Everton vs Aston Villa

I'm sure the pregame Premier League Live will show the wild Goodison celebration at the return of David Moyes. Fireworks, lion dances and the like.

Secondly, to see if Moyes can indeed get a better tune out of the same players where Dyche couldn't.

Hoping as always for a win, and looking forward to tomorrow! COYB

Good thing is, both seem recently to be a bit fragile defensively… but can we take advantage?

We got away with it last season, getting a point in a hard-fought draw, but Everton will have their own players missing tomorrow, let's see what transpires.

Dave A DO NOT give up your season ticket

Link

Pickford
Patterson Tarkowski Branthwaite Mykolenko
Garner (if fit) Mangala Gana
Harrison Calvert-Lewin or Beto Ndiaye

Bring Armstrong and Lindstrøm on in the second half.

I kind of hope we see Patterson start and Ndiaye play somewhere other than the left side.

Other than that, it's probably more about intent than formation.

We'll also get a feel for how the appointment has been received by the fanbase. I'll suggest it'll be a bit better than on here.

COYB

You are spot on though when you say the midfield need to create more chances and score the odd goal or two.
I think it's fair to say that Villa, player for player, are the better side at the moment and it's going to be difficult to get points, but hope springs eternal and here's hoping for a special night.

(I noticed that MK swerved a predicted line up and I don't blame him.)

Yank coverage is appalling in my opinion. If anyone over there wants to see how bad it can get, track down the 'fan zone' on YouTube. If anyone over here needs saving from the low-quality "pundits", I always have links to English coverage which to be sure can be fecking grating in the pundit room but is in a different league.

It's possible to sync 5live commentary – if available – with TV coverage and that is what I prefer to do.

2-1 to us!

COYB!

Pickford
Tarkowski
Branthwaite
Gana
Mangala
Mykolenko
Ndiaye

The 4 spots up for grabs:

Right-back: Young or Patterson, I wouldn't be surprised to see the fellow Scott get a start.

Striker: Calvert-Lewin or Beto, having seen the lack of effort from Calvert-Lewin recently, I would like to see Beto get a game.

Pickford
Patterson Tarkowski Branthwaite Mykolenko
Mangala Gana
Harrison Armstrong Ndiaye
Beto.

Fingers crossed for the new manager bounce.

Coyb.

I'm fed up of us being so passive at home.

Be interesting to see whether Young and Doucoure get a start. Hope not. Also whether Moyes shows faith in Calvert-Lewin, I think he might.

Like it or not, Moyes knows what the faithful want to see at Goodison; if he can get the players to light the touch paper, we can turn them over.

COYB.

I will be surprised if Young starts because he spoke about Dominic getting service so I doubt he will expect the veteran to get up and down. Dominic is a certainty to start.

The likes of Lindstrom, Ndiaye and Harrison will be particularly interesting to see if and where they will play as well as the shape he deploys.

It showed players doing little triangle drills on YouTube so I'm hoping for a little more joined-up football also. Will a dark horse or two emerge from the shackles of the Dyche era? I have an inkling it might be Harrison coming from his favourite left-hand side.

Which would leave room on the left for Harrison.

He refereed the game at Goodison last season, well at least he tried to, is he injured or suspended, either way I'm glad he's out.

Still a tough tough game for us and I really can't remember the last time we beat these at Goodison in the Premier League… was it under Martinez? I'm not really sure.

I think against quicker teams and CA teams, Tarkowski is a weak point.

Moyes might have picked up on that. With regards captain, he could pick Pickford or even try and bribe Branthwaite and give him the captain's armband. I don't think Gueye made a decent captain against Peterborough.

I'd love Moyes to continue the back 3 experiment, but, in all the time Moyes has managed, he has played a back 4. The problem with us is that our full-backs aren't of the usual quality Moyes gets in.

However, I'm looking forward to the squad selection, and also if he'll try and retain his 4-1-4-1 formation from West Ham?

And playing O'Brien and Branthwaite together for the very first time ever would be the kind of gamble Moyes is unlikely to take, especially in his first game.

What's a CA team?

ps: thanks for tidying up my latest article, though I didn't proof read it enough, as there are still typos and paragraphs in the wrong place...

