Match Thread Everton v Leeds United - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[Methuselah]

The clever managers park the bus and hit Leeds on the break. Leicester City did this perfectly, they only had 32% possession and won 4 - 1. Not sure we have the quality in defence to make it work though.

 

[toffeepie1878]

Didn’t van dijks defense ship 3 against Leeds on the opening day?

Unlike the Everton defence shipping 2/3 per game?

 

[Ring master]

EVERTON V LEEDS SATURDAY 5.30PM

Referee: Chris Kavanagh.
Assistants: Dan Cook, Constantine Hatzidakis.
Fourth official: Darren England.
VAR: Andre Marriner.
Assistant VAR: Lee Betts.


Were others are

Palace v Newcastle Friday 8PM
Referee: Graham Scott. Assistants: Peter Kirkup, Simon Long. Fourth official: Michael Salisbury. VAR: Jarred Gillett. Assistant VAR: Eddie Smart.

Brighton v Liverpool Saturday 12.30PM
Referee: Stuart Attwell. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn. Fourth official: Simon Hooper. VAR: Kevin Friend. Assistant VAR: Simon Beck.

Man City v Burnley Saturday 3PM
Referee: Lee Mason. Assistants: Richard West, Adrian Holmes. Fourth official: Anthony Taylor. VAR: Robert Jones. Assistant VAR: Scott Ledger.

West Brom v Sheff Utd Saturday 8PM
Referee: Mike Dean. Assistants: Darren Cann, Mark Scholes. Fourth official: Gavin Ward. VAR: Martin Atkinson. Assistant VAR: Ian Hussin.

Southampton v Man utd Sunday 2PM
Referee: Jonathan Moss. Assistants: Marc Perry, Dan Robathan. Fourth official: Graham Scott. VAR: Martin Atkinson. Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood.

Cheslea v spurs Sunday 4.30PM
Referee: Paul Tierney (pictured). Assistants: Lee Betts, Ian Hussin. Fourth official: Mike Dean. VAR: Craig Pawson. Assistant VAR: Stephen Child.

Arsenal v Wolves Sunday 7.15PM
Referee: Michael Oliver. Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett. Fourth official: David Coote. VAR: Andre Marriner. Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.

Leicester v Fulham Monday 5.30PM
Referee: Simon Hooper. Assistants: Derek Eaton, Harry Lennard. Fourth official: Andy Madley. VAR: Darren England. Assistant VAR: Stephen Child.

West Ham v Villa Monday 8PM
Referee: Peter Bankes. Assistants: Neil Davies, James Mainwaring. Fourth official: Anthony Taylor. VAR: Stuart Attwell. Assistant VAR: Stephen Child

 

[mahermi1]

I think an exact list is pretty difficult to write. Probably high 2nd tier? So Leeds, Newcastle, Everton, Aston Villa. Until a few years ago I'd have put Spurs in that group. All clubs that should be competing for honours, and would be targeting a Cup win if European qualification weren't the be-all and end-all of modern footie. Next tier down would be the likes of Forest, Leicester, Sunderland, both Sheffield teams, Derby, West Ham, Southampton and Portsmouth, with Leicester being the closest to joining that arehigh second tier, which I think they will if they keep their league positions up a few years.

Tbf, Leeds are far too big a club to not be in the top division for so long, very vocal fanbase, who have always come out in numbers to support their team. I for one am glad to see them back. Could still name theirs and our team from 1970, two best teams in the land at that time.

 

[Furey1878]

Wonder if Carlo would play Iwobi as a full back if we went back to a back 4?

That said, I think the team will be unchanged from Sunday, though if he's fit I'd sub out Mina for Holgate and have Keane as the middle man in the back 3.

Pickford
Godrey Mina Keane
Iwobi-------------------------Digne
Douc Allan
James-------------------------Richy
DCL​

 

[toffeepie1878]

Wonder if Carlo would play Iwobi as a full back if we went back to a back 4?

That said, I think the team will be unchanged from Sunday, though if he's fit I'd sub out Mina for Holgate and have Keane as the middle man in the back 3.

Pickford
Godrey Mina Keane
Iwobi-------------------------Digne
Douc Allan
James-------------------------Richy
DCL​

Mina is ****, I would swap his position with Godfrey and fill the void with Holgate

 

[Jamo Martinez]

--------------Pickford---------------
-----Coleman Keane Holgate------
-------------Allan-------------Digne
Iwobi------------Doucouré---------
--------------James--------Richy---
--------------C-Lewin---------------
--------------------------------------
Really like what I saw in spells on Sunday, and so I'd be willing to give it another try on the proviso we have at least one of Holgate or Coleman back in for Mina to compliment Keane's defensive style. Iwobi slightly further up than Digne being able to exploit the space coming in off the right was a revelation; the only issue being the lack of legs in the middle when Allan and James begin to tire (so an early Davies substitution could work nicely in this system). It's imperative that Doucouré is on his game, linking defence and attack and tracking those runners from deep. Gordon to come on for a tiring Richarlison/James to grab the goal that seals victory.

Alternatively, we could bring Nkounkou on, move Digne to central defence and push Holgate into Allan's position.

