Reina
Degen Carragher Kyrgiakos Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Voronin Benayoun
Torres
Goals:
Zamora 24’
Torres 42’
Nevland 72’
Dempsey 87’
Once again, you have to be kidding me. Another delicious mix of awful luck, costly mistakes, fluke goals, and questionable substitutions. Benitez is going to come under a ton of stick, and I have absolutely no defense for him. We’re in full-on damage control mode. Wednesday could literally destroy this club.
23 minutes of solid pressure, and Liverpool’s beaten with a smash-and-grab less than a minute after Benayoun smacked the crossbar. Thankfully, Torres provides a wonderful equalizer after Liverpool struggled to regain its bearings, and then Fulham goes back ahead after the striker’s questionably withdrawn in the 63rd. Nothing comes from Babel’s entrance, and Nevland notches from a fortunate break. Benayoun’s also withdrawn, and then Degen and Carra pick up straight red cards. It was only a matter of time before Fulham made it 3-1. The nine men that finished the match were Reina, Ayala, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Eccleston, Voronin, and Babel.
Either a bad virus is going around the club or Benitez put too much priority on Wednesday’s Champions League match in Lyon. In addition to Gerrard, Johnson, Aqua, Kelly, and Riera out, which we knew, Agger, Aurelio, Skrtel, Ngog, and Cavalieri didn’t make the squad. If you include El Zhar, Liverpool had a comparable XI missing. The bench was filled with youngsters such as Eccleston, Ayala, Spearing, Plessis, and Gulasci; Babel and Dossena were the only two who’ve started more than three league games.
But this can’t be blamed on injuries. On the whole, Liverpool were indefensible. Just like last season at Craven Cottage, Liverpool looked irrepressible early on, but couldn’t make it pay off. Other than the aforementioned Benayoun blast, the only remotely interesting threat was Voronin’s stumbling headed flick-cum-shot which eluded Torres in the 3rd minute.
Voronin and Benayoun dropped deeper to try and knit play, but Fulham stayed in front of them. All the possession, but no bite. Those two, along with Kuyt, have to take a lot of the blame for Liverpool’s indifference in attack. We know what we’re getting with Lucas and Mascherano, and they were solid in midfield, evidenced by the overwhelming possession. But Liverpool infrequently tested Schwartzer or teed up Torres. And then Fulham struck. Kyrgiakos looked to be the main villain, beaten on the initial header and when Zamora got between him and Insua, but it was basically Fulham's first chance.
Liverpool were completely undone by the opener. It took 15 minutes to reassert any sort of pressure, and Fulham were happy to have 10 men behind the ball daring Liverpool to break them down. Fernando Torres could. Voronin’s header looked to be going nowhere as Hughes stepped up to block, but the defender could only chest to Torres, with the striker brilliantly volleying the errant pass from the top of the box.
With Liverpool finally turning the tables, intermission probably came at an unfortunate time. The team never posed much of a threat in the second half, and Fulham had the best opportunity – Carragher narrowly avoiding a penalty when shielding Zamora – before the controversial turning point.
Rafael Benitez is often compared to a chess master. He’s definitely a hands-on, 'consider everything' tactician, who, if we’re being impudent, treats his players like chess pieces. That’s the only way to describe replacing Fernando Torres with Babel with thirty minutes to play.
I understand his reasons. Torres isn’t at full fitness, he was struggling for chances, and there’s a huge game on Wednesday where he’ll be needed thanks to the insanely depleted squad. But fans don’t care about that. Fans want Gerry Byrne playing with a broken collarbone in the FA Cup Final (look it up). Fans want Terry Butcher with blood streaming down his face. When Liverpool’s drawing a needed win and Fernando Torres's taken out with 30 minutes to go “to protect" him, fans are going to be furious when the team loses 3-1, and rightfully so.
It was either tragedy or comedy after that depending on your outlook. Liverpool created even less in the final third without Torres, and Fulham struck nine minutes after the substitution because Kuyt worked too hard. Too hard! The striker sprinted across the field to try and keep the ball in, laying it on a plate for Konchesky, who raced down the left. His deep cross found Gera, who headed it down for Nevland to redirect.
Embarassingly, Benayoun was soon withdrawn for Eccleston. Taking off the best source of goals is made worse by taking off the second-best source of goals after the team goes behind. Degen’s idiotically rash challenge a minute later deserved a red card for stupidity alone, while Carragher hauled down Zamora in similar circumstances to the Owen challenge three minutes later. A goal against a stretched nine men and Fulham fans chanting olé completed the humiliation, and You’ll Never Walk Alone hadn’t sounded so somber since halftime at Istanbul.
The win over United was a short reprieve, and we’re back on the brink. It’s harder to defend the team or manager than usual, and Benitez would probably be fired if Liverpool loses to Lyon if the owners could afford it. If that doesn’t sum up the severity of this situation, I don’t know what can.
31 October 2009
30 October 2009
Liverpool at Fulham 10.31.09
11am, live in the US on Setanta
Last 4 head-to-head:
1-0 Liverpool (a) 04.04.09
0-0 (h) 11.22.08
2-0 Liverpool (a) 04.19.08
2-0 Liverpool (h) 11.10.07
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-2 Arsenal (a); 2-0 United (h); 1-2 Lyon (h)
Fulham: 2-2 City (a); 1-1 Roma (h); 2-0 Hull (h)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Torres 9; Benayoun, Gerrard, Kuyt 3; Babel, Johnson, Ngog 2
Fulham: Duff, Murphy, Zamora 2; Dempsey, Gera, Kamara, Konchesky 1
Referee: Lee Mason
Guess at a squad:
Reina
Degen Carragher Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Benayoun Aurelio
Torres
Still can’t get around those injury concerns. Gerrard’s still out, Johnson’s evidently relapsed, Aquilani’s picked up a virus, and Kelly and Riera aren’t fit yet. Oh, and Torres is touch and go. At least it doesn’t appear that Lucas has swine flu, which was a nasty rumor floating around the forums yesterday, and Mascherano’s back from suspension.
So unless other concerns arise, or someone provides a late fitness boost, I can’t see many other options for the line-up. It’d be the team that faced United with Degen coming in for Johnson.
Insua and Aurelio formed a solid left flank against United. I don’t see any reason to alter that for Babel’s inclusion. Had the Dutchman taken his 80th minute opportunity against Arsenal, I might be singing a different tune, but once again, Babel disappointed. Benayoun’s would be the creative linchpin in the hole, with Kuyt again joining the attack from the right.
