Stoke City vs Everton

Onwards and upwards, you Blues!

Another away game to improve on our not so fabulous away record.

It's barely worth mentioning how bad our away form is anymore as it's been in the headlines so much but, with just 1 (yes one) scrappy unconvincing flukey win in 14 months on the road, it's really hard to ever back this Everton team to win.

The saddest thing about it is we will be the polar opposite of last Saturday when we got stuck in straight from the kickoff and laid down the foundation to Brighton and they were barely in the game throughout.

Yet we will go to Stoke who are 19th in the table, and not the team Brighton are, but we will be all floppy, sloppy, tentative and submissive and hand them the initiative.

It's just impossible to see this current Everton side ever being brave enough, strong enough mentally and stout enough to go there tomorrow and win against what is usually a partisan crowd – especially knowing if they lose, they are as good as relegated.

Pickford
Coleman Jagielka Keane Baines
Gana Davies
Walcott Rooney Bolasie
Tosun

Hopefully there is a little bit of change on the bench:

Robles, Funes Mori, Holgate, Klaassen, Vlasic, Calvert-Lewin, Niasse.

I'd like to see Klaassen & Vlasic on the bench, as well as Funes Mori. Baningime very unlucky to miss out, I think he's fantastic.

Another defeat followed by more cries for Sam out, I predict.

Should we win, are we mathematically safe...if so, should we start looking again for a new manager?

Pickford
Holgate Keane Funes Mori
Coleman Gana Rooney(c) Baines
Walcott Tosun Bolasie

Subs: Robles, Jagielka, Davies, Klaassen, Vlasic, Calvert-Lewin, Niasse.

But also not a fan of changing it up too much when we are doing well... maybe an idea for a future away game.

However, as I have said before, if Sam was to get 20 or 21 points from the remainder of this season (17 or 18 to go btw, after last week) and somehow manage to entertain us at the same time, I would soften my stance. Last weekend was a good start.

Stoke are a limited side short on confidence and totally reliant on Shaqiri for creativity. They will be practicing corners and free-kick situations all week in training. They will believe they can get one or two goals from good deliveries into the box from Shaqiri.

Our set-up and defence needs to be aggressive and mindful to this obvious tactic. They will be trying to win free-kicks to make it happen too.

If we can defend strong and negate Shaqiri, our better quality will win through. A tough test and a bloody battle awaits. Can our defence stand up to these yard dogs?

When you look at our last two away games, he put out attacking formations – the result was the same: defeat. I expect an attacking formation against Stoke with Klaassen replacing Sigurdsson the only change.

The suggestion Allardyce will pack his bags when we become safe is laughable; he will cling on to the job for as long as possible. I'm afraid a lot of fans are going to be severely disappointed, just like Roberto, he will hang on to the bitter end in 2019.

We played better last week, so everyone deserves to stay in. A settled back 4 will help Keane no doubt, I'd like to see Ramiro Funes Mori given some minutes towards the end if we're a couple up.

You're a better man than me though, if that would soften your stance. He would have to beat the RS 6-0 and have Klopp and Stevie Me put in stocks outside Goodison for a month. Then I might go "Weeellll... he's not too bad."

Stoke City v Everton Defeat

Everton v Manchester City Defeat

Everton v Liverpool Defeat

Swansea City v Everton Defeat

Everton v Newcastle United Win

Huddersfield Town v Everton Defeat

Everton v Southampton Win

West Ham United v Everton Win

I hope he doesn't put Schneiderlin in for Davies – a distinct possibility, as Lyndon has suggested, but I do think he will start with two wide men.

Big Sam will try to pick a team to survive in the Premier League in the run-in. He will be putting a big emphasis on future plans, talking them up at every opportunity in the media.

The football will be boring. There are going to be the usual tactical embarrassments, slow-coach loss of possession, and players mistakes, so the future plans which he has bullshited Moshiri with will play a big part in the negotiations.

The speculation that Moshiri can line up a replacement has one problem: Is Everton a good career move???

Is it possible to turn around the shambles, given the money already wasted?

Is Moshiri prepared to spend more money and accept losses on the players in the existing squad?

Everton's record on nurturing in-coming players isn't good and supporting teamwork is often nonexistent. If I was a professional footballer, I would think twice about joining Everton. Any manager worth his salt could understand this thinking.

Money is the only motivator! Having got the greediest manager in the Premier League, maybe a similar replacement is what we will get, given the state of the playing side of the club.

I can't bear to see Schneiderlin back – he hasn't offered much.

Everton v Manchester City Draw

Everton v Liverpool WIN

Swansea City v Everton Defeat

Everton v Newcastle United Draw

Huddersfield Town v Everton WIN

Everton v Southampton Win

West Ham United v Everton WIN (relegates Moyes)

17 points.

Factor in Lukaku and his goals and a settled squad for most of the season, then Allardyce has a chance to beat Ronald Koeman's awful record in away wins despite taking the job in November.

