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The source was the highly respected football agent Rob Shield, who posted on his Twitter ‘Meeting David Moyes in the morning.’ He followed up with ‘What have we started? I’m not mtg DM, Barton & McKay supposed to be.’

As one Bill Kenwright would say, ‘watch this space.’

However, he looked a bit out of his depth. Lacking in ability he was not, possibly just first match nerves. He was terrier like yet didn’t seem to do much. You couldn’t fault his enthusiasm. Nor can you fault his palpable commitment. His celebrations after certain goals have been that similar to mine and yours.

The 26-year-old was moved to centre back following the departure of Lescott and injury to Distin. He partnered many a player including Lucas Neill. But it were to be the pairing of Johnny and Distin that proved the most solid after the tumultuous affair that surrounded Lescott’s departure.

He’s played over two thirds of the league games this season and cemented his position in the side albeit in a weakened squad. And since Fellaini’s absence I feel that he is capable to step up and play a more forward, more technical role than required when he was utilised at centre half.

He can head, he can pass, he has a hammer of a shot on him and most of all he’s determined to get stuck in. What else do you want from your man in front of the back four? The Dutchman can play a forty yard pass with such nonchalance you would have thought it an innate skill.

In the game against spurs we were given a sight of what Heitinga had to offer as a defensive midfielder and I was nothing but impressed. He broke up promising attacks and retained possession looking composed on the ball. He ran his socks off to chase anything that looked threatening. We caught a glimpse of his shot as a fairly average effort by his standards was held by Gomes. The Dutchman whipped in an awesome cross that Jagielka couldn’t capitalize on. All round the park he just did the business.

Fellaini is out for six months, and to be honest he may not be able to get his place back if John does as well I feel he can do. Well I’m praying he can as if he can’t who else will Moyes turn to, the world beater that is Phil Neville…

It’s been a decade since we last beat the current league leaders. A decade of misery in travelling to Stamford Bridge, in watching a team that has transformed from that like the current Liverpool side (Europe every year but nothing special) to a team that are title contenders due to a Russian’s personal fortune easily overturn any team we put out.

After Malouda put Chelsea in front I like most others thought it was going to be another one of those Chelsea fixtures. It was a horrific goal to concede. No one challenged Drogba, no one challenged Malouda. It was just a route one hoof ball that the back four backed away from, no one willing to take responsibility for getting it under control. However, from my biased perspective I felt that that’s all Chelsea had to offer. They didn’t play a flowing game after we drew level. We were the ones that looked in control, that looked like we should be top of the league. At half time after Saha’s good and bad moments I felt the game had gone. The penalty was woeful and I could only see Chelsea getting better after the interval. The miss however appeared to be a blessing in disguise. After Louis put us ahead we were under constant pressure for the last twenty minutes. Imagine 45 minutes of that… We would have crumbled.

So bring on Sporting we thought. The Portuguese outfit are currently fourth in their rather weak league and are having a shocker of a season by their standards.

Before the game we were informed of the damage inflicted by the greasy Greek Kyrgiakos on Fellaini. 6 months sidelined, the former only having a three match ban. An absolute disgrace. It also begged the question when will we have a fully fit and fully settled Arteta and Fellaini in the side? Fellaini was just finding his feet before that fateful day at St James’ Park and now with the Spaniard coming back Fellaini gets crocked. They both compliment each other from what we’ve seen and I hope they do get a good run together in the centre of what is becoming a formidable midfield.

Anyway, Sporting Lisbon, or ’supporting lesbians’ as my extremely witty best mate called them (he did indeed get his coat) turned up to Goodison park. they were taught a lesson and a half. The first period yielded a well worked Steven Pienaar goal after an audacious back heel by Tim Cahill. The second half was bossed by us blues until the lapse in concentration at the end saw Sylvan Distin sent off (I was talking about blessings in disguise earlier, we’ll wait and see!). Sporting now have a say in a tie that they should have been all but dumped out of. Disappointing we all know, but if we don’t lose, we are through.

It doesn’t exactly get easier. Up next is Manchester United. Rooney can’t stop scoring, nor can any team that plays against the reds, except it seems to always be in their own net. It’s not looking good. Hopefully Phil Neville doesn’t forget which colour shirt he is wearing again…

Form Guide:
No prizes for guessing whose had the tougher opponents of late, as well as guessing whose had a harder passage to the 5th round of the F.A cup.

