Liverpool FC Forum

[Emerald Red]

I would be sorely tempted to line up 3-5-2. The 5 in midfield would put immense pressure on their attacking midfielders to stay back and defend. The extra man would mean that their fullbacks are pushed further up the pitch to support their wingers, leaving a nice hole for Pennant and Riise to exploit:

                                              Reina
   
                            JC                Sami             Agger

Pennant                     Xabi                       Mascherano                         Riise

                                              Gerrard

                               Crouch                      Bellamy.

I'd give explicit instructions to Mascherano to keep tabs on Cole, and Xabi to cut wide in support of Pennant when required. (Obviously Gerrard would drop back to cover the gap, thus ensuring our defensive solidity.

I honestly think this is the team to play, as it can easily alter into a 5-3-2, or a 4-4-2, giving us more options.

Arbeloa on the bench as cover, assuming Finnan is unfit.

Hmm, freakishly similar to my thoughts on formation, Lando. 3-5-2 and same striker possitions with Gerrard in the hole behind them in the middle. Makes sense from an attacking perspective if we are to go looking more than a single goal. My acception would be playing a real hounder of the ball to put pressure on in the shape of Sissoko and not Mascerino, and Finnan, JC, and Aggar (or Hyypia) at the back.

[Effes]

I would be sorely tempted to line up 3-5-2. The 5 in midfield would put immense pressure on their attacking midfielders to stay back and defend. The extra man would mean that their fullbacks are pushed further up the pitch to support their wingers, leaving a nice hole for Pennant and Riise to exploit:

                                              Reina
   
                            JC                Sami             Agger

Pennant                     Xabi                       Mascherano                         Riise

                                              Gerrard

                               Crouch                      Bellamy.

I'd give explicit instructions to Mascherano to keep tabs on Cole, and Xabi to cut wide in support of Pennant when required. (Obviously Gerrard would drop back to cover the gap, thus ensuring our defensive solidity.

I honestly think this is the team to play, as it can easily alter into a 5-3-2, or a 4-4-2, giving us more options.

Arbeloa on the bench as cover, assuming Finnan is unfit.

Hmm, freakishly similar to my thoughts on formation, Lando. 3-5-2 and same striker possitions with Gerrard in the hole behind them in the middle. Makes sense from an attacking perspective if we are to go looking more than a single goal. My acception would be playing a real hounder of the ball to put pressure on in the shape of Sissoko and not Mascerino, and Finnan, JC, and Aggar (or Hyypia) at the back.

I would never play that formation with Robben playing.

I will eat my own turd and post photos on here if Rafa plays that formation WITHOUT Finnan on the right.

[Judge]

The starting eleven for tomorrow (I have heard from a very reliable source).

Joe Corrigan

George Sephton
Pako
That fat steward from block 205
Gillet's Son

Ged Poynton
The manager from the Albert
Badgeman
Zenden

Phil Easton
Brian Hall

No subs - no injury worries.

you sound like terry venables who liked to play loads of spurs players in the england team  , although you dont mention spurs 

[lakes10]

I would be sorely tempted to line up 3-5-2. The 5 in midfield would put immense pressure on their attacking midfielders to stay back and defend. The extra man would mean that their fullbacks are pushed further up the pitch to support their wingers, leaving a nice hole for Pennant and Riise to exploit:

                                              Reina
   
                            JC                Sami             Agger

Pennant                     Xabi                       Mascherano                         Riise

                                              Gerrard

                               Crouch                      Bellamy.

I'd give explicit instructions to Mascherano to keep tabs on Cole, and Xabi to cut wide in support of Pennant when required. (Obviously Gerrard would drop back to cover the gap, thus ensuring our defensive solidity.

I honestly think this is the team to play, as it can easily alter into a 5-3-2, or a 4-4-2, giving us more options.

Arbeloa on the bench as cover, assuming Finnan is unfit.

