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Everton 0 Liverpool 0 (Jun 21 2020)


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Dave Usher

 

We waited three months for THAT?? Jesus. Even allowing for rustiness and the fact that Goodison derby games are usually dire, this was unexpectedly woeful. Suddenly the whole ‘scrap the season and decide it on points per game’ doesn’t seem like the worst idea in the world.

 

Seriously though, I don’t know what I was expecting but obviously it must have been too much because this was a really tough watch. I was far too wound up about it considering how far ahead we are and that there really wasn’t too much riding on the result. I’ll be honest, I was fucking fuming for most of this game even though I can see that's not a rational or fair reaction.

 

I thought we’d batter them without their rabid home crowd hissing them on and dragging every last ounce of effort from their players. We always twat them at Anfield but at their place it’s a different story. I put that down to their crowd. Turns out that has fuck all to do with it.

 

There was very little difference between this game and other recent Goodison derbies. We usually create one or two clear chances (this time we didn't) but generally the pattern of the game has been exactly like this one. 

 

I’ve always put it down to their players getting energised by their baying, frothing at the mouth, consumed by hating the redshite fans, but now we know different. For whatever reason, we’re just shite at Goodison. It’s the same at Old Trafford too. Why I have no idea, but the evidence is there for all to see.

 

Of course there are mitigating circumstances for this performance, not least the three month lay off that makes this and the next few games almost pre-season fixtures. “Our identity is our intensity” said Pep Ljinders earlier this season. If that’s true then we’re going to look like imposters for a while, because it’s next to impossible to achieve our usual level of intensity after such a long lay off and without a crowd to provide the adrenaline.

 

This is completely understandable, yet I didn’t think it was just the lack of intensity that was our problem at Goodison. It was more a lack of quality and of ideas. Jordan Pickford barely had to extend his little arms all night. He made saves from two free-kicks and I think that was it.

 

In open play we created absolutely nothing. Ancelotti clearly knows how to set up against us as any time Klopp has faced his teams it’s been a war of attrition. I don’t know what he does that makes it so difficult as my eye isn’t trained enough in that area. He plays with two up front and two banks of four behind, but other teams do that too and have been swept away by us.

 

Whatever Ancelotti does seems to work though. He’s a wily old fucker and obviously being Italian he knows about blanket defending. I give credit where it’s due but I also think the way we played was equally if not more responsible for how easy it looked for them. 

 

A central defensive pairing of Keane and Holgate managed to restrict us to virtually no shots on goal in open play. That's criminal. Ancelotti is good, but that’s as much on our failings as it is anything else as those two are fucking woeful, especially that donkey Keane.

 

The game started in farcical circumstances with our lads having to change in a porta-cabin in the car park and then walk onto the pitch from a side entrance. The Blues, meanwhile, had their usual dressing room and came out through the tunnel. Imagine Wimbledon making Roger Federer take to centre court by climbing through the crowd after getting changed in the bogs. It’s not acceptable. We’re the World Champs. 

 

Fucking tramps with their shitty old rickety stadium. Our lads resembled a Sunday league side as they walked onto the field. Little did we know they’d then play like one afterwards.

 

Then we had the kick off and everyone taking a knee. Everyone except Mané that is, who on the whistle took off sprinting into the Everton half and then had to sheepishly run back before kneeling! 

 

As it turns out, these farcical scenes were a sign of what was to come. Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised but I was. Hugely. This wasn’t how I expected it to go at all. All week I’ve been thinking that we’d batter Everton. I’d talked myself into a 4-0 or 5-1 win. 

 

This is just a teaser, click here to view the full report

 

Please note that Match Reports are only available to website subscribers. Subscriptions cost just £2 a month (you need to register first) and can be purchased here. 

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  • dave u pinned this topic

I was terrified before kickoff and other than possession, pointless, blunt possession, I saw nothing in the game that made me feel better. 

 

The only thing missing from your report Dave is naming Jurgen for these mad decisions - For putting Origi out wide, Ox for Minny, Lovren for anything other than calamity. 

 

How is it that other teams are able to pull out performances after a lay-off and we're not. How is it that our shambolic, pitiful display simply continues what had already become a trend before the lay-off?

 

The canned crowd noise (I too watched on Pick. Pick. Seriously? What even is that?) is absolutely ludicrous. Why. Just why. Let me hear the players. Let me hear the managers. What an opportunity missed.

 

There's no need for empty stadia. We'll look back on this in years to come and wonder how on earth this craziness happened.

