Anfield derby scheduled days before cup semi

Utter joke!!

Robles
Holgate
Stones
Galloway
Oviedo
Deulofeu
Besic
Osman
Mirallas
Dowell
Niasse

The squad should be big enough to handle it but I wouldn't risk Lukaku for this one.

Give us a trophy!

I would take the trophy every time especially if the Red Shite win nothing. It would be nice to win both games though and anything is possible.

One thing is certain and that is there's no getting away from the fact that's a massive week for Everton Football Club.

Could define the entire club for the foreseeable future if we get through it positively.

Losing both doesn't even bear thinking about.

If the semi-final is scheduled for the Saturday Everton should insist on the derby be moved to the Tuesday – if not play the U21s against the Red Shite.

They are pointless.

There's no need for an International break on what has annually hosted Premier League fixtures (The Easter weekend).

Get together and have one more friendly by all means but not at the expense of Premier League fixtures bang at the business end of the football season.

The Euro's is for the summer, not for now.

Look at the plus points playing Wednesday then Saturday will get the team used to the Champions League schedule we will need in 2017-18 season.

No objection to giving the lads a game, but I would swap Robles, Stones and Besic, for Howard, Funes Mori and Cleverley.

The first three will be needed at Wembley.

It's too far away to know who will be fit, but if we are to win this cup, we will need to use our best players.

So anyway...

I'd probably be tempted to rest a few of the crucial players who's energy we need to be at full tilt for the cup game. Lukaku being the obvious one with perhaps Barkley and even Lennon, Baines and Coleman needing a full tank?

That would mean we could play something like this against the RS:

Robles;
Stones, Jagielka, Funes Mori, Oviedo;
Barry, McCarthy;
Deulofeu, Mirallas, Besic;
Niasse.

Assuming Niasse is meant to be worth the money we've paid for him that looks like a decent team to me....

Our players have not had the Europa League to hinder them, so, if we are good enough, why not be bold enough???

If you had an option of club or country matches, which would you rather watch?

Keep them some of them on the bench. Rest the others for the semi.

Robles
Stones
Besic
Galloway
Oviedo
Deulofeu
Pienaar
Osman
Mirallas
Kone
Niasse

Or bring back Garbutt from loan for one place.

I feel better now.

If he is fit, I would stick him in Barry's role for the next 2 games.

Since when can't highly paid pros manage two games in a week? Think tennis and what those guys cope with.

Why do we not play four league fixtures in the first two weeks of the campaign in August as they used to do up until a few years ago, this then leaving a few odd weekends for teams to catch up and play there league fixtures due to cup competitions instead of having to play three games in a week towards the end of a demanding campaign. It's ridiculous.

If the team is winning, I think some players would play every day of the week.

Club football every time for me, I couldn't give two figs about international football. I was brought up on Everton before I had a concept of international football, besides apart from our own, a lot of the players who pull on the 'Ingerlund' shirt, I wouldn't give the time of day. I will probably catch some games during the Euros, but not with the passion I do watching Everton, just to catch a bit of football.

Howard
Coleman
Galloway
Stones
Funes Mori
Gibson (is he fit??)
Deulofeu
Osman
Kone
Niasse
Pienaar

And save the legs of Lukaku, Lennon, Barkley, Cleverley, Mirallas, Besic, McCarthy, Jagielka, Baines, Oviedo & Robles.

Heitinga. Neville, Cahill, Osman and Jelavic rested for the cup against Sunderland.

I felt sick then and the idea of it now makes me feel sick. You just don't do that at Everton against that lot.

A few changes would be fair enough but an entire second string like some are advocating? Sod that.

I don't see it as one or the other – I enjoy the World Cup and European Championships immensely and have always loved watching England in competition football. The point isn't about which people enjoy most, it's about tournament football, which you can't have without qualifiers and friendly warm-up games.

Moyes deserved to get slaughtered, it was them we were playing in the semi, we were both in the same boat.

It's not about whether we are good enough to win both games (which we are). It's about knowing that if one of them gobshites gets the chance to put one of our players out of the semi, they won't think twice. How would we feel if The Ork put a knee in Lukaku's back?

Besides, think about how much it would piss them off if we showed them a game against them isn't that high on our priority list – then added insult to injury by beating them.

But would be a good time to do it.

ps: Since when did my eldest brother become an Evertonian? You always preferred rugby John!

Love it, Darren. As much as we hate them, and love to beat them, it would certainly dispel a few myths.

