Rodriguez could get Reading chance

But my "brilliant" idea (sarcasm) was to rest Jags, put in Funes Mori at LCB paired with John Stones as captain. After saying that, I think we're undefeated or something when Ossie wears the captain's armband, and I would really like to win this game tomorrow. But how cool would it be to have Stones leading the team out? Well, I'd like it anyway.

Lukaku and Kone could do with a kick up the backside at the moment. Let's hope this lad gives it them. Good luck Leandro. Take your chance; I suspect you won't get many...

I would personally like us to put out as near as a full team as we can; make a couple of changes, but have a good go at winning this (and do the same with the FA Cup).

We've treated the domestic cups with too little respect in the recent past. It's a trophy, we won't win the league, we are not in Europe, this is a good chance to get some silverware, half-a-dozen games and you're at Wembley.

Go with your strongest Roberto, go full pelt for an hour, then start to take star players off, rather than the other way around.

Maybe we could put the armband on Ossie but leave him on the bench wearing it?

We still should put out a strong team though, this will be tougher than Barnsley and we hardly cruised through that one.

Robles
Browning Jagielka Funes Mori Galloway
Gibson McCarthy
Lennon Deulofeu Osman
Rodriguez

With Barkley, Lukaku, Stones etc on the bench.

That seems like a strong first team whilst giving out a few rests...

I would think he will put Rom on the bench just in case we go behind, but I think Nais will start and Mirallas will surely get a run-out.

This will be a difficult game but surely Barry should have a rest, so perhaps Ossie and Gibson will come in for Barry and Barkley, and Mirallas in for Kone.

I hope we have learn't to take these games seriously, after the scare at Barnsley. Reading have started the season strongly and we will have a stern test at the Madejski, but we need to keep our momentum going, and we need to stay in this competition.

For this game and the next. Let him think he's dropped for the RS game then bring him on half way through the first half. The next two games we should be able to win without him.

In short, he needs a rocket up his arse. He's here to score goals. If he doesn't do and he won't work for the good of the team, then bench him. Let some-one else have a go but just let him know, either pull your socks up physically and mentally, or he can go join a Champions League team because, at the moment, he's no use to us.

Lukaku should be fired up for the WBA game anyway so play him in that game.

Square pegs, round holes mate. Get Oz in the middle orchestrating the flanks and the central attack.

That line-up should be more than enough for Reading.

Back to reality, I agree, I'd bench Lukaku in this one but I'd go with an otherwise strong team as this is a massive chance for silverware.

Reading won't be a pushover and will be a step up from Barnsley so it's a game we can't be making any mistakes in, like in the first half at Oakwell.

Just make sure you do things efficiently, Blues, and give them nothing.

Onwards and upwards to a long overdue 4th round appearance and then hopefully even better Quarter Final.

Every year Everton march out a line-up that isn't our best, or damn, damn near to it.

Every year we get knocked out early.

It's Everton acting too big for it's britches - like we've actually fucking won something - anything - recently!

Who the fuck do we think we are? Win something, THEN play the kids.

This competition is a real chance for our Club to actually win silverware, and we treat it like our shit doesn't stink and we're too good for it... and again, we've won the sum of fuck-all in the last how many years??

Rant over, but fucking hell, go win the damn thing already and stop acting like it's beneath you. The fans deserve it minimally.

When we have won a few Cups, a league or are at the very least a regular in the Champions League, then maybe we can choose to be picky but for 20 years we've won totally fuck all and our Cup record since 1995 has been shite, total shite, with just a measly one Final appearance.

Let's win some silverware for a generation of fans that has grown up without ever seeing a captain in a Everton shirt lift a trophy.

Well, in my day, a top quality street footballer could:

Play a one-two with just the kerb

Was particularly adept at headers and volleys

Could retrieve a ball from under a parked car with little fuss

And could strike a flyaway footie with deadly accuracy allowing it to swerve not once but in two directions bamboozling the keeper.

Hope this helps

;0) Cheers.

Plus Ossie will be a bit more disciplined in helping out Galloway and RM always likes one winger who drifts inside....

Totaly agree mate but Ozzy out wide? Utter crap.

How many times was Moyesy slagged off by people on here (me included) for playing players in (their) wrong position.

I don't care if it's Reading or Barca, you just don't play players in wrong positions.

And Sam I really wanna here your argument for playing Ozzy out wide instead of Del boy?

Is it a pace thing?

You're right in what you say about this fact, ie, see if Deulofeu could be our new No 10. My reasoning is just that Ozzy would need the "water carriers" to get the most out of himself.

Other than that I still stand fast with regards to the out-of-form (I'm being generous) Lukaku.

Howard
Coleman
Jagielka
Stones
Galloway

McCarthy
Besic

Lennon
Barkley
Deulofeu

Kone

Subs

Robles
Funes Mori
Osman
Gibson
Lukaku
Naismith
Browning

Thank God for new days like these.

Although, Sam did give a decent set up, I'd go with that. Has a much more vibrant and fluid feel to it.

Osman actually played the full 90 minutes against Villarreal pre-season.

Browning
Stones
Jagielka
Galloway

McCarthy
Gibson

Deulofeu
Barkley
Lennon

Kone

Bench for Lukaku, Naismith, Funes Mori, Osman, Barry, Rodriguez, Robles. Plenty of experience there if it goes tits up.

