Season › 2012-13 › News Fulham vs Everton Lyndon Lloyd , 2 November, 44comments | Jump to most recent Match Preview Without a win in three games now — although still on a really impressive run of just one Premier League defeat since March — Everton are back in the Capital with a visit to Craven Cottage to face a Fulham side who lie just two points behind the Blues. Controversial draws against Wigan, QPR and Liverpool have seen David Moyes's side slip away from the three leading clubs but a run of four fixtures against teams lower in the table offers an opportunity to get back to winning ways. Having gone decades without winning on Fulham's home turf, the Blues under Moyes have won twice there in their last four visits, the second of which (incidentally, Everton's only win in London in their last 13 trips) came last season in a 3-1 victory... albeit one secured with goals by three players who are no longer with the club. Of course, Royston Drenthe and Louis Saha have been amply replaced by Kevin Mirallas and Nikica Jelavic respectively, but central midfield has been a problematic area for Everton this season since Darron GIbson succumbed to a thigh tendon injury that has kept him sidelined for two months now. Article continues below video content The pace of the Irishman's recovery has been painfully slow and he won't be ready to face the Cottagers this weekend; Moyes admitted that the injury was worse than at first feared but the player is on the mend. It leaves the manager with familiar options in the middle. Phil Neville and Leon Osman have been hit and miss together in the interim, with extra pressure seemingly put on the defence when the makeshift pairing hasn't been functioning as hoped. Going forward, though, the Blues are still scoring goals, having only been blanked on one occasion so far this season and averaging two goals a game in their last four outings. Mirallas is a doubt, however, for this weekend after suffering heavy bruising to his foot when Luis Suarez's unpunished stamp took him out of the derby at the half-way stage last Sunday. The Belgian was electric in the first half against Liverpool but he has only a chance of playing at Fulham according to David Moyes. Steven Pienaar is back, however, after missing the derby through suspension, and that would likely mean a like-for-like swap with Mirallas on the left flank and Steven Naismith keeping his place on the right. Elsewhere in the side, Tony Hibbert is fit again, but it remains to be seen whether he will be preferred to Seamus Coleman who has been settling back into his original right back role in the veteran's absence. This is never an easy game for Everton who never really look comfortable in the smaller confines of the more compact grounds like Craven Cottage and Loftus Road. Fulham certainly have their tails up under Martin Jol and will be buouyed by the fact that danger man Dimitar Berbatov has been passed fit. Jol's side would leapfrog the Blues in the table with victory but a win for Everton would get their hopes of a Champions League-qualifying finish on track. KO: 3pm, Saturday 3 November 2012 Referee: Neil Swarbrick Lyndon Lloyd » Read more Global TV coverage Live Matchday Forum Reader Comments (44) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Nick Entwistle 2 Posted 02/11/2012 at 19:57:34 One of those (sorry Lyndon) lazy stats which often come up in the press is saying some team hasn't beat another team since forever, but ignores that the other team had been in the bottom reaches of the pyramid for a number of years. Remember Fulham at Torquay Utd in the mid 90s lead by a fully bearded Allan Cork. They didn't seem to be a big fish in a small pond either.The game has the potential to be a cracker. Lyndon Lloyd 3 Posted 02/11/2012 at 20:12:20 Point taken on that "lazy stat", Nick, but our eight-season winless stretch at Craven Cottage until the Leon-inspired win in 2008/09 was notable for its annoyance. Ian Bennett 4 Posted 02/11/2012 at 20:28:12 Come on, Jelly — get us a goal, or two. Patrick Murphy 5 Posted 02/11/2012 at 20:39:44 I understand that QPR and Fulham's Grounds are smaller, but is it true that all Premier League pitches are the same dimensions at every ground, or am I misinformed? Matt Traynor 6 Posted 02/11/2012 at 20:52:55 Up until that Osman brace in 2009, we'd lost every time in the Premier League at the Cottage, and Fulham had lost every Premier League game at Goodison - a run that continues to this day.Patrick #797, there are minimum and maximum widths for football pitches. I think the length has to be the same, but you are allowed