Baggies next up for the Blues

By Chris Kirwan
November 22 2002

The Blues go into Saturday’s game with confidence understandably high after 5 successive Premiership wins on the trot, of which the last 4 have been won 1-0.

Saturday sees Everton face last year’s masters of the 1-0 victory, West Bromwich Albion. The Blues are likely to be frustrated for long periods of the game, as WBA will get plenty of bodies behind the ball. Similarly to Everton, WBA have got a terrific team spirit courtesy of their own young manager, former Blue Gary Megson. The West Brom danger man is without doubt Jason Roberts. Roberts has been the star of the Baggies’ season so far (along with “West Midlands Sports Personality of the Year” Russell Hoult), and will test Stubbs and Yobo all afternoon. He’s quick, powerful, and personally I’d have him ahead of Vassell in the England reckoning.

If the Blues are patient then I’m confident that we’ll be celebrating 6 wins in-a-row, and I hope I’m wrong but the likelihood is that it’ll be decided by a solitary goal…..Not what the sell-out crowd of 40,000 wants, and unlikely to make a hangover on the Gwladys Street any more bearable, but the 3 points is all we want come 4.45.

Team News Andy Johnson and Phil Gilchrist are fit enough to play for them, Pembridge is injured for us. Naysmith and Carsley came back unscathed from international duty.

Match Odds
To win: Everton 1/2 West Brom 11/2

First Goalscorer:
Campbell 7/1......Roberts 7/1
Rooney 9/2........Hughes8/1
Radzinski 9/2.....Dobie 8/1
Gravesen 14/1.....Dichio 10/1
Unsworth 18/1.....Johnson 16/1
(odds from Blue Square)