Burnley vs Everton

The key will be sensible football, don’t give them easy corners or set pieces in our half (take note, Mason Holgate) and don’t let the likes of McNeil shoot on his left foot.

They need to win more than we do I’d say but have limited tools to score.

We need some consistency and I’d be tempted to play the same team and formation that started and played decently against West Ham, with Branthwaite coming in for Keane. Alternatively you start Delph and move Holgate back but having some extra height in the team could be useful. Oh for Yerry Mina.

Will be interesting to see how Delph does and how he is used. As awful a signing as he has been he is still one of our few midfielders who can pass, tackle and communicate effectively on his day. If he hadn’t been decimated by injury I suspect he’d have played a lot for us this year.

Burnley have been in a few relegation battles before and have usually done well. Our team has seldom been under much pressure either way at the tail-end of seasons. Do they have the mental strength to cope with such occasions? I’m not sure they do honestly but hope they prove me wrong.

Gonna try stay positive though after listening to the ToffeeWeb pod this morning and go with a scrappy 1.0 win.

COYB!

I'm not even sure DCL has done enough in recent weeks to warrant starting, he's too easy to play against at the minute, doesn't move anywhere near enough even when the service isn't there.

It's obviously got to the stage where if there is a winner tonight you'd have to say the loser will go down.

Given our next three games after this are Manchester United, Leicester and Liverpool, you can't exactly see an abundance of points, after all this is an Everton side that doesn't seem capable of winning many football matches whatsoever.

Huge game but how many will turn up for it?

You can bet Burnley will fight and scrap, they know that tonight and their away game at Norwich at the weekend are the last two hopes.

If the squad can’t get motivated for this game…?

Cmon Frank! Get’m going!

What could possibly happen?

A top side can accommodate Pickford (not a compliment). In our predicament we can not, regardless of the opposition. Begovic is the best available option.

There are no surprises tonight we know Burnley will launch as many balls as they can into our box, and we also know they play a very physical game, and unlike us still manage to keep all 11 players on the pitch. So keep your shape keep your discipline and hopefully get a bit of luck for a change and pick up all 3 points.

Pope
Lowton
Taylor
Tarkowski
Long
Brownhill
Cork
Westwood
Lennon
Mcneil
Weghorst

You can see why they are struggling. It is poor side.

Out of this lot, the only player with any pace is geriatric Lennon who we discarded some years ago.

They will be committed to the point of violent but only Mcneil and Weghorst have any real quality in attack and both are very slow.

In their last home win (a 1 nil v Spurs) they played a 442 with Jay Rodriguez up front with Weghorst. Ben Mee scored the goal.

If there is one away game to play a high line it is this.

If we play deep, they will pin us back putting great pressure on Pickford (or Begovic) and a defence lacking it's best header of the ball.

If we play high, we will nullify them and our extra quality in condensed space should tell.

We also need a referee to stop Tarkowski snapping our players in half.

Kenwright Out!

For now, our future depends on not losing to mighty Burnley. Would be interesting to see whether Burnley fans are as concerned as we are.

Kenwright out too, though!!

Fortunately, I have had an invitation to go to Tiverton Town v Farnborough with a pre-match meal and drink at the club and an enjoyable wholehearted competitive match to follow. No-brainer.

Just the angst of checking my phone for updates (and probably the misery that accompanies it).

1000% keen to be proven wrong. But that's what I see with this shower, they're fucking dreadful. A team spirit moulded in the image of the utter fraud of a club Chairman.

The man that claimed he saved Everton by remortgaging his house. Utterly mediocre and spineless, mired in nostalgia, looking backwards not forwards. Slow and pedestrian. Obvious.

Kenwright Out!

Kenwright Out.

COYB, time for a miracle, please.

Look back from Southampton onwards there's been a pattern of starting in the front foot but as soon as we went a goal down, heads went down, which was the most worrying aspect.

The West Ham game followed a similar pattern with the exception that the heads didn't go down.

