Burnley vs Everton

I'm not at all convinced that having three centre backs is proving a useful strategy, even with both Digne and Coleman out.

Was there anything said about Gordon not even getting on the bench, despite the 'really big' (but mostly useless) squad?

Burnley will be licking their chops tomorrow when the biggest charity in football rolls into town.

"Nkounkou was not in the squad because I have 11 players... The squad is really big."

That explains everything. He'd already picked Iwobi and that's the 11, so why pick Nkounkou??? Makes complete sense.

And helps explain why he gets so confused about having to pick substitutes that take the number beyond 11. Poor old bloke... he really has seen better days.

He needed to stick with his "young and developing" answer on the basis that none of us see the kid in training even though we saw him have a blinder for the first team.

He's right about Niels needing experience though, and this is the perfect opportunity with Digne out. He's a kid, he's going to make mistakes, but he is talented and will improve. We need to get behind him and support him through the next two months.

We will line up as we should have done last week against Leeds. No changes from Fulham apart from Nkounkou covering for Digne. I just hope Iwobi can get back into the form he was showing on the right. It was starting to look promising from him.

If we get the Fulham first-half performance, Burnley won't be able to live with us. Carlo just has to find a way of getting that for 90 minutes!

That seems to imply that the lad will start this weekend, and there's only one position at which he can do that -- left wingback. That puts Iwobi back in his preferred right-wing position in the 3-4-3, which Carlo will assuredly stick with.

Come on, kid, be fabulous. Earn those minutes. We love watching ya.

Carlo Ithinkyouwereallbornyesterdayio

A big squad isn't the same as a lot of quality players. I think we performed better than I was expecting against Leeds. Sadly it still resulted in defeat.

I see merit in playing 3 at the back and also being flexible in formation and roles. But we need to quickly sort out and find a winning combination.

We keep conceding too many opportunities and goals. The balance between defence and attack isn't right.

Why we don't keep the ball or play more possession football, like against Tottenham, I can't understand. We now actually have players that could play that style.

Forget about the 3 centre backs - we’re playing Burnley, we don’t need them.

Get 2 natural full backs, 3 midfielders to control the game and our regular front 3.

If it works for the first 8 games, surely it can work again. We’ve been shite ever since he started tampering with a winning formula.

Kenny, Nkounkou and Gomes in please.

This would be a good game for Nkounkou to start. Play Holgate at right-back with Keane and Godfrey as centre-backs.

Please, also take Pickford out for at least a month.

Ooh, Mr Ancelotti, don't go all Roberto Martinez on us. I don't know if it's a Scouse thing, a Northern thing, or if it's Universal amongst football fans but nothing winds up Evertonians more than bullshit. The system we used against Leeds didn't work and we were shocking. Yes, we created some chances but Leeds could have been 3-0 up after 20 minutes.

I'd rather Carlo came out and admitted it was an experiment that didn't work.

I have welcomed and generally supported Carlo since he arrived, but some of his team selections and substitutions recently have left me bewildered. I also appreciate he has inherited a large squad of misfits in the main, but surely he could choose a better combination from what we have available.

The same thing happened with Bainesey, sometimes you just have to accept that the player that was there 8 years ago is no longer there now.

Seamus' days of running up and down the flank doing doggies are sadly a thing of the past and as time goes by its going to become less and less.

If there is one pet hate of mine in football it's that square pegs in round holes lark.

Relates to building contracts. Everton are not that far ahead yet and did not really respond to Anderson's assertions regarding funding.

Seamus is missed, but he will be more prone to injury and the clock is ticking.

Personally I don’t believe that Kenny can play a whole season in Germany, be nominated for the best newcomer and then not be good enough to play against Fulham, Leeds or Burnley.

If we’d have signed a 23 year old German right back who had played a whole season there and been nominated for the same award, and spent money on them, you can guarantee they would play. Unfortunately Ancelotti seems to be following the Allardyce mantra of playing players based on cost and reputation. Remember the Bolasie quote? “How can I justify playing Lookman when Bolasie cost £27million”. At least Allardyce was truthful.

Incidentally, another nominee who didn’t win the award was Haaland, so he was in good company.

Kev #1, you got a couple of upvotes on that one, but not from me. I think Carlo should put his 11 best players on the pitch, and neither Gomes nor JJK are amongst 'em.

