Elston Gunnn

Giveaway after giveaway.

Looks like a 5-2-1-2.

The number of times we pass to opposing players is dismaying. Most Everton players guilty of this. Chelsea passing consistently crisp and accurate.

Big surprises. I guess Allardyce has a plan. Or I would guess that, except he sticks with the Gana-Schneiderlin pairing, the wisdom of which quite escapes me. Prematch interview, Allardyce says Rooney sick with cold. As for Jagielka-Keane, he refers to 5 matches in 14 days, need to rotate.

Jagielka for Rooney, soon. Though Isaiah’s point about Holgate yellow accumulation is worth worrying about.

Vlasic or Lookman for Rooney soon. Then Jagielka for Lennon later.

A superb strike from Sigurdsson!

Good, Davies coming on.

Rooney and 1 of the 2 DMs off at 60. Davies and either Lookman or Vlasic on.

In multiple ways - pressing, energy, alertness, passing.

Swansea much quicker, pressing. We’re two steps slow, in many positions.

Swansea more alert, active. Discouraging. Swansea.

Schneiderlin whiffs, Swansea counter. Chance for them.

Martina run past again.

Gana’s passing is too often only marginally better than his “shooting.” (Sorry to be so negative.....)

Clever by DCL to get corner.

Martina has allowed player to run past him with the ball twice.

Bony injured already. Wow.

Robbie Mustoe (NBCSN) says Allardyce will be looking for Everton to attack today. As this lineup doesn’t strike me as our most attacking group, is Mustoe simply wrong? Or is the plan for Schneiderlin to stay back between the 2 CHs, while Gana and one or both of the FBs get forward consistently?

Ha, hard to tell whether I thought we needed the extra to increase our winning odds, or was/am undone by the prospect of Gana/Schneiderlin and Martina. I’d prefer to leave Martina on bench, but I suppose it’ll have to be a striker. Leave DCL on bench.

More than 24 hours ahead of this match, the holiday spirit is not in me. I’m already pre-disgruntled at the possibility, much less probability, that Allardyce will revert to the Gana-Schneiderlin pairing. Or some other DM pairing. Blech. Just generally we need attackers and goals, especially at Goodison against awful Swansea. Undoubtedly Gana will get forward plenty, but ineffectually; his “shot” is laughable. I hope Rooney will play deep, for he will get forward, effectually, and he will also produce a couple of passing gems. We need actual attackers, of which Gana is not. For this specific match - home to pathetic Swansea - a single DM, thus allowing an additional starting attacker. Allardyce’s praise of Martina strikes me as fulsome, so over-the-top, Martinez-like, that I will guess Baines will be out several more weeks, and Allardyce figures he needs to buck up Martina’s confidence. Pickford Kenny Holgate Williams Martina Schneiderlin Rooney Lookman Sigurdsson Vlasic DCL Niasse Subs from Lennon, Davies, Jagielka, Keane, Besic, Mirallas, Sandro, Bolasie - preferably Davies, Jagielka, Besic because we’re ahead by 3 goals on 70 minutes.

I have a tactical formation question about this specific match, relating to the fact that we have no good option at LB: might (and/or should) Allardyce go with 3 at the back? Such as ..... Pickford Holgate Williams Jagielka Kenny Gana Lennon/Davies Rooney Lookman Sigurdsson DCL

There are no good options, only bad ones. Happens in life repeatedly. Kenny is probably the least bad, but he’s played so well at RB recently that it seems unwise (to me) to move him to LB. I have advocated Besic as preferable to Martina, but radio commentary on his play Thursday at CH was nervous. I’m perhaps alone in thinking Jagielka - not a LB to be sure - is least bad option. I think Martina is the worst of the lot of bad options, but I fear Allardyce will stick with him there. I’d even put Schneiderlin at LB ahead of Martina.

In trying to figure out a good lineup, several limitations. (1) We have no competent LB. Baines looks out for another week or more. If Allardyce prefers 4 at the back, he must choose the least-bad option among nothing but bad options. (2) Davies does not seem to be at the top of his game recently. (3) Rooney can probably play 60-70 minutes on short rest, as he has more emotional energy than the vast majority of our players. His best position is Deep Lying Playmaker. So ..... Pickford Kenny Holgate Williams Jagielka Gana Rooney Lookman Sigurdsson DCL Niasse 2d half subs: if behind, Vlasic, Mirallas; if ahead, from among Lennon, Schneiderlin, Davies, Besic

I got the impression from Allardyce’s pre-derby press conference that Baines might be out for awhile, weeks. Anybody remember such a comment? If yes, I absolutely dread seeing Martina at LB again on Wednesday. Is it even conceivable Allardyce thinks Martina played ok today? Might this be a case of “no good answer left,” so that no matter Allardyce’s selection, the selection will be bad, and he may think Martina is bad, but the least-bad possibility? Isn’t a less-bad option 3 at the back?