Back to the league and 3 points seemingly a must. Will Rafa be pigheaded and bench Torres again.? Surely not after last night. My prediction, 0-2, Torres and Gerrard
I hope he plays FT and Bennayoun, thought Yossi did really well last night drifting in from the right. Great goal too. You can never second guess rafa but. here is my shout for the team. Reina Finnan Carra Hyypia Riise Bennayoun Gerrard Sissoko Babel Torres Kuyt If this is the team and its a BIG if, i t would be the first competitive team this season without Arbeloa, but I stand corrected on that.
another point, i didnt really think Mascherano had a great game last week V Birmingham like people say. Yes He made some super recovery tackles like he does but HE give the ball away numerous times aswell. I like the lad but It annoys me when people see 2 good contributions and say he was "great" but forget about 3 bad things.... for that reason I dont think he will start sat
If Torres is dropped..regardless of the champions league match the following tuesday I will go ballistic. I expect him to partner vornin up front.
I would definitely like to see Yossi play - he has really impressed me. Pennant wasn't great on Saturday but is in great form so would like to see him play if fit also. If these two were wide would be interested in seeing Ryan Babel play up front with Torres, as I think he's more of a striker than a winger
Pepe Reina Steve Finnan Sami Hyppia Carra Riise Yossi Stevie G Mascherano Babel Torres Kuyt Strongest 11 apart from Agger-Hyppia i think should start most if not all games
...................................reina.................................................................. finnan...........carra.......................hyppia...............arbeloa...................... ............................................................................................................ yossi..............gerrard...................masch................babel....................... ....................................................................................................... ..........................torres..................voronin........................................
Yeh its on Setanta Sports 1(i think thats the channel) on Sat. From Setanta below actually Rafa Benitez has refused to guarantee Fernando Torres a starting place in Liverpool’s next match against Wigan despite the Spaniard’s hat-trick in The Reds’ Carling Cup win at Reading. Torres struck three times in Liverpool’s 4-2 win at The Madejski Stadium on Tuesday and in so doing gave vindication to Benitez’s decision to spend £24 million on the highly-rated star. True to form, though, Benitez, who frequently rotates his side, refused to confirm Torres as a starter at The JJB Stadium, claiming the striker is at his best when given space to run in behind defenders. “It was a terrific game for Fernando. When he gets space he can kill defenders,†said Benitez. “If Kuyt, Crouch or Voronin were bad players I would play Torres every week but I have four very good strikers and that is why I will keep changing them. “I cannot guarantee Fernando will play on Saturday because that will make it easy for Wigan. “He knows why he wasn’t playing against Birmingham last weekend and he understands my reasons.†He has to start Torres - he is our best striker by a country mile and we cant afford to not win against Wigan. Benayoun has done well in the games for us so far,but Benitez seems to have this mentality that when playing away from home we need to start our physcially tougher players. Dont think he regards Benayoun in that category (obviously last night was different) but i may be wrong or maybe Rafa has seen the light and will start him on Sat.
Hopefully we'll kick into gear in the league and take away 3 points from this one. Its an away game so always going to be that bit tricky, but I'd be looking at a 2-0 wins for the Reds.
we need to win this one and use torres for the full 90 minutes and only wen we are comfortably ahead think of even taking him off. beleive me i think hes pretty energetic and doesnt need another rest for a long time. think they should give lanky boy a bit of a rest sorry bit harsh there but he is lol.......
I do hope he plays torres but i have a funny feeling he won't. If he doesn't play we should still have enough to beat wigan (but i said that before the brum game as well) 3 points a must and i'm sure we'll get them
There seems to be alot of feelings floating around that Torres must start this one, or else Listen, if Torres doesn't start, then he doesn't start. Should we end up drawing 0-0 again I'm sure Rafa would be lambasted left, right and centre for not starting Torres. But we have 3 other very decent strikers who should find Wigan a doddle. Kuyt will most likey get a go on Saturday, meaning Voronin, Torres and Crouch will be fighting for one position. I for one would almost hope Torres doesn't start, and we go out and win 3-0, because this Torres not starting ranting and raving is getting a tad obsessive and boringly predicable at this stage. Rant over.
Hi lads new to the site.Lucking forward to some good debates with ye lads so......................here goes my first reply.Yes i will also go ballistic if torres does'nt start on saturday.Rafa is really starting to get up my nose with his team selections.Paying 26 mil for a top striker and all the talk of the prem being the number 1 priority and he does'nt even pick his strongest 11,very frustrating and annoying.I also think last saturday's game would have been ideal for Yossi.The type of player who could open up a defence like the birmingham one.like to see him given more of a chance even in the middle with stevie g.No need for a holding midfielder in a game like that,sure they just sat back and defended.And yes Mascherano gave the ball away a plenty against porto also but stevie g does it in every game and i don't hear to many ppl pick up on that.
I dunno. I would have thought Birmingham was a gimme. I think Torres with one of Voronin/Kuyt/Crouch is always our best combination, I would rest Torres in Europe and cups if you have to rest him. We want the league more than anything now!! When Torres is up front he has great awareness and movement, and creates opportuinites for his strike partners simply by creating space with runs. His partners then find more room and often score (Voronin in particular) Any other combination drawn from Voronin/Kuyt/Crouch simply is not as potent from the outset. Defenders dont need to be on their guard as much as these guys dont creat the space or have the pace over a short distance that Torres offers. My rant is Torres must always play league games, no exception. I got blisters on my finger tips
First of all its Rafa, not raffa Also, to go calling a man who has taken us to two European Cup finals, an FA Cup and has set us up for plenty of future glory a goon is pretty blasphemous imho.