Liverpool v. Bayer Leverkusen [R]

[quentinc]

I realize that I am starting this thread 11 days before the game is actually played, but I feel that it is justified. This is easily our most important game of the year. We have no realistic shot at winning the EPL and besides the Carling Cup, this is our only other competition. Gerrard will not be playing, but the players should be fired up for this one. There is no bigger stage in club football than the Champions League, and we all know what happened last time we played a CL game.

[liverbird]

I realize that I am starting this thread 11 days before the game is actually played, but I feel that it is justified. This is easily our most important game of the year. We have no realistic shot at winning the EPL and besides the Carling Cup, this is our only other competition. Gerrard will not be playing, but the players should be fired up for this one. There is no bigger stage in club football than the Champions League, and we all know what happened last time we played a CL game.

So whats your bloody lineup?? :D

[quentinc]

Well considering that our choice 11 will probably get leveled by a spaceship at some point between now and Feb. 22, I'm holding off any lineup calls.

[liverbird]

Well considering that our choice 11 will probably get leveled by a spaceship at some point between now and Feb. 22, I'm holding off any lineup calls.

Don't be so optimistic

[wemess0]

This is easily our most important game of the year.

I'm going to go have to disagree with this.

If I had to pick, I'd rather have a win in the match on March 20th. ;)

[655321]

This is easily our most important game of the year. We have no realistic shot at winning the EPL...

True, but making sure we're in there next year is far more important than getting farther in the CL this year. If things stay as they are, I think it's a given the derby at Anfield has the potential to the most important and explosive match we've seen in a really really long time.

Still, it's gonna be nice and I might just take the day off ;)

[TruReds]

I think it's a given the derby at Anfield has the potential to the most important and explosive match we've seen in a really really long time.

...

[soccer365-old]

Ok so two Leverkusen threads to choose from.....

So much to talk about. What formation? 4-5-1 or 4-4-2? No Morientes or Gerrard and Leverkusen are on a little bit of a run winning 5 out of their last 7 games. We have a 10 days rest before this game so tired legs shouldn't be an excuse. Harry Kewell has told Rafa that he expects to be fit for the game so should he play? Milan is going to have to carry the load up front whether he is by himself or partnering Kewell, Smicer or Garcia.

I'm hoping Anfield is up for this one and is loud and hostile to the opposition.

[wemess0]

Some good news ahead of the match: the official site reports that Harry Kewell will play for the reserves tonight.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N147822050214-1137.htm

Josemi will also be in action.

The story doesn't contain any speculation about whether Kewell might be fit enough to figure against Leverksen.

[Suss]

Hopefully Kewell is fit in time for the Leverkusen match. Here is an early guess at the lineup.

---------------Dudek
Finnan-Carragher-Hyppia-Traore
Nunez--Biscan---Hamann----Riise
---------------Kewell
----------------Baros

[dcc134]

True, but making sure we're in there next year is far more important than getting farther in the CL this year.



While I do understand what you're saying, if we are going to push every year to get into the CL, shouldn't we then at least try and go as deep as possible.

Certainly the additional money to be earned by advancing to the semi finals or finals of the CL is just as important as getting in next year.

Because of the draw this year, the road deep into the competition has the chance to be much easier then it may be next year. Half of the toughest teams will be gone after this round. Who knows, maybe we get PSV and Lyon in the next 2 rounds. Certainly matchups I think we can win.

Its like Rafa said after the team made it to the Carling Cup final "As a player, you only have a chance to play in so many finals".

[655321]

While I do understand what you're saying, if we are going to push every year to get into the CL, shouldn't we then at least try and go as deep as possible.

Certainly the additional money to be earned by advancing to the semi finals or finals of the CL is just as important as getting in next year.

Well, of course...we should always try to win everything we enter. But if we don't make it next year, we're gonna have a hard time keeping some of our players throughout their contracts. And while I don't have the facts to back this up...I believe we would stand to get more money by being in there next season, than we would make by simply making the semi-finals this season.

That is why I believe getting fourth place is infinitely more important than any further CL matches this season. Not to mention that the league is ALWAYS more important than Europe (well, winning it is, at least).

