Newcastle United vs Everton

, 2 January, 52comments  |  Jump to most recent
Match Preview
The first game of 2013, and a big boost for Everton will be the return of Marouane Fellaini on the completion of his three-match ban for headbutting Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross last month. But it seems unlikely that many of the other injured half-team of players who missed out against Chelsea will be available, with the possible exception of Phil Neville.

The yellow-card rule changes too: seven yellow cards are now needed before an automatic one-match ban kicks in. This should provide welcome relief to Osman and Neville, who are both sitting on four yellows. Although Fellaini has received six yellow cards, having picked up another since he served a one-match ban back in November, his count is presumably reset to one for this next disciplinary cycle.

The challenge for Champions League places has hotted up since Everton were able to cling tenaciously in or around 4th place for most of the Autumn programme. But the monied teams around them have finally shown improved form, with a four-point gap now opening up beneath the top four, and Everton in danger of seeing a significant gap start to develop after the agonizing loss of a major six-pointer with Chelsea at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Everton are still struggling to implement the rigours of an effective defence that can deliver clean sheets: they have managed just two in the first 20 games of the season. Two players appear to be the focus of fans' concerns in this regard: Tim Howard's erratic goalkeeping, and Johnny Heitinga's questionable degree of commitment. While Howard has been between the sticks in every game, it would be unfair to blame him for all of the goals that have been given away; although Heitinga has started just under half of those games, with often frustrating performances that seem to have pleased few Evertonians.

And upfront, the frustrations that continue to plague Nikica Jelavic show little sign of abating as the Croatian worked hard to create but then spurned three golden chances that would have completely changed the game against Chelsea. While it remains frustrating to see him going out wide with the ball when he should be front and centre to finish himself rather than make chances for others, he appears to be putting in plenty of effort — almost too much in terms of the equally frustrating tendency for not staying onside as attacks develop.

Some say Jelavic just needs a goal, but there's much more to it than that. He's scored six but none of them have seen things really turn around as he seems to have almost completely lost that lethal knack for scoring with his first touch. Some have said it's lack of service, but that was certainly not the case against Chelsea. The most worrying possibility is that the natural goalscoring game he brought to Everton a year ago has somehow been changed, to no good effect.

The biggest irony is that, on his arrival from Rangers, he slotted right into his new team and continued to fire in his trademark first-touch goals almost at will until the Premier League season ended. Yet, with the supposed benefit of the much hyped pre-season training beloved of the manager, and described in almost horrific terms by some of the players, he has simply not been himself since.

Newcastle are without Danny Simpson after the full-back broke a toe in the 7 - 3 slaughter by Arsenal, and there is speculation surrounding the future of lethal striker Demba Ba, who has been talking with Chelsea. Midfielder Yohan Cabaye and defender Steven Taylor are not fit enough for a first-team return. Everton are no strangers to horrific scorelines against The Gunners and will be hoping the Magpies are still shellshocked and not in too much of a mood to prove a point by bouncing back. Indeed, with just 20 points from the first half of the season, Newcastle sit on the cusp of the relegation battle, which might make manager Alan Pardew question some of his more overblown statements about the club and how it was operating in a different league to Everton.

Let's hope The Blues can help to make that different league bit come true and hasten their decent to the Championship by bucking the trend of recent visits to Tyneside — Everton have won just one of their last 10 matches away at Newcastle.

Kick Off: 8pm

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Reader Comments (52)

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Peter Barry
1 Posted 02/01/2013 at 08:05:00
What you say about Jelavic is painfully obvious. The instinctive striker is long gone and instead we have a Moyes/Round 'Team Grafter' in his place and Moyes's long history of destroying strikers continues.
Mark Stewart
2 Posted 02/01/2013 at 08:05:35
If everyone's fit I'd start with

Howard;
Neville, Distin, Jags, Baines;
Coleman, Fellaini, Osman, Pineaar;
Jelavic, Anichebe

Hitz and Naismith have been blowing for tugs after 60 mins in the last 2 matches.

Peter Mills
3 Posted 02/01/2013 at 08:40:47
These match previews are becoming a touch predictable and tedious. Could you lay off criticising the manager (here, curiously, for the current "poor" form of Jelavic who missed a hat-trick against Chelsea due to a post, bar and fine save) at least until after the game?
Roberto Birquet
4 Posted 02/01/2013 at 08:47:28
Anyway, Spurs are looking very strong, and any pretensions to top $ means matching them. And after a defeat, that demands winning even if away from home. Even a draw makes the task of getting CL football a heavy task.

