Liverpool FC Forum

by **Quadrophenia** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:49 am

How can people even start to complain taking this cup seriously. First of all, it's the :censored:

FA Cup, a massive honour for any club to win it and come the final in May those of you who are now saying "it's only the fa cup blah blah blah" will be the biggest moaners if we lost the final. So shut the :censored:

up about it being the FA Cup. The FA Cup is magic and any game against Everton has even added spice.

As for those blinded by this "weakened team :censored:

" why the

should we. Didn't you see the side against Preston? Out of what was available the only two missing were Kuyt and Reina. Torres and Skrtel were both returning from injuries. So we were missing two from what would have been our best XI last week. Really weakened side for the FA Cup against Preston so why all of a sudden would Benitez think about weakening it for the next round. The idea of weakening a side is for the early rounds, then progressively get stronger. So if you don't weaken in the first match (third round) then you're hardly gonna weaken it for the following round.

Next, there's some :censored:

idiotic worries going round on here. "We could pick up injuries." Well where are we more likely to pick up an injury...away to Kettering where the pitch is bobbly so losing your footing is much easier against a side who can't keep up so just kick chunks out of you or at a perfect Anfield against a Premiership side who have lost their 90s title of "dogs of war." Yes it's a local derby and tackles will fly in, yes it's a cup tie that adds the extra spice but for :censored:

sake we're putting all our players under the risk of injuries whoever we play.

It's Everton, at Anfield in the FA Cup. These sort of games don't come about too often so instead of whinging about what could or couldn't happen, just savour the build up and when the final whistle blows and we're in the fifth round, savour the victory.

by **bigmick** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:28 am

Now listen here Bill, I wish you'd consider the very fact that :censored:

and the very point I was trying to make was :censored:

and at the same time, as I'd already saif :censored:

everyone else. I hope that's a lot clearer now, and i don't want to hear :censored:

more about it

by **Madmax** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:40 am

bigmick wrote:Now listen here Bill, I wish you'd consider the very fact that and the very point I was trying to make was and at the same time, as I'd already saif everyone else. I hope that's a lot clearer now, and i don't want to hear more about it

After reading billy boys post i was just about to say the same thing.. cool it with the swearing mate. Instead of the profanity use terms that would bring us together.

by **Owzat** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:07 am

Said it was going to be vs Premiership opposition, thought it was going to be Arsenal so I was ONE league place out. The chill in me must have been a bitter chill

Two things you want in a domestic cup draw - home game and lower league. Home is probably more important than lower league as away ties can prove nasty.

Maybe Rafa has already committed to playing a stronger side, he did so against Preston with only one or two players rested and I can't see him wanting to lose this tie. I think most Liverpool fans would rather not lose to the bitters regardless the competition, at home would be even worse. Looks like it could be another dross FA Cup competition, all-Premiership ties coming up so early on and if Premiership sides fall regularly and the draw keeps being kind to lower league sides, then the underdogs may reach a final and gift an ordinary side an FA Cup win.

No matter how much people try and dress it up, the FA Cup is the THIRD most important competition. Maybe the teams outside the 'big four' don't see it that way, because they're not in the Champions League and know they have no chance of winning the league so the FA Cup is their manager, players and fans' dream of success. Even villa fans are becoming more indifferent to the cup now they're in with a shot at a Champions League place, other club' fans recognise the league is bread and butter so relegation and promotion become their primary concern. Times have changed, sad for an old cup like the FA Cup to be deemed secondary or worse importance, but that's life and £££££££ is the cause

by **Bad Bob** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:46 pm

Quadrophenia wrote:Really weakened side for the FA Cup against Preston so why all of a sudden would Benitez think about weakening it for the next round. The idea of weakening a side is for the early rounds, then progressively get stronger. So if you don't weaken in the first match (third round) then you're hardly gonna weaken it for the following round.

Unless, of course, the fixture list is taken into account. Maybe Benitez issued a statement of intent with his lineup at Preston. Maybe it indicates he wants that cup too and will put out the big guns from the off to have a real crack at it. Or, maybe it just means that it was the only match for a fortnight and it was important that our top players not lose sharpness. Let's just see what happens in the next round when the matches are coming a bit more thick and fast in the league. Who knows, Rafa might just field a weaker team against Everton than he did against Preston? :oh:

by **Owzat** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:03 pm

Bad Bob wrote:
Quadrophenia wrote:Really weakened side for the FA Cup against Preston so why all of a sudden would Benitez think about weakening it for the next round. The idea of weakening a side is for the early rounds, then progressively get stronger. So if you don't weaken in the first match (third round) then you're hardly gonna weaken it for the following round.

Unless, of course, the fixture list is taken into account. Maybe Benitez issued a statement of intent with his lineup at Preston. Maybe it indicates he wants that cup too and will put out the big guns from the off to have a real crack at it. Or, maybe it just means that it was the only match for a fortnight and it was important that our top players not lose sharpness. Let's just see what happens in the next round when the matches are coming a bit more thick and fast in the league. Who knows, Rafa might just field a weaker team against Everton than he did against Preston?

Six games in 16 days - nah, just p1ss taking old whiskey nose who can't even count (it's 17 days)

Next Five Liverpool Fixtures

10/01 Stoke (a)
19/01 Bitters (h)
24/01 Bitters (h) FAC
27/01 Wigan (a)
01/02 Chelsea (h)

We've played on 26/12, 28/12 and 03/01 so hardly the most straining xmas schedule. And we'll have played just FIVE games in January, six in 30 days if you include the Chelsea game and if that requires resting then the players want shooting.

