Liverpool FC Forum

Demba Ba + Tore (the lad which ripped our flanks) are doubtful as well. Adding to the injured keeper and ejected defender that makes potentialy 4 starters out for the Turks. Keep it coming.

Reg » Mon Feb 23, 2015 2:59 pm wrote:Surprised the Tirks haven't invaded the forum yet! Whatever happened to welcome to hell.....     

  aaahh... thems were the days

cardiff-red » Feb 25th, '15, 11:44 wrote:Being reported that Henderson, Sakho and Johnson all missing from training today

THink GJ has been sick and hasn't trained all week, Hendo and Couts have minor injuries I believe. LFC should still have enough though to beat the opposition. Hopefully they'll be fit for the game against Mwanck City

Bad luck with so many injuries. Agree we should try and score though. Also, let's stick with the 3-4-3.

damjan193 » Wed Feb 25, 2015 6:51 pm wrote:Can't really blame Brendan for opting to rest players but maybe we should have done it in the cups since the Europa League is a bit more important.

Anyways, considering Hendo, Coutinho and Johnson haven't traveled while Stevie, Lucas, Sakho, Enrique and Flanno are injured and Markovic is suspended, I expect something like this:

                                                   Mignolet

                                       Lovren   Skrtel(C)   Toure

                                    Ibe       Can        Allen       Moreno

                                           Sterling       Lallana

                                                  Sturridge


My only concern is the defense, we haven't played those three together before so I don't know how it will work. Anyways, if I were Rodgers I'd go at these from the off, because if we score a goal it's basically game over. If we don't score in the opening 25-30 minutes though, I'd advise to park the bus and hope on counter attacks.

I'd play Balotelli, probably instead of Lallana.
Our forwards have struggled to hold on to the ball in recent weeks and the last thing we want to be doing in a hostile environment like this is turning it over cheaply and inviting constant pressure on ourselves.
If it ends up one way traffic I can't see us holding out, especially with a makeshift defence.

Emre Can set for midfield role for Liverpool FC against Besiktas
25 February 2015 By Andy Kelly - Echo

An injury to Jordan Henderson is set to offer Emre Can the opportunity of a midfield role for Liverpool in the Europa League tie against Besiktas.

While the young German was bought as a midfielder he has been predominately employed as a right-sided centre back in the Reds' currently favoured 3-4-2-1 formation.

But Henderson's minor ankle injury leaves Liverpool extremely short of bodies in central midfield - Steven Gerrard and Lucas Leiva remain injured - and the 22-year-old looks set to partner Joe Allen in the middle of the park on Thursday evening.

Several impressive forays forward has whetted the appetite of many fans to see him in a more advanced position and their hopes are set to be realised in the Ataturk stadium.

Can has made no secret of his preference for midfield though has equally been happy to play wherever Brendan Rodgers has needed him. In recent matches he has moved into midfield later in games, including during the first leg against Besiktas at Anfield last week.

Last month he said: "It has always been the case that I have played in different positions. My favourite position is central midfield and the manager knows that, but if I get a chance to play and help the team I will happily play at the back."

The only decision i don't get is leaving Coutinho behind. Worst case have him start on the bench but to drop him altogether doesn't make sense to me.

only me » Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:53 am wrote:The only decision i don't get is leaving Coutinho behind. Worst case have him start on the bench but to drop him altogether doesn't make sense to me.

He must feel that we can go through without him. He has looked tired but if we wanted to rest him then it should have been done before now and not when we face a must win game to stay in a competition.
He is one of our most influential players and for me its a big gamble leaving him out if he isn't injured.

I trust BR on resting Coutinho. The lad has been one of the key reasons for our improved form and he has looked tired recently. I'd play Lallana in his place, as he's technically gifted and has a great eye for a pass.

7_Kewell » Thu Feb 26, 2015 1:46 pm wrote:I trust BR on resting Coutinho. The lad has been one of the key reasons for our improved form and he has looked tired recently. I'd play Lallana in his place, as he's technically gifted and has a great eye for a pass.

Agree 

Also add, I think Coutinho would've been targeted by what I expect to be an "aggressive" team tonight, recently the fella's been the focus of some more than robust challenges I think skipping this game is merited.

Official team for this evening....

Liverpool XI: Mignolet, Toure, Lovren, Skrtel, Moreno, Ibe, Can, Allen, Sterling, Sturridge, Balotelli.

Substitutes: Ward, Manquillo, Lallana, Borini, Brannagan, Williams, Lambert.

The best line up the manager could afford the fans ,the strongest he could put out ...Lets give these Turks a football lesson.

That defence looks a bit ropey, we may have to score here to go through I reckon, I'll be surprised if we manage to keep them out.

One thing LFC have got going for them is that Besiktas do not like playing at the Ataturk Stadium at all