Everton v Crystal Palace | Match Preview

Welcome to Toffee TV. It's with a match preview. First game of the season, Everton versus Crystal Palace. Nice. Saturday 3:00 kickoff at Hill Dickinson Stadium. How are you feeling Buzz in general about this and the new season? >> It's trepidation. It's always a It's always horrible. I think the first one because >> to be. >> No, but it feels like you you feel like a bit like oh, here we go. Because you you're looking at it going a home win the day start of the season and you think Oh, imagine if we didn't. But I'm all right. I think it'll be I think it'll be a tough game cuz Crystal Palace are a a tough side, aren't they? But I think Everton's business has been has been quite smart this summer, really. Barring one huge right back hole that still hasn't been been, you know, sort of filled. >> Yeah. >> But apart from that I'm still enthused by what we might do in the window. And it's a home game at Hill Dickinson. Hopefully in the sun. We certainly feel more ready, don't we, than we did say 12 months ago when we were really did look undercooked. That word got used a lot going into the game against Leeds and obviously played out like that. You know, it played out exactly how we all thought it was going to play out. So we certainly feel like we're going into the game even though we haven't got a right back, but it feels like most of the positions are quietly secure. And it's strange because we're going into it without our seemingly going into it without our best player from last season, James Garner. And yet I don't think there's too much of a overall worry that we're going into the game without me with maybe someone we thought would be back in Grealish. I think for the most part I think everyone seems to be quite calm on it and and you know, I don't know whether that's because we're playing it's Crystal Palace and it's you know, it's not one of maybe the the top sides. But I just seems to be everyone seems to be quite calm or do you think that calmness is actually more like whatever. Like there's a lack of excitement just in general or or do you think it's or do you think it's calmness? >> the thing is I think there's a lot of choice for the midfield positions and obviously having mentioned Christian Nørgaard either who you wouldn't expect to be fit yet anyway. So I think because Harrison Armstrong has had a really good pre-season. Obviously Hayden Hackney's coming and plays in there and Keane and Davis but he has you know, now the sort of irony of all that is you've got Mæhle and Lowe who should be one of those four. But probably actually playing at right back. Well, you say that. Yeah, he might be there but uh So the midfield, you know, out of what you would say the six first choice midfielders are possibly not going to have Garner or Nørgaard. So we're back to four and one of them is playing sort of right right full back. So and then Abu Kamara is not fit either who would have probably been in it but we do have Charlie Alcaraz. So I think maybe just cuz the options are there people maybe I'm reading it wrong but maybe people are just sort of like I would okay with the midfield and I think I think Allen and Jay coming back in to the squad cuz I think a lot of people and he may still move on but right now he still plays for Everton. So I think people are enthused by that and Barry George and or maybe just the whole the whole right back thing has got people looking elsewhere. No, it's it's a hard one to read cuz you've always got a little bit of excitement on a home game. Albeit against a tough Premier League side. But you would be looking going good chance to get off to a winning start. >> Yeah, I think it's I don't know whether it is a lack of excitement or or what it is. I don't know. I think maybe people play into the the idea now that because of the transfer window still open for a couple of weeks, it's not it's not you're not set on what you've got. So there's you know and it almost feel like the games are sort of a bit of a actual till till that window shuts. It's it's a it's a strange one, isn't it? It's a strange one. Obviously we haven't got the we haven't got the break this year till a little [snorts] bit later, have we? So it's it's different this year, but I don't know. I can't really put my finger on it. I don't I just Well, maybe people are just more realistic about where we are. I mean, last season obviously we had the stadium as well. So there was a lot of excitement about that. But I feel I feel like maybe people are a little bit more more realistic about where we are and and as you said there, then that's that's more reason to get off to a really good start. And and and obviously we can get off to a good start not just this game, but obviously going into the game against Preston. It's um it will probably, you know, calm people down who maybe aren't looking so positive, but and obviously we face a team that have just replaced their manager as well. Uh unknown really. P S H coming as the Palace manager. Um not someone who's obviously a household name. But what are your thoughts on, you know, that and Palace in general? >> Well, yeah. I mean, he's done well in France and obviously the the the Glassner thing was was weird, wasn't it? But he was obviously frustrated. He wanted to sort of uh give him the money and he ended up doing a really good job, you know, they lost Marc Guehi, didn't they? They lost uh Eze as well. You know, in recent years they've lost Olise. You know, they lost some big players, Palace. Mateta looked like he was gone as well in January. Um and that is obviously the knee injury stopped