Preview, Prediction and Where to Watch

Completely off this particular thread but have nothing to post on

I see FAB have commented on future season tickets etc

I fully understand their reasoning and comments. However, surely, a few quid increase, just like everything else, can’t justify complaint?

I am not advocating a massive increase just a tenner can make a difference

Its been a long time since team selection has been THIS interesting.

We usually more or less know who will start, but Moyse has decisions to make all over the park.

I do know one thing. If McNeil gets the nod. I’ll deffo be having a little punt on him to net.

Wouldnt that be something ?

It would be great to be surprised by the team selection but we all know that is unlikely. More of the same despite the options to be more positive and, dare I suggest it, adventurous.

My preferred lineup:

Picks

Patto Tarks Jarrad Myko

Harrison Armstrong Ganer

Ndiaye KDH George

Barry

what I think will be the lineup

Picks

Obrien Tarks Jarrad Myko

Gana Ganer

Ndiaye Armstrong KDH

Barry

Moyesy likes to keep it narrow but Fulham have a lot of wing play and with George and Ndiaye hopefully we can keep them on the defensive.

Neil 3,

There won’t be many opposing managers over the years who have been surprised by Moyes’s team selections.

They will start to work on their game plans the Monday morning before the weekend game, safe in the knowledge of how Moyes will set up. And safe in the knowledge of 9 or 10 of the starting 11.

I am very confident that George will not start.

Everything else from team selection to final result, I’ve absolutely no idea. UTT

Pickford
4 centre halves
Garner Gana
Ndiaye Dewsbury-Hall McNeil
Barry.

As I said 9 or 10 will be right

The betting is 11/10 Fulham, 11/4 Everton & 9/4 a Draw. approx.

Hard to know what the team will be but I doubt there will be big changes in personnel and tactics.

They are a decent team, but I can’t see why we can’t get a point or even a win from the game.

Ray, for two teams in pretty much the same position in the table, so presumably evenly matched, that is one hell of a spread for just being at home.

Do the bookies, or rather the punters, know something we don’t?

It’s a shame we are thin on the ground for centre-backs…

I’d like to have seen us go with 7; 4 at the back, 2 centre-mid and 1 upfront as an auxiliary striker.

If I was putting money on it John, I wouldnt stray too far away from your line up – Or what you believe will be Moyes’s line up. With the possible exception of McNeil.

I hope you are right about him starting because I’m itching to have that bet.

Important we win this one !

Hoping the minutes the players coming back have had will help, KDH especially.

Fulham are a bit like us, you never know what they are going to play like, one week good, next week awful.

Let’s hope its our week to be good and theirs to be awful !!

It’s going to be very interesting around 2pm UK time.

I really cannot see McNeil playing given that he was, let’s not forget, dropped for last week after his Leeds performance.

So I hope either Dibling or the new boy, George, gets a start.
Although I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the same starting eleven that were shocking in last week’s first half at Brighton. I’d like:

Pickford
Patterson O’Brien Branthwaite Mykolenko
Garner Dewsbury-Hall Alcaraz
Dibling Barry Ndiaye

But that’s not going to happen.
Still quietly confident of another point at least on the road.

Darren, you’re probably right, along with Mark, in saying McNeil won’t start.

I just had a feeling Moyes would start him. You will get decent odds on anytime scorer if he does start.

The equal standing of the teams suggests a bore draw. The history between us says home win. Our away form swings it for me: slim win.

I would love for both managers to show real intent, take this one by the scruff of the neck, and go full on! Why not…

Fulham are a strange team, they are either very good or at times just very bad, however at Craven Cottage they are always a handful and whilst we’ve improved our overall record on the Thames over the last 6 or 7 visits, it’s always a fixture that brings about memories of tons of Everton losses.

Our lack of firepower all season is holding us back from making any real forward trajectory and the lack of a winning sequence is halting our momentum.

We’ve been hard to beat but we’ve only picked up one win this year so far and in many ways after Fulham tomorrow, we have two home games against Bournemouth and Man Utd in which I fancy us less in that tomorrow’s trip, such is our bluntness at home.

Firstly, I think Anjishnu is being deliberately provocative with his predicted line up just to get the thread going.

My comments on some of the suggestions:

I believe Patterson will start. No way will he or should Aznou start, we don’t know whether he can defend not to mention retain possession.

