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[bigmick]

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Shouldn't this bloke be banned or something?

[The_Rock]

Well....the team rafa put out against chelsea was pretty good... (i would have preferred gonzales on the left with gerrard & sissoko central midfield pairing - alonso in the bench).

Lets just see if rafa makes 5 to 6 changes to this team against the next team.

[Espionage]

Can anyone remember Momo actually pairing along side Gerrard with any success?
Rafa seems very apprehensive to do it.  I always assumed that it was due to the fact that they both play a box to box style and that trying to confine them from playing in tandem woud detract from both of their games.

[robby]

when was the last time Liverpool named the same team 2 games in a row. I heard it was up to 80-something!!

[Cool Hand Luke]

A settled core to the team is the key to finding some rhythm. I think its time Rafa choose his best back 4 and played it in 90% of games. Finnan and Carragher pick themselves. Hyypia suffers more than anyone else in our squad when it comes to recovery time between games, so if he is the first choice partner for Carrgaher that means the back line will be altered regularly and that is something I detest, so I would put the ever improving Agger as the first choice next to Carragher. From Riise, Aurelio and Warnock, Rafa must choose his best left back and stick with him. I personally see Aurelio as the long term left back, so stick with him.

Alonso is the only genuine holding midfielder we have at the club now that Hamann has left, so he must start in 90% of games. Putting Zenden into central midfield significantly weakens us so one of Sissoko or Gerrard must partner Alonso in central midfield when they are available.

So they way I see it these 6/7 should play without fail:

                     Reina

Finnan Carrgher Agger Aurelio

              Alonso   Sissoko/Gerrard


I see a bit more scope to change the wide midfield players and the strikers. At the moment I get the feeling that we have just 1 player extra when it comes to strikers. Against Chelsea there was no Garcia or Fowler in the squad. You get the feeling that Rafa feels he has an obligation to include players now and again even if it means weakening the first team. If Rafa knew he was getting both Kuyt and Bellamy I don’t think he would have offered Fowler a new contract, because in all honesty we don’t need him. Kuyt, Crouch, Bellamy, Garcia, and players such as Gerrard and Gonzalez who can play off the main striker give us enough options upfront. I think 2 of Crouch, Kuyt and Bellamy should always start when they are fit, with maybe Garcia coming in for certain games, but I don’t see much of a role for Fowler.

                                                          Reina

Finnan                            Carragher                Agger                  Aurelio

Pennant/Gerrard               Alonso          Sissoko/Gerrard    Gonzalez/Riise

                          Kuyt/Bellamy/Crouch         Kuyt/Bellamy/Crouch

So we should be picking our first 11 from a squad of 14, possibly 15 if you include Garcia and that could be extended to 16 if Kewell comes back fighting fit.

[48-1119859832]

when was the last time Liverpool named the same team 2 games in a row. I heard it was up to 80-something!!

Squad rotation was Houllier's downfall. 

[Hotrod]

Great post Luke totally agree defensivly co-hesion is needed and this is only obtained from playin games together against good oppostion. I rekon now it seems Agger will be 1st choice with Carra seeing as he started aginst Chelsea however Sami might return for the Newcastle game. As for the Fowler thing yea thats a good point but imagine how much stick he would get if he did'nt give Robbie a new contract I think Robbie will have a vital role to play maybe aloungside Kuyt for the next game or even Bellamy as both might be a little tired, Robbie is a 1 in a million striker no-one of out striker or players that come to mind with the expetion of Ronney have the first touch and game intelligance of Fowler and Rafa knows that. Can see him gettin on the score sheet Tmoz

Hotrod

[Bad Bob]

I'm bumping this thread, not out of any desire to prolong the 'did Rafa get it wrong at Sheffield' discussion (done to death) but because it seems that, now that we are winning, some people are suggesting that this is down to Rafa selecting a "settled side" over the last few games.  The actual teamsheets tell a different story, however, which suggests that the "myth or reality" question can be applied as much to the "settled side" myth as it can to the "chopping and changing" myth.

Whichever side of the fence you fall on, though, I think you'll find these figures somewhat interesting (here's hoping!).  I've gone with player initials in the interests of space and I may try and update this post as we go just for the sake of keeping the tallies going (we'll see!)...

