Royal Blue Mersey - Everton at Wolfsburg: Europa League Gameday 5It's a grand old team to supporthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52544/royal_fav.png2014-11-28T18:54:52+00:00http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/rss/stream/70633422014-11-28T18:54:52+00:002014-11-28T18:54:52+00:00Wolfsburg v Everton - In-depth Review
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<figcaption>Matthew Lewis/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p class="p1">Well that was a performance of sorts.</p>
<p class="p1">Eschewing all usual roads to victory <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a> somehow comfortably beat Wolfsburg whilst having less possession, far less shots, and at times defending for their lives.</p>
<p class="p1">Still, it was a well deserved and hard earned win that also won the group and ensured progress into the Round of 32 - or Second Round in old money.</p>
<p class="p2">A few key names were missing from the line-up but it meant a first start for <span>Luke Garbutt</span> and the youngster acquitted himself well, looking assured in possession.</p>
<p class="p2">That Wolfsburg actually channelled the majority of their attacks down our right side says more about the perceived weakness of the <span>Tony Hibbert</span> - <span>Aiden McGeady</span> axis.</p>
<p class="p2">Happily, McGeady has added a huge level of workrate to his game and Hibbert is one of the most professional defenders around, even if his distribution still leaves much to be desired.</p>
<p class="p2">The first half saw a lot of pressure toward the Everton goal but throughout the game <span>Tim Howard</span> stood tall, making a number of difficult saves and doing the simple things with a minimum of fuss. In front of him <span>Sylvain Distin</span> and <span>Phil Jagielka</span> seem to be back to their old selves, with the Everton captain keeping up his excellent recent form.</p>
<p class="p2">When the goals came they were both against the run of play and on a quick counter attack from a Wolfsburg passage of play.</p>
<p class="p2">At times <span>Romelu Lukaku</span> looks every bit the £28 million player, mainly when he’s in the penalty area, but when he’s controlling the ball he looks more like a Sunday league player. For his goal his first touch and control were all over the place but none of that matters when you can finish like that.</p>
<p class="p1"><span>Kevin Mirallas</span> had one of his quietest games but still coming back from injury it will take time for him to settle. The relationship between him and Lukaku is getting stronger each game though, and the Mirallas finish for the clincher was as good as his fellow Belgians.</p>
<p class="p1">In a performance of almost perfect counter attacking football Everton, and <span>Roberto Martinez</span>, continued to show that they’re more than capable of doing something special in the Europa League this season.</p>
<p class="p1">And with a chance to blood some new players in the final game the Spaniard might actually be able to keep building on his teams improved league performances.</p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2014/11/28/7303239/wolfsburg-v-everton-europa-leagueTom Mallows2014-11-27T19:55:41+00:002014-11-27T19:55:41+00:00Everton at Wolfsburg: Instant Reaction
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<p>The Blues advance after a 2-0 win.</p> <p>Everton traveled to Wolfsburg for Match Day 5 of Europa League, with both teams looking to take control of Group H with a win. Wolfsburg looked like the stronger side for much of the game, but the Toffees took over in the second half.</p>
<p>Roberto Martinez's lineup -- with noted absences including <span>Leighton Baines</span>, <span>Ross Barkley</span>, and <span>Seamus Coleman</span> -- gave some of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton's</a> youngsters a chance to try their hand at European football. <span>Luke Garbutt</span> and Muhamed Besic made their way into the starting 11 alongside veterans like Samuel Eto'o, <span>Tony Hibbert</span>, and <span>Tim Howard</span>.</p>
<p>Wolfsburg wingers Kevin De Bruyne and Ivan Perisic immediately made their presence known, creating chances from both sides. The Blues got a bit lucky when Perisic flicked the ball in the back of the net in the 22nd minute, but the referee's flag went up for offside. Replays showed that the goal should have counted.</p>
<p><span>James McCarthy</span> had to leave the game in the 30th minute with a hamstring injury, and was replaced by <span>Leon Osman</span>.</p>
<p>Everton were on the back foot for most of the first half, but managed to put themselves up 1-0 before the break. It was <span>Romelu Lukaku</span> who got the ball on a breakaway from a Wolfsburg corner. At first it looked like he would lose the ball, but he managed to shake the defender and curl it past Diego Benaglio and score.</p>
<p>The news came at halftime that Krasnodar and Lille had drawn and that Everton and Wolfsburg would advance from Group H. However, there was still a lot to play for, as winning the group results in a better spot in the draw.</p>
<p>Nicklas Bendtner had another goal disallowed in the 57th minute, but this time the referee made the right decision. Minutes later <span>Aiden McGeady</span> missed an open net on a cross from Lukaku, and it was one he won't soon forget.</p>
