I kind of alluded to my preferred line up on the Newcastle thread, but I'll be more specific here. Kirkland Carragher-Henchoz-Hyypia-Traore Smicer-Murphy-Gerrard-Riise Heskey-Owen Before the "Traore haters" get on me. Riise must play left mid. Compare our midfield play with Riise on the left to Cheyrou or Heskey recently. Long term I think Cheyrou is the answer there, but he is certainly not fully match fit yet. Riise is. Baros was awful against Newcastle and needs to be benched. Diouf and Mellor had bright moments and either could start if Heskey or Owen do not recover in time. Murphy needs to be paired in the middle with Gerrard, Diao is a liability at the moment. Giving us some width with Smicer. Not the greatest option. But until Didi is healthy the best we have available. Mellor off the bench if we need an injection of enthusiasm in the last 30 minutes.
Kopite, we're talking to each other on different threads. I'm with you only I'd play Diouf and save Vlad for the last 20 minutes if necessary.
My fault. I started out talking about our midfield in the Newcastle thread and ended up considering our line up for the City match. Probably right to continue the discussion here. The idea of experimenting with Diouf out wide is an interesting one. Worth a go I suppose. Either way it should provide us with that mythical "width" everyone likes to remind us about.
I also think this is the kind of tie where Traore mightn't be so bad. City will attack but with pace and athleticism not guile and strength. But I agree with you that JAR belongs in midfield. Who knows. perhaps Vignal can cover at left fullback? Over the last four games, it's not like we are leaking goals. Clean sheet, late strike, dive, and free kick. Four games and one goal from the run of play. Four games, three goals allowed, and we get only two points. We're not scoring goals, particularly from the midfield. Perhaps we can regain the Cup tie form we showed against Villa. There it was Stevie and Danny that did the damage.
Looks like no Owen after all. And maybe no Heskey. From: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N138350030103-1450.htm Gerard Houllier today revealed Owen is set to miss the clash at Maine Road. He said: "I don't think Michael is going to make it. It's very doubtful he will play, but I think he will be okay for our game at Sheffield United next week. "We'll decide tomorrow whether or not Emile Heskey will be available when he has a fitness test." ----
Well then -- Smicer out wide and Baros up front with Diouf. Save Mellor for the end. Doesn't look good.
Let me see if I've got this right. Injured or doubtful: Dudek, Owen, Hamann, Babbel (What's going on there, anyway? I've heard nothing for weeks) and Heskey (who has a late fitness test). Not worth putting on the pitch (at the moment), healthy or not: Diao, Biscan, Cheyrou. Definitely back in the squad: Murphy. Here goes: ..............Kirkland Carragher--Hyppia--Henchoz--Traore ...Smicer--Murphy--Gerrard--Riise ........Diouf--Baros/Heskey (if fit) Subs: Arpexhad Vignal Biscan (no other choice) Cheyrou (no other choice) Mellor (at the first sign of Diouf or Baros failure, get him in there!) Oh--and one tactical point: Keep Diouf and Baros OUT of any wall on close-in direct free kicks! Despite the problems, we ought to at least earn a replay in this match--and live to fight another day. ----
If the lineup echoes the one on Wednesday, why not playing with essentially one striker up front (Baros). Djouf would be pulled back a bit but ahead of the midfield. He seemed to play that role a bit in the WC and if I remember, it was Djouf out left who crossed the goal to beat France. I would do that and let him roam left and right, adding to the midfield in the event they're having a problem putting together 3-4 passes w/out giving possession away. If the midfield is cohesive, then let Djouf head up front for an extra attacker. But I think he can threaten City playing a bit behind Baros and possibly get Baros some room to move. Just a thought.
To be honest, I think that's what GH tried to do in the opening 15 minutes against Newcastle. Diouf was very deep early on. As soon as we conceded the goal though tactics changed but we looked lost at sea. I don't mind this strategy but it needs to be more creative than Stevie G sending a long pass behind their last defender for Baros to run onto. I would prefer a 4-4-2 and us going at them as we should have at Newcastle. City's defenders like Newcastle's can be exposed. Go at them and try and get some goals (similar to Villa away).
Red; I can go along with most of your summing up here except this last sentiment. If we can't take ManC at Anfield in a cup tie. Then we're in a bigger world of hurt than we know. This is a match to win, and decisively. One thing really surprized me at St,James's was Diouf apparent lack of pace in a footrace for the ball. The were a couple of plays on through balls that I felt that Diouf should have won and turned them into something.
It's not at Anfield; it's at Maine Road. http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/match/season/next/ Otherwise I'd agree with you. Agree completely--may have been the pitch condition, but his lack of pace stunned me as well. ----
I think he's just not fast --- he's good on the ball and crafty but he does not have exceellent pace. I think even Emile is faster over twenty yards.
Well...DUH...!!! I didn't even look, but whoever started this thread should know that in football the home team is ALWAYS listed first.! That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it....
It’s good to see Niki Anelka doing well with City. He just didn’t seem to fit with Liverpool’s brand of football. (No smart comments here) At times he just looked lost at Anfield, when he wasn’t offside. Good luck to him, BUT NOT TOMORROW..!
Perhaps...but could you honestly say that, with Owen and Heskey injured, you're more comfortable having to start Diouf and Baros rather than Litmanen and Anelka??
I think we should have kept Litmanen, the few times he was alowed to play he made a difference in the game. Anelka just didn't seem to have his head or heart in it.
Got that right! That’s what happened when you start feeling smug. Do you think that’s the teams problem.?
A bit. We started out feeling unbeatable, even though for the second half of that run we didn't play particularly well. Then got knocked out of the CL and our confidence took a hit from which we haven't recovered.
Yeh! That’s what happened to me today. Starting with getting out of bed..! Missed the toilet with my eyes closed and lost confidence.