Preview: Everton v Chelsea

I have been dreading writing/thinking about Chelsea today.......

Good Afternoon Ladies and Gents,

Welcome to a gloomy Thursday as a Chelsea fan, I have been dreading writing or thinking about last nights game all day today.

I have decided that I am completely erasing it from my memory from now on.

DISLCAIMER: This article will be a mostly positive outlook on this weekends fixture and if you are not ready for that do not continue reading.

Preview and Team News:

Everton have been very good this season and have a true Dyche look about them. Their league position does not reflect their form due to FFP issues and the points deduction they have received.

The positives for this game are Everton’s home form, they have picked up 4 points from a possible 21 at home so far this season. Whilst their other points have all come away from home. They are yet to play in this midweek fixture list and they host Newcastle tonight.

We will know more on their team news tomorrow, BUT Everton are expecting Calvert-Lewin and Onana to return v Newcastle tonight, meaning they will probably be available on Sunday, Everton have almost a fully fit squad apart from those.

Chelsea will have Conor Gallagher back in their ranks on Sunday as well as the possible inclusion of Christopher Nkunku back in to the squad. After his 45 mins last night, Reece James should now be available for selection from the start.

The game:

Firstly we need to see a mentality switch from last night, we need to come out of the traps and really push Everton back from the first minute, we cannot allow their fans to get behind the team and encourage them.

We also need to learn to take games by the scruff of the neck and what I mean by that is when things aren’t working we need to stand up and be counted and change the way we are playing, after 30 mins last night we should have decided that playing from the back wasn’t working and we kept forfeiting possession. I understand that the manager wants them to play that way and I accept that, BUT when something is clearly not working the players need to stand up and make a change, even if it is for 10 mins to relieve some pressure.

We get in behind teams really well, what we do when we get behind them is an issue and we look so unconfident in front of goal. Getting in behind Everton will be difficult, they are so compact and organised defensively, we will have to get through them.

Palmer will be the key to breaking Everton down and he along with James and Enzo have the passing ability to be able to break through.

My REALISTIC team:

We are yet to hear from Poch on team news and I assume none of the injured players will return by Sunday, so with that in mind this would be my REALISTIC lineup for Sunday.

Personally, Maatsen would be LB for me, but that will not happen, which is why I have not included that.

I would lineup in the usual 4-3-3, I would allow Palmer to drift inside to create with Reece there to overlap and use the space on the right flank. Colwill starts at Left-back although I am not a fan of using him there as mentioned above, I would start Maatsen. Cucurella has been good in the bigger games where there is an atmosphere and the need for aggression and to be tight to his man, this is not a game for Cucurella.

I actually think Axel Disasi is very unlucky to miss out on this XI and the same could be argued for Jackson, A LOT of people said Jackson played okay against United, I couldn’t disagree much more, BUT its a game of opinions and everybody is entitled to their own.

The Team I would select:

I really toyed with an attacking back 3 for this fixture, purely because of the players available to us and putting people in their best positions. This is not something I would do going forward but now we are back up to 9 senior players injured (8 if Nkunku returns) this could work for one game.

It would look a little bit like this, with Gallagher the one to miss out, he has been on excellent form and I would have him back in the XI in the usual formation, but for me he is a little bit of a liability in a 2-man midfield.

This is just me playing around and having some fun and BY NO MEANS do I expect to see anything like this on Sunday.

Predictions:

I think we will end up winning this one, just.

It will be 2-1 to Chelsea with goals from Broja and Reece James.

I am hoping to see a 20 minute Nkunku cameo to brighten my mood.

Thanks for reading, have a great weekend and as always UP THE CHELS!

Luke Rushbrook