Brentford vs Everton

Lyndon, calling Rondon's 'performance' vs Fleetwood less than convincing is either being exceedingly polite or using all of your skills as a master of understatement. He was totally useless. The definitive answer to the age-old football question of 'Who ate all the pies?'

With Rondon in the team, we have little or no chance of getting a result unless we can achieve a clean sheet. I am, nonetheless, still hopeful that we can snatch a point here and at Leeds to prevent complete relegation panic setting in before the two following matches, which I am dreading.

Here's hoping that Maupay, despite my strong misgivings, has signed by the deadline and is available for Brentford. The alternative is too awful to contemplate.

ps: Lee Mason on VAR is an even worse prospect than having Rondon in the team.

Onana and Iwobi to dominate the midfield and Maupay to defy all expectations by scoring the only goal.

Our club is in such a state, it's hard to support them.

Hopefully still on track to accumulate 2/3 points from the first 8 games.

If it doesn't happen, we want some end product and at least beat the first man with a cross. That okay with you, Anthony???

It has been a rather strange first three matches for the Bees; they were poor for the first 45 minutes at Leicester and Fulham yet could easily have won both. United was, I think, a bit of a one off, although Thomas Frank gave another tactical master class.

Going forward, they carry a lot of threat but there is a weakness at the moment at centre-back; Pinnock and Ajer were immense last season and a major factor in the successful season. Both are out and Jansson and Mee are vastly experienced but a shade slow and were caught out at times in the away matches. The return of Josh Da Silva has been a huge bonus after 18 months out and he drives forward to great effect.

Interested to see Maupay joining the Toffees; he was a great Bees favourite in the Championship, not least for his ability to upset the deluded Leeds fans. He is a lively player and will do well for you but he perhaps does not score as many as he should.

I think it will be a close encounter, probably low scoring. Everton do seem stronger in personnel but it will take a few seasons to get over the grotesque mismanagement of EFC that has taken place over the past 10, 15, 20 years.

Anyway, all the best... been watching footy for 62 seasons now and always had a soft spot for your team, ever since seeing them destroy Fulham c.1962-ish.

I think the doom and gloom is slightly overdone on here sometimes; you have many decent players and, over the course of the season, I don't think you will be in danger of relegation.

I have good memories of your previous post. With posts like that one and this, I think you're a welcome addition to TW.

You see us as being stronger in personnel this season and I wouldn't disagree with that. As you say, it'll take time.

I enjoyed my day out at your new stadium last season. Like Fulham, it's nice to go to a London ground and not be victimised for being an away supporter. I enjoyed a coupled alongside Brentford supporters in the Steam Packet on the river.

I'm a native of Liverpool who has settled in Uxbridge, so Brentford is probably my closest team. I used to coach Hayes & Yeading youth teams and regularly bumped into the Brentford teams on the training grounds.

I can't make the trip this season as I'll be in the USA but I hope we fair better than what I witnessed in person last season if that's okay with you!!

There are some doom-mongers everywhere. Three games in. I'm sure we'll both be fine. I am a big fan of your manager.

Anyway, enjoy the game and look forward to you posting again in the not-too-distant future. Take care.

Onana to have a stormer in the middle (I wouldn't start Davies if there's a doubt still), and Iwobi to grab the goal that his play deserves.

Believe it and it will happen... Believe it and it will happen...

I noted with interest (and envy) your signing of Damsgaard, who scored so brilliantly over Pickford in the Euro semis last summer... is he injured?

Benny Hill music.

John, it's nice to have some outside opinions cut through all the doom and gloom.

As Lyndon says, I hope Gray is the central figure tomorrow as he is so much better bursting through the line and off the shoulder of defenders and 2 goals in 2 games shows he's a better finisher than Gordon too.

Let Gray, Gordon & McNeil tire the defenders and if we not up a goal or two, throw Rondon on as last resort.

That's unless Maupay has been signed in time play.
1- 2 Everton with Onana getting his first.

UTFT

Going into yet another league game without a recognised half-decent striker is totally unacceptable. We need a target man someone to hold the ball up.

A pint-sized Maupay long-term is not the answer, I'm afraid.

Another day behind the couch beckons, I think.

Going in to yet another league game without a recognised half-decent striker is totally unacceptable. We need a target man, someone to hold the ball up.

A pint-sized Maupay long-term is not the answer, I'm afraid.

Another day behind the couch beckons, I think.

Only three Premier League players have created more chances from open play than Iwobi's 24 in his last 15 starts – Odegaard, Kane and De Bryunne.

And, no Premier League player has won the ball back for his side more than his tally of 109 during that period.

However, he is a long way off match fitness. Played most of the game v Colchester but I very much doubt if he will feature tomorrow.

Ivan Toney will want revenge for last season's plonkers abusing his mum.

But I also hope we win so that the negatives can go and find something else to be negative about.

Nice comments and I agree – too much negativity on our site.

It will be tough tomorrow, especially as we are lacking upfront, but hope Rondon starts because we do need a focal point, and we have deserved better in the first 3 games.

