Topic: Preview: West Bromwich Albion V Liverpool 26 September

[peachybum]

Everton, City and one of Utd/Newcastle already out, let's go for this trophy again, it's been made even more winnable in the last 24 hours, I'd be annoyed if we played youngsters or a weak squad and went out of this.

Prepare to be annoyed. 

This competition is not our priority. This competition is our 4th priority this season like all teams in europe. We don't have the squad size to play a strong experienced side. We've already seen against Arsenal how a performance can be effected by a hard midweek game. Is it really worth the risk of a flat performance against Norwich?

Remember Kenny lost his job last season for focusing on the cups after January and letting the league results slide. Rodgers will know the score and want to keep his job!

[Niru Red4ever]

Prepare to be annoyed. 

This competition is not our priority. This competition is our 4th priority this season like all teams in europe. We don't have the squad size to play a strong experienced side. We've already seen against Arsenal how a performance can be effected by a hard midweek game. Is it really worth the risk of a flat performance against Norwich?

Remember Kenny lost his job last season for focusing on the cups after January and letting the league results slide. Rodgers will know the score. We saw that against Young Boys.

At least lets give us a chance, eh? Play players like Reina and Skrtel who can easily handle the workload.

Young Boys is no comparison - it was not a knockout match; part of a league where have to finish top half. And it involved a long travel with the next match being against Man Utd.

[peachybum]

At least lets give us a chance, eh? Play players like Reina and Skrtel who can easily handle the workload.

I'm sure Rodgers and his staff are better placed to decide what workload the players have, how it'll effect their performance levels and how best prepare for Norwich.

[Fromola]

I am surprised by the number of people on here happy to see a weak team which doesn't even feature Reina. Ignoring the Cup for a league match against Norwich is incredibly sad.

The high point last year was this cup; surely we would try to at least go through the first match?

Winning it didn't do us any favours, as we could hardly win a game after that.

I would like to win it, but something has to give this year with our squad. Last year we didn't have Europe, and that was with a bigger squad than now.

Maybe it could be like 2005 where we got to the final playing a very young side, but it's not worth playing the likes of Gerrard, Suarez and Allen.

[Sat1]

Im happy playing youngsters in this competition. Nice to win it, but certainly low down on priorities.

[joezydudek]

At least lets give us a chance, eh? Play players like Reina and Skrtel who can easily handle the workload.

Young Boys is no comparison - it was not a knockout match; part of a league where have to finish top half. And it involved a long travel with the next match being against Man Utd.

I agree to an extent as I certainly don't want to see us knocked out of what is a very winnable competition, but I don't think we can afford to risk Skrtel as our defence really isn't looking great if he picks up a knock or gets sent off. Personally I'd have played Reina, but maybe Jones can produce a good performance and make Reina respond with some improved performances after a far than stellar start to the season.
I wouldn't have been opposed to playing Allen as it would have been handy in my opinion for him to get some more gametime alongside Henderson and Sahin, as one of them will be joining him and Gerrard in the side on Saturday. If the rumoured team is correct, I'm looking forward to seeing how the youngsters acquit themselves though, really excited about a fair few of them.

[Z e u s]

Im happy playing youngsters in this competition. Nice to win it, but certainly low down on priorities.

Agreed.

[farawayred]

Prepare to be annoyed. 

This competition is not our priority. This competition is our 4th priority this season like all teams in europe. We don't have the squad size to play a strong experienced side. We've already seen against Arsenal how a performance can be effected by a hard midweek game. Is it really worth the risk of a flat performance against Norwich?

Remember Kenny lost his job last season for focusing on the cups after January and letting the league results slide. Rodgers will know the score and want to keep his job!

Fair points, mate, but not 100% relevant, I think.

The League Cup is not a priority, I don't think many will argue against that, but why play the reserves? The EL is not a considered a priority either, but we played a mixture of experienced and young players and we saw the result. We had Enrique, Coates, Carra, Downing and Henderson on the pitch - half of the team. Why not go about this competition the same way?

Rodgers knows the priorities, but if anyone (including the owners) think that we have a strong chance to qualify for the CL with our current squad without a miracle is delusional... It can happen, but not without a small miracle. Compare City, United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs squads to ours... And I'm not talking about the poor start, I'm thinking of the long season and the injuries and suspensions that will come with it. We are as thin as it gets and we don't have that quality on the bench that can change games. We should reasonably expect to qualify for the EL. And this competition offers a back door and a piece of silverware (I don't care if it was only a spoon, a dozen such make a nice set).

[Gnurglan]

Maybe the exclusion of Coates has more to do with seeing what Wilson can do, Coates has already played two games so I'm sure Rodgers knows a bit about him now but players like Wilson and Pacheco are still relative unknowns to him and at some point you need to throw them in to see how they do. I do feel the squad is a bit too inexperienced especially the back four but remember Wilson was playing for the Scottish NT and for Rangers some seasons ago and has really regressed since he came here.

