** Scroll to the bottom of the post for confirmed line-up. After yesterday's games, Liverpool are languishing in sixth place in the Premier League, two points behind Everton in 4th place. The club's double-defeat at the hands of Chelsea and Man City over Christmas has really set the club back, which means today's clash with Stoke is possibly the most important game of the season so far.
Man United are only two points behind the Reds right now, and a draw/defeat today could conceivably lead to United overtaking Liverpool in the table in the very near future, and that cannot be allowed to happen!
It's also galling that Spurs are ahead of Liverpool in the table. This is a team that got hammered 6-0 and 5-0 by Man City and LFC respectively, and now they're ahead in the league.
Liverpool's injuries issues remain acute, but if the squad is thin, it's Brendan Rodgers' fault for spending millions on dud players, and managing his squad ineffectively (i.e. sending players like Suso on loan).
On the plus side, Daniel Sturridge should be back on the bench for the game, and Steven Gerrard will almost certainly start the game (though whether that's a positive given recent form is open to debate). Two key questions for Rodgers to consider:
* Does Iago Aspas keep his place after scoring against Oldham?
* Should Daniel Sturridge start the game?
Aspas
I'm a great believe in keeping goalscorers in the team for the next game (for momentum/confidence purposes), and after a four month drought, Aspas is finally on the scoresheet.
Where is the man-management benefit in then dropping him for the next game? This won't matter to Rodgers, though. Aspas will almost certainly be dumped on the bench; a fine reward for his man-of-the-match performance (as voted by the fans on LFC.com).
Having said that, in this instance, it will be an understandable decision. Stoke City are one of the most physical teams in the Premier League, and Aspas is not really physically suited to such a game (which begs the question why spend £8m on him in the first place, but that's a different article!)
Sturridge
Should definitely NOT start the game (IMO). He is massively injury prone, and should be allowed the requisite time to heal from his latest injury. Rushing him back will just cause problems, and if it was down to me, Sturridge would be on the sidelines getting fitter and stronger until February at least. though.
I expect Rodgers to go with the following team:
--------------- Mignolet
Johnson --- Skrtel --- Toure ---- Cissokho
----------------- Lucas
-------- Gerrard ------- Hendo
--- Sterling -------------- Coutinho
---------------- Suarez
Liverpool legend Dietmar Hamann is nervous about today's game, and warns that 'the team have to be prepared or they could be one or two down in the first half hour'. He told 5-Times:
"Their home form is really good and they’ve only lost one there in 9 or 10 games and they are very hard to break down. If we have ambitions of a top four finish we have to go there and win".
I doubt there's a realistic possibility of LFC being 2-nil down after 30 minutes, but you never know. If Stoke pepper the box with high balls, then given the Reds' vulnerability in that area, there could be problems.
Mark Lawrenson is similarly apprehensive, and predicting a 1-1 draw, he told the BBC:
"Historically, Stoke's Britannia Stadium is not a happy hunting ground for Liverpool. They have not won in five visits in the Premier League since the Potters were promoted to the top flight in 2008, and have lost their last three league trips"
I have to admit, I'm not optimistic about this game. It's a potential banana-skin, and Stoke's defenders will try and bully Suarez out of the game. Huth and Shawcross are hulking defenders who know how to 'use' their strength, and with comparative lightweights like Sterling and Coutinho in the team, it's a bit of a physical mis-match.
And who can forget this disgraceful stamp by Huth on Suarez last season?
Rocky and Rambo star Sylvester Stallone is confident of an LFC victory though. He told the BBC:
"Liverpool have really cool uniforms and it is tough to lose when you are wearing red. Liverpool all the way".
:-)
My prediction: 1-1
CONFIRMED TEAM: Mignolet, Johnson, Cissokho, Skrtel, Toure, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, Coutinho,
SUBS: Ward, Kelly, Ibe, Aspas, Moses, Sturridge, Alberto.
* Nice to see Jordon Ibe on the bench, but doubt he'll get on the pitch.
Author: Jaimie K
Man United are only two points behind the Reds right now, and a draw/defeat today could conceivably lead to United overtaking Liverpool in the table in the very near future, and that cannot be allowed to happen!
