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

[steveeastend]

We have to win this. And if we play with 100% concentration we will.

Actually I don´t care about the cup defeat anyway, if we manage to take the points at OT in the league instead.

The goal is top 4, performances like Reading and Southampton away last season and Southampton home this season should stay the exception to the rule. If so, we won´t have problems reaching our goal.

[Caffeine]

The first true "must win" of the season. I'd like to think Brendan will freshen up the XI and rest Sturridge.

[BabuYagu]

i say fuck it lets go for it, lets really go for the jugular, attack, attack, attack attack attack.


--------------Mignolet-------
----------toure skrtel sakho---------
kelly--tiago ilori--agger -enrique----
mclaughlin---lloyd jones--wisdom----

perfect blend of youth and experience, shame johnson and cissokho are out though. 

subs.  the usual tarts in midfield, the overworked forwards.

Don´t think putting a right footed Wisdom on the left wing is a good idea. Not sure if he is much of a threat as an inside forward cutting in either.

[markedasred]

If Suarez does not score on Sunday I will eat my sunday dinner with no salt and pepper on it, I am that confident. He will be raring to go and will be feeling mighty pissed to have not rippled the net at Old Trafford Wednesday.

[Number 7]

This is a massive game. I wish Di Canio could of stayed just for just one more...

I think they were due a win under Di Canio at some point. They will be manager-less when we play them on Sunday, so it's not like they'll be rejuvenated and 'play' for their new manager.

I think Suarez is charged up and the one game behind his belt will help him a lot.

Just need to not make any silly mistakes on corners. Otherwise the defence looks solid. If it wasn't for one lapse of concentration at corners we may not have conceded any goals against Southampton and United.

[lfcmaster]

One point from last night

Our set pieces attacking and defending are awful

[Adeemo]

Our set pieces attacking and defending are awful

Hadn't noticed that.

[Mr_Shane]

Incidentally spurs and Chelsea play each other, so if we win we will be in the top four again, or maybe even higher. Key is to keep on winning the games we should be winning and this is one of them.

Also, we dropped points here last season. didnt we?

[TXRed]

One point from last night

Our set pieces attacking and defending are awful

Maybe it was just me, but I didn't think we were bad at all defending set pieces last night. If Enrique doesn't lose Hernandez, is anyone saying these things?

[Mr_Shane]

Maybe it was just me, but I didn't think we were bad at all defending set pieces last night. If Enrique doesn't lose Hernandez, is anyone saying these things?

I would not say we were awful as in they don't know how to defend. They do,but it seems more to be case of players losing their focus at the worst possible times.

[johnj147]

must win we shud destroy this lot 3 nil

[Big Dirk]

If we go with the same formation the other night and if Agger and Allen are fit I would go with
          Mignolet
    Skrtel Agger Sakho
Kelly                    Enrique
             Allen
    Gerrard Henderson
     Suarez  Sturridge

[NorthamptonKopite]

One point from last night

Our set pieces attacking and defending are awful

I dont think we're bad at defending set pieces, I just think Enrique isnt good enough.

[NorthamptonKopite]

I think after the last three results the team will be taking nothing for granted and put in a good performance.

Just down to whether we take our chances and those individual errors at the back.

[GBF]

I dont think we're bad at defending set pieces, I just think Enrique isnt good enough.

but enrique's crosses the ball like in the old fifa...it spins like hell and lands on a player's feet

[CHOPPER]

One point from last night

Our set pieces attacking and defending are awful

Thats two.

[CHOPPER]

I dont think we're bad at defending set pieces, I just think Enrique isnt good enough.

I'm not his biggest fan by any stretch of the imagination, but to be fair to the lad he played alright last night.

Solid-ish, dare I say it.

[Aristotle]

I dont think we're bad at defending set pieces, I just think Enrique isnt good enough.

Isn't it then down to the manager who delegates Enrique to a player that has previously scored against us from a corner? Lucas, Sakho, Skrtel and Toure would've all been preferable to guard the player who in the past has caused us great trouble in the past. He's that one chance, one goal type of player and we put our inconsistent, prone to lapses in concentration on this key player?
If you're going to throw the blame around, shouldn't you put it at the shoulders of the man who put him in that situation where he was prone to fail?

