Everton v CHELSEA: Preview

Date: Sunday 10^th December 2023

Venue: Goodison Park

Kick-off: 14:00 GMT

I was hearing yesterday United are 1 step forward and 2 steps back this season, so by that logic, we must be 1 toe in the water and ….realising we need a life jacket…but there’s only a junior one available and it’s deflated…..so we’ll flail about a bit, looking ridiculous….then the whistle goes and we realise it’s the lifeguard because we’re in 2 inches of water with the toddlers. That about covers our current situation.

We were so poor against Newcastle you’d be forgiven for thinking we couldn’t get any worse. Our ill-discipline reared its head again against Brighton as soon as we found ourselves in the driving seat but fair play, we dug-in and managed a rare 3-points at home. But then came the trip to Old Trafford midweek and we went full-on sloth mode. You’d get more energy at a narcolepsy convention.

True, United stepped it up against us, coming out all guns blazing but we’ve taken on better teams than them this season and come off the pitch with points and dignity. Wednesday night though, was just shockingly shit. In fact, it was completely unacceptable all round. If Pochettino got it right against Brighton, he got it all wrong against United. Reece James starting from the bench after an injury I get, but after a suspension? What is he, a naughty schoolboy? As for Nkunku and Lavia, I’m beginning to think we signed them as desk-clerks.

On to today’s game and it’s a trip to Goodison Park to take on a resurgent Everton side with the bit firmly between their teeth after their points deduction. If that happens to us, you can expect complete surrender from our wet flannels by the way. Everton though, seem galvanised from the sense of injustice, with Dyche dragging them back out of the bottom three with back-to-back wins. Last time out, they trounced Newcastle, albeit a late flourish but it was the same Newcastle who cruised against us.

We haven’t managed a clean sheet in 8 games, conceding for fun in most of them. Oh, and we’ve won just one of our last eight Premier League away games on a Sunday.

We can almost write the script.

MANAGER’S VIEWS

Going into today’s game, Everton manager, Sean Dyche, says “The realities are there, well the current realities, but Chelsea are a really strong outfit. They’re a bit up and down with a new manager finding his group and all that sort of stuff. I was at Old Trafford – they’ve still got quality, they’ve still got pace, they’ve still got a depth of experience in football, so we’ve got to be ready.  They’re a good side and a big club but it’s a home game and we’re a big club ourselves and our fans are going to be right up for it obviously so all those things help with the energy and that little bit extra energy that you sometimes need as a footballer and as a team. We’ll certainly be coming back to Goodison in good shape for the next challenge.”

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, says “We lay out the strategy. Then, if you are at Chelsea, one natural thing that you need to have is the fire.  If not, we are going to struggle all season. We need to show that we care, to show that we are going to be ready to fight. That is non-negotiable. Football is about a lot of things but we need to start with this.

We started really sloppy and too flat against Newcastle. Also against Manchester United. Come on! Okay, we are a young team, in the process of building. There can be a lack of understanding of concepts or a need to improve in our build-up or positioning. Those things can grow in time. But going there to run and to fight and to match them in our will – the areas you need to match all the teams – not doing that is unacceptable. We need to work on this.

When the team is mature and has the experience to assimilate the situation when the coaching staff is angry, it’s not a problem. But we need to approach it in a different way. We are talking about 19, 20, 21-year-olds with not too much experience in the Premier League. We always need to think about how we can affect them and the consequences. And the consequences are the most important. Sometimes we are like professors in a university, or not even a university, a school. Sometimes we are friends or fathers. And sometimes we are coaches that need to put demands on them to perform. The approach is really difficult but at the moment we are only missing the results. The process is going well.”

SQUAD NEWS

For Everton, Dele Alli (groin) remains out, Amadou Onana (calf) and Andre Gomes (fitness) are doubts, Pickford (knee) will also face a late test. Seamus Coleman made his return against Everton and James Garner (illness) is expected to be available.

For Chelsea, Wesley Fofana (knee), Ben Chilwell (Hamstring), Trevoh Chalobah (thigh), and Carney Chukwuemeka (knee) all remain unavailable. Levi Colwill (shoulder) and Malo Gusto (knee) remain out, whilst Christopher Nkunku (knee) and Romeo Lavia (ankle) have been training but of course won’t make the bench because it’s not as if we need them. Conor Gallagher is available following suspension.

TEAMS

EVERTON (Possible line-up): Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Young, Gueye, Doucoure, McNeil; Harrison; Calvert-Lewin

CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Sanchez; James, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Caicedo, Fernandez; Sterling, Gallagher, Palmer; Jackson

LAST SEASON

Everton 0-1 Chelsea (6 August 2022)

CURRENT FORM (PL)

EVERTON: WDWLWW

CHELSEA: LWDLWL

OTHER STUFF

• Chelsea won this fixture on the opening day of last season.
• Chelsea haven’t won consecutive Premier League games at Everton for 15 years.
• Everton have won back-to-back Premier League games for the first time in 14 months.
• Chelsea have won only twice in their last seven Premier League games.
• Everton have won eight of their last 12 games in all competitions.
• Chelsea have lost their last two away in the league.
• Everton could earn successive home league victories for the first time since February.
• Chelsea have lost 17 Premier League matches in 2023.

PREDICTION

Sportsmole: Everton 1-1 Chelsea