Playing Utd is different to playing the others you mentioned none of which will roll over and ask for their belly to be tickled.
I know, they showed signs of being vulnerable at the back, a team with better movement, strikers, confidence could have had some joy against them, hoping that team is us.
Spurs will play with a high line and they have a slow defence. We should completely pick them off, if they come out and attack which I presume they will.
Dilemma now is do we bring Sterling back in? He played well at No Heart Lane but Coutinho was excellent that day and last night too (bar his shooting....again). Does Sterling come in for Alllen maybe? Nice problems to have for a manager I guess
i do hope so Allen is a squad player not a starter for me, hopefully we can accommodate both Sterling and Coutinho. what about Lucas? or just use if SG needs a rest and bring on later in games?
You have to ask one of Sturridge or Suarez to go wide and play Coutinho in behind. I think it would work and could throw them off a bit. Sterling was stunning in that first game btw.
The team is more important than individuals. You may rate Coutinho/Sterling higher than Allen but the team shape would have to change. I'd prefer us to have a central three against Spurs.
Allen was good with the closing down ( his one trait I think none of us can argue against) and was very good with this against Spurs the first time. Hopefully Adebeyor is still out as I feel our CB's can handle Soldado better than the movement and size of Ade.
I agree, we will need Allen and Hendo to put a shift in against Spurs, I'd drop Coutinho and have Sterling playing in the hole like he did at Man Utd.
I know Gerrard and Studge were out against Spurs but we did start with Sterling, Coutinho and Allen for the drubbing. Lucas played that game so Gerrard will be in for him but then do we bench the Studge? Not serious obviously but shows we've got a bit of depth there when relatively injury free
I've said several times already, its his one attribute that is world class. Pretty much my point, the pair of them are important parts of this team. they provide the energy and legs that allows Gerrard, Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho/Sterling to do what they do.
The trio in the middle (Lucas, Allen and Hendo) were full of movement and energy, Spurs couldn't cope with it so we won the midfield battle. Can we do that again with Gerrard rather than Lucas? I don't see why not. Can we do it with Gerrard and only one of Hendo or Allen (more than likely Hendo)? Not in my opinion.
If we play a high line you will pick us off, I agree. And we might. But the last two games we were successful not pressing so high, and I can only hope we don't revert to insanity. But the problem isn't that our defenders are slow (except for Vertonghen). The problem is that they're not very good defenders (except for Kaboul).
don't think they will be as naive as they was in the first game, i am just hoping this isnt the ruddy game where all their new players find form.
We could address them the Arse way. I'm not so adamant about Allen on this one, since they could come out to play high. And as we sit tight with Sterling on the right or left of a 433, we then counterattack the living bejesuses out them.
Mark Lawrenson's Prediction for Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur (Sunday, 16:00 BST) Liverpool's games get tougher now. I think they're starting to believe they can win the league - and that belief grows game by game. Sunderland made it difficult against them on Wednesday. It felt like Liverpool started to tighten up after scoring twice. Sunderland made changes and started to have a go and it looked closer than it should have been. Manager Brendan Rodgers rightly points out that if Manchester City or Chelsea win all their games, they can't win it. They'd love to, but they're reliant on other results and I don't think Liverpool will go unbeaten for the rest of the season. I don't think Tottenham will go to Anfield and try to defend. In fact, I don't think they can defend. And I don't see them starting next season with Tim Sherwood in charge. He's done a good job but when he got the 18-month contract, everyone thought he'd probably be manager until the end of the year and they'd bring someone else in. I think he'll get a job somewhere else. I like the fact he's tried to organise Tottenham and change the way they play. Their problems started last July or August when they signed too many players. The dynamic of the dressing room is very difficult. I still believe they don't know what their best team is. Lawro's prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur Lawro's 2013-14 Premier League Predictions
If you do win on Sunday, he would only be a point out on the season. If Spurs win, he would have under-estimated us by 9 points.
