Fulham vs Everton

Keane will surely start. Presumably alongside Holgate who Carlo loves. Though I wonder when Godfrey will get to play in his normal position.

Right back is a concern but Kenny will have to try and get up and down as much as possible. The other issue is the third midfield spot. As I said we need a ball carrier there and I’d love for Carlo to try Iwobi but it won’t happen. I’d also like Davies or Bernard to get a go over the underperforming Gomes and Sigurdsson but I doubt it.

This would be my team but it won’t be Carlo’s.

Olsen
Kenny Holgate Keane Digne
Allan Doucore
Iwobi
Rodriguez Calvert-Lewin Richarlison

Sam @ 4, I think both Lookman and Walcott were 'mistakes in the Transfer Market for us' because apart from the odd goal here or there. Generally their attitudes were like they didn't want to be over-involved, and were happy just to pick up exorbitant wages each week, with the minimum of effort.

As for tomorrow, I am hopeful that they will perform better than they they have been doing. Especially now Richie is back. He does make a significant difference when he plays, and that is reflected in results, with, or without him in the side.

My prediction for a 4-3-3:

Pickford
Kenny Holgate Keane Digne
Doucoure Godfrey Allan
Rodrigues DCL Richarlison

For a 3-4-3, I would like Carlo to try Davies on the right side as a wide midfielder.

Pickford
Holgate Keane Godfrey
Davies Doucoure Allan Digne
Rodrigues
DCL Richarlison

At long last a domestic game to look for ward to, I know the Club V Country argument has been around for years but I can never remember so many disruptions in a season.

We look so slow and play in front of the opposition with few runners and nothing through the middle. Having Richarlison back will be a blessing and a win will go some way to repairing the last 3 games.

The South American players especially travelling for Internationals cant help their form when they arrive back.

Most likely result - Draw.
Next likely result - Win for us.
Least likely result- Win for them.

I like Sams team as Iwobi looks most likely to create and has been showing signs of it in recent games. Siggy and Gomes are too slow and Gomes gives away too many dangerous free kicks. Tom is an option to give more workrate and cover down our right.

As others have said we always seem to struggle at Craven Cottage and if we don’t play at pace they will do us.

Three at the back may be an option so we spread five across midfield to cover the right flank.

Olsen
Holgate Kean Branthwaite
Richi Davies Allan Doucoure Digne
James
DCL

Looking forward to it as usual, good that it's on terrestrial and following also on the forum although I'm sure I'm not alone in missing the comments from the ground.

Let's predict 2-0, don't care where the goals come from tomorrow.

Olsen
Kenny Keane Godfrey Digne
Doucoure Allan Gomes
James DCL Ritchie

Bringing Iwobi, Gordon and Bernard on later in the game.

I’d expect Carlo will play Pickford and Mina ahead of Olsen and Godfrey, with Tosun and Sigurdsson preferred off the bench.

Time may prove that your right but every player should be afforded that time and chance playing in their strongest position, how many chances and how much time have we given other players I.e. siggy.

From what I have seen and I have watched every game this season Godfrey held his own against Liverpool when coming on as a sub and then was bang average the following game but both being at rb, let's try him at cb with Keane or both Keane and Holgate in a back 3?!

Digressing a bit, but the issue we have which has been mentioned on numerous threads is how slow and ponderous we have looked both last season and the majority of time during the last 4 games as we allow the opposition to get back behind the ball, playing in front of teams which is so easy to defend against and teams know they will get 3 or 4 chances to either counter attack us or pick up chances from our mistakes. When we play at pace 1 or 2 touch footy we look totally different and it's No surprise that both Everton and dcl have looked bang average since Ricky has not been playing and for the love of me do not understand why carlo persists with siggy in cm and not picking Gordon ou5 wide but hey what do I know.

All I hope is that we get 3 points tomorrow regroup and start enjoying our season again as how good was the 1st 5 games!

On a small narrow pitch I would go with 3-5-2:

Pickford
Holgate Keane Godfrey or Branthwaite
Allan
Kenny Davies docoure Digne

Dcl Ricky

James and Gordon to come on in 2nd half

COYB

I am a bit more confident than usual that this will be the line up.

Pickford
Kenny Keane Holgate Digne
Doucoure Allan Gomes
Rodriguez DCL Richarlison

A lot of focus will be on Kenny tomorrow, it’s a make or break game for him. If he has got any chance of an Everton future he has to be right on the money and put in a solid performance.

