Everton fan Blake Dutton provides the view from Goodison Park ahead of Sunday's derby. How's life as an Everton supporter? Looks like I'll have to start with a cliché to fit in with your Merseyside derby clichés theme... It's the hope that kills you. We had a very good first half to the season, the football we played was excellent at times. However, we were unable to turn our dominance into three points in far too many games - and then when we needed to kick on we failed to add to the squad in January. From the outside it may look like we're around and about where we have been for the last few seasons but we know we've been very close to taking a bigger step forward and not quite made it. How will you be feeling on Sunday morning and what's your derby day routine? I normally bounce wildly between nervous and agitated, then excited and confident before settling back finally to nervous and agitated. I've long since given up on going to your place so normally find myself in a local boozer for the game. We've had an horrendous run at Anfield for a decade or more now. We haven't turned up for many derbies in recent years. For some reason the team seems to have a real mental block around the derby currently and can't match the physicality Liverpool bring to game. Who is making you tick at the moment? Over the season Baines, Fellaini and Osman have been our driving forces. However, over recent weeks Coleman and Anichebe have been our shining lights. Now Coleman has dropped back into his preferred role he is rapidly turning into a very accomplished attacking full-back. Best way to beat this Everton side? Turning up has been enough over recent years. We tend to play a high back line and like to keep the ball in the final third, which does make us susceptible to fast counter attacks. Especially with two attacking full-backs. Which does play into your hands currently, as you possess pace up front. Gibson will be missed if he is not back. I think we need Fellaini and Gibson to play centrally to control the midfield but fear Gibson may not be back or Fellaini will be pushed higher up. What have you made of plans for Liverpool fans to hold up a 'Thanks' mosaic? I have only just heard about this and think it's a very good idea. Thankfully the rest of the country seems to be clocking on eventually to the awful truths surrounding this tragic event. The people of Liverpool have always been united behind the campaign for justice. This should never have been a single club's fight, but the whole of football's. We all know people who were there or affected by that day and have been proud to stand up alongside you and support the families affected. We've run a piece on Merseyside derby clichés this week - what's your favourite derby cliché? Players giving 110 or 150 per cent does my head in, derby or not. Local bragging rights is also a touchy one in recent years. I remember when local bragging rights meant who won the league, rather than where we finish mid-table. You beat us twice last season in the league and still finished below us. The same could happen this season. Final league position is more important than an individual game. Who's your all-time derby hero, and your all-time derby villain? Graeme Sharpe's volley is by far my favourite moment. I'm certainly too young to remember Dixie Dean "I used to stick the ball in the net and bow three times to the Kop. They never liked me doing that" and his 18 league goals against you. Ian Rush must be my villain, having been responsible for much of our pain in the mid to late 80s with all his goals. But I also remember some awful perm and tache combo's that push him close. Prediction? Think we'll take a point home (1-1, Mirallas and Sturridge) but see our slim chances of Europa League dashed. {LINK}
"I remember when local bragging rights meant who won the league" lets hope them days return very soon i went for a 1-0, be a tight game but hopefully we will edge it. anyone think 9pts from the remaining games will see us finish above Everton, or we have shot our selves in the foot too many times and stay where we are?
Firstly, I can't see us getting nine points, we are bound to **** up in one of the game (I'll predict it will be against QPR). However, if we did get nine points I think we would get fifth with agent Rafa coming to the rescue on the final day of the season
Everton defender Sylvain Distin has mocked Liverpool fans before Sunday's Merseyside derby, claiming they are "begging for a mistake" from him. Distin was at fault when the teams met in last season's FA Cup semi-final, under-hitting a backpass that allowed Luis Suarez to score at Wembley. But the Frenchman tweeted on Friday: "My red followers been very quiet this season. I wonder why? Now they beg me for a mistake to make them feel better. "I am feeling sad for them." Sixth-placed Everton are five points and one place ahead of Liverpool in the table with three games remaining, and will be guaranteed to finish ahead of their neighbours for a second successive season if they win at Anfield in the Premier League for the first time in 14 years. In last season's semi-final, Distin's backpass failed to reach Everton keeper Tim Howard and Liverpool striker Suarez was only too happy to take advantage to equalise before Andy Carroll's goal sent the Reds back to Wembley for the final against Chelsea. But former Manchester City player Distin says he is using last year's Wembley disappointment as a motivation for this weekend's clash. "It's strange because when people ask me for my highlight of last season I often mention the semi-final," he told Everton's website. "Some people don't understand why I'd say that, but I learned a lot about myself and my team-mates, the staff here and the fans. "You see what people really feel. Also you learn a lot about yourself." Distin has featured in 31 of Everton's 35 top-flight games this season, including a 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Goodison Park last October. Asked what it would mean to him personally if Everton secured a first Anfield win during his 11-year Goodison reign, Toffees boss David Moyes said: "Nothing personally. "For Everton - for the team and the supporters - it will mean an awful lot, but personally, it is not an important thing really. "I'm looking forward to trying to get a result for the supporters." Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says he has not found a replacement for long-serving defender Jamie Carragher. Carragher will play his 30th and final Merseyside derby on Sunday after announcing the end of his playing career. He will join Reds stars Ian Rush, Bruce Grobbelaar, Alan Hansen, Ian Callaghan and Ronnie Whelan in having played at least 30 times against the Toffees. But Rodgers says he is yet to identify a replacement for the 35-year-old. "Jamie has obviously been a colossal player and still is for the club and if you lose someone of that magnitude it can be difficult," said the Northern Irishman. "The job is to look at other possibilities and move forward. We've looked at some players but there is nothing concrete." {LINK}
Asked what it would mean to him personally if Everton secured a first Anfield win during his 11-year Goodison reign, Toffees boss David Moyes said: "Nothing personally. that i find hard to believe, esp the way he commentates on some of our matches, you can see him biting his tongue, doesn't sound like nothing personally to me lol, he would take great pride in it, why cant he admit that!
