Tremendous solidity underlies fine Everton win

He looked in some pain on both. Probably a wise precautionary move. A good game for Olsen to come into.

I will be watching out for accurate passing from the back and in midfield. Carlo will be reminding them, Interceptions and breakaways from Leicester will be costly.

Iwobi and Richie have to be on the money and provide for Dominic. Also we can hurt Leicester from set pieces, we have good threat in the air and their defence may buckle.

COYB. A win here and the top 4 push is back on track.

I am intrigued.
Why do you think it is a good game for Olsen to come into?

I would personally get Godfrey to track Vardy and try and keep him in his pocket, easier said than done.

Jordan must be injured because hes been decent recently.

Dont like this 6pm midweek kick off though

Allan's injury is a big blow but Gomes has acquitted himself well recently. More of the same please.

Same again would do.

Doucoure did well tonight but Michael Keane was a mountain today.

Good win

Ride this 4 at the back / counter attack system until the wheels fall off.

It's working, it completely fits this squad, don't give a shit about ugly or the way the game should be played or high lines!

Ride this horse until it dies.

Brilliant match!

No real panics and good to see VAR with a saving grace.

The only bad issue is Allan’s injury, hopefully it won’t be a long outage for him.

Well done Everton, a very good solid team performance.

No complaints from me, and let’s hope for the same focus and commitment v Arsenal.

Tactically very astute, set up and prepared brilliantly by Ancelotti.

The shape. The discipline. The tactics.

Other than Vardy's header straight into Olsen arms, when was our keeper worked?

Took a little while to settle into a pattern again after Allan's withdrawal. The Holgate and Godfrey bookings at the start of the 2nd half, silly as they were, were them getting pulled out of position to compensate for where Allan would have been guarding things.

Again, nobody had a bad game. I thought Doucoure really stepped up today. We counter-attacked with real threat.

And that's two wins and two clean sheets against teams who would have been extremely motivated, as both Chelsea and Leicester would have claimed top spot if they had beaten us.

Now, on equal games played, we are above Chelsea and one point behind Leicester, just two points off 1st and 2nd place with both of them playing each other now.

Perhaps the manager, the team and the players aren't so crap after all.

He's our best footballer by a mile. James out there, unlocking Rich and DCL on the counter would be insanely dangerous.

Not buying that. All about opinions, right?

Doucoure deservedly MOTM followed closely by Keane and Iwobi.

Olsen didn't do much but he makes me calm.

Is this a bit of perspective? Or a huge opportunity missed with stupid tactical decisions for 6 games?

Please Carlo, don’t play 3 at the back again. Or 4 central midfielders.

But upon such results, Dynasties are built. Nothing breads confidence like winning.

No big predictions. just satisfaction and contentment tonight.

That'll do

I thought we could have been better in possession but we looked pretty comfortable. Olsen looked solid and dependable, I thought.

Let’s not get carried away. We’ve seen two good performances and results but we’re only ever 2 losses away from the mood changing. It’s encouraging that we’re being linked to good players though.

Enjoy your night Blues. Come on Spurs!

Interestingly, this match was *supposed* to be on TV, but got switched to Peacock at the last minute, in favor of Arsenal vs Southampton.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but our match with Arsenal this weekend *is* on TV, so we'll have to up our game!

As for the match, the Allan injury is a real blow, as it's tough to accommodate both Gomes and Sigurdsson, to say nothing of James (I expect some interesting debates in the coming weeks where he's concerned. I have no doubt we're a better side with him in it. The question is, are we a better side if he's less than 100%? I don't think he's been quite right since the Derby, to be honest).

But otherwise, an absolutely outstanding victory. Back-to-back wins and clean sheets against Chelsea and Leicester City is no joke.

Lost in translation, I think I agree with you. I'd like to see James play in Sigurdsson's spot, and keep the flat back 4.

We have to keep riding out this back 4, counter-attacking style. It's working. We're playing solidly, we're playing as a unit, and we're getting results.

You put James in for Siggy and we're frightening on the counter.

No knock on Sigurdsson, he played his guts out. He'll play a role as James won't be healthy for every game. It's a team game, we'll just be better with James in that 10 (ish) role.

Allan will be a massive loss for the Arsenal game, but these two wins should give the team a lot of confidence so maybe we will be okay without him. It was good to see the tension in Carlo in the second half, his nerves were showing the passion he sometimes seems to lack.