that. So, you know, Vieira has just come in and the results have been mixed pre-season. You You can't really read too much into it, but they've had six pre-season games and won three and lost three. So, they were beaten by Freiburg 3-0 last week. So, you know, and the signings, couple of free transfers, you know, obviously Dwight McNeil, who we know a lot about. They've got Sam Johnstone, who was at Arsenal. You know, Mingueza at the right back. They've got two right backs. Joel Ward is in as well. And this Daniel Muñoz still here, who they haven't been very, very interested in. So, that's an interesting one. So, it'll be There's a lot of obviously there's a lot of speculation around that and Wolves and Liverpool as well. City as well. And Man City. So, that's all kicked off again in the last 24 hours. They've been That's intensified. So, there's still uncertainty at Crystal Palace as well. You know, this And this year with the Premier League, I think it is nine new managers >> Yeah. >> at clubs. So, you don't know how they're That's going to settle out. So, these could Palace could hit the ground running. Suddenly, they could be a little bit off it. Just What's What does he want us to do? I think they're still going to play very similar. You know, Dwight McNeil has kind of gone there to play as one or two 10s, I think, in pockets, I think. You're going to have him and Ismaïla Sarr behind. Maybe Maybe behind StrømLarsen or Mateta when he's fully fit. So, rather than rather than pushing Dwight so wide, where you know, he's not >> And obviously they've got the distraction of the Europa League as well. You know, they've got them They're going to juggle that because that'll be a lot tougher than obviously um the Conference League was last season. You know, they've got themselves into some situations at times that they got themselves out of, but I don't think that's going to be the case this time. They're going to have to They're going to have to use that squad um as best they can. So, not nothing to worry about at the moment. But you mentioned uh the game against Freiburg there. Let's just look at the team that started in their 3-0 defeat. Well, that's He used everyone, didn't Yeah, I think so. You know, you're looking at the bench even. Cuz obviously Muñoz was Muñoz was on the bench. You know, got Guessand there on the bench. Will Hughes still still around. And Cathcart, yeah. You know, Blank is back from his loan spell, so he goes back in the squad. Cheick Doucouré there. Jefferson Lerma. You know, and and obviously Mateta's just come back into the squad as well, hasn't he? So it's hard to know with Palace because they were Premier League-wise, they weren't brilliant under Glasner. Yeah. You know, three bottom-half finishes. But tremendous, you know, he he delivered the FA Cup, yeah, the Charity Shield, Community Shield, which, you know, give us a trophy. It's a trophy. I'll take it. It is a trophy. And obviously, last season the Conference League, um, which I did say last summer when there was a lot of fuss being made about them being in the Europa League. It's actually a better thing for them winning the Conference League, cuz it it almost guaranteed them two years of European football because you looked at that Palace squad and with the manager and thought, "Got a great chance of winning it." And they did. So, you know, obviously >> lost Lacroix as well, haven't they? >> Well, yeah, Maxence Maxence Lacroix he's been he's brilliant, you know, really I've really liked I liked him at Wolfsburg and he's done a great job. He's gone off to Chelsea. So, they've lost Marc Guéhi and Lacroix in the defense in January, but so it's obviously but Richards, who they got in from, you know, the American Richards, who's there. Stieler's got off. He'd done a excellent job for them. That's also why I mean, Assou-Ekotto has been brought in to give them that bit of insurance as well, but um So, yeah, so maybe they're a little bit of an unknown quantity just because the manager at the start and and Everton have got a Everton have One One thing I would say about us is the the stability is there of that was there last season with David Moyes. Now both both clubs have an ex-player in their ranks. You know, we've got Brandon Johnson didn't have a great time. Crystal Palace like McNair almost ended up at Palace in the winter you know, the winter transfer. So, it'll be interesting to see how obviously how much they play and how much what impact they have. >> Yeah, and one the player probably you stopped Brandon Johnson getting on at Palace was Ismaïla Sarr. Let's have a look at his numbers. Fantastic, wasn't he last season? 28 games, 24 starts. XG of 10.9 and got nine goals, one assist. 6.91 average rating and his 85 and a half percent I think it is successful dribbles. But, also done brilliantly in the conference score along the conference league for them as well. Key goals. So, he's a player we've talked about many times. I would have liked Evan Ferguson when he was at Watford and stuff. Um Good player and that's >> Palace's MO, isn't it? They've been very, very good at bringing players in and taking players from, you know, all the clubs around London and getting them a chance and getting them in the team cuz they've got that structure and they've done really well with them. So, um it'll be interesting to see, you know, what the next ones are going to be for them. I think the thing as well that if, you know, Sarr is going to play with sort of very similar to the way Glasner played, that that makes it a little bit easier the three at the back and the wing-backs and stuff and creating that