We had terrible away form under Smith, Moyes and Martinez. Koeman was also a joke so Allardyce is not the problem for a shambolic history of ineptitude at away grounds.

Everton v Manchester City Defeat

Everton v Liverpool Defeat

Swansea City v Everton Defeat

Everton v Newcastle United Win

Huddersfield Town v Everton Draw

Everton v Southampton Win

West Ham United v Everton Draw

If he starts changing things, and being ultra-negative (including Schh – you know who), I can't see much other than a dour game, and a possible win for Stoke.

It has always baffled me why certain teams seem to have the hoodoo factor over us; Stoke is a ground where we have rarely enjoyed any degree of success.

Stoke are a very unfashionable, physical side, and pretty much have been for a long time. I have noticed slight improvements since they acquired Shaqiri, a player who is far superior to anyone else at Stoke, and again under Lambert, but they are well beatable, you would think.

COYB

Stoke City v Everton Win

...Pressure's off...

Everton v Manchester Lose

Everton v Liverpool Draw – Same again, Sam

Swansea City v Everton Win

Everton v Newcastle United Win

Huddersfield Town v Everton Draw (complacent)

Everton v Southampton Win (Soton relegated)

West Ham United v Everton Win (Hammers relegated)

17 points.

Or I could just buy a Euromillions ticket.

Perilously close...

With this in mind, I hope he keeps his gum-chewing, smarmy smirk to himself.

Stoke City v Everton Lose 1-0

Everton v Manchester City Lose 0-3

Everton v Liverpool Draw - 2-2

Swansea City v Everton Lose 3-1

Everton v Newcastle United Draw 0-0

Huddersfield Town v Everton Lose 2-0

Everton v Southampton Win 2-1

West Ham United v Everton Lose 2-1

But who cares at this stage?

Stoke City – Draw
Man City– Lose
Liverpool – Draw
Swansea City – Lose
Newcastle Utd – Win
Huddersfield Town – Draw
Southampton – Win
West Ham Utd – Win

12 points and Sam saying "I've got 10 points from the last 4 games so give me a 3-year extension!"

On another note – I fear that, if we replace Sigurdsson with Gueye, we will lose a lot of the balance we had. Davies and Sigurdsson flank Rooney well, showing determination and guile. I fear that Gueye and Rooney will be in the same place and we'll lose anything creative in the middle. I would give Klaassen a go instead of Gueye or, if Gueye comes back, leave Rooney out. I'd prefer the first option.

We should win more against the teams below us but this team just doesn't have any fight in it so it won't happen. Tomorrow, we will start off with a defeat.

Stoke are fighting for their lives and have to win. This will be a game that they are targeting for three points.

Our away form is so poor and why should it change now? Without Sigurdsson, we will be even more lacking in creativity.

Nil points!

If, as Lyndon predicts, Schneiderlin does start, I hope he shows a bit of spirit and applies himself. It is not too late to turn people's view of him around if he puts a shift in and shows that he has some much-needed talent.

Admittedly, things don't look great for us for the up-coming derby – especially with Gylfi out – but I would never give the RS the satisfaction of seeing me write the game off as a loss in my predictions.

I always expect us to give no quarter to the Red Shite, on or off the pitch.

Defeatism breeds defeat.

COYB!

I would put Gana in his his place and Calvert-Lewin in place of Sigurdsson and have a go for a win.

If Gana doesn't play, we will know that there is some substance to Carraghers claim about there being a rift in the camp.

This will be a tough game but, if we play to our strengths rather than worrying about theirs, we will get a result.

Never mind the players' mentality – Sam needs to look at himself and his team selection and show some belief.

We were balanced across the formation and most players were in their rightful position, albeit against weak opposition.

I would myself promote Klaassen to No 10 and have Vlasic there on the bench should it go tits up. Maybe bring Gana in for Davies and that's that really.

Lest we forget, we are playing 19th in the league; this is not Stoke o' Grocks of 4/5 years ago. But already I've had enough of the Fat Sam rhetoric, and how Stoke will be tough, blah blah, fighting for their lives blah blah. This lot are poor, absolute bottom feeders.

FFS, fella, concentrate on our strengths rather than trying to contain the fat little Swiss Miss who sacked us off. Starve him of the ball and he fades away.

We score first, this is over because they are terrible, but we will be passive and defensive and eventually play only once we've fallen behind.

It's the last game at Mister Dennehy's in NYC before they close, please god, Everton, put a decent shift in tomorrow. Any New Yorkers or exiled Toffees around tomorrow? The place should be packed for a tremendous venue to watch Everton, get down!

Link

Which is a convoluted way of saying I wouldn't be all that devastated with a draw.

It surely can't be the almost token eight minutes he played last weekend against Brighton. Or the early season games he played in where he showed himself to be drastically off-the-pace, physically weak and slow, and struggling to make any consistently positive impact for the team.

