Howard: Everton must improve to qualify for Europe

Jan 23, 2013 5:45:00 PM

David Moyes was disappointed with a 0-0 draw away to Southampton, but the goalkeeper insists that it will come down to head-to-head results to decide continental qualification

Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard says his side need to maintain their early-season form to challenge for European places in the Premier League.

After starting the campaign brightly the Toffees sit fifth in the league but, following a 0-0 draw away to Southampton, manager David Moyes was disappointed that his side did not keep up momentum on their rivals for fourth spot.


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4/1	Everton are 4/1 with William Hill to finish in the top four

And Howard says it is important to keep their performance levels high and keep picking up points wherever they can.

"It is going to be a matter of whether we can put two halves together," Howard told reporters.

"That is what is everyone is wondering and it is our job to keep it up and keep our levels high. When we don't perform well we need to get something out of it and so at the moment that is working.

"It is easy to say 'what if?' but I always think if we can keep picking up points here and there it is better than a loss. It just depends how you look at it.

"We are right there in the mix and it is going to go week-to-week now.

"We are three points off Spurs, Liverpool are four points behind us and Arsenal are four [points behind] with a game in hand, so if everyone does their job, it is going to be basically who wins the head-to-head battles."

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Champions League final - LIVE!

German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.

7:01 PM BST

‏An interesting one here from a concerned Barceloan fan - or perhaps it's Cristiano Ronaldo in disguise.

@messixaviesta: Do you think the team that wins this final will provide the 2013 Ballon d'Or winner or it will once again go to Messi?

CG: As we are in an odd-number year, with no World Cup or European Championship, it is certain that the victor of the Ballon D'Or will be an individual who stars solely for their club team. As a result, a Champions League winner has as good a chance as anyone to pick up the prestigious prize.

The gong usually goes to a midfielder or attacker, so my money would be on Franck Ribery if Bayern win the Champions League as he is the kind of player voters usually go for. Having said that, as Bayern and Dortmund are such outstanding 'teams', their inividuals aren't always in the spotlight like a Messi or Ronaldo, so that could count against them.

6:59 PM BST

Carlo is positively flying through your questions on Twitter, so still time to get in touch.

@Austeenite 2m: Who is the best defender in this season's UCL?

CG: We are living in an era where you can count on one hand the number of top quality defenders. In truth, very few stoppers impress me anymore. Thiago Silva is the best defender in the world, and was absolutely brilliant in the quarter final against Barcelona. But if there is one defender who has emerged this term it is probably Dante from Bayern. He has been a monster, and the ease with which he nullified the attacks of Juventus and Barcelona - even if the former is nothing to sing and dance about - was a head-turner. I'm looking forward to his battle with Lewandowski tonight.

6:56 PM BST

More from our Q&A with Carlo Garganese:

@CazorlaAFC007: Are we looking at the best two teams in Europe?

CG: Certainly these have been the two best teams in Europe this season. They have proven that by progressing all the way to the final, and what is more they have defeated top quality opponents along the way. Bayern have smashed an outstanding Juventus side and the fabled Barcelona, while Dortmund qualified from a group containing the champions of Spain, England and Netherlands before seeing off a superb Shakhtar team and then Mourinho's Real Madrid again.

It takes more than one season to prove you are the best two teams in Europe though, and Dortmund will surely decline a touch when they lose Gotze and Lewandowski, but this season at least they have been the top two.

6:53 PM BST

Carlo Garganese is in the house, so so keep your questions coming on Twitter, folks.

@SaryHishi: Can the Gotze injury determine the outcome in this match ? As in can the injury affect BVB that much ? #UCL

CG: Dortmund are significantly weakened by the injury to Gotze. The youngster is not only crucial offensively, but he also plays a key role in cutting the supply line from deep, as he did so brilliantly against Xabi Alonso when Dortmund played Madrid. Dortmund still have plenty of other weapons, but there is no doubt that they are a stronger side with Gotze in the team.

6:49 PM BST

Fair to say that our man Jay Jaffa is really savouring the atmosphere at Wembley right now:

"Just off Wembley Way I've found a Bayern 'area', if you can call it that. A mass of red-shirted fans are lapping up the last of the sunshine and having a sing-song. On the opposite side of Wembley, Dortmund have an official brass band smashing out A-Ha's 1985 classic 'Take On Me', while a group of insanely talented ball jugglers entertain the passers by. It's ramping up now, more folk are filling the walkways and it truly feels like the Champions League final. Not long now ... "

Couldn't agree more with Jay: the excitement really is building; and 'Take On Me' was indeed a classic. Indeed, if the 1980s gave us nothing else (and other than Arrigo Sacchi's wonderful Milan side, they didn't!), they did at least provide us with a pop song as brilliant as its video - a rare occurrence in the music world.

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