And despite all the talk of better Everton football, our defence cannot shut-out, and teams will know that. We need two Jags and a Butland. If we don't, you'd better start showing it Howard, Heitinga et al. Surely Neville will have to go RB, as the others are out. But would that mean Hitz in the middle? I'd even consider Anichebe upfront with Jela, will Felli at defensive CM, but that ain't gonna happen.

Two Fellis wouldn't go amiss, one at CM, the other upfront. Can but dream. The lads should be confident of getting three points based on our last home games v Newcastle. Here's hoping.

Steve Guy
5 Posted 02/01/2013 at 08:57:25
Big game. A win is always important but I agree that a worrying gap is starting to emerge above us. It was always likely and makes it all the more disappointing that we have dropped so many points (10 IMO) and didn't take anything off Chelski.
Ernie Baywood
6 Posted 02/01/2013 at 09:11:38
Not sure about a worrying gap. If we had won against Chelsea we would have gone 3rd - that one defeat isn't defining our season just yet.

This round of fixtures has again seen dropped points by rivals - Arsenal and WBA. Spurs winning a simple home game shouldn't surprise us. String 3 or 4 wins together and we'll have the rest worrying. COYB!

Sam Hoare
7 Posted 02/01/2013 at 09:12:50
Spurs, Chelsea and to some degree Arsenal have all upped their game considerably over the last month and in order to stay with them we will need to do so too. That means a little more luck and precision in the final third and in front of goal as well as cutting out the individual errors that have seen us concede more goals than we might have.

It will be a tough game tonight and though there are plenty games left you have to feel that if the top 4 opens up a gap to us then we may struggle to close it.

Difficult team to pick but (assuming no-one is back from injury) I think I might actually give Jelavic a rest and go:

Howard
Jagielka Heitinga Distin Baines
Pienaar Hitzlsperger Osman Oviedo
Fellaini
Anichebe

Controversial, I know, putting in Big Vic but he has been playing okay and Jelavic could do with a little rest perhaps before coming on in the last 30 to grab the winner.

Ajay Gopal
8 Posted 02/01/2013 at 09:27:30
Shit! Liverpool Daily Post reports that Pienaar, Baines and Neville are major doubts (in addition to Gibson, Mirallas, Hibbert, Coleman). Moyes will struggle to get a fit XI on the pitch tonight.

Howard
Jagielka Heitinga Distin Oviedo
Naismith Fellaini Hitzlsperger Osman
Jelavic Anichebe

Subs: Mucha, Duffy, Vellios, Gueye, Barkley, xxx, yyy

Grim ..:-(

Kevin Tully
9 Posted 02/01/2013 at 09:25:58
I think Chelsea will finish behind the two Manchester clubs, leaving the fight for 4th between Arsenal, Spurs and hopefully us.

3 points tonight means we are only 3 points behind Spurs, with Swansea (h), Southampton (a) and West Brom (h) up next.

Spurs look good at the moment, whilst Arsenal are wobbling by their standards. The Cup game will give us a chance to rest a few players, and go again the week after.

9 points from a possible 12 will be a great return for the festive fixtures, but losing to a poor Newcastle may do a lot of harm to our confidence.

James Morgan
10 Posted 02/01/2013 at 09:47:07
They are in poor form and have a big injury list. We must take advantage!

Our record there though is quite bad.
Dick Fearon
11 Posted 02/01/2013 at 09:38:54
So Jelavic might be tired eh? What a good excuse for Moyes to piss around with team selections.

We shall see if he learned anything from last year's derby debacle. I wait with dwindling optimism...
Susong Hermawan
12 Posted 02/01/2013 at 10:08:44
3 pts please, COYB!
Jim Knightley
13 Posted 02/01/2013 at 09:59:08
Why is your optimism dwindling Dick? because we lost to Chelski with a half fit team in a match we should have won?

I think it is important to realise that strikers, save for a very select few, go through form periods....I wonder if some on here expected Jelavic to score at the rate he did from January to May for us? In the process becoming one of the most efficient strikers in world football....

Jelavic, over the course of his career, will be a 1-in-2 man for us I expect. This season he is clearly suffering from tiredness... and needs a break, but unfortunately we don't really have anyone as good as him. He is off form now... but he will come back, and given the FA Cup tie at the weekend, he will get over a week off (I hope). If I was Moyes, I'd give him a few days off of training as well. Jelavic has made 79 appearances for club and country since the start of last season... and I think he looks to be suffering from it.