Back 3 for me, with Nkounkou wide left and Iwobi on the right. Yes, that backline leaked a lot of chances against Leeds, but (to paraphrase an old Texas expression) Burnley couldn't score in a five-dollar whorehouse. Save the back 4 alignment for an opponent that can actually attack.

I agree to some extent with you but I believe that the modern-day footballer should be able to use both feet competently. Then they should be able to play any side and not be uncomfortable. But I would like to see Neils get more playing time.

Your point about back ups misses the fact we didn't play with full backs last week we played with wing backs. It's a different role that hasn't been widely used since the 90s when the likes of Ziege, and Le Saux mastered it. Neither of our young fullbacks seem to have mastered there actual roles yet so it's a stretch to assume they'd be any good in a different role.

Money would be the issue. Presumably they think Nkounkou MAY become a good player in a year or two so hey signed him on the cheap now hoping he saves us millions later. JJK, was new to Carlo and probably billed as "good enough" by Marcel/Unsie etc after his German stint. But firstly, he didn't play that well when given the chance and then got injured. He may or not even back back to form/fitness yet in training post injury. Plus, he may have some work to do to prove to Carlo that he deserves another shot. If money was no object we probably would bring in a few cheap vets, just as we tried to do by retaining Baines. But with an inflated wage bill, another Cuco would be tough to sell to the money men

Agreed, Nkounkou and Iwobi as wingers and hit the pitch flying! Seamus is still the heart of the club and we need to honor those that have served the club so respectably by giving them their proper sunset time.

There are loads of ToffeeWebbers who are now talking up Cuco Martina, for fuck's sake!

Stop with your "Carlo hasn't got a clue" shit – because he has. You have all said every other manager didn't have a clue. Kenny and Nkounkou obviously need to work harder to get in.

Carlo will get us in the top 6 come the end of the season – I'm convinced.

Really, stop for fuck's sake – he wasn't good enough the last time he was here and he's not fucking good enough now.

Kieron 26/27 - I was being ironic with the suggestion of a Martina type player. Kenny at right back has never done any worse than Iwobi at left back. Even if he doesn’t get forward as much, he can still defend.

Mike 24 - Against Burnley I think Gomes is our best 3rd midfield option. I dread to think that Sigurdsson would play there, and I think that Davies is better suited against teams that are likely to push us back. As for Kenny, we have 2 natural full backs, and 2 centre backs who can play there if needed. If Kenny had of cost us millions and was South American, he would be playing.

Our wing back formation had us outnumbered in midfield. The wing backs were in no mans land for most of the game, not supporting either attack or defence efficiently enough.

No matter what you think of them, Kenny and Nkounkou are natural full backs and should play. They will give us the opportunity to play 3 in midfield and control the game. Going with wing-backs soon turns into a poor 5-2-3 formation and gives the initiative to the opposition in the middle of the park. The result then is that the 3 up front are isolated and our attacking threat is quickly nullified. Effectively playing 5 at the back against Burnley will give them one hell of a confidence boost.

You say Nkounkou and Kenny need to work harder to get in.

Now I know why Sigurdsson is pants for the first team: he runs his knackers off in training and too knackered when matchday comes along. So we should excuse the absolute garbage he has been, week-in & week-out, because he has done well in training.

If we can get 100% from the off, then we should win but the scary thing is that Everton, since Carlo's appointment, have had some very surprising defeats and that trend is continuing despite the new signings.

Who can forget that FA Cup defeat against Liverpool reserves and the woeful last game against Bournemouth?

4-4-2 is just too easy for opposition, it's not flexible enough for the modern game.

And 4-3-3 requires 3 too class midfielders, and we just don't have them, and it requires a right back that we currently lack. If we get another midfielder and right back, then 4-3-3 can become an option.

3-4-3 for now gives us James in a position where he doesn't leave the defence totally exposed, makes use of our extra men at centre half - and can utilise Holgates ability to play with the ball.

It takes time.for a team to take to a new system, but this could well be the best option for now. It also allows for attacking football - which we all want to see.

Nkounkou has to play. And Iwobi on the right. The rest of the team picks itself apart from Mina.

Should Mina play? I've always been a fan, ever since seeing him for his short spell in Brazil. But he's been a bit off this season, poor positioning and always about 1 second behind his opponent.

