4 Feb 2012

Lawro: Liverpool will be 'ripped apart' against Spurs if Kenny gets it wrong

Liverpool face Spurs on Monday night at Anfield, and I'm sure fans of both clubs are excited about what could potentially be a fantastic game. Kenny Dalglish will have a major selection headache to deal with, namely what to do with Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, and Mark Lawrenson has warned that the wrong decision could lead to dire consequences for Liverpool.

Spurs completely outplayed Liverpool in the 2-0 win at Anfield in May 2011, and Harry Redknapp's team remain the only side to beat Liverpool at home since Dalglish returned.

The 4-0 hammering at White Hart Lane earlier this season was really hard to take, but in hindsight, given the mitigating circumstances that day (two red cards), it's a little easier to swallow.

Suarez and Carroll both started that fateful game, but will they both start at Anfield? Lawro believes Carroll has 'started to look like his old self lately', which presents a considerable dilemma for Dalglish. Lawro told BBC Sport:

"The reason Carroll has just started to get his strength, touch and belief back is because he has been playing regular games; so do you sideline him again now, or do you bring in Suarez and go with two up top against Tottenham at home, leaving yourself open to being ripped apart in midfield? You'd have to think not".

This is precisely what happened in the 4-0 defeat: Liverpool played two upfront, and the midfield got ripped apart. Hopefully, history won't repeat itself, and Lawro insists that stopping Spurs' midfielders must be the priority:

"You need to put a barrier in midfield to stop Spurs playing, and we've seen Liverpool do it before. If I were Kenny Dalglish - and I think his tactical changes against United won the game last weekend - I would probably keep things tight".

For me, one of the most disturbing things about the White Hart Lane defeat was the gargantuan difference in pace and energy; Spurs seemed to be about 10 gears faster than Liverpool in every area of the pitch, but hopefully we won't see a repeat of that at Anfield.

Jaimie Kanwar


49 comments:

  1. Agree regarding the pace difference in the White Hart Lane game. 

    There's one positive we have in terms of tactics this time: we know we can leave Carroll on the bench and have good flowing movement with Suarez+Bellamy up front, and if that fails to work we know we can bring Carroll in and try what worked for us v City and United - either of Suarez or Bellamy making runs behind the big man and the latter playing high balls through to them.

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  2. It was 2-0 not 2-1 :)

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  3. Should be a good game but 2-0 to the Yids

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  4. i think the best best is to play suarez and bellamy on the wings, with gerrard behind carroll

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  5. We will have to be at our imperial best because Liverpool have upped there work rate since Bolton shocked them 3-1 and the King threatened his players with  being  banished from the the Kingdom. Since then they have Drawn with City too reach Wembley and beaten Utd with a last ditched winner and but a lacklustre Wolves too the sword. Harry can tackle this two ways go toe to toe and attack from the off or play Sandro and Parker or go for it and attack Liverpool with this extra energy will then over tackle and players will be off again and once again the lesson will be learned upping your tempo can work for a short period then illness and disaster can follow.cracking game 2-3 too the mighty Cockerel with a late swoop for the points Saha hahha

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  6. You say 'mitigating circumstances,' did you see the game? It could have been 6-0 at half time, and that is a conservative estimate. The score of 4-0 was flattering to Liverpool. If we had the nine men, we'd still have won, we were play that well. Every red-card was deserved, indeed you could have had another when Lucas kick Parker when the ball was the other side of the field, I know because it was right near where I sit. So please don't rewrite history.

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  7. Dont forget Suarez elbow on Parker as well. Those reds were completely justified and just states how poorly Liverpool were handling the game.

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  8. Mitigating circumstances is right. You were the better team anyway but you weren't 6-0 up in fact you were 1-0 up before the sending offs. Despite the fact you were better you only won by 4 because of the sending offs had they not happened you have no idea what would have occurred. The fact they were justified is neither here nor there. Had you been 1-0 up and had  2 players sent off I doubt very much you would have still won ( what if those players were Parker and Adebayor?). No one is re-writing anything other than you.   

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  9. Well be hurting them on Monday thank you.

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  10. Typical bindippers....All deluded from "King K" down to supporters! In the game at WHL, YOUR king was at a loss as to how to contain Spurs!

