With the Irons seemingly suffering an injury crisis, the line up against Everton ill tell us something more than whether this is a squad of real depth.
For if everything we are hearing is correct and the two main strikers have problems, then there’s a clear chance to play Mauro Zarate alongside Andy Carroll which on the face of it sounds a really exciting prospect.
Sam Allardyce claimed earlier this week that after the Palace match Zarate’s form had become a bit iffy and that the pressure was on him as much as anyone else to perform but of course to do so he needs to get the chance. Tomorrow may be his moment!
If it’s a choice, for example, of playing Carroll and one other – assuming that nether Sakho or Valencia are available – the choice is presumably between the Argentinian and Kevin Nolan.
At the risk of over assuming, I would suggest that most fans would opt to see the big fella with MZ alongside him. I wonder if it will happen should that opportunity present itself.
Way back in the summer when Zarate arrived, the plan was to play him with the record signing – that opportunity never arrived given Carroll’s injury plus the fabulous form of Sakho and Valencia.
Clearly, there’s a chance that neither may make it at Goodison but if they both miss out the Zarate option is going to become an interesting sub plot.
Should he play, we could discover whether the Irons have two pairs of strikers who can do the business and cover all angles.
On the other hand Zarate could find himself on the bench, not so much playing third or fourth fiddle but fifth!
Over to you Sam!
Good piece. And so that its simple for everyone ,which would you choose to lead the line tomorrow.
Nolan and Cole or Carroll and Zarate?? It would probably take a £3m a year genius to not pick the obvious (especially as one pair is bound to come on sub’s if the obvious isn’t working!).
If only we had a genius.
Yes and the article also makes some rather large assumptions.
Namely, that zarate is actually match fit?
Also more importantly we are going to risk AC’s recovery at the first hint of an injury crisis. Knowing full well doing precisely that was what directly lead to his horrendous injury record last year.
If zarate is match fit imo it would be far better to start with Cole and zarate and continue Carroll’s rehabilitation from the bench. COYI!
No assumptions Phil. Have checked on Zarate’s fitness and AC comments based on SA press conference comments