to vary the width of the pitch. You have to keep it the same for the duration of the league season, but I think you can have a different width for European competition, for example. Kevin Day 7 Posted 02/11/2012 at 20:51:52 Patrick.There is a minimum and maximum size of pitches for football league pitches, I do not know the exact size but its within a couple of yards so not much difference. Lyndon Lloyd 8 Posted 02/11/2012 at 20:54:52 You're correct, Patrick. New Premier League rules instituted this season state that all pitches have to be 105m x 68m, per Uefa regulations. I think one of the rationales for the change was specifically so clubs could not vary the width of the pitch when facing different teams.From the Premier League handbook:K.21.Unless otherwise permitted by the Board, in League Matches the length of the pitch shall be 105 metres and its breadth 68 metres.K.22.The Board shall only give permission to a Club for the dimensions of its pitch to be other than as set out in Rule K.21 if it is impossible for it to comply with Rule K.21 due to the nature of the construction of its ground.K.23.For UEFA Club Competitions the pitch must measure 105 metres in length by 68 metres in breadth exactly. If for technical reasons of a construction related nature it is impossible to achieve the required dimensions a UEFA Club Licence may nevertheless be granted provided that the pitch is minimum 100 metres to maximum 105 metres in length by minimum 64 metres to maximum 68 metres in breadth. James Fletcher 9 Posted 02/11/2012 at 21:01:59 For anyone who is coming down to London and is going for a few pints, I'll be in the Eight Bells by Putney Bridge wearing our lovely pink away kit from a couple of seasons back so feel free to come and say hello. Always good to meet some fans. Denis Byrne 10 Posted 02/11/2012 at 21:10:27 Just be aware James that sometimes the Eight Bells hasn't been open, I might be wrong but I think it's been closed the last couple of seasons. Christopher Kelly 11 Posted 02/11/2012 at 21:43:36 My goodness Gibbo!! Are you a pussy or what?? 2 months with a tendon strain?? Sure it hurts but get over it David Barks 12 Posted 02/11/2012 at 22:34:47 Christopher Kelly shows himself to be a person who never actually played a sport. Get over a tendon strain, just that simple huh? You know that when a tendon or ligament is strained there are varying degrees of strain, and continuing to stress it causes the tendon or ligament to continue to strain, and leads to snapping. Kind of like if you've ever done any running and start to feel your hamstring strain, and just keep running just as hard, it will eventually snap. A week of recovery has now turned to weeks or months. But sure, just suck it up, right? Patrick Murphy 13 Posted 02/11/2012 at 23:08:37 Thanks guys for your feedback, I thought I'd heard mention of pitch size somewhere or other. COYB Andy Crooks 14 Posted 03/11/2012 at 00:18:00 David, you're right,However, for some reason there seem to be injury prone players and I fear that Gibson is one. Roger Sunde 15 Posted 03/11/2012 at 00:20:12 I'll take a draw — even if it's another one. Edward Simpson 16 Posted 03/11/2012 at 01:03:26 With only Gibson out surely we have got enough quality to beat them.I hope Naismith features at some point, he played really well in the derby.Draw would be a more realistic result. Peter Barry 17 Posted 03/11/2012 at 02:41:18 I hope Jelly is back on song for this game — he has been looking out of sorts for the past two or three games. Ajay Gopal 18 Posted 03/11/2012 at 04:56:56 The team that Moyes will likely play:JelavicPienaar Fellaini NaismithOsman, NevilleBaines Distin Jagielka ColemanSubs: Anichebe, Vellios, Oviedo, Hibbert, Heitinga, Duffy, Mucha.This team should be good enough to beat Fulham. I would have loved to see Mirallas play today, but I doubt it. He is turning out to be one of the most exciting Everton players in recent history – I know it was only one display, but he could turn out to be 'Everton's Ronaldo'. Ajay Gopal 19 Posted 03/11/2012 at 05:14:21 Oops, I forgot that every team needs to have a goalkeeper...:-) Ian McDowell 20 Posted 03/11/2012 at 06:21:11 Tough game today, a lot of teams find it difficult at Craven cottage. Hopefully we will have just enough firepower to secure a 2-1 victory. If we want to keep in and around the top 5/6 we need to start turning some of these draws into victories. Phil Walling 21 Posted 03/11/2012 at 08:16:01 I think `the bubble` has been on the point of bursting for weeks and today will see us succumb to a better balanced side. The failure to cover