Liverpool vs Everton

I'll start, controversially obviously, Gana has got to start along with Garner and Doucouré, and Calvert-Lewin upfront.

And that's not controversial at all – I'm also not impressed with Onana and agree with Gana in instead. McNeil and Harrison must also play.

Ha!

Calvert-Lewin
McNeil Doucouré Harrison
Onana Garner
Mykolenko Branthwaite Tarkowski Patterson
Pickford

Gana coming off the bench will offer increased energy levels during the latter stages of the game.

Subs: Virginia, Keane, Godfrey, Young, Gana, Danjuma, Beto, Dobbin, Chermiti

The biggest test tomorrow will be for our full-backs, Harrison and McNeil will have to be alert to their defensive duties, both are pretty good at it too.

I'm more confident in our team than I have been for a few seasons, there's balance, tenacity and goals are starting to come. We have a system that works with the Doucouré playing advanced.

We must start fully switched on and sharp, fight for a foothold in the opening stages. Then, I'm confident we will put up a good show and get something out of the game. Ref and VAR permitting.

COYBLUES!

UTFT

Fortunately, the Bournemouth win takes a lot of the immediate pressure off. We can more afford to lose this. Had we lost the last game, the pressure for at least a point would have been intense.

So Dyche should get that across to his team. Play with freedom and remember, they can be flakiest when expectations on them are highest. At the minimum, let's give them a fright...

So, if you can round the back of Terence Trent Darby and whoever replaces Gollum at left back and get players in behind Mac Allister and the other bloke, then sucker punch is your best bet.

We can do this with controlled aggression, lack of fear and quick breakaways as in the 5-1 demolition of Brighton.

The last time that occurred, we had a goalscorer that day who is now the manager of Arsenal.

I find that statistic not only absurd and disastrous but it's almost mysterious how it can be allowed to go on and on.

I'm not expecting us to outplay them like Bournemouth, but consistency is what we and the manager has been asking for: how about a consistent line-up?

Full-backs are going to be important, long balls over the top into the full-back position is how these counter so quickly.

Maybe he will play Patterson for Young? For his energy…
That's the only change I'd make.

Dave # 11 - I also think Van Dijk can be got at and we have two centre forwards plus Doucouré who are capable of doing so. I have actually wondered if Dyche might play Beto for the first 60 minutes to soften him up for Calvert-Lewin. Probably over complicating matters!

I hope we start with Ajay's back four.

I am feeling strangely optimistic about this game.

We have got all our players available who are key to putting in a performance; they have their left back missing, who despite some believing he is average, he is a huge loss on the left side, both defending and attacking, it's a huge hole in their team.

The one change I would make is bringing Patterson in at right back, and letting him and Harrison link up down their weak side, play like we did against Villa in the cup and Brighton away last season, turn them round and get behind them and push them back.

I am sure that is the best way to try and get something out of the game; if we sit back and play like we did against Arsenal, they will pick us off and it could get embarrassing again, we simply have to compete and for once go there without a defeated player's attitude.

This game is all on Dyche and how he approaches the game, and giving his finest team talk to the players. He has to get this one right, go there, compete and give everything – that's all any Evertonian is asking for, a performance and no white flag waved before we kick off.

Even during the Moyes time, we lacked braveness and quality. Lacked a proper striker who could bang in goals. We had good players in that era but Moyes was ultra-defensive with this tactics. The mentality of "a knife to a gunfight" has got us a draw at the most.

This mentality still persists and the gulf in quality has just got bigger. I am not too confident with our lot as they lack consistency.

I feel the only way to win at Anfield is to play with intensity and at their faces. If we perform well in our next 3-4 fixtures against the RS in which we stay undefeated and win a few, this will gradually change the psychological angle for us. As Dave mentioned, I hope we play like we did against Brighton and Aston Villa away.

I am an optimist and I will go for a close 1-2 win for us.

We aren't good enough to hold them back.

Young has to be on the bench; experience is no substitute against speed and skill. Gana will be back with something to prove… someone will be missing out in the middle for sure… Garner? Doucoure? Onana?

I hope we show bravery and don't just go there with the usual negative set-up. Be sensible, yes, but have devilment about us and attack with supporting numbers.

I just hope we go there with a positive attitude and play like we believe we can win, none of this pathetic inferiority complex that we've had for so many years.

Unfortunately I just can't see Dyche playing the younger players. I believe we'll see Gana back in midfield and Young retaining his place at right-back.

I wouldn't even be all that surprised if Jimmy ends up on the right-hand side of midfield. Again.

A win would be huge for us and our gradually improving team.

If we don't score on Saturday, it's likely a loss; if we score one, probably at best a draw and even if we score more than one, no guarantee we leave with any points.

It's why I have disliked this fixture for so many years, the odds for Everton doing anything in the game, apart from picking up yellows and reds, are always remote.

Even the good Everton sides struggled at the other place and for the last 50 years, our good memories of games over the park are far outweighed by the bad ones. I'll watch the cricket on Saturday and hope that we get some sort of positive result over the park.

As everyone says, get at them, kick fuck out of them and don't give that diving twat Salah an opportunity to get his weekly penalty. Surely we are due a change in fortune against these bastards???

