4 Aug 2014

Possible LFC XI vs. Man Utd: £20m star out; radical replacement for Sturridge?

Liverpool face Manchester United in the ICC final tonight, and given the fierce rivalry between two clubs, it should be a serious, competitive game, which is great news for both sets of fans. Will Brendan Rodgers play it safe, though, and 'rest' the many of the club's first-choice players?

With all the injuries sustained already (including new £20m signing Lazar Markovic), it will come as no surprise to see Rodgers leave the likes of Gerrard, Skrtel, Sterling et al on the bench, especially since (in theory) players are more likely to pick up injuries in a more physical, competitive game.

Injuries are an occupational hazard, though. If a player gets injured then so be it; the club just has to deal with it. Continually keeping players on the bench just to avoid injury defeats the object of football. It's a little more understandable in pre-season, but then over-protecting players means they have less time to build up match-fitness/sharpness.

As such, I hope to see the following team tonight.

--------------- Reina

Flanagan -- Skrtel -- Sakho ---- Enrique

-------------- Gerrard

-------- Hendo ------- Allen

------ Suso ---------- Coutinho

------------- Sterling

* I'm not Sakho's biggest fan, but if he's in Rodgers' plans, then he needs games to get up to speed.

* Allen scored in the last game, so he (IMO) deserves to start this game. Build on the confidence that will have given him, and maybe he'll take that into the new season.

* Ditto Suso. Two goals in pre-season now, so reward him by giving him a start in the final. Rodgers can always make changes in the second half.

* Why not try Sterling as a striker? Lambert is an option, but Sterling has the attributes to be successful in that role, so it will be interesting to see if it works. With Sturridge out, it's the perfect opportunity to try out this option, and the club has nothing to lose by testing it out.

As for Sturridge - why is he so injury prone?! It's massively frustrating, and the medical team really needs to earn its money this season by coming up with a fitness/training plan that minimises the possibility of regular injury. Ahead of the game, he tweeted:

"Can't wait to watch the boys tonight. Gutted not to play LFC vs Mufc is always a great game. Never a friendly"

Sturridge is right - LFC vs. Man United is never a friendly, and inflicting a pre-season psychological blow on Rooney et al could prove to be invaluable.

Author:


48 comments:

  1. What time is the match (GB time)? And I hope we spank LvG and the mancs.
    Prediction: 3-1 Liverpool

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  2. Agree with Sterling as the striker and PC/Suso as the set-up men. Agree with Reina...don't want Mig hurt.

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  3. Sterling should play out wide while Suso should play as a false 9 in the centre
    If United line as a 3-5-2 then we will need lots and lots of width

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  4. Like the idea of giving Sterling a go up to since we know what Lambert can do and he's played quite a bit already. Other than that I'd swap Reina for Mignolet and Allen for Can. I know Allen scored against Milan but we are only kidding ourselves if we think one goal in a friendly is suddenly going to give him enough of a boost to suddenly turn it on. Just don't think he's up to it if I'm honest and for me I would like to see leave next summer.

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  5. 1am GMT. Online free, vipboxeu dot co

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  6. earn its, not it's. Genitive (possessive) case for "it" never has an apostrophe.


    Great site.

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  7. Yes its a great site its

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  8. I read earlier that Flanagan has gone back to Melwood with the other injured guys, that's surely why we haven't seen him lately.
    I think Lambert needs confidence right now and, I wouldn't drop him to the bench.

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  9. This aint no pre-season friendly, it's a final ! Come on Red Men

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  10. The voice of reason.11:55 pm, August 04, 2014

    I think Rodgers needs to bring in another striker, we can`t depend on makeshift strikers this coming season imo, it seems that Rodgers is scared to make a big call on a big named striker, otherwise why hasn`t he tried to replace Suarez, with somebody who has a reputation in world football? i`m not at ease with Sturridge who is prone to injury and Lambert, who just looks well off the pace imo, so if we don`t bring somebody who can slot into this cf position i honestly think we will struggle this season in all our competitions ie Champions league, FA cup and more importantly to me the BPL. We still have time before the transfer window closes and hopefully this major problem will be resolved, i no people might not agree with me but mark my words, with no Champions league football the season after will be a much harder bitter pill to swallow, with no chance of signing anybody with the title of world class after their name.

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  11. I agree, but I also don't think Sterling is a make-shift striker. I think he can be every bit as good as Sturridge over time and confidence.

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  12. Pronoun, The possessive form of it, used as an attributive adjective.
    "That car has lost its shine".

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  13. Sterling has endless potential, if he performs as well, or better this season, there could be a case to build the team around him.

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  14. You have to give JK some credit, he got the style of the team pretty much dead on. Good to see Kelly get a chance again and I'm not surprised to see Johnson. Lambert is being played as much as possible which I think is a reflection of how he'll be used during the season. He's probably the reason Suso hasn't gotten the start but I'm sure we'll see plenty of changes and everyone on the bench should get a look-in.


    The thing to note about this starting team is how it's full of existing players and yet it's still unquestionably strong. I see Rodgers approaching the first couple of games just like this - use existing squad members and only one or two new players at most. The new boys will integrate over a few weeks and by mid-season we'll have everyone up to speed and hopefully no fatigue or major injuries to contend with.

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  15. I'm totally with you guys on this, Sterling is a really exciting prospect, but I do think we need another striker. We went for Remy so I don't see how we could lose out on that deal and now try for someone else. It's less about replacing Suarez and more about simply having enough players for the position. Maybe Borini will stick around but he'll need to lift his game to another level to be good enough for what Liverpool need.


    I'm predicting a late-window move for someone unexpected.

