Everton

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Andy Mattioli from the RomaPress Podcast says fan attitudes are changing towards AS Roma owners The Friedkin Group because of the side's poor start to the season.

The Italian giants are currently in 12th after winning just three of their opening 12 games. Mattioli told BBC Radio Merseyside: "You would be hard pressed to find someone in Rome right now that would have something positive to say about the Friedkins."

The US-based group, led by chairman Dan Friedkin, reached an agreement to buy Farhad Moshiri's majority 94% stake in Everton back in September.

"The main reason for this mess is not just the results, but also the players not accepting Daniele de Rossi being sacked," Mattioli said.

"When Jose Mourinho was sacked, that was a big blow but the Friedkins made the smart choice to appoint a club legend. They knew fans wouldn't rebel against De Rossi.

"His sacking then took everyone by surprise. The Roma fans are very expressive so, for the last two months, they have shown it. They have hung banners, deserted the Stadio Olimpico and the ultras have walked out on a number of occasions.

"There is a tense atmosphere which has come from the Friedkins - whether they realise it or not - disrespecting a club legend.

"The fans are angry. Many of them are saying: 'Sell us - because in four years you have clearly misunderstood what we are all about.'

"Unfortunately all of the money they have invested, the Conference League trophy they won, the fact that they have improved the finances of the club, and brought in big names, has been completely forgotten."

It has been a tumultuous few years at Goodison Park during Moshiri's tenure, with many fans anticipating brighter days under the prospective new owners.

"They have always been very determined in their actions," Mattioli said of the Friedkins. "If something isn't working, they cut to the chase and get rid of that person.

"It has happened on a number of occasions - they have always been very swift. If they come to Everton, they are coming in with the ambition of raising this team from the dead.

"This Everton team is struggling and it wants to aspire to better things, rather than just fighting relegation, and that is what the Friedkins will be focusing on.

"Roma fans are also fearing the Friedkins might get sidetracked thinking about the brighter lights, bigger prestige and greater stage of the Premier League."

Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds

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Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite has become the ninth player to pull out of the latest England squad.

The 22-year-old, who has one cap for the Three Lions, did not travel to Greece with the rest of the squad and has returned to his club.

Uncapped Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah, 21, will replace Branthwaite. He has been training with England for the past two days.

Mike Hughes
BBC Radio Merseyside reporter

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An away point is always valuable and Everton’s draw at West Ham means it is one defeat in the past seven Premier League matches. Given they lost all four of their opening league matches, it is a marked improvement as well as much needed.

However, given the amount of possession and control they had at London Stadium, it feels like 'one that got away'. They should have won the match but could quite easily have lost it. In fact, if it was not for Jordan Pickford’s late awe-inspiring save from Danny Ings they would have done.

The big problem is a lack of creativity in the final third with the Blues not fashioning enough takeable chances. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s recent lack of goals is highlighted - with some justification - but as a centre-forward, he is often trying to thrive on a very limited service.

Both full-backs have done a decent job lately and though Ashley Young has weighed in with valuable assists this season, neither he or Vitalii Mykolenko can be expected to deliver a supply of quality crosses for Calvert-Lewin to benefit from.

Dwight McNeil’s absence at West Ham handed the creative impetus to Iliman Ndaiye, who is a wonderfully gifted player. One of his many strengths is cutting inside, particularly from the left and onto his right foot. Perhaps he could have been an alternative for the number-10 role, with Jack Harrison playing on the left.

Wide players featuring on the opposite side to their favoured foot has never been more popular and Calvert-Lewin in particular could really benefit from that sort of service. Abdoulaye Doucoure’s value to the team is clear and his diligence and drive, not to mention his priceless goals, have helped Everton survive in the Premier League. But he is geared more towards energy than enterprise.

That is what Sean Dyche has to balance out when evaluating his players, especially given Doucoure helps thicken Everton's midfield and never shirks defensive duties.

With a bit of luck, McNeil will be fit for next week’s massive match with Brentford. Dyche is also hopeful that it will not be long before Youssef Chermiti and Armando Broja can press claims for first-team involvement after injury.

Everton are desperately short of goals so adding more players and more competition for places can only be a positive thing.

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BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions.

George asked: When will the media ever highlight how bad Sean Dyche has been this season? Easiest run of fixtures as per Opta stats. Not improved at all from last season. Same boring football and hoping for draws.

Phil answered: There is certainly a growing frustration from Everton fans at the style of football being played under Sean Dyche, although I do think it was a case of needs must last season. He did a good job getting Everton to safety. It was not about style at that point - it was about safety.

