Smith seeks Goodison home improvements

Scots tend to enjoy Hogmanay and if Walter Smith were to have fond thoughts of home come the turn of the year it looks more likely the Everton manager would be musing on his native land than Goodison Park.

Scots tend to enjoy Hogmanay and if Walter Smith were to have fond thoughts of home come the turn of the year it looks more likely the Everton manager would be musing on his native land than Goodison Park.

So far this season his players have collected win bonuses only once from six home matches; unless things change, Smith's first footing will be a step on to the Premiership relegation ladder.

Everton could make a start on re-establishing Goodison as a ground where visitors are made to feel unwelcome when they take on Aston Villa at Goodison today.

Smith, who cheered himself up after last Sunday's defeat at Liverpool by going to see The Who in concert, must feel as if his current Everton team is a substitute for the one that was so confident at home last season. He said: "If we go into the New Year in our current position, that's when things start getting difficult for clubs. What we must do is look now at our home form. After a couple of good performances the last two at home have been poor and good results at home last season were the basis of a half-decent season."

There may well be no Alex Nyarko or Michael Ball in Smith's line-up against Villa but he does have Idan Tal to lift the team on the left. The Israeli winger waited three months for his work permit, because he had not played in enough internationals. He played in the victory at Newcastle and the derby game and did well.

"He is a natural wide player, which is important for us because most of the players we have had in that position on the left have been central midfielders we have moved out wide to fill in," Smith said.

Villa's manager, John Gregory, hopes that the on-loan Sheffield Wednesday striker Gilles de Bilde will provide competition for Dion Dublin and Julian Joachim now that his fitness level has improved. He might be given a place in the starting line-up today.

"He has got a lot of talent and is a good finisher," Gregory said. "He lost a bit of his appetite at Sheffield Wednesday and it didn't work out the way he thought and he was very disillusioned. We have tried to put a smile back on his face and get him to enjoy his football again and he is doing very well at the moment."

David Ginola could be on the bench after more than a month out with a thigh injury.

Jim Smith is hoping that his new No 2, Colin Todd, can pass on a touch of his old playing genius to his Derby side, who will be looking for their first Premiership victory of the season when they take on West Ham at Pride Park tomorrow.

Smith could play Lilian Martin, his new signing from Marseille, in defence, but another new defender, Taribo West, still awaits a work permit after joining from Milan on loan.