April 7 & 8 - Some Derbies Going On

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Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
After City went through them like the SS through Belgium, Fat Sam goes back to the trusty defensive midfield pair of Wayne "I Should Have One Of Those Badges That Mercedes Hands Out For 500,000 Miles On This Car Stamped On My Forehead" Rooney and Morgan "I Long Ago Stopped Even Pretending To Give A Shit" Schneiderlin.

this should go swimmingly.
 

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Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
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The 718
Hey, what do you know, Toffees actually looking lively. No real quality yet, but not sleepwalking like last week.
 

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Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
Klavan with an awesome powerful strike at his own goal in a really stupid clearing attempt.

If looks could kill he'd be dead after the glare Karius gave him.

Some dude had a point blank chance for Liverpool but Pickford made a great save.
 

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Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
Where have these Toffees been all year? This is what Goodison wants to see.
 

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Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
Half hearted press from Liverpool all match....looks like a training exercise for defensive shape
You can't expect Liverpool to have any kind of juice for this game. After this craptacular season this is Everton's cup final. You can't tell me that Liverpool cares as much, their minds are on the CL and they should be. A win for Liverpool is getting out of this soggy pitch without an injury.

I don't think Everton can keep up this pace for 90 minutes though. Already flagging a bit.
 

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Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
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The 718
Rooney is a great midfielder, except for the parts where he can't hold onto the ball, can't dispossess anyone, and is slow.
 

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Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
As slow as Liverpool look in the press, Everton are even slower in possession
Davies has pace and energy but his touch on the ball leaves a lot to be desired.

Bolasie is fast but erratic.

Walcott- is Theo Walcott.

The one thing Rooney can supposedly do is pass and he just got the ball in acres of space about 40 yards out with men ahead of him and banged it right at Karius, not within ten yards of a blue shirt.

Schneiderlin has been pretty good today actually but has been awful all year.

Gueye is great at tackles and winning possession in front of the back line. He doesn't have loads of skill going forward.

Baines and Coleman have always been sparkplugs for the attack going forward but they're old and have both been out for the better part of the year.

Tosun is the real deal but is isolated. He does great when he gets service but he usually doesn't.

After an energetic start Everton is starting to revert to form - they lose games in the middle of the pitch. Their midfield can't compete for possession and can't move forward and it's only a matter of time before a team with superior skill players finds a way through.
 

koufax32

He'll cry if he wants to...
SoSH Member
Dec 8, 2006
9,092
Duval
I've seen better halfs of football.
One team is spectacularly mediocre and the other’s priorities are:
1. No injuries
2. Don’t exhaust energies
3. Practice defensive shape


4. Hold on for a 0-0 draw






5. Push for the 3 points
 

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Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
Sam needs subs but he even sucks at setting the bench. Rooney has to come off, he's been terrible. Gueye for Rooney is a good switch but doesn't help in attack. Despite one great strike that almost beat Karius, Bolasie has not been good. His whole game is pace and he's been sluggish both forward and back. But there's no wide player in the squad to sub in for him. Calvert-Lewin, maybe. There's absolutely no reason to have both Calvert-Lewin and Niasse in the squad.

NBC crew shredding Everton for failing to compete against Liverpool's B team. 100% right.
 

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Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
If Sam isn't canned at the end of the season...

Rooting for this team reminds me of rooting for the early-90's Butch Hobson Red Sox. i.e. game watching experience = smashing my nuts with a hammer again and again.
 

CPT Neuron

Got Pitching?
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Dec 4, 2001
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I'm curious to see Pep's set up at lunch.....is Klopp so deep in his head that he feels there is no way back from a 3-0 hole and push for closing the league down or does he decide he has a chance Tuesday and play for the draw and no injuries?
 

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Sunny von Bulow
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
I'm curious to see Pep's set up at lunch.....is Klopp so deep in his head that he feels there is no way back from a 3-0 hole and push for closing the league down or does he decide he has a chance Tuesday and play for the draw and no injuries?
Maybe clinching the league at home against United would be an incentive to start the A team?
 

fletcherpost

sosh's feckin' poet laureate
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Jul 15, 2005
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Glasgow, Scotland
One team is spectacularly mediocre and the other’s priorities are:
1. No injuries
2. Don’t exhaust energies
3. Practice defensive shape

4. Hold on for a 0-0 draw


5. Push for the 3 points
I think Liverpool can go straight to 5. The squad players who are getting a start should be running up and down the park, poppin veins. It's a great chance to put in a good performance & catch Klopp's eye. Without Salah and Firmino, Liverpool are short on craft in and around the box.

I'd like to see Ings get a goal.
 

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Sunny von Bulow
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
And Bolasie for Calvert-Lewin.

Rooney evidently pulling a nutty and going back to the locker room to sulk.
 

fletcherpost

sosh's feckin' poet laureate
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Jul 15, 2005
12,139
Glasgow, Scotland
This game is a bit like watching England V England. Milner and Henderson in the Liverpool engine room, hard working, but predictable. Everton are a team fired in the furnaces of boredom.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
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Dec 12, 2004
27,164
Cambridge, MA
Not sure why Ings is wasting his breath calling Coleman a diver when Calvert-Lewin's a few feet away waiting to come on
 

allstonite

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Oct 27, 2010
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Somehow no cards even though Coleman was chasing Ings around looking for a fight
 

Clears Cleaver

Lil' Bill
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Aug 1, 2001
11,370
Everton is being dominated by Liverpool’s second team. They should be embarrassed by this effort
 

CPT Neuron

Got Pitching?
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Dec 4, 2001
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Biddeford, ME
Serious question.....which team is more frustrating to support -

A team that can score in bunches but defends like children (Liverpool)

Or

A team that seems to be decent defending but can throw salt in the ocean (Everton)?