Match Preview
Everton travel to the City Ground this weekend needing the lift of a positive result after the setback they suffered against Manchester United at Goodison Park.
The Blues went down to a somewhat harsh but, nonetheless, fairly demoralising 3-0 defeat to the Red Devils and were left five points adrift of safety thanks to the 10-point deduction handed down by the Premier League-appointed independent commission and Luton Town's inconvenient win over Crystal Palace.
Sean Dyche's men have been at their best on their travels so far this season, though, and they would have felt as though they did enough in this fixture last season to have taken home all three points, so there is reason for optimism heading into Saturday's clash in the East Midlands.
Everton do have injury concerns, however, with Amadou Onana set to miss out with what has become a troublesome calf issue and it has emerged that Dominic Calvert-Lewin experienced tightness in the same muscle during the defeat to United and his fitness has been managed through the week.
The striker has trained carefully indoors along with Onana, separately from the rest of the team, to give him the best chance of being fit to face Forest.
There was positive news on Beto, though, as he resumed full training after missing out last Sunday with a knock picked up at Finch Farm and he will be available.
Meanwhile, Seamus Coleman put another week's worth of training work behind him as he builds towards his own match fitness and he could make an appearance off the bench if the opportunity arises.
For their part, Forest approach the game sitting in 15th place, with fewer points than Everton would have without the excessive penalty levied against them, with manager Steve Cooper back under scrutiny.
They've only won once in all competitions since the start of September but that solitary victory was a handsome 2-0 Midlands derby triumph over high-flying Aston Villa and, over the past season or so, they have one of the best home records in the top flight.
Cooper will be without his main striker Taiwo Awoniyi and Felipe Monteiro while Ibrahim Sangare is a doubt because of illness but, otherwise, Forest will be at full strength.
Kick-off: 5:30pm, Saturday 2 December, 2023
Referee: Paul Tierney
VAR: Michael Oliver
Last Time: Nottingham Forest 2 - 2 Everton
Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Garner, Harrison, McNeil, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin
Reader Comments (87)
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()
2 Posted 01/12/2023 at 07:45:49
At least if he is the option, not Maupay…
Time to shine Beto!!
3 Posted 01/12/2023 at 08:02:13
That was in a bye gone age imo, because the first thing I noticed when scrolling through this thread was Tierney is refereeing and Oliver is on VA fucking R, and this is unfortunately where football is at right now, and it is slowly sucking the life out of many old school football lovers, imo.
A tough fixture, and one where I would normally say just don't get beat, and although the pressure is mounting in some quarters, I've still got the same opinion, but because that pressure is mounting I'm certain a lot of people will be viewing this game as a must win?
Hopefully the game passes without controversy, and Everton can keep up with their decent form away from Goodison Pk🤞
4 Posted 01/12/2023 at 08:56:40
If he plays, we have every chance. His presence is not always about him finding the net. The team are simply so much better with him in it.
We need the 3 points to bolster confidence. I hope he plays, fingers crossed for him.
5 Posted 01/12/2023 at 10:03:15
I'd play in that gray strip and tell the players Nottingham is in London
6 Posted 01/12/2023 at 10:48:09
We can focus on the football and ignore the circus.
We will no doubt take banter. Give it back. They could be next.
But the most important thing tomorrow are those 90 plus minutes and getting behind those in Royal Blue on the pitch.
Be loud, be clear and be proud.
7 Posted 01/12/2023 at 10:52:53
Following the points deduction, we cannot view the game as a “must not loseâ€, but as a “must win†- such is the pressure brought upon us by the EPL's disproportionate penalty.
8 Posted 01/12/2023 at 11:05:00
9 Posted 01/12/2023 at 11:08:11
10 Posted 01/12/2023 at 11:09:01
11 Posted 01/12/2023 at 11:44:28
This IS a must win.
12 Posted 01/12/2023 at 11:45:17
13 Posted 01/12/2023 at 12:19:56
Could he be any worse than the hapless DCL? powder puff shooting and heading can't hit the barn never mind the door.
14 Posted 01/12/2023 at 12:22:33
Chermiti
McNeil Gana Doucoure Garner McNeil
Myko Branthwaite Tarkowski Patterson
Pickford
SUBS: Virginia, Keane, Coleman, Young, Beto, Dobbin
15 Posted 01/12/2023 at 12:33:08
COYB
WSNBM!
16 Posted 01/12/2023 at 12:34:03
I think tomorrow's game is one we should approach with a ‘must not lose' attitude. Forest will be all out to niggle and disrupt. Our players will need to match that and hopefully produce a few moments of quality as we have done in the away wins in London.
