Roll on the Blueshite game

And so tomorrow is the Merseyside derby and it is the biggest derby match since 2005 when Luis Garcia won it for us. If the blueshite win, they are ahead by a point and if we win there are 5 points difference. I think that this is a must win game and nothing other than a win is acceptable.

We are playing the Arse in the Champions League on Wednesday and with an away game in the league next weekend against the same opposition we MUST open up the gap on the bluenoses. This is The opportunity to put them away. With Cahill out for the rest of the season and Arteta struggling at the moment we have a chance to put on the show we should have shown something off last weekend.

This game I think will be a very high tempo one. Moyes seems to think that really lifting the tempo against us is the way to play bur we can play like that. I think that if we loft the tempo we will win this match. However, we must take the chances we make which has been out biggest downfall this year. If we had taken our chances against Man City, Wigan and Villa we would have been 6 points better off - though its better to be making and missing than not making at all.

With Torres available he has to play. There is no reason for Rafa to change the formation that has served well but maybe with monster missing he can now. Lucas may come into midfield or maybe Crouch may start and drop Gerrard back into midfield. Alonso can hold back and with Babel on one side we can make chances. Everton are there if we want but I think we need width. Last season at Anfield we played too narrow and right into their hands. The team I would play is as follows:

Reina
Arbeloa - Carragher - Skrtel - Aurelio
Pennent - Alonso - Gerrard - Babel
Crouch - Torres

We can keep Lucas, Kuyt and Benayoun on the bench for impact. We must keep the ball wide and since Skrtel has come into the team we look better at attacking setpieces (even if we have off days in defense as per last week against Ronaldo). We have a very strong spine in the team now and that spine could win it.

The derby game earlier in the season was a mixed bag. We started well but allowed them back into it, they made some chances and we looked shaky - at that particular period of the season we were looking shaky against everyone. The goal they got was fortunate to say the least. However we regrouped and I think after the penalty we deserved the win. Yes they had some claims for penalties and maybe they should have had one but both decisions for us were right as were the sendings off. Since then we have got much better and seem to have much more confidence. They have improved as well but they might be running out of a bit of steam now although the Yak will need to be watched closely (hence Skrtel over Hyypia for me - pace and strength). I think the final score will be 3-1 to us but they may make it very tough.

Kuyt’s first pen against Everton - 20 Oct 2007

Kuyt’s second pen against Everton - 20 Oct 2007

Tags: Everton, Liverpool