<p>The match opened up ten minutes into the second half, but Everton's backline stayed high and forced most of Wolfsburg's chances to be taken from distance. Tim Howard made some good saves on the attacks that managed to get near his goal.</p>
<p>Lukaku had the assist on the second goal for Everton. His perfect pass gave <span>Kevin Mirallas</span> a chance to double the lead, and after making a move to fool Luis Gustavo, the ball was past Benaglio to make it 2-0.</p>
<p>Everton could relax a bit with a two goal lead, though Wolfsburg did manage more chances. The team played well defensively throughout the match, which is a good sign as there are a number of injury concerns there.</p>
<p>With the result Everton win Group H, and the final match of the group stage against Krasnodar won't have an effect on the outcome.</p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2014/11/27/7299985/everton-wolfsburg-europa-league-instant-reactionSean Yancy2014-11-27T17:11:10+00:002014-11-27T17:11:10+00:00Gamethread: Toffees up against the Wolves
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<figcaption>Jan Kruger/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Join us for a chat at gametime</p> <p>Can we make sure <span>Tim Howard</span> doesn't get any Thanksgiving turkey before the game? Don't want him falling asleep now would we?</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a> are in Germany today to take on VfL <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/bundesliga/teams/vfl-wolfsburg">Wolfsburg</a> in a top of the Group H table clash in the Europa League. The Wolves are just one point behind the Blues, and any result apart from an Everton win will result in the race for the Group winner going to the last game.</p>
<p>Wolfsburg are in excellent form despite their loss in the Bundesliga the last weekend to Schalke. They are currently in second place behind runaway leaders <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/">Bayern Munich</a>, but will probably field a full-strength squad to exact their revenge for a 4-1 hiding at Goodison park earlier this season.</p>
<p>The Toffees for their part are slowly finding their form again despite some injury concerns, and are unbeaten in their last seven matches. Click here to read the <a target="_blank" href="http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2014/11/26/7289451/everton-at-wolfsburg-match-preview">Match Preview</a>, and click here for a <a target="_blank" href="http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2014/11/26/7297129/everton-at-wolfsburg-q-a-with-kirsten-schlewitz-Europa-League">Q&A</a> with SB Nation Soccer's resident European football guru <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/authors/kirsten-schlewitz">Kirsten Schlewitz</a>.</p>
<p>We'll get you the starting lineups as soon as they're announced.</p>
<p>Everton XI - Howard, Hibbert, Garbutt, Jagielka, Distin, Besic, McCarthy, McGeady, Mirallas, Eto’o, Lukaku</p>
<p>Everton subs - Joel, Kone, Atsu, Osman, Coleman, Browning, Barkley</p>
<p>Wolfsburg XI - Benaglio, Schafer, Knoche, Naldo, Vieirinha, Malanda, Luiz Gustavo, Perisic, Hunt, De Bruyne, Bendtner</p>
<p>Wolfsburg subs - Grun, Klose, Caligiuri, Olic, Trasch, Jung, Arnold</p>
<p>Join us in the comments below for a chat during the game.</p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2014/11/27/7299419/everton-at-wolfsburg-live-gamethreadCalvin2014-11-26T22:29:20+00:002014-11-26T22:29:20+00:00SBN Soccer's Kirsten Schlewitz talks Wolfsburg
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<figcaption>Jan Kruger/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>We had a chat with a special guest.</p> <p><a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Everton</a> travel to Germany to take on <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/bundesliga/teams/vfl-wolfsburg" class="sbn-auto-link">VfL Wolfsburg</a> on Thursday for a game that will directly affect the top of Group H. We had the pleasure of talking with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer" target="_blank">SB Nation Soccer</a> Features Editor <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/authors/kirsten-schlewitz" target="_blank">Kirsten Schlewitz</a>, who told us a little bit about the Wolves' fortunes since the last time the Toffees played them.</p>
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<span class="im"><b><span>RBM - After Wolfsburg lost to Everton 4-1 at Goodison Park, the German side has been on a tear, currently sitting in 2nd place in the Bundesliga. Was that score not representative of the quality of the team?</span></b>
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<div><font face="arial, sans-serif">KS - That game seemed to trigger some sort of shift for Wolfsburg. It's not that Dieter Hecking has moved away from his favored 4-2-3-1, or even that he's made significant changes to the teams he's fielding. But from that match in mid-September to this weekend's loss to Schalke, Wolfsburg had lost just once across all competitions -- and drawn just once as well. Everton fans might be pleased to know that in those last nine Bundesliga games, they've faced four of the league's bottom five, so perhaps their current position is simply a result of an easy schedule. </font></div>
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<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>RBM - VfL lost to Schalke in a close game over the weekend. How did they look? Who are their form players currently?</b></div>