He routinely leaves Branthwaite to provide cover for him, which then exposes Mykolenko. see the David Brooks goal against us. Until Tarks moved out of position, we had their attack covered. As soon as Tarkowski moved, Branthwaite had to move, and left Mykolenko with a decision which either way he went, we'd have been in trouble.

Also, I don't think Brooks could have hit and placed the ball any better!

I'm not saying Tarkowski is a bad player, but his form and abilities are definitely well below last year's high(er) standards.

Also, how is O'Brien meant to improve, and be persuaded he has a future at the club, if he isn't played?

Gana
Mangala
Doucoure

Ndiaye
Calvert-Lewin
Armstrong or Beto.

I'd just like to see something different on the right as Harrison and Lindstrom have offered nothing.

Not too many surprises available but a good opportunity for Patterson and Lindstrom.

Not so easy. It’s going to be a rocky ride. 3 or 4 points against tough opponents over the next days would be huge, but it will be some battle to achieve them.

For a few days, let’s put the pitch forks away (camp to the left) and the champagne on ice (camp to the right).

We’re all Evertonians and starting tomorrow, want those points, whoever is playing.

nervous about villa. we need them not to turn up. hopefully we catch them cold.

We should definitely be looking at 3 points on this one. And Spurs at Goodison should be 3 points for us.

Kevin, I'd like to see Harrison start - Harrison Armstrong. I'd love to see this gifted youngster given free rein against Villa.

I hope he buys a good left back as ndiaye is very similar to Pienaar and he remakes the Pienaar/baines tandem in the Left side. We need a better Left back definitely.

Without garner McNeil and iriougburem (and with what weve got ) we are pretty tied up.

Could Moyes provide the magic?

Harrison has been poor on the right but I would like to see him given a run wide left. Who knows this may even be the catalyst to show Mykolenko can cross a ball - provided he is running on to it. I think he can.

Calvert Lewin looks a nailed on starter to me after his comments in the press conference - with N’Diaye in support. I hope he responds accordingly.

So this is the 4 4 1 1 starting line up I am tipping:-

Pickford
Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko
Patterson, Gueye, Mangala, Harrison
Ndiaye
Calvert-Lewin

Frank #40, agreed. I'd like to see -- and I suspect we will -- Patterson on the wing with Young behind him and Lindstrom central instead of Doucs.

We have to attack Villa and Spurs, I’d we don’t what is the point in changing the manager, if it just more of the same old which has got us in this position.

Apparently he didn't want to play in the Peterborough game as he didn't want to be cup-tied.

Mykolenko will likely start. But if you've got Patterson getting forward then you probably accept that your other full back stays home. A Tony Hibbert to a Leighton Baines type situation (neither as good though).

Moyes has always had a midfielder filling in and then getting in the box for crosses. Cahill, Fellaini, Soucek. It's almost his trademark. I can't really see one in this squad - and I reckon that will be a position he'll be recruiting for that role right away. Possibly he tasks Ndiaye with doing it but he's probably not typical. I'm a bit fearful that he might give Doucoure the job.

Other than that the team probably picks itself. I'd be surprised to see Tarkowski dropped. Moyes always makes a big deal of having leaders in the side and Tarkowski is his sort of character.

On the face of things it might look very similar to what's gone before. But hopefully formation and defensive stability is where that similarity ends.

His process requires a beast of a striker who has pace, presence and an ability to retain possession and, not least, an ability to score. I don't think we have such a player.

His process is happy to defend very deep, concede the vast majority of ball possession to the opposition, and then punish them on the break. I don't think we have players to make a success of that.

Courtesy of Kenwright and his chosen one we have long been akin to an ocean-going cruise ship that was the dog's 40 years ago but has increasingly become a vessel that nobody in their right mind right now would board with any confidence that it could safely sail them from Liverpool to Birkenhead. We have a shit squad, no money to improve it, and no visible evidence that whoever plays for us has any ability at all to raise their personal game to justify their obscenely exotic contracts.

That's the depth of shite we've had delivered onto all of us in plain sight for years.

Friedkin? Moyes? They'll have to show hitherto unseen qualities to even be in the Premier League next season.

Tarkowski isn't rapid but he's mobile. Branthwaite definitely has pace.

