Holby General
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After just having a quick squizz on the internet, I have found that Sunday's opponents Villa have a large number of injury problems going into this game.
At the back they are missing Bouma long term, Carlos Cuellar is out, also Luke Young pulled out of the England squad this week and so is also rated doubtful. But best of all, their best defender, Martin Laursen is also out. If you remember the last time we met Laursen was man of the match.
In the middle they have Reo-Coker out injured and in more good news Gareth Barry is suspended. Finally, the big galloot Carew has been out for a while and only expected to make the bench.
In contrast, all of our defenders are fit and in form. In the middle, Pienaar is injured, but also suspended; however, I think we all agree that Gosling is doing a good job in his absence. Hopefully Fellaini will be fighting fit for this game too. Our only injuries are with the Yak and Vaughan. There's a chance Saha could make the bench so that only leaves Vic as the remaining absentee.
All in all, I would say we are looking the best bet for this game and really need to finish the job at Goodison.
I also read the other day that Luke Young, the Villa right back, stated that the Villans were glad that we beat the Shite in the cup as they feel they have the beating of us. Hopefully come Sunday, we can ram the words back down his throat!
Franny Porter,
Darn Sarf! Posted 13/02/2009 at 10:56:30
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So with Fellaini, Piennar, Jo, Saha possibly Anichebe and Howard out on Sunday how do we think the team will line up for this game?
I really hope the lads available will be enough to push us through but it will be a tough test!
Come on Everton take me to Wembley!
Is Baines for the Chop? This is my big worry before Sunday's game...
Why? Why did David Moyes substitute Baines against Bolton and move Lescott to LB?
I agree to giving Yobo a run out in a match we had already won. But would it not have been wiser to sub Lescott instead? He has after all played all season and is I believe on five bookings. Or even Phil Jagielka, who was in the England squad? It felt like DM wanted to reunite his seemingly preferred defensive line-up before Sunday.
I hope I'm wrong as LB's is a better LB than JL and our attacking play is far more effective with him in the team.
DM's argument about size is no longer relevent as we have conceded so few goals since his inlusion. Villa play with pace on the counter attack, not hoofball.
So now is the time for DM to choose his preferred two CH's, unless he drops/rests PJ if he his fatigued after mid-week. Nice reward that. Getting droped for being an international...
After all these years of being an Evertonian (almost 40) you would think that I would be used to that "impending doom" feeling before a big game. That sick feeling again! Unfortunately it has become so ingrained in me that I feel like this every week, where all I can think about is how I am going to handle defeat.
This year we do have a chance of winning but the closer the game is, this defeatist attitude slowly rises to the top and dampens any potential enthusiasm that I could be feeling.
Is this my lot in life as a lifelong Evertonian?? Do the glory hunting Red Manc supporters or Shite fans ever feel this way?
Brian, my reading of the subbing of Yobo/Baines last week was simply Bolton were going route one and throwing big guys forward and managing to create the only bit of pressure they?d had all game... hence another big defender. Add that to giving Yobo a bit of a run out and I didn?t read anything more significant into it than that. I certainly hope I?m not wrong as the current set up is the right one I?m sure. Joey will have to wait for his chance now like Baines did.
I agree with Howard Don about the Yobo/Baines sub. I think it was to give Yobo a bit of a run out and Bolton we’re throwing a lot of long balls into our half.
Fellaini, Jo, Pienaar are all out on Sunday. Anichebe played for the reserves so he isn’t injured, we will have to wait and see if Moyes puts him back on the bench or not?
I thought Heskey was going to be cup-tied like Jo but he didn’t play for Wigan in the last round. Good news about Barry being suspended tho.
Bring em on, their luck has to run out some time! COYB!
With the news about the Big Fella (not entirely unexpected with a back injury) it's difficult to guess what Moyes?s starting 11 will be on Sunday. First, we have to hope that Tim Howard arrives home in one piece (any news?).
Three of the back 4 are certain, but Baines or Yobo? As senior, fit players, both could be involved. But how?
Neville, Arteta, Osman and Cahill will start. Gosling is the next best bet. So who would be the final choice? He might bring Anichebe back. Rodwell could start, but who would play where?
Thinking about the substitution against Bolton, he might bring in Yobo, and he might think of putting Baines into left midfield. My money would be against this ? Moyes tries things out very gradually if he can, but he doesn?t have too many options right now.
There are some experienced players who will be on the bench, and Van der Meyde could be asked to step up, even from the start. But this one looks a real puzzler.
