I wish Christmas was over already and Boxing Day football here.

Anyway, we face one of the promoted sides, Burnley, who are - as expected - fighting for their survival in the league. They're currently in the relegation zone and we must make sure they remain there after Friday, too. I'm not too fond of the 'must win' phrase, but if there are such games, this surely is one of those.

Burnley have scored more than one goal only in two matches out of 17. Their goal-difference is the joint-worst in the league with Leicester, minus 14. Yet somehow their top-scorer, Ings, has more goals (4) than any of our players.

Very likely that we'll continue with the 3-4-3. I suppose the big question is whether Balotelli will come into the XI and at whose expense that would be. Apparently Lovren has had a minor groin injury, but hopefully he won't replace anyone even if fit.

I guess that's it, really. No big stories to write about this one. It's very straightforward, really, we simply need to win and start doing some catch up on those above us. No better opportunity for that than playing Burnley.

We were 1st going into boxing day last season.

We are 10th now (possibly 11th if Stoke beats Chelsea)

Would like to see Lovren in for Skrtel if fit and Balotelli in for Gerrard though both are highly unlikely. Maybe give Sterling a rest since he looked a bit off against Arsenal.


Would be my preference for Burnley. I expect an explosion of goals here. At least 3 maybe 5. We will win though.

Like I said in some other thread, I like to see Gerrard, Henderson & Raheem dropped for this one.

----------Mignolet----------
----Toure-Skrtel-Sakho-----
Markovic-Lucas-Emre-Moreno
------Lallana-Coutinho------
----------Balotelli-----------

It's gonna be hard Burnley are real hustlers

Predicting a goalless draw, hope I'm wrong.

Art Morte wrote:. I'm not too fond of the 'must win' phrase, but if there are such games, this surely is one of those.

Whatever happened to stevie?

No change in the backline pls...I would play Gerrard here and rest him against Swans

GET IN U BEAUTS

Love Boxing Day football. I'm glad we're actually playing watchable football atm. Should be a very fun day if we win.

Yeah, looking forward to seeing that left-hand side again with (probably) Markovic, Coutinho and Sterling and whoever is at LCM. I'd really like Can to start, again, but I guess that's not going to happen.

Anyway, the more I think of this game, the more convinced I am we're going to get an easy'ish win. That Burnley team has just got nothing in it. They've scored only 12 goals in 17 games. It's time to get that feel-good factor going again and smash the Clarets. Win here and then beat Swansea and Leicester at Anfield in our next two games. [jinx shield]Sturridge should be coming back[/jinx shield]. An easy FA cup game against Wimbledon. And that's us off to a completely different period compared to thus far. Yes, I can feel it, I can feel it. Oh yes.

finally up and running after some homely feelng, happy max to all, looking forward to match. What a feeling it is, sitting at home, nothing to do and so relaxed and cant wait anymore !!!

Unchanged XI. I'm still not fond of that Gerrard - Lucas CM pair, I hope they don't get exposed against Burnley's work rate at home. Anyway, should be a victory coming our way, get in, lads!

Liverpool - Jones, Toure, Skrtel, Sakho, Lucas, Henderson, Gerrard, Markovic, Coutinho, Lallana, Sterling.
Subs - Mignolet, Lambert, Moreno, Manquillo, Can, Balotelli, Ojo.

how can someone not notice those subs

Well, Ojo is a surprise.

What a shit half, not surprised, its bloody Burnley ffs. Again dumb tactics.

Awful. Absolutely awful.

Jesus, not one of those *bleep* wearing yellow care anything about the crest on the shirt because work rate is absolutely *bleep* nill.

and the comeback of the shit football

Also I don't know what *bleep* tactics Rodgers thinks he's playing.

We're *bleep* Liverpool. This is *bleep* Burnely for goodness sake. Why are we giving them all the possession and hoofing to Sterling at every opportunity. It's like they are the big side and we are the relegation fodders.

BTW Henderson is absolutely awful at fullback. Like we didn't know this already.

Art Morte wrote: I'm still not fond of that Gerrard - Lucas CM pair, I hope they don't get exposed against Burnley's work rate at home.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand it's like we have no midfield. When your two most invisible players are playing next to each other in midfield, you should know something's not going to plan.

Burnley holding all the tactical keys, too. They isolate our dangerous forward trio and press our midfield four, which is all too easy for them when we indeed look to a Gerrard - Lucas partnership to unlock Burnley's pressing game.

It's just shambles, the good news are that it's 0 - 0 at HT and hopefully we'll come through in the 2nd half to win this. But we do need someone else than Gerrard or Lucas in the middle to connect our frontline with the rest of the team.

other teams are already leading and we are still at 0-0
Ojo and Balotelli on the bench but i have no idea how can any player improve with the tactics we are playing right now!!

Hoping Ojo gets subbed in. I really don't want to see that big *bleep* baby Balotelli.

Don't call me James wrote:Also I don't know what *bleep* tactics Rodgers thinks he's playing.

We're *bleep* Liverpool. This is *bleep* Burnely for goodness sake. Why are we giving them all the possession and hoofing to Sterling at every opportunity. It's like they are the big side and we are the relegation fodders.

BTW Henderson is absolutely awful at fullback. Like we didn't know this already.

Most of us, like you, were saying that we want the 3-4-3 for now. However, the midfield personnel are wrong and one of Coutinho or Lallana should be instructed to drop way deeper when we're struggling like this to get anything done.

That said, I was afraid the 3-4-3 would get found out after the surprise factor was gone.

3 at the back is rubbish, why are we playing it.

No Art that's not what I'm saying. formation=/=tactics. I don't mean the formation. The formation is alright. I agree with with. WE were doing well with it so he's right to continue. However, we had like 90% possession with this formation against Arsenal ffs.

But Rodgers is playing a counter attacking tactics today. We are letting Burnley have the possession for the most part and pressing loosely individually and without any idea like headless chickens.