Sigurdsson out of first Iceland game this international break

Good timing for us, hopefully he only misses the international break but, worst-case scenario, he could sit out the Cardiff game too.

1. Bernard or Gomes in the No 10 role?

2. If Gomes is No 10, then Davies comes in at No 8

3. If Bernard is No 10, then we could:

(a) move Richarlison out to the left and Tosun down the middle (or Calvert-Lewin)

(b) bring Lookman in on the left-hand side.

My preference would be to go with Bernard at No 10 and start Lookman on the left-hand side – as few changes as possible.

If he has to miss the Cardiff game, as others have suggested, it would be a good opportunity to try Bernard at No 10 and give Lookman a long-awaited start. Nice to have actual options!

I was gonna write Fàbregas too, who has great vision, but deserves a ban after his cheating foam antics on Sunday.

I can't help but conclude that there was an element of home and away team involved, plus who the respective teams were too. It can be argued that the ‘over-zealous ‘ decision at Wolves directly cost us 2 points as well as the loss of our captain. Simply no consistency!

It doesn't surprise me though that Sigurdsson will miss the Belgium tie and I hope he misses the other one, which is only a friendly. At the end of the day, as we need him for the forthcoming fixtures.

I am so glad that our players are made of different material and it was obvious Chelsea don't like losing (who does) but at what cost?

I hope they win nowt!

We could always go for a back three against Cardiff – they will pump balls into our box so the extra 'big man' at the back. I would also get Zouma back in the side (he doesn't deserve to be dropped).

Pickford
Keane - Mina - Zouma
Coleman - Gomes - Gana - Digne
Lookman - Calvert-Lewin - Richarlison

Bernard has struggled the last few games and will get kicked all over the park against Cardiff. Walcott needs a reality check and it leaves us with options off the bench.

The Ref saw it and gave Jorginho a slap on the wrist. There is retrospective action for diving but' for nearly ending someone's career' you get away scott free!

I just hope that Sigurdsson recovers for Cardiff as he is finding his best form.

As Sigurdsson lay sprawling from that chop from Jorginho (at the umpteenth attempt) Sarri had the temerity to wildly protest at the ref. Not nice.

Seeing how this new Everton is evolving is doing wonders for my therapy.

I thought the same regarding Richarlison. If he travels to Brazil (or wherever it is they are playing, don't know, don't care) I sincerely hope he doesn't play a single second and rests that ankle.

Sigurdsson was mauled on the weekend. I'm relieved to read he's not playing for Iceland. And, as many have said, if he can't make it for Cardiff, play Bernard in the No 10 role and rest Sigurdsson for the next game.

I think the one after Cardiff is a bigger deal. ;0)

People on here have been saying Bernard and Mina were lucky to stay on the pitch and that's our own fans god knows what 5 refs in a room would conclude.

If VAR comes, it has to be for offsides or clear things that the ref hasn't seen like diving.

We need Sigurdsson back for the derby; we should have enough without him against Cardiff.

Take your pick but, for me, it is Mina simply for the threat in other box and the fact he's our player. Try to sign Zouma full time in January and if he signs then it's all bets off – form wins.

Rather than dragging Bernard in from the left, I'd also give Lookman a go in the No 10 role where he apparently did well for RB Leipzig? I'd also like to see what Dowell could do in a near full strength first team too if Lookman doesn't grab it.

A winning team, and vastly improved performances. Keep the changes to a minimum until we need to otherwise.

I say "was" as I believe it is now time to pair Keane with Mina permanently from now as they will be our backbone for the foreseeable future.

Zouma will be a good back-up with Holgate, however, as Sunday showed Jags still has a part to play. He was probably more vocal and captainlike in the short period he was on the pitch than he has been since he arrived!!

The first was simply to introduce Mina to Premier League game time, the second a deliberate tactical switch to nullify Hazard's growing influence from Chelsea own tactical tweak.

Contrary to some claims, I have never heard Silva say in his time at Everton that he is contemplating going with three centre-backs. It certainly isn't a formation he has favoured at his previous clubs.

I for one would oppose it, unless Silva determines it is his best defensive option in single games due to how the opposition plays, or – as was the case on Sunday – as a counter tactic to what the opposition were doing, in-game.

The formation and the style we are playing is working. Changing to three central defenders has consequences for all aspects of our game and player selection throughout the team. Why 'fix' what isn't broken?

As for the international break, Jamie @ 19, Richarlison had a very easy commute to join up with the Brazilian squad after the Chelsea game on Sunday – a couple of stops on the tube (metro). They assembled in London and play Uruguay at the Emirates on Friday, then Cameroon – also in London – on Tuesday, so no long cross-Atlantic travel involved.

