Elston Gunnn

Draw for fifth round takes place at MK Dons right after their match with Chelsea. http://www.thefa.com/news/the-fa-cup/2016/jan/fifth-round-proper-draw-280116

Kone definitely looked up at the crowd after his goal.

Use all subs, please. Galloway for McCarthy, move Oviedo to LW, Osman behind Kone.

Well, Gibson is to be used. Maybe he's staying.

Not clear to me why Gibson is even on the bench, if no chance he'll play. McCarthy is on a yellow, and picked up a nick a few minutes back.

He needs to shoot a little more, dibble a little less.

Hope Barkley doesn't try to dribble the ball into the goal. Take some shots. The bouncy pitch will help him score if he powers toward the edge of the box and blasts it.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jan/28/phil-jagielka-referee-sarcastic-comment-everton-defending-manchester-city

I freely admit I don't know the complexities of selling in January, especially this late in the window. Still, I think at least a plausible case can be made for selling Stones this week, depending on price. I'm thinking aloud here, so if I'm way off, let me know, but gently If possible. Of course I don't know exactly what's going on with Stones, but his play recently is mediocre to poor, including today. He's an elegant player, but not a fundamentally sound defender. I'm absolutely willing to believe he will become a world class defender, but I doubt that will happen at Everton. If we could get £50m right now, preferably from a team outside the EPL, sell him. To a CL club, sure. It doesn't look like he wants to be here: transfer request last summer, lackadaisical play, ball-watching, fans now on him, presumably even more of them and more bitterly after his play today. Honestly, I was shocked that Roberto took him off, as it seems to me that the "purpose" of the substitution was at least partially a blunt, if far too belated, calling Stones out for poor play. If he stays until summer, as I concede is likely, it will be very difficult for Roberto to repair Stone's relationship with the fans. His presence is more likely than not going to be a very delicate problem, to understate the matter. Will one of the big Euopean clubs (Barca, Bayern, PSG, Real M) offer £50m in the next few days? Will any of them come in with £35-40m offer right now? Does Roberto think Stones can be an excellent player the rest of this season, at Everton? Just to finish this speculation, even if we sold Stones and did not replace him, I think we won't do any worse in his leaving. Something like: RB - Coleman, Oviedo, Lennon RCH - Jagielka, Besic, Funes Mori LCH - Funes Mori, Galloway LB - Baines, Oviedo, Galloway After all the wonderful optimism of keeping Stones last summer, it's gone downhill in January, badly. It appears poisonous. Happy to be corrected. (A lie. Think of it as Roberto-speak.)

In case any in U.S. not aware, the match is being televised by beIN Sports.

I hope not to see Lukaku with hands on face after failing on 3 or 4 good chances. He's had a wonderful season, but recently has fallen off. We need to score 2, or more.

So frustrating Mirallas's injury today. LW has several possibilities, and I agree that Oviedo should be an option. I doubt Roberto will go that way. Instead, if McCarthy plays DCM, I'd guess Cleverley will start LW. IF no McCarthy, it's probably Kone or Lennon. But again, I could see Oviedo being a good choice there.

I imagine this is pretty close, though I doubt Roberto has the stones to not start Stones. Probably too soon for McCarthy. I'd prefer Lennon to Kone. Work rate, no comparison. Irritating that City have an extra day's rest, but maybe not a big issue. We probably need to score 2.

Our best players today, in order: Deulofeu, Barry, Pienaar, Funes Mori, maybe Baines Worst, in order: Stones, Lukaku, Barkley. Deulofeu may be exhausted, both physically and emotionally. He could have had 3 assists or more. Lukaku is again having trouble controlling the ball, and unfortunately his most common move lately is hands on head after missing a good chance. As for Barkley, I see his fine physical,talents, but it seems to me he's in love with his dribbling skills, to the detriment of powerful runs forward and actual shooting. He seems to want to impress people more than score goals. Pienaar controlled the ball well, repeatedly. No idea whether he is capable of recovering by Wednesday. Ditto for Deulofeu. I have to assume by Stones's body language several times in second half that he's thinking, "I don't want to be here."

Back pass to GK is my least favorite play in football. Far too high a % of a screw-up.

Norwich defense horrible, horrible. After tying at 4-4 in stoppage, they gave up a goal in 95th minute. Two Norwich players watched -- watched -- as Liverpool players got into box. Watched. Idiots. Footballers are dead stupid.

My least favorite "play" is the back pass to the goalie. Norwich just provided a howler of a howler, so after leading 3-1, they now trail 4-3. As I say, Naisy needs a hat trick, or more likely 4 by himself.

Norwich defense more disorganized than ours. Two wide-open goals last 10 minutes. Naismith will need a hat trick.

Yes, his goal was class, smart pass and movement into box, perfect shot from difficult angle. If Kone flounders .......

I'm concerned about fresh players, too, though I don't have any idea how RM will approach this 5 matches in 14 days problem. Just sticking with the next 2, Swansea and ManCity, I'd prefer Pienaar and Deulofeu against Swansea, with Mirallas and Lennon coming on at 60 minutes. That way both Mirallas and Deulofeu get important time on the pitch after an 8-day break, but both should still be fresh enough, if RM is willing to start them both in the Cup. I'd prefer Kone be used right now only to sub in for Lukaku, say at 80 minutes against Swansea. I'm guessing Barry, RM's essential player, starts both Swansea and City, but if Cleverley is truly "match fit," I wouldn't mind seeing him paired with Besic against Swansea. Then Barry with any of Besic, Cleverley, or (a match fit) McCarthy in the Cup.

Fox Sports 2, according to preliminary info.

I thought there was a separate thread and intended to post it there. For some reason Byram thread doesn't show on my TT page(s), so I did a search and still no luck. Sometime my iPad is cantankerous. Or it's right in front of my face. No clue. Forget it. And forget Byram, too.

Late last night (your early morn) I posted a link from a Guardian story about Byram signing with West Ham. It seems to have disappeared, maybe because still just a rumor? Or because if he doesn't sign with us, it's both irritating and irrelevant? Anyhow, both Leeds and West Ham are confirming it. http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11685/10136471/it-was-now-or-never-to-sign-sam-byram-says-west-ham-chairman-david-sullivan Maybe Roberto will swoop in to swoop their swoop.

Funes Mori's goal occurred at precisely the 90:00 mark. That's the precise second the ball crossed the goal line. I've seen it 3 times. The ensuing kickoff occurred at 91:15. So if the ref's watch began at 91:15, then the match would last until ~ 98:15. Is it SOP for referee to stop his watch in ET when a goal is scored, and to restart it at ensuing kickoff? It wouldn't be surprising for the losing manager to lobby for an extra minute. Don't know whether refs routinely grant as much extra as occurred yesterday.

Last 2 Everton matches show that sometimes -- sometimes -- refs and linesmen determine the result. Refs saved us a point midweek, took away 2 today.