24 Jan 2015

Confirmed LFC XI vs. Bolton: 6 big changes; humiliation for £20m star

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has made significant changes for today's FA Cup tie with Bolton Wanderers, and as expected, several of the club's first team regulars are rested in anticipation of Tuesday's crunch-clash with Chelsea.

FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Johnson, Can, Sakho, Manquillo, Allen, Henderson, Enrique, Coutinho, Lallana, Sterling

SUBS: Ward, Lovren, Lambert, Lucas, Borini, Rossiter, Markovic

* Skrtel, Gerrard, and Moreno are rested, and Lucas drops to the bench for a well-earned rest.

* Allen, Johnson, Enrique, Manquillo, and Lallana return to the starting line-up.

* Lovren is ignored once again, which is a little humiliating for the Croatian. With Skrtel out, he probably expected to be included in the team, and I doubt he'll be impressed with this ongoing marginalisation.

* Balotelli is also out of the squad, and it's not immediately clear why. Are we to believe that he's still suffering from an alleged 'chest infection' for the third game running?

Based on the personnel, I expect to see the following formation:

----------------------- Mignolet

------ Manquillo -------- Can ---------- Sakho

Johnson -------- Hendo ----- Allen ----- Enrique

--------------- Coutinho -- Lallana

--------------------- Sterling

There are six (ostensibly) defensive players in the starting line-up, which strikes me as overly cautions, but despite that, this team is (on paper) more than good enough to dispatch Bolton.

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson isn't optimistic, though. Predicting a 1-1 draw, he told the BBC:

"Bolton are on a great run under manager Neil Lennon, and this is a tricky game for Liverpool. I think Bolton will fancy their chances of getting a positive result".

Chelsea, Spurs, Man City, and Swansea are all out of the cup today, and I'm sure Bolton's players will be emboldened by the series of shock results, which could spell bad news for LFC.

Complacency is not an option.

My prediction: 2-2

Author:


92 comments:

  1. Nicolas Chamberlain4:56 pm, January 24, 2015

    Well, all the top sides are out.
    Big chance to go all the way.
    Come on you Reds!

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  2. It's a day of shocks!!!!!!

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  3. Balotelli also not included in the squad, both he and Loven must be geeing concerned at the lack of game time

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  4. what! even chelsea is out!? i will never forgive this current crop if they dont make it to wembley for gerrard...

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  5. Wow, got to love the FA cup, can't wait to see Moaniho's interview... Slightly concerned at all the changes to our team, but as long as Brendan makes sure all the players know the other results and don't show any complacency we should get the job done. Lets hope we stuff em. Come on the reds!

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  6. Schurrle not even on the bench for Chelski. Surely he is leaving...wish we could get him some how. Chelski gets hammered at home...ha! Didn't have their 1st team D in the game. They could have competed well for the treble this year.

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  7. We must be prepared for the backlash on Tuesday !

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  8. City Ski and Spurs all out - big chance to win something so let's not blow it eh?

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  9. Why is Jordan Ibe NOT even in the squad ?

    Is he injured? Cup tied? Thought BR brought him back from his loan deal to actually play games and not watch from the sidelines!

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  10. It's clearly a day for bat shit crazy results, so probably best not to start getting carried away about our FA cup chances until we've done the job ahead.


    I'm a little annoyed by the inclusion of Manquillo over Lovren; I would have thought today would be an ideal game to test him out in that back three and maybe get some of his confidence back. Other than that, given that we have another big game on Tuesday, I like the team selection and we should be too strong for Bolton. But then I'm sure Chelsea and City fans all thought the same thing....

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  11. Played Notlob 8 times in the cup and they've beaten us 6 times ( bbc) yikes

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  12. Could be a sub early in Manquillo doesn't work out. Manquillo as part of the back three seems a bit of a shaky choice

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  13. Agreed. Seems like one of BR's 'experiments'. Let's hope it doesn't backfire.

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  14. Yep and Migno's confidence with a change in defence will be key

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  15. And they will be sticking high balls in that s for sure and errr Johnson :-(

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  16. Lets do it for Stevie !

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  17. i got a bad feeling about this scoob

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  18. When will we see Spearing .......

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  19. Good point...you know JM will get little aid from GJ.

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  20. Are we playing a rugby team?

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  21. Pitch is piss poor .... groundsmen on hols ?

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  22. There's only one Lennon ..... JOHN !

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  23. Vladimir llych

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  24. my only concern so far is Coutinho, why wasnt he rested? hes played plenty of games consecutively surely someone else could of come in, 10 mins in hamstring scare, we cannot afford to lose him with chelsea coming tuesday.

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  25. Leftfield Monty Python reference gets an automatic upvote. Good work.

