13 Apr 2015

Confirmed lineup vs. Newcastle: Two big surprises; £29m star out; BR mistakes?

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has sprung a couple of major surprises for tonight's Premier League clash with Newcastle United.

FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Johnson, Can, Lovren, Moreno, Allen, Lucas, Henderson, Ibe, Coutinho, Sterling

SUBS: Jones, Toure, Lambert, Manquillo, Borini, Brannagan, Markovic

NEWCASTLE: Krul, R.Taylor, Janmaat, Williamson, Colback, Anita, Abeid, Sissoko, Cabella, Obertan, Perez.

* Jordon Ibe back in the first team so soon? The youngster only started training again this week after an injury lay-off, so starting him when he clearly won't be fully match-fit is a mistake (IMO). Rodgers has form for this, though - over the last three years, he's repeatedly rushed players back from injury, and in many cases, it has led to relapses.

* Sturridge is not in the squad, which can only mean one thing: He's injured yet again. This is becoming an intolerable situation for Liverpool; £29m-rated Sturridge is totally unreliable, and the club cannot afford to go into next season relying on him as the main striker.

* Once again, Balotelli is not in the match-day squad. What is going on? It's ridiculous; he can't possibly 'ill' again, surely? The Italian has not set the world on fire, but he can't contribute if he's not in the squad.

* It looks like Glen Johnson will play on the right side of a back three. Rodgers mentioned this as a possibility during his Saturday press conference, but it's still a risk.

My prediction: 2-1 to LFC.

Author:


167 comments:

  1. These last weeks you've been banging on how Rodgers shouldn't leave Balotelli out of the squad and on each occasion he was injured or ill. He's ill again today, not Brendan's fault.

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  2. I love to see a well stocked subs bench. Don't you?

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  3. Wait a sec, so is Ibe or Hendo playing at RWB? If it's Ibe then we get to see what Hendo can do in attack without being held back by defensive duties. If Ibe plays at RF behind Sterling then we get to see the new boy in attack so I guess it's going to be a refreshing change in attack.

    Of course there is the other possibility that BR is playing a back-four in a 4-3-3 which would see Ibe and Henderson bombing forward with Allen and Lucas prioritising defense.

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  4. MNF saying its a 4-3-3

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  5. Agree. It's that simple, no need to make any fuss of it.

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  6. back four with can dc and Moreno-Johnson full back with weither coutinho behind Sterling-Ibe or coutinho on the wing and sterling upfront

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  7. At first glance I taught you wrote lazytitties, I've a couple of them at home.

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  8. What is he having a cancer? what kind of illness is THIS recurrent which we have to believe?

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  9. He'll no, if they were mine I'd work them.

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  10. Not kennel cough I hope. That can be serious

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  11. Bloody mercenary

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  12. Yea he's no first touch or shot... Let's sell him

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  13. Average player, nothing special. Not fit to tie John Flanagan's shoelaces.

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  14. If we press they are there for the taking

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  15. Sterling is awful who does he think he is being our top scorer.

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  16. He's blatantly not ill. He's being kept out of the team on a pretext because there's something up. You see these situations sometimes when there are contractual problems -- maybe because of a fees structure or sell-on clause or whatever. It smells pretty bad to me.

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  17. The next thing you know he'll want paying

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  18. Johnson being typically diabolical

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  19. Good strike though and only real quality in side at moment .... not worth what he wants tho . Think Ibe and him could get it together if he stays

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  20. You mean 'Shisha'

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  21. The cheek of asking for the best possible contract. He could have at least finished the chance like Markovic!

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  22. Can has been excellent so far

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  23. Johnson's looking after him. Means Ibe's not really in the game though. Brendan's got right into these asymmetrical formations hasn't he? Such a hipster.

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  24. Good pass Lucas!

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  25. Cout is very underrated.

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  26. This attitude of we don't need him is ridiculous. Give it 3yrs Ibe will be doing the same thing especially if we continue to sign mediocrity.

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  27. Liverpool really are a ridiculously well-coached side.

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  28. Oh my world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  29. Coutinho that was a thing of beauty

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  30. Coutinho magic. Wizardry

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  31. His is indeed the reincarnation of Ronaldinho!

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  32. Unfortunately we do need him at the moment with our injury problems and will always cause problems for defences .He can score as just been seen . Anyone else please ? He stands out in the side we have at present and needs a reality check but maybe the signs are there now ...... Anyway if he goes we get the dosh but we will need to replace him with quality players this time around . And of course he IS BOX OFFICE !

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  33. And 3 years is a long time ?

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  34. We are going to pay if we aren't careful for not pressing whilst on top .
    They will regroup after HT

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  35. My god Glen Johnson has been awful. Good performance but we should be out of sight by now, no killer instinct in front of goal. Phil Mitchell did us a favour by not awarding that blatant penalty

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  36. How is Lovren reliable when one can read fear from his facial expression

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  37. So anyone on who is going to cost us a goal ? Allen and Lovren already made some brilliant challenge to be the one.

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  38. Top scorer with 7 league goals. Hardly something to be proud of.