That's six games in 30 days compared to fergie's six in 16 17 days - they have eight in January and nine in the same length spell of 30 days. I still hope this strains their squad, fergie shouldn't moan as it's his own fault for winning the Champions League and progressing in the Carling Cup.

by **tonyeh** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:06 pm

My dad always said that the FA Cup was the most important prize in his day. Cup match days were very important. I remember myself that cup games were special as a kid, but since the Premiership (and probably slightly before) the FA Cup has been eclipsed as a competition to win above all else.

Have to say though, I still get a real kick out of the cup, especially when their are some giant killings.

Anyway, i'm happy with the draw. Should be a good game.

by **Owzat** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:14 pm

tonyeh wrote:My dad always said that the FA Cup was the most important prize in his day. Cup match days were very important. I remember myself that cup games were special as a kid, but since the Premiership (and probably slightly before) the FA Cup has been eclipsed as a competition to win above all else.

Have to say though, I still get a real kick out of the cup, especially when their are some giant killings.

Anyway, i'm happy with the draw. Should be a good game.

That sums it up, the game has changed a lot since your dad's day. More European Cup games, a 'big four' who win a lot of games, more money in the game so pressure to finish top four and of course avoid relegation and the potential financial ruin that comes with it (see Southampton), and so resting becomes much more important because if the 'big four' put out their best sides all the time they'd be knackered in no time and running on too many fronts.

Look no further than the mancs who won the League and Champions League, incurred the additional fixtures of Club World Cup (2 games), Comical Shield (1 game), Super Cup (1 game) and then added more games by getting to the semis of the League Cup. Their biggest worry is fixture congestion, fitting all these games in and remaining competitive.

Something has to give and was the FA Cup ever truly more presitigious than the European Cup? Domestic Cup winners or Champions of Europe? I'm betting I'm not the only one on here who'd struggle to quote how many FA Cups we've won off the top of my head, but every Liverpool fan should know how many European Cups we boast. We'd still like to win the FA Cup, but we know that winning the other competitions is difficult and something has to give.

by **Effes** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 12:29 am

In the Times:

January 5, 2009

Players must remain focused, says Rafael Benitez

Rafael Benitez says his Liverpool squad must not be distracted from their Premier League title challenge by their forthcoming FA Cup tie with Everton.

The Merseyside rivals will meet twice in a week, in the Barclays Premier League on January 19 and then in the fourth round of the FA Cup the following weekend. With both games at Anfield, Benitez knows it will be a crucial stage in Liverpool's season.

"It is a draw which will excite everyone in the city, because everyone knows about the great rivalry that exists between the two clubs," he said. "But we must remember that we have some big games coming up in the league before the cup tie - and we will be taking one game at a time.

"Only when the cup game comes around will it become our focus. Before then we play Stoke and Everton in the league, so we must keep our attention on those matches.

"But it is good to have so many important matches, because it shows that your team is doing well."

Jamie Carragher sees the return of Fernando Torres, who scored on his comeback from injury on Saturday in the third-round win at Preston, as vital to Liverpool's aspirations this season.

Torres had not played since November because of a hamstring problem, but his late goal completed a 2-0 win at Deepdale.

"Having Torres back has given everyone a big lift," he said. "It is great when you see a player of that calibre coming back for the second half of the season.

"We hope the time he has been out will refresh him, because he had a long season with the Euro 2008 finals last summer. A lot of players have played a lot of games this season, because the manager hasn't changed it around so much.

"It has been a feather in the cap for everyone concerned with the club that we have reached the top of the table without having the best striker in the world in the side. You miss a player of that quality, but it will give us a lift to have him out there."

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol....039.ece

by **Toffeehater** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:28 am

I think we should play a strong side with only resting stevie and torres but i'm sure stevie will want to play every chance he has against everton . We have some key games coming up , a tricky game against wigan and than a home game game against chelsea which is a must win game for us . Fatigue will appear as the season progress thats where our squad depth will be tested . I just hope we can go through this season without any more major injuries , especially none to our key players

by **Judge** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:56 pm

i'd be very surprised if rafa rested gerrard for the everton games.

if anything we should put our best side out to oust these bitters, and maintain bragging rites in the city

by **we all dream...** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 5:54 pm

Judge wrote:i'd be very surprised if rafa rested gerrard for the everton games.

if anything we should put our best side out to oust these bitters, and maintain bragging rites in the city

Agreed.

This game is massive. I would rather prosper in the league / champs league rather than win the FA cup but, this being against the bitters it must be a top priority, players should be rested to put them at their best for this game, if surounding fixtures allow it.

I am excited over an impending victory and bragging rights over ending their season...

by **Madmax** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:22 pm

Owzat wrote:Next Five Liverpool Fixtures

10/01 Stoke (a)
19/01 Bitters (h)
24/01 Bitters (h) FAC
27/01 Wigan (a)
01/02 Chelsea (h)

FA cup match against bitters and prem league match against wigan changed slightly.

10/01 Stoke (a)
19/01 Bitters (h)
25/01 Bitters (h) FAC
28/01 Wigan (a)
01/02 Chelsea (h)

by **Quadrophenia** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:31 pm

bigmick wrote:Now listen here Bill, I wish you'd consider the very fact that and the very point I was trying to make was and at the same time, as I'd already saif everyone else. I hope that's a lot clearer now, and i don't want to hear more about it

A man like you shouldn't be using such language Michael. :;):

by **zarababe** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:39 pm

bigmick wrote:Now listen here Bill, I wish you'd consider the very fact that and the very point I was trying to make was and at the same time, as I'd already saif everyone else. I hope that's a lot clearer now, and i don't want to hear more about it

looks like BM didn't sell any Dildo's in the sales - buy one get one free ay

Liverpool FC Forum

Fa cup 4th round draw - Sunday 4th january, 15:25pm itv1

Who is online