29 Sept 2013

CONFIRMED LFC line-up vs. Sunderland: Defender OUT; Nice surprise on the bench!

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has named an unchanged team for today's must-win Premier League clash with Sunderland.

Daniel Agger is allegedly fit again, but Rodgers has - rightly - opted to keep him on the sidelines.

FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Toure, Skrtel, Sakho, Henderson, Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Moses, Sturridge, Suarez

SUBS: Jones, Agger, Aspas, Ilori, Sterling, Ibe, Wisdom

SUNDERLAND: Westwood, Gardner, Colback, O'Shea, Cuellar, Larsson, Ki, Cattermole, Johnson, Giaccherini, Altidore

It's great to see Tiago Ilori on the bench, and hopefully, he'll make his debut during the game. Looks like it's going to be 352 again:

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

-------- Toure -- Skrtel ---- Sakho

Henderson ------------------------ Enrique

------------ Lucas --- Gerrard

---------------- Moses

------- Sturridge -- Suarez

If 352 is the way forward for Rodgers then what of his preferred 433 formation? Is he changing his approach because it's the best thing for LFC, or is he doing it to accommodate the players he has? It seems like a betrayal of his own long-help footballing philosophy, and doing things just to accommodate players could ultimately turn out to be a recipe for disaster.

My prediction: 3-0 or 3-1 to LFC. Worst case scenario: 2-2.



NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)


161 comments:

  1. Looks like the best team available and should have goals in it against Sunderland. We really need to be winning this comfortably.

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  2. To be fair, it could be a blessing in disguise!?!?!!?

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  3. Worst case scenario could be worse than 2-2! Hopefully the Sunderland players don't feel like they're on a mission to justify getting their manager sacked and play out of their skins...

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  4. Yeah, you're right, but I don't want to even contemplate defeat (!)

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  5. I don't understand why people call the formation 352 as if the full backs become midfielders all of a sudden just because an extra centre-back is selected, but don't likewise call a formation 2-6-2 when it's just 2 centre-backs selected - the full-backs are occupying the same role!

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  6. I don't like the 532 so hope the formation is:
    Mignolet
    Toure-Skrtel-Sakho-Enrique
    Gerrard-Lucas-Henderson
    Moses-Sturridge-Suarez

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  7. best team avaliable - kinda like this formation, as everybody is playing in his best position, except hendo maybe, but it´s nice to see how versatile this guy is! 3 points today!!

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  8. Moses shouldn't be playing through the middle and Gerrard should come for No.10 because Hendo and Lucas do the holding midfield better IMO.

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  9. Yeah, he's versatile as well as giving his 100% to every match. I am not tipping anyone cuz last time I did we lost to Soton. :(

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  10. agreed i would love to see gerrard in the number 10 again :)

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  11. Regarding Rodgers and 4-3-3 philosophy...if he is going 3 at the back just to fit in Sakho then obviously I have to view that as a bad decision and say that he should stick to his original ideas which it seems like he swears by. However if he is going 3 at the back because it's what's best for the team in his opinion then I think his adaptability could be applauded because at times, especially last season, Rodgers does seem a bit stubborn.

    But IMO he probably promised Sakho game time. 3 at the back is not effective because Moses is not a number 10 and Hendo must be in the middle.

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  12. soton is stil a better team than sunderland - we have to win this!

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  13. Fingers crossed! After seeing top teams lose to the lower teams IDK if I can be sure, I just don't wanna jinx us(I am good at jinxing :'()

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  14. with all the title contenders dropping the points, now its the perfect opportunity
    and that's right, I DON'T consider arsenal a title contender:-)

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  15. Is BR using this formation because of the injury to Johnson? Or is he just accommodating sakho... either way will be interesting to see when Johnson and coutinho return who will be benched

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  16. You should then! Cuz they're the most in-form team for me.

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  17. I don't think Sakho will be off unless he gets injured just like Allen was last season.

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  18. wait and see how they crash when they play either ManU/ManC/Chelsea:)

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  19. great goal .....suarez

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  20. SAS! what a goal, what a class striker-combination!

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  21. please in the second half no dumb ass mistakes like leaving a player on with a yellow when he can be subbed or fouling a player who is running towards the corner flag

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  22. let the dumb ass commence

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  23. hahah .. looks good at the moment :)

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  24. Disregarding the half time score I am actually disappointed.


