Everton v Norwich City - EFL Cup - Tuesday 20 Sept, 19.45 KO

[degsy]

I can see Gibbo and Davies in for Bazza and Gueye...but that just could be me in FM mode.

see these off Ron.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

Just put a strong team out that wins the game. This is 50% of our season. The PL is nothing to us other than a respectable finish outside the CL places. This LC and the FA Cup are our only hope of success.

A side is judged by their performance in the premier league far more than the cups.

Signings won't come if we're a respectable eighth but top six and higher is on.

Birmingham City, Swansea and Wigan won domestic cups, and although they were all far too small and with no real financial backing to attract any players anyway, it does illustrate how winning cups is great for us as fans but doesn't always improve the clubs status with players abroad.

If cup success is not accompanied by realistic prospects of challenging for champions league places soon, foreign players simply won't be interested and view us as a middling club who just had a good cup run.

Only a really good season in the prem and a top five or six finish with decent prospects of better ahead will help us next summer.

 

[deipnosophist]

that's true, but it took Eto'o only about 4 months to work out he'd been conned by a snake oil salesman.

 

[kev]

Could some kind mod alter the title of this thread to show the correct kick off time ?
Panicked for a minute when I read that.

Kick off is 7-45 PM

@GrandOldTeam @Groucho @The Esk

 

[Walken]

If gashsmith puts is out the cup i will have to give up on life and go live in a monestry

 

[Gwladys Nights]

This is where teflon Ronnie's luck finally runs out.

 

[kev]

Thanks @The Esk

 

[brieverton]

We have, like recent years, a real shot at this if we take it seriously.

Tempted to rest Lukaku, but would prefer if we had the luxury of being comfortable after 65-70 minutes and replace him then, rather than having to bring him on to rescue the tie.

Stekelenberg
Holgate Williams Mori
Deulofeu Gueye Cleverley Barkley Lennon
Valencia Lukaku

 

[mightymoyes]

I can see Gibbo and Davies in for Bazza and Gueye...but that just could be me in FM mode.

see these off Ron.

isnt that waste of space injured as usual?

 

[degsy]

isnt that waste of space injured as usual?

he usually is, but hasn't played since early Aug...as far as I know, so who again knows if he's fit or not...or will be on game night. All depends how seriously RK rates the ELC who's in or out...Rom will be out though obvs.

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

Stek
Holgate
Williams
Funes Mori
Baines
Gueye
Davies
Deulofeu
Barkley
Mirallas
Valencia

This for me too. That'd see them off.

 

[Groucho]

I'd just play an unchanged side.

 

[Furey1878]

Stek
Holgate
Jags or Williams
Funes Mori
Oviedo
McCarthy
Gueye
Barkley
Deulofeu
Lennon
Valencia

 

[Furey1878]

Just put a strong team out that wins the game. This is 50% of our season. The PL is nothing to us other than a respectable finish outside the CL places. This LC and the FA Cup are our only hope of success.

We said that in Martinez's first season and ended up being very unfortunate not to get top 4. All too often it seems like any successful team is momentum driven, so if we continue beating the teams we should be beating then there's no reason to write us off for top 4.

That said, we probably won't finish there like haha

 

[Nil Satis Niasse Optimum]

I'd give Robles a game tbh. Not because Stekelenberg has been poor - he's been ace - but Robles ain't bad and should be kept fresh. And let's not forget Stek has two yellows already this season!

I'd also give Holgate a game over Coleman (but Seamus back in for weekend), Mori for Jagielka, Gibson for Barry (3 yellows already) and Valencia for Lukaku. Probably also consider Deulofeu for Mirallas.

Robles / Holgate Mori Williams Baines / Gueye Gibson / Balosie Barkley Deulofeu / Valencia