17 Posted 01/12/2023 at 12:39:58
Sin bins are OK for ice hockey but football? I fail to see how it can work on any level.
As others have said this week - just leave the game alone. It's worked fine for years without all this intervention - VAR just complicates everything, instead of making it simpler (the very reason it was introduced).
If we must have technology, OK use it for goal-line stuff, but leave the rest for referees and linesmen (linespeople) to sort out live. When you remove the jeopardy, you remove the joy and fun out of the game - the very reasons every child, and then adult falls in love with the game in the first place.
As for the Forest game - we need to win it, as we need to win every game. I firmly believe if we don't get some of the 10 points back, we're going down.
18 Posted 01/12/2023 at 12:49:07
I can't even begin to think about another potential points deduction.
19 Posted 01/12/2023 at 12:51:39
20 Posted 01/12/2023 at 13:18:15
21 Posted 01/12/2023 at 13:28:39
Well for 90 odd minutes anyway.
As a footballer, you instinctively set out to win. If you can't win, you try not to lose.
Fighting spirit blues. We will be there with you.
22 Posted 01/12/2023 at 14:49:45
23 Posted 01/12/2023 at 14:54:51
24 Posted 01/12/2023 at 15:04:30
25 Posted 01/12/2023 at 15:05:13
I think the Forest game is a must win game for us, as are all the games we have yet to play against the teams outside to the top 6, who we rarely beat anyway.
Of our remaining 25 games, 11 are v the Sky 6, 2 are v Newcastle and 1 each v Villa and Brighton. That leaves 10 almost must win games plus hoping we can get some more surprising results in the other much tougher games.
That would still probably only give us a total of 34 points ( a half decent 44 without the deduction) so we have to hope the other bottom teams continue to be really bad for the rest of the season and if nothing else we HAVE to beat them, which up to now we haven't done in the league (Luton and Sheff Utd).
Fingers well and truly crossed.
26 Posted 01/12/2023 at 15:15:51
Take 10 minutes and calm down where appropriate rather than being booked or sent off.
Almost a traffic light system. Yellow = sin bin. Amber = booking in the current context. Red is red.
27 Posted 01/12/2023 at 15:32:25
I would propose a 3 card system with green for the first foul, yellow the second and then red. This would reduce the number of red cards imo which tend to ruin a game and would give the players fair warning that they have to knock it off.
28 Posted 01/12/2023 at 15:50:27
I'd be far more in favour of that than anything else anyone has come up with. It's also a far more organic progression of the games rules if you look at it historically.
Keep the game simple - VAR has proven that new technology doesn't lend itself well to the game, and sin bins would just be yet another bone of contention which everyone would argue about - an orange card is a good halfway house in my view.
29 Posted 01/12/2023 at 15:50:51
And even if by some miracle we do manage to accrue enough points to avoid being in the bottom three by April, we are being fast tracked by the EPL for a second points deduction hearing to be completed in May, according to the Times. This leak was made deliberately to destroy any confidence our players have in staying up.
So all we can do is go down fighting. Hopefully, our finishing will be better tomorrow and we avoid VAR penalties and/or sendings off. I hope DCL is fit enough to start as losing Onana is already a significant blow.
We desperately need a morale boosting win. Chermiti to get a late winner. COYB.
30 Posted 01/12/2023 at 15:52:11
I don't know why they just don't get the sly six clubs to play each other eight times a season and let the rest of us get on with the battle to stay in the league.
31 Posted 01/12/2023 at 16:00:31
32 Posted 01/12/2023 at 16:13:59
33 Posted 01/12/2023 at 16:30:57
Nowhere else on the site to ask.
Regards
Brian
34 Posted 01/12/2023 at 16:45:46
Try here as well mate
https://www.toffeeweb.com/season/23-24/comment/general/44150.html
35 Posted 01/12/2023 at 17:16:27
36 Posted 01/12/2023 at 17:42:25
I believe we need to win this game, looking at the fixtures we've got coming up and given that our home form is inept still, I think going away to Forest really represents a great chance to take three points and stick the middle finger up to that vermin in the Premier League.
37 Posted 01/12/2023 at 18:06:08
38 Posted 01/12/2023 at 18:15:03
Although we are now more of a goal threat we still miss too many chances to be confident of winning games.
Here's hoping.
39 Posted 01/12/2023 at 18:31:33
Is DCL fit? I watched Dyche's presser but kinda missed if he spoke about him.
