CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE OR BUST - SURVIVING THE EVERTON EXODUS

Saturday 1st September, 2018
AFC BOURNEMOUTH vs EVERTON
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
Dean Court, Bournemouth. Att: 10,576.

View attachment 146382 vs View attachment 146381

Pre-Match Odds
Bournemouth: 6-4 (fav) Draw: 2-1 Everton: 13-8​
The injuries to McCarthy and Baines provide opportunities for Veljkovic and Murru to claim first team places. Ryan Ledson is dropped to the bench to make way for Tom Cleverley in midfield and Cauley Woodrow returns upfront in place of Patrick Bamford. Mason Holgate and latest signing Jack Colback are both on the bench.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside:

HT - The first half was totally uneventful. We managed 8 shots but all of them were off target. Bournemouth had one. Roberts isn’t getting much joy against Alan Hutton on our left wing and Bournemouth are doubling up on Julian Brandt on the right hand side. Our crossing isn’t working at the moment, so I need to come up with a plan B.

48’ - I didn’t change anything tactically but suddenly we have found the breakthrough. For the second time since the break, Patrick Roberts raced down the left wing, skipped around a lunging tackle from Alan Hutton and floated a cross into the middle of the six yard box. Under pressure from the 6’7” Dan Burn, Cauley WOODROW stooped slightly to cushion his header beyond Adam Federici in the Bournemouth goal to give Everton the lead. 0-1.

54’ - From the D on the edge of the Bournemouth penalty area, Arnaud Lusamba strikes narrowly wide of the top left corner after an Everton corner from the right led to a defensive scramble.

60’ - Reyes picked up possession on the edge of the centre circle and chipped the ball over the Cherries defence to send Woodrow through in the inside left channel. But with only the goalkeeper to beat, he hooked his shot wide of the far post.

78’ - A smart Bournemouth move sees Wolski play Tom Carroll in on the left side of the penalty area but his fierce shot was always rising and flashed over the bar from a tight angle.

83’ - With time running out, Roberts, Veljkovic and Murru engage in a little keep-ball session on the halfway line, on the left wing. Then Roberts and Cleverley work the ball to the substitute Kevin-Prince Boateng, just advanced of the centre circle. His clipped pass puts fellow sub Patrick Bamford straight through between the two Bournemouth centre backs. Curtis Davies retreats but BAMFORD races away from him as he advances on goal, shooting left-footed to beat the goalkeeper at his near post from a narrow angle. 0-2.

87’ - Playing with a lot more confidence now, Everton attack with a sweeping move from right to left. Brandt finds Boateng in the middle and he plays a short forward pass to Bamford who hits the ball out to Roberts on the left wing. The Manchester City loanee sends the cross into the six yard box and Bamford is unlucky to see his header fly over the bar.

A strange match in which we toiled and struggled to find any space in the first half and then within two minutes of the restart we were in control. Calum Chambers impressed again at right back, particularly in the tackling department, and both Brandt and Roberts managed to make significant contributions in the second half. Good to see Patrick Bamford put the distraction of his rumoured move to Spurs behind him and get on the scoresheet for us again, today.
 
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Saturday 1st September, 2018
CHAMPIONSHIP - FULL CLASSIFIED CHECK - MATCHDAY 5
Steven Naismith scored on his Sheffield Wednesday debut in a 2-2 draw with Millwall. Bradford City are the early Championship pacesetters following an impressive 4-0 victory at Bristol City, with the aid of a hat-trick from their Italian striker Fernando Forestieri. Sunderland also scored four in their home win against Wigan Athletic, in which the visitors had Max Power sent off shortly before half-time. Our next opponents after the international break will be Brighton & Hove Albion who were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Fulham, thanks to Lasse Christensen's late injury time equaliser for The Cottagers.
 
