The BigFooty Liverpool Army - Part 10

[kane249]

If Portsmouth get kicked out of the league, they will be behind us. Plus not to mention City will be 9 points behind.

Arsenal away has always been our bogey fixture. We are going to have to try bully and catch them on the counterattack. It will be extremely hard without Torres though.

We have been piss poor away from Anfield aswell so I would normally say we have no chance. But the way we have been playing as of late I won't count anything out.

How would that work with the Portsmouth situation? would all games against them be declared null and void so they would lose points?

 

[Corrosion]

Its a bloody big 'if' though, considering we've never won at the Emirates, even when we've been closer to full strength.

Which has me thinking, has Torres ever played Arsenal at the Emirates? Maybe once in the CL? Fit and in form he could cause havoc this week.

It'd be nice to get Arsenal drawn into the battle for CL spots. We could even end up pinching 3rd place and direct qualification for 2010/11.

That won't happen. It'd be a marvellous story, but I can't see it happening. We've got a fairly easy run home. You guys have got a hard run home.

Good luck on Wednesday, I'm quietly confident that we'll bounce back with a solid win. Arshavin on the scoresheet again

 

[bus24]

Its a bloody big 'if' though, considering we've never won at the Emirates, even when we've been closer to full strength.

Which has me thinking, has Torres ever played Arsenal at the Emirates? Maybe once in the CL? Fit and in form he could cause havoc this week.

It'd be nice to get Arsenal drawn into the battle for CL spots. We could even end up pinching 3rd place and direct qualification for 2010/11.

He played in the CL game there in his first season for us. (1-1 Adebayor 23' - Kuyt 26'). Skipped the league game that fell in between the two CL legs (Another 1-1 Crouch + Bendtner IIRC).

Then didn't play there last year either.

 

[Dagger5]

How would that work with the Portsmouth situation? would all games against them be declared null and void so they would lose points?

Yes all results against them are erased.

Utd, City, Arsenal and West Ham all lose 6 points, Chelsea and Villa lose 3. I think Tottenham would lose 3 aswell.

 

[grimlock]

Okay team speculation

Greek won't be a big loss as I don't think he would have been selected anyway matched up against their small strikers. Skrtel in and Carra right back. I would also bring in Riera for his heading ability. Ngog out

 

[Dagger5]

I think that this will be the team:

Reina
Carra-Skrtel-Agger-Insua
Lucas-Masch
Kuyt-Gerrard-Riera
Babel/N'gog

 

[bus24]

Carragher/Kelly (if fit) at right back - and either Carragher back to the middle of if he's at RB (which is probable) Skrtel in.


I hope Aquilani starts this game. If he's not starting against Arsenal, the most unphysical team in the history of football, then he'll never start again.

Riera should come back in.


I think it'll be as below.


Reina
Carragher
Skrtel
Agger
Insua
Mascherano
Aquilani
Kuyt
Gerrard
Riera
N'Gog


Decaf, Kelly, Degen, Aurelio, Lucas, Babel, Rodriguez

 

[TorresIsGod]

We'll smash Arsenal.

Absolutely smash them off the park, without a doubt.

 

[BlueBen]

Carragher/Kelly (if fit) at right back - and either Carragher back to the middle of if he's at RB (which is probable) Skrtel in.


I hope Aquilani starts this game. If he's not starting against Arsenal, the most unphysical team in the history of football, then he'll never start again.

Riera should come back in.


I think it'll be as below.


Reina
Carragher
Skrtel
Agger
Insua
Mascherano
Aquilani
Kuyt
Gerrard
Riera
N'Gog


Decaf, Kelly, Degen, Aurelio, Lucas, Babel, Rodriguez

I like your side but I think Lucas will start this one. Rafa will want that extra defensive protection and solidity in midfield, particularly away from home against one of the better attacking sides.

 

[grimlock]

Exactly, no way he'll play less than 2 def mids away.

 

[bus24]

Exactly, no way he'll play less than 2 def mids away.

