Everton Pre-Match Thread

[lancs blue]

If this is true, then it's truly amazing news.
That means: Vinny, fully fit; Sergio, fully fit; Yaya, fully fit;and now Merlin. Now we all know that that's the spine of the team, however good anyone else is. Someone claimed earlier in this thread that we hadn't been able to play our clear first-choice starting eleven since November. That sounds plausible to me, but can anyone confirm?

I think that sounds about right. We've got no excuse tomorrow, agaisnt a weakened Everton side. Been so many ups and downs this season, wouldn't it be good if we where 3-0 at half time, no worries. Come on city!!!!!

3-0 going into the last minute of stoppage time and I'll be giddy, 3-0 at HT I'll still be biting my nails, this is City we're talking about!

 

[SrilankanBlue]

According to the MEN, Last time Silva, Toure and Aguero all started a PL game was 5-1 win over Spurs in January.

 

[supercity88]

(To those not arsed reading this essay I'll give it a summary at the bottom)

I'm sure there has been a surge of Everton fans since this fixture has sprung up such a 'unique' situation, so apologies for clogging up your board (Though I'd like to have a gander in and out of here from time to time as you seem a good bunch).

Just got to say regardless of Saturday, the very very best of luck on becoming this years champions. For a while during your takeover, the lescott and moyes stuff I did have some bitterness towards you. I'd say it was out of a bit of envy and a bit of frustration in seeing you come from below us to far and away above us in absolutely no time. But I'm sure you've heard that from other Everton fans before. Reading through this thread I've got to agree in that Moyes always had our team up for games against you, I think it was a selfish vendetta to be honest. If only he could have shown that sort of passion for games against our lovable neighbours. I'm pretty sure he once coined the phrase 'knife to a gun fight' prior to a game against yourselves. A mentality that he filtered down into the players and fans; the miserable, negative knob. I used to think the sun shined out of his arse, pulled the wool right over mine and many other blues eyes.

Anyway, enough about him. I got over that pettiness, the only way you are really going to pull up trees in this league is with serious money. It would be nice to take some high ground about doing it the 'proper way' but that way just isn't possible anymore. If we had a modern stadium maybe we'd also have the type of investment to compete but alas, we're fighting on different battle fields at the moment.

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching City this season, everyone will remember Liverpool's bum rush football at the back end of this season but are quick to forget the devastating, sweeping football you boys played earlier on in the season. I'd love to have seen Negredo and Aguero to have stayed fit for longer and I'm saying that from a pure football fan point of view, it was brilliant. I've wanted you to win it all season quite honestly, your certainly more favorable than the other toss pot clubs vying for it.

I don't even care about being bitter or small time anymore, I hope you beat us on Saturday and I've never wanted us to be beaten before. Taking a bit of flak off the kopites for kissing your arses and taking a beating is far more appealing than the absolutely cringe fest that will occur should they win it. It's not just the fans, its the media as well. They're all willing it on. Did you notice Tyler practically appealing for a penalty for Liverpool on Sunday?
We'll play as strong a side as possible on Saturday though and Martinez WILL go to win the game, which could in fact play into your hands. We'll see. I'm not going to sit there with a face on if we score or boo if we take the points, if we win I'll still be moderately happy. But that sort of happiness when you have a greasy kebab after a night on the ale...you know this is gonna cost you!

To summarise: COME ON CITEH!!

(again, sorry about the essay)

Good post mate.

To be honest, there was a bit of an edge between City and Everton fans long before we were taken over. However, this was ramped up a fair few notches when the Lescott saga unfolded (while some Everton fans were annoyed about us winning the lottery, for me it was this particular episode that really drove a wedge between the two sets of fans). I don't blame Everton fans for siding with Moyes - after all, he was your manager and had done a decent job for you so you were hardly going to criticise him for his stance and comments. It was Moyes who I held ultimately responsible for turning City and Everton fans against each other.

However, if I thought some of his comments were a disgrace at the time, they pale into insignificance when compared to his comments about Everton last summer when United made that joint bid for Baines and Fellaini. It's one thing pissing off a club and set of fans (us) that he doesn't owe any gratitude to, but to do it to a fanbase and a club that had previously given him their blessing when he left for the United job was as low as it gets. If United had put in a realistic opening offer and Moyes had kept his gob shut then I've no doubt that most Evertonians would still have a lot of time for him.

Anyway, while I don't think we'll ever be bosom buddies there's definitely been a thawing of relations of late now that Moyes is no longer associated with Everton. Ironically, at boardroom level I suspect relations between both clubs have been quite good throughout as evidenced by subsequent business we've done in relation to the loan deal for Barry and the Rodwell transfer - both of which were done with the minimum of fuss.