I don't really think there's any pressure on us at all in this game, so I'm not sure it comes as a bad or good time.

We haven't had a good start to the season, if we don't beat Liverpool or West Ham away then what's that, 10 games in and 2 wins?

Still, for me, I don't think we'll go down this season but that doesn't mean I think we will get more than 36/37 points either because I don't see enough consistency.

Saturday is very much a game we should look at as a free hit.

If they are expecting a result and get tonked then heads may drop. Who knows, I just hope VAR doesn't have a say in it.

We never do anything against this lot – can't even beat their kids, for fuck's sake.

Change the mentality to change the script please.

It's a Merseyside derby, for crying out loud, and you don't win this type of game without putting pressure on yourself to help bring out the best in yourself!

What is his solution, stand on Pickford's toes, try and get a reaction off him and possibly a card, have it down to an art form, across the park.

I fully expect Klippity to mention the VAR from the other week, just to get in the ref's and the VAR's ears. First opportunity Salah has of going down, he will, and a penalty will be given.

You're a Scouser and love Everton so that pressure would come automatically to you. It should apply to every player but it doesn't and hasn't done for a long time… a very long time… too fuckin' long.

Is there a voice in the dressing room that can rouse these players? That is what's needed.

We need cool heads and Young will be amongst the ones that brings in the balance. Then we can talk about bringing in Patterson from the bench at some point in the match.

I rate them as the dirtiest, slyest, luckiest, self-opinionated, inbred bunch of twats on this God's green Earth.

If I never have to see a highlight on TV of them, if they never win another undeserved trophy, if they disappeared up their own backsides, never to be seen again.

If I never hear another garbled mishmash of crap from that teutonic twat Klop, then I could relax and never have to go through another derby day again.

Just give the bastards 3 points and leave it. The devil looks after his own, well it's about time he took these fuckers to hell.

Amen to that, wish I had written that heart-warming post mate!

I just wish I hadn't had the need to write it. It spoils my season to have to play those bastard's twice.

I've just seen a picture of Dyche at Finch Farm, holding his hands up in a very negative submissive stance…

Mind you, it was a BBC picture, so let's hope they waited hours to get that one.

That leaves out Gana, who comes in late to protect our lead, and Patterson, who comes in even later to provide energy when needed.

God please shine upon us just once and let us put these fookers to the sword.

Great film!!!

On "free hits" I'm glad I don't still live up there still or I'd be a quivering wreck by now. I hate the derby.

Lad in the gym down here yesterday wearing a shite top and a shite gym bag. I asked him was he confident for saturday and he replied No, South Africa are too strong!

I said "no you silly sausage, Liverpool" , and he asked who they are playing...

KAGSEFOOT

It's this kind of rational optimism that makes being a fan so difficult. Me? Being a total pessimist, I'm merely hoping we escape a thrashing.

Let's hope someone sticks that teutonic twat on a blazing saddle, and he rides off to hell, never to be seen again. Bingo has to be the most obnoxious bastard on this planet, so it's about time we put the gobshite firmly in his place.

I assume you can get USA Network? I think it's live on there.

You've been rather quiet recently, hope everything is okay?

I just pray Michael Keane is not in the line-up.

Also, Patterson seems to have lost some confidence lately so it's Young or Garner at right-back for me.

It's the flanks and getting in behind their back 4 where I feel this game will be won or lost so McNeil and Harrison will be key to hitting them on the break and supporting the full-backs.

Play with intent and energy!

The thought of losing against them is simply horrible, no matter how used we are to it. How can there not be pressure? And I just hope the lads on the ptich feel it from the loyal few thousand in the half-stand.

No pressure! Who can forget the hideous shite sight of that Teutonic twat running onto the pitch for that goal?

We will only get ourselves into deep trouble if we sit back and invite them to attack with that high press. We need to target their defensive midfield area which is their weakspot along with that clog-wearing victim shithouse in the middle of their defence.

Let Gana alone sit back without orders to make forward runs and we will be okay in the middle. Let Garner make those runs with Doucouré as 10. Two wide players please. No three at the back. No Young on set pieces.

I don't think that we will lose.

At the risk of upsetting the "negative police", I'm with you.

For the life of me, I don't understand people setting themselves up for such a monumental fall — it's as though the damning history of this fixture is a fantasy.

Ah well, soon be over.

Setting ourselves up for a fall, what defeatist tripe. UTFT!

Pressure does strange things. The best rise to it and perform at a still higher level. But we are not 'the best' and we have wilted before.

To lesser mortals, less pressure can free you up. It is, for example, the only way I can see England beating South Africa in the Rugby World Cup. One side plays with freedom, no fear; the other is scared to lose because they know they really shouldn't, and that makes them worse, even panicky.

Last-minute disputed clearly offside winner at the Kop end. Sheedy fingers. Klopp fuming. Make it happen.

There is no expectation, no-one will give us a chance, no-one will think we have a hope. I mean, this thread is surprisingly optimistic, but outside of us endlessly optimistic blues, we are getting rolled over by all accounts.

Pressure is a different thing. Any Merseyside derby for red or blue is filled with pressure. The pressure is always there, if you're top of the league or bottom. If the players don't feel the pressure, then they don't know what it means to the city.

