SUNDERLAND v LIVERPOOL

[ynwa.tv]

Down Memory Lane

 

Meet the Referee

 

Double Agents

[BDB]

I love how this has 0 replies 20 hours before the game!

[Swipe]

Zenden has signed for Sunderland and could be cleared to face us.

 

I hate playing against former players...

[Bo Benn]

Zenden was past it already when he played for us. Being released by Marseilles only to be picked up in October isn't exactly a merit in my book.

[Swipe]

Doesn't matter. Ex-player, possibly playing against his old team on his debut is always cause for concern. I'm most certainly exaggerating, but ex-players and debutants always seem to do well against us.

[Kindred]

Bugger!

 

Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres were today ruled out of this weekend's trip to Sunderland - though Rafael Benitez has received better news on the injury to Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

Both Gerrard (groin) and Torres (muscle) have failed to recover from knocks sustained on international duty, but both may return for our midweek Champions League clash with Lyon.

 

Kyrgiakos, meanwhile, limped out of Greece's World Cup qualifier in midweek, and initial press reports suggested he could be out for several months. However, Benitez expects the centre back to be available within a week to ten days.

 

The boss told Liverpoolfc.tv: "Both Steven and Fernando still have some problems. They will need more time and won't be available this weekend. I think they could be available for next week.

 

"With Kyrgiakos we were really worried because people were talking about maybe six months, but after the scan we think one week to ten days. That's very positive."

 

There was also better news on Dirk Kuyt after his injury scare during the international break.

 

"Kuyt is okay. He was training normally with the team and will be available," added Benitez.

 

South American trio Javier Mascherano, Emiliano Insua and Lucas Leiva have all returned to Merseyside following their long-haul international flights over the past week. All three are available for the clash at the Stadium of Light.

[Case]

I'd play ....

 

Riera --------- Kuyt ---------- Babel

 

----------------Yossi--------------

 

---------Mascher------Lucas--------

 

Auerelio -- Carra -- Skrtl/Agger -- Johnson

 

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

 

Subs:- Ngog, Vog, Insua, Cav, Jay, Agger/Skrtl, Pachecho/Nemeth

 

and to be frank - Babel in particular (and the likes of Lucas, Aerelio to a lesser extent) have designs on making their countries World Cup squads, they'll never get a better chance than impressing their club manager tomorrow.

 

On paper, the right side looks vulnerable, but Richardson (who playes left, I think?) is suspended, which may be why they've gone for Zenden? - Any set pieces into Jones and Bent may be a handful though.

Edited October 16, 2009 by Babelucas

[honourablegeorge]

Yossi hat trick, deffo.

 

Will be interesting to see where Babel ends up - does Rafa actually trust him as a striker. I doubt it.

[anny road]

Reina

 

Johno.....Carra......Skrtel....Aurelio

 

Yossi.....Lucas......Masch....Riera

 

Derek....Babel

[floyd the barber]

id much rather start this game with a proper striker....n`gog has done well on the occassions we have seen him, definetly has an eye for goal......id sit bennyoun in behind him, reckon those two would like well...far better than the erratic Babel..

 

 

------------------reina------------

johnson--carra-----sktel----aurellio

--------------------------------------

kuyt----masch---lucas-------reira--

----------------benny---------------

-----------------n`gog--------------

[crisps]

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

 

----Carra--Agger--Skrtel---

 

Johnson-----------------Aurelio

 

-----------mascherano--------

 

---Kuyt-----Lucas---Benayoun---

 

-------------Ngog

[dorgie]

First time with this referee. Good to see young referees making it so hopefully he'll have a good game.

[Sion]

N'gog should be nowhere near starting.

 

 

Mascherano - Lucas

 

Babel - Yossi - Riera

 

-------Kuyt----------

 

should be a no brainer really.

[RedMarauder]

N'gog should be nowhere near starting.

Mascherano - Lucas

 

Babel - Yossi - Riera

 

-------Kuyt----------

 

should be a no brainer really.

 

Spot on!

[Rory Fitzgerald]

Rafa ya div !

 

Torres and Gerrard have been taken off the goal markets making all our other players shorter odds.

 

Keep schtum and announce the team and then let the lads pile on at decent odds for Kuyt, Benayoun etc

[Dan]

Sunderland at 11/4 are not bad. Might have a reverse mockering punt on that.

[Nebraska Red]

somewhere, Richard Keys is rubbing his hairy hands in hopeful glee and working on all his doom and gloom strap lines for tomorrow, should we lose.

 

of course we are not going to lose. in a piece of sheer mastery Rafa will play Agger at center forward and totally confuse Steve Bruce.

[Crazy Horse]

I'm a bit worried about this one. Steve Bruce is doing well there so far. Just looked at the table and they're only 2 points behind us, f***ing hell. Hope Yossi and Kuyt play up top.

[Hassony]

I'm a bit worried about this one. Steve Bruce is doing well there so far. Just looked at the table and they're only 2 points behind us, f***ing hell. Hope Yossi and Kuyt play up top.

 

to be fair, you are always worried about games

 

 

the only worry is that Bruce seems to have a decent record against Rafa, but even without torres and Gerrard tomorrow we are better than them in every position on the pitch tomorrow, so there is no reason to be scared

[John am Rhein]

First time with this referee. Good to see young referees making it so hopefully he'll have a good game.

 

have Man U signed him yet?

[Kring]

Torres and Gerrard out. Lucas and Masch just back. I’m worried about this!

[GWistooshort]

Click on the links below for clips from Rafa's pre-match interviews.....

 

Liverpool Daily Post [3:33]

 

BBC [3:23] AUDIO

[Tommy Cockles]

Sunderland at 11/4 are not bad. Might have a reverse mockering punt on that.

 

You can stll get a snivel under 3's on Betfair.

 

They were 9/2 before the injury news broke.

 

Perversely I have a feeling we may be harder to beat with them out, though admittedly less likely to win, if you follow my drift.

[Tommy Cockles]

Anyone know what dem knobs on Soccer Saturday said about us?

 

Just to wind me up that little bit more?

[Tommy Cockles]

Ah right they are about to discuss us now.

 

**prepares fury**