Lot's of sense in that re: James.

Yes, we are not playing open attacking football but, when you consider the rut we were in more or less from the derby, it was imperative we got back on track, regardless.

We have to keep the momentum going against Arsenal. Allan will be a big miss but Doucouré stepped up tonight. Again brilliant defending and really Leicester, for all their attacking ability, never got a look in.

I think a special mention must go to Calvert-Lewin. The amount of sacrificial work he's putting in for the team is unbelievable. Hopefully, when Coleman and Digne get back fully fit to supply him, he'll get back in the box and in the goals.

Well done, Ancelotti and the whole squad.

There's something particularly satisfiying about winning games when below your best and it's that sort of game which defines your finishing position, not your best or your worst.

We've now beaten two teams who, had they beaten us would have gone top, on the bounce.

That's not to be underestimated. Title challengers? Definitely not, but when you beat those at the top then credit is well deserved.

I think blaming James is well off the mark and obviously he was a key man for our initial set of points. He doesn't have to play 90 mins every game and we can change formation as required.

Gutted about Allan.

On James I think he will take Siggy place in time but can’t change a winning team yet!

I’d be tempted to let Davies take Allan place v Arsenal. Although Man U game is the big one for me !!! Let’s get a cup,

Team spirit seems great at the moment

Lovely win, well done lads. Gutted about Allan but hopefully keep momentum with James coming back in.

If Ancelloti doesn’t rest some players on Saturday I fear for several players (Iwobi, Richarlison, DCL, Mina, Sigurdsson) we cannot afford that.
I would put a B whole midfield on Saturday to be full throttle against United on the cup; apart that because if not we’ll increase our injury list. I understand that wouldn’t be nice for the ones going to Goodison on Saturday but choices have to be made with this thin squad. That’s life for us until Moshiri unleashes his millions in January (fingers crossed)
This schedule is criminal... Allan’s one wasnt unexpected at all...
A good one: finally Gordon’s back. Hope Coleman’s back for Saturday as we need energy and spirit to keep going like this!

“I (as “e”) won’t be missing. I - WO - BI MISSING!!”
Great play from Iwobi Doucoure Godfrey Keane Holgate and RICHAAAAALIIIIISOOOON. The rest very disciplined. Just Gomes (for Christ sake!)made me nervous
COWB!

Well done Blues!

Apparently Davide Ancelotti has been working with the defence and these results vindicate that.

Thought Iwobi and Doucoure were immense and Siggy really put a shift in again.

Only 2 points off whoever loses the game Spurs against the RS or 3 points off top spot if they draw.

And that despite all the suicide pills I have been considering for the last month.

Lets hope for a continuous run despite all the inkuries that the media havent even noticed because we are not the RS.

Credit all round. Particular mention for Iwobi - I can't quite believe what I'm seeing with him. You don't get many full 180s with players but he's putting some form together.

Godfrey really starting to impress. And coming out of his shell a bit now.

Chelsea and Leicester are bloody good sides with plenty of threats. I know Chelsea hit the woodwork from range, but can you remember us actually conceding a good chance in the last 180 minutes? Vardy's header was about as dangerous as it got. Incredible turnaround.

That’s not to take anything away from the the rest of the lads who have been equally as good. Energy is better, closing down is better, motivation is better.

Something has clicked and I am just delighted with it, we are a real force and a proper fighting, organised football team. Mr Ancelotti is certainly doing an Italian job on us, organised and lethal.

One fly in the ointment is the loss of Allan. He gets a foothold on the game for us early on. His huge effort shouldn’t be underestimated early in games, it can shape the game to come. His loss is a sore one. We have to replace like with like but we haven’t got anyone like him apart from maybe Gbamin, who will need time even if he does make the grade.

Carlo will be figuring it out on Crosby beach tomorrow.

Another clean sheet!

We go with more attacking (creative) players, we score more and concede more. We go more defensive (or maybe just more disciplined) and we concede fewer but look less of a threat.

If we're honest, the approach in the last two games is a short term measure, not a long term prospect. As good as we were today, we won't always come away with the goals we need. We really didn't create much of note. Our goals in the last two games have come out of nowhere.