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  11. Liverpool have been the most grim side at the lane all year.ran close by villa but wigan were better on Tuesday.just saying

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  12. I agree with Mez on this one, I would drop kuyt for Suarez or bring on Suarez the last 30 min. Carol should start.

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  13. You bunch are so deluded that in your honest (oxymoron when referring to 'dippers) opinions, you lot beleive that Johnson & Enrique are the best wingbacks in the world...Lolllll! Give the world a break.....Johnson! Glen Johnson? and Enrique!?

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  14. Liverpool are a very very slow side.watch tottenham break on them.

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  15. lol mouthy spurs fan lol due to 2 years in champions league.
    u have won nothing yet and only results matter.
    the  next 4  games will define your season. you could still finish 5th.
    but advantage you.
    in years to come will will ask what have you won?
    then u can answer with pride  or shame

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  16. Typical scouser fan living in the past.. And you have won wat. In the last few yrs we've done significantly more than u.. And all we r trying to do is get into the champions league.. But as per usual the old top four don't like the change.. U don't hav ur god given
    right to belive that u r one of those top four sides anymore.. Mid table mediocrity awaits I'm afraid.. The future is white it's Lillywhite coys

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  17. You were getting battered before the 2 red cards you try to blame.

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  18. I agree with that but given Bale I might opt to start Kuyt and then bring on Suarez later in the game.

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  19. You can't really blame the spurs fans on here for their cheeky comments ... they have waited many years to be amongst the top teams while we Reds considered that a given. The tables have turned (for now) but I feel confident that come Monday the cocky spuds on here will realise that form is temperary and class is permanent. BRING IT ON!!!

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  20. At least we have a past. You have qualified for the champions league once and now you seem to think you have the god given right to qualify every season take out Modric, Bale and Walker and you have no-one its gonna be funny when Harry gets done for tax evasion cuz your gonna start dropping back to exactly that. Mid table mediocrity.

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  21. U silly scouse fan.. We take out bale modric walker.. Pmsl who would we take out of ur team.. Henderson shite, caroll 35 mill for a teenage alcholic, n the racist suarez.. Pmsl... U hav Gerard who is getting injured n pepina the keeper.. The rest of ur squad r dog shite.. Uve had ur time.. As to us going back to mid table.. I can assure u that we will still be above ur lot.. So let's not get bitter.. Enjoy ur time wiv king Kenny he won't do anything for ur lot.. It took 5 yrs of benitez to mess ur club up.. N now you hav nothing.. But history.. Oh the carling cup.. The one u all reds slagged of cause u had champions league.. Pmsl.. Ud take it now.. I profess nothing for spurs other than we r moving in the right direction..away from the mid table that ur currently holding.. So forgive me if I actually believe that spurs r actually doing something right..

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  22. At least u recognise that the tables hav turned... It will be a good game I'm sure .. 2-1 spurs

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  23. To be honest here, Spurs are the only team in the league which I have reservations about before facing. Tehir only downfall is they never seem to get it right against the Manchester teams. Fair play to Harry for what he has done, they were lying in the relagetion zone a couple of seasons ago, Harry came in, got a lucky 2-1 win over us and kicked on from there. As a lifelong Liverpool fan, I always want to see us winning the league and if we can't, there's always the quiet (and to a degree a bitter) backing for someone other than Man Utd to lift the trophy. I wouldn't begrudge Spurs a league title, it's been a long time for them but, to be honest, I'd not sacrifice our chance of Champions League football next season to stop Man Utd winning the league.
    It should be an awesome game, we know what we have to do to win it and stop Spurs running riot. I'm still going for the odd goal in 3 or 5 to Liverpool.


    YNWA

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  24. Spurs are a nothing club having their few days in the sun in the greater scheme of football history.

    Liverpool will always sit at the top table with Madrid, Barce, Milan, Juve, Bayern etc... giants of the game, which "Spurs" will never be.

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  25. Lets not forget that before those two red cards, tottenham completely dominated every aspect of the game. Suarez is also yet to play well against spurs

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  26. As a long suffering Spurs fan, I would like to remind supporters of my own team that as we all know, nothing is straightforward in football - especially when THFC are involved!!  There are still 15 games to go this season and a 2nd CL berth is by no means in the bag. Whilst our recent knack of winning and/or bouncing back is impressive and great football we play sometimes a joy to watch, lets not forget that we haven't won a worthy trophy since 91. Believe me, we still have a long way to go to even emulate LFC's recent history let alone their past! 

