 Welcome to Toffy TV, it's the Match Preview, Everton vs Brighton. Let's hope this match preview can be used. Let's hope this is a valid match preview that leads to a game of football. Everton obviously missed the last three. You have to go back over two weeks now to the Chelsea game, the 1-1 draw. It's time for a bridge for the last time Everton played 2022. Time to kickstart Everton Football Club. Get the D-fibs out in 2022 and get it going with a win against Brighton, which isn't going to be easy because they're not a bad side. Good side, don't score enough goals, that's their issue. Good manager, play nice football. Don't put the ball in the back of the net ultimately and it cost them most seasons. They're doing better this season than they have in previous seasons, but the same problems exist. But they have only lost four games this season, four and 18. So difficult to beat, but like you said, don't score enough goals and that probably stops them being hired in the table. Of course one of those four defeats was Everton's victory at the MX down in August. That seems ages ago, probably our best display this season, the way we played that day. We just sat deep, soaked it all up, like you said, they do struggle to score and then hit them on the counter-attack twice, one and a half. We should have towards the end of the game and that was probably our most complete performance. We're probably our best side, which is obviously what we need, what we'd love to see again. But obviously this game does give us a chance, it makes it at least give us a chance to get some of those players back, although we're still a little bit unsure who's going to be available. We're using the photos of training to try and get a good idea of what's going on. But obviously the club has been hit by Covid and injuries, which saw... Obviously Leicester was called off because of Leicester. We got the one against Bailey called off and Newcastle got the one against those called off. We won't get one hit, don't we? I'll show you that Newcastle called another game. Well, yeah. They're obviously trying to get as many games as early in the round now so that by the time they play those games when they have Mbappe and stuff. But obviously it looks like Dominic Carver-Lunan will be backing some to play some part in this game, which coming back to Godderson when you haven't played there for nearly a month, that's just a huge boost, isn't it, for everybody? Because he's just been the missing part of what... It doesn't matter what team plays behind, having him up front is so important. He's just been a missing part for this team. He's only played one game at Godderson this season. It was day one and he played with a broken soul. So he hasn't been fit like from the get-go, has he? The team missing its focal point and it's been missing since the end of all. Brighton was the last game he played and he'd come off in that moment with the injury, the quad injury, you know? So it's huge to have him back, I think, whichever form that takes, whether he starts again. I imagine he will start. I imagine he'll try and get an hour out of them and then it'll be up to whether Rondon's fit on or I don't know or whether it'll be Louis Dobb and Orelas Sims will play the last half. But it is massive for Everton because to have someone, a penalty box, like he is available again, will give us a huge boost. Just saying his name on the team sheet, I'm for the crowd. I think it's a massive boost. Our first time back at Godderson since the Arsenal game, which obviously ended with an injury time winner from Damari Greig, which was fantastic and we have to keep that going. I think, certainly in this game, obviously the break, it will be interesting to see how we, you know, we're going to have to start really securely for the first 20 minutes of half an hour. If you've watched the other teams play who've had any kind of break, they do really seem to struggle in the first half, you know, what's the bit of the Burnley-Magnonite game? You know, you could see them struggling. Magnonite before that against when they played Newcastle, they struggled. Brighton played obviously a couple of days ago into Chelsea. Got a really good draw out of it. And yeah, that will hinder them in a way, and I know they're going to have a couple of players missing. But they're up to speed. Whereas we've got to come back from just over two weeks out and I think that will cause us to be a little bit rusty. That's against the team that likes to keep the ball. You watch Brighton, you look at the possession stats. They always seem to have the better of nearly everyone they play. So they're going to hold on to that ball a lot. In that first 20 minutes, half an hour, we have to be just tight and not give any silly mistakes away, not give any space away. Just grow into the game, I think. I don't think we'll come out the traps because I just don't think we can come out the traps. So I think that first 20 minutes is going to be very important for us to just get into the game, soak up the pressure and then, you know, play off the back of that. Yeah, definitely. They'll win the possession because they win the possession. They always have more possession than everyone. It's the way they play. And that's, you know, Graeme Potter's got that style and implement it and they play it to the letter of the law almost, don't they? They do really well with it. Everton will have to be patient. We know that. And like you say, not take any chances and almost take the sting out of the game for the first 15 minutes, which I'll only, like Everton, just start faster, go and get the crowd going and all that. But it's whether we've got that capability to do it early on or whether we will need to grow into it and build momentum from there. But I think no team has scored fewer goals than Everton in the first half of games. Of games this season. So, you know, nothing. There's not, you know, we're doing anything different having a slow start. So hopefully we can just stick in there. But they do like to keep the ball. They like to knock it about. And it'll be, I guess, it'll be a case of concentration again and, you know, blocking off passing lanes, making sure you get men behind the ball. But there are also a team that you can get at. We beat them already this season. You know, they've only, you know, they've only won five games. They've won one game in 12. It's just worse than Everton's record. And they had that win against Bremford. Last week in Bremford, with two-nil down and couldn't have got it at all. So it's not like the sweeping everybody's side. No, no, no. It's just they don't lose me again. No, I just think, for us, I think there are, there are, you know, obviously, you know, issues in terms of not playing. It's great. