The Derby

When's the last time it's been this huge, considering the table and the unfortunate fact that Everton are seriously in the top-4 race? Everton have finished above us in the last two seasons    but haven't really been in the top-4 race then. I can't bare the thought of losing this game. Feels like a cup final.

It's at Anfield. The SAS are fit and firing away. After that I'm struggling to come up with hard fact positives from our side. Of course, by kick-off time we'll be praying to the spirit of Shankly to grant us the power to kick those Evertonians all the way to the sea to make it a bit more blue with their shirts and a lot more vast with their tears.

Everton have lost only two games in the league. Seamus Coleman is having the season of his life while Barkley has been another revelation, too. The latter is injured. Coleman is recovering from a hamstring injury, but pretty sure he'll play. I'm more worried about Mirallas in this game than Lukaku. I've got more faith in our CBs to handle Lukaku than our full-backs to deal with Mirallas' speed. Their new signing McGeady is known to be a tricky player, hopefully won't be their ace up their sleeves. Barry, McCarthy and Osman, are they going to dominate our midfield?

Would be a big boost for us if Sakho and Allen are available in this game.

What I'd start:

Mignolet
Flanagan - Skrtel - Sakho - Cissokho
Henderson - Gerrard - Allen
Sterling - Suarez - Sturridge

If Allen's not fit enough then Coutinho in his place.

I'm nervous.

oow you beat me to it. Roberto Martinez says Seamus Coleman is out of the Derby, while Sylvain Distin is touch and go.

The opposite fixture to the game that left me saying ''*bleep* Joe Allen'' for weeks.

Were really going to need our starting players to win this for us, i don't even want to think what our bench will look like.

If we manage a win this would be a massive plus, as Everton are T4 and hometown rivals and have only lost 2 games all season.

Not so confident with this fixture, definitely going to be another high scoring one like last time, lets hope with SAS in play for 90 minutes we come out on top.

He added: "We've got a group of six players that we need to assess. They're carrying a few knocks and injuries. Phil Jagielka had to come off at half-time against Stevenage and we have Sylvain Distin, Antolin Alcaraz, Seamus Coleman, Steven Pienaar, Deulofeu and Ross Barkley."

If we cant beat this Everton side with all those injuries, We can gtfo from the top 4 race

Would be great if Coleman won't be featuring. Jagielka and Distin, I don't think they have anything but knocks of some sort and they will play in the derby.

EVERTON
B Oviedo-- Broken Leg no return date
S Coleman-- Hamstring Injury 1st Feb 14
S Pienaar-- Groin/Pelvis Injury 28th Jan 14
R Barkley --Ankle/Foot Injury no return date
G Deulofeu --Hamstring Injury 28th Jan 14
A Kone-- Knee Injury May 14
D Gibson-- ACL Knee Injury May 14

LIVERPOOL
J Allen Knock no return date
G Johnson-- Ankle/Foot Injury 23rd Feb 14
L Leiva-- MCL Knee Ligament Injury 15th Mar 14
D Agger-- Calf/Shin Injury 8th Feb 14
M Sakho--Hamstring Injury 28th Jan 14
J Enrique--Knee Injury no return date
S Coates--ACL Knee Injury no return date

For me, this game will decide if BR has any future at Anfield in long term, i mean after finishing in top 4 if we can fight for anything else under him. He has to get right this one, I dont care about performance, midfield dominance, SAS up front OR 3 at the back OR drop Suarez/Sturridge/Gerrard....
just get the frracking 3 points

calma Heil

-----------Mignolet-----------
Flanagan-Skrtel-Sakho-Cissoko
-------Gerrard--Alberto-------
Raheem---Henderson---Suarez
-----------Sturridge----------

Nishank wrote:calma Heil

I think this game might be decided by Martinez vs Brendon Rodgers, I hope I wont be forced to create a thread called 'Art Martinez' appreciation thread

I do agree if Everton can snatch three points in this fixture it'll cause a meltdown. Even a draw will seem like a loss tbh.

We are overreacting right now.

24 hours to go
Form goes out of window
THE MERSEYSIDE DERBY

COME ON YOU REDS

iftikhar wrote:-----------Mignolet-----------
Flanagan-Skrtel-Sakho-Cissoko
-------Gerrard--Alberto-------
Raheem---Henderson---Suarez
-----------Sturridge----------

I think BR has to be very carefuly with the 4-2-3-1 thing he tried against Bournon team, he should be very clear with the roles given to Suarez and Studge, specially because of Baines on their left side

HEIL MEIN REDS wrote:

iftikhar wrote:-----------Mignolet-----------
Flanagan-Skrtel-Sakho-Cissoko
-------Gerrard--Alberto-------
Raheem---Henderson---Suarez
-----------Sturridge----------

I think BR has to be very carefuly with the 4-2-3-1 thing he tried against Bournon team, he should be very clear with the roles given to Suarez and Studge, specially because of Baines on their left side

It's either that or this

-----------Mignolet-----------
Flanagan-Skrtel-Sakho-Cissoko
------Gerrard-Henderson------
Raheem----Suarez----Coutinho
-----------Sturridge----------

and I hope Rodgers has realized that putting Coutinho in the middle does more harm than (if any) good.

