Taking Sides: Liverpool vs Everton

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Not all messages are displayed: show all messages (1610 of them)

Hot off the rumour mill: Gravesen to Real Madrid.
Logical extension: Owen to Everton.

No, I don't believe it either.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 13 January 2005 10:47 (nineteen years ago) link

I believe half of it, PJM. Unfortunately.

It increasingly looks as if TG isn't going anywhere near a new EFC contract so the question is - get £2m for him now off Real or let him go for free in July. £2m = about four Premiership places, I think. TG = probably the difference between top four/six and top half or Europe and no Europe.

I see Super Kev left for WBA last week. Walter Smith's Small Number Of Good Ideas will soon be history.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:04 (nineteen years ago) link

But will TG be tempted by the much-discussed fourth place striker's spot at Madrid? It looks to me like another example of Madrid and Barcelona's habit of hoovering up anyone else's promising players and then turning them to mush. I suppose other carrots will be dangled.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:17 (nineteen years ago) link

Gravesen the Galactico seems likely alright.

Just reading this morning Henchoz is on his way out, to Celtic or Rangers, supposedly. He's really deteriorated so much, though obviously Liverpool need a new central defender and have done for some time. Be interesting to see how Pellegrino does.

― Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:20 (nineteen years ago) link

pellegrino:liverpool::laurent blanc:man united?

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:25 (nineteen years ago) link

Well, he's certainly not a striker. I don't know enough about Madrid's squad to know where he'd fit in. That he's not cup-tied is his major appeal to the Euro giants, I think - good cover for the first XI. This is the first season where's he played with any consistency for Everton; to see someone so relishing their every outing in a Royal Blue shirt while simultaneously not even considering extending the engagement just depresses me a bit. He's even got the accent now.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:27 (nineteen years ago) link

I've already thought of that Kilian, but nah, surely not!

― Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:28 (nineteen years ago) link

Gravesen to Real = the end for Beckham?

This is not a sentence I ever expected to write in my life, it must be said, much as like Gravesen. I also apologise to Mike for tempting fate with my last comment in this thread, as well as "Kevin Kilbane - Galactico!" during the summer.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:38 (nineteen years ago) link

gravesen isn't a striker, MJ otm. he actually would have a good chance of making regular starts for madrid, they never filled the tough-tackling ball-winning midfielder void left when makelele departed. they usually play beckham and guti in the centre - neither of whom win much ball - and personally i feel beckham isn't suited to the position at all (the occasional delightful sprayed pass to the flanks aside). becks should move back to a london club and start playing on the right wing again - gravesen can take over the central midfield spot at real. zidane and figo usually play in the wider midfield positions. celades is the other central midfielder at real, who's slightly more physical than becks and guti, but gravesen should have no problems easing ahead of him in the pecking order.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:38 (nineteen years ago) link

Matt: you can get Zinedine Kilbane T-shirts from the EFC shop, y'know.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:41 (nineteen years ago) link

I thought he was a striker all along.

Now I look like a girl.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't want to leave Everton right now.

Does he play 'in the hole' then?

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:49 (nineteen years ago) link

http://www.squarefootball.net/content/article/article.asp?aid=1531

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:59 (nineteen years ago) link

Carsley plays in 'the hole' (4-1-4-1 more than 4-4-1-1), Gravesen is effectively the reincarnation of Peter Reid.

Perhaps if I wrote him a nice letter he'd stay?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 12:00 (nineteen years ago) link

Yes, write him a letter. I might too. 'You are a great striker.'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/g/gravesen_41516.stm

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 13 January 2005 12:14 (nineteen years ago) link

I have just read an interview with DAVE BOYLE in WSC.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 13 January 2005 21:56 (nineteen years ago) link

BBC website says a deal has been agreed for Gravesen. So, we're down £4.4m this month, gained an inconsistent, unfit striker and lost our playmaker. Season over. This is like selling Peter Reid in January 1984 and signing, I dunno, Luther Blissett.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 14 January 2005 10:12 (nineteen years ago) link

Sivebaek [the agent] added: "Thomas was very happy at Everton, but when Real Madrid want to sign you, you cannot say no."

Agents, eh?

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Friday, 14 January 2005 10:15 (nineteen years ago) link

You CAN say no, you can say, "Actually, I enjoy the challenge of helping a club with a small squad and comparatively meagre resources return to something approaching their former glories, through hard work and team spirit; I enjoy the company of my teammates, I have immense respect for my manager, I have a great rapport with the fans, I earn a lot of money already and I'm not likely to lose my international place by staying here; going and becoming a benchwarmer at the most successful side in European club football in the knowledge that even I may be surplus to requirements come the summer so profligate are the management doesn't appeal very much. Thank you and good night."

