Hello and welcome to the official match thread for Saturday's Premier League between Bolton Wanderers and Liverpool. The game is being played at Anfield and will kick off at 5.30PM on Saturday 27th August 2011. The Premier League season is still young but both teams have got off to solid starts. Liverpool have picked up 4 points from a possible 6. They started the season with a 1-1 draw at Anfield against Sunderland. That was followed up with a 2-0 victory at the Emirates against Arsenal. The reds then went to St. James Park in Exeter to take on the Grecians in the Carling Cup. Kenny Dalglish put out a strong side and was rewarded with a 3-1 victory. That was Kenny Dalglish's 200th win as Liverpool manager during his two spells at Anfield. Liverpool currently sit 5th in the table. Bolton have also had an encouraging start to the season under Owen Coyle. They started the season at Loftus Road to take on newly-promoted Q.P.R. Many predicted a tight game but Bolton were on fire. A 4-0 victory away from home including a rocket from much talked about Gary Cahill gave Bolton great confidence going into their first home game of the season against City. A 3-2 defeat against City followed but it was a spirited performance. Bolton were also involved in the Carling Cup and picked up a 2-1 win against Macclesfield with former Middlesbrough and Stoke striker Tuncay scoring on his debut. Bolton currently lie 8th in the table. Liverpool 3 - 1 Bolton Goalscorers: Henderson (Liverpool) 15th minute. Skrtel (Liverpool) 52nd minute. Adam (Liverpool) 54th minute. Klasnic (Bolton) 92nd minute. Liverpool: Reina Skrtel Carrgher Agger Enrique Lucas Adam Maxi Downing Kuyt Carroll SUBS: Doni Suarez Spearing Kelly Henderson Robinson Shelvey Kelly off and Skrtel on. Suarez off and Carroll on. Henderson off and Maxi on. Bolton: Jasskelainen Robinson Cahill Knight Steinsson Petrov M.Davies Pratley Reo-Coker Tuncay Klasnic SUBS: Bogdan Eagles Muamba Blake K.Davies Wheater Riley Muamba off and M.Davies on. Eagles off and Tuncay on. Pratley on and K.Davies off. My prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Bolton. Enjoy the game. YNWA. [video=youtube;SmANoRRcKn8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmANoRRcKn8[/video] NOTE: If there is anything you want me to add to this thread, I will be happy to do so.
Should be a good game, delighted it's on in the evening as well so I can have a few beers while watching it. Bolton have started the season well. Great 4-0 over QPR and a good display against most expensive squad ever made, and my tip to be champions, Man City. We haven't made a bad start ourselves, probably should have won against Sunderland and a good win against the Gooners. Would have taken 4 points from those two at the start but the other way around. Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Bolton
If we score early, I reckon we'll win easily, hopefully it won't be as hard-fought and as drawn out as last week. My bet is on Dirk Kuyt to score first.
Here is hoping that Carroll can kick on.... Should be able to battle with Knight and get the better of him but we shall see.....
I would love for him to score, It would really shut the doubters up. I would also like to see him score in the second half as it would be at the KOP end. He scored at the Anfield road end against City.
Bolton are a very good side and will be very tough. They will score against you and I will go for a score draw.
UIR Whats your prediction for the Man United-Arsenal game on Sunday?, I reckon United will win easily, possibly easier than they did monday night, my bet is a 3-0 win.
2-0. Struggling to see Arsenal putting up to much of a fight and can see RVP getting a knock or strain in the game aswell.
I'm going to go for a 2-0 win, I wouldn't be surprised to hear about another controversial goal in there but hopefully we'll earn the points once again. Looking back on last week, I feel slightly cheated that we got 2 offside goals to be honest, because I think we deserved the points and now they will forever be tainted as "Liverpool didn't deserve to win." Bolton have got off to a storming start, and they had an inspired game against City, but I think if we can put the pressure on and get a goal early in the second half, their fight will drain out of them. A goal in the first half could mean it ends up a 1-1 draw, so I hope we wait and go out in the 2nd half all guns blazing. I can see Suarez starting this one with Carroll, and Kuyt coming on during the 2nd half. They seem to be the most rotated players so far and it makes a good rotation policy, but I think Suarez + Kuyt, or Suarez + Meireles works better than say Carroll + Meireles etc... unfortunately with Meireles injured, we may have to settle for another striker/attacking mid. I think Maxi may get some time on the pitch tomorrow, he has a knack of being in the right place at the right time and especially with players like Suarez who can set up plenty of goals he's set for a goal or 2.
Ze Liverbird. I think you've got it right, with Mereiles unavailable and if we are 70 minutes gone with a 1-0 lead and we need to finish it, Maxi wouldn't be a bad substitute to bring on. He like Mereiles can play the unrestricted role, where we have the security of two I wouldn't say defensive midfielders but more sitting midfielders, that can pop up anywhere in behind the strikers. The 4-2-2 changing into a 4-3-3. Maxi is quite good at popping up when least expected to and is quite capable of gobbling up loose balls in and around the penalty area, in one sense similar to Dirk Kuyt. His ability to arrive at the right time is quite good.
I sense a lot of caution so far. Let's be upbeat about this. We are far stronger than we were at any point last season. We have more options for the team and the bench than we have had for many years. We are at Anfield. So I predict a win for Liverpool - probably 2-0
We will have to be at our best to get our first home win against Bolton they are a strong team. Attacking them is the key, get a couple of early goals.
I'd put our odds at: Win/Loss/Draw 60%/10%/31% I'd like to see this line up tomorrow: ------------- Hansen ------------- Darby- Soto- Wilson - Konchesky Johnson --- Meireles---- Gerrard -------------- Aqua ---------------- ----- Dalglish -- Pacheco --------- Ummm... seriously- no idea what our line up will be. I'm certain we'll want Carroll's strength up front, but he must not play alone- he is too easy to mark out of a game without someone alongside him. I don't care if it's Suarez, Kuyt, or whomever- but Carroll needs support or the defenders will cling to him like glue- and he'll get booked when he trips over them. I do want to see Kelly ahead of Flanny thought.
--------Reina----------- Kelly-Carra-Aggy-Jose Kuyty Lucas-Adamski-Stuey -------Suarez--------- ------Cazza---------- I hope to see this line up tomorrow
This should hopefully be the team......with proper names. Bench though, would guess: Doni, Flanagan, Skrtel, Spearing, Henderson, Shelvey, Maxi. Bolton have had a good start and were unlucky to lose to Man city I thought. Kevin Davies is dangerous as ever and wouldn't be surprised to see him on the score sheet, but Suarez is in form and when playing with Carroll they both seem better and I can see us getting a few goals. 3-1
How do we have 101%? But Ze, the second wasn't offsides, as Suarez didn't interfere with play the first pass he was offsides, and the pass to him he was on when the ball left Merieles' foot.