I’m nervous about Degen’s first Premier League start, and would rather Martin Kelly, but at least we’ve seen flashes in his few appearances this season. The attacking side’s been the better half of his game, and it’ll be the side more needed against Fulham, but we’ve seen some decent last-ditch defending. Still, adding Degen to a defense prone to lapses worries, but the defense’s been in much better form since Agger’s return.
After a slow start to the season, Fulham’s been fairly impressive of late, unbeaten since hosting Arsenal at the end of September. They should have notched a win over Roma, only to concede an injury-time equalizer when a man down, before coming back from two down at Manchester City. The team’s still struggling for goals though, with 10 scored through nine league matches, less than half of what Liverpool's accrued. Danny Murphy won’t start against his old club due to injury, while Simon Davies and Paul Konchesky are also probably out.
Five days ago, Anfield was in ecstasy as Liverpool apparently “saved the season.” Beating the Mancs is wonderful, and absolutely made my week, but it’ll mean next to nothing if Liverpool can’t find another three points. Fulham frequently gives Liverpool a game; last season's match at Anfield was one of those frustrating 0-0s, while it took a 92nd minute goal from Yossi Benayoun to beat them on their patch.
This won’t be easy, especially with the injuries. But win anyway. Just win.
Last 4 head-to-head:
1-0 Liverpool (a) 04.04.09
0-0 (h) 11.22.08
2-0 Liverpool (a) 04.19.08
2-0 Liverpool (h) 11.10.07
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-2 Arsenal (a); 2-0 United (h); 1-2 Lyon (h)
Fulham: 2-2 City (a); 1-1 Roma (h); 2-0 Hull (h)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Torres 9; Benayoun, Gerrard, Kuyt 3; Babel, Johnson, Ngog 2
Fulham: Duff, Murphy, Zamora 2; Dempsey, Gera, Kamara, Konchesky 1
Referee: Lee Mason
Guess at a squad:
Reina
Degen Carragher Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Benayoun Aurelio
Torres
Still can’t get around those injury concerns. Gerrard’s still out, Johnson’s evidently relapsed, Aquilani’s picked up a virus, and Kelly and Riera aren’t fit yet. Oh, and Torres is touch and go. At least it doesn’t appear that Lucas has swine flu, which was a nasty rumor floating around the forums yesterday, and Mascherano’s back from suspension.
So unless other concerns arise, or someone provides a late fitness boost, I can’t see many other options for the line-up. It’d be the team that faced United with Degen coming in for Johnson.
Insua and Aurelio formed a solid left flank against United. I don’t see any reason to alter that for Babel’s inclusion. Had the Dutchman taken his 80th minute opportunity against Arsenal, I might be singing a different tune, but once again, Babel disappointed. Benayoun’s would be the creative linchpin in the hole, with Kuyt again joining the attack from the right.
I’m nervous about Degen’s first Premier League start, and would rather Martin Kelly, but at least we’ve seen flashes in his few appearances this season. The attacking side’s been the better half of his game, and it’ll be the side more needed against Fulham, but we’ve seen some decent last-ditch defending. Still, adding Degen to a defense prone to lapses worries, but the defense’s been in much better form since Agger’s return.
After a slow start to the season, Fulham’s been fairly impressive of late, unbeaten since hosting Arsenal at the end of September. They should have notched a win over Roma, only to concede an injury-time equalizer when a man down, before coming back from two down at Manchester City. The team’s still struggling for goals though, with 10 scored through nine league matches, less than half of what Liverpool's accrued. Danny Murphy won’t start against his old club due to injury, while Simon Davies and Paul Konchesky are also probably out.
Five days ago, Anfield was in ecstasy as Liverpool apparently “saved the season.” Beating the Mancs is wonderful, and absolutely made my week, but it’ll mean next to nothing if Liverpool can’t find another three points. Fulham frequently gives Liverpool a game; last season's match at Anfield was one of those frustrating 0-0s, while it took a 92nd minute goal from Yossi Benayoun to beat them on their patch.
This won’t be easy, especially with the injuries. But win anyway. Just win.
28 October 2009
Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal
Cavalieri
Degen Skrtel Kyrgiakos Insua
Spearing Plessis
Kuyt Voronin Babel
Ngog
Goals:
Merida 19’
Insua 26’
Bendtner 50’
Any loss is disappointing, especially when the team’s already lost six, but this one doesn’t sting too bad. Arsenal, with Nasri, Bendtner, and Eduardo in the line-up, didn’t exactly play the Super Teens, and probably deserved their victory. However, an errant offside call when Voronin was through and a non-penalty when Senderos handled Aquilani’s (!!!) bicycled effort make it a bit bitterer.
It was an open, back-and-forth game that saw two brilliant first-half strikes, Arsenal on top of possession thanks to dominating the midfield, but with the scores level at halftime. Kuyt’s early volley wide and Degen’s plunge into the box only to toe-poke wide of the far post signaled Liverpool’s intent within 10 minutes.
But Arsenal established superiority, and should have went ahead in the 17th, furiously countering after a giveaway only to see an over-intricate Bendtner fluff a centering ball into Cavalieri’s grateful arms. However, Merida opened the scoring with a thunderbolt two minutes later after Voronin was loose with the ball in his own half. The 19-year-old was wide open and lashed an unstoppable shot past Cavalieri at the near post.
But Arsenal couldn’t keep hold of the momentum, and a similarly wonderful goal by Insua leveled matters. Babel smartly headed down a long ball for the left back, who controlled with his chest and unleashed an utterly perfect dipper that gave Fabianski no chance. Not a bad first goal for the club; it’s going to be tough to beat for goal of the season.
Despite the equalizer, Arsenal continued to set the tempo and tone. Ramsey, Eastmond, and Nasri out-classed Spearing and Plessis in the center, and Liverpool were often restricted to hitting on the counter. Ngog held up play well, and Degen had a few flashes of inspiration striding forward, but Arsenal always looked more likely to score the second.
And they had their chances. A lovely break in the 36th, again through Ramsey, found Merida free on the left. Cavalieri committed, Merida crossed, but Skrtel was there to head away for a corner. Degen got back for a last-ditch block in the 42nd after a nice one-two between Eastmond and Nasri before some comical defending from a corner saw Cavalieri flap at the ball in and stumble around his box before Bendtner’s swiveled shot thankfully struck him in the midsection.
But five minutes after the interval, Bendtner finally came good. A mix-up between Skrtel and Kyrgiakos when Ramsey and Bendtner were in the box saw the Dane pick up possession and get past Skrtel, smashing over Cavalieri. Sigh.
A lovely break between Degen and Voronin, with the two players exchanging five passes (?!), finished with Voronin narrowly missing the far corner in the 55th, but Arsenal continued to see more of the ball. Benayoun for Ngog in the 75th and Aquilani (!!!) for Plessis in the 77th helped remedy matters as Liverpool pushed for another equalizer, but the changes came too late. Of course, there were the non-existent offside and non-penalty.
