Swansea away match thread

[fowler9]

Some nice problems for Brendan to have before this game with regards to the centre backs, Agger is vice captain and a huge player for us, Skrtel was excellent against the Scum, Kolo has been excellent upto then and Sakho is the big money new signing who is meant to be a very good player, thats without mentioning the £7million supposed top youngster! Johnson out is a big blow especially with Kelly seemingly not ready to start games

 

More worried about this game than I have about any so far but if we are at our best we will win, wouldn't surprise me if Jonjo has a blinder though!

 

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

Wisdom-----Skrtel--------------Agger----Enrique

---------------Stevie-------------Lucas--------------

Aspas-----------------Coutinho-----------Henderson

----------------------------Sturridge--------------------

 

subs

Jones

Sakho

Kelly

Allen

Alberto

Sterling

Moses

 

Seeing as there seems to be a bit of doubt over Kolo's fitness still I'd leave him out as we have enough quality as not to risk him and I think Skrtel earned his place last time out, see no reason to change the attacking personnel for this game despite Moses giving us another option there but I would swap the positions round a bit as I think we'd get more attacking impact with Aspas right, Coutinho central and Hendo left but whatever we play I imagine we'll be pretty flexible

 

Another 1-0 Sturridge will do!

[Guest LFD]

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

 

Toure---------Skrtel----------Agger--------Enrique

 

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

Henderson---------------------------------------------

-------------------------Coutinho-------------Moses

 

--------------------------Sturridge----------------------

 

 

- Skrtel deserves to keep his place.

- Think Toure would do the best job at right back and I'd like him back in the side.

- Rather see Moses over Aspas, let's have Coutinho central.

[kalasoma]

Some nice problems for Brendan to have before this game with regards to the centre backs, Agger is vice captain and a huge player for us, Skrtel was excellent against the Scum, Kolo has been excellent upto then and Sakho is the big money new signing who is meant to be a very good player, thats without mentioning the £7million supposed top youngster! Johnson out is a big blow especially with Kelly seemingly not ready to start games

 

More worried about this game than I have about any so far but if we are at our best we will win, wouldn't surprise me if Jonjo has a blinder though!

 

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

Wisdom-----Skrtel--------------Agger----Enrique

---------------Stevie-------------Lucas--------------

Aspas-----------------Coutinho-----------Henderson

----------------------------Sturridge--------------------

 

subs

Jones

Sakho

Kelly

Allen

Alberto

Sterling

Moses

 

Seeing as there seems to be a bit of doubt over Kolo's fitness still I'd leave him out as we have enough quality as not to risk him and I think Skrtel earned his place last time out, see no reason to change the attacking personnel for this game despite Moses giving us another option there but I would swap the positions round a bit as I think we'd get more attacking impact with Aspas right, Coutinho central and Hendo left but whatever we play I imagine we'll be pretty flexible

 

Another 1-0 Sturridge will do!

 

I like that line up. Although, I'd keep Aspas in the middle behind Sturridge, with Henderson right and Coutinho left (Aspas and Coutinho alternating positions throughout). With Hendo on the right, he'll be better at protecting Wisdom, who I think Swansea will single out as the younger, more inexperienced player.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

We're on a great run of form at the moment. Not just this season, but over the last 9-ish months. We're certainly improving as a side, so facing these sides - sides that can hurt you if you're not careful - away fro home doesn't seem like such an uphill struggle. As I said yesterday morning: we’ve won our last five Premier League games in a row. We’ve conceded just a single goal in our last seven league games, whilst scoring thirteen. We're unbeaten in our last eleven Premier League matches, and haven’t been beaten since March. Since then we’ve scored seventeen and conceded four. All good signs. Plus, we’ve even beaten Manchester United. We have been better than the them since we lost to them on 13th January. That’s not just partisan bravado, we’ve been better in every possible way: more clean sheets, fewer goals conceded, more goals scored, fewer games lost, and crucially, more points accrued.

 

With that in mind, going away to Swansea doesn't seem quite as tricky as it did over the last couple of seasons, when it was likely to be 'one of those games'. We could definitely lost points: last season we dropped 2 points there in November, without really doing much; the season before Rodgers' Swansea made us look very poor, taking all three points and out passing and our pressing us. We can definitely drop points again, but even without Suarez I think we've got enough to cause them problems and good players in the midfield to cope with some of their central passing.