    Sunderland have deserved a few goals at least, they have a lot of space in the middle and we are giving the ball away too much. That Giaccherini guy is a tidy little player and if he keeps finding space he will punish us.


    I prefer the 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. Final point, if people think Skrtel is a defensive liability Sakho is a massive defensive headache.

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  25. Really not feeling much pace and sharpness from the back, why on earth do we ever put forward long high balls? If we can sort out the build up in our own half to break out of that pressure then we'll be a much better football team. For now it's those moments of proper class that have us ahead and TBH Sunderland haven't done enough to deserve a goal.

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  26. Good possession in the attacking half doesn't count for much, when have they really threatened? Mignolet had a few moments, the free kick was close but what else have Sunderland actually created? We've gifted them possession in dangerous positions and they haven't gotten anything, so they don't really deserve a goal at all. We're far from our best, I agree, but the defence has ultimately been tidy enough to keep Sunderland out and I think their zero goals are a fair reflection.

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  27. TWO GOALS from the strikers...even though Sturridge's was a bit hinky...outstanding half!!! However, is there some unwritten Liverpool tradition that we don't press the ball to force sloppy passes in an effort to get the ball back? Why do we not mark closely and close guys down? Every other team does this to us and we end up on our heels. We are also giving Sunderland the mid-field. How is this an effective plan?

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  28. I think Sunderland have done enough to score, they would of scored first if not for the woodwork.


    Whenever Hendo picks up the ball on the half way line he has no options at all, Gerrard, Lucas and the back 3 are behind him. That's why there's no pace or sharpness IMO and is a reason why I don't think we will see much more of this formation in the future.

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  29. i cant believe we are two up....real scrappy game its like watching two pub teams

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  30. Agree im not a fan of this 352 formation rather have the back 4 with toure and skrtel going by form ...we havent looked impressive apart from the SAS goal .mignolet looking shaky however a great save lets press on 2nd half!!!!!

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  31. Well, the woodwork exists, so there is no "if not for the woodwork". We say this over and over again, it's not good enough to hit the bar and it was off the top half of it. If he's good enough it's in the net, simple as that. It wasn't and there are no prizes for getting close.

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  32. Correct but that second goal was the magic of having two world class strikers linking up. That's the way we should look in the final third.

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  33. 2-0 up at half time. Nothing else matters.


    More goals please!

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  34. Fair point but I see it differently. If we gift them possession we deserve to be punished and Giaccherini can threaten us. It only takes one slip up, Toure is all over his man in the box, I wouldn't want a player like Seb Larsson to have a clear cut chance.


    Regardless of formation and such, we are not doing what Rodgers promised: Holding the ball and suffocating the other team when we don't have it.

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  35. Not to mention the perfect pass from Gerrard. He may look a bit slower these days but he can still deliver when it counts.

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  36. You're right, we're not, and it's frustrating to watch. The only thing I'll say is that we can be better. We've seen it before and I can't explain what's going on out there at the moment. Maybe it really is the 3-5-2. It's nice to be 2-0 up and say that we're really only at 60%,

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  37. lets have no second half switch off...the first player to fu*k up should be subbed

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  38. Thanks for refreshing my memory. He has hit about 5 of those long passes and all of them but one have been on target so far.

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  39. Correct. It just floor me that we start to play out of the back and then the mid-fielders are there to continue the link-up.

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  40. You're right but I'm just pointing out our luck in that situation, the goal Sturridge scored could of easily been chalked off.

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  41. It's ironic that our worst 1st half performance of the season has given us our biggest lead. At least Southampton are a good team and forced us into mistakes; today the performance has just been pi$$-poor.


    The sooner that Rodgers gives up on this 532 and Moses as a No.10 experiment, the better!

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  42. Yeah, they say a sign of a good team is to win and not play well..well this is it, but we are in a comfortable position to assess what's wrong. I'm usually not this negative but these issues really stand out to me.

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  43. switch off a go go

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  44. How can Rodgers not see that this is not working??
    If he insists on sacrificing a midfielder for a centre-back against a bottom half team, at least play a natural playmaker in the playmaker role - this is dire!


    Hopefully Sterling is playing out wide in a front 3, and the 5212 experiment is over...

