Game Thread vs Utrecht (a).

[col06]

Don't you see potential in Babel?

 

3 years ago we did now where just banging our heads against a brick wall

[He-Him]

poll shenanigans aside, we need to push for fourth - big ask but that's our target for the season. I'd like to see us do well in both, obviously.

[stardorman]

i was really looking 4ward to the utrecht game. bit disappointed now thou, patches, amoo, suso all played yesterday for the ressies, meaning they'll most likely not feature tomoz!! :(

[aiyic]

We should deffo go with a decent team - not that I think the Northampton team was weak, but just not thought out. There is great reward for 'the kids when they play with the big boys, I don't think there is much merit in playing with their reserve mate in senior games en-masse.

 

It's much more rewarding and confidence-boosting to say to a ressie that he gets to pass to Torres, or get a lesson from Gerrard. I don't think they learn anything, well certainly not efficiently. They have to be made feel they are part of something.

 

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

 

Kelly------Skrtel---Agger---Konchesky

 

Gerrard---Shelvey

 

Kuyt------Pacheco------Jova

 

---------Ngog

 

 

But the bench must have Torres, Carra, Mereiles, Cole as top back-up. This has the double effect of letting the lads know that they are being given a vote of confidence, and that more senior are on the bench behind them if it gets iffy.

 

The reason I'd have Shelvey on with Gerrard, is that Gerrard can give on-the-job training, seeing as they are from the same mould, of sorts.

 

It's also imperative that we give those CBs as much running in together, as they are (seemingly) our future pairing. So that's only three changes that could be considered bleeding-in of youth - not wholesale changes that achieve no continuum.

 

*Just read Stardoman's piece about Patches having played in ressies - so change that to Cole. But surely Pacheco is fresh and hungry enough to travel.*

Edited September 28, 2010 by aiyic

[PaulMcC]

Close to full strength team. Play Kelly though.

 

We need to get the team playing well.

[Guest TK-421]

It'll be magic to see Dirk back on his home turf. Born to score.

[rb14]

I'd play the same team that we played against Northampton.

I like this. "You fucked it last time. Now sort it out." I can't imagine how fired up they'd be. And those who don't work their tits off, don't show the passion and fire needed can be fairly safely discarded. Good idea.

[aiyic]

I like this. "You fucked it last time. Now sort it out." I can't imagine how fired up they'd be. And those who don't work their tits off, don't show the passion and fire needed can be fairly safely discarded. Good idea.

 

I think it's a bad idea. It was a mistake to play with 11 changes, no stars, and no stars on the bench. So this would in effect, be Hodgson putting himself and his ideas before the club. It would be like him saying that the team has to prove that he was right in the first place, were as most would agree that 11 changes is a mistake because there is no continuity of his ideas.

[PaulMcC]

Gerrard and Agger haven't travelled.

[Faustus]

Any ideas who'll be at left back for this? Maybe Johnson? *shudders*

[Guest LFD]

I'm guessing it will be Kelly.

[bastard oot]

Gerrard and Agger haven't travelled.

 

so we better be ready for the "gerrard to madrid" stories in the morning:biggrin:

[Pidge]

Any ideas who'll be at left back for this? Maybe Johnson? *shudders*

 

Fabio?

 

 

just kidding...

[scous3r]

Cannot believe Pacheco is not on the bench

[Pidge]

Liverpool (from): Reina, Jones, Johnson, Kelly, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Carragher, Shelvey, Poulsen, Lucas, Rodriguez, Spearing, Babel, Meireles, Jovanovic, Cole, Kuyt, Eccleston, Ngog, Torres.

 

Kelly LB I assume.

[mypost]

so we better be ready for the "gerrard to madrid" stories in the morning:biggrin:

 

That's probably not a joke.:|

 

AGENDA:

Europa League Group K Game 2/6: v Utrecht (a)

KO: 17:00 GMT/18:00 Liverpool/19:00 Local 30 September

UK Broadcaster: ITV Sport 4

Web: Streams

 

Despite Gerrard's absence, it looks like a strong squad sent out. A win will keep us on course for top spot and an easier draw for the first of the knockout rounds.

[llego]

That's probably not a joke.:|

 

AGENDA:

Europa League Group K Game 2/6: v Utrecht (a)

KO: 17:00 GMT/18:00 Liverpool/19:00 Local 30 September

UK Broadcaster: ITV Sport 4

Web: Streams

 

Despite Gerrard's absence, it looks like a strong squad sent out. A win will keep us on course for top spot and an easier draw for the first of the knockout rounds.