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I was livid too all game. I think it's because it's so obvious where the drop off is in our squad. We can cover midfielders, but if Robbo and one of the front three are missing? Completely different team.

 

We need to strengthen these positions, and the fear is we won't and we will squander our current position of strength

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Your opening line summed up a shit game!

Like you I was also expecting 4 or 5, so disappointing.

I must have Naby blinkers on as I can't see anything he gives us?

Maybe I expected more from him based on what I read.

As it's been 30 years and a few FFS moments I think we suffer from the fear of losing it and the joy that would bring to every gobshite out there.

We know it ain't happening but until Hendo raises it the anticipation is killing us.

Got to laugh at whoever decided to include boos, they know that shower of cunts so well.

 

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It's hard to think of a telling contribution Bobby has made in derby games. There might be an assist or two somewhere (I can't remember), but he's never scored in a derby. The only thing of note I can remember is him getting shoved into the Main Stand by Holgate before sprinting back out to square up to him, because you never see Bobby losing his rag on the pitch.

 

When Big Bird went off, I'd have preferred to move Big Joe into the centre and push Ox into the left back slot (we weren't having to defend deep, and Ox has the stamina and pace to work up and down the line), and bring on a wide attacker on the right (either Mo or Man Bun). Also move Origi central. That way our overall shape would still be close to our optimum with pace and mobility in the wide areas, a midfield unit who know how to play together to telling effect, and composure at centre back.

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MOTM has to be Alisson. That was so poor, hard to say if it was poorer or not than last year.

 

Bobby had one of these games when he’s useless. 
 

They did what they had tu do, defend well, Ancelotti set them up well and they were well organized all game. He’s a down to earth coach , he knew they would have lost if they had been more adventurous.

 

Let’s see the half full glass, only five more points to go.

 

but that was awful, I had to cheer  my 11 year old son who had been waiting for that for so long. And I knew Dave would be fuming ...

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My main fear is probably that, as having crowd and team feeding off one another to perfection is such an integral component of Klopp’s method, removing our fans from that equation might have the effect of turning Hendrix’s amps and PA system off midway through a stadium gig, and handing him an acoustic. That slight worry will persist at the back of my mind no doubt, until we see a great performance which nips it in the bud. Hopefully in the next couple of games.

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Top Federer comparison.

I wasn't too disappointed with the result or the performance tbh. A derby is probably not the ideal way to re-start the season though. Just glad we didn't lose in the end.

 

Lovren. Fucks sake

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Bit harsh Dave. Would have been great if we'd have battered them and I hoped we would. But as you say, Ancelotti is no mug especially when playing against us.

 

Overall, I thought we bossed the game for all except the last 10 minutes when Degsy came on. All that was missing from our game was an end product. Ive said it elsewhere, Trent's crossing was poor virtually all game. Im really surprised he was on free kick duty all game given his crosses were poor. At least Fabinho drew a save out of pickford when he had a go.

 

It's endemic in most of our games, not just this one but we always seem to want to walk the ball into the net.  I think only Taki had a pop on goal from distance. Bobby really should have played in Naby while Moss just let that fucking gorilla in everton's defence just kick shit out of Sadio.

 

Joe was never going to replicate Milner getting down the wing never mind Robbo. I dont think Gini did well when he came on. He was knocked off the ball too easily and he tried to take the ball off Fab on the halfway line that led to an everton attack which they nearly scored. Degsy's head just went as soon as he came on and that was the only time I thought we might lose the game.

 

Not many seem to notice Joe just got a touch on Davies shot that hit the post. If he hadnt, that might have gone in.

 

Still, it is a point won in my book. Would we have won back in March when this game should have been played? Not sure as it was one of our remaining tough games.

 

We're still winning the title and all the manc and everton fans can hang onto is, we have to wait a week or two longer. But after 30 years, I'll take 5 draws from our next 5 games if that's what is needed. (I actually thing we'll beat Burnley and Villa. Palace will be tougher.)

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In our 7 last matches we have managed two wins, which was both with one goal margin against relagation candidates at home.

 

Dreadful form.

 

Lose against Palace and it will be total panic mode. 4 draws and 3 losses in the last 7 games after Palace? Not impossible.

 

15.02.20 18.30 Norwich City - Liverpool PL 0-1

18.02.20 21.00 Atletico Madrid - Liverpool CL 1-0

24.02.20 21.00 Liverpool - West Ham PL 3-2

29.02.20 18.30 Watford - Liverpool PL 3-0

03.03.20 20.45 Chelsea - Liverpool FA 2-0

07.03.20 13.30 Liverpool - Bournemouth PL 2 - 1

11.03.20 21.00 Liverpool - Atletico Madrid CL 2 - 3 e.e.o.

