If you want my official prediction, Ronald Koeman will be sacked by the end of next Thursday. We’ll lose to Arsenal and then to Chelsea. I don’t think the board will be able to stand by much longer, as Goodison, when we inevitably go one-nil down, will be as toxic as anything during the Martínez premiership.
Ronald Koeman is adamant he’s the man for the job, and the players seem to be backing him – that is at least if you can read anything into the pre-and-post-match platitudes. But while they say they’re backing him, they certainly aren’t playing for him. As much as I have moaned at Ronald Koeman this season, and I’m certainly not in the minority, the players have to share the blame 50-50. They’re just playing horrendously.
No matter how bad a system may be, that doesn’t stifle individual ability so much so that Idrissa Gana Gueye turns into a League One-level player, or that Gylfi Sigurdsson becomes non-existent.
While we all are purely exasperated with Ronald Koeman now, and yes, he does still need to be sacked, we need to look at the big name players brought in, where only one player, arguably two in Jordan Pickford and Nikola Vlašić, have contributed anything significantly.
I know I haven’t talked much about Arsenal, but you know what they’re like by now. They play some nice football and have really nice hair, and they’ll beat us.
GK - Jordan Pickford
A heroic display on Thursday night couldn’t help us to three points against Lyon, sealing European elimination all but definitely.
RWB - Jonjoe Kenny
As masochistic as I may be, I do not want to see Cuco Martina occupying a full-back spot again.
Kenny starts.
CB - Ashley Williams
There’s hope yet.
I’ve been a staunch defender of Williams (in comparison to most of Goodison who would have him hung) and he finally repaid some of that confidence on Thursday night with a near career-best performance. He was immense.
We’re going to need the same level from him this weekend if we want any chance of taking down Sanchez, Lacazette and Özil.
CB - Phil Jagielka
Jagielka put in a good shift last time out and he returns to the side against Arsenal in a 5-at-the-back system.
CB - Mason Holgate
We need some speed in central defence and Holgate, who has looked more and more like an established first-team player this season, can offer just that.
He’ll need to cover for Baines (spoiler) at Left-Back where we know he can play to a decent level, offering Baines more freedom so he can worry less about tracking back so desperately and hopefully inject some more venom into his attacking play, the thing which made him an Everton legend in the first place.
LWB - Leighton Baines
I’ve said most of what I need to about Baines just there, but he hasn’t had a good run these last two months.
He’s been consistently caught in two minds when it comes to his defensive and offensive work, so if Holgate can lighten the load defensively, maybe we can see the Baines of old on the left flank.
CM - Tom Davies
A very average showing on Thursday but we know the incredible ability that Davies has and we’ll need it against Arsenal.
They don’t like players willing to get aggressive, as shown by their ineptitude in dealing with Troy Deeney last week, and Davies can be that player.
As Naismith was those years ago, Davies can be on Sunday.
CM - Gylfi Sigurdsson
A decent free kick gets you into the Everton team nowadays.
But Sigurdsson did look slightly improved on Thursday, and we need some form of playmaking threat, so let’s put it on Sigurdsson to provide.
Please.
CM - James McCarthy
Idrissa Gana Gueye has been poor, Morgan Schneiderlin has been worse.
As much as I do love Mo Bešić, he’d get himself sent off within 5 minutes of playing this weekend.
So, the returning James McCarthy it is.
He certainly can’t be worse than what we’ve got already out there, and he’s coming back with a point to prove to Koeman.
ST - Wayne Rooney
Rooney had one of his best showings this season against Brighton last Sunday, so let’s hope he can keep that motivation going into the Arsenal fixture, on the anniversary of his goal for Everton against the Gunners all those years ago, this week.
ST - Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Calvert-Lewin must be clawing at his head wondering what he has to do to get on the scoresheet for Everton this season (in the league).
He’s had so many opportunities denied by immense saves, and some by unfortunate deflections.