Text here to move the logos across. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Hello and welcome to the official match thread for Thursday’s Europa League group stage encounter between Liverpool & Udinese. The game is scheduled to take place at Anfield on Thursday 4th of October 2012 with a kick-off time of 8PM. ITV4 will be showing the game. Preview. The Europa League is back and all of the 48 teams currently in the competition will be in action. It’s Group A which will be concentrating on. Liverpool host the Italian side Udinese at Anfield with both sides looking to collect the three points that will significantly boost their chances of making it out of the group and into the knockout stages. Liverpool currently lead the group with three points from the one game. That game was a 5-3 victory over Young Boys in Switzerland. Udinese currently sit 2nd in the group after picking up a point against Anzhi Makhachkala at the Stadio Friuli. It was a late goal to nick the Italian side a point and give themselves a decent platform to build upon. A decent point at home against an Anzhi side with some quality players but with Udinese being at home, they will have wanted the three points. Anyway, let’s have a more in-depth look at Liverpool and their chances of continuing their winning run in the Europa League. Brendan Rodgers has always said that the Premier League is the main priority for his side this season but the Europa League is a competition which Liverpool could go far in. They are currently joint second favourites to win the Europa League outright at an interesting looking 10/1. In Liverpool’s first group game, against Young Boys, he put out a younger side. The likes of Sebastian Coates, Andre Wisdom, Daniel Pacheco & Suso were all given significant game time. It wasn’t all young boys for Rodgers against Young Boys (I think you can all see what I did there...) as some of the more experienced members of the Liverpool squad also featured. Brad Jones, Jamie Carragher & Stewart Downing were also present to give Liverpool a healthy mix of younger players and more experienced players to take on the Young Boys. It was one of the more entertaining Europa League games from last week with Liverpool coming out victorious by five goals to three. Liverpool took the lead early on in the game through a Juhani Ojala own goal. Young Boys then got themselves back on level terms through Raphael Nuzzolo before Andre Wisdom powered home a header and a goal to put Liverpool 2-1 up. Young Boys then responded again as goals from Juhani Ojala & Gonzalo Zarate put the Swiss side 3-2 up. Sebastian Coates then goal Liverpool back on level terms and then Jonjo Shelvey, off the bench, got a brace to give Liverpool the three points. There were some defensive concerns for Rodgers but considering that the defence he put out hadn’t played together before, this would be understandable to an extent. Liverpool will need to improve defensively against Udinese who are of a higher quality than Young Boys. The team that Liverpool will put out will be once again be a mix of younger players and the more experienced players. Defensively, it is expected that some changes are made but there will be some recognisable names on the team sheet. So far in Liverpool’s Europa League campaign, Brad Jones has been in goal for the away fixtures with Pepe Reina in goal for the games at Anfield. I would expect this trend to continue with Reina between the sticks. The Spaniard hasn’t been on his best form this season so he could be given the chance to show the undoubted quality that he possesses. In defence, there will be changes that are made. I would expect that Daniel Agger & Martin Skrtel will be rested in preparation for the Premier League game with Stoke. This would mean that Sebastian Coates & the vastly experienced Jamie Carragher will probably play at centre-back. Jack Robinson could start at left-back. The highly-rated youngster will be pushing hard for the left-back slot in the coming months and he could be given an opportunity to impress against Udinese. At right-back, it is suspected that Andre Wisdom will continue in that position. Both Martin Kelly & Jon Flanagan are injured and Glen Johnson could be rested. Wisdom has impressed since his goalscoring debut against Young Boys in this competition and continued at right-back against Norwich in the Premier League. In midfield, one player who seems likely to play is Jordan Henderson. The ex-Sunderland midfielder has impressed in the Europa League and did well in the last European game against Young Boys of Bern. Jonjo Shelvey could also come into the side after his impressive goalscoring cameo against Young Boys. The midfielder was sent off against Manchester United in the league but is eligible to play in Europe. Further forward, Dani Pacheco could play just behind the front three and would therefore be the third midfielder that Rodgers selects. What front three Rodgers plays will be interesting. I would expect Stewart Downing, Fabio Borini & Oussama Assaidi to all start. The two wider players (Downing & Assaidi) will be fighting for a place in the team for the Premier League game against Stoke. Borini has recovered from injury and this game gives him the chance to boost his match fitness and a chance to get a goal or two! The away side, Udinese, will provide firm opposition. The Italian side has performed well in recent season with fourth & third place finishes in the last two seasons. This has been done on the backdrop of key players being sold just about every summer. The likes of Alexis Sanchez (Barcelona) Gokhan Inler (Napoli) & Cristian Zapata (Villarreal) have been sold in recent seasons. This has