Bournemouth vs Everton

He may not be the most finesse player, but he does the hard graft.

Totally leftfield - yes. Almost like getting to first base in Moneyball. A free kick or corner is first base for this team. However, if Arsenal find scoring off more set pieces helps them lift the title, then why not push for more free kicks through set pieces? Set piece XG.

Harrison hasn't impressed on the right, Godfrey did well enough in odd game - but has done little to convince he's an answer at right back. Calvert Lewin has disappointed, but is fed on scraps.

Pickford
Coleman
Tarkowski
Branthwaite
Mykolenko

Garner right midfield
Onana
Gana
Doucoure
Mcneil

Calvert Lewin

This is a big test, Bournemouth have progressed well under Areola, any points will be hard earned.

I remember the 3-3 a good few years ago, Barkley did well but we couldn't win. He must have had deja vu a couple of weeks ago.

Big test, time to start winning.

I don't think the team/system needs massive change. We just need Doucoure back on form and for Beto or Calvert-Lewin to start putting away a few more chances.

Pickford
Coleman Tarkowski Branthwaite Mykolenko
Harrison Gueye Onana McNeil
Doucoure
Beto

Win your duels. Keep concentrated. Put away your chances. And we should be able to come away with a point or 3.

UTFTs!

I was thinking the same on Dele.

Christy,

I agree on Gomes but then I think to myself “how far have we fallen that this highly overpaid non-contributor actually is one of our better players now?”

Gana is good defensively but imo it doesn't balance out for his lack of offensive skill. He is fuckin shite with the ball and cannot shoot to save his life. It's actually pathetic and pisses me off.

Gana is past his sell-by date and needs to only come off the bench if we are 2-0 up to sure things up. The game starts at 0-0 so we obviously need to score, he offers nothing!

Also, to raise funds this summer, can we bin Pickford off in an attempt to keep Jazza, and give Virginia the spot. Or flog both of them if we need to, fuck it, over 100 million bones for my beloved Everton would be crucial.

I would certainly have Gueye and Coleman starting the game, McNeil and Harrison have had much-needed rests so would start the pair of them as well. I would probably start with Calvert- Lewin as well, the rest picks itself.

Yes, the story finally confirmed in today's Echo – only about 3 weeks after it happened – but hey, Dyche hardly ever bothers calling him off the bench, so no big miss really.

Everton suffer fresh injury blow after Lewis Dobbin involved in freak training ground clash

It'll be interesting to see what team he puts out. He may even surprise us by not a playing Godfrey at right back.

The problem is always getting the right combination on the day with goals that can kill off the opposition.

Everton have struggled in that department as we all know only too well and we all know the reason.

For the next ten games each will be a cup-tie and a real battle to get the points. We need a full commitment from every player in every game.

Some games we will come up empty but others are up for grabs on paper.

Would be nice to put the damper on Klopp's last Derby match but nice things like that don't happen to Everton.

One of the daftest things I've read on here in a long while. Gana is key for us and I dearly pray that he can play tomorrow.

I completely agree with Christy (3): "Gueye, Coleman and Gomes should be in the first 11 on Saturday".

Alas, I think that Gomes is not fit; Gana might not make it either; and I have no clue what mule Dyche is up to but he is on a big fat failing grade for what he has done at right back.

Let's just hope that our three wise baldies get it right tomorrow.

Safe travels to Rob, Neil, Danny etc.

Don't care who comes in but not having won a league game this year is a disgrace and as the manager that's down to him I'm afraid. If he insists on playing the same players and system, that will be his downfall.

For fuck's sake, Sean just try something different and don't wait until we are either behind or 80 minutes to change it if it's not working,

Hoping for a victory tomorrow but can't help thinking it will be the same shit show again.

Onana can hold down the midfield as he also offers fuck-all going forward, only a big presence at set pieces. We need goals!!!

“Since the turn of the year, Simms is the most prolific goalscorer in the top four divisions with 13 goals in 18 games in all competitions and his quick double put Coventry in control in a dominant first half.”

Cue debate about whether we should have kept and played him or gone ahead with buying Beto.

Luton's next two, Spurs and Arsenal difficult again. If we get 5 points from the next three games I'll be happy, 6 points, even happier.

Doesn't matter who is in charge, they always believe whatever comes out of the youth system is shit.

I raised this very same point (twice) on a previous thread during his stellar second-half performance against Wolves 2 weeks ago but Simms seems to have dropped out of favour at Goodison the minute he equalised against Chelsea last season.

