Match Thread Everton vs Burnley - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

Everton Man of the Match


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Carlo Ancelotti insists he is fortunate to have formidable Seamus Coleman as the standard-bearer in an Everton squad advancing faster than the manager believed was possible.

Italian Ancelotti is ready to welcome back Coleman from a short layoff for Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Burnley.

And Ancelotti compared influential Everton captain Coleman with a trio of colossuses from his former clubs, likening Coleman’s natural leadership qualities to those of Paolo Maldini, Sergio Ramos and John Terry - Champions League-winning skippers of AC Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea, respectively.

Everton claimed six points from three matches in Coleman’s absence and remain on course for their European qualification target.

Coleman’s most recent appearance came in the Merseyside derby success at Anfield three weeks ago.

But Ancelotti was especially struck by the Irishman’s stirring effort when he came off the bench to play out of position on the right of midfield in last month’s FA Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

It is important for a manager to have in his squad a player who is setting the standards really high,” Ancelotti told evertontv.

“Seamus is an example for the others. In this sense, he is the same as John Terry, Paolo Maldini, Sergio Ramos; all great models for their teammates.

“Sometimes, you see players sitting on the bench not ready and not focused because they are not playing.

“But in that situation Seamus is a fantastic example.

“He is not happy if he doesn’t start but he is ready to play, even for one minute.

“Against Tottenham, he played really well with fantastic spirit and he would play with the same spirit for one minute.”

Coleman – who “will be back against Burnley”, according to Ancelotti – is 11 games away from becoming the sixth Everton player to reach 300 Premier League appearances.

He has played 339 times in total since joining in January 2009 but only eight of those matches were in European competition.

The 32-year-old – who was injured for Everton’s 2017/18 Europa League campaign – will add to his continental experience if Ancelotti’s side retain their grip on sixth position.

A three-match winning sequence before Monday’s defeat at Chelsea even sparked talk of Champions League qualification.

Ancelotti is maintaining his stance of targeting a top-six finish, however – and insists the credit for Everton raising expectations belongs to his players.

Comparing Everton’s current standing – four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, with a game in hand – with their spot in 12th, 11 points adrift of the top four, exactly one year ago, Ancelotti conceded the turnaround was beyond anything he could have expected.

“One year ago, if someone said to us, ‘Next year, you will be four points behind fourth, with a game in hand’, I could say, 'You are crazy’,” said Ancelotti, who will monitor the fitness of James Rodriguez before making a decision on the forward’s availability this weekend.

“The next step is to fight for the position in Europe.

“The ambition is quite clear. It was the ambition at the beginning of the season, we are not so close to the end but to be here [in contention] is really important.

“These players deserve credit because they are doing well.

“The defeat against Chelsea doesn’t affect this – we are motivated to be in the fight.

“When you lose, you have to be disappointed, but not too much. It was not our best night but the quality of Chelsea was really good.

“The important games are coming – against Burnley and Crystal Palace – to fight for Europe.”
 
If they play their normal flat 4-4-2 ( can Dyche play any other way ) then a 4-4-2 diamond is probably the way to go
Hopefully James / Siggy can find the space in between their two lines of 4


Pickford
Coleman
Godfrey
Keane
Digne
Davies
Allan
Gomes
James /Siggy
DCL
Ricarlison

If James is fit I’d play him unless Carlo is keeping him for the City game
However given the choice I’d play him against Burnley because the City game is a free swing that I doubt we will win
League is more important
9 from 9 in the next 3 puts us back in the frame for top 4
 

If Mina is fit he might get in as Burnley's threat will come from set pieces or long balls but not sure who would miss out if that's the case
Knowing Carlo Godfrey LB with Digne in midfield
Davide did say he picks the best 11 available to him and finds a system to suit rather than forcing players into a rigid system
Might even be 3 at the back with Coleman and Digne as Wing Backs
One never knows with Carlo
 
Knowing Carlo Godfrey LB with Digne in midfield
Davide did say he picks the best 11 available to him and finds a system to suit rather than forcing players into a rigid system
Might even be 3 at the back with Coleman and Digne as Wing Backs
One never knows with Carlo
This would be a good option, with.

3-4-3
Pickford
Keane Mina Godfrey
Coleman Allan Davies Digne
Sigurdsson / Bernard
Richarlison DCL


Maybe change to a 3-4-2-1 with James and Richarlison behind DCL, if James is fit and available.
Disclaimer: I know f-all about tactics / strategy or how Ancelotti thinks, but this looks good on paper. My only thinking in choosing this 11 was to keep Iwobi and Holgate out. :p
 

This will be a slog

Burnley are only 4 points above relegation zone

They drew 4 of their last 5 games against Arsenal, Leicester, Brighton and Fulham
Also since been back in the prem they have lost all games at Goodison, bar that 1-0 win few years back when they scored a good goal with about 20 odd passes or whatever it was that that time

Burnley's last 6 away wins or 9 from 10 have came without conceeding a goal
 
After cramming loads of games in and then having a break is ridiculous.
They seem to want to forget about that villa away game lol, which now looks cert for early midweek april, we cant even play that villa game on the date of the semi final of the cup as we have a home prem game with spurs
 

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