40 Posted 01/12/2023 at 18:55:02
41 Posted 01/12/2023 at 19:07:25
I think he will, 'have their number' and we will execute the right tactics, take our chances and emerge with victory. COYB.
The stupendously fantastic away support will greatly assist in the achievement of the win.
Negativity and lack of belief are enemies of achievement.
We need to keep the faith, keep the belief and transmit that spirit to the lads on the pitch. Easier said than done, but our away support do it better than any. I believe that is a massive part of our away record this season.
Huge thanks to the brilliant support. ðŸ‘🼠UTFT.
42 Posted 01/12/2023 at 19:41:00
He's tall, ungainly and likely a bit erratic with his finishing, but just when you think he's hopeless, a towering header out of nowhere or an instinctive shot from a tight angle will go in.
I felt we would beat Palace and I have the same feeling about this one.
43 Posted 01/12/2023 at 21:06:30
'new2sportnews.com' whenever I choose to visit ToffeeWeb.
Have any others had this issue, or has ToffeeWeb gone into partnership with another site, or perhaps, the flagged site has somehow managed to piggy-back itself onto TW?
44 Posted 01/12/2023 at 21:07:02
COYB! (or UTFT!)
ps: if Everton will be relegated, I will continue to support them no matter what. Nil Satis Nisi Optimum, whether it is right or wrong, no matter what!
45 Posted 01/12/2023 at 21:14:30
I have an issue on my phone when I go to ToffeeWeb it immediately diverts to some kind of spam site that gets a similar safety warning.
46 Posted 01/12/2023 at 21:20:56
Same here, same Spam attack thing happens when I try to open ToffeeWeb. I close the spam page, then I can get to TW.
It's a slight ball ache though, and a concern.
Hopefully whatever it is, is sorted soon.
47 Posted 01/12/2023 at 21:33:40
48 Posted 01/12/2023 at 21:35:33
49 Posted 01/12/2023 at 21:35:46
I did that immediately and they sent an apology and were so sympathetic to my plight, that they put a tenner in my bank account, to help me get by.
Editorial Team
50 Posted 01/12/2023 at 21:54:00
52 Posted 01/12/2023 at 23:14:48
53 Posted 01/12/2023 at 00:02:47
I'm worried that certain players will give up, and already have the agents looking for a way out of shit street if we go down, even jumping ship in January. You think this squad will start playing out of their skins because of what's happened? Watch this space. PS, yes I'm getting a bit fed up with the premier league,s bull shit best league in the world con, and players on God knows wages just not giving 100%. I Wish the chosen six had left for pastures millions greener, then we would have had a truly honest even competitive league. Rant over Coyb.
54 Posted 02/12/2023 at 00:36:25
55 Posted 02/12/2023 at 02:16:51
It must be the luck of the Irish, send me all your details and see if it works for me too! 🤔😜
Looking forward to this game like every game, but having watched Forest a few times, they are no mugs, in fact I don't believe there are any bad teams in the Premier League. Points on the table aren't always a fair representation. Bent reffing and VARs can see to that !
Calvert-Lewin being a possible absentee, is a bit of a blow, and while he hasn't scored in the last few games, he has led the line admirably. Patterson for Young should be a no-brainer.
COYB ðŸ‘ðŸ™ðŸ™
56 Posted 02/12/2023 at 04:08:32
You seem to forget that, due to the remarkable foresight by the board, we were without a recognized goalscorer for those games.
Since Calvert-Lewin came back, we have looked a totally different proposition, beating Villa, Palace and West Ham away and Bournemouth and Burnley at home and were looking to have a better season until the Premier League decided to torpedo us.
57 Posted 02/12/2023 at 04:22:16
COYBs!!!!
58 Posted 02/12/2023 at 08:44:47
Last week was a bit of a strange day, the once in a lifetime goal, coupled with not burying three very good chances to counter that , tap into the passion and anger set the story for the game.
After that it is massively important we try to wrestle momentum back, we cannot afford to slip into reverse gear. Nottingham Forest are a bit more stable this season, picking up enough scrappy wins. The secret today is the timeless one of defending well , silencing the home crowd and being clinical with our chances.
Above all don't concede first, whilst not impossible the stats are appalling when we do - one point in the eight games we've gone behind in. Dyche needs to do something about that, it's partly his job to change things up offensively in match and get the right mentality into the players to deal with it.
With Dom having a knock it's time to give Beto his opportunity. Along with Danjuma, hopefully Patterson or Seamus in at Right back. With the crazy schedule coming up it's important to start using our squad to keep everyone fit and fresh.