Coates-Wilson at the back?

[Niru Red4ever]

Maybe it could be like 2005 where we got to the final playing a very young side, but it's not worth playing the likes of Gerrard, Suarez and Allen.

Fully agree. I am talking about all those who are happily putting Jones in their line up.

[paulrazor]

cracking OP

[Niru Red4ever]

Coates-Wilson at the back?

To be honest, I would prefer that to Carra-Coates. Have a feeling that Wilson can't do any worse than Carra.

[LucyLFC]

I'm in two minds about tonight's game, i want us to go through to the next round so i would like to see a strong team to do so, but then again, the Carling Cup, (Or Capital One Cup i should say) wouldn't be one of my main priorities this season and I think for this game i would like to see the youngsters be given the opportunity to play and make a name for themselves.

[Victor]

would like to see us stay in this but only so that our youngsters can gain further experience,  and it's in their hands just how much additional experience they'll get this season ..  good runs in this and the europa league give those players the chance to prove their worth in the squad and the more opportunities they get the better .. if they're good enough they'll do well

[astowell1]

In it, to win it is the way I look at every trophies.  Giving youngsters the chances means we have a squad capable of putting up a good cup run in each tournament.

[Z e u s]

I'd rather see Gulasci over Jones!

[didi]

why are people so quick to write this off?  its a route into Europe....we will struggle to get into Europa leage this season in the league...its a cup which everyone was delighted to win last season after so many memorable games i.e. Stoke away, Chelsea away, City away and at home....I for one would love to go all the way again and add another trophy to our glorious history....after all its not the premiership or champions leage we are worrying about for the near future

[peachybum]

Fair points, mate, but not 100% relevant, I think.

The League Cup is not a priority, I don't think many will argue against that, but why play the reserves? The EL is not a considered a priority either, but we played a mixture of experienced and young players and we saw the result. We had Enrique, Coates, Carra, Downing and Henderson on the pitch - half of the team. Why not go about this competition the same way?

Thats what we are doing isn't it? Carra, Sahin, Henderson, Downing and Assaidi are all playing aren't they? I'm sure Enrique would be out there if he was fit.

As for the EL. Surely thats our 2nd priority whilst the LC is our 4th. So its only natural to take a competition of higher priority more seriously.

[didi]

what is our priority this season?

[And Could He Play]

what is our priority this season?

first priority is winning this match tonight, we need to win it, should have put a couple more big names on the team sheet if you ask me.

[careful on these streets, I've heard stories]

Coates-Wilson at the back?

I would be alot more sceptical with a backline full of youngsters, reading Wisdom's interview it's clear having Carra in the side helped him.

[Nazi Dickhead]

This on telly anyone ?

[careful on these streets, I've heard stories]

Fully agree. I am talking about all those who are happily putting Jones in their line up.

Reina has hardly been any better this season and what is the point of having back-up GKs if they can't even play in the early rounds of the CC, how do you keep them ready for when they need to step up and how do you ensure that there is still competition in the GK area if you only play your number one GK

[peachybum]

first priority is winning this match tonight, we need to win it, should have put a couple more big names on the team sheet if you ask me.

More than we need to beat Norwich? Would you take a win tonight if it meant losing our next league game?

People need to realise we have the smalliest squad we've had for a long long time. The best players just can't play every match. Even if this game didn't effect their performance against Norwich is could catch up with them later on in the season and they could break down in Jan/Feb.

I'm assuming Rodgers likes the Liverpool job and would like to stay manager. We know how much the domestic cups meant last year to the people in charge. Making sure his best players play as many of the 38 league games at 100% as possible is the only sensible thing for him to do. Playing our first teamers and risking poor league performance would be managerial suicide.

[And Could He Play]

More than we need to beat Norwich? Would you take a win tonight if it meant losing our next league game?

People need to realise we have the smalliest squad we've had for a long long time. The best players just can't play every match. Even if this game didn't effect their performance against Norwich is could catch up with them later on in the season and they could break down in Jan/Feb.

I'm assuming Rodgers likes the Liverpool job and would like to stay manager. We know how much the domestic cups meant last year to the people in charge. Making sure his best players play as many of the 38 league games at 100% as possible is the only sensible thing for him to do. Playing our first teamers and risking poor league performance would be managerial suicide.

why not jsut try and win every game as it comes.

[Niru Red4ever]

Reina has hardly been any better this season and what is the point of having back-up GKs if they can't even play in the early rounds of the CC, how do you keep them ready for when they need to step up and how do you ensure that there is still competition in the GK area if you only play your number one GK

Early round in CC is not the same if you get WBA away. There is a very good chance we will get a much easier opponent in the next round.

Besides Jones can play in the Europa anyways - those are not knockout matches.

