Liverpool FC Forum

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2011 5:47 am**

I believe that we can finish at least 3rd this season but we can't do it on our own, we need other teams to take points off Chelsea, Manure and City.

Just the way Sunderland took points off us. And therein lies the problem, our lack of ruthlessness.

We have proven over the years that we don't have the killer instinct to beat the "smaller" teams especially in away matches. Even when we win, we seem to struggle most of the time.

Our aspirations will be put to test this week against Stoke, whom we have not beaten away since their promotion in 2008.

INJURY NEWS/SUSPENSIONS
Stoke City - Rory Delap, Ricardo Fuller and Danny Higginbotham

Liverpool - Fabio Aurelio, Glen Johnson and Steven Gerrard

PAST RESULTS
02-02-11 Liverpool 2 - 0 Stoke City
13-11-10 Stoke City 2 - 0 Liverpool
16-01-10 Stoke City 1 - 1 Liverpool
20-08-09 Liverpool 4 - 0 Stoke City
11-01-09 Stoke City 0 - 0 Liverpool
20-09-08 Liverpool 0 - 0 Stoke City

KEY PLAYERS
Stoke City - Ryan Shawcross, Dean Whitehead and Kenwyne Jones

Liverpool - Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing and Charlie Adam

SQUADS
Stoke City - Begovic, Huth, Collins, Whelan, Soares, Jones, Sidibe, Wilson, Pugh, Diao, Pennant, Shawcross, Whitehead, Walters, Upson, Tonge, Etherington, Nash, Wilkinson, Sørensen, Shotton, Arismendi, Cuvelier and Woodgate.

Liverpool - Reina, Enrique, Agger, Carragher, Kelly, Flanagan, Wilson, Skrtel, Robinson, Coates, Meireles, Cole, Maxi, Henderson, Kuyt, Adam, Downing, Spearing, Lucas, Shelvey, Suarez, Carroll and Ngog.

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:12 am**

"key players" and Suarez isn't one of them. *scoff* (you may want to source your copy and paste)

Anyway, the international "duties" are first and foremost - lets see that we don't get any injuries prior to the Stoke game.

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:24 am**

If our players come back fit and ready, we shouldn't struggle too badly. We played well away to Arsenal so there's no excuse for playing away. We seemed able to cope, so it should stay that way. As long as the international break doesn't mess up how we've been playing we should be fine.

If Rory Delap gets fit and can play, it'd be good to have Coates in the lineup to get rid of those throws. I thought Johnson's injury was supposed to make him barely miss the Sunderland game? Now he's missed the next 2, and is rightfully out of the England squad. I would expect him back by the Stoke game.

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:38 am**

ethanr wrote:If our players come back fit and ready, we shouldn't struggle too badly. We played well away to Arsenal so there's no excuse for playing away. We seemed able to cope, so it should stay that way. As long as the international break doesn't mess up how we've been playing we should be fine.

If Rory Delap gets fit and can play, it'd be good to have Coates in the lineup to get rid of those throws. I thought Johnson's injury was supposed to make him barely miss the Sunderland game? Now he's missed the next 2, and is rightfully out of the England squad. I would expect him back by the Stoke game.

I'm glad we only have 2 players in the England team - Downing and Carroll.

Is it true that Meireles is with the Portugese team though? That's what a friend told me.

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:52 am**

I believe that we can finish at least 3rd this season but we can't do it on our own, we need other teams to take points off Chelsea, Manure and City.

That's generally how titles are won mate

Will Coates start for his height alone?

Will Carroll play and disrupt the fluid football we played on Saturday

Decisions decisions, looking forward to seeing how we set out to play against these in their own backyard

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:24 am**

Stoke beat West Brom away today. I know West Brom aren't the best but it's never easy to win away. They are also signing Palacios who isn't a bad player, and I think they're trying to get a second Spurs player from what I heard... Crouch I think. Palacios is a done deal, but I don't know about Crouch. Either way we can't take them lightly.

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:27 pm**

any chance of Gerrard making the bench for this?

Posted: **Mon Aug 29, 2011 3:34 pm**

Fuuuuuuu international break :angry:

Posted: **Thu Sep 01, 2011 9:35 pm**

Tough early season game this and now they have signed Crouch and Palacios who arent bad players.
Surely whatever happens in this game will be an improvement on the fixture their last season though.

Posted: **Thu Sep 01, 2011 9:38 pm**

Won't be an easy game but I don't see why we can't get a result there.

Got a feeling Carroll will start this one. Hopefully Coates starts too.

Posted: **Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:02 pm**

it will be a very difficult and scrappy game 1-1

Posted: **Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:11 pm**

Won't be pretty, Stoke will see to that. But we have enough physically to match them these days and certainly won't be bullied.

Carroll will definitely start, set pieces may decide this one and he's effective defensively and offensively in that respect. I think Suarez may be the one to miss out with Kuyt and Carroll up top.

This isn't the game to throw Coates into, not yet. I don't expect us to lose, but a draw wouldn't be a terrible result. Score draw is likely but we might nick it.

Posted: **Fri Sep 02, 2011 12:08 am**

I think Johnson's back on training, I'm pretty sure he'll start in this one.

Posted: **Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:13 am**

I'd throw bellamy on for this one.

Posted: **Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:12 am**

I think we should play the same/similar to how we played Bolton. Get the ball on the deck and pass these boys off the park.

If plan A fails, get Carroll on the pitch.

Liverpool FC Forum

STOKE CITY VS LIVERPOOL - 10 september 2011, ko: 15:00

STOKE CITY VS LIVERPOOL - 10 september 2011, ko: 15:00