Everton have announced their starting XI as they travel to the south coast to face Bournemouth on Saturday, and fans have taken to Twitter to express their frustration at Sam Allardyce’s baffling decision to play three defensive midfielders.
The Toffees starting XI lines up in a 4-3-3, with Morgan Schneiderlin, Idrissa Gueye playing alongside James McCarthy, who makes a long-awaited return from injury.
McCarthy has been out of action for most of the season, with his only appearance so far coming in the League Cup against Chelsea, as the Ireland international has struggled badly with knee and hamstring injuries.
Everton’s only three attacking players are Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Aaron Lennon and Gylfi Sigurdsson, and fans expressed their frustration at Allardyce’s cautious tactics.
The former England boss has enjoyed a successful start to his career at Goodison Park, and is yet to suffer a loss at the helm after seven games unbeaten.
At times however Everton have looked ultra-defensive, as illustrated by their last two results, two 0-0 draws against Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion.
And, considering Bournemouth’s season so far, in which the Cherries have only won four games, fans have slammed Allardyce for his lack of adventure against a team that is ripe for the taking.
This is Futbol have rounded up some of the best tweets:
3 defensive midfielders, you're having a laugh
— markwalsh (@madmiyagi) December 30, 2017
8 defensive players against a side not won in 8 ?
— Russell Tanner (@rjt1801) December 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/HayGoree/status/947105547345711104
https://twitter.com/bob456541/status/947106321459007493
https://twitter.com/Blueandy1977/status/947106279402692610
https://twitter.com/jay__efc/status/947106227053580288
God this team is depressing.
— Chris Fitzpatrick (@Fitz87) December 30, 2017
Overly defensive starting XI, at least the bench looks more like 3 points!
— Fidgell (@IamFidgell) December 30, 2017
ensuring we dont lose again to bottom 2 team ? fine but hope we actually have a go today as oppose to WBA game.
— Howie's DC Comic Frames (@HywelJones2) December 30, 2017
Struggling to see where a goal will come from. 3 defensive midfielders ..
— Brian Sheedy (@briansheedy62) December 30, 2017
3 defensive midfielders? no creativity #EFCmatchday #EFCawayday
— Jack (@Jack_Bridgess) December 30, 2017
Ino allardyce plays boring football but 3 DMs against bourmouth is a joke he literally sets out for a draw in any away game and why has he decided to change Williams and holgate now when they was playing knocks confidence of players
— Jamie Briscoe (@jamiebriscoe) December 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/ekybwk/status/947105719249125378
0-0 bore then
— Dave Gatti (@BertGatti) December 30, 2017
Nice to see we are playing for 0-0 again pathetic/embarrassing
— Daniel Craig (@DannyCraig92) December 30, 2017