    What impresses me most about us in the past year or two is that we are a real team and play together as one for the first time in 20-odd yrs. For once, when fit we have outstanding individuals in every department and it is quite difficult to see how to improve the team other than the obvious striker (I just don't understand how Adebayor can be such a donkey yet still so effective?? There must be someone about with a first touch for far less??) and goalkeeper (Friedels great but for how long?) eventualities.  Typical!! Just our luck as Spurs fans that citeh have to come along just at this moment!!

    Unfortunately, you have to be a realist and whilst we can still at this moment dream we are obviously not going to win the league.  We are far more likely to get dragged into a fight for 3/4/5 which hopefully we have enough of a head start to get over the line...

    We cannot underestimate this match - this game is a MASSIVE game for both teams.  If we win this we are 10/12 points clear of 5th with games to go, if we lose we are only 7/8 points clear with some pretty tricky games still to come.

    Lets not get cocky yet is what I'm trying to say...

    Wait and see, get behind the lads more than ever and enjoy it as much as possible now cos you never know whats round the corner...

    COYS!!!

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  27. Let's look at the real reason for sendings off tho! PACE! Liverpool couldn't handle spurs pace with 11 men. Tottenham deserved 6 goals that day but Liverpool were lucky with 4!

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  28. Don't make me laugh. Gareth bale didn't even start to come good until last season just like walker. Apart from them and Modric maybe Parker you have adebayor who is still city's player is he not! Oh and I seem to remember spurs bidding for Andy Carroll and making an enquiry about Suarez. I like the way spurs play I hope they beat utd to 2nd place or maybe even winning the league!

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  29. We won the carling cup in 1999 and 2008 actually.

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  30. The safest place to hide in the Tottenham riots was the Spurs trophy room because there was nothing in it worth pinching. You denounce scousers at thieves  while probably still  a garage full of stolen gear.What happened to your Italian signing ,Grabatelli ??? It is not coincidence that the only shops not looted were book shops...what does that tell you about yourselves.???There are few things more irritating than a bunch of small; timers given a brief glimpse of life with the big boys. It is like chavs winning the lottery they disgrace themselves in aristocratic company by not knowing what fork to use

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  31. Finally an honest spurs fan. A shame that some of your fans are starting to sound as arrogant as manure fans. Fair play taking nothing away you are a better team than us at this present time and wish you all the best just not for tomorrow

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  32. Thank you JimmyCoys. I was starting to get a little embarrassed about some of my fellow Spurs Supporters above! I have a lot of respect for Liverpool, their illustrious history and their fantastic fan base. Saying that, I also believe that we are a better team than them at the moment. That's not to say I think they are a bad team. I am so glad we did not succeed in our attempts to buy Carroll. However I wish we had signed Suarez (who may be a bit of an idiot as a person, but is a wonderful footballer). As others have said, this is a massive game for both teams. The bottom line is both teams need the points. I can't wait for the game. I obviously hope Spurs win, but I also hope for a fantastic game of football. May the best team win! :)

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  33. I honestly think, although it was a good result against wolves, if we play like that against a better team ( spurs ) we'll be destroyed. A better team than wolves could have punished us badly for sloppy passing

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  34. Oh dear don't you sound a bit pathetic mate... I know we won the 2bob cup and yes a trophy but certainly not a worthy one... OK the goons couldn't even win it but trust me, it does not count as a trophy in real football fans hearts!! Do you really think it does??

    I think you missed the 'worthy' bit or are a little desperate... I'm sure we also won the Asia cup and the Vodacom challenge recently??? LOL

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  35. Wait till Arry the corrupt is in Jail , who will run the spuds then

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  36. Oh yeah and we are so in awe at the bulging trophy room at anfield!! C'mon stop living in the past, by responding like this you are just as pathetic as the spurs fans that you are trying to put down... It is a bit hollow when your team aren't really up to much at the minute... One of worst Liverpool sides in last 30yrs, like it or not you will struggle to finish 6th... Whether we win lOse or draw, we ARE better than you so far this season fact - the table doesn't lie!! Don't make yourself look bitter, just get behind your team and sort out your own back garden before trying to piss in others... COYS!!!

