Liverpool Team To Face Stoke City. Reina; Wisdom, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson; Allen, Gerrard, Sahin; Suso, Sterling, Suarez. SUBS: Jones, Henderson, Cole, Assaidi, Coates, Borini, Carragher. Liverpool make no changes from the Premier League game with Norwich last Saturday. The front three of Sterling, Suarez & Suso continue. Wisdom continues at right-back with Glen Johnson again filling in at left-back. Joe Cole returns to the bench after a hamstring injury. No Enrique or Downing in the 18.
Stoke City Team To Face Liverpool. Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson; Walters, N'Zonzi, Adam, Whelan, Kightly; Crouch. SUBS: Sorensen, Upson, Edu, Whitehead, Etherington, Jones, Jerome. So, Tony Pulis & Stoke City have gone with a 4-5-1 formation for their trip to Anfield. Two ex-Liverpool players make the starting line-up with Peter Crouch up-front and Charlie Adam in the centre of midfield. No Jermaine Pennant or Michael Owen in the 18.
Feel a little sorry for Downing. Yes he's extremely ****. Yes he's probably the clubs worst ever value for money signing (and thats saying something considering some of our signings over the last 4 years). But he was criticised publically by a manager which is harsh and could damage his reputation as a player and make other clubs who are interested in him have second thoughts about signing him.
5 esses if you include Stevie Let's hope we attack as well as he have been doing the last few weeks and manage to tighten up at the back. Not only would a win today be great but a clean sheet would do the defence the world of good. COYR
My only problem with this team is how we deal with set peices. Allen, Sahin, Suso, Sterling & Suarez aren't going to win any defensive headers and Wisdom & Johnson aren't huge (although Wisdom being a CB by trade should help). Apart from that only Gerrard, Skrtel & Agger are over 6 foot. P.s See Owen is out with a "minor injury". Stoke realising why no one else wanted to touch him with a barge pole...
It's his own fault to be honest. He gives literally zero effort for the cause, and is constantly outplayed by 17 and 18 year olds. Not good enough and deserves to be dropped.
Still a touch worried about Crouch. If we shackle Crouch and Walters and then harry Adam on the ball we should be okay. The best form of defense is attack and so I hope we keep pressing and creating for the majority of the game.
At no point during the interview after the game Thursday did BR single out Downing BR said We were lazy not Downing was lazy Downing knows he did not play good enough and THOUGHT that BR was having a pop at him but it was towards all the players
Would imagine if Johnson gets injured then Coates would come on and go to centre back then Agger would go to left back OR if Wisdom gets injured then either Carragher comes on for him or Coates then Agger to left back and Johnson to right back. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/sep/28/stewart-downing-brendan-rodgers Those comments, not the other ones
We've still got Robbo and Flanagan remember. If worst comes to worst we've got Mcgluchlanaananana or however his name is spelt
I'm not sure what to make of Cole. Wan't him to do well obviously, but he's 30, injury prone and hasn't performed for us and only shone briefly in the french league (but not enough to warrant Lille wanting him permanently). Not sure where he fits in either - not as one of the 3 CM, can't play upfront, so that leaves one of the wider roles but Assaidi, Sterling & Suso are all ahead of him and he doesn't have that pace or tricky tog et away from players anymore.
Regardless of his poor form i thought that Enrique would have at least been on the bench so you have a natural fullback on your bench rather than have to play people out of position. Seems strange to me anyway. I meant short term (if they get injured in this match, who plays the rest of the match). Flanaghan and Robinson aren't on the bench
Ah i see. Well i guess Agger would move to the left and Coates comes into the middle. If Wisdom gets injured Carra will probably go into RB