 

There's no doubting they've got players that can hurt us, though. Michu, Hernandez and Bony being the main three attacking threats. Right little cunts on their day. I really don't want us to sit deep and defend, because letting those players have too much of the ball when we've got good players on the ball ourselves doesn't make sense. I think we need to do our best to keep the ball ourselves and play with a bit of gusto ourselves because this season they've looked a little bit open at the back at times.

 

I think Rodgers will probably bring Toure in, but that's it. I can't see Sakho or Moses (and definitely not Ilori) making it into the starting XI just yet. So I think it'll be Aspas drifting between the right and the space behind Sturridge and Coutinho doing the same on the left. I think Aspas will get more space to operate in this match, so maybe he'll impress for the first time in the league.

 

What Rodgers will probably go with, in my opinion: Mignolet; Wisdom, Toure, Agger, Enrique; Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson; Aspas, Coutinho, Sturridge. What I'd go with: Mignolet; Wisdom, Toure, Agger, Enrique; Lucas, Gerrard; Moses, Henderson, Coutinho; Sturridge. I think we might need the win, though. We seem to be pulling results out at the moment, and long may it continue. 1-2. Michu; Aspas, Coutinho.

[Guest LFD]

I think it would be wrong to drop Skrtel.

 

If a player comes into the side and performs, they should keep their place.  Otherwise what incentive is there for a player to perform?!

[James Dean]

Never mind.

[Batigol]

Wouldn't mind seeing Aspas on the bench tbh.  Even yard dogs like Williams look like they can bully him.  Throwing Moses straight in wouldn't be ideal but if it pushes Coutinho Central I'm all for it.

[fowler9]

I like that line up. Although, I'd keep Aspas in the middle behind Sturridge, with Henderson right and Coutinho left (Aspas and Coutinho alternating positions throughout). With Hendo on the right, he'll be better at protecting Wisdom, who I think Swansea will single out as the younger, more inexperienced player.

 

It is a good point regarding Hendo protecting Wisdom but then I say Wisdom is probably less likely to join in the attack than Johnson might so might not necessarily need all that much cover and I do think from an attacking point of view Henderson has probably been at his most effective on the left and Coutinho whilst brilliant everywhere could do most damage from the centre, fancy Aspas to do a job whereever

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I think it would be wrong to drop Skrtel.

 

If a player comes into the side and performs, they should keep their place.  Otherwise what incentive is there for a player to perform?!

Fair point, but Toure had been performing very well too. I'd play whoever was best suited to this game, and I'm not sure it's Skrtel, to be honest. To be honest, we've got four very decent CBs, I'd not be overly concerned with any of them starting, would you? If you saw it was Toure and Sakho, you'd think fine. If you saw Skrtel and Agger, fine. Toure and Agger, fine. Happy with that, to be honest.

[Guest LFD]

Fair point, but Toure had been performing very well too. I'd play whoever was best suited to this game, and I'm not sure it's Skrtel, to be honest. To be honest, we've got four very decent CBs, I'd not be overly concerned with any of them starting, would you? If you saw it was Toure and Sakho, you'd think fine. If you saw Skrtel and Agger, fine. Toure and Agger, fine. Happy with that, to be honest.

 

No I agree, we have four very good and different centre backs.  Happy with any of them starting for us.

 

I think toure is the best all round though, but I'd play him right back in this game with Johnson out and Skrtel playing so well vs United.

[James Dean]

Reckon it'll be Ruddock - Paletta.

[James Dean]

That Wanyama is quite shit.

[Mark M]

I think it would be wrong to drop Skrtel.

 

If a player comes into the side and performs, they should keep their place.  Otherwise what incentive is there for a player to perform?!

Agreed & after Rodgers comments on Skrtel yesterday I'd say he's definitely starting tomorrow.

He basically spoke about wanting players fighting for their chance & when they get it take it. Rodgers was very impressed and rightly so with Skrtel's performance against the Mancs.

 

For me I would like to see Wisdom RB & and Moses for Aspas.

[James Dean]

As good as Skrtel was against the mancs, I'd feel more confident with Touré alongside Agger to be honest. Maybe we'll go with 3 at the back, in which case Sakho will deffo start as you'd want at least one of the 3 being dominant in the air.

 

I won't be majorly disappointed no matter who starts though.