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Monday 3rd September, 2018

TOFFEE BOOST

As I sit down to lunch after the Monday morning training session, my Assistant Manager Steve Round brings me some welcome news. With the transfer window having now closed, he has spoken to the four remaining players in the squad who had agitated for a move away and he happily reports that Leighton Baines, Patrick Bamford, Nicola Murru and Lorenzo Reyes have all accepted that there were no firm bids received from other clubs for their services and they have re-affirmed their commitment to Everton Football Club for the remainder of the season. Morale is very positive throughout the squad at the moment and knowing that these four players are all prepared to knuckle down and get on with the job in hand is very encouraging.
 
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Friday 13th September, 2018

Calum Slattery and Oscar Lewicki, both of whom have yet to make their Everton debuts due to injury, have been involved during the international break so they have edged closer to full fitness. Slattery lined up alongside Patrick Roberts in the England U21s for a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland. Ryan Ledson has belatedly confirmed that he is now happy to stay with us, so that’s a potential headache avoided.
 
Friday 13th September, 2018
EVERTON vs BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
Goodison Park, Liverpool. Att: 34,900.

View attachment 146263 vs View attachment 146262

Pre-Match Odds
Everton: 4-6 (fav) Draw: 9-4 Brighton: 7-2​

A few players return from their international assignments showing signs of fatigue, so I have made a few changes to the starting line up for his home match against the Championship’s 10th placed team. Brazilian full back Douglas rotates back into the side to replace Calum Chambers, who has been excellent recently but I don’t want Douglas to lose his match fitness. Ryan Ledson comes back into the team in place of Cleverley. Roberts is rested so I have moved Arnaud Lusamba to the left wing and brought Kevin-Prince Boateng in for his first Everton start. He is not fully fit so I may need to withdraw him during the second half. Steve Round is advising that we tackle hard against Brighton’s midfielders and attackers, but I have told Boateng to take it easy. Bamford is tired so the Romanian Florin Andone takes the striker’s berth on the bench.

Z cars a-go-go:

12’ - Nicola Murru throws the ball to Ledson and takes the return pass to the byline before crossing high into the 6 yard box. Figueroa heads it away but Arnaud Lusamba volleys low at goal, smacking the ball against the foot of the right hand post. Manu hooks the ball out for a throw.

20’ - Julian Brandt forces Jed Steer to make a smart save low to his right with an optimistic drive from a 35 yard free-kick.

HT - We’ve been the better team; Brighton haven’t managed a single shot, yet. The half-time match stats suggest that we have the advantage in the air but an examination of the aerial challenge stats for the two Brighton centre-backs vs my two central attackers shows that’s not the case in the danger area. Steve Round is still advising that we continue to cross high into the box, though, in the hope that Boateng or Woodrow will win one that matters.

66’ - A high free-kick to the far post from deep on the left by Manu his met by the head of Hunemeier but Denys Boyko makes an excellent save to ensure the match remains goalless.

76’ - I brought Andone on for Woodrow earlier and now I have thrown on Aaron Lennon, who is not match fit but I’m hoping he can do something in the last 15 minutes, with the team now instructed to attack. Brandt has gone over to the left wing and Lusamba is the one to make way.

79’ - Jed Steer’s clearance from outside his area is returned via Murru and Boateng, but Andone’s shot from 20 yards flies over.

84’ - Andone heads narrowly wide of the left hand post from Brandt’s corner.

Not a good day for my strikers who snatched at what few opportunities they had. But we never looked in danger of conceding and at least Boateng and Lennon have got a bit more game time under their belts to bring them back to match fitness. I need to put more thought into what my Plan B is going to be for matches like this one.
 
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Saturday 14th September, 2018
CHAMPIONSHIP - FULL CLASSIFIED CHECK - MATCHDAY 6
Our Friday night draw with Brighton temporarily lifted us to 2nd in the table but wins for Millwall and Wigan Athletic take them above us on Saturday. High flying Bradford City were held at home by AFC Bournemouth. My former club Sheffield Wednesday are our next opponents on Tuesday night and they'll be looking to kickstart their season after a 4-2 defeat at Fulham.
 