Holgate has had two weeks to get much sharper, he may need more matches but he needs to be focused.

Gomes is running out of lives with the fans. He needs to be fighting fit and get his A game together consistently, starting tomorrow.

Rodriguez needs to be 100% fit and mentally ready. If not don’t play him half fit. Iwobi has looked the best of the fringe players lately and deserves a shot If James is struggling. Prediction;

Fulham 0 Everton 2

I don't know why. In part, maybe the negativity that bursts out on TW as soon as things go "breasts into the air" - but nothing new there. Allied to the unrealistic expectations, after a really good start to the season, about finishing in the top four - something new there in recent years. That knife that is sheathed but just waiting to be drawn against the manager when things go wrong - nothing new there. I'm really missing going to Goodison and the away games - the sooner we're back in the ground the better. I miss the friendly banter at the game; deplore the way some of the TW threads descend into personal insults again.

Come on, Everton, lift my spirits tomorrow. Give this depressed, miserable bastard something to get excited by!

Also hope to see Gordon off the bench as 90 mins for Richarlison will be pushing it after his return from South America.

Pickford
Kenny Holgate Keane Digne
Doucoure Allan
Iwobi James Richarlison
DCL

3-0 win and a return to some positivity

I’ll take a win by any means, but no doubt Fulham will be focused in their plight to stay up plus with x2 ex Everton squad players likely to start.

Hopefully by mid afternoon tomorrow, Evertonians, can have some thing to be happy about.

The old cliche, alas is true, “it’s the hope, that kills, you”.

It has to be very different tomorrow, just playing like they wanted to be there would be a start.

How can you write off a young player before he has had a chance to play in his natural position?!

Beggars belief!! He’s only just arrived at the club! Ridiculous post. Some of the best defenders I have seen at Everton have taken a while to settle. Give him a chance ffs.

That aside, as long as we have Gordon, Iwobi and Richarlison involved we should win. Without them, Richarlison in particular obviously, we just don't have enough pace or movement to trouble even poor sides

If we have four players just back from South America and one from West Africa, I am not expecting a great performance.

However I am hopeful we can score at least one more goal than the opposition.

Am grateful the game has been moved from Sat 3pm to Sunday noon.

But I think team selection will have to be done with a view to what subs can be brought into play.

Time to bring Gordon out of detention.
I'd like to see Davies get a runout at some point - because he runs, forwards.

I like the look of Godfrey and view him as similar to Holgate in that a better centre-back than right back, and would be interested to see playing as a defensive mid.

As for Gomez, not long ago a ToffeeWeb blue-eyed boy, I think he would be doing a lot better if he'd had a conventional close season and pre-season. He needs three weeks with the sun on his back, as I do...

UTFT

Reading this thread and everyone’s preferred team, it’s clear to see that we have got some much better players now, so hopefully tomorrow, we can put ourselves back on the right track, and with a vaccine around the corner, the things we took for granted, might soon become our biggest wish! 🤞

Theoretically we should play them off the park, if we struggle to do so, something has gone badly wrong and the inquest will be long and brutal. Rumours of us being linked with Daniel James the United winger in the January window seems like a step in the right direction, if they are willing to do a deal.

What I've long suspected, however, is that our training games and exercises are so rarely at anything like full match intensity that canny professionals can appear to be absolute Trojans at Finch Farm, only to wilt come matchday when they are incapable of producing the extra 10 - 20 percent that is necessary.

Carlo has few options and it is the same right through the team. I would imagine that the only players he would definitely keep would be Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, Digne, James, Allan and Doucouré. That means he has to bide his time, keep players interested and rotate what he has until several more windows.

Derek #18, I'll join the chorus and bet you even more than Dave A would. I see explosive talent in Godfrey -- he's not a utility defender, he's a CB who was stuck in at RB out of necessity -- and I think he will start for us next season.

Fran #26, it doesn't matter where we "start" James. He will just naturally drift outside, his normal venue, to do his #10 thing. It's who he is.

Finally, I share the general call for Gordon off the bench and remain totally nonplussed as to why Carlo won't give him minutes. Obviously he's seeing something he doesn't like on the training ground when Gordon continues to sit while even Tosun gets a chance.

We will right the ship tomorrow. 1-3 is my prediction.

