Liverpool v Everton Spyin' Kop, League and FA Cup, Mon 19 Jan & Sun 25, 2009:

Posted by Terry de Niro on January 14, 2009, 02:02:14 am

Who would have thought that we'd be playing our beloved cousins from across the park twice in less than a week?
 
I was actually planning my questions for our League encounter when the draw was made for the 4th round of the FA cup and we were the first names to come out the hat.
 
The Merseyside Derby always has plenty of passion and tension for the players - and fans. But for this coming week it will be even more so, if that's possible.
 
From Everton's point of view they'll obviously want to do well in both competitions. In the League they obviously will try and finish as high as possible to stand a chance of competing in the UEFA next season. But the FA cup tie will be an incentive to push on and try to land some silverware as this will be their only chance of doing so.
 
From our point of view we obviously want to get back to winning ways in the League and stay at the top. The FA cup would be an added bonus and being drawn against Everton will obviously give the game a lot more edge.
 
Barring any more injuries to the blues their team will pretty much pick itself as they don't have the options that we do, with us having a bigger squad.
So from that I'd say that their team for both matches will probably be very similar. We, on the other hand will be able to afford a few changes. But I'm hoping Rafa will play his strongest 11 for both games.
 
 






I fully intended on doing another pub Spyin' Kop like I did last year, but it wasn't to be. So I e-mailed three blue nose mates and got a set of answers from Hashashim who posts on here. I'd like to say a big thanks to them. Hopefully our posters will go easy on them. 
 
 
 
Sk: First things first, what a turn up for the books. Two games against each other in less than a week. What was your initial reaction when the draw for the FA cup was made?
 
Joe: As soon as Liverpool came out first, I just had that feeling that we would follow.
 
Kev: I had a funny feeling about meeting you lot in the cup, so I wasn't really surprised.
 
Gary: Yes, can't wait to beat the reds twice in one week.

Hashashim: My first reaction was 'ahhh fuck' but after the initial shock set in the excitment grew, can't wait for it now.
 

Sk: What have you made of your season so far?
 
Joe: Considering our poor home form early season, and our injuries to key players, it's been a remarkable effort.
 
Kev: Banging my head against the wall earlier on in the season, but we seem to be getting there now. I thought we'd struggle with our injuries, but there seems to be a better work ethic in the last few games.
 
Gary: I think we are making steady progress and a top sixth place looks on the cards this season.

Hashashim: After the awful start and our inability to keep clean sheets the season is starting to turn out well, our back four is once again solid and dispite the lack of forwards we're still scoring because we're working for eachother.
 

Sk: Your League away form this season has been a lot better than your home, what do you think are the reasons, if any for that?
 
Joe: We've just been unlucky at home, and should have won more games. Our away form has been brilliant, there's a great work ethic and team spirit amongst the players.
 
Kev: Very frustrating, as I feel we could have got more out of our games against the likes of Villa at home.
 
Gary: Less pressure on players, Goodison expects so much from the teams. The Goodison faithful expect so much from the players.

Hashashim: I think its because the expectations of the home fans are off their backs, we don't have to go out and attack, the home team has to bring the game to us, which suits our style of play, because the home teams push up it leaves space for us to counter attack and once we get a goal, we can sit back.
 

Sk: If you only had one choice for a win in both games, which match would you want to win?

Joe: Obviously we'd want to win the league game. I'd rather French kiss Rooney than see the shite win the Premier League. In the cup game I'll settle for a draw, with a win in the return leg.
 
Kev: The cup game, as if we win that hopefully we can look towards a good run and win a damn trophy. I've got a feeling we might surprise you in both games.
 
Gary: I would have to say league.

Hashashim: Easy for me, the league, why? because we need Europe and the league, for me is the best way with Spurs having one foot in the league cup final theres one Uefa place gone and we don't really have the squad to push on two fronts..Also it wouldn't do your league chances good, haha.
 

Sk: Who has been your best player/s this season?
 
Joe: Jagielka
 
Kev: Jagielka earlier on, but Arteta is starting to show good form of late.
 
Gary: Felliani, has made great progress and has helped the team.

Hashashim: There is one standout performer, one player that the majority of Evertonians that go to Goodison week in week out would say, that man is Phil Jagielka. He's been a rock, brilliant tackler, great header and he's added speed to his game, but he's not perfect, he needs to sort the passing side of his game out, but hey, thats what we have Arteta for.
 

Sk: and your worst?
 
Joe: Yakubu, there's more control on an elephant with roller skates. I blame his mam for buying him boots.
 
Kev: I wouldn't say that anyone has stood out as being our worst player. Even though a few have been under par, none of them have been too bad.
 
