Welcome to old reds, Cisse and Zenden. This is a tricky tie with both keen to impress. A victory, of course, is a requirement but there were passages of play on Saturday when we were so lacking in invention to break down a well-disciplined defence. I suspect Marseille will be as tough to break down, with the players also keen to impress the new coach. So how will Benitez set up this one? The problem, I think, has been the predictability of our wide players; Aurelio and Riise on the one flank was to defensive. I liked the Crouch and Torres partnership. So here goes:- --------------------Reina------------------- --Finann-----Carragher-----Hyypia------Aurelio-- ---Pennant----Sissoko--------Gerrard------Babel-- ---------------Crouch-----Torres-------------- Subs:- Itandje, Arbeloa, Riise, Mascherano, Voronin, Kuyt, Benayoun
Liverpool should win. Nasri is out and L'OM have a new coach which means things have not been going smoothly for them this season.
Is this the Part-time Liverpool fan forum? How can Red Bird have 'Picked it'? Pennant's suspended due to his Red card. Are you even following the season? And I'm supposed to be the Chelsea fan according to Red Bird. The team will probably be... --------------------Reina------------------- --Finnan-----Carragher-----Hyypia------Aurelio-- ---Benayoun----Sissoko--------Gerrard------Riise-- ---------------Kuyt-----Torres-------------- There's also a possibility that Rafa might revert to his system of putting Stevie G on the right, but with Yossi fit and playing well and Alonso out I think he'll resist. Oh you also spelt Finnan wrong, but I'll put that down to a typo.
Oops, my bad. Pennant is indeed suspended. So put in Benayoun for Pennant. Riise and and Aurelio on the left is way too defensive-- gave us bugger all against Wigan.. And, yes, I still don't believe you're a Liverpool fan but it's a free world, after all. So have fun.
True, But Marseille are a much stronger team than Wigan. Home game or not, we can't throw caution to the wind. This is the CL. Riise gives us a good enough attacking option with a player who can track back. I've seen none of that from Babel who is all out attack and the kind of player you bring on with 20 mins to go. As to the non-Liverpool fan thing, well I've stated my case. I've talked about Liverpool squad and tactics in a way indepth enough to prove I'm not Remotely a Chavski fan. I've had deep dislike for Mourinho for a long while, but it hit peak when he shushed Liverpool fans at the Carling cup final. Since then he has called our team second rate and a small club, despite the fact that we clearly outplay them in every game (apart from two seasons ago when I remember we took a pasting at home). We've knocked them out of CL and FA cup and still The So-called Special One looked down on Liverpool. I laughed when he was arrested and recently when Chelsea were denied a legitimate goal for offside and Jose ripped the monitor out and brandished it to the linesman. Does all this sound like a Chelsea fan?
So....nasri is from marseille, ive heared great things about the lad, and he is even linked to liverpool..what a pitty, i would have liked to see him play.
I hope Cisse gets a great reception on his return to Anfield, he deserves it. Marseille are in aweful form in Ligue 1 but they got off to a good start in Europe so I don't know which side will come to play. Either way, they have ample talent in their team. Aside the two former reds, players like Taiwo, Nasri and Cana. I would prefer Kuyt and Torres play more together since I believe that to be our best partnership but I doubt those two will start. Either way, we should be able to get a win here since its a home game. Just hope Sami can cope with Cisse's speed.
neither JAR nor Fabio are creators. neither is going to beat people the dribble and put themselves in dangerous situations. Babel will cause havoc and be a threat to beat people on the dribble and look to get in dangerous positions. it is that type of wing play that is needed against a continental team that will be cagey and sit back and look for the chance to counter.
for all the constant talk of Cisse's speed, i can't recall a single time where he simply left people in his wake as he glided past them.
