Topic: Liverpool vs Spurs (A) - Sun 31st Aug - 13:30 KO - SS1

[rlpolobear9]

I'm all for playing like Dortmund let's go all out and try to smash and grab a result. Real played a silk mar formation last yr diamond where everyone was compact attackers and Xabi who is not very fast played at the base in front of the back 4. All the attacking flair could cause panic in their back line, plus Allan is not a starter against better teams he's to small and offers nothing in terms of a goal threat. That was a huge problem in the first two games Sturridge has been to isolated and everyone else getting around the box bar Sterling acts like its a foreign land.



         

[Canuck33]

They obviously weak in the fullback positions and we should target that,sterling and markovic on the flanks with sturridge upfront and we will smash them with our quick pace when they play the high line.

                                                                                           Mignolet

                                                           Manquillo           Lovren        Sakho         Moreno (Enrique)

                                                                                            Gerrard

                                                                                Henderson     Coutinho

                                                                  Sterling              Sturridge           Markovic

I was just about to post this when I saw it. This should be the formation for the Tottenham game. Playing Sterling and Markovic wide will keep their FBs at bay. Lovren and Sakho would give us a bit more front foot defence. The only change to this XI might be Allen for Coutinho, on merit.

[Canuck33]

Anyone who is clamoring for Johnson to Olay in this game is off their flicking rocker, he's been terrible sine the middle of last season:

                    Mignolet
Manquillo -Lovren-Sahko- Moreno/Enrique
                      Gerrard
   Sterling                      Markovic
                     Couthino
            Sturridge     Ballotelli
                     
                     

Wow. Is that from FIFA or FM?

[Twitter.com]

I'm all for playing like Dortmund let's go all out and try to smash and grab a result. Real played a silk mar formation last yr diamond where everyone was compact attackers and Xabi who is not very fast played at the base in front of the back 4. All the attacking flair could cause panic in their back line, plus Allan is not a starter against better teams he's to small and offers nothing in terms of a goal threat. That was a huge problem in the first two games Sturridge has been to isolated and everyone else getting around the box bar Sterling acts like its a foreign land.



         

We just can't play Gerrard who at times is slow as hell and out of position + attackers. We'd slaughtered.

Henderson energy is absolutely vital to our system and about Allen being "small" - people seem to forget how he absolutely destroyed Yaya Toure once. He played in 5:0 away match vs Spurs too.

[Number 7]

SO most of us may get our wish and see a Sakho Lovren partnership

Very much doubt that is going to happen. It will be Skrtel and Lovren, if Sktrel is fit. That's Rodgers #1 CB pairing.

I think if Sakho does get in to the team it will be because of an injury, and that could be Sunday, but like I say Sktrel will start if fit.

[theMilkman]

Mig
Manqillo sakho/skrtel lovren moreno/enrique
Gerrard
Henderson coutinho
Sterling            markovic
Sturridge

Or play the diamond with mario in for markovic. I'm delighted just knowing that if it starts going against us we can bring on players who are of an equal standard to try change the game.

[Livo.85]

Mig
Manqillo sakho/skrtel lovren moreno/enrique
Gerrard
Henderson coutinho
Sterling            markovic
Sturridge

Or play the diamond with mario in for markovic. I'm delighted just knowing that if it starts going against us we can bring on players who are of an equal standard to try change the game.

Coutinho can't start for me. That is his best position but the timing & the opposition makes it a big no. He exceeded in that role in wins against Everton & Arsenal because the team were at their peak fitness levels & were using high octane pressing tactics. Allen & Henderson were very effective against the Spurs midfield last season & will need to be again to not leave Gerrard isolated against Lamela, Eriksen & Chadli. Coutinho should definitely come on for Allen in the second half though. Then he will have the energy to help Gerrard & be creative.

[theMilkman]

Coutinho can't start for me. That is his best position but the timing & the opposition makes it a big no. He exceeded in that role in wins against Everton & Arsenal because the team were at their peak fitness levels & were using high octane pressing tactics. Allen & Henderson were very effective against the Spurs midfield last season & will need to be again to not leave Gerrard isolated against Lamela, Eriksen & Chadli. Coutinho should definitely come on for Allen in the second half though. Then he will have the energy to help Gerrard & be creative.

