The battle among the basement clubs to avoid the last relegation spot has reached its zenith in the Premier League. Frank Lampard’s Everton will host Brentford on Sunday in search of some respite from the relegation scare.
WHERE AND WHEN?
Venue: Goodison Park.
Date: Sunday, 15th May 2022.
Time: 16:30(BST).
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Michael Oliver.
Assistant referee: Stuart Burt, Scott Ledger.
Fourth official: Andy Madley.
VAR: Darren England.
Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.
TEAM NEWS
Everton may be without six players for their Premier League match against Brentford on Sunday. Andros Townsend, Nathan Patterson, Yerry Mina, and Fabian Delph have all been “ruled out.” According to reports, Van de Beek and Godfrey are more likely to return against Crystal Palace in midweek, which may be a wise decision given their concerns. Townsend and Patterson have been sidelined with significant injuries for quite some time, so their absence comes as no surprise.
Centre-back Pinnock was not present as the Bees defeated Southampton, and there were hopes that he might return for Everton, but his availability remains uncertain. Uncertainty looms over the presence of winger Sergi Canos too. Both are currently rehabilitating from hamstring problems. Mathias Jorgensen, Frank Onyeka, and Saman Ghoddos did not play in the previous match and they remain doubtful for the Everton match.
MATCH ANALYSIS
Super Frank set to seal Everton’s survival fate
After having missed out on the golden opportunity to get out of the grasp of relegation following The Toffees’ dull draw against Watford, Lampard will solely focus on Sunday’s match to attain Premier League safety. The Toffees were unable to find a way to score the key goal that would have changed one point into three, but they moved away from the relegation zone after Leeds United were defeated 3-0 at home by Chelsea. Frank Lampard’s team still have a game in hand on the Whites, as do Burnley, who sit above them solely on goal difference, and with a two-point lead, they might end all fears rather soon if their good run continues. Nonetheless, Everton have only lost one of their last six games and have collected seven points out of a potential nine. And if results go their way this weekend, the Toffees may possibly be promoted to the Premier League. Lampard’s men are currently 16th on 36 points, with Burnley in 17th on 34 points – the same as Leeds in 18th. Leeds, on the other hand, has a goal difference of -38, which is 19 and 21 goals worse than Everton and Burnley, respectively. In essence, a goal differential swing is out of the question. They may be keeping their heads above water for the time being, but they know better than anyone how quickly that can change, and Leeds have possibly the best end-of-season run-in of the trio fighting the drop. Lampard must now ground his players after dramatic back-to-back victories over Chelsea and Leicester City, and keep the positive momentum flowing, not allowing the Watford speed bump to undermine the progress he and his coaching staff have made at Goodison Park following a difficult start to life on Merseyside.
Brentford’s style of play
The attacking playing philosophy of Thomas Frank is centred on a 4-3-3 formation. Brentford approaches the action-building phase methodically and patiently, with plenty of combination play and position interchangeability in the game of threes. They set the tempo of the game but rarely modify it. Perpendicular passes and plays that cross the line are uncommon. They seek open space to play in by assembling a positional attack from defenders. They frequently drop into half-space and, with the help of side defenders, take the opponent’s pressure on themselves, quickly advancing the game into free zones. The offensive wingers are crucial in producing goal actions. When reading a Brentford game, the opponent’s primary defence is highly active pressing. This allows the Bees’ wingers more room to operate on the flanks. When wide play is impractical, a 4-3-3 formation provides enough alternatives to play in the centre of the pitch. This is the effectiveness of their forward, who (regardless of the action variety) always finds a way to escape. Their attacking system is simple: create more space through the wings, as fullbacks and wing-backs play an important part in exploiting defences. He typically plays a vertical style of football, which widens the area and exposes more space. The players create numerous chances by their strong press; after the ball is recovered, the players will launch an attack from the midfield and proceed toward the box at high speed.
Key players
Richarlison
Richarlison has been playing as a striker in an attacking tandem for the last six weeks due to injury layoffs and tactical changes. While this appears to be a huge change on paper, it appears to be inside a system in which Lampard is seeking to rely on his strengths, such as his movement, pace, ability to carry the ball, and technical skill, to the benefit of both his Everton team’s attacking and defensive capabilities. He is also a dangerous aerial threat, with a tremendous leap and superb timing when attacking crosses. At 5ft 10ins, he is frequently underestimated by opponents towards set-pieces, and in open play, he makes well-timed runs on a defender’s blindside to get into a position to aim a free header at goal. He has 8 goals and 4 assists in the league this season and will surely be looking to better his tally.
Christian Norgaard
He is an all-around midfielder who is as much the calm in the storm as the storm itself. This season, he’s travelled the most ground in the Premier League (353km), while also ranking top in interceptions, possession won, and duels won. Brentford thrives in transition, averaging only 43 per cent possession per 90 minutes. Brentford can disrupt and disperse swiftly thanks to Norgaard’s aggressive, lunging tackles. The 28-year-old is more than simply a savage enforcer. The former Fiorentina midfielder comes to life in the 18-yard box, frequently attacking the back post to get on the end of his team’s deliveries. His anticipation in the tackle is similar to his anticipation in and around the opponent’s zone. This is a significant skill that Norgaard employs to create an effect at both ends of the pitch. Brentford are all but certain of safety after their thrilling win at Watford, but they will have the battle to keep hold of Norgaard, who has already received admiring looks from Liverpool.
Predicted Lineups
Everton possible starting lineup vs Brentford: Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Holgate; Iwobi, Doucoure, Delph, Mykolenko; Gordon, Richarlison, Gray.
Brentford possible starting lineup vs Everton: Raya; Ajer, Jansson, Sorensen, Henry;Norgaard, Jensen, Eriksen; Mbeumo, Toney, Wissa.
