By Tony Attwood
“While questions have been asked of Arsenal’s attacking intent, there can be no complaints about their home form so far this season.” So says one of the Arsenal knocking papers as it launches its start of today’s game’s preview. But really that is a bit misleading, since after all Arsenal’s record is played seven, won six and lost one, and the only club to do better is Manchester Cheating-but-not-punished. So as ever we wait to see what (if anything) the legal dudes have to say about the Mancs.
But while meandering around the internet looking for something to say about today’s opposition I did come across a list of Everton anniversaries, and I must congratulate whoever built such a site because they really do seem to have worked on their history. Here is the anniversary list for Everton on this day and tomorrow.
Oct 24 1928 – our first appearance in the Charity Shield sees us beat Blackburn 2-1 at Old Trafford.
Oct 24 1962 – our first match in Europe – a 1-0 home win over Dunfermline in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the forerunner of the UEFA Cup.
Oct 25 1919 – our 1,000th competitive match is a 3-0 home win against Blackburn in the old Division 1.
Oct 25 1958 – Johnny Carey’s first match as manager – a 1-1 draw away at Blackpool.
I thought that really impressive – but it reminded me that AISA, the Arsenal Independent Supporters Association – has indeed done it. And so here are today’s anniversaries. I ought to quote them more often…
24 October 1936: The East Stand, Highbury, is opened
24 October 2010: scoring three against Man C – the video
25 October 1969: Sammy Nelson made his debut
25 October 2016: the Ox has fun with the Villa defence
Anyway back to today – what of the team?
The Standard today offer us
Raya;
White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori;
Rice, Lewis-Skelly;
Madueke, Odegaard, Eze;
Havertz
Football Lineups go with
Raya;
Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori;
Odegaard, Guimaraes. Rice
Saka Havertz, Madueke
Now of course we all know that Saka can’t play, so I guess they must have rushed their prediction out early, or they didn’t look at the damage listings from the last game. Or they know something we don’t know.
But Yahoo Sports seem to know a trifle more about what’s what and suggest
Raya
Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori
Guimarães, Rice, Ødegaard
Madueke, Havertz, Eze
which I guess looks a bit closer to the mark. So I think I will stop there, and hope we all have a jolly time. A shame no one can put it on TV, but there will be highlights tonight on Match of the Day.
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