Crystal Palace no show could lead to derby day joy.
This weekends draw against a lowly Crystal Palace should have only seen one result. It should have been an Everton win. Like so many times before, Everton came unstuck against a resilient Palace who battled with 2 banks of stern defenders, which Everton had no answer too. It’s probably unfair for me to call them just defenders because despite only having 27% of the possession, Palace arguably created the better chances and somehow Dikgacoi managed head away from goal with a fairly simple free header.
Despite the poor result, Everton are only 5 points off the top of the table, sitting in 6th place without really hitting top gear this season. New manager Roberto Martinez is trying to instil the type of football he wants on the players and this will take time.
The international break will allow the Spaniards men some much needed time to regroup and plan their strategy against the chaps from across Stanley Park.
Liverpool FC will be massively confident. They are getting results and they are scoring plenty with it. They arguably have the best strike force in the league, with Sturridge and Suarez combining well and consistently scoring. Suarez despite all his faults (for which there are many), is one of the best players in the Premier League and Sturridge certainly knows where the net is. Everton will have to be at their best against their rivals to get something from the game, especially as it is a game that quite often we simply don’t turn up.
Luckily this is a new era. This isn’t the David Moyes era anymore, so we may employ a different style to try and overcome a tough opposition. We seem to miss that bite that we had under David Moyes and I fully expect Martinez to work on pressing Liverpool high up the pitch and try and force their defenders into mistakes. It is something we haven’t done much this year and the weekends result has emphasised that as something that has been missing.
The Crystal Palace result is probably the kick up the arse that some needed and although the international break is often a time when players don’t want a match, it has probably come at the perfect time for Everton off the back of 2 blank draws.
I can see Ross Barkley coming into the side after being rested and trying to keep Steven Gerrard under wraps to try and stop the supply into the front 3 of Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho and the roles of Gareth Barry and James McCarthy could be vital, not only in helping out their defence but also turning defence into attack and putting a Liverpool defence that has rarely been troubled this season under some pressure.
Our noisy neighbours need bringing down a peg or 2 and there could be an over confidence by them that could see an Everton side in transformation getting a result.
If you want to give your thoughts on the Everton V Liverpool match then please come and visit our match thread on The Everton Forum to give your thoughts – https://www.theevertonforum.co.uk/everton-forum/9254-everton-v-shite-sat-23-nov-12-45-ko.html