Hmm, freakishly similar to my thoughts on formation, Lando. 3-5-2 and same striker possitions with Gerrard in the hole behind them in the middle. Makes sense from an attacking perspective if we are to go looking more than a single goal. My acception would be playing a real hounder of the ball to put pressure on in the shape of Sissoko and not Mascerino, and Finnan, JC, and Aggar (or Hyypia) at the back.

yer i like this line up. i would love to see Gerrard start there.
This is going to be a very hard game and i am not that sure that  Sami is fit enough for the 90 mins or sharp enough.

pooing my pants over tonight....we can do it....win that is not poo your pants.

[Ola Mr Benitez]

I think I would try and get hold of Drogba by playing Sami at the back and as I am not 100% sure of Arbeloa I would probably line up like this..

            Reina

Finnan  Carra  Hypia   Agger

Gerrard  Macherano  Alonso  Risse

         Kuyt
                     Crouch

[RichardLFC1]

I would like us to start like this :

Reina

Finnan
Carragher
Agger
Arbeloa

Pennant
Gerrard
Alonso
Riise

Kuyt
Crouch


I think Rafa will start :

Reina

Finnan
Carragher
Hyypia
Arbeloa

Gerrard
Alonso
Mascharano
Riise

Kuyt
Crouch

[lakes10]

I FEAR Rafa will start with ZENDEN.

[JoeTerp]

I think that is a lot of people's fears.  Seems like Chelsea we baiting us to pass him the ball knowing nothing but a long throw by riise was going to come out of it.  Luckily. . . .
We've got a right back called Steve Finnan
When he plays we're always winning
Passes the ball out and in again
We've got a right back called Steve Finnan

Which means at left mid we've got Riise
His shot bends more than the tower at Pisa
But it gets me grinning like the Mona Lisa
When I see a goal by John Arne Riise

gotta start moving on from the traore verse so I gave it a crack 

[stmichael]

I FEAR Rafa will start with ZENDEN.

absolutely no chance. he only started last week because finnan wasn't fit. expect to see riise left mid with arbeloa switching to left back.

whoever plays left mid, they have to really get at ferreira if he plays. he's their weak link.

also, pennant ran rings around ashley cole in the league game at anfield. i'd personally start him tonight but i think we'll ultimately see gerrard back out on the right again.

[Dimshen]

Reina

Riise
Carra
Agger
Finnan

Gonzalez
Mashcarano
Alonso
Gerrard

Crouch
Kuyt

I just wish we had a really convincing left back with some guile and genuwine pace (not harry kewell)

[duk]

I would be sorely tempted to line up 3-5-2. The 5 in midfield would put immense pressure on their attacking midfielders to stay back and defend. The extra man would mean that their fullbacks are pushed further up the pitch to support their wingers, leaving a nice hole for Pennant and Riise to exploit:

                                              Reina
   
                            JC                Sami             Agger

Pennant                     Xabi                       Mascherano                         Riise

                                              Gerrard

                               Crouch                      Bellamy.

I'd give explicit instructions to Mascherano to keep tabs on Cole, and Xabi to cut wide in support of Pennant when required. (Obviously Gerrard would drop back to cover the gap, thus ensuring our defensive solidity.

I honestly think this is the team to play, as it can easily alter into a 5-3-2, or a 4-4-2, giving us more options.

Arbeloa on the bench as cover, assuming Finnan is unfit.

If Finnan's sill out this would be a brill line up...
3 CB's would mean Drogba wouldn't get a shout
2 defensive Mid's would mean neither would any attacking Mid (eg. Lampard)
Gerrard + 2 strickers 2 attack whatever Riise and Pennant can provide

On the overhand is it the right time to try new formations?

[tubby]

The same teasm that beat the Gunners

                                                  Renia
Finnan                    JC                             Agger                                     Rise

Pennant                 Masherino                  Alonso                                      Gonzales

                                  Gerrard
                                                   Crouch

Aurelio was in that team when we beat the Gunners.

[tubby]

And isnt there already a thread for this topic open further down the page?

[Espionage]

whoever plays left mid, they have to really get at ferreira if he plays. he's their weak link.

I think that Essien at centre back will be........

[Red Dotty]

We have to get them sitting deep so that we can get crouch causing trouble and to do that we need pace. Bellamy.

My team would be.

Reina
Finnan
JC
Agger
Abblola

Pennant
Alonso
Gerrard In the fecking Middle
Risse

Bellamy
Crouch