Aston Villa v Liverpool (Premiership) - Pre Match

[JD]

Here we go then... the minutes are ticking down to the start of the season.

Aston Villa v Liverpool
Saturday 11th August 2007 @ 5:15pm
Live on Setanta Sports (available for Satellite, Cable and Freeview subscribers - 9 sports channels for £9.99 a month)



With thanks to EddieC's thread

Recent matches against Villa:
28-10-06 Liverpool 3 - 1 Aston Villa WON (Kuyt,Crouch,Garcia)(Agabonhalor)
29-04-06 Liverpool 3 - 1 Aston Villa WON (Morientes, Gerrard 2) (Barry)
05-11-05 Aston Villa 0 - 2 Liverpool WON (Gerrard,Xabi Alonso)
15-05-05 Liverpool 2 - 1 Aston Villa WON (Cisse 2) (Barry)

So - are we finally FINALLY going to get the season off to a decent start?

[RedPuppy]

Sorry JD was it 0-0 at Villa park the last time we played in March so if may be another draw :'(

[PaintingTheTownRed]

Do we know our best XI or what our formation should be? Despite all the friendlies, im not sure that we know what combination to go with in midfield or up front. Personally, I'd go for a 4-3-3 formation, riena in goal, a back four of finnan, carragher, agger, riise/arbeloa, then play alonso mascherano and gerrard in the middle, with babel, torres and pennant as the forward three.

who would you pick?

[The Fallen Soldier]

I think we will pinch it 1-0. Reason being I think Torres may make the difference something unexpected will get us the 3 points. I think Villa will shut up shop and go for the point but either SG will tank through at some point or Torres will come up with something unexpected. We need a good start and Villa park has always been good to us in the past, but it will be tight. Have to also say Gareth Barry is the danger man from any set peices so we have to be in total concentration mode if they have anything like that. We also need to watch for the pace of Young and Agabonhalor as they can be mighty dangerous.
I watched the friendly against Inter and although Inter put out a sort of reserve side and were 2 3 weeks off full fitness. Villa impressed me, especailly G Barry. Its not gonna be easy but I feel we can get the 3 points.

Team

                       Reina
Finnan       Agger       Carra       Risse

Alonso      Mascherano  Gerrard   Kewll

               Kuyt      Torres


Mascherano to break up anything Young , Agabonhalor and Barry can through at us and Xabi because a long pass to Torres feet might bring about the unexpected.

[JD]

Do we know our best XI or what our formation should be?

Carragher - Carragher - Carragher - Carragher

Carragher - Carragher - Carragher - Carragher

Carragher - Carragher

Toss up between Reina and Carragher for keeper.

[redkenny]

I think we can get all three points as long as we stay ALERT at the back.
Pre season was good in general and it was what to be expected with trying different options out. But the only thing that really bothered me so much was how casual we have been at the back at times. Especially when we'd dominate possession and then be hit on the break.
I think we all know a lot of teams are just going to play the sit back and let us see what we can do, then try hit us on the break tactic, this season - hopefully that can be eradicated by some more sharpness up front!
And I presume that's what Villa might do on Saturday. So if we stay alert, sharp and focused at the back, I can only see a Liverpool win by one or hopefully two goals.
Also, I hope we don't do too much "trying to walk it into the net". Bit of instinct up front and we'll win by three goals!

[ONTHEWING]

I think the boys will be fully focused and do Rafa proud.  I've got a great feeling about this season!!

2-0 to the mighty Reds :-)

[MsGerrard]

Carragher - Carragher - Carragher - Carragher

Carragher - Carragher - Carragher - Carragher

Carragher - Carragher

Toss up between Reina and Carragher for keeper.

Carragher in goal of course.......We all dream of a team of Carraghers!!

[REDMAN]

I just cant see us losing here.First games are normally tight and edgy,I am going for a 1-0 win.Dirk with the goal.

[Jrwanderer]

Spirits are high in the camp, so I think we'll get off to a flyer!
2-0 win for the reds!

[The Fallen Soldier]

Carragher - Carragher - Carragher - Carragher

Carragher - Carragher - Carragher - Carragher

Carragher - Carragher

Toss up between Reina and Carragher for keeper.

 

Never a greater answer, have to admit it made me laugh more as I just watched that spam sketch from Monty Pythons Flying Circus.

