Topic: Stoke City vs. Liverpool - Saturday January 10th, 5:30pm - Pre-Match Thread

[abhred]

Reina

Carra   Skrtel   Agger   Aurelio

Masch   Xabi

Kuyt   Gerrard   Riera

Torres

Would rather have Benayoun for Kuyt, but not going to happen.

[litmanen37]

just win.

i dont care who plays. i dont care who scores. i dont care what score it is. i dont care when we score. i dont care how well/badly we play.

just win.

[long.]

now that Torres is back, should we give the old Torres/Keane partnership another go?

we all know how stubborn Rafa is, I think he'll try it again!

[the_prodigal_s0n]

I'd like to see Torres start this one. I have a feeling he'll get a goal if he starts. If things are going well he can always come off. If Mascherano isn't fully fit I'd go with:

                   Reina
Carragher Hyypia Agger Aurelio
   Kuyt Gerrard Lucas Riera
             Keane Torres

and if he is back I'd switch Keane for him and push Gerrard up.

[Art Vandelay]

Sami has to play, they lack pace up front and their main (only?) weapon is the long throw.  First name on the teamsheet, imo.

[fernandofowler9]

These are one shower of fcukig shite team with a long throw to their credit.

They'll kick and hustle us for everything and we just need to show the same amount of fight and sooner or later the class will come through.

Would not start Yossi in this game as he is to lightweight so.

Aurellio has just come back from injury so this is not the ideal game to make your first start in,

Would give Hyypia the nod because of his areal threat and to defend the long throw.

                    Reina

Carragher Agger Hyypia Doseena

Kuyt  Mascharano Lucas  Riera

               Gerrard

                   Keane

[HiroProtagonist]

Exactly, plus, his height and ability to score from corners will be very useful against a team that's very hard to break down.

[robbie77]

Reina
Carragher Hyypia Agger Aurelio
Mascherano Lucas
Benayoun Gerrard Riera
Torres

SPOT ON

[JohnnyDrama]

just win.

i dont care who plays. i dont care who scores. i dont care what score it is. i dont care when we score. i dont care how well/badly we play.

just win.

[Crackerjack Sam]

I'd like to see Torres start this one. I have a feeling he'll get a goal if he starts. If things are going well he can always come off. If Mascherano isn't fully fit I'd go with:

                   Reina
Carragher Hyypia Agger Aurelio
   Kuyt Gerrard Lucas Riera
             Keane Torres

and if he is back I'd switch Keane for him and push Gerrard up.

That'll do!

[CANADAlglish]

These are one shower of fcukig shite team with a long throw to their credit.

They'll kick and hustle us for everything and we just need to show the same amount of fight and sooner or later the class will come through.

Would not start Yossi in this game as he is to lightweight so.

Aurellio has just come back from injury so this is not the ideal game to make your first start in,

Would give Hyypia the nod because of his areal threat and to defend the long throw.

                    Reina

Carragher Agger Hyypia Doseena

Kuyt  Mascharano Lucas  Riera

               Gerrard

                   Keane

Its going to be a tough fixture, but avin the Toffees back to back soon, is going to be much rougher. . best to get our golden boy back in form ASAP. Keane can pound it out with the best of them, and needs to play as much as possible. .

Is Masch hurt? has there been any update? Skrtel?

                    Reina

  Carragher -  Agger  - Hyypia  - Aurillio

Kuyt ---    Gerrard   ---   Lucas    ---    Riera

               Keane
                       Torres

+ REVENGE for stealing Stevie'sfirst crack at his 100th!!!

[Football CRAZY]

Sami has to play, they lack pace up front and their main (only?) weapon is the long throw.  First name on the teamsheet, imo.

Agree. Fuller is banned aswell. Which is great news for us, he's by far the best player for them.

[kopside]

M*n T*D stuggled to a 1 nil win... hopefully we can turn these people over!

Torres to come on in the 60th min, Benayoun to start... Kuyt needs a well deserved rest!

[otitito]

Kuyt is the first name in the team, like it or not, it's Rafa Benitez afterall.
I don't mind Dossena starting, they're shit, we could do someone who bombs forward like him.

Big, tough game this is

[CANADAlglish]

M*n T*D stuggled to a 1 nil win... hopefully we can turn these people over!

Torres to come on in the 60th min, Benayoun to start... Kuyt needs a well deserved rest!

This year the teams we have dropped points have all had the same game plan. . 10 men behind theball.

over the many, many formations Rafa has thrown at holding oppostition it makes it clearer and clearer that we need an attacking side, and some flow to get things going.

That goal pulle dback still angers me to no end. IN THE SECOND MINUTE!!!

For Review:
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1580846/

brilliant stirke

[CANADAlglish]

MOTD highlights from the last potters match:

http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1583856/

(fred54 = best LFC vids)

[Passmaster Molby]

We will kill this lot, they are complete pish.

