Battle No.2….Liverpool vs Man Utd!

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Next Sunday sees Liverpool face their biggest PL foe as Man Utd visit Anfield, where the Reds will have a mission with three main objectives: the first to make up for the poor showing of the misfiring Reds in the first part of the season at Old Trafford, the second to take three points and consolidate our march to Europe, and the third to make Man Utd’s road to PL triumph that much harder to achieve (I will leave it to the reader to priorities these three motives).

Man Utd come to Anfield with Vidic suspended and Ferdinand out of action. This is the only ‘good’ news as for the rest they should have more or less a complete squad. SAF has been fielding a 4-3-3 formation more often than not and with Arsenal playing today at home to Sunderland, a victory for the Gunners would bring them to within 1 point of the Red Devils with 28 games played each. Therefore there is no doubt that he (SAF) will come to Anfield intent on getting all three points, as a draw or defeat could well see Arsenal overtake them at the top of the table. On the other hand, anything short of a win for us could see Bolton (hosting Villa at home) either climb level with us to sixth (if we draw), or even overtake us sending us down the pecking order to seventh (if we…………..no I will not say it!). Hopefully Arsenal will win against Sunderland keeping them at bay for now.

With Rooney and Nani played out wide, it is possible that Kenny will go for a more traditional 4-4-2 with Johnson and Agger guarding the flanks. It is also possible that SAF will field Chicarito Hernandez in an attempt to give our centre-backs headaches with his trickery and speed. Alternatively, he could go for experience and place Giggs on the left and Rooney as a lone centre-forward. It is almost certain, that the old Scot will spring a last minute surprise in an attempt to disrupt our game plan.

With the exception of Kelly, the Reds seem to have a healthy squad and hopefully this week has served to bring some Dalglish magic back into the players’ mentality. Kenny has been playing mild mind games by keeping Carroll’s eventual presence on ice, even though I feel that should the powerful striker be deployed, it could well be in the second half, but then the King might even spring his surprise on his old rival and field him from the start.

The formation I have selected in the illustration is what I consider could be the starting line-up, always in the event that Kenny goes for a 4-4-2 and that Carroll is brought on for a rousing welcome from the Kop in the second half, possibly in place of Maxi or Kuyt. I really don’t see our fullbacks going much more forward than the half-way line if not sporadically. Kenny will not want our back line to be exposed as Utd are nothing short of deadly on the counter.

Okay, these are my considerations on what is destined to be another epic battle in which I hope the Reds will triumph. Now it is up to you to submit comments so that we can then set up the formation you fans think is best to encounter, outplay and beat Man Utd. I ask you not to be too harsh on my judgment and to be realistic with your ideas. Fire away guys and gals!

toniobone@hotmail.com

16 Comments

  1. I seriously doubt Kenny is stupid enough to follow Woy’s example and play our best defender (by far) out of position.

  2. @ Martin. Yes, could be that Kenny will opt to play Aurelio on the left and Agger in place of Skrtel. I think we do have one or two alternatives for tomorrow.

  3. Really nice Tonio..but yes, i think Agger should be playing instead og Skrtel and hopefully Aurelio will play, if not, Wilson..Although he did’nt do well at West Ham..and Maxi sucks a damn lot but i guess we don have any other choices for that left wing role..Surely not Cole..and I don think Carroll will play either, he should take good care of him..

  4. I think Kenny will bring Fabio Aurelio as strike partner for Saurez? Is carroll fit for the match?

  5. Steve Bruce has done SAF a huge favour by drawing with Arsenal and will probably get Danny Welback on loan for another year (probably free). Bolton have overtaken us so the win tomorrow is a must for us.

  6. It matters not who KK picks, its a must win situation, even if we have to kick them of the pitch, specially skunk face Rudoplh Whisk Nose
    Come on you REDS

    YNWA

  7. With boozed up Reina in goal and past it primadonnas like Gerrard,Carragher and Kuyt playing defeat to United tomorrow is inevitable.

  8. @ Kenny, wtf, how could Carragher or Kuyt ever be described as primadonnas?
    Tonio, did you see Suarez pulling Rafael’s hair after the tackle? Very funny, but given that and his history of unsportsmanlike behaviour, could he be a liability in the making? Also, funny how no-one picked up on Maxi’s studs up on Rafael just before, intent surely? I know other teams do it but am I being naive thinking we should be above that sort of thing?

    1. Well, Kenny is on a crusade against the likes of Reina, Carra, Gerrard and Kuyt and demands they are sent away in the summer…..!
      Suarez is by nature a mischevous player, its in his blood. My hope is that with the Reds he will leave his skilfull legs to do the talking. No, I don’t think he will be a liability, I think he will be a very valuable asset. Yes, Maxi’s foul on Rafael prior to his tackle on Lucas was just as bad. But other than those crazy 10 minutes the game was fairly sportive in nature. Liverpool are not a tough tackling lot, but this is a very special game of the highest intensity possible, however, we should not be dragged into such tactics and concentrate on our play to brush to opposition aside.

    1. Hi Kenny. Of course I am not satisfied either with our position or for having had another season like we’ve had.

  9. Tonio, if you are not satisfied with that situation, are you satisfied with the form of Reina,Kuyt,Gerrard and Carragher over the whole season, bear in mind Hodgson is gone, but the 10 points dropped and 8 goals conceded against Blackpool,Everton,Wigan and West Ham would have put Liverpool in a clear 3rd place.

    1. Actually Kenny I think that it was more of a whole squad debacle more than anything. I respect your view that these four players have not been performing as they should, but I feel that when the Reds played bad, all of them played bad.
      In yesterday’s game for example, I felt Gerrard was good but not more than satisfactory. I don’t think he ever did anything brilliant during the game. Reina barely had anything to do. Carra was lucky not to receive marching orders and Kuyt laboured as usual and finished off the masterclass of Suarez. It did however appear as if the was a concerted effort by everyone, and the fina result was outstanding.
      I did say in one of my more recent articles that the Reds seemed to rise to the occasion against the big ones, and that we often struggled or looked uncommitted against smaller opposition. That has been the story this season. I agree even with this squad we should be much higher than we are.

  10. So Reina was dreadfully poor for Hernandez goal. You say it was the whole squad’s fault but who is the captain? Who is the vice-captain? Who is the goalie that has left in 36 goals in 29 games? Who is the dutch forward that is currently with his agent in negotiations with Comolli to get a lucrative new contract to keep him at the club? Amazing how Kuyt scored his first hattrick for the club with a big new contract almost in his grasp.

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