Topic: RAWK Preview: Sunderland v Liverpool Sunday 29th K.O.16:00

[killer-heels]

No resting any players , just play our best 11 .
I'd rather they rested if needed by doing less training

They have just got league games (and a couple of internationals) to navigate between now and January and even after that there is the FA Cup, which is the easiest cup to plan for due to it being weekend games. No one should really be resting.

[rocco]

They have just got league games (and a couple of internationals) to navigate between now and January and even after that there is the FA Cup, which is the easiest cup to plan for due to it being weekend games. No one should really be resting.

Agree 100% just play our best 11 untill Fa cup starts and then see how things are .

[PhaseOfPlay]

They have just got league games (and a couple of internationals) to navigate between now and January and even after that there is the FA Cup, which is the easiest cup to plan for due to it being weekend games. No one should really be resting.

Except those with muscle injuries. It's not the volume of training that needs to be managed, it's the intensity - and a full game is at 100% intensity. If a player is recovering from injury still, and is an explosive player, then putting them into a match will cause the injury to get worse, or not recover. Sturridge can be rested in this one, we have Suarez back. It's not about being tired - it's about understanding muscles and how they function.

[itsgunnabebarnes!]

We have so many half chances destroyed by greed of players in the final third. Needs to be sorted that as it cost us at united. Come on redmen get back to winning ways.

[rocco]

Except those with muscle injuries. It's not the volume of training that needs to be managed, it's the intensity - and a full game is at 100% intensity. If a player is recovering from injury still, and is an explosive player, then putting them into a match will cause the injury to get worse, or not recover. Sturridge can be rested in this one, we have Suarez back. It's not about being tired - it's about understanding muscles and how they function.

Thats a given mate , just like to see us play our best fit 11

[The Smice of life]

i almost feel sorry for sunderland on Sunday, almost, because we are going thrash them, make no mistakeabout that.

[PhaseOfPlay]

Thats a given mate , just like to see us play our best fit 11

Best fit 11, absolutely. In a formation that suits them, with players in positions they can succeed in. As I said somewhere else earlier - Rodgers has to take off the coaches hat and put on the manager's hat for a few games, and pick teams that will do what he wants to see on the pitch - not play around with tactics for winning. He needs to get back to trusting his passing philosophy, and if that means sitting players who can't supply the mobility and intensity, then that's what he has to do.

[redk84]

christ we gotta win this one dont we 

if they get any sniff of a result then the whole "us against the world/we just lost our manager but look how we fight/siege mentality" will hit us full force.

No. We have to put them in their place.

Frustrate them as we know we should being the superior football team and not let up until their heads are fully gone and their crowd have left early.

Cmon redmen!

[fewmin' bedwetter]

Keep Moses central, Agger is fit according to Brendan, so bring him in at left back and go back to three in the middle...



     Sterling        Sturridge          Suarez

                  Alberto            Moses

                             Hendo

  Agger        Sakho        Skrtel       Toure 

                            Mignolet

[rob1408]

Keep Moses central, Agger is fit according to Brendan, so bring him in at left back and go back to three in the middle...



     Sterling        Sturridge          Suarez

                  Alberto            Moses

                             Hendo

  Agger        Sakho        Skrtel       Toure 

                            Mignolet

No offence, but that's awful.  That midfield would get overrun by any side in the league.

[Caffeine]

No resting any players , just play our best 11 .
I'd rather they rested if needed by doing less training

Do we have a "best XI"? What if the "best XI" includes playing the players who are freshest and sharpest, not necessarily those with the most ability?

[rocco]

Do we have a "best XI"? What if the "best XI" includes playing the players who are freshest and sharpest, not necessarily those with the most ability?

Rodgers picks his 4231 433 ? and then picks the best 11 to win the game , taking on board injuries and fittness levels at this stage if no injures I wouldn't worry about if they are tired
I do wish we would keep it on the deck a lot more and play with high tempo and aggression when in the opposition half.