It's also galling that Spurs are ahead of Liverpool in the table. This is a team that got hammered 6-0 and 5-0 by Man City and LFC respectively, and now they're ahead in the league.
Liverpool's injuries issues remain acute, but if the squad is thin, it's Brendan Rodgers' fault for spending millions on dud players, and managing his squad ineffectively (i.e. sending players like Suso on loan).
On the plus side, Daniel Sturridge should be back on the bench for the game, and Steven Gerrard will almost certainly start the game (though whether that's a positive given recent form is open to debate). Two key questions for Rodgers to consider:
* Does Iago Aspas keep his place after scoring against Oldham?
* Should Daniel Sturridge start the game?
Aspas
I'm a great believe in keeping goalscorers in the team for the next game (for momentum/confidence purposes), and after a four month drought, Aspas is finally on the scoresheet.
Where is the man-management benefit in then dropping him for the next game? This won't matter to Rodgers, though. Aspas will almost certainly be dumped on the bench; a fine reward for his man-of-the-match performance (as voted by the fans on LFC.com).
Having said that, in this instance, it will be an understandable decision. Stoke City are one of the most physical teams in the Premier League, and Aspas is not really physically suited to such a game (which begs the question why spend £8m on him in the first place, but that's a different article!)
Sturridge
Should definitely NOT start the game (IMO). He is massively injury prone, and should be allowed the requisite time to heal from his latest injury. Rushing him back will just cause problems, and if it was down to me, Sturridge would be on the sidelines getting fitter and stronger until February at least. though.
I expect Rodgers to go with the following team:
--------------- Mignolet
Johnson --- Skrtel --- Toure ---- Cissokho
----------------- Lucas
-------- Gerrard ------- Hendo
--- Sterling -------------- Coutinho
---------------- Suarez
Liverpool legend Dietmar Hamann is nervous about today's game, and warns that 'the team have to be prepared or they could be one or two down in the first half hour'. He told 5-Times:
"Their home form is really good and they’ve only lost one there in 9 or 10 games and they are very hard to break down. If we have ambitions of a top four finish we have to go there and win".
I doubt there's a realistic possibility of LFC being 2-nil down after 30 minutes, but you never know. If Stoke pepper the box with high balls, then given the Reds' vulnerability in that area, there could be problems.
Mark Lawrenson is similarly apprehensive, and predicting a 1-1 draw, he told the BBC:
"Historically, Stoke's Britannia Stadium is not a happy hunting ground for Liverpool. They have not won in five visits in the Premier League since the Potters were promoted to the top flight in 2008, and have lost their last three league trips"
I have to admit, I'm not optimistic about this game. It's a potential banana-skin, and Stoke's defenders will try and bully Suarez out of the game. Huth and Shawcross are hulking defenders who know how to 'use' their strength, and with comparative lightweights like Sterling and Coutinho in the team, it's a bit of a physical mis-match.
And who can forget this disgraceful stamp by Huth on Suarez last season?
Rocky and Rambo star Sylvester Stallone is confident of an LFC victory though. He told the BBC:
"Liverpool have really cool uniforms and it is tough to lose when you are wearing red. Liverpool all the way".
:-)
My prediction: 1-1
CONFIRMED TEAM: Mignolet, Johnson, Cissokho, Skrtel, Toure, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, Coutinho,
SUBS: Ward, Kelly, Ibe, Aspas, Moses, Sturridge, Alberto.
* Nice to see Jordon Ibe on the bench, but doubt he'll get on the pitch.
Author: Jaimie K
Suso asked to go on loan? Do not know how that can be classified as managing the squad ineffectively?
ReplyDeleteSuso did not 'ask' to go out on loan. He did not unilaterally go to Rodgers and say 'send me on loan'.
ReplyDelete* Almeria approached LFC about taking him on loan.
* Suso was informed of the request.
* Once learning of the request, he agreed to go.
In his own words:
"There was a possibility to come here and play one year on loan. Liverpool wanted me to stay; they didn't say I had to go on loan. There was a chance to come here and I was happy, the club were as well. They said it is a good chance to show I can play football at a professional level".
