Everton vs Leicester City

If, at this point in the season, Leicester comes looking for a point, they deserve to go back down.

3 points has to be a definite in this fixture. Hopefully keep the momentum going from midweek.

Anyway the Everton shirt in this lot is pure class:

They'll be thrashed doing so, but I'll respect them for attacking.

Learn from Thursday, Bobby, and you are clearly smart and a student of the game: let Barkley roam free in the hole and Rom will prosper.

Width! Lennon and one other.

Tell Jags and John it’s okay to play it long then and now.

Tell Howard that Joel is a tad – an inch – behind him in the pecking order.

Play Garbutt!

Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Stones, Garbutt; McCarthy, Besic; Lennon, Mirallas, Barkley; Lukaku – hat-trick hero, worth every penny.

Everton 3 Leicester 0

I would personally like to see Garbutt again and would put Oviedo ahead of him. Perhaps: Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Stones, Garbutt; Mirallas, McCarthy, Besic, Oviedo; Barkley; Lukaku.

Though, as I say, I think Martinez will play Naismith instead of Garbutt and have Oviedo at left back.

I was at that game at the Boleyn Ground. Heady days indeed. Joe Max Moore got the other goal, and Barmby was flying high in the minds of Evertonians, with our Chairman the main cheerleader for getting him into the England squad, whereupon of course he was got at and engineered his "dream move" across the park. With Rooney following a similar path 4 years later, Evertonians have rightly been suspicious of any of our players getting into the England reckoning (with the possible exception of Osman).

Anyway, this game is a must-win. If we can't break down teams like Leicester at home, then we deserve to be where we are and Martinez deserves to be looking for employment come the summer.

I think if we score first we will win; I'm hoping Thursday's win will give us the confidence to turn our season round.

We need to win this as much as them though.

Robles Alcaraz Oviedo Gibson Atsu Barkley Kone

If that team can't beat Leicester at home, there is something seriously wrong. We need to take the game to them and attack like we did on Thursday. Anything other than a win tomorrow and we are right in the soup.

Howard
Coleman Jagielka Stones Garbutt
Besic McCarthy
Lennon Barkley Naismith
Lukaku

Subs: Robles, Alcaraz, Oviedo/Baines, Gibson, Atsu, Mirallas, Kone.

I have much higher hopes for the McCarthy/Besic axis... but even if the pair are a massive success tomorrow, I have no doubt Barry will walk straight back into the team, sadly.

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Garbutt
Besic McCarthy
Lennon Barkley Baines.
Lukaku

Subs: Robles Distin Mirallas Naismith Kone Gibson Atsu

I don't think Oviedo, Osman or Pienaar will be fit enough to be risked.

Good philosophy there, mate, I also like your proposed team with Garbutt on from the start (assuming Oviedo has picked up a hamstring tweak). Although I don't think it's merely a foregone conclusion, that a win will automatically follow the brilliant midweek performance. I have always thought (from what I have seen of Leicester) that they are only a player or two short of being a decent side.

Especially with survival being high on their list, they could be the 'wounded tiger' and should be given that sort of respect.

I hope complacency, and the wrong team selection, does not get in the way of another home win.

COYB

I find it hard to swallow that Garbutt will be leaving in the summer. There's no way he will sign a new contract while being 3rd choice LB – a real travesty because he's young, has a terrific left peg and looks a real prospect.

I wouldn't mind Astu starting tomorrow, his confidence will be high after shining at African Cup of Nations.

Baines will be reaching the twilight of his career and will need replacing. We have a very talented young player in Garbutt and he will walk if not given the opportunities he deserves.

What I think Martinez should do is sign up Garbutt on a long-term contract and then loan him out for a full season at one of the top/mid-table German or Spanish teams like Wolfsburg or Real Sociedad. (I know Wolfsburg are 2nd in the Bundesliga right now.) This way, Luke gets to develop his ability in a top league playing regular football and Everton don't lose an excellent future prospect.

Whatever happens, I don't want us to lose out on this lad – he is going to be special. A long term back 4 of Coleman, Stones, Galloway/Browning, Garbutt sounds very, very exciting.

