Liverpool FC Forum

[RedBen]

I think, as some have mentioned before, that the boys will try to prove they can win without Gerrard and that we will get the 3 points with some better football than the last couple of games. I also think Alonso will try to break at least 1 leg of Barry to make sure Rafa doesn't buy him on the 31st of August.

[aCe']

Very hard game especially at this time and without Gerrard. I think Rafa will set out the lineup to try and stop Villa and maybe nick a late winner again if we'r lucky but I still think at the end of the day this game has draw written all over it. I dont think that we can afford to take gambles and start 3 or 4 players who havent played for us yet this season or have only played for a few minutes because i think Villa will be giving it their all to try and get all 3 points.
Anyways my starting lineup would be something like this..

                                    Reina

Arbeloa      Carragher          Hyypia         Dossena

Kuyt          Alonso             Masherano      Aurelio

                 Torres           Babel

I thought Pennant was a great shout since we -most probably- will be playing a defensive game with much focus on counter attacks. Pennant is one of few in this club who can actually take a ball from our own half and run with it to advanced positions up the field. End product or no, with Gerrard absent, we might need that. Same reason goes for the selection of Babel upfront; his pace and long shots could come in handy and from what iv seen of Keane he could seriously do with a day off watching from the benches and maybe making an appearance later on if things arent going so well. Kuyt and Aurelio down the flanks would provide good cover for the fullbacks and the one player in their side who might actually cause us problems drifting in from wide positions is Ashley Young. I think Arbeloa and Mascherano should sort him out though.

1-1 and another dull performance

[crazyhorse]

Tough call this one, Villa have been as up and down as us really. 1-2  to us I reckon of a score draw.

[Roger Red Hat]

Very hard game especially at this time and without Gerrard. I think Rafa will set out the lineup to try and stop Villa and maybe nick a late winner again if we'r lucky but I still think at the end of the day this game has draw written all over it. I dont think that we can afford to take gambles and start 3 or 4 players who havent played for us yet this season or have only played for a few minutes because i think Villa will be giving it their all to try and get all 3 points.
Anyways my starting lineup would be something like this..

                                    Reina

Arbeloa      Carragher          Hyypia         Dossena

Kuyt          Alonso             Masherano      Aurelio

                 Torres           Babel

I thought Pennant was a great shout since we -most probably- will be playing a defensive game with much focus on counter attacks. Pennant is one of few in this club who can actually take a ball from our own half and run with it to advanced positions up the field. End product or no, with Gerrard absent, we might need that. Same reason goes for the selection of Babel upfront; his pace and long shots could come in handy and from what iv seen of Keane he could seriously do with a day off watching from the benches and maybe making an appearance later on if things arent going so well. Kuyt and Aurelio down the flanks would provide good cover for the fullbacks and the one player in their side who might actually cause us problems drifting in from wide positions is Ashley Young. I think Arbeloa and Mascherano should sort him out though.

1-1 and another dull performance

you thought pennant was that good of a shout you didnt bother picking him ?   

your turning into rafa 

[aCe']

Very hard game especially at this time and without Gerrard. I think Rafa will set out the lineup to try and stop Villa and maybe nick a late winner again if we'r lucky but I still think at the end of the day this game has draw written all over it. I dont think that we can afford to take gambles and start 3 or 4 players who havent played for us yet this season or have only played for a few minutes because i think Villa will be giving it their all to try and get all 3 points.
Anyways my starting lineup would be something like this..

                                    Reina

Arbeloa      Carragher          Hyypia         Dossena

Kuyt          Alonso             Masherano      Aurelio

                 Torres           Babel

I thought Pennant was a great shout since we -most probably- will be playing a defensive game with much focus on counter attacks. Pennant is one of few in this club who can actually take a ball from our own half and run with it to advanced positions up the field. End product or no, with Gerrard absent, we might need that. Same reason goes for the selection of Babel upfront; his pace and long shots could come in handy and from what iv seen of Keane he could seriously do with a day off watching from the benches and maybe making an appearance later on if things arent going so well. Kuyt and Aurelio down the flanks would provide good cover for the fullbacks and the one player in their side who might actually cause us problems drifting in from wide positions is Ashley Young. I think Arbeloa and Mascherano should sort him out though.

1-1 and another dull performance

you thought pennant was that good of a shout you didnt bother picking him ?   

your turning into rafa 

yea if it was a must win game i would have picked him but at this point ill settle for a draw and thus the inclusion of Kuyt, Aurelio and Arbeloa instead of Finnan, Pennant and Keane. Kuyt does very well defensively and including Pennant would definitely be a gamble.. Havent seen him play in quite a while now dont even know if he's fit.. Pennant that is !

PS: would be surprised but far from dissapointed if Pennant started Ahead of Kuyt, Aurelio or even Babel... He deserves a chance sooner or later and i think that if Rafa rates Elzhar higher than he does Pennant then it might be time we cashed in on pennant before his value goes further down.

