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Cheltenham Town vs Everton

Lyndon Lloyd , 7 January, 28comments  |  Jump to most recent
FA Cup Third Round Preview

Everton embark on what will hopefully be a long trip along the road to Wembley as they face League Two Cheltenham Town in a Monday-evening kick off at Whaddon Road.

Mark Yates's side earned the right to face the Blues when they overcome Hereford United in an FA Cup Second Round replay and their attempts to spring an act of giant-killing on last season's semi-finalists will be broadcast live on ESPN.

Mindful of the prior cup upsets that he has experienced against Shrewsbury Town and Oldham Athletic during his time at Goodison, David Moyes used his pre-match press conference to stress that his side will be taking nothing for granted against the Robins.

The Blues' manager is expected to make changes to a team that was tested physically over a busy festive season and showed signs of fatigue as they stood firm at St James' Park last week to hold onto all three points against Newcastle in the Premier League, but will likely not go to the same extent as he did at Leeds in the League Cup earlier this season.

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In that fateful tie, Moyes made six changes and fielded an experienced midfield that ended up succumbing to the Yorkshire side 2-1 but he is expected to retain the core of his first-choice team for this one while perhaps resting a couple of the ever-presents.

Having spent three matches on the sidelines through suspension before the win at Newcastle, Marouane Fellaini is almost guaranteed to play and Victor Anichebe could get the nod to start up front in place of Nikica Jelavic who has looked in need of some time to recharge his batteries in recent games.

Leon Osman as run himself ragged for the cause and both Steven Pienaar and Leighton Baines played against the Magpies despite being rated as doubts before that game so one or two of that trio could also be handed a rest. Phil Neville, meanwhile, could be omitted after receiving eight stitches in a head would last Wednesday.

The likes of Thomas Hitzlsperger, Ross Barkley and Bryan Oviedo are all be waiting in the wings to step in if asked while Seamus Coleman could be fit enough to start at right back. Kevin Mirallas is said to be making good progress again as he recovers from a hamstring injury but is not expected to be fit, while Tony Hibbert and Darron Gibson are also definite absentees.

With the draw for the Fourth Round already made, Everton know that they would end up with another away game at either Bolton or Sunderland in the next phase should they safely negotiate a Cheltenham side who are in playoff contention near the top of League Two.

Despite the lift that the occasion and home field advantage will provide the Robins, this should provide Everton with a fairly simple route through. It's unlikely to be a comfortable ride but, as the top-flight team that's only been beaten three times all season, the onus is on them to get the job done.

Lyndon Lloyd

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Reader Comments (28)

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Susong Hermawan
1 Posted 07/01/2013 at 04:09:34
Play Mucha please...
Peter Fearon
2 Posted 07/01/2013 at 04:26:07
Give starts to Coleman, Oviedo, Barkley, Duffy, Hitzlsperger and Vellios. Be prepared to bring on bigger guns if they aren't getting the job done. We need to take this match seriously but, if these four aren't up to beating a League Two side, what use are they? It's too dangerous to play Mucha, however; he's a proven liability.
Peter Warren
3 Posted 07/01/2013 at 06:38:36
I would like to see Vellios given a go. He looks a good player.
Lewis Barclay
4 Posted 07/01/2013 at 06:45:10
We've lost four times this season, three in the PL and in the Credit Card Cup.

Rob Edgar
5 Posted 07/01/2013 at 09:00:22
Would like a nice big win here for us so I can enjoy my curry and red wine while watching the mighty blues on the telly!

Anyone else agree?!?

COYB!

Mike Powell
6 Posted 07/01/2013 at 10:14:24
As long as Mucha does not get a game then we should be okay... but then again, it's Everton we are talking about...
Ray Roche
7 Posted 07/01/2013 at 10:08:26
I wouldn't trust Mucha to pour the half time tea. Personally, I'd only rest Baines and maybe Jags and start with the best (fit) side I could put out and hope to get a comfortable lead, then give the fringe players a game. DON'T bring your big guns on when you're trying to save a match. Get a lead, THEN rest them.
Kev Johnson
8 Posted 07/01/2013 at 12:00:07
Listen to The Roche - he knows a thing of two. Get a lead then take off the big guns and bring on the ... er, penknives - because by that point it should be a penknife fight and not a gunfight. I just hope it doesn't turn into a swordfight, as I reckon the injured Mirallas is the only one capable of wielding a sword to any real purpose.
Sam Hoare
9 Posted 07/01/2013 at 12:18:04
Why do I have that ominous feeling that, even if we start the 'big guns', we won't have that 3-goal cushion at half-time that would make it comfortable?
Paul Joy
10 Posted 07/01/2013 at 12:28:37
Full first choice team please – no messing around with any squad players tonight. It is the FA Cup – just win and get in to the 4th round.

No repeats under any circumstances of our selections for Leeds in the Carling Cup – I was one of the many thousands of fans who made that very wet trip to be badly let down on the night.

Any calls for Mucha to play should be referred for psychiatric consultation.

Nick Entwistle
11 Posted 07/01/2013 at 12:33:15
Mucha
Neville Duffy Heitinga Oviedo
Coleman Hitzlepserger Barkley Gueye
Vellios Anichebe

Surely there's enough there to earn a money spinning replay.

