Pre-Match Liverpool V Marseille 26/11/08

Kick off 19:45
Live from Anfield on Sky Sports 2

ARBELOA EYES MARSEILLE RESPONSE

Paul Hassall 24 November 2008 

  Alvaro Arbeloa is confident Liverpool will book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League by taking out their Fulham frustration on Marseille. 
The Reds full-back admits it was disappointing to drop two points against the Cottagers but feels his teammates will bounce back with victory against the French outfit.
 
"It was very frustrating," he told Liverpoolfc.tv following saturday's 0-0 draw with Fulham.
 
"We always have the same problem when teams come to Anfield. They play really compact and narrow but it's up to us to break them down.
 
"We now need to turn attention to the Champions League. We need to make sure we put this behind us by beating Marseille so that we qualify for the next round."
 
The Spain international, who has enjoyed an impressive start to the season, believes the Reds are missing a clinical touch in front of goal and admits they were relieved to hear that Chelsea had also drawn a blank in their clash with Newcastle United.
 
"It's not a bad result for us," he said, referring to Chelsea's draw.
 
"They have also dropped two points so it could have been worse. We still feel we should have done our job and won the game though.
 
"We had two or three clear chances to score and we have to start taking them because otherwise you make life difficult for yourself.
 
"In the first-half we didn't play that well. We improved in the second-half but we couldn't find the goal to win the match. Once you get the first in a match like this it makes the rest of the match much easier."
 
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Hopefully Liverpool will put the disappointment of Saturday right behind them, and give us a display of football like we know they can.

Can't wait for this game to be honest, I just hope the crowd are up for it a bit more than they were for the A.Madrid game, so if you are going on Wednesday and I am then make some noise.

I'm sure Rafa will get his tactics right for this one and Stevie hopefully will be back as well, god we missed him so much on Saturday.

I'm going for 2-0 for this one, but to be honest any victory will do me.

Come on The Mighty Red Men.

 

I'm going for 3-1. To us. Of course

I am going to say 3 - 1 to us 

Iv'e gone for 3-0 and hopefully with Stevie back it should be easily achievable 

i think we'll edge it, dominate possesion but within our own half, frustrating marseille into making a mistake, im going to go 2-0 with kuyt and torres as scorers, hopefully though after saturdays game, the lads will be out to prove a point and do destroy them

I just want to see a solid win from us at home. We don't seem to really do that enough at home. I don't want to see a repeat of the last UCL game where we need penalty call to bail us out or last season where they played us off the park and we looked like we never wanted to be there. I would be nice to win this game, have the place booked and them lets some of the reserve/young players get a run out in Eindhoven.

I think we will see a few changes and some of the players who were calling for a game might get a chance.

I would go with

- - - - - - - - - - Pepe - - - - - - - - - - -
Arboloa - - Carra - - Agger - - Aurelio
- - - - - - - Alonso - - Javi - - - - - - - -
Kuyt - - - - - - Yossi - - - - - - - Babel
- - - - - - - - - - Torres - - - - - - - - -

Bench: Diego, Sami, Dossena, Gerrard, Riera, N'Gog, Keane

Alonso for Lucas is no brainier and I would give Yossi and Babel a run out to see if they can back their words up. Gerrard I would bring him in after 60 minutes to get a run out and save him for West Ham.

I just want to see a solid win from us at home. We don't seem to really do that enough at home. I don't want to see a repeat of the last UCL game where we need penalty call to bail us out or last season where they played us off the park and we looked like we never wanted to be there. I would be nice to win this game, have the place booked and them lets some of the reserve/young players get a run out in Eindhoven.

I think we will see a few changes and some of the players who were calling for a game might get a chance.

I would go with

- - - - - - - - - - Pepe - - - - - - - - - - -
Arboloa - - Carra - - Agger - - Aurelio
- - - - - - - Alonso - - Javi - - - - - - - -
Kuyt - - - - - - Yossi - - - - - - - Babel
- - - - - - - - - - Torres - - - - - - - - -

Bench: Diego, Sami, Dossena, Gerrard, Riera, N'Gog, Keane

Alonso for Lucas is no brainier and I would give Yossi and Babel a run out to see if they can back their words up. Gerrard I would bring him in after 60 minutes to get a run out and save him for West Ham.

We're not allowed Sami on the bench, as he hasn't been entered in our CL squad.

