Liverpool v Lyon (20/10/09)

[Unrighteous]

I dunno... Winning the Europa League would at least be a trophy.

[Brownie]

Confirmed.

 

Rafa Benitez has confirmed Steven Gerrard will be available for Tuesday's Champions League encounter with Lyon at Anfield - but Fernando Torres will not figure against the French side.

The duo sat out Saturday's Barclays Premier League defeat to Sunderland after failing to recover from knocks sustained while on international duty.

 

However, Gerrard trained with his teammates at Melwood this morning and will be included in the squad for the clash with Les Gones.

 

The boss told a pre-match press conference at Anfield: "Steven is fit. He has been training so hopefully he will be available tomorrow.

 

"It is important as we have had some problems with injuries since the start of the season, so having Gerrard fit is a big boost for us."

 

Meanwhile, though Torres will sit out the fixture with Lyon, the boss is hopeful he'll be able to call on the services of the Reds' No.9 for Sunday's meeting with Manchester United.

 

Benitez added: "Torres is still not ready. Hopefully he will be for the weekend, but not for this game."

 

[2pak]

French sides are shit. We'll still struggle, though. I'm going to put money on Juninho scoring a free kick and it deflects off a beach ball.

 

i think Juninho has moved on (thank god) hopefully they dont have a new set piece genius.

[Brownie]

i think Juninho has moved on (thank god) hopefully they dont have a new set piece genius.

 

Yeah he has; he plays in Qatar now.

[Rex Banner]

Holy shit why does everyone want to play 1 up front when Torres is out IT DOESN'T WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gerrard in midfield with Masch please

2 that's right 2 up front please

Play Voronin up front at least he's a striker and he's definitely fresh.

 

---------------Pepe----------------

Johnson--Carra--Agger--Insua/Fabio

Yossi----Gerrard--Mascherano--Riera

---------Voronin---Kuyt-------

 

Yossi and Kuyt could swap spots maybe but I want 2 proper strikers and I don't know how Yossi would do as an advanced striker. They could even interchange during the game, if Kuyt comes out wide Yossi comes inside and does his thing.

[gaz181]

442 for me

 

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

 

Johnson----Carra--Agger----Insua

 

Benayoun--Gerrard--Masch--Riera

 

---------Kuyt----N'Gog----------

[jackofdk]

Lucas will start, I'm sure.

[aws]

442 for me

 

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

 

Johnson----Carra--Agger----Insua

 

Benayoun--Gerrard--Masch--Riera

 

---------Kuyt----N'Gog----------

 

I think ten of those will start but Lucas will play with N'Gog dropping out.

[Red Nick]

Its a home game so I think we will win relatively easy, Bar Villa our home form has been pretty good.

 

So unlike some on here there is actually some form of form basis to come to the view that we will win.

[Liverpool lad]

The only league we can win is the fair play league - rofl

[silverlining]

The only league we can win is the fair play league - rofl

 

*Hahahahahaha! BONK!*

 

That's the sound of me, quite literally laughing my head off and the bonk noise being what the noise is that my head makes as it falls off my head and hits the floor!!!!1111111yes?

[Xherdan]

I would go with N'gog up front.

 

Going to be a very hard game for us tomorrow, but a win, of any sort, will be warmly received.

[Liverpool lad]

*Hahahahahaha! BONK!*

 

That's the sound of me, quite literally laughing my head off and the bonk noise being what the noise is that my head makes as it falls off my head and hits the floor!!!!1111111yes?

 

It is a shit joke, but I am going to get some mileage from it this season. I can feel it.

[Redzawi]

good news

 

--

 

 

Lyon travel to Liverpool without three central defenders

/ Injury news

19/10/2009

French giants Lyon will travel to Liverpool today for their Champions League clash tomorrow night, without three central defenders.

 

Lyon will arrive in England with the same squad that lost 2-0 to Sochaux on Saturday, missing Mathieu Bodmer, Jean-Alain Boumsong and Cleber Anderson.

 

As a result, French international defensive midfielder Jeremy Toulalan is expected to line-up alongside Cris in the centre of the Lyon defence.

 

Lyon are currently joint top of Ligue 1 on 20 points from nine games, they have won both their Champions League group games so far.

 

Lyon travel to Liverpool without three central defenders

Edited October 19, 2009 by Redzawi

[aws]

wouldn't it be better if Boumsong played?

[The Midnight Rambler]

Boumsong??? That's a total shitter.

[RedBrian84]

Personally, I think N'Gog has to start tomorrow. He needs to be in the side more often. Against Leeds (and yes, I am taking the opposition into account) he was strong and a willing runner. His finish shows he has an eye for goal as well. Rafa has been fairly outspoken about how good he is, so it's time he put the lad out there to prove it.

 

Babel can fuck right off.

 

I'd have:

 

Reina

 

Johnson

Carragher

Skrtel

Aurelio (although he HAS to improve on Saturday's performance, he was the worst player on the pitch)

 

Kuyt

Lucas

Mascherano

Yossi

 

Gerrard

 

Ngog

 

I think we'll win this one, although knowing us, it won't be cut and dry. Massive week goes without saying really.

[Anubis]

Can't we get some other club to play them?

 

We could get you to welcome them to their dressing room and you could put them at ease with some jokes. So at ease they'll be asleep and miss kick off.

 

EDIT : Oh, and in the absence of Torres either put Dirk up top or N'gog ahead of Twitter.

[George Costanza]

I think we've got to be bold. Gerrard should play alongside Masch. Dirk & Yossi are certs. For me its 2 from Voronin, Ngog, Babel and Riera. I'd persoanlly go for Voronin & Ngog, not sure why just a hunch.

[RedBrian84]

I think we've got to be bold. Gerrard should play alongside Masch. Dirk & Yossi are certs. For me its 2 from Voronin, Ngog, Babel and Riera. I'd persoanlly go for Voronin & Ngog, not sure why just a hunch.

 

Yeah I can see your point; I went for both Lucas and Mascherano in the centre just to give us defensive stability given our recent form and run of results. But by playing Gerrard back there and going two up top like you suggest sends out a message to Lyon that we mean business.

 

The only trouble I have with that is that our backup strikers are poor. I'd definitely go with Ngog like I suggested earlier, but I'd pick myself to play up top ahead of that shithouse Voronin.

 

I'd perhaps plump for Babel to partner Ngog in those circumstances.

[Unrighteous]

Holy shit! Toulalan is going to play as a cb? We might actually win this...

[A_S]

Reina

 

Johnson

Carra

Agger

Insua

 

Babel (has looked decent on the right recently, just average up front)

Gerrard

Mascherano

Benny

 

Kuyt

N'gog

 

Would be mine.

[JohanH]

Need to go 4-4-2 when we don't have Torres so I would go with:-

 

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

 

Johnson----Carra--Agger----Insua

 

Benayoun--Gerrard--Masch--Riera

 

---------Kuyt----N'Gog----------

[hamstrung]

I think we'll turn a corner tonight.

[aws]

Riera seems to be carrying an injury so Yossi on the left, Dirk on the right and unleash N'Gog up front.