Chelsea vs Everton

I'll go for:
Pickford
Kenny, Keane, Jagielka, Baines
McCarthy, Davies
Vlasic, Rooney, Lookman
Calvert-Lewin

Come on Unsy lad, let's do these bastards and get you off to a flyer!

Imagine the platform it would give us if we could turn in a big performance here?

Great to see Baningime in the squad.

I think we've got a chance on the assumption that Chelsea don't really care. Let's just start to look like an Everton side.

Seems like he will play more first team players, so maybe:

Pickford
Kenny Williams Holgate Baines
Davies Schneiderlin
Vlasic Sigurdsson Lookman
Calvert-Lewin

Jagielka rested for Chelsea, Keane dropped / rested, Gueye suspended, Beni on the bench, Rooney rested, Niasse on the bench, Hennen on the bench. Expect him to go with pace and width. Expect a higher tempo. Expect much more fight.

Anyone know where you can watch it?

Writing that sounds like a stupid question, but teams make so many changes (not all can be u21?).

Just wondered if Garbutt might get a seat on the bench...

Nothing wrong with playing two DMFs. If they are in the mold of Reid and Bracewell. Or even in the Carsley and Graveson mold. But FFS playing Gueye and Schiederlin every bloody game.

Schneiderlin in particular causes our defence more problems that opposing forwards. I remember us actually attacking a few games back . And Schneiderlin somehow turned and passed back to Pickford.

Anyhow. This could be just the match to get Unsworth started. Nobody is expecting a win. So in essence its a proper run out trial for the Leicester game. Have a look at a few players. Let's see what works.

I'm really hoping that Unsworth can get that much needed feel good factor baPremier did in his one and only game, albeit against a poor Norwich City.

I have faith in Unsworth. Let's hope that our players also have. Because I really do question if every player is up for the fight. And right now this is a fight. We need everyone on board no slackers. No whingers. No unrest. No passengers. No bad influences.

I'm hoping for a win against Leicester. Anything tomorrow night would be a bonus. A very welcome bonus. Then we draw Man City away. Well we are after all cursed. Aren't we? Welcome to the big bad world of the Premier League, Rhino. I hope you take to it like water off a ducks back.

I think that you will. I'm feeling good about everything. The fight back begins now...

Whether or not we win is probably not the most important factor, it is more about how we approach the game and go about it. I would love to see us do them there but really, really want to see a proper blood and guts Everton performance. If anyone can get the team fired up it is Unsworth.

What was Koeman thinking. If we put up a good performance we go into the weekend in good spirits. More logical thought went into Lyndon's pre-match write up than Koeman did for a game. I've never wanted a manager gone before as much as I did Koeman.

If you want to think outside the box for a right back there is a senior player at the club who has played that position before and has done pretty well in doing so. He may be unlikely to see game time elsewhere in the side. The player is Aaron Lennon.

Actually Lennon could play right back too but would fit in better as a wing back. There are certain players that Koeman was just determined to ignore. He made his mind up early and that was that.

He obviously had a say in at least Klaassen, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Martina... maybe more. Every one so far useless. Unsworth has one hell of a job making sense of the squad he inherited.

We might just be at an advantage, perhaps with Chelsea so dominant over us recently they may make changes and have little idea how the new man will play things.

I do expect an up tempo, intensity filled performance though. Again with 4 games before the international break you'd imagine for Unsworth to get he job he's gonna have to win 3or4 of the games.

I'd suspect he will go for the most mobile, high energy players at his disposal.

I'm excited and I believe we'll win tonight. COYB!

Pickford
Kenny Holgate Keane Baines
Lookman Davies Schneiderlin Henen
Sigurdsson
Niasse

Holgate

Kenny

Davies

Niasse

Kenny

Lookman

DCL

I think they'd get the odd game but would be on the bench most of the time. Koeman unbalanced our squad, we have way to many inexperienced players and in the main our experienced players are past their best (Williams, Jags, Baines, Rooney). There are two few players who are in their prime, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Mirallas should be but aren't on it. Then we have Keane who's lost all confidence playing in such a poor team.

Taking Lukaku, Coleman, Barkley out of our team lowers the quality massively and Barkley wasn't exactly perfect.