for the absence of Gibson will cost us dearly and if Hitzelsperger is not an improvement on Neville ,what the fuck is he doing here?Back in 8th by Sunday night. Ken Crowther 22 Posted 03/11/2012 at 08:39:46 Phil #820Oh boy! We really need cheerful sods like you!Have you EVER had a glass that was half-hull? Ken Crowther 23 Posted 03/11/2012 at 08:46:41 Half-hull, that's what the Titanic had. David Booth 24 Posted 03/11/2012 at 08:49:31 Phil (820): can we be mates?You sound like a real fun guy to be around. Mike Gwyer 25 Posted 03/11/2012 at 08:33:53 Dave Birks. I think Chris Kelly is taking the piss.Phil Walling. What bubble is it that you think has bursted? Did you see the derby, if so then you would know that Neville had a solid game and Osman probably his best game this season. Why slag the team off before we even kick a ball - we can win today so let's not put a pox on the team when all you can say is "no cover for Gibbo". Get your arse down to GP and you will see how well the mighty blues are playing. Ian Bennett 26 Posted 03/11/2012 at 09:18:58 Ajay - I would go with that side. I thought oviedo looked bright when he came on, and Naismith put a lot of effort on the pitch, but not a huge amount of quality on the ball bar the goal. Sam Hoare 27 Posted 03/11/2012 at 09:19:37 No doubt today will be a tough game and berbatov and Ruiz are both able to conjure a goal out of nothing.I do agree with Phil walling that our lack of cover in midfield is going to hurt us at some point, arguably it already has and I wager of Gibson had not been injured we would have 4 or so more points this season.As for today I'm hoping for a pienaar inspired 2-1 win with mirallas coming off the bench to score the late winner. Paul Gladwell 28 Posted 03/11/2012 at 09:24:08 Well said Mike, what's the point of supporting the club if even when we are doing fine people try and turn it all into negative.I am enjoying going the games this season, last time seaon I hated visiting Goodison and spent hours on here moaning about it, we are a good team, try enjoying it for once. James Morgan 29 Posted 03/11/2012 at 09:54:51 Ajay, you've neglected to put Mirallas even on the bench! He's fit to play you know. We are conceding too readily, I'd drop Neville and put Fellaini in the middle to get control of the game and put Naismith behind Jelavic and let Mirallas tear Riise a new one down the right. James Martin 30 Posted 03/11/2012 at 10:26:56 James Fellaini is not going to be dropped into the middle. Moyes learnt from the Leeds game why can't people on here. Fellaini's best role is further forward, he was one of the worst players on the pitch against Leeds in the holding role, why could he do it in the premier league. The fact that w eonly have two fit central midfielders but an abundance of attacking options and that moyes still plays Fellaini uptop shows that he no longer considers Marouane for the holding role and rightfully so. Ray Said 31 Posted 03/11/2012 at 10:30:12 I would like to see Fellaini playing in centre mid but he has been so impressive played further forward that most managers would be reluctant to move him just now.Mirallas has been so impressive that he must become a first choice. I would have him behind Jelavic-who I have not been impressed with recently. Leo Foster 32 Posted 03/11/2012 at 10:37:11 Fellaini's best position is centre midfield where he can still influence the attack while adding solidity at the back. One problem for him in an attacking role is that he is unable to convert half chances as he is far from being a natural striker. Today's result looks completely open and I wouldn't be surprised by any kind of score, whether positive, negative or somewhere in between. Lovely ground to visit and a great day out. Dave White 33 Posted 03/11/2012 at 11:03:52 I agree that today is quite an important point in the season. This is clearly the kind of game we need to win if we are going to challenge for the top 4. Also agree I really couldn't pick a result, if Berbatov and Ruiz play to the level they are capable of they are unplayable.A lot of pressure on Peanuts to bring some creativity with no Mirallas and Gibson, Naismith is certainly a worker but not at the level I'd like in an ideal world. I thought Oveido looked really bright in his cameo, like a player who's got something to prove. Can he play anywhere but on the left? I note Barkley is impressing for Wednesday. I am confident he will be a very important player for us going forward. Should be a cracker today. COYB!!! Denis Byrne 34 Posted 03/11/2012 at 11:25:10 Peter (816), I was thinking the same