Liverpool FC Forum

by **woof woof !** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:45 pm

Trying to figure Rafa's teamsheet for next game . The problem down the right is paticularly tricky . For me Potter hasn't shown enough to fill it ,Finnan has played there but vacating RB just creates another problem .Cisse is an interesting option but is it a waste ? and although it never brings out the best in him our best option may yet again be to play Garcia out there .

My selection.

. Reina

Finnan Carragher Hypia Riise

Sissoko
Garcia Alonso Gerrard Zenden

Cisse

by **stoney** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:50 pm

Reina

Finnan Carra Hyypia Warnock

Luis garcia Alonso Gerrard Zenden

Cisse El Moro

Id play Warnock 1st for da away leg as he iz more solid than riise an stil provides decent attacking play den use riise for da home tie. Looks like ders no choice but 2 partener cisse wit moro as crouch iz injured and baros iz on his way out

by **LFC #1** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:52 pm

Have to play a strong side for the away league as it will be far and away the toughest. I'm sure Rafa will field close to a full strength side, and a 1 goal win would be a good result IMO.

by **stmichael** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:03 pm

woof woof ! wrote: Reina

Finnan Carragher Hypia Riise

Sissoko
Garcia Alonso Gerrard Zenden

Cisse

don't think that's too far off what we'll see in the away leg, maybe hamann for sissoko will be the only change, purely due to experience.

personally if we've pretty much got the tie wrapped up after the away leg i'd like to see us experiment with a 4-3-3 at home and see how we get on. chelsea have had great success with it and even manure have reverted to it after years of playing 4-4-2. we just don't have the personnel to play a 4-4-2 at the moment because our wide men don't have the pace to go past anyone.

reina

finnan carragher hyypia riise

sissoko
gerrard alonso

garcia zenden

cisse

by **stoney** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:06 pm

yeh a 4-3-3 cud b a good formation to try out as our midfield trio of alonso, gerrard and sissoko is one of the best. Even better dan chelseas imo

by **woof woof !** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:18 pm

stmichael wrote:
woof woof ! wrote: Reina

Finnan Carragher Hypia Riise

Sissoko
Garcia Alonso Gerrard Zenden

Cisse

don't think that's too far off what we'll see in the away leg, maybe hamann for sissoko will be the only change, purely due to experience.

personally if we've pretty much got the tie wrapped up after the away leg i'd like to see us experiment with a 4-3-3 at home and see how we get on. chelsea have had great success with it and even manure have reverted to it after years of playing 4-4-2. we just don't have the personnel to play a 4-4-2 at the moment because our wide men don't have the pace to go past anyone.

reina

finnan carragher hyypia riise

sissoko
gerrard alonso

garcia zenden

cisse

Think we're thinking along the same lines there St Mick . In my line up I would be expecting our two wide men and gerrard to be pushing forward Xabi advancing slightly ,hopefully spraying passes about and Sissoko sitting and protecting in the middle.

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:32 pm

I would go with the following line up:

Reina

Finnan Hyypia Carragher Warnock

Potter Alonso Gerrard Riise

Cisse Morientes

4-4-2- I would like to stick with the 4-4-2, we have shown that we can use it well if we have the right attacking intent.

Warnock – As I understand Troare is still injured, and Riise has looked poor in pre-season when he has played at left back, so I would play it safe and stick with the defensive discipline of Warnock

Potter – Although I don’t think he will ever make a good player, he is tidy enough plus he can and will defend. Don’t want Garcia there because despite his efforts he doesn’t really know how to defend, I only really see him as a drop off striker, playing him on the right especially away in Europe is to risky, don’t want to put Cisse there because he deserves to play up front after his impressive performances there.

Riise – In my opinion Zenden and Riise will share the left hand side of midfield at least for the start of the season. And since Riise didn’t play last week I would go with him, tried and trusted.

