Everton vs Manchester City

I always want Everton to win, but recent lethargic displays and lack of any joined up football with Sunday League defending have left me almost apathetic under Silva.

May the force be with the team we see as the one, and may the girls from Man City fight, but loose.

I hope Bernard gets in for the poor Walcott, and Gueye for Davies. Digne in of course. Otherwise unchanged.

I thought so too, Paul. Hopefully Baines has recovered. If not, then I guess Kenny plays out of position.

The days when Everton relished the big games against the top sides went out of the window after Martinez' first season closed up.

It's been a downward spiral against the top six ever since and watching this Everton side, it's hard to fathom how we can even get a point from these next five home games.

We are basically going to finish between 8th and 12th probably nearer to 12th looking at how poor we've been for two months.

On a purely bitter level, a good performance and a loss would certainly destroy the confidence at Mordor. We will never hear the last of it if they win the league.

We need a midfield 3 who will not be overrun and will constantly be snapping at City. The full backs should be full backs for today, not marauding wing backs.

2 pacy wingers and a target man. Our best chance is to keep them contained in the middle of the park with the defence holding solid when they break through the midfield, then breaking at pace.

Richarlison and Lookman on the wings, DCL up top as I feel he could keep the centre backs occupied more than Tosun.

Gomes, Davies and Gueye across the middle, with Gomes sat deep and Davies and Gueye pressuring the City midfield. (Still think Schniederlin is best in a 3 man midfield but it won't happen).

Whoever is fit in defence!!

However, it would be so them to rock up tomorrow with the patronising, smugness we are all accustomed to, convinced its in the bag only to get beat by Bournemouth.

It's still early days. Nothing will be decided yet. I was at the Man C game in 2014. Strange atmosphere that day but from where I was sitting, we definitely wanted Everton to win.

When the time comes that we are in their shoes I would be sickened to think they had the same thoughts.

I doubt however that would happen because like them or not it is undeniable that they have shown far more pride over the years in defending their reputation as a top club than the miserable kow towing we have supinely accepted.

another example of small mindedness is shown by those who will not have Rafa for no other reason than he once was the RS manager and a succesful one at that. Meanwhile we are happy to hire a chorus line of second raters.

As for tonights game, I don't give a damn what the result means to City or the RS. We are EVERTON and its about time we showed a bit of pride in the name. NSNO,

Beat City to kick start a decent run to the end of the season.

If the real City turn up, not the one that Koeman faced, it will be most probably be out of our again. But if there is a top 6 team we sometimes put one over on its City.

I know, I know, its the hope etc. But I'll take a chance and drag myself out of bed in the wee small hours, just in case.

That will see a similar team line-up next season and more heartache... I hate Everton with big money behind them but with nobody knowing how to spend it!

I'm not saying we shouldn't put in a good performance or get a thrashing but a 1-0 or 2-1 loss is much more bearable than Liverpool winning the league.

At the end of the day, this season has been one of the least enjoyable so far that I can remember so at least we will get some enjoyment from them bottling it again, haha!

That's what happens when you don't possess men at the club with a knowledgable football brain.

Moshiri is a successful business man but his football nous in zero and Kenwright fell lucky that David Moyes was a master of turning water into wine for almost a decade.

I'll never forget the bull dust Kenwright spouted when he sold Rooney in 2004.

Newcastle beat them 2 weeks ago, Crystal Palace beat them on their own patch a few weeks ago . They are not as invincible as some would have.

We have 'very arguably' better players than Newcastle and Crystal Palace . If they are fully motivated, drilled properly and we play in an organised system and formation like those two teams did, we can beat Man City too.

If Rafa Benitez and Roy can come up with the goods with their lesser squads, well why not Marco?

I want to see us organised and fighting ' I want to see defensive improvements and a better more combative formation.

I want to see Marco Silva moving forward and showing us he has got what it takes to make us a fighting force of a football team again . Ultimately the supporters will settle for nothing less.