[farawayred]

Thats what we are doing isn't it? Carra, Sahin, Henderson, Downing and Assaidi are all playing aren't they? I'm sure Enrique would be out there if he was fit.

As for the EL. Surely thats our 2nd priority whilst the LC is our 4th. So its only natural to take a competition of higher priority more seriously.

Perhaps we disagree on the experience of Sahin and Assaidi. For me, only Carra, Downing and Henderson are experienced (in England), and Downing's experience might count against him, while Carra and Henderson are not the players they can be / have been. We should approach every game by playing either our best team (not an option because of priorities), or a team that has a decent chance of winning the game. I think that if we field the rumored team, we are throwing the game. Might as well play the kids that play in the NexGen to give them more game time.

[Cadno]

why not jsut try and win every game as it comes.

Who said we are not?  I'm sure Brendan wants to win tonight and the players will try and win.  Why wouldn't they?

[a glass of wine Sir?]

suso30fernandez ‏@suso30fernandez
Way to the stadium soon. We'll win 2night. Enjoy the game! Partido de copa a las 9,seguro que ganamos y pasamos a la siguiente ronda!!

[And Could He Play]

Who said we are not?  I'm sure Brendan wants to win tonight and the players will try and win.  Why wouldn't they?

you tell me? cant see anywhere where i have posted that they dont want to win tonight, unlike some of our fans.

[The 5th Benitle]

This on telly anyone ?

There's a topic called 'is the next match on TV anywhere' for questions like this mate. Pop on there and you'll find your question answered before its even asked. Magic.

[careful on these streets, I've heard stories]

why not jsut try and win every game as it comes.

We have to manage the squad and give the young players a go, isn't that why we have revamped our academy. How else will they get a chance if not at these sort of games. I think that lineup would've looked alot better if we had an established striker instead of Yesil. Hopefully in Jan we can get some more bodies in attack and have a better balance in the squad

[Niru Red4ever]

We have to manage the squad and give the young players a go, isn't that why we have revamped our academy. How else will they get a chance if not at these sort of games. I think that lineup would've looked alot better if we had an established striker instead of Yesil. Hopefully in Jan we can get some more bodies in attack and have a better balance in the squad

Theres the Europa league; and also if we go through today chances are there will be a weaker team in the next round.

Not saying play the first team. At least make it reasonably strong.

[And Could He Play]

We have to manage the squad and give the young players a go, isn't that why we have revamped our academy. How else will they get a chance if not at these sort of games. I think that lineup would've looked alot better if we had an established striker instead of Yesil. Hopefully in Jan we can get some more bodies in attack and have a better balance in the squad

still want us to win tonight though, thin squad or not, and i reckon the travellnig kop would feel the same, couldnt see them paying money to go to a match and not be arsed if we lose. Always a good chance of silverware this one, should treat it as a trophy we want to win.

[peachybum]

Theres the Europa league; and also if we go through today chances are there will be a weaker team in the next round.

Not saying play the first team. At least make it reasonably strong.

Thats the problem. We have our first team.....and then the kids. There is no experienced backup! Of course if Agger, Borini, Kelly, Flanagan, Cole and Enrique were fit and Shelvey not suspended then we could play a stronger team. But thats the situation we're in. Nothing else Rodgers can do without seriously risking injury to our first teamers and our performance at Norwich.

[harrythered]

Hope Yesil plays tonight, seems an exciting prospect. Sahin as well, he needs match fitness, especially with Shelvey out now

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

what is our priority this season?

building a squad for the long term

[Niru Red4ever]

Thats the problem. We have our first team.....and then the kids. There is no experienced backup! Of course if Agger, Borini, Kelly, Flanagan, Cole and Enrique were fit and Shelvey not suspended then we could play a stronger team. But thats the situation we're in. Nothing else Rodgers can do without seriously risking injury to our first teamers and our performance at Norwich.

We can, from the back Reina - Wisdom, Skrtel, Coates, Robbo - Sahin, Hendo looks pretty strong. You can argue about playing Skrtel but he has shown in the last two seasons he can play a lot of games.

Also keep Suarez, Allen on the bench and can bring them on for about 30 mins.

[vicar]

Thats the problem. We have our first team.....and then the kids. There is no experienced backup! Of course if Agger, Borini, Kelly, Flanagan, Cole and Enrique were fit and Shelvey not suspended then we could play a stronger team. But thats the situation we're in. Nothing else Rodgers can do without seriously risking injury to our first teamers and our performance at Norwich.

...and Lucas.

This is reality for us right now, we have a paper thin squad and with injuries/suspensions we are down to the kids. I'd like us to go for every competition but you have to rest players. Gerrard proved the point by looking so much better after a rest last week and we can't afford to keep losing in the league. The only question is around whether you would play one or two different individuals, e.g. Coates, but I guess he wants a look at Wilson and maybe rest him for Saturday.

[Swansea Red]

Hope we see Yesil and Coates tonight.