[europian-kings]

villa have just signed milner to make there team even stronger.....not going to be easy this one by any means.

[stmichael]

Very hard game especially at this time and without Gerrard. I think Rafa will set out the lineup to try and stop Villa and maybe nick a late winner again if we'r lucky but I still think at the end of the day this game has draw written all over it. I dont think that we can afford to take gambles and start 3 or 4 players who havent played for us yet this season or have only played for a few minutes because i think Villa will be giving it their all to try and get all 3 points.
Anyways my starting lineup would be something like this..

                                    Reina

Arbeloa      Carragher          Hyypia         Dossena

Kuyt          Alonso             Masherano      Aurelio

                 Torres           Babel

I thought Pennant was a great shout since we -most probably- will be playing a defensive game with much focus on counter attacks. Pennant is one of few in this club who can actually take a ball from our own half and run with it to advanced positions up the field. End product or no, with Gerrard absent, we might need that. Same reason goes for the selection of Babel upfront; his pace and long shots could come in handy and from what iv seen of Keane he could seriously do with a day off watching from the benches and maybe making an appearance later on if things arent going so well. Kuyt and Aurelio down the flanks would provide good cover for the fullbacks and the one player in their side who might actually cause us problems drifting in from wide positions is Ashley Young. I think Arbeloa and Mascherano should sort him out though.

1-1 and another dull performance

there's a distinct lack of creativity in that side. there's 8 defensive minded players there.

[europian-kings]

.                            Reina

Arbeloa         Carra             Skrtel            Aurelio

                 Mascherano       Alonso

Kuyt                        Keane                    Babel

                              Torres

Subs to come on if need a bit of creativity or in need of a goal: 3 of these 4 imo - Lucas, Pennant, Benayioun, El zhar

[aCe']

Very hard game especially at this time and without Gerrard. I think Rafa will set out the lineup to try and stop Villa and maybe nick a late winner again if we'r lucky but I still think at the end of the day this game has draw written all over it. I dont think that we can afford to take gambles and start 3 or 4 players who havent played for us yet this season or have only played for a few minutes because i think Villa will be giving it their all to try and get all 3 points.
Anyways my starting lineup would be something like this..

                                    Reina

Arbeloa      Carragher          Hyypia         Dossena

Kuyt          Alonso             Masherano      Aurelio

                 Torres           Babel

I thought Pennant was a great shout since we -most probably- will be playing a defensive game with much focus on counter attacks. Pennant is one of few in this club who can actually take a ball from our own half and run with it to advanced positions up the field. End product or no, with Gerrard absent, we might need that. Same reason goes for the selection of Babel upfront; his pace and long shots could come in handy and from what iv seen of Keane he could seriously do with a day off watching from the benches and maybe making an appearance later on if things arent going so well. Kuyt and Aurelio down the flanks would provide good cover for the fullbacks and the one player in their side who might actually cause us problems drifting in from wide positions is Ashley Young. I think Arbeloa and Mascherano should sort him out though.

1-1 and another dull performance

there's a distinct lack of creativity in that side. there's 8 defensive minded players there.

I agree but then again... there's a distinct lack of creativity in our squad.
Only changes to previous starting lineups are the inclusion of Aurelio, Babel and Mascherano instead of Gerrard (injured), Keane (been sht so far so cant really see his absence having a detrimental effect on our performance if thats at all possible) and Benayoun (whos been sht last few games despite a promising preseason) .

Our best attcking lineup for the Villa game would have been:

                              Reina

Finnan      Carragher          Agger         Dossena

Pennant      Alonso           Masherano      Babel
(Benny)                            (lucas)

                  Torres           Keane

but that lineup could potentially leave us exposed at the back and with the performances we put out i dont think we would want to be chasing any game early on especially not against a side who have no trouble finding the net at home and with such fast players on the break.

[Reg]

We need some leadership to come out of the woodwork.

If Stevie´s injured then who´s gonna step up to the plate and take the team by the scruff of the neck?

Only then can we consider a win.

[kunilson]

2-0 to us, reckon it will be tight in the first half but we will score first, and then again when they try to get back into the game...

                   Reina
Arbeloa   Agger    Carragher    Dossena
    Kuyt  Alonso   Masch   Babbel
            Torres  Keane

[stapo1000]

i'm not confident about the villa game at all. this wil be our first test against a decent side away from home in the league. drastic improvement is needed because if we play the way we did against boro, sunderland and standard then villa will beat us out the gate. I'm looking forward to seeing alonso's performance. He usually comes into his own when stevie is out of the team and he has a little more impetus as he's up against barry.

[Effes]

not got a good feeling about this game at all.

i'd take a draw now. a win would be a bonus.

Ditto

[Number 9]

http://www.liverpoolbanter.co.uk/2008....ip.html

Rafa getting asked a few questions on Villa game,Riera and the failure of the new stadium!
He should have been a politician...talk about dodging questions!

[The Manhattan Project]

We'll win.


Don't care what the score is as long as we get the three points and go back to the top of the Prem.