meant significant fees coming into the club (Around 38M Euros for Sanchez & Inler alone!) and this allows them to buy more players to replace them A buy low, sell high policy is in place at the Italian club. However, this is what many Italian clubs employ because of the difficult financial situation that most clubs find themselves in. Despite the sale of key assets from the team in most transfer windows, Udinese still have players of outstanding quality. One of those, who most of you will know, is Antonio Di Natale. The striker may now be 34 years of age but his goalscoring record is up with the best. He has played 312 times for the Italian side with 162 goals to his name. Better than 1 goal every 2 games. Over 22 league goals in each of his last three full seasons. Quality record and he will be one of key threats for the ‘Zebrette’ in this game. Other key players will include the full-back Pablo Armero & the centre-back Midi Benatia. Both Armero and Benatia will probably play in defence and those two will need to play well if they are to stop the Liverpool attack and give Udinese the base in which they can build upon during the game. Udinese got off to a solid start in this season’s Europa League with a 1-1 away draw against Anzhi Makhachkala. Anzhi took the lead just before half-time through an own goal from Daniele Padelli. Antonio Di Natale then came off the bench to score in the 92nd minute and nick a point for Udinese. This gives Udinese a decent platform to build on in the group and a win at Anfield would put them in a stronger position to qualify from group A. So, an interesting game in prospect! Both sides will want the three points to improve their chances of getting through the group. Liverpool & Udinese both have quality players and this could mean a good game of football. Injury News. Liverpool. Lucas Leiva: Hip/Thigh Injury. Joe Cole: Hamstring Injury. Martin Kelly: ACL Knee Injury. Jose Enrique: Knee Injury. Jon Flanagan: Ankle Injury. Udinese. Injury news is currently unavailable. Liverpool 2 - 3 Udinese Goalscorers: Liverpool... Jonjo Shelvey: 23rd minute. Udinese... Antonio Di Natale: 46th minute. Udinese... Sebastian Coates: 70th minute. (Own Goal) Udinese... Giovanni Pasquale: 72nd minute. Liverpool... Luis Suarez: 75th minute. Liverpool: Reina - Johnson Carragher Coates Robinson - Gerrard Allen Shelvey - Downing Suarez Sterling SUBS: Jones Skrtel Wisdom Sahin Henderson Assaidi Borini - Liverpool Substitution: Jordan Henderson comes off to be replaced by Steven Gerrard: 65th minute. Liverpool Substitution: Oussama Assaidi comes off to be replacec by Luis Suarez: 65th minute. Liverpool Substitution: Fabio Borini comes off to be replaced by Raheem Sterling: 79th minute. - Udinese: Brkic - Benatia Danilo Domizzi - Faraoni Agyemang-Badu Willians Pasquale Lazzari - Pereyra Ranegie SUBS: Padelli Coda Armero Fabbrini Heurtaux Pinzi Di Natale - Udinese Substitution: Pablo Armero comes off to be replaced by Andrea Lazzari: 46th minute. Udinese Substitution: Giampiero Pinzi comes off to be replaced by Willians: 70th minute. Udinese Substitution: Antonio Di Natale comes off to be replaced by Mathias Ranegie: 85th minute. - YNWA.
I was also led to believe Cole was fit to play?? I think it will be something like: please log in to view this image
Top thread as usual the best on not606. Cole should be introduced later in the game this is an important match and he is not fit so I think Sahin will start in Midfield Borini up front.
You can't rush perfection! He is fit to play but I just forget to mention him in the preview! Woulnd't expect to see him start though. Only had an hour of match action since the opening day of the season. And that hour of match action was for the Under 21's against Fulham on Monday. Did score a good goal in that game though. If he is picked in the 18, he'll probably come on with 20-25 minutes to go. Help build up the match fitness etc.
Should be interestin to see if Borini plays, if he does he probably wont v Stoke and it will be Suso again.Would expect Cole to be at least on the bench Dont know who will start at RB as not sure we wanna risk Wisdom or Johnson with Kelly injured, perhaps Flanno if fit or maybe even Jack Robbo with Enrique at LB
**** you write a lot Chris. Udinese were knocked out of the CL qualifiers so it's not going to be an easy game.
Apart from Allen (unless Rodgers as said something?), what RHC said If all three play then I'd expect Jones (obviously), Yesil and Assaidi to drop out. The latter is part of the first team plans and Rodgers will want to give Downing and Cole (one of wide berths) a run out.
Expecting Brendan to put out quite a strong lineup this evening. Dani Pacheco has said on twitter he is not involved. Try and get qualified as soon as possible and then give the fringe players a chance again. A win tonight will not be easy, but would be a massive boost if we pulled it off.
all i'm willing to say is the team in grey bibs in training shots included agger gerrard sterling suso and suarez so either the white crap team will play or we're in for a full team. i think we need to take this game on as a big one to win as home games will determine who goes through this group. we do want to actually get through yeah? wisdom, sterling, suso, sahin have all found thier chance and taken it in the europa but bar say coates and perhaps henderson just who do we think is next to force a first teamer out?
I don't think any others will come through this season in the league games but League cup and Europa will give games to Coates and Henderson and a few others. I hope we field a strong team tonight but also rest key players i.e. Gerrard, Suarez, Agger, Johnson (LB).
