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As I have mentioned many times before in nearly three decades of doing pregame stats, the Everton and United games are crap shoots, anything goes. Love and hate these matches.
Everton have started off pretty decent under Moyes this season, winning 2, drawing 1 and losing 1 of their opening 4 PL games. Their only loss was the first game of the season, a 1-0 defeat at Leeds. Whilst not prolific in front of goal (they never really have been) they have improved at the back conceding in just 2 of their opening 5 games in all comps.
A win for us would mean five straight victories to open up a PL campaign which would be for only the third time, having done so previously in 2018-19 and 2019-20. We could also achieve three consecutive clean sheets for the first time since September 2024.
We’re also heading toward 5 straight home wins against this lot which we haven’t done for 88 years.
One thing we can expect is bookings as the Merseyside derby has produced more red cards than any other fixture in Premier League history (25). Of those, 11 came from Moyes’ Everton players in 24 matches across his two spells — the most red cards a single team has had under one manager in a specific fixture.
Everton recorded 20 shots against Villa last time out but didn’t convert and fully expect them to create opportunities through Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye and Beto who will be looking forward to this game after bullying Konate at Goodison last season.
Who will start this?
Allison, Szobo, Konate, VVD, Robbo, Grav, Mac, Wirtz, Gakpo, Ekitike, Mo is my guess.
Narrow home win (but would not rule out a draw).
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We cannot be starting szobo at right full when bradley and frimpong fit rob me sul chum. Frimpong did really well last night.
Szobo grav and writz with macca on bench
April was a horrible game against these. They just sit in. Long balls and its always a horrible game.
We need to score for these to even try to start playing football ⚽️
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96th minute winner
Slot time 😉_____________________________
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Sean, agree about Szoboszlai, but maybe how we ended the match with Wirtz playmaking from the left as I’ve proposed a few times? He plays there for Germany, played left sided for B04, but will still be the main playmaker.
Without Szoboszlai we are too one paced in the middle, and not aggressive enough in the press. He simply has to play in the middle when fit.
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I’m in agreement gents, totally, we’ve two fit fulls but both recently returned from injury so I’m plumping for Szobo at RB.
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Ye not a bad shout but i really dont think macca is fit.threeps.Fully fit macca in with szobo and grav with writz left
Gakpo just not doing enough for me at the minute
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Need some height and physical presence becauase they will come to kick lumps and play high balls. I’d be brinigng Writz on second half and would play. Bradley, Jones (if fit), and Kerkez. I’d even play Gmoez and rest Konate
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Plastic if we need height and physical presence then konate has to play mate.
I noticed isak is our shield at front post defending corners and headed to clear wed night. So good to have that extra height for defending set i going forward.
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Rob/threeps or anyone had more tactical nous than me. Few questions.
Are we just at changing twctics constantly through games or does it feoend on who is playing were?
At right back szobo inverts at times but bradly/frimpong underlaps . With the underlaps its means mo and gakpo are more wide. Just thought few times we dint cross the ball when we should. Only robbo really crossing ball from the full backs.
Can we even call gravenberch a 6? Is this a new position really created by slot as this guy does everything. He joins attacks, runs through teams, wins possession etc. hes unbelievable at times.
I have to admit slots tactical knowledge and changes he makes are really top class and hes totally surprised me. Jurgen would not have taken kerkes off. Absolutely right decision.
Just wondering an i seeing things like you guys and are we just changing tactics constantly within games and game to game
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Sean, I just think that Konate can get bullied at times and Gomez was immense at St James Park
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Right, derby day, against a good opponent in top shape, so we have to be at our very best to win this game, and hopefully, convincingly, without the need for late goals.
As usual, we must focus on NOT conceding cheap goals that give our opponents a chance.
As for team selection, do we go with our best team, or our most experienced team, who have experienced the derby? Only Slot can answer this, now we go all out to win it.
Alisson
Frimpong Konaté Van Dijk Robbo
Gravenberch Szoboszlai
Salah Wirtz Gakpo
Ekitike_____________________________
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Now that we have a virtually fully-fit squad to select from – quite a selection headache’ for Slot in big games like today. Although I suppose I have to now include the usual cliche of ‘nice problem to have’.
1.) Robbo vs Kerkez
2.) Szobo to continue at RB
3.) If Szobo not at RB…..Bradley vs Frimpong
4.) Szobo vs Macca in CM
5.) Isak vs Ekitike
6.) Shoehorn in Isak and Ekitike at the expense of Gakpo…..anyway, not long to wait !
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Disappointed not to see Writz start. Macca not fully fit but keeps playing and gakpo not offering much
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I like that starting team for the derby.
Full of fight and endeavour with players (mostly) who’ve played this derby before.
Also provides great options off the bench._____________________________
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Noticeably Chiesa doesn’t even make the bench.
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Test
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This is the correct team, in my opinion, hopefully Slot is right.
In midfield, back to our tried and tested warriors, as Wirtz would have been subjected to excess physical attention, and actually might be far more effective coming on later, in this type of game.
While in defence, in hindsight, Bradley is a better choice than my initial pick, Frimpong. While Robbo played almost 90 min on Wed, so Slot must have been resting Kerkez for this game, though he just needs to be less impulsive, and more calm.
Now let’s win this, and without our usual drama or late goals.
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Ye actually fair point ginger
Its just going to be so difficult againest these with high balls and low block.
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“Noticeably Chiesa doesn’t even make the bench.”
Why is that an issue? After all, today, we have Isak on the bench instead of him, and even Ngumoha, with his bag of tricks, or even Wirtz as an attacking player.
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Gravenberch, superb goal.
Easily the best No. 6 in the league, and possibly Europe, and beyond.
And Gakpo, the instigator of the goal, proves why Slot starts him in every game.
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