How do you think the 'possibility' to go out on loan arises? Out of thin air?! Either Almeria or LFC created the loan possibility, and when faced with the offer, Suso agree.
Rodgers didn't need to send him out on loan. he could've denied it, or not sought it in the first place. Instead, he spends €7m on Alberto who spends the entire season on the bench.
Poor management of the squad.
"There was a possibility to come here and play one year on loan from Liverpool," Suso explains in the latest episode of #LFCWORLD.
ReplyDelete"It was a good chance for me to show everyone that I could be a good player and an important player for Liverpool. I was really happy to come back here, I had never played in the First Division in Spain - I wanted to try.
"Liverpool wanted me to stay; they didn't say I had to go on loan. But I know there are a lot of good players at Liverpool, maybe I wasn't going to start games. I am young - the most important thing right now is that I have to play.
"There was a chance to come here and I was happy, the club were as well. They said it is a good chance to show I can play football at a professional level.
"For young players, the option of going on loan somewhere is a good thing for everyone. You have to learn, you have to improve and you have to play football.
I am hoping for a 3-1 job for LFC. Just hope LFC goes rutless someone with sneaky attacks on the giants.Moses might come "to part" their defense literally if worst case scenario comes true.
ReplyDeleteWhat I posted is from our official website.
ReplyDeleteHe clearly states that LFC never wanted him to go on loan?
http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/150396-suso-i-asked-for-loan-switch
ReplyDeletei posted the link but it has gone for moderation.
ReplyDeleteAnd your point? As I stated above, how do you think the possibility of the loan came about? It doesn't just materialise out of thin air. Clubs make enquiries, and the decision is then down to the manager.
ReplyDeleteIn this case, Rodgers let him go, and weakened the squad in the process. He then wasted 7m on a player who has not improved squad strength, so the club is effectively one player down, and a player for that matter who had already settled into the Premier League.
Why don't you engage in proper debate instead of posting endless questions? That is not debate; that is avoidance.
ReplyDeleteWhether LFC wanted him to go on loan or not is irrelevant. The decision ultimately rests with the manager, and Rodgers could've said no. He didn't, he let him go.
oh this games worries me we need an early goal to settle otherwise if they score first then the bus will be parked once more,,,thankfully we have sturridge back
ReplyDeleteIt was not actually a question, I was just pointing out that Suso said the club did not want Suso to go on loan.
ReplyDeleteHe even said that he may not have got games so surely it was his decision as he wanted regular first team football.
How do you know Suso would have made an impact this season? The EPL is not La Liga and going on Suso's last season perfromance he would of been on the bench anyway.
ReplyDeleteTo me it sounds like you are saying would have improved our situation?
IMO he would have been a better option coming of the bench than what we have now
ReplyDeleteThere is no proof of that.
ReplyDeletejust my opinion
ReplyDeleteOf course but still no proof.
ReplyDeleteIt's about squad strength. It makes absolutely zero sense to allow Suso to go on loan then spend €7m on a similar player who then spends 99% of his time on the bench. That does not enhance the squad; it weakens it.
ReplyDeleteSuso played quite a few games last season, so he's already used to the Premier League. This year, he's older, and more experienced, yet it suits you to say suggest he wouldn't make an impact.
Raheem Sterling defeats that argument. Both are a similar age; both have had the same career trajectory at LFC; both played a lot last season, then were left on the sidelines for the latter part of the year. Sterling has improved and is making a difference; it is not unreasonable to suggest that Suso could've done the same.
And you have no proof, or persuasive evidence, to suggest that Suso wouldn't be any good to LFC this season. As cited above, Sterling is a good comparison, and look at him now.
ReplyDeletehe has a lot of skill and flair and I remember when he played for us he set up a lot of chances by beating players out wide and delivering some great balls
ReplyDeleteNo, it is not his decision. Suso has his view, but Rodgers makes the final decision. He takes into account the player's view, needs of the club etc and makes a choice.
ReplyDeleteHe chose wrong.
I asked you whether he would have made an impact.
