Dejan Lovren returns to the starting line-up tonight for Liverpool's must-win Champions League clash with Basel.
The big news is that Kolo Toure is injured for the game, which is a big loss for the Reds, especially after conceding only 1 goal in 3 games with the Ivorian in the team.
According to the official LFC website:
"Kolo Toure has been ruled out of this evening’s clash with FC Basel due to a groin injury"
FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Johnson, Enrique, Lovren, Skrtel, Lucas, Allen, Henderson, Gerrard, Sterling, Lambert
SUBS: Jones, Sakho, Moreno, Can, Lallana, Coutinho, Markovic
* With Enrique, Lucas, and Allen in the team, Rodgers has clearly gone for experience in this game, which explains why the likes of Can, Markovic, and Moreno only make the bench.
* Lovren has endured a nightmare start to his Liverpool career, but he is more than capable of effectively covering for Toure, and if he has a good game tonight, he could win his place back.
* You have to feel for Toure, though. He took his chance brilliantly over the last three games, and this new injury could conceivably kill his LFC career. If Lovren comes in and starts performing, it's hard to see how Toure will get back in the team.
* £96m-worth of Rodgers' signings are on the bench. £96m! The fact that Lallana, Markovic, Moreno et al fail to start Liverpool's most important game of the season is another sad indictment of Rodgers' performance in the transfer market.
* This latest snub for Lallana clearly underlines the fact that the £26m summer-signing is not making the expected impact at Anfield. When a manager spends that amount of money on one player, it's fair to expect that player to feature in the club's crucial games, but that's not the case with Lallana.
* Four central midfielders in the team? That seems like overkill to me, and it suggests that Rodgers has an overly defensive game-plan in mind. Basel don't have to win this game, so that strategy may backfire.
* Based on the personnel, it looks like Rodgers is going with the much-maligned 4231 formation:
--------------- Mignolet
Johnson --- Skrtel - Lovren --- Enrique
------------ Lucas - Allen
--- Henderson -- Gerrard ---- Sterling--
---------------- Lambert
* Lucas, Allen, Sterling (who hasn't scored in 14 games); Henderson (2 goals all season); Gerrard (1 goal from open play in the last 12 months) - where are the goals going to come from? Fabio Borini doesn't even make the bench, which is another massive snub for the Italian.
My prediction: 1-1 (Changed from 2-1 in the pre-match article)
Author: Jaimie K
The big news is that Kolo Toure is injured for the game, which is a big loss for the Reds, especially after conceding only 1 goal in 3 games with the Ivorian in the team.
According to the official LFC website:
"Kolo Toure has been ruled out of this evening’s clash with FC Basel due to a groin injury"
FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Johnson, Enrique, Lovren, Skrtel, Lucas, Allen, Henderson, Gerrard, Sterling, Lambert
SUBS: Jones, Sakho, Moreno, Can, Lallana, Coutinho, Markovic
* With Enrique, Lucas, and Allen in the team, Rodgers has clearly gone for experience in this game, which explains why the likes of Can, Markovic, and Moreno only make the bench.
* Lovren has endured a nightmare start to his Liverpool career, but he is more than capable of effectively covering for Toure, and if he has a good game tonight, he could win his place back.
* You have to feel for Toure, though. He took his chance brilliantly over the last three games, and this new injury could conceivably kill his LFC career. If Lovren comes in and starts performing, it's hard to see how Toure will get back in the team.
* £96m-worth of Rodgers' signings are on the bench. £96m! The fact that Lallana, Markovic, Moreno et al fail to start Liverpool's most important game of the season is another sad indictment of Rodgers' performance in the transfer market.
* This latest snub for Lallana clearly underlines the fact that the £26m summer-signing is not making the expected impact at Anfield. When a manager spends that amount of money on one player, it's fair to expect that player to feature in the club's crucial games, but that's not the case with Lallana.
* Four central midfielders in the team? That seems like overkill to me, and it suggests that Rodgers has an overly defensive game-plan in mind. Basel don't have to win this game, so that strategy may backfire.
* Based on the personnel, it looks like Rodgers is going with the much-maligned 4231 formation:
--------------- Mignolet
Johnson --- Skrtel - Lovren --- Enrique
------------ Lucas - Allen
--- Henderson -- Gerrard ---- Sterling--
---------------- Lambert
* Lucas, Allen, Sterling (who hasn't scored in 14 games); Henderson (2 goals all season); Gerrard (1 goal from open play in the last 12 months) - where are the goals going to come from? Fabio Borini doesn't even make the bench, which is another massive snub for the Italian.
My prediction: 1-1 (Changed from 2-1 in the pre-match article)
Author: Jaimie K
No kolo? Balls!!!
