Everton vs Aston Villa preview - Moyes short of strikers

Posted Saturday, September 10, 2011 by PA

Everton manager David Moyes knows he has left himself a little bit short up front after his transfer window dealings saw two strikers leave and only one arrive.

Moyes brought in the untested Argentinian Denis Stracqualursi having allowed Jermaine Beckford to join Leicester and Ayegbeni Yakubu to go to Blackburn.

The Toffees boss accepts he has no idea how the player on loan from Tigres - or fellow deadline-day arrival Royston Drenthe - will cope with the Barclays Premier League.

And with Victor Anichebe out for a couple of months with an ankle injury sustained on international duty and Louis Saha's fitness a seemingly week-to-week issue, Moyes plans to utilise midfielder Tim Cahill in an advanced role he has been pressed into on regular occasions over the last couple of years.

"We had Stracqualursi watched in Argentina last year and he was valued a lot more than we got him for - we took him for nothing," said the Scot.

"There weren't an awful lot of centre-forwards out there we could get and he became available to us at the last minute.

"In the end it was nearly worth the gamble to see how he does. We've done it before with loan signings; some have worked and some haven't.

"He has a good goalscoring record in Argentina but I'm not sure yet, we'll find out in time.

"He looks like he's got a good goalscoring record and looks like he can finish.

"But I do expect to play Cahill up front. He played up front against QPR so we will use him there.

"We have more options in midfield with the likes of Ross Barkley, Jack Rodwell, Marouane Fellaini, Leon Osman John Heitinga and Phil Neville.

"Where we don't have a lot of options is at centre-forward.

"I need to add Tim Cahill to the group up front to see if I can find a combination which can get me some goals and lead the line."

Both new signings are well short of match practice but could feature among the substitutes for tomorrow's visit of Aston Villa having worked hard this week.

Meanwhile, Jermaine Jenas has set his sights on forcing his way into England's squad for the Euro 2012 finals as he looks to rebuild his career at Aston Villa.

The midfielder scored the first goal of the Fabio Capello era - against Switzerland at Wembley - but won the last of his 21 caps nearly two years ago against Brazil in Doha.

Jenas accepts his lack of first-team chances at Spurs means Capello has not had the option of picking him in recent times, but hopes to put a frustrating spell behind him at Villa.

He has been included in the squad for the clash at Goodison Park.

Jenas said: "First and foremost I've got a list of objectives I would love to achieve this year.

"I've got to get into this Villa team and get a run of games under my belt.

"If I can do that, and get some form going, I've always been confident that I'm good enough to play for England.

"It's just always been a problem the last couple of years that I haven't been able to get the run of games at Tottenham.

"To be fair to Fabio, he hasn't even had the chance to select me but, if I get that run, then come the end of the season my name will be in the hat for the European Championships."

Jenas will relish the chance to play regular football after struggling to make an impact at Tottenham.

He said: "We had a huge squad, I picked up the odd knock here and there which didn't help, and it is tough.

"I went on a really good run at the start of last year, started all the Champions League games, and then picked up a little niggle and next thing, someone comes in.

"All it takes is for them to have a good couple of games and you are sat there again. It was just in and out, in and out from there.

"It has been very frustrating for me but I'm hoping to put that behind me this year, get my head down, work hard, and hopefully the England calls will start coming at some time."

Villa striker Darren Bent is on course to face Everton after returning to training following the groin injury which forced him out of England's Euro 2012 qualifiers with Bulgaria and Wales.

Defender Richard Dunne had four stitches in a facial wound suffered when on duty for the Republic of Ireland in Russia but is available.

Villa manager Alex McLeish has also included his other deadline-day signing from Tottenham - full-back Alan Hutton - in the squad.