ReplyDeleteI merely stated that he would of been on the bench and the fact that he wanted first team football suggests that there were other players ahead of him in the pecking order otherwise Rodgersb would have offered him a regular spot?
I'm not discussing this issue with you any further. Your constant straw-man arguments and needless questions are a waste of time.
ReplyDeletei have argued the evidence made available via Suso's own words.
ReplyDeleteStraw-man arguments? More like facts.
I did not say I have proof but going on last season he would have been on the bench like i have previously stated.
ReplyDeleteAfter slipping a couple of places in the league table, should be motivation enough for guys to go out and fight for the 3pts. We got players returning from injury and hopefully we won't be wasteful when chances are created. Be professional - Be efficient.
ReplyDeletesterling was a bench player after some bad displays but look at him now whats to say suso would not have grabbed his chance also
ReplyDeleteGoing on last season, Sterling would've been on the bench too (Sterling 18 apps last season. Suso: 14), so that reasoning clearly has no merit.
ReplyDeleteSuso said that the club did not send him on loan. He asked to go on loan meaning he could have stayed and would have been called upon when needed.
ReplyDeleteSuso also stated that he needs to play football...
"For young players, the option of going on loan somewhere is a good thing for everyone. You have to learn, you have to improve and you have to play football."
Precisely. In the absence of 'proof', you look at persuasive evidence, and sterling's rise is the most persuasive indicator that Suso could've/would've figures prominently this season (especially with the injuries/poor form of Moses etc)
ReplyDeleteAgain, you are entirely missing the point. Suso can have whatever opinion he wants, but it is the MANAGER who makes the final decision. Rodgers looked at the situation, and decided to send him on loan. That decision is not Suso's. Why do you persistently ignore that? Simple: it suits your argument to do so.
ReplyDeleteCoutinho was injured recently and Sturridge has been out for a while. Sterling has taken his chances with both hands.
ReplyDeleteIf suso had decided not to go on loan then maybe he would have had the opportunity to do the same as Sterling.
"Liverpool wanted me to stay; they didn't say I had to go on loan. But I know there are a lot of good players at Liverpool, maybe I wasn't going to start games. I am young - the most important thing right now is that I have to play.
ReplyDelete"There was a chance to come here and I was happy, the club were as well. They said it is a good chance to show I can play football at a professional level.
I am not missing anything.
Suso did not 'decide' to go out on loan. Rodgers made the decision to send him on loan. It is LFC's decision; not Suso's, but please, by all means keep pushing the myth that Suso has total control over his future, and he decides if/when he leaves the club.
ReplyDeleteAny reasonably logical person reading this exchange will conclude that you are totally missing the point, and trying to shoehorn in a barely credible argument about Suso's alleged self-determination.
ReplyDeleteSo there is no such thing as players putting in a transfer request to leave either?
ReplyDeleteAnd what exactly does that have to do with Suso? Absolutely nothing, as he did not put in a transfer request.
ReplyDeleteit may be his desire to go out on loan however its not his decision that's why we have a manager...its BRs call not susos
ReplyDeleteThen Suso is telling lies and the LFC did not want him here.
ReplyDeleteBut had the opportunity to go on loan as he stated and took that opportunity despite telling us that the club did not ask him to go on loan.
ReplyDeleteSuso does have a agent doesn't he?
ReplyDeleteBut obviously there was a discussion between Rodgers and Suso that went like this
ReplyDeleteSuso: I need to play
Rodgers: You will have to wait for yiour chance like all the other youngsters.
Suso: I might have to go on loan to get regualr football then
Rodgers: Well i cannot offer you regular football but there is a place for you on the bench which will lead to opportunities
Suso: My agent got a call and there is an opportunity for me to go play regular football in Spain
Rodgers; Well the decision is yours. Let your agent come see us. You can stay though and wait for your chance but if you feel you need regular football then i will not block your loan move.
That's a very strong proposed starting line up. I'm not sure why we're worrying about squad depth. Aspas, Sturridge and Moses will all be on the bench today, itching to make an impact. Liverpool have no excuses and they haven't offered any. Should be a 3-1 win. not really sure what this whole article is about, seems a bit of a hodge-podge of whinging about things that are actually not a problem.