Now we need to figure out how we use one of our most talented players effectively. And we definitely need more attacking threat in the side.

Even when we have ex players in the studio they are still biased against us !!

Welcome Bogdan, great to have you onboard.
I think I speak for us al when I say we welcome your future input.

NSNO

I think we are all feeling a bit more optimistic that Iwobi is that man. On an admittedly small sample of four games

Up the Blues!!!

Sometimes it pays to be ugly and go with what you've got.
Thats our best route to be up there and threatening the top sides.

We are missing left footers. We will miss Allan - and prefer Davies to Gomes as his replacement - but its nice to see people defend, work hard and look like they're enjoying it

It defies the laws of nature and the law of averages.

Anyway, the "h" was silent.

Are you entering the ballot for tickets, Dave? Or not going back yet?

That Bergwin cost me a few quid tonight, he should have made my Everton - Tottenham double pay out

It's been a pretty good week for Everton so far, save the last minute at the other place. If the team can get victories in the next two home games, we may begin dreaming again, however, don't take Arsenal as a gimme and United won't be any easier too. But it's good to be going into both those games with deserved if unexpected victories against Chelsea and Leicester City.

As for the commentary by Amazon, apparently, it was constantly referencing how the Foxes could go top throughout the match and how Richarlison constantly stays down too long doesn't work back, etc, If former Everton players are having a go at us on a live broadcast it proves that we shouldn't take any notice of the 'scripted' utterances of the so-called 'experts'.

I'm pretty sure the friends of the neighbours will be thinking that Everton has done them two giant favours this week, it's up to us to make them realise that we could be a threat to them too, but that's probably going a bit far from our perspective, although it would be nice to shove it down their throats come the end of this season.

I wouldn’t make any unforced changes after two good wins. I say play the best team we can put out every game, let winning become a habit, and if we get injuries, just deal with the problem.

Tony 102 thats my point mate. Them tactics are outdated and the top sides just keep coming.

Why be so negative when anyone can score from a corner.

Worrying about the injuries a bit. Fingers crossed nothing serious and the players come back soon! Need everyone to dig in like the last 2 games.

I thought both Iwobi and Richarlison worked their socks off helping to nullify any threat on the flanks while posing problems for their opponents.

It’s a funny old game, because the two young centre backs, playing as fullbacks, have definitely made defensive minded Everton, a much harder team to play against right now, and it seems to be suiting us down to the ground!

Danny Murphy on MOTD, so no doubt it will be "should have been a definite penalty for Leicester"

By the way, am I alone in thinking that Martin Olsen looks about 75 in the photo above!

Will take those two points.

On a final note, after cryarsing for 5 subs, Klopp played the entire match, without any subs coming on, just watch when they get turned over and he starts banging on about too many games and not able to make 5 subs.

Dave #114 I was really torn but once I got lucky in the ballot I couldn't resist. Mask on as soon as I left the "palace" and only came off when I got home. The train was very quiet and a six-coach. Me and my mate were the only two on the soccer bus, before and after the game! Him upstairs and me downstairs would have been a bit OTT. Plenty of social distancing in the game, and Goodison Road etc were eerily quiet. But what atmosphere inside.

Godfrey and Holgate as full-backs just look more of a solid and balanced defence.

Thought Doucouré was immense. Best game in an Everton shirt.

Everyone worked extremely hard, and seemed happy with the formation in which they were asked to perform. That’s good.

We scored more goals than the other team. That’s good.

Pete, that's why I love ya, man. That highbrow, intellectual analysis. More goals. What a concept.

Ciaran #112, you are one funny dude.

I didnt think Iwobi had a great game but he was there putting a shift in. Gomes got away with one but he needs minutes and we know our starting 11 for Saturday.

Another 3 points against a frail Arsenal and we put ourselves back in contention.

Ah come on..

put your dislike of him to one side... the replay was incontrovertible.

Carlo seems to have stumbled upon a winning formula. 2 great results on the spin. I think he’ll have to look at the role of the full backs when Digne and Coleman come back. Previously, they have gone forward too much and left us over exposed. Currently, we seem rock solid.

Another big one next week in Arsenal. Let’s hope we don’t let them off the hook and have a right good go at them. Unbelievable to see how high we are in the table after our recent bad spell.

