If you want a quick little preview: Brighton are going to win. Carry on with your day, gents.
We’re heading into another game filled with negativity as we come up against a side with a semblance of defensive organisation and a stable, productive midfield. Add that to the fact that Brighton have general footballing ability and all of the above spells disaster for Everton. As we all know the horrors of setting up a team decently, and the pain that causes the mighty Blues.
We’re going to see Sigurdsson deployed out wide again with Schneiderlin and Gueye rotting the place in midfield with Pickford spending large amounts of his time on the pitch shouting at Ashley Williams while Leighton Baines fails to block a cross and Calvert-Lewin is relaxing on the deck chair he so conveniently packed far and away at the opposite end of the pitch, with Rooney and Klaassen failing to get the ball anywhere near him again.
What positivity? 2-0 Brighton.
Up the Ev’
GK - Jordan Pickford
It’s not going to be anyone else at this point, is it?
RB - Jonjoe Kenny
Kenny plays mainly for the fact that Martina isn’t due another crucifying just yet, we’ll save that for Goodison.
And Kenny knows how to block a cross.
Probably.
CB - Michael Keane
Williams needs to be taking out of the firing line ASAP and, hopefully with Keane getting some minutes for his country over the break, he’s going to be a bit fresher than in recent weeks.
CB - Phil Jagielka
Coming back from an injury, there is probably no other side in the Premier League that I’d rather never return to than Everton. As soon as Jagielka makes one mis-step, he’s going to be in the queue for a swift execution, just behind Martina and Williams.
LB - Mason Holgate
We know full well Holgate will be warming the bench again with Lookman, both looking on wondering what they have to do to be better than the rotten jokes that get thrown out week after week, but alas, Koeman is none the wiser.
In all seriousness, Holgate looked very good at Left-Back deputising for Baines when he was last deployed there, and with Baines’ declining form, it’s time for a change of the guard.
RM - Aaron Lennon
Lennon is a direct winger, and as I’ve said many times before, sometimes that is just what we need.
He has looked good in his limited game time this season so there’s no reason not to give him a chance.
CM - Tom Davies
Davies had a nightmare against Limassol, but that’s nowhere near a good enough reason to suggest he shouldn’t be miles ahead of whatever Koeman is calling a midfield nowadays.
He’s our most talented midfielder and he needs to be playing.
CM - Davy Klaassen
A slower midfield battle might suit Klaassen, who has been labelled a flop by many fans already.
I’m never one to judge players so quickly, however.
I promise.
LM - Nikola Vlašić
Now I know I’m completely contradicting my previous point about Lookman, but I’ve never preached to be a bastion of consistency.
Vlašić is just incredibly talented, and will always take responsibility for his own shortcomings, which is something sorely lacking in the rest of this Everton team.
ST - Sandro Ramírez
Sandro has been woeful thus far, but that’s not a good metric to use here as the entire team fits that bill.
Give him a chance to play off of Calvert-Lewin (Spoilers) and see what he can do.
If he can’t be effective against Brighton then I don’t know where to go with him from there.
ST - Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Again contradicting myself, Calvert-Lewin is one of only 3 or 4 players who can look back at this start to the season and be proud. He has been excellent, especially considering he has had to fill the boots of one of the best strikers on the planet.
While he may not be Romelu Lukaku, there’s no reason he can’t be the main man at Everton.