Pienaar's gloves
Player Valuation: £35m
Good day patrons and visitors to GrandOldTeam.
This weekend sees the return of foes Villareal to Goodison Park, along with Wayne from Croxteth, to honour one of our heroes and complete our warm up to the season.
Saturday, however, we turn our attention to Leeds United.
Fitness should be peaking about now - for those with their hamstrings intact - in anticipation of the visit of Watford and all around Finch Farm there will be efforts to ensure that we learn lessons from the poor start made last season. Two games in one weekend may be an opportunity to test the fitness of every squad player.
Here is hoping that it isn't the surround for a pre-season injury disaster.
Elland Road should stir fine memories for travelling blues - not least a little game against Tottenham Hotspur in 1995.
A look at the opposition then...
Many would agree that Leeds are a giant of the game that has fallen, and fallen far. Originally the phoenix club following the disbanding of Leeds City FC in 1919, the club went on to win plenty of domestic honours in the 60's and 70's as well as a title in 1992 before overspending in the Premier League era and forming the term 'doing a Leeds' as they fell through the divisions.
Leeds are now in the Championship and finished fifteenth last year. They are managed by nice guy and Manchester City legend Uwe Rosler, suffering because their owner, crazy Italian entrepreneur Massimo Cellino is incapable of attracting anything other than negative headlines.
He is scared of the number 17, and I am led to believe seat numbers at Elland Road go from 16 to 18. Crazy.
Back to the blues, pre-season has been a mixed bag. We've taken apart all of the dross, yet the Stoke win was hardly convincing and Arsenal tore us open.
Hamstring injuries have been an issue and the medical and conditioning staff should take a good look at this.
Young players have looked the part though, particularly Dowell in midweek. Hopefully they can give Martinez something to think about this season.
A few tips for blues on the move:
Leeds Station to Elland Road is walkable on a nice day, takes a little while though, might want to take a cab.
Evertonians are welcome at Howards Bar between the South and West stands.
Forza Everton.
This weekend sees the return of foes Villareal to Goodison Park, along with Wayne from Croxteth, to honour one of our heroes and complete our warm up to the season.
Saturday, however, we turn our attention to Leeds United.
Fitness should be peaking about now - for those with their hamstrings intact - in anticipation of the visit of Watford and all around Finch Farm there will be efforts to ensure that we learn lessons from the poor start made last season. Two games in one weekend may be an opportunity to test the fitness of every squad player.
Here is hoping that it isn't the surround for a pre-season injury disaster.
Elland Road should stir fine memories for travelling blues - not least a little game against Tottenham Hotspur in 1995.
A look at the opposition then...
Many would agree that Leeds are a giant of the game that has fallen, and fallen far. Originally the phoenix club following the disbanding of Leeds City FC in 1919, the club went on to win plenty of domestic honours in the 60's and 70's as well as a title in 1992 before overspending in the Premier League era and forming the term 'doing a Leeds' as they fell through the divisions.
Leeds are now in the Championship and finished fifteenth last year. They are managed by nice guy and Manchester City legend Uwe Rosler, suffering because their owner, crazy Italian entrepreneur Massimo Cellino is incapable of attracting anything other than negative headlines.
He is scared of the number 17, and I am led to believe seat numbers at Elland Road go from 16 to 18. Crazy.
Back to the blues, pre-season has been a mixed bag. We've taken apart all of the dross, yet the Stoke win was hardly convincing and Arsenal tore us open.
Hamstring injuries have been an issue and the medical and conditioning staff should take a good look at this.
Young players have looked the part though, particularly Dowell in midweek. Hopefully they can give Martinez something to think about this season.
A few tips for blues on the move:
Leeds Station to Elland Road is walkable on a nice day, takes a little while though, might want to take a cab.
Evertonians are welcome at Howards Bar between the South and West stands.
Forza Everton.