Arsenal had a couple of chances on the break, with Skrtel barely getting back to contain Watt and Eduardo shooting wide, bracketing Babel failing to make contact with Kuyt’s center in the six-yard box in the 80th. The rebound eventually fell to Aquilani at the edge of the box, but Fabianski easily smothered the low shot.
Then came the two controversial moments. In the 87th, a tired Ramsey gave the ball away in his own half, and it looked like Babel’s neat touch sprung Voronin, but the assistant flagged. In the second minute of injury time, Senderos handled Aquilani’s overhead volley after a scramble in the box (I don't care if his arms were near his chest, they were up, stopped a goal-bound effort, and he basically caught the ball), but Wiley played on, and Arsenal spent the final seconds playing by Liverpool’s corner flag. And thus ends this year’s Carling Cup run.
The media will praise Arsenal’s kids, and Ramsey, Eastmond, and Gilbert admittedly played well. Ramsey especially. But this wasn’t an Academy side Liverpool faced, and Arsenal was better on the day. Maybe if it’s at Anfield, it’s a different result. Yes, some players frustrated (yet another opportunity not seized by Babel, while you can’t help but be disappointed in the midfield, even considering its inexperience), but there were a fair few positives to take away.
As said above, Ngog and Degen had their moments. It was a massive, massive goal by Insua, which will only boost his confidence. Kyrgiakos was solid, showing no effects of injury, although the mix-up for Arsenal’s winner was a bit embarrassing. Academy player Nathan Eccleston (good name) saw a few minutes of action at the end. Most noteworthy, obviously, was the debut of Alberto Aquilani.
It’s early days, but Aquilani looked different class when he came on. The range of passing was especially evident (with an absolutely brilliant cross-field ball reminiscent of You Know Who), but just the way he carried himself and the positions he got into oozed potential. Even in a cameo role he looked a player, and it would have been a dream to see him win an injury-time spot kick.
It sucks to be out of the cup, but the B-team wasn’t bad, Aquilani got his debut, and it was an entertaining spectacle. Fair play to Arsenal; on their pitch, they were better. Oh well. Vastly more important is the trip to Fulham on Saturday.
Degen Skrtel Kyrgiakos Insua
Spearing Plessis
Kuyt Voronin Babel
Ngog
Goals:
Merida 19’
Insua 26’
Bendtner 50’
Any loss is disappointing, especially when the team’s already lost six, but this one doesn’t sting too bad. Arsenal, with Nasri, Bendtner, and Eduardo in the line-up, didn’t exactly play the Super Teens, and probably deserved their victory. However, an errant offside call when Voronin was through and a non-penalty when Senderos handled Aquilani’s (!!!) bicycled effort make it a bit bitterer.
It was an open, back-and-forth game that saw two brilliant first-half strikes, Arsenal on top of possession thanks to dominating the midfield, but with the scores level at halftime. Kuyt’s early volley wide and Degen’s plunge into the box only to toe-poke wide of the far post signaled Liverpool’s intent within 10 minutes.
But Arsenal established superiority, and should have went ahead in the 17th, furiously countering after a giveaway only to see an over-intricate Bendtner fluff a centering ball into Cavalieri’s grateful arms. However, Merida opened the scoring with a thunderbolt two minutes later after Voronin was loose with the ball in his own half. The 19-year-old was wide open and lashed an unstoppable shot past Cavalieri at the near post.
But Arsenal couldn’t keep hold of the momentum, and a similarly wonderful goal by Insua leveled matters. Babel smartly headed down a long ball for the left back, who controlled with his chest and unleashed an utterly perfect dipper that gave Fabianski no chance. Not a bad first goal for the club; it’s going to be tough to beat for goal of the season.
Despite the equalizer, Arsenal continued to set the tempo and tone. Ramsey, Eastmond, and Nasri out-classed Spearing and Plessis in the center, and Liverpool were often restricted to hitting on the counter. Ngog held up play well, and Degen had a few flashes of inspiration striding forward, but Arsenal always looked more likely to score the second.
And they had their chances. A lovely break in the 36th, again through Ramsey, found Merida free on the left. Cavalieri committed, Merida crossed, but Skrtel was there to head away for a corner. Degen got back for a last-ditch block in the 42nd after a nice one-two between Eastmond and Nasri before some comical defending from a corner saw Cavalieri flap at the ball in and stumble around his box before Bendtner’s swiveled shot thankfully struck him in the midsection.
But five minutes after the interval, Bendtner finally came good. A mix-up between Skrtel and Kyrgiakos when Ramsey and Bendtner were in the box saw the Dane pick up possession and get past Skrtel, smashing over Cavalieri. Sigh.
A lovely break between Degen and Voronin, with the two players exchanging five passes (?!), finished with Voronin narrowly missing the far corner in the 55th, but Arsenal continued to see more of the ball. Benayoun for Ngog in the 75th and Aquilani (!!!) for Plessis in the 77th helped remedy matters as Liverpool pushed for another equalizer, but the changes came too late. Of course, there were the non-existent offside and non-penalty.
Arsenal had a couple of chances on the break, with Skrtel barely getting back to contain Watt and Eduardo shooting wide, bracketing Babel failing to make contact with Kuyt’s center in the six-yard box in the 80th. The rebound eventually fell to Aquilani at the edge of the box, but Fabianski easily smothered the low shot.
Then came the two controversial moments. In the 87th, a tired Ramsey gave the ball away in his own half, and it looked like Babel’s neat touch sprung Voronin, but the assistant flagged. In the second minute of injury time, Senderos handled Aquilani’s overhead volley after a scramble in the box (I don't care if his arms were near his chest, they were up, stopped a goal-bound effort, and he basically caught the ball), but Wiley played on, and Arsenal spent the final seconds playing by Liverpool’s corner flag. And thus ends this year’s Carling Cup run.
The media will praise Arsenal’s kids, and Ramsey, Eastmond, and Gilbert admittedly played well. Ramsey especially. But this wasn’t an Academy side Liverpool faced, and Arsenal was better on the day. Maybe if it’s at Anfield, it’s a different result. Yes, some players frustrated (yet another opportunity not seized by Babel, while you can’t help but be disappointed in the midfield, even considering its inexperience), but there were a fair few positives to take away.
As said above, Ngog and Degen had their moments. It was a massive, massive goal by Insua, which will only boost his confidence. Kyrgiakos was solid, showing no effects of injury, although the mix-up for Arsenal’s winner was a bit embarrassing. Academy player Nathan Eccleston (good name) saw a few minutes of action at the end. Most noteworthy, obviously, was the debut of Alberto Aquilani.
