Valencia v Liverpool

[TheMutts]

This will be the thread for the game Tuesday.

I think Liverpool will win 3-2 and win their group.

[usscouse]

It’s definitely going to be an interesting game just to see how we do outside of the prem. this season. 2-2 will be a good score here.:)
And talking of interesting, any guesses on the line up…???
Who’ll be in the back row and will he go for Mikey to start…!!!

[RedKnight]

Interesting article on the LFC.TV Web site:

“Gerard Houllier admits he would prefer to win the Champions League ahead of the Premiership this season.

The Reds kick off their European campaign with a daunting trip to face Spanish champions Valencia on Tuesday night - a fixture Houllier describes as 'the toughest start you could have in the competition.'

But the Liverpool boss is hell bent on ensuring his side enjoy another extended run in the competition this season - even though he accepts many of his players would prefer Premiership glory instead.”

Full Article at: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N136582020915-1033.htm

[RedKnight]

Originally posted by usscouse
It’s definitely going to be an interesting game just to see how we do outside of the prem. this season. 2-2 will be a good score here.:)
And talking of interesting, any guesses on the line up…???
Who’ll be in the back row and will he go for Mikey to start…!!!

I think the lineup depends heavily on Henchoz’s status,
and so far as I can tell, he’s still questionable for Tuesday.
And Smicer's a no-go as well.

With Henchoz, I think it’s this lineup:


……………………..Dudek

……….Carragher—Hyypia—Henchoz—Traore

……….Murphy—Gerrard—Hamann—Riise

……………….Heskey—Baros

Subs:

Kirkland
Xavier
Berger
Cheyrou
Owen

Without Henchoz, IMO, this will be a brutal match for us.
Something like the alignment below might get us a point:

……………………Dudek

……….Carragher—Diao—Hyypia—Traore

Murphy—Gerrard—Hamann—Cheyrou—Riise

……………………Baros


Subs:

Kirkland
Xavier
Babbel (last resort)
Berger
Owen

[655321]

Originally posted by RedKnight
“Gerard Houllier admits he would prefer to win the Champions League ahead of the Premiership this season. [/url]

egad, that's a brave statement. I think most supporters would rather see the league title.

Have we found out yet what matches will be on ESPN??

[RedKnight]

Originally posted by 655321


egad, that's a brave statement. I think most supporters would rather see the league title.



Agree on both counts; plus, I think the Prem is more likely to be winnable for us this year. CL success may take another year or two.

Originally posted by 655321



Have we found out yet what matches will be on ESPN??

I'm betting we're doomed on this score. The first two matchdays in Phase 1 Group play on ESPN2 are:


Tue Sep 17 11:30AM Pacific
UEFA Champions League - Phase 1 - Match Day 1
Roma (Italy) vs Real Madrid (Spain)

We play Valencia at the same time.


Tue Sep 24 11:30AM Pacific
UEFA Champions League - Phase 1 - Match Day 2
Deportivo de La Coruna (Spain) vs AC Milan (Italy)

We host FC Basel the next day, and I believe
ESPN2 isn’t broadcasting any Wednesday CL matches.

ESPN2's bias is toward broadcasting CL matches with
Spanish and Italian sides, since they bought the rights
to sell matches in Latin America primarily--not here in
the U.S.

Liverpool v. Valencia is on a Wednesday as well (10/30/02).

So I doubt we'll see the Reds on TV in the CL until we
make the second round.

[Flying Weasel]

from the official Liverpool site http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N136594020916-1029.htm

"Stephane Henchoz has been included the Liverpool squad that leaves for Valencia today."

"He will train in the Mestalla Stadium tonight and a decision will then be taken on whether or not he's fit enough to face the Spanish champions in tomorrow's Group B opener."

Also at
http://www.soccernet.com/england/news/2002/0916/20020916lfchenchoz.html

[RedKnight]

Originally posted by Flying Weasel
from the official Liverpool site http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N136594020916-1029.htm

"Stephane Henchoz has been included the Liverpool squad that leaves for Valencia today."

"He will train in the Mestalla Stadium tonight and a decision will then be taken on whether or not he's fit enough to face the Spanish champions in tomorrow's Group B opener."

Also at
http://www.soccernet.com/england/news/2002/0916/20020916lfchenchoz.html


That's encouraging news! Provisional squad was named as well:

Dudek, Carragher, Xavier, Henchoz, Hyypia, Traore, Murphy, Hamann, Gerard, Riise, Diao, Cheyrou, Baros, Owen, Heskey, Diouf, Berger, Kirkland.




.

[Matt Clark]

Owen will be back in the team for this one after being rested on the weekend for this very purpose. I can't make up my mind whether Baros will be retained or not. My gut feeling is that he will not, that GH will choose to go with the Heskey option in what is bound to be a formation and approach resonant of last season and the year before. The more I think of it, the more I expect Baros to be reserved for the visit of West Brom on Saturday.