He could've said that.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 14 January 2005 10:21 (nineteen years ago) link

Here it is in foreign:
http://elmundodeporte.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2005/01/13/futbol/1105651019.html
Nothing new, except they claim it might be Beckham who is relegated to the bench, rather than poxy old Guti. Also, they spell Wanderley 'Vanderlei' or something.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Friday, 14 January 2005 11:00 (nineteen years ago) link

beckham will be gone come summer, i have no doubt. it will be a london club. what odds beckham to spurs? can they afford it?

i am going off topic here, unfortunately.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 14 January 2005 11:51 (nineteen years ago) link

Sadly, I get the feeling Vanderlei Luxinterior might sort Real Madrid out a bit, sort of like the Capello months. I hope I'm wrong.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Friday, 14 January 2005 12:00 (nineteen years ago) link

I am very proud of the interview; it's the best thing done on us for a long time.

Mike OTM - lure of Real Madrid is cockrot; they were shit until 1999, had two good seasons, and have been living off the petrol fumes of hype after the gasoline of 'being good' disappearred (see 'Manchester United')

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 14 January 2005 12:21 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm ill at home and bored, and have their cup game with Valladolid on the TV. They are playing reserves and youngsters, much like the huge English clubs in the League Cup. The team includes Michael Owen.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Friday, 14 January 2005 12:27 (nineteen years ago) link

I can't quite see where Beckham could go if he was to return to the Premiership. Has he lost his lustre enough for Chelsea not to even consider him? I'm fairly sure Arsenal couldn't afford him, wouldn't want him and I doubt he'd want to go there. Spurs is a possibility if there's European football involved, but Frank Arnesen probably has his eye on some Dutch wonderkid available at a fraction of the price.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 14 January 2005 12:31 (nineteen years ago) link

My tip would be Middlesbrough though, if he wants to move there. I presume relations between Beckham and Steve McLaren are good.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 14 January 2005 12:33 (nineteen years ago) link

Yes, I would be proud too, about that interview.

Beckham > Japan, Qatar, Bolton, Boro, Rangers, somewhere like that. Also I suppose there will be a new round of millionaires wanting to make a mark.

Chileswatchers! It's time for 'Working Lunch'.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Friday, 14 January 2005 12:43 (nineteen years ago) link

I don't get the reference to 'Z-Cars' in the original question.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Friday, 14 January 2005 13:26 (nineteen years ago) link

It's our theme, PJM. It's an arrangement of an old Liverpool folk song called "Johnny Todd." When the Blues took the field against Villa last February (my first trip to Goodison in a decade) I'm not ashamed to admit hearing the tune made...something fly into my eye.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 14 January 2005 13:34 (nineteen years ago) link

why hasn't anybody mentioned that grav is a tad more of an attacking player than makalele? surely, grav is a thug, but what he really wants is to do his long shifts and nice assists. he's a bit like the gangsta who really just wants to read books.

― Jay-Kid (Jay-Kid), Friday, 14 January 2005 18:07 (nineteen years ago) link

Khm, excuse me but - unless samthung flew in my eye at some crucial postpoint - there's no mention of the Morientes move to L'pool, on this thread so far, or is there?
He'll be a strikeforce to reckon with, for Everton or whoever, surely.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Friday, 14 January 2005 18:50 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm hearing the Human League version of 'Get Carter'. Am I close?

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Friday, 14 January 2005 19:31 (nineteen years ago) link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/ilove/tv/titles/zcars.shtml

― Mooro (Mooro), Friday, 14 January 2005 19:44 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm also hearing the theme from 'Some Mothers Do Have 'Em'. I suppose anything Ronnie Hazelhurst would do.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Saturday, 15 January 2005 10:51 (nineteen years ago) link

I haven't got Real Player. Perhaps we could whistle it today. Double the nostalgia.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Saturday, 15 January 2005 10:53 (nineteen years ago) link

Get real!

― Mooro (Mooro), Saturday, 15 January 2005 11:42 (nineteen years ago) link

Liverpool vanquished 1-0 by lowly Burnley.

― Peter Stringbender (PJ Miller), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 22:05 (nineteen years ago) link

two months pass...

Difficult to argue with today's result (except on moral grounds, obviously) - L'pool dominant for 45 minutes and but for Milan's comedy finishing it would've been something of a hiding well before the Cahill scorcher and frenzied climax. I think I celebrated Pistone's long-overdue withdrawal almost as much the goal. Still puzzling over the mere three mins of injury time (and the fact that Dudek's time-wasting in that injury time was apparently only worth a further two seconds). I fancied us for a (probably undeserved) equaliser if we'd had the luxury of a 95th minute against the 9.5 men.

