West Ham Utd 1 Everton 3 (08/11/08)

[I am law]

Not a 'must win', but not far off, after 1 point from an available 15.

I make this Cole's last match in which he is banned, so the first choice for Zola/Clarke will be whether he sticks with what held us in good stead yesterday, or goes back to a 4-3-3.

I don't know whether Parker is in contention for a place in the first 11 (or even on the bench), but I hope that we stick with Collison for his first home game in the first eleven. He and Mullins seemed to link well yesterday.

If Arteta is one who is more left-sided, I might even think too about having Bowyer snapping around his heels, as opposed to Faubert.

The main point, though, is that, despite two consec clean sheets, Everton are nowhere near as strong in defence as they were last season. We simply have to exploit that and get Bellamy moving behind them at every opportunity we have.

I'd line us up like this:

-----------------------------Green-------------------------------------

Neill -------- Collins ------------------- Upson --------------Ilunga


Bowyer-----------Collison--------------Mullins--------------LBM

-------------------------Sears-------------Bellamy-------------------

The battle for midfield will be interesting; it will also determine the winner of this game.

3 points please, Bob.

[IG8Hammer]

I'm off to this one, can't wait, first game in ages!

I'd like to see Collison play again, but I think their midfield is in another class to ours to be honest with Arteta, Cahill and Fellaini who's looked great recently, although their defence has looked dodgy.

I'm thinking 1-1.

[Nutmeg]

I think Screech is out for Everton in this game - 5 yellow card ban. They will replace him with Cahill I guess (not a bad back up). Their midfield is strong, but they rely on it to score goals because the Yak is struggling to score. They haven't been playing that flash but have been scraping late wins. If there is one thing Everton is good at it is winning games, even if it is ugly.

But - I am picking us to win this one IF we play the full 90 minutes. If we slack off then they have the ability to steal a late winner. We need to have that pace at the front in Bellamy and Sears to get in behind their centre halves. Lescott has been shown up as slow on the turn occasionally so I think we need to keep going like last week. I think we are due some goals and I can see us getting a couple this week. Guaranteed - Osman will score

2-1 Bellamy with a brace.

[daniel]

Fellaini is suspended for this one.

[beckton]

I think I read somewhere that Fellaini is suspended for this game?

I heard a bit of the Everton game on the radio and Fulham sounded like they were unlucky to lose and could have won.

4-4-2 for me, Bellamy to use his pace and work-rate right up front.

Either Sears with him or if Tristan is fit enough start with him and Sears comes on later.


Im more confident after the Boro performance than I have been for sometime.
.

[IG8Hammer]

Fellaini is suspended for this one.

Bonus, although their midfield still seems strong, full of potential goalscorers - Cahill, Arteta, Osman, Pineaar etc.


They've scored and conceeded the exact same amount of goals as us this season. Lescott's looked poor this season and Yobo hasn't looked good either so hopefully we can hit them on the break.

[Nutmeg]

Fellaini is suspended for this one.

Yup, and he is improving as well so I think it is a good thing for us he isn't playing. His presence in the box could cause us trouble. Cahill is coming back from injury and not at his best. I expect they will play Pineear (who is pretty sharp), Osman, Cahill (just behind the Yak) and Arteta on the right.

Still, I am pretty positive after our performance at Boro, if the support gets behind the team I think we can beat them. COYI!!!

[daniel]

Fellaini is a cracking player but their midfield is class even without him. Yakubu will beat our central defence for pace I'm afraid, just hope we can score as we will not keep a clean sheet. I wouldn't change our side tbh.

[rosecityhammer]

I'm flying almost 5,000 miles to see this one! COYI!!!

[rendog2]

I hate Everton. They practically always gubb us. I'm praying win win this one.

[westlondonhammer]

Osman to score... thats a cert

[bubbles1966]

I heard a bit of the Everton game on the radio and Fulham sounded like they were unlucky to lose and could have won.

