Nottingham Forest vs Everton: Preview, Predicted Lineups and Where to Watch

Mind you, we might have Jack back and a lot of our fans think he makes a big difference to our game, so we could surprise Forest and get something out of the match...

I certainly hope so.

This match will be a lot closer than the one at home and us missing Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, and Forest having Murillo back might make a big difference.

Forest away will be a tough ask with the lack of numbers we've got but, if we can somehow get out with another point and get over the line against Brentford, we need to start getting players back and one or two in the window.

Looking at our performance against Burnley, Grealish will hopefully be back. I would take a point to be honest.

So far, Everton have performed inconsistently and are at a place in the table I expected. Even when the injured players return, plus Branthwaite, I doubt they will climb much higher in the table unless of course we are surprised by a couple of new signings in January.

Nottm Forest gave Man City a hard time but still lost that game so confidence will be low... but Dyche will be up for this game and, being Everton, I am not feeling too optimistic about our run of victories against Forest continuing.

I am hoping for a win but expect a draw.

I can't see us getting anything from tomorrow night. A Forest win by 2 or more goals.

We have no threat in the forward lineup.

1-0 Michael Keane.

Although Ferguson scored for Roma, he was pretty anonymous as was Harrison Armstrong for Preston and was subbed after 75 minutes.

The stand out performances were Nathan Broadhead and Thierry Small!!!

I was forgetting we're playing Barcelona tomorrow, or is it Real Madrid?

I'd like to see Clarke or/and Graham given a place on the bench -- 2 keepers and only 8 subs, surely they can offer something. I know I'd like to have seen one of them come on v Burnley over Patterson.

We know Dyche's game and Moyes is Moyes. He'll juggle his strikers, have a bench with two keepers and a handful of players who have less chance of making an appearance than the Virgin Mary.

The only point of interest is which manager will out-negative the other.

I think Sean was more about pain than Spain.

Please get the ball more to Dibling, who at least was a threat on the right. No faith in the two misnamed 'Strikers', what a shambles... nearly £60M spent (wasted) on not one but two useless pricks!

Someone behind the scenes wants arse kicked to Pier Head on an outgoing tide.

It may be late January until we have Branthwaite, Gueye, Ndiaye and Dewsbury-Hall back, and it will be the fault of TFG if we find ourselves in the Bottom 7 at that point.

It will not be the fault of the manager, as this squad needs further reinforcement now.

Given the absences, I think the manager will revert to a cautious gameplan. Deep back four, two central midfielders in front ot the defence, our wingers double-marking their wide men and lone attacker. Keep a clean sheet and try to nick one.

UTFT!

Said a few times that I'm waiting to see what TFG can do.

So far, I haven't seen enough to tell me they are serious in terms of getting Everton straight to the top and challenging.

It didn't take Newcastle long to get in the Champions League and it hasn't taken Aston Villa long to propel themselves into a top top side, both of whom were in relegation battles with us just over 3 years ago.

I don't know if TFG are financially strong enough to get us on to the next level, time is going to tell.

Revert???

If any of you have been going to the games or watching occasionally on TV, you will have come to the conclusion, Everton are short of quality PL players, something that needs to be addressed asap.

The manager (who ever he is) can only play the squad he is given and will therefore adopt tactics that will produce a result.

Its not rocket science.

Forrest will probably dominate the ball and we sit deep and maybe get something from a set piece or break away.

It's another chance for the likes of Alcaraz, McNeil and Dibling to grab the shirt.

How do you get the best out of the strikers?

We know Beto likes the ball down the channel to run onto but have stopped playing that ball which takes away his only goal threat.

It's still a mystery what Barry's strength is, maybe try crossing the ball to him in the box. He wins most headers outside of the box.

We need to find goals from somewhere.

Grealish back out on the lash until the New Year.

I disagree with your comments over his management at Man Utd.

He was undermind by a clique of United players who wanted Ryan Gibbs as their manager.

Gibbs and these players believed Gibbs had been promised the managers job after helping Ferguson out of a sticky position, not related to football.

But a Moyes masterclass, a 2-0 win for the blue over the dinosaur that is Dyche.

Coyb

Our current super-slow build up negates Beto’s run onto the ball - which makes him largely redundant.

Barry remains a mystery as I can’t see any obvious strength area. Being 6’5” we thought he might be a threat in the air but clearly he isn’t. Plus he can’t seem to sort out his feet.

It’s particularly frustrating to all of us to see that recent departures such as DCL, Simms and even Dobbin all carry a much greater goal threat than these 2.

If wonder if the next 1878s TIFO might state ‘Bring back the Straq’

Is Barry 6'5?

Maybe he is I don't know, but probably because he's so very fragile he's got nothing to jump with, there's no muscle on him, he's going to require a bulking up before he's ready to cope with this league.

In other news, Brennan Johnson is a good signing for Palace.

Brennan Johnson at £35m looks a good deal. I’d also be happy to see Ritchie back.