(1) LFC vs. Maccabi Haifa

               JR

SF        JC     SH      JAR

JP      XA   SG   MS      BZ
               
                CB

(2) Sheffield U vs. LFC

               JR

JK       JC       SH       JAR

SG      MS      BZ        FA
         
         CB       RF

(3) Maccabi Haifa vs. LFC

               JR

SF       SH      DA       SW

JP      XA      MS        MG
         
         LG       PC

(4) LFC vs. West Ham

                JR

SF       SH      DA       FA

JP      XA       SG        LG
         
         CB      PC

(5) Everton vs. LFC

                 JR

SF       JC      SH       FA

SG      XA      MS        LG
         
         RF       PC

(6) PSV vs. LFC

                JR

SF       JC      DA       SW

JP      MS      BZ        FA
         
         CB       DK

(7) Chelsea vs. LFC

               JR

SF       JC      DA       SW

JP      XA      MS        SG
         
         CB       DK

(8) LFC vs. Newcastle U

               JR

SF       JC      DA       FA

SG      XA      MS        LG
         
         CB       DK

(9) LFC vs. Tottenham

               JR

SF       SH      DA       JAR

SG      XA      MS        MG
         
         CB       DK

STARTS TO DATE/POSSIBLE MATCHES

Reina 9/9
Finnan 8/8
Carragher 6/7
Hyypia 6/9
Agger 6/9
Riise 3/4
Aurelio 5/9
Warnock 3/8
Gerrard 7/9
Alonso 7/9
Sissoko 8/8
Garcia 4/9
Pennant 5/9
Gonzales 2/? (Echo today suggested he had a virus for a few games)
Zenden 3/9
Bellamy 7/9
Kuyt 4/6
Crouch 3/9
Fowler 2/9

Interestingly (to me), while the teamsheets each week suggest that Rafa's love for "chopping and changing" continues unabaited, the "Starts to Date" numbers suggest that there is more or less a settled side of core players (JR, SF, JC/SH/DA, JAR, SG, XA, MS, DK, CB) that Rafa calls upon for the vast majority of games.  Draw your own conclusions from that!

[Sabre]

Excellent post Bad Bob. It would be great if we kept stats like this in some thread

Can you tell me where did you get the team sheets? I like to analyse those things and spotting patterns !

[account deleted by request]

If you like stats Sabre try this site  LINK

[red37]

good work sherlock bob 

it is interesting to see the figures. its also of note, that pennant has a break and the team sparks into life    barring injuries elsewhere, you'd find no grumble from me for stevie to be playing right-mid.

[Bad Bob]

Excellent post Bad Bob. It would be great if we kept stats like this in some thread

Can you tell me where did you get the team sheets? I like to analyse those things and spotting patterns !

SOCCERNET is my source, Sabre.  Just click on "Final" beneath the "Status" column for each game we've played and you'll find the starting line-ups, subs and other vital stats for each match.

One of the interesting "stats" from the information above is that Riise has been selected to start at LB in 3 of the 4 games in which he was fit (he, of course, also came on as a sub against Everton) whereas Aurelio has started only 5 of 9 games, with only 3 of those at LB.  Warnock's also started 3 at LB.  This suggests that the Brazilian's being bedded in fairly slowly at LB and that Riise is still the preferred choice when fit.  In fact, to start Riise against Spurs--having just come back from injury--suggests how much faith Rafa has in the Norwegian.  Maybe JAR's position is not in as much jeopardy as some think!

[66-1112520797]

In fact, to start Riise against Spurs--having just come back from injury--suggests how much faith Rafa has in the Norwegian.  Maybe JAR's position is not in as much jeopardy as some think!

I was happy to see JAR back TBH, and his position may of been in Jeopardy if Aurelio had found his confidence and feet in the side. But as its been Aurelio hasnt produced and if his form continues the way it has Riise IMO will be first choice at LB and rightly so.

[Sabre]

Several arguements have been correctly explained through out this weeks to defend the need of not changing so much the players, and to criticise the over-rotation. There's certainly some pros and cons when you take every decission.

I want to comment now, with a little more of perspective, some of the talks that we had back in summer when we were building the new squad.

Many posters thought that with the new signings, Luis garcia's role was going to be secondary, even that he was going to have a good share of bench. The same was applied to Riise.

When the season started, some thought that Crouch was going to be undroppable. But the thing is, that Luis Garcia, Riise, Crouch, Bellamy, Fabio Aurelio are all ACTIVE members of the squad. When it comes to have the players ready for combat and with the blade sharpened, the rotation system has been quite a success IMHO.

[mattylfc]

I really hope Rafa puts a strong team out tonight.  The CL is what everyone plays for and its a great opportunity to show the world just how strong we are. 

I feel that sometimes we play too much for the future and not for the present.  Too many times i hear people saying we have to think about the next couple of games and the importance of qulaifying for next seasons CL and as much as i agree with that, i just wish we would play for today begin to show everyone what a force we are in europe.  If we play to our full potential we could put a few past these boys tonight and make things a bit easier for ourselves in the later stages.

Watching man utd last night made me feel a bit angry as thats what we should have done against PSV.  If we hadnt rested alonso and gerrard for the likes of zenden im pretty sure we would have picked up three points against wahat was an average team on the day.

Im completely behind the squad rotaion in terms of tinkering with one or two players to ensure people are at full fitness and people have to earn their place but i dont think their is any need for drastic changes, especially when it involves both gerrard and alonso being on the bench at the same time. 

I also think that the rotation has worked really well for the likes of Garcia, someone who has admitted that he is use to it from his time in spain and recognises that it gets the best out of some players who need to be at 100% to perform.