Why cannot this desire translate to the first eleven? Surely pride, commitment, and determination in your own performance to be the best, should be paramount in any young professional athletes make up, in any sport they compete in.

"When the time comes that we are in their shoes I would be sickened to think they had the same thoughts." — You have got to be joking. How many examples do you need? Their uncontained joy when we faced relegation? The Steaua Bucharest flags? The Moyes banner at the derby? Their song about Coleman breaking his leg? The Tesco carrier bags?

I have a 10-year-old nephew who refers to us as "the bitters" as do many of his mates. Oh the irony. Regardless of what they claim, they are obsessed with doing us down.

Do not for one moment fall for the media-peddled myth that they are in some way a better class of football fan.

If Richarlison, Tosun and Bernard put in a good shift we will give them a game.

Richarlison will have to watch himself with Walker. I would prefer to see Bernard on the left for this one.

Hope the team and Goodison fires up tonight.

Up the Blues!!!!

I still hope for a result tonight – I would take a draw if it were offered but I can't see it. At least let's go down fighting.

Regarding Man City's title challenge, it's not relevant to us. The only thing that matters is us winning. Or even if we don't win, at least putting in a good performance and coming close, to try and establish some positive momentum.

And regarding Liverpool, they are also irrelevant to us. Just ignore comments from Liverpool supporters, they simply don't matter.

It's all about the money at the top!

The Moyes years are the reason we are where we are now. 11 years of being happy to be also-rans. We went too long in the doldrums and now it is going to take a gargantuan effort to get us out of them.

It's not beyond possibility for us to lose 22-3 tonight.

I'd never cheer the boys on to lose, but what a bonus seeing the kopites whinging away tomorrow (all the way from Norway).

Pickford
Kenny Keane Zouma Digne
Davies Gana Gomes
Bernard Calvert-Lewin Richarlison

I would play McCarthy if he is fit and wonder if Feeney is in the squad?

I think they will still have too much ability and win the game but I expect a decent performance from Everton. I won't be 100% happy whatever the result tonight!

I fully expect us to lose tonight, and lose heavily based on recent evidence, but I still WANT us to win. Will those obsessed with the RS sleep well tonight if we lose 0-7?! I certainly won't!

If we lose tonight, will anyone really care? I mean it's just one game against one of the best teams in Europe and the obvious silver lining we're on a hiding to nothing. I'd be happy with a good game and a low scoring loss to keep the RS off top spot.

Love to see us turn up and give them a game but can anyone really see it?

Everton's failing in defence is lack of cover: the centre-backs should be covering for each other because mistakes always happen. If Pickford came for crosses more often there would not be so many concerns regarding zonal marking.

Not playing James McCarthy in midfield even as a sub; has been a mistake because he plays with lots of energy and loves a tackle.

There is one good thing about Sigurdsson – he loves a shot on goal; playing him further up-field alongside who is going to be tonight's striker would provide Everton with more firepower.

It's hard to discuss other players in other positions because of poor form.

The RS belittle us constantly, and some might say, rightfully, but it's the insufferable nature of a lot of them that I can't stand. The Steaua Bucharest flag, the baiting and whinging, the banging on about how amazing they are and all the self-aggrandising. Urgh.

Here's another way of looking at it – Pickford gifted them 3pts at Mordor so we can in some perverse way claim that back tonight by losing!

Having said that, I won't be losing any sleep should we get beat. I'll be in the Childwall Fiveways before and after the match, which no doubt will be full of RS, giving it large should we win. It's the same in the pub in Woolton Village I go to. Full of smug red bastards who have never been to a game in their life, yet claim to have never missed a match all season. They have season tickets in the pub for every game, sitting in the same seat. Well I'll be smug on Friday if Man City beat us.

The RS have been top for months and this would be a psychological blow for them to be second again and completely change the complexion of the title race.

I'd be delighted if it was us who helped them fail. Call me bitter.

I can't see us beating Man City but stranger things have happened.