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  26. Who would you rest him for though? Gerrard will most definitely play against Chelsea, and we still need a quality player there to win the game...

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  27. Mind games ...... before Tuesday ;-)

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  28. Did Enrique get hurt...or is this a tactical switch?

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  29. Is it 2004 or have I missed something?

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  30. Bring on Lambo - we need a target striker on pitch

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  31. Bloody hell got to stop Johnson !!!

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  32. Bolton are well organised and have good manager - don't fancy our chances there ...

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  33. Another sound GK performance kept em in it

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  34. No doubt Rodgers will buy him

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  35. We had more shots on target than they had total...and none of theirs were one tgt. It's a shame we could have done better with that.

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  36. Bogdan was decent - he did his job. But the fact is we didn't test him any where near enough.

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  37. I d take the Cambridge keeper as well .....

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  38. We dont have any strikers ITS THAT SIMPLE ...LAMBERT AND BUTLER (ballotelli) are should never have been bought because they have not offered anything in attack

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  39. We soon need decent striker Raheem was no where SH

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  40. And Borini Sucks BIG TIME !

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  41. A replay at Bolton during a busy period of important games will seriously test our resources. Can't say we deserved anything more from the game; a lack of precision again our undoing. Frustrating.

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  42. Agreed this is the transfer committe's fault

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  43. We need a striker oh wait we have 3.5

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  44. And Chelski is going to be a real toughy - JM will be like a wounded lion...

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  45. technically their strikers

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  46. Nah I'm not to concerned about that game I think Brendan has something up his sleeve

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  47. Hope it's more than a snot rag

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  48. Priorities
    1) Top 4
    2) Europa
    3) FA CUP
    4) Capital Cup

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  49. Overall a solid performance I felt. Hugely frustrating result though and only drives home again how much we miss Sturridge. Really don't need another fixture, but given the other results at least we are still in it and with a more than reasonable chance of winning. YNWA

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  50. Yeah smelling salts ...

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  51. Was it not clear by the 30th minute we need Lambert to come on for this one?!?

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  52. We got what we deserved,a draw. I would'nt bet against this going all the way to a penalty shootout in the replay.

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  53. Europa League Number 1, its the only trophy available we have never won. Plus it G'tees Champions League Qualification.

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  54. The Daily 'Hurl' come up with a story that we about to offer 63m for Benzema and Lacazette- tomorrow we sign Pat Jenning's gloves and a wraith

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  55. You were right the first time

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  56. Rodgers said sturridge will play vs west ham

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  57. To do what
    run around like a headless chicken?

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  58. It is the same as uefa cup which we won in 2001

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  59. We've won that trophy just not since it changed name to the Europa league

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  60. If name change counts
    we have never won premier league

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  61. was Eufa cup a league based competition, ???

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  62. Was the Eufa Cup a league based Competition, ???

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  63. Balo, Borini and Lambert need to be shipped in January itself. they offer team nothing.

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  64. Its not a name change, its a league based different competition.

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  65. He showed why he is now just a squad player.

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  66. Definitely. So many opportunities to put the ball in the box from wide positions. Kept recycling the ball because there was nobody in the box.the game was crying out for lambert

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  67. Did the Winners of the Eufa Cup qualify for the Champions League/European Cup. ???

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  68. Why make a headline of this when even you yourself stated that he's unlikely to come to pool? We all know there's no truth in this rumor.

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  69. It succeeded the UEFA cup just as the champions league succeeded the European cup which wasn't league based either. Does this mean we'll have to stop singing "We've won it 5 times"? We've won it 4 times plus 1 champions league doesn't have the same ring to it

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  70. So real madrid's la decima is just a big sham?

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  71. The passing in the final third was terrible and none worse than Coutinho. He was off today and should have been replaced at 60 minutes. He looked gassed shortly after that. Lots of chances and near chances but the usual poor finishing. We could have won this 2 or 3 to zip and also could have lost 2-0. So much for the 5-0 prediction. We don't score 5 goals in three games! This game showed several truths:
    1. Allen is a massive waste of money and time.
    2. Mignolet does some really spacey judgments, now nearly every game
    3. Enrique may be one of the poorest offensive left backs in the league.
    4. Johnson ought not to be re-signed but sold along with Allen, Coates, Alberto, Aspas, Enrique, Balo and either Lambert or Borini, (1 but not both) and Jones if we get another goalie.
    lastly, is it me or does Lallana fall down a lot especially in crunch time when taking on an opponent.
    Not winning this game, even with the lineup was 180 degrees different than what we saw vs. Chelsea but shows we are a long way off where we should be. This team needs two strikers, proven ones, asap. Huge disappointment...........

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  72. At least Lambert can finish which is more than i can say for most of them.