My problem with Allen is that he doesn't really create very much and doesn't drive the game forward.  Also spurs aren't going to be the same pushovers they were last season. I'd rather see lallana start instead of him. Also id prefer we batter them early and then close up than set up to win in the second half.

[rocco]

Like to see 2 up top hopefully Balotelli and Sturridge and Markovic start with Coutinho dropped to the bench .

Thought Rodgers got formations wrong for the start of both first games , need to get it right on Sunday

[JohnM]

Shababs. Marhaba.

This week as been a sole searching exercise for the wife, her recent Tea leaf reading have been way of the mark, and frankly, I found myself questioning those experiments on her recent trip to Thailand with that Strong Black African, they exhausted her concentration, to see what was clearly written in the Tea Leaves.

I have convinced her to go back to last seasons blend, of Sri Lankan Orange Pique, and Indian Assam a much more consistent blend, bright and full of body. She accepted my concerns and conducted a reading.

The Tea leaves see a game where Spurs will for some time park the Bus and will want us to try and penetrate them, Brendan will have to navigate the Apostles through by being Bold. The game will be a long hard affair and we must not let them, slip in behind us, the planet Uranus is in their favour and we must resist, the temptation of letting them come from behind, by trying to stop them turning us over.

The game will be won, by the team, manager, player who seeks to show Flair The Tea Leaves shined bright like a Diamond and this should be the formation to be used if we are to succeed.


Spurs 0 - 2 Liverpool  Away win

That's how they rolled, Inshallah.

[Caffeine]

This game was the turning point for this Liverpool team last year.

At that point we had got some gritty wins, held on by our shirt tails to the top 4. Lost at Christmas twice and suddenly were struggling.

Then we faced Spurs away, and at the time this was a very, very losable game.





We came out and were brilliant. In my opinion the best performance we gave (as it turned out there were 20 to choose from).

This site was terrified before that match. But what a performance.


We can do this again at the weekend.  Once again this fixture might define our season.  Brendan, believe like you did last year.  Give flair and bold tactics a chance. Play with no fear!

Lets see Markovic, Lallana, and Balotelli involved for long periods!!

Lets rip them apart and set the bar for where we can go to this year.

Play the Rodgers way. No fear. Express the talent and enjoy our game.

I think it was my favourite game last year. I was in London for a Monday meeting and watched it at Ruse. Ended up getting so smashed that the meeting was absolutely horrendous. Worth it though.

[Pistolero]

We can do this again at the weekend. 

Nah...last season was one-off IMO...a perfect storm of post-monkeyboy blues, a manager on the ropes, down and waiting for the ref's count - Rodger's master-plan clicking into place and a young marauding side taking their lead from a certain goofy genius..........prior to that we'd lost at White Hart Lane for five years on the bounce - it's a tricky arle ground for us and I expect it to be so on Sunday...it's not the Spurs of last season - I'll take a begrudged draw

[Caston]

SO most of us may get our wish and see a Sakho Lovren partnership

Hopefully. If they start together I hope they both have a really good game and become undroppable. 

[Caston]

Very much doubt that is going to happen. It will be Skrtel and Lovren, if Sktrel is fit. That's Rodgers #1 CB pairing.

I think if Sakho does get in to the team it will be because of an injury, and that could be Sunday, but like I say Sktrel will start if fit.

I think that's why he was saying it, because Skrtel looks like he might be out..

And taking a draw, fuck that. There's only a few places I would take a point before the game has started; City away, Chelsea away, and possibly Arsenal away.

[GlenJohnson2]

Wouldn't want to start with Coutinho AND Markovic away to Spurs. Would have Allen or Lallana in there instead of Coutinho.

[theMilkman]

Wouldn't want to start with Coutinho AND Markovic away to Spurs. Would have Allen or Lallana in there instead of Coutinho.

Because coutinho ___________?

[cyador]

Absolutely dreading this. Pochetinno is a top, top manager. I'd be happy with a draw to be honest.

[rocco]

Because coutinho ___________?

Has been poor in both out games

[Frizzo]

Anyone who is clamoring for Johnson to Olay in this game is off their flicking rocker, he's been terrible sine the middle of last season:

                    Mignolet
Manquillo -Lovren-Sahko- Moreno/Enrique
                      Gerrard
   Sterling                      Markovic
                     Couthino
            Sturridge     Ballotelli
                     
                     

Calling people off their rocker and then putting up a team like that...

Bahahaha.