The lack of expectation doesn't relieve the pressure, it frees them to express themselves more freely which hopefully Dyche can instil into them.

We will have to have every player playing as well as they have all season, some giving more than they have yet this season. It's 11 against 11. It's for us to embarrass them, us to cause an upset, us to show we can upset some of the big sides.

Where better to show it, than our soon to be 2nd old ground?

I'm glad you are not giving the talk just before the team head out on the pitch!

No-one would ever beat a better team on paper by your reckoning. It can be done. It may not, in fact it's highly unlikely, but it's possible. Like we beat Arsenal, the league leaders last year, when we were in the worst run ever.

It's the joy of football, mate, it's why we bother watching this dreadfully run club, because it can be done. Anything can happen – that's why you will be watching like the rest of us!

There is to be a minutes silence held ahead of the derby and all Premier League games, for the victims of violence. I really hope that it is impeccably observed.

We have Aldridge the twat trying to target Pickford, who has to keep his cool, and the incident will probably be mentioned again on Saturday, by the pundits or commentator, nearly 3 years on.

"joy of football" ????????

I don't know what to say

UTFT

Isn't that why we continously follow the club ?

We may not get them joyful days very often lately, but that's why we watch, follow, and support our side.

If even beating the RS at anfield, dont bring you any joy mate, you're a lost cause, my friend.

Not in terms of the form or theoretical likely outcome, but more in the feeling that we will compete. I hope there is no negative tinkering with the line-up or tactics, and that freedom is given for the team to play their best game.

Christy – I recently saw a new (to me) angle of "The Incident" from outside, sort of an advanced right-wing position. It looked nothing bad really, and if anything, Van Dijk looked to be slightly more the one who went in.

No doubt that if we take a point or all three, they will be blaming everyone else but themselves.

Play the game, forget the match and VAR, officials. They're legends already in their merit, of what they do..

An air of 1983, has been in the breeze. But Everton must turn up.

Keep it simple, let Garner be the Colin Harvey, of this Team, and beat them.

DCL, will take the piss, if he gets service, but no lazy passes across the back line and into midfield. But please take the chances.

Don't give the RS, a sniff and play with no fear.

UTFTs!

Lyndon, he's not been watching Jackie Chan films again has he?😀

As others have intimated, I believe attack to be our best form of defence. Allow Liverpool to come at you and they have the pace and quality to punish you. So our midfield needs to be at its energetic best in order to produce counter-attacks, feeding our flanks, enabling Calvert-Lewin to run the channels.

His form and confidence are coming to the boil at just the right time. Their defence is suspect. I can see us winning this by a couple of clear goals, with a bit of luck.

A fearless approach please, Blue Boys, from the word go!

Personally, I'd got 3 at the back a la Villa, only with Mykolenko instead of Keane (controversial, I know) with the midfield 4 of McNeil, Garner, Onana and Patterson with Danjuma, Calvert-Lewin and Harrison up top.

My reasoning is that most of the RS attacks start from the backs and they push up really high, this is a way to overload those areas, and we have 4 players that will run their collective bollocks off.

Obviously the chances of Dyche selecting this line-up is minus nil, I'm just praying he doesn't start with Young and Garner on the right.

Cheers mate. I'm alright mate bit of a mix of stuff but I'm hanging in there.

Given nearly everyone but the few irrational Everton fans have us losing this by at least 2 goals, it's time we put out our best players and see what they can do. Tell them to play with no fear and see what happens. If those 11 come to play, there's no reason we can't give the RS a good fight.

Ajay and many others have the same team as me, ie, last match except Patterson for Young. Dominic will cause Van Dijk big problems. Coyb.

Keep Horsehead in his technical area and away from the 4th official!

21 October 2023: Hopefully the worst derby goal we'll ever see to give us a win

Even mediocre teams who play an open game at Anfield tend to get ripped apart, let alone poor ones.

Dyche will be rightly concerned about leaving space and so I expect a cagier game with the crucial aspect being when and where to press and counter-attack. It will presumably try to be the same way we played against Brighton and having a fit and firing Calvert-Lewin will hopefully make the execution of some of those counters better.

But very few teams get points at Anfield so any optimism must be tempered. We have the tools to compete but lots will come down to setup and individual performance and decision-making on the day. Let's hope Dyche and the players do us proud.

And the blues running on the pitch after that goal, including Fat Kevin, who I met only once, slapping the shit out of his mate on the back seat of our coach on the way down to Highbury for the Inchy semi.

I think I liked the '86 Lineker/Ratty Mordor affair even more because that more or less wrapped the title up for us, ho hum.

First time that I ever saw serious match-day violence between us. I was in the Kop, and it seriously kicked off – there were a big bunch of us on the main stand side – and the bitter bastards did their best to wade in on us but we are the originals.

UTFT

In days gone by, form would go out of the window for a derby, but not anymore. You can't bring superior opponents down by kicking the shite out of them. You'd end up with 6/7 men.

They've bought top class players and their performances on the field have reflected their performances off it. Unfortunately, so have ours. We've bought some dross.

It's no coincidence that the time we did beat them was when we brought the X-factor. Jimmy Rodriguez's body may have already started to stall, but he believed and knew he was better than them and he set out to prove it.

