For some inexplicable reason, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has ignored Mario Balotelli once again for tonight's FA Cup clash with Blackburn Rovers.
FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Johnson, Lovren, Sakho, Lucas, Allen, Henderson, Moreno, Sterling, Coutinho, Sturridge
SUBS: Jones, Toure, Lambert, Manquillo, Borini, Brannagan, Markovic
BLACKBURN: Eastwood, Henley, Baptiste, Kilgallon (c), Olsson, Conway, Williamson, Evans, Marshall, Cairney, Rhodes.
* In his press conference this week, Rodgers stated: ”We've got a number of players unavailable for the game. We'll see how Mario is this morning." Balotelli trained during the week, so why is he not in the squad. It's a total farce IMO. Yes, he hasn't set the world on fire, but Liverpool spent £16m on him in the summer, and he can't begin to repay that if Rodgers repeatedly ignores him.
* Having Lambert and Borini on the bench instead of Balotelli is ridiculous (IMO). The Italian is streets ahead of both when it comes to natural ability. The only thing those two have on him is work-rate, and when the club needs goals (as Rodgers admitted during the week), Balotelli is more likely to get on the scoresheet.
* As expected, Toure and Markovic are dropped after the Arsenal debacle, and deservedly so.
* Lucas and Allen in the same team again? To be fair, Rodgers has limited options, but it looks like hee'll sacrifice Henderson in midfield just to accommodate Allen. What's the point? Is Allen a better central midfielder than Hendo? Absolutely not, so why make that chance, especially when it didn't work against Manchester United?
* Given the personnel, there's a possibility that Rodgers may go with four at the back:
-------------- Mignolet
Johnson --- Lovren - Sakho ---- Moreno
------------ Allen - Lucas
----- Hendo -- Coutinho ---- Sterling
------------- Sturridge
This may work better against lower-league opposition, but Henderson is wasted on the right, and the Allen-Lucas axis doesn't inspire much confidence. The other option:
--------------- Mignolet
---- Johnson --- Lovren ----- Sakho
Hendo --- Lucas -------- Allen --- Moreno
-------- Coutinho ---- Sterling
-------------- Sturridge
My prediction: 2-2
Author: Jaimie K
FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Johnson, Lovren, Sakho, Lucas, Allen, Henderson, Moreno, Sterling, Coutinho, Sturridge
SUBS: Jones, Toure, Lambert, Manquillo, Borini, Brannagan, Markovic
BLACKBURN: Eastwood, Henley, Baptiste, Kilgallon (c), Olsson, Conway, Williamson, Evans, Marshall, Cairney, Rhodes.
* In his press conference this week, Rodgers stated: ”We've got a number of players unavailable for the game. We'll see how Mario is this morning." Balotelli trained during the week, so why is he not in the squad. It's a total farce IMO. Yes, he hasn't set the world on fire, but Liverpool spent £16m on him in the summer, and he can't begin to repay that if Rodgers repeatedly ignores him.
* Having Lambert and Borini on the bench instead of Balotelli is ridiculous (IMO). The Italian is streets ahead of both when it comes to natural ability. The only thing those two have on him is work-rate, and when the club needs goals (as Rodgers admitted during the week), Balotelli is more likely to get on the scoresheet.
* As expected, Toure and Markovic are dropped after the Arsenal debacle, and deservedly so.
* Lucas and Allen in the same team again? To be fair, Rodgers has limited options, but it looks like hee'll sacrifice Henderson in midfield just to accommodate Allen. What's the point? Is Allen a better central midfielder than Hendo? Absolutely not, so why make that chance, especially when it didn't work against Manchester United?
* Given the personnel, there's a possibility that Rodgers may go with four at the back:
-------------- Mignolet
Johnson --- Lovren - Sakho ---- Moreno
------------ Allen - Lucas
----- Hendo -- Coutinho ---- Sterling
------------- Sturridge
This may work better against lower-league opposition, but Henderson is wasted on the right, and the Allen-Lucas axis doesn't inspire much confidence. The other option:
--------------- Mignolet
---- Johnson --- Lovren ----- Sakho
Hendo --- Lucas -------- Allen --- Moreno
-------- Coutinho ---- Sterling
-------------- Sturridge
My prediction: 2-2
Author: Jaimie K
Still praying it is a diamond..