Silva has given his players a roasting and expects them to carry out his instructions at set-pieces. Moshiri has told Sky he is not concerned by recent results because his manager is working on a project towards delivering success long-term.

So, perhaps, all this talk of motivation is not just the bullshit we've heard so many times before and tonight will prove this lot mean business. Perhaps.

If we could couple a loss tonight with a win in the derby that would be ideal.

If we do win tonight I'll be joining the call for Marco's head!

You are allowing them to dictate how you think and feel about us.

Why grant them such easy succor?

Ignoring them and being indifferent to them hurts them much more than re-affirming the 'Bitter Blues' moniker by saying you would rather Everton lose to hurt them.

Calvert-Lewinis a far better option than Tosun for many reasons.

Keane and Sigurdsson need to step down. They're both guilty of hiding, they're undoubtedly slow frankly they're useless, Walcott too.

I used to be a big advocate of blooding lads from the U23 but I've lost touch with how they're progressing. Regardless I'd take Feeney over Keane any day.

Sigurdsson is so ineffective he does not require a replacement, by removing him from the line-up means we start with 11 on the pitch.

Glad that I'm working away these days and don't get to the games so often. My last game was Leicester and that was pretty dire. I will always be a proud Evertonian just a despondent one these days.

I'd bring Moyes back as nothing else is working.

I hate this cliche but I'm using it nonetheless: Be careful what you wish for.

I also know Digi Sport 4 (Romania) is covering the game as given to me by John Keating, (thanks again JK) some time ago, but whether it's in English or not I don't know, but any coverage, in any language is better than nought. Also being covered by Bein Sports 11 HD, which is in English for anyone who can pick that up. So hope that helps for anyone.

Just a footnote, had it been the RS, Manure, or Chelski, you can bet that it would have been covered and accessible to more than just those with Computer feeds and dodgy streams.

Obviously a win for Man City helps, but they could just as easily get beat by Chelsea at the weekend, and the RS win, putting them back on top. I agree with you when you say it could be a psychological blow for the RS to be knocked off the top, and nerves are clearly beginning to set in with them.

Nobody wants Man City to win the league more than me, but it won't be won and lost tonight.

Tony Everan @34,
" Why would anyone think we should roll over like a helpless three legged cockapoo puppy " ?

Because at the moment we are being managed by a two legged Portuguese Cock Hound, who has no bark, no bite, and obviously no balls either! :-)

We were always City's bogey side especially under Moyes but I cant see Silva even winning the toss of a coin these says such is my lack of faith in him.

I would be pleased with a good performance and a narrow loss but shocked if we pull off the seemingly impossible given our current penchant for gifting goals.

But instead we will try to match them with possession, play a high line, and Keane will be turned about a million times by their pacey forwards leading to a humiliating defeat.

Time for Marco Silva to unveil his plan B. Otherwise he can fuck right off.

I come from a family of reds & blues. Lots of banter & stick taken & given. Do I want them to lose- of course! Do I EVER want my team to lose- No!

We had all this crap back in 2014. I was disgusted then and am again.

Let's face it we are way behind them at the moment. They have a better team and Manager. Their owners have a vision and a plan.

It sticks in my craw but that's the reality. As a fan base we crucify ourselves by constantly thinking we must match them. This will take years of effort and great leadership.

We have to focus on us. There will be 3 generations of my family at the game tonight. My grandson keeps asking me when we will beat Liverpool. He's never seen it happen. His Dad keeps telling him it will happen soon . Beating City tonight will bring a smile to both their faces. We've had too many disappointing days this year!

I'd rather we beat our neighbours on March 3rd. Wouldn't that be the right way to put a dent in their ambitions?

I was at both Southampton & Millwall games recently and ashamed at our incompetence.

We can't just watch our team and be passive acceptors of a defeat.

Bollocks to another teams title ambitions. Let's put Everton first.