Now that Marcel Brands isn't squandering hundreds of millions swelling the coffers of other clubs by buying their sick notes. I believe Thelwell is steadying the ship in regards to the players we bring in. I think we are improving. We are getting players fit and we finally have match winners.

I smiled at Rick Tarleton's post (43). I think we all recognised exactly what he was talking about.

That said. I see grumbling and unrest at Anfield. They look even more persecuted than they usually are. Life is just so unfair.

I don't know if I "just have a feeling", Rick. Maybe I do, but if you offered me a draw right now. I wouldn't take it. There's three points up for grabs tomorrow.

99% of a derby is players' psychological state.

The thing about the 1984 team was that they didn't give a shit about Rush, Dalgleish or anyone else in a red shirt. Unfortunately too many players and teams have played the RS defeated before we even kick off.

It's not a manager or coaches we need the week before a derby – it's a psychologist and a few motivational speakers – and a few diehards to explain to the players what it really means to the support.

Garner, McNeil and Harrison are much more mobile in getting forward or helping in defence, than Doucouré, Gana and Onana (in going either forwards or getting back) I'm dubious about which Onana will turn up.

I go along with Sam though. We were much better last game and we have options in our team now to make any opposition think more about being over confident.

The next few games are going to be tough and I'm not expecting too many points by the end of them. I just hope to see us keep injury free and allow Sean Dyche options to be able to change tactics if desired/needed during a game. With the options he has available to him now, he has he can do so. But the players Liverpool have, are a job and a half at Anfield. I just hope we'll stand up to them and play as well as we can do.

Reading about free hits or sarcastic posts lamenting the joys of football, shows me how far we have fallen as both a football club and a fan base, but try telling that to the two thousand people who will March to Anfield tomorrow with pride. Fucken Everton aren't we - singing - we shall not be moved! 💙

We need you and Rob Halligan and any one of the sisters and brothers - we need NZ Christine with Dave A in that fecking dressing room - to tell them what it means to us.

We are the ones who really matter, who suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune to have the bad or good luck of growing up in a city where 17.45 per cent support the thieves who stole our ground and find it hard to place it on a map.

Travel and ticket directions for their Mordor shite stadium half-stand derby on ToffeeWeb of all places?

Anyone suggesting Nathan Patterson plays for us needs to have a word with themselves. This is the sort of game were experience can be important.

And just to contradict myself there, play three centre backs if you wish Sean, but please god not Michael Keane.

We'll at least have confidence for this after our last game, so you never know. COYB.

Like I said earlier, I can see us picking up points this weekend.

Spurs are one such club, they've only had 7 league victories at Anfield from 1909 (had a quick look, so might have missed one). Their last win there was 2011.

It's a shame that, for obvious reasons, we can't just treat it as just another match.

As for me, my starting point is sadly that we will probably lose, if we get a point it's a bonus and 3 points is just out of this world. Hopefully that mindset will change soon. The main thing I want to see is maximum effort, to make a game of it, take the game to them, and if we are to lose or draw hope that the defining goal isn't an offside or dodgy one..

Of course, if the defining goal is in our favour, don't care how dodgy it is!

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Please be advised to check all travel routes prior to travelling to the game due to any unforeseen travel circumstances.

By Road: Please be aware road closures will be in place around Anfield.

From the North: Exit M6, Junction 23 and follow Liverpool (A580) signs into Walton Hall Avenue, pass Stanley Park and turn left into Anfield Road.

From the South & East: Take M62 to the end of the motorway then turn right under flyover into Queen's Drive (A5058), turn left (three miles) into Utting Avenue. Continue into Arkles Lane.

Travel directions for Everton fans…….

Leave Goodison Park 11.45. Cross over Walton Lane into Stanley Park. Walk across park for about ten minutes. Leave park onto Anfield Road and then enter stadium 12.00pm.

I haven't written a comment here in a few long years, but after reading your thoughts, I can't resist the returning urge.

Regarding pressure – or the lack of it – I haven't felt this way before a derby game for a very long time. Perhaps the Bournemouth game and our current form (except the disaster against the airport team) have created a feeling of an upward trajectory.

If we lose tomorrow, it won't be a tragedy, nobody expects us to get anything from the game anyway. Well, if we don't end up getting hammered in a lopsided fashion, that is. But there is also a slight sense of a possibility here.

We haven't won in that tourist outhouse in front of their cellphone waving fans since 1999. And they already opened up the emotional floodgates by playing the victims of VAR.

If we score first, there will be loads of moaning and groaning about how the entire world is out to get them. That sort of psychological distraction can become a key factor in a derby game. And we are not the ones possibly facing it, this time it's on their side.

Same team as last time out, please. Gana coming on late to protect the lead, as someone mentioned – really loved the idea of that, that is the way that he should be used for the rest of the season. The game against Bournemouth showed how massively impressive we can be, when we are playing 11 against 11 on offense.

Including Gana makes it 10 against 11. Love the guy, but at this stage of his career he's a defensive specialist and an offensive liability. Let's use him correctly and to our advantage.