ReplyDeleteComfortable 2-2?
ReplyDeleteSorry but we will lose this 3-1
ReplyDeleteas you said farce of a team
Did he say 'farce of a team'?
ReplyDeleteSorry but this is the worst lfc line up i have ever seen
ReplyDeleteand i have seen a lot of bad ones
why not start Lambert ? , go 442 vs a cahmpionship team
instead we go 343 a found out formation
and they will isolate Sturridge
Rodgers is proving he is not tactically flexible like Mourinho,Benitez,Van Gaal,Ancelotti , Simeone
i want to support him
but if we lose , sack him
he said it is a total farce regarding Balotelli
ReplyDeleteand i agree he is easily one of our most talented players
If Henderson is wing back
ReplyDeletei hope we lose , so he can get sacked
There is a limit to naivety and he is crossing it
Where is Logan when we need him?
SQUARE PEGS IN ROUND HOLES
You seriously do not understand, the difference between what you wrote, and what JK wrote?
ReplyDeleteSomeone is definitely crossing limits...
ReplyDeleteMaybe you need to clarify that for him..
ReplyDeleteAnd it starts with Brendan
ReplyDeleteNah. He'll crack the code.
ReplyDeleteLook i am not going to spend my whole week
ReplyDeleteexcited over a match
then Rodgers ruins it all playing Hendo at wing back
not having it
is it because he wants to accommodate Joe Allen at midfield ?
is so they boith can go join Cardiff city
hhahahah.. eventually.. imagine him in a bar in Liverpool on a matchday..
ReplyDeletei don't drink or smoke or inject
ReplyDeletesnort?
ReplyDeletegreat. instead you go with your girlfriend for couple of hours and forget about Liverpool?
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should
ReplyDeletecan't see it
ReplyDeletehow doyou input water mate?
ReplyDeleteLiverpool is my life
ReplyDeletei am Liverpool
so how can i go away from it.
There is nothing more satisfying then a lfc win
being a liverpool supporter you can't live without beer IMO
ReplyDeleteYet, you hope we lose?
ReplyDelete'i am liverpool'
ReplyDeletedrink as in drink alcahol
ReplyDeletei dont do that
there's one thing more satisfying then a lfc win for NGCTC: Rodgers getting sacked
ReplyDeletedo you realize you/ve just said you won't have it? and you can't change his decision either..
ReplyDeleteWhere's Ibe?
ReplyDeleteexactly
ReplyDeletefinally
on page with you
never getting old :-D
ReplyDeletei think it is sniffing glue..
ReplyDeletewe will never be
ReplyDeleteMoon-walking
ReplyDeleteit's look moe likely a 4-4-2 allen-Lucas-Hendo with coutinho behind sterling-Sturridge.
ReplyDeletethe reason of mario not in the squad is simply because Rodgers doesn't like him.
He is injured
ReplyDeletebut i think he is cup tied anyway , so
my lord, do you even know what sarcasm is?
ReplyDeleteRodgers is not brave enough for 442
ReplyDeletelast season ?
ReplyDeletebrave enough? well it's one of the oldest line ups.
ReplyDeleteplaying 442 is far from being brave
unbefuckinlievapool..
ReplyDeleteglen Johnson right sided centerback? The fans argued for years that Glenville should be used as a right midfielder, now to add insult to injury we (it looks like) will play him in a three. It makes my tiny mind boggle. If we do stick with Henderson on the right (which is crazy) he will definately have his work cut out protecting a slowing aging and defensively unaware johnson. For me we should go Lucas and Henderson in the middle of the park with Markovic right wing back. It's imperative that our central midfield has a combination of pace, power energy, a goal threat and composure. That combination can only be met within our current squad with Henderson and another in the middle. Allen should be dropped.