No idea if George will start, don’t know enough about him but he will only start if Moyes sees that he is willing to double down in his defensive duties; if not, he will go with Alcaraz.

Finally he may well have Rohl instead of Gana

The first priority is to win the game and we can only do that is if we concede less than we score obviously, so that will dictate the team selection.

We’re all but nailed on to escape relegation.

The Freidkin Group controls every aspect of our club’s business. So to me, the rest of this season is primarily about developing our younger, better players for next season if they have any ambition.

However, if they ‘ r been infected by Kenwright-itis, they’ll just allow Dour Davie to continue on his dull-as-ditch-water approach so that TFG receive the higher Premier League pay-out for a finish in 10th place for instance rather than, speculatively, 14th or thereabouts by allowing the development of the youngsters for next season for a comparatively small potential cost to TFG.

What remains of February will show the extent of the club’s ambition regarding development for next season. It’s all about ambition and the people TFG employ to deliver it.

Show us your worth as a talented owner please!

Neil @21,

“I think Anjishnu is being deliberately provocative with his predicted line up just to get the thread going.”

Yep. Clicks. Money. And here we all are, still banging on about Everton. “Ever get the feeling you’ve been had”? as famous philosopher J Lydon said.

Not a criticism about Anjishnu Roy at all, btw. It’s business.

Darren – I will be flabbergasted and annoyed if he starts McNeill so I don’t think you will get to put your bet. McNeill let himself down badly against Leeds the way he let Justin have a free run into our box. It surprised me because it was out of character. So for me he is on the bench.

Apart from that Moyes has a choice of three wingers that can go past a man in Ndiaye, George, and Dibling. Surely he has to play at least two of the three.

Actually Moyes is spoilt for choice in this game especially if Mykolenko is available. He has:-

3 fullbacks, – Patterson, Mykolenko, Aznou

4 centre halves, – Tarkowski, OkBrien, Branthwaite, Keane,

7 midfielders, – Harrison, Alcaraz, Rhol, Gueye, Garner, Dewsbury-Hall, Iroegbunam

3 wingers, – Ndiaye, George, Dibling

2 centre forwards, – Barry, Beto

He could go multiple formations with that lot – 4231, 4321, 442, or even dare I say it 352! That is so far removed from what we have been used to in recent years that I find myself struggling to pick a formation or a side. It is a great pity that so many of us feel we know what Moyes will do.

Any you asked the question earlier what 3 centre halves Evertonians would pick in a back 3 – for me that is a no brainer – O’Neill, Tarkowski, and Branthwaite.

I watched Brightons wide men run rings round Robinson a couple of weeks ago. Fulham were lucky to win that game in my opinion. So I think Moyes has an opportunity go at Fulham in this one. Full back is our Achilles heel so because we can why not break out and go 3 5 2.

Pickford,

O’Neill, Tarkowski, Branthwaite

Dibling, Garner, Harrison, Dewsbury-Hall, George

Ndiaye, Beto

If any one accuses me of being in la la land I won’t take umbrage.

John’s lineup at #8 but with no McNeil.

If he put in a transfer request because he wanted out then he won’t be in Moyes good books.

Ih he was told by Moyes he’s a useless lump and better find another team then he’s likely to put in even less effort than usual.

Either way he shouldn’t be in the team.

It will be yet another of Moyes trademark off the wall, left field, ‘courageous’ team selections.

He’s a veritable Keith Moon of Managers – you never know what madness he’ll come up with next, his team selections have been one long riot of Rolls Royce’s and grand pianos into the swimming pool.

We’ll be the ultimate victors in a 9 goal / 4-5 extravaganza

By George ! will be the headline.

I’ve seen good movements of george in official site, seems he came to make an impact. I’d play:

Pickford
Patterson O’Brien Branthwaite Mykolenko
Dewsbury-Hall Garner
Ndiaye Alcaraz George
Barry

If all are fit, he will start with the same line up as against Brighton. 4 centre-backs, Garner, Gueye, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye, Barry, Armstrong.

He should however put George on the right instead of Armstrong but he won’t.

The only thing that would surprise me, as opposed to disappoint, is if he started with all three of Armstrong, Dibling and George.

But as Ndiaye will probably start in one of the wide positions, it might be unlikely that he’ll start both Patterson and Mykolenko, the latter of those two most likely if fit or is it possible that last week was compassionate leave for Mykolenko.