I think we'll see something of a middle ground. Not too deep, but a fairly deep lying midfielder picking up runners.

Mykolenko offers nothing going forward at all. He just can't cross the ball. I'd drop him and play Harrison there. He can't be any worse and at least he could be an attacking option with Patterson on the other flank.

ut if Moyes, bereft of being able to sign any notable (as yet!) players, succeeds to any degree with us he will no longer Bas the "Moyesiah" because he'll well and truly be the "Lazarene"!

That's the depth of shit we're now in (and for seasons to come IMO), nobody currently in the club being responsible.

I expect him to aim for a determine core from front to back throughout the Everton team, of hard work.He will be defensive, but with more wing play than before.It will be interesting to see his reaction to fluffed chances, which the present team throw up.Moving up the table will be based on set pieces.I hear Moyes has hired a Set Piece Coach.

Getting work out of the squad and avoiding the physio couch will be Key.Finch Farm will be on side initially because of new owner fear. The key will be what the Friedkin Group can get out of the Internal Management of Everton on both Commercial and on the Footballing front performance wise and whether their monitoring systems are effective.

Pretty similar to Dyche defensively then. The difference will hopefully be how we operate on the counter where Moyes is a bit less rigid about shape and will allow players to get forward quickly, with full-backs especially given more license than Dyche afforded.

It will be very interesting to see how he sets up the team compared to Dyche. We should have a little more possession and attacking pattern but I'm expecting lots of similarities too and, if we lose, then no doubt these pages will be full of people saying nothing has changed.

He gives the impression of working hard, probably covers a lot of ground but ineffectively

His finishing is atrocious

My daughters say he has nice hair..as they can’t find anything else positive

I’m astonished there are suggestions to start him

Just imagine if he has two keepers on the bench!

I expect something a bit different, ie actual pragmatism rather than a defensive ideology dressed up as pragmatism.

But that may have to come a bit down the road. The reality is that he can't effect much change in a few days and it's risky to do too much, too quickly. And Moyes certainly isn't a big risk taker.

I'd also be very surprised if we use a back 3.

If Lindstrom starts in what appears to be a RW position I wouldn't get too worked up. It doesn't necessarily mean he's being used as a conventional winger (or worse, an auxiliary full back).

And again if Ndiaye appears to start LW that needn't be a problem either.

Hopefully, wherever they start (if they both start) both will switch between flank, half space and number 10 positions depending on the position of other players around them - especially the full backs.

That's what we've been missing under Dyche.

A lot depends on how players react.Calvert Lewin may be pushed forward, but weaknesses in his play will be exposed.He may sulk to the end of his contract, as he has been doing.

I agree regarding defence.We may see more of Coleman. I can see OBrien been given a chance.Doucoure will be a interesting one. Gueye and Ndiaye are safe.

This alone would be helpful for our attacking instincts and give more oppportunity for Ndiaye and Harrison or Lindstrom to invert which should suit them.

2-1.

DCL at least one.

Pickford Patterson Tarkowski Branthwaite Young Gueye Mangala Armstrong Lindstrom Ndiaye DCL

Harrison, Rocket, hitch-hiking back to. Leeds.

COYB

Hopefully Patterson will start but I still think Harrison offers nothing – can we see if he can cross a ball from the left? Calvert- Lewin won't know himself having support upfront hopefully. Hopefully the fans can enjoy for a change.

Moyes is actually likely to be pretty conservative. But we're coming off such an incredibly low bar. Doesn't take much to get us excited – just give us something.

I really hope the team can deliver in the next couple of matches. That feel-good factor, combined with a bit of transfer activity, could be massive for the club.

But these are tough games and we'll be favourite for neither. I dread to think what the mood will be like if the bookies have got this right.

If his rumoured poor relationship with SD is true then he might feel liberated at his departure. It would be nice to have a problem solve itself for a change.

Agree with comments that it's unlikely for Armstrong to start, however i'd love to see it and actually think he already offers more than Lindstrom. Let's ship Harrison and buy Nuamah of Lyon.

Ditto Brent

Exactly what I would go for too Paul.

Pushing up full-backs will only expose our issues further, but as usual, I hope and pray that I'm wrong.

