[Archived] Rovers V Liverpool

[AggyBlue]

No tickets on one-rovers, is it a sell-out?

I've got two young adult tickets going spare. I know it's late but my kids have only told me this morning that they can't make the game.

Lift included from Chorley or Aggy.

[Gav]

If 4-3-3 doesn't work today are we all united in feeling that 4-2-4 is the only way to go?

Do you actually think we'll play 4-3-3

As for 4-2-4, its 4-5-1 in anyone’s book, and no we all won't be united in feeling thats the way to go, wouldn't want to be seen as fickle now would we......

[S15]

I think it'll be 4-4-2 with no Dunn, and perhaps Grella and N'Zonzi as the middle two to make up for the over adventurousness.

[ABBEY]

Wednesday's game is bound to tell John, whatever Abbey says. A draw would be a creditable result.

Why? They will have had massaged, ice baths ,rest ,energy food etcc

In fact the best recuperation money can buy...and yes it is a subject I do know about.there pro athletes ifs not workers doling 12 hour shifts and then playing.they do nowt else.

[thenodrog]

One thing is for sure. We don't know what sort of outfit Rovers will put out so I am pretty certain Raffa won't have a clue.

I thought exactly the same. The scouts report to Rafa on Thursday morning would have been brief.

Thing is that the CL clubs usually find that by having the best players they can play to their usual tactics and let the other clubs alter theirs to suit.

It's tough to call and the result imo will be down to attitudes of the squads. I think Lpool winning the merseyside derby last week might work positively in our favour as I'm sure that Chelsea beating the Arse 3-0 away did. On the other hand getting kicked out of the CL might galvanise them in the way that getting knocked out of Europe galvanised us.

[John]

Hope I am completely wrong and shocked by the way!

[RibbleValleyRover]

Teams news very soon, going to be interesting to see what side/formation we put out. Got a feeling we may go back to one up front.

[Miker]

Wednesday's game is bound to tell John, whatever Abbey says. A draw would be a creditable result.

Some players will undoubtedly struggle if they have to play today. I'm thinking of players like Salgado and Kalinic in particular, who haven't had that much match practice as of late and are not at the same level of fitness as the other players in the squad. 120 minutes is a LOT of running, their legs will have been knackered after Wednesday, but some of the players will be fine.

[PAFELL]

Teams news very soon, going to be interesting to see what side/formation we put out. Got a feeling we may go back to one up front.

Heard on radio rovers there are 4 changes from weds - not said who yet

[philipl]

Steven Gerrard's 500th game for Liverpool by the way.

We are going to have to score at least 2 to win this one!

[Sysagent]

LOL...

It always makes me laugh this "the players will be tired after a midweek game" bollards, christ sakes look at Tour De France cyclists for example they are pedaling hundreds of kilometers a day with altitudes that only cloven hoofed beasts like!

They are athletes and highly paid ones at that, they should be able to play ninety minutes every other day the lazy buggers.

Anyways Rovers to win 2 - 1

[RibbleValleyRover]

Liverpool Team:

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Benayoun, Lucas, Mascherano, Riera, Gerrard, Kuyt. Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, El Zhar, Skrtel, Dossena.

[blue and whites]

salgado, peds,nzonzi,roberts out, givet, dunn diouf and di santo in i think

[budha]

ROVERS: Robinson, Chimbonda, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Emerton, Grella, Nzonzi, Douf, McCarthy, Di Santo.

Subs: Brown, Roberts, Pedersen, Andrews, Kalinic, Hoilett, Salgado

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Gerrard ©, Riera, Benayoun, Kuyt, Mascherano, Lucas, Insua, Carragher.

Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, El Zhar, Skrtel, Dossena

From the official site.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Diouf back in the side, got to wonder why... Good to see Benni starting though. Hope Niko gets some time on the pitch today.

[philipl]

If we have to be without Dunn, that is as good a side as we have currently.

That Liverpool outfit is beatable if we go about it the right way.

[blue and whites]

it angers me so much that di santo and diouf can just walk in to the team, kalinic has proved a lot more lately than di santo, and we need speed on the wings, not a winger like diouf which always slows down the play! also think we would benefit playing chim on the left, he seems to be more of a threat there, and jacobsen has NOT played himself out of the squad. only positives is that grella is playing instead of andrews and that mccarthy gets a start.

[LeChuck]

Happy with that line-up...I think we have to accept that either Diouf or Pedersen are going to be starting games until we can get someone better in. Kalinic and Hoilett are really good options to have from the bench to freshen things up if needed.

Edit. Very strange Arsenal line-up, it looks like they've gone for a 4-6-0 formation.

[WaffleWag]

Said Benni and Nikola upfront on RadioRovers..

[G Somerset Rover]

Oh ferk off Diouf. I hate how he walks straight back into the team. Prove me wrong please and have a stormer.

[Amo]

Is this a return to the 4-4-1-1 with McCarthy replacing Dunn?

it angers me so much that di santo and diouf can just walk in to the team, kalinic has proved a lot more lately than di santo, and we need speed on the wings, not a winger like diouf which always slows down the play! also think we would benefit playing chim on the left, he seems to be more of a threat there, and jacobsen has NOT played himself out of the squad. only positives is that grella is playing instead of andrews and that mccarthy gets a start.

Too true. Kalinic is just hitting some form and now he's dropped again. I accept he could be tired after Wednesday's game, but there's nothing to stop him starting the game and coming off later.

[Miker]

LOL...

It always makes me laugh this "the players will be tired after a midweek game" bollards, christ sakes look at Tour De France cyclists for example they are pedaling hundreds of kilometers a day with altitudes that only cloven hoofed beasts like!

They are athletes and highly paid ones at that, they should be able to play ninety minutes every other day the lazy buggers.

Anyways Rovers to win 2 - 1

Key word there is PEDALING. Legs are moving in the same pattern and usually at a similar tempo for long periods, so they don't have to deal with the sort of thing football players have to deal with where there are constantly abrupt changes in speed and direction and movement. Physio treatment and massages don't magically make a player good as new and no one said that having a mid-week game means that they can't play or they're too lazy to play. It just means they won't perform at the same high level they should be able to perform at if they didn't have a mid-week game.

[blue and whites]

i don't understand why kalinic don't get to start, because there is nothing suggesting that we will have di santo after jan. kalinic needs game time to get used to the premiership.

[LeChuck]

I thought people might have given the management a bit of leeway after Wednesday night, but obviously not - every decision being scrutinised and criticised yet again.

[Eddie]

Don't think Diouf should be in it, but glad to see Benni back and to see a team that is slightly more attacking.