Goodison Park Credit: Andrew/Flickr
With Everton already qualified from Group H in the Europa League, their final test against Kuban Krasnodar might seem a little inconsequential to many.
And it’s easy to see why people would choose look at it that way en masse, especially with The Toffees not in best shape domestically, sitting in 12th position, a mere five points clear of the dreaded relegation zone.
Things haven’t gone according to plan so far this season and Roberto Martinez has made no secret of his desire to improve things in the league – so why should they pay this Thursday’s clash any real attention?
Well, for starters, it provides them with a much-needed opportunity to experiment with their side. Criticised in some quarters for their inability to switch things up often enough on the field of play, some have highlighted that as one of their biggest failings this season.
Sometimes cutting the look of a side that are just going through the motions, snapshots of their energy have borne little or no resemblance to the same side that stormed to fifth place last season.
And that’s where the visit of Krasnodar comes in.
We already know that Arouna Kone will start their final group match of the year, but who else could the Spaniard throw into the mix?
It could well be the tonic they need to shake things up a bit. And with the fixtures piling up around them, the Everton boss might just stumble across a few players who deserve to start more in the league. Because right now, the feeling from some football commentators is that The Blues are merely plodding their way through at the moment.
Of course, a build-up of fatigue has been highlighted by Martinez himself as one of their biggest weaknesses, but with a week’s rest time until they come up against Queens Park Rangers in the league, many of his squad members will be glad of the respite from a gruelling calendar.
We already know some of the players who are scheduled to start their final group match of the year, but aside from the obvious choices who else could the Spaniard throw into the mix?
For starters, Bryan Oviedo should make an appearance and is likely to start the match as well. Viewed as an understudy to Leighton Baines, the challenge of keeping the Russians quiet at Goodison Park – and the lack of any real pressure on him to perform – should afford the loyal home fans with the perfect opportunity to see what he can really do.
Having missed the World Cup with his native Costa Rica due to injury, he’ll be raring to prove to himself that he still has what it takes to forge a career for himself at the highest level.
Perhaps most intriguing of all however is the choice of young Ryan Ledson. Everyone loves a teenage sensation and at just 17 years of age, he’s another in a long line of Merseyside youth products that’s expected to produce good things for the club.
Having captained England’s U17s as they won the European Championship during the summer, he already has the winners’ mentality that Everton would love to flesh out. So, keep your eyes peeled for him during the week – it might just be the beginning of another Wayne Rooney, especially if he scores another goal like the one above. Who knows?
And despite the injury worries that have plagued the Premier League outfit in recent times, there are still a number of other relative unknowns keen to get a run out.
And Christian Atsu is yet another possibility.
No doubt, the rumours of being sent back to Chelsea haven’t escaped the attention of many an Everton supporter, so it’s the 22-year-old Ghanaian who many will be travelling to see.
Having not had many minutes for the club as of yet he’ll be out to prove to everyone that he’s just as good as Mohamed Salah, and that he’s more than capable of doing the same job as the Egyptian.
Fighting not just for his place in the Everton set-up but at Chelsea too, if he can light up the dark Thursday night sky with a few goals and grab all the headlines, it’s easy to see why any thoughts about Salah might disintegrate out of focus.
It’ll be interesting to see exactly who gets the nod to make an appearance, and although it’s difficult to tell at this early juncture, one thing is for sure – this match is a hugely important stepping stone for the club this season.
Who do you think should get given a run out on Thursday night?