Royal Blue Mersey - Everton at Southampton: Premier League Matchday 2It's a grand old team to supporthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52544/royal_fav.png2015-08-16T17:34:28+01:00http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/rss/stream/89008182015-08-16T17:34:28+01:002015-08-16T17:34:28+01:00Martinez Midfield Tweak Leads Toffees to Victory
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<figcaption>Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>On a day that could have ended up being about the supporters' frustrations with Everton's ownership, Roberto Martinez reminded us that the Toffees still have a side capable of great performances.</p> <p>Perhaps one of the greatest criticisms of <span>Roberto Martinez</span> last season was his unwillingness to change. As the team was mired in a miserable slump during the cold months, he sent Everton out in the same formation, with the same players, facing the same problems, and the team suffered as a result.</p>
<p>After a poor match against Watford though, Martinez did institute a change to his side, however slight, that helped reverse the team's fortunes.</p>
<p>Instead of lining up in the 4-2-3-1, as has been the calling card of Everton in the Martinez era, the Toffees came out in a 4-1-4-1.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://lineupbuilder.com/350x500/?p=11&a=1&t=&c=29851b&1=GK___388_174&2=DL_Galloway__317_64&3=DC_Jagielka__328_138&4=DC_Stones__329_212&5=DR_Coleman__327_284&6=DM_%20Barry__257_174&7=ML_Cleverley__183_60&8=MCAL_Barkley__186_138&9=MC_McCarthy__185_211&10=MR_Kone__186_286&11=FC_Lukaku__98_174&c2=d1a908&c3=ffffff&output=embed" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" height="500" width="350"></iframe></p>
<p><span>Gareth Barry</span> dropped deeper than we've become accustomed to seeing, and <span>James McCarthy</span> pushed farther up in the midfield, at times playing next to <span>Ross Barkley</span>. Of course, when those two play together in the holding midfield two of a 4-2-3-1, the tendency is for Barry to sit deeper and McCarthy to push forward more, but yesterday's match took that tendency to a new level.</p>
<p>There were multiple advantages to this change. First, and perhaps most obviously, it put Barry in positions that played to his strengths and limited his weaknesses. He sat deeper than he normally does in a 4-2-3-1, putting him in positions to break up and prevent Southampton attacks. The Saints struggled to make anything happen through the middle, via either Sadio Mane in the first half or Oriel Romeu in the second half. Barry's withdrawn position played a part in that.</p>
<p>Comparing Barry's heat map (courtesy of EvertonFC.com) from the Watford match to that of yesterday's match makes this difference clear.</p>
<p><b>Watford</b></p>
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<p>Recall that Barry played left-back toward the end of last week's 2-2 draw against Watford, so his appearances along the left wing are not worth looking at for the purposes of this comparison.</p>
<p><b>Southampton</b></p>
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<p>The difference is obvious. Against Watford, Barry was on the ball in the middle third frequently, which meant he was forced to try to start attacks, a weakness of his. Against Southampton, he had the ball much more in the defensive third, meaning he had to make simpler, shorter passes to the full-backs, wingers, or central midfielders, allowing them to start the attack.</p>
<p>Comparing Barry's success on short passes in his first two matches elucidates this point (courtesy of FourFourTwo.com).</p>
<p><b>Watford</b></p>
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<p>Again, Barry's time at left-back last week is not significant to these considerations. As you can see, a high percentage of his successful short passes came while he was playing left-back, while a high percentage of his unsuccessful passes came while we was playing in the center of midfield. Many of his failed passes appear to be attempts to transition from defense to offense.</p>
<p><b>Southampton</b></p>
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<p>Against Southampton, it is a completely different story. He has essentially no passes intended for targets 25 yards from goal or less, and as a result, his accuracy is vastly improved. Against Southampton, his short pass accuracy was 89.7%. Against Watford, it was 78.3%.</p>