Kieran Fitzgerald
14 Posted 02/01/2013 at 10:04:30
West Brom, Stoke and Swansea have all been inconsistent recently all have been dropping points. I think that it is just as important to open up a gap between us and these clubs as it is to close the gap between us and the clubs just above us.

I am a little concerned over the fact that Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea have all hit such good form, just when we have an injury crisis. I appreciate how defeatist this makes me sound but right now I would be as happy to see us nail down a fifth or sixth place finish as early as possible as I would be to see us nail down a CL place.

James Martin
15 Posted 02/01/2013 at 10:25:43
If we hadn't of somehow upset the footballing gods before the Chelsea game, or Frank Lampard hadn't come off his sabbatical for his annual stroll in the park against us, there wouldn't be any negativity on here. We have half a season left and could have won 5 out of the last 5 if luck had gone our way, all this despite having suspensions and massive injury problems.

If we can keep going as we have been for the first 19 games then at some point you would hope our injury problems would clear up and we could get a run of games with our top players in the team. The last 12 months have shown what sort of form we're capable of. Even if we lose a few, if we win some around them, it will have been better than drawing and staying unbeaten. Let's not add crippling fan negativity to the list of problems we already have tt face over the next few games.
Trevor Lynes
16 Posted 02/01/2013 at 11:04:48
I'm still wondering where you get the 3 misses?? I make it one, the bad miss in the last minute.

If you are including the saves made against him and the great free kick and header that both hit the woodwork then your idea of misses and most others are at odds.

I watched Van Persie and Chicarito both miss chances yet each scored a brace against Wigan. Every striker misses chances and let's face it, Jelly deserved to have at least one goal against Chelsea.

The lad does not need a rest and will come good sooner rather than later. He never shirks and puts lots of effort in.

Its injuries which are now biting hard and some of the players are tired as we do not have the amount of players to give us the luxury of rotation. Just looked with envy at Fergie's bench with Valencia and Co, all of whom would be playing every game for us.

Osman, Pienaar and Baines in particular have been immense this season when you look at the amount of ground they cover. This team for my money is one to be proud of and I would not swap Jags and Distin for any other centre back partnership in the league.

Patrick Murphy
17 Posted 02/01/2013 at 11:49:02
Whilst Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea and the other lot have improved their results in the past few weeks and it does look as if we are falling off the pace, I've just had a quick look at the fixtures for January and none of them have nailed on winnable games, in fact there are a lot of games where each of them may drop points.

So although we may have to be lucky, if we can grind out a few wins during this month we may well still be in the mix come the start of February. It will still be a tough ask, but it is not impossible.

Tonight is a very important game, a win would do the confidence so much good and settle the nerves of all of us Evertonians.

Paul David
18 Posted 02/01/2013 at 12:19:15
I hate Newcastle, take the game to them and wipe the floor with them.

Howard
Heitinga Jagielka Distin Baines
Pienaar Fellaini Hitzlsperger Oviedo
Vellios Jelavic

Nick Entwistle
19 Posted 02/01/2013 at 12:35:22
They may be as deluded as the RS at times, a big stadium does not mean big club, but at least they keep it to themselves... just about.

Jelavic to score two and Everton to score three!

Andy Meighan
20 Posted 02/01/2013 at 12:58:52
You're right about Howard and Heitinga both badly struggling at the moment. But I'm afraid we're stuck with Howard. As for Heitinga, it seems obvious he wants away.

I personally thought Jelavic was superb against Chelsea just desperately unlucky. I've got a bad feeling about tonight and their a poor side. It's the lack of clean sheets that has me worried...
Brian Murray
21 Posted 02/01/2013 at 12:59:49
Come on, Everton!
Edward Simpson
22 Posted 02/01/2013 at 13:22:25
It would be really daft to not play Jelvavic, he was really unlucky last game, and we could of been out of site, courtesy of him.

Hopefully Neville can play at RB, but Jagielka had a decent game at the weekend.

Fellaini back in his usual place I expect meaning that Anichebe drops to the bench.

John Nelson
23 Posted 02/01/2013 at 13:16:56
Good match preview, but the comments that elude to Jelavic having the goalscoring coached out of him is pretty daft in my opinion.

