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Quotes

Alan Irvine says: "It has been an okay summer. It has not been brilliant, but it has not been terible either. We have worked very hard right from the start. The players have been away a lot and we felt that some of them looked a little bit tired as the game went on so we felt it was important we gave them 90 minutes. The problem with pre-season games is that you tend to make so many changes some players don't get enough time on the pitch. You try to remedy that by playing more games and then you don't get enough training. You are trying to strike a balance all the time and it has been okay without being fantastic.

But the only measure of how good it has been will come when we get underway for real. And so it is really important to firstly understand you can't win it back quite as quickly as you may do in the hustle and bustle of Premiership games so you have to be a bit more patient. And secondly, it is really important that your first couple of passes give you good control and you don't lose possession too quickly."

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Team News

With Carsley and Naysmith the only 2 injury worries in the 1st team squad, Moyesy has dispensed of the youngsters, who went on tour. So it's down to the nitty gritty stuff. One game before arguably the most important game in Everton's recent history. With lots of rumours, but no signings, it looks like this group of players will be it, unless Keith 'don't mention tickets' Wyness can pull a rabbit from his top hat.

We expect Moyesy to treat this as a dress rehearsal for the Champions league game. Therefore Martyn will be back in goal. Lets hope he goes on the attack with a 442 formation. He should pick his strongest team and only make a few changes with substitutions. Marcus Bent may recover from his achilles injury.

Alan Irvine says: "This is the right kind of quality of opposition. It is not a team with a low profile, it is against a good Italian team of the standard we like to play in the final game of pre-season. But we are looking at this game from a slightly different point of view this year. Normally we are looking at it being an exciting curtain raiser for the fans but on this occasion we are looking at it as a bit of practice for facing European opposition.

You hope you learn lessons from all the games you play and obviously playing against an Italian team at home is something which should give us a different experience from a normal English Premier League game. Udinese are at the same level as we are at right now after the season they had last year, finishing fourth in Serie A. It will be a very competitive game as a result.

We are slightly ahead of them in our preparation because our season starts a bit earlier. But having said that, they are obviously preparing for a qualifying game as well next week. It will be a tough game which should make it a good game and one all the fans who come will enjoy. Of course, it is different than playing an English Premier League game, but I would not expect the Italians to play in the same way the Spaniards would play. As a nation, the Spanish sides are a bit more attack-minded and flamboyant than the Italians. Italian sides have for years been difficult to break down and concentrate more on the defensive side of the game. I am not too sure exactly what shape Udinese will play but we know a lot by now about how Villarreal will play."

Everton from: Martyn, Wright, Hibbert, Weir, Yobo, Kroldrup, Pistone, Davies, Arteta, Cahill, Osman, Li Tie, Kilbane, McFadden, Bent, Beattie, Ferguson, Vaughan.

IN AID OF THE EVERTON FORMER PLAYERS FOUNDATION

Admission price of £10.00 for Adults, Juniors (under 16) and Over 65’s will apply to all areas of general seating. Supporters should note that all areas of the ground (except executive areas) will be unreserved seating and the Top Balcony Stand will remain closed.
Supporters should note that entrance to the Stadium on the night of the game will be by payment at the turnstiles only, no tickets will be available in advance.

Everton from: Martyn, Hibbert, Yobo, Kroldrup, Weir, Pistone, Davies, Cahill, Osman, Kilbane, Arteta, McFadden, Li Tie, Beattie, Ferguson, Turner, Vaughan, Hughes, Wynne, Seargeant.

 

Goal