31 Jan 2015

Confirmed XI vs. WH: £20m star dumped from the squad; exciting starlet on the bench

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has made several changes for today's Premier League game with West Ham, with the most notable change being Steven Gerrard's absence from the match-day squad.

FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Henderson, Lucas, Moreno, Markovic, Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling

SUBS: Ward, Johnson, Lambert, Sturridge, Allen, Borini, Ibe

WEST HAM: Adrian, O'Brien, Collins, Reid, Cresswell, Song, Amalfitano, Nolan (c), Downing, Carroll, Valencia

* Gerrard played 120 minutes against Chelsea during the week, so he's obviously being rested for Wednesday's FA Cup game with Bolton.

* Sturridge finally makes his long-awaited return, which will be a huge boost for everyone at the club.

* Sakho appears to have shaken off his injury. He had a shaky game against Chelsea, but hopefully that won't happen today.

* Things go from bad to worse for Dejan Lovren. He's not even in the match-day squad this time, which suggests he's going to have a very hard time breaking back into the team.

Downing and Carroll will be chomping at the bit to get one over on Liverpool, and with West Ham also unbeaten in six games, it's going to be a touch match.

My prediction: 2-2

Author:


165 comments:

  1. Hope not too much ' touching' Jaimie

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  2. Liverpool 2-1 i like the line up

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  3. Happy with the line up hoping for a 2-0 win tday come on reds

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  4. Hammers will hope to score first and park the bus but Studge will be champing at the bit to get on and score !

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  5. I'll stick my neck out and say we'll get a convincing win scoring 3 or more. Purely based on the fact that the amount of chances we are having will eventually be finished and we are due a convincing win.

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  6. Good line up, no complaints here apart from maybe having Stevie on bench if things get tight late on....but we have studge.

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  7. 3 strikers in the bench.... Why?

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  8. Let's hope we keep the noise level up as well like we had against Chelski

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  9. And only one 'defender', and I say 'defender' in the loosest possible sense - bloody Johnson.

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  10. seems like there was only an option from Johnson and Lovren...oh my

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  11. They refused to play other positions.

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  12. I think the pace and trickery of Marko,Lallana, couts and sterling will expose that west ham defence, nice game if we have a lead for Studge to come and face some tiring legs.

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  13. Massive win incoming today. West Ham are due a thumping, results have flattered them recently, and Liverpool are the premier league's top side in terms of recent form. We have been threatening to roll someone over for a while and the games against Chelsea will have built up a lot of unreleased energy. Sturridge on the bench is a massive boost. We'll get 4. They won't get jack.

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  14. He actually has a good record scoring against west ham believe it or not. 3 in his last half dozen according to bbc he has only one league goal in last two years!! He's due then....;)

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  15. Well, we don't really have a striker on the pitch, but still... I would've put Stevie on the Bench for Lambert.

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  16. I was thinking 3, but all right...

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  17. I hope so too, plus throw in the fact they probably have the worse record at ours than any other side. Think West Ham missing Tomkins could be a factor as well...plus i'm glad their Sakho is not involved.

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  18. Lovren looking better and better every day...

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  19. Am I banned or what is going on Jaimie?

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  20. Oooooo, Carroll and Downing. So scary Jaimie!

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  21. Hasnt made a mistake in a while not a one.

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  22. Andy Carroll out to prove something today? Been in good form lately and expecting him to bully our defence from set pieces. We should win narrowly but wont be surprised if the hammers turn us over today depends if they come to have a go or not. Hope Lallana starts to get a run of games now, excited by Sturridge on the bench.

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  23. Yes I think its all too easy to jump on his back as soon as one mistake made. Overall he's solid and improving, he is a very positive forward passer of the ball and I think occasionally he does try one clever pass too many, but i'm a big fan of his.

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  24. They both have something to prove. Both we treated harshly by Rodgers & will want some sort of revenge. Lastly both are showing great form.

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  25. They had something to prove last season aswell, but it took Carroll punching Mingolet off a corner for them to scramble a goal.

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  26. He should have been sent off already for that forearm smash on Can. So he's proving he's a reckless, talentless donkey. As usual.

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  27. Seems a bit extreme? ;)

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  28. Sorry but totally disagree that it was deliberate

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  29. Nice to see ibe on the bench but where is balloteli?

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  30. liverpool grow some f***ing balls

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  31. Well, ok. But I'm saying it's not only deliberate but premeditated and tactical. Chances are he'll do it again. There's no point him challenging Sakho or Skrtel. Can is the weak link. So he's in for a Carolling.