Prediction; Notts Forest 1 Everton 2. COYBLUES!
59 Posted 02/12/2023 at 08:57:14
They were either the worst cyber hackers ever or the most desperate. Don't they know we are potless and pointless?
Unless they were looking to syphon money to us as a gesture of compassion.
60 Posted 02/12/2023 at 09:04:18
Doucoure has gotta get that petulance sorted and channel it into a productive 90.
Calvert-Lewin (if he plays) has gotta show some form. We know Young will be right back even if he was just a torso. So that's where Forest will hit us.
Gaye needs to stay and cover, let Garner roam. Refs and VARs are gonna go heavily against us as we know.
Good luck lads. COYB
61 Posted 02/12/2023 at 09:35:04
Hoping for a win, but I would settle for 1 point.
62 Posted 02/12/2023 at 09:35:13
Don't risk Calvert-Lewin, we have been there far too often, give either Beto or Chermiti a start.
63 Posted 02/12/2023 at 09:45:32
However, I felt optimistic last week so hopefully expectation and results will reverse again. We badly need a win – this is a six pointer, no mistake – but I fear a draw. At least their big unit striker (whose name escapes me) is out.
64 Posted 02/12/2023 at 09:56:50
Player of the season so far at both ends of the pitch.
Bonus: He will also draw players across the pitch away from Ashley Young.
65 Posted 02/12/2023 at 10:01:41
A draw would be a decent result in reality.
66 Posted 02/12/2023 at 10:26:40
Big problem is we have 2 main strikers who've scored 3 league goals between them in 13 games (admittedly Beto hasn't played that much). We simply have to take chances when they come and hopefully today that will start.
67 Posted 02/12/2023 at 10:39:36
Hopefully Dyche will make the right selections.
68 Posted 02/12/2023 at 11:05:49
Firstly, the opposition clubs may not be so grand but their players are not inferior. Today, Forest will field a side at least equal to ours. We do not have better players.
Secondly, often due to lack of money and innovation (and a horribly small club mentality), we persistently fail to invest in our attack. We are left with a side capable of scoring goals on the counter or at set pieces – but not from dominant possession.
We struggle to break down any patient organised side basically because we just don't have enough talent (and sometimes ambition) in attack. This hurts the home form most, because the onus is on us to attack and we can't do it.
69 Posted 02/12/2023 at 11:32:47
I was mainly pointing out that this 'disease' has been with us for a long time now. I find it criminal we lost to Luton and, when Sheff Utd come to Goodison, if we don't beat them, then we don't deserve to stay up (though we may already be down by then).
I don't look upon Forest as one of those inferior teams and think we'll be lucky to get a point in all honesty.
70 Posted 02/12/2023 at 11:37:07
We should be all right this financial year with the Iwobi and Gordon sales and some off the wages bill, if we have gone over again then we really have screwed up in accounts and only have ourselves to blame, I cannot see it though.
Anyway let's get the 3 points in the bag today and with Newcastle coming up we have to hope Doucoure and Branthwaite can avoid picking up a yellow card, if Young starts and gets a yellow, at least we know he will not play against Newcastle with his 5th booking.
Bit of a tightrope now with BranthswaIte and Doucoure both on 4 yellow cards.
I'm going for a 2-nil win.
71 Posted 02/12/2023 at 11:45:46
We've said it a thousand times, like a broken record but we need that tenacious, goalscoring no10 ….sadly for nowt ! Kevin Thelwell is a shrewd operator, so maybe he can deliver something.
Dele has the quality, but with him it's all hope rather than any expectation.
72 Posted 02/12/2023 at 11:58:10
Anyway it got switched to Sunday 7th October 1990, my birthday, I set off early and instead of getting on at Manchester Pic, I got clever and thought jump the train to Stockport and catch the train there, wrong choice, trains diverted that Sunday, don't run through Stockport, so jumped on a train back to Manchester Piccadilly, bad choice, first and only stop Liverpool Lime street, so ended up back in Liverpool.
Managed to finally get a train to Nottingham, missed part of the first half, finally got in and already a goal down, then Neil McDonald scored a blinder to put us level, happy Days, that was as good as it got, Hodge and Jemson banged a goal each in to make the final score 3-1 for Forest and a shitty birthday and train ride home, never a lucky ground for me the City ground, shitty open end corner with a floodlight in the away end terracing.
So you owe me a performance today Everton, do not even care if it ricochets off someone's backside and we get a scrappy one nil win, as long as we get a win there.
