Everton vs Wolves: Predicted Line-Up | Who Leads the Line?

Two weeks in and cautious optimism has made way for knowing pessimism.

Everton have problems. And a woeful 4-0 defeat at Villa exposed every one of them.

This week, our opponents are almost as bad as us. Their saving grace? They’ve scored once this season.

So how will Mr Dyche attempt to stop the rot at Goodison?

Who’s Out?

It’s a familiar story, but from a freak situation: Dominic Calvert-Lewin is out with a suspected broken cheek bone. It’s not clear when he’ll be back, but expect DCL to be dusting off his protective mask in the next couple of weeks.

Alex Iwobi is also out with a hamstring problem picked up at Villa, while Dwight McNeil, Seamus Coleman and Dele all remain on the sidelines.

New signing Jack Harrison is also still unavailable but is now ‘out on the grass’ with some individual training to get him up to speed.

Demarai Gray, Andre Gomes and Mason Holgate are all in limbo, with potential moves away mooted.

Change is needed, but options are thin.

EVERTON SQUAD AVAILABLE VS WOLVES

Goalkeepers: Pickford, Virginia, Lonergan,

Defenders: Keane, Godfrey, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Holgate (DOUBT), Mykolenko, Coleman (INJURED), Patterson, Young

Midfielders: Doucoure, Iwobi (INJURED), Onana, Gueye, Garner, Onyango, Gomes (DOUBT), Dele (INJURED)

Wingers: Gray (DOUBT), McNeil (INJURED), Danjuma, Dobbin, Harrison (INJURED)

Attackers: Calvert-Lewin (INJURED), Maupay, Chermiti, Cannon

Tactics and Formation

The main question is undoubtedly: who will lead the Everton line?

Neal Maupay is a frustratingly likely option, but Sean Dyche would quickly lose goodwill of Evertonians if he is to roll the dice on that option again.

My money is on Arnaut Danjuma. Which is also frustrating, because although he looks like a dangerous winger, he’s not a lone striker.

If only we had a ‘proper’ striker on the books who can win a header. Well, don’t get your hopes up about Tom Cannon or Youseff Chermiti starting. They’ll be lucky to get a minute from the bench.

However, I do expect to see some young blood get some gametime: namely Lewis Dobbin and Jarrad Branthwaite. Michael Keane surely cannot start following last weekend’s debacle, so it’s just a question of Godfrey or Branthwaite – and every Evertonian is yearning to see the 21-year-old in action after a successful loan spell at PSV.

Dobbin will likely come in for Iwobi and inject some directness into the side. At the back, Mykolenko might have a shout at left-back, but Young will probably get the nod. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Garner could move to right-back to displace Nathan Patterson, who’s struggled to find form early on.

Chermiti should (hopefully) get a place in the squad considering our lack of options/goals.

In truth, if Dyche really wants to get Evertonians back on side, he’d roll out Branthwaite at the back, put Danjuma and Dobbin in their true positions on the wings and start with Cannon and/or Chermiti up top. But don’t bank on more than two of those things happening.

Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)

Jordan Pickford – 10/10

Nathan Patterson – 8/10

Ashley Young - 7/10

James Tarkowski – 8/10

Jarrad Branthwaite – 6/10

Abdoulaye Doucoure – 8/10

Idrissa Gana Gueye – 7/10

Amadou Onana - 7/10

James Garner – 7/10

Lewis Dobbin – 6/10

Arnaut Danjuma – 7/10

Bench

Joao Virginia

Michael Keane

Ben Godfrey

Vitalii Mykolenko

Andre Gomes

Tyler Onyango

Neal Maupay

Tom Cannon

Yousef Chermiti