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  39. Not arf we should be going in 1- 1 at HT

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  40. Clear penalty! Bad challenge from Lovren, hope he can dust himself off and not dwell too much on it.

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  41. Hahaha you crack me up man, I'm a secret fan of yours :-)

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  42. If we had a Costa we would be 3 up now . We should be scoring goals against a team like this .... we need a better SH to give us a confidence boost before Wembley on Sunday !

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  43. In a mediocre side it is, it's his 11th goal of the season which is a great return!

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  44. Commentator 'Sterling shows his worth to Liverpool ' Now how much is that I wonder ? Answers on a postcard please .....

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  45. Oh no Emre...

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  46. Do we want to establish ourselves as selling club?

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  47. oh my god...

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  48. That was awful Raheem.

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  49. this miss is going to haunt us

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  50. I think I can say without exaggeration, that even I could have scored that by using only my testicles

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  51. He had too much time to think about it. Awful miss

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  52. Raheem Markovic

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  53. look at rodgers' face lol

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  54. Just got in what happened Sturridge?

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  55. What do you think

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  56. Raheem 'Bloody' Mercenary

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  57. Just shows he is not a natural striker

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  58. Raheem the capitalist may have scored the winner.

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  59. That miss though.

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  60. I know inexplicable!

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  61. That miss is rattling around Sterling's head just now

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  62. Borini to get a hat trick

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  63. I wish we could control games better... there's way too much space here.

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  64. It's the Toon at Anfield FFS

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  65. Unlikeliest of scorers!

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  66. Ha Joe Allen

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  67. Smoking Joe Allen

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  68. Better when he plays more forward

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  69. joe allen scores a goal at anfield. I've seen it all now

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  70. Lottery who scores for us now ...

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  71. surely borini won't

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  72. Well Lovren nearly did !

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  73. Common Toons now only score a goal for JK to win his bet.

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  74. Shocking tackle by Sissokho, surely has to be a straight red

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  75. Theycallmemrburt9:41 pm, April 13, 2015

    Its amazing the assurance Lucas gives to a back four. we need to get that delorean out of mothballs... things WOULD have been so different

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  76. I've changed my mind he doesn't deserve his current contract let alone a new one

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  77. his first goal was pretty decent tho...


    however i agree with you, his finishing is frustrating

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  78. Too much of da shisha

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  79. Theycallmemrburt9:45 pm, April 13, 2015

    Its amazing the assurance Ricky Lambert gives.......nah.....

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  80. We need a striker

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  81. Theycallmemrburt9:47 pm, April 13, 2015

    I think Raheem showed tonight why he was shoved on to the wing after spending his entire youth up front. He isn't a natural striker of the ball or finisher.... mcmanaman-esque if you will. His all round play up front minus the finishing is commendable though

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  82. Is Johnson the most frustrating player in football history?

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  83. Incredible isn't it? It's just like he never does what he's supposed to

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  84. Yup he's the enemy of our souls.

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  85. I can remember when they used to day that about Joe Allen Then he became a world beating prolific scoring midfielder

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  86. If City draw or lose next match, it would set up and incredible race for top 4.

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  87. City have easier run in tho..

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  88. Time is running out for Johnson though...

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  89. They have a f@kk morale right now. Might as well lose to neverchester wonders.

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  90. Time to cut him off...

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  91. He seems to be getting ill alot recently....

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  92. Theycallmemrburt10:18 pm, April 13, 2015

    But they have a Gerrard in the making in Yaya Toure who's lack off running in the middle of the park coupled with his star studded name means he wont be dropped anytime soon. That easy running looks a whole lot different when there are birthday cake sized passengers in the side.

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  93. There's a lot of it about

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  94. I'll be locking myself away then and telling me boss I have a case of Balotelli'itus... Hope he buys it.

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  95. Sneezed...

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  96. I hope you're right.

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  97. Could be he's only a kid....People seem to forget how young our boys are...

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  98. Lovren still needs to do better what a terrible challenge. It was so poor and rash it reminded me of the lunge against Aguero when he made him look like a kipper. Let's hope he does better for the next one. Well done LFC.

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  99. Poor finishing showed how much we need a good finisher above all else this transfer window...

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  100. A ghost punched him. He's on life support.

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  101. it was more of a nudge than punch. but yeah.. life support

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  102. he does tackle a lot though. im surprised he doest give out more fouls

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  103. They had to take him off the life support, I heard, because the electromagnetism from the machine was playing merry hell with his shins.

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  104. Was a poor challenge but lifted his game in the second half- sliding tackles and winning headers; reminds me of Sakho :D

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  105. weird? i thought his shins were made of glass and not magnetic.

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  106. Glen Johnson.

    what happened to him? i recall him being decent 2 seasons back.

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  107. Sadly, he never progressed past 'decent' and has made the decline towards 'useless'.

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  108. lot of steps between decent and useless to take in just two years me thinks.

    i hope our first signing this summer is right back.

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  109. So... same thing?