This season, however, has been really tough to watch and results have been poor as well. The return of 10 points from their first 11 games is well below what would have been expected given those fixtures and they now have a tough run coming up.

I do not think Everton, given that a new ownership is in the process of being confirmed, will consider changing managers unless it really becomes a dire emergency.

I am sorry to say this to you, but ambitions this season must be limited to staying up before going into the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, which offers the opportunity of a fresh start and reset under American billionaire Dan Friedkin after years of crisis and chaos.

Dyche has a track record of being able to do that.

I would, though, be very surprised if Dyche takes Everton into that new stadium. His contract expires at the end of the season and history shows new owners nearly always want their own managers. I do not expect Friedkin to be any different.

Mike Richards
Fan writer

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The international break has come at precisely the right time for Everton.

Another uninspiring showing at London Stadium on Saturday highlighted further how our one-dimensional approach is becoming a hindrance.

West Ham, and more specifically Julen Lopetegui, appeared to be under increasing pressure. A match seemingly not made in heaven, Everton had a great opportunity to go there and snaffle three much-needed points.

What we have seen so often this season presented itself again, albeit at a slightly elevated level than we had seen at St Mary's the previous week.

The game had a distinct feeling of two managers who dare not lose. Two sides cancelling each other out at every turn.

This is where the frustration within the Everton fanbase derives from. The approach to each and every game never seems to vary.

We long for the day when we become competitive once more and play with a freedom that our rigid setup currently prohibits.

An argument can clearly be made that this style just does not quite cut it. Seven wins in 2024 simply is not good enough, even considering last season's caveats of points deductions and off-field dramatics.

Opta rated Everton's first 10 fixtures, external as the easiest in the Premier League. Our current points return is somewhat unacceptable on that basis.

Poor performances simply cannot be accepted week in, week out. It should not be the norm to approach every game as if we are facing Manchester City.

The two-week break offers a time for the club to refocus before a difficult December. The pause button at the club needs to be unpressed sooner rather than later.

Currently, there is a distinct lack of direction. It feels that the beginning of the Friedkin Group's reign is the possible remedy to the malaise.

Find more from Mike Richards at Unholy Trinity, external

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Five players have been called up to England's squad for November's Nations League internationals after eight withdrew through injury.

Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers, West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen, Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite along with Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento and Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford have also been added to interim boss Lee Carsley’s squad.

Chelsea pair Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer, Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, Manchester City midfielders Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Southampton's Aaron Ramsdale have all pulled out.

England face Greece on Thursday, 14 November and the Republic of Ireland on Sunday, 17 November.

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Opta's supercomputer has tipped promoted Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City as the three most likely teams to get relegated from the Premier League this season.

Southampton are bottom and winless after 10 games since returning to the top flight, with the computer giving them 94.9% chance of being relegated.

Despite climbing out of the bottom three with an impressive first win of the season against Tottenham at this weekend, Ipswich are the next side being tipped to go down with a 70.7% chance.

While Leicester are 15th, three points clear of the drop zone, they are the third most likely side to get relegated according to Opta, with a 46.9% chance.

Wolves, Everton and Crystal Palace are the remaining sides that have an 18% or more chance of falling down to the second tier by May.

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Deputy Editor of Opta Patric Ridge joined BBC Radio Merseyside's to discuss the 0-0 draw at West Ham.

"At the minute I am not sure that there is enough tactical nous and flair to get the best out of the attackers," said Ridge.

"On Saturday, there were some situations where the team got into good positions and couldn't find the final pass or that shot off at the right time and that is on the players."

Sean Dyche's side had 18 shots at goal at London Stadium, hitting the target with four of those attempts and failing to score.

"In attack there is so much more to give and that is where I want to see the improvement," added Ridge.

"However long Dyche is here, whether he is going to get a new contract or not, it is on him now to really try and find that little bit extra and prove he can do it."

Everton have just 10 goals across their opening ten games of the season, with only Manchester United (nine), Crystal Palace (eight) and Southampton (seven) scoring fewer.

Listen to the full chat now on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between West Ham and Everton.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans

Jayden: First half - once again so, so poor. They must start better. The performance was criminally bad. The changes certainly helped, but the clumsy and tepid play must stop. No ideas and no pace. Bowen and Somerville can be excused. He should start Ings and use Antonio as the late joker. Ings can't do any worse. Long, hard season ahead of us.

