Birmingham, Home, PL, 9/11, 20:00, Pre & in game discussion

LordJamieOfCarragher · #1 5-11-09, 19:27

Liverpool v Birmingham City
9th Nov 20:00

Liverpool must once again lift themselves after another disappointing result when Birmingham City visit Anfield on Monday night.

The performance against Lyon was promising and Rafa Benitez will hopefully have a bigger squad to choose from with players returning from injury and illness.

Alex McLeish's team have had a decent start to their Premier League campaign and find themselves 14th in the table with 11 points from 11 games.

Birmingham have a very good recent record at Anfield, winning 1 and drawing 3 of their last 5 visits and have ex Red Gregory Vignal in their squad for the match which is live on ESPN in the UK.

-----

Someone is going to get a thumping by us sooner or later, unlucky Birmingham I can see us winning this quite comfortably, injuries and swine flu permitting of course!

4-0 to us.

LFCRedScot · #2 5-11-09, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordJamieOfCarragher

Liverpool v Birmingham City
9th Nov 20:00

Liverpool must once again lift themselves after another disappointing result when Birmingham City visit Anfield on Monday night.

The performance against Lyon was promising and Rafa Benitez will hopefully have a bigger squad to choose from with players returning from injury and illness.

Alex McLeish's team have had a decent start to their Premier League campaign and find themselves 14th in the table with 11 points from 11 games.

Birmingham have a very good recent record at Anfield, winning 1 and drawing 3 of their last 5 visits and have ex Red Gregory Vignal in their squad for the match which is live on ESPN in the UK.

-----

Someone is going to get a thumping by us sooner or later, unlucky Birmingham I can see us winning this quite comfortably, injuries and swine flu permitting of course!

4-0 to us.

You forgot to mention dodgy referees as well....

-Higgy- · #3 5-11-09, 19:37

I smell.........................victory.

fernandothelegend · #4 5-11-09, 19:38

Reina
Johnson-skrtel-agger-aurelio
benny-masch-aqualani/lucas-babel
kuyt-torres

LFCRedScot · #5 5-11-09, 19:39

There's absolutely no excuse why we shouldn't win. Even if we are still lacking our top players, we should still beat them.

3-0 to us on Monday, and a break, and then two weeks later, back to nearly full strength, and destroy Man City, then get the luck with Lyon against the Florentines, and us eventually beating Fiorentina 4-0 to qualify.

Simplesk!

kingCarra05 · #6 5-11-09, 19:50

We will win. At least by 3 I reckon.

Start Babel for this one, while he is confident.

dvbdanvinbentley · #7 5-11-09, 20:00

i wouldn't be shocked if torres isnt used in this game,especially if we get few players back from injury.

im more worried for our defense,i want our strongest defense back.

johnson, agger,carra,aurelio

then hopefully reira and aquilani will play--
Aquilani,Mascherano,Lucas,Reira

and maybe try out striker partnership of -
Benayoun and Kuyt

if needed sub on:
Ngog
Babel
Skitrel
voronin(hair duty,cleaning the boots,washing the kits,pop the inflatable balls)

rest torres and gerrard and have them avoid surgery.

-Higgy- · #8 5-11-09, 20:01

Torres shouldn't be in the squad.

GameSetMurray · #9 5-11-09, 20:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvbdanvinbentley

i wouldn't be shocked if torres isnt used in this game,especially if we get few players back from injury.

im more worried for our defense,i want our strongest defense back.

johnson, agger,carra,aurelio

then hopefully reira and aquilani will play--
Aquilani,Mascherano,Lucas,Reira

and maybe try out striker partnership of -
Benayoun and Kuyt

if needed sub on:
Ngog
Babel
Skitrel
voronin(hair duty,cleaning the boots,washing the kits,pop the inflatable balls)

rest torres and gerrard and have them avoid surgery.

Carra's out. No way Nando should play. I doubt Johnson and Aurelio will be ready for Monday. At least I think I read they are still a major doubt...

But still, we should win this. I'm thinking 2-1 only because we cannot for the life of us keep a clean sheet...(except against the scum

).

Phil-Babel · #10 5-11-09, 20:56

We have some pretty major injury/sickness/suspension problems at the back right now.

