Watford vs Everton

There is no need to ruin a Friday night!

Watford will be up for this game tomorrow and Schneiderlin will have the boo boys in full throttle long before half-time. If it was your own preferred pick, surely Rooney in for the Frenchman?

If we approach the game in a confident manner we will get our just deserts, if we play with caution and fear we will get beaten easily, it's up to the manager to get it right, caution be damned.

The definition of madness is trying the same thing over and expecting different results.

I would love us to go out and give it a go and win well; however, that's not in Fat Sam's DNA.

Think bigger picture, people!

If huge head wants to win the fans around, he should start by omitting him from tomorrow's squad.

Now there's an understatement if there was ever one.," Allàrdyce has been more conservative away from home " .
Now there's an understatement if there was ever one.,,michael.kenrick@gmail.com ,1,20:10:42,,81.110.171.62,ok,18730,02/23/2018 20:10:42,george.cumiskey@googlemail.com,reader,, 901270,36305,toffeeweb,23/02/2018,Colin Malone,cmalone85@googlemail.com,"If Idrissa Gueye fails to make it, Schneiderlin has to play and he will not let us down. With Davies or Rooney alongside or just ahead of him.

Schneiderlin and Gueye must never play in the same team.

Hey, Sam if you read TW, I've got a radical idea, it's called – wait for it – don't change a winning team; I know as ideas go it's really out there, but give it a try; we just may get our 2nd away victory this season.

I would heartily shake his hand even if we stumble over the line, and somehow the shite have an off day and we beat them, then part company. To do that, we need to plan and believe like Burnley and Swansea which is totally beyond us.

Case in point: the owner's words, we are "little old Everton" – what do you expect. Or words to that effect.

Tomorrow:

Pickford
Kenny, Holgate, Williams, Martina
Guye, Rooney, Davies
Sigurdsson
Walcott, Niasse

From what I remember, I can't recall these mid-season foreign jaunts making much difference to our form after returning.

I'll go for a 2-2 draw.

He will ditch Tom for Schneiderlin as Lyndon predicts.

Tom will be brought on after an appallingly bad first half to offer some respite.

We've seen it all before, don't hold your breath that any lessons have been learned.

Always, Ian. If I had my way, Schneiderlin wouldn't play for us again unless it was an emergency! As I inferred above, Allardyce has been cagey away from home so I thought he might go the "two DM" route, with Schneiderlin preferred as such to Davies.

I wrote the preview before I'd seen all of Allardyce's comments from his press conference, though, and his assertion that he now wants a settled team suggests Rooney could start after all, with Schneiderlin on the bench again. We'll see...

This game is winnable, with the correct team selection, but let's not forget they did beat Chelsea last home game, so not to be under-estimated.

They seem to be saying, either Niasse or Tosun, but why not play both?

Skip this negative two defensive midfielders away from home, or at home, for that matter, start thinking and playing positively for once; we have the players to do that, let's just hope the Management team think likewise.

Kenny can play if Seamus isn't ready (and I'd rather he did as Seamus needs care).

Watford are in a state of flux; time to go on the front foot and take some points.

If Allardyce plays two DM's, we can look forward to 90 minutes of not getting out and the likes of Geri and Richarlison exposing Martina's and Williams's lack of confidence.

It really hasn't mattered what eleven have started, there have been just too many letdowns.

Whilst we all have our thoughts on the starting eleven, the bottom line has been that they are just not good enough to really dominate any opposition.

Everton do have some individuals with talent but the defensive midfield players have been consistently weak.

With Seamus back and Walcott up front they have shown some improvement but alas Seamus will be a non-starter tomorrow.

The possibility of finishing 7th could give them something to salvage after a dismal season but they do need two wins against Watford and Burnley to keep that hope alive.

Full-backs: choose any two from Coleman, Kenny, Martina, and Baines depending who is fit.

I would go for a midfield four of Rooney, Davies, Gana and Siggy.

Up front, Walcott and Calvert-Lewin, bringing Tosun or Niasse on in the second half.

I smell a boring, shite, away-from-home, watch-paint-dry, sling-shit fest.

But I'll watch full of hope that my predictions are wrong.

4-0 – wide open attacking win! Probably not...

COYB and any other acronym that spells three points.

"Listen here, Mason. We don't fuck about with that Fancy Dan footy lark here. If you want first team football, I want to see how far you can kick it!"

"4-0 – wide-open attacking win! Probably not..."

I dunno, if Watford get the early goal then that could definitely be on the cards...

I'm in.

Setting alarm for 12:29 pm EST.

No disrespect to Watford or Burnley but they are both none top six sides and if we aren't winning at least one of these then how do we ever expect to challenge the clubs already above us?

Our away form is abysmal so this is the week that we have to start putting it right and getting some serious points on board and building momentum, no more bullshit excuses of “Oh, we'll do it next week.”
No, starting tonight, it needs to start tonight!

Pickford
Kenny Holgate Keane Martina
Gueye Rooney Davies
Sigurdsson
Walcott Niasse

If Gueye is unavailable, then play Baningime, even Klaassen over Schneiderlin.

Subs: Robles, Williams, Baines, Klaassen, Baningime, Calvert-Lewin, Tosun.

Okay, over a season, it all levels out, but every team has the ability to beat every other team which is why it's tighter, albeit in sections through the division.

We're still probably the best second-tier team in the Premier League despite everything that's gone on over the last few seasons, and I believe that'll be proven to be the case when we finish 7th and make the Europa League.

Today will probably be another painful game to watch like all our previous away scandals, but we'll bore them into a point with either a 0-0 or 1-1 snoozefest.

Either that or we'll get twatted 3-0.

