Bournemouth v Liverpool

It may be a game against lower-league opposition, but it's the toughest possible lower-league opponent we could face right now: Bournemouth are top of the table in the Championship.

A curious thing is that we've actually beaten Bournemouth at Dean Court (their stadium, not a legal battle) this year; on 25 January 2014 we won them 0 - 2 in the FA Cup. Victor Moses and Daniel Sturridge scored our goals in that match.


It really must be hoped that they won't get a revenge on Wednesday as we really, really could do with a win. To give the team a lift, the fans a lift and Rodgers might be the one who could do with a win the most. Should we lose, that would mean we had been eliminated from the Champions League and the English League Cup in the space of nine days, while taking a 3 - 0 battering from our biggest rivals in between there.


Line-up is anybody's guess as is the formation. I suppose it's positive that we are now trying other set-ups than the 4-3-3 with Balotelli / Lambert for CF. What we did against Basel was awful, but against United we did create a host of chances, just couldn't take any of them. So, maybe we are going in the right direction, even though it seems pretty random how we are switching around now.

Anyway, given the circumstances, this is actually a big game for a League Cup quarter-final, because we just need at least something positive for Christmas. We beat this team in January this year, now let's beat them in December.

They play free flowing attacking football. This will probably be harder than the United game. Im scared.

They won 5-3 this weekend and have already won 8-0 this season. Knocked out WBA in the last round.

Nothing looks good for us other than the fact we have created more chances in the last two games compared to rest of the season.

Jones is a confirmed starter, So expect them shoot after watching him against United.

I am really scared as well.

A win here puts us in the semis and probably with a great chance of winning.

I really want a trophy badly please Brenda don't *bleep* this up.

I want to see a team devoid of Johnson, Lovern, Gerrard, Allen, Henderson & Raheem. May be something like this:

-----------Mignolet-----------
Manquillo-Toure-Sakho-Enrique
------------Lucas------------
-------Emre---Coutinho-------
------------Lallana-----------
-------Markovic-Balotelli-------

or maybe the same players in 4231, but Balotelli as lone forward isn't worth it.

WIN THIS ONE...thats all I want !!!

Yeah I rather win this than Arsenal.

Really want a trophy badly.

We lose to Arsenal and the highest we can finish is 4th that too after a 7-8 game unbeaten run or something.

whats wrong with you poses...why r u even thinking about Arsenal game, lets win this one first !!

Agreed.
GET IN THERE MARKOVIC

Win win win no matter what!

I think we'll set up in a similar manner to the United match with some different personnel. We'll capitalize on the scoring chances we create this time and pot at least 3. YNWA

I really want Sakho and Can to start. Won't be happy with a line-up that doesn't involve both.

I would also like to see Can, Sakho and Markovic get starts. I wonder if he will stick with a 3-4-3 type formation. I would prefer to see a 4-3-3 like this:

El Cujo wrote:I would also like to see Can, Sakho and Markovic get starts. I wonder if he will stick with a 3-4-3 type formation. I would prefer to see a 4-3-3 like this:

Manquillo-Toure-Sakho-Moreno
Henderson-Can-Coutinho
Markovic-Sterling
Balotelli

Enrique for Moreno (defensively more solid)
Lucas for Henderson (cover for back 4 and rest for Henderson)
Lallana for Sterling (rest for Raheem)
Lambert for Balotelli (Balotelli injured)





Balotelli can't play lone-forward

dont be surprised if Rodgers starts everyone that we think should be rested

Balotelli can play lone forward he just needs penetrating wingers that play more like wide forwards than actual wingers. That's how he was set up at Milan and he scored 30 goals in 54 games. You know I've said it too, but I'm tired of the 'he can't play lone forward' excuse. He can, just not the way that Rodgers has been setting up the team. Balotelli is more of a free roaming deep lying forward that likes to hold up, lay off and take long shots while roaming. We actually have mostly wide players that like to penetrate anyway so I don't see it as an issue. Just IMO though.

Would like to see Borini play. Lallana still playing injured so I don't think he should start.

HEIL MEIN REDS wrote:dont be surprised if Rodgers starts everyone that we think should be rested

If Henderson starts

The guy's being made to suffer for his versatility again anyway. From playing CM against Sunderland to playing left-attacking-midfielder against Basel to playing right wing-back against United. Maybe he'll start in goal tonight.

Jordan and Raheem should really be rested, they've been playing pretty much every game this season and we have a huge game against Arsenal coming up in the weekend.

El Cujo wrote:
Would like to see Borini play.

I'll email Brendan.

And Balotelli cannot play lone striker in any of the systems we're playing. I'd play the Christmas tree formation (like you suggested above, too), but with Balotelli one of the attacking-midfielders behing a striker.

I think Balotelli could make for a cracking AM or SS, but not a lone striker in the Prem.

Art Morte wrote:

HEIL MEIN REDS wrote:dont be surprised if Rodgers starts everyone that we think should be rested

If Henderson starts

The guy's being made to suffer for his versatility again anyway. From playing CM against Sunderland to playing left-attacking-midfielder against Basel to playing right wing-back against United. Maybe he'll start in goal tonight.

Jordan and Raheem should really be rested, they've been playing pretty much every game this season and we have a huge game against Arsenal coming up in the weekend.

well he is so much under pressure now and also he is thinking of getting some silverware this season so I am sure he will start Hendo, probably rest Gerrard. I dont think he will play team without both of Gerrard and Hendo. He will play one of them for sure.
He might even start with Sterling, but we will see.

Jones, Toure, Skrtel, Lovren, Henderson, Gerrard, Coutinho, Lallana, Lucas, Sterling, Markovic

Confirmed #LFC subs v @afcbournemouth: Mignolet, Lambert, Sakho, Moreno, Manquillo, Can, Borini

I don't much understand this team

Borini and Lambert on the bench, No proven goal scorer.

Sakho, Can on the bench dont get these games to become match fit.

Markovic, 20m man playing LWB? If its a 3-5-2?

Okay i guess we wont concede and keep good possession. Lets hope we can get that first goal.

Jesus effing Christ, Rodgers go *bleep* yourself for that line up.

Wtf is this XI, seriously

It looks strong, all right, but why the F we spend £100m plus in the summer if we don't rotate the squad even in the League Cup against lower league opposition?

Sakho doesn't get a chance. Can doesn't get a chance. Henderson starts again. Sterling starts again. And I suppose our CM pair is Gerrard & Lucas? Really?

And indeed, is Markovic now playing wing-back? It's like Stewart Downing again. We weren't quite happy with him as a winger, so let's drop him deeper.

F me, I don't approve of that line-up at all. The only positive is that we seem to stick to the same formation as against United, when we created a lot of chances, but how can we freeze out some legit players, I don't frigging know.

Bournemouth have made six changes from their previous Championship game, so even they are resting guys. We aren't. Well, we better win.

Geez, I'm really just trying to get it round my head that we actually have Henderson and Markovic starting as wing-backs.........


There's also this awful feeling that it's actually Allen who is being rested for the Arsenal game.........

Art Morte wrote:Geez, I'm really just trying to get it round my head that we actually have Henderson and Markovic starting as wing-backs.........


There's also this awful feeling that it's actually Allen who is being rested for the Arsenal game.........

I hope it is Gerrard though