Liverpool FC Forum

by **JoeTerp** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:43 pm

bigmick wrote:
bavlondon wrote:
lakes10 wrote:
stmichael wrote:
bavlondon wrote:Just read that Stevie left todays training session early. I hope this is just precautionary. Send him home Capello.

absolutely sick of this now. why the hell wasn't he sent home earlier?

yep it suckes but at the end of the day it was him that asked to stay to see if he could get fit, anyway he back with the england team in the morning, not even worth going home, all the england players have been asked to go to the game and theres a big meeting with them before and after.

the thing about Steve is he loves to play football and loves to play for England.

Don't worry im sure once he and Torres are out for a few months and our season goes down the pan he won't be so quick to want to put on an England shirt next time.

Whether or not Gerrard and Torres are fit for Sunderland or not, I can absolutely guarantee you this Bav. they will get injured at some point and neither can play in every match this season. It quite simply will not happen.

Now if and when one of them does get injured and we realise at that point we have a viable replacement for neither, the majority of the forum will adopt one of a couple of stances.

It'll be either:

The owners fault for not giving Rafa loads of cash to buy David Villa.

Gerrard's fault for playing for his country and not telling them to feck off (and for not having the right body language).

or, It'll just be unbelieveably unlucky.

The reality is though, it'll be none of the above. If you know that players occasionally get injured (and they do), then you must have a contingency plan in mind. Looking at the strikers who have been through the club over the last few seasons who are better than our current second choices, we have had more than enough opportunity to have better contingency plans in place than we currently do.

If our season goes "down the pan" for this reason, it won't be Gerrards fault.

Not really sure how it could have played out too diferently than it has. Maybe we could have Michael Owen or something, but who cares, didn't he get hurt again anyway?

I am guessing you are talking about players like Bellamy, Keane, and Crouch, and how they are better than Voronin? I don't think its fair to even think in those terms. It would misrepresent the circumstances of how the situation came about. One of the biggest things it misses is that we likely were planning on having more cash available and then had the rug pulled.

Also, Gerrard and Torres hardly partnered each other last season, and we were top scorers in the league. Yes they can't play every game, but if any team lost its two best players for long stretches you would have to say they were unlucky.

I think you are also underetimating what Kuyt can bring to the forward line in a pinch and what Yossi can do in Gerrard's role.

by **LFC2007** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:23 pm

Well we obviously haven't a chance in this one given that BigMick's protégé will be playing :laugh:

by **Effes** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:00 pm

Well Torres isn't playing tonight, Riera's in the Spain side though.

Live on LFCTV now.

by **bigmick** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:53 pm

LFC2007 wrote:Well we obviously haven't a chance in this one given that BigMick's protégé will be playing

I don't know about "no chance" mate, but for sure the thought has crossed my mind :laugh:

. I actually think Sunderland will go with Jones up top as well, which might just encourage them to go a bit overly route oneish and may in fact help us in a funny way. I actually think Bent is a better striker in a 4-5-1, but Jones has done well in the last couple of games. I should think Rafa will be second guessing Bruce and considering playing the Greek bloke.

Ultimately though, I don't think he will play the Greek and nor should he IMHO. I do think Sunderland will play with two up top, I do think we'll win (2-1) and I do think Darren Bent will score a goal.

Four predictions there, hopefully I get the one about the result right at the very least.

by **JamCar05** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:38 pm

Agger came through the full 90 minutes again tonight for Denmark, so now he has got a couple of games under his belt within four days, which should actually be a good thing for us I guess, what with him getting some valuable match practise. I wonder if he will play any part come saturday? My own guess would be for Benitez to keep him on the bench though, as he would probably deem three matches within a week being too much for Agger at this point.

by **Thewaykokid** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:45 am

Liverpool fury as Steven Gerrard injury is worse than first feared

Published 22:15 14/10/09 By David Maddock

Liverpool are sweating over the fitness of skipper Steven Gerrard, after scans revealed his groin injury is worse than first feared.

There is anger within Anfield that the midfielder is now facing a fight to be ready for the weekend visit to Sunderland, after he was kept within the England training camp despite the extent of the injury.

Gerrard only returned to Merseyside yesterday, despite aggravating the problem in England's defeat at the hands of Ukraine on Saturday.

He was immediately booked for a scan, and that has revealed some minor tearing of the fibres in the adductor muscle, and a minor strain.

The initial diagnosis is that the injury will keep him out for a minimum of seven days, which would make him a major doubt for the visit to the Stadium of Light.

And there are fears that the player may have further aggravated a problem he has suffered three times in the past calender year, which would see him sidelined for longer.

Liverpool already have real problems for the trip to Sunderland, with midfielders Javier Mascherano and Lucas both not due back from international duty until Friday, which makes their availability unlikely.

If Gerrard is also ruled out, manager Rafa Benitez will have few options, given that even though new signing Alberto Aquilani is now back in training, he is at least a fortnight away from his first Liverpool appearance.

It will leave the Anfield boss rigorously questioning why his star player was allowed to train with England on Monday following the injury at the weekend, when the adductor tear should have necessitated a scan and extensive treatment.

Benitez must fear that Gerrard will be out for longer, given his record with the injury over the past year. The same problem kept him out of the Champions' League semi-final tie at Chelsea, and also forced him to miss the final day of the league campaign.

Liverpool have a massive week where their Premier League and Champions' League hopes will be put under scrutiny, with crucial games against Lyon and Manchester United as well as the tricky visit to Sunderland.

And if Gerrard is ruled out of those matches because of England's negligence, then the Reds boss will demand answers to some serious questions.