[mulfella]

Suarez warmed up against Utd and needs to be the difference on Sunday. Like it or not the decision to force him to stay will be the big story, one way or another.

needs to be the difference

Yer wha?

No he doesn't. We need to score more goals than them. Who cares who.

[killer-heels]

Except those with muscle injuries. It's not the volume of training that needs to be managed, it's the intensity - and a full game is at 100% intensity. If a player is recovering from injury still, and is an explosive player, then putting them into a match will cause the injury to get worse, or not recover. Sturridge can be rested in this one, we have Suarez back. It's not about being tired - it's about understanding muscles and how they function.

I would be worried if we start resting players like Sturridge for away games as I still don't beleive we have the strength in depth to be resting the likes of Sturridge. We cannot afford to drop more points, even if that means risking Sturridge. He can rest all next week and when we have home games.

[Caffeine]

Rodgers picks his 4231 433 ? and then picks the best 11 to win the game , taking on board injuries and fittness levels at this stage if no injures I wouldn't worry about if they are tired
I do wish we would keep it on the deck a lot more and play with high tempo and aggression when in the opposition half.

Fitness levels includes tiredness in my book mate, it's accumulated fatigue.

Either way this is a roundabout way of saying Sturridge has looked fucked these last three games so is obviously not at peak fitness and could do with sitting a game or two out.

[rocco]

Fitness levels includes tiredness in my book mate, it's accumulated fatigue.

Either way this is a roundabout way of saying Sturridge has looked fucked these last three games so is obviously not at peak fitness and could do with sitting a game or two out.

id play Sturridge knowing there's plenty of time in between games after this weekend

Hopefully we're 3 up and we can take him off around 65min

But at 0-0 I'd prefer Sturridge on the pitch

[ericthered10]

I would be worried if we start resting players like Sturridge for away games as I still don't beleive we have the strength in depth to be resting the likes of Sturridge. We cannot afford to drop more points, even if that means risking Sturridge. He can rest all next week and when we have home games.

On the basis of his last two games, where he looked out of sorts and in need of some more time for fitness, you would still have him play on Sunday? I say take the hit and rest him for the majority of Sunday, Stevie as well, and bring them on if needed. I think we have enough attacking options that an unfit, 75% Sturridge should be rested a bit more to get him back up to sharpness, which will help us all down the line.

[Caffeine]

id play Sturridge knowing there's plenty of time in between games after this weekend

Hopefully we're 3 up and we can take him off around 65min

But at 0-0 I'd prefer Sturridge on the pitch

If it's 0-0 at 65 mins I'd prefer a goalscorer available to change the game.

What if the fatigue results in a muscle injury to Sturridge during the match? Then Rodgers gets crucified for starting him.

There's definitely an argument for giving Aspas a go in his actual position for the first time given he scored freely from there in pre-season.

[killer-heels]

On the basis of his last two games, where he looked out of sorts and in need of some more time for fitness, you would still have him play on Sunday? I say take the hit and rest him for the majority of Sunday, Stevie as well, and bring them on if needed. I think we have enough attacking options that an unfit, 75% Sturridge should be rested a bit more to get him back up to sharpness, which will help us all down the line.

I don't think you can factor in Southampton, he hardly got any service. He wasn't great against Man Utd but it wasn't an easy game and could have just been an off performance.

We have to win this match. We might rest Sturridge but if we then get a bad result questions will be asked why he wasn't playing.

No match after this until Crystal Palace the following Saturday. Plenty of rest time.

[Caffeine]

I don't think you can factor in Southampton, he hardly got any service. He wasn't great against Man Utd but it wasn't an easy game and could have just been an off performance.

We have to win this match. We might rest Sturridge but if we then get a bad result questions will be asked why he wasn't playing.

He was pretty poor against Swansea too, despite scoring. Drifted in and out of the game far too much. Plus wouldn't it be nice to have someone on the bench who we know is capable of end product?