Tuesday 18th September, 2018
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY vs EVERTON
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
Hillsborough, Sheffield. Att: 21,362.

View attachment 1057779 vs View attachment 146226

Pre-Match Odds
Sheff Wed: 11-5 Draw: 11-5 Everton: Evens (fav)​
Wednesday are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, so I keep faith with our own 4-4-1-1 because I think Boateng should find some space between their midfield and defence. Calum Chambers returns at right back and Calum Slattery will make his Everton debut in central midfield. His fellow England U21 international returns to the left wing while Cauley Woodrow retains his starting spot up front, despite the return to full fitness of Patrick Bamford.
Take your time, lads:

15’ - Guillermo and Lex Immers link up well outside the Everton penalty area to work an opening for Immers, but his low shot is wide of the right-hand post.

17’ - Slattery’s ball from midfield finds Woodrow with has back to goal, 25 yards out. His reverse pass into the run of Julian Brandt plays the German in on goal, but Keiren Westwood does brilliantly to push the ball wide of the right-hand post.

18’ - Roberts floats a right wing corner to the near post and Milos Veljkovic’s header is caught by Westwood.

25’ - Wednesday’s Lex Immers chases the ball into the left corner before laying it off for Rob Hall to float a cross to the far post where Jeremy PIED has time to pick his spot with his header. 1-0.

HT - The match stats and player ratings make us out to be the better team, but Keiren Westwood is playing well in goal for them and we have struggled to attack them on the flanks, so far. I aggressively question the team’s passion and I’m pleased to see positive responses from all 11 players.

47’ - The crossbar comes to our rescue to deny Charlie Adam from a 25 yard free-kick. The ball is cleared for a corner which Adam takes, and Guillermo heads narrowly over from the near post.

69’ - Another left wing corner from Adam is headed just over by substitute Lucas Joao.

79’ - Denys Boyko can only parry another long range free-kick from Charlie Adam, but the ball bounces harmlessly away.

83’ - Calum Slattery misses a sitter when an Everton counter attack results in Chambers being the furthest man forward on the right wing. He reaches the byline and stands a cross up to the back post area but Slattery directs his header wide to the right, when the area immediately in front of him was unguarded!

86’ - Another chance goes begging. Chambers takes a throw from the right, mid-way inside the Wednesday half. Slattery sends a cross field pass over the back four and onto the foot of Patrick Roberts, stealing in on the left hand side. His first time shot is well struck and beats Westwood, only the ping back off the left hand post.

90’+2 - Patrick Bamford performs his defensive duty to head away Adam’s right wing corner and Roberts picks the ball up mid-way inside his own half, stepping around the challenge of Rob Hall to find Boateng on the halfway line. He holds the ball up as players pour forward and passes square to Bamford who picks out the run of an unmarked Roberts on the left. Patrick ROBERTS takes the ball on his thigh and as Parr and Ambrose try to close him down, he shifts the ball onto his left foot and fires the shot across the keeper, just inside the far post. A dramatic late equaliser! 1-1.

We deserved to get the late equaliser but I’m going to take some time to think about the tactical approach and consider what changes I should have made to get us on the attacking front sooner in the game. Like Bournemouth, Wednesday doubled-up on Julian Brandt on the right wing which limited his contribution. On the few occasions he was able to isolate Jonathan Parr - who was excellent for me at Wednesday last season - he was able to get past him, but for the most part Rob Hall was helping to keep our Leverkusen loanee under wraps. I could have switched the team’s instructions to play down the left wing, instead, but I’m also giving thought to alternative formations that will work with this same group of players.
 
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Tuesday 18th September, 2018
CHAMPIONSHIP - FULL CLASSIFIED CHECK - MATCHDAY 7
We slip down to 6th but none of the three teams who were ahead of us in the table yesterday won tonight, so we're still only three points off top spot. Brentford's 3-0 win at home to Rotherham United takes them up to 4th. Leeds have had a difficult start to the season but a hat-trick from their Senegalese striker Souleymane Doukara saw them to a 4-2 victory over Wigan Athletic. Watford are finding it hard to adjust to life in the Championship. Their 3-2 loss at Birmingham leaves them one place off the bottom with 6 defeats in 7 matches, so far.
 
