Decided to start the topic rather than picking through the bones of our defeat yesterday. Marseille have won their last two home games (although against teams in the bottom half) and drawn an away game. They are still 13th in the french league and have conceded 9 goals at home this season. I think this is going to be a really difficult game. So much pressure on us to go and perform, although we seem to do our best work in these one off games. I think if we really fly out of the blocks unlike against reading from the very start we can cause some damage and along with the right team. for me it has to be similar, reina finnan carra sami arbeloa babel gerrard masch/lucas kewell crouch torres/kuyt (if torres isn't fit) As usual first goal is all important and vital we keep our cool and do the right things. I will also be avoiding the hysteria of papers, pundits and guessers on rawk untill tuesday night. lol. YNWA
Torres HAS to be fit! Agger available?? Alonso??Heard they were both back training... Did Carra get a booking against Reading for the penalty? Mine has to be: --------------Reina-------------- Finnan---Agger/Sami---Carra---Arbeloa ------------------------------------------ Benayoun--Gerrard--Alonso/Masch--Riise -------------------------------------------- --------------Torres----Kuyt/Crouch------
I hope Marseille set themselves out to draw the game, think we'll rip them to shreds if they do. Can't wait for this game now, I think an early start in the pub after work is in order!
Carra didn't get a booking against Reading after Stevie G did. As for the Marseille game should a tense night for us all. Not an easy place to go and win.
It will be a tough match; Marseille are starting to get back into winning ways in the French League. If we get the team right and not the 4-3-3 crack like yesterday, there is no reason why we can't get a win. Hopefully Torres will be back; he didn't look to bad when he came off yesterday.
Nobody ever rips Marseille to shreds at the Velodrome. We didn't do it the last time we went there either 4 years ago. Great win for the lads yesterday, winning the big derby at home to Monaco. Would be bad karma if Zenden or Cissé score to knock us out, after their contribution to us for so long, another king size Benitez f-up if it did happen. If we do go out, we'll have lost the group thanks to the shocking result in Istanbul, not Marseille, as we should be through by now.
Are you a Marseille fan in disguise?? You canno be serious saying that getting rid of Zenden or Cisse is a fuck up by Raf? I'd say it was the complete opposite....a masterpiece in fact! They are not anywhere near the standard required for challenging for a title! Your right though, in Istanbul and Anfield against Marseille were horrorshow performances from the Reds that have put us in this position. But we like to keep things exciting, doing them the hard way, so for me a 2-1 win with a late Zenden OG would signal his best contribution to Liverpool ever. (Karma please dont see this post) Kewell and Yossi to start with Dirk and Fernando up front. Sami and Carra at the back I hope. Massive week cant wait! Come on Redmen!
Well, we don't like doing things the hard way, I much preferred last year's way of going through after 4 games. I'm not a Marseille fan in disguise, but a long-time Marseille fan in France. It's not going to be easy for me on Tuesday night, knowing that either us or them will be going out. While Liverpool get my priority in Europe and I hope we win as usual, if we don't, it was mainly down to the Besiktas result away that ruined the group for us, as even after the home loss, the group was still retrievable, and we would be top of it now, had we won in Turkey.
if Rafa plays the best players available in correct positions we should have enough to beat them Reina Finnan Carra Hyppia Arbeloa Benayoun Gerrard Masher Kewell Crouch Torres I suspect though Kuyt will start as he was not used on Saturday, Looks like Lucas could be involved as well. I just hope Cisse does not come back to Haunt Rafa.
Fickle Football Fans At 5.15pm last Saturday most LFC fans were fully behind Rafa after an impressive run of results. By 6:30pm (not even a full game of football later ) many of those same fans doubted Rafa's ability after he appeared to 'throw in the towel' against Reading. He obviously viewed the CL game (and his job) as more important than the possibility of clawing back 1 PL point. I was always thought that a loss is only acceptable when you know you've given your all! If Rafa pulls off a victory away to Marseille tonight then his decision at Reading will be somewhat justified - anything less and he'll be walking thin ice on his way to the G&H Summit. Even if tonight goes against us we should remember that for each of the last 3 years we've had our best start to the season in years. There'a a lot of pressure on Rafa tonight, I'm sure Cisse and Zendon will be up for it but I have confidence that the Liverpool lads will respond well to Saturday's defeat. Rafa banned them from watching the fight - I hope they heeded him. Wouldn't it be bad form if he took them off to prevent fatigue and then they stayed up all night to watch the fight - I'm still recovering from it. Good Luck Tonight Rafa and the Reds
Can't afford to let them out number us in midfield like they did at Anfield so i'd go with this Reina Finnan Carra Sami Arbeloa Lucas Masch Gerrard Yossi Kewell Torres That team will keep the ball as well as providing a cutting edge going forward. But I'm confident about tonight, think we'll score early and win 2-0
True, Id of much preferred to be in Mancs or Chavs position tonight but mistakes have cost us. However if we pull it off tonight it will feel so much sweeter, and fill us full of confidence for the game on Sunday. Come on Redmen!
2-0 Nice early goal will settle us down, i think who ever scores first in this game will win, hope its us
We are 5/6 to win, bookies are rarely wrong, and I hope this is one of the times they have it spot on. Can't wait the PMT is really kicking in now.
Lol, very funny. Looking forward to this myself, tight game i expect but still think we will do the bizz. 2-0 with Torres getting the 1st.
Like ourselves Marseille have turned the corner since the last time we met. It wont be any walkover. Remember although we beat Porto 4-1 for 75 minutes we looked like we were heading out until Torres did the business and that was a game that most predicted Liverpool would run all over Porto given it was the week with the Rafa problems but the performace didnt materialise from the players and the scoreline flattered us. I dont expect Marseille to set up for a draw at all its too risky they will be looking to win so beating them will be anything but easy and all the pressure is on Liverpool, this is the sort of game that we will need a big performance to get the result we need
No English club has won in Marseille, but there seems to be a bit of an "English" mentality about the predictions here. "We know f-all about the opposition, so it will be an easy win." When the Cranks went there in the 99 CL 1st Round, Marseille won 1-0. (That was a sweet night ) Marseille are much better than Reading, so it will be very tight, and be one of those nail-biting nights. One thing we will learn tonight, is how to create an atmosphere from the fanatical home fans, making a mockery of our fans' silent vigil at Anfield against them earlier in the season.
I have to say I feel fairly relaxed about the game, maybe its because I am looking forward to Sunday more as I am going it. I think the lads will do the business as best XI will be out there with nothing holding them back