Swansea is pretty fast and similar to Liverpool in style of play. 0-3 to the good there.

Do we really think that their right side of Wisdom/Sterling is going to be able to cope with Baines/[anyone]? Those 2 combined are about as old as Phil Neville. They're going to go poo poo in their undies when they are faced with the task of defending Baines. Then Rodgers is going to go ovaries to the wall with their tactics and play them too high up the pitch. If Sterling does anything special this game, I'll be surprised.

I'm not concerned about the strength of our squad or Moyes' tactics vs. Rodgers. I'm concerned that some stupid fluke seems inevitable. Referee decision, own goal, Fellaini getting a haircut (it didn't work out for Samson) you get the picture.

Wisdom? Suso? Fuck me, I haven't heard of them. Do people actually watch Liverpool play on games other than the derby?

Their speed hasn't got them very far this seasoon has it Tim ?

9 points from 8 games, we should be confident of winning. In fact, if it was any other team we would be odds-on.

As usual though, we will probably fuck it up.

Pace? We shouldn't worry about their pace or anything else for that matter! LFC are only as good as QPR or Swansea, we should beat them comfortably.

Even without Gibson, Pienaar and Fellaini, a draw would be the minimum we expect. But this is Everton and we always fuck it up!

I think I read somewhere that we have only won 8 of the last 50 derbies? It's a massive mental problem with us and we will probably throw it away like we always do!

Even in our 80's pomp we would often screw up against that lot. I always travel in hope when it comes to these games. League position, form, overall quality says we should win, but since when has that mattered ? It's rare we get the rub of the green in these games(home or away). Add to that the number of tactical balls ups Moyes has made of too many of these games (I've still not forgiven him for putting the reserves out last season) and I'd say our chances of winning are evens at best.

Like most games, I think it will be one or lost in the middle of the park, so I think it probably is quite important that we get a bit of steel back in there. Hit them hard early and then let them worry about what we are capable of for a change. We always seem to worry what Liverpool MIGHT do to us rather than what we CAN do to them.

I hope all this pessimism is a form of reverse psychology, because when I started out this week, I was a glass-half-empty sort of guy and now I can't even find the glass.

I know who we're playing and have also experienced many many many disappointments against this foe since my childhood up to the present time.

We have had far worse Everton teams in the past who have beaten far superior sides to our enemies current crop.

So come on lads and lasses , get behind the blues on Sunday as if it was the last game we are ever going to play , the moaning and self-doubt can all take a back seat until after the game.

A silent Goodison is not what is required on Sunday; a rip-roaring up-and-at-em approach is.

Don't forget to put the clocks back on Sat/Sun an extra hour to prepare those lungs and voices.

Following the Anfield and Wembley derbies last year, I refuse to allow any optimism or hope surface in my psyche before this game. It just hurts so much when it's thrown back in my face on the day.

I hate the derby!

Can't wait for Fulham next week though!

The trick with dealing with pace is to not give them the ball in the first place – pass and patience are what's required against this team, and have someone harrying Joe Allen into giving the ball back to Skyrtl (and therefore forcing mistakes).

We'll need to be patient in our support too as they won't be easy to break down, plus no diving in against the 'referees friend' Suarez.

I can see Baines and Mirallas ripping their full-backs to bits.

Timothy - just read the original post and my first thought was which team are you actually bigging up.

Comments like "our slow and ponderous Everton defenders and midfielders" and "Everton face the problem of speed which we're ill-equiped to handle".

Now your final comment "I can see the RS scoring a few goals against us" left me in no doubt which team you were bigging up - so I thought I would just check the EPL to see where the fuck the RS sat and where Everton were sitting, with your original comments I was sure I would see the RS much, much, much, much higher than the blues.

Well guess fucking what I'm down to tenth and still no sighting of that speedy much quicker RS team - well fuck me, there they are sitting at 12th in the table. Now I'm going to look for the much fucking slower Everton team - gotta be down the bottom somewhere. Fuck off they are fourth, must be a fix as Everton are so fucking slow - that result against ManU can't be right as they definately don't have anyone who can sprint as fast as those RS fuckers.

