Stoke (H) Match Thread

[Woo]

May I ask why (please note, that I haven't really seen the reserves last season)?

 

Kelly did great in preseason, but mostly as a right back. Ayala did pretty good against Spurs, I'd say.

 

Well besides being a much better defender than Ayala, naturally being a centre back, being much better for the reserves, having half a season of first team experience at Huddersfield, playing for the England U20's, and being more experienced.

 

I think Kelly has earned the right to start over Ayala, and I think he is a much much better defender than Ayala. Obviously I hope Dani does well if he plays, and he did OK against Spurs, but playing Kelly would be much less of a risk than playing Ayala, in my humble opinion of course.

[PaulMcC]

Voronin on bench I believe. Yossi for Babel, Ayala for Skrtel, otherwise I think it will be the same as started on Sunday.

 

Happy enough with that even though i'd rather have Skrtel fit.

[Thants]

Voronin on bench I believe. Yossi for Babel, Ayala for Skrtel, otherwise I think it will be the same as started on Sunday.

 

Good man Yossi. Good luck Ayala against the long throws.

[jackofdk]

Kelly must start over Ayala. Simple as that.

 

Well besides being a much better defender than Ayala, naturally being a centre back, being much better for the reserves, having half a season of first team experience at Huddersfield, playing for the England U20's, and being more experienced.

 

I think Kelly has earned the right to start over Ayala, and I think he is a much much better defender than Ayala. Obviously I hope Dani does well if he plays, and he did OK against Spurs, but playing Kelly would be much less of a risk than playing Ayala, in my humble opinion of course.

¨

Cheers for the info. Is Ayala better in Kelly in the air or something?

 

Just trying to figure out why Rafa prefers Ayala.

[silverlining]

Voronin on bench I believe. Yossi for Babel, Ayala for Skrtel, otherwise I think it will be the same as started on Sunday.

 

Oh great. More Lucas.

 

Why isn't bloody Riera playing?

 

Boooooo on both counts.

[aws]

Well besides being a much better defender than Ayala, naturally being a centre back, being much better for the reserves, having half a season of first team experience at Huddersfield, playing for the England U20's, and being more experienced.

 

I think Kelly has earned the right to start over Ayala, and I think he is a much much better defender than Ayala. Obviously I hope Dani does well if he plays, and he did OK against Spurs, but playing Kelly would be much less of a risk than playing Ayala, in my humble opinion of course.

 

 

I'm a bit surprised that Ayala's got in ahead of Kelly too. Good luck to him though - he'll have his work cut out.

 

Let's hope skrtel is back for next week.

[Ted]

¨

Cheers for the info. Is Ayala better in Kelly in the air or something?

 

Just trying to figure out why Rafa prefers Ayala.

 

Nope.

[Monster Masch]

It's simple.

 

Ayala is Spanish and Kelly is English.

[jackofdk]

It's simple.

 

Ayala is Spanish and Kelly is English.

 

Do you really think that it is how Rafa decides?

[Woo]

¨

Cheers for the info. Is Ayala better in Kelly in the air or something?

 

Just trying to figure out why Rafa prefers Ayala.

 

I'd say Kelly is much better in the air than Ayala, personally. Infact, there's nothing in Ayalas game I think is on level with Kelly.

 

May just simply be a case that Ayala is one of those players Rafa think has something, and rates highly.

[SpeedyG]

I'd say Kelly is much better in the air than Ayala, personally. Infact, there's nothing in Ayalas game I think is on level with Kelly.

 

May just simply be a case that Ayala is one of those players Rafa think has something, and rates highly.

 

His long passing is better than Kelly's.

[Monster Masch]

Do you really think that it is how Rafa decides?

 

 

No, I was half joking. But I think Rafa may feel he will have to get his ideas and views across perfectly to a youngster making their debut at Anfield and it would be easier for him to relate to Ayala.

 

But Kelly is for sure the better defender of the two in all aspects.

[Ted]

His long passing is better than Kelly's.

 

Well that's gonna stop those pesky long throws.

[SpeedyG]

Well that's gonna stop those pesky long throws.

 

O_o

[aws]

No, I was half joking. But I think Rafa may feel he will have to get his ideas and views across perfectly to a youngster making their debut at Anfield and it would be easier for him to relate to Ayala.

 

But Kelly is for sure the better defender of the two in all aspects.

 

I agree about Kelly but there was an interview with the new academy coach (Burrell?) the other week and he made it clear that their number one priority is to bring through local youngsters or failing that English youngsters.

 

I don't really buy any of this spanish favouritism stuff. It's on a par with the TO giving priority to phone calls from non-0151 numbers.

[B3n]

Lucas has to play because, alongide Johnson, he was our only outfield player to come away from WHL with any credibility. Drop Mascherano or Gerrard if you want to change the midfield pair, they were both woeful last week, particularly the later who didn't seem to care and had more shots than passes.

 

Just bcause you don't like a player isn't a reason to blame him when things don't go well. He was one of the only players on Sunday who after the game can feel he deserved his place in the side... Dropping him now would be stupid for him and us.

[Ted]

That's a big bowl of wrong.

[Paul]

Even before what Dave posted I couldn't see Rafa making massive changes in response to one result and the subsequent media and internet clamour. Whatever the team is I just want a win.

[WaltonRed]

It's simple.

 

Ayala is Spanish and Kelly is English.

 

In one

[SpeedyG]

In one

 

So you think he's racist and picks players based purely on their nationality?

 

Any other takers?

[mooch84]

Lucas has to play because, alongide Johnson, he was our only outfield player to come away from WHL with any credibility.

 

Just bcause you don't like a player isn't a reason to blame him when things don't go well. He was one of the only players on Sunday who after the game can feel he deserved his place in the side... Dropping him now would be stupid for him and us.

 

I didnt say lucas had a bad game, but i usually prefer a "horses for courses" approach and think the chief and gerrard could offer us more going forward for this game, but understandably a differet approach is to keep your in form players in the team if you could class lucas as in form

[philyhamann]

So you think he's racist and picks players based purely on their nationality?

 

Any other takers?

 

I would love to butt you.

[StevieH]

Daniel Ayala will partner Jamie Carragher at the heart of Liverpool's defence against Stoke tonight - a game you can listen to live on Liverpoolfc.tv from 7.30pm BST. Martin Skrtel failed to recover from a head injury sustained against Tottenham.

 

The Reds XI in full: Reina, Insua, Johnson, Ayala, Carragher, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Kuyt, Gerrard, Torres. Subs: Cavalieri, Dossena, Voronin, Riera, Ngog, Babel, Kelly.

 

CARRA AND AYALA START VERSUS STOKE

[SpeedyG]

I would love to butt you.

 

Get it right. You would love to try

[SpeedyG]

Daniel Ayala will partner Jamie Carragher at the heart of Liverpool's defence against Stoke tonight - a game you can listen to live on Liverpoolfc.tv from 7.30pm BST. Martin Skrtel failed to recover from a head injury sustained against Tottenham.

 

The Reds XI in full: Reina, Insua, Johnson, Ayala, Carragher, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Kuyt, Gerrard, Torres. Subs: Cavalieri, Dossena, Voronin, Riera, Ngog, Babel, Kelly.

 

CARRA AND AYALA START VERSUS STOKE

 

Big big test for the lad. Wish him well.