[creed111]

This game was the turning point for this Liverpool team last year.

At that point we had got some gritty wins, held on by our shirt tails to the top 4. Lost at Christmas twice and suddenly were struggling.

Then we faced Spurs away, and at the time this was a very, very losable game.





We came out and were brilliant. In my opinion the best performance we gave (as it turned out there were 20 to choose from).

This site was terrified before that match. But what a performance.


We can do this again at the weekend.  Once again this fixture might define our season.  Brendan, believe like you did last year.  Give flair and bold tactics a chance. Play with no fear!

Lets see Markovic, Lallana, and Balotelli involved for long periods!!

Lets rip them apart and set the bar for where we can go to this year.

Play the Rodgers way. No fear. Express the talent and enjoy our game.

Not that the chronology matters much but the Spurs game was before Christmas. Thrased them which is what gave so many of us confidence going in that grueling three day stretch visiting the Etihad and then the Bridge back-to-back.

Now to this year's game. I'm gonna say it now so people don't say I'm knee-jerking afterwards but we better go with an Allen-Lucas-Hendo midfield three as that's the midfield that was imperious at the Lane last year. Gerrard got hurt in the West Ham game prior to the Spurs game and we used those 3 in midfield and we put in what I thought was our most comprehensive performance for the season. People are more anti-Lucas then they've ever been because of his lackluster performance vs Southhampton in the double-pivot but they ignore the fact that he's spent the last several years as a lone pivot and he's miles better as a lone pivot. Granted, the lack of sharpness and closing speed are factors now but to me there isn't a better midfielder in our squad in regards to CONSISTENT positioning than Lucas when he's the sole anchor. Allen probably is up there too but I don't think we've ever used him as the lone pivot.

Caveat: I freaking LOVE Christian Eriksen btw. Sure bash me all you want but I'm still butt-hurt we didn't buy him. He was one of those players we were linked with for several windows in a row, and considering before Coutinho we hadn't had a true #10 in years if not decades (probably Barnes considering Gerrard was more all-action and Owen wore #10 but wasn't in the trequartista mold) I really wanted him. Then last summer his price tage was being tauted at only 10-11 mill I though (and still think) we should have been all over that. Eriksen is versatile like BR loves, can score and theead through balls and has a wicked free-kick, both in terms of scoring from a dead-ball and sending in danger balls

[Koprich]

Spurs are about the 6th best team in the league so a well fought 3 points should be the minimum expectation here. A draw would be tolerable.

[L666KOP]

Blimey.

I'd sit Gerrard out for this one because he may struggle against the pressing of a Pochettino side, and some are posting formations with him as the only midfielder 

[Kadian]

Shababs. Marhaba.

This week as been a sole searching exercise for the wife, her recent Tea leaf reading have been way of the mark, and frankly, I found myself questioning those experiments on her recent trip to Thailand with that Strong Black African, they exhausted her concentration, to see what was clearly written in the Tea Leaves.

I have convinced her to go back to last seasons blend, of Sri Lankan Orange Pique, and Indian Assam a much more consistent blend, bright and full of body. She accepted my concerns and conducted a reading.

The Tea leaves see a game where Spurs will for some time park the Bus and will want us to try and penetrate them, Brendan will have to navigate the Apostles through by being Bold. The game will be a long hard affair and we must not let them, slip in behind us, the planet Uranus is in their favour and we must resist, the temptation of letting them come from behind, by trying to stop them turning us over.

The game will be won, by the team, manager, player who seeks to show Flare. The Tea Leaves shined bright like a Diamond and this should be the formation to be used if we are to succeed.


Spurs 0 - 2 Liverpool  Away win

That's how they rolled, Inshallah.

Argh, just stop this.

[Upinsmoke]

I'd go with a diamond. Lambert and Sturridge, sterling in the 10, Hendo and Allen and Gerrard.

Gives us the option to bring Mario on, Coutinho on and Markovic too if we need those type of changes, they can fit on seamlessly. 

[RedEire]

I'd go with a diamond. Lambert and Sturridge, sterling in the 10, Hendo and Allen and Gerrard.

Gives us the option to bring Mario on, Coutinho on and Markovic too if we need those type of changes, they can fit on seamlessly.

id go diamond too but probably start with mario,he would worry their defence more than lambert and drag more defenders to him leaving more room for sterling and sturridge.
Probably harsh on lambert after scoring his first goal but mario carries a lot more fear factor and would be right up for this match. Can see a 1-3 win.

