A stylistic match made in heaven. Mauricio Pochettino and Roberto Martinez both have similar principles when it comes to playing free-flowing, attack minded football that fully utilises their most intelligent and influential players such as Adam Lallana and Ross Barkley.
Everton have won six of the last 11 meetings between the clubs and have drawn four of the remaining five. This stellar record against the Saints will be tested on Saturday as Everton have an ever growing injury list, the latest addition being the experienced French centre back Slyvain Distin. Antolin Alcaraz is set to make only his fourth start of the season which doesn’t bode well for Evertonians when one thinks back back to his first start (EFC 0-4 LFC), but the Blues hope they will not see a repeat performance this weekend.
Both sides have had excellent seasons with several of their home-grown talents being selected for full international honours such as Adam Lallana, Ross Barkley and Leighton Baines to name a few. It is these types of players that will be looking to drive their respective teams to victory come this weekend. A matter of 20 points and three positions separate the two sides but these are two clubs going about business in the correct manor in my mind, spending money but not excessively so as to buy the league and they are building gradually by bringing in the right players who will fit with the style and morals of the team. Their young managers show the continental flair and technical knowledge that previous managers haven’t been able to provide when looking to kick on in the league (Yes this is aimed at David Moyes, among others). In turn both teams have managed to capture the imaginations of supporters and bring English footballers back to the forefront, along with Liverpool’s in-form quartet it must be said.
Several Saints players have been blooded in international friendlies throughout the 2013/14 season with Lallana and Jay Rodriquez particularly excelling, the latter of whom sustained a season and potentially world cup-ending injury (ruptured anterior cruciate ligament). Lallana will be a key player for Southampton if they are to cause Everton any trouble, with the Blues coming off the back of a comfortable 2-0 victory against Mancher United. He will look to find space and control the game with his excellent vision and passing repertoire in the hole behind Rickie Lambert, which should be difficult against the two CDM setup Martinez has so favoured this season.
In the opposite dressing room it will be Ross Barkley that will look to return to prominence after a quiet game against a dejected Manchester United last weekend. Barkley struggled to make an impact on the game at the wide position from which he was deployed. Everton have played Barkley in three different positions in the last three games and only one has really worked and that is CAM in behind Romelu Lukaku. Everton will undoubtedly be a different proposition following the season ending injury to Kevin Mirallas, taking away one of the most dangerous players on the team. It will be time for Gerard Deolufeu or Aider McGeady to step up again and perform to the standard the Blues have come to expect from the fallen Belgian.
At this point in the season there is plenty of Enland 2014 World Cup squad speculation and it is these games that could sway Roy Hodgson one way or the other. For me, the likes of Lallana and Barkley must be on that plane to Brazil but who knows what is in the mind of Mr Hodgson. As a nation England should take a leaf out of Germany’s book. At the 2010 world cup they took a number of youth players like Thomas Muller (Best young player and joint top goalscorer), Mesut Ozil and Toni Kroos stating that they did not have high expectations for the current tournament but were building for the future. If my mind serves me right they reached the semi-finals of the tournament, and with this crop of young talent England need to follow suit. The naivety and youthful exuberance displayed by the likes of Lallana, Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge and Barkley could be just what England needs as the whole team has recently appeared too stale and rigid in their ways at major competitions.
This game should be attended by the national manager and if he does decide to visit the most southern premiership spot then he will have plenty to feast his eyes on when these two stylish outfits face off at St Mary’s this weekend. I predict an Everton victory (3-1) as they have more to play for and are in superb form coming into this late-season matchup.
Possible Lineups
Everton= Howard, Baines, Coleman, Alcaraz, Stones, Barry, McCarthy, Barkley, Naismith, McGeady, Lukaku
Southampton= Boruc, Shaw, Fonte, Lovren, Clyne, Wanyama, Schneiderlin, Lallana, Davis, Ward-Prowse, Lambert.
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