Team for Everton...

No that Dembele is out, would really like to see:
Lloris
Walker-Toby-Jan-Davies
Bentaleb-Dier
Lamela-Alli-Son
Kane

Mason, Chadli, Eriksen coming from the bench. Bentaleb needs games and think he would thrive with a role that allows him to get forward a bit more. Need the pressing from Alli and pace of Son.

Davies plays because he is our inform LB.
My XI

Lloris
Walker, Toby, Jan, Davies
Dier, Alli
Lamela,Son,Eriksen
Kane

I will play a counter attacking team. Dier & Dele to sit before back 4 & play likes of Son,Kane,Lamela on counter. Everton dont 've McCarthy ,so they may play Barkley & Barry in middle , which may help us

Can't see bentaleb starting given how long he has been out and he's had, what, 1 sub appearance lately?

Lloris
Walker Toby Verts Davies
Dier Ali
Lamela Eriksen Son
Kane

my choice 433:

Poch's 4231

Lloris
Walker Toby Vertonghen Davies
Dier Carrol
Son Lamela Eriksen
Kane

guy said:

Can't see bentaleb starting given how long he has been out and he's had, what, 1 sub appearance lately?

Lloris
Walker Toby Verts Davies
Dier Ali
Lamela Eriksen Son
Kane

Click to expand...

bench: vorm, wimmer, rose, trippier, bentaleb, mason, chadli

I like this line up since Dembele is out - COYS!!!

UpTownSpur said:

Everton are probably the most counter attackable team in the league and are highly vulnerable to P.P.D. (pace, power and directness), which Stoke used to great effect. With that in mind I'd pick Chadli, Alli and Son behind Kane, with Mason alongside Dier in midfield.

Edit: Wtf and Spam rate all you like, but I rewatched our game against Watford and also Eveton's games vs Stoke and Leicester and what I noted was how quickly and how directly they moved forward when half a chance of a counter attack appeared, and in comparison how much we, Lamela in particular, dithered around and lost the impetus. Son's goal, wonderful as it was, covered over a multitude of sins and we should have put that game to bed comfortably. So for that reason, in this particular game, I wouldn't select Lamela or Eriksen, much as we'd miss the former's hard work and the latter's dead balls, but I'd go with more directness.

Click to expand...

I fail to see how Chadli contributes pace, power or directness over and above one of this seasons best performers in Lamela? And, as I think we all agree, the strength of our system comes from our off the ball effort, and that starts with the front four players. Dropping the most effective harrier, and replacing him with a languorous off-the-ball Chadli seems odd. Lamela has been chipping in with goals and assists too this season, so it's hardly as if his personal contribution to the attack has been letting him down either.

Agree with the rest of your midfield and attack though.

Bus-Conductor said:

my choice 433:

Lloris

Walker TA JV Davies

Mason Dier Bentaleb

Lamela Kane Eriksen
​

Poch's 4231

Lloris

Walker TA JV Davies

Mason Bentaleb

Lamela Eriksen Son

Kane​

Click to expand...

You'd drop Dier in a 4231 at Everton? And play Eriksen at 10, with light-weight Mason and Bentaleb in double-pivot behind him. Perhaps if we have a good day and keep the ball effectively we don't have to worry so much about winning it back, or offering a screen to our defence, but on a day on which we're even slightly below our best they'd blow right through us. That spine through CM and to Kane is powder-puff imo. I know, btw, that they can work hard, but they're still callow, and get caught the wrong side, or lunge in when they should screen, or back off when they should lunge.

Plus Bentaleb has been out injured for ages, and before that he was seemingly suffering a brain fart a match, and brain farts which were leading directly to good goal scoring opportunities for our opponents, meaning he was having them exactly when he shouldn't. On the other hand he has potential and we need to work him back into the side somehow as soon as he's fit. I'd go Mason and Dier for this one, and then Dier and Bentaleb for the FA Cup against Leicester. I'd also drop Eriksen to the bench, stick in Alli at 10 and the rest I'd go the same as you.

Bus-Conductor said:

my choice 433:

Lloris

Walker TA JV Davies

Mason Dier Bentaleb

Lamela Kane Eriksen
​

Poch's 4231

Lloris

Walker TA JV Davies

Mason Bentaleb

Lamela Eriksen Son

Kane​

Click to expand...

