Pre Match Pre Match - Everton (A) - Sat 12:30

[Brizzle]

Quick turnaround. I hope the players can pick themselves up from that rollercoaster game.

This is our last ever PL game at Goodison so should expect Everton to super up for it.

Macca suspended. Not sure how Slot addresses this as Jones shouldn’t partner Grav IMO. But i suspect he will.

Kelleher

Trent
Quansah
Virgil
Robbo

Grav
Jones
Szobo

Salah
Diaz
Gakpo

We need to fix the first half mindset for this and get back to winning ways. We’re at the start of a tough period and are teaching opponents that they can come out of the blocks early without fear of us matching them.

 

[Frogfish]

Yeah that has to be the team.

Class should tell. They'll be hot for the first 10-15 mins of each half then we should control the game.

Need to avoid corners and FKs in the last third as, if they are going to score, it'll from them.

 

[Hansern]

Think I'd start Gomez for this one over Quansah. The extra experience might come in handy at Goodison.
Cant start this game like we did against Newcastle. Our biggest problem is when we don't win the physical battle.

 

[Fabio]

We have to win, and win convincingly. I'm very worried about this. Another loss and the gap shortens and mentality drops.

 

[Fabio]

The 9 situation is growing increasingly troublesome. I really had hgh hopes Nunez might provide some goals while Jota was out, but nope. Full of industry but he's completely unsuited to the role we need him for.

Do we try danns? Szob as false 9? I don't like Diaz as the 9

 

[Modo]

The 9 situation is growing increasingly troublesome. I really had hgh hopes Nunez might provide some goals while Jota was out, but nope. Full of industry but he's completely unsuited to the role we need him for.

Do we try danns? Szob as false 9? I don't like Diaz as the 9

It's really bad when your striker is so bad a midfielder would do a better job up front.

 

[Buddha]

If Danns is fit throw him in. He’s a big, tough lad with a calm eye for goal…Nunez can come on in the last 30 with fresh legs and sub mascot vibes.

 

[Modo]

If Danns is fit throw him in. He’s a big, tough lad with a calm eye for goal…Nunez can come on in the last 30 with fresh legs and sub mascot vibes.

Let's be real, Danns has been injured since pre season. He isn't coming back any time soon. Just look at Chiesa

 

[Brizzle]

I would be open to trying Szobs or even Elliot as the #9 whilst Jota is out. But Diaz is decent there too.

We are making things hard for ourselves by really only have 4 options across the front 3 and 4 options across the midfield 3. The rest of the squad clearly isn't in Slot's thinking which is incredibly frustrating as using more of Endo, Morton, Elliot would allow the likes of Gravy, Macca etc. to perform better in the periods they are on the pitch. Something here needs to change.

 

[MomoWASright]

If Danns is fit throw him in. He’s a big, tough lad with a calm eye for goal…Nunez can come on in the last 30 with fresh legs and sub mascot vibes.

Danns is training but had a handful of minutes for the lower age groups. No way he’s going to feature until Southampton at the earliest.

 

[binomial]

Mo + 10 other cunts, don't particularly care who - just get the fucking win.

 

[Fabio]

So fucked off we've once again found ourselves in a position where transfer inactivity will cost us

 

[Modo]

So fucked off we've once again found ourselves in a position where transfer inactivity will cost us

The good news is that Slot probably has identified what he needs.
Best case scenario is that we have a few players ready to join in January.
We just need to hold on until January.

 

[MomoWASright]

So fucked off we've once again found ourselves in a position where transfer inactivity will cost us

Keeping Jota and Nunez has fucked us up a little. Having someone who isn’t shit or perma crocked could hurt us.

 

[Brizzle]

Keeping Jota and Nunez has fucked us up a little. Having someone who isn’t shit or perma crocked could hurt us.

Agreed. I honestly think we need to bring Danns in as a late sub for Nunez to get him tested. But this could now start costing us points if Jota is delayed much further. I love Jota - but he's unreliable.

 

[StevieM]

Why don’t we try Gakpo through the centre - he’s played there before, effectively for us.

 

[Squiggles]

Completely agree with the team. The only thing I'd say is we cannot rely on both Gakpo and Salah to provide the width because it leaves Diaz overly isolated. If one is staying wide the other has to tuck in with the fullback on the same side providing the width.

Diaz doesn't have the physical attributes to do what's needed against Everton without closer support.

 

[rurikbird]

Diaz scored a hat-trick in his first start through the middle - something Gakpo or Nunez never did. My vote is for him to get the nod at #9.

Any chance Elliott starts this game?

 

[The Nomad]

Why don’t we try Gakpo through the centre - he’s played there before, effectively for us.

Diaz is better. Just play Diaz.

Why are we over complicating it?

Kelleher

Trent
Gomez
Virgil
Robertson

Gravy
Szoboszlai
Elliott

Gakpo
Diaz
Salah

 

[Fabio]

Diaz is better. Just play Diaz.

Why are we over complicating it?

Kelleher

Trent
Gomez
Virgil
Robertson

Gravy
Szoboszlai
Elliott

Gakpo
Diaz
Salah

Because Diaz is just as ineffective there. Both Nunez and diaz make consistent poor decisions.

I'd rather try and capture a version of firmino in a false 9 by having szob or Elliott there.

Diaz will probably start, but he'll be shite

 

[jexykrodic]

What we will need is a fast start. We won't get time to play tippy-tappy as the Bitters will be racing around as if their life depended on it.

 

[Brizzle]

Any chance Elliott starts this game?

Seems unlikely that he'll even feature as a sub at this stage. WTF is going on here. He is our hardest worker, has a great final ball on him and he fights for the shirt. Yet he's left watching like a fan on the bench.

 

[binomial]

Diaz scored a hat-trick in his first start through the middle

Except 2 of the goals came when he was moved wide.

First half it didn't work and it hasn't worked since.

As Arne has said before when singling out individual performances, all 11 players need to be functioning.

 

[Buddha]

It’ll be good timing to announce three key contract signings just before this game.

Hughes, get it done…

 

[rurikbird]

Seems unlikely that he'll even feature as a sub at this stage. WTF is going on here. He is our hardest worker, has a great final ball on him and he fights for the shirt. Yet he's left watching like a fan on the bench.

I’m sure it’s just Slot being careful with him after a long lay-off. He definitely likes Harvey.

 

[MomoWASright]

I do hope Slot has taken on board one of Klopp’s final comments. “I wish I had played Elliott earlier”. He was probably out most in form player for the final dozen games of last season.

 

[mark1975]

It's got to be Gomez. Quansah looks well short on confidence at the minute and it will be something they try to target.

I'd be tempted to play Endo too, I think we'll miss Macca's industry massively, Jones and Szobo aren't shirkers, but they can also be unsettled in this sort of game and out fought. It's a tough one.

I definitely wouldn't play Nunez.

 

[mark1975]

Pressure is on a few players really - Gomez, Quansah, Robbo and Kelleher didn't cover themselves in glory against Newcastle:

-----------------Kelleher-----------------
-Trent----Gomez-----VVD------Robbo-
-------------Endo---Gravy--------------
-----------------Szobo-----------------
----Salah--------Diaz--------Gapko

 

[Hansern]

I thought Quansah played alright and Kelleher to bar the mistake. He saved us a few times and made a great save when Gordon was through one on one.

Gomez and Robbo were poor.

Might be a good game to start Endo.

 

[Brizzle]

I’m sure it’s just Slot being careful with him after a long lay-off. He definitely likes Harvey.

How do we know though? He’s played 8 mins all season.