Digne rested over hamstring concern

No, we don't.

And for that matter, we don't have a standby right-back either given the fact that centre-halves seem preferred to Jonjoe Kenny.

Hopefully Rafa will work a bit of magic in January in at least one of these areas.

If only he wasn't covering at the equally bereft right back berth…

3 at the back or Holgate & Godfrey as full backs it is then.

That said, Seamus should be back after the international break right?

(No need to reply with the standard ‘I couldn't give a fuck about international football, all I care about is Everton FC blah blah...')

I'm not sure he would have played for France in the final. Hernandez has been playing ahead of him at left back. After scoring the winner last night, I wouldn't have seen them dropping him from the final even if Digne was fit..

Hopefully he's not out for too long for us anyway…

I couldn't give a fuck about international football, all I care about is Everton FC, blah, blah...

The fact he didn't warm up before the game suggests he and the physio team realised his injury was sufficiently bad to not take any risks with it, and his place on the bench was in name only.

I think a fully fit Digne would have started over Theo Hernandez – who was only making his second appearance for France.

It was Lucas's little brother Theo who scored the winner yesterday in just his second France appearance, but he was playing left-mid.

Yeah, I'm well aware of who the Hernandez brothers are.

Not sure if you watched the game, Mike, but from what I could see, Theo Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard were clearly playing as wing-backs, with three centre-backs (Lucas Hernandez, Varane, and Kounde) – they pulled into a very tight line of five when defending, especially on the edge of their box. I reckon if Digne was fit, he would have played as left wing-back.

Yes, he is out on loan in Belgium for the season.

Hope Thierry Small is kicking himself very hard as he would have been given opportunities.

What happened to Kenny? He seemed to have a great loan in Germany... then, just like Brendan Galloway a fair few seasons back, he had great promise, only to fall off-track.

Add the injuries to Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison and not being blessed with replacements. It's too early in the season for this crap.

Seamus came back from international duty and played on the Saturday, and was injured in training. As for Digne, it's totally embarrassing that Brands didn't bring in a left-back, especially after Small leaving and Nkounkou being sent out on loan.

#1. The individuals responsible for player assessment are fully aware of the capabilities of individual players; ie, not ready to perform up to the required level for a consistent period, likely to be not effective at this time, needs to attain higher awareness and reaction output. Therefore, a more highly tuned player overall defensively trained better option for team cohesion. If this applies, then Jonjoe Kenny and Niels Nkounkou haven't got to the required level.

#2. Criminal neglect of squad management, by totally inept, incompetent morons.

I prefer #2.

When it comes to cover, you basically have three options: play one of your good players out of position (like Godfrey); put your faith in a younger player, like Nkounkou (which the club clearly wasn't prepared to do, hence the loan); or bring in someone like Cuco Martina, who's a back-up for a reason.

Like it or not, our philosophy is clearly the first option, which is why Kenny never plays, even when Coleman is hurt.

Last season, every single player missed gametime, including at one point, first and second choice keepers. It's continued into this season with two first-choice strikers plus Seamus out, and now the possibility (yet again) that both first-choice full-backs will be out at the same time.

Yes, we have gaps in our squad and not having back-up full-backs is mind-numbingly crazy but there are not many clubs in the world that could cope with an injury list like this.

Fingers crossed 🤞 for Saturday.

He and Digne on the left side arent a good fit for me

They don't seem to gel knowing each others role

But Godfrey is our best bet there since Digne is a class player but has been struggling in some games possibly carrying his injury too much

Digne doesn't seem to be getting into as many crossing situations as l'm used to seeing but maybe that's just me. Of course we are playing without our 2 best strikers so have had to switch our play up a bit.

I'm sure many of us are still scratching our heads wondering how we can still be short of any covering full backs at all, left or right. Do we even count Kenny, a player who is behind 2 centre backs for a starting place?

Anyway, we have handled playing without Richy and DCL better than we would have last season... and no not because of our manager... we got 2 new wide players with pace and experience. I don't know how.

We are simply not in a position to be able to have two internationals covering every position in the squad and sitting on our bench getting splinters. Therefore players like Godfrey and Holgate, who can fill in and do a reasonable job in a number of positions, are worth their weight in gold.

Nkounkou, in my opinion, is not defensively sound enough to be second-choice left-back at the minute and a season on loan is completely what he needs to progress.

Kenny, is simply not good enough for Everton; harsh, I know, but that's the reality. Not quick enough or athletic enough for the Premier League.

Godfrey is young and I rate him highly as a centre-back but not a full-back.Depending on the opposition, managers will sometimes operate three at the back with the one full-back operating up the field as an extra attacker-midfielder, much like Shaw for Man Utd and England.

Talking of England, does anyone believe Southgate knows what he's doing?

Forget easy wins against nothing teams like Andorra, his team selection is poor. Tammie Abraham is not Premier League standard, let alone international standard, and taking off Grealish on the hour mark instead of woeful Sterling was again indicative of his poor judgement.