Liverpool FC Forum

[Bad Bob]

Not to mention a couple of

"he's not good enough. He'll never be"

"7 points behind Manchester, we can't win the league"

and perhaps, although it might be a bit early, a "I've seen it in Rafa's face, he's going to leave"

Needless to say, Luis Garcia trickster and ball waster thread would have some entries too

I laugh but it's so true.  Especially the OMG Rafa/Xabi/Stevie is off, I can tell by his body language bollox.  Some people need to get a grip!

[48-1119859832]

I'm very optimistic for this match...I predict a 3-0 win.

[ooaajoshbackar]

im thinking 1-0 win, crouchy to score! Im also predicting it to kick off after the game outside the ground!

[Cool Hand Luke]

I don’t know where all this pessimism is coming from, I am quietly confident of taking something from this game and beating Newcastle on Wednesday.

Both teams have 4 full days to prepare for the game and travel has been minimal. This is probably one of the longest periods recently that Rafa has been able to spend with his players without a game. Plus the only player not available is Riise, everyone else is fit and can’t be fatigued because we will have 4 full days to prepare.

Both teams have ample time to be ready for this game and I am confident we will not lose. I would like to see Crouch be paired with either Bellamy or Garcia.

I’m not convinced by Chelsea this year, their squad is less balanced than last year and the look too “compact” for their own good. I think the title winners this season will not hit 90 points, there is a little window for ourselves, Man Utd and Arsenal to win the title this year.

Against Newcastle we will be facing a team that will be in worse shape than us for once! They play on Thursday, Sunday and against us Wednesday.

These 4 days will be used well and as long as we don’t lose to Chelsea this will be a springboard for some good form hopefully.

Roll on Sunday!

[Kuyt]

Tough game.

Charity Shield is not a lot to go by.

LFC need to win it, to restore confidence, but if Rafa tinkers again, then could go either way.

I would not Play Aurelio, at all.

Prediction.....1-1.

[J*o*n*D*o*e]

it wasnt so along ago that you could get off to a slow start and pick it up and stil be in with a chance, but the bar has been lifted and we cant afford to not get something out of this game.

i would like to see Bellamy and kuyt again but i wouldnt be surprised to see Crouch back, also not sure about bringing sami back for this one.

Rafa mate this is a tough one, over to you.

[Ciggy]

Am going 1-0 to us, great news that Joe Cole is injured he always scores against us .
Reverse result when we should have beat them at Anfield 2 seasons ago, when Carra nearly strangled Mike Reilly.

BTW West Ham had more fans last night in the UEFA Cup at Upton Park, Than Chelsea did in their Champions League opener at Stamford Bridge 3 days ago.
Big club my @rse.

[el_stinger]

Thank God Joe Cole is injured,

Here is the report as ciggy correctly hinted at. BTW when you gonna change your name cig? Maybe to biggy, lol



Blues lose Cole for Reds clash
By James Pearson

Joe Cole has been ruled out of Chelsea's weekend clash with Liverpool following a fresh setback in his recovery from a knee injury.

Things looked good for the England international midfielder after he came off the bench in The Blues' 2-0 midweek UEFA Champions League win over Werder Bremen.

Cole was even targeting a return to the England set-up in a month's time, however, the 24-year-old is now likely to need a further two weeks on the sidelines.

The former West Ham winger suffered a reaction while making his comeback and is frustrated at being forced out of their weekend clash at Anfield, live on Sky Sports 1.

"I am devastated that the injury has flared up again," Cole said.

"I have been pulling my hair out trying to ensure I get fully fit again and staying at the training ground until 5pm every day.

"Unfortunately the injury is not healing as I would like and I need to get 100 percent right.

"I need to take a few steps back for that to happen and it is unlikely I will be ready for the Liverpool game, which is a big blow for me.

"I am desperate to play and the Liverpool game is a big one to miss out on, but I know I need to get this right."

[Mannyk]

Got a feeling we will win this game. I reckon the boys will start nervous but things will fall into place. I hope he picks a very quick side that includes Pennant and Gonzo with Kuyt . Nor sure whether I would start with Bellamy or Crouch. Suppose Crouchy has to start because of his recent record.

Anyway it's to kick some butt....C'monnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

[Ciggy]

Terry reckons the title race will be over for us on monday.

