After a week dominated by controversy, it's good to have the footy back
Oh Marouane. You were doing so well...
On balance, a draw was a fair result against Stoke, and to take a solid point away from the Potteries is no mean feat. However, we still manage to make a decent result frustrating - firstly, by squandering the only clear-cut chance created against a team who favour Rugby tactics, and secondly, by our big-haired Belgian resorting to stupidity and, for lack of a better word, 'thuggery' twice in the last half an hour, and now starts his retrospective three match ban. And while there is no excuse for what the Fro did, a three match ban is fair. That should be that, and a line drawn under the entire debacle. Let the football commence...
Unfortunatley, a trip to Big Sam's West Ham isn't going to be a 'clean' affair. West Ham get summed up far too easily and often as a long-ball, route-one team. However, when they chose to they are capable of playing quality attacking football good enough to beat anyone on their day, especially at home.
They have only one win in their last six (the same as The Toffees) against Chelsea, but now have a hefty injury list that has seen them slip down to 11th in the league - still only 5 points and places below The Blues. They only named six subs away against The Baggies on Sunday, and still managed to return to the East End with a point.
Going into the Christmas Period with a small squad is never easy (as every Evertonian will confirm!) but The Hammers will be confident they can get a result against an Everton side most-likely to be without two of their form players this season. Midfielder Jack Collison is due to return from injury, while Yossi Benayoun, Ricardo Vaz Te, Alou Diarra and that lump Carroll are all sidelined, along with inspired summer-signing Mohamed Diame, who has impressed fans and pundits alike since joining on a free from Wigan in the summer; an astute signing that I would have been very happy for Everton to make were we to have taken a gamble in the summer.
They will most likely line up in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Premier League veteren Jussi Jaaskelainen in goal, shielded by a back four of Demel, Collins, Reid and O'Brien, if the West Brom game is anything to go by. Gary O'Neil and The Hammer's very own Leon Osman - Mark Noble - will sit in midfield, with Taylor and Jarvis on the wings. Big Sam's prodegy Kevin Nolan will play off of Carlton Cole up front. Even though West Ham are capable of playing footy, our defence should be strong enough to hold them out. In that case, all we need to do is make sure we don't slack off when the inevitable long-balls arrive, and win any second balls. Howard was at fault for the goal last week, and that prat Nolan will have a field-day from set-pieces unless our defence keep him under lock and key.
Just a reminder...
As for The Blues, there's no real need to make changes to a defence that faired well enough against Stoke RUFC last weekend. Howard needs to wake up though - his simple mistakes have cost us at least 9 or 10 points this season. Baines should and Pienaar should be able to take on Taylor and Demel, but Coleman will have to be careful against the pace of Jarvis - Jagielka and Distin will need to stop Cole from winning aerial battles. Gibson will play in the middle, and Moyesy will play Neville longside him if there is any chance he will be fit. I'd rather have Nev tracking Nolan than Hitzelsperger, though. If Captain Fantastic does return, Osman will most likely push up behind Jelavić in the absence of Fellaini, with Naismith and Pienaar on the flanks. I can't see Moyes starting with Barkley, although stranger things have happened - the Sky Sports ticker-bar claimed Mirallas was nearing a return earlier; need you back (for good) soon, Kev! Anichibie would also be a welcome return to the squad at this point.
The last time we went to the Capital we well and truly screwed up against Reading. Draws are going to do us in this season unless we get our act together, and it doesn't help having one of our most influential players missing for a key period. We are more than capable of getting 12/12 points from the Festive period, but we'll need to be on top-form. But we can't afford to lose any ground on the pack around us, and we need to capitalise tomorrow against a team with a longer missing-persons list than ourselves.
Merry Christmas everyone - lets celebrate in style!