73 Posted 02/12/2023 at 12:22:35
Yes we have had three good away wins in London but are still vulnerable.
The midfield is still weak and cannot cope well with other teams who work harder and are stronger in the tackle.
Forest will cause problems and like Luton, Fulham and Wolves will hope to score first and deflate Everton.
I wish I could be more confident but there isn't much there to have confidence about.
Young starting again, DCL nursing an injury again, and Onana out is all disconcerting.
I fear the midfield will struggle again.
They played quite well against Manure but not scoring and conceding inside two minutes does not get you much.
74 Posted 02/12/2023 at 12:36:36
he gets a yellow card. Very simple really. Orange cards and
sins bins? Probably the same person who thought up the Rwanda scheme and the phasing out of smoking.
VAR is sucking the enjoyment out of the game. The VAR officials are now running the game through the referee's earpiece and the standard of refereeing is falling off a cliff. Maybe someone can start a petition for its abolition.
Think a draw us favourite today but who knows what VAR will serve up
75 Posted 02/12/2023 at 12:38:15
76 Posted 02/12/2023 at 12:39:43
The Goose Fair is nothing to do with geese these days but the whole city seemed to converge onto Foerest Fields to partake in the usual fairgroud rides and meet giant men in kilts and watch the boxing booths where drunk local thugs would have the shit punched out of them by hard old bastards.
Don't think I ever saw us win there.
As for this afternoon, I am worried that all the "noise" has got to our group.
Without DCL, we will lack an outball and we know that Young has a big fat target on his back.
We all need a sign that these lads can dig in for a result.
77 Posted 02/12/2023 at 13:08:02
With you going a lot of games in the Midlands not sure the game I am on about is before your time down there, it was around 81-82 I think, we played Birmingham City and think it finished 1 all, was a night match, it was one of the first games Southall played in, and when I got back home, I said to my dad he is going to be a cracking goal keeper, I got that one right he had a blinder that night, wasn't his debut but one of the early games he played in.
78 Posted 02/12/2023 at 13:17:49
79 Posted 02/12/2023 at 13:46:21
80 Posted 02/12/2023 at 13:48:40
81 Posted 02/12/2023 at 13:48:51
82 Posted 02/12/2023 at 13:54:07
83 Posted 02/12/2023 at 13:57:21
I remember that game well, HK was the best player on the park by a mile.
Oh and the heating broke on the train going home bloody freezing!
84 Posted 02/12/2023 at 14:27:08
Would love to see / hear " we are the bleeding champions " echo out every time we get a throw in. Cheer leaders ! Bollocks to that, let's have naked wrestling in jelly. Anything to detract from the shite offered up on the pitch. Football needs sexing up.
85 Posted 02/12/2023 at 14:51:25
Did anyone see that lower league goal in midweek, goalkeeper had ball did a flop on the floor time wasting, ball squirmed out of his grasp when he hit the floor leaving a tap in for the opposing player who must have thought xmas has come early, wish I could remember what game it was.
86 Posted 02/12/2023 at 15:06:05
As the game ticked over into stoppage time, referee Darren Drysdale awarded Wycombe a drop ball after Stryjek had gone down following a Barnsley corner.
Stryjek attempted to waste time by delaying picking up the ball, allowing Cosgrove to close him down.
The Polish keeper eventually picked up the ball but fell over and spilled it after coming into light contact with the Barnsley striker.
Stryjek appealed for a free-kick but the referee waved play on, allowing Cosgrove to hit the ball into an empty net.
"I've been desperate for that first goal. I've been contributing in other ways on the pitch but to get that first goal is nice," added Cosgrove, who joined on a free transfer from Birmingham in September.
"Yeah there's a bit of contact but nowhere near enough for him to fall on the floor. There was no chance I wasn't going to put the ball in the back of the net and it is up to the ref then to make that decision.
"Keepers notoriously get a lot more decisions going for them, they can be a bit more vulnerable going up to get balls. But in that scenario like that there is absolutely no need to go down in that fashion, so kudos to the ref."
Have a look at that goal be on YouTube somewhere, comedy gold.
87 Posted 02/12/2023 at 15:44:27
I see Burnley and Luton have improved just at the time when we have got points deduction. We need run of games where we win. Otherwise this time we are in much difficult position.
88 Posted 02/12/2023 at 16:19:40
This is why it was important to have proper backup to Calvert-Lewin. Great opportunity for Beto to stake his claim, looking forward to seeing how he does.
COYBLUES!
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.
How to get rid of these ads and support TW


1 Posted 01/12/2023 at 07:16:05
Does anyone know?