Liverpool FC Forum

This is a massive game for us on monday night, a win would put us level on points with Swansea and a win by 3 goals would see us leap frog them

That said it will be another battle for us, i hope we see the same performance level as we saw against Arsenal and not the Burnley performance where half the team simply didn't turn up for us

The goalkeeper position has turned into a nightmare for us with both our keepers in really poor form, but i would go with Mignolet again and i suspect BR will too

Sakho must start again, think he has been really solid since being introduced, would like to see Emre Can stay in the team but in place of SG, bench SG and bring him on in the last 15-20 minutes - but will BR be brave enough ??

All our games at the moment are "must-win's" but this one is massive, we cannot allow swansea to open a gap over us

3 points please

Yep, because we are tailed off from the leading pack every game is significant but the one's at home against teams that sit above us in the table are even more important. Realistically we are not going to bridge that gap between us and the top 4 unless we beat a lot of the teams above us, beating just the lesser lights in the division isn't going to be enough I'm afraid.
Then there is the small matter of tomorrow's fixtures, we really won't get many better opportunities than this to gain significant ground on not just one but a number of clubs above us, I know it's a cliche but this really is an absolute must win game.
6 of the teams above us play each other and if we win this we will make ground on at least 4 of them, maybe even more if there's any draws.

SPURS V MAN U
SOUTHAMPTON V CHELSEA
WEST HAM V ARSENAL

EDIT - Spurs and United drew 0-0 so if we win there's 2 points gained on both of those clubs, and the pair of them have got to come to Anfield yet. We are not out of this, we just need to keep winning.

Tricky game. Swansea have goals in them with the likes of Bony and Sigurdsson and also their winger Montero can be a handful with his pace. Just have a feeling this could be a draw for some reason

Regarding other fixtures and the CL, unfortunately I see Utd taking one of the CL places. If we get back to some real form, it will be out of ourselves and Arsenal for the final place imo. Realistically, I can't see us matching the run we had in the second half of the year, which was amazing

We have to be going all out for a win. We need to clock up points now rather than gambling on later fixtures to go our way or believing that we are somehow going to majestically get it together from here on in. We might only be 7 or 8 points off 4th but we are also similar off the bottom 3.


                                                                                   Mingy

                                        manquillo            skrtel                  sakho            moreno

                                                                    can                 lucas

                                                           sterling        coutinho         lallana
       
                                                                          Balotelli

Can deserves a start and hendo dropped. Play either lucas or gerrard but not both and please put a fooking striker on the pitch. We are at home so should be a bit of atmosphere to spur the lads on but I think both teams have similar styles and could end up cancelling each other out.
I'm hopeful of a win though  By hook or crook 

Chelsea and Southampton drew as well so that's United, Spurs, Chelsea and Southampton who are all above us and have all dropped points this weekend. We really need to capitalise on this tomorrow, plain and simple we have got to win, no ifs, no but's, no excuses, we need to win.

James Pearce - Can is likely to start tomorrow. Manquillo & Moreno could also be recalled as Rodgers utilises the depth of his squad.

cardiff-red » Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:05 am wrote:James Pearce - Can is likely to start tomorrow. Manquillo & Moreno could also be recalled as Rodgers utilises the depth of his squad.

Unless he plays Manquillo and Moreno as wing backs that sounds like we might be going back to a flat back 4. Much prefer the 3 at the back myself, it allows us to get more attacking players into our line up and gives us an extra man in midfield where we have been traditionally weak since the decline of Gerrard.
I understand the need for rotation (especially at this time of the year) but we play Wimbledon in the cup on Saturday and that seems the perfect opportunity to give certain players a rest.
Given that a lot of results went our way yesterday this game is just too big to be experimenting with formation's and line up's.
This is the team I'd like to see us go with tonight -

                                     Mingolet

                           Can      Skrtel      Sakho

      Markovic          Lucas         Gerrard           Moreno

                            Lallana        Coutinho

                                     Sterling

Why not stick Gerrard to the right... I don't know why we shouldn't play Can as a proper CM:

     Toure.  Skrtel.  Sakho
Gerrard.  Can.    Lucas.  Markovic
            Coutinho.    Lallana
                       Sterling

maguskwt » Mon Dec 29, 2014 2:52 pm wrote:Why not stick Gerrard to the right... I don't know why we shouldn't play Can as a proper CM:

     Toure.  Skrtel.  Sakho
Gerrard.  Can.    Lucas.  Markovic
            Coutinho.    Lallana
                       Sterling

Gerrard would get torn a new one on the right by Montero who plays down the left for them

EDIT: actually Montero is out injured for them

TEAM NEWS

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet will replace Brad Jones, who has a thigh injury.

Forward Fabio Borini is available after suspension but defenders Dejan Lovren, Glen Johnson and Jon Flanagan remain sidelined through injury.

Swansea winger Jefferson Montero is set to miss out with a hamstring injury.

Garry Monk is expected to rotate his squad with possible recalls for Jazz Richards, Wayne Routledge and Bafetimbi Gomis.

confirmed team

Liverpool's XI: Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Manquillo, Moreno, Lucas, Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling.

Substitutes: Ward, Toure, Gerrard, Markovic, Balotelli, Lambert, Borini.

Pretty much the team I expected and it doesn't look too bad despite having a lot of players out of position. My biggest concerns are Manquillo and Moreno, don't know how they'll handle controlling the flanks by themselves both in attack and defense.

Resting Gerrard is probably a wise move after only playing a couple of days ago, would have preferred to see Markovic keep his place though.
Also I hope Can has another good game, it might convince Brendan not to send him out on loan.

that bench looks decent

bringing on gerrard balotelli and Markovic if needed is a great option to have

also like can at the back its good to have a cb who is comfortable with the ball at his feet

Should have been 1-0 then, good move