Team vs. Liverpool

[Mr Pink]

This will be a tough test, as im sure Liverpool will have most their team behind the ball and try hit us on the counter. A strategy we struggle with.

Considering their injuries, their front 4 will likely be Moses/Coutinho/Sterling/Suarez, thats plenty of pace and trickery to cause us all kinds of problems.

We need to be ready for it, and i hope AVB will field this starting eleven (considering our injuries):

Lloris
Walker - Daws - Chiriches - Rose
Sandro - Paulinho
Lennon - Holtby - Townsend
Soldado

This way we will have Lennon+Walker vs Moses and whatever LB they will field and Rose+Townsend vs Sterling and Johnsen. This will stop their wing play and also give us the pace needed to destroy their fullbacks.

Suarez often drop deep to start their attacks and build up play, and we MUST use Sandro to try and mark him out of the game. Sandro is our only central player that is capable of marking Suarez out of the game, as our healthy CB's are both to slow so Sandro need to just glue himself to Suarez the entire game (imo).

Can see us winning this if we dont lose posession to many times in dangerous areas giving them free chances on the counter, as our pace will be to much for their slow defense and CM's to handle.

Henderson is fit. So it will definitely be Henderson, Coutinho and Sterling behind Suarez - with Lucas and Allen in midfield.

They still carry a real threat but there is no doubt about it they're a little light weight in the middle of the park.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Don't really know what we will or should do for this game to be honest.

Do we play two defensive midfielders with Paulinho as the man off the striker? Or do we go with Sandro and Dembele and play Holtby or Eriksen further forward?

Who plays on the wings? The one inverted and one not policy seems to be working but doing that will mean picking someone who isn't in form or dropping someone who is.

What's happening in defence? Is Rose fit? Is Chiriches fit? Where's Kaboul?

Do we go with Soldado after his hattrick? Does Defoe get the nod again?

I think the only players guaranteed to start are Lloris, Walker, Dawson and Sandro.

Other than that I'm stumped.

 

[Mr Pink]

I'm not sure who AVB will start on Sunday between Defoe and Soldado now - but really there shouldn;t be any doubt at all.

I think it would be criminal not to start Soldado. Nothing to do with Defoe this, we all know his game and what he brings but in terms of not capitalising on Soldado's confidence now could be a huge opportunity missed.

Thankfully the West Ham game is on Wednesday which might work in Soldado's favour. If AVB decides to go with Soldado he'll be able tell Defoe he starts against the Spammers mid week.

 

[Mr Pink]

Don't really know what we will or should do for this game to be honest.

Do we play two defensive midfielders with Paulinho as the man off the striker? Or do we go with Sandro and Dembele and play Holtby or Eriksen further forward?

Who plays on the wings? The one inverted and one not policy seems to be working but doing that will mean picking someone who isn't in form or dropping someone who is.

What's happening in defence? Is Rose fit? Is Chiriches fit? Where's Kaboul?

Do we go with Soldado after his hattrick? Does Defoe get the nod again?

I think the only players guaranteed to start are Lloris, Walker, Dawson and Sandro.

Other than that I'm stumped.

Similar to the game against United for me. Sandro and Dembele in midfield...Paulinho off a more confident Soldado. Holtby on the bench, could be a valuable sub to bring on.

 

[Nocando]

--------------------Lloris----------------
---Walker---Chiriches---Capoue----Rose
-------------Sandro---Dembele---------
------Lennon---Holtby/Paul---Townsend---
------------------Soldado---------------

I really can't decide between Holtby & Paulinho. Tough on whoever doesn't make it however the rightside with Walker / Lennon and the leftside with Rose / Townsend oozes pace and looks dangerous to me. Perhaps I would go for Holtby's creativity and goal threat just above Paul's goal threat.

 

[jezz]

This will be a tough test, as im sure Liverpool will have most their team behind the ball and try hit us on the counter. A strategy we struggle with.

Considering their injuries, their front 4 will likely be Moses/Coutinho/Sterling/Suarez, thats plenty of pace and trickery to cause us all kinds of problems.

We need to be ready for it, and i hope AVB will field this starting eleven (considering our injuries):

Lloris
Walker - Daws - Chiriches - Rose
Sandro - Paulinho
Lennon - Holtby - Townsend
Soldado

This way we will have Lennon+Walker vs Moses and whatever LB they will field and Rose+Townsend vs Sterling and Johnsen. This will stop their wing play and also give us the pace needed to destroy their fullbacks.

Suarez often drop deep to start their attacks and build up play, and we MUST use Sandro to try and mark him out of the game. Sandro is our only central player that is capable of marking Suarez out of the game, as our healthy CB's are both to slow so Sandro need to just glue himself to Suarez the entire game (imo).

Can see us winning this if we dont lose posession to many times in dangerous areas giving them free chances on the counter, as our pace will be to much for their slow defense and CM's to handle.

The only problem with that os townsend doesn't do defending

 

[TaoistMonkey]

This was our team last season. We won 2-1 and the only goal they got was a freebie from Gareth.

 

[Bobbins]

This will be a tough test, as im sure Liverpool will have most their team behind the ball and try hit us on the counter. A strategy we struggle with.

Considering their injuries, their front 4 will likely be Moses/Coutinho/Sterling/Suarez, thats plenty of pace and trickery to cause us all kinds of problems.

We need to be ready for it, and i hope AVB will field this starting eleven (considering our injuries):

Lloris
Walker - Daws - Chiriches - Rose
Sandro - Paulinho
Lennon - Holtby - Townsend
Soldado

This way we will have Lennon+Walker vs Moses and whatever LB they will field and Rose+Townsend vs Sterling and Johnsen. This will stop their wing play and also give us the pace needed to destroy their fullbacks.