I hope you're right, and Pochs wrong!

Bentaleb to replace Dembele and Davies in for Rose.

I'm not concerned about the rest, I expect the usual suspects to start.

I also expect Jan and Toby to marshall Lukaku just like Jan has in previous matches.

Howard is regressing big time, got to take advantage.

Some here putting Bentaleb in XI - thats never going to happen the way Poch uses his squad. Unless if a player is first XI starter , they never come back straight from injury into starting XI. If its a junior player, they always come off the bench. Once they impress & go on a run they make into starting XI. This was even true for Kane last year. Lats season, Bentaleb & Mason situation a exception because there were not much competition. This season, Alli , Dier & Dembele have been miles ahead of the duo.

ClintEastwould said:

Lloris
Walker Toby Vertonghen Davies
Dier Carrol
Son Lamela Eriksen
Kane

Click to expand...

Midfield far too lightweight. only Dier with any physical presence.

arunspurs said:

Some here putting Bentaleb in XI - thats never going to happen the way Poch uses his squad. Unless if a player is first XI starter , they never come back straight from injury into starting XI. If its a junior player, they always come off the bench. Once they impress & go on a run they make into starting XI. This was even true for Kane last year. Lats season, Bentaleb & Mason situation a exception because there were not much competition. This season, Alli , Dier & Dembele have been miles ahead of the duo.

Click to expand...

Yep, as I just said on a different thread, there must be a reason that Poch has been using Carroll, but Bentaleb has been pretty much ignored. Maybe it's because he seems to only be able to pass to an opposition player?

Either way, I can see Poch reverting back to partnering Alli and Dier, maybe going with something along these lines.....

Lloris

Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies

Alli, Dier

Lamela, Eriksen, Son

Kane

No weakling lightweight Tom Carroll please

cookiemonster said:

No weakling lightweight Tom Carroll please

Click to expand...

Wow, he's well & truly becoming this seasons scapegoat, isn't he!

When we were beat by Newcastle, the abuse he (and Poch) got before the game was laughable. Then we went & lost, and it was all because Poch picked shitty Carroll. Doesn't matter that we were winning up until Carroll was replaced, it's all his fault we lost.

Then the little lightweight piece of shit had the audacity to go & score the 3rd goal against Norwich, a pretty good goal at that, putting the result out of doubt in the process.

I agree with you totally. Don't want that weakling, lightweight anywhere near my team when he's doing that sort of shit!!

ClintEastwould said:

Lloris
Walker Toby Vertonghen Davies
Dier Carrol
Son Lamela Eriksen
Kane

Click to expand...

Umm I think Alli will play....

sloth said:

You'd drop Dier in a 4231 at Everton? And play Eriksen at 10, with light-weight Mason and Bentaleb in double-pivot behind him. Perhaps if we have a good day and keep the ball effectively we don't have to worry so much about winning it back, or offering a screen to our defence, but on a day on which we're even slightly below our best they'd blow right through us. That spine through CM and to Kane is powder-puff imo. I know, btw, that they can work hard, but they're still callow, and get caught the wrong side, or lunge in when they should screen, or back off when they should lunge.

Plus Bentaleb has been out injured for ages, and before that he was seemingly suffering a brain fart a match, and brain farts which were leading directly to good goal scoring opportunities for our opponents, meaning he was having them exactly when he shouldn't. On the other hand he has potential and we need to work him back into the side somehow as soon as he's fit. I'd go Mason and Dier for this one, and then Dier and Bentaleb for the FA Cup against Leicester. I'd also drop Eriksen to the bench, stick in Alli at 10 and the rest I'd go the same as you.

Click to expand...

I have no doubt that Poch's 4231 will have Dier and Alli in it.

No, I wouldn't drop Dier, I'd have him in the centre of a CM3 as I said. I only dropped him if I'm forced to play a 4231 and fit with Pochettino's convention. In my 433 I would consider sapping Eriksen for Son, because having Mason and Bentaleb would give me more control of the ball in the centre of the pitch so I could sacrifice the ball retention and composure Eriksen gives for the more direct pacey threat of Son knowing I'll also get graft and diligence without the ball from Son and creative vision from Lamela.

