Taking Sides: Liverpool vs Everton

The bone-dry surface at the St Dariaus and St Gireno Stadium could prove problematic, the standard of the pitch not helped by the fact that the European junior athletics championships took place in this arena over the weekend. Javelin divot marks are visible on the turf and as the players trotted through their training routines last night the prospect of one of his key men turning an ankle sent shivers down Benítez's spine.

Javelin divot marks!

I guess we'll have to find a way to the SKY1, but we could get some tips by listening to the old Primitives track "(We've) Found A Way (To The Sun)" (which despite its brilliantly precise use of parentheses was to my knowledge never also known as "Found A Way").

As for Cahill, make him clean the toilets for three years!

Liverpool seem to be hoovering up players for "undisclosed" sums. Are three-digit squad numbers allowed? Hey, why not enter two or three teams in the FA Cup?

5th round: Liverpool vs Benitez Boys. BBs win on a 2nd replay, on a frozen plastic pitch, in Hatfield.

Spurs never seem to announce what they've paid either, these years. Perhaps this is for the best - it stops people knowing how much money we are wasting, or still have to waste on other players should another club demand it?

That pub's name is a bit mutually masturbatory, isn't it?

Michael, I recommend buying a totally knackered house and doing it up. That's my plan. Collins DIY Manual is on offer at the moment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/e/everton/4721337.stm

He's 35!

I am bored enough to find that interesting.

1) Morley and Thomson should review more widely

2) Amis is a worse realist than Nabokov

3) Sinclair has more quiddity than Amis

4) LFC weathered the storm

5) book reviews are the motor of intellectual history

6) Orange Juice = Pound, Lloyd Cole = Eliot

But we did not quite agree on the decline of radio as a public experience.

"I'm concerned about the draw, definitely," the manager said. "I've got clear concerns about what might happen. Of course the decision as to who is seeded or not is nothing to do with us. We can't influence who is seeded and who is not, but I do think that it's wrong that two clubs from the same country - the same city even - could be drawn against each other in European competition at this stage.

"You qualify for the Champions League in order to play teams from another country, not your local rivals. You don't usually expect to get one from your own country, let alone your own city, but there is only one club which is exposed to the fact that Liverpool have not been granted country protection, and that's Everton. That's a fact."

Everton fans must appreciate his gritty determination to stick up for the club.

Hmm - doesn't quite scan.

Perhaps Phil Thomson* will take over Strachan's role on MOTD2, then he can review more.

Oh I will have to do some book reviews then. I might start by actually finishing a book. That would be a start.

Lloyd is, I think, a bit of an Orange Juice copyist. Does that fit you analogy, or is it a bit of a (wait for it) Poundstretcher? (As in what ambulance drivers have).

(* - Carling Cup notwithstanding).

I don't.

With JtN, of course.

I am glad the derby, posibly featuring Lerby, has been delayed.

All those posts were good. That's why I said, Crickey.

Mooro, your point is good; (Barrow-) in fairness, I was trying to be Murdochesque.

I am looking forward to Michael Reporting Back on his Everton DVDs.

Unfortunately, the disc is FAULTY. It jumps straight from Big Les peeling away after slamming home a freekick for Leicester at Goodison the week before Xmas to the Norwich FA Cup tie three games later - missing FIVE EFC goals! Maybe I should QC the other discs before drafting my letter of complaint.

In general, I don't like those posthumous commentaries. I mean, with the benefit of hindsight commentaries.

You will be pleased to hear I am proofing Alexei Sayle.

Stubbsy manages to keep the tone chipper in his linking voiceovers even though he knows the season will end in miserable failure. I don't recognise the match commentators (possibly EFC's own) but they're inarticulate enough to convince you that they were there at the time. We do get a dash of Rooney-in-excelsis from 02-03 with Clive T mixed very quietly.

Me and the missus are currently moving cut-outs around on graph paper in an effort to solve a househunting quandary. Little time for luxuriating in McFadden's wasted potential today.

I see "sources close to" little Mikey Owen say Everton were one of the clubs (see also: Bolton W, Schalke, Hexham Rheostatics) initially laughed out of the room linked with the "unsettled England star". I wonder if yr modern L'pool fan would find his seemingly impending move to Old Trafford last palatable than one to Goodison?

bless, not blast

In response to Michael's question, I don't think I'd be as disgusted if he went to Everton, as Man U, possibly cos I'm not from Liverpool, or possibly because I fear Man U more!

Lots of clubs or teams could be improved by his insertion. Everton are one of them. So are Liverpool, maybe!

Also today: Benitez says that he's glad Mourinho is putting LFC down cos it means he's scared of them.

But he let himself down a bit by empthasising the importance of Gerrard re "He will win more trophies for us...soon" Better to play down the one-man show thing surely.

Yes - it often looked that way, last season.

Everton 1-0 Udinese
Simon Davies scored Everton's winner against Udinese but the Merseysiders produced a less than convincing show.
Davies stabbed home a knock down from Duncan Ferguson as the Toffees prepared for their Champions League qualifier against Villarreal on Tuesday.

Villarreal assistant coach Ruben Cousillas was at the game as Everton's lack of firepower seemed to be exposed.

Everton only scored after reverting to the high ball game and have just three goals in five pre-season friendlies.