We will be gathering in a local pub to watch the game and I am hopeful of a Saturday that I will never forget. 3-1 to the good guys, Beto to score a late final nail-in-the-coffin goal after they peg one back around the 80-minute mark. No fear, no stress, no unhealthy amounts of pressure. Just a glorious performance and some furious excuses from Morgen Flopp.

UTFT, tomorrow we celebrate!

I think, though, that apart from the odd bright spots, they've consistently had the better of us since Howard Kendall's squad was dismantled in the late 80s early 90s.

Our boards since then have been a disgrace for our club. Especially the last 20-odd years!

I'd have said “Take the M62 in an easterly direction…”.

I readily admit to being a lost cause… and as for "joy" — the word "relief" seems more appropriate.

If we won something, that would be a different matter… in fact, just having a courageous team competing would bring relief from the morose existence of being an Everton fan.

I've said this before but, if there was medication to eliminate my Everton interest, I'd be jacked up to the hilt. The days of Covid when football was cancelled almost made the virus acceptable.

I'm sure their overnight package holidays come with an itinerary and directions.

I'm sure their overnight package holidays come with an itinerary and directions.

I was with a few of my friends who support the other lot and they said they didn't like derbies. I said, "Why? You win most of them, and Evertonians have got so used to losing we treat a draw as some sort of moral victory."

I have to admit I hate derby matches, even when we had good sides who often beat the other lot I still didn't enjoy them.

Relief is what I felt when we survived relegation the last couple of years.

A win at Anfield surely would provide you, and us all, with some joy, mate?

It's not a cup, a league or Champions League, but it would put a smile on a lot of faces that haven't had too much to smile about lately.

I know it would me.

I'm going 1-0 Calvert-Lewin penalty with Klopp sent off for LaserLighting Pickford's eyes with his naughty gnashers.

My view of the game is also about something that you wrote, because listening to a lot of Liverpudlians, they are frustrated with having to come from behind in most games.

My view of football is that you can't keep coming from behind so hopefully tomorrow is the day that this stops happening and Everton becomes a game too far for our lovable neighbours.🤞

MOTM Branthwaite.

1 nil EFC. (McNeil, assist Garner ).

COYBS!!

I think Howard Kendall cobbled together a group of winners despite what was going on in our boardroom. Even then, there were no plans to build any sort of a dynasty. Decent players replaced top class ones and the glory days were all too fleeting.

I know people blame "Them" for our demise, but I put it down to being hugely self-inflicted.

I believe that, when Sir John stepped down, the winning mentality in our boardroom stepped down with him. He would have loved his predecessors, probably for breakfast, although he may have saved them for his tea.

Calvert-Lewin always believes he can make a difference

McNeil and Harrison are positive, athletic, the right amount of aggression matched with skill and both have belief they can make things happen.

Doucoure has total belief when playing in his preferred advanced role, it would not surprise me one bit if he bagged the important goal tomorrow.

Onana and Garner both young and still learning but the type to not back down under pressure, and fight. Onana has an opportunity here to make a statement. The two of them won't go into the game with an inferiority complex.

Mykolenko has his work cut out and often gets criticism but I admire his stoic defensive work, he's someone you'd want with you in the trenches.

Patterson is very inexperienced but, he has the right attitude, that defiant aggressive Scottish trait that will serve him well as he progresses. He is a player that is up for a fight.

Branthwaite and Tarkowski have the belief and look a complimentary partnership with both quality and physicality.

Pickford is getting better as he matures, I get the impression he is getting more confident and relishes the challenge. He is committed to Everton and in games like tomorrow could make all the difference to the result.

This is exactly what I want to see, Everton players on the pitch who believe, and walk out confident they can get a result.

COYBLUES! And UTFTOFFEES!

Show a bit of composure for a change. COYB.

Even if was lucky enough to get a ticket I won't spend my cash at Mordor

COYB 1-2 and your mate Bingo moaning about VAR again.

(TW not working again, big 2-second delay between typing and showing…)

Patterson has got the lot, mate, and he only lacks experience. Young will get a yellow pretty quickly and Diaz is too quick for him. It's not a suggestion; with Seamus still out, it's the must-do option.

Bring him on if we're defending any kind of a result, hopefully a win, but definitely don't start him.

I don't give a shit about them. I absolutely despise them.

Fuck them with their self-appreciation, entitlement and selective airbrushing of history. No doubt we'll get accused of saying nasty things about them that they will turn into Hillsborough rather than that shameful day at Brussels.

Fuck them. Every single one of them.

I don't care about them or previous results. I care about tomorrow.

Apologies. I don't often swear a lot but I am in the derby zone and don't know if I will sleep a lot tonight.

Be brave Everton and have no fear.

1878 The Originals.

Sir John Moores was reputed to have two pegs in the dressing room left empty. They were for Di Stefano and Pushkas, when the ban on foreign players was lifted. True or not, I don't know, but I could believe it.

I looked at the early sixties team and the only thing that spoiled them was, in my view, Harry Catterick. Once Sir John stepped down, we began to lose our way. Once Shankly stepped down, they had Paisley to come in. I think John Moores's son was their Chairman... can't remember now. If its true, he didn't bring his lad up right.

Yes, absolutely self-inflicted. I despise that club but they built upon success. Once Howard Kendall went, we let a team get dismantled; and the board appeared not to think it was worthwhile keeping up our challenge to the other top teams.