Let's have it right mate, there is no-one more bitter than those bastards!

Not long ago then. Would be a shame to ruin their recent run.

I say put the Under 18s out and show them the future.

:)

Lukaku is just as likely to get injured in the first 5 mins of the semi-final as he would against them lot. We don't need to wrap him in cotton wool, he is fairly durable and doesn't miss too many games with injury. Let him loose on that lot I say!

The only time I believe in fate is when it comes to Everton. If we tiptoe about they, with their fucking witchcraft, will somehow, deny us the cup. So, we give it everything, silver bullets, garlic etc. and we thump them and win the cup. Make it straightforward, no cunning plans, no putting one game ahead of another. Go for it.

We have a fairly deep squad so for the derby I would play a lot of the players who are likely to be subs at Wembley, and would put Lukaku on the bench.

If we think this schedule is tough we should remember 1985 when we played Bayern Munich away in the ECWC semi on the Wednesday, then went to Villa Park for the FA Cup semi final against Luton on the Saturday.

Pick a good side.

We have sent full strength teams over there for 15 of the last 16 years and have always fell short. Why not send the fringe players over there to have a proper in-your-face battle.

We can't possibly make our record there any worse.

Going to work the next day was torture. Footballers should play football – after all, we pay them to.

I would love to say our name is written on it, but our name, if I said it, would be TOO written on it. So, I have to say it's not our year, and by saying so it just might be. My God being an Evertonian is damaging to mental health.

10 April 1985, ECWC semi-final away, Bayern Munich, drew 0-0.

13 April 1985, FA Cup semi-final, Luton Town, won 2-1.

And we managed to win a few league games either side to capture the League.

Get a grip.

You think you're shocked Mary... err... sorry, Mark, is it now?

Imagine finding out under the public glare of ToffeeWeb that your one and only sibling has seemingly undergone gender reassignment, never bothered to tell you, and yet still has the temerity to make out that you're the one with an attachment to abnormally shaped balls. Well, I'll have you know that up until five minutes ago 'Scrotoplasty' was just a fancy name for 'bollocks bandage' to me, missy...err...mate.

Anyway... does mum know?

If we win, we will go into the Semi-Final with a huge boost. If we lose, we will go into the Semi-Final with the need to 'respond'.

Obviously, that means if we draw then we a fucked for the semi.

A heavy schedule before playing the derby on the 20th, so likely they won't be at full strength either. Sturridge couldn't possibly make it through that lot, could he?

We'd look pretty stupid if we rested a load and then put in a shitty performance in the semi and got beat.

A cup final win goes down in history a derby is just another derby against a small club!

We play the Red Shite at least twice every season. Getting to a semi-final has proved more difficult in recent times...

Never again, ta very much.

Why does it have to be an 'either ... or' situation, which game we prioritize and how strong a team we put out?

Why can't it be an 'and ... and' scenario? Send out a strong team in both games AND win both games.

The 'poo are also piling up a backlog of fixtures, have more injury problems than us and similarly, both of our semi-final opponents will also be playing on the same night before the Wembley game, coincidentally against the other 2 semi-finalists.

Any player can get injured at any time, even at home or in training, never mind just actual games.

Time to think like a big club again and seek to win EVERY game.

"Big clubs" do it all the time and win trophies.

I bet most of the "play a 2nd string team" guys were bitching about Moyes's "knife to a gunfight" comment! We are Everton! We have the players to do this, they just need to be mentally strong!!

They need to get out there and show the watching world that we can be a brave, challenging, top football team again. How would you all feel if we WON at Anfield and Wembley in the space of 4 days!! Bring it on and go for it!!!

Superb!

Lets get it right:

Bayern Munich away on Wednesday night.

On Saturday, struggled like fuck and were lucky to beat a poor Luton side with a half-injured Sheedy, Bracewell and Gray. If it hadn't been for big Nev at Villa park, Luton would have put us out.

"Big clubs" do it all the time and win trophies.

I presume you mean field weaken teams? In early rounds of English cup games, certainly.

Against their strongest direct competitors in the league, never.

I look at our record at Anfield and I have to ask: Why the fuck not? Why not send a team of fringe players over there to play with absolutely no fear? That's not surrendering – it's using your squad to maximum effect.

The other way around? There are still 10 league matches to play. We can't sacrifice them all. And certainly not the biggest one.

I am with you on that one, it would be typical Everton, having not won there for 17 years, to send an unknown team out, that will confuse the shit out of them and win.

