We managed to put the awful defeat to Hull City out of our system on Wednesday night 
when we saw off Leeds United however, any ‘feel good’ from progress in that competition is usually muted by the thought that as soon as we come up against a top 6 side, we’ll end up getting a hiding. Given that only those on high doses of medication will fancy us to do anything vs. Man City and after the club have now admitted to having little interest in cup competitions, it will be interested to see how many Mags turn up to witness the goals rain in when that one comes around.
That Hull fixture was an opportunity wasted as a win would have moved us to 10 points, the defeat left us on 7 and unfortunately, the next 6 league fixtures look like they won’t yield very many points at all.
The first of those, is Everton on Merseyside, which if we’re honest, isn’t a particularly happy hunting ground for us. Canny days out, far outweigh wins, but more on that later.
Everton were forced to act in the summer when David Moyes vacated for the manager’s job at Manchester United, and having appointed Roberto Martinez, attention quickly turned to whether Moyes would return for Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini. In the end, he did, but was rebuffed on Baines, whilst the big haired, Belgian moved on, boosting the coffers by £28m. United nemesis, Anichebe left too to earn the Toffees another £6m and Martinez went on to bring in James McCarthy and Arouna Kone from his former club for a combined £20m. Alcaraz followed, as did Gareth Barry and Joel Roubles from Atletico Madrid, but the real coup was landing Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku on a season long loan.
With 5 games played, Everton sit 6th, on 9 points, and are unbeaten in the league to date. On their own turf they’ve defeated Chelsea 1-0 and been held to a 0-0 with WBA. They were surprisingly knocked out of the league cup at Fulham.
Baines and Naismith both have 2 goals, both of Baines’s were trademark free kicks. We’d be advised to not give him the opportunity to add to his tally. They’re clear of suspensions but Osman, Pienaar and Kone face fitness tests. Alcaraz has a groin strain.
Team News
The patter from Pardew is that some of our fringe players are pressing for selection, most notably, Sammy Ameobi and Paul Dummett. However, I don’t, for one minute, believe he’d ever drop Santon for the youngster.
Steven Taylor will have a fitness test but that can only be for a place on the bench. The back 5 are likely to be the same one that looked dreadful vs Hull. Midfield however, is a different kettle of fish. The manager is championing Tiote’s case, to no-one’s great surprise, this would leave 4 men to fit into 3 places and my money would be on the easy option of dropping Anita even though his game is totally different to Tiote’s. If it was up to me, having watched Sissoko’s abysmal effort at tracking back Aluku last week, I’d be sitting his arse on the bench if I was forced to change somebody. It may be that he finds a way of blocking out midfield and picks all four in some sort of midfield position, that wouldn’t surprise me at all.
Out wide, it all depends on what Pardew wants to do. If he wants to have a go then Ben Arfa and Remy are likely to be in the team, leaving Cisse the central striker.
Jonas still appears to be recovering although Shola Ameobi may be available again.
Injured
Massadio Haidara – knee – no return date.
Ryan Taylor – Knee – not expected back this year
Jonas Gutierrez – hamstring – back after international break
Possible Team (4-2-1-2-1)
1.Krul: 2. Debuchy, 5. Yanga-Mbiwa, 6. Coloccini, 3. Santon: 8. Cabaye, 4. Tiote: 10. Sissoko: 7. Ben Arfa, 9. Cisse, 11. Remy:
Subs
Elliot, Williamson, Dummett, Anita, Marveaux, Gouffran, Sammy Ameobi
Referee: Phil Dowd
League History at Goodison
Like I said earlier, not great. There’s been plenty canny weekends. There’s been a few uncomfortable walks to and from Goodison with mischievous scallies in close attendance too mind.
1984/85 A fucking right good hiding, 4-0, this was the year Everton won the league and also the European Cup Winner’s Cup. With Kevin Sheedy dominating, notching twice, Graeme Sharpe and Doug Mountfield made it a grim day. See some short shorts, bad hair, long legs and a heavy defeat here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLPIs8wHsMk here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e80QZSdYa-g and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5tL2T1ecfk
1985/86 Another loss, 1-0 with turncoat, Kevin Richardson scoring the goal but Beardsley blazed a late penalty to equalise. They’d finish runners up this season and lose the cup final too. John Bailey’s fat arse stretched United shorts on his old stamping ground. See Pedro and Gazza torture them, but us go home with nowt here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVID2xxzUsc
1986/87 Very bad year. Not only did they put 4 past us at SJP, they beat us 5-2 in Full Members Cup at their place (Andy Thomas notching twice for us) but a Wayne Clarke hat trick condemned us to a 3-0 defeat in the league game. Brian Tinnion made his debut. They’d win the league again, here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_ysTpg_U7Y
1987/88 Another defeat, 1-0 this time, Wayne fucking Clarke again!
1988/89 Who’ll ever forget this? Spotty McDonald’s Everton debut after leaving SJP. 1-0 behind before we’d even finished singing “We’re going to win the league,” a hat trick for Tony Cottee, 1 for Sharpe! Relive the horror if you’re a sadist here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeGmSl4DMz8
Obviously, for reasons well known, we took a break from playing Everton…….