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  110. Well... Manquillo has been loads better than Johnson. It's forever a mystery why he doesn't play.

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  111. So what? His shins are still intact. It's an abomination that he doesn't want to play through a minor injury during a game that's perfectly winnable without him.

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  112. Enlighten me, name something made of magnetic

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  113. He had a pretty bad fever last match. It's not a stretch to assume he's still quite sick.

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  114. There's nothing wrong with his grammar if that's what you're trying to say...

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  115. i atleast understood what i ment when i typed it=) thanks mate

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  116. we should sign whomever FCP is signing to replace Danilo.

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  117. He had a bunch of injuries and lost confidence. The fans scapegoated him when the team weren't playing well and he's not recovered.

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  118. I liked the reception Guttierez got too

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  119. Really? I thought that was "Sturridge is a bit injury prone." or "Ibe is cup tied."

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  120. That's okay. He can settle back with a can of whipped cream after the game and kill the brain cells harboring the memory of that tragic miss.

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  121. For the record, City have only won 4 from their last 15 or something like that. Even if they only lose one more game, a few draws would do the trick.

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  122. So that's where he's getting the laughing gas... they'll compress anything in those bottles to sell em.

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  123. I wonder who are those 10% voting for Lallana, probably BR's worst signings. To me, 26mn (& must be at unworthy wage) for 26 years old Lallana is probably worse signing than Andy Carroll.


    For Carroll, I understand the logic - the type of English football KD last saw or was involved in (70s, 80s & couple of seasons in early 90s). A striker like Andy would have been monster, in 1980s. At 23, I understand his purchase; also we had the money (actually Abrahamovic paid Ashley the money - Andy Carroll + 15mn was probably the deal; he bought us AC & made Ashley richer by additional 15mn, I guess), but can anyone convince me the logic of buying AL, at that price?


    He is decent for 3/4 positions, in a mid-table club, which is exactly what he is - mediocre. At 26/27, he should be at his prime, still can't make the bench of a very average English team regularly - how does his purchase makes sense when we had few exciting talents in team & academy?

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  124. He might have the swine flu, mate.

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  125. More than you've scored for Liverpool, JK.


    Until you start banging them in, you'll be nothing more than a charlatan.

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  126. Ya if we win ours and we have to go to Chelsea remember. But it is a possibility. .

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  127. Why is everyone a conspiracy theorist? And the people that suggest that he's being kept out of the team are so black&white about it. "He's blatantly not ill". What do you base that on? So far the evidence we have is that BR said he's ill. Thats all. Based on the evidence that we have, we can surmise only one thing, that he is ill. It's not that difficult.

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  128. Nah it was probably the gross overpraise by everyone, it all gets to his head, he starts believing it, skies it.

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  129. And not to forget he still had 7.61 rating as per Who Scored- all in a day's work :)

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  130. Stop speaking sense.

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  131. Thanks that's appreciated but you really haven't got the hang of the secrecy bit yet have you........ :-)

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  132. We're not quite in dire straits yet.

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  133. True, Also, It might arguably be a tad harsh to use the word unreliable to describe JK but it has been said that he makes Sturridge look like a man of steel ;-)

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  134. To be fair I've also been sick for more than a week so it's entirely possible.

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  135. Thank you! Sense at last. Pains me to see him scapegoated so badly after his injuries. And his first big one was when he clattered into a manc, so surely he deserves some kudos.

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  136. High five for birthday cake reference.

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  137. I'm still not convinced he's better than Yannick Bolasie.

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  138. True; in any other mediocre side the guy that top scores with 7 or 11 would be laughed out of the league if he demanded 150k a week, or even 100k a week.

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  139. I'd settle for Lewandowski.

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  140. Despite all the crap, those little moments show that football still has a soul.

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  141. Yip especially when they're generous with the salads.

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  142. I also suspect there's something up but he was genuinely ill for the last match, which perhaps suits whichever agenda wants him not to play.

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  143. Sorry, Jaimie; I've just read the article after making a few comments, so now I'd like to add that I agree with your line about Rodgers rushing players back from injury.

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  144. Yes you have a point sir I'd go as far as 4/5 top talents

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  145. Other makes of tools are available

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  146. :'D I defer to your superior wit.

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  147. Crikey, when they are all listed in a row like the poll above...

    ...it makes for horrendously awful reading.

    What a waste of money : (

    Fear not though, we still have Luis Alberto ; )

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  148. Loic Remy would have been a better signing then Balo!!!

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  149. I think there are great things to come from both Can and Moreno.. Lambert and Balotelli were ridiculous transfers, dunno how Lambert could ever be evaluated at £5million or why anyone would want Balo at Anfield. Lallana and Lovren looked like great signings on paper, hopefully they can turn things around and start proving the value they showed for Saints.. But we didnt seal an A-class name like; Sanchez or Di Maria. Hopefully we can change that around this summer!

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  150. The both like to bomb forward so the both have the legs. Thats what we lack atm. When henderson is in a attacking mood as a team we play better. He cant do that when paired with gerrard or allen. Can and henderson can both share these duties, the just need time to gel

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