Bolton V Liverpool (R)

[liverbird]

I'm going to assume that HoseMe will be fit by Sunday.

Lineup:

--------Dudek (any choice)
Josemi ---H--Carra-----JAR
Garcia---Alonso--SG--Harry
------Baros--Cisse

Luzi
FSP
Hamann
Warnock
Diao

Go ahead and have at it. Bolton are tough at home. I was at this fixture last year. Clear and cold on a Saturday in February. We drew 2-2. Sami and Stevie for us. You're a Jerkoff and a young left back I can't remember for them.

[Suss]

I can't wait to see that lineup. Lets hope that Xabi and Luis don't take long to settle. These are the types of games that are tough, but 3 points are necessary if we want to dream of the title.

[Anomaly385]

that midfield is looking mighty good! i think we will win this game, especially after todays atrocious match. rafa will already have lit a couple of fires under some players arses (ahem kewell) so they will step out this weeked with piss and vinegar in their blood.

[youllneverwalkalone]

Hopefully so. And I agree with LB's lineup, that would be nice to see, and walk out of the reebok with a 3-0 W.

[liverbird]

Rafa and LFC ran Xabi and Garcia out yesterday for the press and I thought made it quite clear that they will play against Bolton.

[skipshady]

I can't wait to see that lineup. Lets hope that Xabi and Luis don't take long to settle. These are the types of games that are tough, but 3 points are necessary if we want to dream of the title.
Yep. 3 points here is a must, but it won't be easy.

Am I the only one who thinks the next few months present a "put up or shut up" opportunity for Kewell? Last season, he had the excuse of not having an adequate counterpart on the right, or consistent strikers to link with, or an in-form Riise behind him, or a ballwinner in midfield for every match.

[imasyko]

Yep. 3 points here is a must, but it won't be easy.

Am I the only one who thinks the next few months present a "put up or shut up" opportunity for Kewell? Last season, he had the excuse of not having an adequate counterpart on the right, or consistent strikers to link with, or an in-form Riise behind him, or a ballwinner in midfield for every match.

You could be right - heck, the knee injury to Gomez (the player from RM in the Owens deal) could be Harry's repreive for now. Garcia can play either wing, I believe, so Harry may only have a month or so...

[augie]

You mean Nunez?

Harry had better get good, get consitent, or he should be shipped out.

I don't know if I can really doubt his comittment, but it sure looks like he turns it on at times, and at others just turns up.

[kopiteinkc]

I don't agree that 3 points is a must here.

Bolton are playing great stuff and have started the season stronger than most. They are very tough at home and their crowd really gets behind them.

I agree that the three Spaniards will play. But adjusting to life in the premiership in one match away at the Reebok and coming out with a win will be hard.

I hope we win of course, but I think a repeat of Spurs -- 1-1 -- sounds about right to me. Until Cisse and Baros start really combining instead of playing individually we are gonna struggle to score a lot.

[imasyko]

[QUOTE=augie]You mean Nunez?QUOTE]

Doh! Knew 'Gomez' didn't sound right. Thanks.

[NC RED]

Love that lineup. What a midfield. And really it didnt cost us a arm and a leg to get. If those guys can play together we are in for a good ride in tthe near future.

As for Kewell, I think he will excel with less pressure on him now that we have a SOLID midfield. I definately am going to put the ppv $$ down and see this historical debut of this team. We have waited a long time for thai, mgr talk, gerrard, owen, all the links to half of spain. Its definatley not been a quiet summer.

Lets see what we can do. Sunday may be special. I know I need to calm down a tad.

[liverbird]

I don't agree that 3 points is a must here.

Bolton are playing great stuff and have started the season stronger than most. They are very tough at home and their crowd really gets behind them.

I agree that the three Spaniards will play. But adjusting to life in the premiership in one match away at the Reebok and coming out with a win will be hard.

I hope we win of course, but I think a repeat of Spurs -- 1-1 -- sounds about right to me. Until Cisse and Baros start really combining instead of playing individually we are gonna struggle to score a lot.

As always a well reasoned assessment uncolored by rank sentimentality. I agree that this is the likely result. Bolton gets a full house of about 28K in a nice new ground. They have a good team and will be difficult for everyone at the Reebok. I'd love to have 3 points though.