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Thursday 20th September, 2018

TOFFEE NEWS IN BRIEF...
Florin Andone, the Romanian striker who slipped into the club while nobody was looking during the days that my own contract at Goodison Park was being discussed and finalised, is now complaining about his lack of first team action. Can’t say I blame him or that I’m surprised. I have promised him some first team action in the upcoming weeks. Patrick Bamford has done okay for me so far this season but Cauley Woodrow has only managed 2 goals in 7 starts so if Andone can produce the goods, he’ll put more pressure on me to select him more often.
Several players are edging back to full fitness after recent injury and a hastily arranged friendly for our U21s at Ashton Athletic put some of them through their paces. Aaron Lennon registered 4 assists in a 5-0 win. Ali Coote, Oscar Lewicki and Jack Colback also featured in the match.
 
Saturday 22nd September, 2018
EVERTON vs SUNDERLAND
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
Goodison Park, Liverpool. Att: 35,578.

View attachment 145990 vs View attachment 145989

Pre-Match Odds
Everton: 4-5 (fav) Draw: 2-1 Sunderland: 3-1​

Despite my decision to change formation to 4-2-3-1 for this home match against Slaven Bilic’s Sunderland, the back five players remain the same. Reyes retains his place in midfield but Ryan Ledson comes in to replace Calum Slattery. The wide men are the same but they are now positioned slightly higher up the pitch. Kevin-Prince Boateng will still operate in the Shadow Striker role. Carley Woodrow’s poor recent form means he drops to the bench and Patrick Bamford comes in to replace him. This is the first match of a double-header against Sunderland; we travel to The Stadium of Light on Tuesday in the Capital One Cup.

Ho'way the Toffees!!

7’ - A sunderland attack is held back but Verging lobs the ball back over the Everton defence and Alex Iwobi beats the offside to head at goal, but Boyko pushes the ball over the bar from the edge of the 6 yard box.

10’ - A right wing corner from Patrick Roberts is cleared by Sunderland by Ryan Ledson intercepts in midfield and redirects the ball back out to Roberts, positioned onside just down the right side of the penalty area. As Erik Pieters closes him down, Roberts plays a low cross into the 6 yard box. Brandt is prevented from shooting by Vergini’s sliding tackle but Patrick BAMFORD fires the loose ball through the crowd and in off the goalkeeper Pickford. 1-0.

21’ - Chambers and Brandt pick their way through four opponents on the right side of the penalty area to tee up Ryan Ledson for an 18 yard drive, but Pickford gets down low to his right to push the effort away.

26’ - Che Adams comes close for the visitors with an angled close range shot from the left, after Bojan skips around a lunging challenge from Chambers to play him in. Boyko parries the shot behind for a corner.

41’ - Our throw-in from an advanced position on the right wing is cleared the halfway line where Dicko gets the ball under control and then runs half the length of the field before Veljkovic slides in to make a last gasp challenge to prevent a shot from close range, at the expense of a corner.

HT - Sunderland had slightly more possession in the first half and particularly in the middle third of the pitch. The game has looked quite open and I’m wary that both of my central midfielders - Reyes and Ledson - have picked up yellow cards during the first 45 minutes. Kevin-Prince Boateng has not contributed much from the No.10 position and he is tiring at a faster rate than most players, so I have switched to 4-3-3 by bringing Calum Slattery into the midfield alongside Ledson, with Reyes dropping back into the DM position. Boateng makes way.

