Match Preview

The Carling Cup win over Preston was the Blues' third in succession since the harsh home defeat by Tottenham at the beginning of the month, a setback that hasn't slowed the bandwagon of the Premiership's surprise package of the season.

Victory at Norwich last weekend showed the resolve that David Moyes's charges possess and proved that they are third in the Premiership on merit.

This weekend's clash with Aston Villa, however, throws up a couple of challenges, namely the visit of a talented and well-organised top 10 outfit — albeit one that was dumped out of the Cup this week by lower division opposition — and the first real disruption to the core of Moyes's 4-1-4-1 formation.

Lee Carsley's three-match suspension from the straight red card he received against Preston comes into immediate effect, leaving a gap in the midfield holding role that could be filled by Joseph Yobo if Moyes is so inclined.   The Nigerian has played in midfield before so, you would think, his natural central defensive instincts would mesh well with that experience.  He doesn't seem thrilled by the prospect but with his first-team appearances limited by Stubbs and Weir, he should take the opportunity while it's available.

That should be the only change to the side that started at Carrow Road, but much depends on whether Alan Stubbs recovers in time from a calf injury.  If he isn't passed fit, Moyes can either partner Yobo with Weir and deploy someone like Steve Watson or Tim Cahill in the holding role, or resort to a standard 4-4-2 with Ferguson up front alongside Bent.

Villa come to Goodison sitting in 9th place thanks largely to their solid home form.  Away from Villa Park, David O'Leary's men are yet to record a victory — which should bolster confidence at Goodison going into this one.

O'Leary's biggest concern is JLloyd Samuel who looks set to miss his first game of the season through injury.

Given the Blues' rich vein of form and Villa's poor away form, exemplified by their midweek defeat to Burnley, this is one heavily favours Everton on paper.  Things are rarely that simple, of course, and the fact that we have already lost twice at home to top-half opposition, combined with the reduced attacking threat from playing only one striker up front, this could be a tricky fixture.

If Everton are to remain in the hunt for Europe, however, this is the sort of game they can and should win.  Mr Moyes will no doubt feel the same and feel that anything less than three points will be unacceptable.  It would also set up a tasty trip to Stamford Bridge next weekend which will see the Premiership's 2nd and 3rd-placed teams go head to head.  Which way around the teams will be sitting going into that little six-pointer will depend largely on what happens this weekend, with Chelsea traveling to managerless West Brom.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Stats

This will be the 196th meeting between Everton and Aston Villa in all competitions, and the 97th at home.  This match will be the 25th meeting in the Premier League and will continue the current English record as the most played league fixture in English football history, being the 179th league meeting between the clubs.

Everton's full record against Aston Villa is:

Our record at home to Villa is:

The last match between the sides, and also the last match between the sides at Goodison, was on 28 February this year when goals from Thomas Gravesen and Tomasz Radzinski secured a 2-0 victory for Everton.

There have been 4 Everton hat-tricks against Aston Villa over the years.  The last was on 10 December 1927, when Bill 'Dixie' Dean got 3 goals on his way to his 60 goal haul that season.  Bobby Irvine, on 21 January 1922, is the only Everton hat-trick to be scored against Villa at home!  And the first hat-trick against them was on 30 September 1895, when John Bell got 3 goals, but unfortunately became the first Everton player to score a hat-trick and finish on the losing side as Villa won the match 4-3.

The most common victory for Everton is 2-0, which has happened 16 times in Everton's 73 victories.  Aston Villa's most common victory is 2-1, which has happened 18 times in their 74 victories.  The most common draw between the teams is 2-2, which has occurred 22 times in the 48 draws between the sides.

Everton's record for 30 October is:

This is the first time the sides have met on this day.  The last Premier League match on this day was in 1999, when Everton travelled to Middlesbrough and, despite a goal from Kevin Campbell, lost 2-1.  In fact this will be the first Premier League match at home on this day, as the only other Premier League match on this day was away to Ipswich Town in 1993, when goals from Stuart Barlow and an Ipswich Town own-goal (despite Peter Beagrie's claims), secured a 2-0 victory.

Jack Hillman was born on this day in 1870 in Tavistock.  Signed from Burnley in February 1895, Jack made 38 appearances for Everton, before being sold to Dundee.

Charlie Leyfield was also born on this day in 1911 in Chester.  Charlie also made 38 appearances for Everton, as well as scoring 13 goals, before being sold to Sheffield United.