Suarez often drop deep to start their attacks and build up play, and we MUST use Sandro to try and mark him out of the game. Sandro is our only central player that is capable of marking Suarez out of the game, as our healthy CB's are both to slow so Sandro need to just glue himself to Suarez the entire game (imo).

Can see us winning this if we dont lose posession to many times in dangerous areas giving them free chances on the counter, as our pace will be to much for their slow defense and CM's to handle.

Agree with all of that, plus the team selection, though I have very little fear of Moses/Coutinho/Sterling, all of whom are individually massively overrated. Moses has been extremely disappointing this season, Coutinho, while a capable player, is enormously over-hyped by Liverpool fans and the media, and Sterling has pretty much never impressed me when I've seen him play.

Suarez we will be pretty powerless about who-ever plays - he will either be at his world-destroying unplayable best, or his frustrated incapable worst (Hull) - there's not much we can do but shut off his supply (no Gerrard, destroy Allen with Sandro/Dembele, stay tight on the three mentioned above) and hope he doesn't score a worldy.

I'm confident. Liverpool are a dangerous side when they've got Saurez, Sturridge and Gerrard playing - with two of those out they are entirely reliant on Suarez winning games single-handedly, and when he's not at it (Hull), they are really quite shite.

 

[Nocando]

The only problem with that os townsend doesn't do defending

No but Sandro (and Dembele) does , that's the beauty of this formation as opposed to a 4-4-2.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

Completley agree with this, I love Dawson for his commitment to the club, but Suarez will tear him a new one if he plays.

Has he "torn Dawson a new one" when playing against him previously?

 

[JaySpur]

This was our team last season. We won 2-1 and the only goal they got was a freebie from Gareth.

View attachment 8867

I also quoted our CB pairing last season against them too in another thread, but no-one seems to want to believe that Dawson can do anything other than spontaneoulsly combust when he's confronted with Suarez.

Win the midfield battle and starve the guy of service.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

This will be a tough test, as im sure Liverpool will have most their team behind the ball and try hit us on the counter. A strategy we struggle with.

Considering their injuries, their front 4 will likely be Moses/Coutinho/Sterling/Suarez, thats plenty of pace and trickery to cause us all kinds of problems.

We need to be ready for it, and i hope AVB will field this starting eleven (considering our injuries):

Lloris
Walker - Daws - Chiriches - Rose
Sandro - Paulinho
Lennon - Holtby - Townsend
Soldado

Switch Holtby & Paulinho

 

[Grey Fox]

Has he "torn Dawson a new one" when playing against him previously?

Dawson's current form is not good and Suarez has gone up a notch or two since last season. I would love to be wrong, but I will be hiding behind the settee if Dawson plays.

 

[ogsvaldo]

Lloris, Walker, Capoue, Chriiches, Rose, Sandro, Dembele, Lennon, Paulinho, Chadli, Soldado

 

[hodsgod]

I'm not sure who AVB will start on Sunday between Defoe and Soldado now - but really there shouldn;t be any doubt at all.

I think it would be criminal not to start Soldado. Nothing to do with Defoe this, we all know his game and what he brings but in terms of not capitalising on Soldado's confidence now could be a huge opportunity missed.

Thankfully the West Ham game is on Wednesday which might work in Soldado's favour. If AVB decides to go with Soldado he'll be able tell Defoe he starts against the Spammers mid week.

I understand the logic, but it has flaws.

I believe Soldado and Defoe have both now scored 9 goals this season, if you consider that Soldado scored four from penalties, it's five goals compared to Defoes nine from open play.

If you are using european goals as a reason for playing any player, shouldn't you choose the one that scores the most from open play?

I am just playing devils advocate, they have both scored so few goals in the league from open play it's difficult to justify either of them.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

Dawson's current form is not good and Suarez has gone up a notch or two since last season. I would love to be wrong, but I will be hiding behind the settee if Dawson plays.

Leave it out, GF. They're my straws & I'll keep clutching at them

 

[Huddlestone22]

I'd like to see (with the players available):

Lloris

Walker Dawson Chiriches Naughton

Sandro

Dembele Holtby

Lamela---------Chadli

Soldado
​

I expect (well actually knowing AVB it'll be completely different ):

Lloris

Walker Dawson Chriches Naughton

Sandro Dembele

Lennon Paulinho Chadli

Defoe​

 

[jezz]

No but Sandro (and Dembele) does , that's the beauty of this formation as opposed to a 4-4-2.

Fair enough

 

[Veuve Clicquot]

I understand the logic, but it has flaws.

I believe Soldado and Defoe have both now scored 9 goals this season, if you consider that Soldado scored four from penalties, it's five goals compared to Defoes nine from open play.

If you are using european goals as a reason for playing any player, shouldn't you choose the one that scores the most from open play?

I am just playing devils advocate, they have both scored so few goals in the league from open play it's difficult to justify either of them.

Alternatively, the reality is that it is 2 weeks to the end of 2013 and Defoe has scored a grand total of 1 league goal all year , plus has only scored 1 goal in the last 14 he has played against Liverpool.

 

[hodsgod]

Alternatively, the reality is that it is 2 weeks to the end of 2013 and Defoe has scored a grand total of 1 league goal all year , plus has only scored 1 goal in the last 14 he has played against Liverpool.

I did say it's difficult to justify either of them. They both have a poor return from open play.