Fulham are appalling defensively, however, so if we concentrate and play with some confidence then we should win.

Well worth a watch!

It didn't help being sub-subbed after 15 minutes at Old Trafford. I don't care what anybody says – that was rank bad management on the day. Peacock posturing at its worst.

Richarlison was substituted 20 minutes from time in Brazil’s 2-0 win over Uruguay on Tuesday following a heavy challenge by Edinson Cavani, but Ancelotti says the forward does not face an injury layoff. Richarlison has missed the Blues’ past three Premier League games through suspension.

Seamus Coleman is out of Sunday's game, however, having sustained an injury in training with the Republic of Ireland.

Ancelotti says all of Everton’s other players who were on international duty - including Allan and James Rodriguez - have returned to the Club unscathed."

I would like to see Olsen in goal. Sigurdsson and Gomes should be nowhere near this team.

Is the “follow through contact” a legitimate rule/foul? Or just something the refs made up for themselves when it suits them?

Tonight's decision just shows how poor and inconsistent the referees are, and this guy is considered to be the best!

No idea... you tell me.

Pickford Holgate Keane Mina Digne Allan Doucouré Davies James Calvert-Lewin Richarlison.

FFS, EFC, win this one and get back in the groove.

I get it, haha. Duncan McKenzie. I meant Gordon obviously.

At least defensively, the midfield doesn't have to drift to the left too much now Richarlison is back.

Worth this game trying Holgate at right-back with Mina and Keane central, Digne usual left? Someone's got to cover Coleman against some opposition like Chelsea later in the season if he can't play every game.

Why not try Holgate against Fulham now Richarlison is back? We can't play Kenny against teams that will double up on their left with pace.

I don't know why Lyndon dropped Keane in his team selection, he's been our best centre-back this season. The extra day will make a huge difference to our South American contingent. I hope Carlo starts Gomes or Davies tomorrow, and definitely no Sigurdsson.

To me, it's almost an admission that Everton will not win or possibly not compete in tomorrow's game. Of course, should Everton triumph tomorrow, it will be a case of "Well, Everton should beat lowly Fulham, shouldn't they?"

It's a tricky game for sure, and a bit of a bogey ground too, but if Everton lose and, even worse, don't compete there will be much gnashing of teeth and angry posts tomorrow afternoon.

A back 4 of Holgate, Mina, Keane, and Digne
Middle 5 of James, Allan, Doucouré, Bernard, and Richarlison,
Calvert-Lewin up front on his own.

Holgate will be exposed as a right-back just like Godfrey was. Bernard subbed at 55 minutes by Sigurdsson. 2-0 Fulham.

Makes me realise we have always been The People's Club. We can talk about VAR, but Everton missed the chances in the late '80s and early '90s when others didn't.

Love your optimism.

Hope I'm completely wrong.

I've become a "glass half-full" Evertonian lately.

I didn't want Ancelloti in the first place – his best years are well behind him. I would ask the question: Which top clubs in Europe who are looking to win things would have a 63-year-old manager in charge? Not many, I would assume.

The appointment of Carlo Ancelloti was a typical Everton box-ticking exercise. We are getting Carlo 2020 – not Carlo the 2010 version. Sorry, simply not good enough. We look as bad as we did under Koeman and Silva which is hard to take seeing as we are supposed to have a genius as a manager.

I would also play Olsen instead of Pickford. This is a must-win game and I believe it will be tight and we cannot take a risk with Jordan, who has once clanger in every game.

Otherwise, I would agree with Lyndon.

Lössl
Branthwaite
Keane
Holgate
Kenny
Digne
Allan
Davies
Doucouré
Rodriguez
Richarlison
Calvert-Lewin

Bobby... Lössl?? Really?

All I want is a win. Recovering from covid with mild symptoms. Those suffering from the virus get well soon. Those who don't have it. Do as your TOLD! It not nice!!!

Up the toffees!!!

However, this game is definitely a huge game! Win convincingly and we're back in the game! Do our normal thing and lose and it's another "Where do we go from here?"

I can't say I'm looking forward to it!

Allan and Doucouré box to box with Allan covering Doucouré's runs, James and Godfrey wings, Richarlison running off Calvert-Lewin. I would have Pickford on the bench in all honesty too.

Everton win 3-0, clean sheet. Calvert-Lewin x 2 and James gets one too. COYB!!

