Birmingham match

[straight_red]

What are people's thoughts on the Birmingham game? Last season we probably would have walked it, but as this Premier League football article points out there's reasons to think we'll struggle. I'm hoping for a narrow win but nothing surprises me now...

[sir roger]

Huge effort last night, can't see us putting in a great performance & just hoping for a win of any sort.

 

Expect the team to be similar to last night , with Maxi in for Babel.

 

I personally would go 442 as I don't think Brum are all that & we made chances against them at home even without Torres as I remember.

[Guest LFD]

Craft over graft.

 

That means Benayoun or Maxi over Kuyt.

 

Aquilani or Gerrard in centre midfield over Lucas.

[Hermes]

Craft over graft.

 

That means Benayoun or Maxi over Kuyt.

 

Aquilani or Gerrard in centre midfield over Lucas.

 

Agreed. We certainly don't want Kuyt or Lucas against a struggling team.

[Spy Bee]

I'm going to be protesting against Iran's continuing development of nuclear weapon technologies by going out all day on the ale on Sunday. I predict a Torres hatrick.

[Guest LFD]

Agreed. We certainly don't want Kuyt or Lucas against a struggling team.

 

I think both will start, unfortunately.

[Hermes]

I think both will start unfortunately.

 

They usually do start unfortunately, let's hope they don't continue it for the whole 90 minutes this time.

[Crazyhorse7778]

Potential banana skin.

[BolshieBastard]

Hoping for 3 points, expecting 1.

[redfromtubebar]

We have to be extremely positive in every game left now so no excuses not to pick our most adventurous team in this one.

 

Personally, I'd play the same team that started against Sunderland. I'm sure Maxi will play so the only question mark is whether Rafa goes with Lucas/Masch or Gerrard/Masch in the middle. Babel would seem likely to be the one to miss out if he went with Lucas.

 

On a side note, does anybody else feel that, for all his faults, we look a lot more likely to score with Babel in the team? It's good to have somebody so direct in the side.

 

I'd go 4-4-2 with Kuyt up alongside Torres. We'll make chances if we go at them.

[Shreddy]

Well to be honest kuyt has been in great form lately so i want him to start this one but lucas can just stay at the bench

 

My team :

 

Reina

Johnson carra agger insua

Gerrard mascherano

Kuyt maxi/benny babel

Torres

[Lucky Pierre]

Maxi will play as he can't play in the Wafer. Maybe Babel for the same reason. Probably the same team as Sunderland.

[sir roger]

We have to be extremely positive in every game left now so no excuses not to pick our most adventurous team in this one.

 

Personally, I'd play the same team that started against Sunderland. I'm sure Maxi will play so the only question mark is whether Rafa goes with Lucas/Masch or Gerrard/Masch in the middle. Babel would seem likely to be the one to miss out if he went with Lucas.

 

On a side note, does anybody else feel that, for all his faults, we look a lot more likely to score with Babel in the team? It's good to have somebody so direct in the side.

I'd go 4-4-2 with Kuyt up alongside Torres. We'll make chances if we go at them.

 

Sometimes just keeping the full back occupied by the touchline means they can't tuck in & have 4 defenders on the edge of the box waiting for Torres & Gerrard.

 

I am amzed however we haven't seen Babel tried on the right at all since West Ham ( & that scandy team in pre-season )

[05 Milan]

If there's one type of game where Rafa has continually made the same mistakes every year, it's the one we're playing on sunday. Birmingham are not a bad team by any means this season, but they are the type of side we always show way too much respect. We always seem to try to keep it goalless until around 50-60 minutes and then try to win the game. That gameplan is normally runied by a) we concede as a result of our defensive approach allowing them into the game and gain confidence, or b) end the match goalless as a result of waiting too long to twist the knife.

 

In every game against teams outside the top 6 we should go out with a clear attacking intent from the off, whether it's home or away. Sometimes this isn't always possible if players are tired or the other team is performing well above average. But when you see such a negative approach to these games over so many years now, you recognize that it's systematic, and it is highly frustrating that Rafa hasn't rooted this flaw out of his system.

[05 Milan]

Reina

Johnson Agger Carra Insua

Babel Masch Gerrard Yossi

Torres Kuyt

[Hermes]

Birmingham had a great run of form but that form has gone. They are now playing at the expected level. There is no need to show them respect, we should go there with the intention of imposing ourselves on them not trying to contain them.

[cmuller]

Same team as Sunderland for me. Even though I think Gerrard is starting to wane very slightly he still adds much more than the other options. Also be good to see the faith kept in Babel - he's done well recently and is arguably the best bet we've got on the left considering Yossi's form.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Birmingham have been hard to break down for the majority of the season, will be a hard game to win. But if we want 4th spot then we have to win it.

