This weekend sees the in-form toffees travel to London to play 2nd placed Tottenham on Sunday in a 1.30pm clash, refereed by Michael Oliver.
Hopefully MO will walk out in support of Grassroots refs 😀– Both sides rely on their full backs to provide their width.
Look, I could pick out areas where Spurs are strong but let’s face it, they’re just a good team. Whether it’s in defence, in midfield or upfront, they’re decent all over the pitch, not to mention they’ve won 8 in a row at White Hart Lane (the only premier league side to still be unbeaten at home all season).
Although they’ve got quality all over the pitch, the biggest threat for Spurs is undoubtedly their talismanic striker, Harry Kane.
Everton are fortunate that 50% of Spurs’ prized full back pairing is injured for this clash. When Rose and Walker bomb up and down the flanks, they offer Tottenham excellent balance, both going forwards and using excellent recovery speed coming backwards. However, with Danny Rose unavailable, Everton’s very own prized full back, Seamus Coleman may get some joy down Spurs left hand side.
Talking of potentially good news, Spurs Belgian centre half duo, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld were both substituted against Stoke (albeit when they were 4-0 up) and Harry Kane allegedly suffered a knock in the same match. Now, I don’t expect any of them to miss the match, so let’s not get carried away, but if they aren’t quite 100% it can only benefit our chances – especially with Romelu Lukaku in the form he’s in.
The Toffees
(But) Okay, Spurs are a good side. However, let’s not do ourselves an injustice, right now, we’re pretty good ourselves. We’re yet to taste defeat since last year, playing 9 matches, winning 6 and drawing 3 in that time.
Ronald Koeman has no fresh injury concerns for this one. Yannick Bolasie remains sidelined indefinitely whilst Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Mo Besic aren’t yet ready to return.
I know I write this every match preview, but it’ll be interesting to see what system Koeman selects for this one. Plenty have suggested going back to a back 3 and it’s probably the shape I lean towards for this match, however I do remember Spurs doing a great job on this season’s back 3 kings (Chelsea). If Koeman selects a back 4, it allows us to strengthen another area of the park but (regardless of Everton having the Premier League’s best defensive record in 2017) I still worry about Ramiro Funes Mori and Ashley Williams as a pairing.
A key battle in this match will be in midfield; Victor Wanyama, Moussa Demebele and Eric Dier will look to control things in there for Spurs so Morgan Schneiderlin, Idrissa Gueye and Tom Davies (or James McCarthy/Gareth Barry) will need to be at their best.
Going forwards, the emphasis will be on the main man, Romelu Lukaku to take a chance and Ross Barkley to provide capable support. Both players have been in sublime form recently, one scores the goals, the other makes the goals – now I just hope they both find themselves a pen and get it onto a new contract!
If another attacker is employed from the start on Sunday (depending on the shape) i’d prefer us to choose Kevin Mirallas over Ademola Lookman. Whilst the youngster has been enthusiastic, I think he’s looked a little undercooked in the last couple of matches and would be better served coming off the bench. Mirallas, although partial to a disappearing act himself, has that bit of quality that can be key in these games (as we saw against City in January).
I think it’ll be a case of Everton hanging in there early on, frustrating Tottenham and growing into the game as it progresses, knowing full well we have our own set of weapons that can hurt Spurs.
The match won’t be easy and we may well lose, but if we can get ourselves a win here, people will start to take this Everton side seriously.
I for one believe we can do it.
COYB!