AlbanyNYToffee

Sorry to sound defeatist here but getting anything from this is a huge success. 6th game in 17 days for us, ridiculous injury list, City unbeaten I think 20 in a row. positive: de Bruyne played full 90 today so we should avoid him playing. negative: surely we have to give Doucoure a rest now. let us pray: James is fit. Olsen Coleman Godfrey Keane Niels Gomes Holgate Davies James DCL Bernard

Get after Jack Robinson. He’s the weak link.

Completely agree. Especially as all the teams around us drop points today.

Hope it's ok to be posting this here. I'm really curious how folks are approaching the next 3 games. Everyone is posting separately in each appropriate match day thread, but could folks humor me and post their lineups for all 3 in one spot? I'll start: ManU: Pickford Holgate Mina Keane Godfrey Doucoure Davies Gomes James Richarlison DCL Sheffield: Olsen Coleman Branthwaite Keane Niels Davies Siggy Gomes Iwobi Richarlison DCL ManCity: Pickford Kenny Mina Keane Godfrey Doucoure Holgate Davies James Bernard DCL

Don’t think big rotation is needed til weekend. Here are the changes (using Arsenal XI as starting point every time) I’d make for these games: Utd: Gomes and James for Siggy and Iwobi Sheffield: Olsen Coleman Branthwaite Niels and Gomes for Pickford Holgate Godfrey Mina Doucoure City: Kenny Bernard James for Siggy Richy Iwobi (Holgate would slide into mid along Doucoure) im hopeful Keane can play every minute and we can start DCL every game and get him an early sub against Sheffield.

Everton 2 - 1 Arsenal DCL

Seamus is fit. Now what?! Surely there's an argument to be made he should start? Yes 4 CB's has worked for us recently but it is not a long-term solution. Do you start Seamus? If so does holgate go to LB? And either way do Holgate or Godfrey replace Mina? Things are going to get interesting with so many games coming up.

I disagree somewhat. The value in VAR isn’t in getting offsides right, that’s strictly camera technology and drawing lines. Its in getting split second penalty decisions and violent conduct reviews correct. By and large it has done a really bad job at both.

Haha don't be daft. Finally finally finally VAR gets one right.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Bernard for Siggy please.

This is brutal to watch. This feels even more likely to end 2-1 for Leicester than it does 1-1.

Let's see what Gbamin's got. But also how quickly can we get Khedira in? Do the paperwork right now so Jan 1 he's at Finch Farm when they turn the lights on and is ready to go.

Worst referee by a country mile and that's giving slightly too much respect to the also horrible Jon Moss. Lee Mason doesn't know the day of the week let alone anything related to the sport of football.

This game is killing me already. So excited to see Olsen but also dreading Lee Mason. Why must things be so complicated?

Leicester 0 - 0 Everton None

Absolute yes from me. He'd be on a free and we could sign him for 18 months. He would immediately be that 3rd midfielder in the Gomes/Siggy role and rotate with Allan when needed. Incredible quality and versatility in the midfield. Even just to come on and lock down games with 10mins left he's worth it. We don't have anyone who can come in and do that.

HUGE 3 pts. Chelsea came in 17 unbeaten and would have gone top with a win, they had everything to play for and we defended for our lives. Keeps up in striking distance in the table and gives us momentum as this was the start of 6 games in 16 days. Let’s go to Leicester full of confidence.

I don't know much about Dele personally as he's rarely talked about here in the States so I'm approaching this from a different angle. Generally speaking I don't think you can take what is happening to him now as the nail in the coffin if you will - Jose had Salah, De Bruyne and Schurrle at Chelsea (all at the same time) and none of them were deemed quality enough to play for him. Dele may be a total knob and never amount to anything more than he already is/was but I'm not going to let the last 3 months make that decision for me. Certainly the scouting dept and Carlo need to do their due diligence here.

Everton 1 - 0 Chelsea DCL

Love this so much!! For goodness sake play a back 4 and let's have a go at them. First game with fans back, I trust 2k Evertonians to create an atmosphere worthy of a positive performance.

The best part of the match? The ref. Anthony Taylor was superb. Let the game play on so many occasions and didn’t give away soft free kicks. Pickford saved a pt with the save on Wood. Siggy has to score. Simple as that. Should have been an ugly 3 pts. We aren’t going to keep a clean sheet no matter what so get back to 433 right now. Iwobi or Kenny has to work at RB if Coleman isn’t fit for Chelsea and Niels or Godfrey (or Iwobi/Kenny if Coleman is playing RB) has to work at LB until Digne gets back. Holgate and Keane in the center. For the next month we’re going to have to try to win 3-2. We needed 9 pts from the last 3 games and got 4. Bring on the big boys.

Look regardless of our XI, if we aren’t good enough to beat a midfield pairing of Westwood and Brownhill we don’t deserve to finish top half let alone challenging for Europe.

Burnley 1 - 3 Everton Richarlison

Olsen Godfrey Holgate Keane Niels Davies Allan Doucoure James DCL Richarlison full credit to Jordan he was excellent against Leeds. Doesn’t change my feelings though, just one game. We’ve tried Gomes and Siggy already, they’re not the answer. Doucoure can cover Niels with his engine. Hopefully Godfrey can do ok at rb as it’s ‘just’ Burnley. Get Seamus back for Chelsea.