ReplyDeletesomehow I dnt think it went that way..BR is the manager its his decision not suso or his agent
ReplyDeleteSo then Suso is lying about everything he said on our official website.
ReplyDeleteim not saying that all im saying is that suso has a boss and the final call comes down to him..if BR thought that suso would help lfc with squad depth do u think he would have let him go?....just look at the suarez situation!
ReplyDeleteAll forget when playing and you off balance u cant predict where your feet are going to land..it was an accident,,,f in media hypers
ReplyDeleteNow you want to compare the Suarez situation with that of Suarez.
ReplyDeleteThis is where i step away...
Brendan signed Alberto to replace Shelvey, not Suso. Sending an 18 year old full of potential on loan to get some game time and top level experience is not 'poor management of the squad'. It is actually wise.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I gather, you are suggesting that the final call from Rodgers was to throw the decision Suso's way. I think he offered the same option to Shelvey; stay or go. You have a fair argument.
ReplyDeleteHowever JK has put it right, complete waste of transfer funds to allow Suso to leave and bring someone in to sit on Suso's seat on the bench. Especially because Alberto has not had much game time at all, it makes the situation worse.
I disagree. Suso would have gotten little time on the pitch this season, probably no more than Alberto. His loan move has proven to be excellent in giving him a chance to develop, he's loving the regular playing time. It's clearly developing him as a player in a way that couldn't have happened at Liverpool. A very good move for him and he says so himself. He'll come back to us a better player, surely a win-win move. Taking in Alberto is also a good move for him, his alternative seemed to be another season at Barca or Sevilla B teams. He's getting to train with the Liverpool first team and has seen some limited minutes. That's part of his education. The only problem is that you assume he should be starting games or making an impact. Why is it not OK to bring in a young player and allow him time to develop and come to terms with what the manager requires of him? Why does he have to be an instant success?
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is that at the beginning of this season neither Suso nor Alberto would be considered good enough to push for solid minutes, especially had we gotten one of our big summer targets. I don't see how you could really argue otherwise. Both players are now getting a chance to grow and develop, so I don't get why you think it's a problem that they be afforded that time.
my point is if BR dnt want a player to leave then he stays ok
ReplyDeleteBUT
ReplyDeleteSuso said he needed to PLAY FOOTBALL!
What does anybody not understand about that?
No, you are comparing suso's situation with one of the best players in the world at the moment i.e. Suarez which is not comparable in any shape or form.
ReplyDeleteYeah okay, so he went ahead with the move.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Rodgers should not have allowed the deal to go through because as a result he purchased a squad replacement for Suso, a similar type of player he has not presented any chances to. 7M which could of been spent on other priority targets. If he approved of the loan move Rodgers should of brought in an experienced player who would actually make a difference to the team.
Instead, we have a player who has made no impact whatsoever. For months, you have failed to comprehend this fact.
Where have I failed to comprehend any fact?
ReplyDeleteAnd who the hell would you have purchased with experience in the same mould of a player like Alberto with 7 million pounds?
Forgetting that we were chasing the likes of Mkhitaryan, Costa and Willian without any success.
Moot?
"Suso would have gotten little time on the pitch this season, probably no more than Alberto"
ReplyDeleteThere's no persuasive evidence to support this point. There is. however, persuasive empirical evidence from this season to suggest that Suso would've got a lot of chances:
* Raheem Sterling: basically treated the same as Suso last season (apps etc), yet is a regular now.
* Coutinho's injury earlier this season: ample chance for Suso to come in and replace him, which he probably would've (Suso has experience of the Prem and English football; Alberto doesn't)
* Countless injuries this season, presenting Suso with opportunities.
And the list goes on. The key issue here is (IMO) that Suso is comparatively experienced in the Prem, and - like Sterling - Rodgers would've been more inclined to trust him on the field (as he did last season)
Please post Rodgers' quote where he said Alberto is to replace Shelvey.
ReplyDeleteHow does that make sense? Shelvey is a central midfielder; Alberto is an attacking midfielder, who is far more similar to Suso than Shelvey. Plus, Rodgers has used Alberto in the same positions as Suso, which suggests he's replaced Suso rather than Shelvey.