21.06.20 20.00 Everton - Liverpool PL 0 - 0

 

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22 minutes ago, Judge said:

In our 7 last matches we have managed two wins, which was both with one goal margin against relagation candidates at home.

 

Dreadful form.

 

Lose against Palace and it will be total panic mode. 4 draws and 3 losses in the last 7 games after Palace? Not impossible.

 

15.02.20 18.30 Norwich City - Liverpool PL 0-1

18.02.20 21.00 Atletico Madrid - Liverpool CL 1-0

24.02.20 21.00 Liverpool - West Ham PL 3-2

29.02.20 18.30 Watford - Liverpool PL 3-0

03.03.20 20.45 Chelsea - Liverpool FA 2-0

07.03.20 13.30 Liverpool - Bournemouth PL 2 - 1

11.03.20 21.00 Liverpool - Atletico Madrid CL 2 - 3 e.e.o.

21.06.20 20.00 Everton - Liverpool PL 0 - 0

 

Total panic mode? Fucking hell, good job we're only 23 points ahead of city before they play tonight else some people would be chucking themselves off runcorn bridge.

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21 minutes ago, dockers_strike said:

Total panic mode? Fucking hell, good job we're only 23 points ahead of city before they play tonight else some people would be chucking themselves off runcorn bridge.

It’s funny, but hearing that we are 23 points ahead of City seem much more comforting than hearing that we can lose it all with 4 draws and 4 losses. It is still the same scenario. As our form is dreadful, I will still say that anything is possible.

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21 minutes ago, Judge said:

It’s funny, but hearing that we are 23 points ahead of City seem much more comforting than hearing that we can lose it all with 4 draws and 4 losses. It is still the same scenario. As our form is dreadful, I will still say that anything is possible.

Don't do this to yourself. 

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Great read as usual Dave. Some of the substitutions were baffling, in terms of the positions involved. Origi has earned the right to play as a CF against these, and Mané is better suited out wide. Ox should never play in the front 3 again, it negates his dynamism driving from midfield.

 

But seeing Lovren coming on sent shivers down my spine, he's a modern day Piechnik or Kvarme. He just sends panic through the whole team. We must upgrade him this transfer window or hope Hoever can step up.

 

Allison saved us from an embarrassing defeat, showing the value of having world class in that position as opposed to Adrian or any of the others we've had. Not spectacular saves, but great reactions and concentration shown.

 

I've a feeling Keita is going to prove his worth in the remaining fixtures. There were flashes in this game. He needs to impose himself more as Hendo/Fab/Gini can do the defensive leg work giving him time and space to do the creative ambitious stuff.

 

It was a fucking slog to watch this game though. No surprise given the break and our form prior to the suspension. Like you though I thought our fitness would show in the second half, but we were largely disjointed and lacking finesse.

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47 minutes ago, Judge said:

It’s funny, but hearing that we are 23 points ahead of City seem much more comforting than hearing that we can lose it all with 4 draws and 4 losses. It is still the same scenario. As our form is dreadful, I will still say that anything is possible.

Well knock yourself out if you think we're going to get beaten 4 times in the last 8 games and only draw the other 4. If you want to talk funny, just remind me when was the last time any Liverpool team, including one that got relegated to Division 2 lost 4 league games out of 8?

 

Fact is, if we'd have played this game in March, we'd possibly have draw it.

 

I think some would be quite happy to see us blow up going on some negativity on the forums.

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I thought Everton had the smarter plan and executed it better than we did ours. They were unlucky not to score twice, never mind once. 

 

Coming after the Atletico games, the Norwich game, the Watford game and the Chelsea game I must admit to a slight worry. 

 

Looks like we're going to stumble over the line. And that's fine (we are going to win the league I've no doubt in my mind), but for next season we need to clear out the dead wood (Lovren, Origi) and either bring in some quality or start giving the likes of Jones, Elliott and Williams more game time. 

 

 

 

 

 

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I reckon Jurgen's list of priorities is:

 

Win the League 

Avoid injuries

Prepare for next season

Blood a few youngsters

Set points record 

Look pretty while doing the above

 

Bit I can't work out why Origi doesn't play centre. 

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2 hours ago, Josef Svejk said:

Touch of the Paul Tomkins about that report, Dave. It was almost as much of a slog as the match itself. Appropriately, I suppose...

Three months with no reports to write it was only going to be a long one!

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