B
BlueToffee95
Guest
Aright lads, sorry for the late post. I think this is my best so far, but let me know. Click on the link if you wanna give it a read with images... there's a lot of writing!
http://yourfootballaffinity.blogspot.co.uk
Enjoy!
Text Below:
http://yourfootballaffinity.blogspot.co.uk
Enjoy!
Text Below:
After another frustrating - but slightly more promising - performance against The Gooners in midweek, it's on to The Etihad to face the Champions...
It's strange, two or three years ago Arsenal would have come to Goodison and wiped the floor with us (see the opening day of the 09-10 season); it shows how much we've developed over the last year that every Evertonian came away from Wednesday night deflated that we only got a point, when we should have wrapped up all three, if not for wasting opportunities (again!) and shoddy refereeing decisions.
However, one win in eight games (six of which have been draws) is unacceptable, even with the football we've been playing and the injuries we've had. On the other hand, we dominated an Arsenal team (apart from the first minute!) that featured the likes of Walcott, Arteta, Wilshire and Cazorla. We didn't do bad, and it was only our lack of squad depth that stopped us from really pushing on in the second half, which was disappointing. It was evident that with the return of Darron Gibson to the Everton midfield that his injury has hampered our progress this season; he adds a solidity to our defence that i'm sure would have enabled us to see out the Fulham, Reading and Norwich games, while some goals, such as the one that Hoilett scored against us for QPR, simply wouldn't have happened.
Welcome back, Gibbo!
As for the performance on Wednesday, we showed that we can easily compete with any team in the league. Osman had a great game alongside his returning midfield partner, while Hibbert gives the defence a lot more sturdiness than Coleman does. Fellaini had a brilliant first-half, but looked tired in the second; Jelavić and Pienaar also showed glimpses of form, while Baines, without doubt the best full-back in the league, was again magnificent, making the fact that he is a doubt for this game particularly frustrating. With Mirallas, probably one of the stand-out foreign imports of the entire Premiership this season, back in full training, it would have been nice to field an almost fully fit starting XI and bench - although Moyes has stated that the Belgian winger may not be involved at the weekend. On the other hand, they should both be fit for the Spurs game next week, and we should really be able to kick on!
As for Citeh, the revolution that began with breaking the British record transfer fee back on Deadline Day 2008 with the signing of the (in the end) underwhelming Robinho, came to a head in the most dramatic of ways in May; the events of that day don't really need to be delved into anymore than they have been in the intervening six months, but i'm pretty sure we won't ever see the likes of it again. It was hard not to want to sing along as 'Hey Jude' rang around The Etihad; I might be in the minority, but I won't knock United's 'Noisy Neighbours' for having the cash to splash - it's what you need to achieve anything in present day football, and the team that won the league last year will certainly live forever in the memories of City fans. The majority of their fans are sound too; sure they're loud-mouthed and arrogant - or at least their most famous ones are - but I think that, pre-investment, Everton and City were very similar teams - our glory years were a decade before I was born, while City's last League triumph before last year was 45 and a 1/2 years ago. Yeh, a long time... and some might say that both sets of fans could relate too each other in a certain way - they both supported teams with, lets face it, 'bigger' and more successful local rivals.
Well, how times change. The title chase last year was immense, and the fact that we had a huge hand in it at Old Trafford means that City owe us one... kind of. We're definitely they're bogey team, and it would be apt if Everton, the last team they were beaten by at The Etihad nearly two years ago, were to do them over again this season - Fellaini's pirouette round that prat Bellamy a few years ago will always be one of my favourite Everton moments. They haven't lost yet in the league, but it isn't down to the free-flowing, attacking football of last year (the 6-1 trouncing of United at Old Trafford a prime example); more often than not this season, they have been rescued by super-sub performances from Edin Dzeko. However, while the football hasn't been the best, they are, in the league at least, performing like Champions - they've got that winning spirit that their most hated neighbours have had for the past 26 years. They have been dumped unseramoneusly out of the premium European competition at the first stage for the second year in a row, and Roberto Mancini is definitely feeling the pressure, with the names of Pep Guardiola and José Mourinho constantly been linked with the job; he didn't help himself by revealing how he almost took a trip to the French Riviera with a job offer from cash-rich Monaco, as well as changing formation about five times in each game!
The Champions seem to have sorted things out a bit in recent weeks however, and have started to replicate some of the football that they played last season. They are without Milner and Richards for this game, so the back four will most likely be Zabaleta, Captain fantastic Kompany, Nastasić and Kolarov, unless they play a back-three; I haven't got a clue, so i'll go with a back four. Hart will start in net. The midfield will probably be a central two of Barry and Yaya, with a three of Silva, Teves and Nasri, probably with Aguero or the enigmatic footballer with a Rock N' Roll Star lifestyle Mario Ballotelli up front. Former Everton wonder-kid Jack Rodwell won't feature - he has a hamstring injury - so there's no way he'll come back to haunt us!
As for Everton, it'll likely be a very similar team to the one on Wednesday; Howard in goal, behind Hibbert and Jagielka - if Baines is fit, he will play, and Distin will start centre back. If not, Heitinga may well be drafted in, and Distin moved out to full-back, unless Moyes is feeling brave and starts Oviedo. Gibson and Osman will patrol central midfield, while Pienaar will be on the left. Hopefully Mirallas can play, and will start on the right if he's fit - if not it could well be Oviedo on the right (Naismith is not a winger!). Our very own powerhouse Marouane Fellaini will most likely play off of Jelavić. There is a possibility Moyes might chose to move Osman out to the right, where he isn't anywhere near as effective, and put Hitz alongside Gibson, or push Fellaini back, allowing Naismith to play with his former Rangers strike-partner. We'll see...
In conclusion, we Toffees have to accept that we will do well to get a result out of this one, especially if both Baines and Mirallas are missing. However, we like being the underdogs, and the last time that happened was when we dominated United on opening day. A strong start is key, and we've got to make sure we tighten up our defending. We'd have won on Wednesday if we hadn't have been so sloppy straight from kick off.
The last time we played City, it was a day that pretty much transformed our season. A 1-0 victory under the lights at Goodison courtesy of Darron Gibson's first goal for Everton, along with the signing of our Croatian slotter and re-signing of our God-loving South African on loan. We haven't looked back since.
Come on lads, lets put in a good performance and get our season going again!