Gary: Worst, haven't really been any.

Hashashim: At the start of the season there was plenty to choose from Lescott, Yakubu, Cahill, Arteta...but recently everyone has upped their game, if I had to choose someone it would probably be...Victor Anichebe, although he hasn't played much, in the games he has, he's been lazy, ineffective and has the first touch of Rocky Balboa, he's not good enough to start a game but at the moment he's our only fit striker.
 

Sk: Any decent young players coming through the ranks?
 
Joe: Gosling, Rodwell and Baxter, and more. I'm really positive that our youth policy will pay dividends in the future.
 
Kev: I like the look of Rodwell so far. Baxter and Gosling have shown they can come in and do a good job when needed.
 
Gary: I think Rodwell has done really well

Hashashim: Quite a few actually, beside the better known ones such at Rodwell, Baxter and Gosling (although not through our ranks) there's a few kids at the lower levels such as Ross Barkley, Karl Sheppard and James McCarten which are making it at England levels and with the right encouragement could make it.
 

Sk: What are your memories of our encounters, good and bad in both competitions?
 
Joe: Sharpy's wonder goal at Anfield. There were thousands of Evertonians in the kop, and we really wound the bastards up. My worst memory was the 3-1 defeat in the cup final after we went 1-0 up.
 
Kev: Any win against you lot is sweet, but the 3-0 at Goodison was special, as was the game when Graeme Sharp scored that rasper at Anfield. Too many worst ones to mention, particularly in the FA cup.

Gary: 4-4 Derby in the FA Cup at Goodison was a fantastic game.

Hashashim: Being young I don't remember the 80's, but the late 90's onwards are fresh in my mind, the Campbell derby, that McAllister goal, Cadamarteri waltzing through your defense and Pepe dropping the ball on Johnson's head so theres a mix of good and bad....more bad but im not going to list all of them

 
 
Sk: Your fans like to sing/chant about anti LFC related matters even when you're not playing us, why do you think that is?
 
Joe: I think it's down to pure hatred. The same hatred that Liverpool fans have for Man United.
 
Kev: Both sets of fans have their fair share of whoppers, to be fair. Coming to think of it a lot modern football fans haven't got a clue.
 
Gary: I think its only banter and it all adds to the importance of finishing higher than Liverpool.

Hashashim: Ifitwouldntofbeenforyou.....haha, in all honestly I dont know, we can't think of the catchy songs such as your hits like 'hey Riise (uh ah)' or that Torres song, so we stick with the tried and tested, personally I tend not to sing them, but I'm only human so sometimes it does come out (the kopites are gobshites,)

 
Sk: You've obviously had a few injury problems this season, so what sort of a team are you hoping to field against us in the two matches?
 
Joe: A winning team. I think that whoever plays will wear the shirt with pride. Obviously we're short of strikers, but we have match winners elsewhere.
 
Kev: Barring anymore injuries I believe we'll play a similar team in both matches.
 
Gary: We have no strikers and now we are without Felliani, but hopefully it will give the youngsters coming through the ranks a chance to show what they can do.

Hashashim: The tactical masterstroke of 4-6-0, we need to have a solid defence, maybe sneak a goal just as we have done against City, Boro and kept a Chelsea team with a great away record at bay. without Felliani we're going to have to adjust, maybe Castillio, but no-one knows how he'd take such a big game, Rodwell or Gosling might have to step in, hopefully with the experience around them they should cope.
 

Sk: What position do you expect both teams will finish in the league?
 
Joe: With a decent run, we can finish 5th. Liverpool will finish 2nd, hopefully to our second team Man Utd.
 
Kev: Top 6 for us and you'll probably finish 3rd.
 
Gary: I think realistically 5th for Everton and 3rd for Liverpool, I mean 17th..

Hashashim: Tough question, if United win their games in hand against Wigan and Bolton then I fully expect them to win the league, so 2nd for you, as for us........we're definitely in for a shout at 5th, the way Villa are going with the luck of the devil they could get 4th, and with Arsenal's shattered confidence we could easily challenge them...they've got to come to our place after the 2 derbys so we could do our chances a world of good beating them.
 

Sk: and finally, care to predict the scores in both matches?
 
Joe: Blues to win the league game 1-0. I predict a 1-1 draw in the cup.
 
Kev: 1-0 and 1-0 to us.
 
Gary: 1st game - 2-1 Everton and 2nd - game 1-1

Hashashim: League.....2-1 to you lot.....as for the FA cup.....1-0 to us, with a goal coming off Neville's backside
 
 
 
 
© Terry De Niro 2009

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