Liverpool FC Forum

[Owzat]

0-0 after the 1st leg, will Rafa put out his strongest XI and will we get past Standard Liege?

[lakes10]

I cant see why he would not, right now our team needs more games to sort their problems out.

and i see this game as poo your pants time.

[Number 9]

I think he has to play the strongest available 11!
Theres no question,we HAVE to win this game,a season not in the C/L is not worth thinking about.
Id say Liege will fancy their chances and go all out for the away goal.Then if they score they will sit back.We cant let them score first,no way!

[Toffeehater]

I think standard will come playing for a draw as they had a chance to take us 2 weeks ago at home and they could not , they'll try and take it to penalties and play on the break perhaps  . I'd fancy us here and a good performance will ready us for villa and manu

[bigmick]

Well not for the first time we are in a situation where we have made one of these qualififying matches considerably more difficult than we ought to have. I think Arsenal beat these 7-0 or something a couple of years back (although it may have been somebody else) and we really ought to have gone over there and won comfortably, putting the thing well and truly to bed.  As it was of course, due to not being sufficiently wound up/ambitious/in the groove we were on the night by all accounts lucky to get a draw. One of these days we'll do it sensibly, or we'll not need to win our last three group games and unnecessarily put ourselves under pressure.

If we take Rafa's words as read and assume he's not a liar (which would seem to me to be the sensible thing to do) then Gerrard is carrying a minor injury and could really do with a rest. Encouraged though I am by the fact that we now seemingly accept that replacing Gerrard with Bolo Zenden does infact weaken the team a bit, this would seem to be the ideal game in which to give him that rest. Financial considerations will be at the forfront though, and he'll probably have to play which is a bit of a shame.

Given that, (the fact that we aren't going to rest anybody who actually makes a difference to how well we are going to play) then it makes sense to me to play the strongest team and not only try to win it, but try and play well too. As we haven't actually established that strongest team yet, or indeed any rhythm whatsoever, the "strongest team" though is very debateable. My current take is this:

The goalie picks himself, but we really do need to get the centre halves sorted. I don't really mind who we go for, but lets get them sorted because it is impossible to build a defence around two centre halves which change every game. This is an absolute basic of team selection, and we've changed them in each and every competitive game so far. I know some people quite like rotation and all the various theories that go with it, but I'd be interested to read any on the notion that changing them as often as we have is a good idea.

At right full-back Arbeloa needs to pull his finger out of his erse but gets in because Deggen is beyond help, while at left full-back Dossena worries me. I've seen him twice now, and he worries me because I don't think he's good enough. Now I know it's early (and certainly too early for any manager to admit he's shelled out 7 mill on a bit of a dud) but I hope Dossena either proives me wrong sharpish, or Rafa bites the bullet and reinstates Aurelio (who I firmly believe is a better player) before too much longer.

In midfield, despite the old routine of centre forward marking him out of the game being much in evidence against Middlesboro Alonso gets in, with of course Gerrard if he must play. Yossi Benayoun never has been good enough and never will be whereas babel probably isn't but just might be so the Dutchman gets the nod, while on the other flank Dirk never has and never will but I'm at a loss to suggest a sensible alternative. By virtue of the fact that he runs about a lot I suppose he gets in, but it doesn't fill me with anticipation to see him there.

Up top, Keane and Torres are slowly learning to not block each others shots and obviously must be persevered with. All in all, whatever team we put out if we can't beat these then there deserves to be a stewards enquiry, but we will so there won't be.

[Standard Liege fan]

Yes the 0-7 was against Standard, but it was a long time ago (10 years?).

Standard won its 2 league games since 1st leg (1-3 and 3-0) and sits on top of the league, while some key players were already put to rest for wednesday.

