Liverpool FC Forum

[JC_81]

The team I would choose:

                 Reina

Josemi  Hyypia  Carragher  Warnock

Cisse  Alonso  Sissoko  Zenden

         Crouch  Pongolle

SUBS: Dudek, Gerrard, Hamann, Morientes, Riise, Finnan, Garcia.

I think it's about time to rotate the squad a bit or else the more important players would be knackered. Some might say we have found our winning formula and that rotating is not neccessary, but since only a point is needed against Betis at home, we can definately afford squad rotation, seeing that a tough away fixture at Man City is coming up. We have enough quality on the bench anyways if worse comes to worse.

I have a feeling if we really do get draw and that Chelsea does not manage to get a win in Brussels come Wednesday, Gerrard/Carragher and Lampard/Terry, being such close friends in the national squad, would try to fix a result in Stamford Bridge to accompany both English teams in the last 16. Fingers crossed on this one. I really want Chelsea out though.

Have to disagree here.  This is no time to rest players.  Firstly it is early in the season still, I really don't see any need to rest players.  Secondly if we go into the game looking for a draw we'll lose, you can be guaranteed of that.  And thirdly if we make too many changes then the team will lose the momentum we've built up over the last 4 games.

To an extent we used the Portsmouth game to rest a few players after the Internationals because Benitez knows the Betis game is important (if we lose it we go to the Bridge needing a result - not good).

I think we'll revert to:

                              Reina

Finnan         Carra             Hyypia             Warnock/Riise

Gerrard        Alonso           Sissoko             Garcia

                  Morientes      Cisse

In my opinion that is our strongest team and we need to take this game seriously.

[Owzat]

why take the chance OWZAT when we can win and finish it off at ANFIELD?

I haven't expressed an opinion, those are merely statements of FACT. We should beat Betis at Anfield to make sure not only of qualifying but of being top of the group. I'd stick with our best XI with an experienced backbone :-

GK Reina
RB Finnan
CB Carragher
CB Hyypia
LB Riise
DM Hamann
RCM Gerrard
CM Alonso
LCM Garcia
CF Morientes
CF Cisse

As we lose 1/3 of all matches Traore plays I pray that he doesn't start. Plenty of scoring options and experience

[Jari's mullet]

Definately not a time to be resting players for such an important game.  Despite the scoreline in the last match against them, I think they still have a touch of quality about them.  Any team with Xisco and Joaquin are going to cause a few problems.  My team is:

Reina
Finnan
Hyypia
Carra
Risse
Gerrard
Hamman
Alonso
Garcia
Morientes
Cisse

Subs: Sissoko, Kewell ,Crouch , Traore, Dudek.

[fivecups]

This game is probably our most important game of the season and your wanting to rotate. Madness! The strongest eleven out there .

I disagree. How could a game where only a draw would suffice be called the "most important game of the season".

Because if we loose the Betis match, we leave ourselves needing to get something to against Chelsea to qualify for the next round. And that would be difficult. And, if we don't qualify from our current position that would be a disaster.

In terms of formation, I suspect we may see a return to 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1. If Betis don't score we qualify.

My team prediction:

                     Reina

Finnan     Carra       Hyypia       Riise

Garcia     Alonso     Hamaan      Zenden (possibly Harry)

                    Gerrard

                   Morientes

[El Nino_#9]

i think we should put our strongest team for betis, win it and be qualified.
then the game against chelsea at the bridge we could put out our reserve team and rest key players for the premiership.

[A.B.]

Yes, Betis might be an unpredicatable team but after all, we're playing at home and we can afford to come away with a point, so I do not find any problem in a little bit of squad rotation.

The highly inconsistent Real Betis just lost 1-0 yesterday against a NINE-men Sevilla team and their now flirting dangerously in the relegation zone (17th place) with the poorest of goal differences. Without their star striker Olivera, I don't see how they can come away from Anfield with 3 points even if we play the team I mentioned above. Perhaps Finnan for Josemi, then the team that I mentioned above is completely valid. Besides, I do see Rafa doing a bit of squad rotation seeing that a tough away fixture at Man City is coming up in the weekend.

