Liverpool v Everton - Pre Match Thread

Always a tough one...but we have to win it...I pick 3-1 for us.

We just need to keep an eye on that YAKUBU...

2 -1 to us I reckon, Gerrard to score, ain't decided yet on who the other is, stuck between Babel or Kuyt.
Evertons goal will be a jammy own goal from Skrtel.

I think Skrtel is not so scattered as to let in an own goal. He's been doing fine. We let in our last own goal for the season the last time we let an own goal in.

I think Skrtel is not so scattered as to let in an own goal. He's been doing fine. We let in our last own goal for the season the last time we let an own goal in.

Well you cant really be sure that was the last OG of the season anything can happen but i dont think skrtel will score one in this game.Im confident we can win this game convincingly.

Talk on santander sports this morning of El - Nino missing Sundays game over a knock he picked.

up.

Cant wait watching it with a bluenose makes it sweeter if we win,i just hope Rafa fields a strong team and isnt thinking to much of the Arsenal game.

It should be a convincing win, silencing any critics of LFC about not making CL next season. Torres to get a brace in a 3-1 win to LFC, c'mon reds.

Cant wait watching it with a bluenose makes it sweeter if we win,I just hope Rafa fields a strong team and isnt thinking to much of the Arsenal game.

No, no, no he wont. He would surely realise the importance to the scousers in the team and supporters. Also, the confidence it would breathe back into the side if we win would put us in good stead heading into the Arse

Just can't stay away from the line up:

                  Reina

Arbeloa  Carragher  Skrtel  Aurelio
          Lucas   Alonso

Gerrard               Benanyun

             Babel

              Torres

This will be the perfect new switch to the Liverpool line up. Babel looks promising and always one most likely to score goals. Playing from the left side will require adaptation. He is a striker. He needs to mature in his natural role, not mature as a winger and then become a striker.

^I didnt know we had 2 arbeloa's

I meant Aurelio  This derby's got me thinking too much.

cahill out rest of season shame shame shame

Well I've just beaten them 8-2 on FM2008. All we need to do is sign Villa, Alves, Silva & Joaquin, job done

Just can't stay away from the line up:

                  Reina

Arbeloa  Carragher  Skrtel  Aurelio
          Lucas   Alonso

Gerrard               Benanyun

             Babel

              Torres

This will be the perfect new switch to the Liverpool line up. Babel looks promising and always one most likely to score goals. Playing from the left side will require adaptation. He is a striker. He needs to mature in his natural role, not mature as a winger and then become a striker.

Reina
Arbeloa
Carra
Sami
Aurelio
Pennant
Gerrard
Alonso
Babel
Torres
Crouch...

I'd throw Sami back in for his experience... Skrtel is undoubtedly a talent, but i think he showed a little naivety at times against the Mancs.  I know Yakubu has the pace to threaten, but i think Carra and Sami have the experience to deal with it.  I'd definitely start with Pennant and Crouchie in this one and go at the fuckers right from the start.

                   Reina

Arbeloa     Carra   Sami    Aurelio

Pennant  Gerrard Alonso  Babel

         Crouch    Torres

Agree this could be the team to thrash the bluenoses. With SG back in his attacking midfield role and Torres playing off Crouchy.

COME ON YOU MIGHTY REDMEN - this game can't come round soon enough.

Let's not get over confident, the bluenoses are no pushovers, not forgetting how we got out ouf jail the last time. We need to handcuff that Yak fellow , deny him the shooting opportunity and half the threat is gone. Their defence tend to crowd their goalmouth and we need to move fast to deny them the chance to reorganise. Their defence is suspect of late and we need to harass them more. Don't wait for openings, there'll never be one as they would have locked all doors and we need to find ways to unlock it. Hence, the flanks will be important, i won't float the ball in as much as the bluenose defence is good at defending high balls, cut it back from the flanks to shoot.  I'd start Crouch as a decoy to keep them busy to allow others to move in and shoot. They'll definitely try to shoot from outside the box and we can't give them an inch of a space to do that while we need to pluck that hole in the midlle just outside the box to deny them the shooting opportunity. Skyrtel will need to raise his game, particularly his heading abilities as he has been pretty naive in the last game. They move fast on the attack and our defence will need to be on thier toes to sniff out any danger.

Tomorrow is going to be a VERY physical game... I just hope we get 3 points and suffer not significant injuries...

For that reason I feel a very motivated Riise, Finnan, Hyypia, Lucas and Crouch will play tomorrow... with Arbeloa, Aurelio, Skrtel, Masch and Kuyt back against Arsenal... with the previous back for the weekend Prem game.

IRWT

Agree up untill Crouch, just dont think he will figure.

Agree up untill Crouch, just dont think he will figure.

Oh yes he will my man... expect the unexpected with Rafa... just to fool Wenger and Moyes this man will put Crouchy on the park.

...and I reckon Crouchy will be bursting for a couple of good performances too.

Ive changed my mind now on our goal scorers, i reckon 2 -1 to us, with a goal from Torres and one from Crouchy, who im sure is gonna start this game.
 I am F***ing certain we will beat the bitters and do the double over them and that will  put us into a better position points wise to keep 4th spot away from the other teams that are hoping to catch up. Gonna be the perfect way to get over the manc game for the fans and the players when we win this one. Cant wait. Normally i hate derby's but this one"s got added spice with the Bitters a place behind us.

I've gone for 2-1 as well.

I feel most of us are expecting a better performance from what we seen last Sunday. It has to be better.

But these games are quite unpredictable with all the emotion and passion involved. So I hope for two things. The ref to have some common sense and make sure it's a fair game. And also for our players to have that desire and passion, channeled into their football.

After Bennetts display last weekend I'm hoping whoever's the ref tomorrow gives the game a chance to flow. But also make sure any players who are hacking for the sake of stopping someone play, are given the orders about it. Something Bennett failed to see last weekend with Torres.

Obviously it's a very tough game tomorrow. But we've got the quality to beat them. We just need all our players to turn up and be counted. Didn't really happen last week which made the result even more tough to take. So this is one of the best games to go into and get that out of our system, to produce a very good performance. If our players want the win and have confidence in themselves to get it, then I think we'll all be very happy come tomorrow night.

I wouldn't be surprised if the same team that played the mancs went out, obviously apart from Mascherano not available and Lucas coming in. But I would like to see Crouch involved at some point. He'd cause all sorts of problems in their defence with his presence, which might hinder the runs up field by the likes of Lescott - which was causing problems for us at Goodison. I don't think we should be relying on just Torres to come up with the goods and cause danger, especially at home.
Also think Gerrad playing a bit deeper will be a help. We have to control that midfield tomorrow.

Getting excited now! I hate the lead up to the derby!!

I think whoever the ref is for the derby game will be on our side for most of the game, as he would off seen the Man u game, and wont want the Kop giving him grief for the whole match if he starts acting silly.
Yes we do have quality to beat them, and i think it will show against an Everton side who are capable of putting out a good team on Sunday, but i think there going to sit back in there half for alot of the game, and any counter attack they muster up with Yakubu will be thwarted easily by our defense.

I expect crouch to be benched again I hope he does start as i think he'd bag a goal but i think his time with us is as good as up.