8 Mar 2015

Confirmed lineup vs. Blackburn: Massive new injury blow for LFC; £28m-duo out

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has named a strong attacking team for this afternoon's FA Cup clash with Blackburn Rovers, and the biggest surprise is the absence of in-form midfielder Joe Allen.

FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Lovren, Johnson, Markovic, Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling, Sturridge

SUBS: Ward, Toure, Lambert, Moreno, Sakho, Balotelli, Williams

BLACKBURN: Eastwood, Henley, Baptiste, Kilgallon (c), Olsson, Marshall, Evans, Williamson, Conway, Cairney, Gestede

* Allen - recently hailed by Rodgers as 'incredible' - is not in the squad, which almost certainly means he's injured. Rodgers didn't mention anything about a Allen injury on Friday, so something must've happened over the last couple of days.

* Alternatively, Rodgers could be resting Allen, but that makes no sense with a 9-day rest period coming up.

* Glen Johnson is back in the team, which probably means he'll play on the right side of the defence, with Can moving into midfield:

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

---- Johnson ----- Skrtel ----- Lovren

Sterling --- Hendo ---- Can ----- Markovic

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

--------------- Sturridge

* It's also a little surprising to see Moreno left on the bench. He's been playing well this year, and he's a much better option than Johnson.

* Sakho is back on the bench, which will put pressure on Lovren to perform. He'll know that one mistake could mean a swift return to the bench. It'll be interesting to see how he responds to that pressure.

* Manquillo ignored yet again, yet Johnson makes the team? What is wrong with this picture. It appears to me that the Spaniard is another Josemi/Nunez type transfer: a squad filler to make up the numbers.

Liverpool are the superior team in every way, and anything but a victory will be a massive disappointment. This is, however, the FA Cup, and nothing is guaranteed.

My prediction: 4-1 Liverpool

Author:


98 comments:

  1. The awkward moment you realise Glen Johnson is still a LFC player

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  2. Could be saving Allen got 3 big games coming up (words I never thought I'd type)

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  3. Saving him...with a 9-day gap between games coming up?

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  4. I take it that Allen is still worth £15 million? For a moment I thought it was going to be Jordan Williams.

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  5. If Sakho fit would rather switch Lovern and put him in.

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  6. It's not what he's worth, it's what LFC paid for him. What is the point of that part of your comment?

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  7. Sort of game were expected to win without him - maybe has a minor injury so why risk him

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  8. He just fancied given Johnson & Markovic a run out. Not a problem, we have a squad to choose from where a number of combinations could have been used which should be enough to see us through.

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  9. To be honest was not too bothered in seeing who was selected for this one, we should have enough to see us through. Would like Sakho back from the prem run in but apart from that lets hope we get this trophy plus a top four.

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  10. Allen injured by the way Rodgers just stated and Can shifted into midfield with Johnson on right of back three.

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  11. Johnson ahead of Manquillo ?
    Clearly BR is trying to butter him up into signing a new contract !!

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  12. Will be dissapointed if I don't see Mario and that Williams fellow today with us leading by two by half time..

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  13. Or getting him to work for his extortionate wage.

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  14. Sakho must be carrying a injury

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  15. Gotta love the guy,thumbs up.

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  16. can you suggest a good streaming site?

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  17. Pretty sure that Skrtel is fine. He didn't look happy having to come off but it is understandable why they took him off

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  18. Just concussion they have just said...should be fine for next game.

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  19. Been confirmed that Skrtel is okay which is great news

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  20. Really.... jesus.. Once again sterling showing his lack of any intelligence

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  21. Man we are playing really poor

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  22. Been confirmed that Skirtel is vital to the steadiness of our defence.

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  23. Lovren having an off day....again.

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  24. But he's got Brendon's back

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  25. Christ this game had nearly put me into a coma

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  26. Hopefully BR will sort them out at HT and now they know Skirt is OK
    Got to inject some pace into the game and work things from mid ...... missing Allen I'm afraid

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  27. We really dont need to go to a replay, have to throw the sink at them from the 1st minute of the 2nd half.

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  28. Is your name Skrtel, ??

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  29. Obvious for 2 years now,

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  30. Ballo will put the chits up them, later on.

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  31. Yeah, I was building on Ghost rider.

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  32. So would you, if someone Hiltied you to a 7" x 3".

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  33. He'd just got over that and decided to watch this game

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  34. Glen, just walk out yourself..

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  35. Super sub coming on ...

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  36. Shortest sentence in the Bible. Watching this seems a longer one.

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  37. Great news, boy do we miss him.

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  38. Just as well we are not still in Europa

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  39. Would like to see the same result, tomorrow!

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  40. Yes, especially the replay is the week we play the Mancs, be nice for them to be in the same situation.

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  41. Yea his predictions accurate as Balo shooting

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  42. Studge not up to it yet, Sterling turned back to face his own goal too many times, that really slowed us down, if they decide to play the same way,
    (I cant see them coming at us) we could be looking at another Pen shoot out.

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  43. Concussions can take awhile to shake off. We have a good 9 days before the next match, but he might still miss it. We can't rush these things.

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  44. I tell u the game is |rigged and I am unanimous in that view.

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  45. Not to mention he offered little in buildup. Everything went down the right, ineffectively too.

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  46. you are unanimous? that's not hard for one person...

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  47. I'll second that.

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  48. Does that make us Unanimous?

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  49. Only caught the second half but my thoughts were that we cannot afford so many players on the pitch who take so many touches when playing abteam who want to just defend and stay compact. Johnson Lovren, Lallana (who I like) and Can (in midfield) allow the opposition to much time to settle themselves. I have no doubt Can will be a great midfielder one day but right now he is third in line for that position for me. If not fourth. I get not rushing Sakho but would have liked a look at Lovren central. Perhaps we wouldn't even have a replay then though who knows.