I'd go along with all that mate, nice one. If you don't mind throwing us a couple of cheeky loans next season as well it would improve relations even more ;-)
It's good to hear you understood our anger towards Moyes, heard a lot of nonsense in the media and from various pundits saying how it was disrespectful the way we were treating him after all that time as our manager. Aye, he did a good job and people forget he got a cracking send off from our fans. When you look back at it, we gave him a standing ovation for running down his contract to join what was historically a rival in Man Utd. He didn't make Everton and we never won a single trophy in all that time so why we should just ignore his disrespectful attitude towards us is beyond me. Probably preaching to the choir on that one anyway, you lot seem to have had it in for him BEFORE he was Utd manager haha.

Noticed a couple of comments on the 'Citeh' reference, is this derogatory or something? I've used it in many texts this season with mates, affectionately of course. No dissing meant.

From our point of view tomorrow tactically. Don't be surprised if we set up similar to how we did against Utd the other week. I think we'll sit a bit deeper and allow you the ball a bit more then look to isolate your CB's with quick balls to Lukaku and Naismith if your move breaks down. We could even go with 3 cb's and wing backs due to Barry's omission. Sod it what do I know?

If Silva is fit then do you think he'll start?

It's hard to know how you will line up without Barry - the 3 at the back and wing backs might be an option. Martinez historically likes that style to beat us! Quite hard to call the game until we see both lineups. It's hard to tell whether we will stick with the same team that played Palace, I think if Silva is fit he plays. So possibly he replaces Nasri - as Milner in my opinion is an important player in these tough away games for his workrate and I don't think we can have Nasri, Silva, Yaya, Aguero and Dzeko and still expect to keep things tight at the back. Maybe Fernandinho comes back into it... First time this season we've had a nearly fully fit squad and just at the right time, so either way we have plenty of options to change things.

I think where Moyes fell down at the Rags is by cleaning out their existing coach network and by putting the club and the team on a pedestal and then looking completely overwhelmed by things. He was good at Everton and kept you in the division but in the big games you had he would bottle it - your record vs Liverpool for instance and in the cup games. He could and should have won a trophy with the players available - although you did often seem to start slowly get a load of injuries and then go on a ridiculous run of form. I'm glad Martinez is there because we wouldn't beat you with Moyes, and though you are a better side I think your style of football is similar to ours and that we may be able to win. I'm hoping!

 

[cityok]

City ruining Merseyside since 2014

 

[kippaxblue76]

My team with everyone fit would be;

Hart

Zab
Kompany
Demichelis
Kolarov

Dinho
Yaya

Milner
Silva
Nasri

Aguero.

Tough on Garcia and Edin. My only doubt would be Kolarov or Clichy.

 

[lancs blue]

My team with everyone fit would be;

Hart

Zab
Kompany
Demichelis
Kolarov

Dinho
Yaya

Milner
Silva
Nasri

Aguero.

Tough on Garcia and Edin. My only doubt would be Kolarov or Clichy.

I'd be inclined to agree with that as long as Milner plays on the left to help neutralise Coleman who I think is Everton's biggest threat.

However I reckon Pellegrini will go with Dzeko and Aguero up front.

 

[PragueBlue]

My team with everyone fit would be;

Hart

Zab
Kompany
Demichelis
Kolarov

Dinho
Yaya

Milner
Silva
Nasri

Aguero.

Tough on Garcia and Edin. My only doubt would be Kolarov or Clichy.

I'd go for the same but with the exception of Clichy in for Kolarov.

 

[kippaxblue76]

My team with everyone fit would be;

Hart

Zab
Kompany
Demichelis
Kolarov

Dinho
Yaya

Milner
Silva
Nasri

Aguero.

Tough on Garcia and Edin. My only doubt would be Kolarov or Clichy.

I'd be inclined to agree with that as long as Milner plays on the left to help neutralise Coleman who I think is Everton's biggest threat.

However I reckon Pellegrini will go with Dzeko and Aguero up front.

You could be right with the two up front, it worked last week at Palace but Everton have more quality and imo we need an extra natural midfielder rather than a forward dropping deep to help out. I think Milner will play right because of Baines and he links up very well with Zab.

 

[SteWadda]

evertonians will be up for this , they hate the martyrs , but the team they hate most outside dipperpool is city , because of the lescott business and gargoyle whipping them up to a frenzy , they will enjoy us cocking up our title challenge at goodison , just as much as ending the martyrs title dreams , its a win/win for the bluenoses of scouseland , expect absolutley no favours from this lot . A tough game , but with gazbaz not playing and distin and jagielka a bit ring rusty from injury , we will do them. COYB

Every Everton fan I know and I'll admit it's not many want us to lose. I have had a look on everton forums and most aren't arsed if they lose but some really want us to win. I don't think they do hate us that was just Moyes wasn't it??

 

[Balti]

Milner must start imo