Though Davies was fine against Fulham tbf

 

[KaiserEFC]

This will be every attacking player for each team getting tons of shots and at least a brace each, the midfielders running left then right with the ball flying over them like they’re watching a tennis game and the defenders running around falling over to the Benny Hill theme. Could be the highest combined score ever seen in professional football this

 

[toffeepie1878]

Alternatively, we could bring Nkounkou on, move Digne to central defence and push Holgate into Allan's position.

Though Davies was fine against Fulham tbf

As long as Mina or Sigs are not mentioned is all good

 

[Mkjjones]

This will be every attacking player for each team getting tons of shots and at least a brace each, the midfielders running left then right with the ball flying over them like they’re watching a tennis game and the defenders running around falling over to the Benny Hill theme. Could be the highest combined score ever seen in professional football this

Yea so true tbh it could be a cricket score!

 

[mumwasablue]

Leeds to win a pulsating encounter 5 2. Been waiting 16 years to return to Goodison . We should be a bit tighter at the back now Phillips has returned. We havent managed to play all our new signings together so hopefully we will improve and get to 40 points. Two good managers should be interesting tactically.

 

[ButOkayThatsFootball]

Alternatively, we could bring Nkounkou on, move Digne to central defence and push Holgate into Allan's position.

Though Davies was fine against Fulham tbf

Could see Digne/Nkounkou playing LCB and LWB rather than perhaps rushing Coleman or Holgate back, but I can't foresee Ancelotti moving Holgate out of position to replace Allan (even if we could do with more legs to screen the back four than we have presently).

With regards to Davies, I was saying that he deserves 30 minutes (rather than 10-15) while the game's still in the balance to impress further, which could be realistic given the high intensity at which the game will no doubt be played.

 

[catcherintherye]

Hi Guys, Leeds fan here.

Nice to see you're so confident against us - mood on our side is that we're also pretty confident so it'll be interesting to see how things pan out.

I think the two results before Arsenal distorted how a lot of people were seeing us. Leicester we got beat fair and square, although the margin was a tad misleading looking at the xG. Palace was simply a '[Poor language removed] happens' day - Dann's header deflects off both Koch & the bar, Bamford's 1st disallowed, Eze cracks one in from 30 yards off the bar and a freak deflection off Costa. We went in 3-1 down at HT with Palace having created 0.32xG.

Arsenal we were well on top against 11, as soon as they went down to 10 they gave up on attacking and parked the bus. 3 hits of the woodwork that (unlike Palace's a week prior) didn't go our way and two bad misses from Ayling and Klich, plus some good stops from Leno. A game we should have won with better finishing, which was our Achilles Heel last year in the EFL.

Our team selection is a bit uncertain. Alioski came in at LB for Arsenal, with Stuart Dallas moving to CM. Both performed well so who you drop is a tough choice. Rodrigo (our usual CAM) will have had another week's Covid recovery so I'd expect Bielsa will want him to start, and Hernandez should be fit enough for the bench.

Bielsa always likes to have an extra man at the back so if you're going 4-4-2 with Rodriguez on the right, I'd expect us to line up in a 3-3-1-3. I'd expect Dallas to be given the job of marking Rodriguez - he's done a similar job on other 10s e.g. Eze for QPR, Pereira for WBA.

As has been said elsewhere, I'd expect us to try and attack and dominate the ball from the first minute. We tend to use the wings to overload before cutting back into the penalty area, with the Dallas/Harrison/Rodrigo and Ayling/Raphinha/Klich triangles being key for interplay on the edge of the box.

My best guess at our side to start the game will be:

(3-3-1-3)
1. Illan Meslier
5. Robin Koch
23. Kalvin Phillips
6. Liam Cooper (c)
2. Luke Ayling
43. Mateusz Klich
15. Stuart Dallas
20. Rodrigo
18. Raphinha
9. Patrick Bamford
22. Jack Harrison

or

(4-1-4-1)

1. Illan Meslier
2. Luke Ayling
5. Robin Koch
6. Liam Cooper
15. Stuart Dallas
23. Kalvin Phillips
18. Raphinha
43. Mateusz Klich
20. Rodrigo
22. Jack Harrison
9. Patrick Bamford

Subs: 13. Kiko Casilla, 7. Ian Poveda, 10. Gianni Alioski, 11. Tyler Roberts, 17. Helder Costa, 19. Pablo Hernandez, 21. Pascal Struijk

While you are well drilled you look to me like a side about to be found out. Not scoring past 10 man Arsenal for 40 odd minutes is poor.

Looking at your team, however well drilled you are, it's just a long way behind our 11. Theres not really a single player I'd take for our 11, or in all honesty probably our bench.

I think you will stay up this season but probably get relegated the season after a bit like Sheffield United. The jump is just too big and you concede too many.

For us, if we want to kick on, these are the games we really just have to win. I suspect we will do so pretty comfortably and the levels between the two teams will show.

 

[donny]

The clever managers park the bus and hit Leeds on the break. Leicester City did this perfectly, they only had 32% possession and won 4 - 1. Not sure we have the quality in defence to make it work though.

Agree with a lot of your points.Attacking wise we are well capable of destroying Leeds especially down the left.Obviously our defensive qualities are a worry and the energy this guy has instilled into his team has been impressive.Think we will do them though Holgate in for Yerry and Seamus back would do for me.As for Leicester plan worked v Leeds but they were pathetic and clueless v RS

 

[Lloydystark]

Pickford
Holgate Mina Keane
Iwobi Doucoure Allan Digne
James
DCL Richarlison

Godfrey for mina