It’s early days, but Aquilani looked different class when he came on. The range of passing was especially evident (with an absolutely brilliant cross-field ball reminiscent of You Know Who), but just the way he carried himself and the positions he got into oozed potential. Even in a cameo role he looked a player, and it would have been a dream to see him win an injury-time spot kick.
It sucks to be out of the cup, but the B-team wasn’t bad, Aquilani got his debut, and it was an entertaining spectacle. Fair play to Arsenal; on their pitch, they were better. Oh well. Vastly more important is the trip to Fulham on Saturday.
27 October 2009
Liverpool at Arsenal 10.28.09
3:45pm. As with the last round, it looks like it’s only available on ESPN360.com, even though United at Barnsley is on Setanta today. So, most of us will be stuck with streams. Check the usual places; my first stop will be MyP2P.eu.
Last 4 head-to-head:
4-4 (h) 04.21.09
1-1 (a) 12.21.08
4-2 Liverpool (h; CL) 04.08.08
1-1 (a) 04.05.08
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 2-0 United (h); 1-2 Lyon (h); 0-1 Sunderland (a)
Arsenal: 2-2 West Ham (a); 1-1 AZ (a); 3-1 Brum (h)
Referee: Alan Wiley
Wiley was in charge of the last round at Leeds as well. Weird…
Guess at a squad:
Cavalieri
Degen Skrtel Kyrgiakos Dossena
Lucas Spearing
Kuyt Voronin Babel
Ngog
As usual, some mix of senior, reserve, and young players, with an eye on the vastly more important weekend match. And, as usual with games like this, your guess is as good as mine.
Mascherano’s suspended following the red card against the Mancs. Benitez says it’s still too soon for Aquilani to start, but he might make a cameo. With Gerrard still injured – and even if he were fit, this shouldn’t be his first game back – Spearing, Lucas, and Plessis are the only options. Lucas has played nearly every first-team game, but Spearing/Plessis seems too inexperienced and defensive, even for the Carling Cup.
The attack should comprise of Kuyt or Benayoun with the second string, although there’s an outside chance of a surprise like Amoo or Eccleston. Just back from injury and after 80 minutes against the Mancs, Torres won’t play (he better not), while Riera’s still injured, so Ngog, Voronin, and Babel look likely. I’d rather Benayoun’s guile before Kuyt’s workrate, but the Dutchman’s more capable of having an impact when starting three games in a week.
It’s still too soon for Kelly after his strong appearance against Lyon, so it’ll be Degen or Darby at right back. Most important should be rests for Carra and Agger, but Benitez often uses Carra as captain in games like these and rotates defenders far less for fitness. Still, I’d rather see Skrtel and Kyrgiakos or Ayala to give the first-choice centerbacks a breather. That Kyrgiakos and Dossena have been training (see above Gerrard link) is a boon; otherwise, I’d have guessed Ayala and Insua respectively.
We’ll probably be treated to another round of media orgasms over Arsenal’s youngsters. The likes of Wilshere, Ramsey, Vela, and Gibbs played in the 2-0 home win over West Brom in the last round, and are likely to do so again. Wilshere and Ramsey are excellent central midfield prospects, while Vela’s shown flashes. But Liverpool’s team will have more experience, and enough talent to beat Arsenal’s day camp.
Tomorrow is more important than the usual Carling Cup match, as Liverpool needs to win to build on the United victory and move past the previous losing streak. And, as I said before the last round, a trophy's a trophy when the club's gone without one since 2006. But it’s still the Carling Cup.
Last 4 head-to-head:
4-4 (h) 04.21.09
1-1 (a) 12.21.08
4-2 Liverpool (h; CL) 04.08.08
1-1 (a) 04.05.08
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 2-0 United (h); 1-2 Lyon (h); 0-1 Sunderland (a)
Arsenal: 2-2 West Ham (a); 1-1 AZ (a); 3-1 Brum (h)
Referee: Alan Wiley
Wiley was in charge of the last round at Leeds as well. Weird…
Guess at a squad:
Cavalieri
Degen Skrtel Kyrgiakos Dossena
Lucas Spearing
Kuyt Voronin Babel
Ngog
As usual, some mix of senior, reserve, and young players, with an eye on the vastly more important weekend match. And, as usual with games like this, your guess is as good as mine.
Mascherano’s suspended following the red card against the Mancs. Benitez says it’s still too soon for Aquilani to start, but he might make a cameo. With Gerrard still injured – and even if he were fit, this shouldn’t be his first game back – Spearing, Lucas, and Plessis are the only options. Lucas has played nearly every first-team game, but Spearing/Plessis seems too inexperienced and defensive, even for the Carling Cup.
The attack should comprise of Kuyt or Benayoun with the second string, although there’s an outside chance of a surprise like Amoo or Eccleston. Just back from injury and after 80 minutes against the Mancs, Torres won’t play (he better not), while Riera’s still injured, so Ngog, Voronin, and Babel look likely. I’d rather Benayoun’s guile before Kuyt’s workrate, but the Dutchman’s more capable of having an impact when starting three games in a week.
It’s still too soon for Kelly after his strong appearance against Lyon, so it’ll be Degen or Darby at right back. Most important should be rests for Carra and Agger, but Benitez often uses Carra as captain in games like these and rotates defenders far less for fitness. Still, I’d rather see Skrtel and Kyrgiakos or Ayala to give the first-choice centerbacks a breather. That Kyrgiakos and Dossena have been training (see above Gerrard link) is a boon; otherwise, I’d have guessed Ayala and Insua respectively.
We’ll probably be treated to another round of media orgasms over Arsenal’s youngsters. The likes of Wilshere, Ramsey, Vela, and Gibbs played in the 2-0 home win over West Brom in the last round, and are likely to do so again. Wilshere and Ramsey are excellent central midfield prospects, while Vela’s shown flashes. But Liverpool’s team will have more experience, and enough talent to beat Arsenal’s day camp.
Tomorrow is more important than the usual Carling Cup match, as Liverpool needs to win to build on the United victory and move past the previous losing streak. And, as I said before the last round, a trophy's a trophy when the club's gone without one since 2006. But it’s still the Carling Cup.