TITLE RACE DOWN TO US AND UNITED BY MONDAY
BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP Big four gearing up for Sunday's key clashes TERRY: WE'LL KNOCK OUT KOP, MAN U CAN FINISH ARSENAL.. AND IT'S ONLY SEPTEMBER!
Martin Lipton Chief Football Writer
JOHN TERRY wants to blow Liverpool out of the title race early for the second season running on Sunday - and help make the Premiership a two-horse race.

Chelsea skipper Terry is out for revenge after last season's FA Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of Rafa Benitez's men by making it five straight league wins over the Spaniard for Blues boss Jose Mourinho.

And the England captain accepts that a Chelsea victory, coupled with a Manchester United triumph over Arsenal at Old Trafford, would hole the Merseysiders and the Gunners below the waterline barely a month into the new season.

We put Liverpool out of it when we won up at Anfield at the start of last season and I can see why people might be saying that it's down to us and United if we can both win," said Terry.


"When we played United a few years ago at home on the first weekend and beat them it set the tone for the whole season. When you can do that and win a big one it can be a massive statement.


"We know that the other teams will be watching to see what we do and if we can go out there and play well against Liverpool and win the match, the likes of United and the rest will have to stand up and pay attention to us.


"United are playing well at the minute but they've got to keep winning."


Liverpool are already five points behind the Blues and a further three points adrift of Old Trafford's early season pace-setters, although they are in a better state than Arsene Wenger's side, who will be a staggering 13 points in arrears of the leaders if they lose again.


A double-figure deficit, even at this stage of the campaign, would be a fatal blow to both Benitez and Wenger.


But Terry knows Liverpool will be even more fired-up than usual after their mauling at Goodison last week.


He said: "We're aware that they say wounded animals are the most dangerous and Liverpool will be feeling wounded after last week.


"I don't want to talk about what's happened in the past between us. It's about Sunday's game and what we do in that one.


"We're fit and we're coming into it with a lot of confidence. It's a big game for us, even though it's so early in the season.


"They got a bit of a thumping in their local derby, which is a massive game for them. So for the players, I'm sure they'll be very upset after Everton and the fans as well. All of them will be travelling down here to come and win something and it's vital that we go out and pick up another three points.


"I know it's so early on in the season but it is important we keep on doing that, especially our home games which have been a fortress for the last three seasons."


Chelsea have dropped just 12 points out of 120 at Stamford Bridge under Mourinho.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport....ge.html

[sworth26]

i'd go with...

               Reina

Finnan Carra Agger Warnock

        Alonso Sissoko
Pennant                Gonzalez
             Gerrard
                   
               Kuyt


...hyypia always gets a hard time against dogbar, agger's pace will no doubt be called upon against shevi. and bearing in mind we're playing at the home of the champions, beni knows our only chance of running the game is by fielding all 3 musketeers in midfield.

fool proof 

That's the puppy!!!

[SouthCoastShankly]

I'm very optimistic for this match...I predict a 3-0 win.

And your optimism is based on what??? If your old enough, go to the bookies and chuck a tenner on a 3-0 win for Liverpool. I reckon the bookie will have quite a large smile on his face.

You live in cuckoo land mate

[Ciggy]

I'm very optimistic for this match...I predict a 3-0 win.

And your optimism is based on what??? If your old enough, go to the bookies and chuck a tenner on a 3-0 win for Liverpool. I reckon the bookie will have quite a large smile on his face.

You live in cuckoo land mate

He's a windup merchant hence the 3-0 scoreline.

[CardinalRed]

The way we've started this season, sod's law says that something different will happen.... Chelski ain't been outstanding so it'll either be a boring 0-0 or a spectacular 3-2 (hopefully to us!) There you go, I covered my bases there eh?

                                                                 

[stmichael]

In the games we beat them we started with:

CL semi: Garcia off Baros
FA Semi: Garcia off Crouch
Comm.Shield: Garcia off Crouch

In the draws we got he started with:

CL Semi: Gerrard off Baros
CL Away: Garcia (I think he swapped with Kewell but may be wrong that games out of my memory bar the Essien challange) off Crouch
CL Home: Garcia off Crouch

In the league games i think he's always gone 1 up 1 off and same in the Carling Cup Final.

3 wins, 3 draws and 5 defeats isn't awful considering that during the first season we had a much worse squad than them and played 5 matches with them losing 3.

Bring it on.