U23s lose mini-derby to Liverpool

As you say, we are second best in this one. Players just tending to take the easy pass backwards rather than probe for an opening.

Everton looking slow but I'm impressed with Denis Adeniran's game today.

Best to leave it at that, they gave me a fuckin' headache though.

Nail on the head!!!!

COYB — let’s change that for good.

Silva really has a big job to do this week in convincing the first team to strut into Meccanoland with confidence in themselves. He has to pick players who will not shrivel in the atmosphere and who want to show that they are good players. Do we have eleven of that type?

It seems we need to go back to basics and get someone at the club or players that love getting under Liverpool's skin, like Big Joe did in the 1990s.

People (mainly outsiders) might say that games against the top six don't matter in the long run but this is a Merseyside derby, it's one of the longest-running proudest fixtures in the British calendar and Evertonians have suffered almost two decades of a pathetic record in this matchup now.

We fail to beat them on Sunday then we are approaching the 10-year mark without a victory in a derby, that's an utter disgrace.

As Karl @14 said, we are beaten in the head before we step out.

I can't understand anyone being optimistic about going there next week. Shocking record – added to the fact we'll probably be playing 12 men all adds up to another miserable Anfield afternoon.

Get Big Joe in the dressing room before the game to give them a talk... That might help!

Now they are unbeaten this season, so that’s far easier said than done. But I do have faith that we have the ability and form to do it.

Gordon, best of 3? 5? 7? 101? We would still lose every time.

Come on Marco it’s time for a new era with this new Everton we now have. Let’s kick arse!

Bypass the press and you're in business against them. Courage to play is the key. I think, in Gomes, if the centre-halves split, we have just the man.

Would you play Keane next week if it's a back four?

I agree with a Steve that we certainly have the players to get a result, I just hope that the psychological barrier can be overcome.

I am hoping that the new players in particular will not be affected and although I hoped for that last season also we no longer have a shithouse manager. I don't think Pickford or Keane will be affected because they are both brimming with confidence. Just hope that Seamus, Sigurdsson and Gueye all turn up. To me, Lookman is a better bet than Walcott if fit no other reason than he seems fearless.

COYB – let's tear into the RS!!!!

The likes of Calvert-Lewin and Niasse could never do that. Even our star man, Richarlison is not as ruthless in front of goal but we need to believe before we step out on that pitch.

I just hope we have a fair ref who hasn't got his autograph book waiting in hand before kick-off – like Poll and Clattenberg, etc!!!

When you think of the paltry fine that UEFA handed out to Liverpool, and look at what has just happened in Argentina, then I'm sure I will be able to suck a few Kopites in this week, when I get talking, and mention the disgraceful River Plate fans!

When Yerry Mina got booked at Chelsea, for once there were plenty of Everton players around the referee contesting his decision.

When Patterson shoved Mina yesterday in the first half, Mina whispered sweet nothings in his and was not going to blink or back down.

When Cunningham went down claiming a penalty in the second half, Coleman leaned over him giving him an honest opinion of what he thought.

Silva has already referenced what a positive presence Mina is around Finch Farm. His on-pitch manner will further endear him to the fans. Knowing him from his Palmeiras days, he will relish a game like the derby.

And he has probably just spent his Sunday evening watching his old team clinch the Brazilian title for the second time in two years, so he is going to be buzzing going into the week ahead of our visit to Anfield. (He was very pivotal in Palmeiras last title win before joining Barcelona.)

Plenty to be optimistic about.

Us the fans are as much to blame with the negative attitude before a ball is kicked...

I'm with Steve Ferns – we can get a result and the fans play a massive roll in this game so bring it on...

Liverpool 2 Everton 3!!!

The extremely violent attack on the Boca team bus as they travelled to the stadium was initially fobbed off by CONMEBOL. They released a signed letter from their own senior medical officer saying any injuries suffered by the Boca players – wounds from broken glass (glass slithers in the eye of their captain being the worst) and feeling nauseous from the tear gas the police used to repel the River Plate fans – were 'superficial' and did not justify postponing the game.

Boca fought their corner and insisted they would not play the 2-hours delayed kick-off CONMEBOL tried to impose on them.

The game was meant to be played today, 24 hours later than scheduled, but again, Boca – quite rightly in my mind – insisted the game be re-scheduled to a later date to give them more time to prepare and get their players fit and in the right frame of mind.

CONMEBOL's (probably) commercially driven desire to get the game played yesterday echoes UEFA's insistence to see the final played at Heysel all those years ago.

At least in Europe, supporters of both teams can still attend any game, home or away.

Sadly, in South America, it is commonplace that the big derby games – 'los classicos' – are exclusively played in front of home supporters.

As yesterday's violence showed, there is good reason for this total exclusion of rival supporters. If it wasn't imposed, no exaggeration, there would be deaths in and around the stadium.

Let’s not get the hype and myths of our rivals into our mindset for the next game.

It’s our next game and there’s more spine and guts in this squad than we’ve had since the Moyes team of 2005.

If we finish the chances we make, we can win this game.

We need to get that dirty bastard about us in the derby and I don't mean going in with insane two-footers and finishing with nine men like we have done many times in these matches.

Be canny and be clever but, most importantly, get under their skin and in their minds.

I'm beginning to think that, if the RS tea ladies took on ours, they'd still win. Depressing

On the subject of the derby, will Silva be tempted to go 3 at the back to neutralise their front 3? With Walcott dropping out giving Bernard a David Silva type role behind Richarlison.

“Very disappointed,” was his assessment...

“I thought it was an awful game and we left our worst performance for the biggest game. Really disappointed.”

“We didn't do the basics right, we didn't play well,” the U23s boss added.

“Tyias was probably our best player so, when we have so many offensive players on the pitch who don't play well, then you are going to struggle to win a game of football. It was a poor game.”

“Young players need to play games. When they don't, they are not the players they are when they are at their best and match ready, and it showed.

“They need to play games. Liverpool called Ben Woodburn back today because he's not been playing games

“We'll never turn down an opportunity for them to go out on loan if we feel it is the right opportunity for them — although, after today's performance, there won't be too many takers.”

It is inviting pressure on from Robertson and Trent-Arnold, but we do have Gomes who can release Richarlison and Bernard on the break. As ever, keeping 11 on the pitch will be key to a solid defensive effort.

It's interesting now because we look like we are starting to turn into a proper football team but this is a major reshuffle for such a big game... or is it!?

Three at the back. Opposed.

And most definitely opposed to changing a winning system that in the last 7 games has seen us concede just 4 goals and kept 4 clean sheets, for our biggest game of the season to date at the weekend.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

In the past, we have had fairly good results against the RS at youth level but in the past 20 years have failed to replicate this consistently at senior level.

It may just be that our fortunes at senior level are about to change and we will start beating our neighbours more consistently.

If so, I, for one, will be happy to see the change.