50’ - Ledson plays a short pass across the halfway line to find Brandt on the right. He quickly shifts it to Bamford midway inside the Sunderland half, in the centre, and he in turn despatches the ball out to the left wing for the on-running Patrick Roberts. The Manchester City loanee beats Naismith to get to the byline and crosses to the middle of the 6 yard box. The cross beats Pickford and as Julian Brandt slides in to apply the finish at the far post, Erik PIETERS stabs the ball into his own net to extend Everton’s lead. 2-0.

52’ - Slattery passes infield from the left and Ledson’s throughball is dummied by Bamford to allow Roberts to advance on goal from the left angle of the penalty area. Pickford parries the shot and the ball is cleared.

53’ - Ledson forces a save from Pickford after Bamford and Murru combine on the left hand side to create the opening.

54’ - Patrick Roberts sends over a cross from the left wing that strikes the crossbar with Pickford scrambling underneath it.

56’ - Nicola Murru puts in a strong challenge to dispossess Iwobi and passes to Brandt on the right hand side, just inside the Everton half of the pitch. He takes a touch and then chips a pass over Coates and into the patch of Bamford, attacking the inside left channel. Patrick BAMFORD gets away from Coates and holds off the right back Naismith, before striking left footed into the left side of the goal, with Pickford grasping at thin air. 3-0.

68’ - Jack Rodwell, playing against his former club today, and Sunderland substitute Gary Hooper combine to play Alex Iwobi in on goal in the right hand channel, but the former Arsenal man hits his shot straight at Boyko.

82’ - Ryan Ledson receives a pass from Chambers on the right, a third of the way into the Sunderland half. He hits an angled long range pass towards Bamford, who is just off the shoulder of the last man. Naismith wins the header by directing the ball down to the feet of Pieters, but as the Dutchman controls the ball inside his own penalty area, facing his own goal, he doesn’t notice Brandt closing in on him and underhits his back-pass to Pickford, allowing Julian BRANDT to race in and smash the ball home from 6 yards. 4-0.

83’ - Erik Pieters redeems himself a little by sliding in to prevent Brandt from putting the finishing touch on an excellent team move through the centre of the pitch.

FINAL SCORE
View attachment 145986 4-0 View attachment 145985
View attachment 145984 View attachment 145983
The final piece of commentary summed it up perfectly: “Everton were superb in the second half!” Having that extra man in the middle of midfield enabled us to take control of the match. The gap between midfield and attack is filled by enterprising runs and crossfield passes to the flanks, where my wingers are supported by full backs who are willing to get forward when they can. Patrick Bamford justified my decision to select him ahead of Cauley Woodrow and being 3-0 up by the hour mark allowed me to bring Jack Colback and Jason McCarthy into the game to help them regain match fitness.​

​
 
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Saturday 22nd September, 2018
CHAMPIONSHIP - FULL CLASSIFIED CHECK - MATCHDAY 8
Among the teams that were above us going into this round of matches, only Millwall failed to win so we move above them into 5th position. The other four teams all won today. Adam Reach's third goal of the season ensures that Bradford City remain top of the table with a 1-0 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday. Derby County's Johnny Russell put in a 5-star performance by scoring all of his team's goals in their 5-1 home win over AFC Bournemouth. Former Tottenham youth player Shaquile Coulthirst extends Watford's misery by bagging a hat-trick in Rotherham United's 4-2 victory against our fellow recently relegated side. And Bristol City remain rooted to the bottom of the pile, going down 0-1 at Reading, and ending the match with ten men after Armin Bacinovic was sent off in stoppage time.
 
Monday 24th September, 2018

TOFFEE NEWS IN BRIEF...
Our promising 19 year-old Norwegian goalkeeper Julian Faye Lund moves to Peterborough on loan for a month, for a taste of first team football. Their first team squad keepers, Ben Alnwick (broken foot) and Craig MacGillivray (broken cheekbone), are both injured so Lund will get games there.
Our wingers Patrick Roberts and Julian Brandt, on loan with us from Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, are both named in the team of the week.
 
Tuesday 25th September, 2018
SUNDERLAND vs EVERTON
CAPITAL ONE CUP - 3RD ROUND
Stadium of Light, Sunderland. Att: 15,875.

