Former Man Utd lad, might be more motivated for this game Think Medel could get some joy against our midfield too, also worth noting we don't have the best of records this season against set pieces. Wittingham's delivery and Caulkers physical presence could cause us some problems.
I think premiership survival should be all the motivation they need The question is; How many of their players are in the bad pro camp, who said footballers are either good or bad pros? Paisley? If they think oh lfC are too hard and don't turn up then they are bad pros.
I'm not being nasty or rude about Cardiff but if LFC turn up and play anywhere near form the game is won. That's what we have to do. Score does not matter, scorers don't matter. Only 3 points at the end of the day and no injuries is what truly matters
Brendan will want to win this one badly, just to support his old mate McCaulky (sp)? The fact the OLE is an ex manc is even more incentive
Points going to be dropped between Arsenal and Chelsea on Saturday, Spuds and Southampton on Sunday and United or City on Tuesday. If that's not enough motivation to grab this great opportunity to steal more ground on the top, I don't know what is. Nothing less than three points will do.
No offence to Saints or Utd (well, Saints anyway) but at this stage of the season the gap is too great for them to be relevant, so we need them to take some points from those who are contenders. Arse and Chelsea to draw, and Saints to win. Logic dictates that we should want Utd to win but I can't bring myself to say it.
that doesn't exist with me when it comes to the mancs, i want them to lose ALWAYS, even if it helps us out some how for them to get the win.
Magic - regarding our "danger players" pal, that could in all honesty be anyone who has a mind to on the day. You are quite right about Nooney though - he has an eye for goal and can score from distance with that left peg of his. As Sheepey said, Jordan Mutch is class but seems to be a bit short on match fitness these past two games having just come back from injury. If he's put that right since last week, he'll run at your defence not away from it - he can cut holes with his passing too. Up front, we're something of an enigma - the exact opposite to your lot. We have no real finishers. Campbell is full of endeavour and Kenwyne Jones will put himself about, but neither inspires confidence in front of goal. It's been proved this season that our best chance of scoring is probabaly from a set piece. Caulker and Turner (if he plays) are power houses in the air, and will cause any defence problems. The deliveries from Whitts have been below par though, and he's been benched recently. The Bellamy situation is a bit of a mystery to most. Obviously unable to play to his top ability week in week out these days, but wouldn't be surprised to see him today on the park playing just behind our front runner (could be Campbell or Jones). Medel will police the area in front of our back 4, but watch out for some clever attractive play from Kim (if he doesn't fall over - sorry Stevo ), and young 18 year old Daehli if he gets on the pitch. Player for player, we've got no chance, but a piece or two of individual magic and actually taking the chances we do bloody create rather than squandering them, and we could score - maybe God willing, one more than you?.......
http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/159550-craig-emulating-lfc-is-the-challenge With his current team, Cardiff, preparing to host Brendan Rodgers' charges in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday, the 34-year-old has spoken at length about his continuing appreciation for the Reds. "I'm proud of the club I support, I really am," he enthused to Liverpoolfc.com in an exclusive interview ahead of the encounter in Wales. "A lot of my beliefs in football and life are what Bill Shankly led, how he conducted the club and changed the club. He was years ahead of his time. "The way Liverpool run and how they are as a football club - the professionalism, how they look to the fans and how they treat people - is something I'm really proud to be associated with. I'm proud to support them.
http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/159554-rodgers-we-re-ready-for-pl-head-kings Brendan Rodgers acknowledges Liverpool will have to be wary of the aerial threat of Cardiff City today, but stressed everyone within the camp is ready and raring to go again following their Old Trafford heroics. 30 per cent of the Bluebird's goals have come from headers - the highest proportion in the Barclays Premier League - and it's a statistic the Reds have taken into consideration while preparing for the trip to Wales. However, confidence is high within the Liverpool camp after the latest in a string of outstanding results - a 3-0 victory away to Manchester United last Sunday - and Rodgers feels his side will journey to the Cardiff City Stadium primed to extend their five-match winning run. The boss told Liverpoolfc.com in an exclusive interview at Melwood: "They'll certainly be an aerial threat, particularly from set pieces. "Steven Caulker is a young player I know very well. He's their captain, I had him at Swansea with me for a year and he's fantastic in the air; he's got a great leap, he's very powerful and strong, so we'll have to pay attention to that [statistic]. "Preparations haven't changed. We're obviously coming into the game on the back of a very good victory at Old Trafford, but our work this week has been about focusing on Cardiff. "It's an equally difficult game in different circumstances. It's another game away from home - our third in a row - and it'll be a difficult challenge in a different way, but still respecting the opponent, focusing in on what we need to do and being ready for three o'clock on Saturday. "I've been there before with Swansea. It's a good atmosphere and they've got some good players. They'll see all of their home games now as opportunities to win.
