Finally, that game in hand which has seemingly been giving us a false of satisfaction. From my calculations, a win will just about give us 4th spot on goal difference. And there will be the inevitable rotation. ----------------------Reina------------------------------ --Arbeloa---------Skrtel----------Carragher----------Aurelio-- --------------Mascherano-----------Alonso----------------- --------Benayoun-----------Gerrard-----------------Babel------ ------------------------Torres----------------------------------- Subs:- Martin Agger Penannt Kewell Crouch I'd have wanted to rest Kuijt until the Newcastle game. My suspicion, though, is that Benitez will start with Kuijt and Kewell either side of Torres. Just 3 points will do for me. A clean sheet and some decent defending of set-pieces will be an added bonus.
----------reina----------- arbeloa - carra - skertel - finnan ----masch --- alonso---- ---yossi---gerrard -- babel ---------torres---- bench: crouch agger kuyt itandje lucas
i somehow got the lineup for bolton correct, maybe the second time ever... i think that rafa really likes the carra, skrtel, hyypia, fabio backline, and i do, too... so, let's stick with that: two changes, lucas for xabi, crouch for kuyt... i think that rafa's going to see who can get there first -- alonso to regain his top-form, or lucas to find his... reina carra... skrtel... hyypia... fabio sg... masch... lucas... babel torres... crouch... 2-0 good guys and we're back in fourth... let's hope babel can keep improving, he's starting to look more and more dangerous... the attention that torres is getting is creating space for him... let's hope he can start to do the same back... i could see torres getting frustrated sunday, he was double teamed all day, and when he did get the ball, he got hacked down immediately... when will he get some protection from the ref?... sometimes it is absolutely ridiculous... it's strange though, he gets mugged each week in th BPL, but he doesn't get injured until he off training with the spanish team, twice... what is arrogones doing with them? having them fight bears?
Interesting back 4 you have there..!!! Yossi, Stevie G and Ryan would be interesting but we'd need 2 other players to come in at half time. Yossi and Babel tend to fade...and fast after then. I want to go on record as saying...We have to win..
Plus why we'd play Finnan on the left is a matter of some question. I suspect we'll see the two Spanish fullbacks and Jamie with Sami. I expect a 5 man midfield of Kuijt, SG, Lucas, Mash, and Babel with Torres leading the line -- this is the team he'll want to live and die with.
I hope the boys can perform better than the last time around. That last minute loss against West Ham was just horrendous! Everton aren't showing any signs of slowing down and neither should we. 3-1 to the good guys.
I would be interested to see if Rafa keeps his words and keeps the rotation to a few players. -------------------Pepe--------------------- Finnan-------Carra------Skrtel-----Aurelio -----------Lucas-------Javi------------- Pennant---------Gerrard-----------Babel ------------------Torres-----------------
This may be accurate ... but I hope that if Pennant comes in for Kuyt (and I would like that) that we keep Masch and Javi together. Pennant is not as strong defensively as Kuyt and we will need more graft in there than Lucas and Javi can provide. Pennant always seems to bring out the best in Torres ... he has been involved in a lot of goals on a per minute basis recently (such as his subbing in against Inter). I would not be totally surprised to see Babel spelled by Kewell, who looked pretty good in his reserve match recently (the one against Man Utd). Not saying I would prefer that after Babel's strong (if inefficient) match. I am glad that Skrtal is in the fold, as we had fits against Carlton Cole in the first match versus West Ham. I am going to miss Carra as right back, as he has done pretty well there. Aurelio will be tested a lot more by Boa Morte (a Red Killer if ever there was one) than he was by the cruddy attackers that Bolton fielded. I would probably prefer Arbeloa, but only because Carra will be in the middle. I hope that Rafa does not put Arbs in the center with Carra at right back in this match, as West Ham are stronger through the air than Boro were (and they gave us plenty of trouble). Especially since Ljungberg gave Carra such a torrid time last time around. I also hope our defenders are more efficient in terms of clearing the ball without drawing unnecessary corners or silly fouls, as our set-piece defense is so miserable right now. It is crucial that we control the tempo well with Masch and Alonso (or whomever) and give StevieG the freedom to push the attack very hard against Mullins, Noble (who played well against us) and draw the defenders towards him. I don't rate Upson and Lucas Neill that highly. I think we can exploit them provided West Ham are not allowed to clog the middle third by contesting everything in the midfield with their fullbacks and midfielders and then lumping the ball up to Cole and Ashton, etc. McCartney and Solano can provide long-range passes that will pressure our defense, so we have to dictate things in the middle of the field and keep the fullbacks on the back-foot defending against Babel and Kuyt/Pennant whether they have the ball or not.
Upson has very good games and then goes sideways, but he's a mature defender who rarely picks up cautions and is a good partner for Ferdinand, IMO, but since AF has been relegated to the subs bench, he's more paired with the thug, I guess, though Ferdinand started at fullback against Chelsea. After Ferdinand's gaffe, he may not make the first XI. Since Curbishley started with Boa Morte and Cole, bringing in Ashton and Zamora when the game had been lost, I'm wondering whether he will switch things up and play Ashton from the start. If he does that you would have to think that he would pair him with Cole, since Boa Morte no longer has great pace. Solano didn't start, either, which makes him a possible addition. Liverpool should dominate with a midfield comprised of Alonso, Mascherano, Gerrard and any of Pennant, Babel and/or Kuijt, if Benitez plays 4-5-1. The worry is that Hammers will rebound after the chilling defeat against Chelsea. Curbishley will have the whip out, methinks. I know the Reds cannot play the same game as against Bolton, because West Ham has a far greater chance of scoring than Bolton did, and BW probably should have had two. Scoring against Hammers is not a cinch. The fact that Chelsea racked up 4 is not indicative of West Ham's defensive profile, and in their last 10 matches, prior to Chelsea, the Hammers gave up only 9 goals, which is good for a mid table side.
------------------Reina----------------- Arbeloa----Carra---------Skrtel----Riise Pennant---------Lucas---------Kewell -------------Gerrard------------------ ----------Crouch----Torres------------ Subs: Kuyt, Alonso, Hyypia, Masch, Itandje.
Rotation has served it's purpose -- we have rested players at the end of the year. So Rafa, please, put in the best 11 and let's build a little cohesion. Kuyt and Carra play well on the right. Gerrard's thriving with his carte blanche now that Masch polices DMF duties. Xabi played well on the weekend with some nice passes. Even Babel was terrific. I'm OK with Yossi or Pennant's inclusion, but let's rotate less, build cohesion more. There's one of two ways I see this game going south -- PK, or set pieces. I just don't think the Hammers will break us down on the rush. Prediction: Finnan---Carra---Hyppia---Riise -------Lucas----Masch--------- Kuyt-------Gerrard-------Kewell ----------Torres---------------- My Team: Carra----Skrtel---Hyppia---Riise ------Xabi-------Masch------ Yossi--------Gerrard------Babel -----------Torres--------------
I'm all for Yossi/Pennant and Kewell/Babel to share the matches. None of them seem capable of running for more than 45 minutes. It would really change up the game for us.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/live...5/fernando-torres-hit-by-bug-100252-20560113/ let's hope he can go...