J
Joao Moutinho
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It's no Chico's but hopefully you'll give it a read anyway 
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So just three days after another disappointing result, Everton must travel to the home of the champions Manchester City. A place where no team has beaten City in the league since December 2010, and although that team that beat them was Everton, the Blues’ recent form does not encourage too much optimism (just 1 win in 8 games).
It says a lot about the progress that Everton have made over the last couple of seasons that a draw against Arsenal is now considered a poor result for us and a good one for them. Despite that encouraging thought the result remains the same and once again leaves Everton having to pick themselves up before heading into their next match. And what a crucial one it is too. Defeat could see the Blues slide further down the table whereas a victory would send a real statement of intent to the rest of the league and for the first time in a while a draw might actually be considered a good result.
City haven’t exactly been firing on all cylinders this season but they have still been getting it done and whilst they may consider themselves somewhat fortunate to be second in the league considering some of their performances this season it is certainly not unexpected. On paper they do have the best squad in the league and they are definitely not to be taken lightly, especially at home. Even the clueless Roberto Mancini could not stop City’s results this season, as hard as he has tried. For Everton’s sake though lets hope that he has another one of “those†days where he thinks playing three at the back is actually a good idea.
It is not only City that haven’t been firing on all cylinders this season. Everton have blown hot and cold over the past three and a half months and recently it has been far colder than earlier in the season. One man in particular that will be hoping to end a run of bad form is leading striker Nikica Jelavic who despite netting five goals this campaign has not looked the player he was last season.
There is some more bad news for the Blues with Leighton Baines looking like he will miss the fixture with a hamstring injury, although the recent encouraging performances of Bryan Oviedo should settle the nerves of a few Blues somewhat. It is possible that flying winger Kevin Mirallas will return for the fixture and if he does, expect him to cause all sorts of havoc against the ever-vulnerable Maicon. Fellaini as ever is a big player for Everton and will definitely need to turn up for this game if the Blues are to take anything from the match.
Fortunately for Everton it is one of those games where nobody is really expecting them to take anything from the game, which is usually a mantle under which they seem to operate best. That said though, there are a few encouraging signs for the Blues and it wouldn’t surprise me overly if we did take something from the game. For now the players just need to find that bit of composure and tenacity that we know lies within the squad.
article can also be found hereSo just three days after another disappointing result, Everton must travel to the home of the champions Manchester City. A place where no team has beaten City in the league since December 2010, and although that team that beat them was Everton, the Blues’ recent form does not encourage too much optimism (just 1 win in 8 games).
It says a lot about the progress that Everton have made over the last couple of seasons that a draw against Arsenal is now considered a poor result for us and a good one for them. Despite that encouraging thought the result remains the same and once again leaves Everton having to pick themselves up before heading into their next match. And what a crucial one it is too. Defeat could see the Blues slide further down the table whereas a victory would send a real statement of intent to the rest of the league and for the first time in a while a draw might actually be considered a good result.
City haven’t exactly been firing on all cylinders this season but they have still been getting it done and whilst they may consider themselves somewhat fortunate to be second in the league considering some of their performances this season it is certainly not unexpected. On paper they do have the best squad in the league and they are definitely not to be taken lightly, especially at home. Even the clueless Roberto Mancini could not stop City’s results this season, as hard as he has tried. For Everton’s sake though lets hope that he has another one of “those†days where he thinks playing three at the back is actually a good idea.
It is not only City that haven’t been firing on all cylinders this season. Everton have blown hot and cold over the past three and a half months and recently it has been far colder than earlier in the season. One man in particular that will be hoping to end a run of bad form is leading striker Nikica Jelavic who despite netting five goals this campaign has not looked the player he was last season.
There is some more bad news for the Blues with Leighton Baines looking like he will miss the fixture with a hamstring injury, although the recent encouraging performances of Bryan Oviedo should settle the nerves of a few Blues somewhat. It is possible that flying winger Kevin Mirallas will return for the fixture and if he does, expect him to cause all sorts of havoc against the ever-vulnerable Maicon. Fellaini as ever is a big player for Everton and will definitely need to turn up for this game if the Blues are to take anything from the match.
Fortunately for Everton it is one of those games where nobody is really expecting them to take anything from the game, which is usually a mantle under which they seem to operate best. That said though, there are a few encouraging signs for the Blues and it wouldn’t surprise me overly if we did take something from the game. For now the players just need to find that bit of composure and tenacity that we know lies within the squad.
