Merseyside Derby

jesus_thats_gre

MR NINE wrote: »

For the umpteenth time this season, I can't help but feel we'd have gotten more points from the game if we had a quality centre back. Has to be our priority in the transfer market, our defence is a shambles.

Things defo looked a lot lot better when Agger was on the pitch - both in terms of defensive stability and in terms of how effective we were as Reina played short balls out.

Skrtel has largely become a complete liability in the past few months and is slowly getting worse. On crosses, he doesn't even seem to go for the ball anymore - all he cares about it wrestling the oppossing player.

I wouldn't object to Agger/Skrtel, Agger/Carra, Agger/Soto, Carra/Skrtel and Cara/Soto. I never want to see Soto and Skrtel on the pitch together. Defensively, they were dodgy as **** but watching them look so clumsy when just passing the ball along the ground is painful.

BERBA

flahavaj wrote: »

What does it say about Everton that they still haven't managed to overtake Liverpool amidts all the turmoil of these 4/5 managerial changes. Many supporters suffer from delusions of grandeur, you my pedigree chum, suffer from delusions of adequacy.

flah the world would be a horrible place if we all followed man yoo:rolleyes:

flahavaj

BERBA wrote: »

flah the world would be a horrible place if we all followed man yoo:rolleyes:

It would be a better place without people talking sh*te with nothing except their own stupidity to back it up.

SlickRic

anyway, my 2c...

i haven't read a thing, so i don't know if any of you will agree with me, but here it goes.

well, that was a bit painful. that's the best way i can sum it up.

firstly, don't listen to the lads on Sky Sports, we weren't that good in the first half. we really weren't. Torres was beyond incredible in the first half, that was it. the rest of the team was meh enough, but we were definitely on top. i was happy at the break, and felt we could keep some control of the game, especially with Agger's calmness and ball retention, alligned with Mereiles' quality, and Torres' presence up front.

the minute Agger went off, i was fearing the worst. he keeps Skrtel in check. it's the same as what Ferdinand does for Vidic (although Skrtel/Agger aren't of that quality, but you get me). and the panic that ensued in our defence was heartbreaking.

Skrtel, all of a sudden doesn't know what he's doing, and it's 1-1. then Kelly falls awkwardly, Skrtel's left slow and flat footed again, and it's 2-1.

abysmal.

Howard gifted us the equaliser, because unless Torres was pulling out something majestic, it wasn't going to happen.

2-2 was a fair reflection, but we really should have taken advantage of the lead.

what i took from the game were these things...

1) Fellaini is potentially absolute top quality.
2) Agger is our most important defender.
3) Having 2 of Lucas, Poulsen and Spearing doesn't work. the ball will barely ever go forward. what frustrates me is Lucas has it in him, he's just scared to try it seems most of the time.
4) Torres still has it, my God, does he still have it.
5) Maxi is barely a footballer.
6) Johnson can fill in at LB. i've no earthly idea why we didn't use him more 2nd half; he potentially owned that side after his 1st half performance.
7) Kenny needs to learn to change things earlier, and with more inspiration. today, Shelvey being the only sub, for Mereiles, felt a bit of a joke. Babel should've been on for Maki as well, at the very least.

the biggest positive i took from today, is that Torres wants to play for Kenny.

no question.

he can haul us up the table if he continues to play like that.

i also can't wait for Gerrard's return.

bring on the games; we really need 6 points from the next 6.

flahavaj

Good post Slick. On Fellaini, I've been on about this guy for a long long time, he's immense. F*ck Rodwell, he's the guy I want United to get from Everton.

Biggest problem at Liverpool at the moment is that ye lose it big time when something goes wrong and look like conceding again. There is no composure whatsoever in the team.

x in the city

It wont be long now before some uber clubs put in bids for Fellaini..:rolleyes:

Rodwell is still a class player, he is young and not experienced for a game like this

but over time he can become a quality player who can easily hold down his place, Moyes is just protecting him.

I am impressed with Becks, he is getting menacing around the box, he lacked composure with all his misses, but there are signs he is going to become good.

Looking back at howard, I am surprised he was so reckless for that peno...

Revolution9

x in the city wrote: »

I like your opimistic outlook

so when Torres leaves to a big club, what does that say about potential new signings, you wont get high calibre players like that again so easily.

and yes, he will leave.