Even though I'll have the rosary beads out, I'm expecting to get something from the game.

Luck is what you make it often, and I think several players' perpetual brain-farts have contributed greatly in our recent defeats, often amateur mistakes from so-called professionals.

Having said that, in our recent game at West Ham, who are a decent side, I felt we played better as a team and, if not for wasteful finishing, could have seen a much different outcome.

This won't be easy, as Burnley have home advantage, and they need the points as much as we do, so it does make it an interesting contest.

COYB 💙💙

Frank mentioned after the window he was 'one for the future'; my guess around that is they were looking to get him through till the end of the season, slowly integrating him into the team, with a view for a big pre-season etc... but what good is that if we are relegated?!

I'm not even sure if he's a player Frank wanted at this point... case in point when Van de Beek got injured before West Ham and he decided to move Holgate into midfield rather than bring Alli on.

I also find it weird that there doesn't seem to be many media questions directed to Frank to explain his lack of starts, or game time in general.

Moving to tonight's game, I am struggling to find any confidence. I do believe this is a poor Burnley side, but unlike us they find ways to draw rather than lose games.

I think the first goal is absolutely massive. Moyes bigging up our strikers this week, be nice if they actually showed some quality and create something early on for us.

94 minutes, run your fucking arses off for 94 minutes. COYYB.

I thought the team did enough on Sunday to justify same again with Branthwaite in for Keane. (Assuming Yerry is still not fit.) Delph on the bench. The only other change I'd consider is Gordon for Gray. His attitude is first rate and he is a leader on the pitch.

We have to play as if we are the home team. Burnley are weak at the back without Ben Mee. So we must take the game to them and not sit back and invite pressure.

I'd be very tempted to start with Rondon and tell him to put himself about and rattle their back line for a half or so and then use Calvert-Lewin or even young Dobbin on a battered and bruised defence. This would depend on how Rondon is looking in training and how up for a battle he is – only Frank will know this.

Delph on the bench for me – I thought Holgate played well apart from his foul and I'd stick with the same midfield as for West Ham with Gordon to also come on against a tiring defence.

There's not a lot of choice for Frank and it says it all about Dele Alli that he can't break into this team with so many absentees. His training must be very poor or his attitude very wrong.

Begovic
Coleman Godfrey Branthwaite Mykolenko
Gray Iwobi Holgate Doucouré Richarlison
Rondon

Quite simply, we have to field a team that is up for a fight and will not back away from rough tactics and robust tackles. On paper, we have better players but we have to compete and not back off before we can make our better quality tell.

Frank needs to be looking individuals in the eye at training to see which ones are up for this. Gomes must not play for starters as he understandably doesn't like this sort of a game. Delph might just enjoy it.

I don't see anything other than Holgate and Godfrey at the back unless he throws Mina in as a risk which has bitten us several times before.

A win tonight would see Everton almost safe. A draw would be commendable. A defeat might well leave Moshiri pondering whether to get Allardyce back on an 8-match contract.

This match is very winnable, but will depend upon our discipline. They will be looking to draw free kicks and force corners as that's where they'll be most dangerous. We have to be 100% focussed and professional.

With regards to snuffing out their main threat, Begovic's height for set pieces and corners could tip the balance for his selection.

Another thing, I want us to be all over the referee protesting about Burnley's inevitable violent and dangerous play. Tarkowski's two-footed assault on Richarlison at Goodison escaped any punishment. We have to be more vocal and surround the referee demanding he takes action.

I'd possibly keep Holgate in defensive midfield instead of Delph.

RIcharlison and Calvert-Lewin are equally as important in our box tonight defending set plays. They must be aggressive!

I'm not confident at all but will be watching from behind the sofa.

It comes to something when a lot of our hopes depend on Fabian Delph and Alex Iwobi. How did it come to this?

COYB

If Delph starts, Lampard must have a Plan B if he is struggling, whether it is bringing on Price or Kenny or moving Holgate into the defensive midfield position.

