Game's being shown live on FSC in the US. Both Timmy and Landon are probable starters in what is looking like LD's final game in the EPL before returning to LA.
Donovan on the subs bench. Cahill's back. COYB! Everton XI: Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Heitinga, Anichebe, Arteta, Pienaar, Cahill, Yakubu. Subs: Nash, Yobo, Rodwell, Gosling, Donovan, Hibbert, Bilyaletdinov
I suppose it makes sense, if nothing more than from a psychological standpoint. Moyes is readying his team, and apparently Anichebe, for Landon's departure. Sort of a "I have faith in you to do the job when he's gone."
To me that would seem a very strange approach to take. They need to win this match and need to field the line-up that makes that the most likely.
Landon off the bench...F that. Makes it really hard to sympathize with the "He needs to stay at Everton" mindset. We will see you in a few weeks LD. Get a real transfer in the summer if you need to. And those Everton kits are maybe the worst ever in the history of the game, home or away.
Birmingham is above Everton in the standings? Everton is dominating them in their house so far. They don't need Donovan right now, and they need to get used to playing without him.
Really nice goal by Anichebe there, and just as I was thinking about how much he sucks. Shook his defender, moved left, and rifled a left-footed shot into the far corner. Donovan might be spending a long time on the bench today...
Yeah, I would think that Moyes would field the team that has the best chance of winning, and apparently Landon doesn't figure into that team. He actually hasn't been able to get into the starting lineup three games in a row (albeit, while he was getting over a flu). Maybe it's for the best that Landon's coming home if he's not really starter material at Everton when everyone's healthy (and remember, Fellaini is a lock as a starter and isn't available right now).
LOL, I was literally about to post about it. Also, what did Bily do to piss off Moyes??? Oh, and there's #2, feeding the Yak.
He's done great there, but Moyes has to prepare for not having him though. Landon would be the starting RW if he were a permanent Everton player.
At least when/if Dono gets in the game it will be wide open like the Hull game. It'll be a nice last game if we get to see him running at some stretched and tired defense.
No offense, but this is just idiotic. He is "starter material," and I suspect he might be starting today if he was on a permanent. That said, he didn't have his best game against Birmingham the first time around. They are a rough and tumble team, and it makes some amount of sense for Moyes to start Anichebe on that fact alone. And, given the start of the game, it's hard to argue Moyes didn't field the team who "has the best chance of winning."
Moyes needs to think about the rest of the season, not just this game. I'm surprised anybody would think Donovan's not Everton "starter material" at this point.
Jerome claimed that one like he had something to do with it. B'ham just clawed a goal back. Bring on Donovan for his defense on the wing? Pretty please?
Goal out of nowhere for Brummy. Nothing Howard could do about that, he has to assume someone is redirecting that towards goal (where he's at) that going through was an absolute freak accident. The pus side is that more likely hood of DOnny cming on!
I guess my question, if I'm Landon, would be -- why do they make all this noise like they want me to stay and extend my loan and now I'm not even a starter? So....why would I extend my loan? (Besides the fact that MLS players voted to go on strike?)
So what happens if they started Donovan the last 3 games and then he leaves? Well then Everton has to toss an unprepared player like Anichebe into the starting lineup. Since they have to assume Donovan is leaving, they need to make the transition. So Anichebe has been a starter in the last 3 games. I thought this would be obvious to everyone, but it sure isn't.