Blackburn v Everton Match Preview

Everton will begin their 2010-2011 Premier League season by traveling to Ewood Park to play the Blackburn Rovers. Everton will try to reverse the woeful start they produced last season and start this season on the right foot. The Toffees suffered a 6-1 home thrashing at the hands of Arsenal in last year's opener.

The difference between then and now, is the injury situation and transfer drama (or lack thereof). We don't have a whole Joleon Lescott type drama that puts our club and our back four in disarray.  It also seems that most of Everton's players are finally all fit or close to fit. Hopefully this will prove as the difference, and we can come out with a victory.

Both teams have been relatively quiet on the transfer front in the summer as opposed to other Premier League clubs. The only player that is definitely out is Vince Grella of Blackburn, while there are quite a few players on both sides who might be benched because they are still coming back from injuries. Tim Cahill is questionable due to a slight knee injury, but recent news sources have been proclaiming him as match fit.

Blackburn have been a very hard team to beat at home, even though Everton are unbeaten in their last six league games at Ewood Park (four matches drawn though). Blackburn finished last season's campaign in a respectable 10th place, so the game will be far from a cakewalk.

There will be a live Gamethread on the site during the game tomorrow, so come join us to cheer (if we play up to expectations) or vent (if...I don't even want to say it).

I don't think I can write anymore, I'm too excited for this game. But I'll repeat a quote I read on BBC:

"Had the Premier League started on 1 January, Everton would have finished third, three points behind first-placed Manchester United."

Let's see if the Blues can keep that type of form for the whole season!

Come On Ya Blues!!!

Everton's Possible Starting XI: Howard, Baines, Jagielka, Distin, Neville, Arteta, Rodwell, Arteta, Pienaar, Bilyaletdinov, Saha

Blackburn's Possible Starting XI: Robinson, Salgado, Jones, Nelsen, Givet, Andrews, Nzonzi, Pedersen, Dunn, Olsson, EH Diouf

Time: 3:00 PM BST ; 10:00 AM ET (Fox Soccer Plus and FoxSoccer.tv)