ReplyDeleteLovren Should feel at home in the center so I have no worries there unless that is they really press our defenders and shake them out of their comfort zones which lets face it is extremely easy to do.
This season?
ReplyDeleteno, no, last season.
ReplyDeleteIf were to play 442 I think Manquillo would get the nod at right back
ReplyDeleteI said
ReplyDeleteafter the loss at cIty in Eihad in 2nd game of season
Rodgers should be sacked
yet i was labelled knee jerk
no looks like i am not the only one who thinks like that
this season doesn't change the fact that we played 4-4-2 a lot last season, and it was under Rodgers
ReplyDelete...and there you have it.
ReplyDeleteI think we had just fininshed runners-up the season before under him...
ReplyDeleteLet's forget about Rodgers for the time being .... there are a few LFC players who need to prove that they can cut it tonight !
ReplyDeleteAnd then we caught form and went on a great winning run... I'd say keeping him was a good decision.
ReplyDeleteWe played 442 diamond
ReplyDeletethere is a differnce
Rodgers pre-interview:
ReplyDelete"we will see if it's 4 at the back or 3"
"mario trained well but he felt ill"
Rodgers and is love for attacking full-back forbid that.
ReplyDeleteAs if
ReplyDeletehe is ill every week
but conveniently fine after the game
some players will be under huge pressure today
ReplyDeleteyep but rodgers has already admittted Johnson cant run anymore
ReplyDeletewell that's what i wanted to say we would play.
ReplyDeleteDiamond or not it's a 4-4-2 anyway
Hope we don't concede the first goal. We always seem to lack a plan B.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it... but they aren't going to prove if they can cut it as they are expected to win. They will however prove they can't cut it if they lose.
ReplyDeletei don't really think he listen to what he actually say...
ReplyDeletein press conference i actually feel he talk just to hear the sound of his voice.
Is there even a slightly remote chance that Logan and NGCTC are one in the same?
ReplyDeleteloool true that..
ReplyDeleteYou are insulting me
ReplyDeleteand testing my patience
you sound like my wife :)
ReplyDeleteDid he go to Jared?
ReplyDelete(That's an American joke for anyone wondering)
Multiple(all equally annoying) personalities?
ReplyDeleteCripes if he doesn't know either we are in rouble.
ReplyDeletewhat he does not even know his own tactics?
ReplyDeletethis is unbelievable
if he does not know whether it is 3 or 4
how will the players ?
Yep the blackburn ones
ReplyDeleteMind games or maybe no mind------
ReplyDelete0-3.
ReplyDeleteWell he's got my mind in a spin
ReplyDeleteif we won and rodgers carried on
ReplyDeletethen lost to villa
or if we lose Rodgers gets sacked
what would you choose
That was quick we haven't kicked off on my stream
ReplyDeletehe shoud just man up and admit he don't like him and he'll never play him again, he did the same thing with Agger and Reina than with Balotelli (fake excuse)
ReplyDeleteNo Rudy Gestede
ReplyDeleteno concussions
well we're just that good !
ReplyDeleteStart
ReplyDeleteMario it seems ill soon need to go on a massive enforced holistic detox cutting out meats, grains, starches, sugars, dairy and.................. the city of Liverpool
ReplyDeletethey have nothing to loose
ReplyDeleteWin the cup and PL and get sacked
ReplyDeleteback 4 ! blessed
ReplyDeleteBlackburn scored!
ReplyDeleteJust joking
ReplyDeleteBalotelli was clubbing last weekend, so its normal that Rodgers is not counting on this enigma anymore. Come on you Reds!
ReplyDeletejaimie when will you finally ban this guy?
ReplyDeletehe's taking the quality of this page down to a new level
Really slow game so far
ReplyDeletehow old are you? 11?
ReplyDeleteSo you guys can keep making jokes but when i do
ReplyDeletei should be banned
you're the most anoying person on the site
ReplyDeletewell this confirms FOR ME, IN MY OWN TINY MIND that Sterling wants to be played as a striker before he signs anything
ReplyDeleteWho's joking?
