So all of my previous blogs have been a little bit of me mixed with the odd bit of the match snuck in there for good measure. This one is my first attempt at writing like a football blog. You may have to bear with me! With the last game of the season coming up at the weekend I thought I would have a go at a match preview. My history with Spurs at home has so far been favourable, this being the case for quite a few younger Evertonians in recent seasons I imagine seeing as they have not managed a victory at Goodison Park since the 2006/07 season when they won 1-2 on the 21st of February 2007. A win that saw goals from Berbatov and Jenas for Spurs and a goal from Arteta for the home side. Since then there has been four draws and three wins for the blues.
I always have a good feeling against Spurs, mainly because of that emphatic last minute win against them back in the 2012/13 season. A win that made it a 12th consecutive win for Everton at the Old Lady. And Steven Pienaar's header becoming Everton's 1000th goal in the Premier League. Can they match what the under-21 team have done tonight and beat them 3-1? I hope so. I am not sure we will beat them that comfortably, more likely a 1-0 or 2-1 win with the previous games in mind, they have always been a much closer encounter.
Last season's 0-0 draw saw the two teams have nearly 50/50 possession, Everton edging it ever so slightly with 52%. Interestingly it was a game that could have seen either team take second spot at that point in the season (03/11/2013). Actually noting that date we haven't played the White Hart Lane club at our home at all in 2014. Everyone's mate, Kevin Friend (awful pun sorry) was the referee that day and failed to give a penalty for Everton after Seamus was tripped by Vertonghen. We had actually never won a game with that referee until our victory against West Ham at the weekend!
Skip two seasons back to the 2011/12 campaign and again a home win over Spurs but another close one with a 1-0 score line, on the 10th of March 2012. Jelavic netted the only goal of the game on his full debut and ended up our top goal scorer that season despite only signing in the January transfer window. Possession that game was not in our favour with only 39% to their 61%, an indication of David Moyes' style of play. One of the things I remember about this game was how annoyed I was about Redknapp bringing Saha on despite a gentleman's agreement with Moyes. The corresponding fixture that season was delayed after the London riots and was moved from the first game of the season back to the 11th of January 2012. Unfortunately it was a defeat for the Blues with our current loan signing, Aaron Lennon, who can't play against his parent club on Sunday, scoring one of the goals in a 2-0 win for the home side.
Going back to my favourite game against Spurs back in 2012, possession like last season was close with Everton having 49.7% to the away team's 50.3%. This coupled with our (normally) similar position in the table leaves me thinking even more that it is going to be a close game on Sunday. We haven't lost at home on the last day of the season since a 1-2 defeat against Manchester United on the 11th of May 2003 so recent history would suggest that Everton are likely to sign off with a positive result at the Old Lady, here is hoping!
My prediction: 2-1 to the mighty blues
I'd love to hear your predictions!
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