After the weekend capitulation against Crystal Palace, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has made several changes to the starting line-up for tonight's must-win Champions League game with Ludogorets.
FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Manquillo, Skrtel, Toure, Johnson, Lucas, Allen, Henderson, Gerrard, Sterling, Lambert.
SUBS: Jones, Lovren, Coutinho, Moreno, Lallana, Borini, Can.
Probable formation:
----------------- Mignolet
Manquillo ---- Toure -- Skrtel ----- Johnson
------------- Lucas --- Allen
------- Hendo --- Gerrard --- Sterling
----------------- Lambert
* Toure's inclusion makes sense, especially after he had such a good game against Real Madrid. Plus, Lovren is not doing enough to justify an automatic starting place right now, so it's an understandable change.
* Lallana is unlucky to miss out; he grabbed a great assist against Crystal Palace, but even that is not enough for a starting place tonight. £26m on a regular bench-warmer? Bravo, Brendan.
* Coutinho's exclusion is predictable. The Brazilian is not having a huge impact on games at the moment, and his status as one of Rodgers' only successful transfers is increasingly on the line.
* This is Moreno's second straight game on the bench, which suggests that he's been dropped, rather than rested, yet...Glen Johnson keeps his place?
So, Rodgers has dropped three summer-signings bought for a combined cost of £58m, and left another £20m buy (Markovic) out of the squad completely. All of which begs the question, why buy them in the first place?
My prediction: 2-2
Author: Jaimie K
FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Manquillo, Skrtel, Toure, Johnson, Lucas, Allen, Henderson, Gerrard, Sterling, Lambert.
SUBS: Jones, Lovren, Coutinho, Moreno, Lallana, Borini, Can.
Probable formation:
----------------- Mignolet
Manquillo ---- Toure -- Skrtel ----- Johnson
------------- Lucas --- Allen
------- Hendo --- Gerrard --- Sterling
----------------- Lambert
* Toure's inclusion makes sense, especially after he had such a good game against Real Madrid. Plus, Lovren is not doing enough to justify an automatic starting place right now, so it's an understandable change.
* Lallana is unlucky to miss out; he grabbed a great assist against Crystal Palace, but even that is not enough for a starting place tonight. £26m on a regular bench-warmer? Bravo, Brendan.
* Coutinho's exclusion is predictable. The Brazilian is not having a huge impact on games at the moment, and his status as one of Rodgers' only successful transfers is increasingly on the line.
* This is Moreno's second straight game on the bench, which suggests that he's been dropped, rather than rested, yet...Glen Johnson keeps his place?
So, Rodgers has dropped three summer-signings bought for a combined cost of £58m, and left another £20m buy (Markovic) out of the squad completely. All of which begs the question, why buy them in the first place?
My prediction: 2-2
Author: Jaimie K
brendans love child jhonson starts again..i think his lethargic approach earned him a place in 11
ReplyDeleteJohnson starting ahead of Moreno is beyond strange. I really can't understand that. Can should be getting a look in also. Anyway time to get behind the team we have put out.
ReplyDeletemig
ReplyDeletemanquillo toure skrtel moreno
lucas
can henderson
lallana
sterling lambert
why cant you field this once brendan why
is there anyone out there (besides the manager and coaching staff) that thinks Johnson deserves another start, why drop Lovren if he's keeping Johnson in, both were as bad as each......cant work it out.
ReplyDeleteBased on current form, I would have preferred to see one of Lallana or Coutinho playing over Sterling. Happy with the inclusion of Lucas (at least he will provide protection for the defence), but hopefully this means Gerrard will play in an advanced attacking role.
ReplyDeleteA win and a decent performance would boost confidence no end. Best of luck, lads.
Someone has to have some explaination for John Glenson's 'key' status in Rodgers' books?
ReplyDeletejohnson at Lb ...i give up
ReplyDeletehe will never drop gerrard
ReplyDeleteUuggghhh Johnson just typing his name brings on waves of nausea
ReplyDeleteSterling looks really down - hate to see him like this
ReplyDeletewhat this team shows is that Rodgers has no trust in his signings or the ability to make the big decisions ,no doubt carra has swayed his judgement so lucas is back in and gerrard ( pirlo 2 ) moves into a number 10 role ahead of lallana,tino and marko even though he was moved backfield because he didnt have the pace for the role hahaha talk about shambles
ReplyDeleteRodgers comments today annoy me more than his lineup.
ReplyDeleteHes suggested he still picks Gerrard because hes first into training at 8.30 and also the effect he has on other players.
I want Rodgers to keep his job but if he keeps playing players for reasons other than their performances its his own fault if he gets sacked.
I feel for Markovic, Moreno and Balotelli to some degree. Scapegoats.
Johnson? Gerard? Pathetic.
ReplyDeletethe man surely knows more about football and running a club more than all of us on here combined but his choices are consistent with some one who is seemingly at the end of his rope...
ReplyDeletei aint watching this match
ReplyDeletecant bear seeing lambert up front with gerrard
just hope we can win
Raaaalphh ( the Johnson effect) this is gonna be a long 90 mins
ReplyDeleteJesus wept
ReplyDeleteOh shiiii!e
ReplyDeletemignolet is so funny
ReplyDeleteGame over already
ReplyDeleteThere you go
ReplyDeleteSack Sack Sack
ReplyDeleteOh so funny...knew he was going to flap it before the player pulled the trigger!
