06 Dec 2024 06:55:44
Think tomorrow is absolutely crucial game for us, if we could win it's been an excellent week, the point at Newcastle is a good point.
Legs look an issue understandably, not sure our squad is as strong as people make out. I think he will need to freshen it up, I'd go for :
Kelleher, trent, quansah, vvd, gomez.
Endo, Jones, szobo. Elliott, nunez, diaz
I think robbo+grav need a breather, also I'd try and get half out of Elliott and take salah on for 2nd half, he played a lot of minutes recently and I'd be careful with him. Also I don't think there be much football played 1st half, Everton won't let us play but game should open out bit more in 2nd half and try and finish game with your best team on the field.
06 Dec 2024 07:16:57
I agree 7 points from the 3 games would be more that good enough. Then we get a week until our next PL game which is at home. We need to match Everton’s intensity.
06 Dec 2024 07:20:36
Salah, vvd and Grav have started every league game this season.
I expect it to be very much the same with Jones in for Mac and Trent starting.
I think Tuesdays game we might see some changes as top 24 is guaranteed (I believe) and we only need (I think) 1 more win from the last 3 to get top 8.
With Real out of the CL and City out of the title race we’re still in a good position 7 points clear.
06 Dec 2024 07:35:04
It'd be a risk starting Endo for the first time this season.
I don't think it will happen.
06 Dec 2024 08:26:46
I’m an advocate for Endo Rigsby but I agree with you mate. I think he should’ve of been given time before December to better prepared for these situations
Everton for me is a game he should be starting. At least minutes under the belt before we go into one of the biggest games of the season.
06 Dec 2024 08:43:30
I would love to see Endo start but he is coming in so cold. I just hope slot doesn’t underestimate the intensity of the derby. Like Digger said, there will not be much football first half.
It seems he was ill-prepared for the St James’s Park atmosphere the other night but it is his first season in charge, so a steep learning curve.
06 Dec 2024 09:06:53
Personally for me Endo starts and match them for physicality and then the quality should come through
Up the pool.
06 Dec 2024 09:08:44
On Tuesday I wouldn’t send any first choice starters. We only need 1 point to qualify and we can deal with that at home later on.
06 Dec 2024 10:15:48
@Coulred, I agree with the other guys. You cannot start Endo in a derby of this magnitude (last one at Goodison) for his first start of the season. Slot would simply be setting him up to fail potentially cos he is out of rhythm, not playing a lot of minutes and is coming in essentially cold. I would say the same for Elliott, as well. Nah, I don't think it will happen either.
As for where we are and if I'm not mistaken, We've won 7 or our 9 league games (2 draws) since our loss to Forrest. If you add the CL games alone it's 12 out of 14. That is absolutely insane and had we been told this would happen after that Forrest loss would have all taken it and ran away.
So let's take it one game at a time and refocus. Sure we have injuries but that's life so we stick it out till better days come thru. 7 or 9 points or 11 points gap ain't worth that much after 14 games played, either.
06 Dec 2024 10:36:55
It will depend on the fitness of Grav. He looked knackered against Newcastle he could barely move and constantly gave the ball away.
06 Dec 2024 10:39:12
In hindsight it would have been a great time to blood Endo in to the team after the last international window where i imagine he played 2 lots of 90 mins.
The fact that Slot has only used him for 20 minutes across 6 league games suggests he isn't going to start but who knows Slot might throw a curve ball.
I imagine Endo would be well up for starting any game but i agree that it wouldn't be fair on the lad because its almost setting him up to fail if things don't go well.
06 Dec 2024 11:18:00
Think it'll be strong as possible tomorrow, Girona on the other hand i'd be putting out a team of squaddies nd kids.
06 Dec 2024 11:38:13
The problem is FM what is the strongest side. I doubt Robbo is in good shape or Grav. Hopefully Ali is back.
06 Dec 2024 13:37:16
I think all the players might get a rest tomorrow. Darragh might play havoc to sporting fixtures.