ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Derby Line-up

Unless Tommy G can somehow find his legs (Gordon Strachan is on record as saying they disappeared half-way through last season) I suspect our midfield on Saturday will be Arteta, Neville, Carsley and Osman.

The defence picks itself - Howard, Yobo, Stubbs and Lescott whilst up front we can expect to see McFadden and Anichebe.

Now whilst this is not the line-up I or, indeed, most Evertonians would have us start with, it does have the merit of containing a large number of players who know what these derbies are all about and who, in true Moyes mould, will give their all.

I think most of us would want to include Baines, Yakubu and possibly Van der Mede but Moysey will undoubtedly play it safe. What do others think?
Michael Copson, Heswall Posted 15/10/2007 at 10:34:07

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Colm

I'll start the ball rolling in saying I sincerely hope Van der Meyde is nowhere near the first team. Yakubu needs games, seeing as he missed out on a pre-season with Middlesbrough. He's not exactly endeared himself to Evertonians thus far but it's way too early to play judge and jury on his ability in Blue. As for your defence ? no right back?

Stuart Mitchell
1 Posted 15/10/2007 at 12:12:21

Howard
Neville
Baines
Yobo
Stubbs
Arteta
Carsley
Pienaar
Osman
McFadden
Yakubu

Subs, Wessels, Stubbs, Jags, Anchiebe, A V Meyde.

Thats what I would like to see.

Stuart Mitchell
2 Posted 15/10/2007 at 12:16:39

Lescott not Stubbs in the starting lineup.

soz

Michael Newton
3 Posted 15/10/2007 at 12:13:02

If you pay 6.5m for a class left back in Baines has to start he is a Scouser and he will raise his game even more, he was tremendous against Utd as well.
As Crouch is likely to start I would put Stubbs in ahead of Yobo so he can rough up the stringbean.
He will pick 2 from 3 in Neville, Carsley and Jagielka and Pienaar will get the nod over Osman. Upfront Yakubu and McFadden subs Wessels, Osman, Anichebe, they one who doesnt play out of the 3 earlier mentioned and Yobo. Other sub candidates would be Vidarsson, Justiewicz or VDM, I dont think we have any more as Cahill not likely to be ready. As for the Mad Dog I have a hunch we might find him in the 16 but too early in the week to speculate at the moment. Then we have to bear in mind Interational injuries and jetlag though a jetlagged Gerrard is a bonus to us.

John Murphy
4 Posted 15/10/2007 at 12:17:41

Stuart, by saying a midfield of Arteta, Carsley, Pienaar and Osman, I am assuming that would be Arteta on the right, Pienaar the left with Carsley and Osman in the middle. Do you really think that Osman in centre midfield will be able to cope with the likes of Gerrard, Alonso or Mascherano? My team for the derby:
Howard
Neville
Yobo
Lescott
Baines
Arteta
Carsley
Jagielka
Pienaar
McFadden
Yakubu
Subs Wessels Hibbert Stubbs Osman Anichebe

However, if Gravesen is fit then he is a must starter. A player like him willing to get stuck in and get the crowd going is just what we need.

Tony Marsh
5 Posted 15/10/2007 at 12:12:43

Please no Osman.The lad shits himself when ever the big boys are in town Watching him trying to tackle Gerrard will be like watching a humming bird try to take a Salmon of a GrizzlyBear.Baines is a must as he provides our only source of width and crosses. Its a must win game as Derbies always sre but if we get beat here then we are firmly rooted in the bottom half of the table and that wont look good after all the money Moyes has spent this summer.The team has to be

Howard,Baines,Yobo,Lescott,Neville
/Arteta,Graveson Carsley,Piennar> Anichebe Yakubu..
Mcfadden as sub/>

Jay Campbell
6 Posted 15/10/2007 at 12:28:49

Team should be if everyone is fit:
Howard
Neville
Yobo
Lescott
Baines
Arteta
Graveson
Piennar
Cahill
McFadden
Anichebe.
I feel these are our best technical footballers in their best positions and I think could easily cope with Liverpool. If Moyes starts putting Carsley, Osman and Jagielka in the midfield and putting players out of position we’ll have countless problems end ov.