Villa have had Doncaster and Gilingham, the former taking the Villans to a replay, and in the league they’ve had fixtures against the likes of Pompey, Sunderland and most recently Blackburn.

Everton on the other hand have had to beat Oldham (hear me out!) and Liverpool in an enthralling replay which ended up with adverts ruining most peoples view of the goal-i’ll tell ya what, someone sat behind one of the Gwladys Street poles got a better view than the armchair folk! On top of these two games against the reds the toffees have faced United Arsenal and the other lot again in the league. The only loss in the last set of fixtures has only come at the hands of a very dogged United side who are arguably running away with the championship.

Team News:
Everton’s Mauroane Fellaini is set to miss the game after cracking a bone in his back.

Jo is cup-tied and so Moyes is hoping that Louis Saha can make a speedy recovery in order to at least warm the bench for some of sunday’s game.

Gareth Barry is suspended for Aston Villa so Steve Sidwell is likely to fill in as captain.

Defender Luke Young should be fit after being withdrawn from the England squad in midweek.

Teams From:
Everton : Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Yobo, Baines, Gosling, Arteta, Van der Meyde, Neville, Osman, Cahill, Rodwell, Fellaini, Saha, Nash, Castillo, Baxter, Jacobsen.

Aston Villa: Friedel, Guzan, Cuellar, Gardner, Davies, Knight, L. Young, Shorey, Reo-Coker, Milner, Petrov, Sidwell, A. Young, Osbourne, Salifou, Agbonlahor, Heskey, Carew, Delfouneso.

Referee

Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

Betting:
Everton 6-4
Villa 15-8
draw 9-4

Everton scorers:

to score first:

L Saha 6 – 1
T Cahill 13 – 2
V Anichebe 15 – 2
M Fellaini 8 – 1
J Baxter 10 – 1
M Arteta 11 – 1
L Osman 12 – 1
D Gosling 14 – 1
J Lescott 16 – 1
A Van Der Meyde 18 – 1

FollowEverton prediction:
Optimist – 1-0 -  Everton can get a win over villa, they haven’t for a good few seasons now and their good luck must run out sometime soon…
Pessimist - 1-1 – even though our defense has been immense recently, Aston Villa have pace that can damage the blues.

At 3 p.m the pitch looked in good nick despite recent scares that it could be frozen solid. A few bobbles here and there but that’s what you’d expect from a League 2 side’s ground. A sell out away end greeted the Everton team onto the pitch with a chorus of ‘If ya know yer history.’ All formalities were performed and 5 minutes later we were off. Everton in their white strip looked as if they were here to give Macclesfield a lesson in how to play football, however it were the latter who were to apply early pressure.

In the fifth minute and the first chance. It went the way of the home side. A ball pulled back was blasted over by Evans when a cool head was needed. Then on ten minutes another chance for Macclesfield. this time it was more clear cut. A quick free kick and a few phases later the ball ended up 5 yards out on Nat Brown’s head, only for it to go over with Howard struggling to get across.

But then Everton took to the ascendancy, however not many clear cut chances were shown for all the toffees’ pressure. Baines and Hibbert penetrated Town’s back line only for their crosses to be way off the target men.

It would be in the forty third minute before any side managed another shot on target, and what a shot it was! A poor corner came back to Arteta on the left who whipped in another ball. It was headed out only as far as Leon Osman who took a touch down on his chest, and on the half volley rifled the ball home from the edge of the area into the top corner. The travelling fans cheered and the blues were one up.

It could so easily have been two before half time only for some neat work on the edge of the Macclesfield box to be snuffed out. The ref then blew his whistle and it was half time.

Out for the second half and with the lead Everton looked a lot more relaxed. It was apparent the Town had run themselves into the ground in the first half as they just couldn’t keep up.

In the second period the toffees created a lot more chances than in the first but their impotency prevented Macclesfield from being embarrassed.

Anichebe was the first to have a chance. A bending shot from the left just going wide. Then it was Jagielka’s turn. With back to goal the Englishman hooked the ball over Brain but it nestled on the roof of the net. And then Another Jagielka chance. A ball by Baines into the box was clipped over from 8 yards out. The last Everton effort came courtesy of Baines whose cross come chip shot went agonizingly close as Brain could only watch it go over his head … but wide.