18 years later, in 1929, saw the birth of a certain David Hickson in Ellesmere Port.  Dave had two spells with the club.  He was first signed as an apprentice in May 1948, before being sold to Aston Villa in September 1955.  Dave then arrived back at Goodison Park from Huddersfield Town in July 1957, before making the short trip to Liverpool in November 1959.  In fact Dave can lay claim to having played for all three of Merseyside's teams after he also played for Tranmere Rovers.  During this time, Dave made a total of 243 appearances for Everton, whilst grabbing 111 goals.

Another Everton forward born on this day, in 1945, was Rod Belfitt, who was born in Doncaster.  Arriving from Ipswich Town in November 1972 (in a deal that saw David Johnson move the opposite way), Rod made just 19 appearances for Everton and scored just 3 goals, before his Merseyside nightmare was ended with a transfer to Sunderland in October 1973.

Paul Power was also born on this day in 1953 in Manchester.  Paul was signed from Manchester City in June 1986, and was a member of the 1987 Championship winning side.  During his time at Goodison, Paul made 71 appearances for Everton and weighed in with 7 goals.

Another Paul, this time Paul Wilkinson, was born on this day in 1964 in Grimoldby.  Signed from Grimsby Town in March 1985, Paul went on to make 46 appearances and scored 15 goals before being sold to Nottingham Forest in March 1987.

Jimmy Hill (no, not him!) won his second Northern Irish cap as an Everton players in their 1-0 defeat against Spain on this day in 1963.

Martin Dobson won his only England cap as an Everton player on this day in 1974 against Czechoslovakia in a 3-0 England win.

Ted Sagar appeared for the Football League against their Scottish League counterparts on this day in 1935.

Milestone's that can be reached in this game:

• If Nigel Martyn starts the match, this will be his 50th start for Everton in all competitions.
• If Duncan Ferguson starts the match, this will be his 150th start for Everton in the Premier League.
• If everton score, the first goal will be the 300th the club has scored against Aston Villa in all competitions.
• If the match fails to end in a draw, then the team will set a new club record of 9 consecutive league matches at home without a draw.

Steve Flanagan

Defiant Villa Deny Everton

I had one of them nightmare starts to the day and kinda got the feeling it wasn’t gonna be Everton’s...  We’ve all had them mornings when everything goes wrong: You cut yourself shaving, you drop a pint of milk everywhere on the kitchen floor, you stub your toe.  After all that, there was flippin’ train delays...  Great!

Finally got back and made it to the pub for about 1pm to watch Birmingham vs Crystal Palace.  The boozer had lost its licence or somat so had to watch Malmo vs IFK Gothenburg on Canal+.  Anyways we got the match in good time.

I was thoroughly expecting Everton to simply install Yobo into Carsley’s defensive position but was surprised to see Watson deployed on the right instead with Cahill doing the defensive bit.  Was even more surprised to find Yobo wasn’t even on the bench and Fox making the squad for the first time.  Was there a fall-out with Yobo or was he just injured or somat?

We kicked off towards the Park End and it was quite a scrappy opening.  Good work by Gravesen created an opening for himself but unfortunately it was on his left foot and Sorensen saved comfortably.  Following that was a great chance for Kilbane who drilled it into the side netting.  Really should have hit the target.  Shortly afterwards from a deep Watson cross Stubs got up well and looped his header over the keeper but unfortunately not over Delaney on the goal line.  He is long overdue a goal, Stubbsy; I don’t think he has scored since January 2002, away at Stoke City in the FA Cup.

After this, Villa seemed to find their rhythm and had a good bit of possession, albeit to no avail.  Closest they came from what I remember was a long range drive from Nobby Salono which was well wide.

Well it was just when Everton seemed to be finding their rhythm when that little ugly shit Lee Hendrie pops up with a cracking goal out of nothing.  Nice lay off from Angel and a first time shot from Hendrie sailed into the corner of the net.  I thought Martyn was a little slow getting there to be fair and might have saved it.  Still, good goal.

Everton’s response was determined and they were soon level.  Osman broke free into the box and had his drive well blocked by the impressive Melberg.  The resulting corner was cleared.  Pistone hoofed it back in and it was cleared.  This time to Weir who feigned a shot before slipping a lovely ball through to Bent who coolly chipped it over the out-rushing Sorensen and into the net.  Good goal from Bent who’s clearly playing with confidence.  That’s three goals in a week now for him.  Where have them boo-boys gone?