Hard game tonight... But most definitely winnable, and winnable by a decent margin. I would love nothing more than a 2-0 win with Jelavic bagging both, as the goals would do him good and the clean sheet even more so for Howard's confidence.

Come on blue boys.

Danny Kewley
24 Posted 02/01/2013 at 13:18:42
Alan Pardew is the deluded one as far as Newcastle go and I would "Love it" if we marmalise the barcodes tonight!
James Mitchell
25 Posted 02/01/2013 at 13:47:05
Bit negative!!

We are 6th in the premier league. We gave the Champions of Europe a run for their money. Torres cost them £50 Million! He's only netted one more than Jela this season. Give the guy a break!

He proved he was a quality player when he arrived. Let's give him a season before we start saying he can't put chances away! Think about what position we were in this time last season. We're doing very well! Let's get behind the team and stop being so negative.

Brian Waring
26 Posted 02/01/2013 at 13:39:14
John, Jelavic does look a different player to the one banging them in for fun last season. He is dropping too deep a lot of the time and spending too much time out wide when you want him in and around the box.

He seems to be doing more on the defensive side and more running, working harder for the team; whilst some want to see that, I don't like it.

Maybe, as mentioned above, that's why he is looking tired? Moyes likes his players to work hard for the team, so maybe Moyes has asked more of him.
James Morgan
28 Posted 02/01/2013 at 14:23:29
No Ba tonight so that's good news.
COYB!
Phil Sammon
29 Posted 02/01/2013 at 14:33:40
Jelavić doesn't look 'tired' at all. If a striker is out of form what can they do? They can try harder and work more. Good on him for doing that.

No Ba for them.

Neville says he's 'rested' on Twitter.

James Morgan
30 Posted 02/01/2013 at 14:37:54
I'd like to see Fellaini start next to Osman tonight and let Vic carry on, I'm not a fan but he was good against Chelsea so why take him out? I'd start Barkley or Oviedo over Naismith though.
Anthony Jaras
31 Posted 02/01/2013 at 14:56:55
It didn't work for Torres for a while and look at him now. Fourteen goals already this season.

It'll come for Jelavic.

Lewis Barclay
32 Posted 02/01/2013 at 14:55:02
I've just watched a couple of recent interviews with David Moyes - both on the OCS. Does anyone else think he looks totally hacked off, more so than usual?

If we do have all the injuries that have been suggested tonight this is what I'd start with:

Howard;
Jagielka, Heitinga, Distin, Oviedo;
Naismith, Barkley, Fellaini, Osman;
Anichebe;
Jelavic.

Then pray they all last 90 mins...

Tony J Williams
33 Posted 02/01/2013 at 15:13:41
Well feck me, this is going to be a looooong 90 minutes.....
Phil Sammon
34 Posted 02/01/2013 at 15:30:04
Where's this Pienaar and Baines stuff come from?
Andy Walker
35 Posted 02/01/2013 at 15:30:58
#530. That doesn't explain swinging and missing and the ball bouncing off your standing foot 6 yards from goal. He's been in the right places time and time again and MISSED – have you forgotten West Ham? He needs a break from the first team. Put him in the reserves and let him get his confidence back. Trust Vic to deliver, he can do it.

There's no way I want to see a midfield with Barkley starting tonight. I watched a fair bit of him at Wednesday, undoubtedly he has talent, but he concedes possession far to easily and away at the Toon in an evening match with a full crowd no doubt in full voice is not the place to risk him. Experience will count tonight.
Mike Owen
36 Posted 02/01/2013 at 15:13:18
We have now gone 14 league games in which the final score has always been 1-1, 2-1 or 2-2.
After such a long run of closely contested games, can something be read into that?
I was inclined to the view that if we go a goal up, we tend to sit back too much. But I think it was only in six of those games that we scored first; and in two of those games equalisers came from Man City and Chelsea which should not be a surprise, given the firepower they have.
Possibly that theory was correct in games against Reading, Norwich and QPR.
But what I find most astonishing is that, I think, in only seven minutes of those 21 hours of football has there been a two-goal difference between us and our opponents: 5 minutes against Wigan when we were 2-0 up and two minutes against Liverpool when they went 2-0 up.
Conor Waters
37 Posted 02/01/2013 at 15:36:07
Let's face it, we all know deep down that we won't finish 4th. Even though some media pundits were talking us up as potential threat to the top 4, we simply don't have the quality to last the pace. Whilst some of our football has been impressive at times, we still lack that killer edge. Almost all our wins this season have been laboured in some way, either falling behind first or clinging on to a lead. Only Swansea and Villa away really oozed any kind of class. We threw away so many points it's not even worth mentioning individual cases.