Anto Doran
7 Posted 15/10/2007 at 12:35:03

is AJ out injured or something??? i would give Yakuba his chance to start and bring on Victor if the Yak aint doing the biz.

Andy Mckenzie
8 Posted 15/10/2007 at 12:34:38

imo stubbs is a must for this game, only real leader we’ve got so my team would be:

howard
neville
stubbs
lescott
baines
arteta
carsley
gravesen (if fit)
pienaar
mcfadden
yakubu.

i would’nt start with anichebe as he’s better when coming off the bench and yobo has been poor the last few games and deserves dropping, id be pretty confident that team would win.

COYBs

patty blue
9 Posted 15/10/2007 at 12:54:38

Michael Newton - and don’t you think a jet lagged Lescott and Neville will be a bonus to Liverpool?

Anton Doran - You are a fountain of knowledge aren’t you? You ask if AJ is injured or something .... he has just had an ankle operation last week following groin strain. Are you on another Planet or something?

Andy McKenzie - Reckon you have the right team selection there with Anichebe coming on for Yak if things aren’t going well.

Please God, let them win, a few more grey hairs until its over.

Michael Copson
10 Posted 15/10/2007 at 12:56:11

Sorry,Colm,I have ’a thing’about Hibbert and couldn’t bring myself to type his name!However,he will almost certainly line up at right-back although i don’t know a single Evertonian who wouldn’t prefer to see Neville or Jagielka in that position.
Let me stress that the team I submitted was not my pick but the one I expect Moyes to go for.

Chris Masey
11 Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:00:56

Its a foregone conclusion that this derby is going to be the worst in years. I hope I am proved wrong. Stubbs must start, he’s had enough rest now, and Yobo must be dropped. Moyes is turning into Rafa with his team selection, so your guess is as good as mine. Does anyone know if Cahill has a chance????

Steve Ferns
12 Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:01:58

Team will be:

Howard,
Hibbert,
Yobo,
Stubbs,
Lescott,
Arteta,
Neville,
Carsley,
Osman,
Yakubu,
McFadden

I’ll put a fiver on it.

Peter Pickles
13 Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:08:58

Jet Lag! From Moscow?
Behave!

You’re gonna have to buy an atlas, what with us being in Europe and that.....

Michael Newton
14 Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:15:55

Neville will be a bonus to Liverpool jetlagged or not Patty Blue.
Gerrard is world class so if you read what I said anything that will effect his form is a bonus to us.

Dick Fearon
15 Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:07:45

Lately it has been Hibberts turn to be our token whipping boy yet as a counter to Riise and Torres left wing raids I prefer Tony’s speed and tackling.
As for Osman, I would not let him near the ground let alone the team.

dave t
16 Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:18:42

torres isn’t playing is he?
with the players we have injured right now i can’t see us getting more than a draw from this
the rs are gonna turn someone over this season, i just hope its not us!!!
our players need to find form quick
we can match liverpool with everybody playing decent/well
we can’t afford to haev 3 or 4 players off form like we have had for most games this season
p.s.Beattie mentioned in an interview that a couple of the players were pissed off with the way moyes treated him.
from the way a few of them are playing this season that could be true

Michael Newton
17 Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:33:36

I have heard from a rabid red that Kuyt isnt playing either. That leaves the stick insect and the refugee from a Status Quo concert as the front runners.
Sissoko is out of form, Gerrard will be tired out by half time, Alonso & Agger are very doubtul so Beneathus will have to bring in some on his 2 dozen unknowns he bought in the summer.
We cant afford to play hoofball as Carragher and Hyppia will have a field day.