Given our poor record at the academy, it is really worrying that an attacker with potential was let go when silly money (we didn't have) was wasted on players like Maupay and Beto.

1,500 there tomorrow, possibly more. 3,000 making the trip to Newcastle 3 days later for a night match. Then there will be 37,000 at Goodison against Burnley, which is already sold out.

Turn up on the pitch, Blues, because those supporters will do. Show the same commitment.

Hopefully a win tomorrow. Enjoyed the break. Safe journey all.

It goes without saying we have little offense so I will take any 1-0 victory in those games but defensively we have to be sound no matter what.

We cannot rely on other results as at this time of the season when some clubs are safe and have no place to go, the results can be somewhat unexpected.

Yes, he played well against Wolves but that was a one-off.

He wasn't up to it at Everton and 1 goal in the games he played proved it. Stop going on about it – he's not our player.

I wish we could've kept him as well but we needed to trim the squad for financial reasons whilst keeping a reasonably strong and experienced first 15.

Thanks, Bill.

I don't care who is playing for us tomorrow.

Those privileged to wear the Royal Blue shirt get my backing.

Mark, see you at Chelsea and Parsons Green. I'll take your advice on this one as I sometimes get myself into difficult conversations in the wrong places!!

I have always been behind Dyche but his stubbornness is definitely making me rethink; my support is misplaced.

As for Ellis Simms, I always advocated we should have hung on to him, but given him a decent run. Not 5 minutes here and there, which seems to be Dyche's Mantra! When I heard he was going to Coventry, I fully expected Gyökeres coming to us as a part of the deal, now top scorer for Lisbon.

That made me 🤔😉

He won't go 353 so:-

Pickford
Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko
Garner, Gana, Onana, McNeil
Doucoure
Beto.

Up the Blues!!!

Might even inspire them to win the remaining matches and put all our our frazzled minds at rest.

But as the travelling blue army head to the south coast, I like to respect a very special Evertonian that has touched many and is devoted to Everton.

I wish you well George McKane and know you will following. God Bless.

I hope I haven't offended, but you are part of our Everton family. More so than me.

After a very long and much needed break, I'm just hoping Everton will be refreshed, and some of the most loyal fans in the country, witness a proper performance today.

Good shout Danny, because Everton have got people all over the world rooting for them, whatever their individual circumstances may be, wherever and whenever they play, and people always take pride In a spirited performance

Then our defence is quite resilient, and it will need to be because if Bournemouth are behind I he second half they throw men forward in support. I've noticed a prevalent tactic of constantly getting two men around the full back to guarantee the service into the box. It will be a busy day for our midfielders stopping this. It's a reason that Gana could play a pivotal part in this match breaking their attacks up. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts today.
I'm expecting a good competitive game and a narrow win for us, with Pickford MOTM.

COYBLUES!

A point wouldn't be the end of the world, but a defeat shouldn't be an option.

We cant keep relying on the teams around us to keep on losing, we have to start helping ourselves, especially as there could be another points deduction coming our way next week.

Unfortunately he will be sacrificed by us for the money and will only see the stadium from the away dressing room. So sad. :(

You can't argue with the cold hard facts pal.

That said maybe it was folly to release him given the way Beto has turned out.

Chermiti is a different story because we've hardly seen anything of the lad save a few cameos.

Hindsight and all that mate enjoy the game, I'm going for a comfortable 3- or 4-nil win.

We are due a good result, my gut is not often wrong.

Calvert-Lewin to get 1 maybe 2 goals and McNeil 1, Bournemouth are definitely beatable, today's the day.

Verses DCL, is it one goal difference but a huge difference in minutes on the pitch? Hard to say if Beto has been a good or bad. He's still learning the league and the team are still learning to play him in the way he wants.

Not trying to put pressure on DCL by the way, as Carlo worked out the best way to play the ball into him and we haven't seen a Digne type ball in in 2024!

This would suggest if Myko doesn't want to go beyond McNeil, then either Patterson or Coleman needs to be released at some point in the game to overlap and put the ball in the way both strikers want, and even Duke. Let's see.

The profit we are set to make on JB will probably make him equivalent to about 10% of the entire project. Decent legacy in my eyes.

As always, I hope people properly analyse what happens in the game before they resort to their pet peeves.

As I've posted before, I am just praying that the players have taken it to heart that the previous 28 games now don't really matter at all and if they can bring it all together and produce the goods for all of the remaining 10 games this can still become a successful season and they can hold their heads up high.

It will all hinge on whether we start to convert a reasonable number of chances so I'm hoping for a quick and effective start for a refreshed and focussed group. COYB!