That is ridiculous. 30,000 season ticket holders and we have a problem shooting system that relies on the health of one man in a booth. I recently went to an NFL game over here. A season ticket holder couldn't go so gave me their tickets. I in turn couldn't go so gave them to someone else who was already at the stadium in not as good seats. All this was done in about 30 seconds total via a mobile app and a few texts involving three of us in three different cities. It is embarrassing to hear Everton is still operating like it's the 1920s and you cannot get in if you lost the paper raffle ticket you bought for a tuppence halfpenny.

No doubt if we do get beaten badly the commentators will be suggesting that we threw the game, that would be nonsense of course, but then they do talk nonsense most of the time, who cares. Silva will not be judged on this game, it's virtually a free pass for him tonight.

Still got goofys image of running on the pitch and going unpunished, and the Coleman sick song.

Silva should pick his quickest players tonight or they will run rings around us, I'd play Jagielka instead of Keane and Kenny at right back.

If your manager at work told you to do something you know will not work would you do it anyway? Zonal defence ain't working... get man-for-man and do your job. Easy!

I love this club. Everton is a massive part of my life. It genuinely affects me whenever they lose and I'll never be one of those fans who just accepts that we are not good enough.

However, I've had many years being laughed at and ridiculed by them lot. I said on another post yesterday that it still makes me feel sick when I see Klopp running on the pitch celebrating that flukey last-gasp winner.

My lad is 8-years-old and has never seen us beat the RS. He gets laughed at on Wednesdays for wearing his Everton shirt during football. It's hard to keep him interested with his friends supporting the RS, Man Utd, Spurs etc. If you can enjoy them lot going top then you're better than I am. Things changed when we were banned from Europe.

I don't mind Man City. They've suffered some rubbish teams and times down the years. I don't begrudge them some glory. I wish it was us, but it isn't. I don't Liverpool them winning the league. Ever.

As much as I don't want to lose, with Silva's tactics, unfortunately I think it's pretty much guaranteed. If we don't fix our set-piece and zonal marking issue quick. This is going to every team's plan against us until the end of the season.

It's all setup for a derby win with Big Dunc pulling off his jacket, running down the touchline pointing to his badge tatt and diving head first into the Gwladys.

"If we can't keep out Lincoln, Milwall or Wolves then we can't keep out Man City."

Eddie, in the words of Saint & Greavsie "It's a strange old game!".

A beats B, B beats C, but A can't beat C?

I'm with you on this I do think we'll lose, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if we did them.

Moshiri's statement that I won't sack made last night might just have the effect on the players that they accept he's here to stay. If they accept this they might start playing for him?

My lad is 8-years-old and has never seen us beat the RS. He gets laughed at on Wednesdays for wearing his Everton shirt during football. It's hard to keep him interested with his friends supporting the RS, Man Utd, Spurs etc.

Character Graig, character! You're moulding a man who will be loyal and stand by his convictions.

Well done Dad! Keep it up m'man.

We'll find out tonight just how much fight they have, they're gonna spend a lot of it on the ropes covering up.

They might just though start playing again and make the best of it because they're locked in with Silva.

My feelings (and a few on here) are that many of these have gone missing and you can't blame Silva entirely for that.

"I live in hope, that's all."

There's never been a truer words spoken when describing the life of an Everton fan.

We need to start campaign to replace NSNO with the above.

Spot on. I was thinking the exact same thing. All any team need do is run in the channels as we will either give up a free kick or a corner. Either way it's a guaranteed goal.

Your point is a valid one especially this year. We have Bournemouth, Leicester, West Ham, Watford, Wolves all of whom can beat a top team on Wednesday then lose to some clowns on Saturday. I am just not sure that Everton are in that group. Yes in terms of position we are in that mix. But we have ground out results (usually playing poorly) against pretty rubbish teams. The only decent result against a good team was the draw at Chelsea. Some will say "we played well at Liverpool and Man Utd." So what. We lost so it means nothing. Consequently, I expect tonight we might lose by as many as 7 goals.