James Elworthy
18 Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:41:45

I just looked on Liverpool Newsnow website no mention whatsover of Kuyt being injured. It will be a bonus to have him out also. Radio City News mentioned that Sissoko has had a kick up his arse for his form.
I think we can win it may be an ugly win not a game for the purists but 3 points is all that matters on Saturday. I would like to see Carsley in the team because he is the most effective we have at that role, with Tommy G alongside him.
We need to get well stuck into them

Tony Marsh
19 Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:38:16

One thing you can count on this weekend is Everton playing the long ball game.Its al lwe know.If we know it then so will Benethus and co.Whats the chances of us actually trying to play some proper footie.Not good is my answer.We need to get lucky at a corner or free kick to win this one and the way Arteta has been shaping this season that will be hard to do.
Still we have got our top secret striker Lescott to rely on so lets hope he can get that October Cabbage shaped head of his on the end of a cross.

AT
20 Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:46:34

I thought Cahill was due back for the derby? Have we heard otherwise?

Anto Doran
21 Posted 15/10/2007 at 14:03:11

@patty blue it was just a simple question I asked about AJ, I have a life outside of Everton and football UNLIKE YOU OBIVIOUSLY DONT so if you cant reply in a respectful manner then dont!

Jay Campbell
22 Posted 15/10/2007 at 14:12:09

Steve Ferns I hope your wrong in guessing that’s our line up for this Saturday. We’ll get f*ckin tw*ted with that side.

Michael Newton
23 Posted 15/10/2007 at 14:15:34

I think Jay that Steve Ferns is only 2 players out. Pienaar and Baines in Osman and Yobo out of that 11.
At the end of the day there isnt much more in the squad.
I think Cahill is not ready, again Moyes may be playing it cagey and unleash him and Tommy G, I think it is a week when cards are played close to the chest.

Jay Campbell
24 Posted 15/10/2007 at 14:21:13

Michael I hear what your saying mate but if Cahill is fit he must play. His always notches against them. If him and Graveson are available play them no question. Big match players they are. Even at 75% fit there better than Neville, Carsley and Osman. Yobo has surely got to start ahead of Stubbs at centre back, he’s finished and his lack of pace will get exposed against them. As i said in a earlier post all our best technical players available must start on saturday if they do we’ll be fine.

Michael Newton
25 Posted 15/10/2007 at 14:38:50

Granted Jay, Yobo is a better technical player to Stubbs and I would pick him most of the time. However as Crouch is likely to start I think Stubbs is the better player to sort him out in the air, Crouch doesnt like the physical centre half. I also think Stubbs puts more passion into his game and in a derby that is important. I also think Carsley puts himself about more in this sort of game. I wouldnt pick Carsley every week but I dont think Saturday will be pretty.
I dont know about Cahill but I have a sneaking feeling Tommy G will be on the bench.

Jay Campbell
26 Posted 15/10/2007 at 15:15:27

Michael I thought Yobo had Crouch is his arse pocket last season when he played against him. I know Stubbs is a local lad and will give it 100% but against nippy players he get’s exposed. Nothing against him like but he’s to old now and should only be used if we have injuries. Anyway all that matters really is the result and if we beat them horrible tw*ts I won’t complain about a thing.

DJ
27 Posted 15/10/2007 at 15:25:20

Fuck off "Stubbs" your having a laugh Yobo anyday, and yes we should have Cahill,Vaughan, and Grav back.

Ben Treadwell
28 Posted 15/10/2007 at 15:49:53

Hibbert is the best tackler in the club and his distribution is hardly worse than Neville and Jagielka who I have yet to see pass to a blue shirt-except against Birmingham City that is!
I suspect all three will start as well as Stubbs as Moyes sets out to keep a clean sheet and steal one.

Steve Ferns
29 Posted 15/10/2007 at 18:02:26

Please note lads that my team was not what i would picck, but what i think moyes would pick.

I think Stubbs is a certainty to start. I think Moyes will revert to last seasons back four as a way of trying to find the defensive stability we’ve been lacking. Therefore, i thnk Baines will miss out. Unless, Lescott’s tired and then he’ll start.

In midfield he’ll definately start with carsley and Neville. He always goes for two defensive players in the middle against the so called better sides. I thnk that even if fit, Tommy G will be on the bench along with Cahill. On the wings, I thnk that Osman will edge Pienaar simply because it is a derby and Osman has that experience and further Pienaar will be a decent sub.

