Well I want to move on from the debacle yesterday, so let's get this thread rolling as part of our healing process!! Most talk will probably be of our line-up. Time to recall Owen, and I would really like to see how Owen and Baros play together for the full 90 minutes. Hopefully Henchoz will be fit by Saturday. This should give us a line-up of: Dudek Traore-Henchoz-Hyypia-Carragher Riise-Hamann-Gerrard-Murphy Baros-Owen We might see a 4-3-3 with Heskey in for Riise also.
This will be an interesting game. It's not make or break at this stage, but in light of the Valencia debacle, the team have to bounce back strongly, if they are as pissed off as GH says they are. Anything less than a win will not bode well for the mental strength for the remainder of the season.
Is Babbel ready to go yet?? I know he was on the bench for Valencia, so I'm assuming yes. If so... Dudek Babbel/Hyypia/Henchoz/Carragher Murphy/Hamman/Gerrard/Riise Owen/Diouf subs Berger Kirkland Traore Heskey Baros I'll admit I'm a little torn on the Riise/Heskey situation. Same with the striker selection. Baros and Owen, Baros and Diouf, Heskey and Owen, Heskey and Baros, Heskey and Diouf?? Jesus, so many decisions to made here. However, I fully expect to see Owen play. Clearly, we MUST win this match. End of story. Owen, if he plays, must score. The early season jitters should have been well worn off by now.
Ditto! Baggies beware. I fully expect GH to institute a go for the jugular approach to try and get the match over early and re-instill confidence in the squad. I hope it works to perfection. Any word on when Markus will make his return?
Houllier's comments on Sky might have some bearing on this. It would seem to indicate that he is prepared to protect Owen from the reactionary dross strikers have to put up with when they are having one of these spells, rather than endanger his confidence further by playing him in an "Owen must score" context. If he does not rest Owen, I would imagin he will be tempted to go with a three-pronged attack (our nascent "default" home formation), with Heskey replacing Riise on the left and Owen and Baros through the middle.
I like this analysis—but I start off with a different assumption, so my conclusions are a little different. I’m pretty sure that Babbel will be in our squad Saturday, but I’d be very surprised if he were in the starting eleven. I believe he should get 20-30 minutes run-out in the second half, however, if at all possible (I’ll elaborate below). With Babbel not starting (and assuming Henchoz can start), I think we’ll look like this: …………………Dudek Carragher—Hyppia—Henchoz—Riise Murphy—Gerrard—Hamann—Heskey ……………..Baros—Owen Subs: Kirkland Traore Babbel Cheyrou Diouf Traore has been pretty solid in the early matches this year—but he’s played a lot of minutes, and has seemed less effective in the two most recent matches. I’d rest him. That solves the Riise/Heskey quandary, which I share with 655321—I’d play them both. The Baros/Owen partnership is too tempting to pass up. If it doesn’t work, sub Cheyrou for whichever of the strikers is faring worst, and push Heskey up top. As I mentioned above, I’d like to see Babbel get some playing time if at all possible. With Basel coming to Anfield for CL Matchday 2, and Hamann out for that match, our defense could be under unusual pressure, IMO. We might need Babbel to come in to help in the back, in some capacity, and I’d like him to have had some actual top-level playing time before next Wednesday. .
Markus played for the reserves tonight. I am not sure if he went the full 90 or not though. Perhaps matt could shed some light on this.
Henchoz back? From soccernet: Defender Stephane Henchoz should return following a calf injury when Liverpool take on West Brom at Anfield. Michael Owen is expected to start the game after being on the substitutes' bench for the previous two matches. Vladimir Smicer (foot) and Abel Xavier (sickness) also missed the trip to Valencia in midweek, and neither are expected to be in the squad against the Baggies. Lee Hughes faces the chop from Gary Megson's starting line-up as Albion go in search of an improbable fourth-consecutive Barclaycard Premiership win. Hughes has not scored in his three games since rejoining his hometown club in a £2.5million deal from Coventry last month and was hauled off at half-time in last week's win over Southampton. The Baggies hero also suffered a slight knee injury against the Saints and that could help tip Megson's decision in favour of Scott Dobie. Megson insisted he would have no qualms about wielding the axe on his most prized possession if the time was right. He said: "We have made changes this season and if players aren't playing well then they can't expect to be in the team. "Whether one cost two and a half million or one cost £100,000, that cuts no ice. "But Lee has been here for two and a half weeks and we have won three games on the trot. He's started in all three of those games and he's played his part in winning them for us." Striker Daniele Dichio is also back in contention after shrugging off his midweek sickness bug.