Just got a birthday card too. I opened the attachment and there was some kind of lengthy contract marked "Time Sensitive" addressed to Anderlecht FC.

Our biggest problem at the moment is lack of confidence, regardless of what formations or instructions he gives to players, they're struggling to take responsibility and follow through.

Tonight is about the players as far as I'm concerned, they can either get up for this or they can't, with or without Silva. Just imagine if Silva had been sacked today they would probably run out without a care in the world and play City off the pitch? It's not good enough they should put a shift in every game!

This isn't just Silva at fault (and he is making mistakes), it's the players also.

I really feel for the current younger generation who never even experienced the '80s or, in some cases, the FA cup win in '95. Them lot winning the league this season adds more misery onto that younger generation, particularly those, I would imagine that live in the city itself. I don't like myself for wanting Everton to lose tonight. It's completely alien to me but on balance, a short-lived joy of beating the best team in the land would not compensate for me, seeing us help them lot across the park.

As an aside but an illustration of how a lot of RS fans have a superiority over us, I went to the gym on Sunday as I always do, in my Everton shirt, irrespective of whether we're top or bottom of the league. This bloke says to me "you're brave wearing that shirt!" I said "Why? Who do you follow?" "THE only football team in Merseyside" came his retort. I just gave him my dad's line "I AM sorry!" in much the same way you would if you'd learned someone had died. He then proceeded to tell me why Everton were no good and to recount all of our problems. Not only are they experts about their team, even though most of 'em have never even visited Merseyside, they can tell you what's wrong with your team as well. They are so myopic.

I long for the days where it's us fighting for the title and us wanting the RS to do us favours. Until then, a lifetime of injustices at their hands: Heysel, Graham Poll, Clattenburg, handball in the Milk Cup final, Suarez, Klopp's on-the-pitch celebration, etc. etc. mean I support two teams: Everton and whoever they are playing, and for tonight only, Man City.

I agree their is blame to go around. The "confidence" thing irks me though. I will give an example from across the park. Oxade Chamberlain. He wasn't playing much at Arsenal. Went to Liverpool and got off to a poor start. Fans and media on his back. I watched them lot a few times and he was definitely out of form. Crosses sky high, shots miles wide. But, his work rate was incredible. He probably did more work than anyone on the pitch. A few months later he found his form and was doing really well until his injury. I look at that as an example of someone determined, someone not afraid to make mistakes when his touch his off. Someone brave enough to try and play his way INTO form but sheer practice. Looking at our lot, I feel like they all want to hide. It's like they all expect to come in one day and everyone else is playing well so things will sort themselves out. But nobody is trying to grab the bull by the horns.

I agree this team since the derby have lacked all confidence even the 5-1 beating of Burnley didn't seem to restore the confidence that has been lacking since the derby. Once confidence goes even the simple things become difficult, players start playing the safe pass, rather than trying a more adventurous pass. I know these days a lot is made of player stats, so maybe the safe 10 yard pass will make sure their pass completion is protected.

I know Silva has come in for criticism and some of it is deserved, but a lot of the goals we concede have been individual player mistakes. I know many trot out the he hasn't got a plan B when we lose games. But most coaches have a play they want to play and stick to it. Tonight City will play the same way they have since Pep went there, they will pass and pass and wait for an opening. No plan B just a system that has worked at Barcelona, Bayern and City. the difference is that Pep has had a top quality squad at each club he has been at. So same formation and same style of playing which has brought him the record number of consecutive wins in Spain and Germany and England.

I started going the game about 1981 but wasn't allowed to go any earlier just like you by my mother because of the Hooligan problem and was only allowed in the lower main stand, I used to stand right behind the managers glass box.

As for anybody who tells you that you should support Wigan, well you've got the right to support us because of your blood. They not worth the time of day, just ignore them.

And as for these RS types, most of them have never been to a game, that honour belongs to bored Norwegians with cash on the hip and Cockney merchant bankers looking for a wild weekend up north, ultimately they're no different to the ManU prawn coctail brigade. Our shocking lack of silverware is our fault, but what they are when they start boasting is they're fault.

keep your chin up mate, you never know.