View attachment 145956View attachment 145947View attachment 145955

Pre-Match Odds
Sunderland: 9-2 Draw: 13-5 Everton: 1-2 (fav)​

Fitness concerns force me to ring the changes for our second match against Sunderland in three days. I switch the 4-3-3 formation that we dominated the second half of the previous match with. Douglas comes in at right back and Jason McCarthy gets a run out at centre back. Chambers drops to the bench and Lascelles is rested. Jack Colback will make his first start for us today in the Defensive Midfield role, with Lorenzo Reyes suspended, while Calum Slattery will partner Tom Cleverley in the centre with Ryan Ledson making way. Patrick Roberts is left out so Julian Brandt switches to the left flank to play as an Inside Forward and Aaron Lennon comes in for his first start of the season. Cauley Woodrow is given the nod upfront but I put pressure on him by telling him that I expect a performance from him tonight. Patrick Bamford is rested so Florin Andone is on the bench.
Come on, boys - we can beat this shower of sh*t:

2’ - Aaron Lennon’s comeback has lasted just 2 minutes. He has sustained a twisted ankle in a tackle with Pieters and immediately signals that he wants to come off. Arnold Lusamba steps off the bench to replace him; he and Julian Brandt will swap wings so Brandt will be our right winger and Lusamba will play from the left as an Inside Forward.

5’ - Sunderland striker Nouha Dicko finds himself unmarked but heads over from close range, after Crawford floated in a free-kick from deep on the left.

8’ - With Sunderland on the attack, Cleverley makes a well-timed sliding tackle on Dicko about 25 yards out. Shenton is first to the ball and passes to Che Adams, just outside the Everton area, to the left of the D. He takes a touch and shoots on the turn, between Douglas and Colback, but Denys Boyko makes a spectacular flying save to his left.

10’ - Lusamba’s low drive from the edge of the area is just wide of the right hand post.

12’ - A Sunderland counter attack is halted when Nicola Murru trips Larsen about 5 yards from the right corner of the penalty area. Crawford centres the free-kick and Erik PIETERS escapes the attention of Jason McCarthy to side foot a shot into the bottom left corner - his first goal for the club. 1-0 to Sunderland.

16’ - Sunderland remain on the attacking foot and Shenton pulls another spectacular save from Boyko, getting his hand to the ball as it scorches towards the top left corner to push it over the bar.

39’ - After a period of Everton dominance, Sunderland extend their lead. A left wing corner is partially cleared but Dicko gets another cross in towards the far post. Veljkovic beats Coates in the air but his header drops back to Nouha DICKO about 15 yards from goal and his right foot shot flashes past Boyko into the top left corner. 2-0.

43’ - Dicko comes close to adding to his tally with a free header from 6 yards, connecting with Crawford’s left wing corner, but the ball flies just wide to the right.

HT’ - I aggressively question the team’s desire during the break. But as I hurl the tea cups and slices of orange around the dressing room, I just hope that the players can’t tell that I actually know this poor performance is down to the number of changes I made to the team from the last match and there are too many players in this line-up who have hardly been involved so far. I’ll send them out for the second 45 minutes knowing that if they pull it off, I’ll be hailed as a tactical genius!

60’ - Tom Cleverley fires off a long range effort on the turn after receiving a pass from Colback in a central position.

64’ - Cleverley releases Florin Andone (on for the disappointing Cauley Woodrow) on the counter attack, on the left wing. Pieters manages to block his path into the area but the Romanian squares to Julian Brandt in the centre of the D, but his low shot is saved by Pickford. Then a well constructed move down the right hand side enables Brandt to pull the ball back to Cleverley, near the penalty spot, but Pickford gets down quickly to save the midfielders side-foot shot.

86’ - Roberge receives possession midway inside the Everton half, after a cleared corner, and finds Martin about 25 yards out. He slips the ball between Douglas and McCarthy to free Emil LARSEN behind the defence to strike left footed from 10 yards, to the left, beating Boyko at the near post. 3-0.