Now, in spite of the independent commission, in spite of the financial difficulties, I think Kevin Thelwell and Sean Dyche will knock together a decent squad.

Tomorrow, if we play the same team as against Bournemouth, then we are capable of giving the other lot a game. How we get on... well, wait and see! Like plenty of others, I don't like derby games.

David Moores was Sir John Moores's nephew. I think his father was Cyril Moores, the brother of Sir John.

Regards to the game tomorrow, it would be the same team as Bournemouth for me.

Almost 40 years to the day that Sharpy slammed in that beauty. I was there in the Kop, happy days. A tap in from a yard to win tomorrow, will do for me.

The bird is blue.

Link

They will kick, scream and moan in the ref's face like spoilt kids. They always do in the derby.

They will get every decision on the day as well... I fucking hate derby matches.

That Cyril feller must have been jealous of Sir John becoming a Sir! I'm jealous of you! Being in the Kop when that went in! Brilliant!

I'm with you regards the team... and the result!

Though a penalty would be nice, seeing as we've only had about six there since the lodgers moved in!

To say I hate them would be an understatement. They and their supporters can gay kocken offen yom, means "go shit in the ocean", and I hope they do tomorrow. 👮👮👮

It's not just in the derby that they kick, scream and moan for every decision, they do it every game. Free kicks, bleedin' throw-ins, fuckin' faces saying ‘not me ref' for every foul, ganging up on the ref for the least thing, with the Teutonic Twat (fuckin' love that) leading them on.

Absolutely brilliant day and week as we went to Man Utd on the Tuesday night and beat them 2-1 in the League Cup.

If Everton play without fear tomorrow, they can win.
UTFTs!

Anyway, we can debate the club on Sunday when we all wake up with sore heads.

Rob. Under no circumstances let the Police escort us to the ground.

We've had three since the War, Jim.

Three.

And the cheeky fuckers whinged like babies over every one.

What's that. About 80 years? Unbelievable!

Bloody devil worshippers!

I like our team though and the beginnings of a squad that we're getting "inquiries allowed".

So, with the team we had last week, then I think (hope!) we'll give them a game.

We'll be in The Winslow for 10 am. Have one or two then make our way over Stanley Park… (Directions above 😁😁😁) if you want to meet us in there.

There is one of their many Twitter fan groups that already have awarded themselves 12 points from their next four games: after us tomorrow, they have Forest (h), Luton (a) and Brentford (h).

Of course, games are played on paper these days, aren't they?

This Everton supporter refuses to accept anything less.

Jack Harrison: ‘Playing in New York gave me a different perspective’

We will not lose tomorrow.

Enjoy your walk across the park, Rob.

UTFT

Quite simply, they are not worthy of our thoughts and in some cases, our worries.

Remember, they exist only because we allowed them to. They are the spawn of our former home and, in 100 years, when we are done with Bramley-Moore Dock, we will probably give them that as well.

They are despicable to their very core.

All of them.

We all know family and friends that are reds but let's have it right – if they had anything about them, they would be Evertonians – but they are not.

Well that's on them. Their loss.

We will probably get beat tomorrow but, even if we do, fuck them. We may never have their trophies but we will also never, ever, have their shame.

Say your prayers for a victory at the building site tomorrow. God knows we deserve one.

Don't we?

Regarding John Moores, it always puzzles and irks me why an Evertonian would fund Liverpool's success as he did.

His involvement with the heathen is a bit of a "don't mention the war" guilty secret even those in the know tap dance around the issue. His old gardener recalls a car from Anfield arriving after every home game with the gate money in bags!!!

He was a man not averse to hedging his bets and, as a result, they exist as an empire and we exist as a scrapyard bonfire.

Not the Everton hero of legend I'm afraid.

Anyone thinking we're suddenly an attacking side is still missing the point. We had possession and shots against some poor teams. The fixture list just fell that way for us (and we couldn't take advantage). We barely threatened the two decent teams we've played.

Dyche isn't a risk taker and he won't start at Anfield. On this occasion, he might actually be right.

Beware the xG! Stop the Klopp! Harrison and McNeil run the show! UTFT!

Hopefully Everton can turn up and put the RS, in place tomorrow.

UTFTs!

Yes, it truly was a great day and the first time that I can recall having seen the Blues win at Mordor. Although my Dad insists I was there in 1970 (I was 6) and have no recollection.

UTFT & COYB.

Yes, a great week, and I was fortunate enough to be at Old Trafford also. What a side that was, afraid of no one and never beaten till the final whistle.

As you say, if we go to Mordor with the right attitude, something a lot of Everton teams have not done since the Joe Royle years, then you just never know.

COYB & UTFT.

It's true the Moores family held shares and sway in both clubs. The main issue was that Sir John's Everton shares were passed down to his only child and daughter, Lady Grantchester, who had no interest in football or indeed Everton.

Cecil's Liverpool shares went to David I believe. Just out of interest, the Grantchesters are the 39th richest family in the UK with a reputed worth of £1.2 billion.

My concern is that Klopp now has a fistful of IOUs from Webb, VAR, PGMOL and the FA over that VAR decision and that there will be an effort to set things right at Satan's playground after denying him the replay he demanded.

