Salford City (cup) Wednesday 16/9/20

[Btay]

Home tie against a lower division team. Expect to see a strong line up with a professional performance. Would love the see some kids get a run but anything but a loss here brings back the old Everton feelings.

Same back 5 with Allan in front.

Doucoure and Siggy

Gordon, Kean and Iwobi. 

West Brom only a few days later so I’d resist the temptation to start James and Richarlison.

 

[markjazzbassist]

I bet we see rotation.

 

                   Lossl

kenny  Keane Mina nkounkou

            Allan doucoure

      walcott Gylfi bernard

                    Kean

[SpartyBlue]

Absolutely needs to be rotation players in there. If Iwobi, Kean, Kenny, Gordon etc.. can’t win that game we are in trouble. Gotta trust those guys and give the starting 11, particularly the new additions, a rest. 

[FairWooney]

Defo like to see Kenny get a game.  The other lad if Carlo thinks he's ready (sounded like he did well in friendly)

In mid I'd like to see Bernard and Walcott or Gordon with Gordon at least on bench.

Rest Gomez.

Play Kean and have Richarlison and James on bench to make impact if required 

I'm not normally fir but changes but it's early in and we have players who have lost their spot or are pushing for spots that need game time

[DownUnderToff]

Agree with the change sentiment, would go as much change as possible.  Given who's been pushed to the bench and kids coming through, we have to trust we've got the quality and they've got the bottle to go out and win this.  We also need to know that players are ready to step in when needed.

[Aidan]

Dont want too many to rest as we have no European football to rest for. James and richarlison more protected than rested in this line up but would like to see them feature to build match fitness. 

Thought I'd leave Dinge in as i dont fancy replacing both our wing backs to try to keep some consistency in that back line, but would like to see how Kenny gets on as he should get more games this season compared to Nkounkou. 

[Cornish Steve]

B team all the way in every round. Focus and don’t be distracted by this waste of time Cup. 

[Zoo 2.0]

1 hour ago, Cornish Steve said:

B team all the way in every round. Focus and don’t be distracted by this waste of time Cup. 

IMO, when you haven't won anything for 25 years you don't get to pick and choose which cups are a waste of time. 

Rotate of course, but the strongest possible side for me in every single round to ensure that we get through and have something to lift at the end of the season.

Winning breeds winning, it becomes a habit.

[barryj]

3 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

B team all the way in every round. Focus and don’t be distracted by this waste of time Cup. 

Really!?!? We’ve won nothing in 25 years and this is a route to Europe if you see it as nothing else. However, I really want the team to win everything and anything. When we start to win the Premier League, FA cups and Champions League regularly then I may change my view but until then this is a competition I’m very keen to win. Add to that we’ve never won it makes it for me more appealing to complete the set as it were. 

[Matt]

3 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

B team all the way in every round. Focus and don’t be distracted by this waste of time Cup. 

I know we’ll have this conversation  every year and you’ll never convince any of us. We must aim to win every game. This is a tournament that we’ve never won. It’s a route to Europe. It’s been decades since we won anything. The final is end of Feb, can you imagine the boost to moral going into the end of the season with a cup in the cabinet? It’s just basic logic to go out to win it. 

[Romey 1878]

Guardiola and City take this competition very seriously and want to win it every season. That'll do for me.

[Finn balor]

A strong team. We have to be careful with a few but we have a squad now and the marker has been set down. The players left out have a chance to impress to get in the squad. 

[Hafnia]

Go out and smash them.  Maybe give DCL a rest and start Kean, rest James and start Gordon.  Allan and Doucoure have to start to get acquainted and Allan up to full match fitness

[Bailey]

I would keep one eye on the fact that this is an action packed season this year and whilst I get that some players need game time, I'm not sure playing 90 mins 3 times in a week is the way forward. 

I would go with the same formation but change to the following: 

Pickford

Digne 

Mina

Keane

Kenny

Delph (if fit)

Siggy (Gomes role)

Doucoure (same role)

Richarlison 

Kean

Bernard (replacing James)

If we get ahead comfortably then Richarlison and Doucoure can come off as well as Digne. 

 

[London Blue]

31 minutes ago, Bailey said:

I would keep one eye on the fact that this is an action packed season this year and whilst I get that some players need game time, I'm not sure playing 90 mins 3 times in a week is the way forward. 

I would go with the same formation but change to the following: 

Pickford

Digne 

Mina

Keane

Kenny

Delph (if fit)

Siggy (Gomes role)

Doucoure (same role)

Richarlison 

Kean

Bernard (replacing James)

If we get ahead comfortably then Richarlison and Doucoure can come off as well as Digne. 

