Jelavic fit to play Leeds

, 24 September, 39comments  |  Jump to most recent
Ahead of tomorrow's League Cup challenge at Elland Road, good news for Everton as Nikica Jelavic is declared fit after jarring his knee on the post when scoring one of Everton's offside goals against Newcastle last week.

Steve Round, said: “The manager might make one or two changes but the squad is the same. Jelavic is fit and comes back in but otherwise it will be the same.

“We are still without Tony Hibbert and Darron Gibson. The manager will pick the team on Tuesday and it will be a strong team no matter who he goes with.”

Quotes or other material sourced from EvertonFC.com



Reader Comments (39)

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Kevin Day
1 Posted 24/09/2012 at 16:28:29
No need to risk him from the start of the Leeds game, they,ll be up for this game and I'm sure they'll be putting the tackles in, would be very useful from the bench if needed, but I think the way Vic is playing he'll be more than enough for them to handle.
Tony J Williams
2 Posted 24/09/2012 at 16:34:50
I am with you Kevin, let Vic take the kicks, rewarding him for his 2 goals in 2 games performances.

No need to rush Jelavic back for this game.

Oliver Molloy
3 Posted 24/09/2012 at 16:42:05
Let Vic take the kicks...that is some reward, Tony!
Steve King
4 Posted 24/09/2012 at 16:38:23
I agree.

Not sure he would have played Jelavic in this game anyway, so best not to risk him following his injury.

Glad to hear he will go with a strong team though. With the crowd behind them on a wet windy yorkshire night (I'm assuming it will be!!) they certainly wont make it easy for us.
On a separate note I'd like to see Oviedo play, just cause I'm curious.

Mike Powell
5 Posted 24/09/2012 at 16:43:13
Got to agree — let Vic keep his place; it will keep his confidence up. Two goals in two games — he deserves his chance.
Jon Ferguson
6 Posted 24/09/2012 at 16:44:58
It sounds pretty unanimous: carry on with Anichebe and let Jelavic continue to recover.

I'd like to see Coleman carry on at right back and prove he is strong enough defensively.

I'd also like to see Oveido play and Junior, Duffy and Vellios given opportunities if we are running away with it.

We've never won the League Cup and it's a way into Europe. I hope we take the tournament seriously.

Phil Sammon
7 Posted 24/09/2012 at 16:54:25
Anichebe deserves to keep his place.

I would like to see Oviedo, Vellios, Duffy and especially Cisco given a chance. However, my sensible head says to keep the team strong and more or less as we were against Swansea.

Definitely a concern in that match is the amount of goal scoring opportunities we allowed the Swans. We need to tighten up at the back if we are to really excel this season.

Excited for the game anyway. Come on Everton!

Ray Roche
8 Posted 24/09/2012 at 17:01:54
Kevin Day @681

"

"they'll be putting the tackles in". Kev, this is Leeds we're talking about, or to give them their official title, Dirty Leeds, there was no need to advise that they'll be "putting the tackles in". ;-)

Nick Entwistle
9 Posted 24/09/2012 at 17:08:50
If after 5 games someone said we'd be third, the league's entertainers, and unfair to drop Anichebe for Jelavic then... etc etc.
Mark Tanton
10 Posted 24/09/2012 at 17:12:01
Ha, very true Nick. You could add to that, most of us Toffeewebbers hoping Moyes is given a new contract.

I'd stick with Anichebe and challenge him to keep Jeli on the bench for Southampton on the weekend too - isn't that proper competition for places?

Nick Entwistle
11 Posted 24/09/2012 at 17:14:20
If that happens Mark, we've got a bunch of no-marks (oh the arrogance) before the derby which could mean Anichebe goes on a rich vane... vein... scores loads of goals, and where would that leave Moyes comes the big one?
James Smith
12 Posted 24/09/2012 at 17:26:23
I hope we keep Jelavic on the bench so that we are sure he's not being rushed in. I would like to see Oviedo play.
Jamie Barlow
13 Posted 24/09/2012 at 17:31:03
If Vic does bang a couple in at Leeds, would Jelly come back in for the Southampton game?

Big Vic keeping Jelly on the bench!!!

Its mental but surely he'd have to play?