26 October 2009
Different games, different midfields
In the midst of the Alonso summer saga, I posted the results from different midfield pairings. Lucas/Mascherano’s line looked like this:
6 wins, 4 draws
2-0 West Brom, 3-0 West Ham, 4-1 United, 1-1 City, 1-1 Wigan, 0-0 Stoke, 5-1 Newcastle, 3-1 PSV [4-4-2], 0-0 Fulham [4-4-2], 2-1 Marseille
Let’s ignore the PSV and Fulham games because of the 4-4-2 formation in Gerrard’s absence (and Torres’ against PSV). So you have romps over United and Newcastle, two decent late-season wins when the entire team was in blistering form, three uninspiring draws, and a tough win in Marseille. This season, the pairing started against Spurs, Stoke, Villa, Bolton, West Ham, Chelsea, Lyon, and United (4 wins, 4 losses).
Those results, coupled with yesterday’s enormous win, reiterate a lingering suspicion many have voiced. Mascherano and Lucas are a good pairing against teams that match Liverpool in possession and tempo. Ferguson fed into Liverpool hands by selecting a lightweight midfield in Scholes and Carrick (United definitely missed the injured Fletcher), but yesterday’s was the type of game in which Mascherano and Lucas thrive.
Unfortunately, two-thirds of the Premiership doesn’t play like that against Liverpool. The Newcastle mauling was more of an aberration against a side in dire straights, while very few teams were able to knock Liverpool off its stride at the end of last season, let alone West Ham or Albion.
On his day, Mascherano is a beast of a midfielder. He is utterly relentless when the opposition’s on the ball, hassles and harries with the best of them, and can man-mark the likes of Kaka out of existence. Let’s just say his attacking qualities aren’t as developed. Lucas is underrated – decent at a lot of things, but not a standout in any area – and still quite young for the position. He’s energetic (a quality Benitez adores), ticks over play, rarely loses possession, and can get from box to box. But despite how I hate how he’s a main scapegoat, this isn’t solely a defense of the player. He’s not a creative force, not a scruff-of-the-neck midfielder, like what Gerrard built his reputation upon. Of course, he’s also 22.
In games like those against West Ham and West Brom last season, as well as the Hammers and Bolton this season, the pairing suffices when Liverpool’s firing, but the creativity often comes from other sources. And when the other players, especially in attack, are underperforming, neither Mascherano nor Lucas can change proceedings. See: Spurs, Villa, and Lyon.
Which is where Alberto Aquilani, whose debut should take place soon, comes in.
We saw it in the Lucas/Gerrard pairing against Burnley and Hull – 4-0 and 6-1 wins – which worked well, but was probably a stopgap given how Gerrard and Torres combine upfront. Mascherano’s forte isn’t needed against the bus parkers. If Lucas isn’t picking up silly fouls, he can be an even more effective defensive midfielder in those games because of his aerial ability, which is how a lot of those teams attack Liverpool. And his versatility next to the likes of Gerrard gives Liverpool far more threat than that of Mascherano. The attacking capabilities of Aquilani should mix well with Lucas’ in those games.
So what does this mean for the future? If everyone’s fit, the team should continue to be built around the Gerrard/Torres attacking partnership. Mascherano, Lucas, and Aquilani would interchange in central midfield depending on the opposition.
Against the likes of Stoke and Burnley, it’ll be Lucas and Aquilani. Against the Uniteds and Chelseas, Benitez will probably go with Lucas and Mascherano. And against the rest – the mid-table opposition, the deceptively difficult away games – we’ll get the balanced Mascherano/Aquilani partnership: one defends, one attacks, and ideally in better proportion than Lucas and Mascherano. More balanced than Mascherano/Alonso as well, which was too defensive for some games last season.
Again, I worry that I’m building Aquilani up into an unreachable paragon, but what Benitez has in mind, and the reasons for gambling over Aquilani's fitness, seems evident.
6 wins, 4 draws
2-0 West Brom, 3-0 West Ham, 4-1 United, 1-1 City, 1-1 Wigan, 0-0 Stoke, 5-1 Newcastle, 3-1 PSV [4-4-2], 0-0 Fulham [4-4-2], 2-1 Marseille
Let’s ignore the PSV and Fulham games because of the 4-4-2 formation in Gerrard’s absence (and Torres’ against PSV). So you have romps over United and Newcastle, two decent late-season wins when the entire team was in blistering form, three uninspiring draws, and a tough win in Marseille. This season, the pairing started against Spurs, Stoke, Villa, Bolton, West Ham, Chelsea, Lyon, and United (4 wins, 4 losses).
Those results, coupled with yesterday’s enormous win, reiterate a lingering suspicion many have voiced. Mascherano and Lucas are a good pairing against teams that match Liverpool in possession and tempo. Ferguson fed into Liverpool hands by selecting a lightweight midfield in Scholes and Carrick (United definitely missed the injured Fletcher), but yesterday’s was the type of game in which Mascherano and Lucas thrive.
Unfortunately, two-thirds of the Premiership doesn’t play like that against Liverpool. The Newcastle mauling was more of an aberration against a side in dire straights, while very few teams were able to knock Liverpool off its stride at the end of last season, let alone West Ham or Albion.
On his day, Mascherano is a beast of a midfielder. He is utterly relentless when the opposition’s on the ball, hassles and harries with the best of them, and can man-mark the likes of Kaka out of existence. Let’s just say his attacking qualities aren’t as developed. Lucas is underrated – decent at a lot of things, but not a standout in any area – and still quite young for the position. He’s energetic (a quality Benitez adores), ticks over play, rarely loses possession, and can get from box to box. But despite how I hate how he’s a main scapegoat, this isn’t solely a defense of the player. He’s not a creative force, not a scruff-of-the-neck midfielder, like what Gerrard built his reputation upon. Of course, he’s also 22.
In games like those against West Ham and West Brom last season, as well as the Hammers and Bolton this season, the pairing suffices when Liverpool’s firing, but the creativity often comes from other sources. And when the other players, especially in attack, are underperforming, neither Mascherano nor Lucas can change proceedings. See: Spurs, Villa, and Lyon.
Which is where Alberto Aquilani, whose debut should take place soon, comes in.
We saw it in the Lucas/Gerrard pairing against Burnley and Hull – 4-0 and 6-1 wins – which worked well, but was probably a stopgap given how Gerrard and Torres combine upfront. Mascherano’s forte isn’t needed against the bus parkers. If Lucas isn’t picking up silly fouls, he can be an even more effective defensive midfielder in those games because of his aerial ability, which is how a lot of those teams attack Liverpool. And his versatility next to the likes of Gerrard gives Liverpool far more threat than that of Mascherano. The attacking capabilities of Aquilani should mix well with Lucas’ in those games.
So what does this mean for the future? If everyone’s fit, the team should continue to be built around the Gerrard/Torres attacking partnership. Mascherano, Lucas, and Aquilani would interchange in central midfield depending on the opposition.