ReplyDeleteWe have to win this game, with this line up, I can't see where we are going to get the goals,,, What happened to Lallan, Cotinho and what the hell is up with Moreno these days....spent 2 months trying to get him in, and now he won't play him.... If anyone can figure out Brendans thinking, let us know.
ReplyDeletewhy on earth has he dropped moreno and manquillo also henderson needs dropping but regardless i am behind the manager and lfc today but if rodgers loses needs to be sacked asap! no pressure over to you rodgers!
ReplyDeleteSpot on Stan. The team has no teeth and won't bite the Basle defence. As for Lovren his selection is a disaster
ReplyDeleteBorini not even on the bench!
ReplyDeleteExpected
ReplyDeleteAlexis Sanchez girlfriend removed all his pics on instagram of him after he flirted with another girl
ReplyDeleteDamm wish he done that 6 months ago maybe we would already be through to cl knockout stage and first in the league
No pace in the team besides Sterling. Then there is Johnson and Enrique who are both atrocious at defending. Basel will be very happy with this.
ReplyDeleteCoutinho and Lallana are our flair players so its weird rodgers expects us to win without them
ReplyDeleteAdd Lovren to that defence.........Basel must be shaking in their boots
ReplyDeleteMate, every single defender in that back four is an accident waiting to happen. Skrtel and Lovren CB pair = goal conceding machine.
ReplyDelete200m spent and yet we still dont have a single world class defender
ReplyDeleteno one ever buys world class defenders maybe PSG with Silva
ReplyDeleteand Man utd with Ferdinand
you have to produce them and make them or develop them
like city with Kompany
chelsea with Terry
livepool with Hyypia
wish all liverpool fans thought like you
ReplyDeletesupport Lovren rather then writing him off before he kicked a ball
Blah Blah......so your piont
ReplyDeleteso rude did your mum not teach you manners?
ReplyDeleteWe winning this one. But Jaimie, just because Lallana is on the bench doesn't mean he is not making an impact. Tactically we need a strong midfield in this one, explains Lucas as dm and Allen as cm. And the 4 up front we definitely need. I would have gone for Henderson as cm and Lallana for Allen as AM.
ReplyDelete10 years since Ya beauty!
ReplyDeleteno i dont
ReplyDeletehe was playing for hamburg joined a city that was a mess that just lost 98-0 to middlesbrough
kompany was dropped in his first season then in second toure and lescott were teh partnership
tehn after toure got injured kompany got in never looked back
BR is thinking offence not defence
ReplyDeleteThat dude Granit Xhaka is one to watch out for.
ReplyDeleteBit surprised with the latest Borini snub, not to mention Henderson in place of Lallana or Coutinho. Solidity is key, I suppose.
Enjoy the game everyone. Let's savour the moment, because we have waited for this for so long.
Belgian Golden Shoe: 2004
ReplyDeleteBelgian Young Professional Footballer of the Year: 2004, 2005
Belgian Ebony Shoe: 2004, 2005
Okay these were at the age of 18
we will concede 1 no doubt and can't see us scoring 2- prove me wrong please and score 3
ReplyDeleteLiverpool's starting 11 cost 100 m
ReplyDeleteLiverpool's bench costs 113 m
BR you are a genius
Lallana, Markovic (if he comes good), Sterling, Jordan Ibe when he returns and potentially another winger(No.10) during the winter/summer.
ReplyDeleteHe'll be quite some way down that pecking order and then his heart may never return. I haven't given up yet, I fear he has not much time left to become consistent. I wish him no ill tho.
Yep...
ReplyDeletestuff it
ReplyDeleteAnd how old was Babel before he improved? Sometimes players reach a certain point and never get past that, maybe why Inter allowed him to leave so cheaply.
ReplyDeleteNo chance we can come back with this team selection.. It is so negative and we have zero pace
ReplyDeleteThis transfer committee is rubbish.
ReplyDeleteAll basel gave to do now is sit back and hit us on the break as we no imagination, no creativity and no pace
ReplyDeletewe are being outplayed all over the park!
ReplyDeleteCould see it coming they always look dangerous coming forward
ReplyDeleteBR the genius
ReplyDeletea complete numpty basel have a good coach maybe offer him a the managers position if they win
ReplyDeleteAnd they are well organised in defence
ReplyDeleteBasel are literally all over us
ReplyDeleteNo need to panic BR has a specific way of working and 'implementing' his plan.
ReplyDeleteIT's called, concede first then show resilience and character, to either only lose one - nil or maybe draw one-one and if the gods are on our side we may get a late penalty..