You've hit the nail on the head with players.

If you're not in form you try that bit harder and run around like a looney making yourself useful, but the lot we got at the moment are all waiting for something to happen. The have to make it happen.

“We just never gave in. We had that never say die spirit and attitude.

“they were desperate to win the game because they knew how important this game was tonight.

“I'm just delighted for them and I can't fault their attitude.”

Can you imagine this said about the first team? No me neither. Unfortunately it was Unsworth for the U23's.

I started going the game in 1961, so obviously was fortunate to see Young, Vernon, Ball, Harvey, Labone, et al, as well as the 80s team. Going back to the 60s, Everton were seen by the media as a 'fashionable' club, or 'cool' to use a current day term. I certainly felt it was cool supporting Everton, with Colin Harvey being the symbol of that coolness with his stylish football, the sheer artistry of it. We had a 'symbolism' that Liverpool lacked. We had The Golden Vision, The Holy Trinity and The School of Science. We played the best football, and could sign the best players, a bit like the current Man City.

At the time, I believe Liverpool supporters were irritated by this symbolism. They were fed up with us going on about how great our football was, especially compared to theirs, and about how we could sign the likes of Ball and Kendall. They thought we were arrogant about it. They were keen for us to fail, with the result that even when they eventually started exceeding us in trophies, that feeling of wanting us to fail never left them, it became entrenched in their collective psyche. Even when we became consistently mid-table.

I think that's the issue with them, certainly in my experience. No matter how well they do, they will always want the Schadenfreude of us failing, to complete the picture for them. That's no consolation for current young Evertonians of course. But for those young Evertonians, it's worth them pondering on why a club that is supposed to be so better than us remains so obsessed with us.

You being from Wigan and somehow that qualifying you to not be an Evertonian to me is "bollocks".

Firstly, I have to take that stance because I'm in America. If Wigan is "too far" to be discounted a Blue, well? I'm truly fucked.

Secondly, and you'll probably not "get" this but I'll say it anyway. A Blue giving shit to someone from Wigan who's followed the Blues his entire life, is akin to some "Johnny Puffy Chest" from Boston telling a guy who lives in Maine he can't be a Red Sox fan.

Gimme a break. What's Wigan, like 30 miles away or something like that? Pah-leez.

Ballsy from Silva.

Pickford, Kenny, Zouma, Keane, Digne, Gueye, Walcott, Davies, Andre Gomes, Bernard, Calvert-Lewin. Subs: Sigurdsson, Tosun, McCarthy, Schneiderlin, Stekelenburg, Coleman, Richarlison.

Lookman nowhere to be seen. No mention of him being injured in yesterday's presser.

He has not scored a set piece (that I remember?).

Corners are woeful. We rarely look like scoring from them.

He plays with his back to goal all too often for a modern 10.

He either had to be dropped deeper or removed from the team.

I'm beginning to look back fondly on Barkley. At least Ross drove the team forward.

Happy with the inclusion of Kenny as he shows a bit of determination.

I'm a fan of Calvert-Lewin but dropping Tosun was a bit harsh. He at least showed determination in the last match. When the cat was on the pitch he was the only one with any urgency of getting the bloody thing off and trying to recover the match. I have never been so frustrated with an Everton team as I was during that cat incident. 3-1 down and just standing hands on hips letting the clock tick down. Get the thing off the pitch and roll the sleeves up. Effort is my minimum expectation of any Everton player.

Think DCL may have been selected due to pace on the counter.

Only issue for me is Walcott. I never want to see him in a blue shirt again. Lookman or Richarilson should of got that wide spot. Perhaps Richarlison has been dropped due to his “defensive liability's”, the recent ATN podcast was highlighting his zonal marking errors and Silva did make a comment about players not listening. Perhaps he was referring to Richarlison not doing what he has been coached and therefore he would be a deserving casualty.