Middlesbrough v Everton. Boxing Day.3pm.

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jingle bells, jingle bells and all that. another win on the road for the lads, dont know what score we will win by but we will score more than them.

dont forget lads and lasses, if you are off to 'boro then it truely is scruffsville, put on some 'arl gardening gear or something or you'll have no chance of blending in.

the scruffy santa should still be bunged up with mince-pies so at least he wont be there
 
we owe them a battering after they took 2 points off us at Goodison.

Smash them all over the show 3-0.
 
Boro 0 - Everton 2 (Saha, Cahill)

I think we're on a bit of roll now. Unbeaten in 3 games despite a large crock of injuries. Boro are on a slump of form so I expect a solid 3 points.

Yobo looks like he's out so its time for Baines to come in at left back, Lescott centre back, and offer some pace from the back. Baines looks hungry as anything and can whip in a wicked cross -- he's also a threat on free-kicks.

Saha and Anichebe should be back so the strike situation looks better.

I think I'd rest Osman also. He's not missed a game for us I dont think and he's probably running around with his joints super-glued together. Time for the Shandy Man to be introduced I think because Ossie needs time to recover over Crimbo.

Team -

Howard
Neville Jags Lescott Baines
Arteta
VDM Fellaini Pienaar
Cahill
Saha​

Bench - Nash, Hibbert, Osman, Anichebe, Gosling, Rodwell, Castillo.
 
That lineup sounds like the plan to me, but I'm worried that Moyes will stick with Hibbert and go with Neville in the middle, Cahill slotting back and Arteta back onto the wing.

Hope he doesn't, Mikky's the business playing deeper and vd Meyde's surely capable for 60min.

We'll do one over them either way - 2-0 to the good guys.
 

That lineup sounds like the plan to me, but I'm worried that Moyes will stick with Hibbert and go with Neville in the middle, Cahill slotting back and Arteta back onto the wing.

Hope he doesn't, Mikky's the business playing deeper and vd Meyde's surely capable for 60min.

We'll do one over them either way - 2-0 to the good guys.

That's the way I see it going myself really.

He doenst rate VDM at all. I mean, Pienaar was woeful last night and Osman had his ankle celotaped to his leg the entire 2nd half but he still wouldnt throw on a natural winger.

Its the 1st time in years VDM has been 100% fit and ready to play. If he's gonna get injured again at least do it in a competative match rather than the bench or in training.

And moving Arteta would be a mistake to start off with IMO especially with the back 4 changing. Playing VDM out wide gives you more options for the limited squad -- and you can always have Osman on the bench just in case and swap things about. But VDM has to feature in those options.
 
I hope Arteta doesn't get shifted the the wing again, everything came through him in the second half in that deep lying position. Another good performance.

Hopefully Osman plays through the pain, he has done a few times this season to be fair to him. He's by no means the long term answer outwide but his performances against Spurs, Man City and Chelsea has been solid.

We need a striker back big time, we look toothless upfront at times. Hopefully Saha or Anichebe are back. It's definatly needed.
 
That's the way I see it going myself really.

He doenst rate VDM at all. I mean, Pienaar was woeful last night and Osman had his ankle celotaped to his leg the entire 2nd half but he still wouldnt throw on a natural winger.

Its the 1st time in years VDM has been 100% fit and ready to play. If he's gonna get injured again at least do it in a competative match rather than the bench or in training.

And moving Arteta would be a mistake to start off with IMO especially with the back 4 changing. Playing VDM out wide gives you more options for the limited squad -- and you can always have Osman on the bench just in case and swap things about. But VDM has to feature in those options.

It looks very attacking to me, especially with Baines and Van der Meyde in there. Can't see Moyes doing it to be honest.

I honestly thing Van der Meyde would be blown out after 30 minutes. He missed a big chunk of pre-season and he's only had one reserve game since he got back.

If anything Anichebe will start outwide (if he's fit) which I wouldn't be too bothered about. He's done a decent job out there this season, especially away from home.
 
A comfortable win please, I can see us cruising at 2-0 though only for them to score a goal out of nothing near the end & put the pressure on til the final whistle
 
It looks very attacking to me, especially with Baines and Van der Meyde in there. Can't see Moyes doing it to be honest.

I honestly thing Van der Meyde would be blown out after 30 minutes. He missed a big chunk of pre-season and he's only had one reserve game since he got back.

If anything Anichebe will start outwide (if he's fit) which I wouldn't be too bothered about. He's done a decent job out there this season, especially away from home.


I agree, he can use Anichebe also.

But I still think Moyes should use the limited options he's got. VDM offers something extra if he's willing to use him. He's only going to get fitter if he plays, I think he could do 45 minutes at a push but Moyes wont risk that. But I still think he should be used if to just take a load from other players like Osman (who's lucky to be walking IMO) and Anichebe (back from injury, maybe not 100%).

Moyes should use what he's got rather than push and stretch a team to breaking point. I mean, he's going to get players in January, loans probably, and at a push they're going to be squad players able to cover. But what's the point if he wont play them (like VDM, Castillo, Rodwell, Baxter, Jukebox). Its just Boro at the end of the day. Give em a run, try and conserve players if he can. The Arsenal, United, Liverpool tripple bill will kill us otherwise later in the year.
 

I was also pleasantly surprised with Anichebe's effectiveness on the wing he plays with real pace on the wing that you don't see from him as much up front. I'd say his best game for us this season was at West Brom when he played out wide.

I'd start Kenada's formation with VDM switched for Anichebe that should definitely be enough to beat Middlesborough.

I hope Baines takes a couple of free kicks aswell Arteta has done well with his of late but a left footer might make a world of difference from set pieces.
 
I was also pleasantly surprised with Anichebe's effectiveness on the wing he plays with real pace on the wing that you don't see from him as much up front. I'd say his best game for us this season was at West Brom when he played out wide.

I'd start Kenada's formation with VDM switched for Anichebe that should definitely be enough to beat Middlesborough.

I hope Baines takes a couple of free kicks aswell Arteta has done well with his of late but a left footer might make a world of difference from set pieces.

He probably will to be honest. They've been sharing them of late, Osman and Arteta did yesterday and Shandy took two against Villa.
 
A midfield that can't tackle, a half fit striker, an injury list to give me more gray hair, and the best attitude on the pitch all season at the moment. Who said supporting Everton is easy.

Everton to win convincingly before the smog comes down. A good day for the Hi-Vis kit.

COME ON YOU BLUES
 
Ill be there though I honestly wish I wasnt going but some fuckers got too ! Boro is the proverbial shithole and if it did not have a football club would see very little by way of incoming traffic . I think it will be a tough game but hopefully we will have atleast one striker fit . I ended up getting into abit of an argument last night in the Harlech with this cockney knobhead who was adamant that Saha is [Poor language removed] . [Poor language removed] tedious [Poor language removed] them Chelsea fans .
 

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