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  45. should be done now

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  46. jamie got it right 3-1 lol brilliant game redmen... suarez sigh thank God your back

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  47. Ehhhhhhh, Liverpool v Man Utd 1-0. Remember?

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  48. Well that was a better second half for a change. The mid-fielders must have felt their ears burning because they did a better job of linking up and at least TRYING to command the middle of the pitch. It's still a problem though. Once again Sturridge and Suarez DESTROY a back line on the counter. Awesome, clinical third goal.

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  49. I think Lucas is suspended now? So next game, surely, it will go back to normal, unless it's Hendo in the middle and Sterling as wing back...

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  50. Well we left that one late but Job done. Bring on Palace.

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  51. anyone thinks sturridge is actually injured *knock on wood* or that was just to wast time and finish up the game

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  52. He had cramp, nothing to worry about.

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  53. I think Hendo is a credible wing back. I wouldn't count on Sterling to track back and be strong enough to win control. Hendo is about the only guy on the team trhat will press a ball and tangle up with an attacker right now.

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  54. Sakho immaculate in the second half, very impressive. Toure is the new heart of the team, the daddy. Henderson, Sturridge, Suarez, strong. Skrtel and Enrique just what they always are.



    Then Lucas and Gerrard like a couple of potatoes, peacefully growing together in the middle of the park.



    Really, really need a player in there who has more options on the ball than those two.

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  55. Second half performance improved a little, still something missing. Henderson was highly ineffective attacking wise on that right area for me.


    Sakho seems more settled and composed and can pass well.


    Sturridge and Suarez were very good. If we had Johnson, and Coutinho playing we would have annihilated them I feel.


    Mignolet needs to pass more, everytime he hoofs it we lose possesion.


    But..we will improve. We're second and getting confidence with each win.


    Upwards.

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  56. Another win, 2nd in the league and we're not even playing at our best. Nothing to complain about here. If we don't improve there will be some concerns but I can't see it not happening, Sakho will get much better, Suarez will get back full match fitness, Coutinho and Johnson still to come back ... there is plenty of reason to think the team can really push on from this.

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  57. I liked what Hendo has done in this system, he gives us width that we need. Only thing that worries me is that he seems totally uninterested in attacking defenders. Why?

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  58. Hendo can get the job done anywhere but there's a difference between when he's in the middle with confidence or when he's just doing a job for the team. If he's going to be out wide he needs to try and take people on and be more effective instead of passing back.

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  59. Also, the Lucas and Gerrard partnership is ineffective. Lack of mobility and creativity.


    Lucas is suspended for next game so we should try out. Hendo? Alberto?


    Hendo to me is an all round player, but he is not good at something specific.

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  60. Gerrard just really showing his age, it's a concern. Where is his energy and drive? He was shown up a few times out there, he gives the ball away ... who is this guy?

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  61. Credible yes but average IMO.

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  62. I think that's it, tired legs. I think he would still play better behind the striker.


    We don't have to play him every game though, so we need to start trying out different things.

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  63. I think he must find it unnatural and some players never have the mentality to take defenders on. It's strange though because in the cup he had the confidence to nutmeg a defender and score. No doubt his best position is in the middle though, that's where he needs to play.

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  64. Jaimie why was my comment deleted is it because I didn't agree with you?

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  65. If he is, then it is apparently a team problem because we are terrible at pressing the ball...and by that I mean we don't even try to do it. Although we won, think back how many times that Sunderland flat took the ball away or forced a crappy pass they then intercepted because they were out hustling us and contesting everything. If they had decent M's who could cash in on those turnovers we would be in serious trouble. Think Ozil and Ramsey receiving those intercepted balls on the break. We'll get slaughtered. We need to press the ball more and stay close enough to each other to play out better. How many times did we get trapped on the touch lines with nobody but a red shirt to pass to?

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  66. Yes...but the initial comment was Hendo or Sterling as a wingback. If that's the criteria because Lucas can't play next game, I'll take Hendo as the wing back over Sterling.

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  67. On this occasion Henderson was average which matched the standard of the team performance today. Overall though if he is average then the majority of the squad is severely below standard. When Alberto plays right back let me know...