Imagine Hibbert starting.

Then go and win the semi-final.

Then go and win the FA Cup.

How many times has our manager put two victories together at home this season, and now you expect him to do it at an away ground and a neutral venue in the space of three days?

I desperately want us to win this cup but I think if we put a weakened team out against Liverpool it will backfire on us.

Only when the game stops, meaning everything, will the dread of playing them end!

People might shout me down on my last paragraph, but think how bad they become, when they couldn't beat Joe Royle.

They couldn't wait to beat us, and it made them a lot more irrational, especially when Big Joe, used to smile and come out with one of his little jokes.

I would have loved this game to be played after the semi final date, because they will be absolutely gutted if we get to the cup final. I might have even broken a long self-imposed ban!

Putting aside I was addressing your specific point about big teams fielding weakened teams in selective games, we ARE competing in the league Darren.

38 times.

It matters and all the more so when it's t'other lot.

I get the argument about avoiding injury and fatigue ahead of the semi-final. But equally, a team and players retains its competitive edge by playing in big games.

And like it or not, but the Derby games are the biggest of the lot.

Because Martinez doesn't pick them?

We can go there with a team of players who have been or are considered first team players. The best team is in the eye of the beholder.

Forget all this "playing the stiffs", Players like Howard, Osman, Stones Galloway, Gibson, Deulofeu, Mirallas, Cleverley, Niasse, Pienaar & Besic will all consider themselves first team players and will no doubt all have to contribute in the future. Who says they won't make a better fist of it than Robbie's current first eleven?

Beating the shite would be a massive bonus too but can we have a referee who doesn't give penalties for that game. Seems like they get a penalty almost every game.

If we lose, our players will be motivated even more, if we win then it'll bring self belief.

Drawing might not do much admittedly.

I get the distinct impression they're slowly pulling away and that Norwich have been sucked in. I don't think Newcastle will survive because our loveable former RS manager is known for defending not attacking and he has feck all in either departments at the Geordies.

I think Sunderland will still be cagey by the time we play them.

It would be amusing to see Newcastle relegated with Benitez in charge.

This is a no win situation for the manager but I would prefer to rest our key players especially Lukaku, Lennon, Barry, Barkley, Coleman and Jagielka.

Surely we all know what's going to happen to Lukaku with Belgium? If his own team don't nobble him in training then the Portuguese will have a crack.

Anyone sent off will miss the semi-final and those bastards will know that. Given the way refs give out cards like confetti these days, we've no chance of staying with 11 men on the pitch.

We'd be far better picking 11 lads out of the away end before kick off.

We have the deepest squad we've ever had. I can't see the problem. Just play our strongest side available in both matches and win them both.

Liverpool, Man Utd and West Ham Utd all have similar fixture list issue – it's just the way it is in England. And to win at Anfield (highly possible – even probable for once) would be a great boost prior to the semi-final.

Robles:
Coleman, Jagielka, Funes Mori, Baines;
Barry, Besic;
Cleverley, Lennon, Barkley;
Lukaku.

Play the almost equal best XI against the RS:

Howard;
Coleman, Jagielka, Stones, Oviedo
Besic, McCarthy,
Mirallas, Osman, Deulofeu,
Lukaku

7 players rested! Robles, Funes Mori, Baines, Barry, Cleverley, Lennon, Barkley,

COYB!

I love the derby but it's not as important as getting through the semi-final. I'm desperate for us to win the cup. These chances may not come around again for some time. We should ensure players are in peak condition for the Saturday and the end must justify the means. If that means doing what we did in '66, we should definitely do it.

Success breeds success, that's the way to go.... and hopefully it will happen.

At least this way, Martinez will have one less excuse to pull out of his sleeve if it goes belly up during the cup.

Except those spawny bastards will go and win the Europa League AND the League Cup

Of course, if they do win the Europa League, they'll qualify for the Champions League next season. No doubt if by some miracle we got to the final next season, UEFA would suddenly switch that rule back again.

Just because we're paranoid doesn't mean it's not a great big massive fucking conspiracy!

The RS are absolute garbage, Klopp has no idea how to get the best from Benteke and they have a keeper who makes even more howlers than Tim Howard.

The RS have a number of games over a short period of time if the get past Man Utd in the Europa League. For them, the Europa League is going to be the priority as they have nothing else to play for. They are going to be knackered by the time they get to us. As they are average at best anyway, they should be there for the taking in the league game. Why not play a full strength squad.