No wait, there's more. .......

Liverpool's Sotiris Kyrgiakos Out For Four Months
The Greek international defender ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Luxembourg on Wednesday and is likely to be out until 2010.....

Sotiris Kyrgiakos suffered the injury five minutes before the end of the first-half in Greece's World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg which they won 2-1 to book their place in the playoffs.

The 30-year-old collided with a Luxembourg player and Goal.com Greece have learned that the central defender ruptured his anterior cruiciate ligament. He was visibly hurt after the challenge but brought himself up on his feet and did not have to be taken out on stretchers.

The Liverpool centre-back is likely to be out for at least four months, although more concrete news would emerge only on Thursday morning.

Kyrgiakos's injury would not certainly be welcomed by Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez or by the Greek national side, who shall now have to play their World Cup playoffs next month without the influential defender.

Subhankar Mondal, Goal.com

by **centarec** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:04 am

So gerard ,lucas ,mascherano are out of combination for this match . Any idea who will rafa play ? I would try something like this

Reina

Johnson Caragher Agger Aurelio

Benayoun Plessis

Babel Riera
Kuyt
Torres
i donthave a better idea

by **LFC2007** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:17 am

Cattermole set to start for Liverpool

by **GRAHAM01** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:52 am

centarec wrote:So gerard ,lucas ,mascherano are out of combination for this match . Any idea who will rafa play ? I would try something like this

Reina

Johnson Caragher Agger Aurelio

Benayoun Plessis

Babel Riera
Kuyt
Torres
i donthave a better idea

not to sure about what we will go with but maybe something like this

reina

johnson - agger - skittle - insua

carra
benni

kuyt/babel riera

babel/kuyt

torres

by **SouthCoastShankly** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:15 am

This is where Rafa has to put some faith into the youngsters instead of mashing a team together with out of position players. If it were my decision I would go with -

Reina

Johnson Carragher Agger Aurelio

Spearing
Babel Riera
Benayoun

Torres Kuyt

My only worry is it may be TOO attacking.

by **Ciggy** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:20 am

SouthCoastShankly wrote:This is where Rafa has to put some faith into the youngsters instead of mashing a team together with out of position players. If it were my decision I would go with -

Reina

Johnson Carragher Agger Aurelio

Spearing
Babel Riera
Benayoun

Torres Kuyt

My only worry is it may be TOO attacking.

Wouldnt fancy Spearing as a holding midfielder against Jones & Bent they are full of pace and big lads, thats a no-no from me.

by **Judge** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:25 am

Effes wrote:
Judge wrote:
Lee J wrote:
Judge wrote:edit.

edit

the thread starter was a typo - rectified now

How can you mis-type 19 as 20

coz if wehd less draws last season we wouldve had 19, then going for 20. that is what i meant, but it read otherwise

as i said rectified

by **Judge** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:27 am

Judge wrote: VERSUS

Probably early to start the thread, but hey-ho

After a dismal 2 defeats against Chelsea and previously against Fiorentina away. It is hoped that a much needed victory will be sort after at the Stadium of Light.

Hopefully Torres will come through the spanish world cup game unscathed, and that he will manage to start scoring again.
These are the kind of teams Liverpool need to thrash to maintain a serious title charge, unlike last season when too many draws put paid to a chance of a 20th league title for this year.

come rafa, and come on Liverpool

for the benefit of effes who doesnt read past posts

by **SouthCoastShankly** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:17 am

Ciggy wrote:
SouthCoastShankly wrote:This is where Rafa has to put some faith into the youngsters instead of mashing a team together with out of position players. If it were my decision I would go with -

Reina

Johnson Carragher Agger Aurelio

Spearing
Babel Riera
Benayoun

Torres Kuyt

My only worry is it may be TOO attacking.

Wouldnt fancy Spearing as a holding midfielder against Jones & Bent they are full of pace and big lads, thats a no-no from me.

Not sure, maybe the formation is wrong.

Babel Spearing Benayoun Riera

Torres Kuyt

There is no reason why rafa should persist with a formation that has to have a holding midfielder. Paul Scholes is often the most defensive player for Man Utd and he seems to cope.

I think instead of keeping to a formation that only works when certain players are available (Mascherano, Gerrard, etc) play a different formation (I.e. standard 4-4-2) and play the starting players in more familiar roles.

Let not forget, although their (Sunderland) strike force is big. The midfield is comprised mainly of Cana and Reid. Both of which aren't massive players. I'd fancy Spearing and Benayoun to win most battles.

by **Scottbot** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:44 pm

We've a few problems for this game if Gerrard is missing and Masch/Lucas aren't gonna know what time-zone they're in. One of them will have to play though and i'm guessing Masch is the more likely of the two. I'd be inclined to give Spearing a run out, I quite like him as a player. He's got a bit of a spark for me, he gets it, gives it at a quicker tempo than most of our midfielders and he's got an eye for a pass although he doesn't always execute. I hope to hell we don't play Aurelio in the middle, he's far from awful but if a LB gets ahead of one of our younger midfield players at their preferred position then what is the point of the likes of Plessis and Spearing remaining at the club? I'd prefer Riera in the middle to Aurelio if we're gonna go that route.

Assuming Gerrard and either Mash or Lucas are unavailable my team would be:

Reina

Johnson Carra Skrtel Aurelio

Spearing Mascherano

Kuyt Bennyoun Riera

Torres

Liverpool FC Forum

SUNDERLAND VS LIVERPOOL - Saturday 17th october, 3pm.

Who is online