<p>Though the team's first two goals came on counter-attacks and the third came as a result of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://stmarysmusings.sbnation.com/">Southampton's</a> late desperation, the team could not have done what it did without what this tactical change brought. By changing to the 4-1-4-1, Everton strengthened its defense and made it easier to retain possession.</p>
<p>By playing strong defensively and keeping the ball once they won it, the Toffees forced the Saints to push numbers into attack and run themselves out of position at times. Once that happened, Everton was in position to strike, and <span>Romelu Lukaku</span>, Ross Barkley, and Arouna Kone answered the call.</p>
<p>The 4-1-4-1 helping the team to a 3-0 victory is the main tactical story from Saturday, but there are two quick doses of reality I would like to close with.</p>
<p>First, there is one drawback to the 4-1-4-1 that Southampton did not exploit, but other teams may if Martinez continues to use this setup. Below is a diagram of how Everton looked on an average attack.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://lineupbuilder.com/350x500/?p=11&a=1&t=&c=29851b&1=GK___388_174&2=DL_Galloway__286_64&3=DC_Jagielka__297_124&4=DC_Stones__303_214&5=DR_Coleman__284_287_173-8&6=DM_%20Barry__257_174&7=AL_Cleverley__163_85_75-17&8=MC_Barkley__189_144_64-29&9=MC_McCarthy__203_196&10=AR_Kone__164_251_67-326&11=FC_Lukaku__98_174&c2=d1a908&c3=ffffff&output=embed" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" height="500" width="350"></iframe></p>
<p>Everton, as it seems I say every week, relies on its full-backs to provide width, particularly in the absence of true wingers. <span>Seamus Coleman</span> did well to get into the attack at times yesterday, and was involved in the buildup to the third goal. But, when he is up the pitch, he needs defensive cover if the ball is turned over. In the 4-2-3-1, this was not a huge problem.</p>
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<p>McCarthy would be in position to step back into the space vacated by Coleman, if the need arose. Barry could slide over to a more central position, and the team would usually be able to slow up the opposition's counter-attacks enough to let Coleman and the wingers get back into the play.</p>
<p>In the 4-1-4-1 though, that isn't necessarily an option.</p>
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<p>If Coleman is caught out here, either Barry or Kone have a lot of ground to cover to be in a position to make a defensive play in the right-back's absence. For this reason, Everton actually swapped its wingers about five minutes into the second half, as Southampton speedster Sadio Mane went from playing centrally to wide left at the start of the second half.</p>
<p>Cleverley was more defensively responsible than Kone, but this still could be a problem for the Toffees going forward, particularly once <span>Kevin Mirallas</span> and Gerard Deulofeu are able to return to the starting lineup.</p>
<p>Finally, we must have a brief word about <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton's</a> first two opponents, Watford and Southampton, and what their strategies against the Toffees can tell us.</p>
<p>Predictably, Watford came out with a very defensive mindset, and Everton struggled to break them down. It was a problem Everton had last season, and with the team looking largely the same, it could continue to be a problem this season.</p>
<p>Southampton, a side with significantly more talent, came out looking to attack the Toffees. Note the differences in the two team's player influence maps (courtesy of FourFourTwo.com).</p>
<p><b>Watford</b></p>
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<p><b>Southampton</b></p>
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<p>Watford's back four and central midfielders played significantly deeper than Southampton's. As a result, Everton struggled to create chances against Watford, but had multiple counter-attack opportunities against Southampton.</p>
<p>If Martinez's side continues to have success against teams who try to attack first, we may see more and more teams adopt a defensive posture, as was often the case last year. If that is the case, Everton needs to figure out how to break down teams that are parking the bus, or we may see more Watford-esque frustrations.</p>
<p>But for now, the news is largely good. Martinez's tactical switch to the 4-1-4-1 was a success and helped Everton beat a talented Southampton side.</p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2015/8/16/9161393/everton-at-southampton-tactical-analysis-roberto-martinez-ronald-koeman-james-mccarthy-gareth-barryAdam.Braun2015-08-16T08:05:56+01:002015-08-16T08:05:56+01:00Everton Crush the Saints: Three Thoughts