box midfield at times the way Glasner did then, it won't be too much upheaval for the players as they get into it. But, it's still a Premier League and you need to be able to win >> catch people's shorts and Everton have got to be looking at this game as a must win. Get off to a really positive start. It sets you up like you just said of Everton could could get over the line at the weekend and then go to Preston and get get a win there in the Carabao Cup then you're in you're in good sort of good form going to Bournemouth then next week which is a real tough game as well. But, again against a team with the new manager. >> Yeah, I mean for us I mean we've got opportunities, haven't we, in the wide areas? We've We've, you know, we've brought, obviously, Brennan Johnson in, who we mentioned, from Palace. See George has obviously signed permanently. Tyler Dibling's looked like a footballer this summer. Um and you know obviously, An J as well has come back from all the speculation and and everything and he's played the game, so it'll be That's That's an interesting decision for the right wing-back, cuz obviously nobody is going to mention him. Don't know whether he'll come or what, but but [snorts] he could pick An J I mean obviously, one of them will be An J. We know that for this game, but the other one, that's it's for me interesting, isn't it, which one he picks? I think he'll go with Taddy. >> Yeah. >> I think Taddy he'll start, but Dibling's done >> Dibling's done really well, I think, hasn't he, you know, and and like you say, he's looked he's looked nice and lively, which is what you want to see um but then you know, Brennan Johnson, the experienced Premier League player now and scored goals and obviously with something to prove to Crystal Palace and you know, would it be the maddest thing in the world if Meite and Lowe popped up on the right and then An J on the left and O'Brien at right back? So I would not I don't think any of us only wants to see that. I think we all want to see a a right back brought into the football club, but I think maybe given the options at the moment, most don't know, but I think a lot of blues would probably be okay with the with Lowe starting at right back in this one. We know it needs sorting out as soon as possible, but Evan do have do have options in wide areas and that's good. That's a good thing and then obviously, you've got the two lads up front. That'll be another I personally think he'll go with Tcham and O'Brien, but that's another another selection. >> Well, I think what will be most in not most interesting, but what will be interesting is to see you know, regardless of who starts, how the other players fit into, you know, come cuz one of the big criticisms from last season, and the stats prove it, is the lack of subs and the lack of sub game time as well. So, that's going to be the next thing play fans are looking at, isn't it? It's like, "Okay, you start with this one and that one, but if they're not pulling up trees, then, you know, are you prepared to, after an hour, take Yerry Mina and Godfrey off, you know, or, you know, Holgate and Mina and Johnson on or or whatever it is, are you are you prepared to do a double change them? Move both of them and bring another two on. You know, what are you what are you prepared to do? And I think I find I think that could be in That's got to be something which evolves, I think, within David Moyes this season. He can He can call for a squad all he wants, but if he's not using it, then, you know, that's going to be a massive frustration to the fans. >> Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think Evan did the least substitutions last season, the least players used. >> Well, I think so. >> So, that that doesn't That doesn't look good when a team that got themselves into such a fantastic position for getting into Europe, then didn't even limp over the line. Stopped short of the line. Failed, as as the CEO said this week. So, the manager has got to use his squad better, make sure people aren't running on vapor. And obviously, you know, it's a 16-man game now every week. Most teams make the five subs, and a lot of them do the five subs where they can affect the game, not just the 89th minute. So, you know, certainly four lads are normally on by then, and and maybe if teams are doing that 19th-minute sub below, it just means someone else times out of time. Um, it doesn't always help, but, yeah, I think it is something he's got to do better this season, and he didn't do it well enough last year. >> Yeah, it's going to be interesting. It's going to be interesting to see if any of those new rules are applied as well, like we saw last week with uh Jordan Pickford getting penalized for holding onto the ball too long. >> Surely he will be. >> No, it should be interesting to see how many of them are done as well. Hey, don't forget if you're going the game, get there in there early. If you're buying a pint, don't forget 50 pence of the pint will be going to the 1878, so you'll be supporting them. So >> You've got to be in. Buy. You know, quarter to two I think to get that. >> The first hour get in there. >> So get in and help them. >> Help them out and let's create an atmosphere for the first game of the season. Leave all that doom and gloom behind us. And then hopefully road is on for three points at home. >> difference and there you go. Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Give this video a like. Subscribe if you haven't already. If you want more great videos, join us over on Toffee TV Premier. Link in the description. QR code on the screen now. See you later.