Graza: One of the worst games of football I've ever watched. I've seen worse performances from individual teams, but rarely two together to produce such a spineless, insipid, waste of time. For West Ham's part, no-one wanted the ball. Several times, at throw-ins or when we were up the pitch, everyone was hiding behind a defender trying not to get involved. Gutless.

Mark: One of the dullest games I've ever watched and I'm a season ticket-holder so have watched a few. Manager has to go. He has had zero impact. We have no shape, pass sideways and players are always picking up the ball standing still.

Everton fans

Tony: Dire and lacking any cohesion, Calvert-Lewin and Doucoure are past their sell-by date. Lindstrom is Championship standard. Dyche has no idea what to do any more. Hope the ownership is settled soon so we can get some fresh blood in at the top.

Gladys: The headlines will be that it was a good point away from home but, yet again, Dyche continues to show how out of his depth he is. This was a good opportunity to go and fight for a win, but it seems like Dyche only ever sets up for 0-0 draws. Time to go.

Gary: Hard-fought point with Pickford saving our blushes. West Ham substitutions definitely made them more threatening and thanks to Jordan's great saves we did not lose. As for our substitutes, too late and same old, same old. Sorry, Mr Dyche, but tactically you just don't have it.

Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite has been identified by Real Madrid as a potential reinforcement. (Caught Offside, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Wolves 2-0 Southampton

• Brighton 2-1 Man City

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

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Everton will be the happier of the two teams after bouncing back from last weekend's loss at Southampton with a hard-earned point on their travels, but manager Sean Dyche may feel his side could have emerged from London Stadium with more than just a draw.

The visitors worked themselves into some good positions in the first half in particular, but Iliman Ndiaye's low effort and a Dominic Calvert-Lewin header shortly before half-time failed to trouble Lukasz Fabianski.

Having edged a first half low on quality and cutting edge, Everton faded in the second, and ultimately had goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to thank for preserving the point.

After keeping out Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio in the first half, Pickford saved well from Guido Rodriguez and Danny Ings before producing a magnificent stop to prevent Ings' deflected stoppage-time drive from nestling in the roof of the net.

Everton have now lost only one of their past seven league games, but they have won only one of their past 17 on the road in the top flight, collecting just nine points in the process.

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Sean Dyche spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Everton's draw with West Ham: “There’s a lot of noise at [West Ham] at the moment, which affected the game. It’s another point and clean sheet on the road. With a little bit more in the final third, we’d have had more points this season.

“We had pockets where I thought we were a threat. A lot of our game was good today. We opened up the game when we could and defended resolutely when we had to.

“We just need a bit of devil in the final third and a bit of devil in the box, but it’s not easy in the Premier league.”

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Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Six matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Brentford v Bournemouth

• Crystal Palace v Fulham

• West Ham v Everton

• Wolves v Southampton (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• Brighton v Man City - 17:30 (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Liverpool v Aston Villa - 20:00

Kick-off 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 11 he takes on Mylee and Tate from CBBC football drama Jamie Johnson FC (JJFC).

Sutton's prediction: 2-2

West Ham are in trouble. As I said on the Monday Night Club, they don't really have an identity under Julen Lopetegui.

He has always been a pragmatic manager in my eyes but they want to be a more expansive side and he is stuck somewhere in between at the moment.

There is a lot of uncertainty around them at present, and I am certainly not convinced by them at home. They beat Manchester United there a couple of weeks ago, but they were lucky to win that one.

While the Hammers are still above Everton in the table, the Toffees’ had been in better form, but then they lost at struggling Southampton last week, which is a disappointing defeat whichever way you look at it.

The only team Everton have beaten away this season is Ipswich, so I would not feel confident backing them to bounce back with a win here.

I don't want to pick another draw, but this has got one written all over it.

Mylee's prediction: 2-0

I am definitely backing my team here!

Tate's prediction: 1-2

I played for West Ham but they have had a few defeats recently so Everton might edge this.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

With both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto currently vying for the number nine position in the side, Everton boss Sean Dyche has been discussing the competition between the two strikers.

Calvert-Lewin has started all 10 Premier League games so far, while Beto has come on as a substitute in six of those.

Manchester United are set to reignite their interest in £70m-rated Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, with the Merseyside club unable to afford a new contract for the 22-year-old England international. (Mail - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

In his news conference on Thursday, Everton boss Sean Dyche spoke about how defender Jarrad Branthwaite can get back into the side and spend more time on the pitch.

The centre-back, who was injured at the start of the season, has started once and made two substitute appearances in the Premier League.