All I really remember from the rest of the half were two overhead volleys from Bent.  One which drifted harmlessly wide and the other which bought a smart save from Sorensen down to his left.  Otherwise, Weir skied a half chance.  Everton finished the half certainly more dominant.  I did apparently miss a “cracking tackle” from Stubbs which prevented Angel being through on a one-on-one, however, when I went for a quick piss.

At half-time, Dave Hickson came out to get a warm welcome for his 75th birthday which was a nice touch.  This also bought Bill Kenwright out and I didn’t know what to expect from the crowd but the majority applauded him which I was a little surprised by.  I guess it’s ‘cos were doing OK though.  If we were doing as badly as most of us were probably expecting us to be doing, then I think his reception would have been somewhat less friendly.  The subs warming up all tried to do Soccer AM’s cross bar challenge and only Fox managing to hit it.  Guess he wins the signed shirt ‘cos the geezer from New Zeeland couldn’t do it at the Park End in Everton’s official “win a car” contest.

Second half yielded no changes from either team and Everton were the better side in the second.  Right at the start of the half they nearly scored a great goal.  They were seriously flicking the ball around like Brazil.  Gravesen flicked it to Watson.  He cushioned it beautifully and flicked it on to Bent.  He controlled then flicked it on to Cahill.  He volleyed it overhead to Osman.  He let fly on the half volley from about 12 yards but unfortunately just over the bar.  If he’d have done one more flick to Kilbane he would have presented him with a wonderful opportunity to put Everton in front.

Kilbane however did have a good opportunity a bit later on when he hit the side netting from I think around six yards out.  It was at an angle but he never really got hold of it.

Everton came closest to scoring with Osman following good work by Gravesen and then by Bent.  He cut it back to Osman who teed himself up on the volley.  He cut it well, crisp and low.  Found the far corner.  Did everything right and was so, so unlucky to see it come back off the inside of the far post.  We assumed it was in and were already celebrating.  Very unlucky.  I think Sorensen might have got the slightest of touches to it.  In which case… good save.

Villa hadn’t given up, though; Carlton Cole really should have scored when it was played into him from Solano after Angel had cut it back.  Somehow he blazed wide from six yards, however — although the ref did give a corner so Weir must have blocked well.

Everton huffed and puffed after this but Villa defended well and Everton couldn’t score.  There was a possible penalty claim which got Stubbs to race the whole length of the field to remonstrate with the ref but I reckon it was more ball to hand myself and would’ve been harsh.  Who said things go your way when your at the top?

Ferguson came on with about 25 minutes to go for Watson but this lead to more long balls and it just wasn’t effective.  I thought McFadden could have been introduced a bit earlier than with 7 minutes to go, but judging on that 7 minutes can see why he wasn’t.  Trying hard but it’s just not working for him.  I think he just needs a goal or a brilliant assist and it’ll start working for him.  He’ll be alright... I hope.

So will we.  We really can’t complain about things at the moment.  As we were leaving the full-time scores came out and it was great to see Man Utd loosing at Portsmouth, Arsenal drawing with Southampton and then later on Liverppol being held at Blackburn.  Hopefully Newcastle vs Bolton will end in a draw today.  As we were leaving some fella said to me, “Who’d have thought we’d have been looking out for Man U’s, Arsenal’s and Chelsea’s results now?”  Certainly not me and certainly not must of the media.  It’s all gone quiet over there.

Bring on Chelsea!

Player Ratings:

• Martyn: Think he might have saved the goal but otherwise had nothing to do. 6
• Pistone: Clearly very low on confidence. 6
• Stubbs: Excellent defensive performance by our captain. 8
• Weir: Excellent defensive performance by our ex-captain. 8
• Hibbert: Stuck to his task well and got down the line a few times. 7
• Kilbane: Not one of his better days but you can’t fault his work rate. 6
• Cahill: Got stuck in, particularly in the second half.  Also picked up his obligatory booking. 7
• Osman: Extremely unlucky not to score but shit happens I guess.  Had a good game.  Got subbed late on I think by default more than anything else. 7
• Gravesen: His usual Jekyll and Hyde showing.  Encapsulated in the final minute when he unnecessary wriggled before playing it wide to Kilbane.  Only problem was it was about 10 yards too high and out for a throw in. 7
• Watson: Fairly anonymous before being subbed for Ferguson.  Fully expect him to be dropped next week for Yobo. 6
• Bent: My man of the match. Ran himself into the ground and scored a good goal. 9
• Ferguson: Ineffective. 5
• McFadden: Ineffective. 5

Paul Traill