Against the likes of Stoke and Burnley, it’ll be Lucas and Aquilani. Against the Uniteds and Chelseas, Benitez will probably go with Lucas and Mascherano. And against the rest – the mid-table opposition, the deceptively difficult away games – we’ll get the balanced Mascherano/Aquilani partnership: one defends, one attacks, and ideally in better proportion than Lucas and Mascherano. More balanced than Mascherano/Alonso as well, which was too defensive for some games last season.
Again, I worry that I’m building Aquilani up into an unreachable paragon, but what Benitez has in mind, and the reasons for gambling over Aquilani's fitness, seems evident.
25 October 2009
Liverpool 2-0 United
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Insua
Mascherano Lucas
Benayoun Kuyt Aurelio
Torres
Goals:
Torres 65’
Ngog 90+6’
His armband proved he was a Red, Torres, Torres
‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ it said, Torres, Torres
We bought the lad from sunny Spain
He gets the ball and scores again
Fernando Torres, Liverpool’s number nine
Magic. I guess it was just the game Liverpool needed to break that ignominious losing streak. And once again, Fernando Torres – who wasn’t at 100% on his return from injury – notches the game winner, but that can’t detract from the total, awesome team performance.
The first half almost felt like a return to the bad old days. Make no mistake, Liverpool was playing its best football in five games, but the home side couldn’t take the chances presented while they were on top, and it felt like a matter of time before United became United. Thankfully, Liverpool’s dominating style never let United be United.
Rooney looked like posing a handful early on as he had the ball in the net after three minutes, but was clearly offside. Liverpool had the upper hand soon after, and had three excellent opportunities to go ahead, beginning with Lucas, put through on the right in the sixth only to see a poor shot deflected wide. Once again, the oft-criticized Brazilian midfielder shone against testing opposition; it’s against less-potent sides that the Mascherano/Lucas pairing gets exposed.
The other two chances came in quick succession. Aurelio tested Van der Sar with an outstanding free kick in the 16th before Kuyt toe-poked just wide two minutes later. It unsurprisingly got cagier soon after as United began to see more of the ball, but the away side failed to truly test Reina as Scholes and Carrick were second best in midfield.
United grasped at straws for two penalties, a 50-50 coming together between Agger and Giggs and an outstanding diving tackle by Carragher that just got a piece of the ball, before Liverpool had another good chance in the 36th. Benayoun’s cross found an opening Aurelio steaming into the box, but the Brazilian’s header was too close to Van der Sar. The best penalty shout was Liverpool’s right before halftime, when Kuyt and Berbatov battled in the box, but it’s little surprise none of the three won a whistle.
The second half saw more of the same – with Kuyt centering when shooting was the better option and a couple of shots from distance – before United upped the pressure around the hour mark. The away sides picked up a fair few free kicks, but Liverpool’s defense held firm time and time again before that man Torres embarrassed Rio Ferdinand on the break. Liverpool sprung from their own half, Benayoun found Torres between two defenders, and the striker beat Rio for strength and pace before smashing over Van der Saar at the near post. Brilliant. Just bloody brilliant.
Liverpool had a chance to double the lead in the 70th, but Mascherano was selfish on the break (for the third time in the match) and shot when Torres and Benayoun were open. At this point, it was Liverpool had 10 shots to United’s three, and deserved the advantage.
Unsurprisingly, the United onslaught came for a nerve-wracking final 20 minutes, as Nani and Owen (who received the reception you’d expect) came on for the ineffective Scholes and Berbatov. First, Nani fortunately received the ball at the back post, but could only tamely curl it to Reina. Carra had to dive to block Rooney’s fierce shot, and in the 84th, Owen held up play well and fed Valencia, who blasted off the crossbar from an impossible angle. A Carragher foul on Owen three minutes later could have seen red, but Nani could only shoot straight at Reina from the free kick and Carra escaped with a yellow.
Seconds later, Vidic got his marching orders for a second yellow, bringing down Kuyt near midfield on the break, capping the head of steam United had built up. Mascherano’s sending off in the penultimate minute of injury time, for two deserved yellows (he was a terror in midfield breaking up play, but was rash and selfish as well), was too late for the Mancs, who were exposed on the break with the last kick of the game anyway.
The influential Lucas started and set-up Ngog as he won the ball in Liverpool’s half, found Kuyt and charged through the midfield for the return ball, and released Ngog into acres of space to easily beat Van der Sar. Two-nil, and all the demons of the last two weeks exorcised. See, sometimes it’s fun to play United, even if once again, it almost gave me a heart attack.
It’s nearly impossible to pick a man of the match. There’s Torres’ fearsome winner; even at 80%, he deftly beat England’s best defender. I’ve sung Lucas’ praises throughout this review. And Carra was absolutely back to his best. He kept Rooney pocketed for immeasurably long stretches, dove for countless last-ditch tackles and blocks, and didn’t put a foot wrong, ably aided by Danny Agger.
So, are we still firing Rafa? This is why we should hesitate to write off Liverpool, despite that infernal stretch. Even without Gerrard and with Torres and Johnson just back from injury, the team had enough to deservedly beat United. Liverpool were simply the better team, and had the guile and fortitude to hold off a team that thrives on late goals.
Liverpool’s only six points behind league-leading Chelsea, even though there are still five teams ahead of them. There are definitely worries on and off the pitch, and there's definitely room for improvement. But this remains a very good team that can beat any opposition on their day.
Johnson Carragher Agger Insua
Mascherano Lucas
Benayoun Kuyt Aurelio
Torres
Goals:
Torres 65’
Ngog 90+6’
His armband proved he was a Red, Torres, Torres
‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ it said, Torres, Torres
We bought the lad from sunny Spain
He gets the ball and scores again
Fernando Torres, Liverpool’s number nine
Magic. I guess it was just the game Liverpool needed to break that ignominious losing streak. And once again, Fernando Torres – who wasn’t at 100% on his return from injury – notches the game winner, but that can’t detract from the total, awesome team performance.
The first half almost felt like a return to the bad old days. Make no mistake, Liverpool was playing its best football in five games, but the home side couldn’t take the chances presented while they were on top, and it felt like a matter of time before United became United. Thankfully, Liverpool’s dominating style never let United be United.
Rooney looked like posing a handful early on as he had the ball in the net after three minutes, but was clearly offside. Liverpool had the upper hand soon after, and had three excellent opportunities to go ahead, beginning with Lucas, put through on the right in the sixth only to see a poor shot deflected wide. Once again, the oft-criticized Brazilian midfielder shone against testing opposition; it’s against less-potent sides that the Mascherano/Lucas pairing gets exposed.
