Liverpool face relegation-threatened QPR at Loftus Road tonight in what is surely a must-win game for Kenny Dalglish's team. Every Liverpool fan will be hoping that Luis Suarez puts the Londoners to the sword, and Hoops manager Mark Hughes admits that his players will be paying extra-special attention to the Uruguayan.
This should be a slam-dunk for Liverpool who - on paper - are vastly superior to QPR. I have to admit though that I'm worried about the game, for the following reasons:
* QPR have lost 5 of their last 7 games; they have to turn that around some time, and they'll be extra motivated against Liverpool.
* QPR are in the relegation zone, which means Hughes' team will be going all out for the win. They have no choice if they want to stay in the league.
* Liverpool's away form has flatlined recently, with only one win in the last five premier league away games (three defeats; one draw; one win)
* The Cisse factor: Djibril is still a quality player, and he will be massively motivated to score against Liverpool.
* QPR will probably take confidence from the fact that Liverpool have struggled to beat lots of the so-called 'smaller' teams this season.
In May last year, Hughes predicted that Suarez and Andy Carroll would be a 'very strong partnership for Liverpool for years to come'. Well, on the evidence we've seen so far, Hughes' power of prognostication is almost as bad as Liverpool's conversion rate.
Suarez will definitely be a threat though, and Hughes will trying his hardest to stop Liverpool's main striker from having any impact on the game. He told QPR.co.uk:
"He [Suarez]is good player and he's a great catalyst for their attacking play. If he does play, we'll have to be wary of that, but we'll highlight his strengths and the elements of his game that we have to be really careful about.
"If we do that, hopefully that will be enough and we put in a defensive performance which doesn't allow him to have an impact on the game."
It's going to be a tough game but Liverpool should still have enough quality to win. I would go for the following team (assuming Bellamy is injured):
------------------------ Reina
Kelly ------------- Carra -- Skrtel ----------- Enrique
Maxi ------------ Spearing -- Gerrard ------- Downing
-------------------- Suarez -- Kuyt
Jaimie Kanwar
This should be a slam-dunk for Liverpool who - on paper - are vastly superior to QPR. I have to admit though that I'm worried about the game, for the following reasons:
* QPR have lost 5 of their last 7 games; they have to turn that around some time, and they'll be extra motivated against Liverpool.
* QPR are in the relegation zone, which means Hughes' team will be going all out for the win. They have no choice if they want to stay in the league.
* Liverpool's away form has flatlined recently, with only one win in the last five premier league away games (three defeats; one draw; one win)
* The Cisse factor: Djibril is still a quality player, and he will be massively motivated to score against Liverpool.
* QPR will probably take confidence from the fact that Liverpool have struggled to beat lots of the so-called 'smaller' teams this season.
In May last year, Hughes predicted that Suarez and Andy Carroll would be a 'very strong partnership for Liverpool for years to come'. Well, on the evidence we've seen so far, Hughes' power of prognostication is almost as bad as Liverpool's conversion rate.
Suarez will definitely be a threat though, and Hughes will trying his hardest to stop Liverpool's main striker from having any impact on the game. He told QPR.co.uk:
"He [Suarez]is good player and he's a great catalyst for their attacking play. If he does play, we'll have to be wary of that, but we'll highlight his strengths and the elements of his game that we have to be really careful about.
"If we do that, hopefully that will be enough and we put in a defensive performance which doesn't allow him to have an impact on the game."
It's going to be a tough game but Liverpool should still have enough quality to win. I would go for the following team (assuming Bellamy is injured):
------------------------ Reina
Kelly ------------- Carra -- Skrtel ----------- Enrique
Maxi ------------ Spearing -- Gerrard ------- Downing
-------------------- Suarez -- Kuyt
Jaimie Kanwar
Totally agree, I think this game has the hallmarks of an upset. QPR were unlucky at Bolton as well, they played better than we did there anyway.
ReplyDeleteKD should be trying to get the team to push for every possible point between now and the end of the season, in case the teams above us slip up, but you get the feeling that some of our players might fall into this 'two wembley appearances is progress' belief that is doing the rounds and our league form could plummet from here on in. Arsenal and Chelsea both have tough away games this evening, if they drop points and we don't win, it will be a chance to close the gap wasted. It'll be interesting to see how Kenny gets his players to approach league games for the rest of the season.
This is the perfect starting line up! But I would prefer Downing on the right and Maxi on the left. However we all know Dalglish, he'll give preference to Henderson and Carroll which would mean a defeat today!
ReplyDeleteWe all know that maxi won't start, let alone on the right (although i would like for him to start tonight). Also, we can't be 4th, so i would play Carroll and Suarez up front til the end of the season. They can only get better, and as Carroll starts more games, he'll play better (i hope so).
ReplyDeleteUs winning would be the upset for most backers , but we should really go out and stuff them , for all the arguments back and forth our league form is pants and that is what we should be judged on . Under Bob Paisley we were the best team in Europe , but we never won the cup , luck plays to big a part to start judging progress on cup runs , still hope we win F A Cup and hope we put on a good show tonight and go out and like I said stuff em
ReplyDeleteToday's result hinges on 2 things. Gerrard and Spearing controlling midfield and Carra choosing the best option from fight, flight or freeze when he sees Djibril Cisse bearing down on him at full speed.
ReplyDeleteIts a long shot but I would start with young Morgan upfront alongside Suarez tonight and pray he scores a hat trick. Carroll and Kuyt are not effective in the air or on the deck. Let's stick our poacher in their and see what happens (I will never happen I know)
We are the resistance...............
Well, who would have thought that we could now state mental weakness as another of the teams problems? Totally on top for 75 minutes and then blown away. Shocking.
ReplyDelete