Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:54 pmwhy not play Carra or Agger in holding midfield?
hate international breaks with a passion.Liverpool FC Forum
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SUNDERLAND VS LIVERPOOL - Saturday 17th october, 3pm.
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Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:54 pmPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:46 pmI don't think we'll get anything from this game with our current midfield problems. hate international breaks with a passion.
hate international breaks with a passion.Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:45 amJoeTerp wrote:why not play Carra or Agger in holding midfield?
Either player could do it Joe but i'd rather see one of the kids (Spearing or Plessis) given a go. If they don't get a game then we'd just as well concede that neither of them will ever be good enough.
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:20 ami'm not too confident about getting anything out of this game, to be honest. gerrard and torres - our only real goal threats - are nursing injuries and even if they play may not be at 100%. mascherano and lucas arrive back in the uk today and probably don't even know what day it is. kuyt is apparently nursing an ankle knock after the internationals.
so without our two main goalscorers, our midfield battler, and our right sided workhorse we are significantly weakened against a decent sunderland side on their home turf. the only real positive is that agger may be back and give us some quality and composure in the defence. we'll need it as sunderland will probably be able to wander through our midfield as and when they see fit.
in just about any other week i might go along with the idea of risking gerrard and/or torres for at least a part of the game. however, we have two huge games coming up with lyon and the mancs and we need our strongest possible starting elevens to get something out of those games. i'm not saying we should be writing this one off, but it may just be a case of damage limitation. if our bit part players can play to their full potential then we might just be able to nick something but i think we might have to be happy with a draw this weekend.
so without our two main goalscorers, our midfield battler, and our right sided workhorse we are significantly weakened against a decent sunderland side on their home turf. the only real positive is that agger may be back and give us some quality and composure in the defence. we'll need it as sunderland will probably be able to wander through our midfield as and when they see fit.
in just about any other week i might go along with the idea of risking gerrard and/or torres for at least a part of the game. however, we have two huge games coming up with lyon and the mancs and we need our strongest possible starting elevens to get something out of those games. i'm not saying we should be writing this one off, but it may just be a case of damage limitation. if our bit part players can play to their full potential then we might just be able to nick something but i think we might have to be happy with a draw this weekend.
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:49 amScottbot wrote:JoeTerp wrote:why not play Carra or Agger in holding midfield?
Either player could do it Joe but i'd rather see one of the kids (Spearing or Plessis) given a go. If they don't get a game then we'd just as well concede that neither of them will ever be good enough.
Plessis played away against Suderland last season. Had a bit of a shocker if I remember. Alonso came on and completely transformed the game.
Agree about central midfield though. Who plays in there is anyone's guess. Whoever it is they'll have to be bloody combative though. That's what Cattermole and Cana are above anything else. May not be the greatest footballers in the world but they'll be well up for as scrap. That's why Mascherano has to play imo regardless of what time he arrives back today.
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:19 pmPlessis played away against Suderland last season. Had a bit of a shocker if I remember. Alonso came on and completely transformed the game.
I was there that day, my God he was shocking, couldnt play a pass whatsoever.
I also remember the debate on here about Alonso changing the game n all, good times
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:25 pmby the way, zenden's just signed for sunderland
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:38 pmSomeone on RAWK has said Torres will be out for the next three or 4 games 
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:47 pmCiggy wrote:Someone on RAWK has said Torres will be out for the next three or 4 games
oh my lord
really hope this is a load of b0llocks tho
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:26 pmI think we'll see a patched up side figuring one or both of Torres/Gerrard, Benayoun, Riera, Masch or Lucas and possibly Kuyt (if I was to put money on anyone shaking of an injury in no time, it'd be on him). Spearing would be the other one to come into midfield if Gerrard doesn't play in there.
This is the kind of game where I can see us playing dull football and nicking it 1-0; penalty, free-kick, Kuyt shinner et al.
This is the kind of game where I can see us playing dull football and nicking it 1-0; penalty, free-kick, Kuyt shinner et al.
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:30 pmScottbot wrote:JoeTerp wrote:why not play Carra or Agger in holding midfield?
Either player could do it Joe but i'd rather see one of the kids (Spearing or Plessis) given a go. If they don't get a game then we'd just as well concede that neither of them will ever be good enough.
Play a CB who's not having a great season in midfield when he's not a great passer or playmaker - terrific idea.
Agger is not such a bad shout, but we get back to the Aurelio as a CM debate. Whatever we pick should be positive, we're now at the point we can't afford to drop points in games like this.
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:51 pmfive live reporting that gerrard is out aswell 
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:55 pmHappy days. Both teams had qualified going into these games so what was the urgency to play them? I know we used to laugh and point in the past when Ronaldo or whoever pulled out 'injured' before an international game in the past so they could return to their club but we need to be doing the same. Especially when our squad is already so thin.
days. Both teams had qualified going into these games so what was the urgency to play them? I know we used to laugh and point in the past when Ronaldo or whoever pulled out 'injured' before an international game in the past so they could return to their club but we need to be doing the same. Especially when our squad is already so thin.Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:56 pmGreavesie wrote:Ciggy wrote:Someone on RAWK has said Torres will be out for the next three or 4 games
oh my lord
really hope this is a load of b0llocks tho
Yeah this better be b0llocks, it would be a major blow to be without Torres let alone for this game but particularly the Lyon and Manc games (somehow I don't suspect Vidic and Rio would be all that terrified about being up against neither Babel, Voronin nor N'gog... or even Kuyt as a lone striker for that matter)
. As I said though, fingers crossed it is a load of shyte.Edit: just seen St. Mike's post about Stevie supposedly being out against Sunderland aswell
. If both are out I agree with other posters we might have to be happy even getting a draw I'm afraid.Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:57 pmScottbot wrote:JoeTerp wrote:why not play Carra or Agger in holding midfield?
Either player could do it Joe but i'd rather see one of the kids (Spearing or Plessis) given a go. If they don't get a game then we'd just as well concede that neither of them will ever be good enough.
Joe what are you on mate?
I think it's time for Jay Spearing to be given a chance. I really hope to god Rafa does not try to play Aurelio in the centre again.