ReplyDeleteThat is your opinion
ReplyDeletei dont think i am
without any doubt
ReplyDeletehe certainly doesn't want to play wingback
ReplyDeleteurgh sakho, you have a right foot too
ReplyDeleteSweet mother of dog
ReplyDeleteBlackburn playing well
ReplyDeleteuggghhh Micheal Owens commentary
ReplyDeleteRaheem Sterling and Sakho playing well so far
ReplyDelete18
ReplyDeleteSturridge a shadow of his former self
ReplyDeleteLacazette ring ring
Oh no
ReplyDeleteSakho?
ReplyDeletewhy ?
Toure :-(
ReplyDeleteToure and Lovren
ReplyDeleteuh oh !
Lloyd Jones where r u?
Shite. .
ReplyDeleteGot to up the pace and keep it high n away from defenders
ReplyDeleteYeah yeah, lets sell our whole team.
ReplyDeleteYou have no faith or loyalty at all.
Lovren
ReplyDeleteNo i never said sell him
ReplyDeletewhere did you get that idea ?
but we need a new number one striker
Williamson think this is WWE
ReplyDeleteJohnson almost scored
ReplyDeleteNo.shite that sakho got injured
ReplyDeleteIf i had no loyalty i would be supporting man city
ReplyDeleteNot a new number one, we need an extra quality striker so we can play with two man upfront. I was exaggerating because you are always burning our players and than come up with a list full of mediocre players. Not that I'm saying that Lacazette is mediocre...
ReplyDeleteSturridge still looks way off..
ReplyDeleteor Chelsea... If you have loyalty please show that from time to time. Give our players some credit.
ReplyDeletewhere where where is philippe?
ReplyDeleteI give enough to Sakho and Coutinho
ReplyDeleteand Skrtel and Lucas
even Balo
jsut annoyed with Sterling and hendo thinking they are too good for us
Unlucky keep the pressure up lads
ReplyDeleteapart from jk
ReplyDeleteI'm more fed up with Sterling. Only two weeks before that interview he was saying that he was enjoying his football... There is something wrong with our wage policy. Especially if we want to take that next step.
ReplyDeleteBalotelli has a sicknote from his doctor for this game.... Looks like he's looking for as many excuses as he can not play for LFC again...
ReplyDeleteToure amd Lovren have switched..... haha so now they can play poor passes out from the back on their good sides
ReplyDeletehey i called you the cornerstone of the site
ReplyDeleteyou should respect me
also respect Jaimie ,
Suarez just scored
ReplyDeleteSturridge hasn't though, and that's all I care about
ReplyDeleteMaybe Rodgers should play another striker with him
ReplyDeleteRicky Lambert
Mario Balotelli
bring on Lambert for Allen
ReplyDelete4-3-3 ooops!
ReplyDeletei am happy he proved me wrong today
ReplyDeletestill angry over Balo though
he cant be ill every week?
Be angry with him, not Brendan. or better still, his illness.
ReplyDeleteits an excuse
ReplyDeleteby Rodgers
he does not want to admit he dropped him to protect Balotellis transfer value
Of course, why didn't I see it...
ReplyDeleteHe will eventually
ReplyDeleteNot gonna be easy to break these boys down..
ReplyDeleteMaybe, and I'm not pushimg, but maybe you should give something a try...
ReplyDeleteSo what I guess can be said is we are still in it?
ReplyDelete...............................Sturridge...........Lambert
ReplyDeleteCoutinho................Henderson..........Lucas..............Sterling
Moreno...............Lovren...................Youre.......Johnson
.......................................Mignolet
Allen off for Lambogini Lambert
We need Lambert
ReplyDeletetooo many croosses
no targets
Up to our necks in it
ReplyDeleteBalotelli not on the bench as far as I know?
ReplyDeleteMessi,Suarez,Neymar
ReplyDeletethe dream forward lien up
The best there is the best there ever will be Messi
Neymar the next greatest player
Suarez the perfect supplement
He is in Code's parallel realm.
