Ok the winning MUST start here. We won 2-0 away earlier this season, so we know what they can and cant do. We're at home. There's no excuses at all for anything less than a convincing victory here to 1: Bring back our confidence and 2: Shut everyone up who looks at a result and knows what happened during the match without seeing it.
Another "clean slate match". Right, I'm tempted to play the same starting 11, you know. They can't be that bad two matches in a row, can they surely? Still, I'd completely rest Kuijt and one of Kewell and Benayoun, starting Pennant instead. I'm sure Sunderland will fancy (its?) their chance(s) and have a go. I hope we just have a go. To that extent, I'll rotate. So here goes:- ------------------------------Reina----------------------------- --Finnan---------------Carragher------------Hyypia--------Aurelio-- ---------Gerrard--------Mascherano----------Alonso------------- ---------------Pennant-------Benayoun/Kewell----------- -----------------l--------------Torres-------------------------- Subs:- Itandje Skrtel Crouch Lucas Babel An alternative sees Babel starting instead of Kewell/Benayoun but I rather fancy him coming on after defenders are slightly exhausted. Have a go at me
----------------Reina Finnan ------JC------Sami-----JAR Pennant----Mash ----Lucas ---SG -------Crouch---------Torres Ist Skrtel Babel Beanayoun Alonso
I prefer Xabi and Masch in the middle, Gerrard and Pennant out wide. Something like this.... ...............Reina................ Finnan...Carra...Hyppia...JAR ........Masch...................... ..................Xabi............... Pennant..................Gerrard ........Torres....Crouch.........
That gives us no quality width on the left side. It would end up looking like this. -------------Reina------------- Finnan--Carra--Sami------JAR ------------Masch------------- ------------Xabi--------------- Pennant-----Gerrard--------- -----Torres-----Crouch--------
So who was worse...Fabio or Kewell? Fabio i suppose. Actually Kewell was just mostly inneffective but fabio was downright dangerous...to us. But my ruminations are, who played themselves off the pitch.....lets see... fabio, kewell, xabi, , beneyoun, kuyt. Arbs still hurt? crud i would play him lb. ok, so... pepe finnan jc sami risse pennant mash sg babel crouch torres. team picks itself oops except i think maybe lucas played himself onto the pitch so dont ask me where he goes except into mash's spot. naah. in the kuyt role?
True but everybody played rubbish there, so some mitigation. On the match itself, I notice from the official site that we've never really been convincing against Sunderland at Anfield. The last 5 have never seen us score more than a goal. Here is to hoping for a better match.
made the change for you. do we really need masch in this match? how much attacking and passing through the midfield will sunderland be doing? why not get lucas in there (earning his spot after his last performance) and use possession to our advantage.
A-MEN! Here's some stats to chew on. [Team 1] 3 Losses, 17 GA [Team 2] 3 Losses, 11 GA [Team 3] 1 Loss, 17 GA [Team 4] 3 Losses, 16 GA Without looking at a league table, correctly label and rank these teams.
Great point. Far too often we line our team up as if we have forgotten that we can expect to play the entire match in the opponents half. ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK.
I'm going to be really annoyed if Lucas doesn't start. He's clearly a better option than Xabi at the moment and has earned a start. I was actually upset he didn't get the start at West Ham, and when he came on, he was an instant shot in the arm, nearly scoring within moments of being on the pitch. The one concern with Lucas, IMO, is his fitness for 90 minutes, but just sub in Xabi or Masch if he gets winded after 70 or so. Masch isn't required in this one. We need to score goals. Sunderland's not a bad team and their new signings have looked good. We need to knock in 3 or 4 to get our confidence up.
Hyypia takes some responsibility and wants the TEAM to put things right. “We’ve conceded goals in games recently where the defending hasn’t been as solid as in the previous seasons Rafa Benitez has been here,” he said. “From that point of view we have things to do better. But it’s a team thing. Like when I talk about not taking chances, it’s not just about the strikers. As a group we have to get together and put things right. It’s not only the back four that defends.” http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/...objectid=20423604&siteid=50061-name_page.html It starts with Sunderland. Hyypia=LDRSHIP
Here is another stat to chew on: Team 1 18 wins Team 2 17 wins Team 3 16 wins Team 4 13 wins Team 5 11 wins Team 6 11 wins Team 7 10 wins Without looking at a league table, correctly name these teams. Ooops! Now remember, Team 7 has a "game in hand".
The Sunderland player to watch is this new kid Prica they just signed. He had a real quality goal in his first match and came close to a hat trick, with one pulled back out the net and a great save by the keeper. He's a skillful player who can make something out of nothing.
Yeah, Prica did well but Kenwyne Jones is a better player. I am more interested in Sunderland's defense.
I just wished that Halford was still at Sunderland and playing this match (gone on loan)...anyone else remember his backpass to voronin in the opening minutes?
--------------Reina ----Carra---Skrtel--Sami-- Pennant----Lucas--Masch---Aurelio --------------Gerrard ----------Crouch---Torres Subs: Itandje, Finnan, Benayoun, Babel, Kuyt. Thats the starting eleven. How they will actually lineup is anyone's guess.