[Crazy Horse]

Not meaning to put a downer on the new season! I'm going for a 1-1 draw, a tough game to start and Martin O'Neil seems to do well against us. I'll settle for a point but I do think when the first 10 games have gone we will have over 20 points! Just think this is difficult one to start, but if we can pinch it what a start it could be!!

[redkenny]

Not meaning to put a downer on the new season! I'm going for a 1-1 draw, a tough game to start and Martin O'Neil seems to do well against us. I'll settle for a point but I do think when the first 10 games have gone we will have over 20 points! Just think this is difficult one to start, but if we can pinch it what a start it could be!!

Not at all a downer Crazy Horse. That makes sense to me. I think it will be a very tight game and it will be hard to break them down. I think we'll have a better say in the possesion but I'm weary of them slipping one in if we're not too alert at the back ( )
If we keep focused in defense then I'm optimistic we can get a vital goal to take all three points.

[Crazy Horse]

I think we'll have a better say in the possesion but I'm weary of them slipping one in if we're not too alert at the back ( )

Are we talking about the Lisbon again RedKenny?! After 3! YMCA

[redkenny]

Are we talking about the Lisbon again RedKenny?! After 3! YMCA

 

Three points in the bag on Saturday mate and I'll buy you a babysham!

[Cy]

Here we go then... the minutes are ticking down to the start of the season.

Aston Villa v Liverpool
Saturday 11th August 2007 @ 5:15pm
Live on Setanta Sports (available for satellite cable and freeview subscribers)

Just a little point on the setanta....also via broaband for £7.99/month 3 sports channels plus a very nice archives section wich gives you the chance to see games again if missed live. I choose it and so far very happy..no contract..

Back to the topic, a clear win with Torres and Stevie on the score sheet for me...COME ON YOU REDS!!

[multilockscan]

I dont know , I fear rafa might name a team we won't all agree on    my starting team would be (pragmatic's earlier message). make changes early if its not happening ! not really impressed with pre season but that all stops on saturday. here's to a good start

[kop16]

I think, past match, we should be win over Villa

[lester76]

Agree with CrazyHorse....1-1 draw. Beleive Rafa should start off the game with the a side that pretty much represented us so well at times last season.... and then add Babel as the game progresses.
GK:Reina
RB:Finn
LB:Risse
CB:Carra
CB:Agger
RW:Jermaine
CM:Stevie-G
CM:Alonso
LW:Harry
CF:Kuyt
CF:Torres

Kuyt to get us a goal in the 2nd half to get us a point in a fairly entertaining but unconvincing start to the season. I think Villa are strong but over the season our new boys will add the flair and will make the difference for a quality crusade to number 19.......as the old saying goes "don't put all your eggs in one basket"....

In Rafa we trust

[Naza05]

I think a 3-0 win the boys are up to it spirits are high in the camp and Gerrard is going to smack the sh*t outta someone who doesn't play well as he has been screaming that we need a flyer start to the season. I think Torres will score a brace and benayoun to setup set up Babbel's first goal after both coming on as a sub.

My team

GK:Reina
RB:Finnan
CB:Carra
CB:Agger
LB:Riise
RM:Pennant
CM:Gerrard
CM:Alonso
LM:Kewell
RF:Kuyt
LF:Torres

[EddieC]

My line up for the team would look like this:

                  Reina

Finnan     Carra   Agger    Riise

Gerrard  Alonso   Masch  Kewell

             Torres  Kuyt

People will probably question why I'd go for Gerrard on the right, the reason is Finnan could probably do with a bit of help against the attacking threat from Gareth Barry & Ashley Young, who O'Neill will probably play on the left. I'd be half tempted to play Hyypia to combat the aerial threat from Carew, but Villa have quite a few pacy attacking players like Young & Agbonlahor that he'd probably struggle to keep up with so I've left him out. Mascherano will be in place to neutralize Petrov, and with Torres dropping deep Reo Coker will have to pull back to pick him up, giving Alonso the space he needs to execute his excellent range of passing. It looks like Villa are going to go with Craig Gardner at right back, a 20 year old midfielder who will be playing out of position, the experience of Kewell should be ideal to exploit his lack of experience in the role. I'm going to go for 1-0 to us, with Kuyt to benefit from the space left by the defence trying to pick up Torres & scoring the winner.

