Following their embarrassing FA Cup exit at the hands of Oldham, Everton will jog out on Wednesday night in front of their own home crowd knowing it is their last genuine chance at winning a trophy this season.
As reigning champions of this competition, Chelsea will be similarly stubborn; though other top sides tend to treat this competition as an opportunity to give reserves a run-out, the Blues – largely due to their unparalleled squad depth – field a top side, and get suitable results.
A Bridge Too Far
Whenever the Toffees have been faced with one of the Premiership’s alleged ‘big four’ sides this season they have imploded at crucial moments – sometimes due to their own errors, sometimes not – and often leave the game empty-handed.
A needless foul gave Manchester United a last-minute winner from the spot. An unexplainable defensive collapse gifted Arsenal three goals and allowed them to come back from being outplayed and a goal down to eventually win 4-1. Liverpool struck lucky in the Merseyside derby earlier this season after some contentious refereeing decisions.
The most recent example came against Chelsea in the first leg of this fixture. Everton actually got a fortunate break when John Obi-Mikel was shown yet another red card in his relatively short Chelsea career - again, you could sympathise with the Nigerian midfield man.
Everton’s admirable performance – admittedly partly due to a one-man advantage – looked like earning them a priceless draw to bring back to Goodison, before Joleon Lescott, a candidate for man of the match until that point, inexplicably lost his bearings, and in a moment of comical madness also involving his goalkeeper Tim Howard and an onrushing Shaun-Wright Phillips of Chelsea, headed the ball into his own net.
The wound was still fresh when Lescott, now at the other end of the pitch, was through on goal and had a chance to more than make up for his error, but it was not to be his day, as he contrived to miss a chance that on any other day he most probably would have buried.
There is a distinct feeling that, though Everton are a tough nut to crack on their day, with a few key absences in their offensive line and a wretched season against the country’s elite so far this season, overturning a goal deficit may prove a bridge too far.
Away Day
If one thing can be said for Chelsea’s recent clinical form – having picked up six wins in their last six games – it is that four of those fixtures were at home. Of the away games, the first was at local rivals Fulham, who looked like they might win the game before a trademark second-half collapse.
Birmingham – Chelsea’s last opponents – also had the home advantage and, like Fulham, looked like perhaps taking something from the game, before Claudio Pizarro popped up to head home from a corner in the last few minutes. It was his first goal for the club since the reverse fixture approximately four months ago.
So if there is anything positive for Everton to take note of going into this game, it’s that Chelsea have not been too accustomed to making tough away trips in recent weeks.
Chelsea have of course been hit with an injury crisis of sorts, one that is now finally beginning to wane, though the spine of the team John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba) remains absent.
That said, if there is any club equipped to deal with such a crisis it is Chelsea; even their "last resort" line-up contains some top quality players.
It's served them well, as Chelsea have been making hard work of recent opponents but constantly coming out on top. Their admirable record in domestic cups during recent years is ominous, Everton have it all to do; with Chelsea already holding a lead it is highly unlikely they will let it slip without a fight; and though no manager would admit it, knowing that a draw will take you through can make all the difference.
FORM GUIDE
Everton
20 Jan Wigan vs Everton 1-2 (Premiership)
12 Jan Everton vs Manchester City 1-0 (Premiership)
08 Jan Chelsea vs Everton 2-1 (Carling Cup)
05 Jan Everton vs Oldham 0-1 (FA Cup)
01 Jan Middlesbrough vs Everton 0-2 (Premiership)
29 Dec Everton vs Arsenal 1-4 (Premiership)
Chelsea
19 Jan Birmingham vs Chelsea 0-1 (Premiership)
12 Jan Chelsea vs Tottenham 2-0 (Premiership)
08 Jan Chelsea vs Everton 2-1 (Carling Cup)
05 Jan Chelsea vs QPR 1-0 (FA Cup)
01 Jan Fulham vs Chelsea 1-2 (Premiership)
29 Dec Chelsea vs Newcastle 2-1 (Premiership)
TEAM NEWS
Everton
Despite Leon Osman making a return at the weekend following a broken toe, he remains a doubt for tomorrow’s clash, and if anything will probably start on the bench.
Goal scorer that afternoon Andrew Johnson also faces a fitness test but will most likely start, with Yakubu already missing on African Cup of Nations duty (along with Joseph Yobo from the backline and Steven Pienaar from midfield).
Tony Hibbert and Manuel Fernandes – who is back at Goodison Park, but again only on loan – will also face late fitness tests as Everton try and make up the numbers for their biggest game of the season so far. Leighton Baines is still out with his hamstring injury.