Jeremy Benson
14 Posted 24/09/2012 at 17:43:42
I'm of the opposite opinion to the comments so far.

Jelavic must start - he needs to get some scoring form, and this is as good an opportunity as any. Go 4-4-2 if there is such a demand for Vic to start again.

Personally, I'd be tempted to give Naismith 45 minutes too. Give Big Vic the first 45 in a 4-4-2 with Jelavic, then bring Naismith on for the second half.

Phil Sammon
15 Posted 24/09/2012 at 18:15:50
I'd say Naismith to start. He's been sub for the last few games. He is a player we can bring in without weakening the team.

Jeremy, Jelevic's goal scoring form is fine. He bagged in the international break, also. Nothing to worry about on that front.

Jeremy Benson
16 Posted 24/09/2012 at 18:26:23
Phil, really? 1 in 4 games is fine? That would give him 9 by the end of the season. Personally, I think he needs a bit of game time and to find the back of the onion net, to get him into a 1 in 2 goal scoring form.
Kevin Thompson
17 Posted 24/09/2012 at 19:10:48
Our strongest side without hibbert and Gibson would be: Howard , Coleman , heitinga , jags, baines,mirallas, fellani, Neville , peinarr, Anichebe and jelavic
Peter Leslie
18 Posted 24/09/2012 at 18:44:33
For what its worth, I agree with keeping Anichebe in against Leeds no matter what state of fitness Jelly is in at present.
Hold on - here's the reasons
A) there is a time-honoured principle that if you are in form and scoring, you keep your place until you lose that form, never mind what class of player you're keeping out of the team - if that isn't held to we can write Vic off altogether, his fragile psyche wont recover
B) for the Leeds game Big Vic is physically equipped to take the knocks from the yard dogs - and if he did get a whack, he's more expendable than Jelly (sorry if thats harsh) :)
What would you do if you were their manager? tel them to rough Jelly up of course. Stupid to expose him to that.

Best case scenario for me is that Anichebe keeps his confidence up, directs his inner anger and insecurities positively against the opposition and becomes what most of us think he can become - a bullying, marauding powerhouse who can stick the ball in the net occasionally but more importantly can do the donkey work of winning knock downs, pulling defenders all over the place and tiring them out, winning ball from clearances and set plays and leave Jelly to find the clever spaces and score the tap ins and penalties.

I really think that Vic has got it all, at least physically. If he just can sort out his psychology he can be 9 tenths of a Drogba or Les Ferdinand, and easily as good as Heskey on his best days.

If Vic could step up like that it would be worth two new signings as it would allow Fella to drop back into midfield, where he belongs. To be fair, for all his recent terrorising of defences hes still a relatively poor finisher, and it wont be long before other teams will figure out how to largely nullify him (cut out the big diagonal at source, mark him in front and behind from set pieces etc - simple stuff).

So who drops out of midfield in that scenario?
(what a great problem to have for once.)

Assuming Pienaar and Mirallas are a given, and we're talking about the middle not the flanks, it gives us rotation options: we can pick from four (Gibbo, Fellaini, Neville and Ossie) hence DM has the luxury of selecting horses for courses.

If fit, Gibbo would play all the time, he's that good a passer.

Fella too would be a given, but I would change his role here and there - sometimes forward, sometimes deeper.

Neville has masses of experience which is very valuable, but is on his last legs and hasn't got the runnning power anymore. We can carry him in a five, but not a four. So I would keep him fresh for the times we go five in the middle against the very best teams or to come on when we need to defend a lead, and as cover at RB. In that scenario it would be Jelly up top alone, with Fella supporting from deeper a la Cahill.

Ossie, for me, is brilliant when we're on top, or playing carpet football, but just hasnt got the power or legs to play your aerial or box to box game against stokes, west broms etc - put him in against footballing teams and he can run the show. He is not much value if we're defending long balls all day and twatting it clear upfield as we are sometimes forced to do.

Overall I am very positive of our chances for the first in many years - we finally have a squad of around 15 who can make up a strong eleven and play any formation.

So COYB, smash dirty Leeds and crush Southampton and lets build some real momentum rolling into the Derby.

Jeremy Benson
20 Posted 24/09/2012 at 19:33:01
Vic has got it all?!!!