I shout at the players at full-time to maintain the pretence that I’m disgusted by their performance but I know that this one is on me. I made too many changes from the side that had done so well in the previous match against the same opponents. But, in the end, I’m not that concerned with the Capital One Cup this season - we’ll try to win it in a few years, but for now the Championship is our main concern and this competition was just adding to the fixture congestion.
 
Wednesday 26th September, 2018

TOFFEE CRUMBLE
Aaron Lennon's frustrating start to the season continues with the news that the twisted ankle sustained against Sunderland in the Capital One Cup match will keep him out for another month.
 
Saturday 29th September, 2018
HULL CITY vs EVERTON
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
The Circle, Hull. Att: 16,465.

View attachment 145945 vs View attachment 145944

Pre-Match Odds
Hull: 7-4 Draw: 11-5 Everton: 5-4 (fav)​

I keep faith with the 4-3-3 formation but bring back many of our better performers from the season so far. Chambers, Lascelles, Veljkovic and Murru is my first choice back four at the moment. Lorenzo Reyes returns in midfield after suspension and Ryan Ledson partners Calum Slattery in the centre. Julian Brandt returns to the right wing with Patrick Roberts coming back in on the left. Patrick Bamford replaces Cauley Woodrow in the starting line-up, and my £16 million signing from Fulham is not even named in the match day squad, with Florin Andone being preferred on the bench.

Sod Hull and Emu:

8’ - Denys Boyko kicks the ball upfield and Calum Slattery controls it on the advanced side of the centre circle, before spreading the play out to the left wing. Patrick Roberts has to sprint to reach it before it goes out of play but his first time cross bounces close to the penalty spot and Patrick BAMFORD ghosts in behind three Hull defenders to side foot home from 8 yards. 0-1 to the visitors.

10’ - A high ball into the Everton penalty area forces the Toffee defenders back into their own 6 yard box, but the ball is headed out. Robertson and James quickly work the ball to Tom Huddlestone who shoots ferociously from 20 yards, but the ball whistles past the right hand post with Boyko at full stretch.

15’ - Roberts plays the ball into space for Murru to get to the byline and cross to the far post. Bamford gets up well but his header hits the crossbar and Robertson clears before the Everton striker can get to the rebound.

17’ - Bamford hits the woodwork again, this time the foot of the right hand post as he seizes a loose ball from Slattery’s low corner from the right. The ball rebounds off the inside of the post and across the goal but there is nobody there to apply the finishing touch.

18’ - Calum Chambers takes a throw-in on the right hand side, level with the Hull penalty area. Brandt controls the ball on the turn and chips it back to Slattery who heads it down to Roberts on the edge of the area, by the D. With Hull defenders pushing out, Roberts slips a short pass to an onside Ryan LEDSON to the right of the penalty spot and the midfielder calmly despatches the ball beyond Button, into the bottom right corner. 0-2.

20’ - Bamford receives a pass from Ledson, just outside the area and plays Roberts in on the left, but Button makes a smart save to prevent the ball flying into the far corner.

25’ - Andreas Cornelius tries a long range effort, shooting left footed from 30 yards after receiving Huddlestone’s pass through the centre of the pitch, but Boyko stands strong and catches the ball in the middle of his goal.

34’ - Everton hit the woodwork for the third time, from a right wing cross by Brandt that bounces back off the near post.

44’ - A quickly taken free-kick by Calum Slattery, to the left of the Hull area, is headed back to him and he exchanges passes with Ryan Ledson twice before the Everton youngster picks out Murru to the right of the penalty spot. The left back’s first time shot is beaten away by Button, only to fall to Patrick ROBERTS who shoots home from the right side of the 6 yard box. 0-3.

HT - An excellent first half in which we have enjoyed 64% possession. Our central midfield three are in control of the match and that enables the likes of Roberts and Bamford to thrive. I tell the team to keep it up in the second half.