We will cope Timothy, oh yeah we will cope fine and IMO I seriously hope Rodgers plays Downing as he is shite (not my view just the view of most RS fans I know) and as for Stirling, lets see whats happens when he plays his first derby - you can take it that Hibbo will be back.

Never been optimistic about a derby, too many years of these feckers having the hoodoo over us.

Speed isn't the issue, we will just defend a little deeper and we have our own speedsters for them to worry about too.

QPR was all about Neville getting rolled when we were on the attack for a corner, not about how quick the lad was. He didn't cause us any further problems with his speed, did he?

It's attitude, or lack of it, that kills us and has done since Shanks.

Since they stopped winning the league we've been closer than our pitiful record suggests, Joe Royle showed what attitude against these no-marks can do - but then Joe was smarter than the average bear.

Kick them off the fucking park from the off with a sly early one on Sterling, a crafty dig at Gerrard and let's set the tone for once and not act like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

The fact that we may lose 4 derbies on the bounce, when they have had their worst team for 50 years sends shivers down my spine.

If we can't give it to these when thay have a load of kids playing for them, then we will never get them out of our system.

I expect us to win - and win well.

It's Moyes's mindset that will defeat us — not the opposition. I'm always worried about these games and I'm fed up of hoping we will win and then getting beat by putting in a scared and timid performance.

David Moyes's record against the more prominent and ever present teams in the league is as follows:

Liverpool W4 D6 L13
Man Utd W4 D5 L14
Arsenal W3 D4 L11
Chelsea W3 D11 L16
Tottenham W6 D4 L10
Aston Villa W6 D10 L6
Man City W10 D3 L6

[I've only included Man City as it is the only 'big' team that he has a favourable record against and someone was bound to mention it.]

(The other candidate being Newcastle W7 D7 L7)

That's a pretty poor record if you ask me.

@Vincent I do wonder why people keep bringing up our record against the 'big' teams. Over the last decade the teams at the top (Chelsea, Arsenal, Man U, and to a lesser extent RS, Spurs, and City - not sure why Vill are in there!), only lose a handful of games a season. Maybe 5 max. I'm guessing if we looked at any other Prem teams record against these teams it wouldn't look that different.

And in how many seasons over the last 10 years can we say that Everton have been able to match some of these teams? I think we have caught and the gap has gotten smaller, but I think we have to remember that for a large period during Moyes' time in charge, it was the SKY4 (Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, RS) who finished in the top 4, which means they won more and lost fewer than everyone else.

It's not too often that you can argue with where we have finished each season, and the table doesn't lie.

Vincent, Would be interesting to sort the figures over the last three years on those teams though, I bet its pretty ok .

Vincent, of course they are bound to mention Man City, they were champions last year and have been in the top 4 the last two seasons. Hence, why they will be a "big" side.

The fact that you "only included" them says more about your mindset than the actual statistics.

What are Newcastles, Villa, Spurs stats against the Sky 4? I'm betting that they are probably similar

There is something in what Timothy says. When the Shite (aka Wimbledon with a few bob) aren't playing their standard 'kick and rush, shove and push' game, they resort to the long ball. They have always relied on breakaways to fast strikers. At their worst, the Everton defence is not greased lightning.

It all depends on how we approach the game.

If we get on the front foot early on and adopt an attacking policy,the thing to do against a Brendan Rogers team is push your wide men forward, restrict the keeper throwing the ball out to their back 4. That will make the keeper kick it more than Rogers wants them to,which in turn should mean we win the majority of long balls. This tactic involves the central attacking midfielder to drop in to midfield at the right times to back your defensive midfield shield up.

This tactic obviously means gaps will be left,as I say it depends on if we go out to win the game, or go out not to get beat.

The problem with that tactic Paul, is that Jags is useless against the big punt down field. Distin can manage it, but Jags always seems to misjudge the hoof... quite ironic really.

If we go out there and try to contain them we will lose. If we go out there and attack them, we have a good chance of winning. If we go out there with Jelavic all on his lonesome trying to pick up long clearances and Hail Mary punts we will go down whimpering. If Jelavic has some solid service, he will do the business. The trouble is, with Moyes missing Pienaar and likely Fellaini, he has every excuse to fall back on his discredited craven postures of old.