My only guarantee, only one keeper and no juniors on the bench.

As others have said, we have the fullest squad available now than we’ve had for a long time.

Whatever team is selected, and I pretty much expect all the favourites including the centre-back four, we will have a strong bench.

We should be able to make changes when needed (not 85 minutes) to freshen things up, provide them with different challenges, mix it up.

No camping in our own half first half please. Start on the front foot.

He will play 11 experienced & most capable players.

Pickford

Obrien Tarkowski Branthwaite Mykolenko

Garner Gana Dewesbury Hall

Ndiaye Barry Alcaraz

Bench

Travers

Coleman

Keane

Beto

Armstrong

George

Iroegbunam

Rohl

Dibling

Two players will miss out today if there are no further injuries. It should be Coleman & Mcneil, but my money is Patterson & Mcneil.

4-2-3-1 with Dewesbury hall behind would be my guess.

Although I liked us playing a flat 3.

Its not a guess Ian.

Thats his system,he wont vary or react to how the other team set up during a game.

Can you expand on the flat 3 please

I thought that the balance of the team was so much better at Villa, when all of our midfield players covered so much ground.

Maybe this is what Ian, is talking about. No real restrictions just as long as the players stay close and cover for each other, instead of one or two breaking rank, and making it so much easier to play against?

Press high, or sit deep, but stay close and close the space in between the lines, and when you get the ball, there should always be someone close enough to play it to.

Isn’t football easy when you’re sitting on an iPad in the kitchen!

Derek (26) I like that 5-4 score before I risk my hard earned 50p having a bet on it do you think George will score the winning goal? If so I might make it a double.

Yes I know Derek a fool and his money are easy parted.

I thought the midfield 3 of Iroegbunam, Garner, and Armstrong looked mobile, good on the ball, and it could drive forward. It got caught out balling watching, but it looked balance and able to take the team forward.

It would also allow the two wide players to play further forward, rather than leaving the striker isolated

At some point id like to see a midfield 3 of Garner, Dewesbury Hall & Armstrong. They look proper footballers, and with Branthwaite in the team I think you can play with a bit less defensive risk, as he has the ability to read and recover with his pace. Also his ability to pass the ball into midfield, should see more possession of the game, as everything will be quickened up.

Weve all hated the anti football of recent years. But there are players emerging that can elevate this team to more than park the bus football.

The definition of idle speculation is bandying around line ups before the game when Moyes will just be rinsing and repeating.

In this case, the only question is whether Myko comes in for Keane and Jarrod goes to CB (or maybe just replaces Jarrod if they still worry about his recovery).

Otherwise as you lie. Though maybe with one fewer goalie on the bench…

Mark @ 11, Its a difficult game to weigh up. Fulham are favs because of home advantage and 11/10 is a tempting price for Fulham supporters. Likewise 11/4 is a very decent price for us.

The layers will be hoping for a draw because few punters bet for a draw and they cop on both sides.

Moyes has almost a full squad to pick from but being an away game I cant see him getting too adventurous. He’ll play for a draw and hope to nick a win.

I’m feeling a little optimistic, but we do better when I’m not!

Interesting comments as usual regarding team selection.

Moyes certainly has his hands full these days but no matter who starts it’s all down to how they manage the game.

In the last two games they never had a shot on goal in the first half an hour and nearly lost all the points.

This may be down to the tactics of Moyes, stay on strong defence early and then go after them which has it’s pitfalls as we know.

With Everton’s limitations up front this may be a good tactic as long as they don’t concede.

It would be nice to start off on the front foot for once and let the opposition play catch up.

I think Gana’s days are numbered as he tires quickly after the first half and has shown to be rather slow chasing quicker players in the middle of the park.

Personally I would leave him on the bench.

I was pleased to be reminded of just how strong our squad is on paper now everyone of importance is fit. Jack is the exception but every side has someone missing at any given moment.

Getting the starting eleven right is the key to ensure a powerful start.

Our persistent failing is actually turning supremacy into goals.

We are often playing catch up & needing inspired substitutions and/or last ditch goals to rescue the game.

The indomitable spirit, although admirable can only take us so far.

So Moyes sticks with hi picks.

Myko back, thats it.

Tony.

Me nan got 10 out of eleven mate.