I just want him to get away from the doom spiral that is Doucoure and Harrison. At least he might play Ndiaye centrally off a striker, which Dyche seemed to be dead against, seemingly because someone else suggested it.

Wins:- Everton 83, Villa 88; Draws 61

We last beat Villa in the league in 2016 under Bobby Brown Shoes.

We are surely due a win?

Having him pushed up close in a 4-5-1 will give us an edge going forward, as others have intimated hopefully the full-backs will be allowed to put some crosses in.

Reaction to Moyes will be ???… but needs to be positive and upbeat.

The procession, apparently, is to be led by two donkeys aka Harrison and Doucoure.

I wouldn't judge Moyes if he did that in the first game. There are some neat suggestions in the thread but there isn't some stand out brilliant alternative.

I do however expect us to engage the villa midfield higher up the pitch. I don't see us waiting until they get to the edge of our area before we start snapping into the tackles. Unlike Dyche, Moyes is looking to make that connection with the crowd. I expect the crowd to respond and the players in turn to play at a higher tempo.

Those of us who were unhappy with this appointment have had enough time to bitch and gripe, but now its game day. Time to get behind the team.

So come on Davey Moyes.

Play like Dychie's bo...

Maybe not. Lets just stick to "Everton, Everton, Everter`en".

Likewise with Lindstrom, he has said many a time he not a winger. Yet he has been thrust into that role when selected. I believe we have not seen the best of him either yet. As for Doucoure, unless he has somehow had a new lease of life, I would prefer to see him either benched or not even present on past form (?)

It will also be interesting to see if he gives Patterson a go. Patterson seemed to be almost black-listed (grey-listed?!) by Dyche but is the only right back at the club next season as things stand.

I’ll hope for: Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Mangala; Lindstrom, N’Diaye, Harrison; Calvert-Lewin

Whatever your views on Moyes, I don’t think any of us expect anything too exciting and innovative.

Usually when I'm confident of a win, we get beat! But tonight I'm sure the atmosphere will carry us through.

We haven't beaten Villa in the League since they came back up so we're definitely due a win. And they've been far from amazing this season, anyway.

I reckon he comes closest to being able to do the work and still be a threat arriving late in the box.

If he starts, let's hope he can be used more effectively. His limitations on the ball are pretty severe though.

Our form is pitiful, theirs is excellent. They rarely lose a game, and we rarely win a game… so stick a pin in this one.

New manager bounce is likely to fall a bit flat IMO, since Moyes isn't a huge difference on Dyche in terms of style and how dull and lacking invention he is.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was a draw.

I am also expecting a deep defensive line inviting lots of pressure (especially if we manage to take the lead). Moyes's teams tend to press less than Dyche's.

Differences I'm looking for are full-backs getting higher up the pitch at times and keeping hold of the ball a little longer, and a little better on occasion rather than always going long immediately (though there will still be lots of that).

The team I'd like is:

Pickford
Patterson Tarkowski Branthwaite Young
Lindstrøm Mangala Gueye Harrison
Ndiaye
Calvert-Lewin

I can't wait for the Moyes special — playing three left-backs at the same time.

You can bet your boots Seamus and Bainsey will have given an honest appraisal of the players, their weknesses and strengths. He will have discussed how he wants to set the team up and he will have asked their advice.

However, it will be up to him. Substitutes will give some idea also of his game management. Looking forward to it. Not with trepidation but anticipation.

On a lighter note, I want to take sons-in-law and grandkids to the Tottenham game on Sunday. They've never been. I need six tickets!!! Six. 3 x 2. 1 x 4 + 1 x 2. I know it's a big ask but does anyone have any suggestions for me?

So I don't think we should be downbeat going into the game even if it's the same or similar faces.

It's a fresh start, and we are capable of good performances when the attitude is right and players work hard and concentrate.

Armstrong seems to be able to pass the ball better than any of our other midfielders, but starting him might be too much. Doucoure has looked like one of the worst footballers I’ve ever seen in my life this season, absolutely hopeless at every aspect of the game apart from running - would be happy if he scored the winner and shut me up, but what a horrendous waste of big wages.

Like others, I haven’t looked forward to a game for ages, will be interesting to see what the atmosphere is like tonight.

