Shame on you, Everton
Everton didn’t lose the Merseyside Derby today because Tim Cahill hit the bar instead of the Anfield Road net, because we lost midfield presence when Fellaini was stretchered off or even because Liverpool’s bread almost always lands butter side up. No, the harsh truth as to why Evertonians left Anfield today as losers is simple: the team we follow blindly and abandon logic for doesn’t have the winning mentality or self belief to win games of this magnitude, and our manager doesn’t have the tactical acumen to win one-off games of this nature.
Had Victor Anichebe managed to add quality of composure to his brute strength in second half injury time then maybe we could have claimed the consolation crown. Strange as it sounds, however, it only would have papered over the cracks of what is a major issue.
Everton came out for the second half with all the fire of a wet lettuce; when they should have been snapping, fighting, and making the most of their numerical advantage by driving forward in droves. They didn’t, they merely whimpered into submission. After the spirit and strength of character showed against Arsenal, Manchester City and Wigan recently, it was all the more inexplicable.
When a two-footed assault on Marouane Fellaini left Liverpool down to ten and seemingly sinking without trace, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing from my seat.
“Surely, we can’t lose now, ladâ€
That sort of summed it up for me. It was exactly the mentality the team adopted for the remainder of the game. Everton (and Evertonians) should have been like predators closing in on their defencless prey as soon as the red was brandished; ruthless, dominant and focussed. We should have came out for the second half with our chests puffed out ready for battle, eyes focussed, with the mindset that anything other than a victory would be little short of a disaster. We didn’t, we looked, acted and performed like downtrodden losers. That cuts deep.
Liverpool totally controlled the game with ten men, while we looked all at sea and with the tactical awareness of General Haig at the Somme.
It is difficult to try and find a touch of levity to battered Blue spirits when Everton disappoint so devastatingly. And, truth be told, culprits can be found in every department.
Everton’s starting eleven today boasted more quality than Liverpool’s, I have no doubt about that, but it counts for nothing if those players don’t fight for the right to display that talent. Dirk Kuyt possesses no natural flair as a footballer, but for everything he lacks technically he more than makes up for in work-rate, intelligence and effectiveness. I watched him toil like a trojan today and his efforts visibly rubbed off on his team mates. It is not often that Everton are out battled, not least in a Derby clash when at times over the past 15 years that is all we’ve had to rely on, but that is exactly what happened today.
Another massive opportunity lost, another inferiority complex performance from the lads when it matters most, what else can we do other than hit the prayer mats if we ever want to win at Anfield under David Moyes?
