I believe a lot will depend on how serious Rodgers takes the Europa league. If he has given up on 4th, which was never a possibility anyway, then he may go strong on thursday. which will weaken them for sunday. I dont think they will play as bad as they did last night and is sturidge back. I personally think that whilst picking the team for sunday no consideration should be given to the wembley side. Otherwise you would never pick your strongest side as there is always an important game coming up. I would as said previous pick a similar side that started against QPR and go for them. I dont think they are that good at the back, mind you I dont think you can afford to invite them on to us as they are very good going forward. 12 in 3 home games before yesterday. I see they havent beaten any side form the top half of the league. Please dont let it happen on the weekend. I will take a point.
Football related My take on this is if we want to beat liverpool then we must play our strongest side to be in with a chance, liverpool battered wba in all honesty and were the better footballing side on the night but like we have been in the past they just could not score, nothing would go in the back of the net and they had so many chances that they should have put the game to bed in the first half, they were all over wba and on another day would have scored. fair play to wba for sticking to their task and taking full advantage of liverpools missed chances, and there was many. I want to go to liverpool and compete and win the match and for us to do that we must field our strongest side as i dont think they will miss the vast chances they had against us...Im not worried about wembley as a premiership club should have enough players to beat a div2 team in a final, or they should anyway. we have the players to take 3 points off liverpool and win the cup but that will depend if laudrup plays our best sides in both games.....there is no need for resting players if they are fit and their week in the sun is a nice way of getting the players ready for liverpool and bradford city who both gives the team different challenges.....play to win and take no chances of weakening the side when there is no need too..
Welcome back Dai. I agree. Yes Liverpool may not be the strength they once were, but they have several top class players and can turn it on. It will be interesting to see what aside BR puts out Thursday .... They have a lot if travelling to do but surely the Europa is his/ their best chance of Europe next year
Decent thoughts, Dai. I'm tempted to play our strongest side in both games as well.... BUT... Liverpool have upped their game of late and playing at a pace that Rodgers never managed to get us to do. They are dangerous going forward and we really needed Chico for this one. I don't believe that Monk has the pace we need to defend and I'm thinking Bartley for this one and, in my opinion, we need his height for Wembley as well. This would be tough on Monk but if things go well against Bradford, he could always be brought on for a thoroughly deserved cameo towards the end. That said, if we had to weaken the team for one of the games, I would choose Liverpool. We have plenty of time to get the three points we need for safety and, hopefully, a lot more. As for Wembley, we've got ONE shot at it; a very good shot and it's a game I want us to nail. It would be our FIRST major trophy and give us entry to Europe with all that that brings - even more exposure worldwide, a more attractive proposition for quality players to join us and so on. The prospect of losing is unbearable. We would become a laughing stock, the Premier League big-time Charlies who took Bradford for granted and took an almighty tumble for their arrogance. Make no mistake, we would look right idiots if we lost and our board would be inundated, infested, with those only too eager to pile on the misery. No, I don't want any of that, so I want the lads fresh and raring to get out there and make history for us.
I agree Ivor. I could just about take losing to Liverpool but I'd be gutted if we lost to Bradford. As you say we'd never live it down.
Sorry to interupt chaps but just wanted to say to Ivoralljack...I just sent you a PM. Take care bruv.
Bartley verses monk is a close one and i would think monk would relish the chance to captain the side for another wembley appearance. He has been outstanding in all fairness whenever he has had to play and i think he is the man for the job. I am of an opinion that if the best players are fit then the best players should play, monk is very fortunate that chico is injured but i have every confidence that whoever plays at wembley that we will be too strong against a poor Bradford side that are not very good in their own league. I think on a pristine pitch that our passing skills will be to much for them to handle and the advantages of a good pitch will see us pick up our first major trophy in our history. With the liverpool match i think we can win or at the very least get a point but if we weaken the side then i believe they will out play us and i cant see them missing the chances they had against wba. Brendan will not want to lose this match for certain and we must not hand the game on a plate by playing a weakened side, If we were playing chelsea in the final then maybe there would be a case to save our best players but as we are playing a league two side then we should have the confidence of playing our best players in both games and fear no one....