I hate this fixture tbh, the Anfield derby is one I have few fond memories of. I just hope that we turn up & play our game tomorrow & not freeze like we have done in previous years. We're capable of coming to Anfield & standing toe to toe with you these days, as you're no better than us. I just hope that Moyes sends them out with that mindset & doesn't revert to type for once.
If he said it was a big deal to him, he'd get slated for it being 'his cup final' so he couldn't win. He's playing it down due to his ****e record at Anfield, I'm 100% positive that he'd be leaping round like a lunatic if we turned you over tomorrow, as he gets stick from us over his derby record & the attitude he instils in the side for this fixture in particular.
you have been for years tobs, form doesn't usually mean much in these games. you could be top of the league and we could be bottom but that would mean diddly as far as these games go, as usually we don't see pretty on the eye football, its very competitive and hustle and bustle type of games. be interesting to see how Coutinho if he plays copes with this type of game, as i don't think he has played against Stoke, but might be wrong.
See the cliches thread I just posted I agree with Tobes here, I think Moyes is just playing it down. He would obviously love to win a derby but if he says that he puts pressure on his self and his players. I unfortunately have a gut feeling that Moyes' 'no wins at Anfield' record is going to change. I'm sure Shogs and Tobes wouldn't be saying they hate the Anfield derby for a while after that either (might have to ban them both from our board for a fortnight too )
There was a time when these fixtures were just 100 mph scraps with little actual quality football played. I think that's changed a bit in the last few years. The derby at Goodison last season when that tit Atkinson sent off Rodwell was shaping up to be a classic, with both sides playing some nice stuff, before that prick ruined 40,000 peoples derby entertainment with his idiotic decision. The 2-2 last year was a good game to watch & I think tomorrows game (once it settles down) could be equally entertaining for the neutral at least. As despite the 'Stoke' jibes (not funny anymore btw) even you lot will concede that we play attractive football these days, so it has the potential to be a quality game. Shame rat face isn't playing tbh, as IF we managed the seemingly impossible & got 3 points tomorrow, you'll merely use his suspension as the excuse
damn right lol, either that or we will just say well done on wining your cup final we have done alright so far with out him, might be one of them blessing in disguises for us though,for now at least, as last game a few players upped their game, long may it continue.
Don't bank on it, the noises he's been making in the last few weeks, don't sound like those of a man who's about to walk. Thanks for all the neg rep btw
Still no contract so he could just be waiting to hear the transfer budget before he packs his bags. It shouldn't take too long to bubble wrap the one FA cup runner-up medal and his three LMA trifle bowls.
If you **** Brenda off It wouldn't take him long to bubble wrap his LFC medals would It and he's Invested a large amount of cash to get his "haul" as well Hit me with some more neg rep....like I give a ****... Look forward to the "It Isn't his team yet" and "Next year bla bla" Droan droan droan reply..
we would never give him the chance to be a failure for 10 yrs, so don't need to worry on that score. next year will be our year
Got a bad feeling about the law of averages and all that, which is strange as before last year's semi I was the only red in my family and friends who was really confident.
I'm always optimistic before any game. The realist in me knows it can go either way, but I never have that feeling of foreboding that some have.
I am not worried about It...As for you wouldn't give him a chance to be a failure for 10 yrs I wouldn't be so cocky If I were you with the likes of Man C,Chelsea and Man U having far superior squads and deeper pockets than LFC (and EFC) Realistically you are only going to be In with a shout for cups like us lol You have spent a fair amount of money and still lie 7th(still below skint Everton) with 3 games left up 1 place from last year a great return for millions spent eh? You lot give Moyes **** for not achieving but you would all ditch Brenda Brent In a flash and welcome Moyes to replace him...