Well I guess we'll see soon as several journalists close to the club have revealed that we made an official inquiry about Suarez to Ajax tonight. If our bid is accepted and he turns us down then you may have a point.

dfx-

Paully D wrote: »

Has anyone heard reports of an Everton fan being stabbed and killed :eek:

It's all over Twitter:

http://www.google.ie/search?q=everton+fan+killed&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=17s&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&prmd=ivnsu&tbs=mbl:1&tbo=u&ei=jD0zTdeKOYm7hAeXpLj0Cw&sa=X&oi=realtime_result_group_more_results_link&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ5QUwAA

Read something from a Tony Barrett lad saying it wasn't true...well the death/stabbing side of things anyways..

LuckyLloyd

dfx- wrote: »

Read something from a Tony Barrett lad saying it wasn't true...well the death/stabbing side of things anyways..

It's been confirmed as bollix at this stage by the police and reliable media sources.

Twitter is a real bad way to source information - there I said it!

ciaran76

2-2 was a fair reflection on the game. Both teams are average at the moment which reflects in both their league positions.

Everton missed Pienarr and Artera hadn't been anything near the player he has been in the past.

Liverpool missed Gerrard and with Agger going off this changed the game in my mind.

Torres looked much better yesterday than most games I have seen him in and he could have had 2 goals. If he keeps that up Liverpool will rise in the table.

Fellani was my motm just over Kelly .

Chardee MacDennis

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

It's been confirmed as bollix at this stage by the police and reliable media sources.

Twitter is a real bad way to source information - there I said it!

They closed anfield road due to a police incident, was told by a lad later that night that everton fans and Liverpool fans had a run in and someone was killed - not true then?

Vudgie

This has probably been said already but Glen Johnson redeemed himself considerably last night. He kept Seamus Coleman very quiet and had some nice runs of his own.

citytillidie

BastardPrince wrote: »

They closed anfield road due to a police incident, was told by a lad later that night that everton fans and Liverpool fans had a run in and someone was killed - not true then?

According to the BBC someone got a broken jaw thats it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-12203489

LuckyLloyd

BastardPrince wrote: »

They closed anfield road due to a police incident, was told by a lad later that night that everton fans and Liverpool fans had a run in and someone was killed - not true then?

Not true.

Vudgie

Vudgie wrote: »

This has probably been said already but Glen Johnson redeemed himself considerably last night. He kept Seamus Coleman very quiet and had some nice runs of his own.

He had a decent game alright.

His final ball into the box let him down a few times as it was on his wrong foot.

Defensively he was pretty solid.

Skrtel on the other hand was poor again. He's becoming quite a liability at times tbh.

SlickRic

rarnes1 wrote: »

Skrtel on the other hand was poor again. He's becoming quite a liability at times tbh.

i'm telling you, Agger makes a huge difference to him.

take the Utd game.

take yesterday's first half performance.

but without him, it seems, yes, Skrtel is a complete liability. he seems to have lost any semblence of positional sense, or ability to mark. he just concenatrates on trying to foul the player and get away with it. it's embarrassing.

Third_Echelon

First half, Everton sat off Liverpool and gave them the ball. They took the ball and passed it around pretty well and created some chances... Couldn't understand why Everton were standing off, but when Everton had the ball, they did create some chances in the first half. Coleman had one in particular which wasn't far away. Without Tim Cahill linking midfield and attack, Everton were missing something up front. Beckford is still getting used to the premier league and probably isn't the best option for a lone striker. Anichebe was up beside him for a while then gradually dropped back onto the left wing as liverpool started getting a lot of possession in the middle of the park.

Second half was a different story. Moyes obviously gave them a bollocking at half time. Told them to get in Liverpool's face... and that's what happened. Everton hassled and harried... closed players down, didn't let Liverpool have the ball and got 2 quick goals. Under pressure Liverpool cracked pretty easily. An Everton team with an inform striker would have scored at least one or two more over the length of the game. Distin did very well for his goal. Got up in the air well. Liverpool's marking was pretty much non-existent, which made it a hell of a lot easier

After that the game pretty much was a bit boring... The draw was pretty much a fair result over the 90 minutes. Felliani was brilliant. He was everywhere. Breaking up Liverpool outside the Everton box, winning it in midfield and getting his head on everything in the Liverpool box. Skertyl couldn't cope with Fellaini in the air and seemed more interested in trying to foul him. Arteta was quiet enough, but he did his job well alongside Felliani. Beckford played very well. Took his goal well and starting to settle in. I think it will be next season before we see the best from him, but he's starting to look promising....

Anyway, 4 points from 6 from the merseyside derby spoils is a good return...