It is so easy for basel
ReplyDeleteSuperb snore fest served up - Basel are better than us
ReplyDeleteIn the words of Bob Geldof
ReplyDeleteyep bring back Rafa!!!!! the real genius
ReplyDeletelike cooked lamb
ReplyDeleteI don't like tuesdays
ReplyDeletemingo is utter rubish
ReplyDeleteI'd take Mr T right now over BR
ReplyDeletei pity you fool!!!! (rodgers)
ReplyDeletethey look organized and composed and there team cost a fraction of ours
ReplyDeleteAbsolute gash
ReplyDeletei pity you f00l!!!! rodgers
ReplyDeleteOur whole team is
ReplyDeleteWe are so bad... I don't know whether to laugh or cry
ReplyDeleteGive BR a new 7 year contract
ReplyDeleteit makes sense selling reina
ReplyDeletehe gives suicide balls to players in front of him he is a complete idiot
ReplyDeleteJust as well we've still got the best and most loyal supporters
ReplyDeleteFSG will categorically stand by him if we lose this ......
ReplyDeletehow can we play it from the back if the goalie is so ill equipped to do it ...
ReplyDeleteIt was. .. All he cared about was money, he didn't give a damn about liverpool, the mistake was buying mugs
ReplyDeleteDeserves a seven year rash
ReplyDeletejordan henderson is playing more like katie price aka jordan
ReplyDeleteYup that is why we should give BR a 7 year contract
ReplyDeletewe are being played of the park by a country of bankers
ReplyDeleteI know what.. let's put out the most negative team I can in a game we have to win.. genius
ReplyDeleteWe don't have the players to play out from the back we are not Barca
ReplyDeletethat has no army!!
ReplyDeletebasel are giving us the brush off
ReplyDelete7 years of piles more like
ReplyDeleteAnd makers of fine cuckoo clocks
ReplyDeleteBarca... we're not Fleetwood Town, let alone Barca
ReplyDeletetell me why i dont like rodgers
ReplyDeleteDelish chocolate tho
ReplyDeleterenford rejects!!
ReplyDeleteBR is't over soon
ReplyDeletecan't really blame us for that, he only cared for money, didn't want to stay and is injured all the time
ReplyDeleteI really feel sorry for lambert... I've seen better service in a Little Chef!!!!
ReplyDeleteThey do. I've met two of their soldiers. Asked what they do with their time, they answered: we drink.
ReplyDeleteBasel are doing what they have to do - I get the feeling they could score more if they tried
ReplyDeletenobody is playing to his strenghs... everybody expects lambert to do the same as sturridge
ReplyDeletewith a midfield containing 4 cm its no wonder
ReplyDeletesuarez made sterling look like the new messi rodgers makes him looks like the new aaron lennon!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo true
ReplyDeleteYep, this is a terrible performance so far.
ReplyDeleteSent from Samsung Mobile
thank god for that!
ReplyDeleteAnd yet none of the bench will make an impact when they come on. Transfer committee 1 - fans - 0
ReplyDeleteIt might of been offside but that was so easy for basel
ReplyDeleteChasing the game n we don't look like scoring ...... If they get another it's TAXI for Rodgers
ReplyDeletejamie do you think gerrard is finished as a starter! should only be impact player?
ReplyDeletelambert and gerrad have been dreadful in attack
ReplyDeleteOh good Masterchef is on
ReplyDeleteBrilliant from players to hold mighty Basel from scoring the 2nd
ReplyDeleteCan't blame lambert
ReplyDeleteWTF is that in my wardrobe
ReplyDelete20m for Lovren
ReplyDeleteThis is an insult to the fans. The players have no skill or desire. Useless!!
ReplyDeletefirst half gone pretty much how i expected.......... no attack nervy defence and two many similar ilk players in midfield
ReplyDeleteI dont want your Lovren at any cost especially that much.
ReplyDeleteNo you see its all part of BR'S to bore the opposition to a stuper
ReplyDeleteOur midfield is being overrun and then you have our defenders ball watching, especially Johnson and Skrtel. Basel targeting the right side and making a mockery of us. .
ReplyDeleteSterling and Lucas are doing okay.
ReplyDeleteBrendan is laughing at us when they show the bench with all our best players nicely seated.
ReplyDeleteyour Lovren what you mean?
ReplyDeleteboy..this team stinks..BR s not gonna leave johnson..but both of them might as well stick together while we part with them in january
ReplyDeleteforget it
ReplyDeleteit was bullying..They know wat this team does..they know wat these guys r upto while they themselves aren't sure of it.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely painful to watch......gosh, is this LFC?
ReplyDeleteI wonder where the Swiss Army knife comes from then...
ReplyDeleteOMG just re-watched the goal.. It was like step by step on how not to defend
ReplyDeleteAfter just watchin doctor who i now realize there's more important things in life than football.
ReplyDeleteBR THE TACTICAL GENIUS
ReplyDeletelooks like you're ready to do the post-match conf instead of BR
ReplyDeleteNow can Be realistic ?
ReplyDeletef off
ReplyDelete