What was the idea with Aquilani then?

Spend 20m on a player to warm the pine every game?

If he doesn't play this game he might as well be sold. We're hardly going to get torn apart in the heart of midfield by Song and Diaby/Denilson.

Mascherano to take care of Fabregas - and I'll back Aquilani and Gerrard in to take charge of the situation against Song and Diaby/Denilson.

 

[Dagger5]

What was the idea with Aquilani then?

Spend 20m on a player to warm the pine every game?

If he doesn't play this game he might as well be sold. We're hardly going to get torn apart in the heart of midfield by Song and Diaby/Denilson.

Mascherano to take care of Fabregas - and I'll back Aquilani and Gerrard in to take charge of the situation against Song and Diaby/Denilson.

Hopefully Rafa thinks that way aswell.

We are just going to have to see who is wearing the white bibs in training. It has been confirmed that in most cases that the players that start were wearing white bibs in training before games.

 

[Nuke Fremantle]

One last thing about the derby, I heard Damien Lovelock on Sportsline talking about the Fellaini/Kyrgiakos incident;

"They should really change his name to Felony"

As for team selection against Arse, the complicating factor is that our team will be knackered after playing 60 minutes with 10 men. There'll be a few sore shins as well.

I think that means at least a couple of changes in addition to the forced change of Kyrgiakos. Riera, Skrtel and Aquaman would have to be candidates. Aurelio has recovered from his 937th injury and Insua needs a break but I think Rafa will stick with him.

Reina
Carra Skrtel Agger Insua
Masch Aquilani
Kuyt Gerrard Riera
Ngog

 

[jod23]

Id expect a few changes given we played with 10 men for 60 minutes and it's only been 3 or so days between games. Obviously one enforced change with the Greek sitting out. Id like us to play Aqua in front of Lucas, we just dont need two defensive midfielders against Arsenal. They do pass the ball well and attack well but Denilson, Diaby and or Song shouldnt overrun Masch on his own, never mind whoever else is in midfield, be it, Aqua or Gerrard.

They are in poor form and really low on confidence, we are on a good run and high on confidence. We've never won at Emirates though and we are not at full strength. Should be a terrific game. I would absolutely love an early goal, they could drop there heads and we might run away with it.

 

[imkindofabigdeal]

Definitely agree that the Greek deserved his red card, I disagree about your assessment of Fellaini, on both counts though. I thought he should have been sent off for his challenge on the Greek and should have been booked for kicking the ball into Kuyt's face earlier.

Ok maybe he should have been booked for kicking the ball into Kuyt, but he def should have been sent off for having his knee collect him on the cheek in the same action.

Absolute disgrace, i can only assume the ref and his assistants did not see any of it. I could certainly see the after effects in the post match interview.

 

[LFTWNG11]

Pepe is now only 1 behind on league cleansheets.

With how shocking our defence has generally been, just show's he's class. He's been much better dealing with corners and crosses this year too, which had been the only minor issue with his game.

Still very young in keeper terms. Absolute gun. Should be given a 10 year contract.

Something we agree on, the bloke is so unlucky that he is behind Casillias for the national team.

Agree with everyone picking Agger this week, ideally he would be in there every week, but what are the odds of him pulling up good for a mid week game, seeing as he can barely string 2 games together even with a weeks rest?

 

[grimlock]

What was the idea with Aquilani then?

Spend 20m on a player to warm the pine every game?

If he doesn't play this game he might as well be sold. We're hardly going to get torn apart in the heart of midfield by Song and Diaby/Denilson.

Mascherano to take care of Fabregas - and I'll back Aquilani and Gerrard in to take charge of the situation against Song and Diaby/Denilson.

I don't know, you're asking me to explain Rafa logic. The fact remains is he has preferred his lovechild Lucas over Aquilani all bar one game, against Bolton at home. Against Arsenal I just don't see Aquilani over Lucas. If Aquilani is going to play it's going to be up forward.

