Neighbours at War, aka the 208th Merseyside Derby, will be as “hotly contested as ever’’, in the opinion of the Everton manager, David Moyes.
Even without the heavy hand of history and jabbing elbow of local rivalry, this game means so much to Moyes and his players, to Rafael Benitez and his men in Liverpool red. Everton crave a victory to lift spirits after a disappointing start to the season. Expensive newcomers such as Marouane Fellaini, Moyes’ £12.5 million midfielder, are desperate to prove they can cope in the heat of Premier League battle.
Liverpool want to show the tigerish football that accounted for Manchester United, not the toothlessness that resulted in two points being dropped to Stoke City. Steven Gerrard chases his 100th goal for Liverpool. Pride, points and landmarks are at stake.
A paradox surrounds a feisty lunchtime at Goodison. The authorities are keen to keep football free of malice in the challenge and in the chant, yet everyone is aware that the visceral nature of derbies makes the Premier League a compelling spectacle, captivating millions around the world. Carnage appeals.
But a balance must be struck: passion without the excess. Some of the derby tackles have been horrendous, with Gerrard guilty of a couple of X-rated lunges on Evertonians down the years. “The reason why the derby games attract people is the intensity,’’ observed Moyes, speaking at Everton’s Finch Farm training base.
“You hope to get a good football game but you know you’ll get a tough encounter. You hope you get a good referee but you hope the players know the boundaries. Referees can be too trigger-happy but I hope the referee [Mike Riley] will have a good game and the players make it easy for him.
“Liverpool are a really strong, tough team. They can be as physical as anybody. They showed that against Manchester United [on Sept 13]. Sir Alex Ferguson mentioned that. In the last couple of derbies they’ve been more aggressive than we have. But Goodison’s a tough place to come into and tough to get out of.’’
And noisy. Some of the chanting has been sickening in recent years, particularly songs about Gerrard’s wife by some Evertonians, while a few Liverpool fans insulted Joleon Lescott. “There is a limit to what your chanting should be,’’ said Moyes. “I hope both sets of supporters will behave.’’
The match lasts 90 minutes, the ramifications much longer. “The seriousness of this game goes beyond football, it goes into people’s livelihoods,’’ said Moyes’ attacking midfielder, Tim Cahill. “I lived in Liverpool for four years, so I understand what it’s like to walk down the street to get a carton of milk after a derby.’’
The Australian has since moved out of town. “Liverpool’s a beautiful city with beautiful people but I needed to be able to switch off and go down the park with my kids without having to listen to an adverse comment. I can relax now, without worrying about people saying I’m crap.’’
Comments still arise after derbies. “I get loads of banter, especially from the Liverpool fans, but it’s a compliment when you get a bit of bitterness because it shows you’re a threat and I’ve had a habit of scoring against Liverpool a few times,’’ Cahill added. “It’s all about passion.
“Players like Alan Stubbs, Duncan Ferguson and Tony Hibbert, players who really know what it is like to be a Blue, really helped me understand when I first came to the club. Now I’m passing that on to Fellaini, Segundo Castillo and Louis Saha. They’ve had derby matches before, but this is a whole different experience.’’
Derbies demand physical and mental strength and Cahill, hailed as a “special player’’ by Moyes, has been working on both qualities. “I’ve been doing yoga for about three months and Pilates for 18 months,’’ added Cahill, who stressed the importance of the input of Willie Donnachie’s son, Danny, the club’s performance and well-being coach. “We have a regime at Everton now where Danny works with us individually on matters on and off the pitch. A big part of football nowadays is the mental aspect.
“We play best when we believe we are invincible, no matter who is in their team. Obviously, Gerrard is one of the best midfielders in the world and he does make that team tick. We need to overcome that in 90 minutes, give that bit extra and give something special to our fans.’’
Moyes talked of “owing the fans’’ a victory following a lacklustre few weeks. “I’d be lying if I said we were bubbling,’’ said the Everton manager, who would love to have had the finances to sign more individuals of Fellaini’s worth. “We are probably in need of buying three or four players of that value – not one. There’s a massive difference of spending power between us and Liverpool.’’
The one signing Goodison truly yearns for, Moyes’ inking his name on a new contract, will not take place on the pitch before kick-off, as rumoured. Passions are stoked up enough already.