[maqu006]

I think the 3-4-3 we played against United was promising, except that we have 2 players that are really key for it who are currently out (Johnson and Coutinho). I did not like Moses behind the front two and if it's not going to be Allen, then I'd wait until we get Coutinho back to play it. It might also be time to rest Sturridge, at least for 30 minutes. He looks a little jaded at the moment and has been poor in the last two games. Enrique has also been awful recently but we have no one to play there until we get Cissokho. Aspas has not played well so far but I think he can play well with Suarez as they have similarities in their game. I'd go for:

                     Mignolet

        Toure      Agger       Sakho

Henderson Lucas  Gerrard   Enrique

    Aspas                        Moses

                   Suarez

[killer-heels]

He was pretty poor against Swansea too, despite scoring. Drifted in and out of the game far too much. Plus wouldn't it be nice to have someone on the bench who we know is capable of end product?

Id rather have them on the pitch to be honest. We don't have the strength to be resting players like Sturridge.

[Caffeine]

I don't necessarily think we know that or not yet. Aspas hasn't been played upfront yet this season. He is clearly capable of scoring goals. We also have our one truly world class player back in the side for the first time, and you would expect that to mean an increase in the number of chances created by the team. We are playing the worst team in the league. I think if there is any game we can afford to rest him, it is against rudderless and depressed Sunderland.

[Cusamano]

Keep Moses central, Agger is fit according to Brendan, so bring him in at left back and go back to three in the middle...



     Sterling        Sturridge          Suarez

                  Alberto            Moses

                             Hendo

  Agger        Sakho        Skrtel       Toure 

                            Mignolet

Genuinely don't mean this to be insulting but thank fuck you are not the manager.

[killer-heels]

I don't necessarily think we know that or not yet. Aspas hasn't been played upfront yet this season. He is clearly capable of scoring goals. We also have our one truly world class player back in the side for the first time, and you would expect that to mean an increase in the number of chances created by the team. We are playing the worst team in the league. I think if there is any game we can afford to rest him, it is against rudderless and depressed Sunderland.

Aspas has been poor so far and if we are going to have a player like Suarez back creating chances then why not play Sturridge? If we are ahead then take him off towards the end of the game.

We have no mid week matches next week and a home game against Crystal Palace. Ideal for resting if thats what he needs to do.

Sunderland maybe managerless but sometimes these sorts of teams raise their game when they are free of someone who they didn't like. They will be up for it so we cannot hand them the initiative by resting Sturridge. Shows a lack of respect in my opinion.

If this was at home then yes, maybe. But not away in the league.

[Caffeine]

Don't agree about showing lack of respect but fair point about Palace. His performances have got worse and worse mind.

Anyway I think this is all moot. I don't think he'll be rested at all.

[Chivasino]

Keep Moses central, Agger is fit according to Brendan, so bring him in at left back and go back to three in the middle...



     Sterling        Sturridge          Suarez

                  Alberto            Moses

                             Hendo

  Agger        Sakho        Skrtel       Toure 

                            Mignolet

As if Henderson isn't doing enough running already!

We'll probably stick to the 3 at the back.

I'd like to see Alberto start behind Sturridge and Suarez.

[liverpooldas]

I think Aspas should be given a chance in his natural position. Sturridge still looks like he's not fit so would put him on the bench and then if we are struggling bringing him on for the last 20-25 minutes. Personally I would rest gerrard but with a lack of replacement with allen out I can't see Rodgers resting him. I would stick with the three at the back and start with this,

                                                                Mignolet
                                               Toure           Skrtel           Sakho
                         Henderson                                                           Enrique
                                                       Lucas            Gerrard
                                                         
                                                                 Alberto
                                                  Suarez                 Aspas
With Moses, Sturridge and Ibe coming off the bench if we need a goal   
                                                           

[L666KOP]

Steven and Daniel need a rest FFS.

Don't play fatigued players.

If either tear something during the game Brendan will be slaughtered.

