Aston Villa v. Liverpool [R]

[Theo]

i'm so ready for this match...the season will finally officially begin.

so are there any press reports out on Liverpool's potential line-up?

i hope that it is:

Dudek

Babbel, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise

Gerrard, Hamman, Cheyrou, Murphy

Owen, Diouf

[zpjohnstone]

I would bet a fair amount of money that we're going to see the Community Shield line-up.

[khsoccergeek]

Originally posted by zpjohnstone
I would bet a fair amount of money that we're going to see the Community Shield line-up.

You really think we'll see the three-striker again? I suppose it's possible. Personally, I think Gerard just trotted out that lineup hoping for lots of goals to entertain the crowd. Or possibly as an experiment (one that didn't seem to work, in my opinion). But maybe it'll just take some time to jell.

[zpjohnstone]

I don't like it, but I do feel like we're going to see it again, especially when you consider the personnel available- I think it's a matter of just trying to get the best players (who are actually match fit) on the pitch.

I'm not sure I believe Houllier would've put anything other than the team he thought could beat Arsenal in the CS.

[khsoccergeek]

I found these rosters on Sky Sports's website for the match. I think they are the right ones, but I'm not certain. Oh well, here they are.

Aston Villa (from): Enckelman, Postma, Delaney, Staunton, Alpay, Mellberg, Samuel, Barry, De la Cruz, Hendrie, Hitzlsperger, Moore, Hadji, Boulding, Crouch, Vassell, Allback, Dublin.

Liverpool (from): Dudek, Xavier, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise, Traore, Murphy, Gerrard, Hamann, Smicer, Diouf, Baros, Babbel, Carragher, Cheyrou, Diao, Heskey, Owen, Kirkland.

[JRedknapp11]

Match is on FSW @2pm
or
listen here for the match....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/whatson/prog_parse.cgi?FILENAME=20020818/20020818_1230_49701_35190_330

[khsoccergeek]

Lineup for the Reds (looks to be a 4-4-2)

Jerzy Dudek
Abel Xavier
Djimi Traore
Sami Hyypia
Stephane Henchoz
Dietmar Hamann
Steven Gerrard
John Arne Riise
Danny Murphy
Michael Owen
El-Hadji Diouf
subs :
Chris Kirkland
Vladimir Smicer
Emile Heskey
Jamie Carragher
Bruno Cheyrou

[kopiteinkc]

Originally posted by JRedknapp11
Match is on FSW @2pm
or
listen here for the match....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/whatson/prog_parse.cgi?FILENAME=20020818/20020818_1230_49701_35190_330

No Five Live coverage allowed for live matches, but Villa's site has live radio coverage on the net at:

http://www.astonvilla-fc.co.uk/today/view/breaking_news_detail/0,,10265~257823,00.html

[khsoccergeek]

Diouf's been very impressive so far, but just got booked in what the Liverpool commentator called "a joke of a call." Still no score.

[dcc134]

damn, I thought it was an 11et kick off.


1-0 Liverpool, Riise with the goal.

[robbief]

michael had a penalty saved, apparently enckleman in goal was very impressive throughout. great start to the season though, nice to see the reds taking it to a squad away from home.

[Scotty]

Why didn't Juan Pablo Angel play for Villa? Was he transfered?

[655321]

Enckleman was fantastic for Villa throughout the 90 minutes, and was the only reason the scoreline wasn't 3-0. Owen couldn't buy a goal today. I think it's time he stops taking penalties. He has a bad habit of missing them, and with Riise on the pitch, there's no reason to give it to Owen.
I like Diouf, for the most part. He works hard and sets up opportunities. On the diving talk, I don't think he dives as much as he just exagerates in order to get the ref to notice the infraction. Still, he's setting himself up to constantly not get the benefit of the doubt.
How far away is Babbel from being fully match fit?? I really want to see what he can bring now. He was fantastic in the treble season, and I want more of it. When he get the classic back four of Babbel, Hyypia, Henchoz, and Carragher, then I think we'll really start to show what this season will look like.

Overall, I think this was a classic example of Liverpool grinding out a result. A pretty boring game, with a scoreline to prove it.

[LiverpoolFanatic]

Originally posted by Scotty
Why didn't Juan Pablo Angel play for Villa? Was he transfered?


He's still there, but is injured.


Owen's penalty was well taken but the ball hit the kppers foot as he dove the oposite way. Bad lick really.


My match report here

www.LFC365.com

[BrianCappellieri]

Ananova (http://www.ananova.com/sport/soccer/story/sm_652811.html?menu=sport.football)
Taylor and fan in slanging match

Graham Taylor had an exchange of words with an irate fan at the end of Aston Villa's defeat by Liverpool.

[SeinDude]

It was great to see us creating some good chances up front and Jon Arne Riise's finish was fantastic quality. Great stuff Reds!! :)

Go mighty Reds!! :cool:
SeinDude

[kopiteinkc]

Originally posted by 655321

Overall, I think this was a classic example of Liverpool grinding out a result. A pretty boring game, with a scoreline to prove it.

I have to disagree with you. I didn't think it was a boring match at all. Both teams had chances, it was great to watch Diouf's first game in the premiership. He is going to cause trouble all year long.

I will be glad to take many 1-nil wins away all season long. 3 points in the bag! :D

[655321]

Originally posted by kopiteinkc


I have to disagree with you. I didn't think it was a boring match at all. Both teams had chances, it was great to watch Diouf's first game in the premiership. He is going to cause trouble all year long.

Yea, I went to the pub in the afternoon to watch it again, and it was a bit more enjoyable to watch. Maybe it was because it the morning I was on about 8 cups of coffee and everything was in slow motion! Diouf was good, I hope and expect to see some more.

[Dr. Wankler]

While I wish Owen had put away the spot kick, that was one great goal... 3 guys combining to get the ball out of penalty area, a couple nice passes to Murphy, who makes a great run, and then an excellent finish by Riise. Wouldn't mind seeing something like that every match.

And while we didn't pour the goals in, midfield play was a lot better than last year. I got a feeling that if teams try to bunker on us, it won't be as successful this year as it was during last year's bad patch.

[usa1950]

I found the first half to be a bit unnerving. We just couldn't seem to get going. Michael and Diouf were not on the same page, and the midfielders and wide backs seemed to pump the ball in Diouf's general direction, like he is the mountain of a man that Heskey is. El-Hadji has some good control, but I'd like to see the ball played a bit more to his feet.

I sat at halftime thinking that Stevie G needed to get more into the game if we wanted to create more chances.

But it was Murphy and Riise who had outstanding second halves. Both went touchline to touchline, and Gerard and Hamann did well getting the ball to the strikers and to the flanks, whichever looked more promising.

Great couple of touches by Spuds on the goal, his first touch near midfield, splitting the two defenders with one touch was brilliant, then steaming past the onrushing back line. His pass to Riise was a bit slow, but the Right Back fell, and...

" wanna Know -Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh... OH! how you scored that goal."

Was that the quietest home crowd EVER at a Premiership match? Or were the crowd microphones placed badly? I heard the LFC supporters all game, but not the Villa ones.

Three points, I'll take it. Could have been 3-0, but we could have been 1-0 down, after Dudek saved that corner, then off the bar, then the foot of the post. We would have had a different match, then.

Damn happy the season is finally here!!!