Morientes – I noticed not many included Morientes in the line up, this is a crucial period for him what with Crouch out, so I would like to see him playing as much as possible and staying on the pitch for as long as possible, give him a chance to get sharp, after spending 6 MIL on him it would silly not to give him some sort of run in the team.

by **El Nino_#9** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:38 pm

stmichael wrote:
woof woof ! wrote: Reina

Finnan Carragher Hypia Riise

Sissoko
Garcia Alonso Gerrard Zenden

Cisse

don't think that's too far off what we'll see in the away leg, maybe hamann for sissoko will be the only change, purely due to experience.

personally if we've pretty much got the tie wrapped up after the away leg i'd like to see us experiment with a 4-3-3 at home and see how we get on. chelsea have had great success with it and even manure have reverted to it after years of playing 4-4-2. we just don't have the personnel to play a 4-4-2 at the moment because our wide men don't have the pace to go past anyone.

reina

finnan carragher hyypia riise

sissoko
gerrard alonso

garcia zenden

cisse

now if you look at that squad, i genuinely believe that is is good enough to beat chelsea, manure and arsenal.
the quality of the midfield is amazing.

by **woof woof !** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:51 pm

Follow all your reasoning Luke , right mid is a problem ,you're right about Garcia's inability at effective defense but for me Potter adds bug'ger all offensively. The left side offers interesting permutations but I think Zenden is Rafa's first choice at LM (at the minute) and i expect Riise and Warnock to be contending for the LB spot ,Riise getting it on experience.As for Morientes , I think a lot of us have left him out because he's been so disappointing ,I know he's gonna need a run of games to find form and confidence but I wouldn't start that run in the first leg against CSKA . A decent result in the first leg and I'd give a run in the second.

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 5:01 pm

I just think with Potters defensive disciplne and Riise's willingness to help put the left back it would mean Gerrard getting foward a lot more.

On the issue of Morientes, I my self expressed doubts about whether he would do the business in England and still have those doubts. But he is here and I want to see him play. Crouch is set to miss the next three weeks so I would like to see Morientes start in the following games:

10 Aug, 2005 CSKA Sofia
13 Aug, 2005 Middlesbrough
20 Aug, 2005 Sunderland
23 Aug, 2005 CSKA Sofia
26 Aug, 2005 CSKA Moscow

5 games in the space of 16 days is enough to get his sharpness and fitness back, at least he should be given a fair crack at the whip.

by **red37** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 5:33 pm

id play didi hamann for the away leg.

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 5:37 pm

red37 wrote:id play didi hamann for the away leg.

What a fascinating contribution, why don't you post more?

by **red37** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 5:48 pm

why, coz im eatin me tea yer tool!

besides which it was merely an off the cuff opinion of mine.
not yours, mine.

jeez you get slagged for writing war and peace and if you dont do more than one line..your not contributing.
to what? another slanging match in front of the forum?
no thanks not for me.

ive posted longer threads before and not needing to justify myself to ANY one i will do again.....when ive 'ad me tea!!!

but just to add that i feel the away leg will need didi's experience..thats all.....ok?

by **76-1115222408** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 5:51 pm

I agree with Woof and St.Mick on the formation and personnel that we should use for the first leg, but TBH, we have seen a 4-4-2 over the pre-season games, and know how the 4-5-1 will work seen as it was used so frequently last season.
It is for these reasons that I would like to see us go for a lot more attacking formation in the second leg (score dependent of course!), and this is also what I would like to see from us when playing the 'lesser' teams at home:

Reina

Carragher Hyppia Whitbread/Traore(new signing)

Sissoko

Finnan Riise

Gerrrard Alonso

Cisse Crouch/Mori

I think that Finann and Riise, would be excellent wing backs in a 3-5-2, they are both decent going forward, and Finann does have a decent cross, whilst Riise is a goal threat at anytime!
However, this could only be used (IMO) against weaker teams and may well be too risky against he likes of Chelsea and Europes best (imagine we played this against AC in the final, we would have been more than 3 down!).
The good thing however is that Finnan/Riise (riise to an extent) are aware of the need for defending and I doubt they would forget about their defensive duties. Also another good thing about this formation is that the three at the back can be reverted to a four, when one of the wing backs attacks down his flank ie; if Finnan goes on a run or is supporting the attack, Riise can drop back a bit more and the rest can shift over one to cover the gap left on the right side...and of course vice-versa when Riise attacks.

Also I think this formation will give license to Cisse to go out wide (a la Henry) and attack from there, in toward the box or to get a cross in for Crouch/Mori/the late joiner to the attack Gerrard (just like his header in the CL final).
I am not saying play Cisse wide, its just that there will be a lot of space in those areas, that he could utilise with his pace.

I really think that we have the personnel to make this Formation work, it would just need a bit of practice on positioning in different scenarios for everyone to be up to speed. Much in the same way that we had problems with the zonal marking at dead balls, which we no longer do as people know their specific roles.

Either way, I expect a sturdy performance away from home, and I want to see an attacking one at Anfield.

by **red37** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 5:55 pm

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