Johnson (injured)
Degen (suspended)
Carragher (suspended)
Skrtel (virus)
Kelly (injured)
Aurelio (injured)
Dossena (injured)

With any luck Agger will be available but it looks like Nick the bubble will be playing centre back again and god knows who we're gonna play at right back

gregorsladd · #11 5-11-09, 21:20

Lets see,

Reina
Insua
Agger
Kyriagos (Spelt wrong, I know)

Benayoun
Lucas
Aqualani
Spearing
Babel

Ngog
Pacheco

3-5-2

That'd do me. Considering that I dont think Rafa will "risk" Nando. Jay and Lucas covering the back four. It's a winner.

dvbdanvinbentley · #12 5-11-09, 21:29

****,forgot carras out,crap!.

tbh considering all injuries weve not played too badly. maybe its our attacking threat thats not been there in same way as before, not looked threatening enough to score enough and put teams away,and they end up comin back to haunt our defence at the end of games. both lyon games we could have scored a few and put them to sleep,had it not been for a combo of great goalkeeping and not putting easy balls in the net! voronin cant handle an easy ball!.

i hope they have some positive news to announce come weekend time.

rafa said skirtel looks likely recover and feature.
wonder whats the status on kellys injury if aurelio wont be fit.

gregorsladd · #13 5-11-09, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvbdanvinbentley

****,forgot carras out,crap!.

tbh considering all injuries weve not played too badly. maybe its our attacking threat thats not been there in same way as before, not looked threatening enough to score enough and put teams away,and they end up comin back to haunt our defence at the end of games. both lyon games we could have scored a few and put them to sleep,had it not been for a combo of great goalkeeping and not putting easy balls in the net! voronin cant handle an easy ball!.

i hope they have some positive news to announce come weekend time.

rafa said skirtel looks likely recover and feature.
wonder whats the status on kellys injury if aurelio wont be fit.

Do we really believe what anyone says about injuries anymore?

dvbdanvinbentley · #14 5-11-09, 21:40

mm,ye. there is "the truth" what they want us to hear,and the truth(harsh real truth) lol.

CrawleyRed · #15 5-11-09, 22:47

There's not much word on who will be okay for Monday, but as they were ruled out late on I would hope five extra days will be enough for Johnson and Aurelio to recover. And yes, fully agree that Gerrard and Torres should not start, though i'd have Torres on the bench...just in case, but only use him if it's 0-0 after 80 mins. And start Babel as he'll be buzzin at the moment and very confident in front of goal.

This would be my line-up.

------------Reina-------------
Johnson-Agger-Kygriakos-Aurelio
-------Lucas----Masher-------
Kuyt------Benayoun-----Babel
------------Ngog-------------

Subs:
Cavalieri, Ayala, Insua, Aquilani, Spearing, Ecclestone, Torres

Would bring on Spearing and Ecclestone for some much needed experience if we're 2 or 3-0 up after an hour, and of coure Alberto for 20mins.

Andyfagan · #16 5-11-09, 23:03

I'll be looking forward to seeing how our defence copes without Carragher. That red card could have spelled the end for him.

christhered · #17 5-11-09, 23:14

After last nights performance Agger has definetly cemented himself as No 1, I would have liked Rafa to have stuck with Ayala a little more, instead of the greek anyway.

fernandothelegend · #18 5-11-09, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andyfagan

I'll be looking forward to seeing how our defence copes without Carragher. That red card could have spelled the end for him.

Nonsense.

EmbraceTheMartian · #19 5-11-09, 23:38

Will Skrtel be fit? If so Carra's suspension has a nice silver lining, as Rafa is forced to experiment with the partnership that most of us have been calling for this season. If not, we've got Agger and Kyriakos at the back again - shouldn't be a problem at home against Birmingham, but it doesn't fill me with confidence.

Zay-Jazel · #20 5-11-09, 23:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregorsladd

Lets see,

Reina
Insua
Agger
Kyriagos (Spelt wrong, I know)

Benayoun
Lucas
Aqualani
Spearing
Babel

Ngog
Pacheco

3-5-2

That'd do me. Considering that I dont think Rafa will "risk" Nando. Jay and Lucas covering the back four. It's a winner.

I'm not sure if this is a **** take.

Andyfagan · #21 6-11-09, 01:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernandothelegend

Nonsense.

You think? If Agger and Skrtel prove to be capable without Carragher then I don't think it fares well for him.

greatchinu · #22 6-11-09, 07:05

absolutely like it.
will definitely like to hear some good news about the line-up.
i haven't liked babel for his inconsistency. But if rafa should do something fair, now is to give babel another game to show his desire to score for the team. rafa should definitely play babel.