Moyes will set up in ultra cautious mode which will allow Forest to dominate the game.

I will be pleasantly surprised if we get anything out of this one.

Can play left wing, right wing or striker - and has pace.

That's it then, as soon as pace is mentioned, that's why we didn't go for him lol

Pace being a dirty word at Everton Football Club.

We have conceeded 20 goals- only 5 clubs have let in less than that, Forest have let in 8 more than us.

I think apart from those two 3-0 loses our defence has done a remarkable job considering we have a centre half at full back and our so called best centre half is out injured most of the time.

Games are usually dictated in midfield and that is where we are weak at the moment. With home advantage they have to be favourite to win if there is a winner, which is what the betting is saying.

I'm just hoping for the best.

Frustrating, as it would improve us by having a lad that can break quickly.

The guy leaps like a deer. He leads the PL in aerial duels won despite playing only half the available minutes. (Beto is also in the top 5.)

It's not a fluke. Barry was second across all five European leagues last season in winning aerial duels.

It doesn't help him in the box because we don't have anybody who can cross the ball, and because being so skinny he gets muscled out. But as a target man for one of our too-frequent clearances, he wins everything. He's a big reason those clearances don't come right back at us as they did last season.

It's the one thing he's really good at.

Hi Jimmy

There would have been no post xmas verbal lashing for the draw at Burnley...it was job done as far a our manager was concerned...point gained never two lost!

His book value will be zero. Unwanted, it'll be sub £20m.

We even have a post praising Barry’s ability too - he leaps like a fish apparently…and finishes like Bambi on Ice.

Proof if it was needed that some Everton supporters no longer have a clue what genuine quality looks like.

Bill’s work is done.

ground are the same size as the ones at Finch Farm, were they seem to score from any distance in and outside the penalty area.

I remember being told that nobody on the pitch moves quicker than the ball I was eight, but I got it.

Watching teams that included Ball, kendal, Harvey, Reid, Sheedy, Bracewell. Moggsy, and Richardson I always knew that you don't need Olympic sprinters to be a great side. Joe Royle and Andy gray were slower than a week in Jail.

Dennis Bergkamp was slower than me, but there isn't a Gooner who wouldn't swap him for the lightning fast Martinelli in a heart beat.

Speed will win you the occasional point, but its only one attribute and its probably the easiest attribute to negate. We see our own lighthouses do it every week.

Give me speed of thought over speed of limb all day long

We need pace and goals, and at £35m, I think he will good value for anyone willing to sign him.

Is he top draw, no he isn't. But top draw isn't coming to our club any time soon, otherwise Semenyo would be on his way..

I think the yanks will see this as a bargain. And so the wait for a fullback goes on..

So I’d be deploying a 4-6-0 formation

Moyes won’t have worked this out yet

Center halves know he cant do anything with it and are very happy to drop and pick up the second ball...which is around 100% of the time.

Barry's heading stats may impress the uninitiated, but if there is a more worthless set of stats in football today. I haven't heard about them.

I'd rather see him show what he can do with decent crosses than listen to worthless information about long punts which invariably result it the opposition gaining possession

Loan or two at best I think.

If you watched our games TODAY, you will know we have two of the slowest center halves in the league, but how many times have we conceded to pace ?

Like any defender worth his salt. They find it easier to negate pace than a decent delivery.

Maybe things are different in egg chasing

Hmm,

Players are encouraged to pass the ball backwards.

Free kicks and goal attempts usually clear the cross bar.

Full backs challenge for high balls with both hands and the opposition are allowed to handle the ball without penalty.

Not THAT different to Everton then..

I’m looking forward to the game tonight personally. Any news on Grealish though??

Go back and consider the words "Pace is one of the easiest attributes to negate". Mull them over. try to digest. I would like to think the penny will drop...eventually.

Even at Sunday league level, Defenders know how to negate pace...

You need skill. Guile. Speed of thought. Thats why the tortoise outsmarted the hare

Everton substitutes: Travers, King, Beto, Grealish, Aznou, Graham, Welch, Campbell, Bates.

Who is Bates?

Wish I had gone to Nottingham

12 mins.

Is incredible and shows how, in competent hands with the right set up Clubs are succeeding or failing today.

https://youtu.be/ah_OXBrtZ7I?si=jQysA4Q3uZq0_l_3

HOW ONE COMPANY IS DESTROYING FOOTBALL.

It might be the reason why we signed so many duffers.

A little knowledge etc

And why the ipad is in front of Irvine and how Moyes is ignoring it.

Why? Are they having a DCL fancy dress tribute night?

Patterson and O’Brien should be motivated to prove a point in their own positions and Rohl and Dibling have an opportunity to stake a claim.

And Barry should be, hopefully is, stung after being dropped for Beto blocker.

McNeil may be playing for his dream move to Dyches Forest (did someone say £15 million? Really??)

And we’ve got Grealish to come on and change things around if needed.

I don’t do predictions but I’m feeling positive.

Apologies for upsetting some people, well one as I recall, but UTFT!