Fatigued players are infinitely more likely to suffer injury.

[rocco]

Steven and Daniel need a rest FFS.

Don't play fatigued players.

If either tear something during the game Brendan will be slaughtered.

Fatigued players are infinitely more likely to suffer injury.

Fatiguted after 6 games , rest Rodgers training plan never mind the players

[fewmin' bedwetter]

Going by Brendan's reaction when asked about Sturridge today, there ain't gonna be any resting for young Daniel!

[rocco]

I don't necessarily think we know that or not yet. Aspas hasn't been played upfront yet this season. He is clearly capable of scoring goals. We also have our one truly world class player back in the side for the first time, and you would expect that to mean an increase in the number of chances created by the team. We are playing the worst team in the league. I think if there is any game we can afford to rest him, it is against rudderless and depressed Sunderland.

get exactly were your coming from but still I'd go with Sturridge

Don't think Aspas is ready to play in Sturridges place in the Pl

[PhaseOfPlay]

Fatiguted after 6 games , rest Rodgers training plan never mind the players

Age for one, injury for another. Unless we have intimate knowledge of the training plans plus the intensities plus the aerobic and anaerobic indicators of each player, then we have to give it time to see what's what. Let's see if we're fatigued or fresh in January. That's when we'll know if the training plan was badly mismanaged or not. Right now, though, the signs are worthy of concern, but not conclusive

[Number 7]

I think the back 4 will be Kelly, Toure, Agger, and Enrique. Think Sakho won't be starting this one, even though he's been solid.

Fullbacks are so important in this system. Southampton had 5 players in our half of the pitch when we tried playing the ball out from the back. I watched parts of the game again and it was really astonishing how they totally pressed us up against us, especially at Anfield. It's something we're not really used to at home, and usually when we do lose it's a smash and grab by someone. Sakho and Toure's natural tendency isn't to push up the pitch as fullbacks, and Southampton took perfect advantage of this. With Kelly and Enrique at least we'll have that width to try and push Sunderland back a bit.

The outfield players will be the same against United. Don't think Rodgers will select anything different for a while, especially with only a game on the weekend now. Which of course means no Alberto to start. I think we might see him get the nod against Palace, but not here away against Sunderland.

[rocco]

Age for one, injury for another. Unless we have intimate knowledge of the training plans plus the intensities plus the aerobic and anaerobic indicators of each player, then we have to give it time to see what's what. Let's see if we're fatigued or fresh in January. That's when we'll know if the training plan was badly mismanaged or not. Right now, though, the signs are worthy of concern, but not conclusive

Well put , but does seem something not quite right .

[pjk66]

im going 4-1 us. they get a late one. feel like we may go on a run now. lads are pissed at losing last two and suarez will have a point to prove

[El Lobo]

Would like to see Aspas given a chance with Suarez and Sturridge.

Weeks rest until home against Palace and then a two week international break. Go into that with two wins from two and players to come back and everything is back rosy and wonderful with the world again.

I'd go:

Mignolet
Wisdom Kolo Agger Enrique
Lucas
Gerrard Hendo
Aspas Sturridge Suarez

Subs Jones, Kelly, Sakho, Allen, Alberto, Sterling, Ibe

They've got no Fletcher or Borini so really think a 3-5-2 would be a waste.

[NorthamptonKopite]

I agree that three at the back should be used until Johnson/Cissokho/Kelly return.

I'd go with

                         Mignolet

           Toure       Sakho       Agger

Henderson    Gerrard      Lucas        Enrique

              Suarez                 Moses

                          Sturridge

[Caligula?]

Fletcher is out for them.

If we can't beat these, then our problems will be further rooted than first thought.

[EmotionalCitrus]

Steven and Daniel need a rest FFS.

Don't play fatigued players.

If either tear something during the game Brendan will be slaughtered.

Fatigued players are infinitely more likely to suffer injury.

And he wouldn't if he rested Sturridge and Gerrard and we lost?