Liverpool vs Everton: Steven Gerrard Demands Reaction for Merseyside Derby
By
(Featured Columnist) on March 12, 2012
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Liverpool have a mountain to climb in the words of Steven Gerrard to the Liverpool Echo after their latest weekend of action has seen the Reds slump to their third straight English Premier League defeat:
"It's going to be difficult now but we won't give up."
"It's not officially gone and we'll keep going but we've got a mountain to climb. We just have to focus on winning as many as we can between now and the end of the season and see what happens."
In the same interview quoted on ESPNsoccernet.com the Liverpool captain who should make a full return against Everton has called for his troops to rally and have a reaction to their poor run of form:
"The players need to take responsibility for where we are in the league."
"It's just not good enough for a club like us to be there. We have to find a better level of consistency."
"We need a reaction and there's no better team to produce that against than Everton. It's important the players put in a performance and get a result for the fans."
"Everyone is a bit down after recent results but we want to put a smile back on their faces.
"It's a big week and we want to go into that cup tie with Stoke on the back of a win."
For Gerrard it all comes on the back of what has been truly a frustrating run of events all season for the Reds that has seen himself, his teammates and especially the fans totally beside themselves.
So What Do We Try Now?
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It was thought that their victory in the Carling Cup would help to inspire them to success but so far it had done little of the sort after failing to achieve wins against both Arsenal and an also slumping Sunderland side.
Kenny Dalglish has tried to save face by saying it is not just the players but the entire staff to blame, but at this point everyone already knows that:
''It is important the players take responsibility in every game but we are not in isolation."
''It is not the players taking responsibility this week and someone else has to do it next week."
''Everyone needs to take responsibility. Everyone needs to stand up and be counted and stand together and see what we can do.''
The Reds' massive spending spree of 2011 wielded £100 million of no true top-four player quality other than a sometimes brilliant Stewart Downing, and the out-of-form, completely frustrated Luis Suarez that is now worryingly open to moving to Paris-Saint Germain after he made the following comments quoted by the Daily Mirror:
"Yes, I could come to Paris, like lots of other clubs. There are lots of big clubs with such a reputation who want to build a strong team and Paris is one of these teams who buy to strengthen their side."
On the flip side of the Merseyside Derby is an Everton side fresh off taking three points from Spurs thanks to their newest strike signing in former Ranger player Nikica Jelavic.
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With 11 of their last 15 points possible secured, Everton have shown too been on a great run of form with victories over Manchester City, Chelsea and now Tottenham.
The Toffees have not lost a match since January 14, 2012 when they lost to Tottenham. That one has been avenged, and they will hope to do the same against Liverpool who beat them 2-0 at Goodison Park on October 1, 2011.
David Moyes looks set to open contract discussions to remain at Everton even though he still has a year left on his contract.
Although there have been no major silverware success's of the Scotsman's decade tenure at Goodison there is hope of a new contract and promise of additional funds to truly grow the club back to Champions League contention according to ESPNsoccernet.com:
"Everton have been up there before, it isn't anything new, but we moved quite quickly and a few years down the line we were vying for a Champions League spot."
"When I took the job I knew there wasn't going to be great money. The only thing I asked for was that we didn't sell any of the players unless I wanted them to go and I could prepare my teams any way I wanted. The chairman has never faltered on that."
"I can't go now and say I need loads of cash but the fact of the matter is Everton's actual progression needs to be stepped up. It has been faster than we expected ten years ago."
This make up Merseyside Derby looks to be one full of life as the Toffees could use this game in hand to draw within ten points of the Europa League with ten matches left and jump ahead of the Reds in the table on top of it.
David Moyes pushing his side up the table once again
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Liverpool desperately needs a victory to restore the fans faith as a shot at the Champions League now looks almost completely out of the question.
Steven Gerrard has a lot of work to do on the pitch, and Kenny Dalglish is expected to make multiple changes to his side with the FA Cup sixth round tie against Stoke City coming up on the weekend.
Match Prediction: Liverpool 2 - 2 Everton
Expected Liverpool Starting XI: Pepe Reina; Glen Johnson, Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel, Jose Enrique; Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam, Steven Gerrard, Craig Bellamy; Luis Suarez, Andy Carroll.
Expected Everton Starting XI: Tim Howard; Tony Hibbert, Phil Jagielka, John Hetinga, Leighton Baines; Royston Drenthe, Marouane Fellaini, Phil Neville, Leon Osman; Tim Cahill; Nikica Jelavic.
Players to Watch: Steven Gerrard and Tim Cahill
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