ReplyDeleteCup Tied
ReplyDeleteNo i am speaking in general not blackburn
ReplyDeleteIt's not Sterling Coutinho and Sturridge so I don't care.
ReplyDeleteSuarez is a legend
ReplyDeleteI have just waved my hand over my head!
ReplyDeletedude,no one cares ok
ReplyDeleteMaybe he should go there himself and close the portal behind him!
ReplyDeleteHe claims he's injured his knee.
ReplyDeleteNever
ReplyDeleteYou are
ReplyDeleteYou don't take your meds either..
ReplyDeleteBut he was cup tied the last round too
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh
ReplyDeletewhen i left i said
you omre ,Derbauurman and Anderson were really rude people
Omre changed
but you and the boer man
need to work on it
Do not understand were the criticism of Sterling is coming from.
ReplyDeleteHis movement and awareness is something we will struggle to replace.
In fact, take Coutinho, Hendo and Sterling out of this squad and we are totally f*****.
Really, if we sign a petition, can we ban him?
ReplyDeletewell that's the thing, when you're cup tied it's until the end
ReplyDeleteWe are struggling regardless of Sterling
ReplyDeleteI am talking in general. Not just this match.
ReplyDeleteSterling passing is as awful as always and he just lose the ball when he has it
ReplyDeleteI never broke any of the rules in the comment policy
ReplyDeleteps i thought you changed
Who arewe going to have to make us feel better about ourselves if he wasn't around....
ReplyDeleteBring Lambo on SH and let's just go for it ..... or it's bloody penalties !
ReplyDelete4-3-3 OR 4-4-2 Brendan?
ReplyDeleteGee, I uh, dunno..
because someone's opinion differs from you??
ReplyDeleteSturridge is worse...
ReplyDeleteCoutinho is anonymous..again. Needs to get back to his previous level
ReplyDeletenooooooo...
ReplyDeleteIn fairness they are doubling up on him every time he gets the ball..
ReplyDeleteI agree. Been terrible.
ReplyDeleteThat is because he doesn't know what is his position.
ReplyDeletetrue, but doesn't change that Sterling passing is bad though
ReplyDeletehe's not last season's player
ReplyDeleteok i take it back i've been reading some of the comments nevergonnacrack... yh i think he's a troll
ReplyDeleteThey are not worth the expense......now diamonds on the other hand
ReplyDeleteI vote you stay code.would be boring without you!!
ReplyDeletehe needs an injury free season
ReplyDeleteand a strike partner
sorry i take it back been reading some of the comments can't defend this guy
ReplyDeleteWho else thinks BT presenters SUCK
ReplyDeletefor once i agree
ReplyDeleteits a given
ReplyDeleteowen as well
ReplyDeleteas always, and always will be a poor imitation to Skysports..
ReplyDeletemy God mignolet
ReplyDeleteSterling 55 key passes and 62 chances created. Coutinho is far behind. Henderson is slightly better than Coutinho.
ReplyDeleteThese three are our best players and tow of them might hit the road.
We need to man up asap.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell...
We're in trouble
ReplyDeleteSAVE Migno !
ReplyDeletehas blackburn come out in the second half
ReplyDeletemy god mignolet saving us again
ReplyDeleteMing is proving there is life after a twitter campaign...
ReplyDeleteNearly a great save by Joe Allen
ReplyDeleteWhat the eff is owen smoking...
ReplyDeletekey passes doesn't mean a lot, actually what exactly is a key passes ?
ReplyDeleteNeed to see a much faster pace on and off the ball this half, lucas and allen in midfield just isn't working and sturridge needs to hold up the ball better.
ReplyDeletecompletely agree with all your points, IMO rodgers has run the rule over balotelli due to the work rate issue, like you said hes been in training all week no reason not to be on the bench atleast.
The final pass or pass-cum-shot leading to the recipient of the ball having an attempt at goal without scoring.
ReplyDelete