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<p>Everton followed up their disappointing draw to Watford with an unexpected yet highly impressive win over Southampton, here are our thoughts on the match</p> <h3>Using the Counter-Attack to Great Effect</h3>
<p>Since Roberto Martinez has taken over the reigns as Everton manager, the team has been known for their high-possession short passing play. It was very successful in his first season in charge, but lately his game plan has appeared predictable and showed little sign of flexibility. This game was a different story, Everton actually lost out on the possession battle, but they were incredibly dangerous on the counter-attack, scoring the bulk of their goals in that fashion. The direct play they showcased today may not prove fruitful against every opponent, but they used it well on this occasion and came out on top because of their flexibility.</p>
<h3>Better to be Lucky Than Good</h3>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton's</a> defense impressed against a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://stmarysmusings.sbnation.com/">Southampton</a> squad that was full of dangerous attacking threats and playing on their home ground. It appeared to be a formula for an Everton loss, but the center back pairing of <span>John Stones</span> and <span>Phil Jagielka</span> was able to limit the Saints attack and mop up any lose chances. That being said, it's hard to come away from that defensive performance feeling as though Everton have solved all of their issues in that department. While the back four was good on the whole, they were lucky on multiple occasions and still showed their weaknesses defending crosses and balls played in the air. The full backs left a lot to be desired defensively with <span>Seamus Coleman</span> getting beat far too often and Brendan Galloway looking every bit as inexperienced as one would expect a 19 year-old to be. Southampton also jumbled their fair share of clean cut chances, meaning that this scoreline could have been drastically different had Everton not gotten a few lucky bounces.</p>
<h3>The Ross and Rom Show Returns</h3>
<p>Following an impressive 2013-14 season, <span>Romelu Lukaku</span> and <span>Ross Barkley</span> had the burden of very high expectations last season. Despite their youth, many expected them to pick up where they left off and lead Everton back to a top-five finish. Sadly, neither lived up to the high expectations of supporters, especially Barkley who only scored two goals in the year. So far this season Barkley has looked more like the unstoppable attacking threat with endless potential that we saw two years ago. Lukaku was equally impressive netting two goals while constantly posing a threat to the Southampton defense. It may only be the second game, but if Lukaku and Barkley continue on the path they started today, then Everton may be better off than any of us expected.</p>
<p>What were your thoughts on the match? Do you agree or disagree with the points listed above? Have your say in the comments.</p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2015/8/16/9160231/everton-at-southampton-three-thoughtsmralbaugh2015-08-15T18:53:45+01:002015-08-15T18:53:45+01:00Romelu Lukaku apologises<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XDfpy6AXZig" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Romelu Lukaku apologises to a Southampton fan after she was hit by one of his stray shots during the warm-up at St Mary's.</p></p></div>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2015/8/15/9159611/romelu-lukaku-apologisesTom Mallows2015-08-15T17:24:30+01:002015-08-15T17:24:30+01:00Martinez hails 'unplayable' duo
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<p>Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley are singled out for praise (as is Arouna Kone) after Everton's impressive win at Southampton.</p> <p><span>Roberto Martinez</span> was effusive in his praise for Barkley and Lukaku after they inspired <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a> to a 3-0 victory at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://stmarysmusings.sbnation.com/">Southampton</a>.</p>
<p>Lukaku scored twice in the first half - one of which was set up by Barkley - to put Everton in control at St Mary's. England midfielder Barkley then capped off the display with a fine third goal late on.</p>
