It is now time to switch to a new Money AM football blog as the world cup is now over and we all look to the future.....World cup 2010 is over, Bravo Espana, and Forlan, once again and bring on the new season !.....I never expected the last thread to be such a success...thanks all.... so this new one might go on for years without the need to edit the title...we shall see...

Everton vs Burnley
Lyndon Lloyd Saturday 30 September 2017 54 Comments [Jump to last]

Everton play their fourth home game in succession and their last before the next international break as Burnley make the short journey to Goodison Park.

Set back following the victories over Sunderland and Bournemouth by the disappointing 2-2 draw against Apollon Limassol on Thursday, the Blues are once again searching for a boost in morale as their halting start to 2017-18 continues.

Ronald Koeman was in confident enough mood when he met with the print media at Finch Farm yesterday, though, insisting that there was no point in him living in fear of the sack and that, in any case, he retains full confidence in his ability as that of his players to turn their fortunes around.

That confidence isn't shared by all, of course, least of all, no doubt, a good percentage of those fans who let their frustrations known at the end of Limassol game. And then there is the fear that Koeman himself admitted was dragging his team down and preventing them from playing football.

The problem with fear is that it can get compounded further by poor results, snow-balling until a state of paralysis takes hold and that is the danger that the manager must mitigate quickly, starting with this weekend's clash with the Clarets.

"I am not worried. Why should I need to be worried?” he said. “Because the fans are unhappy? No. If the club makes another decision it is up to the club. If I am worried about my situation, how can you live? Enjoy life. I was shit after [Limassol], but now I am different.

“If I am not good enough, they will take another one. That is how I see this situation.

“I do my best. I live 24-hours for football and to make Everton a better team and to win more games. I cannot do more. If it is not good enough, it is not good enough but that is my experience. It happens to everybody; Ancelotti, Van Gaal, Mourinho.

“I will fight every second of the day to make the team better and to make the right choices and of course everyone can have their opinion. If you don't win, you have problems.”

Koeman will, of course, face further problems and pressure if he isn't able to deliver three points against Burnley who come to L4 two points and five places better off than the Toffees having beaten Crystal Palace and then drawn twice in their last three games.

While their away form was infamously poor last season, Sean Dyche's men have already claimed the scalp of Chelsea this season and held Tottenham to a draw at Wembley so they are unlikely to be fazed by a visit to a disquieted Goodison.

Koeman's task is clear — either plug away with the same system he has employed so far with mostly poor results of find a new one that would sacrifice at least one of his expensive summer recruits who prefer the No.10 role. The evidence gleaned from the Limassol game would suggest Wayne Rooney should make way and Gylfi Sigurdsson should be given free reign in his best position but the manager has been resolutely faithful to his biggest names so far. A change from that would be welcome but surprising.

With Michael Keane and Phil Jagielka both doubtful — it wouldn't be a surprise to see one of them start — the back line might, with the possible exception of right back where Jonjoe Kenny would be unfortunate to be demoted again, pick itself again which means all eyes will be on midfield and attack.

Koeman's persistence with two holding midfielders has come in for strong criticism in the wake of Thursday's draw so it will be interesting to see if Idrissa Gueye — it would surely be him rather than Morgan Schneiderlin — is sacrificed for Tom Davies or Nikola Vlasic in the interests of adding more dynamism in the centre.

Up front, both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Oumar Niasse have made strong cases for inclusion but it's highly unlikely both will start. More probable is the youngster starting and Niasse being handed the role of super-sub once more if he is needed in that capacity.

As with all games in the Premier League these days, this one won't be easy. Burnley are disciplined and don't lie down easily for anyone; as such they will pose a significant threat to an Everton side that will need to draw on what creativity and determination it can muster.

A victory wouldn't erase the concerns about the Blues going forward but it would once again ease the pressure on all concerned and provide another platform on which to build in the coming weeks. Anything less… well, you know.

