We have not many injuries and a lot of players in great form, a situation we haven't had in years - i really hope the improvement ETH talked about when he joined the club, about raising the physics, condition and recovery methods is not only luck right now but instead that he and his staff had made a lot of improvement on this area. He got me excited already when he talked that about Varane and him having a special training program (all season long and all the time, not only the first weeks when he was building up his physics but it will stay that way because they have found what kind of fitness program he needs to stay in best possible shape and form). And of course it's only a thing they have for Varane, it's something ETH and his staff in Ajax worked with and will keep doing with all our players.
Some players need to have to speciell individuell fitness programs and it was obvious that our previous managers were not spending as much focus on the individuell fitness and we have had one of the worst injury records last 5-10 years in the league (maybe all big leagues included). I also read about how his staff has introduced special meals every day, and some players have their speciell diets for both recovering, gaining or losing weight or just staying fit.
Now back to the match and why i chose to talk about our injury situations, having players in form and players showing impressive steps as footballers both on the pitch and tactically. When we now have to chose a starting eleven for a early stage cup game, even picking the "second choice" player on their positions and keeping 2-3 key players, makes our team look very strong. I was thinking about it some days ago and felt that we don't rotate that much among the regulars when i realized we almost always keep rotating in a tactical way (we can create a thread, well i can yet, net one more "LIKE" for full member" but i have noticed a pater that we use to rotate).
So to pick a team for the game against a Everton that is falling apart basically and will kick Lampard any day now and need to build a new team, there is no balance in the team, the key players with high wagers doesn't seem to care to about the team and don't perform. They really look like they have given up the season and maybe even would benefit from dropping one division, selling the most valued players and start over with players that really wants to fight for the team and bring up some from the youth system, which they have a pretty good one.
We should beat them pretty easy if we just play our football and focus on doing the job. Because Dubravka got recalled and even if the rumor about Butland signing maybe before the game, i think De Gea is well rested and will play (Butland has been injured all season and played 0 games, contract running out this summer and rumors saying we will pay 500k fee for the signing.
So something like this maybe:
-------------------------------De Gea
-----Wan Bissaka Maguire Lindelöf Malacia
-----------------------McTominey Fred
----------------------------Fernandes
----------------Antony Rashford Garnacho
To prove my point above:
------------------Heaton/Butland
--------Dalot Varane Martinez Shaw
---------------Casemiro Eriksen
------------------Van De Beek
----------Elanga Martial Sancho
Two pretty strong line ups with great abilities to rotate and keep fresh legs for all fronts.