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Reader Comments (16)

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Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
1 Posted 23/04/2026 at 11:45:38
We're rolling out a new feature that we hope will become a regular item before each match, where Patric takes a closer look at the opposition and how they may shape up in the next encounter.

This is not our Match Preview per se – for this Hammers game, that is still in the works and will appear later. But this is meant to be a more in-depth consideration of the opposition we face, which is not something we've really done before on ToffeeWeb, so please provide your thoughts, as usual.

I've added as the photo for this piece, a shot of the London Stadium. If anyone is triggered by this, I deeply apologise in advance.

Andrew Merrick
2 Posted 23/04/2026 at 12:06:05
Bowen and Summerville are the more obvious threats.

We need Pickford to be more commanding, and if targeted on corners, he needs cover.
Our captain needs to be more focused.

I thought George could have come on earlier for McNeil last weekend, so yes, why not try him on the right, leave Illy be.

For sure Moyes will look to be solid in defense, and his default away setting is to cede territory and play on the break. We need to be very well drilled at this, get the best out of Beto and be more creative offensively, especially set pieces.

5 games, 15 points, why not go for 6th?

Dave Abrahams
3 Posted 23/04/2026 at 12:10:20
Patric,

I think Everton were better in the first half earlier in the season v West Ham but they took over in the second half and Summerville was excellent with him and the full back Diouf giving O'Brien a torrid time — I think Summerville was Man of the Match that night.

It will be interesting to see how Everton line up and if they have got the defeat by Liverpool out of their system... "Beaten but not humbled" is still hard to take in a derby game and they will definitely miss Branthwaite and possibly Beto, if he had to go off with concussion.

Mark Murphy
4 Posted 23/04/2026 at 12:23:06
Or perhaps this is the game to see what Tyler Dibling can do on the right and leave Ndiaye in his strongest position?

Why would anyone be triggered by a photo of the venue for our next game?

Jim Bennings
5 Posted 23/04/2026 at 12:24:56
I can't see us winning this one even though our away form has been good.

I just feel West Ham's need may well be the greater here, albeit I still think they are absolutely shite themselves and play in a terrible stadium, for football anyway.

If we could somehow get the win on Saturday it would enhance our chances of a Top 8 finish but defeat or probably even a draw will all but end them.

Sean Kearns
6 Posted 23/04/2026 at 12:52:23
VERY unpopular opinion I am aware and it might start a shit storm on ToffeeWeb for which I am preeminently sorry, but I kind of hope we lose on Saturday as I really want spurs to go down 😔 make no bones about it, when we were in the myre they absolutely wanted us gone! Then there would only be 5 original teams left in the Prem. It couldn’t really happen, could it?!?!… just curious if anyone else feels remotely the same way. Football is weird isn’t it. Why do I feel this way?
Jim Bennings
7 Posted 23/04/2026 at 13:02:26
Sean

I never want us to lose any game.

I couldn't give a flying fuck about Spurs, whether they go or not, they are not rivals to us and I have no real animosity nor particularly like of them either.

I want Everton to win every game to make ourselves look as attractive a proposal as we can to incoming signings this summer.

Michael Kenrick
8 Posted 23/04/2026 at 13:09:39
Mark, you'd be surprised how much the wrong photo can trigger a ferocious response from even the sanest of readers. I just want to tread carefully, is all...
Christy Ring
9 Posted 23/04/2026 at 13:59:55
I agree with Jim, I never want us lose any match. Spurs and West Ham both have horrible owners.

We still have an outside chance of getting into Europe, and more financial gain.

Eric Myles
10 Posted 23/04/2026 at 14:58:07
Ndiaye is more effective on the left, leave him there.
Martin Berry
11 Posted 23/04/2026 at 15:21:26
This is going to be a very very tough game. I thought West Ham played well on Monday, especially in the first half.

Posters quite rightly mention Summerville and Bowen as threats, but Fernandes is a standout, a real class act, mark my words loads of good clubs will be looking at this young man.

I think with us it's a matter of if Beto is okay to play after his head injury. If we play Barry, it looks like we will be starting with 10 men, if last week's cameo of his is anything to go by.

Paul Hewitt
12 Posted 23/04/2026 at 15:38:59
Sean.

That could be the 3 points that stops us getting Europe. Hope we win it.

Don't care about Spurs.

Jay Harris
13 Posted 23/04/2026 at 18:26:36
I don't care if West Ham or Spurs go down but it does get on my nerves the way the pundits include Spurs — who have won far less than Everton — consistently talked about as one of the Top 6.

I think we could get some decent players from either squad.

Dale Self
14 Posted 24/04/2026 at 04:53:43
Patric, I apologize for piling on in the post-derby match article. What I wrote was a bit much, looking back.

The photo mishap was separate from your writing, and I should have made that distinction.

Thank you for all your efforts in writing about and supporting the club. UTFTW!

Mark Murphy
15 Posted 24/04/2026 at 06:38:27
Michael, there's a big difference between a photo of our next away ground and a photo of Virgil van Dijk, of all people, celebrating a goal on any occasion let alone the winner in the derby but… I'm still trawling that thread looking for these “sanest of readers”….

I'm looking forward to putting all that behind us tomorrow in the East London sunshine. I hope we bounce back and to hell with the consequences for any other team. I only care about Everton and the only exception would be if our loss meant the redshite went down.

Lee Courtliff
16 Posted 24/04/2026 at 08:15:51
2 nil to the Blues tomorrow, classic Moyes away performance!

We live in hope.


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