Everton's Roller-Coaster Ride
Article by e-Everton Correspondent Kenneth Jarvis
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11 games left for Everton and not a lot of hope and a fair amount of deflation after last weekend. It usually takes until after the next league game to get your perspective back on track after a late cup exit. On the face of it, the club to do that against couldn't come much easier. Cardiff are in the relegation and at Goodison Park, you'd be a brave man to bet against Everton getting 3 points at Goodison on Saturday.
The other games to be played this weekend means that Everton, by Monday. Might again be feeling a little more happy about the season to come. Man Utd play Liverpool whilst Tottenham play Arsenal who equate to all our genuine positional rivals.
Liverpool – They may look too far ahead but any amount of slip up could lead us to be able to close the gap. Most of the challengers for the Champions League positions have to play each other yet and they are no exception. Liverpool have Tottenham, Man City and Chelsea still to come after the weekend, but importantly, all at home. Champions League looks very likely for them which leads Everton looking for a Europa League place, or does it?
Arsenal – I'm much more confident about Arsenal's ability to capitulate than Liverpool's and their next 5 Premier League matches give cause for hope. Having to play Tottenham and Chelsea away and Man City could lead to a chronic lack of points although Swansea may give some rest bite. Then they play Everton, which could be massive. Unfortunately, Arsenal have a very easy run-in.
Tottenham – If we were to win our 2 games in hand at this point, we'd be ahead of them. Big 'if' with Everton I know but shows that they are by no means away from us in the league. We now have to finish above either Spurs or Man Utd in the league to finish in the European spots and think that finishing above Spurs represents our best chance of doing that. The downward spiral of Tim Sherwood could be huge.
Manchester United – To use the works of Kevin Keegan, I would love it if Everton finished above Man Utd, love it! I'm already looking forward to going to Goodison Park on April 20th to go head to head with them and David Moyes. Were currently level on points with our game in hand so there is every possibility we can make it happen. But this is Manchester United, even though Sir Alex Ferguson is gone, you still feel there will be some bite in the wounded animal yet.
Looking at our own fixtures and the next four games are very winnable. Cardiff and Swansea at home and then Newcastle and Fulham away. 12 points would be very nice but realistically we need 10 from those games. After that it will be very interesting to look around to see how the other teams have done in those games. It's possible that Everton could be well and truly be in it at this stage.
Everton fans would be confident of playing anyone at home. And Everton will have to be at their best to get a good haul of points against Arsenal, Man Utd and Man City. Given the possible league positions at the time, the Arsenal and Man Utd games in particular could be huge.
In the midst of this we have games against Sunderland and Southampton which are both very winnable, considering Southampon will have very little to play for at this point. Added into this is our game against Crystal Palace which no-one seems to know when it will be and the two clubs have seemed to forget about it all together!
By Hull City away, in the final league game of the season, who knows. But as I've said a few times, get at least 10 points from our next four games and we might just start believing anything is possible again.
© e-Football 2014 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
Follow e-Everton on Twitter here!
Want to write for e-Everton? e-mail e-football@live.co.uk
11 games left for Everton and not a lot of hope and a fair amount of deflation after last weekend. It usually takes until after the next league game to get your perspective back on track after a late cup exit. On the face of it, the club to do that against couldn't come much easier. Cardiff are in the relegation and at Goodison Park, you'd be a brave man to bet against Everton getting 3 points at Goodison on Saturday.
The other games to be played this weekend means that Everton, by Monday. Might again be feeling a little more happy about the season to come. Man Utd play Liverpool whilst Tottenham play Arsenal who equate to all our genuine positional rivals.
Liverpool – They may look too far ahead but any amount of slip up could lead us to be able to close the gap. Most of the challengers for the Champions League positions have to play each other yet and they are no exception. Liverpool have Tottenham, Man City and Chelsea still to come after the weekend, but importantly, all at home. Champions League looks very likely for them which leads Everton looking for a Europa League place, or does it?
Arsenal – I'm much more confident about Arsenal's ability to capitulate than Liverpool's and their next 5 Premier League matches give cause for hope. Having to play Tottenham and Chelsea away and Man City could lead to a chronic lack of points although Swansea may give some rest bite. Then they play Everton, which could be massive. Unfortunately, Arsenal have a very easy run-in.
Tottenham – If we were to win our 2 games in hand at this point, we'd be ahead of them. Big 'if' with Everton I know but shows that they are by no means away from us in the league. We now have to finish above either Spurs or Man Utd in the league to finish in the European spots and think that finishing above Spurs represents our best chance of doing that. The downward spiral of Tim Sherwood could be huge.
Manchester United – To use the works of Kevin Keegan, I would love it if Everton finished above Man Utd, love it! I'm already looking forward to going to Goodison Park on April 20th to go head to head with them and David Moyes. Were currently level on points with our game in hand so there is every possibility we can make it happen. But this is Manchester United, even though Sir Alex Ferguson is gone, you still feel there will be some bite in the wounded animal yet.
Looking at our own fixtures and the next four games are very winnable. Cardiff and Swansea at home and then Newcastle and Fulham away. 12 points would be very nice but realistically we need 10 from those games. After that it will be very interesting to look around to see how the other teams have done in those games. It's possible that Everton could be well and truly be in it at this stage.
Everton fans would be confident of playing anyone at home. And Everton will have to be at their best to get a good haul of points against Arsenal, Man Utd and Man City. Given the possible league positions at the time, the Arsenal and Man Utd games in particular could be huge.
In the midst of this we have games against Sunderland and Southampton which are both very winnable, considering Southampon will have very little to play for at this point. Added into this is our game against Crystal Palace which no-one seems to know when it will be and the two clubs have seemed to forget about it all together!
By Hull City away, in the final league game of the season, who knows. But as I've said a few times, get at least 10 points from our next four games and we might just start believing anything is possible again.
© e-Football 2014 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
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