Calvert-Lewin wasn't his normal self today (or vs Chelsea). I wouldn't be surprised if he was a bit fatigued. Shame we don't have any options to give him a rest. We can't afford him to get injured either.

Desperately hope Allan isn't out for too long. How long is a hamstring injury? 8 weeks?

The full-backs have been solid in defence. However, this system suits the opposition we have played. If we were against a weaker team that sits back, then we would struggle to open them up.

Happy for Richarlison that he got a goal. Hopefully, he can kick on and be a threat again.

Arsenal will have Gabriel suspended against us which is great news. Maybe we try Simms or Gordon and rest Calvert-Lewin for Man Utd (please not the useless Tosun – would Sam take him for West Brom maybe?)

Getting worried about Gomes. He doesn't offer any goal threat and his presence won't bring out the best in Sigurdsson. I much prefer Davies.

Well done, Blues. I'm enjoying being an Evertonian again (which makes me as fickle as a teenager in love).

A real compactness to our play but we definitely showed more going forward, which was my fear. Calvert-Lewin just about stayed in the game but, from time to time, got isolated, which is the flip slide to this style of play.

With Holgate & Godfrey tucked in, once again Mina & Keane didn't go anywhere, and had yet another comfortable game. The gaps between them were tight and Madisson couldn't find any space, in between them. In fact, he was shite!

Both full-backs were aces and played 30 minutes on a yellow and they were exemplary, not going to ground once. Both came as Gomes failed to adjust to his role after half-time and they were both good yellows to take.

"Perfectly timed"??? Oy gevalt.

I don't dislike Gomes. I love him. Wonderful human being. Elegant passer. But he's a defensive moron. Always has been.

He certainly did not commit the penalty. But the challenge was absolute idiocy, a loony lunge from out of position by a guy who cannot tackle, from which the team escaped dire consequences only by sheer luck and VAR. And it's a chronic problem. He commits dumb fouls in bad locations as a matter of routine. Back in the days when we couldn't defend free kicks, he cost us goals several times.

Tonight had absolutely no business chasing a guy 30 yards and sticking his leg in from the wrong side just after he crossed into the area. It was good fortune alone that he missed -- and VAR was available to save him.

Sadly I think he's a ‘sunshine' player: when we are on the up, his flair and passing range are a positive. He's a poor judge of a tackle for sure and his modus operandi is to commit a bad foul when he gets dispossessed. Mike, something you've pointed out many times.

His best position at the moment is the bench or maybe to swap out with Sigurdsson.

Two or three days ago our illustrious member, Mr D Hind esq, stated he had it on "good authority" that Signor Davide Ancelotti, the manager's 30-year-old son, employed as a coach at Finch Farm, had very recently taken the role of personally coaching our defenders on basics such as even "body position" (inferring, obviously, that coaching by the Kenwright appointed coterie of old-boy coaches was inadequate even in the basics).

If Dazza's right (as he occasionally claims to be), then well done Signor Ancelotti Jnr! Way to go.

Not getting carried away, but looking forward to maintaining our good run against Arsenal at 17:30 on Saturday, who are not enjoying the best of spells. "Beware of the wounded tiger" applies here, and nothing should be taken for granted.

I do hope, as reports suggest that Allan is not as badly injured as it first appeared, and may be out for a few weeks rather than months, he has certainly made a difference since he joined us. The other encouraging point is that we 'managed' in this game after his departure.

That is what having a decent squad is all about, certain players are obviously 'missed' but we have to carry without them during their recoveries.

It's a pity young Antony Gordon only got a cameo role in the dying embers of the game, but hopefully, now he has 'broken the ice', he is back in Carlo's plans and thoughts for the future.

A reasonably busy fixture list over the Xmas period coupled with the Carabao and FA Cup games should be a chance to 'rotate' as Carlo likes to do. It's no use just depending on what would be considered your first choice players, as injuries do happen, and usually at the most inconvenient times too.

Roll on Saturday 17:30!

In fact I'm in the "he shouldn't be making half of the challenges he does near our area" camp.

He got a nick on the ball tonight but he costs us dangerous free kicks every time he plays. It must be something that can be addressed?

When are referees going to start and give Richarlison some protection? I know he goes down easy but he gets some bad tackles on him and no yellow cards; teams understand he is the one to stop and make sure they do.

Nice feeling to not only not have your weekend ruined but to keep that feeling midweek.

