Bournemouth vs Everton

We will be more suited to Bournemouth's style of play and being away from Goodison might also be a help. When you are struggling to score it's often a bit easier away from home.

When Garner and McNeil are finally fit they will come back in and I expect Harrison and Doucoure will drop out but unfortunately that is for another day.

Crystal Palace went there last recently and kept a clean sheet and I see no reason why we cannot do the same.

I know we have some injuries, but we do have some alternatives although a limited squad, try something different, it may just work !

If we do lose tomorrow, (hope not) I just hope it's Dyche's last game. Getting sick and tired of his boring team selections, and unimaginative tactics.

Other than that, with McNeil, Garner and Tim out I guess it’ll be much of the same in midfield and attack. Only question is whether it’s Harrison or Lindstrom that fills the 5th midfield spot.

‘When Garner and McNeil are finally fit they will come back in and I expect Harrison and Doucoure will drop out but unfortunately that is for another day.’

You would think so wouldn’t you, McNeil maybe but not Garner, not if Dyche has anything to do with it. He would choose Doucoure over Garner all day long.

There is a ten day break between Bournemouth and Villa to bring someone in.

We can capitalise here but it won't be with Dyche in charge.

So for tomorrow, please can we at least start with Patterson, either at full back or on the wing. With Broja playing as a number 10 in midfield and DCL back with a little more support as striker.

Forest gave us a lesson in how to play last week and with a little tweak in personnel perhaps we could learn something.

However, it is grimly fascinating watching Ruben Amorim (a dream candidate for us) having a nightmare start at massively under-performing Man Utd. Being honest, I thought he'd do well there after Ten Hag.

That's not to say we wouldn't far better from a managerial change - but it does highlight that these things are not nailed on.

Garner is a concern as he has to be viewed as injury prone by this point after 2/3 years at the club with one problem after another.

As for Dyche and the new manager bounce. I saw Amorim talking about United being relegated. Can you imagine how Moyes' would have been crucified if he had make a remark like that at United?

Harrison was subbed at half-time last week, maybe a sign there that Lindstrom gets a start wide right? Not sure who gets the thankless task at centre forward.

A point wouldn't be a disaster for us. Regardless of that I'm not expecting a change in the managerial position, unless we get an absolute hiding.

I remember thinking the first Bournemouth game might have been a real watershed moment. Then it turned and Dyche felt vindicated that attacking teams lose. We didn't lose that game because we attacked - we nearly won the game because we attacked.

I'm not even really sure why I watch. I guess I hope we'll do something worthwhile. Probably more so I figure sticking with us through the bad times will make the good so much sweeter.

Anyway, let's hope those travelling fans get a good day out. Our support, and especially the younger ones, continue to blow my mind.

We've got a terrible record at Bournemouth and they play the kind of quick incisive football that always seems to cause us no end of troubles.

You might say that we have two winnable homes games but taking Dyche's home win ratio into account and also the fact they are against Villa and Spurs, two sides we seldom ever beat.

It could be 3 wins in 19 matches tomorrow, no matter who the gaffer is, that's a quite frightening thought.

I expect DCL and Lindstrøm to play. We need far more from the latter than anything he has shown so far. I imagine Patterson will feature again at some stage of the game. After three years at the club as a ‘player for the future’ he has yet to prove himself capable of staying fit never mind having an impact on games. It’s now or never for him.

John #23, I'd like to see Dyche move Lindstrom to the center of the pitch and give Patterson a chance on the right flank.

Bournemouth are full of confidence and more than the sum of their parts, we are probably the opposite right now.

Still a New Year, maybe Dyche got a book on 21st Century tactics for Christmas?

Expecting another shite result tomorrow, so anything else will be a massive surprise.

I suspect we limp through to the Summer, then he and the Forest old boy academy are gone.

Wasn’t it only a few days ago he was claiming they can’t even follow basic instructions?

I’m struggling to remember such a self-aggrandising braggart with so little reason to readily attempt to self-fallate.

Which players is he talking about? Who does he think he has dragged from relative mediocrity to being worth an absolute mint? With the exception of Branthwaite, who else in the squad has seen their value soar tenfold under his stewardship? I can’t think of a single other player.

Then again, I’m not privy to the awe-inspiring Penn and Teller type tricks Sean must be pulling all week long behind the magic curtain, and only get to witness what he gets out of the players on a match day, during an actual game. Which is not really what he should be judged on, seemingly.

“The job here is endless,” Sean says, “but nobody really cares, they are just bothered about, 'Go and win a game, mate'.”

Unreasonable when you truly stop and think about it, isn’t it?

Get to fuck.