Wow - what a difference a couple of goals makes. I can remember the comments on this forum last season...and the one before that.

Kevin Thompson
23 Posted 24/09/2012 at 19:41:53
Phil - play a 4-3-3 against a lower division club , with all three up front fellani on the right, jelly down the middle and vic on the left , mirallas on the right wing and piennar on the left wing , with Neville as the holding midfielder.
Kevin Thompson
25 Posted 24/09/2012 at 19:49:34
Fellini and victor would drop deeper when we don't have the ball , drop out to the left or right wing to support the wingers and full backs like they did effectively against Swansea
Ian Bennett
26 Posted 24/09/2012 at 19:58:35
Jelavic and Vellios up top for me. Naismith and Mirallas on the flanks, Junior and Osman in the middle. Back four of Garbutt, Coleman, Duffy and Distin.
Peter Leslie
27 Posted 24/09/2012 at 19:47:00
Jeremy, I said he's got it all Physically - meaning he's big, strong and fast, and judging by his pitch-length sprint in the last 10 minutes on the weekend he has a decent engine too. And when his tail is up he doesnt have that bad a touch. Hence he's got all the tools. I was not saying he's the complete centre forward by any means....

Vic's problem, it would seems to most fair-minded observers, is mental - meaning lask of confidence, self belief, arrogance, attitude, and having a bit of devil in him etc. How many of us dream what we could have done if we had those gifts....

He will never ever have the class or elegance or skill of a Berbatov or Jelavic, or even a Dublin or Ferguson, or be a finisher in the class of Lineker or Ian Wright, but he does have the potential to be the match of the big powerful centre forwards I mentioned.

I suspect most blues who give him stick, like me, do so out of disappointment and frustration about his so-far wasted talent more than thinking he's downright hopeless and a lost cause.

Feel free to come back to me at the end of the season if he hasnt scored 8 or 10 goals.

Ian Bennett
28 Posted 24/09/2012 at 20:01:30
Actually let's just humiliate Leeds.

Formation 4-1-5

Fellaini, Jelavic, Mirallas, Naismith, Anichebe, Pienaar, Coleman, Baines, Heitinga, Jagielka, Howard.

Kevin Elliott
31 Posted 24/09/2012 at 19:50:00
Well said Peter leslie...
Brent Stephens
32 Posted 24/09/2012 at 20:24:50
Play Anichebe at the back! let him see how other strikers can pull a defence about!
Kevin Thompson
34 Posted 24/09/2012 at 20:29:52
Read my post again: I said the play Fellaini right of Jelavic with Mirallas on the right wing. Play the three up forward with Jelavic at the forefront against a lower division team.
Peter Laing
35 Posted 24/09/2012 at 20:31:39
Peter Leslie, from what I have seen to date, Fellaini playing in an advanced position is unplayable. The opposition look terrified when he comes to meet the ball on his chest, with two players sent to mark him – surely this will leave space behind for Jelavic or Anichebe to exploit?
Steve Smith
36 Posted 24/09/2012 at 19:58:24
I think this competition is one we should take seriously for a change, it guarantees European football, gives us a day out at Wembley and, it being a trophy we've never won before, I think it's about time we did.

I would definitely start with Anichebe, he's in decent form and I'd fancy him to score at least a brace at that level.

Phil Sammon
37 Posted 24/09/2012 at 20:35:12
Three up front plus two wingers. Genius.

Managers are always saying that central midfield isn't important so maybe you're onto something.

David Booth
38 Posted 24/09/2012 at 20:53:24
Quite apart from not being able to bear the thought of losing to a team/fans who are bigger Gobshites than the actual Gobshites themselves, I hope we play as strong a team as possible tomorrow.

Victor deserves to keep his place because, in all fairness he, Fellaini and Mirrallas formed a great spearhead against Swansea. Between them they offer very different but wonderfully complementary threats. Any defence would find it hard to cope, never mind a team who have scraped around in divisions two and three for the last nine years.

Jelavic is the man who can make it hapen for us this season, but I'd give him another few days off and let the winning team from Saturday continue - at least up front.

Coleman at right back too is a move I'd like to see continued, to give him a chance to prove he CAN play at right back, with an eye to the future.