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<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">KS - Well, Nicklas Bendtner scored against Schalke, so that might say something about the quality of both sides. Honestly, though, that result might've gone either way. Goalkeeper Diego Benaglio had a bad, bad day (seriously, look up what was essentially an own-goal, putting Schalke up 3-0). Wolfsburg came back from 3-0 down in the 25th to a 3-2 loss, but Naldo hit the post and Aaron Hunt very nearly grabbed the equalizer.</div>
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<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It's rather impossible to talk about Wolfsburg this season without mentioning <span>Kevin De Bruyne</span>. The former <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chelsea</a> man had a whole two starts in the Premier League before heading back to the Bundesliga, where he's putting on masterful displays. He's not scoring goals -- he has just one in twelve games -- but he's certainly creating them, with nine assists already. De Bruyne is the Wolfsburg conductor and he'll be looking for ways to both make and exploit space, so Everton need to be sure to keep an eye on the 23-year-old.</div>
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<b>RBM - Are Wolfsburg going to be active in the transfer market come January? Who (or what positions) will they be targeting?</b><br>
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<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">KS - I would think the Wolves' greater worry is who might be targeting them, particularly if they remain near the top of the Bundesliga. Left-back Ricardo Rodríguez has been linked with every top Premier League club suffering a defensive crisis -- yes, all of them -- as well as Serie A sides. Napoli are keen on winger Ivan Perišić.</div>
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<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">But Wolfsburg, backed by Volkswagen, aren't exactly hurting for cash. Last season their wages totaled €50m, behind just Schalke, Dortmund, and of course Bayern. They've got a rather small squad, so if they're going to aim for a Champions League place, expect to see them hunting for another forward come January. After all, what self-respecting Champions League dreamer relies on Bendtner for late goals?</div>
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<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>RBM - Germany has a proud tradition in the European competitions. What kind of reception can Everton expect at the Volkswagen Arena <span><span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">on Thursday</span></span></span></span>? Have VfL been selling out the stadium?</b></div>
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<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">KS - Well, Wolfsburg are one of the <i>Werksvereine</i>, or company-sponsored clubs, which often attract disdain. Yet they're not scorned like new money sides, for example Hoffenheim, are. Volkswagen Arena only has a 30,000 capacity -- I think it's less for European competition -- so you're not going to see the same sort of enormous displays as BVB's infamous Yellow Wall. But their stadium is still pretty much full for league games, so don't expect a lot of empty seats, and it's likely the fans there will be making some noise.</div>
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<b>RBM - Finally, can you give us a score prediction for <span><span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">Thursday</span></span></span></span>, and how you see the game turning out? </b><br>
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<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">KS - I really don't do score predictions (just ask my betting account). If Everton are able to exploit the space between Wolfsburg's midfield and backline, like Schalke were at the weekend, they should come away with an easy win. Just remember, Schalke beat Wolfsburg and then went on to lost to Chelsea 5-0, so clearly that means Everton can beat Wolfsburg. But try not to remember how many goals Chelsea have put past Everton because that might wreck things.</div>
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https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2014/11/26/7297129/everton-at-wolfsburg-q-a-with-kirsten-schlewitz-Europa-LeagueCalvin2014-11-26T17:52:58+00:002014-11-26T17:52:58+00:00Group H on the Line in Wolfsburg Visit: Preview
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<figcaption>Everton in the midst of September's 4-1 thrashing over Wolfsburg. | Jan Kruger/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The top two teams in Europa League's Group H face off on Thursday in a match with significant implications for the knockout stage.</p> <p>November 27, 2014 - 6:00 GMT, 1:00 EST</p>
<p><a href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/match/1308594/wolfsburg-vs-everton/">TV Info</a> - Live Soccer TV</p>
<p><a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Everton</a> looks to build momentum over two competitions for the first time this season when the club travels to Wolfsburg for a match on Thursday.</p>