The other two chances came in quick succession. Aurelio tested Van der Sar with an outstanding free kick in the 16th before Kuyt toe-poked just wide two minutes later. It unsurprisingly got cagier soon after as United began to see more of the ball, but the away side failed to truly test Reina as Scholes and Carrick were second best in midfield.
United grasped at straws for two penalties, a 50-50 coming together between Agger and Giggs and an outstanding diving tackle by Carragher that just got a piece of the ball, before Liverpool had another good chance in the 36th. Benayoun’s cross found an opening Aurelio steaming into the box, but the Brazilian’s header was too close to Van der Sar. The best penalty shout was Liverpool’s right before halftime, when Kuyt and Berbatov battled in the box, but it’s little surprise none of the three won a whistle.
The second half saw more of the same – with Kuyt centering when shooting was the better option and a couple of shots from distance – before United upped the pressure around the hour mark. The away sides picked up a fair few free kicks, but Liverpool’s defense held firm time and time again before that man Torres embarrassed Rio Ferdinand on the break. Liverpool sprung from their own half, Benayoun found Torres between two defenders, and the striker beat Rio for strength and pace before smashing over Van der Saar at the near post. Brilliant. Just bloody brilliant.
Liverpool had a chance to double the lead in the 70th, but Mascherano was selfish on the break (for the third time in the match) and shot when Torres and Benayoun were open. At this point, it was Liverpool had 10 shots to United’s three, and deserved the advantage.
Unsurprisingly, the United onslaught came for a nerve-wracking final 20 minutes, as Nani and Owen (who received the reception you’d expect) came on for the ineffective Scholes and Berbatov. First, Nani fortunately received the ball at the back post, but could only tamely curl it to Reina. Carra had to dive to block Rooney’s fierce shot, and in the 84th, Owen held up play well and fed Valencia, who blasted off the crossbar from an impossible angle. A Carragher foul on Owen three minutes later could have seen red, but Nani could only shoot straight at Reina from the free kick and Carra escaped with a yellow.
Seconds later, Vidic got his marching orders for a second yellow, bringing down Kuyt near midfield on the break, capping the head of steam United had built up. Mascherano’s sending off in the penultimate minute of injury time, for two deserved yellows (he was a terror in midfield breaking up play, but was rash and selfish as well), was too late for the Mancs, who were exposed on the break with the last kick of the game anyway.
The influential Lucas started and set-up Ngog as he won the ball in Liverpool’s half, found Kuyt and charged through the midfield for the return ball, and released Ngog into acres of space to easily beat Van der Sar. Two-nil, and all the demons of the last two weeks exorcised. See, sometimes it’s fun to play United, even if once again, it almost gave me a heart attack.
It’s nearly impossible to pick a man of the match. There’s Torres’ fearsome winner; even at 80%, he deftly beat England’s best defender. I’ve sung Lucas’ praises throughout this review. And Carra was absolutely back to his best. He kept Rooney pocketed for immeasurably long stretches, dove for countless last-ditch tackles and blocks, and didn’t put a foot wrong, ably aided by Danny Agger.
So, are we still firing Rafa? This is why we should hesitate to write off Liverpool, despite that infernal stretch. Even without Gerrard and with Torres and Johnson just back from injury, the team had enough to deservedly beat United. Liverpool were simply the better team, and had the guile and fortitude to hold off a team that thrives on late goals.
Liverpool’s only six points behind league-leading Chelsea, even though there are still five teams ahead of them. There are definitely worries on and off the pitch, and there's definitely room for improvement. But this remains a very good team that can beat any opposition on their day.
23 October 2009
Liverpool v Manchester United 10.25.09
10am, live in the US on FSC
British Daylight Saving Time kicks in on Sunday, which is why the game’s at 10. We’ll catch up next week. I hate Winter Time so much.
Last 4 head-to-head:
4-1 Liverpool (a) 03.14.09
2-1 Liverpool (h) 09.13.08
0-3 United (a) 03.23.08
0-1 United (h) 12.16.07
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-2 Lyon (h); 0-1 Sunderland (a); 0-2 Chelsea (a)
United: 1-0 CSKA Moscow (a); 2-1 Bolton (h); 2-2 Sunderland (h)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Torres 8; Benayoun, Gerrard, Kuyt 3; Babel, Johnson 2; Ngog 1
United: Rooney 6; Berbatov; Fletcher, Owen 2; Anderson, Giggs, Nani, O’Shea, Valencia 1
Referee: Andre Marriner
Guess at a squad:
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Benayoun Aurelio
Torres
I can’t decide whether it’s the best or worst time for Liverpool to be facing United.
On the one hand, who better to get a rise out of the team? If playing the closest rivals doesn’t raise the levels, nothing will. At the same time, Liverpool’s on four-game losing streak and still plagued by the injury bug. Maybe it’d just be better to host the likes of Portsmouth or Hull. Nothing ever comes easy for this club.
And injuries are still a major concern. Riera, Dossena, Kyrgiakos, Kelly, and Aquilani definitely won’t take part. Gerrard probably won’t. But according to Tony Barrett and the official site, we’ve got a better chance with Torres and Johnson, who both trained yesterday. It’s imperative to have Johnson back with Kelly out (I’d just like to reiterate how impressed I was with Kelly’s debut), but obviously Torres would be the biggest relief. He scored against United last year, and Liverpool’s dearly misses his constant threatening. The man can create a goal from absolute nothing.
With Gerrard and Riera still out, my biggest question (outside of who's fit, naturally) is who starts on the left. Since Benayoun would play centrally or on the right (with Kuyt in the other berth), Babel or Aurelio would have to feature on the left. There's been more of a clamor for Babel recently thanks to Liverpool’s injuries and impotence. But I still think he’s not an answer to any question Benitez is asking. Babel’s still best, and only really effective, as a sub. Nothing over three seasons has changed that.
I reckon Benitez will start both Aurelio and Insua on the left as a more defensive, conservative tactic. The pairing worked well at times against Lyon, but I’m more frightened of Nani or Valencia running at an unprotected Insua with a head of steam. You all know my huge crush on Insua, but Govou worryingly ran circles around the little Argentinean on Tuesday.
In addition, I’d also welcome another start for Agger. I’m admittedly biased because he’s my favorite defender, but I think it’s crucial to have his ability to bring the ball out of the back, especially until Aquilani features. Agger can help fix Liverpool’s lack of creativity in midfield from defense; it’s his greatest strength. But he’s not bad in the area and quicker than the other central defenders as well.
It’s not as if things are going superlatively for United, with a loss at Burnley, a draw against Sunderland at Old Trafford, and barely beating CSKA with a late winner, but they still top the table. That’s that club’s recent history in a nutshell. Liverpool may be boosted by Rooney’s absence, struggling with the calf injury that’s kept him out of the last two matches, but it’s probably mind games from Ferguson. If Shrek’s anywhere near fit enough, he’ll play.
