Stoke City - Home - 17th Aug

[Bobby Hundreds]

Do you think Sturridge will start?

[LFC64]

See no reason why Sturridge shouldn't start, played a half against Celtic and looked sharp as ever and gave their two centre backs a torrid time. I don't like the thought of Aspas up against the likes of Huth and co., he may be physically bullied and have a similar performance to his first half against Celtic.

 

Yes I'm a bit worried we'll have the same old problems against Stoke who will be more than happy to invite us on and sit deep. Aspas will run the line and the channels all day I have no concerns about that but we need to turn those big yard dogs to get in behind. They'll lap it up if we're forced across the park and back and just cross hopefully from deep full back positions.

[DanDanShaw]

Mignolet

Enrique

Johnson

Skrtel

Agger

Lucas

Henderson

Gerrard

Coutinho

Sturridge

Borini (Sterling)

 

3-0 Liverpool. Stoke have always been shite, and under Mark Hughes will be even more shit.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Do you think Sturridge will start?

 

Yep. No doubt about it. Well, some doubt, but I reckon it's a cert.

[king7]

Just hope Mark Hughes is trying to get them to play football. That's going to be fun to watch!

[DooooodekNo5]

Just win, please.

 

On paper we have a good set of fixtures to start the season, we musn't fall off the pace from the start, if we do its another long hard season ahead.

 

First 10 games we want something like 6 2 2 or 6 3 1, need 6 wins for sure, 3 or 4 is not good enough, 5 is the minimum.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

I just hope they're not one of those sides who put in all their effort in the first few games under a new manager and then proceed to roll over for every other team.

[PaulMcC]

I'd play

 

Mignolet

 

Johnson

Enrique

Agger

Skrtel

 

Lucas

Gerrard

Henderson

 

Coutinho

Aspas

Sturride.

 

Coutinho can go wherever he wants and Henderson can do everyone's running like he always does.

[kalasoma]

I'd probably start Henderson ahead of Allen against the neanderthals.

[MLB]

Stoke are probably the third or fourth worst team in the league on paper. If we defend set pieces reasonably well then we should snot them.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I'd probably start Henderson ahead of Allen against the neanderthals.

 

I would too, but I'd be shocked if it's not that side I posted up on the first page. I'd play Coates too. We've no pace to worry about, just height. I would playHenderson and Lucas as the two more defensive players and Gerrard as the more attacking.

 

Won't happen, though.

[fowler9]

I would too, but I'd be shocked if it's not that side I posted up on the first page. I'd play Coates too. We've no pace to worry about, just height. I would playHenderson and Lucas as the two more defensive players and Gerrard as the more attacking.

 

Won't happen, though.

 

I'd be surprised if Coates is still here by the end of the window so I'd say no chance of him playing but he is a player I like, has his flaws but I think he could be a bit of a rough diamond, given our current lack of experienced out and out wide players and how Stoke are likely to play I wouldn't be adverse to seeing something like this

 

-------------Mignolet---------------

-------Toure--Coates--Agger--------

Johnson---------------------Enrique

----------Lucas----Gerrard------------

---------------Coutinho--------------

----------Sturridge--Aspas------------

[Alex Gibbo]

Just win, please.

 

On paper we have a good set of fixtures to start the season, we musn't fall off the pace from the start, if we do its another long hard season ahead.

 

First 10 games we want something like 6 2 2 or 6 3 1, need 6 wins for sure, 3 or 4 is not good enough, 5 is the minimum.

 

Shall we say 20 points from the first 10 is the target?

[Dr. J]

Coutinho will be key in this game, and the season for that matter. City, when they won the league, and Chelsea last season, both gained a lot from Silva and Mata breaking teams down and penetrating defenses. Coutinho is in the same league, I think, and can make a real difference tomorrow.

 

In a way I'm glad Suarez is suspended. It will be harder for Stoke to mug Coutinho, Sturridge and Aspas as they don't carry the same baggage. I mean if they get stomped in the back they might earn a free kick.

[PaulMcC]

I'd start Henderson against any team ahead of Allen. He's earned his place after 5 goals and 6 assists in his last 13 appearances.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I'd be surprised if Coates is still here by the end of the window so I'd say no chance of him playing

 

Nope, I agree. No chance. I was just saying what I'd do if I was picking the side. I think we will go with the one I put up earlier. Nailed on, in my opinion.

[MLB]

Shall we say 20 points from the first 10 is the target?

 

 

100% achievable.

[smilezzz]

 

I'd be surprised if Coates is still here by the end of the window so I'd say no chance of him playing but he is a player I like' date=' has his flaws but I think he could be a bit of a rough diamond, given our current lack of experienced out and out wide players and how Stoke are likely to play I wouldn't be adverse to seeing something like this

 

-------------Mignolet---------------

-------Toure--Coates--Agger--------

Johnson---------------------Enrique

----------Lucas----Gerrard------------

---------------Coutinho--------------

----------Sturridge--Aspas------------[/quote']

 

I like that line up, id swap Coates for Skrtel though.

[RedRazor]

Just win, please.

 

On paper we have a good set of fixtures to start the season, we musn't fall off the pace from the start, if we do its another long hard season ahead.

 

First 10 games we want something like 6 2 2 or 6 3 1, need 6 wins for sure, 3 or 4 is not good enough, 5 is the minimum.

 

My view is that 6 is the minimum. I know everyone (well, most people on here) is overflowing with pre-season optimism but I think our start is more important this year than for some time. If we fail to win tomorrow the teams we hope to rival will look at us and rightly assume that nothing has changed. More of the same for another season - lots of possession, lots of chances, few converted. A curate's egg of a team.

 

The alternative is that we beat Stoke and all the other no-hopers quite convincingly and get ourselves into a really healthy position going into October. It puts the pressure on the teams trying to catch us instead of the other way around as it has been for most of the last decade. My view is that the higher the league position the greater the self-belief in the whole team.

 

What we need to see is something like 7-3-0 or 8-2-0.

 

Winners win.

 

---------Mingolet-------------

Johnson, Agger, Toure, Enrique

----------Lucas--------------

-----Gerrard, Coutinho--------

Sterling,------------ Aspas

------------Borini-------------

 

Sturridge on in second half. Maybe Henderson for Sterling.

 

Fingers crossed - anything better than 2-0 will be a bonus.

[ClassyScouser]

Fucking hate Stoke hope we give them a good hiding, predicting a 3 nil win Sturridge, Aspas and Coutinho on the scoresheet. Ill take a scrappy 1 nil win thow 3 points is all that matters.

[Anubis]

Just go out and twat them. It's Mark fucking Hughes.

[Jairzinho]

Mark Hughes manages to look permanently confused.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

He manages to be totally confused a lot if the time.

[Adebisi]

I don't care how we win, I just wanna beat these shithouses so bad. I'd love it if we turned them over though, proper demolished them.

 

Just finishing off breakfast, then cracking open the drink.

[ClassyScouser]

Great excuse to get on the ale early! Fucking hammer these 5 nil as a first day of the league present.