Totally agree Jack.

Moyesy has a habit of keeping it tight in the first half then loosening up a bit in the second half when we have to chase the game.

They are very suspect defensively just like Utd.

They do however create plenty of chances but do not convert that many. Long may that continue.

IMO if we go at them from the off we will score more than them.

Yes, they have pace. Well maybe we should bring back Danny Cadamarteri then...

I can't believe the negativity on these blogs. You accuse the management and the players of being fearful yet many are quaking in their boots at the thought of two teenage lads running down the wings against us. Surely we should be focusing on their inexperience, their reliance on one fit attacker, their fragile confidence, the huge expectation on their shoulders, their inexperienced and ideologically bound manager, their single style of play (I hope they resort to hoofball as they have nobody who can head it), their injuries, Glen Johnson at left back, Jones in goal, someone nobody has ever heard of at right back. There are a million reasons to approach this game with optimism and positivity and keep off the backs of the shortcomings of our players and management.

As for solving the problem of a lack of pace come Sunday what do you expect the manager to do? Give them Red Bull? I back our team against theirs and when we win Rodgers will be under enormous scrutiny for his job, Gerrard will be closer to retirement, their owners will make Blue Bill seem generous and the whole youth programme at Liverpool will be back to square one, COYB!

We can tank these boys. I think someone needs to empty Gerrard and Allen early, disrupt their play and let them know we're not going to stand down. Too many times we have let scrotum-head waltz about the pitch, throwing in heavy tackles and dictating the game.

The only time I can remember us getting stuck in against the Shite was the 2-0 at Goodison two years (and the 3-0 as well sorry). I know this isn't the most philosophical approach to attain victory, but class and form are chucked out the window the majority of the time when the derby takes place.

We need to be combative in midfield and do our utmost to provide service for Jelavic. And someone please snap that buck-toothed vile racist in half! Let's bring it to the scum! COYB

Slow and ponderous defenders???? The likes of Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin and Baines are as mobile as most you will find in the league.

Hoilett's goal wasn't actually that badly defended once the initial break had been made. All attackers were covered to the extent that he was left with no other option but to let fly from outside the box and benefited massively from a deflection to beat the keeper. Ultimately it was a fluke, and the initial error was in midfield. The defenders did what they reasonably could be expected to do and didn't allow them a free run on goal.

Defensive midfield is another matter, where we potentially will lack pace, strength and height. Okay, Gibson and Fellaini aren't exactly rapid (though Felli can cover the ground quickly enough when he really puts his mind to it) but they do provide elements the combination of Neville and Osman cannot, which is why people are bemoaning their current absence.

I have seen it written elsewhere that some of our options can be written off due to lack of fitness. Isn't that what tactical substitutions are for? We need to meet and compete with them on the half-way line rather than conceding ground all the way to our penalty area, otherwise it will be a long and nerve-wracking 90 minutes.

You can run as fast as you like but it doesn't help if you aren't carrying the ball. The midfield need to snuff out everything going forward and chase every single ball and give them not a single inch of space to move and pass. Hoofball isn't the way to go or packing up the defence as it'll just be the ball coming straight back at us and 90 mins of the alamo. If they cant get the ball and better still kept outside the box they've got less chances of a dirty diving bastard cheat getting a penalty whether its the racist beaver or creasehead.

Liverpool may have speed but they keep running into brick walls. They struggle to find the net with the chances they get. As long as we stay focussed and tight at the back, I can't see them scoring.

I just want to see us give them a game and not choke like we always seem to do against them. Let's get the first 50-50 challenge smashed and hope the ref isn't a prick and Goodison will be rocking.

A massive game for us that could make or break the season I think.

Nothing less than 100% commitment, positive attitude and attack attack attack from the whistle.

Make no mistake the reds will be up for this game.

For once let's beat the crap out of them all over the pitch and put them under pressure.

We are good enough even without Fellaini and Pienaar, let's show it.

COYB.