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  68. Didn't SG's outlet passes set up both the last two goals? His long balls were pretty good too, but one thing you're right about is that neither he nor Lucas are visible in the middle of the field intercepting passes, winning clearances or doing those things you would expect mid-fielders to do...we just give the middle of the field away.

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  69. What are you on about? None of your comments have been deleted. Click on your username and check your comment log.

    Also,dDo not suggest again that I delete comments from people who disagree with me. That is complete and utter rubbish.

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  70. Seem to be a better counter attacking side than anything else. Pleased we got the win it's what matters most. A lot of work to be done though...

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  71. I only wish someone had closed down Ki because he had so much space to take that shot a lapse in concentration perhaps ,otherwise would have been a clean sheet .Its wonderful to see LS and DS working in tandem

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  72. Great win lads! A bit a shaky in parts but SAS done great. I felt Sakhos getting used to the pace of the premier league but dealt with Altidore well alpng side Skerts and Toure. Only disappointment was Lucas is out for the next game. YNWA!

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  73. Suarez 2 goals - awesome!
    But almost as awesome, Sturridge 2 assists! And they were perfect assists.


    My fantasy football team is killing it this week. Crystal palace, 5-0. The first proper wooping of the season!

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  74. Henderson should play only in central position but he's still not good enough to be first team. Enrique is good but not good enough. Gerrard is not good for full 90 minutes any more. Moses is good but not good enough.

    These basically is the difference between us making a convincing team and these struggling matches against the week teams.

    It might look different the next game as it sometimes do, but long term there will be and there is, a problem with our team, they just not quite get there. A some change ought to happen and be a consistent one.

    On the other end: Skrtel is brilliant, Sakho is coming good, Suarez Sturridge - what players! Even when they look not in full fitness.

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  75. As was said in the broadcast, Suarez played 8 matches for Uruguay during the suspension. Judging by today, he never lost match fitness. Still a bit of a ball hog though. He tried to thread a shot through 3 guys with Moses standing 5 yards away, goal center at the 18 with nothing but air between him and the net. A simple touch and Moses is firing first time with a very good chance.

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  76. You do that quite a lot. Just saying.

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  77. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:26 pm, September 29, 2013

    It's great to have him back.

    Sturridge is a cheat though. He should be ashamed of himself. Or drummed out of the club. Really we should offer to replay the match, I'm that embarrassed. Hope the papers highlight it tomorrow - disgraceful............. ;)

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  78. awesome guy is a beast

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  79. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:28 pm, September 29, 2013

    He scares me when he tries to pass. I've never seen anyone have to put so much concentration into his connection for what are, essentially, really simple balls.

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  80. Too funny...wait...you're not serious are you?

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  81. Danny sturridge has been a phenomenal buy for us so far this season we've been going pretty good 13 points out of 18 keeping in mind that johnson, cissoko (enrique still leaves me worried) and coutinho to still come in imagine a front four of sturridge, suarez, coutinho and moses defenders won't know who to mark come on liverpool let's do it this season

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  82. i only wish our defense don't give me the jitters sometimes ,we defend well most times but sometimes it scares me.

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  83. Sometimes? They give me the jitters all the time and I think the mid-fielders give the defenders the jitters all the time too.

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  84. why delete there comments when you can ban them haha

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  85. i think the defense looks shaky because the midfield looks shaky

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  86. I tell you what Henderson's good at: football. He's just really, really good at football.

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  87. for all the stats which seemingly supprt lucas and gerrad they just dont impose them selves on the game....

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  88. try jamie carragher

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  89. leaves rogers head out of this haha

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  90. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:40 pm, September 29, 2013

    Nah...... :) I was 'trying' to be funny. I just remember all the mock outrage on this site after the Mansfield game. It would have been very interesting if our 'other striker' had scored that first goal, though. Patrick Collins would've written a double-paged spread on it.

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  91. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:41 pm, September 29, 2013

    Imagine how good Sturridge would be if he knew when to release the ball.

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  92. humour just goes straight over heads on here

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  93. Well, if that's the case for them then what is it for us? We might have beat ManUre at home, but the real test lies which ManShitty and Chelski at home and away which I doubt would be anywhere near what we did today with Sunderland.

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  94. or if his first touch didn't go careening 5 yards away.

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  95. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:42 pm, September 29, 2013

    Especially when they just jog back to cover. Oh well, we need a new midfield on Saturday.