<p>Speaking after the game Martinez was quick to praise the match-winning duo as well as giving special mention to Arouna Kone, who was also credited with an assist.</p>
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<p><span>"They [Barkley and Lukaku] were unplayable.When we play to their strengths they are very, very special. </span></p>
<p><span>"To see the best qualities of an individual you need a good team performance, so it would be wrong to highlight individual players too much.</span></p>
<p><span>"Arouna Kone’s contribution helped Ross and Rom to have the space they need but overall the team was perfect."</span></p>
<p><span>"It wasn’t about the points, it was about the performance," insisted Martinez. "We made it a complete team performance. Every time we have come here, we have found it difficult but we had everything today; we had real flair and kept the ball well.</span></p>
<p><span>"We defended very cleverly and kept Southampton at bay.</span></p>
<p><span>"The way we started the game was pleasing. <span>Tim Howard</span> had to be at his best (before the first goal) but apart form that we were in control.</span></p>
<p><span>"You need to be flexible - if you are predictable it’s easy to stop. We were dynamic and powerful on the counter and we were difficult to stop on the ball as well. We got the right balance."</span></p>
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<p>Barkley was quick to hail the team's performance at full-time, with a clean sheet a welcome bonus after they conceded two sloppy goals against Watford last weekend.</p>
<p><span></span>He told BT Sport:</p>
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<p><span>"The lads showed a lot of confidence from the off. It's a credit to the backroom for getting us all together. The clean sheet is good for all the team. Gives us a lot of confidence. You know how good Lukaku can be. When he's playing like that he is the best in the league."</span></p>
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https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2015/8/15/9159263/roberto-martinez-southampton-everton-reactionTom Mallows2015-08-15T14:51:58+01:002015-08-15T14:51:58+01:00Instant Reaction as Everton batter Southampton
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<p>The Blues put on a scintillating display of counter attacking football to record their first win of the season. </p> <p>Now that kind of performance is what this <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a> team is capable of. With fantastic, quick, exciting football and plenty of goals, this was the closest we've seen to Martinez's first season in a while.</p>
<p>There were literally no weak points to this display. Starting at the back, both <span>John Stones</span> and <span>Phil Jagielka</span> were absolutely rock solid throughout the game and dealt with the threat of Graziano Pelle superbly, while <span>Seamus Coleman</span> and Brendan Galloway were also excellent.</p>
<p>This display though, will be remembered for the performances of both <span>Romelu Lukaku</span> and <span>Ross Barkley</span>. These two are often cited as the future of Everton and today was a clear indication why. Lukaku's goals were both wonderfully taken, while Barkley's wasn't bad either.</p>
<p>We've said many times that Lukaku and Everton need to start playing to his strengths and today they did that, with the Belgian running at defenders constantly and scaring them throughout, leaving St Mary's with two goals and three points as a consequence.</p>
<p>Let's give some credit to Arouna Koné as well. He was asked to do a thankless task of tracking back in this game and did it superbly, but going forward he was also a threat. His assist for Lukaku's first was nothing short of brilliant. He's looking on fire after a pretty drab pre-season, it's strange what a goal can do for your confidence.</p>
<p>Overall, this was probably one of the best displays we've seen under Martinez, with counter attacking football coupled with a resolute defensive display. Interestingly, it came about from us playing less football and being more direct.</p>
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<p>Has the Catalan finally learned his lesson? That remains to be seen, but for now, a fine first win of the season for Everton should have us all happy.</p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2015/8/15/9159105/southampton-0-3-everton-lukaku-instant-reaction-august-2015Sean_Lunt2015-08-14T20:00:03+01:002015-08-14T20:00:03+01:00Southampton vs Everton: How To Watch / Gamethread
