Cena
Player Valuation: £70m
It's FA Cup 5th Round day, usually around this time, we as fans start dreaming of Wembley and what could be. Everton entertain the Canaries at Goodison this saturday in what has been a decent tie for us. Luckily we have avoided the Manchester United's Blackburn's and although this should be a tough test against fellow relegation threatened strugglers Norwich, you can never bet against a resurgent Everton.
The cup is a nice distraction for us at the moment, away from the worries of the league. You tend to think Royle is urging his players to relax a bit more in these games as their is far more at stake Premiership wise. Our East Anglian friends may or may not feel the same, but they are no-where near the side who beat Bayern Munich a few seasons back. The team containing Efan Ekoku, Ruel Fox and the rest who have trounced us in recent seasons seem no more, although Jeremy Goss & talented youngster Darren Eadie should figure.
It would be rude of me not to talk about Mike Walker, the beast that he is. For all intensive purposes, he spelt disaster for Everton. He got lucky keeping us up last season and the players clearly did not want to play for him at the start of this. Thank God, so far, for Royle. We should not discredit the work he did for Norwich though, which led to him being offered the job at our place. Whether they themselves have recovered is another thing and i predict we'l be in the battle with them come the end to stay in the league.
Onto Everton now, Barry Horne & youngster David Unsworth face late fitness tests, should they not make it, I expect Ebbrell installed in centre midfield and Gary Ablett to return to the back. Other than that Royle has no new injury concerns from the team that drew at West Ham on monday night. Sources have told me to expect a Ferguson-Rideout partnership to start this one and I imagine Big Joe will opt for that. Ferguson is quick becoming a cult hero and what a difference Rideout has made since Royle took charge. Walker obviously didn't fancy him, but it seems Joe has put the arm round him, which has lead to some decent performances.
With big games coming up in the league against high-flying Leeds away & champions Manchester United at home, Royle will hope we gain no new injuries and will surely rather get something in the league than win this one. However a win saturday will see Everton reach the last 16 for the first time since 1991 and will further heighten hopes of a dream cup run. What a boost that would be for a club that at the start of November looked down and out.
Over to you Everton, here's hoping for safe passage into the quarter finals of the FA Cup.
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