August 31, 2013 - Everton coming off their third straight draw to start the season. wholesale nfl jerseys . The team scoreless in their last two. And questions being raised whether this was what life was going to be like post-David Moyes: exceptionally mediocre. It was hardly the start Roberto Martinez wanted for his Everton tenure. The product was altogether stale, with the headlines revolving around whom the team would lose in the transfer window. Two days later, September 2, became the most important day of Evertons season, the decisive moments, all coming in the last hour before the transfer window slammed shut. A last minute £27.5 million move by Manchester United for Marouane Fellaini seemingly plucked Everton of one of their most influential players. The return on investment exceptional, and the first domino had fallen. Within 60 minutes, central midfield duo James McCarthy from Wigan and Gareth Barry on loan from Manchester City had arrived. And the icing on the victory cake, Romelu Lukaku joining the ranks, preferring Goodison Park to the familiar confines of the Hawthorns. The moves lacked the prestige of Mesut Ozil to Arsenal, or even Fellaini to United. Upon further review, the moves were decisive, calculated and have transformed Everton from a team destined for mid-table mediocrity to a true contender for next years Champions League. Everton finished in the top four just once under David Moyes, the best Premier League finish in club history. It was a thin squad in 2004-05, with low expectations. The team finished with 61 points, a goal differential of minus-1 and absolutely over achieved. Tim Cahill was top scorer with a mere 11. It was a story of perseverance, hard work, and proof that every once in a while, the little guy could compete with the big boys. Everton remains a Premier League have-not monetarily. They have no Middle Eastern oil money propping up the club, nor an Olympic-sized stadium to call home. However, this time around, the team has genuine quality. The teams quiet confidence, patient approach and maturity was on full display in their 1-1 draw at the Emirates on Sunday. Even when falling behind, the game plan did not waver. Evertons resume speaks for itself. They are the only team with one loss, one of three teams undefeated at home and are on pace for 71 points. Theyve played a difficult schedule with a soft spot coming over the Christmas period. Everton play three of their next four matches at home, and play no team in the top seven until January 28 against Liverpool. While Liverpool and Spurs remain popular choices to finish in the top four, Everton is my choice. Five reasons why Everton can finish in the top four: 1) Centre-back consistency: Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin have been an under-rated duo in recent years. They have played every minute this season and are both in the top five in shots blocked, intercepted and clearances, leading a backline producing eight clean sheets. Both players have shown genuine comfort working the ball out of the back. The team, especially goalkeeper Tim Howard, is better off for it. 2) Defensive midfield strength: Managers all too often try to force their teams into playing a 4-2-3-1 despite not having the players to do so (ahem, Chelsea). Everton are a team built for this system. Lacking flash and flair, McCarthy and Barry have formed a complimentary partnership in the middle. The stay at home approach of Barry allows McCarthy to be more adventurous. Both are adept at tackling, with McCarthy a more creative influence. Its this all-important balance that allows the attacking midfield (Mirallas, Barkley, Pineaar) the freedom to get forward and play to their strengths. Role definition at its finest. 3) Lethal Lukaku: Every top team needs a game winner. Nikica Jelavic was that player for Everton 18 months ago, but has fallen off the deep end. Queue Lukaku. Eight goals in 11 matches for Everton, the 20-year old is a perfect fit. A true target man in every sense, he is as much a handful away from goal as he is inside the 18-yard box. The way he manhandled Nemanja Vidic, one of the most imposing defenders in the league, last week speaks to his ability to influence matches in a variety of ways. Jose Mourinho will not recall the Belgium international in January: a short-term coup for Everton. 4) Youth Development: Year over year, squad players need to step up and emerge as key contributors towards team success. Those players for Everton have been Seamus Coleman and Ross Barkley. Coleman always seemed a hybrid: a player without a true position. Whether hed become anything more than a depth player was a legitimate question. From the get-go this season, Coleman has made right back his own and few, if any, at the position have been better. Barkleys pedigree was never questioned. It was a matter of when, not if. His cutting edge, determination, and authority around the 18-yard box have drawn high praise. The 20-year old is an automatic starter and has put himself in the conversation for England in Brazil. 