Koeman's preference to play the kids was a big mistake. Quality players with experience and at the peak of their careers is what we need, same goes for a new manager. Otherwise I really fear the worst. Good luck Unsy, you'll need a miracle with our squad.

Would love a win #COYB

I’m sure that Mosh will be watching with interest over the next few games to see if Unsworth can make a difference.

But , as someone mentioned above our defence is slow leaky and aging, we will be susceptible to being carved open with the pace and agility of Chelsea’s attack.

For tonight, I suspect James@ 1 will not be far off the mark.

Equally we have to accept that our young players will make mistakes and trust them as well.

The fact is that very few young players will hit the ground running. Most need game time and experience and their levels will go up and down.

I'd back at least 3 or 4 out of Davies, Kenny, Lookman, DCL and Holgate to spend the majority of their career playing top level football.

I don't like many of the current bunch who seem to think they are above coaches, managers and Everton FC !

DCL does not look comfortable under pressure in the box. A natural striker flourishes in and around the penalty area . You can see Dominic doesn't have it.

Also its very difficult to score goals in a poor team shot of confidence.

For example Harry Kane only managed 2 in 13 during his loan at Leicester 4 years ago.

I'm not saying DCL will reach the heights of those players but I think he will get more goals and play the majority of his career in or around the Premiership even if its not for top 6 clubs necessarily.

Now there is a breath of fresh air around the World of Evertonia give the bloody players a chance for God's sake.
Unsy picks the team, I would imagine he has seen through the eyes of a "SUCCESSFUL" football coach what is wrong he knows the young players like his own kids for Christ's sake give him a bit of a chance instead of all this "he's not good enough" crap if Unsy picks them then he obviously thinks they are.
What the hell do people want, every player to turn into Messi overnight?

That was in the infinitely more prestigious FA Cup so maybe the Blues can emulate the frazzle shirted clowns and take down the moneyed, recent arrivals at the top table of the glorious game.

Everton to win and maybe go on a run to win the trophy that has somehow eluded the club and climb the table to respectability now the club have been cleansed of the Dutch demolition crew. Ajaxed down the plughole.

Pickford
Kenny Keane Holgate Baines
Davies McCarthy Sigurdsson Vlasic
Calvert-Lewin Rooney

Subs: Robles, Lookman, Williams, Lennon, Niasse, Schneiderlin

Last night I noticed all the games were covered apart from the Sky featured match Swansea v Manure.

Looking forward to this if I can get it, haven't said that for a long while.

COYB

Time to bring in some players from the cold and fuck off Klassen and martini playing because he felt obliged to pick them. To a lesser degree scheiderlin.

Good luck unsy la. Nowt to lose mate.

Tonight Dave Unsworth will be setting out to put his mark on the manager's job, I for one want Everton to win but the league games are the most important for me and I say that with the utmost respect for the Everton fans going down to London tonight.

Do your best Dave that's all we can ask, We know you will not give up like Koeman, he just went through the motions after the transfer window didn't turn out the way he wanted it to.

He'll stick with Keane, Jagielka, Baines, Rooney, Sigurdsson, Schnederlien as a basis and that leaves a place for someone else, god knows where. I've had enough of trying to work out who will go where.

Robles
Kenny - Holgate - Jagielka - Baines
McCarthy - Davies
Lennon - Rooney - Mirallas
DCL

Robles (good to see him on the bench Sunday), Keane, Schneiderlin, Besic, Siggy, Lookman, Niasse

Koeman has really stifled these players.

Otherwise I think most predictions for the team seem pretty safe.

For me I would have gone for a little bit of dogs of war, the new Everton are back and not to be pushed around:

Pickford
Kenny Holgate Jags Baines
Besic Davies McCarthy
Lookman DCL Vlasic

Start playing Kenny, Lookman, Davies and Calvert-Lewin every game and watch them flourish like the Man Utd class of 92, Neville, Butt, Scholes etc.. etc. It's the so-called older players like Schneiderlin, Jagielka, Baines that let the team down not the youngsters.

Play Kenny at right back, Lookman on the wing, Calvert-Lewin on the other wing (he is our fastest runner but not a goalscorer yet, let him stretch defenders with his pace) and Tom Davies in midfield telling him every pass he makes must be forward.

Holgate should be given a few games at centre back, he cannot play full back

Bugger, just found out that it's on ESPN 3.