You can always mention players who played really well but this was a good team effort, from the manager and the players. This is the time of the year when you need a good squad and hopefully we can keep this performance going with players coming in to cover the injuries. The standard has been set for other players in the squad to follow.

Yes. I'm hearing really encouraging stuff about Davide's contribution too. Good news for cynics like me who thought he was only here because his arl fella didn't want to see him out of collar. It'll also come as a big relief to the morons who thought Frannie Jeffers and John Ebrell were responsible for first-team coaching.

Tony @102,

I may not be wiser than you, but I`m deffo older and more experienced. Take it from somebody who has learned the hard way down the years: betting on Everton is a very costly business. Doubling them up with another team is the road to ruin.

The bookies have stuck their chins out far enough to tempt me out of my fiver/tenner comfort zone twice in four days. I withdrew 400 quid from my Skybet account when I got in this morning. Think I'll quit while I'm only a couple of grand down.

You gotta know when to hold,
Know when to fold,
Know when to walk away....

Not a lot to add from the Chelsea performance. More of the same; not backs to the wall, just very well drilled and organised. The first 10 minutes of each half aside, I thought we were comfortable, although I did think that was a penalty and expected VAR to confirm.

When most were struggling to look through the result at Burnley, I called out a decent performance and the midfield 2 of Allan and Doucouré in particular. They were great again last night with Doucouré really stepping up to the plate after Allan's injury.

Gutted about Allan. I've referred to him as the Brazilian Peter Reid previously. What you get with him is not just what he does on or off the ball as a footballer, he's a captain without an armband. Constantly organising others, shouting, pointing and being a flea in the ear. And not just last night, he's been doing it all season. Here's hoping that it's not too serious.

Another good shift from Sigurdsson.

Before Chelsea, I pointed out if we beat them we go 2 points behind them. We are now 1 point above them.

Long way to go but we're on course and on target.

Anyway, splitting hairs. I think he'll do fine over the next few games. Roll on Saturday.

"No big predictions, just satisfaction and contentment tonight." That pretty much sums up how I'm feeling too.

Carlo's experience is shining through; he's learned from his own mistakes: having toyed with the disastrous 5 at the back, he has quickly readjusted his tactics back to a 4-4-2 formation and has got us back in the groove. With the option of introducing a fit James back into the side when required, things are looking up once again.

The only bump on the horizon is the Allan injury; his quality will be missed, hopefully he has a speedy recovery.

Defo the most impressive result from last night but yet the red bias media is leading with 4 articles on Liverpool. We all have to pay the license fee, its shameful.

I like the Brazilian Peter Reid comparison. His importance goes beyond his ball play and as you say he is a captain without the armband. The camera briefly showed him towards the end of the first half urging his teammates on. He was shouting to them “ Come on, come on, Push, Push !” Motivating them and rousing some energy from them in a crucial period.

I hope the rumours that the injury is not too bad are true.

Also, with the way out players are playing now, recruitment priorities may have to be revised. We still need support for DCL, to step in and give him a breather or for when he is injured. Tosun isn't the man and will be off to Turkey.

A consideration should be given signing an understudy to Allan. It is such an important role. A young version of the man himself with all his qualities. A tough ask for Brands ! I think that would provide insurance for injuries and fatigue and be a relief for Allan.

This time round we found ourselves in the same situation going to Leicester but we dug in and came away with all three points - “not very Everton that”

Plus Gbamin has almost no experience of the PL which usually takes some adapting to.

I'd love for him to hit the ground running but I don't think its at all likely. Allan will be a massive loss. Doucore did really well last night but he is not a player who's able to read the game defensively. And Gomes is an absolute liability as he demonstrated last night. I think Davies will get some minutes in Allan's absence and perhaps Delph if he is fit. Perhaps Holgate or Godfrey could step up but i'd be loathe to change the defense that has kept two clean sheets in a row.

The midfield 3 will continue to be an issue untill Allan is back and we get a new player to occupy that third spot.

In my car this morning on the radio (national station): "And in sport, Liverpool are 3 points clear at the top after beating Tottenham whilst Arsenal drew with Southampton. Meanwhile in Scotland, Rangers ". Not even mentioned before switching to a 4th tier European league!!