[TrimmTrabb]

Skrtel deserves his place after the last game, it would be hugely discouraging for him if he doesn't play.

 

But personally I don't trust him to consistently deliver based on what I've seen in the past so could understand if Kolo or Sahko come in. Wouldn't be surprised if Rodgers does go with 3 at the back with Hendo at right wing back.

 

Would also be happy to see Moses in for Aspas with Coutinho going central, no goals or assists from the little genius yet so we must be due a performance.

[Bjornebye]

I'd start Moses over Aspas tbh. 

 

I'd also play Toure and Agger over Skrtel regardless of the mancs game. 

[DooooodekNo5]

Agreed & after Rodgers comments on Skrtel yesterday I'd say he's definitely starting tomorrow.

He basically spoke about wanting players fighting for their chance & when they get it take it. Rodgers was very impressed and rightly so with Skrtel's performance against the Mancs.

 

For me I would like to see Wisdom RB & and Moses for Aspas.

 

Rodgers has done so well man management wise, other fans may take the piss because of that docu but hes got the players fighting for him and fighting for the shirt again which is hugely impressive on his part and all good for us.

[Gym Beglin]

It's not natural to have to wait this long between games, tomorrow can't come soon enough.

 

Randomly,I'd prefer to start Aspas and leave Sturridge on the bench. Let Aspas do the early running and bring Sturridge on early second half.

 

Alberto behind Aspas, with Coutinho and Moses out wide.

 

Allen to start as well, he knows this lot.

[Batigol]

Aspas, Alberto & Allen?  This isn't a league cup game.  

[MLB]

Skrtel probably deserves to start on the basis of his performance against Utd but I would definitely play Toure if he's fit. He has the better skill set to deal with Bony and Michu. I suppose we could go three at the back but I'm not sure that this is the match to do that. I don't see an obvious benefits tactically and there's no point in changing the whole structure of the side just to accommodate certain players.

 

Another good reason to start Toure is that Wisdom will probably be at right back and Swansea will surely target him. Toure's experience and organisational skills could really help in that situation.

 

The other big question is whether or not Moses will start. I would be tempted to play him as the left forward with Henderson on the right tucking in a bit to assist Coutinho when required. Aspas can then hopefully have an effect off the bench if we need fresh legs around the 70 minute mark.

 

The rest of the team pretty much picks itself at this point.

[Strontium]

I think this could be our toughest test so far.

 

I personally would have no qualms about throwing Sakho in from the start - he's our best centre back. However I would be surprised if Rodgers does that, and Skrtel did play well against United.

[Barney_Rubble]

It's not natural to have to wait this long between games, tomorrow can't come soon enough.

Actually, I am kinda glad that we've had this long break so to allow Sturridge to recover from his injury.

 

Randomly,I'd prefer to start Aspas and leave Sturridge on the bench. Let Aspas do the early running and bring Sturridge on early second half.

Alberto behind Aspas, with Coutinho and Moses out wide.

Allen to start as well, he knows this lot.

There are a few certainties in life: death, taxes... and Sturridge starting on Monday night.

 

Rodgers said as much in his interview, so I am pretty confident that would be the case (and Laudrup wining about Sturridge sort of confirms it that he is bricking it as well). Toure, if fit, should also start instead of Wisdom, me thinks.

 

I'll also play Moses instead of Aspas as well - one of the reasons we've brought the lad is to play him regularly and what better chance than having more than 2 weeks to get him up to speed and play him in a game where he will be a valuable asset on the counter, particularly where the opposition is expected to attack. So, I'll go with the team LFD posted above.

 

At the very least, we should get a draw, which puts us #topoftheleagueinnit again. Defeat should be unthinkable.

 

I'll go for a win - Sturridge scoring from about half a yard with his cock and then proceeds swiftly to do his dance in front of that whiny cunt Laudrup, Suarez style, to shut him up once and for all and to teach that moany fucker a lesson.

[Guest LFD]

Aspas, Alberto & Allen?  This isn't a league cup game.  

 

Haha!

[Megadrive Man]

Right back is the only change we should be making from the United game.

 

Due to the amount of running and attacking required in this role it actually becomes quite a difficult role to play for us. Wisdom is the most natural replacement seeing as Kelly isn't fit yet.  

[manwiththestick]

Seem like an age since the manc game, hopefully we're well rested and can reclaim top stop and sit three points clear.