Lyon v Everton

[Shogun]

Play our one striker who might be good (no offence DCL) and keep it tight for an hour.

Pickford
Holgate Jagielka Williams Baines
Gana Schneiderlin Beni
Lennon Sandro Vlasic

Not likely to happen. Probably replace Sandro with Rooney.

[Cereal Killer]

                 Pickford
      Holgate Jags Williams
Kenny                          Baines
          Gana Beni Schneid
              Sigurddson
                 Sandro

[GrantyBoy78]

We’re out, just send the stiffs and write it off. We need to spend as much time as possible on the training to try and solve some of our numerous issues. It’s all about survival now.

[blueToffee]

I suppose it gives us another chance of finding a balance but I’m leaning towards just being done with these games so we can concentrate on the PL.

I don’t think somehow hobbling into the next round via a miracle would be a good thing.

In terms of the line up. I think I’d like to see Sandro up in a two with Rooney maybe. My word we could use keeping a clean sheet though. Would keep Beni in, but is he even registered for the Europa? I’d imagine not.

[ally2]

Almost got this down as a must lose game.

Go with a second string and look for evidence of who can help the first 11 (not that anyone knows what that is anyway).  Away from home so good opportunity to see Klassen and Sandro IMO, and Holgate in central defence, Robles in goal etc.

[sam of the south]

                       Pickford
        Kenny Jagielka Williams Baines
         Rooney Baningime Sigurdsson
         Lookman Calvert-Lewin Vlasic

Robles, Holgate, Martina, Schneiderlin, Davies, Lennon, Mirallas

[Shogun]

I suppose it gives us another chance of finding a balance but I’m leaning towards just being done with these games so we can concentrate on the PL.

I don’t think somehow hobbling into the next round via a miracle would be a good thing.

In terms of the line up. I think I’d like to see Sandro up in a two with Rooney maybe. My word we could use keeping a clean sheet though. Would keep Beni in, but is he even registered for the Europa? I’d imagine not.

I think you're probably right about Beni, will have to keep Davies in.

[TheRam]

Just fucking lose and get this out the way.

[Rhys]

In terms of the line up. I think I’d like to see Sandro up in a two with Rooney maybe. My word we could use keeping a clean sheet though. Would keep Beni in, but is he even registered for the Europa? I’d imagine not.

He doesnt need to be because of his age so he will be available to play. In general it's not easy for unsworth to write off the game and focus on Watford because when you only have a handful of games to make your case and lost the first 2 he probably cant afford a really poor performance and big defeat in lyon. Plus when we are losing this many games looking poor another one makes it even harder against Watford.

[brap2]

Yeah we are out, send them out there half cut with slippers on and let me get on with my life please.

[blueToffee]

He doesnt need to be because of his age so he will be available to play. In general it's not easy for unsworth to write off the game and focus on Watford because when you only have a handful of games to make your case and lost the first 2 he probably cant afford a really poor performance and big defeat in lyon. Plus when we are losing this many games looking poor another one makes it even harder against Watford.

Yeah, I do generally believe it’s better to try and win your games no matter what. Picking and choosing (as if we had that luxury) hinders any semblance of building momentum.

I think the problem Unsworth has is he I think was trying to pick a side and keep it settled with the hope of getting some cohesiveness...the opposite of Koeman’s desperate scattergun approach to try and find a winning balance. However, that’s all well and good if we had settled players for many seasons all over the park but we don’t. We lost our forward threat of Lukaku and Barkley and we need to find a way to make it work with what we have be it old or newer players. He does need to experiment in that regard, with an eye to the PL. As mentioned in other threads I think DCL has had more than a fair chance and we need to try others. Vlasic, Sandro, Lookman, Lennon, Mirallas, Rooney, Sigurdsson...I think Unsworth called up Henen to the first team too. Is there a combo in that Koeman didn’t try?

Maybe Lookman and Lennon on the wings with Sandro and Rooney up top? Or Sandro and Mirallas with Rooney deeper?

[Shogun]

As shit as things are, win this and we're still in with a shout.

Say we did win and assume Atalanta win at Limassol (not nailed on) then the standings will be...

Atalanta 10
Lyon 5
Everton 4
Limassol 2

We'll have Atalanta at Goodison and Limassol away left.

Granted we'd need to win those games and Atalanta to get something at home to Lyon to qualify but I really think it's possible.

Then we can get bummed 7-0 at the San Siro in the next round.

[Tony Clifton]

Robles in goal, Rooney on his own at the back, and nine others making it up for themselves as they go - as long as those nine others don't include Mirallas, Jagielka, Baines or Williams.

[Duncs_a_legend]

I really hate thinking like this, but I'm thinking this cup could be the distraction that sends us deeper in the shit in the league, and I've never really thought like that with any of the cups. I think a relegation battle is a real possibility now and I'm shitting myself a bit, it's been something like 13 or 14 years since I last felt worried about relegation.
However I do understand that a good win can also rejuvenate the squad and kick start some good form (I just don't think it will).


Squad I think will be

               Pickford
     Keane Jags  Williams
Kenny                           Baines
             Schneiderlin
Vlasic       Gylfi           Mirallas
                Rooney


Tbh it could be either Rooney/Sandro/DCL/Niasse up front.

Or Schneiderlin/Benni/Gueye/McCarthy in that CDM position.

[Ramjam]

Almost got this down as a must lose game.

Go with a second string and look for evidence of who can help the first 11 (not that anyone knows what that is anyway).  Away from home so good opportunity to see Klassen and Sandro IMO, and Holgate in central defence, Robles in goal etc.

This is spot on for me