I would imagine that this 4-5-1 approach may be continued (PS - Isn't it fun now that GH springs regular tactical surprises on us? ;) ), with Heskey out wide, cutting in, plus the traditional triumvirate of Hamann, Gerrard and Murphy. And Riise ... well, Riise may even be set back to LB. I dunno. I was away this weekend and have seen none of our game against Bolton, but reports seem to indicate that Diao and Hyypia were not exactly telepathic in the back.

It's an important game, this one. It will decide the group, unlikely defeats in Basel or Moscow notwithstanding. Valencia are a very strong side and even though their start to the season has been anything other than inspiring, the CL is rapidly becoming a monkey on their back and I can see them wanting to start this one off with a really solid win. We will have to cut out the defensive lapses, that's for sure. Clearing our lines when necessary, as necessary. Never mind the jibes about style, put yer foot through it when you have to (the reason I expect Heskey to feature, by the by - very good outlet).

Anyway, we shall see.

I got my Basel and Moscow home tickets today. It's getting real again. :)

[kopiteinkc]

It will be interesting to see the approach on this one.

I doubt we will see our flamboyant, cavalier approach, especially as we are away. A clean sheet is definitely in order.

Glad to hear Henchoz is on the mend. Diao was very uncomfortable in the back four.

Playing for a nil-nil and taking any opportunity to make fast breakaways seems to be the logical approach. But who knows with GH these days, he might play a 4-3-3 :D

[liverbird]

News reports indicate that GH has stated that he won't bunker in the CL, that "scoring goals" is the way to move forward in the CL. That being said, I expect Owen and Diouf up front, with Emile on the left. Danny, Stevie and DiDi in the rest of midfield and Stephane to strap it up and help hold down the fort. As stated before, Milan will get to destroy WBA on the weekend. Riise, Berger, Diao, Cheyrou, and Kirkland in reserve. Since Summer's has got the game somehow at 4:45 EST here in the States --- I'm leaving work early!

[Matt Clark]

I don't think we will play for a draw, that would be asking for trouble. However, Valencia's principle strengths are very similar to our own. Strong defence, quick attack. If we over-extend in the search for goals, they have what it takes to hurt us, badly. But if we bunker down, then their home support will be pushing their often recaltricant formation forward, which defintely plays to our strengths (and sets up an intriguing vice versa at Anfield. Let's hope we've won the group by then ... ).

[BrianCappellieri]

UEFA Champions League - Matchday 1 - Group B

2:45pm EST
Tuesday, 17 September

[liverbird]

Not to appear like Brian Cap but see this quote at the following url.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/Champions_League/Story/0,5764,793171,00.html

"We have to attack in the Champions League," an ebullient Houllier told reporters today. "If you look at the teams that win the competition, they do so by going out to win games.

"That carries the risk of losing goals, but I said last season we would be a different Liverpool by going for goals and that is the way I want it."

and here: http://www.soccernet.com/england/news/2002/0916/20020916lfchoullier.html

This could be a little disinformation or could be applied to the whole round of fixtures but it does seem to imply that we will attack. I think Matt's counter attack strategy would work but GH seems to suggest a different tack.

[usscouse]

Originally posted by Matt Clark
I don't think we will play for a draw, that would be asking for trouble.
You've got that right Matt. To play for a draw means we have to score two goals in the first half..:)
Playing for a 0-0 draw would mean 11 men behind the ball in the last 20 minutes and we all know how dangerous that is and how much fun...!!!

[BrianCappellieri]

Champions League Preview: Valencia-Liverpool (http://www.soccerage.com/en/13/h3010.html)
Champions League Prediction: Valencia-Liverpool (http://www.soccerage.com/en/13/h3019.html)

[RedKnight]

This just in . . .

Henchoz almost certain to miss out

Stephane Henchoz is almost certain to miss Liverpool's Champions League clash in Valencia on Tuesday night after sitting out the Reds' final training session ahead of the match.

Henchoz watched from the stands as his team-mates were put through their paces in the awesome surroundings of the Mestalla Stadium shortly after touching down in Valencia on Monday afternoon.

The rest of the article can be found at: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N136604020916-2048.htm



.

[Matt Clark]

Anyone getting itchy yet? ;)

This is the big one, chaps. Henchoz missing out is a big, big blow because the defence has been letting us down this season and so the last thing we need is an unsettled formation and new partnerships. Be interesting to see if Houllier persists with Diao at centre-back, or whether he moves Carra inside.

Personally, neither option fills me with confidence. Carra was our most consistent CB a couple of years back, but that was alongside Babb, Scales and Ruddock. I could look consistent alongside that lot. I much prefer him out wide at FB.

We shall see. I think we will begin the game pushing for an early goal, but will (I hope) revert to the classic away from home counter strategy that served us so well in Rome and Barcelona these past two years.

[kopiteinkc]

These are good links Brian, thanks.

How about putting them in the Liverpool - Valencia thread that already exists next time?

[YanksFC]

Some motivation for the Reds -- Valencia's Kily Gonzalez says that to describe Michael Owen as a world class player is a "joke":

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/champions_league/2263154.stm

Sounds like a lot of sour grapes for his national side's underachievements during the World Cup. Anyway, here's hoping that Michael and the Reds put him in his place today.