Probable Starting XI (4-5-1) Howard – Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Valente – Arteta, Neville, Cahill, Carsley, Osman – Johnson
Chelsea
Shaun Wright-Phillips – the star of the first leg – faces a fitness race, but should at least make the bench. Michael Essien, Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and John Obi-Mikel are all on African Cup of Nations duty. Also out are long-term absentees club captain John Terry, midfielder Frank Lampard, who suffered a relapse of his original injury, and Andriy Shevchenko. Having finally found form, the latter's injury is particularly galling.
Joe Cole is also carrying a minor knock but, due to Chelsea’s injury crisis, has been playing through the pain barrier in the past couple of games and is expected to do so again. Claude Makalele is rumoured to have recovered from his injury problems and, though not fully fit, could well start ahead of the likes of Steve Sidwell, who failed to impress in the first leg.
Probable Starting XI (4-4-2) Cech – Belletti, Carvalho, Alex, A. Cole – J.Cole, Makalele, Ballack, Malouda – Pizarro, Anelka
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Everton – Mikel Arteta
Having been suspended for the first leg, the Spanish playmaker will be out to make his mark and bring his side through in the second. With the midfield likely to be Everton’s strongest suit in this game – and their opponents’ weakest – the ex-Rangers man will be the key in dictating the tempo of the game.
Chelsea – Nicolas Anelka
Yet to break his duck since making a big-money move from Bolton, striker Nicolas Anelka (pictured) will be a man on a mission as he looks to take his new side to Wembley. His performances have been exemplary, all that is missing is a goal – watch this space…
PREDICTION
A match of this magnitude is never easy to predict; while Everton know this is their only genuine chance at winning silverware this season, holders Chelsea already have the advantage on aggregate and are notoriously resilient when defending such an advantage, even without many of their star players.
Avram Grant will most likely wish to keep it tight, not necessarily going out to win the game but definitely looking to grab an elusive away goal. Everton may enjoy spells of possession, but missing the likes of Yakubu and Pienaar, and Osman still not fully fit, the Toffees lack the luxury of Michael Ballack, Nicolas Anelka or Flourent Malouda waiting in the wings, and that could prove to be the difference-maker.
Everton 1-1 Chelsea (2-3 on aggregate)
As reigning champions of this competition, Chelsea will be similarly stubborn; though other top sides tend to treat this competition as an opportunity to give reserves a run-out, the Blues – largely due to their unparalleled squad depth – field a top side, and get suitable results.
A Bridge Too Far
Whenever the Toffees have been faced with one of the Premiership’s alleged ‘big four’ sides this season they have imploded at crucial moments – sometimes due to their own errors, sometimes not – and often leave the game empty-handed.
A needless foul gave Manchester United a last-minute winner from the spot. An unexplainable defensive collapse gifted Arsenal three goals and allowed them to come back from being outplayed and a goal down to eventually win 4-1. Liverpool struck lucky in the Merseyside derby earlier this season after some contentious refereeing decisions.
The most recent example came against Chelsea in the first leg of this fixture. Everton actually got a fortunate break when John Obi-Mikel was shown yet another red card in his relatively short Chelsea career - again, you could sympathise with the Nigerian midfield man.
Everton’s admirable performance – admittedly partly due to a one-man advantage – looked like earning them a priceless draw to bring back to Goodison, before Joleon Lescott, a candidate for man of the match until that point, inexplicably lost his bearings, and in a moment of comical madness also involving his goalkeeper Tim Howard and an onrushing Shaun-Wright Phillips of Chelsea, headed the ball into his own net.
The wound was still fresh when Lescott, now at the other end of the pitch, was through on goal and had a chance to more than make up for his error, but it was not to be his day, as he contrived to miss a chance that on any other day he most probably would have buried.
There is a distinct feeling that, though Everton are a tough nut to crack on their day, with a few key absences in their offensive line and a wretched season against the country’s elite so far this season, overturning a goal deficit may prove a bridge too far.
Away Day
If one thing can be said for Chelsea’s recent clinical form – having picked up six wins in their last six games – it is that four of those fixtures were at home. Of the away games, the first was at local rivals Fulham, who looked like they might win the game before a trademark second-half collapse.
Birmingham – Chelsea’s last opponents – also had the home advantage and, like Fulham, looked like perhaps taking something from the game, before Claudio Pizarro popped up to head home from a corner in the last few minutes. It was his first goal for the club since the reverse fixture approximately four months ago.
