Everton start off the 2013-2014 FA Cup with a 4-0 win over QPR. Nice job, Toffees! Jelavic scored two, count-em 2!, goals. With Barkley and Coleman scoring 1 goal apiece. http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/04/everton-qpr-fa-cup?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 Niki has worked hard this season and has had some good chances but just hasn't been able to find the back of the net. Hopefully today's great showing helps him break out of his Premier League scoring slump and with any luck he'll remain with Everton!
Post-match comments on Everton's win over QPR from the managers: Everton manager Roberto Martinez: "[Jelavic] was very, very good. He is a bit frustrated that he couldn't get the hat-trick - I did feel his performance deserved it. "I don't want to sell him - I don't want to lose him now, but I understand it is a key moment for him. Put it this way - if the World Cup was not in the summer, this situation would never be in place. "I thought he looked very sharp and that his movement was terrific in the box." Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp: "It was a disappointing afternoon, we were well beaten today. We were beat by a far better team. I thought Everton were excellent. "Even though they made lots of changes, they were strong all over and made life very difficult for us. "They've got some real quality throughout their squad and it really showed today. "We struggled to live with them at times. Their movement, their passing, their attacking play - it was top class." http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25531987
FA Cup 4th Round Draw in a few hours..... http://www.thefa.com/news/the-fa-cup/2014/jan/the-fa-cup-fourth-round-draw
Everton travel to Stevenage for their 4th Round match. Stevenage sit at the bottom of the League One table. Sad to say, but I know absolutely nothing about Stevenage, either the team or the town. In past seasons, you could expect Everton to struggle and perhaps even lose a match like this. But thankfully we now have Martinez and not Moyes at the helm.
A bit of trivia for you all: According to Wikipedia, several well known sportsmen were born in Stevenage: Formula 1 superstar Lewis Hamilton Footballers Ashley Young , Jack Wilshere, and Kevin Phillips Golfer Ian Poulter Considering Stevenage has a population of just 80,000 that's a pretty impressive sporting heritage.
Nice 4-0 win for Everton over Stevenage. I caught most of the game online, and it was good to see our team take this match seriously and cruise to victory (though, to be honest, Stevenage did put up a good fight and probably deserved to score a goal or two). Naismith did damn well, scoring 2 goals. And it was nice to see Heitinga and Gueye on the scoresheet. Such a shame about Oviedo. Not only is he out for the season with his "double-break" leg fracture (Bryan broke both the tibia and fibula of his left leg), but it looks very unlikely he'll be able to play for Costa Rica in the World Cup.
Everton 3-1 over Swansea City in a hard fought 5th round match. The Toffees weren't at their best, and were fortunate Swansea wasn't able to capitalize on some bad passing by the Blues. But all in all, I think Everton deserved to win. Naismith came off the bench and added some much needed energy to Everton's attack. He's played well enough lately to have earned a starting role on the team IMHO, but he's been so effective as a "super sub" that Martinez might do well to keep Steven in that role. Next up, a quarterfinal visit to Arsenal. No doubt the Gunners will be favored to win, but I think we might just be able to pull out a draw and earn a replay at Goodison.