Even without the heavy hand of history and jabbing elbow of local rivalry, this game means so much to Moyes and his players, to Rafael Benitez and his men in Liverpool red. Everton crave a victory to lift spirits after a disappointing start to the season. Expensive newcomers such as Marouane Fellaini, Moyes’ £12.5 million midfielder, are desperate to prove they can cope in the heat of Premier League battle.
Liverpool want to show the tigerish football that accounted for Manchester United, not the toothlessness that resulted in two points being dropped to Stoke City. Steven Gerrard chases his 100th goal for Liverpool. Pride, points and landmarks are at stake.
A paradox surrounds a feisty lunchtime at Goodison. The authorities are keen to keep football free of malice in the challenge and in the chant, yet everyone is aware that the visceral nature of derbies makes the Premier League a compelling spectacle, captivating millions around the world. Carnage appeals.
But a balance must be struck: passion without the excess. Some of the derby tackles have been horrendous, with Gerrard guilty of a couple of X-rated lunges on Evertonians down the years. “The reason why the derby games attract people is the intensity,’’ observed Moyes, speaking at Everton’s Finch Farm training base.
“You hope to get a good football game but you know you’ll get a tough encounter. You hope you get a good referee but you hope the players know the boundaries. Referees can be too trigger-happy but I hope the referee [Mike Riley] will have a good game and the players make it easy for him.
“Liverpool are a really strong, tough team. They can be as physical as anybody. They showed that against Manchester United [on Sept 13]. Sir Alex Ferguson mentioned that. In the last couple of derbies they’ve been more aggressive than we have. But Goodison’s a tough place to come into and tough to get out of.’’
And noisy. Some of the chanting has been sickening in recent years, particularly songs about Gerrard’s wife by some Evertonians, while a few Liverpool fans insulted Joleon Lescott. “There is a limit to what your chanting should be,’’ said Moyes. “I hope both sets of supporters will behave.’’
The match lasts 90 minutes, the ramifications much longer. “The seriousness of this game goes beyond football, it goes into people’s livelihoods,’’ said Moyes’ attacking midfielder, Tim Cahill. “I lived in Liverpool for four years, so I understand what it’s like to walk down the street to get a carton of milk after a derby.’’
The Australian has since moved out of town. “Liverpool’s a beautiful city with beautiful people but I needed to be able to switch off and go down the park with my kids without having to listen to an adverse comment. I can relax now, without worrying about people saying I’m crap.’’
Comments still arise after derbies. “I get loads of banter, especially from the Liverpool fans, but it’s a compliment when you get a bit of bitterness because it shows you’re a threat and I’ve had a habit of scoring against Liverpool a few times,’’ Cahill added. “It’s all about passion.
“Players like Alan Stubbs, Duncan Ferguson and Tony Hibbert, players who really know what it is like to be a Blue, really helped me understand when I first came to the club. Now I’m passing that on to Fellaini, Segundo Castillo and Louis Saha. They’ve had derby matches before, but this is a whole different experience.’’
Derbies demand physical and mental strength and Cahill, hailed as a “special player’’ by Moyes, has been working on both qualities. “I’ve been doing yoga for about three months and Pilates for 18 months,’’ added Cahill, who stressed the importance of the input of Willie Donnachie’s son, Danny, the club’s performance and well-being coach. “We have a regime at Everton now where Danny works with us individually on matters on and off the pitch. A big part of football nowadays is the mental aspect.
“We play best when we believe we are invincible, no matter who is in their team. Obviously, Gerrard is one of the best midfielders in the world and he does make that team tick. We need to overcome that in 90 minutes, give that bit extra and give something special to our fans.’’
Moyes talked of “owing the fans’’ a victory following a lacklustre few weeks. “I’d be lying if I said we were bubbling,’’ said the Everton manager, who would love to have had the finances to sign more individuals of Fellaini’s worth. “We are probably in need of buying three or four players of that value – not one. There’s a massive difference of spending power between us and Liverpool.’’
The one signing Goodison truly yearns for, Moyes’ inking his name on a new contract, will not take place on the pitch before kick-off, as rumoured. Passions are stoked up enough already.
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