TEAM NEWS Cardiff remain without injured defenders Mark Hudson, Ben Turner and Andy Taylor. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could start with the same XI that narrowly lost to Everton last weekend. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has no new injury worries and may stick with the side that beat Manchester United on Sunday. Lucas Leiva and Mamadou Sakho are again expected to be on the bench as they return from long-term injuries. MATCH PREVIEW Liverpool couldn't be in better spirits heading into their first game at the Cardiff City Stadium. Their comprehensive victory against Manchester United last weekend laid down another marker in this season of huge improvement. It was a real test of their realistic title ambitions and they provided an emphatic answer. I was at Old Trafford and what struck me most was the levels of confidence and self belief within their team. They played with real conviction and authority. Now they head to the Welsh capital looking for a sixth consecutive league victory, something they haven't achieved for eight years. It's a different type of test as it's game they are expected to win, and like their remaining away games at Norwich and Crystal Palace, it's against a team fighting to stay in the division. They seem to be relishing the challenge, though. They have scored five more goals already than the entire campaign last season. Luis Suarez alone has two more goals so far than the entire Cardiff team. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side will view anything gained as a welcome bonus before back-to-back matches against West Brom and Crystal Palace. He has said Cardiff will need luck, which wasn't on their side at Everton last week , and one or two heroes to step forward if they are to survive. Those heroes will need to be imminent. I was in South Wales for their last home game when they gave themselves a lifeline with victory over Fulham, and they are going to need all the spirit and endeavour shown that day to try to contain Brendan Rodgers' free-scoring team. Cardiff have won just three of their last 20 games and are running out of matches as they face the only team yet to lose in 2014. It all points to only one outcome, but in this most remarkable of Premier League season's you never can be certain. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head Liverpool have not won at Cardiff City since a 2-1 victory on 1 April 1929. Cardiff have won 18 of the previous 31 encounters, Liverpool 10 and there have been three draws. The Reds beat the Bluebirds 3-1 on 21 December to move top of the league. Before this season the sides last met in the league in 1959-60, when Cardiff completed the double over Liverpool. One of those matches, a 4-0 win at Anfield, was Bill Shankly's first match in charge of the Reds. Cardiff City Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has won just two of his 10 league games since taking over at Cardiff (W2, D1, L7). They have lost eight top-flight away matches in a row for the first time since December 1928 to March 1929, but have been defeated in just one of their last four home matches. Cardiff have only scored six first-half goals in the league this season, the fewest in the top flight. They have kept just one clean sheet in their last 14 league matches. After their match with Liverpool, their next five fixtures are against West Brom, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Stoke and Sunderland. Liverpool The last time they failed to score in a league match was against Arsenal on 2 November, 19 matches ago. They have only failed to score in two league matches all season (Arsenal and Southampton). The Reds have scored 48 first-half goals in the league this season, two more than Manchester United have in total. Only one team (Arsenal) have kept a clean sheet against Liverpool in their last 17 Premier League away trips. Liverpool have been awarded more penalties than any other top-flight side this season (10) and they have now won 126 penalties in Premier League history, more than any other club. Luis Suarez is only the second player to score 25 Premier League goals for Liverpool in a single season after Robbie Fowler managed it twice.
Liverpool have not won at Cardiff City since a 2-1 victory on 1 April 1929. best hope that stat changes today!
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/mar/21/daniel-sturridge-liverpool-money-medals Nice dig at Torres there, though he would never admit to praising us.
Exactly. It takes points off City and keeps Dave's job for a bit longer. Win-win for us- just can't bring myself to cheer them on, though.