COYBB!!

I don't think we'll sit too deep and Young's lack of pace would be a problem with space in behind.

Minor tweaks but potentially significant differences. It's over to Mr Moyes now.

I'm hoping Goodison will be a better atmosphere and that always gives us a chance under the lights. I remember Big Dunc getting his second chance against Villa and the new bounce fell flat when they beat us 1-0.

Villa are a good side though and have become another bogey team for us over the last decade or so.

My opinion of Moyes is that he was harshly slated when he left and he achieved relatively good stuff in his first spell. I'd kill to see the likes of Arteta, Cahill, Baines and Yakubu these days.

I think what he can achieve this season will be dependent on whether he can bring in 2 or 3 decent players but he definitely needs to get us goals from somewhere.

Player-wise tonight I don't see him changing much as his options are pretty limited because of injuries.

I have no clue what to expect the score to be but it would be great to see us score a goal for a change, a win would be a big boost all round.

3 points against a decent Villa would be seismic.

Just remember, it wouldn't be a bad run if we'd have had more wins!!!!!!

Hoping for a win tonight, no matter how scrappy.

And if the prophecies are true, down it will come.

Any manager worth their salt is going to play players in their favoured and most effective positions; otherwise, it is likely to be counter-productive to play them out of position.

[I'm not advocating the following players are selected by Moyes to start tonight but using them as examples of players picked by Dyche but played out of position.]

Harrison is not a right winger, so if you are going to play him, play him where he's most effective, which is on the left – as was the case when he was at Leeds.

Lindstrøm is not a winger on either side so either play him in an advanced midfield role or in the pocket behind the centre-forward where he was most effective when at Frankfurt.

Ndiaye can do a job on either wing but would be much mre effective in the pocket behind the centre-forward as his close control, creativity, passing ability and shooting is the best we have, Sheffield Utd got the most out of him in this position.

Doucoure has been played as a box-to-box midfielder by Dyche and has stunk the gaff out this season as his passing is woeful, so play him in a more advanced midfield role if he's played at all. This way ,he can push up around and into the box as he has a goal in him, as he has proved with vital goals under both Lampard and Dyche.

We know we have a limited squad of players, both in numbers due to injuries and quality, but that doesn't mean that someone else can't get a tune out of the squad and make them as a whole play better than the sum of its parts by playing players in their effective roles.

COYB!

Whatever formation, let's hope it's stuck to instead of the mish-mash Dyche had them playing.

Pickford
O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite
Patterson, Gana, Harrison, Mangala, Lindstrøm
Ndiaye, Calvert-Lewin

Or, if he is there, he'd better show up and score!

1) A rocking Goodison under lights with a new manager bounce, losing can't be an option.

2) New manager could do with a win to regain some respect from the sceptics (me included).

3) We don't want to drop into the Bottom 3 in January, it gives the other strugglers a boost.

4) I couldn't think of another one… except to show Dyche what he could have done better ‘on the grass'.

UTFT!

At Thursday's game, I was hoping for the same after the announcement regarding Seamus and Bainesy but the place was dead after the initial cheer for that.

Goodison's been dead for a while and the only thing, IMO, that will change that is the performance on the pitch – nothing else.

I don't believe the return of Moyes will instantly turn Goodison into the proverbial bear-pit and I don't expect miracles on the pitch to be honest.

I'll be amazed if we see Patterson at right-back, he's so vulnerable defensively. Much more likely he gets thrown on with 20 minutes left if we need a goal.

This is a really tricky game, Aston Villa are very good, and have a great record against us. An early goal by these buggers and Goodison will be as flat as a pancake. So we need to be cautious.

I wonder though if Moyes has heard of this system.

Nearly every team's supporters he's managed have wanted him gone and that's a damming indictment on his style of play.

Is he an upgrade on Dyche... definitely, will we go down with him? I very much doubt it.

Come on, Davey, give us something to get excited about.

I'm just hoping we see a motivated bunch of players and more positive tactics and game management.

What we cannot get away from is that it is the same squad players and Moyes can only tinker with what he has available.

Villa will be a tough test and for me we should shut down their midfield supply and play on the counter attack. I will settle for 1 or 2-0 for us.