*EDIT* - i just watched the highlights of Liverpool - Birmingham City in 2007, when rafa decided to rest torres, and we had a disappointing 0-0 with torres shaking his head, and so was anfield. rafa learned his lesson about the balance b/w rotation and putting your best possible team on match day!
and this season is showing some similarities to 2007. (considering champions league situation, premier league - reading and fulham

, and worse injury situation )
considering his discomfort - i'd keep torres on the bench now, if not start with him. bring on aquilani and torres to win the match if needed.

what do you guys think about this formation though (even normally when without torres and gerrard) -

------------Reina--------------------
Johnson---Agger---Skrtel---Aurelio
-------------Masch-------------------
---Lucas----Benayoun----Babel-----
--------Kuyt----------Ngog----------

i think without torres and gerrard, this 4-1-3-2 is more attacking. this should stop lucas and masch from stepping on each others' toes.

i'd sub lucas for aquilani in the last 20-30 mins.
and save aurelio and johnson if we are leading comfortably.
i don't expect that though, birmingham have a good record of sitting defense against us.

that is why i think they must go and get the early goal with this attacking formation. We must win the game in the end, with a clean sheet!
2-0 will be ideal for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrawleyRed

There's not much word on who will be okay for Monday, but as they were ruled out late on I would hope five extra days will be enough for Johnson and Aurelio to recover. And yes, fully agree that Gerrard and Torres should not start, though i'd have Torres on the bench...just in case, but only use him if it's 0-0 after 80 mins. And start Babel as he'll be buzzin at the moment and very confident in front of goal.

This would be my line-up.

------------Reina-------------
Johnson-Agger-Kygriakos-Aurelio
-------Lucas----Masher-------
Kuyt------Benayoun-----Babel
------------Ngog-------------

Subs:
Cavalieri, Ayala, Insua, Aquilani, Spearing, Ecclestone, Torres

Would bring on Spearing and Ecclestone for some much needed experience if we're 2 or 3-0 up after an hour, and of coure Alberto for 20mins.

-Higgy- · #23 6-11-09, 07:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andyfagan

You think? If Agger and Skrtel prove to be capable without Carragher then I don't think it fares well for him.

I didn't think it would happen for a couple of years yet, but it may well be the case.

He's said a number of times that he won't be happy to sit on the bench either.

KopWaa · #24 6-11-09, 07:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Higgy-

I didn't think it would happen for a couple of years yet, but it may well be the case.

He's said a number of times that he won't be happy to sit on the bench either.

If Agger n Skrtel get in and play well then Carra will have to fight for his place like anyone else it'll more than likely return Jamie to his more accomplished self we all love,Nothing wrong with a bit of extra motivation.

MPrakash · #25 6-11-09, 12:02

Playing at home, Livepool should win this game. The players will be up for it. Interesting to see who Benitez puts out as right-back - I reckon it will be Steven Darby.

fernandothelegend · #26 6-11-09, 12:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andyfagan

You think? If Agger and Skrtel prove to be capable without Carragher then I don't think it fares well for him.

Against birmingham andy do me a favour. They will play one up front and if they can't deal with that it will show how crucial carra is for us. Carra will be a regular for another season at least.

RedRougeRojo · #27 6-11-09, 12:22

---------------Reina(c)-----------------

Skrtel----Kyrigiakos----Agger----Insua

---------Mascherano----Lucas--------

Benayoun--------Aquilani--------Babel

----------------Kuyt-----------------

GK:
Torres
Ngog
Darby
Ayala
Spearing
Eccleston
Cavalieri

Maybe Darby in for our Greek if Brummies are going to play one up front.

Alon1 · #28 6-11-09, 12:29

I would like to see Skrtel coming back to form soon, cause I am a bit sceptical on Carragher form at the moment.

navmister · #29 6-11-09, 12:32

Reina
johnson Skrtel Agger Insua

Kuyt Lucas Masch Benny

Babel Torres

Bring on Aqua boy for torres in the last 30 mins

fernandothelegend · #30 6-11-09, 12:39

Suspended: Carragher & Degan (1 match)

Doubtful: Aurelio (calf), Torres (stomach), Dossena (groin)

Injured: Gerrard (groin), Reira (hamstring), Johnson (calf)

Who is going to play right back.