So we pretty much now know this much for sure -------------Dudek------------ ------------?-H&H-?----------- Murphy—Gerrard—Hamann-? ------------Owen-?------------ Personally, I think we're pretty likely to find Traore & Carra at outside backs, given that Babbel was run for the full ninety the other night, and I don't think they're going to start him for the first time with less than fresh legs. Also, I'm wondering if it's going to be Heskey's time to sit. If I were the Boss, I might be tempted to throw Baros out there again. I think it's about time for Riise to get some action, as well, so here's my best guess- -------------Dudek------------- --------Traore-H&H-Carra------- Murphy-Gerrard-Hamann-Riise ----------Owen-Baros----------- WBA are coming off a few 1-0 wins, yes?
20 September 2002 : by Paul Eaton Henchoz back for Baggies clash Gerard Houllier has confirmed that key defender Stephane Henchoz will start against West Bromwich Albion at Anfield tomorrow. Henchoz has recovered from the calf injury which has ruled him out of Liverpool's last two games, but he will once again line up alongside captain Sami Hyypia against The Baggies. Houllier said: "Stephane is okay now and he will play tomorrow. We have missed him, there's no doubt about that. "It's hard to say that one player makes such a big difference to a team, but it's clear that we have won more games than we have lost when Sami and Stephane have played together at the back." Vladimir Smicer is still ruled out of action as he continues to nurse a broken toe. http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N136681020920-1527.htm
I'd sure like to see Cheyrou and Baros both take the pitch together pretty soon. Both players seem to read other well and have done very nicely in their previous reserve matches. Cheyrou has been a spark in the midfield whenever GH subs him....I'd like to think that he could give Danny a run for his money. At the very least it would spice up the midfield , which hasn't been all that spectacular in recent weeks. Hamann has really carried the load lately and also taken a lot of pressure off Traore , but when the German has an off match like Tuesday..everyone elses weeknesses seem to come to the forfront....but that's just my 2 cents.
Yes, Albion are coming off a few 1-0 wins... If Liverpool are serious about boucing back after that debacle against the Spaniards, they should play my Baggies right off the pitch. Having said that, however, I'm confident the Albion are going to Anfield without fear, despite this being their first match there in 16 years. The three straight wins have helped boost confidence in the team, particularly in their defence. IMHO, I don't think we are due to upset the Reds, but I also doubt it'll be the four-goal romp the 'Pool faithful will be seeking after what happened Tuesday.
..................Dudek Carra--------H & H-------Riise Murphy--StevieG---Hamann--CHEYROU .............Owen----BAROS Anfield debuts in ALL CAPS This could be interesting . . . . SUBS Diao Diouf Traore Heskey Kirkland .
The Line-Up: (we were pretty close in our predictions here on this board): 1 Jerzy Dudek 23 Jamie Carragher 2 Stephane Henchoz 4 Sami Hyypia 18 John Arne Riise 13 Danny Murphy 16 Dietmar Hamann 17 Steven Gerrard 28 Bruno Cheyrou 5 Milan Baros 10 Michael Owen
Free live audio commentary from West Brom site: http://www.wba.co.uk/today/view/breaking_news_detail/0,,10366~261976,00.html
Live text commentary (for those without a sound card) from BBC-sport: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/static/football/statistics/teams/l/liverpool/live_hi.stm
Alternatively, Liverpool v WBA commentary is also available from Birmingham pop station BRMB, on their "Big Birmingham Match of the Day": http://www.brmb.co.uk Click "listen live" at the top of the main page. While I like the WBA crew, I prefer the slightly more emphatic Tom Ross with Albion great Tony "Bomber" Brown