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  32. grrr lucas and his edge of the box fouls

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  33. It's just funny how he always called them, at their best, not good enough for Liverpool, yet suddenly he proclaims they will really trouble us.

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  34. hahaha! I've not seen him for a while, and that looks good to me.

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  35. Mate that is completely deliberate. Carroll knows exactly what will happen if he jumps leading with his arm, and as soon as he feels Can there he opens his chest and flings his arm across his head. I've played enough football to see that for what it is. West Ham are targetting Can and trying to intimidate him and bully him out of the game. It's blatant.

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  36. and henderson learn to shoot

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  37. you obviously have never seen me comment during games before

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  38. Cans got to get a grip !

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  39. Don't be daft. At no time did his eyes leave the ball. Let's see you jump for a ball without using your arms for leaverage

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  40. Better bet to be sold !

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  41. "Sakho appears to have shaken off his injury. He had a shaky game against Chelsea, but hopefully that won't happen today."

    Did he? He gave the ball away carelessly once, which he does too often, and which he's got to stop doing, but I thought he had another commanding game, strong and mobile. Chelsea wore us down in the end but all areas of the team performed well in both matches, I thought. We just lack a striker. Don't know if anyone's mentioned that yet this season.

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  42. oh how many chances do we need...

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  43. Can't deny they're both showing good form this season!

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  44. good question west ham fans...where is our famous atmosphere?

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  45. Damn it man can we please just score ... Markovic !!!!

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  46. Markovic no end product. Epitome of who he is.

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  47. Even I could have scored that...ffs. He gets paid millions a year and that's the best he can come up with.

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  48. we've almost gone back to the days of dalglish where we created heaps of chances with no goals to show for it.

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  49. All skill and creativeness but no end product as always failing in the final 3rd so much money spent yet we have to rely on our injury prone striker!! will be glad to see him on sooner than later

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  50. Hendon.. Lots of running and some nice touches but no creative spark...

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  51. What. A. Goal.

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  52. Sterling to the rescue!

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  53. Did you see Alex Song's recovery vs Sterling? Wish we had that

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  54. Yeah. He should just let people run free like Gerrard does.

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  55. Carlton Cole & Valencia could be dangerous

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  56. Nonsense comment about Sakho. He deserves to be in the side and has been one of our best players this season. Your bias for Lovren is actually embarrassing.

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  57. Oh, I dunno... the creative side of his job is pretty simple: give it to Coutinho :)

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  58. True. This is why we now need accomplished players. I'm sick to the back teeth of potential

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  59. Great finish deserve it our best player by mile BRING ON STUDGE

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  60. Should be 2 up at HT

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  61. oh my god markovic...is is that hard...

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  62. Harsh he aint doing that badly

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  63. Jus walked in the door and we score _ I'm going out again

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  64. Dan Sturridge is essential, he adds some end product! Sad we have to rely on him so soon.

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  65. So far he's shown he's a willing runner, but touch & shooting leaves a lot to be desired.

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  66. Just wish he could score goals......

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  67. Terry McDermotts perm4:27 pm, January 31, 2015

    Cant believe how bad we are at shooting.

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  68. Rush goalie? I'm kidding:)

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  69. You guys are a few a seconds ahead from my stream

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  70. Even his passing frustrates me. What is a simple pass to most other players, is to Markvoic trying to thread a golf ball through a putt putt hole.

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  71. Raheem, sign da ting!

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  72. No pressure Studge ;-)

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  73. Hendon ..... Stevie you aint

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  74. What is this Lallana at right midfield nonsense. Stick Sterling out there and bring Lallana inside. His influence in the middle has produced many of our best moments this season, and Sterling has experience at right back. I can see why you'd want to keep the threat of Sterling's pace centrally against Collins once he's exposed in the final 15 minutes but it still doesn't look right to me.

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  75. JESUS IS BLACK. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE HE JUST SCORED A GOAL AFTER COMING AGAIN

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  76. Sturridge welcome back lad.

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  77. good job stu

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  78. Ssssssstttttuuuuurrrrrrrrriiiiiidggggggeeeeeeeee

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  79. That s what we ve missed !

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  80. Nice to have someone running into the box

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  81. You know it! Balo would have skied it, Lambert may not have had the touch, Borini well?

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  82. Fired the whole team up they know we can now can score goals.
    Raheem n Studge CLASS !

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  83. We need the 3 points, Spurs unfortunately are winning 3-0!

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  84. And please God let him stay fit !