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<p>After a disappointing draw last week, the Blues look to regroup and get their first win of the season. Here is how you can follow Everton at St. Mary's.</p> <p>Everton are on the move this week. That is, on the road and taking on <a href="https://stmarysmusings.sbnation.com/?_ga=1.220584474.369616329.1404230912" target="_blank">Southampton</a> at St. Mary's. It's the first match of the day so for the American Blues it means getting up a bit earlier than normal. I said last week that <a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/" target="_blank">Everton</a> was America's team so I'm expecting high ratings for this match. Don't let me down.</p>
<p>Both clubs are coming off of draws last week. Southampton drew against <a href="https://cominghomenewcastle.sbnation.com/" target="_blank">Newcastle</a> 2-2 while the Toffees had to fight off newly promoted Watford to grab a 2-2 draw of their own.</p>
<p>Below you will find information on how to watch or listen to the match. Also, make sure to swing by and take a look at <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Alex.Fitz.EFC?_ga=1.147773877.369616329.1404230912" target="_blank">Alex's</a> <a href="http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2015/8/14/9122729/southampton-everton-match-preview-august-2015-premier-league" target="_blank">match preview</a>.</p>
<p>Have your say in our poll and leave your comments below.</p>
<p id="paragraph5"><b>How to Watch & Listen</b></p>
<p id="paragraph6"><b>Match Date and Time:</b> Saturday, August 15<sup>th</sup> at 12:45 BST / 7:45 a.m. EST</p>
<p id="paragraph7"><b>Stadium:</b> St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Hampshire</p>
<p>Capacity: 32,505</p>
<p>Match Forecast: 17° C / 62° F</p>
<p id="paragraph8"><b>TV:</b> BT Sport 1 & ESPN UK - UK / NBCSN - USA</p>
<p id="paragraph9"><b>Radio:</b> BBC Radio 5 - UK / Sirius XM FC, Channel 94 / Live audio stream via Everton's <a href="http://www.evertonfc.com/fixtures/2010-to-2019/2015-2016/barclays-premier-league/southampton-vs-everton/match" target="_blank">Match Centre</a></p>
<p><b>Live Stream:</b> <a data-ref-index="13" target="_blank" href="http://stream.nbcsports.com/liveextra/"><b>NBC Sports Live Extra</b></a> (USA Only)</p>
<p id="paragraph11"><b>Info from:</b> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/match/1613868/southampton-vs-everton/">Livesoccertv</a></p>
<p><b>Lineups:</b></p>
<p id="paragraph13">Everton Starting XI: Howard, Coleman, Stones, Jagielka (C). Galloway, McCarthy, Barry, Koné, Barkley, Cleverly, Lukaku</p>
<p id="paragraph14">Everton Substitutes: Robles, Mirallas, Naismith, Besic, Deulofeu, Osman, Browning</p>
<p id="paragraph15">Southampton Starting XI: Stekelenburg, Soares, Yoshida, Fonte (C), Targett, Davis, Wanyama, Tadic, Long, Mané, Pellè</p>
<p id="paragraph16">Southampton Substitutes: Rodriguez, Romeu, Martina, Ward-Prowse, Reed, Juanmi, Gazzinga</p>
<p id="paragraph17" align="center"><b>Like Royal Blue Mersey on <a data-ref-index="15" target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/rbmersey">Facebook</a> & Follow @RBMersey on <a data-ref-index="16" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/rbmersey">Twitter</a></b></p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2015/8/14/9153869/southampton-vs-everton-how-to-watch-streaming-and-live-info-august-2015Ryan_Blank2015-08-14T15:18:36+01:002015-08-14T15:18:36+01:00Everton at Southampton: Match Preview
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<figcaption>Nigel Roddis/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Everton started their 2015/16 season with a disappointing draw at home to Watford and so travel to St Mary's hoping for their first three points of the season.</p> <p><b>"Must do better" </b>was probably the phrase of the day last Saturday, as <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a> only managed a 2-2 draw to newly promoted Watford. Everton allowed the visitors to dictate the tempo for most of the game, allowing the Hornets to take a lead after just 14 minutes. The visitors held on for a considerable amount of time and just as much as it was to the eventual efforts of Everton, I also believe Watford's flagging fitness levels contributed to Ross Barkley's equalizer in the 76th minute. And although the goal to make it 1-1 was out of the top drawer from Barkley, it's worrying that it took nearly 80 minutes of the game to respond.</p>