[BolshieBastard]

If there's one type of game where Rafa has continually made the same mistakes every year, it's the one we're playing on sunday. Birmingham are not a bad team by any means this season, but they are the type of side we always show way too much respect. We always seem to try to keep it goalless until around 50-60 minutes and then try to win the game. That gameplan is normally runied by a) we concede as a result of our defensive approach allowing them into the game and gain confidence, or b) end the match goalless as a result of waiting too long to twist the knife.

 

In every game against teams outside the top 6 we should go out with a clear attacking intent from the off, whether it's home or away. Sometimes this isn't always possible if players are tired or the other team is performing well above average. But when you see such a negative approach to these games over so many years now, you recognize that it's systematic, and it is highly frustrating that Rafa hasn't rooted this flaw out of his system.

 

Aint this always the case though. I really dont expect to see any difference. It'll be defend, defend, defend until the hour mark. Could well be too late by then.

[Jack the Sipper]

Reina

Johnson Zorba Carra Agger

Maxi Gerrard Masch Babel/Benny

Kuyt/N'Gog Torres

[lebron]

Birmingham have been hard to break down for the majority of the season, will be a hard game to win. But if we want 4th spot then we have to win it.

 

I think a draw tomorrow will be enough if we win our remaining matches. Tomorrow to me represents just a difficult task as Chelsea at home. Main reasons being:

 

1. Birmingham is a tough team to beat at their place (not lost there since September).

2. Our away form has been dreadful all year.

3. Our key players tend to perform better in the comfortable surroundings at Anfield (yes, that's you Torres and Gerrard - man up!)

4. We've been given some pretty harsh refereeing displays away from home this year, Sunday will see Martin Atkinson at the helm:whoops: Expect Torres to continue being clattered from behind, Birmingham's back four is probably the most physical in the league, and Atkinson will allow murder from them, mark my words!

5. We've never beaten Birmingham under Rafa (see 05 Milans analysis - even if I am more in the "pro Rafa camp", it's hard to disagree with what he's saying there.)

 

Reasons why I still believe we can sneak a victory:

 

The main players seem a bit more positive, so does the coach.

We are near full strength attacking-wise.

Their early season form seems to have waned a bit.

 

 

Having studied the remaining fixtures, if we can equal Spurs result this weekend we'll have a great chance at 4th place. I really hope Sunderland do us a favour, perhaps the drubbing we gave them will make them extra determined to show what they can do? A win for Spurs and loss for us will mean that they need to pick up very few points on their games against the "big three" and City for us to stand a chance...

[Ezekiel 25:17]

Good time to play them, have lost there way a bit and are not the team they were a month or two ago, regardless it will be a tight, tough game, 1 goal in it, innit.

[Wingman]

I think a draw tomorrow will be enough if we win our remaining matches. Tomorrow to me represents just a difficult task as Chelsea at home. Main reasons being:

 

1. Birmingham is a tough team to beat at their place (not lost there since September).

2. Our away form has been dreadful all year.

3. Our key players tend to perform better in the comfortable surroundings at Anfield (yes, that's you Torres and Gerrard - man up!)

4. We've been given some pretty harsh refereeing displays away from home this year, Sunday will see Martin Atkinson at the helm:whoops: Expect Torres to continue being clattered from behind, Birmingham's back four is probably the most physical in the league, and Atkinson will allow murder from them, mark my words!

5. We've never beaten Birmingham under Rafa (see 05 Milans analysis - even if I am more in the "pro Rafa camp", it's hard to disagree with what he's saying there.)

 

Reasons why I still believe we can sneak a victory:

 

The main players seem a bit more positive, so does the coach.

We are near full strength attacking-wise.

Their early season form seems to have waned a bit.

 

 

Having studied the remaining fixtures, if we can equal Spurs result this weekend we'll have a great chance at 4th place. I really hope Sunderland do us a favour, perhaps the drubbing we gave them will make them extra determined to show what they can do? A win for Spurs and loss for us will mean that they need to pick up very few points on their games against the "big three" and City for us to stand a chance...

 

I agree with most of this but I can't see us getting fourth unless we take 4 points from this and the Chelsea game. The rest should be gimmees.

[George Costanza]

Good time to play them, have lost there way a bit and are not the team they were a month or two ago, regardless it will be a tight, tough game, 1 goal in it, innit.

 

Yep they aren't inn the form they were a couple of months ago.

 

We won't... but if we did go there with a positive attacking mentality... we'll win comfortably.

 

I'd play

 

Reina

Johnson-Carra-Agger-Insua

Maxi-Gerrard-Masch-Babel

Kuyt-Torres

 

Get at them early and if all goes to plan and we're 2 up with 30 mins left i'd bring on Benninoon, Lucas & N'gog for Gerrard, Torres and Dirk.

[stringvest]

I'd play Maxi for Kuyt, and tell them to go all out for the win.

 

Kuyt was man of the match for us against Benfica, and played really well in relative terms, but in absolute terms was average. We know the rest of them can play much better, and some of them will. We should win handsomely.