5) The manager: Many questioned Martinezs managerial worth, despite years of keeping Wigan in the Premier League with paper-thin squads and marginal talent. I never understood those doubting Martinez. No matter roster limitations, the approach of his teams remained the same: patience on the ball, commitment to possession and a tight squad rotation. With better players at his disposal, it has all come together at Goodison. Players know where they stand. Kevin Mirallas has been substituted in 12 of the 14 games hes started. And young Gerard Deulofeu has been eased into the team, emerging as a composed and confident player in recent weeks. Martinez has taken a hard working, blue-collar team and transformed them into an attractive side in short time. Martinez is the ideal man to lead Evertons evolution. Everton is not without warts. The possible January sale of Leighton Baines doesnt bode well, no matter how well Bryan Oviedo has played in his stead. The sale of Thomas Graveson to Real Madrid in 2004-05 had a likewise negative effect on the team. No team relies on the left side in attack as much as Everton with the English international in tandem with Steven Pienaar. As much as keeping Baines is a priority, adding secondary scoring is another area of need. Outside of Lukaku, no player on the team has scored more than two goals. Reinvesting the transfer window profit from September on another attacking player would be worthwhile. Chairman Bill Kenwright has acknowledged he must support Martinez. "The board has got to support the manager if we want Champions League." It may come sooner than expected, but Kenwright should put his money where his mouth is, come January. Theyve won at Old Trafford, beat Chelsea, and taken points from Arsenal, Liverpool, and Spurs. And the best is very likely still to come. Other Musings - A tough road lay ahead for Liverpool. The Reds play Spurs, Manchester City and Chelsea all away before the New Year. Compounding the issues of a difficult schedule are significant injuries in the squad. Captain Steven Gerrard is out up to six weeks (hamstring), in addition to the long-term absence of striker Daniel Sturridge and left-back Jose Enrique. Jordan Henderson (ankle) is also a concern for Sundays trip to White Hart Lane. These are huge losses for a team lacking requisite depth. The 33-year old Gerrard will be especially missed, keeping the midfield shape intact, as well as providing service from dead ball situations. Liverpool has scored 13 goals through set pieces – three more set piece goals than anyone else in the league. Rather than turning to Joe Allen, perhaps Rodgers tinkers with his formation, preferring to play five at the back as hes previously deployed this season. - How poor was Manchester Uniteds home loss to Newcastle Saturday? United completed the fewest passes in the attacking third (93) of any team last weekend. No other team had fewer than 100. In fact, United have created the 12th most goal scoring chances overall this season and only four teams have a worse goal scoring record at home than the reigning champions. - Some good news for Manchester United; the group stage results in the Champions League couldnt be better. As a top seed, United avoided the big guns, setting up a knockout stage matchup against Galatasaray, Olympiakos, Schalke 04, Zenit St. Petersburg, or AC Milan. Manchester City and Arsenal meanwhile, are left tempting their UCL fates against the top seeds, and clear top contenders in the tournament. Can United make like Chelsea of 2011-12, struggling in domestic play en route to Champions League glory? - Newcastle has been an on-field feel-good story this season amidst dysfunction off it. The latest gong-show: the Evening Chronicle reporting the club will charge newspapers exclusive interviews with members of the staff. Pay for coverage. Seriously. - Sunderland may be at the bottom of the table but in fairness, they are better than their position. Gus Poyet has done a wonderful job since taking over, finding semblance with a team his predecessor nonsensically added 11 players to. The Black Cats have been victim to poor officiating and missed calls on multiple occasions. Sunderland was robbed of a penalty claim after Sandro clearly handled in the box in a 2-1 loss to Tottenham. Law of averages, things will turn around. Dont see this team being relegated. @WheelerTSNgareth.wheeler@bellmedia.ca cheap jerseys from china . TSN 1290s coverage begins with Hustler & Lawless live from the Exchange Restaurant at 3pm ct. Rick Ralph hosts the official Jets pregame show at 5pm ct. wholesale jerseys . The Heat say the phrase Baiamonte used represented a momentary lapse of judgment. Stoudemire injured his left hand after Game 2 of the series when he struck a metal-and-glass case that holds a fire extinguisher near the visitors locker room at AmericanAirlines Arena. Paramedics and doctors were summoned to stitch the wound, which