[farawayred]

It seems that people are unwilling to give Chicharito any credit... The movement he did to avoid Enrique was Suarezque. I promise to rub scorpion peppers on my tongue and lips for saying that, but we could use a player like him to link up with Suarez.

[KaiNo7]

Some people must watch a different game. Yes Enrique lost his man and cost us a goal. He knows that too, a mistake. Apart from that he was being asked to bomb forward and defend. Loads of times he made tackles/interventions when he had no right to get to the ball first. I thought he was superb

[PhaseOfPlay]

It seems that people are unwilling to give Chicharito any credit... The movement he did to avoid Enrique was Suarezque. I promise to rub scorpion peppers on my tongue and lips for saying that, but we could use a player like him to link up with Suarez.

He deserves credit for how he put the ball in the net, but the movement was standard - a checking run, to create space for himself - the classic "two runs". It wasn't hard to track, and it's not like Enrique marked the run but Hernandez scored anyway. Enrique STOPPED running as soon as Hernandez went out of his field of vision, and that is the cardinal sin of marking.

[PhaseOfPlay]

Isn't it then down to the manager who delegates Enrique to a player that has previously scored against us from a corner? Lucas, Sakho, Skrtel and Toure would've all been preferable to guard the player who in the past has caused us great trouble in the past. He's that one chance, one goal type of player and we put our inconsistent, prone to lapses in concentration on this key player?
If you're going to throw the blame around, shouldn't you put it at the shoulders of the man who put him in that situation where he was prone to fail?

No. You can legislate for a player not being marked at all, but you can't legislate for a defender switching off and not tracking a run. Unless Rodgers specifically said "Jose, no matter what happens, stay in that position, even if Hernandez gets a run", which is unlikely, then that was all on Enrique. The other players were probably assigned to the more physically robust targets in the United team. Hernandez has quickness, so putting the equally quick Enrique on him makes sense. Switching off, though, was clearly not part of the plan. That's on the player.

[NorthamptonKopite]

I'm not his biggest fan by any stretch of the imagination, but to be fair to the lad he played alright last night.

Solid-ish, dare I say it.

If he makes the mistake that decides the game then does it matter what else he does?

The movement was good granted, but he should've been on his toes tracking him everywhere. He lost him, simple as. Would Cole have lost him? Would Evra? Would Monreal? Would Clichy?

I guess no one can answer that for definite, but I certainly dont think the movement was so good it was undefendable.

It's not like he was close to the lesbian when he scored, he was a good few feet away putting no pressure on him whatsoever.

[kavah]

If Suarez does not score on Sunday I will eat my sunday dinner with no salt and pepper on it, I am that confident. He will be raring to go and will be feeling mighty pissed to have not rippled the net at Old Trafford Wednesday.

Do you always have your Sunday Dinner after the game? Quite late that. Make sure you have a good Breakfast.

[lionel_messias]

Swap Moses for Luis Alberto and I'm not sure
What's up with Sturridge's fitness.

Keep the defensive system again.

A crucial 3 points for the club to get back to progress - let's be honest we are between systems
And injuries are showing up our squad depth a little bit.

[GrkStav]

If we go with the same formation the other night and if Agger and Allen are fit I would go with
          Mignolet
    Skrtel Agger Sakho
Kelly                    Enrique
             Allen
    Gerrard Henderson
     Suarez  Sturridge

The most important part being, of course, "no Lucas", right?

If we're in that formation at any point during the match, I will be extremely surprised, by the way.

Sturridge is due a rest. Aspas is due a start as a ST. I don't think Agger will feature, but we'll see.

[gray19lfc]

EDIT (now we know Agger is fit):

Sturridge
Moses          Suarez
Lucas Gerrard
Enrique                     Henderson
Agger Sakho Toure
Mignolet

Subs: Jones, Skrtel, Wisdom, Alberto, Ibe, Sterling, Aspas

Midfield and attack picks itself, although that midfield needs freshening up.  Sadly, we haven't got the options at the minute for one reason or another.

Need a win here to stop the rot of recent results.  Should be looking to take maximum points from the next 4 games.