 

What the fuck is up with your AGENDA: shite

[Coro]

Reina, Johnson, Carra, Skrtel, Kelly, Kuyt, Lucas, Poulsen, Jovanovic, Cole, Torres

[llego]

Reina, Johnson, Carra, Skrtel, Kelly, Kuyt, Lucas, Poulsen, Jovanovic, Cole, Torres

 

Dreadful. No Meireles? No Shelvey? Lucas-Poulsen AGAIN?

 

How are we supposed to like this guy.

[Whelan]

He doesn't help himself you know!

 

Am I being over dramatic in thinking, that maybe Roy wants him to go?

 

Stop the injury excuses, Hodgson tells Torres - European, Football - The Independent

 

 

By Tim Rich in Utrecht

 

 

Thursday, 30 September 2010

 

Roy Hodgson: 'It serves no purpose to bring up the two clubs' respective histories. They are irrelevant. It is Utrecht 2010 versus Liverpool 2010'

 

Roy Hodgson admitted there were lessons to be learned from Liverpool's Carling Cup humbling by Northampton last week but that the main one was to have firepower on the bench.

 

 

That, the manager said, was one reason he had taken Fernando Torres to the Netherlands. The other was that the striker can no longer be considered a player feeling his way back from injury. According to Hodgson, there should be no more excuses for Liverpool's most valuable footballer.

 

"The injury problems are behind him," he said going into this evening's Europa League group match here. "You can't bring those up any more. They were supposedly cleared up before he went to the World Cup but, because he didn't meet up with some people's expectations in South Africa, there were theories. But he was clear of injury over there, and the one he picked up in the final was very minor – and had cleared up before he got back to us for pre-season."

 

There would ordinarily be no point in flying Torres from Merseyside, where Steven Gerrard has remained as a precaution against a back problem, unless he was going to start in the Galgenwaard Stadium. However, the bitter experience of the Carling Cup lingers: Hodgson selected a bench of academy products, leaving him with no cards to play when Northampton began tearing into his back four in the rain. However, his argument that going out on penalties was not a "football defeat" would cut little ice at a club that won two European Cups in shoot-outs.

 

"One of the benefits of having Torres here is that when you are drawing or losing to Northampton and you have left all your best players out to prepare, you would like to have them available to change things," said Hodgson. "Maybe that's one of the things I learned from last week – but I learned a lot of things last week." One of the most telling is a realisation that the squad players left him by Rafael Benitez are not good enough.

 

The Galgenwaard's press room walls carry many reminders of the Dutch title Utrecht celebrated in 1958. In contrast to Liverpool, there has not been much silverware since, although Dirk Kuyt, who started off at Utrecht, said the Dutch Cup he lifted here was more than he had won at Anfield.

 

Also, this Utrecht are deceptively dangerous – ask Neil Lennon, who watched disbelievingly as his Celtic side were routed in last month's qualifier. Utrecht were also good enough to force a goalless draw with Napoli.

 

"I wouldn't say Dutch club football is enjoying a renaissance, but it is going through a good period," said Hodgson. "It serves no purpose to bring up the two clubs' respective histories. They are irrelevant. It is Utrecht 2010 versus Liverpool 2010."

Edited September 30, 2010 by Whelan

[Ted]

Er, he didn't actually say what the headline would have you believe.

[Whelan]

Er, he didn't actually say what the headline would have you believe.

 

Yeah, that is a good point, it is quite misleading the headline, but that is usually the way with the press!

 

But he did say;

 

"The injury problems are behind him," he said going into this evening's Europa League group match here. "You can't bring those up any more. They were supposedly cleared up before he went to the World Cup but, because he didn't meet up with some people's expectations in South Africa, there were theories. But he was clear of injury over there, and the one he picked up in the final was very minor – and had cleared up before he got back to us for pre-season"

 

I have no problem with him thinking this, nor saying it, but I do have a problem with him saying it via the press!

[ngogswilly]

It seems like one of those articles that might be taken out of context a bit.

 

Anyway, the problem with Nando isnt injuries, its roys shit tactics leaving him totally isolated up front.

[Silly season]

Why didn't Stevie an Agger go? Anybody know?

[kacangpool]

we should win this one, we are better in europe anyways.