Kick-off: 2.15pm, Sunday 1st October, 2017
Referee: Jonathan Moss
Last Time: Everton 3 - 1 Burnley

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Kenny, Keane, Williams, Baines, Schneiderlin, Gueye, Vlasic, Sigurdsson, Rooney, Calvert-Lewin


Stan, if Burnley can beat Chelsea Everton should be a walkover on current form. Unless of course Koeman changes his tactics which I doubt. Might have a cheeky punt on them :0)

Frank Crewe
19 Posted 29/09/2017 at 17:17:04 He'll start wearing brown shoes and saying everything is phenomenal next. He knows he's skating on thin ice and that he's losing the fans. Our football is so boring we should change the shirt sponsor to Mogadon. If you could bottle Everton you could sell it as rhino tranquilizer.
The fact is that every game is groundhog day. He sends out the same overly defensive, no width, no pace, no striker, stuffed with out of position midfielders formation that huffs and puffs through the first half then concedes a stupid goal. Then half time arrives. On comes the striker and one decent wide player. We change the formation and improve. We are poor because we have no focus to our play because we have no striker hence no out ball. He does not pick the best side he can he picks his blue eyed boys. Rooney, Sandro, Klaassen.

Let's be honest, if Sandro was a local lad, he would be in the Under-23s waiting for his chance like the rest of them. Klaassen is wasting everyone's time. If Anderlecht love him so much maybe they would be prepared to buy him back in January. At least we could get some of our money back.

Then there's Rooney. The elephant in the room. Too slow to play up front. Not as good as Sigurdsson as a No 10 yet he earns too much to be benched. So he spends his time narking with the ref and slowing down the play.

They say the definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result but no doubt we'll get more of the same on Sunday.

Laurie Hartley
20 Posted 29/09/2017 at 17:21:29

Know he feels Chris. We had 5 years of crap negative football including the year we got promoted.

Now its fast attacking football and so much better to watch. Had 45% possession yesterday which is good for us but had 16 shots to Derbys 8 and corners were 8 to 2 in our favour.

But alas we couldn't score but the point gained gives us 24 after 11 games and still top of the league.

It's now a year since Warnock arrived and same stage last season we were absolutely crap , had 8 points from 11 games and were in the bottom 3.

Need Wales not to lose on Friday then everything is all set up for a cracking final game next Monday against Ireland in Cardiff.

I'll be there Monday just in case we do qualify as I've been at all the other near misses so would be nice to see them qualify for a change.

Be really funny if Williams plays a blinder and scores the winning goal Chris :-)

Real Madrid playing silly buggers claiming Bale is injured and needs rest.

I don't think Bale or the Welsh medical team are going to have any of that nonsense and he'll play 90 minutes both games.

Well done Burnley!! Nurse.... NURSE!!!

More like the coroner is needed Chris

Stan's da man.

Thank you friends thank you tremendously... and I mean that most sincerely I really do 😀

Well Koeman's certainly got his work cut out, no confidence or leadership and Keane showed for the goal where he stood back and watched as Hendrick got his shot away rather then attacking and closing down the player that he still has a lot to learn about defending.

Only seven games gone though CC so no need to do anything silly 😃

You think you've got problems - we lost at home

to Man City !

Oh shit Bale really is injured and has been ruled out for our last two qualifiers.

I bet fecking Vokes is fit though , lucky us :-)

Sorry Toffee fans... but goal of the season or what https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r6sXRc_BgE&feature=youtu.be

:( I thought you were all against tippy tappy. Great passing moves.

Generally yes.. specifically no 😊

Well that's a fine piece of logic Stanley. "I'm against something until it suits me not to be. But I still disapprove". Just accept that tippy tappy works if the players are clever enough to pull the opposition apart and get to the goal. As Barcelona invariably do and Burnley did in this instance. Great play wack.

Enjoy IT.. just enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r6sXRc_BgE&feature=youtu.be

I got no problem with tippy tappy football either if played in the last 3rd of the field. It's wen its played amongst the back four and midfield in the centre of the park bores me and its aimless. Makes the stats look good possession wise but goals , shots on goal are a better measure of who made the most of their possession

Think Cardiff are now averaging almost 43% possession for the season , we ever get it above 50% and we'll be unbeatable given what we do with it.

Wales have never beaten Georgia so tomorrow would be a good time to break our duck. Hope Ireland win too then it's all to play for Monday in Cardiff.

Dill, your main game is against Burnley Reserves on Monday evening of course.. maybe you like IT and CC will be lucky enough to see a goal like this scored against you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r6sXRc_BgE&feature=youtu.be

...Not going on about it am I ? 😎

We score at least one like that every week Stan.

Go look at our goals against Leeds last Tuesday and they all better than that.

And you were playing a crap team :-)

Carduffers and Weeds.. oh that's so lower league 🤣