Pre Match: Merseyside Derby: Everton v Liverpool, Sat 24th Nov. 12.45

Great OP! A few of the big questions have been highlighted already in this thread. My take on them would be:

- Stick with 4 at the back. We had our little run with three CBs but it hampered our passing game massively for me.

- I wouldn't bring Sakho back in aft such a big game, chances are he will be a bit leggy. I'd bring back Toure and if Enrique isn't ready I'd ask Agger to deputise at left back ahead of the hapless Cissoko.

- Sturridge didn't look fit to me last night and has been off the pace a bit the last couple of games so I'd rest him.

- who cares if Luis has to fly around the world, he's the hottest players in the league right now and he will be ready to play.

- play a three man midfield for this one. Barry, McCarthy and Osman are no mugs and will play triangles all day if we go with a two man pairing.

My line up would like this:

Jonno.           Toure.          Skrtel.        Enrique

                       Gerrard.     Lucas

                               Henderson

          Moses.                                      Coutinho
                                  Suarez

Kick off at 4:45 AM here. God helps the roommates each time we score.

Love me an early kick off.

Buzzing for this. More so it's the first game back from the international break but to be a derby makes me more excited.

I'd go with Red5mans team. 2-0.

Kick off at 4:45 AM here. God helps the roommates each time we score.

         


Where is that?

Guessing India.

5:30 am here so I will venture a guess and say California

Oregon actually. But I assume it should be 4:45 AM in California too 

I don't really see why Agger is suddenly so important in the starting XI, he was poor at the beginning of the season, correctly got dropped, Skrtel has been brilliant ever since, and Sakho seems to have settled into a rhythm in the league.  I don't really see why Agger started against Fulham anyway, he hadn't done anything to regain his place, nor had Sakho done anything to lose his.  Apparently this being picked on form stuff only applies to certain players....

anyway, for me Skrtel and Sakho should be the starting CBs until one of them loses form and/or an injury occurs.

I have a slightly bad feeling about this game, think it could be a loss. Everton are very strong this season, so are we but derby's are always weird and home advantage makes a big difference.

wouldn't agree about home advantage being a big advantage, not in a Derby game. Form means nothing, league position means nothing either, its all about pride, passion and bragging rights, and the away support will be at their most vocal in these matches.

Its the unpredictablity or these games that make them so tense and exciting.

Huston we have a problem someone once said , and we have to, or BR has at least, how do beat the bitters ?

Well some sacrifice is needed sometimes and this is one occasion in which it should happen,

Firstly a solid back 4 of Johnson, Skrtle, Sakho, and Enrique, should be adequate to deal with Lukaku  & co, in front of them I'd have the usual suspects in Gerrard. & Lucas, Henderson , plus I'd stick Allen in there to, Coutinho up top with Suarez playing a kind of floating sole striker,
On paper it looks like a 4-4-2 but more like a 4-3-2-1, tactically we need to ensure we don't lose or in other words make sure we at least pick a point up, Arse will be put thru the mill playing saints so it could work in our favour,
This is a one off derby X1 and one which I would doubt Martinez would expect, we need to gain the upper hand straight away and hopefully things will go our way,

Studge won't be happy being benched but this is about keeping momentum and gaining points not boosting ones ego,

           Mignolet
Glen. Skrtle Sakho Jose
  Hendo Gerrard Lucas
       Allen. Coutinho
            Suarez

Bench ; Jones, Agger, Toure, Alberto, Sturridge, Moses Ibe

We have to at least get a point from this one, we cannot allow our midfield to be overrun aka Gooners,

I'm confident we won't lose this so I'm going for a 1-2 victorious win for the a Redmen, Suarez & Gerrard bagging the goodies.

YNWA

I don't really see why Agger is suddenly so important in the starting XI, he was poor at the beginning of the season, correctly got dropped, Skrtel has been brilliant ever since, and Sakho seems to have settled into a rhythm in the league.  I don't really see why Agger started against Fulham anyway, he hadn't done anything to regain his place, nor had Sakho done anything to lose his.  Apparently this being picked on form stuff only applies to certain players....

anyway, for me Skrtel and Sakho should be the starting CBs until one of them loses form and/or an injury occurs.

Why the hell are you focusing on Agger? Quite pointless really, as far as I can see. Whether Agger is you favored player in that position or not he is still of a standard that can be called quality. skytel has done really well after his banishment to oblivion, I am so happy he has come back as a stronger man and has been the difference between goals going in or him making the last ditch attempt, So I do agree that he has done really great, but the balance in defense seems slightly off. For the first time in ages we have a really good amount of quality defenders but in order for them to be more cohesive, the right mixture needs to be in place.
How are you even certain that Agger is going to start?
You seem to be an attention whore who winds people up so that everyone talks about you.

On the topic of the Derby I'd like to add this point;
i have no concerns and we will win by a high margin of goals. Don't care how well Everton have been playing. I'm not worried at all and refuse to be scared or intimidated by the prospect of [the team] playing Everton.

I don't care how they do it. They have got to win this match.

I don't care how they do it. They have got to win this match.

    Thats THE WAY. 

oh F**k.

Enrique out for the derby and is going to be out for a while due to surgery. 

Mirallas vs. Cissokho.... we're fu**ed.

oh F**k.

Enrique out for the derby and is going to be out for a while due to surgery. 

Mirallas vs. Cissokho.... we're fu**ed.

So you keep saying.

I don't really see why Agger is suddenly so important in the starting XI, he was poor at the beginning of the season, correctly got dropped, Skrtel has been brilliant ever since, and Sakho seems to have settled into a rhythm in the league.  I don't really see why Agger started against Fulham anyway, he hadn't done anything to regain his place, nor had Sakho done anything to lose his.  Apparently this being picked on form stuff only applies to certain players....

anyway, for me Skrtel and Sakho should be the starting CBs until one of them loses form and/or an injury occurs.

I know this one!

It's because Agger is our best defender

More or less, must win match, to keep the momentum going, start with our strongest line up. I hope that Sturridge is fit to play, Everton playing well recently, under new manager Martinez, so a tough game ahead hopefully all three points to the Reds.

don't really see why Agger is suddenly so important in the starting XI

He has started 5 games this season in the league and we have 4 clean sheets in them games. No coincidence.

This will be our third hardest game yet. Arsenal and Manchester United being one and two. I feel this could be the strongest Everton side I've seen for a while.  With the international break it's hard to judge form, however.... Suarez is in great form now and with the options we have I won't be surprised to see Everton go into this defensively.  Because of that I think we'll just edge it. 2-1 to Liverpool is my prediction for this game.

Why not play a back 4 of Johnson Skrtel Sakho and Agger...problem sorted with Jose being out and Aly lacking in confidence? I'd b happy with that.

Why not play a back 4 of Johnson Skrtel Sakho and Agger...problem sorted with Jose being out and Aly lacking in confidence? I'd b happy with that.

rather have Enrique on the fall back,  I am not a big believer in playing people out of position.

We will smash them as usual Suarez & Sturridge will both score

Bitter's 0-3 Liverpool