<p>The way we dominated games in Martinez's first season was by going at teams from the first minute. Taking instant control of the game, not just through possession but through chance creation, shots on target, pressure on the ball and tempo whilst on and off the ball. We more or less have the players we had in Roberto's first season, that's why I'm baffled as to how we're not playing the same brand of football.</p>
<p>Anyway, Onto <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://stmarysmusings.sbnation.com/">Southampton</a>.</p>
<p><b>When: </b>Saturday, August 15th at 12:45pm.</p>
<p><b>How to watch: </b>The game will be shown live on BT Sport in the UK, the programme begins on BT Sport 1HD at 12:00pm. The match will also be streamed in the US on NBC Sports extra from 7.00am ET.</p>
<p><b>Team News: </b>The main injury concern going into the game is <span>Kevin Mirallas</span>. The Belgian picked up a nasty knock to his left ankle after a late challenge during the second half of last week's game. Although Mirallas continued, he was withdrawn 10 minutes later. Gerard Deulofeu, Muhamed Besic and Aiden McGeady are back in training and in contention for Saturday's game. Leighton Baines is out for three months, meaning Bryan Oviedo and Brendan Galloway will compete for the vacant left-back slot.</p>
<p><b>Expected line-up: </b>(4-2-2-1-)</p>
<p><img src="webkit-fake-url://e72723b7-b4ba-4e01-8bd6-2c262fe50ec0/imagejpeg"></p>
<p>I can't see the manager changing the side unless either Besic or Deulofeu come back into the side from injury. If Deulofeu is fit for the game I think we could see the same formation but with one of the further forward of the two central midfielders pushing out to wing positions. This would allow Deulofeu to play on the right and Mirallas to play on the left, with Barkley playing in the central attacking midfield role.</p>
<p><b>What to watch for:</b></p>
<p>This one is dependent on the players that are available. If Deulofeu is declared fit, then he and Mirallas will be the ones to watch. Their natural width provide us with the attacking threat we need. At the moment we're all too central, everything comes down the middle, so a release down the wings would have greater impact for our attack.</p>
<p>Otherwise, <span>Tom Cleverley</span> will be a key for us in central midfield. During the Watford game he shared the responsibilities of defence and attack well with <span>James McCarthy</span> and Gareth Barry. Cleverley created some good opportunities and took us forward well.</p>
<p><span>Southampton have a couple of players that can cause any team difficulties so keeping a lid on their striker Graziano Pelle and central midfield Dusan Tadic will be key to us coming away with something from the game.</span></p>
<p><b>Prediction: </b></p>
<p>Well, my heart says a 2-1 Everton win and I do believe its possible with the right tactics going into the game. However, my head is saying another draw, 1-1. I think we'll start the game a lot more positively than we did against Watford, taking a lead, but eventually slowing up and getting comfortable with our lead we will concede into the second half.</p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2015/8/14/9122729/southampton-everton-match-preview-august-2015-premier-leagueAlex.Fitz.EFC2015-08-13T11:00:02+01:002015-08-13T11:00:02+01:00Everton at Southampton: Blogger Q&A
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<figcaption>Chris Brunskill/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Off to the Saints we go</p> <p><a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Everton</a> travel to <a href="https://stmarysmusings.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Southampton</a> this weekend in the second game of the 2015-16 Premier League season. Both teams pulled off late 2-2 draws last weekend, with the Blues hosting Watford and the Saints away at <a href="https://cominghomenewcastle.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Newcastle</a>.</p>
<p>We are pleased to welcome once again <a href="http://georgeweahscousin.com/contact-us/" target="_blank">Chris Rann</a> from the Southampton fan blog <a target="_blank" href="http://georgeweahscousin.com/">George Weah's Cousin</a>. We've spoken to Chris before (click <a href="http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2013/1/20/3896348/everton-at-southampton-q-a-with-george-weahs-cousin" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2013/12/28/5250106/everton-vs-southampton-q-a-with-chris-rann" target="_blank">here</a>), and we always appreciate his insight and vision - check out the site he's running and doing a stellar job with.</p>