The top 6 picks itself, with Arsenal slipping down by a club that's internal squabbles and stubborn old manager has neglected the team's defensive resources.

Sam will pick the same team:

Pickford

Defence
Kenny
Keane
Williams
Martina

Midfield
Gueye
Davies
Rooney

Up Front
Walcott
Niasse
Sigurdsson

He will bring Cenk on in the 67th minute. Bench will be interesting...

Sam, be brave at the other end of the pitch and play Tosun and Calvert-Lewin up front, tell them to have a good go for an hour then bring Niasse on for the last 30 minutes to really run a tired Watford defence into the ground. Bet you we don't though, maybe when we are finally safe, if that happens.

Pickford (GK)
Coleman (If injured, Kenny) (RB)
Keane (CB)
Williams (CB)
Martina (LB)
Gueye (If injured... Schneiderlin) (DM)
Rooney (CM)
Davies (CM)
Walcott (RW)
Sigurdsson (LW)
Niasse (ST)

People might not like Williams and Martina but for me there's no better options for their places at the moment.

I also think people who don't actually watch our games (pundits on TV) have invented this myth about Sigurdsson being wasted out on the left. Personally, I perceive no difference in his performance whether out wide or central. He sort of drifts into the same place anyways irrelevant of his nominal position.

I'd love to see Tosun start getting game time, but you pick players on merit and if Niasse is scoring then he cannot be dropped.

Our defence and midfield need to be alert and not give them 3 a yard of space. They need to make sure that Gerry and Richarlison know this is an English Premier League winter game and get some proper tackles into them.

Doucoure is Watford's one true top-class player. He has improved through the season and will move to a top 4 club in June. If he gets any room 20 yards out, it could spell disaster. If Gana has one job today it is to negate Doucoure.

Williams, Keane, Jags or Holgate need to match Deeney for physicality or we will be outfought.

This match is there for the winning but it won't come easy, 14 top notch shifts need to be put in. We have, overall, more quality than Watford.

Watford will be up for this after their win at Chelsea and us being dog shit away from home. I'd love for Allardyce to spring a surprise and put out an attacking line-up but that will never happen. Bet Del Boy is licking his lips.

The point I'm making is we need to start winning away games and we don't beat the big sides away – that's an unwritten rule at Everton, so Watford and Burnley present better opportunities.

The Omen's don't look too good, Blues!

Attack, you gibbon! I would rather see Schneiderlin's missus on the pitch than him, at least she would be worth watching.

Pickford
Kenny Jagielka Keane Martina
Davies Gueye Rooney
Walcott Niasse Sigurdsson

But I would choose:

Pickford
Kenny Jagielka Keane Garbutt
Davies Gueye Rooney
Walcott Tosun Sigurdsson

Subs: Robles, Holgate, Baines, Klaassen, Bolasie, Calvert-Lewin, Niasse.

I like the look of Ajay's team, btw.

I'll be very surprised if we win today. I can see us getting out-muscled and out-fought. We will need a solid display from Pickford and the back 4.

I no longer view Martina as a particularly weak link. I think he has worked bloody hard at the role and deserves his place after his recent performances (Arsenal aside). I wish everyone would get behind him and give him the confidence boost his efforts deserve. He takes so much stick but is actually rarely at fault for any goals conceded. He's even getting forward now and crossing on his left foot (2 assists in last 2 games).

I'd be happy with a hard-fought draw today.

Would Martina be a better option (shudders) providing Baines is fit to start at left-back?

I think Watford will score meaning as a minimum we will have to score 2. Away from home.

Score draw for me, 1-1. Hope I'm wrong.

Any more news on the Paulo Fonseca link?

Pickford Kenny Keane Williams Martina Davies Gueye Rooney Walcott Niasse Siggurdsson.

I don't know if that is the way it will turn out. If it is, it's the same as the Crystal Palace team at home, and Palace were missing a lot of regular players and gave Everton a run for their victory.

As for our team, two wins in two months, both at home, does not suggest we have found a winning team in any shape or form. I'll happily take a point tonight whilst as always hoping for more.

At least with Walcott in the team we can pose some sort of attacking threat but key will be how well we manage the midfield with and without the ball.

There are still doubts about the management tactics, the effectiveness of a much-heralded defence, a midfield that is run by a player preparing for retirement who is allowed to take up a pundit role in preparation and a forward line led by a player whose effectiveness is the result of his own self-motivation, but who has just got a locker.

If we are beaten by Watford, Allardyce should be sacked immediately.

We should play like how we played last week and ad someone worthy. My thoughts is that we should play:

Pickford
Coleman (or Kenny), Holgate, Jagielka, Baines (or Garbutt)
Gueye, Davies (as creative midfielder)
Walcott, Sigurdsson, Lookman
Niasse (or Tosun)

I hope they consider this line-up as I think this is our best one yet.

Davies, Gueye (or Baningime) and Rooney (or Klaassen or Vlasic)

Walcott, Tosun, Sigurdsson

We should be looking to next season... so that means Scniederlin should be told to stay home with the kids.

Evertonians in our Sports Bar – all three of them are having a sweep as to the minute Schneiderlin gets on. I've gone for 50 mins as there must be doubts about Gueye!

The big wage-earners have been the main cause and, when the youngsters have been introduced, they seem to have had the same malaise after showing up well for a game or two.

One could look at most of the squad and just say they are simply not good enough or there may be another reason such as the manager(s), the strategies or coaching.

Only Pickford has done well over the season so far and one or two returning from injury, such as Seamus.

There is not much to salvage except 7th place, and with it a little bit of pride, but we all hope to God that some plans are in place to get this club back into significance next season.

West Brom now 2 down at home to Huddersfield, taxi for Pardew methinks?

;-)