 

Same team, but Davies for Delph.

[Matt]

Our team from last season should walk all over then. But this is a cup. Kean starting, Walcott and Bernard with Siggy. Back 4 the same except back FB starting. The rest of the starters should be on the bench 

[Zoo 2.0]

On the subject of the Salford game, I would rotate in the sense that I'd like the main bulk of the side rested for West Brom, purely because any side that we put out should be capable of beating a team from League Two. 

I've kept Pickford in goal, simply because I think that our main goalkeeper should be capable of playing 40+ games a season and from what little game time Virginia saw with Reading he didn't paint a fantastic picture of himself. Keane stays in order to have some continuity in the centre-back position with Kenny coming in for Coleman and Nkounkou swapping in for Digne. I assume that Salford will be lumping the ball into the box any chance they get, so tall defenders are key IMO plus I'd like to see Branthwaite again.

All of the new signings get a break with Bernard, Davies, Sigurdsson and Walcott completing the middle line. I've also got Anthony Gordon operating as the No.10 (who could rotate with Gylfi if need be) to break down the lines. DCL gets a break in preperation for West Brom with Moise Kean coming into the side, hopefully a goal against weaker opposition does him the world of good and allows us to genuinely use him as a second option in the Premier League. 

All of the above said I would still name a strong bench in the event that the worst happens. Players aren't going to get tired sat on the sidelines so I'd be picking James, Allan, DCL to come onto the pitch if need be and kill the game. I'll be honest I'm not that desperate for a 5/6-0 and would much rather we put in a really confident, calm performance and take the win 2-0 without leaving first gear.

[London Blue]

We need Mina and Keane to play together as much as possible to build up their understanding and partnership.

[Isaiah]

How many Salford City defenders imagined they might be marking James Rodriguez a month ago?

[Btay]

Id feel so much better having Gbamin in for Allan. I think Allan and Doucoure are okay to play a few games in a row, very good athletes. We can look after James here and bring Richarlison on if there is a scare. Im okay to change the full backs but Pickford, Mina and Keane really should start. Bernard in behind Moise Kean because Bernard looked excellent in pre season centrally. Walcott can play wide left to get in on his right foot and Gordon/Iwobi on the right. Siggy for Gomes.

If thats not enough for Salford than those players that come in really need moving on im afraid. 

[Hafnia]

1 hour ago, Btay said:

Id feel so much better having Gbamin in for Allan. I think Allan and Doucoure are okay to play a few games in a row, very good athletes. We can look after James here and bring Richarlison on if there is a scare. Im okay to change the full backs but Pickford, Mina and Keane really should start. Bernard in behind Moise Kean because Bernard looked excellent in pre season centrally. Walcott can play wide left to get in on his right foot and Gordon/Iwobi on the right. Siggy for Gomes.

If thats not enough for Salford than those players that come in really need moving on im afraid. 

Gbamin is injured isn't he? 

[DownUnderToff]

10 hours ago, Zoo 2.0 said:

On the subject of the Salford game, I would rotate in the sense that I'd like the main bulk of the side rested for West Brom, purely because any side that we put out should be capable of beating a team from League Two. 

I've kept Pickford in goal, simply because I think that our main goalkeeper should be capable of playing 40+ games a season and from what little game time Virginia saw with Reading he didn't paint a fantastic picture of himself. Keane stays in order to have some continuity in the centre-back position with Kenny coming in for Coleman and Nkounkou swapping in for Digne. I assume that Salford will be lumping the ball into the box any chance they get, so tall defenders are key IMO plus I'd like to see Branthwaite again.

All of the new signings get a break with Bernard, Davies, Sigurdsson and Walcott completing the middle line. I've also got Anthony Gordon operating as the No.10 (who could rotate with Gylfi if need be) to break down the lines. DCL gets a break in preperation for West Brom with Moise Kean coming into the side, hopefully a goal against weaker opposition does him the world of good and allows us to genuinely use him as a second option in the Premier League. 

All of the above said I would still name a strong bench in the event that the worst happens. Players aren't going to get tired sat on the sidelines so I'd be picking James, Allan, DCL to come onto the pitch if need be and kill the game. I'll be honest I'm not that desperate for a 5/6-0 and would much rather we put in a really confident, calm performance and take the win 2-0 without leaving first gear.

Yep, that's pretty much what I'd put out.  Would swap Gibson in for Branthwaite (as Left sided CB), think game time is more important for him.

[Romey 1878]

7 hours ago, Isaiah said:

How many Salford City defenders imagined they might be marking James Rodriguez a month ago?