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  16. You're right, Flanno went home so the guys on the pitch today are pretty much our first choice. Enrique is obviously still a long term risk for injury and I think his knee problems are never going to go away.

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  17. We definitely need another striker. Just from watching the game today, Lambert lacks pace that Sterling has and skill that Coutinho has. I hope this is just a case of pre season jitters. I like the look of Lavezzi, quality player and with CL experience. Wages might be an issue but we have to take a gamble some time or another. With PSG close to signing Di Maria, Lavezzi could be a realistic chance as well.

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  18. Johnson is really ticking me off. He constantly makes wrong decisions. He gives the ball away so easily it's s wonder BR even suits him up. I can't believe he doesn't care so it has to be his LOFT...his lack of f***in talent.

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  19. Lacks pace is bring generous. Nobody even looks for because they know he won't be there. Give a kid achance

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  20. Kristoff Peterson could be worth a go. Pity we let Adam Morgan go, he could have been a handy player for us.

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  21. TBH if Morgan was up to it he would still be here. There must be a reason he plays for Yeovil Town now...

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  22. I will say the high press has ManU on their heels. It looks good and we just need a finisher in the game.

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  23. Did you when Fletcher tried to do that back heel but miserably failed? People who think that Utd are going to come back to the top because of a good manager are deluded. Their defense makes ours look like the West German defense from the heydays.

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  24. He doesn't need confidence. He's 32. He needs to get off his dead a$$ and run.

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  25. What's odd is that Borini is great at making runs behind defenders but he's supposedly not good enough for us. Maybe if he didn't get hurt he'd be playing some of these games.

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  26. Yeah they look out of sorts.

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  27. I'm starting to think the impression of disinterest that emerges from him can't only be an impression. The man does really seem to not care at all. I don't know what's happened to him since last season.

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  28. Even if they sign Vidal,Reus,Messi and Ronaldo, they are going to struggle if they have Smalling,Jones and Evans as their defense.

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  29. Not to mention how the dutch tightened up and simply stopped scoring in their last two matches. I think that's a sign of how United will play this year. LVG loves to see his team try and control games and in the world cup it was kind of OK because the space teams were given at the back. He just won't get that in the PL and he certainly won't get it against Liverpool. They'll be a team with lots of possession but potentially lacking final product.

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  30. I am a Dutch fan and yeah, International football does not have a dime on PL football. Van Gaal saying they do not need signings(!). I also think Luke Shaw is overrated and would take Moreno over him anyday.

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  31. Even Samed Yesil. Pity that he had those injuries. We also have Jerome Sinclair. Our academy is one of the best, if not the best in the league.

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  32. Poor defending again and easily rattled.

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  33. I know it is pre-season but Lambert is not lookin ggood at all. Allen is missing and Gerrard's legs are gone

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  34. 3 subs and GJ is still out there...unbelievable.

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  35. Seems like very little has changed on that front. Rodgers must be itching to get Lovren in the side. For me it seems like Skrtel is the one who is most easily knocked off his game and confused over what needs to be done. When he's sure of his position he's fine but when the team isn't well structured around him he doesn't seem to know what to do.

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  36. I think you should do some live text commentary for Liverpool games this season. It'd be brilliant.

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  37. It is good that Gerrard, Allen and Lambert have been replaced. I am still not impressed with Kelly and Johnson.

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  38. Yep I agree. I think we miss Lovren. Skrtel is not impressing at all. Sakho is playing better than Skrtel.

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  39. Another disgraceful defending. Nobody guarding 3 Man Utd players in the penalty box

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  40. GO shouldn't even get on the plane home. Just leave him in America. Maybe he can Beckham's nee club.

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  41. Your prediction was in reverse

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  42. Hold up there fella. I take it you haven't read my other views on Reina. I have said that exact thing numerous times. He had the stats of a mid table keeper and I mentioned in that post about him making mistakes and getting beat at near post. But having said that Reina when he was at his best was better than anything I have seen from Mings. But like you say that best was quite a while ago.

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  43. I am just reading between the lines but it seems to me like Reina wants to go for a free and get some kind of compo for doing it. Be it Liverpool supplementing his wages or a lump sum pay off. You can see why FSG wanted to change the strategy of contracts can't you? Also why that may be affecting us getting close to signing any worldies. Agents doing the rounds for these players will be telling us the minimum those players want.

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  44. If he desperately wants out , he can lower his excessive wages as a good will gesture. Whether him and B Rodgers hate one another or not!!! As if he is not brought this summer, he is just going to be playing with the reserves this season!!!!!!

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  45. I've said for a long time now that some of Pepe's greatest strengths are Mignolet's biggest weaknesses, eg. distribution, marshalling the defence, dominating the box; and I think that Mignolet could learn a lot from Pepe if he were to stay. I don't see any negative result for Liverpool FC in Pepe staying for another season, providing he's willing to be a team player.

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  46. Read some of the other posts for a fuller picture of the situation.


    If he sits in the reserves we have to pay him £100K per week. I do agree though there is some scope for movement on all sides but he'd be daft to offer to reduce his wages without negotiation especially as that negotiation would be with Napoli not Liverpool


    If they are not careful everyone loses. We pay his wages, he does not play (at the top level) and Napoli don't get their preferred goalie.

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  47. Stuart i hear you, but some of the contracts some of the players we have had at the club in the last 5 years has been shocking and its no wonder its so hard to get them off the books. ( J Cole, M Rodriguez, Jovanovic, Downing, A Carroll and G Johnson)


    P Reina(31) is a Liverpool player if club want him off books that desperately they will need to eat humble pie and cancel his contract. But as he is still a world class Gk, he has value. So letting him go for free does not makes sense at all

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