I see no reason with Branthwaite at the back why we cannot push a little higher up the field, just a little tinkle, get us pushing up and cut out the big hoof to Dom.

Use O'Brien and Tarks as a back three, push our full-backs up so they can venture out of their own half.

Anyway let's see how we do tonight, a very good Villa team, but, with the right tactics, we can certainly get at them.

Up the Toffees.

Three at the back, two wing-backs and Harrison Armstrong and Ndiaye supporting Dom.

Will that stop us getting behind him though - absolutely not. Never.

Altogether now … he’s got grey hair and we don’t care ….

Onward Evertonians.
One love. One team. One Everton.
Tell your children. 💙

I think we'll do it 2-0 or 2-1. We were 2-0 up against these at Villa a few weeks back, of course, even if we did fuck it up.

Like that Brian

Sod all this "Oh, it's not football" malarky, we are desperate for some wins, I don't care how the hell we get them.

Sadly TNT for me for this one, missus is a Villa fan & it's her birthday so she's out for a meal with her mates. I've got Jake & Jess, our two black Labs.

Unfortunately, except for the Wolves game, our corner kicks have been disasters all season, and our free kicks not much better (Young's at the end of the Bournemouth game was particularly horrendous.)

"Moyes's teams tend to press less than Dyche's".

Good grief! Really? Can I change my 2-1 to 1-4.

I just hope that some will not expect Moyes to magically turn Calvert-Lewin into Sergio Aguero or even Vardy Mk II. Let's just hope like Carlo did he will realise what he can and, more importantly, can't do.

We know Moyse's record with strikers wasn't good whilst at Everton last time. At least Jarrod Bowen was effective and Antonio faired okay for West Ham though.

I need to ask as you refused to respond to the people who asked you about that Moyes quote you posted on another thread. Would you like to give us your sources for both? One poster, not me, thought that you might even have made the Moyes one up.

I still have that link I posted for you, if that helps.

Some on here would fall for that. 🤣🤣🤣

Time to be brave and give them a spanking.

Come on you mother fucking blues!!!! 💪🏽

Send it to me and I'll pass it on for you mate.

Scott, don't know how old you are, but Villa Park was our lucky ground 1984-89! Mind you, the first time I ever got attacked was by Villa fans after the '77 League Cup Final - does anyone remember how tightly the coaches were parked?

My 'very negative experiences' team Scott is fucking Middlesborough.

We need free kicks to get some big guys in the box but Villa (like most teams) have dangerous options themselves.

Ideally three points would be a surprise bonus for Moyse's first game second time around.

They blew a two goal lead at Villa Park with arguably a better eleven available but I will settle for a last minute 1-0 win regardless of how they play.

Needless to say, The Shite™ are top of the list. Spent what felt like an eternity growing up with their so-called fans gloating (despite the fact that none of them went to matches and probably couldn’t name more than 3 or 4 of their players). I actually married someone who fits that description. If you asked her to name their current squad she’d probably look like a rabbit in headlights and then whisper Michael Owen and John Barnes in sheer hope that she’s right.

Mine was Birmingham City

I'm not able to get to the game tonight (midweek is a nightmare for me) but don't expect a sudden metamorphosis to lots of goals. I do expect a shift of attitude/application/intensity though.

Just have a go for the first 20 mins, try to get the crowd behind the team, play with passion. For me staying up relies on getting Goodison bouncing again.

I don't know any ground that can vary so dramatically from hearing a pin drop, to shock and awe. When the crowd is unleashed and the foundations shake, anything is possible.

Big 'boro mob charged the escort after the match. About six of them - horrible bastards, donkey jackets, DMs - charged at me. I legged it and ran into a car that knocked me over its bonnet, flying in the air. 'boro lads kicking the crap out of me on the floor. One shithead grabbed my hair. I hit him right between the eyes but it was a fecking copper.

Run over, attacked, arrested, lost the match, Everton held in the cells until the last connection to Lime St had gone (they laughed when they told us that), ended up getting a taxi with others from Man-Piccadilly to Liverpool, and then had to go back to that shithole for court.

I hate 'boro!

Ill check back at 18:45 our time

Enjoy the match!