IT has been a long time (and perhaps a long time coming) but when the Reds visit Goodison on Sunday, we may well be going into a derby game as big underdogs.
You’d probably have to go back to the early days of Gerard Houllier – or perhaps earlier – to find a time when Liverpool weren’t favourites for a Merseyside derby but, while it hurts and says a lot about our huge decline in recent years, it may actually work in our favour!
You see, since 2000 we’ve had 28 derbies, of which Liverpool have won 16 and drawn 8. That means that Everton have won 4 in the last 12 years. It’s been almost 3 years since Liverpool last lost a derby game and, given that Roy Hodgson was in charge for that one, it can pretty much be scratched off as having never happened.
So when Liverpool roll up at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon, it shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing that we’re considered outsiders, given that Everton are enjoying their best start to a season in many a year, and because, as we all may know, David Moyes tends to treat derby games like the visit of Barcelona: he packs 11 men behind the ball and hopes for the best, usually. But when the build-up starts and he realizes his boys are big favourites for 3 points, he’ll have a huge dilemma, and that could play right into our hands.
As we’ve seen already this season, Brendan Rodgers changes his tactics for no man, or no team. Whether Arsenal, City or Stoke, we play the same way and attempt for the win. That is admirable, but in many ways also foolish. But against Everton, I can see us having some success, as they have been used to sides turning up at their own ground with a defensive approach in mind, such has been their dominance at home this season.
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In all home games, the Blues have had well over 50% of possession (apart from against United) and they have created close to 80 chances in those 4 games. But Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool will offer a different proposition and his ‘tiki-taka’ will provide David Moyes with some problems he hasn’t yet had to face.
Of course, there is always the chance that he’ll go for his usual 4-6-0, as he often does in derby games, but I think the pressure of the press, fans and Everton’s good form will force his hand and, it will hopefully play into our hands so come this time next weekend, we’ll be celebrating our second successive league win – and our fourth derby win on the bounce.
Not only that, but Liverpool’s ‘youth-first’ approach (whether forced or not) this season has provided us with a fearlessness and backbone that many teams lack and I have the faith and confidence in our boys that it is only a matter of time before we start to find the back of the net easily and that will hopefully start next weekend in what will probably be our toughest test yet.
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look at bookies and everton will be underdogs as usual
if suarez has one of his rare prolific days then we win , if he has a typical play great but miss all days then we lose or draw
I dont care where we are in the standings… we will never be underdogs to them. EVER!!!!
The blues are under-d’s per books.