This will be an interesting derby to watch, because for the first time in what seems like an eternity, Everton don’t have a blood and thunder football type of manager. Moyes, Smith, Kendall and Royle all worked with the tools they had, and tools is an apt word as their football could be described, at best, as agricultural.
Now though they have Roberto Martinez, they’ve sold the Man with the Most Dangerous Elbows in the World and they’re playing a much more fluent brand of football.
Usually derby games start at 100mph, with tackles flying in at a quicker rate than TIE Fighters defending the Death Star, and no one is able to string more than two passes together. You can’t really see that happening now with the two managers that both teams have in charge, as the type of game described above is a bit of an anathema to the both of them; but will the DNA of the fixture override that?
Liverpool has a few injury concerns going into it, and that might end up picking the team for Rodgers. Those injuries might also decide the formation that Rodgers ends up picking. After reverting to a more traditional four at the back against Fulham at home, Rodgers might be persuaded that going with three at the back, with one man up front and three supporting him, might have to be revived.
The biggest concern is left back now that Enrique is out indefinitely with the knee injury that’s been bothering him for the last month. Enrique isn’t a world beater but he’s the best we have in that position, and having seen the ‘support’ that Aly Cissohko has provided, left back is now a big problem. At the moment Cissohko seems the likely choice but at a push Rodgers could opt to put Agger there or switch Johnson to the left. Agger is a fine defender, and he does like the odd run forward, but he’s no left back in the style Rodgers likes; he’ll give solidity but little else. Of course when the other option is Cissohko, who seems to offer neither solidity nor attacking verve, then picking someone who at least does one thing, seems the smartest play.
Switching Johnson to left back at least means that right back is easier to cover. Although putting Kolo Toure there means that you’re also sacrificing some attacking flair for defence. Kelly’s still not up to full fitness so the other choice is Henderson. With him at right back you’re not getting an outstanding defender or attacker, but you are getting a solid all-rounder.
Moving Henderson there very much depends on the fitness of Gerrard, and to a lesser extent, Sturridge. My gut reaction is that both will play despite their mid-week excursions with England. They both only played one game and, despite the amount of harrumphing Liverpool fans have done about them playing, their schedule is no different than if Liverpool had played last weekend.
Now despite all that I’ve written, and based on Gerrard and Sturridge both being fit, I’d pick the same team as Fulham, and yes, that includes Cissohko at left back. Gerrard may not be able to last the full ninety minutes but Allen had a good outing in the international break so he can provide cover for the last thirty. Skrtel and Agger are a tried and trusted partnership and despite people’s well founded fear of Lukaku, I feel more secure with players who are familiar with each other in games like these. How tired our Uruguayan striker is might be a factor too, he’ll certainly not be short of energy but his body might be a fraction of time behind his brain; jet lag does that to you.
Whatever happens, this team should have no fear of going to Everton and getting a result, they’re in decent form and they have some good players but so are Liverpool; no fear, just win.
Julian Richards
Going in to the international break, the team selection for tomorrow’s derby looked relatively straightforward, but Roy Hodgson’s unquestionable ability to screw us over, even when he’s long been given the boot from the Anfield hot seat, means there are now question marks over the fitness of key players.
Enrique’s absence leaves a real quandary at left-back, but I’d still give the nod to Cissokho over Johnson, Flanagan or any of the centre-backs. He’s got plenty of experience at the top level and we’re going to have to rely on him going forward, at least until January, so he’s still the best option, for me. Johnson can play well on the left, as he has proved, but leave him in his natural position and let Baines worry about him.
As for centre-back, this really is tough to decide, but Sakho’s superb performance in midweek for France against Ukraine, plus Agger’s horror shows against Romelu Lukaku last season, mean that I would pair Skrtel and Sakho in defence for tomorrow; they’re best suited to deal with Lukaku and Mirallas, and should complement each other well. It wouldn’t surprise me to see all three start in some form, though.
The midfield three of Gerrard, Lucas and Henderson picks itself, presuming the captain is fit. If he isn’t, he deserves all the criticism he gets if he played in a meaningless friendly the midweek before a derby. I have nothing but apathy towards the national team, but I realise that most of the players care about playing for their country, and I would completely understand if it was a huge qualifying match that they needed to get a good result in. But a meaningless friendly, days before the biggest game of the season? Madness.
Hopefully Sturridge is fit enough to start, and the same applies to him re: England. If Sturridge can’t start I would definitely consider going three at the back, with Coutinho off Suarez, but hopefully he makes it. For some strange reason, the arrival of Martinez means I’m expecting this to be a good game, with the quality of football on display better than anything we’ve seen in a derby for years. But either way, I couldn’t care less, as long as we can nick the win in any way. A late, dubious offside winner from Suarez in the last minute to make up for last year would be really sweet.
Alex Woo
@woolfc
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