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  96. lucas being out may give rogers a chance to show a different perspective in midfield

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  97. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:44 pm, September 29, 2013

    That's why I love this site. It's one of the few places I actually appear to be educated and amusing.
    Sometimes ;)

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  98. Well at first I laughed but then I was wondering if he were a clone of the owner of this site who throws that word out so often. I'm glad I was wrong.

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  99. a very good chance of missing ...thats why he never passed

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  100. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:45 pm, September 29, 2013

    No. He's probably gone to ground, seeing as his nemesis scored twice.
    Happy days.

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  101. sometimes but not very often haha

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  102. Have some faith man! Moses can score. I've seen it.

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  103. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:47 pm, September 29, 2013

    Yes, agreed. But at least he would welly them, just in case they were off target.

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  104. the holes have been in our midfield from pre season but it doesn't get a mention..the space runners get is frightening its only when you watch the game second time round you really notice

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  105. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:49 pm, September 29, 2013

    I just have to learn my target audience, pal.

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  106. with a name like moses i should have faith

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  107. true he is a bit of a ball hog but he is top leauge scorer and the guy is a massive talent

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  108. im not happy reading a thread about suarez unless hes called a cheat theres comfort in familiarity i have to do a double take if its not mentioned

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  109. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:52 pm, September 29, 2013

    You're preaching to the converted. I didn't rate him at all before he came here.
    You have to admit, though, that 2 or 3 times a game you have to shout "F@@@ing pass it!!!!" at the telly. Then when he does, we score.

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  110. hes got the knack of scoring though borini could have been in all these positions and not scored

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  111. Give it time...I'm sure he's just writing the wrap-up analysis right now...and I'm only pretty sure you'll see the word there. He'll get back and delete these later.

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  112. That's a boon and not a bane lol

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  113. Me too...except my screaming is "where are the effing mid-fielders????"

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  114. I hope Sturridge is regarded as a team player now instead of the unfair "selfish" tag. On a broader note I did worry abt the tactical substitutions, I don't think Sterling makes a good wing back!

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  115. the plus side is i thought hendo did a great job at wing back 9 all though that wont be mentioned

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  116. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:56 pm, September 29, 2013

    I'm not sure that Lucas has ever got back to the level he was at before his injury. I remember the City home game a couple of years ago and he was immense. He bossed Yaya Toure, which is no mean feat.
    Time to scout some pace and power to replace him and SG. I'm not advocating getting rid overnight, but it's something BR needs to address if we are to grow as a team. Pity Sakho isn't a bit more mobile - he could make a powerhouse CM. Just a thought.

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  117. Even after 2 assists?

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  118. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:57 pm, September 29, 2013

    He does a great job every week. He just isn't 'marketable' like some of the others.

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  119. hendo has been the unsung hero for our current leauge position guy is an engine

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  120. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:58 pm, September 29, 2013

    I'm just being hyper-critical, I know.

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  121. sako reminds me of bambi on ice at times....hendo should come in for lucas and kelly go in at right wing back but i have a feeling he is going to play sterling at right wing back

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  122. AndWithSuchSimplicity6:59 pm, September 29, 2013

    Not if we save them and re-post it all tomorrow. In order.

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  123. AndWithSuchSimplicity7:00 pm, September 29, 2013

    They're THERE....... jogging back................

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  124. AndWithSuchSimplicity7:02 pm, September 29, 2013

    Sakho is Traore on steroids.


    Sterling????? God.

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  125. if im honest sturridge suarez and moses all seem to hang on to the ball to much at times for no good reason i know they scored but at times the link up play is non existent

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  126. His goals to games ratio is amazing, so I don't mind a little selfishness!
    Lets hope he keeps it up though :)

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  127. AndWithSuchSimplicity7:03 pm, September 29, 2013

    Fingers crossed.

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  128. AndWithSuchSimplicity7:04 pm, September 29, 2013

    keep taking the tablets.....

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  129. on one of those tablets it should say thou shalt not pass to the opposition

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  130. when alberto plays let me know

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  131. AndWithSuchSimplicity7:09 pm, September 29, 2013

    Though shalt not covet an Arsenal contract.

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  132. hopefully his solution won't be throw another centre-back into the team!