I don’t believe there is one single Everton fan out there who doesn’t realise, or won’t readily acknowledge, that the behind the scenes chaos and buffoonery enveloping the club in recent years has been ‘whatever the furthest possible thing from a bed of bloody roses is’ (a sarcophagus of skunk shite?). Every supporter is surely appreciative of that fact and has scaled right back any fanciful expectations they might ever have had about league position, the style of football on display and results on match day accordingly… to the size of a fairyfly’s foreskin, but it doesn’t grant you a free pass to act like what should be the primary focus and most fundamental part of your job is pot fucking luck and an unfair ask.

Win a game? What miracle do you want him to perform next? Appear to a gang of turophile kids in a dream and guide them to a massive wheel of cheese? (Thomas Beckett might have pulled it off way back but he was an actual Saint and didn’t have to run the very real risk of 10,702 warning videos instantly popping up on TikTok).

Still, at least you’ve had the last laugh… three times, Sean….and it’s only just turned New Year.

You know the work you’ve done and continue to do here. That’s why, according to the Daily Mail at least, all the lads ‘love’ playing for you (even DCL, honest), adore you, and why one day a massive group of senior pros led by ‘Tarky’ and ‘Myko’ carried your mother's groceries all the way home. You know why? It was out of ‘respect’.

The fact that if ‘Patto’ and O’Brien tried the same trick the following week they would probably be met with “the fucking balls on this kid!” is neither here nor there.

Still, I did love Ian Woan’s contribution to the piece, in which he seemingly channeled Kris Kristofferson / Cybil Shepherd in ‘Taxi Driver’ and made out his mate is a ‘prophet and a pusher, partly truth, partly fiction. A walking contradiction’:

“He gets a lot of stick because he looks like a nightclub bouncer. People think he must be rough but it couldn't be further from the truth. He's well-read, wants to learn and is always asking questions of himself. It's a million miles away from the public persona. It would be very interesting to see how he'd work a system with top players if he could go toe-to-toe with the big hitters”.

Loved it.

Mainly because it reminded me of this:

Link

I suspect he will do it again tomorrow

A Dyche masterclass is expected, we can’t win without scoring so it has to be 0:0 so long as Pickford continues to perform miracles.

Or perhaps a ‘Brighton Away’ goalfest is long overdue? It seems a bit unlikely, I’d like to see us give it a go.

It’s desperate times, so if the travelling blues can come back with a point then will be a result for me. Sadly we’re more dependent on Bournemouth having an off day, than our lot firing on all (or any?) cylinders. UTFT!

Happy New Year Jerome!

How's your son who had the fall doing?

I mean if he's got a favourable wind...he'll sail by any Premier League defender.

Fecking Dyche/Thelwell

Happy New Year Health and Happiness.

John has recovered alot, but still has a little bit to go.We were told it would take two years and it looks that was right.He is coming home next week from Toronto for 10 Days.His Sister is home Australia for the first time in two years.So we will see what he thinks himself.

Hope Dyche comes up with a solution..Alett it is away from home., which may get Bournemouth up the pitch a bit.

Just enjoy your kids being home.

Bournemouth, Dyche, The Friedkin Group ... we've all year to disagree about it!

Missing key player's when the replacements are so off it is a worry so I'll happily take a point, but hoping for more.

I think Broja a better impact sub, along with Patterson to offer an outlet, some trickery and a bit of pace.

Like Forest, the Cherries are in good form but we know we can get at them and call it luck, fortune or genius tactics, any way we can get a win will be sweet.

Most on here would assume Dyche is drinking in last chance saloon by now and post Bournemouth would seem a good time to bring in someone new. That being said there have been no media leaks suggesting that Dyche is on the precipice and most bookies have him at 6/1 to be next manager sacked. It may be that Dyche gets a bit more time to turn things around though I’m not sure he’s earned it this season.

McNeill is missed but I don’t expect Garner or Iroegbunam to make much difference, the latter was patchy defensively and part of the reason we conceded so many goals at the start of the season. Plus Mangala has looked very solid. Maybe Tim Iro could be tried at ten but Lindstrom or Ndiaye would be a better bet there.

We owe this lot big time. They made the EFC players, look like a right bunch of Muppets at Goodison and thoroughly exposed Dyches lack of game management skills.

Pickford, Young, Tarks, Branthwaite, Myko, Patterson, Mangala, Gueye, Lindstrom, N'diaye, Broja,

Si #33, the statistic still stands. We haven't won a game in more than two years without Douc in the lineup, and only two since he joined the club five seasons ago. But since we're not winning games with or without him, that number has had no chance to change.