The season they came back up, and went back down again, 2018-19, we lost there 2-0, the game when Andre Gomes was sent off. In fact, since the start of the premier league, we have beaten Fulham eighteen times, lost seven and drawn three. So overall, not a bad record against them.

3-0 tomorrow. Richarlison two and DCL.

COYB FTRS.

There is one worrying thing I came across, and it's making me wonder if Tony Marsh (and Darren Hind before him) don't have a valid point about Carlo possibly being over the hill.

It's his win percentage as a manager. It clearly peaked at Real Madrid, was lower but very good still at Bayern Munich, but dropped a lot at Napoli.

At Everton? Well, it's almost back to the lowest levels he achieved right back at the start of his managerial career.

Have to admit it – that's been gnawing at me since I saw it. I thought he'd turned a corner with us after the great start to this season but it's looking now just a little bit like the cruellest of false dawns.

Olsen
Kenny, Keane, Mina, Digne
Doucouré, Allan, Gomes
Rodriguez, Richarlison
Calvert-Lewin.

I am of the opinion that the appointment of Ancellotti wasn't down to purely footballing reasons, more to do with lifting the profile of the club as we head to a new ground (hopefully). Whether that is true or not, the club still needs to focus on getting as many positive results on the pitch as possible, else the fans won't stay onside for long.

Realism is an infinite piece of string but Rome was not built in 7 days.

Everton won't be rebuilt to any semblance of a past zenith for a long time.

Time, money, form and consistency. That's part of the quest now for Everton to try and master.

But let's see what the result tomorrow does for Everton's fortunes this season. Earn the right to play and win the game, and prepare for the next game.

The manager has a good career record. For me, I'm hoping we turn over Man Utd next month and with some luck progress on the Carabao, as I see this as our best chance of a trophy aside from some luck in the FA Cup.

Each to their own view, as is respectfully right, but tomorrow, let's see if Everton can deliver and stop the recent bad form and defeats.

Hopefully it's gonna be a turning point, for the start of a long good run of form.

Hope eternal.

Midfield of Allan, Doucouré and Bernard (who ran his heart out last game). Then James, Calvert-Lewin and a brace from Richarlison to make up for killing our mojo.

I will be very surprised if we don't win this game. We spent enough to improve this season. But giving Walcott and Kean away to buy a defender for £30mil to sit on the bench? What the fuck was that?!

Eleven months ago.

I think we can all agree that he took over an absolutely crap team. And I think we can all agree that it's a better team now.

And I hope that most of us could agree that less than one calendar year -- and a wildly chaotic year it has been -- is a little too soon to worry about whether he's past it.

This is a rebuild, not a remodel. It is well underway. But it will take a long time to complete. And setbacks like we've recently experienced are to be expected.

In the first eleven months.

Who, which football manager can a have smooth run all the way to the Premier League title?? Name one.

Oh... how many years before Liverpool won the league??

Grab a reality stick. Carlo is what we have got and we will stick with for coming seasons... live with it!

We have at least two Under-23s who would and still could make a difference if this supposed one-man team collapses again.

If we are under-performing right now, it's because the likes of Palace are alongside us, managed by a >70-year-old. Carlo has hardly had time to get going here.

Old people can win if they're quality: Rinus Michels, Fergie, Trappatoni etc. Carlo is of that calibre and beyond. Let's not freak out here and let Tony Marsh, who has a long record of making terrible suggestions, pressure us into firing Carlo and what? Getting some loser like Eddie Howe or 12-point Arteta...

Old managers do not build new teams. The Everton job is a job for a builder. Carlo wasn't even that in his prime.

There can't be a manager in the history of the game who has inherited more truly world-class players. I'm not knocking him for that. Managing the very best is a skill in itself. Few have it; Carlo clearly does.

What the blinded-by-the-light fans don't seem to understand is we are not merely asking this old dog to turn back the clock. We are asking him to learn new tricks... Ain't gonna happen. This is not the man to build our dream team. One which challenges for titles.

Carlo Ancelotti will not be sacked tomorrow. He will not be sacked in the foreseeable. We shouldn't even be talking about it before a match. Whether we believe in him or not, we have to support him on match day because, when he's doing good, we are all doing good. Besides, we have the rest of the week to scrutinize his performance.

