Steve_E

I'd love him. He's got a lot of attributes. He's tall and strong and he's had his training at Ajax so he's really gifted technically. He's a centre back, but he has actually taken corner kicks for Belgium. His long diagonal is amazing. He can be a bit shaky defensively, but Ajax play a really high line which is uncomfortable for most defenders. He can fill in at right back as well as he's got an amazing cross.

The problem is more with the balance of midfield rather than the back four themselves.

If Mirallas is back, I'd like to go with this:

Howard



Coleman Jagielka Distin Baines



Fellaini Osman



Naismith Pienaar Mirallas



Jelavic


 
Pienaar can still drift out wide of course, but he should still be looking to provide support to Jelavic.

From the Echo -
 
Statistics show David Moyes’ Everton FC not Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool FC are the real Mersey pass masters.
 
NEITHER Liverpool FC or Everton FC claimed the ‘bragging rights’ at Goodison Park on Sunday.
 
But that didn’t stop both sides from trying to claim the tactical high ground.
 
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers claimed that Everton were a long ball team, while Steven Gerrard suggested “only one team came to play football and win the game.”
 
Everton boss David Moyes, however, was disappointed that his team didn’t go on to win the game, while goalscorer Steven Naismith pointed out that Everton were the only team pressing for a winner while Liverpool relied on counter-attacks. But what do the stats say? Did Everton try to punt their way to victory, or were Liverpool lucky to hang on?
 
The impressively analytical English Premier League Index covered every pass, punt and tackle of Sunday’s 219th Merseyside derby. And their stats showed that while Brendan Rodgers is trying to construct a Liverpool team which dominates possession and passes teams into submission, they had to settle for second best at Goodison Park on Sunday.
 
Everton recorded significantly better passing stats than their visitors, attempting 478 passes to their neighbours’ 357, and making over a hundred accurate passes more than the Reds (359 to 257).
 
Everton made twice as many crosses into the box, created more chances and forced their opponents into more tackles.
 
And while Liverpool also made almost three times as many backpasses as Everton, this probably highlights Brendan Rodgers’ desire for his side to build from the back, passing the ball across the backline rather than asking Brad Jones to kick the ball from his hands (although Tim Howard recorded a 59% pass completion rate, while Jones was just 38 per cent – and Howard actually made more open play passes than his rival).
 
The difference in the sides’ respective attacking styles was highlighted in the stats.
 
Only 39% of Everton’s passes were forward, with 26% passed to the left – trying to utilise the strengths of Leighton Baines – and 24% to the right. It proved a successful tactic in terms of creating crossing opportunities, with Everton firing 34 crosses compared to just 17 from the Reds.
Some 32% of Everton’s crosses were accurate – including one from Marouane Fellaini which found Steven Naismith for the equaliser – while Liverpool’s crossing accuracy was a disappointing 11%.
 
But getting the ball wide wasn’t Everton’s solitary tactic. The Blues played 40 long passes throughout the afternoon, presumably attempting to utilise the aerial strengths of Marouane Fellaini, while Liverpool hit 26, more so in the second half as they defended deeper and tried to use Sterling and Suarez’s pace on the counter.
 
But while Everton attempted more long passes, their attacking third stats were also revealing. Everton successfully completed 100 of 154 attempted passes in Liverpool’s final third, with Liverpool completing 63 of their 103 attempted passes in Everton’s final third That suggests if Everton did try to get the ball into Liverpool’s final third early, it often stuck and allowed them to build further attacking moves in that area.
 
Of course the only statistic which mattered in the end was the final score, which read Everton two goals Liverpool two goals.
 
Until the next time.

Match stats do not exactly support Steven Gerrard's claim as they show Everton enjoyed more possession than Liverpool... @philmcnulty
 
56.2%-43.8%), made more passes (400-314), had greater passing accuracy (78.5%-76.8%) played proportionally fewer long passes (13.8%-14.6%). @philmcnulty

Shhh.

Ajax's starting XI tonight cost €4.4M and had 7 academy players & Man City's starting XI cost over €200M.

Ajax's starting XI tonight cost €4.4M and had 7 academy players & Man City's starting XI cost over €200M.

Distin...
 
"Jags loves the last-ditch blocks, it's as if he waits until the last minute to make himself look better on TV!"

@Steve E I'd say enjoy, but it may frustrate.

jelavic wtf was that

Our corner, headed clear. Neville fav to win the ball but Hoilett puts him under pressure and he misses it. Hoilett runs the length of the field 2 v 2 and takes a shot which deflects off Baines and wrong foots Howard.

They said he'd be out for 3 weeks. The Liverpool game is 3 weeks after the Wigan one.

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/2012/10/19/hitzlsperger-signs
 
signed on a short term deal...move the thread?

***** = awesome
* = Not for me
--- = not seen (some of which are unforgivable I know...)
 
Id also add:
 
Iron Man 1 and 2
The Hitch-hikers Guide To The Galaxy
Avengers Assemble
Event Horizon
High Fidelity
Batman Begins + Dark Knight
American Beauty
28 Days Later
The Departed
Inglorious Basterds
Se7en
Airplane
Naked Gun
Bourne series
Groundhog Day
 
Got plenty more but cant be arsed!

Highly recommend The Help, I was going to put an asterisk next to the Emma Stone ones to point out she was in them.
You need to turn your brain off for Hot Rod for it to be funny, same goes for Sasquatch. Super is like if Kick-Ass was more realistic (sort of), less laughs but you get to see Ellen Page rape Rainn Wilson.

You don't need to be baked too watch those, they're great Zombieland in particular (I have a crush on Emma Stone)
 
The others I didn't see, except for Hot Rod. It might help if you're baked when watching that one

Alison Brie , that and Parks and Rec help fill the Arrested Development hole.

nah..it won't

Baines, no doubt.

I have got to say, this made me chuckle!

Nope, Osman back into the middle. Mirallas to the right.

If we're desperate to lose.

Very nice.
 
 
Also good to see.

http://www.eplindex.com/19874/dark-horses-everton-lead-stats-comparison.html