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  50. Just stating the thoughts I had before clicking the article.. ambiguous headlines produce ambiguous conclusions.



    I thought you referenced players fee's on your headlines based on current transfer value e.g Sturridge £28 million (Rodgers played 13 million), hence the reason I thought it could be Jordan Williams.

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  51. You and your voices?

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  52. If we all agree, Yes.

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  53. Think they made you anonamous. JJ

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  54. Lovren to me, looks like a mistake waiting to happen, donno what he needs, if its confidence, a regular position, I just cringe when he has to do simple defending, I a;ways expect the worst.

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  55. Same here. Hoping he can change that but he hasn't yet.

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  56. I think Lovren is getting better with each game. Unfortunately it's Markovic that fustrates me most, hopefully he'll come good, he is only 20

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  57. In regards to Lovren's passing it is improving, pay attention to those sprayed passes, he is seldom put under pressure with no one to pass the ball to- midfield was sluggish. As for defending he was up to the task, Skrtel's injury and Toure's lack of games was felt a little but not too much... I don't see how Sakho will get playing time with Lovren, Skrtel, and Can- only if the latter is pushed to the midfield or Lovren gets injured.

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  58. That's just you I guess, you just can't get off his back.

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  59. BR just likes him, because i don't think markovic will get near any epl top4 11

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  60. Sorry didn't see it on time... Sport lemon works for me almost always..

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  61. Liverpool have made hardwork of putting the underdogs down in domestic cup competitions this season...
    Bolton in the last round which went to a replay.Coutinho sent us through with a late winner.The Middlesborough game 14-13 on PK's.Equalling the League Cup record for a penalty shootout win.
    We'll probably go through in our usual dramatic way.

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  62. I'm sure we have had this conversation. Those "sprayed balls" are in the air for an age which is not helpful to the man receiving as he has two men on him by the time he touches the ball.
    I don't see how Sakho can't get in the team. Probably everyone in tje world apart from you see how superior Sakho is.

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  63. Yeah he had looked capable at one point but has been frustrating since. Lovren isn't making the mistakes he was but is still too slow on the ball and his passing is just not nearly as good as Sakho's.

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  64. I don't know what would Lovren have to do to impress u? Sure, Sakho is world class and he left such an impact that Lovren was brought last summer to REPLACE him. And u can't blame his long passes when he has no one to pass to. But let's wait and see how things turn out- I can't wait to see how will Sakho squeeze Lovren out of first XI

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  65. Lovren is not in the first eleven. And nobody to pass to? How come that only happens to him? He is improving, but that wasn't that hard knowing his previous form, and nowhere near Sakho yet.

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  66. Rodgers inexplicably ignored Sakho but plays Johnson so it's fair to say he has a blind spot in defence. In every decernable way Sakho is better than Lovren. Now I know you blame this on confidence and feel the best way to judge is on last season when he had two of the best defensive midfielders in tje league sitting in front of him but that simply doesn't fly. Lovren has imporved but is still an inferior player to Sakho.

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  67. Sure he is whatever u say, and yet Lovren plays and Sakho doesn't.

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  68. You realise Sakho was injured yeah? Lovren has been part of the team and finally not looking completely useless. Should Rodgers ruin Lovren's fragile ego more by dropping him? Also Johnson played so unless you think he is also fantastic your point falls short.

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  69. I tought he was fit... Like, for the whole week! Brendan favors Lovren, for the point I mentioned earlier... Johnson inclusion was amusing, I was expecting Sakho to be honest, but maybe he needs to work for his paycheck as someone pointed out earlier

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  70. Lovren is rubbish, money down the drain.

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  71. Haters be hatin...

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  72. BR is at fault,,,,, really,
    for sub-standard players like Lovren, whoever scouted him and said he is worth £20m is at fault, be that BR or whoever.

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  73. Hey I wish he was the best defender in World football, he is an LFC player, but I also wish I win the lottery, and I expect the odds are the same.

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  74. OK then Lovren is excellent, what do you think about that BLINDING comment.

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  75. Jock try VIPBOX Sports.I like the simple display and easy navigation.It has a chat option next to whatever sport you watch too.
    Warning: The short message display can be a distraction and a playground for rival supporters.I usually switch it off during play.

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  76. Also, where does the word "HATE" enter this conversation, except from you, I imagine he plays for your National team.

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  77. Well he wasn't even invite squad for our last game so he was not fit less than a week a go. The two wide CBs need to work for there paycheck neither have been earning it thos season.
    As for Rodgers preferring Lovren, that didn't seem the case for a long while while Lovren definitely was fully fit.

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  78. Not entirely correct, he was injured for awhile, during the formation change. As I said before I would like to see the back three of Sakho-Skrtel-Lovren, and I think that's the way Rodgers is heading- eventually. But Sakho to replace Lovren? I don't think so... I only give credit when credit is due the same with critisicsm

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  79. If you don't see it you don't see it. Everyone has blind spots.

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  80. No hate here mate but Sakho is much better than Lovren from what I have seen so far.

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  81. Right, so I guess we reached an impasse on this topic-

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  82. No the odds on the lottery are just under 14m to 1 but the Lovren odds cannot be calculated

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  83. From what everyone who can see can see as long as they don't try thier hardest not to.

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  84. The evidence is there, I can't make you see it.

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  85. No worries, thanks mate

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  86. I think Lovren would benefit from a stint playing centrally

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