Godfrey is still adapting, he hasn't lit the world alight, but I he was kind of thrown in the deep end. Also,.I remember a certain Phil Jagielka starting his career with Everton and looking every bit a Championship player. So Godfrey can still prove to be a great player. And he's got pace, which is a bonus.

Is Holgate fit? I feel we need him. His pace and skill offers something different. Mina and Keane together can be a bit cumbersome, and bit to easy for opponents to run between. Both Keane and Mina have had their best spells when playing alongside Holgate. So ideally Holgate will play on the right, Godfrey on the left and one of Keane or Mina in the middle.

Also hope Gordon gets on the bench, but I expect Delph, Siggy, Bernard, Tosun, and co shame.

Wing backs attack putting in plenty of quick crosses / passes to the forwards.

Doucoure and Allan to control midfield spraying balls around and keeping disciplined.

Rest Pickford for a bigger, more physically stronger keeper.

Burnley play a more traditional set up so it is better with a more traditional full back like Nkounkou. It will be interesting to see who he plays as the other full back position.

This game will suit Mina better. Most likely Godfrey on the other full back position.

I expect Everton to win this game.

Obviously he hasn’t been impressed by Gordon, Kenny and Nkonkou in training so they need to improve there. But, many fans have been even less impressed by Sigurdsson, Delph, Mina and Gomes in matches.

Also, pick Davies alongside Allan and push Doucoure further forward.

Seriously here's hoping for a turn around both in performances and results, although having said that I never regard any game in the Premiership as being easy, and this one should be no different.

Okay, Burnley have had a poor start this campaign, but they have historically pulled off some results in the recent past against the Form Book, just got to make sure we 're not another of those caught with their shorts down.

I maybe losing my marbles but honestly I thought Davies played pretty well v Leeds and I say that as someone who has been quite critical of him. To me, we lost because Docoure was terrible, our attackers profligate and our back three shakey. Considering they came off early I’m baffled that Iwobi and Tom have copped so much flak.

So you mustn't be surprised if some, however obscure, sticks...especially on the music front.
After all the Beatles started off doing obscure (to some) US covers

Edit: Nicolas @ 51; I can live with that team...will it do any good is another question. In fact I wanted it last week, so maybe we'll see this week.

Not holding my breath though.

IMO we need to go out to WIN games not go out and NOT LOSE games. get the winning attitude FFS. Is somebody pissing in Carlo's ear, saying "don't pee off this player and don't upset that player". If so, Carlo, tell him/her to go to blazes.

Pickford
Holgate Keane Godfrey
Iwobi Doucoure Allan Nkounkou
James
DCL Richarlison

This is a pretty attacking line-up and should be able to overcome Burnley, although as I always remind myself, there are no easy games in the Premier League.

SUBS: Olsen, Branthwaite, Siggy, Gomes, Davies, Gordon, Tosun

PS: Did anyone else see the Training video on the official site? Coleman was pretty impressive with his ball-skills, and looks close to being ready to play.

Derek, stop pulling our puds, mate! If we start with those 3 we might just as well not turn up. No balls or braces!

seems to state that you think Carlo should should go> But I think you don't mean this.

Please clarify?

I hope that Ancelotti doesn’t become a tinker man. He should play Nkounkou as a natural left back, put Iwobi on the right of midfield. Surprise us Ancelotti. I’m hoping for an Everton convincing win.

Hopefully this week we will see that team start, any deviation I think will involve Mina coming back in.

After last Saturday's shelling at City you can bet your life that Dyche will have been right into Burnley all week and working on our weaknesses.

Whilst they got tonked at City, it's fair to say not many teams thrash Burnley especially at Turf Moor and expect another dogfight today, we won't get the same amount of chances that we got at Fulham or even last week against Leeds so we need to be clinical.

Defensively I think we already know that we will give up the usual amount of sloppy errors we just have to hope Burnley are profligate and we score more than them.

Come On Everton - - we already love you - - but show us that you love US - - please - - show us what you've got - - you show me yours and I'll show you mine.

"It's getting to the point where I'm no fun anymore
I am sorry
Sometimes it hurts so badly I must cry out loud
I am lonely
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
You make it hard
Remember what we've said and done and felt about each other
Oh, babe have mercy
Don't let the past remind us of what we are not now
I am not dreaming
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
You make it hard"

Come On - - Come On - - Give Us Something.