Coutinho is good in the middle. Our problem lately has been that there are not enough bodies in midfield and that the space between midfield and forwards is way too large. If we are not able to field enough CMs to control the midfield, then Rodgers has to tell our forward line to drop deeper. Lately they've been up there in attack so early (without the ball), it's like they've only been told to always be ready to counter as the first and preferred option. But it's no good if most of the time we can't get the ball to them and just turn it over and invite more pressure on us.

All our forwards are good at keeping the ball, so if it's going to be just Henderson and Gerrard as proper midfielders in this game, too, then those forwards must be told to drop deeper to help us control the game, I'm afraid that otherwise Everton are going to have the midfield all to themselves.

Holy shit this matches importance just shot up through the roof even more. If we win all will be well and our humongous failure in the window will be forgotten at least for the near future and people will realize that if not injury ridden our squad is actually still very good.

If we lose or even draw the dogs will be out on the committee, Rodgers, owners, Ayre you name it

F*ck I'm a nervous wreck.

Everton Home, against top 8 sides: WIN against-- Chelsea Newcastle, Draw-Spurs, Liverpool,
Everton away, against top 8 sides: Lose--Man City, Win--Scums, Draw--Arsenal
They have also won against Southampton at home. I still think they will be very difficult to beat in spite of all the injuries.

The battle of the wounded.

After the game, all of us will either be in full meltdown, or so happy to forget the incompetence in transfer market. Only a win will do for me. A draw would feel like a loss IMO.

Lifelong Everton fan gets Liverpool tattoo to support boy suffering from mystery illness.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/lifelong-everton-fan-gets-liverpool-6615475?

Red Alert wrote:The battle of the wounded.

Liverpool:
Joe Allen Thigh Strain; Doubtful
Sakho Hamstring; Won't feature.
Lucas Leiva Knee; Won't feature.
Glen Johnson Ankle Injury; Won't feature.
Jose Enrique Knee Injury; Won't feature.
Daniel Agger Calf Injury; Won't feature.

Everton:
Sylvain Distin Unsure; is back and will feature.
Ross Barkley Broken Toe; Won't feature.
Bryan Oviedo Broken Leg; Won't feature.
Seamus Coleman Hamstring; Doubtful.
Steven Pienaar Groin injury; Doubtful.
Gerard Deuloufeu Hamstring; Won't feature.
Lacina Traore Hamstring; Won't feature.

 

Red Alert wrote:

Red Alert wrote:The battle of the wounded.

Liverpool:
Joe Allen Thigh Strain; Doubtful
Sakho Hamstring; Won't feature.
Lucas Leiva Knee; Won't feature.
Glen Johnson Ankle Injury; Won't feature.
Jose Enrique Knee Injury; Won't feature.
Daniel Agger Calf Injury; Won't feature.

Everton:
Sylvain Distin Unsure; is back and will feature.
Ross Barkley Broken Toe; Won't feature.
Bryan Oviedo Broken Leg; Won't feature.
Seamus Coleman Hamstring; Won't feature.
Steven Pienaar Groin injury; Won't feature
Gerard Deuloufeu Hamstring; Won't feature.
Lacina Traore Hamstring; Won't feature.

  

Derby of the Reserves                                         

Almost forgot the pre-match facts:

-Luis Suarez has scored in three of his four BPL Merseyside derby appearances. [The one he hasn't scored in, had 2 assists.(Not a big player they said.)]

-Romelu Lukaku has scored 4 goals in 4 BPL games against Liverpool.

-There have been more red cards in the Merseyside derby than in any other fixture in BPL history with 20 red cards shown.

-Liverpool have won seven and lost one of their last 14 Merseryside derbies.  

-Everton have won none of the last 13 PL visits to Anfield, drawing seven and losing six in that run. (Moyes. )

-Daniel Sturridge has scored in 11 of his 14 PL appearances this season. He hasn't scored a brace in any match.

-64% of the goals Liverpool have scored this season have been netted in the first half; the highest proportion of any team in the PL.

-29% of the goals Liverpool have conceded have been headers; the highest proportion of any team in the top flight this season.

-No player has made more clearances than Martin Skrtel this season (222, same with West Brom's Jonas Olsson).

-Steven Gerrard has netted seven PL goals against Everton (all from open play), only against Aston Villa (12) and Newcastle ( 8 ) has he netted more. No player has netted more in Merseyside derbies.

good stats ynwa,
any biblio News on Team tonight

It's gettinnnnnnnnng clooooooooose.

Our biggest game of the season so far, imo.

I can't get more nervous than this.