Meanwhile Chelsea , Spurs and Arsenal have been blitzing teams with bags of goals. I still hope for a win tonight but a score draw is more likely and more points dropped. I'd expect a 5th place finish this season, at best.

Alex Doyle
38 Posted 02/01/2013 at 15:45:11
would have to agree about Jelavic. He looks wrecked and ideally would be rotated to bring him back fresh. He was very much a different player and the easy instinctive finishes that we saw last season are not there this season. Hopefully the FA cup is the perfect time to get him refreshed and back to looking more like Robin Van Persie than Brett Angel.
Greg Hunt
39 Posted 02/01/2013 at 15:55:44
To be honest I thought Jelavic looked much brighter against Chelsea. OK he missed a decent chance at the end, but he hit the woodwork twice and was denied by a very good save by Cech in the first half - had that been in the second half against Turnbull, it might well have been a goal. He has been below par in other games but criticism of him after the Chelsea game seems a bit odd.
Steve Sweeney
41 Posted 02/01/2013 at 17:35:48
Jelavic is a natural goal scorer who is being played
As usual by the Manager out of position.
He should be told to stay in the 18 yard box
Let the other players win the ball nd be ready or that
Pass .
From my reckoning he has had about 10/12 clear cut
Chances and has scored 6 he has also created the space
For Fellaini to score his 8 goals.
Moyes as usual is using the thoroughbred racehorse
to pull the dray.
He is being fought offside because our mid field are not
quick enough in seeing the pass, lay off him he is class.
Phil Sammon
42 Posted 02/01/2013 at 17:52:38
That's right, Steve.

Lay off Jelavić. Lay into everyone else.

Paul David
43 Posted 02/01/2013 at 18:00:35
Most of Jelavic's off sides are his own fault (a lot are inexcusable) but I agree he should be told to stop working the flanks and coming deep so much.
Si Cooper
44 Posted 02/01/2013 at 17:34:13
Jelavic doesn't look tired to me. The chance he fluffed skimmed one of our players as the cross came in and that may have been enough to upset his timing. Even when he was banging them in regularly he still missed the occasional sitter but people seem to have conveniently forgotten that.

I would keep Ossie central for his creativity. If we are missing a load of regulars what about starting Anichebe, Vellios and Jelavic to try to physically dominate their defence?

Andy Walker
45 Posted 02/01/2013 at 18:22:55
Those rose tinted Jelavic spectacles are incredibly effective. More comment about him spending time out of the box yet he's missed numerous absolute sitters from 6 yards. That's already cost us points and it will continue to do so u less he's benched. It seems people believe that the goals he scored in the past somehow mean he cant be dropped in the present, blinkered hero worship.
You may hate him but do you think the Man U manager would put up with such a crap goals return from his star striker?
Patrick Murphy
46 Posted 02/01/2013 at 18:31:25
Andy, if RVP is not firing on all cylinders , he can bring in Rooney, Wellbeck, or Hernandez, we have Velious and Anichebe, can you see the difference.
The day that Man U have to rely on one striker for a complete season is the day that pigs will fly and Kenwright will find a buyer for Everton FC. Everton have not had the luxury of having 2 out and out goalscorers for eons.


Si Cooper
47 Posted 02/01/2013 at 18:29:42
The point is what good would dropping him actually do Andy? There is no-one guaranteed to put away the chances he has missed, and potentially it will just upset a player who just needs a confidence boost.

If he is not tired and is performing in training then the manager has to assume that every game he starts he stands a chance of finding his scoring touch again. If we had another proven regular goalscorer I would go along with you, but at the moment Jelavic still represents our best chance of scoring simply because of his record.

Andy Walker
48 Posted 02/01/2013 at 18:47:07
Si, past performance is no indication of future.....

Dropping him into the reserves and playing him there will give him a chance to rediscover the ability to hit the net, which will get his confidence back then put him back in the first team. Don't think you really think he shouldn't be dropped because it could upset him!

I obviously hope he scores if he plays tonight, but I'd much rather Felli came In for him. Standing by him has already cost us points, if he'd been dropped a couple of weeks back I don't think we would have been on less points, he'd have had chance to score for the reserves and might have had his confidence restored for a return tonight. Instead it's a fingers crossed job. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and take the hard decisions, Moyes has gambled he'd score over the last few matches, he hasn't and the longer it goes on the more damage it does to our team as well as Jelavic.
Jay Harris
49 Posted 02/01/2013 at 18:52:04
Cant understand all the whinging like little girls.