I don't know any Evertonians who are confident for Sunday. I ain't either. I have had too many weekends ruined over the years by our limp-fisted, pathetic surrender-monkey behaviour the moment we see the red twats walk on the pitch. Sorry!

Moyesey, the "keep it tight, give nothing away, behave like a team that thinks itself inferior" approach does not work. It hasn`t worked once in 10 years. The games where we have beaten them are the games where we have gone out and jumped on them. Brave players on the ball, high tempo football, and Goodison like a bearpit full of hatred should just about do the trick. Please.

Mark 437
The defeatist attitude the fans feel relating to derby games under David Moyes
isn't unjustified. We've watched us make them look good for the best part of ten years.

The worst part is that Moyes can't understand that they feed on our fear. While our
players look scared from the off , theirs are up for it. The shite new boys that most of us can't name are looking forward to it , and usually play like it. They don't display derby day nerves like so many of ours have in the past. We have a player of the level of Fellaini who can't get involved. Why??

They have a new manager who has no personal experience of these games.
If he can continue the Liverpool mentality of sending out 11 players determined to beat Everton on every occasion and gets a result because of it David Moyes should look long and hard at himself in the taxi rear view mirror which will hopefully be ready for him on Goodion road at half three.

Steve regardless of the result on Sunday, Moyes isn't going to be fired.

Four years ago, on the last Sunday of October, my old man passed away after one too many fights with his demons. A true blue who spoke of the 60s as his favorite era following the Blues. It was during this period that he instilled all things Blue into me and, for all the ups and downs we've suffered, I wouldn't want it any other way.

A few months before he passed away, we were chatting in hospital after another close call... Jokingly, I urged him to do his best when his time was up to challenge and overcome who or whatever strange power from above or below was helping that lot across the Park. Strangely we got to the FA Cup Final the following May, knocking out Liverpool along the way.

The second thing I asked of him was to somehow find a way of getting the winning lottery numbers to me. Unfortunately he hasn't managed that one but there would be no better time than this weekend for him to use some outside influences in our favour.

3-0 over the Shite and £73 million on the Euro would be just great.

RIP Dad

We Shall not Be Moved.

As usual in a derby, my worries are not about which eleven pull the shirt on, but how Moyes approaches the game. He alone can put us on the back foot. Play our game and we have a good chance, if we go out worrying how they are going to play, it's over at the start.

Personally, I think scoring early is a bad move as DM will undoubtedly try and park the bus. He has already adopted SAF tactics by slamming Suarez before the game. Nice.

Rodgers has also quoted that he thinks the RS have had a rough deal from the officials this season... WHAT?... Maybe they are getting what they deserve and not the the Sky Four quota this season... Rodgers can not have seen our games, we would have had at least 4 more points if the officials had done their job properly.

GO FOR THE JUGULAR, MOYES!!! ...COYB!

Mark #474. A really nice piece about you and your dad. I know how you'll be feeling this weekend, then, and hope he can swing it for you and us again.

It's four years since my own dad died. I know tomorrow I'll look up to the heavens just before the kick-off and say.... "Dad, I love you but sorry mate, I hope you lose today"! — as you can guess, he was a Liverpool fan! (though I'd never actually call HIM RS).

As opposed to all those teams who love to have players run at them at pace?

And if Liverpool are as dangerous as you suggest, why are they in the bottom half with a negative goal difference?

And I'd back Distin in a race with any of those reds you mentioned, and Jagielka and Baines are not slow.

And in case you hadn't noticed, Hoilett's goal was a shit speculative shot from 20+ yards out that took a very lucky deflection off one of the two defenders he hadn't even beaten. I'm surprised it hasn't gone down as an own goal as I'm not 100% convinced it was on target.

As Tony (#487) says, it's not them that worry me – it's Moyes. If only he'd go into these games with a positive mindset, we would slaughter them bastards tomorrow. The thing is, he won't; it'll be the usual 'contain them' shite.

David, I've news for you, pal. They're fuckin shite – do you hear me? ... shite and are ripe for a an absolute tonking. Instill that into our players tomorrow and by half-three tomorrow. It could be as my arl fella says. Happy days, ribs and cabbage.