Mobdro only has ESPN and ESPN 2.

Goddammit!!!

Davies Vlasic McCarthy Lookman

DCL Niasse

I know I will be slated but Holgate and Kenny are not ready at the moment. DCL is only in my team as we don't have anyone else. If Barkley was fit I would have him as an attacking mid behind 2 strikers. We need more mobile wing backs. Is Garbutt available? Essential we replace Baines asap as he slows the build ups down and is too slow during the transition from atteck to defence.. We need solidity in midfield now hence McCarthy . No luxury players like Sigurdsson far too immobile for a midfield player. I quite fancy Klaasen but he needs to get up to pace. First priority -get them fit!!

Just pissed. Any other USA based blues find it or any suggestions?

Beginning of an era and I don't want to miss it.

20 minute highlights seemingly in my future!

I am looking forward to seeing how he sets out his stall tonight and on Sunday, and know we will see a fresh mentality.

And for once I am looking forward to the international break knowing it will give the guys a rest, and Rhino the chance to work with any of the lads who are not involved. Quite sure he won't be off to Portugal over the break!

It has a lot of sports channels, but not ESPN 3!!
It's proving to be a rather elusive channel.

I plead the 5th amendment as to having one myself or openly advising others to use it, ahem, now where are those cough sweets.

It looks likely that it will be streaming elsewhere so should be able to find the game somewhere. I bloody hope so. I don't know why there's not more TV coverage to be honest. I would have thought this game will hold a fair interest for neutrals. The Utd game last night was boring as shite what I watched of it before finding a bit of Stephen King on Netflix.

Anyway, there's Steve Kelly's link (@68) for starters. Thanks Steve.

No forum yet.

Whatever the outcome if Davy can restore some of the morale pride and passion so lacking for so long, in his stint at the helm, that for me and most of us will be more than enough. Best of luck lads.

I sincerely hope he can step up and save the club a fortune. You've got to admit, it would be a miracle if he could pull it off. Ex-player, or lifelong Evertonian, it has absolutely no bearing on his capabilities to do the job. That's what some posters like myself are pointing out.

Holgate, Klaassen, Lookman, Rooney, Sandro

Not sure why Steve Walsh is still here , he apparently addressed the playing squad yesterday ?? He is smug and over rates himself , he should go.

Bill ( no bigger blue than me !! ) Kenwright still appears to have all the power at the club , WTF !! He should go.

Even though Koeman's gone I still feel under a bit of a cloud.

Im reverting to type, i'm going to the trenches , on my way to the Bridge COYB

Good luck tonight to the boys and to our manager in particular. One proper blue he is.

Altogether now, the rhinos on the run...he's a dirty son of a gun !

Keane looks of the pace to me. And the pace of Lookman and Mirallas will support Rooney. If we go behind I would use Davies for Schneiderlin.

We have not had a good environment for football for a while - and I am excited that David Unsworth has been given the job to change that. There are younger players in our squad - like DCL, Kenny, Lookman, Holgate and Davies - who, after being part of the successful Under 23s with Unsworth, hopefully will be thrilled to be working with him again. Provided that the senior players buy into what he is saying, and can find a level of form, fitness and desire that has been hitherto lacking, I am more hopeful than at any point in the last two months.

Anyway, one thing is nailed on -- he'll be playing tonight. Let's see how he goes.

I am not expecting a miracle tonight with just one Day of training, however I do fully expect Unsworth to March over Chelsea, chest puffed out with an arrogance and belief, we are here to compete, to over run and eventually smash you, losing is not an option.

4411 double 6.
Pickford
Kenny, Keane, Jags, Baines.
Davies, Schneids,
Vlasic. Mirallas.
Gylfi
Niasse.

Fair play. A balanced team. No number 10. Pressing looks like the order of the night

There's pace in that side too

Beni Baningime in for his debut. Team:

Pickford
Kenny Jags Williams Baines
Baningime Davies McCarthy
Lennon Rooney Mirallas

Subs: Robles, Holgate, Keane, Sigurdson, Lookman, Niasse, Calvert-Lewin.

From offical club site.

Link

Plenty in that team with fire in their belly, or a point to prove as RK hasn't been using them.

Chelsea make 9 changes to their line up, so . why not?

Let's win it, Blues!

With Chelsea’s line up we have a decent chance.