So if there is anything positive for Everton to take note of going into this game, it’s that Chelsea have not been too accustomed to making tough away trips in recent weeks.
Chelsea have of course been hit with an injury crisis of sorts, one that is now finally beginning to wane, though the spine of the team John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba) remains absent.
That said, if there is any club equipped to deal with such a crisis it is Chelsea; even their "last resort" line-up contains some top quality players.
It's served them well, as Chelsea have been making hard work of recent opponents but constantly coming out on top. Their admirable record in domestic cups during recent years is ominous, Everton have it all to do; with Chelsea already holding a lead it is highly unlikely they will let it slip without a fight; and though no manager would admit it, knowing that a draw will take you through can make all the difference.
FORM GUIDE
Everton
20 Jan Wigan vs Everton 1-2 (Premiership)
12 Jan Everton vs Manchester City 1-0 (Premiership)
08 Jan Chelsea vs Everton 2-1 (Carling Cup)
05 Jan Everton vs Oldham 0-1 (FA Cup)
01 Jan Middlesbrough vs Everton 0-2 (Premiership)
29 Dec Everton vs Arsenal 1-4 (Premiership)
Chelsea
19 Jan Birmingham vs Chelsea 0-1 (Premiership)
12 Jan Chelsea vs Tottenham 2-0 (Premiership)
08 Jan Chelsea vs Everton 2-1 (Carling Cup)
05 Jan Chelsea vs QPR 1-0 (FA Cup)
01 Jan Fulham vs Chelsea 1-2 (Premiership)
29 Dec Chelsea vs Newcastle 2-1 (Premiership)
TEAM NEWS
Everton
Despite Leon Osman making a return at the weekend following a broken toe, he remains a doubt for tomorrow’s clash, and if anything will probably start on the bench.
Goal scorer that afternoon Andrew Johnson also faces a fitness test but will most likely start, with Yakubu already missing on African Cup of Nations duty (along with Joseph Yobo from the backline and Steven Pienaar from midfield).
Tony Hibbert and Manuel Fernandes – who is back at Goodison Park, but again only on loan – will also face late fitness tests as Everton try and make up the numbers for their biggest game of the season so far. Leighton Baines is still out with his hamstring injury.
Probable Starting XI (4-5-1) Howard – Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Valente – Arteta, Neville, Cahill, Carsley, Osman – Johnson
Chelsea
Shaun Wright-Phillips – the star of the first leg – faces a fitness race, but should at least make the bench. Michael Essien, Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and John Obi-Mikel are all on African Cup of Nations duty. Also out are long-term absentees club captain John Terry, midfielder Frank Lampard, who suffered a relapse of his original injury, and Andriy Shevchenko. Having finally found form, the latter's injury is particularly galling.
Joe Cole is also carrying a minor knock but, due to Chelsea’s injury crisis, has been playing through the pain barrier in the past couple of games and is expected to do so again. Claude Makalele is rumoured to have recovered from his injury problems and, though not fully fit, could well start ahead of the likes of Steve Sidwell, who failed to impress in the first leg.
Probable Starting XI (4-4-2) Cech – Belletti, Carvalho, Alex, A. Cole – J.Cole, Makalele, Ballack, Malouda – Pizarro, Anelka
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Everton – Mikel Arteta
Having been suspended for the first leg, the Spanish playmaker will be out to make his mark and bring his side through in the second. With the midfield likely to be Everton’s strongest suit in this game – and their opponents’ weakest – the ex-Rangers man will be the key in dictating the tempo of the game.
Chelsea – Nicolas Anelka
Yet to break his duck since making a big-money move from Bolton, striker Nicolas Anelka (pictured) will be a man on a mission as he looks to take his new side to Wembley. His performances have been exemplary, all that is missing is a goal – watch this space…
PREDICTION
A match of this magnitude is never easy to predict; while Everton know this is their only genuine chance at winning silverware this season, holders Chelsea already have the advantage on aggregate and are notoriously resilient when defending such an advantage, even without many of their star players.
Avram Grant will most likely wish to keep it tight, not necessarily going out to win the game but definitely looking to grab an elusive away goal. Everton may enjoy spells of possession, but missing the likes of Yakubu and Pienaar, and Osman still not fully fit, the Toffees lack the luxury of Michael Ballack, Nicolas Anelka or Flourent Malouda waiting in the wings, and that could prove to be the difference-maker.
Everton 1-1 Chelsea (2-3 on aggregate)
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