We're not allowed Sami on the bench, as he hasn't been entered in our CL squad.

Good point

Looking at the squad list I would think Pennant might get a seat on the bench or maybe Darby

I'd say:

-------------Reina-----------
------Carra-------Agger-----
Arbeloa----------------Aurelio
--------Xabi----Masch-------
Kuyt--------------------Riera
-----Torres-----Babel-------

And on the bench:
Cavalieri, Gerrard, Lucas, Insua, Darby, Keane, Yossi

Cavalieri, Gerrard, Lucas, Insua, Darby, Keane, Yossi

Insua isn't on the squad list so no sub role for him

Ive predicted 3-0 hopefully we can take the disapointment of the fulham game out on the french .And the atomosphere should return just like it does when ever we play in europe .  

I'll go for 0-0.

Rather Gerrard didn't play to be completely honest, if he's still recovering from that muscle injury.  I know I'm sounding like a broken record but the weekends game is of far more importance to me so I'd probably play a strong line up but not our first choice XI.  Maybe Keane can have a game? And Lucas - he's popular.

Strong chance the Doss might get a game I think, and I think Benayoun and Babel could figure.

If Doss is going to get a game JD then your 0-0 prediction is wrong

I'd say:

-------------Reina-----------
------Carra-------Agger-----
Arbeloa----------------Aurelio
--------Xabi----Masch-------
Kuyt--------------------Riera
-----Torres-----Babel-------

And on the bench:
Cavalieri, Gerrard, Lucas, Insua, Darby, Keane, Yossi

Spot on i think

Any win will do, Fancy us to scrape a 1-0 with keane to score. Also would like to see xabi start in midfield.

This game again depends on when we score. Early on and we win easily but I think a goaless first half will mean a 0-0 or 1-0. I hope Babel plays with Torres.

1-0 for me. Torres with the goal.

Like a soft sod, I'm working on Wednesday, until 8:30pm
Hope I get off on time.
Come on Reds, lets make it easy on ourselves for once.

As much as I don't like our players mouthing off in any of the press about how they're going to bounce back from a poor result, it's good to hear Arby and the rest of the lads want to basically get the Fulham game out of their system. And they can only do that by producing a good performance and be a bit more clinical in front of goal.

I've no doubt Alonso will start and I'm pretty sure Mascherano will start alongside him. If Gerrard isn't fully fit, then don't play him. It's as simple as that for me. As much as we might have missed him at the weekend, I want him fresh for the West Ham game.

I've got a sneaky feeling Dossena will get the nod over Aurelio because it's looking more apparent that Rafa prefers Aurelio for the league. But I'd prefer Aurelio.

There's no doubt in my mind that Marseille are going to come at us - they have to try get a result. So we have to be clever on the ball and disciplined at the back.

Personally I think we'll score a few goals if we get Torres on the ball early. Non of his trying to walk the ball into the net nonsense on Wednesday please. Hit them hard and fast!

What i think our lineup should look like:

                pepe
arbeloa  carra  agger  Dossena
           masch xabi
Yossi       Keane      Babel
                Torres

I know it sounds weak, but i really think we should be capable of beating marseille with this lineup. Our priority should be against West ham cuz the weaker teams know that they have a good chance getting a point at anfield if they defend like their life depends on it. We are not famous for being creative with the ball.

    

European tie at Anfield? Never has me worried, always expect to win with ease.

The team selection? Well that really depends what names Benitez happens to pull out of the hat at breakfast.

Result? 2-0 win for the Reds.

I'm going for 2-0 win and hopefully we have learnt our lessons against Stoke and Fulham!

Match Preview

http://www.anfield-online.co.uk/match-preview/2008/match-preview-marseille-h/

What I think our lineup should look like:

                pepe
arbeloa  carra  agger  Dossena
           masch xabi
Yossi       Keane      Babel
                Torres

I know it sounds weak, but I really think we should be capable of beating marseille with this lineup. Our priority should be against West ham cuz the weaker teams know that they have a good chance getting a point at anfield if they defend like their life depends on it. We are not famous for being creative with the ball.

    

Dirk Kuyt instead of Yossi,he's phisicaly our most prepared player,strong like a race horse.He can play 90 min in both games withoth a problem.I wouldn't force Steavi G on this one and i would save him for West ham,Premiership matters the most