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  133. That's certainly one way of looking at it! Too me, it's refreshing to see a player run with the ball with the confidence to try & beat a player! It's one of many ways to break a team down, something we've lacked for years. May be from McManaman days!

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  134. 3 centre-backs and 2 holding midfielders yet he still had acres of time and space to hit an unimpeded shot from the edge of the box

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  135. totally agree, it seems the link in midfield is totally missing...

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  136. AndWithSuchSimplicity7:13 pm, September 29, 2013

    It's actually quite draining watching us, really. I'm a nervous wreck every week.
    Much rather be mid-table.....................

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  137. My wife has to leave the house. I never sit down. I'm always standing or pacing...but I certainly wouldn't like to be mid-table. I've had quite enough of that thanks.

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  138. We had a decent win but we didn't preform well enough. We were even a bit on the lucky side; The game could have taken a whole different turn today. Mainly midfield but the squad needs to add about 4-6 players at least. There's still a lot of work to be done in order to make Liverpool a trophy competitor team. I would reckon no one should get over his head behind this win and our current place at the table. Last time it didn't do well at all for us.

    Tactical side is still way from fluent either, and we never know what to expect under Rodgers and FSG thus far.
    Notice we didn't have any midfielders on the bench. We won by some brilliance in the hand of couple of players. It might not be enough next game. The team is not dangerous enough, even though second half was starting to look similar to our best performances last season. Critical realism is that complete trust shouldn't be handed to FSG unless consistent improving is delivered weak after weak. ;

    A scrappy and lucky in some views start for to the season who shouldn't be taken for granted.

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  139. jheeze, that was a throwback - underwhelming team performance bailed out by a couple of quality match-winners in attack winning it for us against the run of play.

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  140. AndWithSuchSimplicity7:18 pm, September 29, 2013

    I know. But the last enjoyable game was probably Newcastle. And I still kept convincing myself we'd somehow mess up that one.

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  141. I was thinking the same thing about being up 2-1 today. I only calmed down after the third goal.

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  142. david moyes spent 11 years trying to get everton above Manchester united and this season he has finally done it !!!

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  143. true i was a little worried cause even in his chelsea days he was a ball hog i do get frustrated with him at times however guy has shown he can score from thin air so guess he can do whatever he wants with the ball once he keeps on scoring and dancing

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  144. true borini days are looking numbered

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  145. I didn't get how Ferguson did so well with the squad he had lest season. It's great fun to see United lose - i couldn't stop my self from laughing l watching they're failure against west brom - but i feel a bit bad for Moyes - he's not a bad manager.

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  146. Have to agree with that!

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  147. Yes very true will be interesting to see who plays there.

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  148. Makes you wonder about the rumors of SAF being too close to the referees all those years.

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  149. AndWithSuchSimplicity9:40 pm, September 29, 2013

    They got out of jail a few times last season. You need to be a good manager and a lucky one to be successful. Moyes doesn't appear to be either at the minute.

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  150. AndWithSuchSimplicity9:41 pm, September 29, 2013

    Rumours ??????????!!!!!!!

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  151. It's a long season. I'm very excited to see the team trying different tactics, learning different approaches, and trying to control matches. This is a good thing early in the season.

    The team's attacking power is clearly being throttled back, too, with the midfield pulled back. We're also not putting in unnecessary yards with a high impact pressing game. This will bear fruit in the second half of the season. There's some smart management going on here.

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  152. How is Henderson not as "marketable" as his teammates?? :-/

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  153. Rafa got the best out of him in that role in the pocket so I actually don't understand why he's not there. We're back to expecting him to play box to box and he doesn't seem to have it in him. With Coutinho out it would have made sense so I'm curious to know what Rodgers is thinking.

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  154. AndWithSuchSimplicity9:26 am, September 30, 2013

    There's me thinking we had actually won the war....

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  155. AndWithSuchSimplicity9:30 am, September 30, 2013

    Because he won't sell papers. And he won't sell the 'brand'. In short, he is a bit boring so nobody really notices him.
    He just quietly goes about doing his job.

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  156. I have said this a few times now but I think this formation accommodates for Mignolet more than it being about accommodating new players. Having more options to pass to will help Mignolet as his distribution can be a problem for us when teams press high up the pitch.

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