So, we are down to our last seven games in this great season, but what do we think we'll get from them? Everton - Win (I get the feeling they will either play a weakened team or the players will have one eye on their Semi-Final a week later) Spurs - Lose Man City - Lose Blackburn - Draw Liverpool - Win (From the beginning of the season, I have felt this game would be our best opportunity to beat one of the big names, and I see no reason to doubt that now) Arsenal - Lose Villa - Draw if Villa are safe from drop, defeat if they need a win So IMO, we're looking at a minimum of seven points with possibly eight, and with that, a finish of around 11th. Thoughts?
You'd have to think there's a point or two to be had from Everton, Blackburn and Villa, though we never make it easy for ourselves with the games we expect to get something from. I too would hope we can get another point from Arse or Liverpool. Not expecting more than 42 points total to be honest. We'll be fine but more work to do before next season!
Not too far from what I thought Carra. Think we will only get a point against Liverpool, but if we play like we did against Man U., I think we could nick a point off Man City.
Everton fan here. We made 3 changes from tuesday cup match against Sunderland Hibbert for Neville at RB so hardly an improvement or weakening there! Pienaar for Gueye at LW so definitely an improvement Jagielka for Distin at CB again not an weakening I expect a strong side against your lot to be honest. The way we're playing (won our last 3 games 2-0 against Swansea away, Sunderland away and West Brom at home) I expect a win.
What happened in the Liverpool game before you played Sunderland at Goodison? Did you not make six changes which upset a lot of Everton fans. If you go back over the years, its very common for teams to play with one eye on the semi-final in the game before. Don't forget you also have a game on Easter Monday, and while we also play on the same day, we don't have our biggest game of the season the following Saturday. Look, I'm not underestimating Everton as you are in great form and you have a strong squad, but IMO, you will not be at full strength, not only in selection but in mind-set, and we will take advantage of that. However, my opinion has been wrong before.
The way Liverpool are playing its not beyond the relms of possibilty that we could finish above them. I think 6 or 7 points between now and the end of the season is not unreasonable.
Everton draw Spurs defeat Man city draw Blackburn defeat Liverpool draw Arsenal defeat Villa win But who knows ?
A couple or three points should see us safe and at the start of the season that was the target. However we do need to start scoring again and winning games. We've got some tough games but it's not impossible for us to get two or three wins...
Earlier in the season we were scoring plenty of goals from headers - a fact that has been well documented. Recently, the quality and number of decent crosses being swung in to dangerous areas has dwindled to virtually nil - routine catching practise for Schwarzer for the whole of yesterday afternoon. I know we're missing Pilks, but E. Bennett, Surman, Lappin and the full backs can all cross the ball, so why has this supply line kind of dried up?
holt has had a week off and will be raring to go. expect him to rip into everton, so i expect us to win that one, and also beat villa, but we may struggle for points against the rest for one reason or another, but would love us to stuff liverpool.
And then people moan about Morison?? If he gets the service he will score and its no wonder he looks frustrated when as you say Cromer, this service has dried up.
Yes, I really wish Morrison had still been on the pitch for the last 15 mins when we were throwing everything at Fullham. I thought he might have been able to get his head on some of the balls, if they weren't all straight to Mark Schwazer anyway.
There's a very simple answer to this that I've said a number of times: Tierney. With him in the side we scored nearly double the number of goals per game. It's had a double knock because not only have we missed his crosses from the left, it's meant that Naughton has moved over to the left and we've missed his crosses from the right. Pilkington has been on/off with injuries and form too. He was brilliant when supported by Tierney
I've said this elsewhere, but I'll say it again - when was the last time we went eight games without a win under Lambert?
Can't disagree with that. Tierney puts in more crosses than the rest put together. The odds are in our favour if we do it often enough. And we aren't scoring enough compared to chances.
It's funny isn't it that last week I was basking in the fact that we were safe and then QPR, Bolton and Wigan all win and I find myself getting the calculator back out again. We are safe I think but there are some funny results cropping up and I don't want a nervous May. I would be O.K. with a point against Everton but a defeat could start us feeling twitchy. The strange thing is if we win on Saturday we could carry that form through and finish well, but a defeat could bring in nerves and we could struggle for the rest of the season. As I have said previously though, watch Villa, they could be in trouble.