4-5-1 with a high line and with the two wide men supporting Calvert-Lewin.

COYB, fight for your lives tonight for the full 90+ minutes!

I'd go for 4-3-3 with wingers tracking back:

Pickford
Kenny Godfrey Branthwaite Mykolenko
Holgate
Doucoure Iwobi
Gordon Richarlison
Calvert-Lewin

C'mon lads, you can do this!!

You Twitter users, how do we get "Kenwright Out" trending, whatever that means? Just do it!!

Kenwright Out!! 1-2 to the mighty blues, UTFT!!

100% Kenwright Out

Now I recognise the need for change, for better leadership off the pitch, but screaming for that now is not the time. We need togetherness, camaraderie, fighting spirit. Not negativity.

Johan (39) I'd go for that team too. I'm going to miss tonight's game unfortunately, though in some ways I feel relief, I'm not sure my nerves can take it. We really need some luck to go our way.

We win this tonight then batter Man Utd 3-1 on Saturday. How different things will look then, lol.

Kenwright Out no matter what.

Hopefully they will not play Cornet off Weghorst, as that combination of pace and trickery, height and strength could cause us problems on the counter. And I expect they will let us dominate possession and hope that we overcommit and leave holes to exploit – like we did against West Ham.

Hopefully we'll get some early pressure and manage to convert a chance. But I can see this being 0-0 going into the last 20 minutes. Please God we still have 11 players left on the pitch come the end of the game.

Please enlighten us Earthlings when is the best time to start a Board Out campaign in your opinion (I thought it had already started, anyway)? Is there a specific date you had in mind?

June perhaps? Because every board out campaign I've seen has completely fizzled out either by hook or by crook.

Should we start one when we're safe and everyone is happy clapping Kenwright in the Directors Box again for 6 months, watching the same shite football, week-in & week-out, with the occasional fly-by of the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock on the OS (tiresome). Or when we've been relegated?

The football is played on the pitch not in the stands and paying punters have every right to complain because they've been fleeced and lied to for years. It's their hard-earned money. Enough is enough, I say.

Kenwright Out!

Keep Holgate in midfield and Branthwaite for Keane. Start Gordon over Gray, who can come on to change the game. 1 point is not enough for this game, we have to win.

Other than that, the suggested team is as good as it gets and we simply need prayers to whatever God you pick.

He offers little more than Seamus from a crossing point of view and doesn't get in at the back post like Coleman might.

There was also one incident that Hinchcliffe mentioned in commentary where he allowed a cross in with no attempt to close it down.

We just don't have the players necessary offensively to get out of this mess, even against fellow strugglers like Burnley.

Everything that can go wrong has gone wrong this season and, despite the injuries, they should have had some quality in reserve to have gained a few more points. Now, every game is a cup final, confidence is low despite what Lampard says.

Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin, Gray and whomever just haven't done anything worthwhile for a long time and that would need to change quickly.

Perhaps with a little luck they can squeak out a win today but how many times have we said that?

When needed, they did squeak out win against Newcastle but they have been awful since.

Picking up on some nonsensical comments above - by the way, not only will I watch it, I'll be there (like I and thousands of other Blues always are). I just can't fathom any rationale for people who have the ability to watch it, to decide not to. Madness and if you're that flakey, we really don't need you.

Kenny has 2 assists (both crosses) from 16 games and Coleman has a big fucking doughnut hole from 33. Coleman is the better defender (by far) but offers next to nothing going forward these days.

I'd rather Kenny any day. If we're winning, bring Seamus on to solidify the back-line. Not a starter for me.

The only derbies we'll have to worry about in the future will be against Tranmere. That said, we could arrange the protest in advance. How about in the Bill Kenwright Centenary stand in the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, 2024-25 season vs Forest Green?

Kenwright Out!

It's a battle tonight, won't suit Iwobi. Win the midfield and feed Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin and Gordon.