Howard (Robles is too erratic in one-off games)
Browning Jagielka Funes Mori Oviedo
McCarthy Gibson
Lennon Osman Delofeu
Naismith

Play our strongest team with them 4 and I'll be happy.

It was a friendly against Villarreal. How does that equate with the rigours of an English League Cup game were the opposition will be after our scalps in a big way?

I see what you're saying but I still need to explained to why Ozzy makes a better winger than being the man in the centre who,with Ozzies great skill and guile, would dictate the game completely.

Have you also thought of this? Don't you think it's about time RM bit the bullet and tried our attack with two Leopards on each wing?

At least he'd have an insight prior to the game coming to a Goodison Park near you, with regards to that RedShite across the park.

We need to know how this particular configuration concerning our wide men would work. For the derby, I think it has to be tried before and not tinkered about with, during.

Like Graham says, playing off the kerb, or if you were on your own, just a ball and a wall, you learned control.

I think that's the most sensible letter you've ever posted on here, Graham.

Whenever my mother went out to pick my father up from the station, my brother and I would run outside and play 20 minutes of headers and volleys, sometimes with the tennis ball, before running back in and pretending we'd been doing our homework the whole time.

Howard is a better penalty stopper as well should it go the distance, again Robles running off his line in the West Ham shoot out, and getting nowhere near any of them does not fill me with confidence.

I would go for a strong starting 11 rather than a strong bench, most lineups other have said look the right choices.

This is a chance of silverware, let's hope we do not make wholesale changes.

Howard (whilst in good form)

Browning (reward for last game)
Funes Mori
Jagielka /Stones (maybe 45' each)
Galloway (keep him ticking over)

Besic
McCarthy (Barry is in form but can be rested)

Deulofeu (a must)
Naismith (on merit)
Lennon

Lukaku (win the game first and foremost)

Oviedo and Rodriguez, if the game is going according to plan, on as subs along with a centre-back (as above)

I think this side is solid whilst giving a few key individuals a go plus others a rest.

Also agree on a strong (our strongest) line-up. We should be doing everything we can to win the silverware we can realistically compete for.

On the one hand, these games do allow opportunities to reward & offer experience to up-and-coming players; players who are dead keen to play but are tolerating cameo roles from the bench; players returning from injury.

On the other hand, disrupting the first team can leave us vulnerable to being knocked out early on (thus depriving us of another opportunity to answer the needs in "hand one").

Personally, I'd keep Howard and the back four for sheer solidity, and give Funes Mori half an hour if things are going well.

Midfield wise, probably rest Barry and replace with Gibson providing he's fit and not already arranged to go out on the lash and watch the game in the pub.

Then it gets more difficult and frankly I don't have the answers.

Geri needs to feel important and could offer a threat, likewise Lennon and Mirallas (probably avoid "Super Kev" as a late, late sub, not ideal).

Leandro will probably get a run on by means of reward/encouragement.

I just know that a nice solid 2-0 away win where we control the ball completely for the last half hour and bring on subs for a run-out would suit me very well indeed.

Jon, I went to the game and pre-season it might have been, but they were a very keen and fast Villarreal side. And while it might have been pre-season, players were not match fit, so a further test.

I have very good feeling about our street footballer Rodriguez. From what I have seen of him on YouTube he strikes me as being a very courageous lad and would back him to get on the end of any of those balls Deulofeu whizzes across the box. A very potent combination I suspect.

As we have a 5-day recovery period before our game against West Brom, I would start with this team:

Howard,
Browning, Stones, Jagielka, Galloway
Deulofeu, McCarthy, Barry, Barkley,
Rodriguez, Kone.

Bring Lennon, Naismith, and Lukaku on when we are 3-0 up after 60 minutes.

As for the rest of the team, as strong as possible please. I'd like to see Lennon too... but fear he may be ineffective on the left.

Forget Osman. I've always liked him but this is about progressing in the competition and looking to the future.

Have another read of my post. I have gone with what I think is our currently available best back four and midfield. Surely that is showing Reading respect and certainly not taking anything for granted.

Having said that I think Deulofeu, Rodriguez, and Kone with that back four and midfield behind them, have the potential to put 3 past Reading without reply.

Can I ask you: Do you think my starting 11 is not a strong side?

What would your side be?

If Premier League clubs were really serious, they would be fielding the strongest eleven so nothing happening tonight or tomorrow will surprise me in the least.

It will however give opportunities for those who haven't started so far to stake a claim.

Aaah, jumpers for goalposts, etc etc.

If we are to win one of the cups, we have to play our best goalkeeper; other positions can be experimented with similar players slotting in, but Howard is in fine form and needs to start tonight.

If Howard starts, we have a chance of picking silverware up; bringing in a new goalie for a one-off game is dangerous.

On the other hand, the new lad has everything to prove and will put himself about. This is the ideal time to try Rodriguez. Not for 10 mins at the end of a PL game. What use is that to anyone.

Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. I just think in the long run we would see our Rom back to his bold, brilliant best.

I am disappointed Rodriguez didn't get a start and am looking forward to seeing if my optimism about him is well founded or a pipe dream.