[royalstilton]

current wisdom is that Leverkusen is worthless outside their own pitch. while this is hyperbole, at least Liverpool has a fighting chance to advance thru this round, and our best attacking force, save Moro, will be available when play moves to Germany. i would think that Benitez would play this like a cup tie, well maybe not like the match against Burnley, and shoot for a 2-nil result, then try to hold Leverkusen to a goal in their crib.

i guess one might imagine that the match in Cardiff might go the Reds way. but that is not a result i would hold much hope for, unless Chelsea can be held to a goalless draw in full time and then they lose in penalties when both Johnson and Carvalho, subbed on when Liverpool presses the advantage with 10 minutes left and Lampard red-carded for dissent after he is dragged down in the area by Warnock, hit the woodwork.

[dcc134]

Well, of course...we should always try to win everything we enter. But if we don't make it next year, we're gonna have a hard time keeping some of our players throughout their contracts. And while I don't have the facts to back this up...I believe we would stand to get more money by being in there next season, than we would make by simply making the semi-finals this season.

That is why I believe getting fourth place is infinitely more important than any further CL matches this season. Not to mention that the league is ALWAYS more important than Europe (well, winning it is, at least).


Which players are we going to have trouble keeping? Gerrard? I don't believe CL qualification is going to make or break his decision. He is either going to stay, accept the injuries we've had and the belief that Rafa is going to move things in the right direction. Or he is going to leave. I'd venture that a deep run in the CL this year is going to do more to convince him to stay than scratching by the bitters for 4th could ever do. If we go out like chumps in this round of the CL, then he is likely gone, regardless of how where we finish in the league.

IMO, European success is as important and league success. Liverpool built its stature on the back of European success, as much as its league success.

[655321]

IMO, European success is as important and league success.

I respectfully disagree...

[wemess0]

I respectfully disagree...

I'm in your camp.

To state the bleeding obvious, a semi-final appearance would be wonderful.

But unless we win the whole thing – which I just can't see happening – it won't do us a bit of good this time next year.

A top-four league finish, on the other hand, would see us back in the tournament for 2005-2006.

I’m not saying I don’t think we can finish fourth AND have a deep run in the CL. (With our early FA Cup exit, we shouldn’t be playing so many games that this becomes an issue, I wouldn’t think.)

But if I had to pick one of the two – semi-finals of the CL or top-four in the league – I’d definitely take the top-four finish.

[dcc134]

So do you rest players for a CL game in midweek if you have a must win league game on the weekend?

Without European success Liverpool isn't the club that it is, its Arsenal.

I think the importance of getting fourth is vastly overstated. Is the team destined for failure if they don't make it? Is this season considered a success if they do? Making the CL certainly didn't help convince Owen to stick around, and I doubt it will make much of a difference for Gerrard either.

As a fan, sitting here is January 2005, I'm certainly going to gain far more statisfaction from a run in the CL than winning 4th in the League.

It would be one thing if we were talking about a battle for the league title, but its ********ing depressing that we are talking about a battle for 4th, and everyone is so ho hum about our CL chances.

As I said before, with the draw, the CL is going to be wide open. Half of the top teams are going to be out after this round. Porto and Monaco made it the final last year. There is no reason to believe Liverpool doesn't have as good of a chance as anyone to win the thing.

[655321]

I'm not saying to ******** off the rest of the CL tournament...far from it. But hitting the semi-finals is not as important as making sure we're there next year.

Liverpool is in a rebuilding position right now and, unfortunately, nothing short of winning the whole thing is an acceptable replacement for not getting fourth place.

[quentinc]

The thing about the CL is that it is spread out enough to the point that it doesn't become a constant distraction. This is even more true considering that we don't have the FA Cup to worry about and the Carling Cup only has one more game left in it. Also, our form in the CL will most likely coincide with our performance in the league. If we're not beating teams like Birmingham, we don't deserve to get deep into the CL (and we probably won't, if we play like we did Saturday).

[AwayKit]

...
Josemi will also be in action....


I thought you said "good news". :rolleyes:

I think Liverpool will be up for this match. They've stepped up for big games this season (it's the minnows that hurt).

I'm not sure where the inspiration will come from. But Baros does seem to like international competitions, so I'm optimistic.