stretched across much of the bottom of his hand and kept him out of Game 3. http://www.cheapjerseysnflhome.com/ . Scott already has served three games while waiting for an in-person hearing, which was held Thursday morning. Scott was issued a match penalty for charging and ejected for his hit on Eriksson early in the third period of Bostons 5-2 win on Oct. jerseys from china . Gretzky was asked if he believes Montreal Canadiens defenceman PK Subban should be on Canadas blueline in February at the Sochi Olympics. "Im not going to get in the middle of that controversy because Stevie Yzerman obviously knows what hes doing, he won a gold medal in 2010," said Gretzky. jerseys from china . -- Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe is questionable for Sundays game against the Cleveland Browns after straining his groin in practice this week.Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Champions of the East Division and the reigning Grey Cup title holders, the Toronto Argonauts finish off the regular season on Friday night as they host the Montreal Alouettes at Rogers Centre. Watch the game on TSN starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. Last year, the Argos were an unlikely champion who finished just 9-9 during the regular season, winning only three of their final eight regular season bouts, but that just goes to show how anything is possible once the postseason begins. This time around Toronto enters the final week of the regular season with back-to-back victories and wins in six of the last eight contests in order to take over the division. Against Winnipeg last Thursday night, Ricky Ray was unstoppable as he converted 39-of-45 passes for a career-high 505 yards and three touchdowns as the Argos crushed the Blue Bombers in a 36-21 decision. At one point Ray, who had missed several games due to injury before making his return, connected on a team-record 21 straight passes, while his 39 connections also set a new club standard as well. For his efforts, Ray was named the CFL Offensive Player of the Week, the third time he has captured the honor this season and the fourth time in his Toronto career. Because the Argos were able to lock up the division title, head coach Scott Milanovich made the early decision to keep Ray out of the final regular season game which means the signal caller, who wont return to the field until Nov. 17 at Rogers Centre, will break the CFLs single-season mark for completion percentage (.777), formerly held by Dave Dickenson at 73.98 percent. Also coming back strong for Toronto was Chad Owens who set game highs with 11 receptions and 105 yards. The all-everything performer also accounted for 82 yards on five kickoff returns and brought back five punts for an additional 39 yards as well. Even though he missed time due to injury, Owens is still the leader in the league as far as receptions are concerned wiith 94, leading to 979 yards, but it is somewhat puzzling to find that he has scored only twice on all of those catches. wholesale nfl jerseys. Owens again leads the league in combined yards as well with 2,298, 155 yards ahead of Calgarys Jon Cornish. Romby Bryant, playing in just his second game for Toronto, reeled in eight passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns, proving he too can be a valued threat down the field for Ray and the Argos offense. As for the Alouettes, last week they battled the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for the second time in a span of just six days and went from blowing up Hamilton on Oct. 20 by a score of 36-5 at home, to falling by a field goal, 27-24, on the road. In that latest meeting, played in front of barely 13,000 at Guelphs Alumni Stadium, former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith made his second start for the Als and threw for 340 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but that still wasnt enough to get Montreal over the hump. Smith converted 23-of-39 passes and was picked off twice in the setback. Duron Carter and S.J. Green helped Smith along the way as they both caught six balls for more than 100 yards and a TD, while running back Tyrell Sutton led the charge on the ground with his game-high 101 yards on 16 carries. Defensively, the Als limited Hamilton to just 323 yards of offense and Geoff Tisdale made the Cats pay in the first quarter as he picked off a Henry Burris pass and returned it 64 yards for a score. Even with all the changes at quarterback this season for the Alouettes, the one constant on offense has been the play of Green who is currently second in the league in receiving yards with 1,183, and has turned his 83 catches into a league-best 13 majors. In terms of the all-time series between these two squads, Montreal owns a 109-85-3 advantage in regular-season matchups dating back to 1946. However, Toronto won the most recent battle in early September by a score of 37-30 on the road, and has now taken two of the last three encounters. ' ' '