Match Thread Everton v Manchester City, Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[GoldenToffee]

Already fuming at what's to come later.

I predict quite confidently that at least 3 of these 5 things will happen:

Coleman starts right back, plays the full 90 minutes and gets absolutely run ragged by whoever he is supposed to be marking.

Keane and Holgate start in central defence, but one of them gets hauled off before the hour mark as they are yet again looking like the Keystone Cops.

City score at least 4 goals.

They have more corners than we have shots on and off target combined.

Alex Iwobi enters the fray after about 75 minutes and does absolutely nothing of note apart from look like a fish out of water.

 

[GoldenToffee]

My guess:

Pickford
Coleman
Holgate
Keane
Kenny
Gomes
Allan
Doucoure
Gordon
Iwobi
Richi

Lord help us. We have 10 days off after today's match. If Gray and Doucouré are anywhere near fit they have to play. They're both in full training and already looked sharp in the videos from the start of the week. I feel both will start. Frank knows that if we don't win before the Newcastle game, we will literally need to win about 70% of our remaining games to stay up, which quite obviously isn't happening based on us getting less than a point a game this season so far. Even if we're huge underdogs here, put out the strongest team and go for it with the crowd behind us. We know already our defence is going to be an absolute shambles, so let's attack and set least lose with honour knowing we tried.

Pickford
Coleman (unfortunately, but it will be)
Keane (nobody else)
Holgate (nobody else)
Mykolenko (ought to be bouyed by the fans)
Allan
Doucouré
Van de Beek
Gray
DCL
Richarlison

Replace Doucouré with Alli to go more attacking if need be later on.

 

[MACCA75]

Lord help us. We have 10 days off after today's match. If Gray and Doucouré are anywhere near fit they have to play. They're both in full training and already looked sharp in the videos from the start of the week. I feel both will start. Frank knows that if we don't win before the Newcastle game, we will literally need to win about 70% of our remaining games to stay up, which quite obviously isn't happening based on us getting less than a point a game this season so far. Even if we're huge underdogs here, put out the strongest team and go for it with the crowd behind us. We know already our defence is going to be an absolute shambles, so let's attack and set least lose with honour knowing we tried.

Pickford
Coleman (unfortunately, but it will be)
Keane (nobody else)
Holgate (nobody else)
Mykolenko (ought to be bouyed by the fans)
Allan
Doucouré
Van de Beek
Gray
DCL
Richarlison

Replace Doucouré with Alli to go more attacking if need be later on.

Realised I’d completely forgotten about Donny! Frank was sounding quite cautious about Gray though. And DCL sounds unlikely.

 

[BlueStevie35]

Lord help us. We have 10 days off after today's match. If Gray and Doucouré are anywhere near fit they have to play. They're both in full training and already looked sharp in the videos from the start of the week. I feel both will start. Frank knows that if we don't win before the Newcastle game, we will literally need to win about 70% of our remaining games to stay up, which quite obviously isn't happening based on us getting less than a point a game this season so far. Even if we're huge underdogs here, put out the strongest team and go for it with the crowd behind us. We know already our defence is going to be an absolute shambles, so let's attack and set least lose with honour knowing we tried.

Pickford
Coleman (unfortunately, but it will be)
Keane (nobody else)
Holgate (nobody else)
Mykolenko (ought to be bouyed by the fans)
Allan
Doucouré
Van de Beek
Gray
DCL
Richarlison

Replace Doucouré with Alli to go more attacking if need be later on.

We don’t, we have a cup game on Thursday

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Win Win today for me.

If we get something out the game its a bonus points wise.

If we lose then it dents the RS title challenge.

Whatevers cooking sure smells good !

 

[Bilko]

Paddy power 10/1 home win, 5/1 draw. Goodison Park under lights. . . .

Gone out to 12/1....

 

[GoldenToffee]

We don’t, we have a cup game on Thursday

If we can't beat Boreham Wood playing the likes of Rondon, Begovic, El Ghazi, Iwobi, Branthwaite, Gomes and Kenny et al then we don't deserve to go further in the competition.

 

[Evertonjames1]

I mean, most of us, including myself, are assuming a loss today, but just imagine what a fillip a win would be! Come on you blue boys!!

 

[big nev lookalike]

This is going to be a long day to wait for an expected defeat. No injuries or red cards and at least some attempts to play football would be a bonus.

 

[BlueStevie35]

If we can't beat Boreham Wood playing the likes of Rondon, Begovic, El Ghazi, Iwobi, Branthwaite, Gomes and Kenny et al then we don't deserve to go further in the competition.

We aren’t playing a second string side on Thursday, especially if we manage to get a positive result tonight, Frank will want to keep momentum going

 

[Brennan]

We aren’t playing a second string side on Thursday, especially if we manage to get a positive result tonight, Frank will want to keep momentum going

And rightly so

 

[Runub]

Got a feeling we will do alright today. Not saying we will win but I wouldn’t rule it out. I don’t think we will get slaughtered

 

[evertony]

I reckon Frank knows that if we pressure them like we did Leeds (and like Palace did at the Etihad) we stand a chance. They've got to be disrupted otherwise its a walk in the park for them against most teams. We need to be snide, hard, relentless in chasing them down, give them no time or space on the ball and hunt in packs. A dogs of war approach but more on the front foot. Good ball playing teams don't like that type of opposition - they prefer another team who tries to play or one that sits back and admires them.

The late kick-off and Goodison under the lights with an aled-up, partisan crowd is what could make a difference tonight, even if we go a goal down. A robust but fair challenge early doors will set the scene. And lets not be on Holgate or Keane's backs if something goes south!

Team will likley be:

Pickford
Coleman - Holgate - Keane - Kenny
Doucoure - Van Der Beek - Allan
Gray - Gordon
Richarlison

assuming DCL isn't fit to start and Mykolenko is not understandably in the right frame of mind.

We're winning this 2-0, Richarlison and Gray.

 

[GoldenToffee]

And rightly so

Luckily we won't need to worry about winning any of our expected defeats.

 

[Mashtray]

been avoiding this game all week, but when its matchday I cant help but feel... maybe there's a chance???

One ticket to the Everton rollercoaster please.