However, if Lukaku or Barkley or Barry or Jagielka picks up an injury in the game or end up with tired legs, we'll be at a disadvantage for the semi. It is a very winnable game and anything can happen on the day of a final. As Man Utd and West Ham Utd both have something to play for in the league they will have both put out full strength teams midweek. This will suit us come the semi-final.

I say rest Lukaku, Barry and Barkley midweek and play a slightly weakened team. I'd be happy with a draw and a fully fit squad on the day of the semi-final.

The season is a write off as far as the league is concerned, if we win the derby but lose the semi I'd be mortified.

Lukaku, Barkley, Lennon and McCarthy could be rested with Niasse, Osman or Pienaar, Deulofeu and Gibson used as replacements.

Would also be worth considering blooding a youngster or two, local lads and seeing what they can do in such hostile surroundings. Could be lamb to the slaughter, could be a fast track, worth a punt in my opinion, especially as pre season isn't far off and any wrongs can be put back right soon enough.

I don't think that we should go too weak for the derby game. Our second string is not great. People talking about playing Pienaar and Hibbert. Really! Liverpool would run all over them. Hibbert has not played all season......but now he should play against Liverpool. Not for me. Would rather play a youngster. And that also would be risky.

In an ideal world, I want Everton to win the derby match. Then win the cup match. Lovely Jubbly....sorry for stating the bloody obvious. That's what we all want. But in the greater scheme of everything........the big picture. What will be remembered next year.....what will be remembered in future years. A win in a derby match....or winning the FA cup. I can live with a derby defeat (should it happen). And that is the only time that you will hear me say that...A derby defeat would be forgotten , and resigned to history. But to throw away this great chance (this year) of actually winning the FA cup.......well that would be bordering on unforgivable. We need to give our players the best possible chance to win this semi final.

To have to play Liverpool in the same week as our cup match is unfortunate. But Man Utd and West Ham are also playing. What has happened these days, that our players seem to struggle with a couple of games a week? I can remember, as a youngster, Everton playing Man Utd (home and away) in the space of three days. And winning both games. No tiredness....No nonsense. Those were the days.....

And just a last point on referees. I have previously said that ( as the standard of refereeing is so poor), that an important football match will someday, be won or lost by a poor decision. Let's hope that that is not the case in our semi final. We have already been done out of the League cup....for something similar to happen again, would be ........well .....you get the picture.

Tough few weeks ahead. But we need to start winning these type of games. We really do.....so let's make a start. Beat Arsenal, and get this band wagon rolling.....Up the Toffees.....

Saturday night: GK Robles, RB Coleman, LB Baines, CD Jagielka, CD Funes Mori, CM Barry, CM McCarthy, RM Lennon, ACM Barkley, LM Cleverley, CF Lukaku.

Only Funes Mori required to play both games. Hibbert, Osman and Howard have ample derby experience (albeit not very successful). The likes of Deulofeu, Mirallas, Besic and Oviedo hardly make it a weakened team.

The cup absolutely must be prioritised. In the similar scenario 4 years ago, we did not have enough strength in depth to play such a decent '2nd string'.

It's not even about being tired, it's about getting a niggly injury that will affect the semi and more importantly, this is a game, that historically, ends up with lots of cards and reds.

Why take the chance? we are doing shite all in the league and it's only Liverpool.

Rest some players, especially Barry and Lukaku.

From that perspective I wouldn't risk our more important players in the fixture, ie, Lukaku, Barkley, Barry, Jagielka, because even if they don't get injured by the other lot there is a fair chance the referee will find an excuse to dismiss one of them 'farily' or 'unfairly' and they would then miss the Wembley date.

Whilst it would be nice to beat the other lot at their place, the cup on this occasion means so much more and who knows the replacement players may just provide a victory for the Blues. Having said all of that I don't want us helping them in their quest for Champions League football either – sod it! send a full strength side there and come away with all three points, we can worry about the cup when it comes around – great being a blue isn't it?

The confidence boost that a victory at Castle Greyskull would give the team and fans would be immeasureable!

Imagine going to Wembley on the back of a victory at Anfield, Besic screamer sealing the win.

I know some of our LFC obsessed fans would probably rather win the derby than the semi, but for me the game at Wembley is total priority .

We have a reasonably deep squad. Let's utilise it, we don't have to play a team of kids or anything, and even at full strength, our neighbours hardly look scary these days.

