Liverpool FC Forum

[stmichael]

I can already see the responses to this. Oh it's only the Carling Cup. Play the kids. Blah blah blah.

Ok, this competition is hardly high on our list of priorities this season but under the circumstances, we must get a win...and a good one, under our belts, especially away from home where we have struggled desperately over the past 12 months. Some of my best days ever as a supporter have come in this competition, especially beating the scum in 2003.

Confidence is extremely low, as is morale, so a win is important to get us back on track for the weekends game agsinst West Ham. Go out at the first stage and just imagine how low everyone would be.

I want to forget about the farce that was Fulham and the best way to do this is to bounce back from that debacle with a resounding win. Tomorrow night is the perfect opportunity. Let's face it, if we can't beat Palace, then there's something dreadfully wrong.

Rafa has said that Gerrard will be back and will definitely play some part. I don't expect Carragher to play but I still want to see a decent team put out. I'd personally play Morientes because the guy just desperately needs a goal.

Thoughts?

[SouthCoastShankly]

As its fairly obvious we need goals. I think we need a predatory response and go for the jugular. 3 or 4-0 will boast our morale massively.

We basically need a walk in the park, whether we'll get it is another thing

[Lando_Griffin]

I agree. It'd be a waste of time playing a team full of kids in our current situation. Mori and Crouch both need a goal, but we should rest the likes of Carra, Alonso, Hyypia and Sissoko.
Better still, use this game to blood any new ideas Rafa may have been toying with. Perhaps go with;

                                                           Carson
           Raven                        Whitbred                  ?(experience/youth?)            Warnock

         Barragan                          Hamann            Gerrard                 Kewell(Fitness)

                                                         Zenden
                                                             Mori.

[Ola Mr Benitez]

I would say we need to put our best 11 out, and not just for the Carling Cup but for every game coming up.  I know its a long season with loads of games this year due to us playing in the World Cup thingy in Japan in December, but I really believe we need to get the players "nitted in" as at the moment the squad is being rotated far too much IMO...  Rotation is great, but only 1 player should be rested so there is some consistancy in the patern of play.

Lets get our best team out and kick some a$$, score a bag full of goals and go into our next Premiership game knowing we are good enough and we can score!

[REDTILLDEAD]

Yeah!...your dead right there, the sooner we exit this pointless exercise the better!.We could do without this needless distraction which can only divert us away from more important matters like the CL and getting our act together in the prem. This competition should be left to the lower divisions.

[hawkmoon269]

Agreed, we need the confidence boost from a good win (not a 1-0 win!).  I'd like to see Rafa "experiment" with 4-4-2 with Cisse and Crouch.

[hawkmoon269]

Can't remember - age is getting to me! - what is Luis Garcia like on the right wing?

[SouthCoastShankly]

sh!t

[LFC #1]

Can't remember - age is getting to me! - what is Luis Garcia like on the right wing?

no good, Garcia has never been, and never will be a wide player IMO, I think his best position is to  play centrally, just behind the strikers.

Unfortunately he's a pretty hard player to accomodate for in a 4-4-2 as he is not a central midfielder or a wide player, and this is why, IMO, he is more suited to playing in a 4-5-1 with two central midfielders in behind him. But you could play it like this I suppose...
                     
                    Alonso
             
        Gerrard                 Kewell     
                     
                    Garcia

[hawkmoon269]

Can't remember - age is getting to me! - what is Luis Garcia like on the right wing?

no good, Garcia has never been, and never will be a wide player IMO, I think his best position is to  play centrally, just behind the strikers.

Unfortunately he's a pretty hard player to accomodate for in a 4-4-2 as he is not a central midfielder or a wide player, and this is why, IMO, he is more suited to playing in a 4-5-1 with two central midfielders in behind him. But you could play it like this I suppose...
                     
                    Alonso
             
        Gerrard                 Kewell     
                     
                    Garcia

Can you really see Rafa playing the Diamond?

[craig da Toxteth iron]

the confidence is low. so I think he will play his best side against palace

[wrighty (not mark!)]

I'm sorry but I would 'play the kids blah blah blah'. I see the Carling Cup as a great opportunity for our up and coming talent to play some games against tougher opposition such as Boro and Spurs last year. I was v.proud of our younger players getting us to the final that season and I would like to see more of the same.

The Carling Cup is a stage for the youngsters to show what they're made of and a chance to prove to Rafa they should get a few outings in the prem and to push for a first team place. Think about it, If you were a young player with dreams of playing for Liverpool, you would play out of your skin given the opportunity surely...

I know people mentioning that we need a confidence booster after the defeat against Fulham. However, I feel if we won against palace with the kids, surely that would send a message out to the first team that they need to get a grip and realise who they are playing for.

OK, It's not the carrot approach for the first teamers, but it is the carrot approach for our youngsters who have aspirations of being top players for Liver and in the same process it will give the first teamers a kick up the backside.

Play the kids blah blah blah

[Scottbot]

I would play a mixture. I'd like to see a couple of the younger players get a game. Not just for the sake of it but to see how close a few of them might be to contributing to the first team. I'd like another look at Whitbread plus expect Carson to get a run out. Would also like to see Stevie and Sissoko start together in a flat four plus i'd like to see Crouch and Pongo play together for the first time (i have a feeling those two could really work together)

[wrighty (not mark!)]

-----------------------Carson------------------------------


Raven           Carragher      Hobbes              Whitbread


Barraghan      Gerrard          Antwi                Hammill


                   Calliste          Pongolle

[Judge]

Can't remember - age is getting to me! - what is Luis Garcia like on the right wing?

same as any other position, you work it out hawky 


i hope we thrash em good. we are due to give someone a drubbing and it may aswell be palace