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  37. Thank you Muso! We just have to be realistic, and boy are we used to it!! Lol... I may be a bit conspiracist but the feeling I have is that 90% of spurs fans are realistic about our team - where do these idiots that are all over the message boards come from??? Is it rival teams fans trying to make us look big headed?? I haven't often met a big headed spurs fan but yet they seem to be all over the net?? I'm convinced that there is some foul play at hand here somewhere... COYS!!!

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  38. Shite squad?
    Reina, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Kuyt, Lucas, Spearing, Adam, Gerard, Downing, Bellamy, Suarez, Kelly, Flanagan, Carra, Coates, Maxi, Sterling, Shelvey...  Carroll, Henderson, Doni, Jones, we actually have one of the smallest squads, but some top players with a few young lads coming through again. 
    No doubt about it, Spurs are vastly improved as a club on the whole in the last 2-3 years, but as said already, you havent really won anything for 20 years.  League Cups whilst a glitzy occasion aren't really a big deal.  We've been in 2 CL finals since 2005, we'll prob get to the FA Cup final this season too. 
    Should be a good game anyway, and we usally beat Spurs so I expect 3 points tomorrow and to drag Spurs into a 3rd/4th place fight, no chance of winning the PL, City are too strong, and ManU just have a knack of winning with very average players.

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  39. Thats three more players than you in your liverpool racist slums coys

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  40. Jeez, what a load of pathetic comments sniping at each other. Its not the  fact that spurs have exceptional talent, they actually have a team who has been playing together now for a few seasons. Compare Man U (rebuilding again but has half the refs in the league on their side), Man City (blank cheque talent pool), Chelsea (old squd and a manager with no prem experience), Arsenal (A rebuild) and us, a new team who've only been playing together for half a season and you can see why spurs are where they are. But lets not forget that they got dumped out of the Europa league and havent won anything credible for a long long time.

    Its understandable that spurs fans are getting excited but it takes a lot longer than a couple of seasons to establish yourselves as a big and great club and no matter what you say, compared to LFC its night and day. When people look at spurs they think villa, newcastle, stoke...a mid table club but OK, for a couple of seasons you've been doing well. Blackburn did well once, and look at them now, Newcastle the same...but the BIG clubs like LFC, Man U, Arsenal will always be consistent big teams always competing for honours. And the reason why? because they have history and as much as you gripe at it being 'history'...thats what attracts sponsors, players and fans. All three of those = money.

    So lets all be nice, spurs are on a great run and i'd love to see them win the league this season but cut the crap with the history comments because you havent got a clue.

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  41. I think you've missed the point here, it's not who out of the Spurs team LFC would take, he means that if you take these players out of the Spurs team they wouldn't play so well.
    Read the comment, digest it and when you understand it, put your own comment down.

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  42. and can any totenham hot slut ! fan explain me why do players from your club want to leave the club for a bigger club despite having the best run for the past 20 years ? despite having the chances of winning the league this time ? despite being in the champions league ? lmfao !!! its because totenham hot  slut is not a top club !!

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  43. My honest reply is I think most of them are kids. And if you think about it, most of the posts like that happen on rival club's websites where the opposing team's "fans" just come to pick a fight. I'm not just talking about Spurs fans. Happens on Spurs forums all the time with supporters of other teams doing the same thing. I agree with you, every Spurs fan I know personally is very realistic about the team, but then they, like myself have been season ticket holders for years so i think it is fair that we are all pinching ourselves at the moment, and yet waiting for it all to end badly whilst hoping to hell it doesn't! COYS!

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  44. Erm, pot, kettle! Where are all your good players from two seasons ago?

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  45. You always get fans having a pop at each other online, and in the safety of their own homes. I love this fixture and attend when ever i can. I love the fact the us Spurs fans can enjoy the atmosphere around the ground and take in the History of One of Europe's great clubs without fear of being attacked. You create one of the best atmospheres in World football and are as passionate about your club and city as anyone. Spurs and finally on the up and i love when we beat you as its something we rearely do. See you all tonight for pints and hopefully a cracker of a game and a spurs win..

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  46. Hey babe did u jus see where all our gud players are ?? U cudnt even cross your own half !!! Lol wat a shame !! U just parked the bus !! Tactics that r used by religation teams!! Lol

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