And for me we really need the Sunday semi-final to give any first choice players who may play at Anfield as much rest as possible.

I don't want Everton to roll over anywhere, least of all over the park, but we can't ignore the facts that they always seem to manage to derail us, regardless of whether they are facing us out on the park or not.

By the time we play them, depending on results up to that point, the game may only be for local pride anyway, and I would get far greater pride from watching an Everton captain lifting the FA Cup than some soon forgotten victory against the other lot.

Answer, rotation; either alternate games or alternative halves.

Keeping the rotation policy going as a 4-2-4 with a midfield set-up applied to any combination pairing of Barry, Besic, McCarthy, Cleverly.

Similar for the back four. With combinations of Coleman, Galloway (where's he gone?) Stones, Jagielka, Funes Mori, Oviedo, Baines and Browning.

Similar for the front four with aforementioned Lennon, Deulofeu, Mirallas, Barkley, Niasse, Lukaku, any two from Kone, Osman, Rodriguez, and Henen.

Rotation, rotation, rotation (as the property salesmen keep telling us!).

Interesting with Barry out for this weekend if we will go back to the 3 centre-backs again. Will that mean Besic, McCarthy and Barkley with Lukaku and Lennon ahead?

I've been wondering actually if we will ever see Barkley and McCarthy (or Besic) behind a front 3 of Niasse on the left, Lennon on the right and try Deulofeu behind Rom. Lots of pace and penetration.

I won't be surprised if our semi-final opponent rests on their midweek game. A better chance to lift the trophy, by all means take it.

Galloway played in the U21 match against Sunderland on Monday which we lost 2-3 and looked the worst player on the pitch.

He looked totally bereft of confidence and his concentration was very poor.

So by all means compete for the Cup and let the Liverpool first XI have the derby. Seems a built-in excuse for not beating Liverpool again. Is this what "big clubs" with aspirations really do? Besides, why win the Cup for European football if we are so afraid of being able to handle two games a week?

I want Everton to smash the Reds and go all out against the Hammers or the Red Chevy team, and win that too. I want Everton to develop a winning ( not whining) mentality no matter what the fixture list or competition. Yes, there are risks of injury and cards but is there really a guarantee of winning the FA Cup if a certain player or players are rested? Besides, isn't that what substitutions are for?

So let's say Rom gets injured by RS, what would you do then? Wish Kone becomes Rom Mk 2? I hate the RS, but winning, drawing or losing to them isn't going to make or break our lost season.

Brilliantly put, could not agree more. No point in doing anything but sending out the strongest team we can, and we really owe the RS.

As a confidence-booster what better than turning them over a few days before the semi? It would be fantastic. Go out there with half a team and we could get a mauling. For me, it's not worth the risk.

No, we've not turned into a little club like Wigan.

After watching my club last lift a cup 21 years ago I want to see Everton actually win something. The leagues gone this year. If we were playing the RS at any other time it would be totally different, but it's not. This is the first time we've been semi-finalists since the 80's (we were underdogs in 95 & 09) where can go to Wembley feeling confident... That is, if we have our best side.

I don't want the spine of our team risked against the RS. They mock us saying that the derby is our cup final. You don't think they wouldn't rest their star players for a game of that magnitude coming up if they hadn't won a major trophy in two decades?! No, they'd rest players because winning a cup supersedes bragging rights.

I posted earlier in the thread that we should send out the U21 team and Tim Howard in goal. Yes, it was tongue in cheek, but looking at the squad we can still rest. Rom, Barkley, Lennon, McCarthy, Jags and Baines and still give them a game.

I'd play Niasse, Kone and Deulofeu as the front 3 and have Mirallas and Dowell as attacking options from the bench. Bring Gibson from cold storage to replace McCarthy or Besic. Go into the game with no expectations and we'll probably break our Anfield hoodoo.

I advocate we go with a team that Martinez does not want to play at Wembley and have a right good fucking go. You on the other hand are so terrified of the shite, you think we should take unnecessary risks of injury to players, who may be the difference between winning the cup and not... and you think you are the one who is being positive ?

You make me laugh you Martinez acolytes who think you are all "positive like". Like him you are full of empty bravado and a losing mentality – that's why you are delighted that we got to the other semi – despite being sent packing the first time we came across a semi decent team.

I really look forward to you furiously back tracking WHEN – not if – the ultra positive Martinez decides to rest players in the Derby.

Sometimes (even in for Roberto ) logic will trump Bravado and common sense will be seen as the REAL positive.