Everton were woeful yesterday..... couldn't have complained if Fulham had beaten them by 2 (Gera hit bar, Zamora the inside of the post).

However, they are doing a lot better away from home...... 3 away wins already (Stoke, WBA, Bolton) plus a draw at Hull.

They are vulnerable at the back...... but our titchy strike force will suit them to a tee, while Osman and Yakubu always do the business against us.

Could be a good game for Tristan if he is anywhere near fit and what he used to be as a player.

Home wins against Everton are pretty rare...... I'd be happy with a draw if truth be told......... just hope DDM gets absolutely nowhere near the team.....

[Romford]

I can't believe the Toffees are so far up the league... :shock:

I thought they were having a mare.

I personally think this is a must win...especially with our poor record against Pompey at home

[hammer1975]

I can't believe the Toffees are so far up the league... :shock:

I thought they were having a mare.

I personally think this is a must win...especially with our poor record against Pompey at home

can change so quickly with the current table....

I can see Collins keeping 'the Yak' quiet and agree with some about the sentiment that they have a good midfield - got to win second ball so mullins first on the sheet for me...would prob start with sears on the bench and look to crowd out their midfield personally ..got a good feeling on this one - think we're due some luck against everton so I reckon we'll win 2-0...

[Bobby Orangeboom]

The Tables incredibly tight at the moment..

We certainly could do with a win on Saturday & owe Everton as they seem to get Results at our place quite a lot..

I watched them on Saturday & a few times this year & think they're nowhere near the Sid that they have been over the past few years but are still more than capable of beating us..

Seeing's as i got Saturday's result right, i'm confident in my predictions & am gonna go for 2-1 West Ham & am certainly not gonna predict when we'll next keep a clean sheet.. :lol:

[Nutmeg]

The Tables incredibly tight at the moment..

We certainly could do with a win on Saturday & owe Everton as they seem to get Results at our place quite a lot..

I watched them on Saturday & a few times this year & think they're nowhere near the Sid that they have been over the past few years but are still more than capable of beating us..

Seeing's as i got Saturday's result right, i'm confident in my predictions & am gonna go for 2-1 West Ham & am certainly not gonna predict when we'll next keep a clean sheet.. :lol:

Well said Bobby. Couldn't agree more! Bellamy with a brace and the Yak to score for Everton.

[Puff Daddy]

I watched their game against Fulham last saturday and after about 2 minutes I said to myself, this game's got 0-0 written all over it, so it was a shock when Saha nodded the only goal of the game. Anyway, I thought Everton looked *****, their football is atrocious, they have no players who you could honestly say are above average and against our fast free flowing football, we should be able to take them to the cleaners. In reality, however, it will probably be different, once again we will probably, spurn a load of good chances and struggle to break them down, so I think we can expect a tight, fraught game, with the result hinging upon who eevtually takes the best chance. It could, of course be either side. Our defence will have to stay alert at all times and not switch off at a set piece or corner and we must keep tight on Arteta and Cahill, who always seems to have a good game against us and watch Yakubu too. That said, I'm going for a 2-1 to us

[upton girlie]

I'm flying almost 5,000 miles to see this one! COYI!!!

:raver:

Girls are just gonna have fun

[Fionn]

It's a game we must get something out of. However the omens aren't good. Everton have a quite decent record against us in our manor. They have also developed a quite irritating habit of scoring in the last few minute. Combine this with our incessant desire to switch off in the second half and it could be bad news. We have to get in the faces from the off. Yakubu needs to be curtailed and kept quiet. They're missing Fellaini but their midfield is still very good. Arteta is the main man so I'd lash Bowyer on him for the game to try and stifle him. I'd go with the following team and a 1-1 draw.

Green

Neill - Upson - Collins - Illunga

Bowyer - Mullins (Parker if fit) - Collison - LBM

Sears - Bellamy

[SoulCircus]

The old mans taking me for my birthday :lol: first match in ages and ages! Going for a 2-1 win, although unfortunately my record is not great so we'll probably get beat