Liverpool v Marseille (CL) - Match Thread

[EddieC]

 

Liverpool v Marseille

Wednesday October 3rd - 19.45

Coverage on Sky Sports 2 from 6pm

Our European campaign continues on Wednesday with a match against group leaders Marseille. It might still be early on but for me a win is a must in this game, even those with the lowest of expectations should agree on that. Nasri is out for them with a virus, he's not expected to start training until next week. No new injuries reported as yet for us, Agger, Alonso and (surprise surprise) Kewell are all still missing.

I would go with:

                     Reina

Finnan  Carragher   Arbeloa   Aurelio

Benayoun Gerrard  Sissoko    Babel

               Crouch  Torres

In central defence I feel Arbeloa will be much better equipped to deal with Cisse's pace than Hyypia and so would go with him. In central midfield Zenden will quite likely play, if this is the case I would like to see Sissoko up against him. Going by his time with us Zenden won't be able to deal with being pressured & should give up possession easily, and you know Momo will give him no time on the ball if instructed to do so.

That aside, we're talking about a team that's in the bottom half of a crap league, so I wouldn't worry too much about how they play & just play to our strengths. I do think Torres should start this one, but Rafa should break the habit of a lifetime & sub him at half time if the game's wrapped up, so there can be no risk of him being tired for the game against Spurs. Like I said, should be a comfortable win although nothings guaranteed in football, I'll go for 3-0.

[Cy]

Marseille has been very poor this season so far and will bet everything on that champions league campaign, away from home they are defo a side we can take on and a win is a must.

The fact that nasri is not playing is  a bonus for us, the lad is very talented. Cisse will probably want to do well and by wanting to do so might just getting frustrated very quickly if he doesn't get the ball where he wants it. I agree with Arbeloa as a center forward a good call that. Crouch to start could pose problem for their defense as they don't usually deal with that style of players. Weak league surely, crap league certainly not...

[Chitose]

Weak league surely, crap league certainly not...

Totally agree, they have quality players too, just... not as quality as England league, that's all! (Of course, Premier League's players's quality is the best in the world).

Narsi, a talented one, but I wonder if he will still stay at Marseille after the winter transfer (Bayern might attack again, like the way they did with Ribery, poor Marseille!), I'm glad that he'll not be out.

I think Hyypia still fit perfectly in the center-back, along side with Carrager, with Carrager and Hyypia, LiverpoolFC will always have good chances from corners, so I will put Arbeloa in the left back, Aurelio's last performance don't really impress me. In the winger, Pennant and Babel will be no problem, shame for Riise, he can't play at his best in all the matchs that he can play, I still hope he will be in the starting lineup (chance is about 20%). Gerrard and Sissoko is not bad, with Zendel in the centre, It will be a real trouble, the trouble is they just understand too well each others, so I'm thinking to put Leiva along side with Gerrard, I want to see him play more to see how much potential he got, he's not bad. In the font, rotation, Voronin and Crouch, that's 68%.

                                 Reina

Finnan          Carrager              Hyypia             Arbeloa

Pennant        Gerrard               Leiva           Babel/ Riise

                     Crouch           Voronin

About the score, 2-0 will do!

[mrtommo]

Throughout history, never once has a French football team managed to defeat the Reds at Anfield. The best ever result was a draw, earned by… OM.
 
Nine matches, no defeats. That’s Liverpool’s home record against French clubs in European competition. None of eight clubs have ever returned from the Mersey with a win. Worse still, Liverpool have only conceded a miserly two goals against French opposition: Dominique Bathenay during Saint-Etienne’s 3-1 loss in 1977 and Didier Drogba, for OM in 2004 (1-1).
Despite the paltry results of the French clubs against the Reds, OM remain undefeated at Anfield. The only prior meeting was in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup in 2004 where José Anigo’s side came away with an honourable 1-1 draw, thanks to Drogba’s strike.
Apart from that draw, every other French side has returned on the back of a loss, the last being Toulouse’s 4-0 mauling in the 3rd qualifying round of this season’s Champions League.

Not a bad stat above and lets hope we can add to that and earn a decent 3 points.

Liverpool will be missing Alonso, Agger - due to injuries and Pennant who is suspended.
OM, unfortunately for them but good news for us, Samir Nasri is siffering from a virus and has been hospitalised since late last week and is out of clash against Liverpool.

A welcome return to Ciise and Zendon who will be back at Anfield for the first time since leaving us.

I'm not going to predict the team - my crystal ball is working flat out for the lottery numbers for me (easier to pick the winning numbers, than naming Rafa's team)
I'm going for a 3 - 1 win, with us going behind to a Ciise goal in front of the Kop.
Our forwards will then kick into action, and show Ciise they are worthy replacements.
Kuyt and Torres 2.

[EddieC]

I think Hyypia still fit perfectly in the center-back

So you don't think his lack of pace will be an issue?

Oh, and Pennant's suspended.

[jammydodger]

I have a feeling that Torres won't start this one - as I think Rafa will prefer to have him "fresh" against Spurs.

[EddieC]

I have a feeling that Torres won't start this one - as I think Rafa will prefer to have him "fresh" against Spurs.

I think you might be right there, he's likely to play him against Spurs & then possibly rest him against Everton away where they're bound to kick lumps out of him. That said though he seemed to do well against Reading when they used those tactics, so who knows? I'd hope Rafa's learned from the Brum game & plays Torres, but like I said before takes him off as soon as the game's won.

[Magillionare]

^^^ yup exactly what I was thinking, im not too sure about crouch this season, if he doesnt score or at least impress, I think he is cemented in 4th in the pecking order, then again he does usually score in the CL. Personaly I hope he does score, it will boost his confidence and make everyone else raise there game hopefully

[Chitose]

So you don't think his lack of pace will be an issue?

Well, not really, his performance in the match with Wigan is really good, I don't think that there's any problem here!

Oh, and Pennant's suspended.

I completely forgot that! sorry and thanks! So I will put Pennant in the right winger in Riise will be in the left, his chance to be in the starting lineup is now about 35%.

[EddieC]

I completely forgot that! sorry and thanks! So I will put Pennant in the right winger

Nope, still suspended.

[Magillionare]

I would but yossi on the right wing as Eddie has pointed out..."Pennants suspended"

[EddieC]

Well, not really, his performance in the match with Wigan is really good, I don't think that there's any problem here!

Yes, but we're not playing Wigan again on Wednesday, we're playing Marseille who happen to have a very pacey striker in Cisse. Hyypia's lack of pace wasn't shown up in the Wigan game because they didn't have a pacey striker, and that is why I suggested him for that game in the match thread. This game will be completely different.

[Chitose]

Nope, still suspended.

Sorryyy, I completely lost my mind when I tape It! I mean I put Babel in the right and Riise in le left winger! sorry again!
Man! You should become a manager yourself! EddieC!

[Magillionare]

Im pretty sure riise will play, one thing about rafa is that players, may not always play, but he doesnt like to leave people out completly, so id image he will start either left back or preferably left midfield

[EddieC]

Im pretty sure riise will play, one thing about rafa is that players, may not always play, but he doesnt like to leave people out completly, so id image he will start either left back or preferably left midfield

Going by his woeful performances of late I bloody well hope not. I'd also disagree about Rafa not liking to leave players out completely, quite often we see players have a blinder then they're not even on the bench for the next game.

[Magillionare]

no that not what I mean, he rotates so that even players who you might not expect to play will play more matches that they might get at other clubs, I.e. everyone in the first team usually gets a chance to proove their worth, he seems to put that ahead of form actually.