Danny Kewley
12 Posted 07/01/2013 at 12:36:56
FA cup games historically are famous for giant killers and rightly so but I feel in this instance Sam lad, it won't be the case!
Kev Johnson
13 Posted 07/01/2013 at 12:32:18
Ah, the wondrous "three goal cushion". I've heard of it, but I've never seen it.

A luxury item -stuffed, no doubt, with the feathers of a phoenix. I had a look at the online club shop and they don't seem to sell it. They do sell an "uncomfortable one goal cushion, covered in barbed wire and filled with horrible squidgy stuff" but I've already got one of those - it's quite well worn, to be fair.

Tom Bowers
14 Posted 07/01/2013 at 11:35:29
Always tricky fixtures. I've seen many whereby Everton have won comfortably and luckily only a few disasters. Most of the time Everton have been drawn at home.

After Mansfield pounding RS until Ratboy's referee-assisted goal, I wouldn't be surprised at anything given Moyes's probable mixed bag team selection.

Lower teams on their own grounds have nothing to lose and play out of their skins hoping for all the breaks and with referees such as Mariner anything can happen.

Peter Norris
15 Posted 07/01/2013 at 12:51:02
Susong (#952). If you'd have seen Mucha's incapability @ Leeds you would not want him anywhere near the first team again. I'd back my 7-year-old granddaughter to provide a geater presence between the sticks.

Howard
Neville Johnny Duffy Oviedo
Barkley Hitzlsperger Felli Gueye
Vellios Big Vic

COYMB

Jay Wilson
16 Posted 07/01/2013 at 13:11:24
Apparently Heitinga tweeted that he had a small injury which meant he would miss tonights game before quickly deleting it. Does this mean he's off? It will be interesting to see if he's in the squad. Can't remember him ever being injured.
Mark Taylor
17 Posted 07/01/2013 at 12:37:05
I think Moyes is right that there is not much point in having a squad if they don't play. So keep a nucleus of first teamers, around 5-6 and get the back up players in. If they are not good enough to beat a League Two side then we are kidding ourselves they should even be in our squad. So I think a rest is due for Baines, Osman, either Jags or Distin (probably both), Pienaar and maybe Pip.

I'd keep Fellaini because another match will do him no harm and maybe Jelly in the hope he can find the net again. Duffy, Barkley, Hitzlsperger, Coleman in and I'd like to see Oviedo at left back, supposedly his position. Keep Howard as goalies need less rest.
Do not play Mirallas, let's get him 100%. He has been missed, Naismith is not close to the same level.

Phil Walling
18 Posted 07/01/2013 at 13:13:26
Nick`s team above should piss it! If they can`t ,then as Peter says what the feck are they doing here?
4-0 to the Blues.
Jarrod O'Neill
19 Posted 07/01/2013 at 13:15:53
If anyone is on Twitter and follows a Blue named Paul Daly he retweeted a message from an account going by the name of Frenk de Boer which said #welcomebackheitinga. Might be a load of shite... who knows?
Lewis Barclay
20 Posted 07/01/2013 at 13:29:38
Start Barkley and Oviedo and Naismith, give Baines, Pienaar and Osman a rest.

If Mirallas is fit - give him a run out too.

Lewis Barclay
21 Posted 07/01/2013 at 13:32:13
... and don't rest Jelavic - if he can bang in three goals tonight I reckon it would do him the world of good.
Ray Roche
22 Posted 07/01/2013 at 14:22:13
Lewis, good call regarding Jelavic, forwards need goals to up their confidence levels and IF he could nab a couple at Cheltenham it might kick start his game in front of goal.
Ray Griffin
24 Posted 07/01/2013 at 16:11:25
Howard
Neville Jags Heitinga Oviedo
Coleman Hitzlepserger Felli Barkley
Jelavic Anichebe

Start with Jelli, he'll bang 2 in before half-time and get the rest of the night off!

Dave Lynch
25 Posted 07/01/2013 at 16:24:27
Kendal used to do it all the time with his strikers, if they where on a bad run he would organise a behind closed doors game with a local amature team and play our striker.
His reasoning was scoring goals is a habit and getting a bagful against whoever would bring back confidence.
Trevor Lynes
26 Posted 07/01/2013 at 17:04:40
BBC sport say that Heitinga is out of tonights game ????
Edward Simpson
27 Posted 07/01/2013 at 17:15:15
Trevor- He said on his twitter he's out because of a small injury, doubtful, I think he's off.
The Blue Union just said that he will make way for Forren.
I assume we'll find out tonight or tomorrow in regards to what happens.
John Keating
29 Posted 07/01/2013 at 18:05:33
We had similar conversations last season when we were embarrassed by the shite after resting players for the Sunderland game.
I just say exactly what I said before that game.
Regardless of the opposition always play your best team
Andy Meighan
31 Posted 07/01/2013 at 18:48:06
Kev (#005) the wondrous 3-goal cushion classic that. Totally right, though; we don't things the easy way apart from Scunthorpe a couple of years ago I've got a feeling it could be an uncomfortable night still at least we won't have a racist diving buck-toothed cheat to punch one in if things aren't going well will we. Ahh those loveable South Americans hey

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