<p><span><b>RBM: How did Southampton do in the summer transfer market? Are you expecting any more signings (and departures) before the 1st September deadline?</b></span></p>
<p>GWC: Not bad. Again we found ourselves in a situation where we had to replace a couple of key players, and Cedric Soares and Jordy Clasie look to be just the job. With the addition of Martin Stekelenburg and Juanmi as well you could argue that in terms of squad Saints look stronger than last season.</p>
<p>I would expect another centre half to come in, largely expected to be Virgil van Dijk from Celtic. The club have made no secret of their pursuit of a defender and having been discovered by Koeman's father his is the name that won't go away.</p>
<p><b>RBM: The Saints came back to draw at Newcastle over the weekend, and almost stole a win. Is the team this year going to hit the same heights as last season?</b></p>
<p>GWC: Last season was so good it is difficult to imagine bettering it, and with other clubs around us doing good transfer business to even equal it will be tough. The likes of <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/swansea-city" class="sbn-auto-link">Swansea City</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/crystal-palace" class="sbn-auto-link">Crystal Palace</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/stoke-city" class="sbn-auto-link">Stoke City</a> and <a href="https://bracethehammer.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">West Ham United</a> will be challenging us for 7th I think and we have to wait and see how we cope with the extra fixtures from the Europa League too.</p>
<p><b>RBM: Are the fans happy with <span>Ronald Koeman</span>? What will be his measures of success for the club this year?</b></p>
<p>GWC: To a man yes. He is a great manager, certainly the best outside the top four in the Premier League and also seems to have bought into the club emotionally. Will he stay forever? No, but I think he will honour his contract and leave the club in a far better position than he found it.</p>
<p>To measure success for a club like Saints is difficult. We've invested well, we have a good manager, but in reality we aren't going to be challenging the top four anytime soon. To be consistently in that second tier of 5th-10th is a good measure, put on a decent showing in Europe and perhaps a good cup run. Not sure there is much more we could ask for.</p>
<p><b>RBM: How long has it been since Southampton were in Europe? Is the squad ready for the rigours of a two matches per week, Thursday-Sunday schedule?</b></p>
<p>GWC: We were last in Europe in the 2003/04 season under the old UEFA cup two leg knockout system. We were eliminated in the first round by Steaua Bucherest.</p>
<p>We will have to see how we cope with the fixture pileup, but from the games so far it is clear that we mean to take the competition seriously.</p>
<p><span>One advantage we have over others who have struggled perhaps is that we have an extremely talented youth academy to call on if we need fresh players.</span></p>
<p><b>RBM: Any changes tactically in what you have seen so far? Southampton are no longer getting underestimated after last season, how will they break teams down?</b></p>
<p>GWC: We started at Newcastle with Graziano <span>Pellè</span>, <span>Jay Rodriguez</span> and Sadio Mane in the team which is pretty attacking for an away fixture. I think we have more firepower and certainly more attacking options at our disposal this season so we can mix it up.</p>
<p>Mane can break any team down, the guy is heading for super stardom. Mark my words.</p>
<p><b>RBM: I know you hate predicting scores, so instead tell us how you expect the game to go at St. Mary's this weekend? Who do you see starring for both teams?</b></p>
<p>GWC: Well, I would certainly have this down as a fixture we should win (Goodison Park would be another matter entirely). I think you will see the same starting XI as we had at Newcastle, with the exception of Clasie coming in if he is fit.</p>
<p>I have no idea how Everton will lineup, though I would expect Gerard Deulofeu to play if available. Everton always strike me as having a decent spine of <span>Tim Howard</span>, <span>John Stones</span>, <span>James McCarthy</span>, <span>Ross Barkley</span> and <span>Romelu Lukaku</span>, but not a lot else to back it up. Hopefully Stones will be gone.</p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2015/8/13/9136679/blogger-q-a-with-george-weahs-cousin-everton-southampton-premier-leagueCalvin