Everton visit Anfield in a HUGE match for both teams. Everton enters the game with a 7 match unbeaten streak. And Liverpool enter the game with a 3 match losing streak. Let's hope both teams' current form continues!! Note: the match is one hour later in the States than usual. On the East Coast the game starts at 4pm.
Busy working to finish up a project before the kickoff - that way I can watch with a (relatively) clean conscience in the middle of the workday!! COYB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just logged in to watch - project isn't quite done, but I'll survive - 11th minute, nil-nil did I miss anything big?
Today's starting Everton lineup is quite different than the one we fielded vs. Spurs 3 days ago: F: Stracq and Anichebe M: Pienaar, Coleman, Fellaini, and Rodwell D: Baines, Jags, Distin, and Hibbert GK: Howard Amazingly, Neville is on the bench. Hasn't Phil started almost every Everton game he's ever been fit to start?
Great block by Rodwell to prevent an almost certain Liverpool goal. Pienaar should have scored after a nice attacking run by Baines deep into the Liverpool box. But unfortunately Steven had to take the shot with his right foot and hit it high over the net.
Red Sh17e, up 1-0 33rd minute - Timmy makes a nice save, Gerrard gets a non-clearing clearance and puts it in the top corner. Ugh.
3-0... I was pleased to see 2 strikers (though why vic and not jela i'm not sure) but was displeased with Jags instead of heitinga - I love jags, but he's not been playing for months and it showed in his partnership with distin. they were jsut not on the same page. All three goals came from everton mistakes. ah well... no one expects to win at anfield really... next game is more important in my opinion anyway
I think it was a gamble, and we'll see if it pays off this weekend - he's rolled the dice to get through the quarters in the FA cup at Goodison on Saturday vs Sunderland - if we win and go through, then there are possibilities of hardware this year. I actually don't think it's a bad gamble - realistically, we'll have no funds for big transfers for next season - we've got Stracq and Pienaar on loan, so no assurances of who would replace them next year - Jela is starting to show some quality, Drenthe occasionally has a strong first touch - maybe, just maybe, Moyes can hold it together with baling wire and duct tape to slide through?? Ok, yes, I'm dreaming, but it's what I got.
You say Moyes "dropped the ball today" with his starting lineup but who would you have started instead? I can't see any disagreement on starting Howard, Baines, and Distin. I prefer Hibbert over Neville at right back (though of course Tony does have his detractors). I could see why you might want to start Heitinga over a rusty Jagielka, but that one to me is a tough call. Fellaini has been playing well so I think Moyes was smart to start him. And Pienaar is probably our best option at left wing. Rodwell is a bit inconsistent, but I prefer him starting over Neville or Gibson. I do prefer Drenthe on the right wing over Coleman, but I don't think Coleman is a huge liability. Some people have said that Moyes made a mistake starting both Anichebe and Stracq since they play similar styles. So I would agree it probably would have been better to start Jelavic (and have Anichebe on the bench). Of course, Moyes could have fielded a 4-5-1 formation with either Cahill, Gibson, or preferably Osman at midfield. But I like to see us play a 4-4-2 when the team is basically healthy since Everton has seriously lacked scoring punch this season.