Who cares how they've been doing in La Liga? Last season we lost to the likes of Palace,Birmingham and beat Juventus and Chelsea.

They were without major players against Chelsea and they beat them, thanks to Dani not Olivera. Don't underestimate them.

[stmichael]

the fact that we only need a point shouldn't alter our approach to the game one bit. if we start at a high tempo and get an early goal (as we did over there) i expect us to win quite comfortably.

they're a decent side going forward but defensively they're shocking. i fancy morientes to continue his improved form and to score again.

[Owzat]

We shouldn't underestimate any team in the Champions League. We should beat most sides at home and certainly shouldn't be losing many.

Stmichael - I am impressed with Morientes form but I fear Crouch may get the nod ahead of him. I had doubts about Morientes but he is unquestionably a quality player. I think you can complete the rest of my sentiment if you really want to

[L-type]

I have a feeling if we really do get draw and that Chelsea does not manage to get a win in Brussels come Wednesday, Gerrard/Carragher and Lampard/Terry, being such close friends in the national squad, would try to fix a result in Stamford Bridge to accompany both English teams in the last 16. Fingers crossed on this one. I really want Chelsea out though.

That is absolutely sick, do you really think any player that plays in the red jersey would ever stoop to something so low?  I don't care if anyone does this, including gerrard, I would never want to see them puttin that shirt on again.  At Liverpool you play for the win, and to even think about doing something like that is absolute blasphemy.

[A.B.]

MilitaRusher, stay off the drugs. You obviously didn't see the passion from our players against Chelsea last season at Anfield.

[66-1120597113]

Aye Carra and Gerrard fixing games!
They would never dream of disrespecting the badge and fans in such a manner!NEVER

[H_K_LFC]

i think we should put our strongest team for betis, win it and be qualified.
then the game against chelsea at the bridge we could put out our reserve team and rest key players for the premiership.

  agree with that ^^^....pretty confident we can beat chelsea with a weak team

[MilitiaRusher]

Reina

Josemi  Hyypia  Carragher  Warnock

Cisse  Alonso  Sissoko  Zenden

        Sinama  Crouch

SUBS: Dudek, Gerrard, Garcia, Hamann, Morientes, Kewell, Finnan.

How is this team 'weak' to start with? How is this team not capable to win a Betis team at Anfield?

Anyways, I'll refine my team:

               Reina

Finnan  Carragher  Hyypia  Riise

Sinama  Gerrard  Sissoko  Zenden

           Cisse  Crouch

SUBS: Dudek, Hamann, Alonso, Garcia, Kewell, Josemi, Morientes.

[woof woof !]

Our game against Betis will be absolutely crucial . I expect Chelsea to beat Anderlecht which would put them on 10 points , Betis must feel they are in with a sniff if they can get a result against us , a fluke win for them and the point situation going into the final games would be .
Liverpool 10
Chelsea 10
Betis 9
Anderlecht 0 .
If Betis then went on to beat Anderlecht they would qualify leaving us and Chelsea fighting for the other spot .


We should field our stongest 11 and not be looking to settle for a draw .

[Judge]

Our game against Betis will be absolutely crucial . I expect Chelsea to beat Anderlecht which would put them on 10 points , Betis must feel they are in with a sniff if they can get a result against us , a fluke win for them and the point situation going into the final games would be .
Liverpool 10
Chelsea 10
Betis 9
Anderlecht 0 .
If Betis then went on to beat Anderlecht they would qualify leaving us and Chelsea fighting for the other spot .


We should field our stongest 11 and not be looking to settle for a draw .

i think rafa will not risk playing anyone short of our best squad, in his eyes.

he has got the squad playing some excellent football, plus we are keeping clean sheets 

i expect it will be tough against Betis, but i feel we can beat them by at least 4 clear goals. So William Hill will be getting a tenner on 4 nil to the pool