The 223rd Merseyside Derby: 27/09/2014

[Simo]

I dunno, people always say it's good to have no pressure or expectation and nothing to lose.

99% of evertonians have already written this game off. So there's no pressure on them at all. They lose, well we all saw it coming. They don't and it's fantastic.

Im the the 1% bracket then and Proud

 

[cjohno]

This seems to be the least hyped/talked about derby in ages.

I suppose neither side really wants this game at the moment with both sides indifferent form

but its an opportunity for each team to bounce back, we wont take advantage of there indifferent form they will take advantage of ours big time, as much as i hate to say it but slippy g will be a massive player for them again in the derby, we havent got anybody who stands up to be counted when it really matters.

 

[Dario Terracotta]

I don't just want to win,I want to humiliate the arrogant barstewards.

 

[LAToffee]

Im the the 1% bracket then and Proud

Genuinely admire this. Wish I shared it. If I were at their pit, I'd sing and roar. But just can't see us winning. Soz.

 

[WarringtonBlue]

Not sure what we'll do tactically.

We could flood the midfield, play Gibson with Barry and McCarthy to win that midfield battle and have as much possession as possible. That'll stop that little [Poor language removed] Sterling from having any space in that No.10 role, will also stop Balotelli from having a supply line.

But then again we need Naismith for this game. He'll draw fouls, chase everything, could nick a goal, and most importantly stop Gerrard having a load of space to spray his pointless balls onto the wings.

Hmmmm...

Howard

Baines Stones Jagielka Coleman

Gibson/Besic Barry McCarthy

Mirallas Naismith Lukaku

But that leaves Naismith too far forward to hassle Gerrard.

Think it'll just be 4-2-3-1

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

The best thing, I have found, about being 100% resigned to defeat and openly admitting it to all my kopite mates and acquaintances is that it noticeably pisses them off a little bit. They are all massively confident for the same reasons I'm not and they want us to be giving it the big 'un going into the game so they can stick the boot in when they win. I will claim my small victory in denying them that satisfaction come saturday afternoon.

Been doing this myself mate.


Genuinely thinking of sticking £50 on them lot to win, because we all know what'll happen, and I'd be delighted to lose £50 to see us not get fingered for once.

 

[cjohno]

i like the idea of gibson and barry with mcarthy a little further forward getting right in slippy gs face

 

[Simo]

Howard

Baines Stones Jagielka Coleman

Gibson/Besic Barry McCarthy

Mirallas Naismith Lukaku

But that leaves Naismith too far forward to hassle Gerrard.

Think it'll just be 4-2-3-1

I'd be happy with Besic to "hassle" Gerrard and then wind Balotelli up to.

 

[EFC Si]

Not sure what we'll do tactically.

We could flood the midfield, play Gibson with Barry and McCarthy to win that midfield battle and have as much possession as possible. That'll stop that little [Poor language removed] Sterling from having any space in that No.10 role, will also stop Balotelli from having a supply line.

But then again we need Naismith for this game. He'll draw fouls, chase everything, could nick a goal, and most importantly stop Gerrard having a load of space to spray his pointless balls onto the wings.

Hmmmm...

Ha, just realised they no longer have any players (except Gerrard but that's nothing new) who we really despise atm. Quite like Sterling and Ballotelli - albeit the latter is terribly overated.

 

[Stoic Ape]

 

[bourneblue]

Two rows of deep laying midfielders,two forwards with pace to hit them down the middle.A tactic Brendan cannot deal with.

 

[1966efc]

3 - 1 to us. I will be sitting on the Kop offering quiet, calm words of comfort to the dweevs.

(Assuming Distin is banned from a five mile radius of Anfield.)

 

[matty1878]

Its more likely that we will lose 3 games in a row than Liverpool will

Everton please please please please pretty please make me not manic depressive this weekend and give me a high I've not had!

 

[hullefc]

Roberto Martínez: Everton can overcome Merseyside derby hoodoo
• Everton haven’t won at Anfield for exactly 15 years
• ‘With the psychology of this group, we can go anywhere’
• Martínez brushes off Ross Barkley link with Manchester City

• Andy Hunter
• The Guardian, Thursday 25 September 2014 22.48 BST

Roberto Martínez is hoping Everton can bring their 15-year wait for a win at Anfield to an end on Saturday. Photograph: David Howarth/PA
Roberto Martínez believes there has been a psychological factor behind Everton’s sorry record at Liverpool since 1999 but that his team are mentally equipped to end that sequence on Saturday.

The Everton manager has urged his players not to “become a team that concedes goals and games cheaply”, having shipped 17 goals in seven matches so far, lost at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday and exited the Capital One Cup in the third round at Swansea City on Tuesday. He admits, however, that winning the Merseyside derby is a matter of mentality as well as repairing the team’s defensive vulnerability.

It will be 15 years to the day since Everton last won at Anfield when the Merseyside rivals meet on Saturday. Everton have lost seven and drawn seven of the subsequent 14 Premier League meetings, have drawn once in the FA Cup and not beaten Liverpool home or away for almost four years.

Martínez accepts that record has weighed on Everton in the past. “I think the psychology is a very important point because if you look at the stats, 15 years without a win at Anfield, then it needs to be about a bit more than football. It can’t always be a football reason why you haven’t won a game over that period.

“I’ll accept that but I think, with the psychology of this group, we are ready to go anywhere. I’m not highlighting Anfield as a place we don’t look forward to. I think the mentality of the group is to go anywhere and focus on our performance. Will be it be a difficult game? Of course. They are in a position where they need to perform well at home and get points, but I don’t see that psychologically we are not ready to go to Anfield and be ourselves. But, if you look back over the last 15 years, there could be a question mark.”

Martinez said the 15-year drought should be a motivation to his players on Saturday but admits that serious work is required on Everton’s defending after a bad start to the season. “It is an area where we have been quite poor and need time to improve,” he said.

But the Everton manager denied that his emphasis on attacking football has been responsible for the poor defending this term. “We always work on all aspects of the game,” he added. “We want to be fantastic going forward but we want to be pristine in defence – it’s not one or the other.

“What has been the focus more than anything this week has been not to blame defenders but our defensive record. We want to defend as a team and we attack as a team. The defenders and goalkeeper have a big influence in the way we play. It’s something we can all help as a team and we do not look to pass the responsibility just on to the defenders.”

 

[jaycee]