Coutinho, Marcel and Casimiro have all pulled out of the Brazil squad through injury. I tried to spot Richarlison in TV footage of the team working out at Arsenal's training ground this morning, but didn't spot him, so maybe he is being held back due to his knocks.

Looks like I was right and he can play alongside Gana and has more defensive qualities than most were aware of, Barca bought him as a long-term replacement for Busquets, don't forget.

Busquets is 29

We shouldn't be shoehorning players into the side; play the best team and formation and if there's three good players for two positions then that should be a positive.

I'd be starting Mina and Keane as the preferred two as they are the likely future and Zouma is not keen on staying anyway.

Of the current squad Tom Davies is the one who could possibly fill in workwise. Kieran Dowell would be my choice but brings the touch and vision, the hard bits, but not the constant involvement.

Ron #20, I for one look forward to VAR to root out players like Jorginho and Alonso.

Looking at him, he's not a typical winger, I think he would suit the Non 10 roll, plus he and Bernard could easily switch up for 10 or 20 mins a half if needs be.

With Richarlison out, I'd go with Calvert-Lewin as he's a monster in the air and against a defensive Cardiff side the wingers crosses could prove vital. Silva will have a long term plan; if Calvert-Lewin or Tosun is due out in January, then I'd obviously play the one who's most likely to be with the blues long term.

Was it a coincidence that Everton players suddenly started contesting the referee's decision on Sunday when Yerry Mina made his debut?

Has Zouma been in really good form since he has settled in? And does Michael Keane look like our most improved player since the start of this season?

But has Gueye been a revelation since he started playing with Gomes, which is also improving Sigurdson's game?

We were really good against Chelsea, at closing the gaps, (stopping the passing lanes) but we are still wide open to the fast counter attack so although I'm very happy watching Everton, I'm really intrigued to see what the manager does next?

I couldn't agree more. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't remember so many International Breaks. Last year it was the World Cup run-up, but that's been and gone! What makes it even worse Harry is that a lot of them are only Friendlies.

Either way, it is another chance our players can pick up an unwanted injury. Every player dreams of representing their Country but not at the expense of their bread-and-butter football, surely!

A player like Gomes can allow Siggy to have more of the ball and utilise his skills to better effect, ie, passing quickly through the lines and creating an attack. I think the players trust him – something that was being prevented with Schneiderlin or Davies partnering Gueye.

I don't want to throw all my eggs in one basket with Gomes because it's early days, but I've seen enough of him already to say we should sign him up as soon as we can but the ball seems to be in Barca's court there... so we'll see.

Like you said, just another opportunity for our players to pick up injuries – all at the expense of this Nations League crap.

The highlights reel that Sky showed after the Manchester derby looked like a completely different game to the one I watched earlier. Totally one-sided and you'd swear that it was all Chelsea; however, when asked if Chelsea were wasteful, Souness replied that he thought Everton got a deserved point and highlighted a few players: Gana, Gomes and Richarlison, along with Pickford to say that Everton are a team on the rise.

We need Siggy back for the derby ourselves, as we'll miss his work rate and his guile.

He has shown touches of class over the past 12 months playing under very poor management, but has also struggled to find (or be played in) his proper role He was over-priced when we bought him, but that is done, can't be changed now. He is a very important player for us, and I very much hope he is fit for the derby, he can do damage in that game.

Much of his improvement is down to the manager. I was one of many people who were dubious about Mr Silva, mainly about his defensive acumen, but over the past couple of months, notwithstanding the Carabao Cup flop, he has impressed me.

Sensible decision to keep both of them at Finch Farm. I'm only surprised that McCarthy hasn't been called up by O'Neill!

On Mina, “This one, what is it, reckless endangerment, a position when you leave the ground like that, from another angle, watch he's off the ground, that's a fair old clattering to the inside of his right ankle for Hazard. That would be a sore one. I think on another day that could have been a red card”

“Like this one with Jorginho, he's nibbling away and from another angle, you see he's clearly off the ground again, look that's another sore one, on another day that could be a Red.” Redknapp chimed in with “if that's a head on tackle it would be a red”

“Theo Walcott, is unlucky there, Alonso is clearly going for the ball but unfortunately just catches his ankle, I think that's the less of the 3, that wasn't as bad as the other 2.”

Forget his murky past, he's a good analyst.

As for Bernard, as much as I'd like to see him behind the striker, my guess is that Marco Silva keeps him as a winger and goes for Davies. Certainly he won't play as a winger, so it's his opportunity to shine.

I am resigned to second-rate referees at the moment causing pain and injustice for Everton and other teams every week.

Get fully fit, Siggy, and well done to Marco Silva for turning the team around and improving the way we play with guts, style and manner.