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, I think we would have, like, because it would have given us an opportunity to get back against the team. Obviously, we're struggling with injuries and stuff themselves, but those injuries obviously went on. And then, them keeping the ball is just one thing that we've got to just be very careful of. The other thing about it is, as well, is the love at last minute goal as well. So that's the other side of the game. We're going to have to, you know, make sure we're secure at the beginning, but towards the end of the game, if we're in a positive position, we can deal the night against, obviously, against Chelsea, sort of against Crystal Palace, sort of against Southampton, you know, a way game. I don't think any teams got more, like, goals than Brighton. You know, in a way games, they never give up. They've got that, you know, there's definitely a spirit and an attitude amongst them. You know... You would tunnel down a landfill. Yeah, pull it back, and obviously, I mean, they should have won that by all accounts, as well. They should have won that. So, you know, this is a very tough game. Like you said, these are... These are a dominant carvaluna way from being a team that can get into Europe without a doubt. You know, part of the game, part of the way a lot of people wanted to come to Everton. I don't really... I personally don't think the circumstances were right for him. But a lot of people wanted him, because he's someone who looks like he's building something. And whatever time he feels right, we'll take the next step, whatever that may be. And I imagine we'll manage someone, you know, whether it be someone like Tottenham or something like that. And as long as he's given time to build something, I think he can do a really, really good job. And I think he's done a really good job of breaking. I think you're right what you're saying about, you know, they haven't won loads of games, but they haven't lost loads of games. No, no. And it is that ability to... And they'll come with a lot of confidence. Three-nine times. They don't seem to have any issues with playing away. And it's just the case of us, you know, that, as you said, hopefully Dom will be back to marry Gray. Hopefully he'll be back. Alan will be back. You know, Alan Decore, possibly Dean. You know, and it'll just be interesting to see, because obviously we won't have a charlison, we won't have towns, and Gordon will probably start. And it'll be interesting to see how many from the Chelsea game, you know, any of them, sort of the young players survived, there's Dobbinger, a chance off the bench, he'll see positive to talk about his contract, although it's not signed. So it's going to be interesting, just to get back into playing football again, and what a huge boost it would be to start 2022 with a win. We started last season with a defeat, and you know, you look at the numbers from the... I think the rest of the season, it continued in a sort of negative fashion. It wouldn't be great to start on a positive fashion and continue that. Yeah, I think we've lost something like the first game, the last four seasons, the new year, you know, the first game. So to change that would be lovely. We'll be hugely difficult against these, we know that. It's always a tough game. But there are teams that make a lot of chances, but don't score a lot of goals. I think I've done the average XG per game, cheers, Carl. And it was... Everton's XG at the moment, 1.27. Per game, Brighton's is 1.13. So Everton, basically, are better, more efficient at taking the chances, and I guess create better quality chances than what Brighton do, but Brighton creates much more chances than Everton, just from the way they play. And I think it's that confidence that they play with, that it's why they do well away from home, because they've got a set way of playing. Giving it every week, every week, every week, creating the same thing. And it's... Can you get it right at both ends of the pitch? You know, Everton did this under Martinis. I think Everton won the possession more times than most teams under the way of Martinis. We had a way of playing. The problem was we didn't get it right at both ends. We had it half right at one end with Rom, and we've just let millions of goals, and well, these don't do that. They're much better than doing it like that. And I think if you get this way of playing right, you're almost becoming Manchester City. Don't you? It's what the city do, so it's the same thing over and over again that's what Brighton do. I think the goals are the real issue for them. You said that before, they're a goal scorer away, but Everton have had 10 different scorers this season. Brighton have only had six. We've been mown the lack of goals in that team. So when you look for Brighton, given the amount of chances they create, that must be a real frustration for Gray, in part of that they haven't been able to get more goals. Do you think Everton are, obviously they'll have Dominic Arvillun, whether he starts one or I don't know, Gray and Gordon, we are lacking with Charlotteson. Do you think we'll stick with three in midfield, because it looks like he's got the core out, Alan, Tom Davis and Andre Gomez available, for the game. Do you think three out of four may possibly start for us, because obviously the way they play, let's just look at their team, the way they set up obviously three, four, two, one. Again that central area is going to be very congested. Do you think we have to, again stick that third man in there? Do you think three out of four may possibly start for us, because obviously the way they play, let's just look at their team, again stick that third man in there, and maybe start with Tom Davis and Alan, and