[fingermouse]

Nevermind all this team selection, formations and tactics lark....what kit we wearing on sunday? Not sure if any of the 3 will avoid a colour clash with Sunderland's home kit.

[mkingdon]

Three at at the back for me here, for a few reasons.

1. We looked decent at OT
2. Kelly looked miles off when he came on
3. Wisdom has had shockers at RB recently
4. We have a lot of good CBs and very few fit FBs
5. It seemed to help us keep the ball in midfield
6. It allows Suarez and Sturridge to play together up top

                    Mignolet

          Toure     Skrtel    Sakho

Henderson   Gerrard  Lucas   Enrique

                     Alberto

             Suarez    Sturridge

Lose this one and we are back into the also ran category fighting for 7th. Win this and the next one and we are Top 4 and living in hope of staying there.

[oojason]

Nevermind all this team selection, formations and tactics lark....what kit we wearing on sunday? Not sure if any of the 3 will avoid a colour clash with Sunderland's home kit.

Ian Ayre likes this and will soon release a 4th kit - limited edition and therefore a bit more expensive, of course... and then looks further down the list of fixtures to see if we can release a 5th choice kit vs anyone else...


The game? Suarez bit of magic, Moses chipping in, Henderson to score vs his old team - 3-1 to us.

[rocco]

Nevermind all this team selection, formations and tactics lark....what kit we wearing on sunday? Not sure if any of the 3 will avoid a colour clash with Sunderland's home kit.

3rd kit will do fine

[Pinky_Bieber]

they have probably watched our games and they'll probably try to play and press us like Swansea and Southampton did...its down to Rodgers to outsmart them with some changes...if he doesnt change anything,i can see us losing 0-1 or a very very frustrating draw

[Severely]

No excuses - we should be beating this lot. Of course, this makes me feel very sure that we're going to slip up. Still, everything seems to be pointing towards a win. Suarez back and raring to get off the mark this season, a decent performance at Old Trafford but a bad result, meaning the team should have some confidence, but be desperate to make up for the result, against the bottom team, who just fired their manager. No reason we shouldn't win this...

[Upinsmoke]

The first true "must win" of the season. I'd like to think Brendan will freshen up the XI and rest Sturridge.

no chance he will

[Upinsmoke]

i'd start aspas from the right, suarez from the middle and moses from the left, alberto in the number 10 role

[Bergersrightwingviews]

I'd go with:

Sturridge
Moses Suarez Henderson
Lucas Gerrard
Enrique Sakho Toure Kelly
Mignolet

Subs: Jones, Skrtel, Wisdom, Alberto, Ibe, Sterling, Aspas

I would swap Gerrard with Henderson personally if that is the first XI.

If it were up to me I would have Sturridge on the bench as I am scared we will run in into the ground and lose him for a good chunk of games otherwise. He could come on at 60mins perhaps.

That would mean Lucas and Hendo at CM with Gerrard/Alberto as No 10. I would have Sterling/Aspas on the right of the front 3. I think playing with Suarez will be good for Aspas due to the shared language, willingness to press from the front and clever movement.

[RogerTheRed]

Come on Redmen,
Said before Swansea game that next two would shape our season. Well, don't like that shape so we need to work hard Sun, get a win and start over again!

[rob1408]

Stephen Fletcher is out and I assume Borini can't play so that leaves them light up top.  It's important that we win just to put an end to this run, the good start would be wasted if we don't pick up three points, especially after only taking a point from our last two league games.  I expect Suarez to start and I think he'll score twice in a 3-1 win.

[Caffeine]

no chance he will

He looks like he is going to die if he keeps getting flogged. No pre-season seems to be catching up with him, miscontrolling the ball, falling over a lot, complaining to the ref and looking hard done to. The guy clearly needs a rest and with Luis back and against the worst side in the league this is the perfect opportunity. I'd like to see Alberto in for Moses too, give somebody else a chance to shine. We missed that player between the lines who can put his foot on the ball and pick a forward pass against United. Moses did a fair bit of running about and he has his merits but throughballs aren't one of them and our play in the final third midweek was disjointed and too chaotic.

I'd like to see the same back 3/5, assuming Agger is out.

[rocco]

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