1993/94 won 2-0 Beardsley and Cole as we returned to the top flight in style. A treat for any travelling Mag http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMT6ZxZODwE
1994/95 0-2 defeat and normal service resumed. Daniel Amokachi with 2, Rob Lee sent off, throw in an FA cup QF defeat to a Dave Watson goal too. See that herehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA-kScRcpoE
1995/96 This is more like it. 3-1, we tore them a new arsehole, Ferdinand, Lee from the spot and Kitson on target for us, Limpar with a consolation goal.
1996/97 Not the debut Shearer was looking for. Lost 2-0, Speed and Unsworth with their goals.
1997/98 Drew 0-0, but a 1-0 FA cup win with Rush on target from about 1 inch out for us.
1998/99 lost 0-1, Michael Ball penalty after Carl Serrant’s awful tackle
1999/00 Kieron Dyer wonder goal here, 2 min 20 secs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbPtB0FMHGQ and Aaron Hughes as we won 2-0
2000/01 1-1 Unsworth pen and an OG, busy game for the lad.
2001/02 3-1 Bellamy, Acuna and Solano, for us, Weir for them. A good win with a comedy opener for Bellamy
2002/03 Lost 2-1 with a Robert thunderbolt, but everyone will remember the Gravesen foul on Bernard, see Robert’s goal here on 2 mins http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfyty0_9Iyo
2003/04 2-2. Fucking mental game, 2 Shearer pens, a late Ferguson pen, Robert and naysmith sent off and 11 yellow cards
2004/05 Shola Ameobi sent off for raising his hands Weir and Cahill condemning us to a 2-0 loss
2005/06 Yobo caught us asleep a minute after the restart. Lost 1-0. Grim times under Souness..
2006/07 A 3-0 defeat but most will remember Obafemi Martins’s penalty where he forgot what foot he kicked the ball with, delayed it, ran in a wiggly line and fucked it right up. The ball is believed to now not be far from reaching Venus. See it start its ascent here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o56HMhprT68
2007/08 Lost 1-3.Owen penalty for us but another drubbing.
2008/09 Needle scratching across the record screechy sound!!!! JFK’s first game in charge of United. A 2-2 draw with us coming back from 2-0 down, Steven Taylor and Duff for us.
2010/11 1-0. Ben Arfa’s hammer blow on his debut. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuTOWZYhU88
2011/12 Last game of the season, maroon strip, absolutely, fucking awful. 3-1, Hibbert OG
2012/13 The most controversial and fortunate point we’ve ever collected?? Hahaha 2-2. Late Demba Ba drama. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tevZPT9ImZw
Everton Fanzines
When Skies Are Grey http://www.freewebstore.org/wsag/index.aspx?pageid=150026
Again we’ll be doing a Mags on Merseyside on the hash tag #MagsOnMerseyside so like minded, travelling mags can meet up and start a bit of atmosphere. Feel free to add on wherever your travelling groups are heading
Predictions
I must admit, I cant see anything other than a defeat, 2-0
Someone has to stop Baines marauding down the left hand side, I cant see Debuchy getting anywhere near to doing so. For the entire time under Pardew, we’ve looked like we want crosses put into our box so the centre backs can head them away, instead of a full back putting himself in the way to block it. Do that with Lukaku waiting in the middle and we’ll get stuffed out of sight by 4 or 5.
Chris Betts
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I’d take draw, without a doubt. But if I’m being honest, I think we’ll get turned over as our back 4 fill me with dread.
I’m all for being optimistic but Everton have to be strong favourites here, they;re unbeaten this season and the best team we’ve played after Man City, would take a draw.
Marlon,
I only think we’ll get a hiding if we continue to not put more effort into stopping crosses coming into our box, with Lukaku lurking in the middle.
I think Miralles and Baines have far too good delivery to just let them sling in crosses, full backs and wide men have to work hard to stop this, the other worry I have is the amount of daft free kicks away which are ideal for the likes of Baines.
If we can eliminate these mistakes, then it’s down to our attackers to go and win the game for us
For once I disagree with you a little bit here.
I think Everton have looked OK but nothing exceptional to beat us by 2, 3, 4 or 5 Goals.
I may be asking too much but with a bit of clever tactics from our Manager, I can see us winning this game and at the very least getting a draw.
I say put Santon on the right to deal with Baines, play Dummett on the Left as he will be used to a physical game on a small pitch. Get Sissoko and Tiote to break up the game and distribute the ball. then leave it to Cabaye and Anita (probably Anita as he can help out with the Baines Mereilles threat) to fight for the position to link midfield with the Attackers HBA, Remy and Cisse.
Last year at Goddison we could not handle Fellani and thats what took us apart, along with Baines Free Kicks. This year half that threat is gone and Lukaku is not as powerful as Fellani.
Keep the faith we have a good chance in the game
Does that mean you want to play with one centre half to fit all of them players in??