Up coming fixtures:

With a tough league schedule and an extra FA cup match we play 3 of the "Big 4" in 8 days.

Today we start off facing Arsenal (H). Kick off is at 3pm Eastern, and it will be shown live at Mr. D's. Probably the biggest league game for us in that if we win, we knock 3 points off the gap between us and fifth. We lose and the gap gets much larger. Fellaini's back, Arteta is a maybe. Personally I'd like to see Arteta rested a bit more, if he has any doubt at all. The FA clash next week is more important to me than the league at this point.

Saturday is the rescheduled Man U (A) game, at 12:30 ET. Currently listed for a live showing on FSC, this should be another good time to visit Mr. D's, hang out, talk football and drink a few. General concensus from online blogs and such is that Man U has a lot of injuries and that we should have all players available that have been helping us in the last 2 months of great form, that our defense is solid and that we could really steal this game. I think it is misleading to infer Man U's injuries are a big problem for them. Their bench is a lot deeper than ours and Old Trafford isn't exactly a walk in the park. This game is the least of my worries from the next three. We aren't catching Man U, and it won't get us closer to some hardware...

Wednesday Feb 4th. The 3rd Merseyside Derby in under 3 weeks. This time we will be at home, kick off is scheduled for 3:10pm ET, showing live on Setanta. How glorious it would be to come out playing an attacking game with Arteta and Fellaini back in the squad, and to send Rafa back across the park to spew more hilarious comments about "small teams" and hypocritical "10 men behind the ball is horrible" tactics. Our defense has pretty much kept Liverpool at bay twice in 7 days. So long as we get no injuries or yellow cards, I see no problem keeping them at bay again. I want to win this game so badly, that the Arse and Man U games seem like insignificant annoyances getting in the way. A strange feeling for two matches that are bound to be exciting. If we win the Cup it would help our players, showing them they can do it, that being a "small team" doesn't necessarily mean something negative. It might just raise our clubs profile enough that we find our own new investor, and to top it all, We fans would love it.

Regardless of the outcomes, it should be a great time down at Dennehy's for all three of these games. Stop by, introduce yourself (if you haven't already) and enjoy the company of fellow Toffees!

Of note: Apparently 3 players are 1 Yellow away from a suspension. I can't find the article I read this in, but IIRC the slate is wiped clean at the end of February. I have a feeling that Liverpool especially will be going after certain plaers trying to get them carded. History shows that is one of their specialties... If we get through February without another player suspended I will be amazed.

Happy House

I'm hoping there's a party behind the blue door tonight. Come on you Blues ! Catch the Merseyside Derby on Setanta from 2.00 ET, with a 3.00 ET kick off.

The Derby Pt.1 - The League

Macclesfield Town 0-1 EVERTON

Here's Ossie's goal at Macc that set up the date with the darkside in round 4.