[Twitter.com]

id go diamond too but probably start with mario,he would worry their defence more than lambert and drag more defenders to him leaving more room for sterling and sturridge.
Probably harsh on lambert after scoring his first goal but mario carries a lot more fear factor and would be right up for this match. Can see a 1-3 win.

It was Zabaleta's own goal, sadly.

[theMilkman]

Has been poor in both out games

but he mentions not wanting both Markovic AND Coutinho, but Lallana would be ok in spite of never having played for us at all, not even in pre-season.

[killer-heels]

but he mentions not wanting both Markovic AND Coutinho, but Lallana would be ok in spite of never having played for us at all, not even in pre-season.

For me, Coutinho's place was under threat when Lallana came as he was the least consistent in our midfield and attack. If fit, Lallana starts for me.

[theMilkman]

Spurs are about the 6th best team in the league so a well fought 3 points should be the minimum expectation here. A draw would be tolerable.

i'd say they're better than United and everton. and anything less than a win would be disappointing.

[theMilkman]

For me, Coutinho's place was under threat when Lallana came as he was the least consistent in our midfield and attack. If fit, Lallana starts for me.

i see your point and agree to an extent, but i think cou's miles better in the middle of the pitch than he is out wide, and i'd rather see Lallana brought on as a sub.

[SlowRap]

They've got a game today against AEL Limassol, here's to a European hangover.

[cowtownred]

Not that the chronology matters much but the Spurs game was before Christmas. Thrased them which is what gave so many of us confidence going in that grueling three day stretch visiting the Etihad and then the Bridge back-to-back.

Ah sorry you're right mate! Still I'm sure you get my point... Spurs was the major first sign of what potential we had in our team.

And by the way I agree absolutely with your chat about our midfield. Lucas/Allen/Henderson would definitely be my choice too. Or if we want to be more adventurous I wouldn't mind Allen/Henderson/Lallana.....

[McrRed]

Not one for formations, me. Good shout that Gerrard was missing last year, wonder if Rodgers will let lightning strike twice?

 Whatever, spurs fans should come away from the game saying it's fair enough, they were beaten by last season's second best team.

[ohms12]

They've got a game today against AEL Limassol, here's to a European hangover.

Start the game all guns blazing, high tempo with Markovic playing? Yes, that'd do just nicely.

[I-was-watching-it-on-Sky]

Absolutely dreading this. Pochetinno is a top, top manager. I'd be happy with a draw to be honest.

I notice that since the retiring Sith Lord wrote a book in which he said gerrard wasn't a "...top, top..." player it's become thee standard compliment.

[kb2x]

I'm going up with a mate who is a Spurs season ticket holder, so sitting in with their fans.

I'd go for

Migs
Manquillo
Sahko
Lovren
Moreno/Enrique

Gerrard
Henderson
Allen

Sterling
Balotelli
Sturridge

S: Jones, Skrtel, Lucas, Markovic, Lallana, Lambert, Coutinho

[Caffeine]

They've got a game today against AEL Limassol, here's to a European hangover.

Certainly affected them last year- their post-EL record was atrocious. Fingers crossed.

[Carra-ton]

Not very confident at the moment. Hoping for a strong reaction against Spurs. It is going to be a transitional season for us I think. The new players settling in will take time.

[peachybum]

Not very confident at the moment. Hoping for a strong reaction against Spurs. It is going to be a transitional season for us I think. The new players settling in will take time.

I'm not sure that's a valid excuse given we've only been starting games with 2 new players. It's pretty much last years team, they're just under performing.

But we did the same thing at the start of last season. We just had an easier fixture list and were able to nick victories whilst playing poorly. Whilst we were getting those victories i was very critical on here of our performances. But they improved as we got into the season and i'm expecting(hoping) for the same this time.

[fowlermagic]

All depends on who is fit but if all recover this week then I love to see something like this

................Mignolet
Johnson...Skrtel...Lovren...Moreno
...................SG
Markovic.......Lallana......Sterling
..........Sturridge ..Ballotelli

Its away from home so more than likely Henderson will start with Markovic out but if the above ever started then there is a huge onus on Sterling, Lallana & Markovic to track up & down the park to help out. Honestly Its going to be tough to start all those attacking players in the side at one time but feeling free spirited today