If Suso remains at the club there is no need to consider a replacement.
ReplyDeleteSuso has more PL experience than Alberto, Fact.
Suso has more top flight experience than Alberto, Fact.
Alberto was not required.
But Suso wanted to go on loan so it does not really matter who Rodgers signed and did not sign.
ReplyDeleteStoke are without Assaidi and Begovic - two of their goal threats, Huth is also a doubt, which is good news. Even if it's a cold, wet, and windy day, still can't see anything but a Liverpool win. 3-1.
ReplyDeleteAspas should start, not only for his goal last game, but he played well against stoke in the reverse fixture, 5 key passes, 1 assist, and probably should have had a goal.
I hope to see nice finishing, and good decision making, really hope we don't see the assualts on Suarez that have been the norm as of late.
So nervous!!!! HAVE TO GET A RESULT!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but your endless negativity towards Brendan Rodgers is unjust. It started with your Luis Alberto comment against Oldham, I agree he had a decent first half, but we hadn't made the breakthrough and more experience and guaranteed creativity was needed, Coutinho and Lucas came on and we won the game.
ReplyDeleteNow you're having a go at him for (most likely) dropping Aspas despite him scoring against the might of Oldham. His overall performance hasn't been good enough so why stick with him in such a physical game. He isn't as clever as finding space like Sterling and Coutinho. And since when were we 'languishing'? The league is tight this season and we are playing some of the best football the club has seen since the 08/09 season and we still have a chance of top 4 and unrealistically a title challenge.
It annoys me that someone, who is clearly followed by a lot of people, breeds this negative attitude rather than approaching it with cautious optimism. We have a team capable of challenging anyone now and very nearly a squad to push for consistent top 4 finishes, lighten up!
Same applies to Assaidi too.
ReplyDeleteLiverpool apparently have a thin squad?, yet Suso, Assaidi and Borini are all doing better now they are getting games.......................amazing what games do for a players confidence, someone tell that to BR!!!.
ReplyDeleteHave you watched Suso at Almeria, Jaimie? I've got to say, I don't think either the type or the level of performance he's produced for them would be up to spec for Liverpool in the premier league. He's done pretty well but he does have weaknesses. He is a patchy influence in games, he can lose concentration, make sloppy passes, and fade away when things get tough. Only consistent experience, in an environment in which not too much is expected of him, will help him to improve. We can't afford to give players, especially playmakers, that kind of experience: we need a more direct threat from out wide in order to be consistently competitive in games, and we need to send out a side to win every single game. You might be able to bring an Ibe or Sterling (or Sturridge or Coutinho) straight into that environment, but not a Suso, Teixeira, or Alberto.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a good thing for LFC to keep players coming and going from the club as they develop, and learn to give them a shot at establishing themselves in the squad. I don't see how it adds up to mismanagement. It just seems like... management. Which is something we've been lacking for years.
The game I hate most. Also not confident much. Do you know what we have to do? Nothing but a repeat performance at spurs. Im afraid those two defeats we conceded will be decisive for that top 4, by them we could miss out, mark that!
ReplyDeleteSo who would you have dropped to accommodate these players? On the basis of some indifferent form, maybe you'd bring in the untried Assaidi for Coutinho, would you? Or Suso for Henderson, or Allen, who are much more flexible and experienced players? Honestly, I'm not trying to be insulting, just asking what games you would have played these guys in, how you would have gone about building their confidence? Sending them on for 20 minutes from the subs bench? When we're what, 2-1 up, with the game on a knife-edge? You'd take that kind of chance?
ReplyDeleteRead it again in the context it refers too, thin squad!!!
ReplyDeleteIf we are tied or down at the half, expect Sturridge to enter the game. This is a must win...absolutely must win. If we play our normal away match conservative, pass it back to SM, lose the mid-field, never fight for 50-50, crappy passing, ball non-control game...we'll lose. We can't afford it.
ReplyDeleteOf course we could always be robbed of points by the absolutely atrocious reffing that cost us the Man City match...and has cost Newcastle a goal already today.