I just hope that this doesn't involve dodgy sendings off that could knacker us for up to three more games.

COYB and RIP the Kutz family of Blues whose lives were taken so cruelly on 7th October.

They are 11 players against 11... the key difference is attitude. This is the Premier League... no team in it has players worthy of the Championship so why set up as if they are?

Individuals may have better skills but that's only half of it. Skilful players are thwarted every week, every game. Who is up for it? Who has the spirit, the fight, the desire to stick it up them? Who hasn't?

So don't give me the "Park the Bus" set up Dyche, don't give me every player behind the ball for 90 mins... don't chase shadows.

I want to win. I don't care how. But I want to see us put them to the sword because they will never expect it. They think we will just sit back and wait for a chance. Their arrogance is only matched by their complacency.

100 minutes of attitude, commitment, desire. Want it, Dyche, want it. Like I do… like we all do.

My message to the team is this:

"This game is different, it will forever mark your card in the history of this club. Any one of you can become a legend today. Any one of you can leave this ground as a hero. Fail to try, give in or leave it to someone else and your career at this club is over. This is not a game. You are the spear through the heart of Satan. A blight on our club. Once and for all, kill it."

Do it for us.

Shame he couldn't have been persuaded to invest when Kenwright, scrambling for a few quid down the back of the armchair, took over. Are there any other wealthy Evertonians out there who may want to get involved?

Mike Lyons worked as Brunei manager 20 years ago and maybe could've persuaded the Sultan to stick a few quid behind the bar at the Winslow.

COYB 💙💙💙👍

If we get beaten at least we've had a go. No pathetic sitting back and waiting to lose 2-nil. If we just defend, they will score and what is Plan B then?

It's been reported that the Grantchester's weren't at all happy with Bill being the owner and I'm pretty sure that Lord Grantchester was especially of that view. He left the Everton board in December 2000, a year after Bill took official ownership.

John Moores had 2 sons as well, John and Peter.

He also helped Liverpool FC around the same time as taking over at Everton, with both management help from Littlewoods, and finance.

He wasn't able to hold shares in two clubs, so the LFC shares were held by Cecil, and passed down his side of the family. Until they were sold to the Texans.

I don't think the club own the Everton Collection either. I believe it is independently owned.

I've an idea that John Suenson Taylor had little time for Bill Kenwright.

Good on ya.

Calvert-Lewin penalty at some point too.

I had a dream.

If it's the latter, it'll be a very bad day at the office; if it's the former, we might do something, like actually have a shot and who knows even have the audacity to score a goal.

Tomorrow's game is one where I really don't care how we play as long as we return to Goodison with something from the game.

It goes without saying that on paper we are once again the underdogs as we probably have been for many years thanks to the big-money signings of RS particularly on offensive players but every dog has its day and maybe tomorrow it will be us.

If the weather is wet, wet, wet then maybe it will slow down the likes of Salah but I for one hope Dyche doesn't start Gana who may need to be a sub for a few games.

COYB.

I hugely admire and share your sentiments, and they may well have been valid in the last century (exemplified to me by the likes of Labone, Ball, Reid, Southall, Lyons and so many more), but these days I unhappily think all but every so-called "professional footballer" has loyalty and commitment to himself as his only priority.

They're on mega-bucks for dross, and especially with us, during the entire 30+ year tenure of the allegedly convalescing "football guru" Moshiri openly, to the very welcoming pernicious and adversarial football-world, announced as his guiding genius seven hopeless seasons ago.

So, do we now have any genuine pros to take the field and then make their presence felt from start to finish in the manner you eloquently advocate?

Let's see.

66/1 for the first goal, worse bets out there.

It's certainly not useless, mate! I couldn't remember Lady Granchester. I'd forgotten her name. It seemed to contribute to our years of falling behind Liverpool who were already becoming more successful than us. It seemed almost every season that they came ahead of us in the league and got in the Inter City Fairs Cup. There being only one team from the City allowed to compete.

I can remember being in their main stand at the Kop end, when Andre Kanchelskis scored two beauts, to see us beat them 2-1.

I was sitting next to a Red from Liverpool who said he had different people around him almost every match, mainly Norwegians! So we had a good natter and he was a good Red.

A couple of other times we won, was when our "reserves" beat them 4-0 in the '60s (that was a brilliant day!) and Kevin Ratcliffe's goal when we beat them 2-0. The ball seemed to bounce about 15 times and Grobbelaar dived right over it!

Barry (144),

Can you remember when Kenwright's partner Paul Gregg was trying to take over the club and he hoped (thought) that he could buy the club off Kenwright, who suddenly found that investor? ("The money's in the post!") Wasn't there a Lord Granchester who Gregg thought had given him his backing? Another sad day for us.

Anyway, back to today, I think we've got a decent side in the making, with, at last, at least 4 goal scorers in the side; and what looks like the makings of a good, fast and skilful midfield, with Garner in the middle with Onana and with McNeil and Harrison playing wide.

I'd like to see Doucouré up front with Calvert Lewin. Defence? Mykolenko and Patterson are both, "not quite there" yet but both are fast and can cross a ball.

