Liverpool FC Forum

[sissoko_22]

i wasnt suggesting they play saturday. i meant they should play in the carling

[CardinalRed]

A strong side should be able to take the win on Saturday, we're on fire at home right now, we haven't conceded a goal at Anfield since October.... Yes, Henry is playing but he's only just back from injury. The one to watch for the Gooners just lately has been Gilberto, he's been sitting in the middle allowing Fabregas to conduct proceedings. With Cesc out though, Arsene's got a lot more thinking to do than Rafa has.... If Pennant carries on his good form from the Bolton game and links up well with Kuyt, I can see a clean sheet win....


                                                                     

[red37]

nice article from Bascombe in todays Echo:


Kop should have place in Reds' new plans Jan 5 2007
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo




AS Liverpool players focus on continuing their defence of the FA Cup tomorrow, off the pitch an altogether different, and some might suggest equally important, campaign kicks into action.

The phrase `Reclaim The Kop' will become increasingly familiar in years to come, particular with the countdown to the move to Stanley Park.

Inspired partially by exasperation at the declining atmosphere within Anfield, and a fear whatever reputation the famous arena once had will soon be consigned to history, a group of hardened Liverpudlians are hoping to shake the club's fan base out of its apathy.

While hopes of a return to The Kop's heyday in the 60s and 70s may be sprinkled with deluded romanticism, there are those who believe, at the very least, the core values which separated Liverpool from the Soccer Saturday generation should be re-established.

With the full support of Liverpool's hierarchy, the `Reclaim The Kop' campaign was launched on New Year's Day, urging all supporters, of all accents, to re-establish their stadium as the most knowledgeable, passionate and humorous in the land.

"The Kop is a one-off," reads the charter. "It's the cradle of terrace culture, humour, songs - the original 12th Man. The Kop innovates. It has never followed. As Liverpudlians, we should never follow the rest of country's trends and fancies. Whether that takes the form of lower-league grade chanting, overhead seal-clapping or the wearing of yokel-style headgear, The Kop deserves better."

Arsenal's FA Cup visit will coincide with their first attempt to impact on the atmosphere, although the organisers have opted to focus on a political rather than celebratory message in which to engage the public.

Tomorrow has been designated a Hillsborough Flag Day, with the arrival of the BBC cameras seen as the perfect vehicle in which to protest against the recent and ongoing lies of their employee, Kelvin Mackenzie.

A Kop mural to be unveiled as the two teams kick-off will highlight `The Truth'. A flag in honour of Hillsborough's 96 victims will then be walked around the pitch, and organisers hope fans will heartily indulge in six minutes of incessant chanting at the start of the game, making their feelings on MacKenzie's filth abundantly clear.

"With the match being screened live on the BBC, we saw this as an ideal opportunity," explained John Maguire, from Bootle, who is part of the Reclaim The Kop campaign. "Sometimes the Sky cameras cut to a break just as the murals are being shown, so this time we want fans on The Kop to keep it going for the first six minutes of the game so the world can see how we feel."

The founders of `Reclaim The Kop' are keen to emphasise tomorrow's protest may herald the start of their campaign, but the overall theme is much broader than the issue of Hillsborough.

They are also aware how recent attempts to understand or explain why the Anfield atmosphere has declined has proved the equivalent of diving headfirst into a political minefield, as the club's out-of-town supporters perceive they're being blamed.

Now the focus isn't on why the atmosphere has deteriorated, but on actively reviving it.

"It's about improving the match-going experience for everyone who goes to Anfield, no matter where they're from," says Maguire.

"We want more singing, and the vast amount of songs we have to be used rather than the same ones all the time.

"The atmosphere for cup games or European matches is usually good, but sometimes during Premiership matches it's embarrassing.

"The idea actually began after the away game in Bordeaux, when all the lads agreed it was a low point.

"The Liverpool fans we're singing things like `Who are ya?' to the Bordeaux supporters. We all just thought to ourselves we had to try and do something and, if you like, maybe educate a new generation of Liverpool supporters .

"We're saying this season and the next two might be our last at Anfield, so let's make them memorable.

"Most of the feedback we've had so far has been positive, and to be honest the support we've had at the top of Liverpool Football Club took us aback.

"Some of the lads met Rick Parry and he was keen to listen to any ideas we had about improving the atmosphere.

"It's particularly important when the new stadium is built that the singing areas are protected and the club does its best to make sure the most vocal fans occupy what will become the new Kop end.

"We know we're also there to be shot down by others, but we think it's worth pursuing.

"We've emphasised from the very start, this is about all Liverpool fans all over the world, not just an appeal to local fans or the out-of-town supporters.

"You could say it's not about being local, but about being vocal."

FOR more information check out the website on www.reclaimthekop.co.uk/

[bigxchris]

Looks like Van Persie isnt banned for this one although he is one yellow away from it.