You've got to laugh when logic becomes so twisted, that absolute faith in your squad players is seen as a negative.

I say let's put out our strongest team against the RS and go all out for the win. The bonus of increased confidence and team spirit a victory would give us cannot be measured. If we lie down and die against Liverpool, it will create a massive downer within the club and amongst the fans and we will struggle in the semi-final.

Why can't we try and win both? We're men, aren't we?

I am a little surprised that there are so many that have that ability to be so sanguine about the derby result. Beating them on their turf can be step one in our present evolution. Martinez needs to get the rest of this season right. Amen.

It'll be a great chance to give games to fringe players and young hopefuls and a great snub to Liverpool by showing them to be irrelevant compared to the FA Cup big picture; not going would show the correct degree of contempt.

As for the international break... absolutely pointless. I for one don't give a shit about England; my only concern is Everton Football Club.

So, first you advocate Everton losing all their remaining fixtures in the hope it will hasten Martinez's exit and now you're claiming fans not turning up to support the team against the RS would somehow be the 'right thing' to do?

Fortunately, I don't think the hypothetical protest of such a hardcore supporter would carry much fucking sway.

I can be PC but I'd accept Everton losing a run of games to get rid of RM if that would benefit us long term. 5 or 6 games is nothing.

Clubs and the FA only take any notice and stop doing very stupid things like asking Cup semi finalists to play a few days before a key game when the supporters walk out or don't turn up. It is a very powerful statement that deprives us of nothing because it will likely be an embarrassment. Many good Evertonians will pay a ridiculous amount of money to go to the SF and it is disrespect to them to expect us to give everything in an irrelevant EPL game just a few days before. It is impossible to give best effort in both.

Why does me wanting us to beat the shite make me terrified of them? I don't get it.

My post @94 was more positive than yours @96 was it not? Would you not prefer my scenario than yours?

You say "I really look forward to you furiously back tracking WHEN – not if – the ultra positive Martinez decides to rest players in the derby." What would I be "furiously" back tracking on?

All the other "Martinez acolyte, full of empty bravado and a losing mentality – that's why you are delighted that we got to the other semi – despite being sent packing the first time we came across a semi-decent team" nonsense, is just that.

Yes, you spat forth the 'losing games' part on another thread, Martin, but there's no mistaking what I read. Your words:

"I would gladly lose all our remaining games but one and be deliriously happy if I could guarantee seeing him being put on the dole. I can't face getting beaten by Liverpool again."

It's made even more face palm due to you now saying that the Liverpool game (you know, the 'only one' you couldn't face losing not so long ago) is utterly "irrelevant".

What happened then?

You ask plenty of questions and answer none.

Our third FA Cup semi-final in 20 years, and we should be protesting, to both the Premier League and the FA, because they are making us play 3 or 4 days before it?

God almighty, surely they can get themselves up for two big games in a row. Alan Ball and George Best, in their books, talked of three games over a weekend in their young days. I would bet they were brilliant in all of them. These are well paid, fit, bloody top class players, not race horses.

I understand and accept that we might get injuries so let's save Lukaku, perhaps Barkley but put out a team to beat them.

The Red Shite are shite so we should get a result against them regardless.

You never know, we might even get something from a game that we've got fuck all from for god knows how long and imagine the piss take factor if we did! I don't see what we have to lose apart from 3 unnecessary points that we'd probably get kicked or cheated out of by a crap referee anyway.

Team as follows!

Howard, Hibbert, Stones, Galloway, Oviedo, Deulofeu, Osman, McCarthy, Mirallas, Niasse, Kone!!!

It will be interesting to see how they end up approaching it. If West Ham Utd or Man Utd are still around Champions League qualification, they would still play their strongest side.

I have no doubt Palace and Watford will rest key players, which is exactly what we should be doing.

But four players I definitely would rest are Barry, McCarthy and Lennon as we want our midfield players at 100% and Lukaku because he is irreplaceable.

If ever there was a derby I care not a jot about, it is now this one.

The message coming through sounds like 'We know we never get anything there so what does it matter what team we put out.'

Okay, so we must accept that Klopp has done more to re-invigorate his side in six months than Bobby has managed here in three years but, in spite of that, we should never give up the quest.

Maybe our man will see it differently to us amateur selectors. Just maybe.

Let's see how Klopp does next season. I suspect you'll be right – much better than Martinez did – but for the moment it's conjecture.

Link