Liverpool 2 Everton 2 - Match Report

'Everton Spoil The Party' sings the Liverpool Echo this morning. Kenny Dalglish's return to Anfield didnt go the way some people hoped it seems. One of the few things i was genuinely worried about in the run up to the derby, was the atmosphere that can be generated in their gaffe on occasions like this, and the pessimist inside me felt that a few or all of our players may freeze like a bang to rights adolescant being caught with a crumpled copy of 'RAZZLE' in one hand and his....you get the picture. Either way after after Somersets and Belfasts finest had cleared their throats and put their erections away, the famous Anfield atmosphere didnt really seem to get going. Phew...



In what represents a decent point away from home for the toffees, it still feels like it was two points dropped. The first half was a typically scrappy affair with Liverpool looking marginally more assured of themselves on their home turf, utilising the continantally hateful Fernando Torres's pace on the counter attack to good effect. Dirk Kuyt clearly hates us too and absolutely relishes games against Everton, fair play to the butt ugly frigger too, so he should. He doesnt even have to endure any more 'Sloth' shouts from Everton fans these days either, due to Marty Feldman-a-like Jay ''fucking hell is he, like, ok?'' Spearing has stole his thunder.



The first goal in a derby is always important and there was a feeling yesterday that maybe this was going to be even more pertinent than usual. The goal itself came mid way through the first half after some good work from Glen Johnson down the left hand side for Liverpool, yep...that did actually happen. Tim Howard parried the resultant headed effort from Kuyt and his close range rebound, but he couldnt do shite all about the ball fortuitoisly dropping to Raul Meireles and him firing home the proverbial rip snorter through the advancing Baines and Everton defence. Here we go again... or so we thought. The rest of the half ebbed and flowed like any derby would and it is worth acknowledging that for the first time in years, although he got a handful of little decisions wrong, Phil Dowd managed to keep a lid on things throughout getting all the majors decisions/talikng points right and more importantly, keeping 22 players on the pitch. Good on him i say, still wouldnt go in the trap after him though, no way.

It all felt a bit deja vu at half time, ''fancy getting off if they score again?'' etc etc, depressing stuff, another oppurtunity wasted and all that, ''ah well, they may surprise us...who knows eh?''. Then quite inexplicably, within a minute of the restart, we won a corner which Arteta floated to the back post and Sylvain Distin who hadnt had the best of halves in the opening forty five minutes, planted his glorious shaven light bulb shaped head on the ball. Get in, and indeed game on. The goal gave Everton a real lift and they began to show what they are capable of doing to teams when they play the high tempo passing game that Moyes likes his teams to exhibit. A punt from the back was flicked on by a resurgent Anichebe, who in this 10-15 minute spell made a real nuisance of himself and also had the haters and boo boys from the other week looking a little bit silly. He flicked it onto Leon Osman who's close control was absolutely exquisite, if Berbatov did that for United we'd be seeing replays of it all season. Who in turn squared it to Jermaine Beckford who managed to curl the ball beyond Reina whilst falling backwards onto his arse. Pandemonium.org.



Tending to shin injuries in the away section, Evertons fans watched as the team grew in stature again after pushing themselves in front and seemed to be in full control of the game. Something it's fair to say we havent done at Anfield for as far back as i can remember anyway. For me, this was down to David Moyes, from his positive team selection at the start, after being shorn of two of his most gifted players in Pienaar and Saha to his substitutions, it felt like he'd finally realised what he had to do be in with a chance of winning a derby on unfamiliar territory, he was being proactive rather than reactive and generally reminding us all of why deep down we all love him so much. How long would that last for? Frig off Bloosers. Tim Howard having one of his better days, had no other choice but to go for a ball that was breaking for Maxi Rodriguez in the box, in front of they baying and hooting famous kop, they clashed, Liverpool penalty, Kuyt slotted, 2-2.

Moyes not content with a point, made three positive changes trying to force the issue. Although it seemed to unsettle the balance of the team slightly, he can comfort himself with the fact that theplayers are now pulling together and seem to be serious about turning around the stuttering campaign we've had to endure so far this season.

A home loss to Big Sam Allerdyce's West Ham anybody? C'mon Everton, these really are shite.