Blackburn Rovers vs Everton

Match Preview
Few seasons in recent memory have felt as "make or break" for Everton as the one that kicks off this weekend at Ewood Park.

A surprisingly strong second half to 2009/10 that would have earned the Blues a place in the Champions League if that form had been extrapolated out to cover the first 19 injury-ravaged games demonstrated unequovically that David Moyes has the players and that he has got them playing the right way.

Now, with a virtually fully-fit squad, a sprinkling of new faces, Tim Cahill, Jack Rowell and Mikel Arteta locked into new contracts and Steven Pienaar at least still at Goodison, albeit with a cloud of uncertainty lingering over him, there is a feeling that if ever Moyes's Everton were a position to break into the top four, it's right now.

Many are feeling an unfamiliar feeling of genuine optimism; others are probably supressing it nervously, uneasy at the burden of expectation and fearful of what might happen to the squad that the manager has built —and, indeed, what might become of Moyes himself — if this coming campaign ends with a similarly disappointing Premier League placing as the last.

Of course, the team is by no means complete. Between Louis Saha's injury record and erratic form last term, Yakubu's struggles to regain anything close to the sharpness he displayed before that long lay-off with a ruptured Achilles, James Vaughan's stuttering career, and Jermaine Beckford being untested at top-flight level, there are concerns that the Blues could be hampered by the lack of a genuine 20-goals-a-season attacker.

In right midfield, the failure on the part of both Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Leon Osman to convince as an out-and-out winger, exacerbate the dearth of pace on that side of the pitch and Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville's lack of attacking prowess.

And in defence, Moyes may need to experiment a little to find the best partnership between his three first-choice centre-halves, John Heitinga, Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin and there's no real cover for Leighton Baines at left back.

But there's no denying that on its day with a midfield boasting Marouane Fellaini, Arteta, Rodwell and Pienaar, and the predatory instincts of Cahill behind the lone striker, Moyes's is a team that can beat anyone on its day... as they proved against the likes of Manchester United and eventual Champions, Chelsea.

Naturally, optimism for the new campaign is also tempered by the strength of the other sides vying for the top four. United and Chelsea remain the two favourites for the Title, Manchester City have spent many more millions, Arsenal have strengthened while retaining Cesc Fabregas, and Tottenham will again be strong candidates for a Champions League berth.

Of the top eight, only managerless Aston Villa and Liverpool with a new man at the helm in Roy Hodgson have genuine question marks hanging over them as we kick off the new season but at times from December onwards, Everton showed that their sites should be set higher than those two troubled clubs in 2010/11.

For the trip to Blackburn, Moyes has the rare luxury of being able to take his pick from virtually a fully available squad. Victor Anichebe is missing through injury and there may be doubts over the match fitness of Fellaini, who has completed his recovery from the ankle injury that has kept sidelined since February, and Heitinga is only just back from an extended break following his exploits in South Africa so it's possible neither will start. Cahill, meanwhile, has a minor knee injury that meant he missed Australia's friendly with Slovenia this week as a precaution.


Davey Moyes: could this finally be the season?
Otherwise, there are plenty of options for Moyes as he aims to win a Premier League opener for the first time in three seasons and put another one over on Sam Allardyce on his side's own turf, having won 3-2 at Ewood Park just four games ago in League terms.

Louis Saha is likely to lead the line for the Blues and captain Phil Neville is odds-on to start at right back despite the pre-season form of Seamus Coleman.

Opening day is always a bit of an unknown as teams shake off any rust that's accumulated over the summer and try and hit their stride as quickly as possible. Victory, though, particularly away from home, can provide a tremendous shot in the arm for what promises to be the most competitive Premier League season in years.