He gives the ball away too easily and mistimes attempts to desperately recover…

If Fabian Delph starts in this game, or frankly goes anywhere near the pitch, I'll just lose it. Find another option – any option – other than letting that man near the pitch.

I'm sorry, I know it's not very polite and the English simply don't like this sort of thing with "one of theirs", but us Americans aren't as proper.

I don't like Delph. In fact, I think he's absolute shit. Furthermore, he's continually injured and therefore makes me wonder if he's on the ride at the team's expense.

I question his heart and effort to the Blue cause. I frankly fucking hate him as an Everton player and, with the enormity of this game and the stakes, if we turn to that absolute waste of resources and space in any regard to get a massive 3 points, then I fucking give up.

No Delph. No way. Over my dead body – the Lord come take me if that guy starts or even substitutes because I'll have a heart attack.

Maybe I was avoiding a relentless slagging off... but I think there is a player with a football brain in there somewhere. And I think he cares, unlike perhaps Gray who looks sulky and petulant.

What I meant to also say is we tap the ball around without conviction, almost afraid to make a decisive contact, as if the ball is an unexploded bomb – it is easy to read and easy to cut out, assuming it does not go straight to their player... which it usually does if Holgate passes it.

I don't disagree with you regarding Delph. I said it here before we signed him, he was constantly injured at Man City, out the door in the summer, 3 years of massive wages wasted.

But desperate times for desperate measures, we're depleted in midfield, with no defensive midfielder, and I'm still scratching my head why a fully fit Gbamin was loaned out, the only defensive midfielder we have apart from the suspended Allan. He came on against Hull, did well, and never got a chance after.

Get off that bloody fence, mate!

Delph under Frank is very interesting to me. If Frank set a good amount of fire on him in the middle of the park.

I've always advocated Iwobi to play behind the striker. If my memory serves me correct, we've seen the better of him in this position.

From Greenland, All the best, and of luck, to the lads! COYB!

Controversial to keep Gordon on the bench, but I am hoping that Gray or Richarlison will come good in our hour of need. Gordon can always come on in the second half once the game opens up a bit.

Keeping everything crossed…

Reality tells me Lampard can't set them up to close the gaps and memory tells me we won't score a goal. Can something finally go our way?

My hope is that the fashionista finds his footy boots amongst his plethora of Manolo Bollocks and we actually put them to the sword.

My fear is that Burnley will outfight us and bang in a couple of their own, leaving us dangling on a thread above them with a fixture list more scary than our injury and suspension list.

Hope versus expectation.

Benitez trusted Branthwaite at Chelsea. I see no reason why Lampard should not trust him to combat what is likely to be a fairly primitive approach from Burnley. Moreover he might just provide some threat in the opposition penalty area at set-pieces, as he did at Chelsea.

Alan McGuffog - too funny! I'm off the fence mate!

Danny Broderick - I agree with your lineup except I'd start Gordon and bring on Gray instead of the other way around. Anthony is a Blue. This game and its importance will mean the world to him, and I'd expect him to play out of his skin.

When and if he tires, or when (I unfortunately think predictably) Calvert-Lewin has been ineffective, put Richarlison up top and bring Gray on the wing.

Cheers, fingers crossed, if ever there was a "must-win", this is it.

If they have a giant sausage playing up front, our defence may just be able to cope.

Burnley 8/5
Everton 15/8
The draw 21/10

We must win like every single second ball. It's an absolute must. Burnley will play long and there are going to be a ton of second balls they'll try to scoop up and make something out of. We have to be first to every second ball from headers, long balls, hell any touch from a hoof by Burnley.

Win those second balls!

And yet another thing!

First touch on every single corner we concede.

In short, first to the ball, first to the ball, first to the ball. Every single damn time.

Link

"Where is the Horse and the Rider?"

As far as tonight is concerned, Delph might just be the only real leader we have. If he is fit enough, and his body holds up, and he keeps his head, and he can stay on the pitch, then he might end up being invaluable - not just tonight, but for the remaining matches of the season.

