Match Thread Everton v Norwich City - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[neil999]

Pickford

Holgate/Godfrey/Kenny - Mina - Keane - Digne

Doucoure - Allan

Townsend - Iwobi - Gray

Rondon

We really don't have anything else

Gordon deserves a start over Iwobi, so maybe gray to 10?

 

[Melchizedek]

The Benitez Pre Norwich press conference

Benitez on Everton team news
Pickford is okay, he has been training. Lucas [Digne] has been training. The others (Richarlison, DCL, Coleman) is the same situation
Rafael confirms both Andre Gomes and Jean-Philippe Gbamin are out tomorrow

Benitez on James
James is a very easy & complicated issue. When you had a player in the situation that we had, who could be available for just 50% of games overall, it's not something we can manage... We have to think about the season, not just two or three games
It's not easy to find good offers when you want. You have to manage the offers when they are there. We couldn't find the right ones before. It's the right one for him... We have to ensure the long-term future of the club is protected

Benitez on Everton links with Serge Aurier
I don't see a clear option with that. Now we need to find solutions, but we have to be sure the solutions are not just for the next couple of months.
We had the top scorers unavailable, and you have to overload the other players. You have to make sure the players available can be ready for the game against Norwich. We have to manage, that's it.

Benitez On January
The idea and the plan was very clear before, and we couldn't do it for different reasons. I can read the newspapers, I can watch the TV but especially the local newspapers and know what fans want. Hopefully, we can be ready for the next transfer window.

Benitez On Saturday
It's really important for us. Especially at home I think the fans appreciate the commitment and intensity. Norwich are more dangerous than people think. They can make mistakes, but they can be a nightmare.

Benitez On Richarlison
No he's not available. The two strikers are not available so we have to make sure the people around are capable to score goals. We have done with different players. It's a question of time for him [Rondon]. He has to improve his fitness.


Benitez on Rondon
He's training really well. His commitment & passion is there. You can see he's fighting in every game. When you have Covid, you stay home, train on your bike but it's impossible to have match fitness after four months... but he will do well

Rafael Benitez on whether Richarlison, DCL and Coleman will be available to play during the international break
No chance, they will not be available

Benitez On start to season
Yeah it's been really good. The way we were playing and reacting, the fans appreciate that. It's more Everton's style.
I'm 100% convinced we will continue improving. It's a question of finding a solution to these issues.

Benitez On fans
It's part of football you have good games, some not so good. What are they expecting - commitment, passion? They have that.

Benitez On more funds in January
Yeah, I think so. I had that conversation yesterday with Mr Moshiri. It's just to be sure we do things the right way, they are very keen to spend the money and improve the team.


Benitez On biennial World Cup plans
I think it will be interesting to know all the details, the first impression with international football now is we have too many games. If you play a country you can beat 5-0 or 10-0, the only thing you're doing is wasting time and risking your players, When you have to qualify for the Euros or World Cup, 60% of the games mean nothing.


Benitez On Townsend
His experience and his behaviour is helping the young players around and his teammates. It's an example of what you're looking for in a professional football player. You can play him in the cup or in a friendly and he will give everything

Benitez on Everton’s CB partnerships
We are not changing the system too much. The players are quite happy with that, so it's just to be sure they understand the role. We are doing more-or-less the same things.


Rafael Benitez on Safe-Standing
I don't know the plan exactly, we have to wait and see if it's a good idea or not

Rafael Benitez on consuming alcohol potentially being allowed in stands
I don’t drink so I don’t have an opinion on that

Agree with him about international football. Far too many meaningless matches. Running players into the ground and causing injuries because of greed.

 

[Nymzee]

Norwich City will be without Christoph Zimmermann, Przemysław Placheta and Todd Cantwell for Saturday’s game at Everton, but could also welcome some players back into the squad.

Zimmermann (knee) and Płacheta (Covid-19) have been out for a few weeks, while Cantwell has missed the whole week’s training due to a personal issue. There is also a doubt over Milot Rashica, but good news in terms of the return of Mathias Normann and Josh Sargent, who both missed the midweek Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool

“Christoph Zimmerman will definitely miss the game due to his ankle problem,” said head coach Daniel Farke. “And it is the same with Przemysław Placheta who is out with Covid.

“Todd Cantwell is also out as he has missed the whole week’s training, with a personal problem, and there is a little question mark over Milot Rashica.

“He did not train the last couple of days, but was back in training today so we will have a late test on him.

“There is good news in that Mathias Normann, who missed the cup game in midweek, is back in team training and Josh Sargent, who has been doing individual training sessions is back in team training today. We will have to see how his body reacts, but we hope that he will be available for Everton. So, some mixed news I would say.”

 

[Shibbywiggles]

Done last night mate

I have to say, I liked every single one of his answers again here, even the way he answered the heading question without offending anyone

 

[MACCA75]

Pickford

Holgate/Godfrey/Kenny - Mina - Keane - Digne

Doucoure - Allan

Townsend - Iwobi - Gray

Rondon

We really don't have anything else

Has to be this with probably Holgate at RB.

A bench of Begovic, Kenny, Godfrey, Davies, Gordon, Simms and 3 kids. 4 games in to the season..

 

[PSB1]

Pickford fit?

Stunning!

 

[Chozz]

So am I right in saying we are missing the following players tomorrow:
Pickford, Digne, Coleman, Gomes, Gbamin, DCL, Richarlison

 

[carolinablue232]

———————Pickford———————
Holgate——Mina——Keane——Digne
—————Allan———Doucs—————
————————Iwobi——————
Townsend————Gray————Gordon

Rondon clearly isn’t fit, so without Dom and Rich, it’s Gray up front for me here.

 

[DanEFC92]

What a grim squad we have

 

[neil999]

Norwich City will be without Christoph Zimmermann, Przemysław Placheta and Todd Cantwell for Saturday’s game at Everton, but could also welcome some players back into the squad.

Zimmermann (knee) and Płacheta (Covid-19) have been out for a few weeks, while Cantwell has missed the whole week’s training due to a personal issue. There is also a doubt over Milot Rashica, but good news in terms of the return of Mathias Normann and Josh Sargent, who both missed the midweek Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool

“Christoph Zimmerman will definitely miss the game due to his ankle problem,” said head coach Daniel Farke. “And it is the same with Przemysław Placheta who is out with Covid.

“Todd Cantwell is also out as he has missed the whole week’s training, with a personal problem, and there is a little question mark over Milot Rashica.

“He did not train the last couple of days, but was back in training today so we will have a late test on him.

“There is good news in that Mathias Normann, who missed the cup game in midweek, is back in team training and Josh Sargent, who has been doing individual training sessions is back in team training today. We will have to see how his body reacts, but we hope that he will be available for Everton. So, some mixed news I would say.”

Who in gods name are these players?

 

[Chozz]

Any of these free agent defenders worth a punt? Even on a short term contract...further down the list was that lad we tried to sign from Sunderland Lamine Kone...

 

[Nymzee]

Who in gods name are these players?

Norwich players.

 

[neil999]

Norwich players.

That clears that up

 

[stretford blue]

View attachment 139923

Any of these free agent defenders worth a punt? Even on a short term contract...further down the list was that lad we tried to sign from Sunderland Lamine Kone...

That kone was certainly one we got away with

 

[Drumblue]

Gordon deserves a start over Iwobi, so maybe gray to 10?

Whoever is in the team the team tomorrow..we the fans have to get behind benitez and the team.?