ReplyDeleteKolo and Mig errors, typical.
ReplyDeleteWe are so easy to beat- we will struggle next season in the Championship
ReplyDeleteCant sack the 2 responsible, Kolo/Mig.
ReplyDeleterodgers what are you doing?
ReplyDeletei hope you have some answers
no lovren,lallana,markovic,moreno ,can
And after three minutes we suffer the consequences
ReplyDeleteLammmmmmmmmmbert.
ReplyDeletei hate ricky lambert eventhough he scored
ReplyDeleteOur geriatric saviour
ReplyDelete2 goals 2 games for Lambert, just shows how bad Ballo has been.
ReplyDeletehe is a big fat man
ReplyDeletewe need skinny mobile players bu not aspas skinny
sanchez is awesome
ReplyDeletewish we had him
Ludo will start shooting from 50 yards
ReplyDeletelambert 2 goals in 11 Balotelli 2 goals in 12. yes you are exactly correct *rolls eyes*
ReplyDeleteYeah but I think you'll find it was Lucas who was walked past like a pedestrian. GJ was not at fault for that one, no matter how much he is detested
ReplyDeleteCannot believe Gerrard and Johnson are starting maybe they need to sleep with the managers wife to get dropped!! I've never seen a brown tongue manager like Rodgers
ReplyDeleteBR is divorced :)
ReplyDeletehow many of them were starts ?
ReplyDeleteConsecutively.
ReplyDeleteal of you are happy
ReplyDeletebut i dont care if lambert scores he is not lfc quality
ow can you guys stand him he is overweight
The difference is Ballotelli plays near enough a whole game while Lambert comes on in the last 15 minutes. It normally takes longer for a player to score than 15 minute. So lambert has a better goal/minute average.
ReplyDeleteI was referring to Rodgers weird team selections rather than Johnson specifically
ReplyDeletelistening on 5 live
ReplyDeletecannot watch lfc anymore with lambert and johnson playing
wow lawrsenson hates henderson
but never says anything bad about gerrard
From G.J when?
ReplyDeleteNo from reality ;-)
ReplyDeleteI don't care if Frank Cannon scores as long as it's for us
ReplyDeletenot denying that. There are mitigating circumstances behind Balos performances that I have already posted on. Lambert is an out and out number 9 and should have played up front on his own all day long id that is the system BR wanted to play. But he chose to play a drop off striker there. Some players can do it, some players cant and Balo cant so BR should stop flogging the horse whilst it lays there dead.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching Anderlecht vs Galatasaray and I've spotted five players already that would walk into our first 11
ReplyDeleteThen you shouldn't attack(lack of a better word, attack is harsh) Lambert, you should attack Rodgers. It's not Lambert fault Rodgers is cracking up.
ReplyDeleteWas snjeider one of them? Felipe melo?
ReplyDeleteThey could join our walking midfield
ReplyDeleteAnd Ballo is not a number nine, ?? what is he then.
ReplyDeletejust 5... Ive seen about 22
ReplyDeletethats funny coz i was just dropping someone off at the retirement home and i saw like 8 invalids who could walk into out starting line up.. or pushed there on a wheelchair...
ReplyDeleteCantona was played as a number 9 for Leeds but struggled. He played no.10 at Man Utd the rest is history.
ReplyDeleteBergkamp played number 9 at Inter milan but struggled. He played no.10 at Arsenal the rest is history.
Sometimes even the best players in the world can't make the adjustment so I'll give make judgement on Balo when he plays where he is most comfortable.
Anyone spotted our midfield?
ReplyDeleteI've seen your posts for quiet a while and I've given you the benefit of the doubt but the fact is you know very little about football. Surely there is something else you could comment about? Something you actually knew something about? Or if you have no knowledge on any subject, there is no shame in staying quite.
ReplyDeleteSCARED
ReplyDeleteSo he is a number 10, is that what you are saying.
ReplyDeleteAs you used two number 9's who were better at 10.
And not just talking about Mignolet ....
ReplyDeleteWe are slow... I've seen paint dry quicker
ReplyDeleteMidfield midfield nope can't say I have
ReplyDeleteHappy with that, coz Jones might be having another quick nap on the bench.
ReplyDeleteLudogrets would finish 4th in premier league the most overrated league in Europe
ReplyDeletehe definitely isn't a lone striker he likes to drop deep and wonder into space whilst having another player who prefers to go in behind. Call this particular role what fits it best.
ReplyDeleteAnd no I didnt use to number 9's who were better at 10. Both players played at no.10 there entire career before some smart arse ar Leeds (Wilkinson) and Inter (cant remember :) ) decided they knew best..... But they didn't know best they wasted elite talent by utilising them incorrectly
Hope he wakes up before SH we might need him - can't be amy worse surely !
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know how to run with ball ?
ReplyDeletethis is so painful to watch
ReplyDeletePaint Dry? Is he available for transfer?
ReplyDeletewelcome to the internet
ReplyDelete