Johnny too needs to keep his place. Simply scandalous that he has been ostracised yet again until now.

Indeed, the only change I'd make is to see if we have a viable alternative to puss-in-boots Osman, especially as Leeds, under Warnock and with the players at his disposal, will surely try to intimidate us and he is not up to the task in that, or so many other ways.

Europe beckons here fellow Evertonians. Minimal if any changes for me please. Keep this confidence and winning run going. Time we won this second-rate trophy.

Blitzkrieg those arrogant seventies retards tomorrow and give a few of the lads a run out when we're 3-0 up with 15 minutes to go.

Gareth Fieldstead
39 Posted 24/09/2012 at 20:56:49
When is Gibson back? I would personally start with a strong team then rest players if the job is done. As commented on above, it's our best chance of silverware ( depending on the luck of the draw) take it seriously and keep the momentum going. With a decent Arsenal team at home to Chelsea and Utd up against Spurs it's scary to think were we could be if we get a performance/ result against Southampton.
Kunal Desai
40 Posted 24/09/2012 at 21:16:05
I imagine it will be something like Vic alongside Naismith, with perhaps Gueye starting and Coleman in midfield. Jags given a rest with Johnny and Distin at the back. Oviedo maybe starting as well.
Sam Hoare
41 Posted 24/09/2012 at 21:15:10
What back 4 do you think is our strongest?

Was it just me who thought heitinga was pretty horrendous against Swansea. I know we got a clean sheet but that was more due to Howard heroics and Swansea profligacy.

Not sure Jagielka are much better but don't agree with those who think are much worse.

No idea which team should play tomorrow. I'd probably start the same team as played Swansea with maybe Naismith and Gueye coming in.

Peter Cummings
42 Posted 24/09/2012 at 21:42:18
I think wer'e being a bt hard on Leeds because of their past history of the Hunter and Bremner days. They appear to be doing as well as us in their league with the same points and a good goal average, we should wait and see what happens tomorrow before labelling them. One thing is for sure: they won't lie down, how about those Prenton Park boys then, well done, Robbie Moore.
Michael Kenrick
43 Posted 24/09/2012 at 22:40:04
Peter (#759) — "goal average"... that stirs a few memories. As I vaguely recall, before the days of "goal difference", it was settled on goal average which was (I think) GF ÷ GA rather than the simpler concept of GF – GD.

Wasn't it introduced before 3 points for a win, as a way of making the game less defensive, since the old formula amplified the value of a goal against? And did it work?

Or did you mean something completely different... Like goals per game?

Brian Denton
44 Posted 24/09/2012 at 23:36:45
Interesting quiz question, Michael.

Q: What was unique about the 1964-65 season in the English and Scottish Leagues?

A: They were both won on goal average.

Mick Davies
45 Posted 25/09/2012 at 02:21:28
Phil Sammon, the chances Swansea had were caused by our attacking attitude, and if we carry on having 10 times the attempts on goal than the opposition, I'm all for that, rather than hope to nick one etc. Saturday reminded me of Keegan's Newcastle side, who almost won the league with a similar philosophy. Only buying Asprilla in the window and changing things upset the momentum, and when we have Gibson back, I'm sure things will tighten up through the middle.
Like David Booth, I'd too prefer Coleman getting a run at RB, given the understanding he immediately struck up with Mirallas. He also did a lot of defensive work, with blocks and playing the ball out intelligently, and only experience will develop his potential. As for Leeds, I'm not a hater like I was 35 years ago, but I don't like what they did to Grayson, and I do hate Warnock so I'd like to see us shove a huge win up his big ugly nostrils
Kevin Thompson
47 Posted 25/09/2012 at 07:42:33
Phil - it's Leeds utd we are playing not Man utd , I expect / hope that we are camped out in Leeds half as with the first 30 mins against Swansea and Leeds to park the "bus" in front of goal.
fellani would drop deeper when we don't have the ball as he did against Swansea , making a 4-4-1-1
He was nearly playing at right back for the mirallas goal
Victor created a couple of clear cut chances for fellani and mirallas playing inside left position
All the midfield / forward positions are interchangeable e.g piennar for the third goal playing on the right
I expect us to be attacking more than defending against a mid table championship side .

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