FAN ARTICLES

Crystal Ball Time Again

Well, we?ve all written and read ad infinitum about the Blues' start to the season, with the overriding opinion being that we are a wide man short, a class forward short, and that we have too many centre midfielders than we know what to do with, but we are at least playing decent football.

Now I?m a believer that we will come good, but what I don?t know is when. The 'how' will be simple enough in that we will scrape a good 2-3 wins together, one probably deserved and the other a last-minute fluke, and then another deserved. I can?t see us taking anyone apart just yet, the players haven?t got that confidence and swagger you need to put 5 or 6 past anyone, West Ham included. This will happen, but probably after 6-7 games on the trot with no setbacks.

So, looking ahead, when are we likely to get that run of 2-3 wins? For the life of me, I can't see a repeat of last year?s 3-1 win against Man Utd this weekend. Last year we came upon Utd after 5 wins from the previous 7 games and were in sparkling form (except for our normal derby-game slip up). As we all know, we are not in that rich vein of form. A deserved or unlucky draw against Man Utd with a least a continuation of our football credentials will probably do me fine.

After Man Utd, we have a run of Newcastle (H), Fulham (A), Birmingham (A), then Liverpool (H) and Spurs (A). I?m afraid I don?t see a 3-win sequence there at all. Both Fulham and Birmingham have proved difficult for us in recent times, and well anything can happen with Liverpool and Spurs.

I can still see us languishing in the bottom half of the table at the end of October... but then I start to see a possible light at the end of the tunnel, we play six games ? Stoke (H), Blackpool (A), Bolton (H), Arsenal (H), Sunderland (A), West Brom (H). I can see us possibly putting that run together which should push us up into the Top 6-7 ready for a challenging Chelsea (A) fixture ? a real test of our credentials. If we come away from this little lot with 15 pts or so then we should have the belief in ourselves to deliver a sustainable challenge for a Top 6 place at least and hopefully better if the likes of Spurs, City and hopefully Liverpool become stretched with European games.

What would scupper this crystal balling of mine would be a real hiding from Man Utd on Saturday ? you know, another Arsenal from last year. This would prove to be absolutely fatal in getting any run together this side of Xmas and ultimately leave us with a mid-table battle for most of this season with only a hope of another late surge to get a Europa place. A big loss can only demonstrate that the real belief the players and staff had in themselves pre-season was totally flawed.

I know all games are crucial at the moment but a game against Man Utd at Goodison is a cruel fixture, probably only slightly better than Man Utd away. As always, we?ve given ourselves a mountain to climb, particularly with not beating both Wolves and Villa. But hey that?s Everton for you.

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