You said you've seen "nothing" to warrant Baines being first choice.

I've seen Garbutt play well when he's played and put in a few good balls but not enough to take the place of the best left back in the league.

Lukaku will guarantee 15-20 League goals a season, so if we can get some support around him, any forward thinking midfielder should be able to find a bit of space.

Why we always struggle to find a consistency in our scoring always baffles me. A certain club across the park seem to find prolific strikers one after the other. List every RS striker since the 70s and they have this uncanny knack of unearthing players who are able put the ball in the back of the net.

Our leading scorers over the past 20 years have struggled to get into double figures. Take a look here ; Everton Goalscorers

I'm still not convinced that Nais and Barkley should be in the same team.

I would much sooner see strength in MF with Lukaku and Mirallas or Lennon up front with a MF of McCarthy, Besic, Barkley and Oviedo (if fit) or Baines with Garbutt at LB if Oviedo baby is not fit.

It will be tight but if we don't allow a pressing game against us and show strength in midfield we should be looking at 3 points.

Of course I told him to piss off but it just shows that nobody fears us it seems so we need to be on our mettle tomorrow. It is not going to be the walkover some people are expecting on the back of that magnificent win on Thursday.

I like everyone else don't want to see him leave but from what I've heard the club have offered him two very good long term deals with improvements and bonuses for first team starts but the lad wants £30k a week when he's not a first team regular. If he was that good he would be forcing Baines and Oviedo out of the way and leaving the manager no choice.

If he won't sign a reasonable deal then say goodbye, Baines is still our best left back and Oviedo has done well for us and will only get better with time.

We can't take things for granted – just look at the Chelsea result today.

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Garbutt
Besic McCarthy
Lennon Barkley Mirallas
Lukaku

With Osman, Naismith and Kone coming on if they park the bus and we can't open them up.

Mind you, Lukaku should be full of confidence.

2-0 to us.

The starting eleven is anybody's guess these but it seems for sure Besic will replace Barry and Lennon may replace Mirallas who looks out of form. The usual tactics apply and that is be patient and keep it tight in the midfield.

If, and it's a big 'if', we are ever in a position to give them even 5 minutes, then do so. Just being on the bench will do wonders for these kids.

Leicester have got fight but they're really not a great side, hopefully we can score early to settle the nerves and force them to attack more, which will play to our strengths.

I would like to see Garbutt start if Baines isn't 100%. Besic and McCarthy in the middle is a must/given, and up front Barkley seemed to work really well in the hole against YBs so I would play him there with Lennon out wide. I wouldn't like to see Naismith shoehorned out wide so I would go with Mirallas on the other flank. Hopefully the likes of Pienaar and Osman have enough in the tank for the bench.

Lennon, Barkley and Mirallas behind Lukaku must surely be enough to see off the Leicester defence. Pace, guile and for once proper width on either side.

Howard
Coleman, Stones, Jagielka, Garbutt
Besic, McCarthy
Lennon, Barkley, Mirallas
Lukaku

Everton 3 Leicester 0 (here's hoping)

Garbutt from what I've seen is very near the finished article, better footballer than Baines and a lot younger.

Is it any wonder we have an ageing squad when we sell our best young talent? It would be criminal to let the lad go and I would rather see Baines go than him tbh. It's no coincidence the shite are sniffing round him either, they know what a player he is... and will be.

Myself Robles by a landslide. He has more heart than Howard has ever displayed.

I suspect, in fact, that Robles may be installed as our keeper next season and that Tim will move on.

But I think all Evertonians are grateful for what Howard has offered to the club and I for one would be delighted if he were to become an ambassador for us in your country (I think you are American?) in due course. I feel we've failed to capitalise on the Howard effect in the US after the World Cup.

Garbutt's played about 200 mins in a senior Everton shirt – does anyone know if he can throw a tackle in, win a header, or actually defend against decent opposition?

Now don't get me wrong: I'm not saying he doesn't look a top prospect; I've fancied him since day one – his left foot and temperament on the pitch have impressed me no end. I definitely don't want to see him leave, but to hold the club to ransom before he's even established himself as a first team player is taking the piss!