I just hope we turn up and give them a game.

And he says it was Lampard who, despite his ugly ending here, recommended he sign the loan deal with Everton.

Best quote: “I've no doubt in my mind I will not be relegated again but it is something that will always stick with me after last year. I never want it to happen again and it's a motivator for me to make sure it doesn't. Everton has a solid foundation and there's a lot of quality on the team. I know it is a loan deal but I am going to give it all I have got and see what happens.”

Jack Harrison: ‘Playing in New York gave me a different perspective’

The same team needed and give them something to worry about — not park bus time and hope to nick a goal.

Graeme Sharp and that goal as we sensed we were on to something special despite their dominance of the football landscape at the time.

Kevin Ratcliffe's daisy cutter squirming under Brucey Balls Up.

A trademark Gary Stevens driven to put us into the next round of the League Cup.

Kanchelskis taking over Anfield.

Kevin Campbell. We beat them when the odds were stacked.

Richarlison and Sigurdsson subjecting them to a 4th successive defeat under Ancelotti that sadly we didn't get to witness.

Few and far between, in most of my lifetime, we've always been fighting the odds, but I don't care. Anything is possible. In terms of today, the past can go and shite. It's about today.

Go to them, Blues. They wear the Devil's colour and they are satanic. I've touched my Rosary Beads, one from the Vatican, one from Bethlehem.

Apologies, it's days like this I get even more emotional than usual. The hormones are riding high.

Everton the Gear.

I too was in their Main Stand for that one.

The Irish Liverpool supporter sat next to me suggested that I should support my City.

I won't repeat my response.

However, we both agreed the best game seen, but not there, was the Brazil v Italy 1970 World Cup Final.

When that goal went in, I had never been thrown so high in my life (still haven't ever been thrown higher) and I remember thinking I was going to end up going over the stand, but what noise, what elation and what absolutely pure unadulterated love, quite possibly brought about by that same unadulterated hate!

You can't always play well and win, but you can always work very hard and today has got to be one of those days. Fight, fight, fight, suck it up, and feed off the bitterness that will hopefully be coming from the Liverpool crowd. 💙

What a game, what a 4th Brazilian goal, and what players they had. Pele, Tostoa, Gerson, Rivalino, Jarzinio & Clodaldo to name a few. Greatest team I have ever witnessed.

However, being at the Bayern game, watching Everton reach our first European final was special and only topped by the final itself imo.

(Caveat: Dyche doesn't instruct the players to follow the negative, defeatist, tactically inept plan he insisted on vs Arsenal) 😬😬😬😬

COYB

But an oft-overlooked game, in terms of energy to end action was the semi-final between Italy and West Germany... 4 - 3, possibly after extra time.

Today, let's see Everton do, to the RS what Everton did to Villa or Brighton! Play without fear and believe.

UTFTs!

About the greatest game, I think the Home game against Bayern was it for me. We were just brilliant that night, the supporters were just the best! We were in Gwladys St (not sure whether we had a roof right down to the front then, but it didn't matter, it was like a wall of sound. Mind you, I tyhionk the 66 Cup final ran it close! Never had a goalscored against us until... 2-0 down with less than half an hour to go in the Final.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man Mike Trebilcock scoring twice, then the last one! It' was like time stood still. Derek Temple going for a ball that their centre half was sure to trap...but he didn't! And Derek beating Ron Springett from about 20 yards! Just Mayhem with that bloke running on the pitch with the coppers after him and Brian Labone going over, once they'd got him, making sure they treated him right.

So I agree I think the best game I've seen was the Brazil versus Italy game, but we've had some great games ourselves.Even down to the wire for two seasons running, couldn't be beaten for high drama.

Mind you, my own facvourite moment was seeing Alex Young, who was about 5'9" outjump Brown, the SDpurs and scotland goalie, Maurice Norman who was about 7' tall and Dave McKay, one right dirty get, to rise as though his boots had springs in, and nod the ball home to win us the game, in front of around 60,000 supporters.

They were the last season's league champions, the press's darlings, and we went on to become the 1962/63 Champions, when we beat Fulham at Goodison 4-1 with a Roy Vernon hat trick.!

Interesting one Steve. Obviously a generational thing.

Bayern Munich at Goodison obviously sticks out, although I often think Howard and the team didn't get the praise for the first leg in Bayern where they done a job and set us up for the stage.

Wembley 84 and lifting the FA Cup has to be up there. I'd been told all of my young life that we were Everton and going to win a trophy. We did. And more.

I'll throw a random one out there, when we destroyed Arsenal 6-1 in the 85-86 season. We may not have won the league that season, but came very close. But it made me realise how good we were.

For very different reasons and circumstances, Palace when we secured survival. An absolute electric Goodison. The desire and passion rained down from the stands onto the pitch. The Palace supporters were in total admiration and almost joining in.

It is a shame how the derby has evolved in terms of supporters. I remember looking at the Kop from the away section and roughly you could draw a diagonal line. From right to left, it was about one third Everton.

The odd Mexican dance off at half time, but only one or two, no real trouble.

Anyway, let's go and get them.

I don't need to swear, but every single one of them.

They call us bitter. They are bitter. Always outraged, never embarrassed.