Ajay, as an Everton fan of 42 years, I get the feeling that we are on the brink of something!!!! Not sure what but something that is going to change the RS dominance of the last 20-odd years. I can?t put my finger on it maybe the way we battered Bolton [as we should have] when in the past we have struggled after midweek cup games, we are beating sides we should beat ? and I include Villa in that.
COYB
Baines has to play ? he's been top class since he got back into the side, and should have been in that England squad ahead of Bridge. The back four won't change, not after a clean sheet, it's just not Moyes?s style to change it. The midfield pretty much picks itself but it's all about who's up top for me: Tim or Big Vic ? remember, Vic had a pretty decent game against Villa last time round... Personally, though, if it wasn't for the injuries, I?d happily never see the lad in blue again ? asking to leave... there should be no way back.
Dennis Karanikolopoulos
Posted 13/02/2009 at 22:37:57
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Moyesie will never line up this way, but I?d love to see it....
Osman Arteta Neville Gosling
VdM
Cahill
No point having Rodwell AND Neville in the same midfield, too defensive. That would mean Arteta would have to push up which is not what he?s best suited to. He may in fact play Neville out wide, Rodwell in the middle with Arteta and leave Osman advanced....?
Seems like Heskey’s out injured aswell, as O’Neill’s kicking off at the FA because of the knock he picked up against Spain. That leaves them without the target man (Heskey/Carew) that look to play their smaller, quicker players off. Can’t be a bad thing...
He is likely to start both Rodwell and Gosling in midfield with Osman behind Cahill. The only other option would be to bring Anichebe back in... and I don't think Moyes would forgive him so easily.
This could be a bit of kidology by O?Neill and the majorityof them will play, I don?t think it will make a difference: 2-0 with Cahill and Rodwell grabbing the goals.
Villa’s power hasn’t been through target men this season; it’s been breakaway goals by DonkeyBungalow (can’t spell his name) and Young with the spawniest goals outside of the RS added in by oblong head Milner. Their best results have come through counter attacks rather than using target men.
Brian Garside... you're exactly right our defence and whole team function much better when Baines is playing, much more pace and direction, just make the centre back sacrifice of Yobo for the meanwhile, if it aint broke!
I don?t care who does and doesn?t play for them come Sunday. We are on our best run of the season currently, and we?re missing about sixty attackers. Well, maybe that?s a bit over the top but you get the drift ;-)
Cant see any other team than:
Howard
Hibbert Yobo Jags Lescott
Gosling Neville Arteta Baines
Cahill
Anichebe
Would love to see Rodwell in but where?
Total apologies ? too early for me, completely forget Ossie still around ? so new team:
Howard
Hibbert Jags Lescott Baines
Gosling Neville Arteta Osman
Cahill
Anichebe
Would love to see Rodwell & Gosling in.
Heskey is a major doubt too! COYB ? revenge would be sweet as a nut tomorrow. Wembley, Wembley...
Victor told Moyes he was injured when in a fit of pique. So Moyes took him at his word and sent him for a scan. Result ? no injury! Moyes glossed over the incident by half-smilingly telling the press, "He?s injured ? end of conversation". I think he handled the situation rather well but, in spite of his mid-week reserve game, don?t expect the big lummox back in favour any time soon!
Moyes knows what has worked well and I can?t imagine he will change many things ? he is usually very conservative.
Also, I don?t think he will cut his nose off to spite his face. If he needs to use Victor, he will... which is why I think we?ll see the same as last week except Victor for Jo and maybe Tim dropping a little further off the front line into his more traditional position of in-between midfield and Victor.
Ok we?ll with Fellaini confirmed out I think this will be the starting line-up:
Howard
Hibbert-Jagielka-Lescott-Baines
Gosling-Arteta-Neville-Osman
Cahill
Anichebe
IMO this is the team Moyes should play tommorrow:
Cahill
Osman
Gosling Arteta Neville VDM
Baines Lescott Jags Hibbert
Howard
Don?t change a winning back line...
Howard
Hibbert Jags Lescott Baines
Arteta
Gosling Neville AvdM
Osman
Cahll
2nd Half ? Everton 2 Aston Villa 0
70:00 minutes minutes ....
Howard
Hibbert Jags Jobo Lescott
Arteta
Gosling Neville Rodwell Osman
Saha
End result - Everton 2 Aston Villa 0
Mark my words!!!!!
It?s not Moyes?s style to let Auntie Chubby back in to the fold. He likes workers, not shirkers, but then again Vander More Pints is back in favour. Maybe the manager is softening in his old age.
I wouldn?t play him anyway, just doesn?t offer enough.
I think Brian Garside is spot on, it looks like Yobo is back in the team at CH and Lescott moved to LB, probably because of the height of Milner. He can?t drop Baines so he will play further forward.