It's a tricky one for the club and the player. If it wasn't for Oviedo, he would be on the bench every week and playing a lot more but, like I said earlier, if he was that good in training he would be pushing Baines or Oviedo out the way!

Oviedo seems to have the right attitude – Garbutt should take a leaf out of his book.

Must win against Leicester – complacency can bring you undone.

Up the Blues.

Anichebe was a fully fledged first team squad member when his contract talks stalled and a figure of £30k was bandied around and he got booed by the Goodison crowd... so what makes Garbutt thinks he deserves £1.5 million a year to fill in now and again?

Can Martinez then turn Baines into a Lahm-esque central midfield playmaker and keep all three? I'd love it if that happened, but realistically one will probably want to leave at some point.

I don't see why we should drop our most reliable player for a guy who has decided to leave. Oviedo at left-midfield is a good shout. But I can see him wanting to go in the summer too. He's an international left-back.

All clubs tap players up and their agents keep them notified, it's possible that's what is happening here... It wouldn't be the first time: it went that way with Barmby.

Going with Mr Glassers team. Except I'd stick Oviedo in there (if fit). He looks to be regaining some form after that horrific injury.

We must be wary of the counter attack though, and we need to move the ball quickly like we did in mid-week, or we will have a frustrating day. Hopefully that game will give us some confidence, and we can start to find some form.

Also, Atsu deserves more than a five-minute sub appearance after his recent showing at international level. People say he's done nothing since joining us, but Martinez hasn't exactly given him many opportunities has he? Another case of why sign a loanee and then not use them?

As for Garbutt, good, yes, but he can't expect to displace two international left backs on the back of a few decent showings that have mostly come in sub appearances.

And, no way should Gibson start in place of Besic. Mo is one of the finds of the season, perhaps the one really good thing Martinez has done for us this year. He should start with McCarthy, and these two should be a first choice pairing by next season. We can win today, but don't be over confident or we could come unstuck!

Living near Leicester, their supporters fancy this match and if Nugent plays, he'll be fired up.

How many corners fail to beat the first man? He rarely gets forward as much as he used to as well. There is no reason a rookie left back like Garbutt should be looking far more dangerous in the opposition third than Baines.

As John Malone mentioned, we need to see more of Garbutt's defensive side to determine if he has that in his locker too, but I'd be surprised if someone who has played left back at many levels, including regularly in the lower leagues and at international level, is unable to defend to a reasonable standard.

I for one will be gutted if Garbutt fails to sign. He's a quality up and coming youngster who I'm sure will be fighting with Luke Shaw for the England left back slot in 3 or 4 years time. A club like ours needs to hold onto and develop this kind of talent. Browning is another such player who hasn't got the game time I think his ability deserves.

No excellent or even semi-decent Pienaar = no excellent Baines... always had been, always will be.

It doesn't even really mitigate why Baines seems to get forward less, although it might indicate why the forward play he does contribute to is perhaps not as successful as it was.

We've only seen Garbutt in short cameos, but the quality of his delivery just seems consistently superb and consistently better than Baines. The ball he put in for Lukaku in Bern that was 2 yards out from the goal is a prime example.

Personally, I think we should go all out to keep all three LBs and try to use at least two of them as LMs once in a while so they can all get regular games (just like Coleman did at RM when he first came). Baines is still the best of the three imo but he's also now 30 whilst the other two are much younger. Martinez needs to manage them well enough so as to keep them relatively happy.

Given we've been trying to shoehorn the likes of Eto'o, Naismith and Barkley into the wide AM positions all season, I'm really surprised by how little we're used any of our LBs at LM this season – especially when we've been crying out for pace, width and decent delivery into the box from the flanks.

I hope we keep Garbutt as he looks like he's got great potential and a great temperament. It would be a real cock-up by the club if he went at the end of the season because of an extra £10k a week or so. Granted he's not played that much but his potential deserves it. We'll also never know if he can make it if he's not getting regular game time.

If the likes of Shaw are going for £27M(!) we shouldn't be arsing around over an extra £10k/week or whatever he's asking for. It will cost us a hell of a lot more to replace him.

I hope he starts today, Baines can use the practical dead rubber of YBs to get some match fitness back.

