FC Everton v VFL Wolfsburg

[Callum_efc]

Lukaku and eto'o in a 4-4-2.

 

[TippEverton]

Its a great first game back in Europe, we'll know a hell of a lot more after tomorrow than if we were playing some jarg team from a poor league as to how we might fare in this competition.

Come on you blues.

 

[madkiwi]

Everton’s Romelu Lukaku and the squad loosen up as they prepare for Thursday’s Europa League game against Wolfsburg. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA Wire/PA Images
“We cannot stand still,” said Roberto Martínez on Everton’s desire to build a stadium in Walton Hall Park, less than a mile from the club’s historic home at Goodison Park. The sentiment also applies to the team who last season recorded Everton’s highest points tally of the Premier League era. For that development, their manager has designs on Warsaw.

The Polish capital will host this season’s Europa League final, now offering the significant bonus of a Champions League place for the winner, and though it is not in Martínez’s nature to get ahead of himself, there has been no disguising the importance he has placed on a frequently maligned competition. He began talking European squad numbers late last season, selected pre-season friendlies with continental challenges in mind and views the Europa League as essential to Everton’s progress. “We really want to go all the way in the Europa League,” he said.

There have been no grumblings about the Europa workload allowed at Goodison. Even a demanding group containing Wolfsburg, Thursday’s opening opponents, Lille and Krasnodar, the Russian conquerors of Real Sociedad in the play-offs, is merely an incentive to Martínez on his European debut as a manager.

“We are very excited, as you can imagine, and we have been working hard for over 12 months to achieve this opportunity,” he said of Everton’s first European tie in five seasons. Their last was a 4-2 aggregate defeat to Sporting Lisbon in the last 32 of the Europa League in February 2010.

“The Europa League is a great competition and is where we need to be testing ourselves. The only way to fulfil our potential is to be playing games like the one we are going to face on Thursday. The draw has been kind in that it will bring two phenomenal football teams with the quality of Lille and Wolfsburg to Goodison, and then a really surprising package of Krasnodar. In terms of the group stage, it’s a phenomenal challenge for us. But that’s what we want at Everton. We embrace playing in Europe.”

Many Premier League squads have been strained by the Thursday-Sunday routine, Everton among them during David Moyes’ time as manager, but Martínez said his squad are equipped for the demands. Samuel Eto’o and Sylvain Distin, who missed Saturday’s first Premier League win of the season, at West Bromwich Albion, through injury, are available for Wolfsburg’s visit.

Martínez said: “We are not a team who wants to moan about the number of games or talk about the Europa League in a disrespectful manner. I do feel that playing against German teams, French teams, and Russian teams will bring a completely different tactical approach and we will benefit from that. As a player, you want to play games. If it means playing Thursday and Sunday, then that’s what you want. If you have a whole week to prepare for one game, you need two really hard training sessions. As a player I don’t think you really look forward to coming into training and putting a lot of effort into that. Football is contact sport and if you can avoid injuries, you welcome games.”

Wolfsburg, fifth in the Bundesliga last season, have lost one and drawn two of their three league fixtures but carry a clear threat in the Croatia veteran Ivica Olic, once of Bayern Munich, Maximilian Arnold and Aaron Hunt. The former Chelsea player Kevin De Bruyne and Nicklas Bendtner, previously of Arsenal, are also in their ranks.

“They are a well-structured team and the midfielders give really good balance to the side, and experience,” the Everton manager said. “They have full international players who know how to play these occasions.”

As for the long-term at Everton, Martínez has given fulsome support to the proposed stadium relocation to Walton Hall Park, an anticipated scheme that was confirmed this week but remains at an embryonic stage in terms of planning and finance.

The Everton manager added: “Our fans know we cannot stand still. We always need to try to help ourselves to look for the highest competitive level we can achieve and the ground has always been an issue. This is really exciting but really early stages. We want to do things right. We’re going to involve the community, the city, all the fans. I think everyone knows this is not just the possibility of a new stadium, this is a new scheme, a regeneration project, that would be phenomenal for the city with many new jobs. It would be securing the future of our football club.”Everton (possible, 4-2-3-1): Howard; Coleman, Stones, Jagielka, Baines; McCarthy, Besic; McGeady, Naismith, Mirallas; Lukaku.

Subs from: Distin, Hibbert, Barry, Robles, Alcaraz, Gibson, Osman, Pienaar, Eto’o, Atsu, McAleny.

Wolfsburg (possible, 4-2-3-1): Benaglio; Jung, Naldo, Knoche, Rodríguez; Gustavo, De Bruyne; Perisic, Hunt, Olic; Bendtner.

Referee: Luca Banti (It).

Only counted two phenomenals in there, so would have to argue how excited Martinez really is.

 

[TheFinnFan]

Wolfsburg ok without injuries?

Cant wait!

Let the european crusade begin. Bring the horses!

 

[Stutheblue]

Really looking forward to this one. If we take it seriously, we can do well in this competition.

 

[Azza]

This tonight yeah?









Ahhhhhhhhhh!! Goodison is going to be incredible when Z-cars plays.

 

[Springhettios]

Let's go!!! We should smash these!

 

[Buckers]

How good actually are these guys? On paper they look a bit like a Southampton or Hull? Would that be a fair assessment?

 

[kiss the crest]

How good actually are these guys? On paper they look a bit like a Southampton or Hull? Would that be a fair assessment?

I think this week shows how good this team is, 2 German teams beat English teams and the other drew, these finished 1 point outside champions league position, the 3 teams I am talking about Chelsea, arsenal man city

 

[bol-uk]

I've just realised how hard our group is.

 

[Ashtonluke]

Looking forward to this game tonight. Going to be excited all day!

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Looking forward to it

Hope we win!

 

[blukaku]

How good actually are these guys? On paper they look a bit like a Southampton or Hull? Would that be a fair assessment?

I dont think so, I think they are very much the Everton of the Bundesliga. I think both teams will progress out the group

 

[Coach]

Can't wait for tonight.

 

[Royal-Blue-Mersey]

Looking forward to this, hopefully there will be a lot of people just turning up on the night and the attendance will be decent.

No idea what the scoreline will be, but with two attacking sides, I'm gonna go for an Everton win, with plenty of goals.

Everton 3 - 2 Wolfsburg

Eto'o with a brace, Mirrallas with the other.