Everton vs. West Ham: How the Toffees Should Line Up in Premier League Game
Everton welcome West Ham to Goodison Park on Saturday, hoping to continue their trend of winning the first game back after an international break.
That's happened during both previous occasions this season and Roberto Martinez will want another three points to propel the Toffees away from mid-table.
West Ham currently lie six places and four points better off than Everton, in fourth, and are unbeaten in five matches.
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Martinez's side did the double over West Ham last season, winning this fixture 1-0 thanks to a late strike from Romelu Lukaku. Impressively, the Toffees have not lost in 12 Premier League matches with West Ham, winning their last four straight games.
Team News
Everton have several injury concerns ahead of this game, most of which Martinez addressed during his pre-match press conference, via EvertonFC.com.
Leighton Baines, Gareth Barry, James McCarthy, Seamus Coleman, Kevin Mirallas, Darron Gibson and Steven Pienaar were all discussed and all have a chance of making the game.
Barry seems the most unlikely to feature, with the Catalan all but ruling him out per EvertonFC.com.
"Then you've got Steven Pienaar and Kevin Mirallas, they've been joining the group, and Gareth, I'm not too sure if Gareth will make the game, I'd be very, very surprised if he did.
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Arouna Kone, Antolin Alcaraz and Bryan Oviedo also remain out, still recovering from long-term injuries.
Selection
Presuming all of the injury doubts—minus Barry—pull through, this is the XI Martinez should go with:
The defence effectively picks itself. Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin are the only fit senior centre-backs, and they will start alongside Coleman and Baines, if both are fit.
Missing either full-back would be a huge blow to Martinez, and Tony Hibbert and Luke Garbutt will be prepared to deputise. If Coleman is deemed unfit, Martinez should consider Tyias Browning over Hibbert, given how key Everton's full-backs are in attack.
While the youngster is not as defensively assured as Hibbert, he offers more in the final third.
Further forward, the practically ever-present Premier League partnership of Barry and McCarthy will almost certainly be disrupted, putting Muhamed Besic in the frame to start.
The Bosnian has the passing game and off-the-ball tenacity to replace Barry, and he should be selected over Gibson, who has not yet found his sharpness after long-term injuries. The Ireland international may yet be needed should McCarthy miss out.
Further forward, Everton must revert to what gave them success last season: Namely, a one-two punch in attack of Ross Barkley and Lukaku.
Everton were most effective with this partnership, winning 10 of the 15 games in which Barkley lined up behind Lukaku (as a No. 10) and both players played at least 45 minutes.
They also scored more goals in these games (31) than in the 23 games (30 goals) without this combination.
With Lukaku's form fluctuating of late, this is the best way to coax out some consistency from the club's record signing.
On the flanks, Pienaar's guile and Mirallas' explosiveness complement each other perfectly and both should return, if fit. If not, Aiden McGeady must be used to mimic Mirallas' role and Leon Osman for Pienaar.
This obviously leaves out two in-form players in Steven Naismith and Samuel Eto'o, but Martinez needs his entire XI to find fluency instead of relying on individuals.
While both players wouldn't deserve to miss out, this line-up carries the best balance, enabling a better chance of the team firing as a unit.
Their selection would mean too many players playing out of position and both can provide key impact from the bench, as they have many times before.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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