They're probably still going to have to imagine it for at least another year.

2 hours ago, Btay said:

Id feel so much better having Gbamin in for Allan. I think Allan and Doucoure are okay to play a few games in a row, very good athletes. We can look after James here and bring Richarlison on if there is a scare. Im okay to change the full backs but Pickford, Mina and Keane really should start. Bernard in behind Moise Kean because Bernard looked excellent in pre season centrally. Walcott can play wide left to get in on his right foot and Gordon/Iwobi on the right. Siggy for Gomes.

If thats not enough for Salford than those players that come in really need moving on im afraid. 

 

1 hour ago, Hafnia said:

Gbamin is injured isn't he? 

He's out until next year.

[Btay]

2 hours ago, Hafnia said:

Gbamin is injured isn't he? 

Yeah think so, which is why Id keep Allan in the team. If Gbamin was fit I’d feel more comfortable resting Allan.

[Cisk]

Half n half for this one I think..... We need a good cup run with ambitions to win it, we need to give match fitness to players still and also look to protect some for the league games as I still see WBA as the more important fixture of the 2.

                 Lossl

Kenny   Keane   Mina   Digne

                 Allan 

          Davies  Doucoure

Walcott                     Bernard

                 Kean

 

(Although swapping entire front three may be a risk)

Subs: Try get Gordon, Siggy and Iwobi on.

Protected: Coleman, Gomes, James, Richarlison, DCL. James could probably benefit with more training time this week than being risked in this game (impressed he played full 90 mins on w/e). 

[SpartyBlue]

4 hours ago, Btay said:

Yeah think so, which is why Id keep Allan in the team. If Gbamin was fit I’d feel more comfortable resting Allan.

For me you don’t start the season expecting the new guys to play 3 games in 6 days. Asking for trouble with the shortened preseason. 

[AlbanyNYToffee]

With all the craziness in terms of last season ending, short preseason and quick turnaround I'm hoping for full rotation but the same shape. Would like us to keep the same shape as much as possible.  

Lossl/Virginia

Kenny Branthwaite Gibson Nkounkou

Gordon Besic Davies Siggy

Bernard Kean

Besic because Delph and Gbamin aren't fit. Davies and Siggy in the middle is a nightmare. Struggled with this one - we have too many 'wingers' if we're going to continue to play a 'CM' at the LM position. No space for Walcott or Iwobi here but I'd be comfortable if either was played instead of Bernard. Want to see what Gordon can offer in the James role. 

I understand the full strength argument, I guess I would just say if as a Premier League team we can't rotate and beat a League Two team we don't deserve to win the competition anyway. 

[AlbanyNYToffee]

8 minutes ago, AlbanyNYToffee said:

With all the craziness in terms of last season ending, short preseason and quick turnaround I'm hoping for full rotation but the same shape. Would like us to keep the same shape as much as possible.  

Lossl/Virginia

Kenny Branthwaite Gibson Nkounkou

Gordon Besic Davies Siggy

Bernard Kean

Besic because Delph and Gbamin aren't fit. Davies and Siggy in the middle is a nightmare. Struggled with this one - we have too many 'wingers' if we're going to continue to play a 'CM' at the LM position. No space for Walcott or Iwobi here but I'd be comfortable if either was played instead of Bernard. Want to see what Gordon can offer in the James role. 

I understand the full strength argument, I guess I would just say if as a Premier League team we can't rotate and beat a League Two team we don't deserve to win the competition anyway. 

I'd also like to get players who need a loan/sale a runout for potential suitors - J Virginia, Branthwaite, Gibson, Siggy, Besic etc.

[Btay]

7 hours ago, SpartyBlue said:

For me you don’t start the season expecting the new guys to play 3 games in 6 days. Asking for trouble with the shortened preseason. 

Allan/ Doucoure are different kind of athletes though. I'd love to say we can play a second string team and get a win here but seeing how we have been over the last few years im not totally confident. Nothing would be more Everton of the past to make such a statement in the window, first game of the season to then get knocked out of the cup by salford. We were embarrassed by liverpools U23's last year because we played our first team, now people are asking for nearly that seem team to play here and think it would be a walk over. 

[Aidan]

Yes it's going to be a tight fixture list this season but its even worse for those playing in Europe.

Im not saying go all out against Salford but lets put a squad out that looks capable of winning comfortably. The performance is as important as the result against Salford tomorrow, we need to breed that confidence which quality performances bring. Look at Villa today for instance, they cant be happy with the overall performance which saw them score a late winner against a mid table league 1 side, and that will carry over to the next game with them.