Everton predicted line-ups and teams for the Premier League clash with Bournemouth at Goodison Park
Jack Harrison during the Everton Training Session at Finch Farm on October 03, 2023 in Halewood, England.
New era, new Blues? Sign up for the EFC email bulletin for all the latest Everton news.
The Toffees were coming off the back off two wins in as many games when Luton Town travelled to Merseyside last weekend. In contrast, the visitors had endured a difficult start to life in the Premier League and Everton were expected to kick on.
But Sean Dyche’s men were shocked by two first half goals and Luton would travel south with their first victory of the Premier League season.
Chris Beesley: Shocking lapses in concentration from a couple of set-pieces cost Everton the game against Luton Town and because of that there must be a shake-up in the full-back areas against Bournemouth.
You just cannot afford to switch off in the Premier League the way Vitalii Mykolenko did to leave Carlton Morris wide open at the back post for the Hatters’ second goal so the Ukraine international pays the price with his place in the starting line-up. Ashley Young is a lucky boy as he gets away with his tardy attempt at a clearance while being beaten to the ball by Tom Lockyer as he retains his spot – albeit switching flanks – purely because of a lack of suitable alternatives as Nathan Patterson comes in at right-back.
In midfield, surely it’s time that James Garner got his chance in his preferred central role and that will also free up a space for a more attacking option out wide (Arnaut Danjuma) to help support Dominic Calvert-Lewin up top as he looks to score in a fourth consecutive game to help the Blues to a much-needed first home win this season.
My team (4-3-3): Pickford; Patterson, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite; Garner, Onana, Doucoure; Danjuma, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin.
Paul Wheelock: Had Everton taken their chances in the first 20 minutes against Luton, there would not have been calls to make changes for today’s now-must-win match against Bournemouth. The Blues had more than enough opportunities to put the Hatters to bed in the opening stages last weekend. However, they were unable to take any of them and they were hit with a double suckerpunch before half-time.
But what made the final result even more disappointing was that Everton failed to build on the lifeline Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s goal before the break gave them. What should have been a platform for a stirring second-half performance instead proved to be nothing more than a consolation as Sean Dyche’s ran out of ideas and stream.
So poor was the display after the restart that Blues boss Dyche simply needs to freshen up his starting line-up today. So in comes Nathan Patterson for Ashley Young and in comes Jack Harrison for Idrissa Gana Gueye. Everton actually got worse when Gueye went off against Luton and, while his shooting remains maddening, and while he remains guilty of giving the ball away in dangerous positions at times, in my book he still remains a key player for Dyche. However, the Everton boss has got to get on the front foot today and that’s why James Garner gets the nod.
