Liverpool FC Forum

[Cool Hand Luke]

Benitez is clearly considering giving Sinama-Pongolle the chance to claim the spot, he said: "We have been looking at different solutions on the right because we do not really want to use Luis Garcia there. Flo has the pace and intelligence to play there, I remember him playing very well there against Arsenal last season, he gives us options."

He said he doesnt reall want see Garcia on the right, this for me is encouraging. Hope to see Pongolle on the right ahead of Garcia.

[Pablo_Escobar]

I just pray that Reina doesn't make Dudek type blunders in such a important game. But having in mind Betis game I believe we can be certain, because he's a good goalie

[nufc1986]

-----------------------reina


--Josemi-------Carra-------------Hypia--------Warnock


                           
---------------Sissoko-----------Alonso-----------------

       
Finnan------------------Gerrard-----------------------Riise


               
--------------Sinama-------------Cisse---------------------


Mouth watering!

liverpool to win 2-1,is it at anfield?

[66-1120597113]

reina


josemi           Carra                    Hypia                   Traore


                           
                Sissoko                                      Alonso

       
Finnan                            Gerrard                           Riise


               
                    Sinama                           Ciise


Mouth watering!

liverpool to win 2-1,is it at anfield?

Yeah but i dont think we'llbe allowed to play 12 men u silly boy!   

[nufc1986]

minus sissoko

*slaps self round face and tells self to wake up*

[Alonso14]

Road to Roo-in - Nicholas
by Tim Hobbs -  Created on 16 Sep 2005
ROAD TO ISTANBUL DVD
Relive the whole of the final, highlights from the earlier games and enjoy the parade over and over again. Order now and save £4.

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Sunday, September 18
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There's only one person we will be talking about come Sunday lunchtime - Wayne Rooney.

Everybody has had their say on his midweek red card, and as an ex-Evertonian going back to Liverpool in a Manchester United shirt, the media spotlight on him will be brighter than ever.

There is no chance Sir Alex Ferguson will leave him out, because he is far too big a talent to be considered a liability, but I am fairly sure he will have had a word with him since Wednesday night.

But I just have a feeling that, for the next few years at least, nothing is going to change with young Rooney. I am not sure any words of wisdom from anyone will change him, I just think it is a question of maturity.

He is only 19 and he is raw and aggressive, but I honestly think we will see him make plenty more mistakes over the next four or five years, until he does mature.

But he cannot afford to have one of those 'mistakes' at Anfield on Sunday. United are already without Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Gabriele Heinze, so to lose one more big-game player would do them no favours whatsoever.

They got away with it in midweek, but his actions will come back to haunt United in terms of suspensions and points loss if he keeps getting himself in trouble.

And United are already facing the toughest test of their season to date. And they are facing it without Roy Keane, which has to be a big concern. I have to say I am not at all convinced Alan Smith is the man to replace him in the middle, simply because he is too rash.

There is no doubting his commitment to the cause, but whereas Keane would make a composed move to cover back or win the ball, Smith will dive in there. It is a basic lack of defensive knowledge, and not his fault, but I think John O'Shea is the man to sit in there and protect the back four.

Smith's reputation also precedes him and in a red-hot atmosphere like Anfield, that might just be as big a problem as Rooney's temperament.

And you can guarantee that Liverpool will have all their big guns back for this. Steven Gerrard was among those given a rest and they will all be back, raring to go.

The fact that they picked up a good win in midweek having rested a few key players means they will be right up for the annual visit of United.

Personally I am looking forward to seeing what formation Rafael Benitez opts for, because I certainly have no idea! Some weeks he plays one up front, other times he goes with two and then against Betis, he comes out with Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Peter Crouch in attack.

I have to admit I was scratching my head at that one. Or I was for the two minutes it took them to score! And then, Benitez moves Luis Garcia into the middle just off Crouch and he goes and scores. I have got to say that Rafa is clearly very astute tactically, but I am still trying to work out if he is a genius, or just lucky!

Whatever it is, he seems to come up with the right formations for the big games and it seems to work. His players also seem to have that wonderful nack of approaching big games knowing they are going to produce a big performance.

They don't come much bigger than United and I can see the same thing happening again.
CHARLIE SAYS



Home win - Home win - I just fancy Liverpool, largely because of Roy Keane's absence. Without him and to lesser extent, Gary Neville, there just seems to be a lack of know-how in the United side for such a big game. Keane is the one that keeps United's shape in the middle there and I expect Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso to get the better of things without him there. I can see this being a fantastic football match and a wonderful atmosphere, but I am going to go for Liverpool to shade it, 2-1.
Does Nicholas know? Liverpool to win 2-1 is 9/1 with Sky Bet. Click here for full odds!


CHARLIE'S CHOICE


Djibril Cisse (Liverpool) - Djibril Cisse (Liverpool) - I am not sure that he will start, but I would like to see it. I think he and Peter Crouch are Liverpool's best pairing up top. Crouch we all know about, but Cisse is the perfect foil. He has the pace and although as Phil Thompson keeps telling me every Saturday, they are missing chances, I think he will get goals for them. His movement and enthusiasm should trouble United and even if he doesn't do it from the start, I expect him to make a major contribution.
Does Nicholas know? Cisse last scorer is 5/1 with Sky Bet. Click here for full odds!

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I think that the roy keane could be a big factor (as prevously stated in the thread) and could decide the game if Gerrard just has a average game let alone a great one. Not sure if Cisses the man to watch though. Id go for Peter Crouch or even Little Luis Garcia. Looks like he might of played himself into a bit of form.

[66-1120597113]

minus sissoko

*slaps self round face and tells self to wake up*

Minus Sissoko? Slap yourself again,the last
one was'nt hard enough!

[nufc1986]

finnan back to right back and josemi dropped cos he played poor midweek!

*chucks bottle of water over head to wake self up and try talk a bit more sense!*

[109-1093441336]

Stay awake!, your community college project must be finished by tomorow toon boy.

[JC_81]

minus sissoko

*slaps self round face and tells self to wake up*

Minus Sissoko? Slap yourself again,the last
one was'nt hard enough!

 

Had to be said

[mighty mo]

EASY! EASY! EASY! EASY! EASY! 

[7_Kewell]

i'm confident.  Their central midfield will be Smith, Fletcher and scholes.....all out of form and all fold under pressure.  Their Argie cheating left back is out now too....i predict 2-0 to us....cisse and Alonso.

[<-alonso->]

2-1
20'garcia
60' v.nistelrooy
81' gerrard

[A.B.]

We're not going to win as easily as some think, we're not playing some side from the Championship. Man Utd have injuries but they will be up for it and they will be looking for a win after two draws in the past two games.

[El Nino_#9]

would like to see-
.................reina
finnan...hyypia....carra....traore
..........alonso......sissoko
pongolle.......gerrard.........riise
................crouch

(imo, the best team we can put out!)