Liverpool FC Forum

[matrix]

the presure will be off us now were in the last 16 of the cl...the confidence in the players looks better than ever  all we need to do now is score some goals...starting against man city  this would be a great win for us if we can take city in scum land...liverpool to edge it 2-1  crouch to score his first goal for liverpool  watch this space...

[A.B.]

Well this is one out of two games on the road that we have to play [we play Sunderland on tuesday and Sunderland beat us the last time we played them at their place ], so we will see how much we've improved on the road.

As I said before, I'm not entirely confident about this fixture.

[liamac]

To be honest A.B. if this game against Man City had been a couple of weeks back  , like say , after the Crystal Palace game id be agreeing with you  , but i think with the current run of form that the team is showing , especially that they are now playing a 4-4-2 formation that suits the available players better , the team seems to have the bit between their teeth and are improving with each game .
I know that you dont doubt the improvement in the team but the confidence away from home has started to come back

[TheoRacle]

I predict a 0-1 win to us.  We'll come out on top in terms of posession and total shots.  Our defence will prevail and limit their on goal attempts meaning even though our goals per game are similar, we'll sneak the win.

Garcia to score.

[Anfield rapper]

My prediction is 1-0 to us. I think we need a team that will hold the ball well so i would like to see Hamman start instead of Garcia, we could bring Garcia on in the last 20 if its still tight. I'm a big fan of Garcia but i just think if it looks like being a close game we should bring him on in the second half. If he plays the whole game the opposition get use to defending against him but adding him to a game can wrong foot them a bit. I'd like to see Cisse and Crouch up front, Crouch to win balls and Cisse because of his pace. Add Gerrard, Sissoko and Alonso and we should do well.

[Ciggy]

Xabi Alonso is struggling to shake off the injury that forced him to miss the midweek clash against Real Betis and is not expected to be available for selection at the City of Manchester Stadium tomorrow
Rafael Benitez today confirmed that Alonso is still suffering some pain in the knee that he injured towards the end of last weekend's win over Portsmouth.
 
The medical staff at Melwood will check his progress again this afternoon but Benitez is of the opinion that he won't be ready to return.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N150665051125-0941.htm

We are lucky that we have enough cover in the midfield that missing xabi wont do us to much damage, hopefully Luis will be fit for a bit of magic, and I would start Kewell and bring Zenden into midfield his best postion IMHO.

[woof woof !]

Expect our defense to remain solid and keep another clean sheet .  2-0 for the Reds.

[Ciggy]

Some kind words about Crouch from Pearce.

Pearce: I wanted Crouch

Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce has revealed he tried to sign goal-shy striker Peter Crouch during the summer.

The tall forward has polarised opinion within the domestic game, with his admirers pointing to an admirable work-rate and impressive first touch and his detractors identifying a total failure to score in 19 appearances for Liverpool and England this season.

Pearce got a close-up view of the 24-year-old at Anfield on Wednesday night as Crouch's new club advanced into the knockout stages of the Champions League despite being held to a goalless draw by Real Betis.

And nothing in the Macclesfield-born forward's performance changed Pearce's opinion on a player he wanted in his own squad this season.

"I can see why people don't like him," said Pearce.

"He is not very pleasing on the eye and he is not silky.

"But in football, you have to be effective and you have to be a team player. I can only go on what I see and he was the best player on the pitch at Anfield last night, so he has to be doing something correct.

"He is the right age, has the right ability and is a current England international.

"I was interested in him during the summer but at the time we had not sold Shaun Wright-Phillips and there was no money available."

Pearce is convinced it will only take one goal to get Crouch scoring on a regular basis.

And, although the City chief is determined to ensure his own side are not the first ones to fall victim to the man who cost Rafael Benitez £7m to lure him to Merseyside when the Blues entertain Liverpool on Saturday, Pearce has been hugely impressed at Crouch's refusal to be mentally affected by his extensive goal drought.

"What you have to admire about Crouch is no matter how the game goes, or how his form is, he will not hide," said Pearce.

"He is under the microscope for England and Liverpool because he has not scored but he showed no sense of anxiety all last night and deserves great credit for that.

"From what I have been told, he is a great lad to have around.

"People say he has no confidence but he carried on knocking away and once he mis-hits one into the corner, he will be off and running.

"Having said that, I will dislike him intensely on Saturday and we want to stop him, even if it takes a pair of ladders."

With Claudio Reyna still struggling to overcome an ankle problem, Joey Barton looks set for an instant recall after missing last weekend's draw through suspension even though his teenage brother Michael is involved in a high-profile court case.

Pearce has been impressed at the focus Barton has shown in training and has no fears about playing the former England Under-21 international at Eastlands.

"It is a very testing time for Joey but he has handled himself extremely well," said Pearce.

"If it was a member of my family, I would not be able to handle it in as focused a fashion as Joey appears to have done this week.

"I have not thought twice about bringing him back into the squad for this weekend and I fully expect him to produce a good performance if he plays."

[LFC #1]

Pearce: I wanted Crouch

Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce has revealed he tried to sign goal-shy striker Peter Crouch during the summer.

That's got to be an omen if their ever was one, if Crouchy doesn't score tomorrow, he may never score! 

[HacksawJimDuggin]

I am predicting a convincing 2-0 victory for us. We are starting to fire on all cylinders and looking good. Good balance to the team as Rafa is now consistently picking something near his best team. This will see us go on a nice run to xmas and onwards into January when Rafa goes ballistic in the transfer window. Might be a wee temporary slump in form as these guys bed in but then it's onwards and upwards again through to May.

I know we are only talking about tomorrow's game. I got a little excited and carried away!!! 

[Ciggy]

Its one of them things being a Liverpool fan that you have to set yourself up for a loss, even though we are going to play against manchesters second club.
It also says a lot about the way things have changed over the years, that no one fears us anymore more so us fans fear other second rate teams more, Birmingham, Fulham we should have won these 2 easy but instead it was a dire performance from the Reds.
But we are starting to get Fortress Anfield back which proves we are improving an awful lot thanx to the manager.
When was the last time we strung 5 wins together?
Its the inconsistancy thats the problem if we win tomorrow we have made major improvements since last season, and a win on wednesday will see us 6 points higher up the table.


CMON U REDMEN

[AlanHansen]

Xabi out is a big loss for us, he starts a lot of the moves, we missed him spraying passes around against betis.

I can see us losing this. 

[LFC #1]

Its one of them things being a Liverpool fan that you have to set yourself up for a loss, even though we are going to play against manchesters second club.

Funny game football isn't it?

If were were playing Manure at Old Trafford we'd probably be confident of winning, whereas we are not so sure if we'll beat City.

It'd be a great result if were to turn them over, we haven't beat them at the City of Manchester stadium in our first 2 attempts, let's hope it's 3rd time lucky, C'mon REDS!

[spion]

1-0 or 2-1 either way. Were playing well & dominating games but City are a good solid team in the same way Fulham are so its going to be a cagey affair.

[neil]

worst match i went to last season was this fixture, one god awful display, last min winner, freezing cold    then we go and whoop juventus on the wednesday. can't happen again 2-0 win.