about Jelly, he's looked sloppy the last few games (boom boom). I had the misfortune of having a RS taxi driver last week before the game (nice fella though), and he said his mate was a receptionist at Anfield and she has seen faxes from Jelly's agent which indicates a possible move to the RS. Has his head been turned? That would account for his lacklustre display against them? I know, I know ... But it's the first time I've had a half decent (poxy) rumour to share on TW. Brendan McLaughlin 35 Posted 03/11/2012 at 11:39:51 Denis #835I think your taxi driver was a "nice fella" with a wicked sense of humour! James Morgan 36 Posted 03/11/2012 at 11:41:36 James Martin, Fellaini has had some excellent performances in the middle, he wasn't the only player to have a stinker against Leeds remember. I never said put him in front of the back four, I actually think he is best as box to box midfielder influencing both ends of the pitch. Why do people think that midfield only consists of CAM and CDM? Can't we just have a 'classic' midfielder sometimes? Brian Denton 37 Posted 03/11/2012 at 11:53:54 A bit o/t, I know, but I want to rant a bit. Before Sky invented football in 1992, I don't ever recall hearing about "working the channels", "in the hole", "box-to-box midfielder" etc etc.Too much theorising. Fucking middle-class gentrification........ Ray Roche 38 Posted 03/11/2012 at 12:05:01 Brian@839"Winning" free kicks and penalty's...ie: effin cheating."Contact". Excuse to fall arse over tit.Anything that prick Andy Townsend says. Tom Bowers 39 Posted 03/11/2012 at 12:01:58 We have young players like Oviedo, Vellios, Barkley and Duffy but Moyes has proved over 10 years he will give them little chance ahead of his established ''old heads''' no matter what. In his mind he doesn't see his ''old heads'' getting a tad slower in running, tackling and positional sense as happens to most endurance athletes past 30. This is a big mistake especially when you come up against teams with younger quicker hungrier players. He is a leopard who will not changes his spots and this will cost Everton. Nick Armitage 40 Posted 03/11/2012 at 12:14:04 Brian Denton, "Fucking middle class gentrification" an excellent phrase that wouldn't look out of place in the Guardian, thereby proving your point exactly ;-) Ken Crowther 41 Posted 03/11/2012 at 12:12:33 Brian #839I think some of those catch-phrases long pre-date sky.Apparently one of my grandads was very good "in the hole", and got his comeuppance for a bit to much "box-to-box".OK, where did you say that my coat was? Paul David 42 Posted 03/11/2012 at 12:25:04 James 830Your forgetting Fellaini has played most of his Everton career as a holding midfielder and was excellent there all last season. I think he's wasted as a holding player or in the hole and shouldn't be restricted to either, let him play as a normal midfielder were he can do a bit of everything. James Fletcher 43 Posted 03/11/2012 at 12:31:58 Cheers Denis, if it's closed I'll probably head to a pub closer to the river then. James Martin 44 Posted 03/11/2012 at 13:39:33 Paul, in what way was Fellaini excellent in the holding role last season? For the first half of it, when him and Rodwell were doing their best to make up a back 6 most games, he was terrible and contributed to some of the worst football we've ever seen in the Moyes era. In the second half of the season, Gibson was playing holding mid and Fellaini was doing what everyone likes to call the box-to-box role. So I don't think at any time in his Everton career he's played the holding role particularly well, indeed we haven't really hit any good form in patches when he's been our holding midfielder. I don't think he's got the positional awareness to play holding mid or the speed and passing range to play box-to-box (not to mention a poor long shot), therefore his best position in my opinion is the one he's in now using his good control to bring the playmakers into play, using his aerial ability and goal threat, and playing with his back to goal with the ability to turn and slip players in. Belgium play him there and now Moyes is playing him there also. Meanwhile Osman and Neville dominated the much vaunted Liverpool midfield trio in a way that Fellaini has never managed to do in countless derbies — not least in the semi-final. James Morgan 45 Posted 03/11/2012 at 14:14:29 Heitinga for Distin was a change I was thinking Moyes should make so good call in my opinion. Positioning over speed a la Berbatov. Mirallas starting as expected, lets get at them! 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