[REDMAN]

Its impossible to predict what Rafa is going to do with the team.However I believe Eddies team to be somewhere close to it,although I can see Babel playing instead of Kewell.Its gonna be a tight game for sure,it will be tense and nervy to start.

[EddieC]

Its impossible to predict what Rafa is going to do with the team.However I believe Eddies team to be somewhere close to it,although I can see Babel playing instead of Kewell.Its gonna be a tight game for sure,it will be tense and nervy to start.

Only reason I'd go for Kewell for this one is the fact they have an inexperienced right back playing & I feel he'd be the best to exploit that. If it wasn't for that I would've gone for Babel too.

[JD]

People will probably question why I'd go for Gerrard on the right, the reason is Finnan could probably do with a bit of help against the attacking threat from Gareth Barry & Ashley Young.

EddieC going to have to disagree with you on this one mate.  To be honest, I think we have reached the point were we should stop panicking about the opposition and give them reasons to panic against us.  Playing Gerrard on the right to cover Finnan is IMO a negative attitude and for our opening game of the season I would much prefer us to have Gerrard bossing the centre of the park with Mascherano (or Xabi) and two wingers putting in decent performances and pinning Villa back.

REINA

FINNAN - CARRA - AGGER - RIISE

PENNANT - GERRARD - MASCHERANO - KEWELL

TORRES - KUYT

Subs: A Keeper, Voronin, Babel, Crouch, Hyypia

[EddieC]

I agree it might be a slightly negative attitude, but in the first game of the season I see not losing as more important than winning. The way I see it their right side is the weakest whilst the left is strong, I'd rather see us keep things tight on the right & make sure Barry & Young don't get any opportunities whilst focusing our attacks down the left where I feel we can really hurt them.

[mattmcg]

My team would be

Reina
Finnan - Carra - Agger - Riise
Pennant - Gerrard - Alonso - Benayoun
Torres - Kuyt

Really looking forward to the game tomorrow. Kicks off 2:15 am our time and I will be up watching a full line up of games starting with the Tottenham match anxiously waiting for our season to kick off. I am going for a 2-0 prediction with Gerrard and Kuyt getting on the scoresheet but I definitely wouldn't be suprised with a draw as I still think our finishing needs some fine tuning. I can picture a game with us dominating possession wise but once again failing to take our chances against a dogged Villa defence but hopefully this won't be the case. I am a big fan of Kewell but I have been very impressed with Benayoun in pre season so I reckon he deserves a chance to make his premiership debut with Liverpool. Babel still looks a bit off the pace so I wouldn't risk starting him, and Alonso and Gerrard is still IMO the best central midfield partnership we have. Once again a 2-0 victory but wouldn't be suprised with a draw!!

[LFC 4 LYF]

Can't wait for it to start, KO at 5:15! Hopefully a comfortable win in the bag.

Reina
Finnan Carragher Agger Riise
Benayoun Gerrard Mascherano Kewell
Kuyt Torres

[Tallfc]

Lets go there with the attitude of "These are here to be taken so COME ON", as most of the forum as already commented...We NEED to hit the ground Running if we are to challenge the EPL.Last season we started a little Nervy and it cost us dear...1-1 at Sheff Utd springs to mind.They are the teams we SHOULD be beating,no disrespect to A.Villa but must people and I'm not a betting man would fancy us over A.Villa

SO COME ON LIVERPOOL,"They don't like it up em"

[mrtommo]

Some latest odds from William Hills.

First goalscorer

Fernando Torres   11/2
 
Dirk Kuyt   6/1
 
Peter Crouch  7/1 
 
Andriy Voronin  8/1   
 
Ryan Babel   8/1 
 
Steven Gerrard  9/1   
 
Harry Kewell  12/1

Hat tricks

Dirk Kuyt  50/1   
 
Fernando Torres  50/1   
 
Andriy Voronin   66/1   
 
Peter Crouch  66/1   
 
Ryan Babel  66/1   
 
Steven Gerrard 80/1

Scorecast.

Torres  Liverpool 2-1   30/1

Gerrard  Liverpool 2-0   45/1

Carragher  Liverpool 1-0  175/1

Personally, Torres & 2-1 @ 30/1 looks a very fair bet.

[PaintingTheTownRed]

Gerrard at 9/1 isnt bad at all, if I was a betting man I'd have a bit of that.