Howard; Hibbert, Jagielka, Yobo, Lescott, Yobo; Neville, Arteta, Osman, Baines; Cahill and one from Gosling, AvdM and Anichebe. I don?t agree with it but hey, DM?s the boss.
Also, I think we really do have to go for this as we are going to lose more players in the next few games (four on Yellows) and I don?t think we can last the pace if we keep losing players through injuries. History though is against us winning the Cup as whenever Everton have played Liverpool in the Cup, only once to my knowledge (apart from Finals) has the victor gone on to win the trophy (Everton in 1906)
So we?ll just have to try and urge them on to win tomorrow as best we can.
COYB.
Howard
Hibbert Yobo Jagielka Lescott
Neville Arteta
Gosling Osman Baines
Cahill
Christopher Kelly
Posted 14/02/2009 at 13:44:22
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Simply stated, the day we can put players like Ossie and Neville on the bench is the day we can really do something in the league. There's more to be done than just that but until then, 5th is the best we can hope to achieve.
Regardless of what team Moyes puts out, I'm sure it will be a like for like if not better vs Villa. Plus we have some good players back to that we can put on the bench. Villa will not want a replay and I can see us nicking this.
And here?s me thinking having a ?quick squizz? on the internet was something completely different.
My line up...
Southall
Jackson Unsworth Watson Ablett
Limpar Horn Parkinson Hinchcliffe
Stuart Rideout
Yup... that?ll work
Don't forget Castillo.
On the other hand......Forget Castillo. I wouldn't start with Rodwell and Gosling. I would play Baines LM as others are suggesting.
Beware of false prophets. All this talk of injuries but on the day we will see who takes part. After all, it is a cup-tie and even if some second stringers play it will be still be full blooded and anything can happen. Cahill has had a very long trip and may only play a half. If the Blues come out punching like the Bolton game then it will be a great game, end to end and the better defence will probably win it.
Don't worry about the line-up, we can play anyone. I've just had twenty quid on the villa to beat us, so we're sailing through to the next round, trust me it's worked so far, we're home and dry. Ok it might cost me a few quid by the time we get to Wembley but it's worth it!
COYB I think we owe them one after they knocked us out of the cup in about 2000. I can remember Carbone sat in the tunnel after being sent off... what a muppet.
I have come to believe that if we don?t win the Cup this year we shall NEVER win anything under Moyes. Obviously that means we have to overcome Villa who are only marginally better than us this season. What worries me is that O?Neill has made more progress with his team in two and a half years than Moyes has in seven and seems to have consigned us to a place outside the top eschelon for ever.
Any internet links for the game?
I agree with Neil Benning-with the caveat ?unless we get increased investment?. If we get knocked out by an equally injury stricken Villa it will show that we are banging our head on the top tier-and you don?t knock holes in the upper story that way.
I?m uncertain that Moyes will ever be a TOP manager anywhere but until he is given the tools to prove himself we shall never know.
Hey does anyone have any working links for todays game??
Furthermore,
Southall, Stevens, Mountfield, Ratcliffe, van de Hauwe,
Stervens, Reid, Bracewell, Sheedy,
Sharp, Gray
will probably do it., even if they are all fat and bandy-legged. A pre-match meal of egg, pie and chips with 3 pints of mild will sort them out, followed by a quick "squizz" on the internet to sort out the nerves.
Moyes IS a top manager... There should be no doubt about this... It’s the whole club as a support mechanism that needs upgrading, stadium, scouts, chairman’s money (not the chairman, he’s doing things the right way unlike many), etc.
O’Neill has a good pocket of cash to dip into, are the main team in Birmingham and have been for many years so get a lot of support from the city and have like us a very good youth training system. Unluckily for us most of them at the moment aren’t performing for various reasons or are injured.
If we don’t win this year, we’ll keep trying, just like all of the other teams with top managers. Be realistic, we are not Man U or Barcelona, we may be one day, but it takes time...
Of course that will be Dirk Stervens, the promising young dutch winger in place of tricky Trevor Steven who is away on business enticing young players away from the clubs they supported as boys..
Vic starts, Ossie is out!!! Rodwell and Gosling both start! I wonder if Arteta will be pused wide, who knows but I feel quite confident, when the chips are down we come out fighting.
God we are so short on bodies its crazy
http://www.iraqgoals.com/en/ch1.html Seems to be working at the mo
get innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
How can we play so stupid every time against Villa I will never know.
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1 Posted 13/02/2009 at 13:59:08
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I really hope the lads available will be enough to push us through but it will be a tough test!
Come on Everton take me to Wembley!