Swansea v Liverpool

We are made to wait a wee bit longer to see our team in action again, but on the other hand it's kind of nice to be that Monday night match. It's our manager's old club Swansea who will host us at their rather good-looking Liberty Stadium:




Swansea are likely to offer a stern examination at home, one for which we need our guys to be at their sharpest to pass it successfully and continue our perfect start to the season. In some ways this could be a tougher game than our previous one against Manchester United at Anfield.

Jonjo Shelvey is likely to start against us while it remains to be seen how our defence will look like with Johnson out and new signings Sakho and Ilori available for selection. Toure is apparently available, too, while no one could have complaints if Skrtel was awarded another start after his solid performance in the United game. Victor Moses likely to make his debut, too, either from the start or from the bench.

Two and a half days until kick-off, use that time to share your thoughts on this fixture

Since we have four CB and only one wing-back available, can we try a defensive-diamond thing!!!

Don't worry, just jocking.

Swansea are one heck of an overrated team, if we stick to our basics and tactics then we should come out victorious.

I agree that they're a bit over-hyped, but on the other hand it's difficult to precisely point out which of their players are over-rated - or is the manager that. Perhaps the answer is that all of them a little.

Swansea have had a rather awful start to their season. It's never good to drop your first two matches in the way they did, being embarassed by ManU at home and then giving away a result to Spurs. They were able to dispose of West Brom last weekend, but I'm not sure West Brom is the same resolute squad that we saw for stretches last season.

Its difficult to grasp just what is going on with Swansea. They haven't looked like the same threatening side, despite seemingly positive additions over the summer. There certainly is quality in the team (Michu, Bony, Canas, Hernandez, etc.). They just haven't looked like the same well-oiled machine as last season, and I wonder if they may just be adjusting to some of the new additions.

On their current performances, I would have to agree that they are overrated by many pundits and supporters. However, I do think that they will improve over the coming fixtures as they slowly settle sort out their "formula".

One interesting aspect of this clash will be to see how Laudrup deals with the fixture congestion and European commitment. Don't forget, Swansea have their first Europa League group-stage match three days after the match against us. It's a bit of an unknown quantity as to how Laudrup will approach the coming week.

Won't be able to watch this game, I'll be following a gamecast or something similar from work Please give some good analysis post game, I'll be waiting to read it when I get home!

As for the starting lineup, I think Wisdom should get the runout at RB - he looked class in preseason and in his appearance v ManU, and while I wouldn't want him in the team long term, he can deal with Swansea and similar teams in some spot starts. It'll be good for his development too, and I think our defense will be strong enough as a unit to paper over any moments of youth he has. I also feel like everyone's forgetting how much quality he had when he got the runout last year because of how pitiful his last appearance was. Yes, he looked overmatched against the one top team he played (was it Arsenal or ManU? For some reason I'm blanking), but the lower tier teams he did well against, and Monday's game isn't against Barca, it's against Swansea.

Other than that, I'd bring Moses in for Aspas (and slide Hendo central) and I have no preference for Agger's partner - any one of the four options would be fine by me. Everything else should remain unchanged.

And suddenly due to every other team . . . this game becomes really really important in terms of the early momentum & all . .  

Stev I can give you a link to download the full watch once the match is over so you can watch it for yourself if you'd like.

Chelsea dropping points means we could go 3 points clear on top should we win.

It's been way too long since we've last played. Too excited.

22 player squad that will travel to Wales.

LFC squad for Swansea: Jones, Mignolet, Agger, Enrique, Flanagan, Ilori, Kelly, Sakho, Skrtel, Toure, Wisdom, Alberto, Allen, Gerrard, Henderson, Ibe, Lucas, Aspas, Coutinho, Moses, Sterling, Sturridge

18 will be chosen for the match, so 4 of them will sit in the stands. Most probably 4 of Ibe/Kelly/Flanagan/Ilori/Allen/Wisdom/Alberto

McAgger wrote:Stev I can give you a link to download the full watch once the match is over so you can watch it for yourself if you'd like.

I'd like that a lot

I think Flanagan, Ilori, Ibe and Alberto will be in the stands. As for starting XI, I will go with stevie:

------------Mignolet------------
Wisdom-Toure-Agger-Enrique
--------Lucas---Gerrard--------
Moses--Henderson--Coutinho
------------Sturridge------------

Massive game. A draw would put us back top of the league, a win and we'd be 3 points clear. Obviously we're not going to stay there but being 3 points ahead of Arsenal and Spurs and 5 ahead of United, City and Chelsea already would be brilliant.

Since the start of February, Swansea have won 4, drawn 3 and lost 10. I thought we showed them too much respect when we played them at their place last season.

To be fair Swansea had nothing to play for last season after they won the League Cup, I think that showed in their results.

Swansea fold against the big teams, and this is a result Liverpool have to get to show they've truly improved from last season. They should put the Swans to the dAgger early on in the game and never look back.

ExtremistEnigma wrote:Swansea are one heck of an overrated team, if we stick to our basics and tactics then we should come out victorious.

so you mean we wont stick to our basics and tactics

Found the following:
http://www.roryfitz9.com/news/swansea-vs-liverpool/
I found it really interesting, because I dont watch so much of EPL so I could understand a bit more about swansea tactically.

Laudrup will prioritize Valencia game 100%

I don't expect Canas and Pablo to start.

Hope Shelvey starts, because BR knows how to press and disapossess him.

I think this will be Coutinho's best game of the season so far. Finally a non-physical side

quite true, finally some rest for our magician !!!
I think laudrup will try to make some balance between EL game and EPL games, he might look for a draw and try to hit us on counter.
We should be the ones taking charge of this game and make them do shyte in their pants.

Swansea win


1st place is ours  

Diego Armando Maradona wrote:Swansea win


1st place is ours  

Swansea lose . . .

Arsenal would be 3 points behind league leaders

Diego's comment is specially reserved when the match gets over

Expecting a much better performance in attacking department which has been pretty bad so far.

HEIL MEIN REDS wrote:

ExtremistEnigma wrote:Swansea are one heck of an overrated team, if we stick to our basics and tactics then we should come out victorious.

so you mean we wont stick to our basics and tactics

When did I say that?

ExtremistEnigma wrote:

HEIL MEIN REDS wrote:

ExtremistEnigma wrote:Swansea are one heck of an overrated team, if we stick to our basics and tactics then we should come out victorious.

so you mean we wont stick to our basics and tactics

When did I say that?

I think he is referring to your scoreline prediction, 2 - 1 to the Swans