But if he doesn’t play, You Know Who will probably start in his place. There’s no question over the reception Owen will receive from the Kop, and it won’t be pleasant. Wouldn’t it just be fitting that Owen knifes Liverpool’s already sinking season. I’ll spend the next 48 hours praying at Jobu's altar to make sure that doesn’t happen.
I’ve been calling this The Biggest October League Match in History™ for a reason. I can’t overemphasize how important this game is. And I’ll be on utter pins and needles for the next 48 hours until kick-off.
British Daylight Saving Time kicks in on Sunday, which is why the game’s at 10. We’ll catch up next week. I hate Winter Time so much.
Last 4 head-to-head:
4-1 Liverpool (a) 03.14.09
2-1 Liverpool (h) 09.13.08
0-3 United (a) 03.23.08
0-1 United (h) 12.16.07
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-2 Lyon (h); 0-1 Sunderland (a); 0-2 Chelsea (a)
United: 1-0 CSKA Moscow (a); 2-1 Bolton (h); 2-2 Sunderland (h)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Torres 8; Benayoun, Gerrard, Kuyt 3; Babel, Johnson 2; Ngog 1
United: Rooney 6; Berbatov; Fletcher, Owen 2; Anderson, Giggs, Nani, O’Shea, Valencia 1
Referee: Andre Marriner
Guess at a squad:
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Benayoun Aurelio
Torres
I can’t decide whether it’s the best or worst time for Liverpool to be facing United.
On the one hand, who better to get a rise out of the team? If playing the closest rivals doesn’t raise the levels, nothing will. At the same time, Liverpool’s on four-game losing streak and still plagued by the injury bug. Maybe it’d just be better to host the likes of Portsmouth or Hull. Nothing ever comes easy for this club.
And injuries are still a major concern. Riera, Dossena, Kyrgiakos, Kelly, and Aquilani definitely won’t take part. Gerrard probably won’t. But according to Tony Barrett and the official site, we’ve got a better chance with Torres and Johnson, who both trained yesterday. It’s imperative to have Johnson back with Kelly out (I’d just like to reiterate how impressed I was with Kelly’s debut), but obviously Torres would be the biggest relief. He scored against United last year, and Liverpool’s dearly misses his constant threatening. The man can create a goal from absolute nothing.
With Gerrard and Riera still out, my biggest question (outside of who's fit, naturally) is who starts on the left. Since Benayoun would play centrally or on the right (with Kuyt in the other berth), Babel or Aurelio would have to feature on the left. There's been more of a clamor for Babel recently thanks to Liverpool’s injuries and impotence. But I still think he’s not an answer to any question Benitez is asking. Babel’s still best, and only really effective, as a sub. Nothing over three seasons has changed that.
I reckon Benitez will start both Aurelio and Insua on the left as a more defensive, conservative tactic. The pairing worked well at times against Lyon, but I’m more frightened of Nani or Valencia running at an unprotected Insua with a head of steam. You all know my huge crush on Insua, but Govou worryingly ran circles around the little Argentinean on Tuesday.
In addition, I’d also welcome another start for Agger. I’m admittedly biased because he’s my favorite defender, but I think it’s crucial to have his ability to bring the ball out of the back, especially until Aquilani features. Agger can help fix Liverpool’s lack of creativity in midfield from defense; it’s his greatest strength. But he’s not bad in the area and quicker than the other central defenders as well.
It’s not as if things are going superlatively for United, with a loss at Burnley, a draw against Sunderland at Old Trafford, and barely beating CSKA with a late winner, but they still top the table. That’s that club’s recent history in a nutshell. Liverpool may be boosted by Rooney’s absence, struggling with the calf injury that’s kept him out of the last two matches, but it’s probably mind games from Ferguson. If Shrek’s anywhere near fit enough, he’ll play.
But if he doesn’t play, You Know Who will probably start in his place. There’s no question over the reception Owen will receive from the Kop, and it won’t be pleasant. Wouldn’t it just be fitting that Owen knifes Liverpool’s already sinking season. I’ll spend the next 48 hours praying at Jobu's altar to make sure that doesn’t happen.
I’ve been calling this The Biggest October League Match in History™ for a reason. I can’t overemphasize how important this game is. And I’ll be on utter pins and needles for the next 48 hours until kick-off.
21 October 2009
Has there been progress?
In 2005-06, Liverpool finished 3rd with 82 points, the highest total under Benitez until last year’s team. A year after the Champions League trophy and the season Liverpool won the FA Cup, it looked to be the perfect launching point. But Liverpool couldn't finish higher in the next two seasons and regressed points-wise, treading water before last year. And it seems like this year’s model will struggle to reach 82 points.
With all the drama, failings, injuries, complaints, etc., I can’t help but wonder if people think Liverpool’s truly improved over the last four years. So I’m trying a poll out, the first one I’ve hosted on this blog. Hopefully we’ll get enough votes.
Admittedly, we haven't seen this year's "best team" thanks to injuries, but I reckon the question's still valid. I voted for this year's squad, but I'm also wondering if I've gone through the looking glass, and am too blinded by optimism (which would be the first time in my life).
Pick which team you like better, for whatever reasons. If they’re good reasons, leave them in the comments.
09-10
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Aurelio
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Benayoun
Torres
Bench: Cavalieri, Skrtel, Insua, Riera, Babel, Voronin, Ngog
05-06
Reina
Finnan Carragher Hyypia Riise
Garcia Gerrard Alonso Kewell
Cisse Crouch
Bench: Dudek, Agger, Warnock, Sissoko, Hamann, Morientes, Fowler
With all the drama, failings, injuries, complaints, etc., I can’t help but wonder if people think Liverpool’s truly improved over the last four years. So I’m trying a poll out, the first one I’ve hosted on this blog. Hopefully we’ll get enough votes.
Admittedly, we haven't seen this year's "best team" thanks to injuries, but I reckon the question's still valid. I voted for this year's squad, but I'm also wondering if I've gone through the looking glass, and am too blinded by optimism (which would be the first time in my life).
Pick which team you like better, for whatever reasons. If they’re good reasons, leave them in the comments.
09-10
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Aurelio
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Benayoun
Torres
Bench: Cavalieri, Skrtel, Insua, Riera, Babel, Voronin, Ngog
05-06
Reina
Finnan Carragher Hyypia Riise
Garcia Gerrard Alonso Kewell
Cisse Crouch
Bench: Dudek, Agger, Warnock, Sissoko, Hamann, Morientes, Fowler
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