I just don't have any faith that this man can do anything other than just miss relegation, until it happens.

I also see Harrison and Doucoure being a major setback if played, both run round like headless chickens, and produce nothing, I wouldn't even have them on the bench, It is tantamount to starting with 9 men.

Pickford,
Tarkowski, Keane, Branthwaite
Patterson, Gueye, Mangala, Harrison
Lindstrom, Ndiaye
Beto. (or Broja, or DCL) take your pick
3, 4, 2, 1

I wonder if our current manager has realised that Jack Harrison is left footed?

That leaves him Young, Mykolenko, Coleman, and Doucoure plus at least one target man on the bench to close shop if we somehow were to enter the last quarter 2 goals up.

Frankly, I'd like to see "almost there" DCL sold and keep Broja and Beto for the rest of this season but also bring in another striker Chermitti might do of course, as the link up player.

For the Bournemouth game. I would like to see us attack from the start and do what we did when we beat Brighton 5 - 1????

Cheer,

Happy New Year

1-2 away win for Everton.

"We haven't been in the situation to cherry-pick players. The job here is endless but nobody really cares, they are just bothered about, 'Go and win a game, mate".

Yes, thats right, the same challenge facing most managers and the not unreasonable expectation of EVERY fan of EVERY club.

"I know the work we have done"

The raw numbers (goals scored, games won) would suggest that 'the work' has not been enough or, at best, has not been focused in the right areas e.g. we can't score goals.

"Players here are worth 10 times what they were when we got here"

Demonstrably untrue and an insult to the intelligence of the readers/fanbase.

The bottom line is that Everton cannot construct coherent attacks, have no clear 'strategy' outside of trying to stop the opposition scoring and attempting to '0-0' our way to 17th place will, I fear, not work.

Dyche and/or his friends in the media trying to convince us that black is in fact white won't change that.

Disappointed if it happens.

Today is about the team. We can debate the manager later.

We've spoken about this before. Tarkowski, as much as I've previously been a fan of, just hasn't been doing it this season and maybe needs to sit out? We have O'Brien, who at 23, is hardly a complete spring chicken.

For those attending, take a coat (says me!!).

See some of you for the Peterborough match and I managed to get one for Villa home the following week.

We've put ourselves in this position. Now let's get ourselves out of it.

Paul F, it's usually 1500 for a league match such is the capacity of their stadium. At least it doesn't have 140+ steps to get to the away section like Newcastle!!

Robert, I don't fancy either of yours or the bookies' choices in Moyes or Potter. One is a step back, the other can't help me thinking of Mike Walker, and, in some ways, Moyes.

Do okay with little expectation, but crash and burn when the spotlight is on.

Anyway, it's about today, so let's go and get 3 points on the South Coast.

That day we picked up a win (I think Barry of all people got the only goal), and went on to pull away from the drop fairly comfortably.

I think McKenna is pretty safe because of the job has done at Ipswich. I could see Palace changing their manager even though he hasn't been there that long.

I don't think Dyche is the man to lead us into the new stadium, now whether Friedkin takes the massive risk of leaving him in charge for a while to see how things go, with the transfer window open and nearly 2 weeks after today before we play our next league game, a change now would at least give the new man a little time to work with the players.

Having said all of that, I just hope we can get 3 points today – even if that guarantees Dyche is here a bit longer.

1) 132 shots on target all season. No other team can match that.
2) 31 goals in 2024. No other team can match that.
3) Failed to score in 10 Premier League games this season. No other team can match that.
4) 27 " big chances" all season. No other team can match that.
5) Shot conversion rate of 7.3% being the lowest ever since records commenced. No other team comes close.
6) Won one game in the last 10. Southampton may match that but, as it was against us, they are ahead. Again, we are the standout.

So, no reason to be pessimistic. We are leaders in so many areas and Sean's coaching is truly paying results. Onwards and downwards under Mr Dyche.

It should be a fairly straightforward decision.

It's not a silver bullet, but it's an obvious start.

Fantastic Neil.

Even the online version.

Even just the sports section in the online version.

Anyway, just to reiterate, despite being fed up of our manager, an Everton win will always be my priority. As Danny says, we can debate Dyche's position later, preferably from the safety of lower mid-table.

COYB!

Bournemouth have become a proper bogey club for us and are in form, we all know what form we are in.

As others have pointed out, there are a myriad of options for Dyche to try out but we know what to expect, as do our opponents. If we can scrape a win, it will be lucky and against the odds.

Young has been playing okay for a 39-year-old given a limited job of ‘keeping the shape'. We are sorely lacking deep runs from the likes of Coleman or Patterson – I'd give the latter a game after he offered something when he came on but if I had to bet money it'd be on Young starting again.

