"Why won't you work when my players kick you?!?!"
The plus side for Liverpool is that usually form can be thrown out the window in a game like this and everybody knows the Merseyside derby is always the one to watch. There's no doubt in my mind that someone at some point will get sent off and we could therefore be relying more so on luck and refereeing decisions rather than our performance.
Fernando Torres has passed fit for Liverpool which is a massive boost, in form or not i'd rather have Nando featuring in the derby than him being unavailable. Another player back from injury and one we could benefit from using i feel is Brazilian Fabio Aurelio. Would be nice to see him feature over the next few games.
Dirk Kuyt could be out for up to a month after picking up an ankle injury when on international duty. Daniel Agger's back problem has also sprung back up so he will probably not feature tomorrow either.
For Everton they are without some big names in Pienaar and Saha. Youngster Jack Rodwell is also unavailable along with Anichebe and Jagielka. Not stated on their website too is Fellani but David Moyes on Sky Sports News yesterday was adamant he would be out for a few weeks.
Everton have only 3 wins out of the last 12 derbies at Goodison Park. Liverpool can claim 8 wins and there has been only one draw.
If one thing is predictable it's that there will be goals the last 0-0 between the two sides was in the 06/07 season at Anfield.
Will be tough for Liverpool tomorrow but i think it would help if Roy was to field a decent side. We need pace down the wings and with Kuyt out (i know he's not famed for pace) who usually loves netting against the blue noses, i think the best option is Cole and Jovanovic on the flanks. Jovanovic's strength will be a nice asset too.
Midfield for me needs to be either Gerrard and Lucas or Gerrard and Meireles, failing this, Lucas and Meireles with Gerrard behind Torres. Of course its pointless me saying this because Hodgson will start Poulsen... Let's just hope he has a bloody good game!
One thing's for certain, now the off field situation has finally been sorted, people who were using that solely as an excuse now don't have anything to fall back on. For three years those two upstairs had been the root of the problem but we'd always analysed managers decisions and players performances too.
For the lads, now is the worst time to be finding themselves in a dip in form, same goes for Roy because although usually a draw tomorrow would be respectable, after the start we've had, we simply must win.
A big ask, but it's do-able.
(Isn't it nice to be talking about football again?)