I was hopeful Gbamin may be the enforcer that I spoke about sat behind Allan and Doucoure, but that was before we reverted to 4-2-3-1 and kept leaving that pocket of space between those 2 and the defence.

Leicester are no mugs, great result. Get the confidence back.

Premier league teams cant afford to have passengers who arent willing to do the dirty work - James certainly falls into that category.

On a positive note, Godfrey looks like an absolute steal in this market. Iwobi is looking a much improved player (I still have doubts that even he knows what he is doing at times), and team look capable of matching the rest.

If ever there was a season where top 4 is wide open, this is it.

Not necessarily in that order, but out of them all Pep, Ollie and Mikel are 8th, 9th and 15th in the Table, but are portrayed as being in contention. No mention or picture of Carlo, or Hassenhuttl (3rd) or even Moyes in 7th currently.

Personally I find it in some ways annoying that we are being ignored, but also am happy to go 'under the radar' and pick them off one by one when they get in the crosshairs. :-)

A few weeks ago, Michael put me on the post and asked "What would you do, George?" I answered as honestly as I could.

I would like to add that, if I was involved at EFC, I would ask that, as a Club, we write to The Media, especially TV, and ask for a comment on the bias against Everton – never more clear than before, during and after any match... it's crazy!

I would also ask the Referees Association for some explanations regarding bookings and free-kicks. I cannot stand moaning continuously, but do something: the free-kicks last night and bookings were dreadful; getting the penalty decision right does not make other decisions acceptable.

Fuchs, for example... even on Saturday, McManaman laughed about Calvert-Lewin getting an arm in his face with a comment "I'm sure it wasn't intentional" and then later said Giroud had gone down after "a smack in the face" – a comment totally unchallenged by anyone.

We need to stop moaning but make it clear that it is unacceptable. Further, the Wilson penalty at Newcastle... we have seen a few exactly the same since with no penalty given.

But, in reality, I do not care much about other clubs, players, games – I am only interested in all things Everton. Finally, with all the media giving EFC and some of our players dreadful stick – Richarlson for example –anybody ever say Salah goes down to easily and too often? No.

So we don't need our own fans slagging our players on the Live Forum – criticise after the game or accept that we all have favourites but some of the serious slagging is, in my opinion, dreadful.

So there you go: "Don't start with the neggo waves, Moriarty!"

Up The Blues... "Think bridge man".

We seem to be playing more of a 4-2-3-1 for the last two matches with Allan and Doucouré sitting a bit more and Sigurdsson playing the No 10 role.

It should be noted that Siggy has worked very hard (he always does) in the No 10 role and closes down opponents consistently (if not quickly). I think Rodriguez can do this and is not shy of working hard; it's just that he is slow over the ground... but then, so is Siggy.

What we should not revert to, at least against the better teams, is having Rodriguez on the wing, where his desire to wander and his lack of speed in recovering was beginning to prove very costly.

In the last two matches, we have looked much more solid, partly because Iwobi and Richarlison have worked very hard on the flanks to get back and cover whilst also providing an attacking option.

If we continue with the 4-3-2-1 then Sigurdsson or Rodriguez could both play that No 10 role so long as they work hard. Bigger issue is who plays alongside Doucouré in the double pivot? Gomes cannot do it against teams that will have more of the ball than us, I'd say... which leaves Davies or Delph.

Furthermore, he is a good passer and you don't need to be rapid to play this position, just sniff out danger before it happens.

Finally, he won't move out of position often, so other midfielders know he stays in situ.

If he could develop a defensive midfield part of his game portfolio, what a squad player he can become!

And those on the RS side actively hate us. By 'actively', I mean they'll go out of their way to comment on us and to us when it's out of context. For example, when they won the league last season, some RS supporters I know contacted me immediately to tell me that Everton are shite, rather than focusing on their own achievement. In contrast, if we won the league, the last thing I'd think about is them, or at least that's how it's always been when we've won trophies.

Oscar Wilde said that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. We are certainly not in the latter category. We seem to really get under the skins of anyone biased towards the RS, and to a degree that looks obsessive. It's quite weird.

I also believe that both Holgate and Godfrey are fine at full-back. They have both proved – as Holgate also did for West Brom – that, if you can defend well, you are never being played 'out of position'. Nevertheless, I do accept that it must be a bit tricky for Godfrey to play on the left being naturally right-footed.

