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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Can Everton Usurp Arsenal to Champions League Riches?


It's been some time since Merseyside dominated the summit of English football.

We all know about Liverpool's title aspirations which have been harped on enough to the point that we probably don't need to say more in fear of putting a hex on them especially with their big game against those Mancs down the Canal this Sunday.

But while the Reds have been grabbing the headlines with their goals, goals and surprise title challenge, the Blue half of Merseyside has quietly been staying in touch with the top 4 since the start of the season and find themselves in control of their destiny: Champions League football.

It is much widely said that Roberto Martinez proudly said to Everton chairman, Bill Kenwright, that he would get them into the Champions League in his interview but that proclamation doesn't seem so stuck in the clouds after all now, particularly after this smashing performance against now-former title contenders, Arsenal.

3-0 was not at all flattering and it could have been more against an Arsenal side that appear to be following the trend of their former title rivals, Manchester United, and with a game in hand and a run-in which has them playing Manchester United and Manchester City at home - a side they beat at Old Trafford and a side they have a good record against - Everton pretty much have their own destiny in their own hands and finishing 4th and a chance to make the lucrative Champions League stages is very realistic.

It would be well deserved too given the quality of football they've played this season thanks to the club's mainstayers like Kevin Mirralas, Leon Osman, Ross Barkley, Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka and the club's loanees, Romelu Lukaku, Gerard Deulofeu and Gareth Barry.

Credit must go to now Manchester United manager David Moyes for forming the foundations of this side but Martinez in his first season at the club and first job with a big club, has definitely taken them to heights that they could only dream of before.



As for Arsenal, damage control will be key now for the rest of the season, as another title challenge has faltered in the spring and the downward spiral could be worse than ever given the current poor form of his charges and the injuries to players like Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott who were key to their surprise title challenge earlier in the season. This decline could be terminal for 17-year-coach Arsene Wenger if Arsenal fail to make the Champions League this season.

Hopefully Everton make 4th and this time get over the playoffs and make the Group Stage proper - last time they made the Champions League, they fell 4-2 to Villarreal in the playoffs and missed the Group Stages while Liverpool who were reigning European champions ended up in the same group as Chelsea.


1 comment:

  1. This information is very helpful for us. Champions League football is favorite for me. Thanks for your kind information.

    ReplyDelete