Of course, there may be an upside to having this particular old dog on board. He may not turn us into a genuine force but, if we can somehow drag ourselves to a final of a cup, I would back his big game experience against any manager in the world.

I can't call today's game. Fulham are a poor, poor side. You would expect us to sweep them aside if our players turn up. So why am I still nervous?

If James is played on the right again, we will be open to sucker punches down that side which every team will exploit in this division. Gylfi if played must turn up. Disappointing to see his lack of contribution so far this season. Anthony Gordon must play somewhere from the start.

Big game for us today and we cannot afford to rely on the usual selected 11 to put in a performance. Over to you, Carlo. This is what you are paid for,

Well on TW, it is 'Build it, and be seen to be Building It, and they will Still Moan'. :-)

To be critical, I would say he has been too conservative in his selections and too loyal to some of the senior players. However, he has been robbed of his two most creative players at times and has a squad where the cover for some positions is of a lower quality.

The club, though, is at fault for not getting another striker to help Calvert-Lewin and hoping that we get enough possession and create enough chances for Tosun to bag a goal or two is very hopeful.

Today's game really is a watershed one: win it and we (and Carlo) look proper top six candidates; lose it and we rejoin the midtable no-marks.

We really have to get some points over the kind set of fixtures coming-up as, after that, we will be in for some tough games again.

Mind you, our win at Spurs and the win against Brighton both now look rather good results.

You are nervous because I am sure you felt the same way before the Newcastle game, who are another poor side. I feel the same way. We are experts at making a mediocre team look better than they really are.

With regards to your comments about Ancelotti, maybe Napoli came to the same conclusion?

"If we do not take our chances, we will lose as we simply cannot keep goals out"

Well, going by the stats, which a lot of people on here seem to thrive on, we only need to score one to guarantee not losing today. Score two and it's done and dusted. Fulham are averaging scoring less than one per game so far,while averaging just under two conceded per game. We are averaging exactly scoring two per game.

So Fulham fans must be wondering where their next goal is coming from, and I bet they are dreading today's game. These things work both ways. Every club must have their serial moaners, with their fans thinking "go a goal behind and we're doomed"

So the stats say we are going to win 2-1 today!!

Brian #54, the you tube link of the various international training camps and the Everton training was really good.

No wonder Sigurdsson plays as often as he does, his finishing was streets ahead of the rest in training...!!

I can't face yet another post match three hour walk on my own waiting for the anger to subside!

Least the sun's out today!

That will do for me because since the days of Moyes, we've generally gone backwards in spite of all the money thrown at 'the project' ! A win today will at least steady the ship !

I expect us to win this and if we're serious about achieving anything, we should win.

People are nervous because of their own mindset and possibly because this season has had so many 'surprise' results.

Regarding Carlo, it might be worth considering why he got all those 'big' jobs in the first place.

Congrats on GT.

I spotted it this time and got on

Derek (111) - old adage??? It’s the tag line from an eighties baseball (fantasy) movie isn’t it? I’m pretty sure Mike will be aware of it, but it’s hardly ancient wisdom is it?

As for today's game, the returning cavalry should mean we win. Would like to see some real bite, hunger and aggression too.

Hope your bet was best odds guaranteed.

Look supporters quite rightly wont be happy if you lose 3 on the bounce as we have, but for some to talk about Ancelotti losing his job is madness. He has signed a four and a half year contract and I hope he sees that out. The problem is we have changed managers to often to build the stability a club needs. I now Moyes wasn't everybody's cup of tea but by and large under his 11 years we finished on average about 7th. This was done on a shoestring budget, hence why Ferguson thought he was the man to replace him at Man Utd. Managers need time and money and what no Everton manager who has been here since Moshiri took over can complain of lack of funds.

A win today will hopefully lift the gloom and get us back on track, there is still much for Ancelotti to do to make us a force again. But unlike virtually every manager this club has appointed, they had done and won virtually nothing before they were appointed as our manager at least this man has proved he can do it. And I believe given time he will win trophies with us.

We ned to be be positive, not negative. Personally, I've disliked our approach to the last 3 games. C'mon Carlo - attack, attack, attack. Are we winners or are we losers? i'm for the winners side. I hope you can be, too!

Ancelotti may not be an established ‘builder’ and he may well be past his best days. But what he definitely isn’t is an idiot chancer like those whose mess he is now dealing with.

Does anyone think any manager could get more from this squad?

Takes all sorts.