http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/2009/01/the-merseyside.html The Merseyside Derby - Our Failure is Your Success At the end of last night's game, the Everton support in the Anfield Road end danced and punched the air in triumph whilst belting out "United, United top of the league". It had the impact it intended, and it did hurt, but is that really how they celebrate a late equaliser against their big rivals? Revelling in Man United sitting top of the league? Sad, very sad. As I've been saying for years, a successful season for Everton is Liverpool not winning anything. If we finish the season potless they class that as a success for Everton. Last night highlighted that more than ever. 99% of them knew exactly what they point meant to Liverpool, in keeping us in second place; but the same percentage had no idea what that point did to Everton's position in the table. They didn't care. They'd kept Liverpool from topping the table. Well done. In the build up to this week's derby, and throughout the last few years, I've read quotes and listened to the likes of Bill Kenwright claiming that David Moyes has been one of Everton's most successful managers of recent times. Tim Cahill speaking over the weekend stating that he has helped create a legacy at Goodison to make sure the club is successful. Does the word "successful" have a different definition if you are of a blue persuasion? Everton have not won a trophy under David Moyes' reign. They have not won a trophy since the FA Cup triumph over Man United in 1995, and haven't reached a single final in that time. If avoiding relegation a few times and playing a few games in Europe is now a "success" then good luck to them. Or are they claiming that period as a success as Liverpool have failed to win the league throughout those years? I wouldn't put it past them. They came to Anfield last night with a game plan, and it worked for them. They sat deep, packed the midfield as expected and worked hard, deserving their point if I'm being honest. Moyes has worked wonders with the group of players he has, but he'll never be able to take them to the next level no matter how much money or time he is given. But we let them get away with that game plan last night by not showing anywhere near the level of desire and fight needed for such a game. It was a proper derby, played out in rain and snow soaked conditions, tackles flying in and tight across the middle of the park. They came to kick lumps out of us and unsettle us and it worked. No complaints there, but we need to rise above that and stamp our class on games like that. It just didn't happen. Walking back last night, and listening to the radio this morning, fans have been criticising the introduction of Lucas and Benayoun yet again. While they are not the greatest players on the planet, they replaced an anonymous Robbie Keane and a tired and returning to fitness Fernando Torres. It wasn't the substitutions that cost us last night, it was the failure to press on after the goal and uncharacteristic defensive mistakes. The players and the manager must take equal blame for our approach after Gerrard's wonder goal. How many more of those does he want to score anyway? The goal is being pretty much ignored this morning after what followed. Brilliant Steven, brilliant. Benayoun was brought onto the right hand side of midfield last night, but due to the way we retreated into our shells after the goal, he found himself at right back a number of times covering for the absent Jamie Carragher. We were all over the place defensively last night, and the sooner Carragher returns to the centre of that defence the better. He left Benayoun exposed a number of times last night and we paid the ultimate price. The writing was on the wall for that last ten minutes, we could all see it coming. An equaliser like that would normally result in a roar from the Kop. A few minutes left to play, and a roar of encouragement would go up, willing the side to attack and go for it in the time that remains. That never happened last night. That Cahill goal well and truly deflated us. Torres had left the pitch, leaving us with Dirk Kuyt as the only recognised striker on the field. We were never going to hit back the way that last ten minutes had been played and with the players we had left out there. Their support celebrated with another ditty of "F*ck all, you're gonna win f*ck all", which will hopefully come back to haunt them on Sunday. Do they realise if we beat them on Sunday that it'll be them with no hope of winning anything this season? Or will they be happy as long as we finish the season empty handed? Or maybe they'll count Man United's title win as one of their own? Probably. Everton - The Pride of Manchester Paul Jones Posted at 02:10 PM in Liverpool
Read it last nite on OTK,sums up the blueshite perfectly imo.............the word ive used before,they suffer from SCHADENFREUDE
Nothing new though - remember the league game a few weeks before the 96 Cup final when Fowler got a late headed equaliser. My abiding memory from that night is of them singing "United" for most of the game.
That says it all. I guess you have to put it in perspective though. I remember watching the match aginst Blackburn the day they won the league ahead of United at Anfield. I was in a local boozer and got a bollicking from 2 lads in Liverpool jerseys after I celebrated Us scoring against Blackburn. I just couldnt cheer against us. No Red should ever cheer against his/her own side. Just as No Red should ever chant the name of another Premier League side. But it's second nature to the Blueshites, Bitterness does funny things to a person
So they all think they are Shrek Rooney....Once a blue always a blue shite then kissin the manc badge! Makes sense to me.