When exactly is Agger expected back? I think we may truley miss him in Europe. I'd try -----------Reina------------ Finnan--Carra-Sami--Riise Pennant-Momo-SG-Babel -------Kuyt--Torres--------
See above - Pennant is suspended. His understudy Benayoun may play, unless Rafa decides not to play 4-4-2. I'd go with Reina Finnan - Carra - Sami - Arbeloa Gerrard - Sissoko - Mascherano - Babel Torres - Crouch
That's not bad! With Yossi as a sub for Babel once they see he has no left foot and keeps cutting back to his right. Kuyt or Voronin to come on "Early" if Crouch hasn't improved over the last couple of matches. Buy him a flack jacket. I've put some TV times up on the TV sticky. Eight, yes 8 CL matches on TV Tuesday and Wed.
That'd be mine. Danger wide but able to cut in on either side. Nothing doen the middle. Carra stuck with Cisse.
Although this formation is close to impossible, Ide like to see it this season. ----------------Reina------------ Finnan--Carra--Hyypia--Arbeloa Pennant---Mascherano---Aurelio Gerrard-------Torres-------Babel
Arbeloa and Finnan would be charged with giving us width then because I could definitely see that formation morphing into this. -------------------Reina-------------------- Finnan-----Carra-------Sami--------Arbeloa ----------Sissoko-------Mascherano------- -----Gerrard-----------------Babel---------- --------------Torres---Crouch---------------
No but you're sounding more an more like Morph by the minute. Quit being so confrontational whoever you are. THere are a lot of knowledgeable people that frequent this board, and we all get along fine.
ok, maybe a little "out-there" but as usual i'll base my concepts on who played the last game and whats coming up next. pepe finnan cara sami risse bene stevie momo babel veronin crouch torres kuyt arbs itchy mash fabio leto except crouchino is under rafas skin for complaining so he may get glued to the bench in favour of kuyt. And yes i myself would play torres but rafa i suspect doesnt rate marsailles that highly and will play el nino at the weekend. i wouldnt even be suprised to see hobbs on the bench. pepes been practising stifling the urge to move an inch to either side in order to deal with cisses shots. doing yoga " L'om, L'omm" Feel the Grass Be the Grass " Bolos gonna shift onto to his left foot and run straight into the corner at full speed. repeatedly. but very professionally. ahhh, the good old days.
Yes Rafa will know what to do to counter Zenden & Cisse. With Zenden, we can sit Finnan more central, allowing Zenden to make his runs into the corner, then close him down, so he hurries his cross. The left back can sit near the far edge of the box, as thats where the cross will end up and head clear. With Cisse, we can let him make runs through the centre as thats where he gets in trouble. With an advancing keeper standing tall, he can only try and kick it harder to get it to tear through his shirt and chest and trickle over the goal with a heart and some arteries dangling about, still attached to the ball..........
Width is the most overrated tactical aspect of the game today. Particularly at Liverpool, where obsession with the issue is almost a disease amongst the fans. We don't need to knobbly-kneed Brylcreem heroes getting chalk on their boots in order to win games. And haven't needed them since ... well, since Brylcreem went out of fashion. Ideally, the formation I outline would morph into what you put - Torres plays through the middle and is at his most effective when supplied along the channels and the ways in which Crouch can waste a good cross from out wide are still being counted - a final tally may not be known until the day he retires. Width can be generated by having four players attack at once across the expanse of the final third, it can be created by having players overlap through the centre, it can be caused by a judicious late run from midfield. "Width" isn't the distance between your centre-forward and your right or left midfielder, "width" is the distance between your player, the ball and the nearest defender at whatever point across the back four that you are focusing the attack at that moment. The key is to position players across and in between the opposition's back four in such a way that there are gaps to exploit. Crouch is best with his back to goal and the ball to feet, Gerrard, Torres and Babel all shine when running on to, or playing, short passes. On the first break-down, however, yes: there's Finnan and Arbeloa to come up for second phase ball, take the short knock-backs and swing in crosses for the attacking players who have already drawn into the opposing penalty area.
I like this one. Though I'd be just as happy seeing Yossi and Kuyt in place of Crouch and Babel. Bonus points for leaving Aurelio out of the starting XI. Three points is essential in this match. Plain and simple. Our midfield should and will dominate. Especially if we're facing Zenden...