I'd rather Baningime or Vlasic came in; at least they have shown glimpses of looking like decent footballers. I hope I am wrong about Klaassen, but having faith in him at this stage is born of hope rather than confidence.

He was hired with "Fireman Sam" expectations. If not fielding his best team against Arsenal didn't prove it, nothing will. Likely we'll limp over the 40-point mark. Sam will collect his wages.

Moshiri put himself firmly between the rock and the Sam place. He wanted Koeman out, couldn't pry Silva away, and found himself stuck with a "never-will" manager in Unsworth.

He could hardly offer Sam a 6-month contract. He wouldn't offer him two or more years. So they met at 18 months, so Sam and the Club wouldn't look anymore ridiculous than they have.

If we sweep all 24 points available, we're still going to have a new manager.

Better we watch these last few games hoping Jagielka, Baines, and Coleman stay healthy. If they do, we have a chance to get a few more points than just 40.

That's my take.

You ignore the inherent danger. In the last game, Rooney was the central figure. Although he didn't do what you would expect of a central defensive midfielder, he was in the right place at the right time to ensure that no attacks built in that area.

Sigurdsson and Davies flanked him offering determination and guile (in that order).

What will happen if Gueye takes over? We will have a central midfielder who breaks play up, without the vision of Rooney. Rooney will play either as a Number 10 (not up to it) or an inside forward (not disciplined enough) or will cover the ground that Gueye does.

Klaassen will at least offer an alternative – the guile that will be missing in Sigurdsson's absence.

He might not be the best player on paper, but why change a winning combination unless you have to? At the moment, we don't necessarily have to.

He might be shite, but I'd rather try him than play it safe and never know.

Sigurdsson – guile
Davies – determination

Get it wide and put some decent crosses in. Tosun looks like he's got the ability to take a chance so let's try and create some for him!

Pickford
Coleman Jagielka Keane Baines
Gueye Rooney Davies
Walcott Tosun Bolasie

Subs: Robles, Funes Mori, Kenny, Schneiderlin, Klaassen, Calvert-Lewin, Niasse

I expect to see Walcott and Bolasie being instructed to stay close to their touch lines, provide cover to Coleman and Baines, which means probably Rooney will play off Tosun and more inside the opposition penalty box than in our own half.

Gueye and Davies will provide the protection to the back 4 plus do the midfield running, supported by Rooney, Walcott and Bolasie. Losing Sigurdsson is a big blow, as he was coming into his own and showing us why we paid £45 million for him.

In spite of his injury, the team is sporting a more settled look. Sam being the experienced guy he is, hopefully will not tinker too much now... except, when we are 2-0 up, I would like to see Klaassen given a run out.

I expect us to have a strong season end since, due to injuries and the constant chopping and changing and early exits in the the cup competitions, none of the squad has been over-worked (except maybe Pickford). We still have a lot to play for; Europe is within reach – I hope Sam goes for it.

I hope you are right, Ajay, with your observations.

We don't have that much quality in the middle of the park, especially if Rooney gets over-run, so why not put loads of energy in there?

Let Davies and Ghana, do what they are good at, fight and scrap, then play it simple out wide. Let the fullbacks, play with the wide-men, and keep two forwards high up the pitch to stretch Stoke, like Burnley stretched Everton, the other week?

It's bound to happen. Everyone breaks their duck against us.

Not sure if Rooney should play centre-mid today as they will swarm all over him and not allow him the time he gets at home.

If we are solid at the back and can frustrate them, then hopefully we can catch them on the break. If we score first then they may well crumble... two big 'ifs'.

Subs: Rooney, Niasse, Klaassen, Funes Mori, Vlasic, Robles, Kenny.

Rooney hasn't got the legs, and i'd like to see Funes Mori, Vlasic and Klaassen on the bench and given a run out.

Stoke 0-2 Toffees (Tosun, Davies)

Walcott will always cause problems to poor static teams like Stoke and Cenk Tosun looks like he is a threat. The pair can combine to get a goal or two.

Stoke 1 Everton 2

It doesn't seem like much of a stretch of the imagination to consider that Schneiderlin, with his relaxed casual indifference and tepid attitude, will not fare well in what could be a fierce maelstrom. But then I am not a tactical colossus and I am not on £6 million a year.

These are shite and if we set up to pose an actual threat rather than desperately defend our box and aim for a draw we should win comfortably, although there is no way Berahino's not going to score.

If Fonseca is the man then he may be open to a move now as they are out of the Champions League. Imagine if we could secure him in the coming weeks and dispense with Lardiola's and Sammy Lee's services and give the new man time to assess the squad and plan for next season.

Oh to replace this nightmare with optimism

3 points against Stoke and a Grand Slam in the Rugby would make it the best one ever!

I'll be watching from my sofa expecting a defeat, therefore anything else is a bonus.

I expect we will see more of a 4-5-1 than a 4-3-3 though.

Should win if we show the right attitude — back four are crucial as if they are solid and play the ball out on the floor we are too good for Stoke.

Nice prediction!