The EPL should lead the world in putting in some kind of replay review for goals. The linesman totally got it wrong on Tiote's superb strike...totally wrong. Yes, Newcastle players were in an offside position but nobody touched the ball and nobody in an offside position obstructed Hart's view of the ball. For the linesman to 'claim' that he believed it deflected off of a Newcastle players back could easily have been refuted by video review and it wouldn't have taken any more time than the ref consulting with the linesman.
Well...that's football...it happens...is a total cop-out when getting the call correct is so easy to do with video review. It takes nothing away from the game to review controversial goals because the game is stopped anyway. The NFL, Australian rugby, the NBA, the NHL, MLB have all placed a premium on getting the calls right because to not do so penalizes the team who puts forth the effort to get the points or penalizes the defending team for making the critical stop. Fouls, throw-ins and any other judgement call in the flow of the game would not be reviewable except for offsides flags...not whistles, because by then it's too late...that directly lead to goals. This is easy to do and certainly doesn't impact the flow of the game. More importantly it gets the calls CORRECT.
I guess you forgot Suarez on the starting line-up, but that's a given.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else think Kelly might be a better option than Johnson for this game???
well sly liverpool are the away team and will not be wearing red i guess.. while stoke will wear red. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to Micah Richards? 2 years ago he was the best young fullback in England. Why doesn't BR have a shot at buying him. Man C don't seem to have any use for him. I always thought he looked like becoming a great player.
ReplyDeleteCity seem to be very "lucky", calls going their way have been happening in the big games, Arsenal, Liverpool, now NC. Chelsea too, don't know if it's a coincidence, bias or what, but agree, a small amount of video review - not american style, but while play is stopped, it could definitely help the game - too many calls affecting game - goal line technology is nice, but hardly the biggest influencer in terms of bad calls.
ReplyDeleteBy American style, I'm guessing you mean the NFL review. Other American sports have it under control better, but you're right the NFL does too much of it. But it hardly matters since the NFL is nothing but start-stop the whole way through anyway. Did you know that if you only count the time the ball is in play during an NFL game the game lasts only about 11 minutes?
ReplyDeleteBad, bad injuries.
ReplyDeleteHockey too, it's not stop-start like NFL (or shouldn't be), but there are frequent stoppages to review - or just break for commercial, which I think is the big worry. But during stopped play it would be fine in football - like that foul on Suarez at Everton, couldn't someone watch the video in the meantime while he is being tended to on the pitch?
ReplyDeleteKeeping inexperienced players like Suso or Assaidi just for the sake of adding numbers wouldn't add significantly to the depth of quality in the squad. Sending them out on loan, assuming they are able to play and improve, gives us more options next season.
ReplyDeleteShelvey was and has always been an attacking midfielder for us and anyone who has followed Liverpool while he was here would tell you that. He even played center forward last season against West Ham.Btw he still plays behind the striker at Swansea right now.
ReplyDeleteSuso played more often on the right wing then centrally for us.
So yes, Alberto replaced Shelvey, not Suso.
I wouldn't make foul calls reviewable unless the ref personally asked for a review. It would have to be his judgement that he needed the review and nobody else's otherwise you do interrupt the flow of the game which is part of what makes football so enjoyable to watch. If he blows his whistle then the game is stopped anyway so there's no interruption. No managers' challenges though...not necessary.
ReplyDeleteShelvey is a wooly-footed clod. Truth be told he would be a better CB. He is in no way quick enough mentally or physically to be on anybody's attacking force...ever. He would be okay on set-pieces. He doesn't create anything. He gets the odd lucky chance when a ball falls to him and he makes 25 consecutive compensating errors and sends the ball goalward. Please don't spend any more time singing the praises of his 'attacking' qualities.
ReplyDeletegoood to see Sturridge on the bench, but really hope we dont need to use him. even 10mins against stoke is a big risk
ReplyDeleteExactly the start we needed :-)
ReplyDeleteGerrrad is doing a very good job covering for our defence.
ReplyDeletenice to see lucas playing a little bit more offensively in a cm position with gerrard droping deep to support the defence :)
ReplyDelete