With the long list of players unavailable for this game, Delph is going to be there or thereabouts.

Dyche will be drumming into his players the magnitude of this home game: "It's us or them," he will be saying and he's right, in my opinion – lose tonight and we are fucked.

Hoping for a big performance from the whatever team Lampard picks, we can suffer no passengers tonight folks – this is a must-not-lose game.

The first thing I thought about when I read that Hail Mary, was Fredo still going fishing, when young Anthony was taken off the boat in The Godfather 2.

I look at some of the different teams that people have selected for tonight's game and it's quite sad because we honestly don't look that bad on paper.

It's that bad, I'm praying for some of those “good times” this evening.

“Kenwright Fucking Out!!!”

He keeps his position, doesn't panic with the ball, always looking for an Everton player to pass to, the other players respond to him and they look to find him with the ball knowing he will use it well, he is talking all the time to his teammates encouraging them and urging them on. If he plays tonight, we will benefit from it and the longer he stays fit during the run into the end of the season, the better I will like it.

Might seem strange to praise a player who we have seldom seen since his signing but that's the way I see him and, when I look at the alternatives, I want him to play even more so.

I respect and understand your plight, I just question the timing. Whipping up mass negativity towards the club before the relegation battle run-in does not feel like a good move.

If we get through this shit show of a season still a Premier League team, then yes, I do think then would be a good time to demonstrate against the mismanagement from the top down.

If we get relegated, then what further fuel for this movement would you need? Either way, waiting till the end of the season is sensible.

I could not agree more. He helps to organise the team around him – which we lack without Allan – and provided he doesn't get drawn into making any rash challenges, then his name on the team-sheet, or at least on the bench, will be a plus for me.

Begovic
Coleman Branthwaite Godfrey Mykolenko
Gordon Delph Iwobi Alli Richarlison
Rondon

The end result will stay the same unless Frank makes changes.

We can't afford to be bullied at the back so, even if there are minutes in, I would go with Branthwaite and play Holgate as the holding midfielder. Seamus has to start if available.

A nervy night ahead!

This is already one of our weaknesses, so I'm not sure how playing someone like Delph, is going to benefit us tonight. I agree he's comfortable on the ball, I'm just not sure he does enough without the ball – something I think is going be crucial tonight?

With that in mind Brandthwaite in for Keane is a no brainer. I would also play JJK in front of Seamus as we need a couple of battlers to stop crosses coming in from McNeill.

Its then a tossup between Delph and Holgate (both red card candidates) for the remaining MF place alongside Doucoure.

Front 3 for me Gordon DCL and Richy.

COYB

KENWRIGHT OUT

It won't be pretty from them, they will be firing the ball into our box every chance they get and we are not good at dealing with that.

A draw won't be a disaster, a win would be fantastic, a loss and we are in very serious danger of going down.

They're being made favourites which is all about home advantage and homer referees. I just hope we end the game with 11 men on the field for a change. Surely we are due some good luck for a change.

Come on Blues please give us 3 points tonight

4-5-1 as a few others have suggested to pack the midfield and a low defensive line. Try to get them on set pieces and counters.

Pickford
Coleman Holgate Branthwaite Godfrey
Gordon Doucoure Delph Iwobi Richarlison
Rondon.

DCL is just way off form and we need some physicality to challenge their defence.

Fuck clarity and fuck the Clarets!

Kenwright out.

On the upside, I've got enough THC in my fat cells that all it takes is a bit of excitement and that green feeling kicks in. If I may add, I think I get extra points for getting a 'fuck' to display on the front page. ;)

“Couldn't face following on the live forum from work so I've pulled a sickie to watch it.”

Hope your boss isn't a ToffeeWebber!

UTFT 💙

I am sick of Everton starting lethargically and then conceding always leaving us behind the eight ball.

Wouldn't it be nice to keep a clean sheet again !!!