If you play Gibson ahead of Besic then you deserve all the flak that your surely going to get. I am a Martinez man, I was desperate for him to come to us, I thought he was going to the Redshite and couldnt sleep worrying about it. So RM, please keep the positive play going and bring back the School of Science ethic, and remember we are Everton.

We just haven't had many of them. Who have we tried there in Pienaar's absence?

When Baines doesn't have that player he's still a top player. We just judge him against a different standard to others based on his phenomenal (note: using the word appropriately here) over many years. For a while there he was almost a one man team – from left back!

Garbutt looks good but he hasn't put anything like a performance that would match Baines' average offering.

It is not going to be easy but if Leicester do not park the bus we will win.

Looking forward to seeing Besic and McCarthy together and Lennon on the wing.
COYB!

This will be the Leighton Baines who has been living of his reputation for 2-3 years whilst during the same period has scored 19 goals and contributed 26 assists. The most of any defender in Europe.

Instead he has tended to have wingers, who indulge in much less combination play. McGeady, for example, is more of an individualist.

As for defensively, well, we are just not what we were individually or collectively.

I don't know who Baines prefers playing for, Moyes or Martinez. But my personal viewpoint is that Moyes was the better manager for him as a player.

Do you ever write a post without thinking how your out-of-date band poster above your headboard and life itself would be more bearable if Richard Ashcroft had not left The Verve?

Nothing to do with the fact that he's now told to sit in his own half waiting for Jagielka or Spoonfeet to give him a bobbler to deal with. Even Miserable Moyes afforded one of the worlds finest attacking full backs the freedom to do what he does best.

I'm staggered by the amount of people who are discussing which "Two" should play defensive mid. We're at home to the Premier Leagues whipping boys FFS.

Martinez has a lot to answer for.

Bang on mate.

It ain't rocket science.

Probably another who is a better player when he's not actually playing!

I am not sure what will happen today as I though YB would be closer than it was. If that ref is available, apart from the sending off I thought he was generous. Another day and 2 would be ruled out for offside and the 4th brought back cos Macca is on the floor injured.

COYB

Place yer bets now !

I think its more of a case that McCarthy is the best we have in that role and Besic has shown great potential and I personally adore the fact the he will put I tackle in, in the 4th minute of a game and get booked.

As for Barry, I can only imagine I speak for most when I say it just gives me headaches when game after game he loses the ball in a completely unnecessary position and just bringing down the player nearest him, instead of running a bit.

He's the premier leagues most booked player for a reason...

Now Gibson, with injuries and general lack of game time I would be gutted if he got the nod ahead of Mo (I'm not entertaining the fact it could be Mo & Gibson).

One thing I'd say about Baines too: He has 8 assists and 2 goals in the Premier League this season, and 11 assists and 3 goals in 30 games in all competitions. That is absurd. To put that into context: Only Di Maria and Fabregas have provided more assists than Baines, and cost almost 100million between them, and both play in midfield. Mark, Dave etc... your criticism of Baines is well wide of the mark. He has been ropey with some of his deliveries...but he is still contributing uniquely in terms of his attacking contribution in a stuttering team. This love for Garbutt borders on the absurd. He looks good, he has potential, but why on earth would he start above Baines? Garbutt is being over-hyped him, massively, and part of it is because we fear him leaving. If he had a 5 year contract we wouldn't be wrangling for him to start, and if he wants to be a success at this club then he needs to wait his turn. If Garbutt played now, especially in a team playing like we are, he would have some good games and some bad ones, because of his level of experience and problems in his game. He would impress going forward, but he would lack defensively. He is not near Baines in terms of quality, and he will probably never get near Baines. I want him to stay at the club too because he 'could' become a superb player, just as Barkley 'could' become a superb player too. But I do not want to see Baines and Oviedo moved about using fantasy football tactics just to accommodate him because we fear him signing from Liverpool, where he would sit behind a very good and younger Moreno, instead of Baines and Oviedo.

Would it be in Wigan by any chance Phil? :-)

Why do we always talk our young talent down?

I have always thought Sterling was overhyped but you don't hear the other lot talking him down, quite the opposite.