover of the club, and possible actions that the Premier League will impose on Everton FC.

That's what I hope for, a win double of Everton and Hearts this weekend, to beat Rangers on Sunday, hopefully without referee intervention... Sounds familiar, lol. That game last week cost me a few bob on a win double that was accepted as Everton won, which comes first.

UTFTs!

Same tomorrow at Goodison. Those were the days.

UTFTs!

We take it one game at a time and not go on a "if we win these next eminently winnable X number of games we'll be wherever by Christmas" thing.

But, we cannot afford to do that presently.

I don't think we could send Patterson out on loan without leaving us short. How do we know if Seamus can do a job for a season of cup and league games? I don't know if Young and Coleman between them could cover that position for the season either. I think between the 3 of them, they can give Sean Dyche options. Patterson is learning, and having to learn in the fastest league in the world.

And I remember a certain Seamus Coleman, not being trusted by Moyes as full-back for a season or so. If we keep playing like we have been (and I think McNeil and Harrison were overawed and the other place because up to now, since they've come back from injury, the team looks miles better!) we'll give them a game and they'll know now that we have four or five dangerous attacking players... at least!

No guarantee of winning, but I think they'll be more wary this visit.

I think if we could get a point today it would be a decent week.

Patterson is stronger quicker and delivers a better ball in. He has to start.

Those of you travelling to the game today, I hope the recent weather doesn't cause too many problems for you. UTFT

BHA are a tidy outfit.

I bet that's what they said about us in May, Dave.

That’s how I viewed it anyway, and with my non attendance now over, this is the part of the game that I’m looking forward to most today, and believe that if Everton, can show a lot more discipline than last year, we can eventually pull Brighton, into a scrap.

Like most posters I think Dyche will go with Young, which to my mind is a mistake as teams are targeting him, and with Mitoma he'll be in for a long afternoon, and as some have already posted, we probably won't see much of Harrison as an attacking threat.

Saying all of that, I'm going for a 2-1, which will put us mid table(depending on results) and open up a considerable gap on the relegation 'tier'.

Beto to get the third as He is finally getting used to pace of the PL. Seris A is like a walking race compared to the speed of our game.

I think Young will play but I also think he will be targetted and we will lose attacking effectiveness by having to double up.

On the Dele issue, it would be great to have an alternative at number 10 because Duke is desperately limited in that role, but Dele is way too high risk with the current financial arrangements and Levy too much of a hardballer to do anything to alleviate that. He's probably still falling over laughing about how easily he made a very expensive problem go away.

Glad to hear that you have returned to your rightful place on match days at Goodison. It does feel like you are returning at a time when there is a change for the better both on and off the field.

Rob H

Can I assume that it does not need saying that you are hoping for someone other than Young at right back today?

Everton to win with 30% ball possession and keep our improved form going!

Oh you meant the Brighton and H Ferguson ? Wish we had spotted him before they did ! :-)