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  85. Gotta be happy Nick 2 great games tonite 2 wins

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  86. Forever hoping for their downfall!

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  87. Not a bad night ay

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  88. yeah couldnt go through another like the final tonight but great.

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  89. Another clean sheet.. Will the real Liverpool defence please stand up..please stand up..

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  90. Hopefully with a run of games he'll come good!

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  91. I dont reckon he is fully fit

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  92. The whole team will buzz now that Studge is back

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  93. Didn't quite seem in form, to be fair he's had a stop start season.

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  94. Unbelievable! Balo still wandering for PL goal, Studge comes in and instantly grabs a goal!
    Well, he is a player of real quality.

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  95. Incredible isn't it. That's the difference between a top class player and an overhyped one.

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  96. Yes love the fact that the most shaky thing was that description...
    sakho played extremely well imo and this was despite his big mistake which didn't lead to anything

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  97. upvote thogh two of Lallana's very few good moments came from wing back...

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  98. Hope they get stuffed

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  99. 20 years old. At the same age Sterling with 3 seasons in the prem is not much better. Scratch that, he is worse.,,

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  100. They can carry on blowing their bubbles ......

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  101. By the way, when chelski loses tonight we'll be 14 off the first...

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  102. Agreed. Lallana had some really good moments- actually only 3, so very poor. Same for Hendo- one of his worse performances..
    Daniel and Ibe showed that we will have some tens in rating players in the future...

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  103. Yep. Downing and Carroll were so dangerous...

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  104. Good performance. Instant impact from Sturridge, though I'll forever be wincing whenever another player goes within 10 feet of him. Sterling slippery; to borrow a Blackadder line, he twists and turns like a twisty turny thing. Cool finish from him also. Watch Couts turn into an unstoppable assist machine now Sturridge is back.

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  105. And Studge a big 10

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  106. Well done lads, when you kills off a game it makes such a difference. You can relax.

    Markovic is wasted in this wing back position but much better option than Glen.

    We need another player like Coutinho in the team, Lallana is just not cutting it at the moment. He had an average game.

    But hopefully now Sterling can play just behind Sturridge alongside Coutinho.

    My ratings:

    Mignolet- 8
    Can- 7 (loads of long balls that led nowhere, clearly the knock affected him)
    Skrtel- 9
    Sakho- 8
    Hendo- 7
    Lucas- 8
    Marko- 6 ( willing runner but loads of misplaced passes. Okay defensively but not much going forward. Should have scored)
    Moreno- 6 (not his best game, just not end product with poor crosses. Got beaten a few times)
    Coutinho- 8
    Lallana- 6
    Sterling- 8

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  107. Lallana was underwhelming today. Hope he steps his game up!

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  108. Can't remember the last time we conceded a goal in open play ! Who'd have thunk...

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  109. 3 points and another clean sheet nice one

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  110. Reminds me of Beardsley one day and Joe Cole the next

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  111. Thought Can was intimidated by Carroll and has got to to toughen up in that role ...... get some lessons from Skirtel !

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  112. studge comes on and coutinho immediately has a field day

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  113. Coutinho is like this accessory you buy with Sturridge, while he doesn't work as well on other products, but still solid enough

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  114. quote by Garth Crookes on bbc........"I think Brendan Rodgers deserves a real pat on the back. Earlier this
    season he was under pressure, but he's worked and worked and has finally
    found a formula that suits his resources, his players. And that is
    where Liverpool's confidence has come from, especially their solidity at
    the back. All credit to the manager."

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  115. He would have already been sent off

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  116. Another sound performance from Migno - he now has more clean sheets than De Gea !

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  117. Yeah it worked out ok. I noticed after I posted that Can and Skrtel had swapped, which was interesting. Presumably so Skrtel as the more reliable defender would be more secure on that side.

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  118. Good call in your article yesterday jaimie where you said 'gerrard will obviously play' and also on your 2-2 prediction. Sometimes I just have to hand it to you. Just answer me one thing? Have you psychic powers??

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  119. Apparently there's a dispute between his old and new agents over who gets a cut of the new deal which is what the delay is down to.

    Lots of stick when it's not Raheem's fault

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  120. Yeah I can't help wondering if second might be a realistic possibility. The wheels could come off easily at City or Chelsea, and it's only us and Arsenal who seem to have momentum right now...

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  121. Shaky,, not from what I seen, name me one player from either side who did not misplace a pass,,

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  122. i CAN SEE IT HAPPENING TO CHELSKI IF qUARDADO doesn't work out. and even to city with africans being too important and tired. and them advancing in cl.