I can see the logic of playing Dier with Bentaleb or Mason. But I don't agree with your rationale for doing so. Mine would be that completely changing the CM2 for two players who haven't played any football lately might not be prudent as neither are match sharp.

But I think there is a danger in looking at results instead of performances and thinking lets stick on 16 instead of twisting.

The "Bentaleb was suffering a brain fart a game comment" is the kind of comment you laboriously lambast me for making about Walker, except in Walker's case it's true, in Bentaleb's it isn't. He, of course, has made the odd erroneous pass in dangerous areas, but then so has Dier, in fact he made one just as bad in the ManU game in which Bentaleb's was punished, and has made several more since including in recent games.

Also the lightweight thing as risible. You mean just because Dier weighs more ? You realise that per 90min both Bentaleb (the same 1,85) and Mason (more 2.41) tackle as much and more than Dier.

In terms of reading the game and positional sense Bentaleb (2.67) intercepts more than Dier (2.19) with Mason (1.98) not far behind. I think with these two we could win the ball higher up the pitch instead of in the deeper areas where Dier perhaps does. But where these two both piss it is they both see about 20% more ball, make more vertical (or forward) passes (which if you read all you can about Pochettino you know is at the core of his philosophy) and they make double (Bentaleb 0.57 p90) and four times (Mason 0.97) the key passes.

I think results have been good, but we have lost more points from winning positions than any other team, and my feeling is, is that this is because we are not quite getting the balance right between being reactive and proactive, and I think this was a weakness - and I flagged this up several times before he became our manager - of his Southampton side who also had the same problem and were the worst in the division for conceding points from winning positions also.

I think collectively we are so much better without the ball, especially the front four. I also hope that Bentaleb and Mason, who IMO were bloody good last year whilst we as a team weren't as good without the ball, will also be working day in day out in training with Pochettino to improve weaknesses in their games (Bentaleb does need to learn to not switch off on a runner etc - but this is easily taught) but neither of these lack tenacity and work rate and both suit Pochettino's press and quick vertical transition ethos better than Dier or Dembele as CM's IMO, as long as they can learn to be better positionally and tactically diligent too - which Dier and Dembele are pretty good at.

Alli is a very difficult issue, in the same way that Chadli was last year. The fella produces, he has the aggression that suits our team, but I also think there are games, like Chadli last season, but for different reasons (in Chadli's case because he was lazy - in Alli case because he doesn't see enough ball to play in Cm and lacks the composure to play ACM meaning we suffer from ball retention problems which is what I think leads to us conceding more winning positions than any other team - not just because of Alli but in part - when we come under the cosh Dier's instinct is to stop looking to receive the ball and recycle it, it is to drop in and become a third CB or just start chasing opponents around the pitch).

It's not easy, as with all teams it is almost impossible to find the perfect balance, I don't think there is necessarily a "best 11" for all occasions. But I really don't think Alli has the composure to play that pivotal ACM role. And I really think we are sufferring from losing control of games because players like Dier are reactive not proactive. They both have contributed other good qualities and I think unquestionably have roles to play. In all the hype around Alli everyone seems to have forgotten the type of performances Mason was putting in earlier on, that game against Sunderland earlier in the season was far more complete a performance than anything Alli has got close to. There were games last season like Arsenal home and Liverpool away with Bentaleb and Mason in CM2 that were far more complete performances in terms of a CM2 both offensively and defensively and against tougher opposition than many this season.

I'd start with the following:

Lloris
Walker Toby Jan Davies
Dier Alli
Lamela Eriksen Son
Kane

I believe this will be a close match, and with key players in midfield missing for both teams, this could go either way. Mason hasn't had any minutes on the field of play since returning from injury so does not really merit a place in the starting eleven and would be a real gamble since we don't know if he would be sharp enough to start. So I've gone with Son and Eriksen to replace Dembele and Carroll in midfield. It's been a while since son started a match in the league and to be fair I think he deserves his chance. Eriksen playing wide on the left has really limited his performances, which led to us criticizing his form. I think he excels centrally and I predict he'll be crucial to our team performance tomorrow.