<p>A victory for the Toffees on Thursday would not only secure a place in the knockout stage, but lock up the club's place atop Group H. Still, Wolfsburg can take pole position with a victory as well, and be firmly in the driver's seat heading into the final group stage matchday.</p>
<p>Taking top spot in the group is an important achievement if it can be attained. The first round of the Europa League's knockout stage is seeded, with Europa League group-winners and the top four third-place Champions League teams being seeded against Europa League group runners-up and the bottom for third-place Champions League teams.</p>
<p>As of right now, winning the group would mean avoiding Tottenham, Inter, Fiorentina, <a href="https://bitterandblue.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Manchester City</a>, Juventus, Zenit, and more in the Round of 32. Clearly then, there's still plenty at stake for the top two teams in Group H.</p>
<h4>Team News</h4>
<p>Arouna Kone is somewhat surprisingly part of the squad that has traveled to Germany. Unfortunately, <span>Steven Naismith</span>, <span>Leighton Baines</span>, <span>Gareth Barry</span>, <span>Darron Gibson</span>, and <span>Steven Pienaar</span> all have not made the trip due to injury. <span>John Stones</span>, Antolin Alcaraz, and <span>Bryan Oviedo</span> remain long-term injury absences as well.</p>
<p>As a result, youngsters Tyias Browning, Ryan Ledson, and <span>Luke Garbutt</span> are part of the 20-man squad.</p>
<h4>The Opposition</h4>
<p>When Everton first took on Wolfsburg in September, it was a matchup of teams with similar stories -- talented squads capable of challenging for Champions League spots in their domestic leagues, but that had gotten off to slow starts.</p>
<p>While Roberto Martinez's club has still failed to show that class on a consistent basis, Wolfsburg has been flying through its Bundesliga campaign since the clubs last met.</p>
<p>Wolfsburg has won seven of its last nine matches, including a six match win-streak that ended with a 3-2 loss at Schalke this weekend. In those nine matches, Wolfsburg outscored its opponents a staggering 20-6.</p>
<p>Swiss left-back Ricardo Rodriguez has been a contributor on both ends of the pitch. The defender has picked up three goals and an assist in Bundesliga play, in addition to pitching in to Wolfsburg's stellar defensive record. Evertonians certainly remember his spectacular free-kick at the death when the teams met in September.</p>
<p>Another familiar Wolfsburg player is former <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chelsea</a> midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian leads the Bundesliga with nine assists, with almost double the runner-up in the category (Werder Bremen's Zlatko Junuzovic has five). He also has three goals and two assists in Europa League play.</p>
<p>Croatian striker Ivica Olic leads Wolfsburg with five goals in the Bundesliga, but has yet to score in Europa League play.</p>
<p>Expect Wolfsburg to line up in a similar fashion to Everton -- a 4-2-3-1 with Luis Gustavo and Joshua Guilavogui playing in front of the back-four, allowing De Bruyne, Ivan Perisic, and Vierinha to get forward in support of Olic.</p>
<h4>What to Watch For</h4>
<p>If we've learned one thing about Martinez this year, it is that he takes the Europa League seriously. Earlier in the season, I might have guessed that Martinez would play it safe with his squad selection in this match with an important match at fellow mid-table club <a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tottenham Hotspur</a> on Sunday.</p>
<p>That has not been the Spaniard's style though, and I do not expect him to change his mentality now.</p>
<p>Still, his squad selection will be limited with Baines, Barry, and more unavailable for selection.</p>
<p><span>Tony Hibbert</span> did well to replace Baines at left-back against West Ham, and it is tough to see Martinez removing him from the starting XI for the inexperienced Luke Garbutt in a major European match.</p>
<p><span>Leon Osman</span> did similarly well filling in for Barry against West Ham, but helping shut down the central midfield of the Hammers is vastly different than having to contain De Bruyne and co. Martinez will have to at least consider bringing in Muhamed Besic to play alongside <span>James McCarthy</span> to try to control a very dangerous Wolfsburg attack.</p>
<p>The absence of Steven Naismith opens up the no. 10 role for either <span>Ross Barkley</span> or Samuel Eto'o. Barkley has gotten few opportunities to play in his natural position behind the striker, both because Naismith has been so effective there, and because injuries and form have left Everton few options at wing, where Barkley is willing to play.</p>
<p>It would not be surprising to see both in the lineup on Thursday, in the three-man attacking-midfield alongside <span>Kevin Mirallas</span> or <span>Aiden McGeady</span>.</p>
<h4>The Final Word</h4>
<p>Martinez would certainly take a draw from this match as he did in the club's other two Europa League away matches. But, if the Toffees are to steal another road point, the team's performance will have to be even better than it was in Lille and Krasnodar.</p>
<p>With no Barry, Baines, and Stones, can Everton do enough defending to keep Wolfsburg at bay for 90 minutes?</p>
<p>The answer to that question may decide who wins Group H.</p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2014/11/26/7289451/everton-at-wolfsburg-match-previewAdam.Braun