Up front he will pick McFadden, he was at the scotland game. I watched it in full on SS1. Faddy looked good having a hand in all three goals. Yakubu will probably get thenod over Chebe, Simply becuase the youngster has been more effective off the bench and he wouldn’t want him to lose it his head in the derby.

There’s no way we’ll see any surprises from Moyes on Saturday. I mean come on this is Moyes were talking about. I hope I’m wrong and the miserly one picks a team to play football.

Steve Williams
30 Posted 15/10/2007 at 18:38:16

I agree with most who believe Moyes will revert to last season’s back four, but I think he may spring a surprise with Baines as left mid to compliment the threat from Arteta on the right.

I just hope we’re still in the game when he brings Vic on with 30 to go in place of the biggest waste of money ever!

iR
31 Posted 15/10/2007 at 19:55:25

is cahill going to make this game...need gravesen in ther big time as need to start holding the ball...osman to lightweight for these games...hang on every game and jagielka is never been a centre mid....chases shadows ala carsley

matt
32 Posted 15/10/2007 at 20:21:42

Hibbert is the best tackler in the club....... - Please define ’best’. He may be comitted in the tackle and go in harder than some anf at times put himself on the line when the likes of Valente for arguments sake wouldnt but i wouldnt say best tackler at the club. That title should go to Lescott. How often do you see Lescott come away with the ball, nicking it off the opposition without the need of diving in or going to ground. The boy is class. (althouh not playing quite as well as last season).

Dont think Vaughan is fit and the game may be a little too soon for Tim too. Gravsen maybe ok though.

Moyes seems to drop Carsley in favour of Jags or Nev which is harsh. I think he will start Saturday. Although Neville isnt the most gifted midfielders, he is an organiser and leader, that alone gets him in the team. (although he could do that from fullback).

I think Saturday will see much of the same, largely due to injuries. No AJ, Cahill, Vaghaun, probably no Gravesen. No start for Anichebe or Jags. Its 2 from Baines, Yobo and Stubs.

tom morris
33 Posted 15/10/2007 at 21:02:25

Most of us would pick Van der Meyde ?!

No we bloody well wouldn’t. Not unless we’re scrapping the football in favour of a Blues versus reds ’yard of ale’ drinking contest.

patty blue
34 Posted 16/10/2007 at 09:22:57

Anto Doran: I did not mean to be disrespectful - I was just amazed that an Everton supporter did not know the situation with A.J. - it was even reported in the media as he had to withdraw from the England squad.

As for not having a life - well you are entitled to your opinion on that and, yes, I do live and breathe Everton and have done so since the age of 6. I am now 67 and am still working full-time for an architectural practice where I have been employed as Secretary/Accountant for 30 years. Why am I still working ? ~well, you see, my husband is in the last stages of the Alzeimers disease and I work so that I can pay high nursing home fees to keep him well cared for in a good hojme as he is worth it. You see, Everton,. brings a litle bit of sunshine into my otherwise sad and exhausting life.

Anto Doran
35 Posted 16/10/2007 at 10:28:46

sorry to hear about your husband Patty. Im Irish btw so have no real interest in the England squad tho am a bit embarrased not knowing about AJ ;)

Mike Oates
36 Posted 16/10/2007 at 11:42:21

Not my 1st 11 , but I think Moyes will rest both Lescott and Mc Fadden due to the likelihood of them playing in Russia/Georgia.
Neville will play for Everton as I dont believe he will be in England’s team - so:
Howard
Hibbert
Yobo
Stubbs
Baines
Arteta
Carsley
Neville
Pinnear
Cahill
Anichebe

Subs Wessels,Gravesen,McFadden,Yakubu,Lescott

Anto Doran
37 Posted 16/10/2007 at 12:24:29

The Yak HAS to play from the start, this is one of the biggest games, if not the THEE biggest game of the season for us and he should know that and so be really up for it! eleven million for him = picked for first team = he better start producing the goods in the big games now!