Liverpool FC Forum

by **Toffeehater** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:14 pm

TBH , it doesn't matter where we play yossi or kuyt , we should be beating stoke , whether we will remains to be seen

by **LFC2007** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:16 pm

I'd go with the formation and selection laid out by TH, with Kuyt possibly interchanging with Benayoun and Skrtel in if fit. Ayala looks better in the air than most of the other young CH I've seen, although I like what I see from Kelly too. I'd rather see Dossena play in an attacking capacity over Babel because, despite his obvious lack of defensive ability, he's still more comfortable on the ball than Babel is, he has a little more subtelty to his game too. Clearly, though, if Riera's available for selection he gets the nod.

by **Fauxy** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:37 pm

Toffeehater wrote:Ayala played well when he came on , would be good for him top get 2 or 3 games than he will get the confidence like johnny evans , who has performed well for manure whenever he has been asked to step in .

Reina

Johnson Ayala Carragher Insua

Kuyt Gerrard Masch Riera/Dossena

Yossi

Torres

3-0 ( Torres hat trick )

I think it may be a better idea to play Gerrard in his usual role and Benayoun alongside Mascherano.

We all know how good Benayoun is at tackling and he is capable of making forward passes as well as making good forward runs.

by **we all dream...** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:46 pm

I think what we are all saying is that what ever combination / formation we have to play Torres, Gerrard, Kuyt, Riera (if fit) AND Benayoun.

They are good enough players to be able to play where they are put be it off Torres, on the right or in central midfield. Rafa sees them in training everyday, he should know how to get the best out of his players / squad. We have the resources to beat Stoke on a bad day. If we can't something has gone serioulsy wrong. But it isn't going to happen.

by **aCe'** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:55 pm

we all dream... wrote:I think what we are all saying is that what ever combination / formation we have to play Torres, Gerrard, Kuyt, Riera (if fit) AND Benayoun.

They are good enough players to be able to play where they are put be it off Torres, on the right or in central midfield. Rafa sees them in training everyday, he should know how to get the best out of his players / squad. We have the resources to beat Stoke on a bad day. If we can't something has gone serioulsy wrong. But it isn't going to happen.

mmm.. i think what everyone is saying is that they dont want Lucas in the side... tbph, Lucas-Mascherano was never going to work.. so its a pick between the two as far as im concerned... for the Stoke game, funny enough id pick Lucas if only for his aerial threat and his runs into the box.... a better passer than Mascherano and with Gerrard receiving the ball behind him it'll take alot of pressure from him in terms of controlling the midfield play.. would allow him to make runs off the ball and perhaps show what his real game is all about...

Id go with a 4-4-2 myself, With Benny and Riera (Babel if Riera isnt fit) providing the width from the flanks

Reina

Johnson Kelly Carragher Insua

Gerrard Lucas Riera

Benayoun

Kuyt Torres

by **Effes** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:05 pm

Not playing Masch is a bit random I think.
Playing Mash will give Gerrard the licence to be more mobile around the pitch.

I would defo not play Babel though, keep him on the bench.

by **aCe'** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:15 pm

Effes wrote:Not playing Masch is a bit random I think.
Playing Mash will give Gerrard the licence to be more mobile around the pitch.

I would defo not play Babel though, keep him on the bench.

put him as a CB maybe ?!

Lucas...Mascherano.... doesnt really make a difference... wouldnt expect either of them to have any sort of impact on our attacking play anyways... as for the defensive end of things, it'll mostly be us dealing with corners, throw ins, freekicks..etc and not them trying to build up play... so to me it doesnt make much of a difference... only put Lucas up there because i have the feeling that he'd be a much better player in a 4-4-2 playing alongside someone whos comfortable on the ball, controls the play, and covers his partner in defensive situations... thought it would be interesting to see how he does ...

by **Toffeehater** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:33 pm

If we need a goal i'd hope rafa takes a defender off and throws babel up front and not the :censored:

flank , a goal will do his confidence good , he was arguably our best player in pre season

by **JoeTerp** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:44 pm

pretty much any starting XI in theory should get the job done, but if we happened to find ourselfs deadlocked with 20 minutes to go, what is everybody's finishing XI? Obviously it can only be three players different from your starting XI

by **JoeTerp** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:53 pm

anyway a finishing XI, in classic, crackpot JoeTerp style:

Reina
Johnson Carra Insua
Lucas
Kuyt Gerrard Riera/Doss
Yossi
Torres N'Gog

Would also think about Pacheco in for N'gog and having Dani partner Yossi behind Nando. He has looked a (small) Man amongst boys for the ressies since coming back from Asia playing mostly against thuggish type of footballers.

by **Toffeehater** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:11 pm

JoeTerp wrote:pretty much any starting XI in theory should get the job done, but if we happened to find ourselfs deadlocked with 20 minutes to go, what is everybody's finishing XI? Obviously it can only be three players different from your starting XI

I''d take off Insua and throw Babel on , take of masch and throw voronin on , push johnson up further upfield more as a winger and kuyt as a striker as well , which means we only have 2 defenders . Crazy Formation but we did it last season where we took both our full backs off and sometimes they played as wingbacks , only if we need a goal i'd go for this

Reina

Carra Ayala

Johnson Dossena
Gerrard Yossi

Kuyt Torres Voronin Babel

by **Madmax** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:42 pm

I could see rafa fielding the same side as he did against spurs! He will play lucas again with macha

by **JoeTerp** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:23 pm

Toffeehater wrote:
JoeTerp wrote:pretty much any starting XI in theory should get the job done, but if we happened to find ourselfs deadlocked with 20 minutes to go, what is everybody's finishing XI? Obviously it can only be three players different from your starting XI

I''d take off Insua and throw Babel on , take of masch and throw voronin on , push johnson up further upfield more as a winger and kuyt as a striker as well , which means we only have 2 defenders . Crazy Formation but we did it last season where we took both our full backs off and sometimes they played as wingbacks , only if we need a goal i'd go for this

Reina

Carra Ayala

Johnson Dossena
Gerrard Yossi

Kuyt Torres Voronin Babel

lets hope it doesn't have to come to that

by **bigmick** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:13 pm

Lando_Griffin wrote:Don't y'all be too surprised to see Gerrard in central defence at some point.

The absolutely only thing which has stopped this happening so far IMHO is that we've needed him more in other areas of the pitch. If he did play there I've absolutely no doubts at all he'd be fantastic. We may see it, it depends how deep the crisis gets, but we'll certainly see it before the end of his career I think.

by **Fowler_E7** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:31 pm

bigmick wrote:
Lando_Griffin wrote:Don't y'all be too surprised to see Gerrard in central defence at some point.

The absolutely only thing which has stopped this happening so far IMHO is that we've needed him more in other areas of the pitch. If he did play there I've absolutely no doubts at all he'd be fantastic. We may see it, it depends how deep the crisis gets, but we'll certainly see it before the end of his career I think.

i actually think thats the one posistion he wouldnt be that good at, he'd be ok as a back up but i couldnt see him playing there for any sustained period. I dont think Gerrard has the positional disciplne to play as a centre back, he'd be an excellent fullback though.

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