If we play at 50% of our level v Newcastle we will win by a couple - they really are a poor side and have nothing that should worry us. Slow in defence, no quality in midfield and fuck all up front.

0-3 if we fancy it.

[Suspect Package.]

                 Reina
 
Carragher Skrtel Agger Insua

            Masch Lucas

         Kuyt  Gerrard Riera

                  Keane


1. I'd like to see Skrtel and Agger given a chance as a CB partnership. They're the future, so let's see them play together now they're both fit.

2. Torres, Alonso and Aurelio should all be given a chance off the bench. We're going to need Aurelio when Insua goes, and Torres and Alonso should be treated with kid gloves too when they're returning.

[rocco]

               Reina

Carra   Hyypia   Agger   Aurelio

            Masch   Xabi

   Gerrard  Keane  Riera

                Torres


                               

[Sam Bacala]

Insua

He already left, so he won't be available for Stoke.

[Suspect Package.]

He already left, so he won't be available for Stoke.

Shit, time flies quickly.  Let's start wrapping Aurelio in cotton wool.

[rocco]

He already left, so he won't be available for Stoke.

Think he will be there at stoke ?
It all kicks off on the 19th January

[robbie96]

               Reina

Carra   Hyypia   Agger   Aurelio

            Masch   Xabi

   Gerrard  Keane  Riera

                Torres


                               

What happen to easing Fernando back into the first team?!   

He better not start!

[STORMTROOPER]

think torres will defo start this game on the bench.

hope alonso is fit.

[Sam Bacala]

Think he will be there at stoke ?
It all kicks off on the 19th January

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N162737090105-1428.htm

The left back, who has started the last four matches in the first team, will be away until February 8 meaning he won't be available for this weekend's game with Stoke, the double header with Everton, the trip to Wigan or the Anfield clash with Chelsea.

[rocco]

What happen to easing Fernando back into the first team?!  

He better not start!

Stoke is easing him back in

[Rafas the man]

Wouldn't start Nando, give him a bit more time than he got against PSE, give him a full 30 minutes and then he should be ready to start both the games agaisnst the bitters

[liverpool_mostar]

what about arbeloa?

[fowlermagic]

Win and we are guarantted to put some distance btw us and Utd or Chelsea or both if they draw.

[Crackerjack Sam]

Actually starting Nando isn't neccessary, because he can always come off the bench to cause problems.
He'll definitely feature though, without a doubt.

Win and we are guarantted to put some distance btw us and Utd or Chelsea or both if they draw.

That'll probably be the result. Oh who cares as long as we win this game.

[wicksy2008]

The way Torres turned the player at Preston and sprinted for his goal at the end it seems he is not mentally worried about his injury. In my opinion get him match fit. A good hour against stoke will do him great. We need him match fit for the other up and comming games.

My Team

(do we know about Alonso)

                            Reina

Carra            Agger        Sami        Aurelio


                     Mash    Alonso/Lucus


Kuyt                      Gerrard                  Riera


                                  Torres


Eight days between this game and Everton. No need to rest anyone.

[buzzing]

Why risk him too early. If we dont get an early goal he'll try to hard and may risk another lay off.

Bring him on later when we're winning and they are pushing up (hopefully)

[farawayred]

I hesitated to write in this thread for a while, because I see this as a must-win game. Whiskey Nose already started picking on us, which means that we are real title contenders. This will only intensify with time (I hope until May), and as much as I hate to admit it, the team hasn't experienced the true pressure of the pack leaders yet. This is THE game that can put some distance between us and them, both United and Chelsea, if they draw. An excellent opportunity, provided we don't throw it out like we did the last 4 times. And those who will say "so did the others" are kidding themselves, if they believe that this will continue forever.

Must win!

[Liverbird 2010]

Wouldnt start our nando against these fuckin yard dogs, or Alonso if hes fit they will kick ten bags of shite out of them.

[Nick2]

Torres to get a hattrick for this one

[robbie96]

what about arbeloa?

Still injured 

[HiroProtagonist]

Arbeloa is fit according to Rafa

[robbie96]

                           Reina
 Arbeloa     Carra    Hyypia       Aurelio
                   Lucas Gerrard
         Kuyt       Keane         Riera
                           Torres     

Subs: Diego, Agger, Ngog, Babel, Dossena,Yossi , El Zhar

Score line: Stoke 0 - Liverpool 2

at the 60 minute mark Torres gets taken off , Kuyt moves up front with Keane , Babel come on the right wing. 

Edit; thanks for the heads up MEPA 

[slickman]

Arbeloa is fit according to Rafa

yay! everyones fit now apart from mr injury himself degan

[bigbear]

yay! everyones fit now apart from mr injury himself degan

So everyone who matters is fit then, excellent.

The last thing we want is that balloon defending our right flank in a League game.