Team V Haifa

[Paco]

----------------------------Reina--------------------------

Finnan---------------Carra------- Hyypia---------------Riise

 

Gerrard--------------Alonso------Sissoko-------------Zenden

 

--------------------Bellamy------Crouch--------------------

 

why?

 

back 5 picks itself after last season. Sissoko allows Alonso to just worry about finding players. Gerrard can wander in from the right. Bellamy and Crouch up front to see ihow they play together.

 

I'd have kewell on before Zenden but I think he is injured, Gonzalez has not impressed me in pre-season, I would however bring him and Pennant on in the second half when haifa are tired and their pace can stretch them. Fowler will probably come on for crouch after an hour or so.

 

Please Rafa no kids,play them in the carling cup, this game is way to important for experimentation.

[aws]

I'd play Pennant and stick Alonso on the bench as he's hardly done any pre-season.Otherwise I'd pick the same side.

[wiiksie]

I'd play Pennant and stick Alonso on the bench as he's hardly done any pre-season.Otherwise I'd pick the same side.

good shout. Id be tempted to start with Gonzales too, all guns blazing at home approach.

[coop]

----------------------------Reina--------------------------

 

Finnan---------------Carra------- Hyypia---------------Riise

 

Pennant--------------Alonso------Sissoko-------------Gonzalez

 

----------------------------Gerrard---------------------------

 

-----------------------------Bellamy--------------------------

 

That team would tear them and a lot of teams in the Premiership a new arsehole.

[Paco]

I'd play Pennant and stick Alonso on the bench as he's hardly done any pre-season.Otherwise I'd pick the same side.

 

Alonso is naturally very fit though, remember when he came straight back into the side after 3-4 months out in the match away to Juve in 2005, played the whole match, worked his arse off. I wouldn't have any reservations about Xabi's fitness, despite the lack of pre-season games. The rest was probably of more benfit to him.

[Paco]

----------------------------Reina--------------------------

 

Finnan---------------Carra------- Hyypia---------------Riise

 

Pennant--------------Alonso------Sissoko-------------Gonzalez

 

----------------------------Gerrard---------------------------

 

-----------------------------Bellamy--------------------------

 

That team would tear them and a lot of teams in the Premiership a new arsehole.

 

Bellamy wouldn't be much use on his own up front.

[coop]

Hardly on his own - Gerrard there supporting him - that formation has everything - pace, power and aggression and would be difficult to play against.

[kopitegaz]

Reina

Finnan

Hyypia

Carra

Riise

Gerrard

Sissoko

Alonso

Gonzalez

Bellamy

Crouch

 

Subs

Carson

Fowler

Zenden

Pennant

Aurellio

Kromkamp

Anderson

[BorizJeltzin]

----------------------------Reina--------------------------

Finnan---------------Carra------- Hyypia---------------Riise

 

Gerrard--------------Alonso------Sissoko-------------Speedy

 

--------------------Bellamy------Crouch--------------------

[Paco]

Hardly on his own - Gerrard there supporting him - that formation has everything - pace, power and aggression and would be difficult to play against.

 

Gerrard is not a second striker.

[Jose Jones]

Reina

Finnan

Hyypia

Carra

Riise

Gerrard

Sissoko

Alonso

Gonzalez

Bellamy

Crouch

 

Subs

Carson

Fowler

Zenden

Pennant

Aurellio

Kromkamp

Anderson

 

Garcia?

[coop]

No but he can support the striker. Some of our best performances last season when he was playing behind Crouch - ie against Newcastle at Home.

[kopitegaz]

Garcia?

 

 

Drinks Sangria. Just testing.. Well done, you have passed :$ (ahem).

 

Right then - Garcia on bench instead of Anderson.

[Paco]

Garcia?

 

thought he was injured? same with aurelio.

[ScouseAndy]

thought he was injured? same with aurelio.

 

If he's injured fair enough but otherwise surprised each team so far excludes him!

 

For me...

 

Reina

Finnan

Carra

Hyppia

Riise

Gerrard

Sissoko

Alonso

Garcia

Bellamy

Crouch

 

Not the time for bedding in too many new players imo.

[Paco]

No but he can support the striker. Some of our best performances last season when he was playing behind Crouch - ie against Newcastle at Home.

 

Granted, but bellamy cannot do the same holding up, laying the ball off job crouch can do. he's clearly a speed merchant who will thrive on having the ball played in front of him from Xabi and Stevie or looking for lay offs and knock downs from crouch.

[Kurt]

thought he was injured? same with aurelio.

 

He did come on as a sub against Mainz... so i would think he is fit again. He also looked sharp against Kaiserslauteren, so i think Garcia will play.

[The-Sir]

Isnt Finnan injured too?

[coop]

Taken from the Echo

 

Benitez's striking options may be limited for tomorrow's £12m clash as Robbie Fowler struggles to overcome a knee injury.

 

Fabio Aurelio is also trying to recover from a calf injury, but on a brighter note both Mark Gonzalez and Steve Finnan, who missed Friday's defeat to Mainz, are expected to be named in the squad.

 

Meanwhile, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard's hopes of being named England skipper ahead of Chelsea's John Terry are improving.

 

England boss Steve McClaren has been canvassing opinion amongst senior England internationals, with Gerrard the most popular choice.

[Bob]

that article sums up the change between sven and mclaren, sven picked the most popular player in the public, mclaren picking the most popular player in the team, neither making their own decision beased on the qualities he can see.

 

dont know why it bothers me, but mclaren is a muppet.

[Paco]

that article sums up the change between sven and mclaren, sven picked the most popular player in the public, mclaren picking the most popular player in the team, neither making their own decision beased on the qualities he can see.

 

dont know why it bothers me, but mclaren is a muppet.

 

 

I don't give a fuck if Salman Rushdie is going to be England Captain. this is a liverpool thread for liverpool fans, we'll have no rubbish here.

[Paul Don]

that article sums up the change between sven and mclaren, sven picked the most popular player in the public, mclaren picking the most popular player in the team, neither making their own decision beased on the qualities he can see.

 

dont know why it bothers me, but mclaren is a muppet.

 

Indeed. Managers should manage not canvas opinion so as not to upset the wrong people. Then again, when it comes to the whole England set up, nothing comes as a surprise.

 

The greater part of me doesn't want Gerrard to get the captaincy as he'll be 'England captain Steven Gerrard', even when England aren't playing. It might be beneficial to him on a personal level though as he seems to thrive on the responsibility.

[Section_31]

Need lots of experience here lads, its a cup-final.

 

.......................................Reina....................................

 

Finan.....................Hyypia............Carra.................Riise

 

 

Gerrard..................Momo.................Xabi...............Gonzalez

 

 

..................................Bellamy.....Crouch...........................

 

 

Included Gonzalez due to Kewells injury, I hope he's got the fitness for it, if not then i'd put Warnock at LB with JAR on the left...

[Paco]

Need lots of experience here lads, its a cup-final.

 

.......................................Reina....................................

 

Finan.....................Hyypia............Carra.................Riise

 

 

Gerrard..................Momo.................Xabi...............Gonzalez

 

 

..................................Bellamy.....Crouch...........................

 

 

Included Gonzalez due to Kewells injury, I hope he's got the fitness for it, if not then i'd put Warnock at LB with JAR on the left...

 

you hate Zenden don't you

[Paco]

here's the squad:Reina, Carson, Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Garcia, Gerrard, Alonso, Pennant, Bellamy, Crouch, Paletta, Kromkamp, Zenden, Sissoko, Gonzalez.

 

we only have two recognised forwards

 

And a super sub