It hurts but not as much as two seasons ago (when a one-point advantage turned into a two-point deficit on Easter Saturday and we knew all was lost). I even exchanged texts with Jerry, instead of chucking myself under a 63 bus.

This might not really change things. The Olympiakos, Arsenal and Leverkusen victories didn't spark the classy surge Rednoses expected and I doubt this will (in fact, Bolton could take a point - or more - from Anfield in a fortnight) and I don't think Everton will simply dissolve into the pack either. I'm taking comfort from the memory of the 86-87 run-in when Liverpool 'had to win' the Anfield derby - they did but promptly lost at Coventry a week later, effectively ending their title challenge.

To play:
EFC (51pts, +3gd) - Palace, B'ham, Man U and Newcastle at home, West Brom, Arsenal, Fulham and Bolton away.
LFC (47pts, +12gd) - Bolton, Spurs, Boro and Villa at home, Palace, Man C, Portsmouth and Arsenal away.

Place your bets.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 20 March 2005 21:22 (nineteen years ago) link

Very hard to call. Thought we were good today, but as you say wouldn't be overly optimistic about Bolton (or any other game).

Probably Nunez's best game to date, thought Smicer was really awful and gave away the ball an awful lot, he's so weak! Thought Pellegrino was good today actually, which is unusual. Baros was great if he could just score. Very good match but god do we always make it hard for ourselves.

― Ronan (Ronan), Sunday, 20 March 2005 21:31 (nineteen years ago) link

Impossible to call.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:52 (nineteen years ago) link

Without the "big three", best odds:

Everton 4/6
Liverpool 11/8
Bolton 7/1
Charlton 40/1
Middlesbrough 40/1
Newcastle United 50/1
Tottenham Hotspur 66/1

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:57 (nineteen years ago) link

i hope bolton finish 4th

charlton fucked up in the most unbelievable fashion yesterday. they should look at themselves in the mirror. and say the word cunt.

― chorleylido (gareth), Monday, 21 March 2005 01:27 (nineteen years ago) link

It would be extraordinary if Bolton finished 4th after that run of consecutive defeats earlier in the season. How many was it - six? Seven?

Having hung round a couple of grubby online footy forums yesterday, trying to find a Blue-friendly London pub in which to watch the derby (something JtN seemed to find by accident), I treated myself to a skim through the whole four-year span of this thread late last night - it really cheered me up. Even 'crap bunglers that are ultra boring to watch' doesn't sting like it did.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 21 March 2005 07:29 (nineteen years ago) link

A league in which Bolton could become entrants in Europe'a premier competition says at lot about the Premiership doesn't it? To be hoenst, given that Everton haven't had much form since Gravesen left, their continued presence in 4th is surprising too.

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 21 March 2005 08:50 (nineteen years ago) link

Liverpool have the advantage because they get to play Villa, whereas Everton have to face the resurgent West Brom.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Monday, 21 March 2005 09:23 (nineteen years ago) link

But Liverpool have about four players left.

We should be celebrating the fact that Everton and Bolton could qualify for the Champions League, not deriding it. Greece won Euro2004!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 21 March 2005 09:26 (nineteen years ago) link

I think the final scoreline flattered EFC, a bit. Watching the highlights again confirmed what was, for the most part, the best LFC home game of the season. Most satisfying was watching Strachan having to admit he was completely wrong in his anti-LFC match prediction. As he was in choosing LFC as the weak link in England's Champion's League contenders in the last round. I will be glad to see him leave the Guardian punditista.

EFC now have 11 points from their last 11 games and still have to face The Arse, ManU and Newcastle... But Bolton are giving me the fear.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 21 March 2005 09:51 (nineteen years ago) link

There could be a situation in which we travel to Bolton on the last day...and I want us to lose.

EFC now have 11 points from their last 11 games

True - post-Gravesen disintegration in full effect, as I predicted. But LFC took 7 from 7 prior to yesterday; I think we can take 12 from the last 8. If you lot take 16+, then fair enough (playing like yesterday, you will; displaying yr average 04-05 away form, you won't). Bolton taking 17 from 8 isn't that unlikely considering their run-in.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 21 March 2005 10:11 (nineteen years ago) link

I don't like Bolton, me.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Monday, 21 March 2005 12:08 (nineteen years ago) link

i dont like middlesboro.

im glad they are out of it now

― charltonlido (gareth), Monday, 21 March 2005 12:10 (nineteen years ago) link

liverpool are to play bolton next. with a few of their players out

― charltonlido (gareth), Monday, 21 March 2005 12:12 (nineteen years ago) link

Skipping 1510 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.