77’ - Huddlestone sprays the ball out to the left wing and Nouvier whips a cross in behind the Everton defence for Herrera to stab at goal, but Boyko makes the save on his goal-line.

81’ - Slattery and Chambers work an opening on the right hand side. Substitute Florin Andone heads the cross from Chambers just wide to the right.

86'+ - For the last few minutes, I told the players to Take a Breather and they just started playing one and two touch football, keeping possession and shifting it around midfield. They created a couple of chances doing this, but neither really threatened the Hull goal.

My A-team central midfield controlled this match and other players were able to contribute on the back of their hardwork and vision. Ryan Ledson and Calum Slattery were both excellent in the centre for us, and Lorenzo Reyes even managed to avoid a yellow card for once. I managed to rest Julian Brandt for the last half hour and give some game time to Florin Andone. I also withdrew Nicola Murru, my only designated left back while Leighton Baines remains on the treatment table, by bringing on Jack Colback for the last 20 minutes.
 
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Saturday 29th September, 2018
CHAMPIONSHIP - FULL CLASSIFIED CHECK - MATCHDAY 9
Defeats for Millwall, Bradford City and Brentford mean that we climb into 2nd place behind new Championship leaders Wigan Athletic who won 3-1 at QPR. Bristol City recorded their first win of the season, and how! A 5-1 thrashing of Shrewsbury Town. Chris Powell continues to struggle as manager as AFC Bournemouth as they went down at home to Reading in a 2-1 defeat. We have scored 18 goals in our 9 matches so far, which is the highest in the Championship. We have also conceded the fewest goals, with 5. Denys Boyko, our goalkeeper, currently leads the Clean Sheets chart with 6.
 
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Sunday 30th September, 2018

TOFFEE TORN
Julian Faye Lund's loan spell at Peterborough United lasted just 76 minutes because during his debut in their 2-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers, he tore his groin muscle while attempting to sprint for the ball. That's three keepers that the Posh have had injured this season - and we're only 9 games in! He was only due to be there for a month but he's going to be injured for twice as long so I have recalled him to our Finch Farm training ground to let our medical team work on him.
 
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Tuesday 2nd October, 2018

TOFFEE NEWS IN BRIEF...
Everton players continue to dominate the monthly player awards for the Championship. Patrick Roberts, who picked up the Young Player award last month, is this time named Player of the Month. And Ryan Ledson takes the Young Player of the Month. I am voted third in the Manager category behind Reading's Darko Milanic and Nigel Adkins of Brentford.
 
I really like the layout of this! Do you reckon you'll be able to keep a hold of Brandt or Roberts on permanents should you go up?
 
Thank you, regarding the layout. I use the advanced option to add those horizontal lines and those stylish logos with the sweep effect are the work of a guy called Yasin Demirkale from this site:

https://hdlogo.wordpress.com

That's the big drawback with loan signings, isn't it? Even if they do brilliantly for you, they eventually go back to their club and you have a gap to fill in your squad. But I had to sign a lot of good players very quickly during the summer and I had a decent mix of in-game and real world knowledge of all five loanees. If we manage to get promoted to the Premier League, I hope that our improved status will be enough to persuade Julian Brandt to leave Bundesliga. And if Manchester City don't want to sell Roberts to me, they might be prepared to loan him to me again.

The £44 million that's still swelling the coffers will obviously help and if these players start to regard me as one of their favoured personnel, they might be more inclined to return next season. Callum Slattery of Southampton is another one that I'd really like to sign permanently and have these three plus Ryan Ledson, Patrick Bamford, Cauley Woodrow, Oscar Lewicki (who I'm struggling to get back to full fitness), Mason Holgate, Arnaud Lusamba, Ali Coote and a couple of others currently in our youth ranks form the homegrown basis of our squad for years to come. That will enable me to concentrate my transfer budgets on signing only top quality players to improve us in the remaining places in the squad.
 
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