Elston Gunnn

I'm sticking with my claim -- half seriously, half hallucinating my loony-sly-Roberto-conspiracy-theory -- that Roberto is hiding him from Barca. Clearly Lennon is playing wonderfully right now, and deserves to keep his place on the right side. Like Sideliner, I am more than a little surprised that Deulofeu hasn't even gotten 20 minutes as a sub recently, but I expect this to happen soon. And even if Lennon keeps playing well and keeps his starting place, at some point we will presumably have midweek matches with Liverpool and Sunderland [postponed], so we might see one of those stretches of 3 matches in 8 days. That would be a logical time to give Deulofeu a start. Maybe Roberto knows Barca doesn't want Duelofeu back this summer, and figures he's definitely here for another season, maybe long-term. But Lennon's strong play, coming at a time when Deulofeu tired early in several consecutive matches, has given Roberto the perfect reason to stick with Lennon as the starter, which, unintentionally but practically, "hides" Deolofeu. If and when Lennon falters, Deulofeu will undoubtedly be chomping at the bit. Unless Roberto rests Lennon and starts Cleverley on the right. In which case, it's sly Roberto all the way.

If Liverpool are eliminated from the Europa League next Thursday, I'm a little concerned that our postponed Feb 28 match with them will be rescheduled for Wed March 9. [both Everton and Liverpool will have their March 12-13 matches postponed, Everton because we play Chelsea in the Cup, and Liverpool because they were scheduled to play Chelsea that weekend.] If that happened, we'd probably play Chelsea on March 13. That would mean 4 matches in 13 days, and 3 in 9 days, in either case the last 2 being @Liverpool and home to Chelsea. Actually, that would be an exciting 2 week stretch, and with Baines, Mirallas, and Deulofeu well-rested (........) and Besic back from injury, we have a squad strong enough. Except that Roberto's list of "essential" players seems to grow -- Barry, McCarthy, Cleverley, Barkley, Lukaku, Coleman, Jagielka, Funes Mori, maybe Lennon. I trust Baines, Besic, Mirallas, Deulofeu, Gibson, maybe even Pienaar, even Stones (in a pinch), but there's no evidence that RM does. [Well, ok, Besic, sort of.] For all his gaseous blather about squad depth, Roberto is in a rut. He seems glaringly gaseous where Mirallas is concerned, and is apparently hiding Deulofeu from Barca's prying eyes. [i concede I've gone into loony conspiracy mode re Deulofeu's disappearance.] I'm an Oviedo enthusiast, but I'd prefer to see Baines start some matches, maybe with Pienaar. So...... should I pull for the RS to make it to the next round of the EL? Help.

The Liverpool match is postponed, so it will be 2 matches in 5 days.

Although it's true that Everton played well enough to defeat WBrom, the fact that they didn't takes away the automatic "We're winning, so no changes needed." It's a solid eleven, and Lennon and Cleverley have done well, but I hoped to see Mirallas and Deulofeu starting today. I don't have any theory about why Mirallas can't get a start. But maybe Roberto has decided to play Deulofeu as little as possible so as to scare Barca off him for at least another season.

Yes. Yes.

Barkley needs to blast it, rather than trying to dribble it into the net.

Young Martin Samuelsen (Norway), WHam loanee to PB, looks to have very promising future. One to keep an eye on.

PB wasted a breakaway there.

Extra time!

Peterborough do like to attack. Pretty lively match now.

1-1. Brilliant strike.

Foster and Olson arguing. Possibly about the spelling of Olsson's name.

Peterborough 1-0.

Peterborough the better team first 35 minutes. Aggressive, a few shots on goal. Berahino got going a bit in last 10, couple of dangerous shots, flew wide of top corner. He's a danger for sure. Extra time a possibility, hope so.

I'm hoping to catch some of WBrom's FA Cup replay at Peterborough tonight. I assume Pulis will put a strong team on the pitch, though they have quite a few injuries. He's said Berahino will play. Baggies not playing well in recent weeks. May that continue today and Saturday.

Yes, this makes sense to me. Maybe Howard on bench for WBrom, but keep Stones out, not even on bench -- in contention but not quite "match fit," so no reason to take any chance -- until FA cup at Bournemouth following weekend.

Stay 7th so long as Southampton don't win. I asked for a miracle Sunderland draw several pages ago. That was a miracle.

Bingo, 7th.

I'll hope for a happy day with Everton winning 4-1, Sunderland miracle draw at Liverpool, Watford draw at Spurs, and Southampton draw with WHam. Bingo, 7th.

End of this article says hamstring, will be rested 7-10 days. No Stoke. http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/feb/04/steve-mcclaren-unacceptable-newcastle-everton-premier-league

Oviedo looked very solid to me the whole match today. In fact, when healthy (.......), he's always looked solid, with the obvious exception that, as he himself has admitted, he's learning how to play RB. He played a perfect long pass to Barkley for the shot that Elliott pushed onto the crossbar. Oviedo hustled up and down the line. He gets forward, and hustles back to defend. I can't say he's a great defender, but he's competent plus. He can certainly play LW, and might become a competent backup at RB. I hope he stays.

Barkley is so much better when he doesn't try to dribble the ball into the net. Powerful shot, too often not there because he's too clever by half -- literally. He could have more goals this season, and Everton a few more points. Agree about energy from Cleverley, Lennon, McCarthy. I thought Oviedo played very well, too, including perfect pass into Barkley when Barkley hit the crossbar off Elliott's save. Barry mostly solid. Kone missed 2 very good chances. Not Funes Mori's best game. Just heard Stones has slight hamstring.

I'll be curious to see whether RM rotates Jagielka, Funes Mori, and Stones just a little the rest of the season. Can Jagielka play 3 in 7 days? Maybe so, if he expended relatively little energy yesterday. Does Funes Mori stay ahead of Stones for Newcastle? I assume at some point, maybe immediately, the regular CH pairing is Jagielka and Stones. But the Stones "situation" (?) is a little odd right now. Is Cleverley one of RM's essentials, and so play somewhere every match he's healthy? Will Barkley start every match, rested only occasionally at 70-80 minutes? Did McCarthy pick up enough of a nick yesterday to stay out against Newcastle? Hope to see Lennon staying exclusively on the right, sharing time with regular starter Deulofeu. Lennon starting when fixtures get crowded and subbing most matches at ~ 70 minutes. At LW, I prefer to see Oviedo starting against Newcastle. Like to see him sharing time on left with Mirallas the rest of the season. Mirallas first choice there. Forget Kone, Osman, Cleverley out there.

Everton draw away to Bournemouth

So talented. Maybe football brain issue most noticeable in his tendency to dribble overmuch, leading to fewer shots. But also maybe football brain issue is mostly his youth.