We are having a great season all considered and just played Chelsea off the park with a scratch side.

We all know Bill is totally useless so the no money argument is superfluous until we get new owners.

The manager and players are pulling their tripes out for the cause and I just hope they are not reading some of the tripe on here.

If you get behind the lads instead of constant moaning and deluded "football manager" syndrome we might just get a few better results.

COYB.

Si Cooper
50 Posted 02/01/2013 at 18:58:25
I was talking psychologically upset rather than boo-hoo you hurt my feelings.

There are no guarantees whatever you do Andy. You could play him in the reserves (now under-21s) and watch him wreak havoc, then put him back in the first team and watch him continue to have problems against the better quality of the oppositions first team players. You 'talk' as if it is guaranteed to work and would have definitely earned us more points in the games he has played in, but the reality is you are just guessing and have no idea what conversations he has had with the manager nor what his team-mates think of the situation.

It is easy to theorise remedies, but you have nothing concrete to prove you are more correct than those supposedly wearing rose-tinted glasses, so don't be so condescending.

Patrick Murphy
51 Posted 02/01/2013 at 19:06:49
How are we to improve on results, unless I'm very much mistaken we've taken 10 points from our last 5 PL games which is an average of 2 pts a game.

In those fixtures we had Spurs(H), Stoke(A) and Chelsea(H) hardly a bad return, unless some people expect us to be sweeping all before us.

If we could average the same for the next 18 games that would give us a total of 69 points.

Sean Condon
52 Posted 02/01/2013 at 18:42:37
I think that this is a big game, not so much in the sense that the outcome will signify anything too large, but more in that I believe this performance will be a very tough test of our CL credentials/pretensions.

At first blush this looks like a match that we are destined to lose. We are decimated by injuries, struggling for form up front, for basic competence at the back and are going to a place where we never seem to play well, and rarely get results. Moreover, Newcastle, a team with talent that is nevertheless in free fall, have scored SIX goals in their last two outings: at Old Trafford and Arsenal, no less, and will be confident of picking up three points today.

Having said that, I am a firm believer that this is the best Blues team since the glory days. There has barely been a match this season that we haven't utterly dominated for a significant period, creating a hatful of chances time and again....and usually scoring a couple of goals in the process. In Leighton Baines we must have one of the three or four best full-backs currently on the planet. How many clubs would NOT want Bainesy in their team? Not many, I imagine. With our most creative forward players, Osman and Pienaar, both generally playing well most days, we are always likely to score, and sooner or later this year we are gonna put 5 or 6 past an outfit or three.

I don't have a very good feeling about this one, but I sure hope my instinct is off. Recently, the media seems to have turned away from us; it suddenly seems to be being taken for granted by scribes that Arsenal and Spurs are going to compete with Chelsea for 3rd and 4th place, and we don't even appear to be in the conversation any more. Anyway, even if we do lose tonight, I won't take much discouragement from the result. For once, we've got ourselves into a decent position when the calendar turns. It's winter, it's cold, and as everybody knows, this is fucking Moyes Time.

Who knows? Maybe our squad is just simply too small. Maybe we will inexplicably go into the tank. But I'll tell you this: I'll take Moyesie's record in the back half of the season over AVB's any day of the week.

Home on holiday. A rare treat to get to watch a weeknight match live. Come on you Blues, don't disappoint me!

Bobby Thomas
53 Posted 02/01/2013 at 18:50:23
Thing about Jelavic is that strikers do rely on a certain sharpness.

He generally puts it in, playing on his own until recently. I thought he was great against Chelsea. He put a massive shift in and was tremendously unlucky.

Thing is, he has to go again tonight in all likelihood and retaining your sharpness across a whole season is tricky. Well it's more that that: it's physically impossible.

Theres is a case for giving him a break mentally and physically at some point. Even just not starting a game or two if Vic is fit and Fella can play off him.

Ultimately, as most people acknowledge, this is symptomatic of small squads and a lack of depth if even one or two injuries bite. My big fear is that this season will mirror Moyes's first when we died at the end; we need a couple of loans badly.

Phil Sammon
54 Posted 02/01/2013 at 19:35:53
'Si past performance is no indication of future'

Utter nonsense.


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