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  123. The best player on the park IMO was Sakho, an absolute blinder from him, Skirts, and Philipo. And even Migs is starting to look like a keeper.

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  124. Hope Lovren gets playing time soon...he needs to build confidence a bit

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  125. Yep Sakho becoming a key player for us and only Southampton keeper has now kept more clean sheets than Migno

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  126. i would give him bolton game, and maybe besiktas than take it from there. with can as dm...

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  127. Besiktas were unlucky to lose to Arsenal in the CL qualifiers, they are a top team, dont underestimate them.
    I imagine it will be our first 11 aganst them, and Lovren is not in the first 16.

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  128. I hope not, but it seems he has not.

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  129. With Stuzza we can afford experiments, and this one cost us 25 mill, so another chance has to be given. Plus Can in the defence is not long term solution. He is not THAT good there, and you can see him being so good in the midfirld...

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  130. Yes I'm looking forward to seeing Emre at DM, but the experience he is getting in the back 3 will stand to him as a defensive midfielder, btw he is only a young fellow, like Sakho, Sterling, Coutinho, Ibe, Moreno, Manquillo, etc etc, the potential is way out there.


    I hope Lovren comes good, but in the cut and thrust of top teams, when you get your chance you have to take it, he failed miserably when he got his chance,

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  131. Nothing remotely fascinating..

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  132. Exactly my thoughts.

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  133. £7m for Remy, £9m for his agent, they can keep him.
    Courtois blunder its 1 - 1., why did he not blunder against us.

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  134. Remy ! ........ If only ???????

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  135. I would loan him out to Cambridge United to see if he can stop RVP and Flacao better than their defenders!

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  136. i CAN SEE IT HAPPENING TO CHELSKI IF qUARDADO doesn't work out. and even to city with africans being too important and tired. and them advancing in cl.

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  137. Bringing on GJ against Chelsea, in Lovrens position, is a very bad omen for Lovren.
    Looks like BR has lost confidence in him totally.

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  138. Potential, and there is some very high quality there already. I mean Ibe is Suarez or at least Roben in making- he shoot from 4 yards after he got the ball at a spot from which players don't even try to dribble(except aforementioned).
    And I never thought Lovren will be a world beater, but this bad he can't be.. that is why I think he can get something out of being an outcast, like Hendo.

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  139. I was working in France when he moved to Southampton, and they did not think much of him there. But surely we are not that stupid in paying £20m if he has nothing to offer. I hope he makes it.
    But then again, I hoped Aspas would make it.

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  140. There are dates in my mind that I will never forget, the Bombing of the twin towers in NY, the Tsunami in Asia, (I was there), and the Aspas corner, they are all like it happened yesterday.

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  141. Pretty fair ratings, but Coutinho was the clear MOTM for me.

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  142. A few times Sakho's passing opened up nice attacks for us. Good to see.

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  143. Problem is, maybe BR has to bring in a trophy this season to keep his job, so he might elect to play his best team in the FA and Europa Cups.

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  144. He's got to play against Bolton. I'd like to see him, Manquillo, Johnson, Borini, Mario and maybe even Enrique feature against Bolton.

    I really think that, just like last year, a good win in the derby will really set us up to attack the second half of the season.

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  145. Man Chelsea were crap ... How can a team like that not have a single shot in the second half At home its a disgrace... There parking the bus jokes are so apt. I wonder what maurinhos complaints are gonna be now

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  146. Do you really think he has to win a trophy this season to avoid the sack?

    I think if we continue our general improvement, even if we finish outside of the top 4, he'll be here next season.

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  147. True we paid a lot for him his a Liverpool player and we all benefit if comes good. He should def of played against Chelsea instead of Johnson

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  148. I agree. Have never thought it was him holding the club to ransom. Just want him signed up for a good few years. Top top player in the making.

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  149. So cry baby maurinho refuses to face the press in protest after the Costa ban an continuing with his the world is against Chelsea campaign. The way he is carrying on . On the sidelands during the games and now his refusal to face the press is just such low class ... At least one good thing they blaming Liverpool for their below performance

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  150. Personally I hope so, I like the brand of football he brings, if he is replaced, I fear our style will change, I dont want that. Klinsman will not bring that.

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  151. I don't think Klinsmann would be a realistic target anyway. Unless someone else swoops in, Frank de Boer would be a shoo-in.

    I think Brendan will be fine unless we take an unexpected and profound tumble.

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