Other central defenders who have played well at full-back include Kevin Ratcliffe, Julian Lescott and Michael Ball.

But, and there is always a but, Dom can't cross to himself, and service to him recently has been very limited indeed. I appreciate it has been offset by goals coming from other departments, but it is a bit concerning if those sources dry up (hopefully not).

Having said that, it is good to have different formations, when certain players are unavailable, provided all personnel chosen perform accordingly, as it keeps the opposition guessing, and how to combat against it.

"(inferring, obviously, that coaching by the Kenwright appointed coterie of old-boy coaches was inadequate even in the basics)."

You never fail to make me laugh as you can get a dig in at Blue Bill on almost any unrelated topic. Genius.

I have a theory you were turned down by BKL Productions for the part of Ma Twanky in Aladdin and only got offered the back end of a horse to Biggin's front end. C'mon, fess up.

Keane, Holgate, Godfrey, Kenny – four English international footballers; Mina, Colombian international; Coleman, captains his country sometimes; and Digne, a French international player – have probably all been getting coached at academies since they were about 10 years of age, and only Jonjoe has come through at Everton.

I'd say the problem with coaching is just like reading a ToffeeWeb forum, with so many different opinions, meaning players will be getting told different things every time they have a different coach. So good on young Davide, because 90% of defending is definitely a collective responsibility imo, and Everton finally look to be defending as a team!

It's important we don't sit back too much and that's why we need tremendous work rate and athleticism from Richarlison and Iwobi to make sure that they can get up the pitch to support Calvert-Lewin as well as helping out defensively.

Certain teams (such as Sheffield United) will sit back against us anyway but currently we are well suited to play a deeper line and hit teams on the counter-attack. Dom will get less chances but so will the opposition, who were carving us open all too easily just a few weeks back.

He is just a player that is head and shoulders above any Sheffield player and one moment of sublime creativity can give us that important first goal. I think Sheffield will find us hard to break down if we go ahead.

I think James's best position would be central as #10, as many have already pointed out. Some have suggested that this would leave us weak on the counter attack. I'm not so sure.

It's easier to set up a midfield to prevent a counter through the middle. If one of your wide players doesn't track back, however, you are normally left very exposed. For this reason, I have never really understood why he has been played wide.

If we step out of line and dare to question this view, we are called bitter. We're not bitter, just knowledgable and willing to call out just about every aspect of the game as we do with each other on this forum. And we judge our own team good and bad, whether we agree with each other or not.

Arguing with a Kopite is like having a 6 year old playground dispute; they're really good and we're really shite is how it tends to go. Okay I'm stereotyping; some of them, my family included aren't all like that.

Tony, I tend to agree. With the amount of coaches these lads go through nowadays and especially with the amount of coaching regimes Everton have gone through in recent seasons, that is a valid point.

Maybe the best thing they can do right now is listen to the coaches Carlo has empowered and live in the here and now. Not to forget what they've been taught previously, just look forward and listen to those empowered by a proven winner.

I'm not a Carlo happy clapper, by the way. Just if I were a player, I'm listening to him and his staff over anything Silva and other predecessors have told me.

Merry Christmas!

Glad we steered clear of that one.

Hopefully one or two Everton U23 players come on loan.

Almost ever present last season – and a source of a number of goals for them – but seems to have been absent for most of this season.

I watched Lundstrum at a youth game at QPR years ago and was very impressed. Genuinely pleased to see the lad has made a profession and living out of playing football.

But not a player who will ever be part of a successful top flight team.

Hugh #182, Lundstram played in Blades' first 11 games this season, starting 8, before being dropped for the last two. He was finally left out of the squad completely against ManUtd today.

George #163, "Crazy... I mean, so many positive waves... maybe we can't lose! You're on!"

But as Jonesey said, "Well we’re all nuts, or we wouldn’t be here!"

Ian (186) - if that is correct, then Wilder is surely becoming the architect of his own (and his team's misfortunes).

They over-achieved thanks to a fantastic team spirit, boundless energy and fanatical support (missing this season) but you could see that they were a very limited team. Having said that, they don't lose many matches by big scores. It's vital that Everton win this one next week. We can't afford to slip up against them after our recent brilliant wins. I'd take another 1-0 right now.

Merry Christmas to you too.