Liverpool as a club expect european football and with the of reality setting in of them not being good enough for 4th spot then I would be surprised if Rodgers didn't target europe as a priority now .Thats not to say that the PL isn't as important but the realisation must have been made that theres still a lot of work to do before they any where near challenging for the top 4 places .I don't believe that Mr Laudrup expects anything other than a result and this game will be no exception, it'll be the manner in which he sets us up to play which will be fascinating .The squad will have been away this week for further team bonding and along with the team selection for the cup game I expect that that will reflect in their performances on Sunday.It'll be interesting to see when the cracks will start to show with Rodgers and the players if their united then expect us to be under pressure if not then who knows .
Only the most deluded of Liverpool fans will think they can get 4th place now. Still a very big club but not the force they once were. At the moment they are behind the Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs. I believe it will be any 4 of this 5 that qualify for the Champions league. Everton are very impressive too and at the moment are ahead of Liverpool so I think the very best they could finish this season would be in 7th place. They are in the process of rebuilding and it will take time which is a shame because they've been fantastic in Europe and if any club deserves Champions league football it is Liverpool FC. That said though I believe we have nothing to fear even if we rest a few players for Sunday. Personally considering Chico's injury I'd be more than happy if Ash stayed home and kept in mothballs until the final. The game against Bradford is far more important than the Liverpool game, no disrespect meant but a cup final is a cup final and I would say the same no matter who were playing Sunday.
Don't agree Dilli, given the tighter financial restrictions and the long slow-burn to get where they are I reckon Everton are more deserving. They've spent a fraction of what their neighbours have spunked and look to have a tighter team spirit. UTD, city and Chelsea will grab the top three and it's between Arsenal, Spurs and Everton for 4th. I'd love to see the toffees do it because they deserve it but I have a sneaking suspicion that Spurs will get it this year.
I believe we have a good chance to get a result in this game. Liverpool hasnât won against a top 10 team in any of the tournaments, and statistically we are doing very well against them. Personally I would want us to play the same team that will play at Wembley. It is a good chance to play our defense together and if there is anything that isnât working ML will be able to fix it before the final. Players should be able to play once a week without rest.....
Dont get me wrong Steve I'm not saying Liverpool deserve it any more than Everton or anyone else. Whoever gets in the top 4 will have deserved it. All I was trying to say was given how well the've performed in the past,winning it 5 times I wouldn't begrudge it to them. The thing is that at the moment I do think they are some way off qualifying for the Champions league. I reckon they'll be in the Europa with us next season
You're probably right there Dilli. Europa for Liverpool for the next few years as the top 4 is so competitive now. Spurs, Chelsea, City, Utd and Arsenal are all several years ahead imo. BR is trying to rebuild but look how that's panned out for Arsenal (who seem to be perpetually rebuilding). fergie seems able to rebuild with little impact on finishing top 4. Because they've won it in the past doesn't mean anything. If the past means anything then Real Madrid are far and away the best team the planet has ever seen. I hope everton do it but I think the next 3-5 years are pretty set now as far as top 4 goes.
Sunday's line ups are unpredictable on both sides. I expect BR will play hos strongest line up for the European game and see how his players are after that but I am sure after Liverpool's latest run of results he will be desperate for 3 points against us. I wouldn't be surprised if Monk starts at Wembley but is on the bench at Anfield along with Michu and Leon
Liverpool without European football next season unthinkable for Liverpool fans ! Rodgers knows it, the fans are already agitating look at their board. They are describing themselves as Swansea 11/12 . Rodgers will go all out for the European legs , Me? I'd be happy with a point at Anfield and no further injuries. Bartley to start needs the experience to bed in for the final !
i was thinking this the other day myself. IF we are in a commanding position with 20 minutes to go, bring on Monk to wear the captain's armband and lift the trophy. And I'm stressing the IF.....we may not even be in a winning position.
I would expect a win at Anfield again, if Laudrup goes with our strongest starting XI, in my view we are a better team than Liverpool this season, and I'll be disappointed if we don't finish above them. That said, I would prefer that Laudrup gave priority to the Cup this week, as for Liverpool getting that 4th position, well that's just pie in the sky, no way are Liverpool going to get that, I think we stand more of a chance than the scousers, and that's saying something!............. Welcome back Dai!........................... please log in to view this image