I totally agree, Iwobi has had some kind of mad rebirth under Frank. I hold my hands up and say I was one who thought we would be paying his wages while he sat on the bench for 3 years.

Many Evertonians should look at him before writing off the likes of McNeil, Maupay (if he's in) and Diaz (if we get him).

His story bodes well for the likes of McNeil, Patterson, Mykolenko, Onana etc; if Frank can nurture the talent they have, we have the makings of a good squad going forward.

I do get the vibe from Frank that he's a players manager, like his uncle Harry – players seem to want to play for him. Iwobi shows that Frank will listen to a player, he's always wanted the central role and, now he's been given it, he's repaying Frank for his commitment to him.

He's still not that old, even though i feels like he's been around forever. He's still the only man in the squad who plays between the lines, not just crab passes square all game.

He's got more technique than the rest of our central midfield put together. If we can play him in a 3 with Onana & Gana or another holder, I think that's a good midfield.

Let's hope in the long run Frank can see that the wingers we have, Gordon, Gray & McNeil, have much more impact if they are on the wing.

I don't think any of them are enjoying playing in this 5-2-3. 4-1-4-1 suits us better when we have that holder.

My preference is 4-1-4-1:

Pickford
Mykolenko
Coady
Tarkowski
Patterson
Gana (or other)
Onana
Iwobi
Gordon (or McNeil)
Gray
Calvert-Lewin

I know I'm tempting fate to challenge your laserlike wisdom as our resident harbinger of doom, but tell us more, please about what exactly went wrong when you wrote this last week:

"Nottingham Forest will come to Goodison and take 3 points with ease... Everton are that predictable these days."

Why do you feel you have to tell us Everton are going to lose? What does it do for you? Above all, shouldn't there be some retribution when you get it so woefully wrong? Like no more predictions allowed for the rest of the season!

Get three against the odds. Another incisive pass from Iwobi to Gray for the opener and we ride it out from there.

Cmon! We've got enough to trouble these, get into them!

Please, why include Rondon? For me, he holds the play up. When Gray or Gordon get to the opposition penalty box, usually about half an hour before Rondon, they have no Number 9 as an option for a pass. 'Slow' is not the word...

Also, Rondon is out after this game, I mean totally out. Calvert-Lewin is on his way back, Maupay will be available, and I've no doubt another striker will be purchased or loaned.

From what I've heard and read, Rondon will not accept loans to lower league clubs but instead will see out his contract at Goodison. All I can say is thank fuck when he has gone.

Make me eat my words.

We are currently losing battles in central midfield because of the adherence to this unsuitable system.

Play Warrington, Iwobi and Davies and I think people would be pleasantly surprised.

Away gounds we get nothing away from home, and tough home fixtures. Hope the boys prove me wrong and we find that mental toughness.

Leeds Utd (a)
Liverpool (h)
Arsenal (a)
West Ham Utd (h)
Southampton (a)
Manchester Utd (h)
Tottenham Hotspur (a)
Newcastle Utd (a)

But we are where we are. Frank is the manager, and I don't see us picking up points away from home.

We had 60-odd goals scored against us last season, so if our manager is doing his best to ensure we don't leak as many as that, this season, I'll be content to see him rebuild from that base.
I don't think any team is a "dead cert to beat" not with our record of "goals for" and "goals against" over the last four or five years.

Perhaps at the close of this window, we might have more players in, who can turn defeats/draws into draws/wins. Until then, turning our defeats into draws, will do me. A win would be a bonus.

I wonder how much Toney would be? Him and a fit Calvert-Lewin could make a great strike partnership in theory.

Shame Maupay was not registered in time. I think Gordon is due a goal and Brentford's back line is not the quickest. If we sit back and soak it up there should be chances on the counter for Gordon and Gray.

It's a bit ironic isn't it their central defence is weakened, as is our attack. You could argue for a 0-0 here being worth a punt.

It's another winnable game that possibly escapes us due to our lack of goalscorer. But if we can keep it tight there are always opportunities to sneak a win. It looks to me like Gray as been working hard in training his finishing, the goal last week against Forest was very well taken, he made a difficult job look easy which was impressive.

I think Rondon will start and act as the battering ram, trying to hold the ball up and feed Gray with a simple pass around the box, then let Gray do the magic. This is the most likely of a goal I think. Also we have some presence now for set pieces so maybe we can cobble a goal from a corner or free kick. Any old goal will do.

Brentford 0-1 Everton

Obviously a tight game would suit us with our type of centre-halves giving us a chance to even nick the win. Maybe a long long day though.

I expect that we will start with the same 11 as against Forest. Expecting the first clean sheet of the season and hopefully the first victory.

He had done well by signing up Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray for almost nothing. I forgive him for sending out Rodriguez and even Lucas Digne. But surely, he could have done better than signing Rondon, who has turned out to be totally useless – although he seems like a nice fella.