allow the core right to move again, move forward a little bit, and be that extra man in midfield. I don't know whether I'd start with Tom Davis, to be honest, maybe. I'd personally, I'd play good man, but there's also... I think you're three in there, it's okay. I think you'll go with Gomez, to be honest. I think you'll be Gomez, the core right and Alan. What I would do is make sure the core right is fair the point of the two. I think Gomez... I've got a woe available as well, sorry. Yeah. As I said, Gomez... I think Gomez is Chelsea, he could see him deteriorating in the game. I don't know if he's been better as a sub, when the game's gone slower, he's been better. Davis has been out for a while. I wouldn't put him back in, I don't think. But we don't have a long clean training for though. No, but I think if you've got three men in there, to me, the core, I have to be the one that plays forward. Because he can be the one that unlocks it because he's running from deep. Brighton have played most games with a 3-5-2. I know they play 3-4-2 on a Chelsea the other night, but the 3-5-2 has been there for me, and that means they do have three in the field. They've got the Schumer in there, whether they put a Zatti in there or people like that. You have to get in the line as being in and out. I think if everything can get three men in there and get older again, we can use the likes of Gray then, and we can use the likes of Gordon, but again it depends on the core he's breaking. I think what's interesting as well is the fact that if Gray's Gordon and Gray's starting, which sides they start on, because obviously if the... Gordon likes to be on the left, and obviously Gray likes to be on the left, but Dom's going to need service, which means one of them needs to cross. I actually think Gordon better on the right. I think Gray's one of those players that likes getting 1v1 and firing crosses in or cutting back in, and he's more effective coming in from the left. Oh, definitely, definitely. And I think when we've seen Anthony Gordon on the right, he's put some Gray crosses in the plate off the right-hand side. I think your right, partially he prefers maybe coming off the right-hand side. But I think on the right-hand side, and he can do better job. I mean that was the beauty of having talent in this, that we, you know, Dominic Harvelyn will one crosses. That was like almost the purpose of bringing the two of them in, was to get the ball to him. Yeah, it does make more sense for... but Gordon's got to, if he does start on the right, which I imagine he will, he's got to get the deliveries in, to start putting deliveries into the area. Get the ball into the box. That's what I mean. That's where the core comes important. It's where Gray coming in off the left behind, Dom to maybe pick the better, I think, you know, get them crosses in front of the likes of Lewis Duncan, or Duffy Plays, or people like that, players who aren't comfortable facing their own goal, put balls into that box. It's a tough game, but it's a game. No, it will be. Nothing can win that. No, it's a game. And don't forget, Everton got a game in hand if they win. They go within three points of writing with that, or three points of writing with a game in hand if they win. No, this is a game for us. I mean, this is, because there's the FA Cup next week as well, this is one of those games that it would be really nice to win, just to give us that cushion in terms of if you look at the league table and then going on from that. And let's hope for us the fixtures will have caught up with Brighton. It goes the other way for them, where the fixtures catch up with them and they have a couple of missions and they start to feel it. After tough 90-plus minutes at Chelsea and we'll be fresh for the later stages of this game. Let's just look at their danger man so far this season, Neil Malpike, 16 appearances, 14 starts, seven goals and is that no to assists, two shots per game. That's probably the problem, two shots per game, but obviously he always seems to he always seems to just, I don't know, he always seems to get a last minute goal him as well. He's alive, he's alive, he's not amazing, but he's alive, like live, he's alive. Someone who's been linked to it in the past as well? He never gives up and therefore that's why you have to be very careful and obviously Danny Welver who has come off the bench the other night to score the great header. He's got two goals in six games I think this season for Brighton, but we'll have to be wary of Malpike cos he is a bit of a live. They have Troshard as well, lovely little footballer. They've got good players and I'm assuming everyone likes another good player so they've got quality. I'm just looking at the thing, I haven't lost the first league game in each of the last four calendar years, last having such a long run between 57 and 63. Brighton have lost their first game in just one of the last 12 years. Oh lovely. So well something's got to change hasn't it? But the only one two of the 17 Premier League games in January. That sounds right. So that sounds right. I haven't scored the league I 76% of their Premier League goals in the second half of games this season. No-one has netted fewer first half goals. That's a depression one. Brighton have won more points thanks to goals scored in the 90th minute or later than any other Premier League side this season. Something we have to be wary of. And Eriam Stryker, Dominic Alvalun has scored three of his last four Premier League and in three of his last four Premier League appearances against Brighton. Only against Newcastle has he scored more goals in the competition. So that's the kind of thing you look for as you're looking for that little bit of a thingy. A little, you know, you throw him in and back with a goal. There you go. Let's be positive. Let's hope for a positive start to 2020. Happy new year. I'm already saying those words 2020, the futures now. Let's, yeah, three points hopefully. Dom retains and back to some kind of positivity and evidence. We'll wait and see on that one. Don't forget. Play your ultimate fan as well. Get that sorted. It's been a mad few days over that. When are we playing? Who's playing what team? 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