The final ten however was all Town and they could have earned a replay if it weren’t for the brilliant Tim Howard. The yank didn’t have to make a save all game but with the last kick of the match he jumped full stretch to tip wide Simon Yeo’s shot.

The referee blew and Everton had made it into the fourth round of the cup for the first time in three years. I know who I would like in the fourth round (Kettering)!!!

Manager Keith Alexander may start with a five-man defence, which was used well after two heavy defeats in the 3-1 win over Chester.

Tim Cahill could continue up front for Everton after Louis Saha’s hamstring injury keeps him out for another month.

Victor Anichebe briefly came on against Sunderland, but it’s likely he will be given a rest to nurse his back injury and be back to full fitness.

Starting Line Ups :

Macclesfield (to Follow later):   Brain, Reid, Jennings, Walker, Hessey , Morgan, Bell, Brown, Dunfield, Gritton, Evans (Formation unkown)

Subs: Towns, Thomas, Rooney, Yeo, Tolley, Brisley, Green

Everton:

Howard

Hibbert Jagielka Lescott Baines

Osman Arteta Neville Pienaar

Cahill

Anichebe

Subs: Nash, Fellaini, Wallace, Kissock, Gosling, Jutkiewicz, Rodwell

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Team News: To follow later

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At a nealy sold-out Riverside Stadium a poor Mike Riley got the game under way. After a few minutes the ball was in the net, but it was ruled out to Pienaar’s disgust. The second time in as many games that the little South-African had had a goal ruled out, a picky decision for a ’six of one half a dozen of the other’ type push in the area.

After the Blue’s early threat the game started to settle; the next chance came in the twentieth minute, Cahill laying the ball back for Pienaar to rattle the post. But from this point on the game seemed to be swaying into Middlesbrough’s hands’, with O’Neill and Tuncay having shots well saved. Dan Gosling missed from close range with the only other Toffees chance before half time coming courtesy of Joleon Lescott who couldn’t sort his feet out in order to force the ball towards goal.

Half-time arrived after a dull half with the Blues unlucky not to be in the lead. But as soon the second half was under way the breakthrough came. 6 minutes in, a corner from the left by Mikel Arteta was swung in, Cahill met it but was denied by a good save from Ross Turnbull. Then Lescott had another go prompting another save, but the ball fell to Cahill who, after passing it into a Boro defender then turned the ball home. There was pandemonium in the stands, a sell out away end had received a belated late Christmas present.

Everton started to press a bit whilst at the same time snuffing out any Boro attack. Gosling had the only two notable chances before the game was up. The first came from a cross by Fellaini who dinked the ball over the defence and keeper only for the England U-19 international to blast over on the half volley from 5 yards out with the goal at his mercy. The second was harder but still the 18-year-old could and maybe should have buried it. The ball was crossed over from the left by the brilliant Pienaar, and drifting in from the right Gosling headed from point blank range down Turnbull’s throat.

Everton weren’t really threatened, Alfonso Alves the substitute had a half chance, which was the only vague signs of life coming from the Boro end. A half volley from the Brazilian at the death was seen over the bar by Tim Howard.

A good second half was brought to an end by Mr Riley and Everton had won their seventh league game away from home, an incredible feat, and if they’d had the bit of the luck they’ve had away at Goodison the Blues would be right up there with the likes of Chelsea and United.

The Referee

Just a point on the referee. I am not one to have rants, but today’s display by Mr Riley in my opinion was disgraceful. Whenever anyone jumped for the ball he would give a free kick. No matter what happened. Any 50 fifties were always blown up and given to the defending side. He didn’t let the game flow and looked as if he’d eaten a bit too much turkey yesterday. He’s a Premier League referee and what angers me, not with just him but others as well, is that he just doesn’t read the game. No common sense, no attempt to try and make the game run.

Next up

Sunderland (h) – After a few really good looking wins the northerners were held to a draw by Blackburn. The impotency shown today will hopefully continue to Sunday’s game. Although I won’t expect a repeat of last seasons magical encounter I will probably settle with a 6-1 win!!! I hope we can get another one over on them and continue well in our quest for European football next season. there may be a few links for the game as there were today. If you want to watch the match you need to register in the forums and we will advise you as to how you can watch it.*

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