Lindstrøm as the No 10 for me as Doucoure has been woeful this season. I'm sure I remember Calvert-Lewin playing on the right wing for us when he was young so why not give it a whirl and get him up top with Broja for the long punts up field? Anything different would be worth a shot IMO.

Hope for a nice surprise but my expectations are low. Happy New Year to all, would love it to start with an Everton win!!

I think Dwight is 'unflappable'!!

Mangala with Gueye a must. Patterson with Seamus right midfield and right back would give the team a boost.

A few years ago, I had to pull up a Man Utd fan whose own claim to fame was that he once played for Bury "Reserves" (something of an enigma to me) who claimed Everton were United's bogey club, us, the fourth most successful club in England at the time.

Perhaps it just coincides with a lot of scousers moving down that way in the late sixties and mid seventies with shipping companies and the likes of Plesseys (the Automatic).

I actually never mentioned Broja's poor choice of pass at all but it wouldn't have made any difference to my perspective. If Dyche plays him the same way as he does Calvert-Lewin, the result will be the same.

I actually don't think he is as good in the air or as fast and mobile as Calvert-Lewin, so I cannot view him as an upgrade. Not really a question of giving him a chance as, unless the chances are being created, we will never have a direct or realistic comparison.

I just hope whoever is upfront today gets on the end of a couple and we come away with the points.

TFG seemed happy to offload misfiring coaches at Roma and you'd like to think that they'd done their due diligence and forward planning with us but still our useless head coach remains. Will he be gone tonight?

It would have to be a loss for him to have a chance of the sack. Like you, a win will do us good!

I'm keeping everything crossed for the fans making their way to Bournemouth. Not just the result but, if the Met Office are right, travel could be messy.

Well that is what you are fucking paid to do you, you useless git.

The quote from Allardyce is priceless as well via Pat Nevin:

He said if he could overperform on a limited budget, why wouldn't he be successful with more funds and better players?

Well when the other dinosaur was here, he spunked £50M on Walcott & Tosun.

So, Dycheosaurus, go earn your £5Mper year and go win a game, mate!

Not sure we will win this one, at most we can get a draw. But I will be extremely happy to be proven wrong.

Not going to happen with Dyche.

Just 3 wins all season… 8 in the calendar year, failed to score in 10 of our league games all season… some graft that, lad. That's why we all love you – cos none of us know what a shitshow behind the scenes you've had to put up with.

Honestly, I can't wait for him to go. Unfortunately, I don't think there's a prayer he's going to be sacked even if we lose heavily in our next 3 league games — and I don't trust them to beat Peterborough either.

Looks like we're going to have to put with his shit until we move home. But hey, carry on, Sean and staff – you're working wonders!!!

We will set up to snatch a road point with the long road trip game. We will pack it in and then look to "counter", if you can call it that, as we counter not with aggression and near-abandon but with caution to not be out of defensive position if we turn the ball over.

It's all very predictable. I'm ok with it as long as we avoid the drop. That's the main thing and really all that matters.

But soon, with TFG at the helm, things have to, and will, change.

Three points, UTFT.

He has also been asked why do you always play 4-5-1? hence the reason why he played 4-3-3. I am sure this week the question will be why did you buy players and not use them? Especially since it has been noted by lots of pundits.

Dyche has a terrible record since 2014 all his teams have on average scored 30% less than all other premiership teams. It obvious that he has been managing teams so that he can definitely stay in the job and possibly the premiership never mind about winning it or Europe.

Link

The article also points out regardless of his speech to the press that his teams also concede 1% more goals than the premiership mean.

Today we have a good team but they need to be motivated Chermiti is a very tricky player and would play brilliantly with Broja and Ndiaye.

DCL would and has in the past player brilliantly with Coleman who passes tend to be close to the byline. The only player close to that is Patterson.

Beto would play more effectively if he learnt to pass and share. We have all played football with players like Beto who never pass the ball back. They would rather lose the ball than let a team mate score.

Player who are not performing well or even poorly probably need a rest and maybe a change in their individual training. Why are we crap at getting shots on target?

Mr Dyche putting diesel in a top £500k petrol sports car will not get you very far neither will playing players who cannot cross or get a shot on target.

My team for today

Pickford

Young (Lindstrom 78) Tarkowski Branthwaite Mykolenko

Patterson Gueye(Doucoure 68) Harrison(Chermiti 68) Mangala

DCL(Broja 68) Ndiaye (Beto 78)

Note 78 minute Lindstrom subs into Patterson's position and Patterson moves to right back.