 

[archiemoses]

I can't see Rafa deviating from playing both Masch and Lucas.

Arsenal will be playing the ball on the ground and will get in behind us. Lucas and Masch will be crucial in crowding that space. They need to perform their role perfectly.

I just can't believe that we have had this much success recently without Torres or a fit Gerrard.

The lads are really playing for the shirt. If I told you we would get 17 points out of a possible 21, everyone here would have taken it.

Some credit must go to Rafa, even if the football we are playing is far from exciting.

 

[TorresIsGod]

I get the feeling that Riera will replace Maxi on the left and Dagger will replace the Greek in the centre of defence.

Apart from that, I cannot see any other changes.

Reina
Carra Skrtel Dagger Insua
Masch Lucas
Kuyt Gerrard Riera
Ngog

I think Ngog should start up front again, he played well before the Everton game and I have only seen bits and pieces of the Everton game so far but from what I saw, he wasn't the worst player. I'd definitely keep him up front; if their central defence pushes up too far, he has enough pace to exploit it.

With Masch holding with Lucas (who has been getting a bit further forward of late) we shouldn't be over-run against their midfield. It's stopping Arshavin that is the key and then we should be okay.

Even though we have a poor record at the Emirates, as Jod said, an early goal will be awesome, it may cause Arsenal to drop their heads and lose their confidence. It also could fire Arsenal up, so who knows, but... I just hope we play some good football and go there to win.

 

[kane249]

The other key is to not let Arshavin get one millimetre of space, he sure does love playing against us

 

[TorresIsGod]

Well, he can have 1mm of space, just no-where near the goals, because that's where he'll kill us.

I mean, he can get the ball in his own half, he wont do any damage there, just hack him down every time he gets the ball near the goals and we'll be right.

 

[archiemoses]

Well, he can have 1mm of space, just no-where near the goals, because that's where he'll kill us.

I mean, he can get the ball in his own half, he wont do any damage there, just hack him down every time he gets the ball near the goals and we'll be right.

In pro evolution I have a chop on sight policy for C Ronaldo. As you said TiG, this needs to be applied to Arshavin.

I wish he played for liverpool.

 

[TorresIsGod]

Yeah, hacking him down seems like the only way we're going to be able to stop him.

As I said previously, he'll get a fair bit of space in his own half, but it's just when he gets the ball in our half that I'll get worried. He always kills us for some reason, maybe it's because he really wanted to join us and is just proving a point to Rafa for buying Keano instead of him.

But I'm actually quite confident about this game, I really do think we can win, I haven't been this confident for a while, especially against a big club, but I just have this feeling that they're ripe for the picking at the moment.

 

[jod23]

I get the feeling that Riera will replace Maxi on the left and Dagger will replace the Greek in the centre of defence.

Apart from that, I cannot see any other changes.

Reina
Carra Skrtel Dagger Insua
Masch Lucas
Kuyt Gerrard Riera
Ngog

Even though we have a poor record at the Emirates, as Jod said, an early goal will be awesome, it may cause Arsenal to drop their heads and lose their confidence. It also could fire Arsenal up, so who knows, but... I just hope we play some good football and go there to win.

I like that 11, Riera was playing really well before he was rested in the Derby. An early goal is crucial. Arsenal's confidence is so low right now that an early goal could completely crush there spirit. Plus with our defensive record of late, who's to say we cant hold out and win 1-0.

Im confident we can get a result. A point at the emirates wouldnt be horrible either, all three is the dream though.

 

[Corrosion]

I like that 11, Riera was playing really well before he was rested in the Derby. An early goal is crucial. Arsenal's confidence is so low right now that an early goal could completely crush there spirit. Plus with our defensive record of late, who's to say we cant hold out and win 1-0.

Im confident we can get a result. A point at the emirates wouldnt be horrible either, all three is the dream though.

We aren't playing like a side low on confidence. We were beaten by the two best teams in the league and never stopped trying in each game. The team know where they stand.