Everton are starting to discover that they are a much better away team than at home, which is a real shame because the new Hill Dickinson Stadium is a magnificent edifice dedicated to the future of the Toffees. Is it bad luck? Bad tactics? Fixtures? Or a combination of all three?
While the fans have done everything to make the boys feel at home in their new home, including unveiling a giant tifo in the magnificently steep South Stand, the Blues’ adventurous ways and lackadaisical setpiece defending
have led to a miserable home record of four wins, three draws and four defeats, only 14th best in the league.
Tomorrow’s opponents Leeds have the 18th best away record with just one win on the road – away at Wolves in the first month of the new season. Everton have just one win at home in their last five games, and will have to be aware that former Blue Dominic Calvert-Lewin is going to come in with a humongous chip on his shoulder, especially given his decent current form.
David Moyes will have a major boost with AFCON-winning Idrissa Gana Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye back at Finch Farm. The trio of Jarrad Branthwaite, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Charly Alcaraz all resumed training this week, but it’s hard to imagine any of them starting tomorrow.
Who’s Out?
Michael Keane is suspended for the last of his three-game suspension following that red card against Wolves. Jack Grealish (foot) and Timothy Iroegbunam (groin) are the only long-term injuries, with all of Jarrad Branthwaite (hamstring), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (hamstring) and Carlos Alcaraz (thigh) returning to training.
Everton squad available vs Leeds
Goalkeepers: Pickford, Travers, King
Defenders: Keane (SUSPENDED), Branthwaite (TRAINING), Tarkowski, O’Brien, Mykolenko, Coleman, Patterson, Aznou
Midfielders: Gueye, Garner, Iroegbunam (INJURED), Dewsbury-Hall (TRAINING), Röhl, Armstrong
Wingers: McNeil, Ndiaye, Grealish (INJURED), Dibling, Alcaraz (TRAINING)
Strikers: Beto, Barry
Tactics and Formation
Everton will likely stick to the 4-2-3-1 they’ve used so far, with the 4-4-2 only deployed in case of emergency.
Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)
Jordan Pickford – 9/10
Vitaliy Mykolenko – 8/10
Jake O’Brien – 8/10 Like a completely different player when in his natural habitat.
James Tarkowski – 8/10
Nathan Patterson – 7/10 Given another chance to keep showing his value to the overall balance.
James Garner – 9/10 Everton’s most in-form player right now.
Idrissa Gueye – 9/10 A hearty welcome back.
Dwight McNeil – 8/10 Will he go left and Ili right, or vice versa? Could they be dynamic?
Harrison Armstrong – 6/10 It’s a close choice between him and Rohl, but young Harrison wins out on his early game energy and adventure.
Iliman Ndiaye – 9/10 A hearty welcome back, sequel.
Thierno Barry – 9/10 At this point he’s pretty much guaranteed to start.
Bench
Mark Travers
Tom King
Jarrad Branthwaite – A hearty welcome back, the trifecta.
Adam Aznou
Tyler Dibling
Beto – The rumours about a move away are picking up steam.
Merlin Rohl – Unfortunate to drop to the bench, especially with the strides he made in that Aston Villa win.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – How we’ve missed KDH’s skillset and energy. A hearty welcome back, part 4.
Carlos Alcaraz – Charly remains at his best as a second-half sub, might see that again soon. A hearty welcome back, v 5.0
