Mark Lawrenson: Dilemmas for both sides ahead of derby

Oct 16 2007 by Mark Lawrenson, Liverpool Daily Post

IT’S difficult to predict a Merseyside derby result at the best of times. This week it’s almost impossible. But forecasting what sort of game it will be like isn’t as difficult – cagey with not a lot of goals.

At Goodison this Saturday it’s going to be between two teams who have had virtually no preparation and who haven’t been playing particularly well.

They’re already weakened by injuries and the international break isn’t over yet by a long way.

Anyone involved with England this week is in for a long flight from Russia after a game that could take such a lot out of them.

It’s a similar story for Scotland too, which can’t be great news for David Moyes at a time when he considers James McFadden to be one of his key men.

But the Everton manager’s problems seem small compared to his Liverpool opposite number.

And if you thought Rafael Benitez was in a grump before this international break imagine the mood he’s going to be in come Saturday lunchtime.

Fernando Torres already faces a race against time to recover from the injury he picked up away on duty with Spain.

Dirk Kuyt’s struggling with hamstring trouble, while Ryan Babel has covered himself with bedsheets rather than glory during his exploits with the Dutch squad.

And whether it’s for club or country, Peter Crouch has hardly played at all this season so it all adds up to a real selection headache for Benitez.

And it all adds up to this being one of those derbies where form goes out of the window even more usual.

Not that either side has much form to speak of.

The euphoria of getting to the UEFA Cup group stages has died down for Everton and they have to get back to the business of picking points up.

Without last year’s derby hero Andrew Johnson, who is recovering from an ankle operation, Moyes may be forced to take a safe option and I wouldn’t be surprised to see one up front.

As for Liverpool, they can’t afford to drop many more points themselves.

They might be unbeaten but have already drawn too many for my liking and need to get back to winning games. In a way, the last thing they need is Goodison Park on a Saturday lunchtime having had no time to do much preparation work and with a must-win European away trip coming up in midweek.

If Torres doesn’t make it, the issues within the forwards I highlighted earlier could force Benitez to go with one up front as well.

After all, nobody said Merseyside derbies had to be full of fun and entertainment, did they?

But then Everton’s situation is quite similar so, for all the problems and inconveniences in the build-up (not that there will actually be one) they might actually turn out to be a leveller.

And by their very nature, lunchtime kick-offs aren’t ideal anyway. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a good game that’s kicked off at that time and I’d be surprised if we were in for a classic this weekend. Just don’t ask me which way it’s going to go.

Plastic pitch is farcical and certainly doesn’t make for level playing field

SO Steve McClaren doesn’t think playing on plastic in Russia this week will make any difference?

Of course it makes a difference. A big difference.

If it doesn’t, why did the England manager bother taking his players to Altrincham to train on the type of surface they will be facing in Moscow tomorrow?

While it’s always a good thing to see a manager approach things in a positive way I can’t believe for one second that he will send England out hunting for a sixth successive 3-0 victory.

It’s enough of a disadvantage to be playing away but when you play on that pitch, adding in the good watering the Russians will give it beforehand, it would be foolish to think that the game is going to be anything like last month’s at Wembley.

It’s a complete nonsense that England have to play on that surface anyway and it’s typical of UEFA that they allow it for this game but will insist grass is put down for the Champions League final in Moscow at the end of the season.

What, so because it’s ‘only’ a Euro 2008 qualifier, they’re entitled to some kind of unfair advantage? Ridiculous.

This is a modern stadium we’re talking about and I don’t care how bad the weather in Russia is – put undersoil heating in and switch it on before the snow gets a chance to settle. Simple.

So all things considered, England should just be happy to get the draw that should be enough to see them through.

And with that in mind, I’d go for Phil Neville over his Everton team-mate Joleon Lescott to replace Ashley Cole.

It’s very difficult for someone like Lescott to come in to international football and not play in his best position, which I think is centre-back.

Neville has seen it all and done it all so he won’t have any worries or nerves.

He’s just more suited to this type of game.

* Mark Lawrenson was talking to Nick Smith