[red37]

Looks like Van Persie isnt banned for this one although he is one yellow away from it.

not according to this report:


http://www.newsnow.co.uk/cgi/NGoto/180205566?-11194

[zarababe]

2-0 to the Red Machine

Kuyt
Bellamy

Can't wait.. its on BBC1

[zarababe]

Benitez on the tie:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media...._bb.asx

Get in there REDMEN

[aCe']

Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Agger, Carragher, Riise, Gerrard, Luis Garcia, Aurelio, Alonso, Bellamy, Kuyt, Hyypia, Gonzalez, Crouch, Fowler, Pennant, Paletta, Martin, Dudek, Warnock.

Arsenal (from): Lehmann, Eboue, Toure, Senderos, Clichy, Hleb, Gilberto, Flamini, Rosicky, Aliadiere, Henry, Almunia, Djourou, Hoyte, Denilson, van Persie, Baptista, Song.

my expected lineup:

LIVERPOOL:

                                  Reina

Finnan           Carragher           Agger          Warnock

Pennant         GERRARD           x.Alonso         Garcia

                      Bellamy           Crouch


can see is drawing against them....hard game and not one we should take for granted ...
they have some good players who can pop in goals from half chances ... them scoring an early goal would make life so difficult for us... we should go out there and try to score an early goal and control game after that.

[Effes]

From the racing post:

FORTRESS Anfield has yielded just two Premierhip points for visitingteams this season and it could also provide the platform for a sustained onslaught on this season’s FA Cup.

Arsenal are the most dangerous opponents to visit the Merseyside giants this season, but their challenge has been blunted by the absence of keyplayers.

Thierry Henry’s midweek return was a massive boost for Arsenal fans, but he cannot be expected to find top form straight away.

Two of Arsenal’s most effective offensive players in recent months have been Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor, but neither will be taking to the field this evening.

The return of Emmanuel Eboue at the back is a massive boost to an Arsenal defence which has pace to burn.

However, there have been a number of occasions this season when they have lost concentration at key moments.

And Liverpool have proved themselves to be experts at seizing on opposition mistakes.

It may take some time to break the Gunners down but patience is one of Liverpool’s virtues – a fact exhibited in the second-half demolition of Bolton.

Recommendations
Liverpool, 1pt 11-10
Liverpool to won 1-0, 0.5pt 7-1

*******************************************************

Thought they'd tip 1 nil - it seems the most likely

[Ciggy]

TIME TO KOP THE TRUTH KELVIN
Brian Reade

MEMO to Kelvin MacKenzie: If you're doing nothing at 5.15 tonight why not tune in to the Liverpool v Arsenal game on BBC1, where you will find 12,000 Kopites expressing what they think of your persistent campaign to rubbish the findings of Lord Justice Taylor's Report into the Hillsborough Disaster.

It will last a full six minutes. Or as long as 96 fans were left by police to die inside cages while an FA Cup tie played on in front of them in April 1989. But I don't need to remind you of the details, as you know them all. Even though you were 200 miles away at the time.

Because some anonymous Yorkshire copper who was ordered to deflect attention away from his force's culpability, span you a pack of lies, which you gladly published as The Truth, and which cost your newspaper dear.

Perhaps you still loathe yourself for being a submissive lackey who mouthed a false apology at Rupert Murdoch's behest or maybe you're too vain to accept hard evidence and let it go.

Either way you're still telling audiences, like the one in Newcastle last month, The Truth about Hillsborough was that Liverpool fans got tanked up, stampeded a gate, killed their own, and as they lay dying, on them and stole their belongings.

I just hope the Kop's tribute to you evokes a fraction of the anger and pain your continued lies do to the many people still living with the harrowing consequences of British football's most tragic day.

But I don't think it will. Which, Mr Mackenzie, is the saddest Truth of all.

Well in Mr. Reade.

[dawson99]

Gonna b a good game tonight. for those looking for a lil bet on it:

paddy power are gonna refun or 1st goalscorers/correct scores/scorecast bets if stevie g scores the last goal.

I reckon we'll beat them...2-1 or 3-2...wont be much in it and i think it might be quite an open game. We respect each other as teams and managers and with henry back and us having the best home record in england (i think) its gonna go all the way... in our favour im thinking

[Effes]

With the way we come on strong in the second half at home this season; Draw-Liverpool (Half time/Full time) at 4-1 looks good.

Also under 2.5 goals at 8-13 is generous.

[66-1120597113]

Only one outcome for me..the boys will be well up for it!!

We owe them bigtime as well after that big defeat earlier in the season...cant wait to kickoff!

Good luck with the protest all that are gonna be there!

Wish i could be!!

[LFC1892]

Reina
Finnan     Carra        Agger/Hyypia(not sure)  Risse

Pennant         Gerrard        Xabi      Garcia
 
                        Bellamy    Kuyt

[redmikey]

neither team want a draw so this could be a classic game

and best chance for both teams at silverware this season imho

2-0 liverpool