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  73. Ok so I know he has not been great but surely this was a match for Lovren to try gain some confidence? It just shows the favouritism Rodgers shows for some of the players. Glen Johnson is not a bloody CB and never will be yet gets the nod over someone who we this season paid £20m for?

    Why did we not start with Borini alongside Sterling? The more Borini plays the more confidence he will gain and he has been scoring goals. It is going to be interesting to see what happens when we start playing Europa matches on Thursdays.

    The biggest problem we have is Mr Rodgers.


    His latest comments of “With so many changes and everything that happened, we weren’t going to challenge for the league this year and that’s the reality” makes him a complete hypocrite when he said "I don't think there is pressure on ourselves, only what we have from within. Look at Tottenham ... [when] you spend over £100m you'd expect to be challenging for the league. "People talk about pressure but it's absolutely wonderful."



    Anyone who thinks we are going to win the league with Rodgers in charge are hoping for better days. If he stays on next season he will once again revert back back to his insipid slow build up play possession based football that has cost us this season.


    Houllier never changed, Rafa never changed and Rodgers as sure as hell is not going to change either.

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  74. More gibberish.

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  75. Liverpool can't get icardi . At least not until june. Cuz inter has too find a replacement for icardi.

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  76. All rumours seem to not want to die but that is what they are - simply rumours with absolutely no flesh to them. We will still not buy in this window.

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  77. Well said, We need a mobile DM . I know L Leiva(27) has done very well and should have been in side ahead of S Gerrard(34) as DM from start of season. But if L Leiva(27) had energy, the legs, mobility, pace and speed he would be as good as Matic(26) and Schneiderlin(25).


    But because he does not have those key attributes in certain games he is exposed easily and a mobile DM should be brought to the club this transfer window.


    This Transfer window B Rodgers should sell:


    F Borini(23) FD
    R Lambert(32) FD
    B Jones(32) GK
    G Johnson(30) RB
    J Headless chicken/Useless Allen(24)




    And the minimum players B Rodgers should bring in is these 5:


    1: GK: A Begovic(27) Of Stoke Or Marc-Andre Ter Stegen(22) Of Barcelona for £8-£12M


    2: DM: L Bender(25) Of Bayer Leverkusen or M Schneiderlin(25) Of Southampton for £16-£21M


    3: RW: K Bellarabi(24) Of B Leverkusen for £4-5M now or sign on pre contract in summer


    4: FD: L Vietto(21) Of Villareal for £10-£14M


    5: L Adriano(27) Of Shakhtar Donesk for £3-£5M now or sign on pre contract in summer

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  78. That is £31M worth of talent B Rodgers and the comical committee brought to club over last two seasons. Quite depressing when we could of got L Remy(27) and W Bony(25) both in the summer for under £30 together.

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  79. Nicolas Chamberlain1:48 pm, January 25, 2015

    The EL is a combination of the Uefa Cup and the Cup winners Cup. We won that throphy already.
    Its the same with the EC1. It transformed into a 'league based competition' but its actually the same throphy.

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  80. Nicolas Chamberlain1:49 pm, January 25, 2015

    Its only Bolton. If we can work hard and play with a high intensity.
    No doubt we can and will win there.

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  81. Dont ask me where I heard this:


    Mario refused to leave LFC and instead wants to fight for his 'place'.
    The fund needed to fund this move are therefore not available and this player will not be joining unless theres a dramatic U-turn

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  82. 1. Never let sterling be the striker
    2. Extreme rotation will bring us nowhere
    3. Just make a quick changes while coutinho don't perform or got exhausted
    4. What's the point using Glen as a central defender while we have lovren in bench ?

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  83. Another match highlighting how Rodgers has no clue what he's doing. Like PePe said... making such extreme squad changes hampers any sort of squad chemistry we're working towards. With the league being out of question... wouldn't you want to field a strong starting XI in order to have a slight chance of silverware? IMO, either Rodgers needs to go or he needs a competent person brought into his staff to help guide the team back to were we deserve to be. Because right now he's ruderless. YNWA!!!!!

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  84. Twist,


    Agree on Marc Andre Ter Stegan but there is no way Schneiderlin is coming here, especially while Southy is in CL position. We need two strikers who are proved. I am fine with Lacazette and several other names as long as they are snipers with quick feet and a nose for the net and a non-stop workrate.

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  85. B Rodgers should bring in L Bender(25) Of Bayer Leverkusen or G Imbula(22) Of Marseille for £12-£21M as the Mobile DM


    And Vietto(21) Of Villareal and Lacazette(23) Of Lyon should be both brought to club for combined total of £40M


    Lacazette(23) should be brought for £20-£26M
    L Vietto(21) should be brought for £10-£14M

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