[usscouse]

As always a well reasoned assessment uncolored by rank sentimentality. I agree that this is the likely result. Bolton gets a full house of about 28K in a nice new ground. They have a good team and will be difficult for everyone at the Reebok. I'd love to have 3 points though.It's not a good idea to underestimate Bolton. They've taken points from us home and away. All points are important, if we got the 3 here I'd feel good about how we're going to do this season. I won't be terribly unhappy with a 'well played' draw.

[kopiteinkc]

It's not a good idea to underestimate Bolton. They've taken points from us home and away. All points are important, if we got the 3 here I'd feel good about how we're going to do this season. I won't be terribly unhappy with a 'well played' draw.


Aaah the three old fellas agree (including myself here!) so come on you youngsters disagree with us if you dare! We'll hit you with our walking sticks :)

[mbrossetti]

Just for fun, I would, but it would go against what I said in the City thread - the whole idea being must win games on the road are only those games against teams that should be fighting to avoid relegation. I think Bolton has themselves a nice team and will be hard on all teams that visit the Reebok. A point and a well played draw would be an excellent result I think.

[lgsshedden]

The way the team plays is almost as important as the result. If the additions of Alsoonso and Garcia see the team be more assertive and confident, a draw will be as good as a win. Playing ugly and sneaking a win (as Chelsea have thus far this season) might get three points in the bag but won't build any real momentum. ManU are struggling, not just because of Saha and Van Nistelroy being injured but because their midfiled is ageing (Giggs, Keane and Scholes) and have lost some creativity. So the addition of Alsonso and Garcia are important in giving us the creativity and flow necessary if we are to succeed in CPL play and if we are going to pressure Arsenal over the season. Its also important to see how Cisse and Baros are beginning to play together. All in all, some compelling reasons to watch an early season game.

[skipshady]

Since I made the "3 points is a must" comment, I figure I should explain myself. Perhaps I did overstate the point by saying it's a "must", but I do want to see us showing dominance over teams we expect to finish ahead of. I realize that Bolton are always tough at Reebok (ManU supporters will agree, I'm sure) but ultimately, they are at best competing for UEFA Cup.

I just don't like that over the past few years, we've made a habit of losing to lesser teams in the league.

[mbrossetti]

I just don't like that over the past few years, we've made the habit of losing to lesser teams in the league.

Well pointed, but surely you wouldn't getting away with at least a point. I'll happily take a win, but I'd also be happy about drawing one of the "tougher" UEFA cup potentials at their home ground.

I still think the best way to close ground on the three above us is to not throw away that many points on the road. The 6 or so teams that are in the relegation fight should be feeding us 3 points each time we visit (I'll accept three loses away to Arsenal, Chelsea and United - I'll be pissed, but I'll accept them) and think that we must claim as many points as possible from the remaining 10 teams.

I think Bolton are talented enough to be in the top half of the table at the end of the year, so I'd be content with a draw. The bottom half teams, but non-relegation teams like, say Fulham (I'm just putting a name out there) are the teams we should be getting full points from if we're going to close the gap. Teams like Newcastle, Bolton and Middlesboro - I'll be happy with a draw, even happier if we can take a win from them.

[Suss]

I think we have to change the attitude of the club that a draw at the Reebok is an acceptable result. I think thats the way Houllier thought, and it drove me crazy. In the long run, draws do very little to keep you in a title race. If you were to draw every game of the season, you would get relegated. Sure, Bolton are a tough team and its never easy to win on the road. The fact is that Arsenal and Chelsea have 9 points already. Maybe a title race is unrealistic for this season, but I don't want to give up hope yet. To stay in the title race, 3 points against lower teams are necessary. Even if it is away from home.

[mbrossetti]

I doubt Rafa thinks that a draw in a winable game is a good result, but fact is, Bolton are a tough team at home, a team that has gotten better and lets face it, a team that according to last season is not really that much lower then us. They were 7 points behind us last year and were in the top 10. And yes, 3 points from lower teams are needed, but where do you reach the point when you go "ok, I want to win, but if we get a draw, I can live with that."

Any team that should be fighting relegation should be 3 points or bust. Any team that has no business being in the top 10 should be 3 points or bust. But teams in the top half of the league, are you unwilling to accept draws against teams that figure to finish say 5th or 6th?

10 or 11 wins on the road with only 3 losses would see us drastically improved from last year - around where Chelsea and United were at the end of last season. If Arsenal refuses to lose again this season well then we'll be fighting it out for 2nd, but if Arsenal feel like losing a few games this year, then we'd be in your title chase.