West Brom (A) Preview

Everton are back – well nearly. The international week at the start of the season always seems to take an age, and it comes at a crap time too – the season’s only just got going after all. Anyway, we’re almost through it, as Roberto Martinez takes his charges to the Hawthorns on Saturday looking for a first win of the season which would be most welcome.

John Stones and Leighton Baines started both games for England in the break, and both did OK – Baines in particular had a very good game in the qualifier in Switzerland. Stones is still never a full-back in a million years, but is a good enough player to gloss over that, and did a solid job at right back. Also, Phil Jagielka got a good 20 minutes or so which will boost his confidence, making several decent blocks and clearances as the Swiss pressed. With no injuries reported, that may have actually been a decent week for our England men.

Back home the injury news is mixed – Lukaku and Pienaar should be OK, but Osman and Eto’o are nursing what Martinez describes as ‘knocks’. It seems likely he will leave them out of Saturday’s game, with fixtures coming thick and fast in the next three weeks.

Key in Martinez’s mind seems to be the Europa League, with the Blues being handed a tough if exciting draw against Wolfsburg, Lille and Krasnodar, who knocked out Real Sociedad with minimal fuss in the qualifiers. Whilst there is an argument that we’d prefer an easy group stage just to get going, games like this are what you want to be involved in, and there’s definitely potential for a couple of cracking trips with big ticket allocations.  

Saturday marks the first of 7 games in 22 days for the Toffees, and it’d be great to start with a win. There have been plenty of positives in the first three games but, bottom line, we only have two points. If we’re serious about being towards the top of the league at the end of the season, winning games at teams like West Brom is a must. It would also contribute to, hopefully, a good,loud crowd when Wolfsburg come to Goodison on Thursday night.

A few Everton old-boys await within the Throstles’ staff (we won’t have any of this ‘Baggies’ nonsense). Alan Irvine was a real surprise appointment as their manager in the summer, but (games against Everton aside) you won’t find many who don’t wish him well. The ex-Everton player, coach and academy chief just seems a thoroughly good egg, and it would be nice to see him prove the numerous media doubters wrong. One of his first signings is another former Blue, Joleon Lescott, and despite the ignominious nature of his departure, he could be a great signing for WBA. Certainly, 

when he was playing regularly at Everton he was one of the best in the league. At the other end of the pitch, dear old Victor Anichebe is in and out of the side. There are good and bad memories of Victor– for every Kharkiv and Nuremberg there was a titty lip fit which incurred the wrath of the Gwladys Street – and you get the impression he knows he could have made more of himself and his time at Everton. A shame, really.

Everton will probably line up with a similar side to what played in the Chelsea game, unless Steven Pienaar returns. Despite the defensive issues, Martinez seems unlikely to drop Jagielka or Distin, and he’s been typically effusive in his praise for them this week. Of course that’s good to see – but you’d hope in private they’ve also had a boot up the arse. Martinez has also gushed about Aiden McGeady, who scored an absolute beauty for Ireland in midweek, so it will be interesting to see if he gets the nod over the less showy but more consistent Pienaar.

No excuses then. A ground-out 1-0 got us going this time last year – another would do fine.

5 more WBA and Everton old boys:

1.       Imre Varadi – Ask anyone who saw him and you’re guaranteed the words ‘dead fast’ and ‘crap touch’. Scored the winner in a derby though, so he gets a thumbs up;

2.       Paul Holmes – Garbage full back, most remembered for hitting his own crossbar in a cup game at Bolton, leading to their goal;

3.       David Burrows – Another crap full back, brought in by Mike Walker as a brainless part-ex for Tony Cottee. Utter shit and with a proper kopite face to boot;

4.        Kevin Kilbane –‘Zinedine’ – an honest, hardworking winger turned ubiquitous TV pundit. Did a great job for Everton;

5.       Kevin Campbell – God bless that man. If ever one player saved a team from oblivion, he did it. Suffered later with typical Smith injury mismanagement, but should be remembered as a genuine Everton legend.

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