Everton 2-2 Liverpool. Sun 28th Oct @ 13.30.

[Del]

I have a feeling that they will win the battle in midfield and we will find it hard to get a foot hold in the game

 

[neil999]

I have a feeling that they will win the battle in midfield and we will find it hard to get a foot hold in the game

fellaini is gonna have to be immense and just not let them get to neville and osman, at least there is a chance of this

 

[heatmeiser]

I see Jelavic 6-1 with blue square to be first scorer. Not bad.

Same on the excellent PaddyPower too! Plus there is a Money Back Special on first/last goalscorer, correct score and scorecast if a penalty is scored in the game.

 

[Del]

fellaini is gonna have to be immense and just not let them get to neville and osman, at least there is a chance of this

If its him alongside Neville which we think it is he will have to do the job of 2 men

Our Midfield does not fill me with confidence

 

[colinp123]

Five Derby debutants. If we dont beat that lot at home we need ****ing shooting.

Sterling, Suso, Wisdom, Sahin, and Allen.....

And our only player losing his Derby virginity is Mirallas, eh? That says a lot in terms of experience.

 

[somuchfun]

I put twenty quid on Everton 5-1. *taps nose

 

[theevertonian]

Midfield tomorrow

If its him alongside Neville which we think it is he will have to do the job of 2 men

Our Midfield does not fill me with confidence

Totally agree. You can only get away with Neville in midfield for so long. For me he has been a good servant but his legs have gone. We need Felli back in there. He has been great further forward but the big downside is he is no longer in the centre of the park. I was hoping hibbert would be back and Neville would be dropped. And I would play big vic up top instead of Naismith.

 

[boris]

The team posted on page 11 was very predicable, exactly what I was expecting.

Anyone who thinks Neville will be right back is deluded, he's centre mid, maybe even so when Gibson comes back.

 

[davek]

Naismith. ****ing hell.

 

[ijjysmith]

Naismith. ****ing hell.

I agree but not a lot of other options. He might suprise us.

 

[Allezfan]

Osman right midfield, Mirallas left and Fellaini and Neville behind Naismith and Jelavic?

 

[Topblue]

felli + jelly up front

neville + ozzie in the middle

anything else would be astonishing.

 

[pablo315]

This is the team I was hoping (from page 11) for and I am not even worried about the Nev/Osman partnership. Before anyone tries to get me banned the reason I am not worried is because I dont think we will line up with the usual 4411 formation. I am thinking we will set up as below

Howard
Coleman Jags Distin Baines
Neville Osman
Naismith Felliani Mirrallas
Jelavic

For me this has a well balanced look. Nev/Osman are not mobile but that wont matter because they wont be asked to chase wide balls and the wont be asked to get ahead of the play. They will patrol in front of the centre halves and provide cover. Of the two Osman will pick and choose when he comes forward but he will only do it with the ball (as he done a number of times against the mancs in the first 60 mins of the game). They (os/nev) will be primed to pick up suarez when he drops deep and any late runs from their midfield which will give us a solid look. Naismith, Felli and Mirallas will be asked to play narrow. This will ensure we dont get overran in midfield and will be the creative force. It is a massive opportunity for Naismith (if line up is true) but he has big game experience and I am backing him to deliver.

This formation will allow us to play a high defensive line. This will enable us to pin them in and dominate territory. Felliani with have a really important defensive role in pressing Allen and not allowing him time or space to dictate. Naismith and Mirrallas will have to fill in for Baines and Coleman when they overlap. Naismith in particular will have to stay goal side of Sterling so he doesnt get a run on him. The main risk to this is Suarez getting in behind but if we apply enough pressure we can stop the pass that gets to him. Risk and reward and all that.

Peinaar and Gibson are blows but we still have loads of avenues to goal. Felli/Marillas/Naismith are well capable of creating openings. Jelavic is well capable of of finishing them. Failing that the delivery of Baines and Coleman is a massive threat. Failing that we are still a big threat from set peices.


So there you go. A tactical illustration of how we cant lose. 3-1 to the mighty blues. Bollox to the past this is a different Everton team and they are there for the taking. Believe!!

 

[davek]

I agree but not a lot of other options. He might suprise us.

I cant see us offering anything at all in an attacking sense down that right hand side, so I'd rather go with Neville in behind Coleman which is tried and tested. Huge gamble to expect anything from a player that's not delivered thus far. All in all it just underlines how feeble was all the talk of a strong squad when we have an injury and suspension and it wrecks our whole shape.

 

[boris]

Osman right midfield, Mirallas left and Fellaini and Neville behind Naismith and Jelavic?

Nah, it will be exactly what we are expecting, Naismith right, Mirallas left, Fellaini behind Jelavic.

We're missing a couple of key players but it will still be enought to beat these.

The sooner they're back in the bottom 6 the better. They will be back down there come the 1st week in December, they're last 3 fixtures have been as easy as it comes. 5 at home 3 away they've had up to now as well.

They've been in relegation form for over 12 months now, this team they have is poor and no matter how much they build them up, the likes of Allen, Sterling, Suso etc are nothing special right now and there no where near what they make them out to be. They wouldn't even of been considered for there bench 2 years ago.

4 months ago, Sterling couldn't get his game for England at the world youth championships, 1 league goal, 1 assist later and the propaganda has gone berserk again for no other obvious reason than them being desperate to have something to cling on to, even some Evertonians have took it. The left winger they had on Thursday produced more in that one game than Sterling has in any I've seen this year, i hope he doesn't play.