Instead, he should have gone for a loan signing or a cheap signing like Mbaye Diagne who went back to Turkey after a decent half season loan spell at West Brom. He scored 3 goals and had 2 assists in 16 games after Sam Allardyce signed him in the January transfer window.

It wasn't enough to keep them up, but I was always impressed with his aggression, and physical presence as well as very decent footballing skills for a big fellow. I thought we should have gone in for him, could have got him for buttons and would have been a much, much better option than Rondon.

Anyway, coming to the match, I predict this line-up:

Pickford
Holgate Coady Tarkowski
Patterson Iwobi Davies Onana Mykolenko
Gray Gordon

3-5-2 with Davies playing deep and allowing Iwobi and Onana to venture further upfield. I also hope to see Patterson and Mykolenko given the license by Lampard to play higher and put in low crosses to Gray and Gordon in the box to latch onto. The only realistic options we have to come off the bench to try to change things around are: McNeil, Rondon, Vinagre and maybe the kids - Warrington and Mills.

Despite the signings we still don't look like a side who are capable of scoring many goals. I had hoped that Lampards priority, after escaping relegation last season, would have been to buy players with goals in them but apart from Maupay who can
t play today I don't see any of the other signings adding goals to this team.

We are now in the last few days of the window and we are still no nearer knowing if we will have Gordon for the rest of the season, or if Chelsea will put an offer in that Everton will accept. I certainly think it will have to have Broja in the mix for Lampard to accept.

Early days in the season but I would have expected something from the Villa game and more than 1 point from Forest.

I really don't like the 5 at the back I was willing to put up with it for the back end of last season given were we were in the league. I had hoped that Lampard would have been a lot more adventurous this season, but he has set us up to keep it tight and try and pinch one at the other end.

I have to say I was really excited when we got Lampard but I am just having the odd doubt about him now. I hope he puts those doubts to bed starting with a win today.

The defence picks itself and whilst I don't think we have the staff for 5 at the back Lampard will stick with it.

Davies and Iwobi centre mid with Gray and Gordon providing the width.

I think if we start with Rondon we are playing with 10 men. He is as bad as I have ever seen in a blue shirt.

Pickford
Holgate Coady Tarkowski
Patterson Mykolenko
Davies Iwobi
Gray Onana Gordon

As for today, we somehow have to keep Onana further up or at least out of mischief getting himself carded. It looks like Warrington and Mills can't or won't be trusted for now anyway.

Albeit we played well last week it was still a rarity for Everton to pull something out of the bag after going one down with less that 10 to play with our powder puff forward line, how often have they pulled it around that position. Arsenal away perhaps, so it was a surprise.

There are other posters who invisage how a game will result, win lose or draw.

I wouldn't call it being doom mongerish, it's being realistic as results have indicated already.

The 2/3 points is still looking on by the end of September wouldn't you say?

They have signed six new 'under the radar' players so far for little outlay and they have won five of their last six games and drawn the other in all competitions. It shows that if you have the right person at the helm with the right backing good things can happen.

I just hope once the new signings bed in we will see positive things happening. I still think we need two more signings. The clock is ticking.

Brentford counter well and, unless Everton get a goal or two early, then they may get caught out just as Man Utd did recently.

Needless to say, a strong rearguard action may be the only way to get a point.

Why? Because even Lampard can see that he had no one who can play as a striker.

Who's fault is it? Maybe we have to look at Ancelotti also. Didn't get any striker options in his reign.

A win would be fantastic, a draw very good and a loss unsurprising is my take on the game. I hope to be pleasently suprised.

Any way my selection for Brentford:-

Pickford,
Patterson, Tarkowski, Coady, Mykolenko
Gordon, Allan, Iwobi, Onana, Gray, Rondon.

Up the Blues.

I don't blame him but is not good enough for our team and never was.

He's become the current whipping boy, Iwobi was the last one, need I say more.

As I said not his fault and we should be have had someone else in place as we've all been saying.

Patterson
Tarkowski
Coady
Holgate
Mykolenko

Iwobi
Onana
Davies or Allan

Gray
Gordon

A back 5 is a struggle - it needs wing back with incisive passing, ability to beat men and put good balls into danger areas. Patterson is inexperienced but offers much promise; Mykolenko isn't there and I can't see him reaching the required standard this year (but will be happy to be proven wrong). Is this why we have Vinagre on loan? With no striker, it's ironically less of an issue... for now.

Rondon shouldn't be playing. Couldn't hit a barn door at 2 paces and is yards behind the pace. Damarai offers much more, his confidence should be up after recent performances and easily gets my vote for the forward role. Why we loaned out both Dobbin and Sims when we are in this situation is beyond me. Can't see either breaking the bank and would have got valuable time.

In midfield, Warrington looks a gem, calm and composed beyond his years, and deserves some match time. Tom has been looking good. Iwobhi's transformation is well-timed. Onana shows much promise but I expect an emotional rollercoaster until he reaches the promised land.

I hardly get an Everton prediction correct. Optimism bias always prevails. I'm going 1-0 to us. COYB!!!