Probable Starting 11 :
----------------Espinoza
-Camozatto--Onyewu---Sarr---Dante
--Dalmat--Defour---Fellaini---Witsel
-----Jovanovic------Mbokani
Notes : Onyewu back in the team since leg 1, Jovanovic too (best club goal scorer last season), but De Camargo might play instead of him, as a MO

Our chances to go through are sthing like 20%

Looking forward to this game though.
Cheers to all Liverpool fans !

[RedEire]

As said by No.9, we must get a goal earlier on and put them on the back foot.  By doing this, they must come out and attack and by virtue, leave themselves open for typical Liverpool counter-attack.  Standard's tactics last game was a typical Bolton-esque approach with in-your-face football and tackles and trailing legs left in an attempt to disrupt, hassle our players.  This worked for them last time out - Alonso was rattled early on and could not impose himself in the middle of the park and his passing was affected, Plessis just looked bewildered by it all and did try to hit back but by doing so lost his composure and as neither Torres or Keane received any kind of ball to their feet, they were completely at see.  Whether this will be Standards tactis again, it remains to be seen, but if so, what can Liverpool do to counter it.  I would like to see either El Zahr or Ngog given a chance instead of Benayoun who i feel is completely the wrong player to have when playing a team like Standard.  Put the their defense on the back foot, make them give frees away around the edge of box and wings - Benayoun cuts into middle on top of Gerrard too much and it begins to get crowded.

[WeLLgoThrough]

Our chances to go through are sthing like 20%

Are you really a "Standard Liege fan" like your nick says ?
Show respect to the opponent but we've got more than 20% chances !
What was your forecast before the first leg ? Probably not a draw.
We have a strong team with fast strikers.
With a godd organisation and smart counter-attacks, we'll get through!
By the way, I'm pretty sure we gonna see De Camargo with Mbokani.
He is quite better than Jova for the defensive job.
Don't be sad, dear LFC fans, without group stage work, you'll be able to concentrate on the Premierleague and, finally, win it !





P.S.: please don't quote if bad things happen to Liege on wednesday... 

[JoeTerp]

If Onyewu plays, I am confident we will earn at least one penalty.

[shakey]

Think its gonna be squeaky bum time again,no wonder im going grey lol

[samurai3000]

Really hoping we could get our act together in this one and put in a performance. We need width bigtime. I wonder if rafa will buy riera. We really must win this one and prepare for villa and mancs. Torres and keanes partnership is looking decent. Its the wings that are worrying me. At the moment we should be pleased with 6 points. Really we could have had 1 point and that only from a draw at sunderland and loss to middlesbrough if it wasnt for the late goals.
Common reds i say liverpool win 2-0 torres(2)

[jeffiroquai]

If Onyewu plays, I am confident we will earn at least one penalty.

LOL, no doubt Joe.  He is so slow he makes Hyypia look like Usain Bolt

[Toffeehater]

Reina

Carragher         Agger         Skrtel           Dossena



Kuyt                Alonso       Masch           Babel

                      Torres       Keane
If gerrard is carrying a knock , i think we should rest him as he might aggravate the injury , we have enough quality to beat them at anfield and we have a strong enough team to do it .

2-0 (keane and torres)

[dawson99]

Think its gonna be squeaky bum time again,no wonder im going grey lol

true dat

[RedEire]

Is Masherano going to be (a) available and (b) fit enough after the Olympics   It would be great if he was as he is one player that will not be bossed about by the Standard players.  Likewise, if Lucas is available, it would rather see him in the middle instead of Plessis - i just think Plessis looked out of place in both the Sunderland game and the first game V Standard.  Again Lucas is not afraid to throw himself about yet still maintain some level of composure.  Arbeloa to me is an accident waiting to happen and the sooner we get rid the better - if i was an opposing manager, that is where i would concentrate on.  He lacks pace, mistimes his tackles and as for support coming forward, no thanks.  I would prefer if Carra was to move back there and see how both Agger/Hyypia and Skrtel deal with heavy handed tactics that Standard will apply.  This is game for someone using the head and to outfox and outplay the opposition and I think Hyypia has that skill.