Standard Liege v Liverpool

UEFA CL
QF ROUND 3 LEG 1
Wed 13 August 08 in Belgium

1st I have to say, 8.05 kick off, where did they get this time, 7.45 or 8.00, but 8.05 WHY.

Do you think StevenG will be back for this game.

Who do you think will play right back.

If StevenG is back I think we all know the team, but just not sure of the RB.

8:05, I think it is for TV, prog starts at 8pm giving 5mins for intro. It all started why Live TV started...correct me if I'm wrong.

ITV1 at 8pm, KO at 8:05.

No sopcast, or justin.tv  but Clive "treble in 99" Tildsley  instead....bugger.

So what do people feel about this game, preseason we have, IMHO, been OK with some very good team effort with lots of running and team work for the full 90 mins, But forgetting the two games where we scored 4 we have not really looked like getting the goals our posession and play may have deserved, will it be an easy win, edgy draw or the unthinkable.
I sence a boaring but comfortable 1-0 win, dispite putting a 2-0 win in the prediction league.

UEFA Champions League
3rd Qualifying Round 1st Leg
13th August 2008 (20:05) @ Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Belgium

Liverpool begin their competitive season on Wednesday night with an short trip over to the Belgian city of Liege.

Standard Liege are certainly not the easiest opponents the reds could have landed and are the current Champions of Belgium having broken a 25 year wait to land the title in a country where Anderlecht and FC Brugge are usually dominant.

Liege are also known as ‘The Reds’ so Liverpool should be expected to line up in their new European away shirts for the evening.

Steven Defour is their club captain and fans’ favourite.  The player also picked up the Golden Shoe award in Belgium in 2007.

Serbian Milan Jojanovic helped fire Standard Liege to the title last year and usually averages a goal a game up front.

Eyes on Liverpool though, and with Steven Gerrard out after suffering a thigh strain all eyes will be on whether Xabi Alonso takes part.  If he does, then it is highly unlikely he will be leaving Liverpool this summer.  Robbie Keane is also expected to make his Champions League debut.  The Irishman was at Inter Milan the season they didn’t compete in the European Cup and he was also at Leeds when they played in the European Cup, but unfortunately could not play because of the loan deal he was on at the time.

History

Liverpool played Standard Liege twice, home and away, in the 2nd round of the European Cup Winners Cup in December 1965. A 3-1 home win was helped further with a 2-1 away win in Belgium.  Roger Hunt and Ian St John grabbed the goals in Liege.

Betting

Standard Liege 5/1
Draw 5/2
Liverpool 1/2

Paddy Power are offering an impressive free £20 bet when you place a £10 bet. Bargain! The offer is here.

Opposition Links

Official Standard Liege Website

TV

The match will be shown live on ITV1 in Great Britain. The programme begins at 8pm.

http://www.anfield-online.co.uk/match-preview/2008/match-preview-reds-v-standard-liege/

Looking forward to this.  No question it being on ITV is a bit of a blow, but I hope we can get the decent victory that will prevent us following the Rangers route out of the tournament.

And...

I hope Xabi plays.

Keane debut goal. Liverpool to win by a couple.

JD, is it not on Wednesday?

JD, is it not on Wednesday?

 

Well spotted the deliberate mistake.

Damn, can't get ITV1 over here and it's not listed on UTV. 

I think we'll win 2-0 with goals from Ngog and Torres. Still unsure as to whether Alonso will play a part, I think Rafa might stick him on the bench just in case. He could play Carra in the holding role.

           Reina

Arbeloa Hoops Agger Dossena

           Carra
 
Kuyt Plessis Benayoun

     Keane Torres


Or:

              Reina

Arbeloa Carra Agger Dossena

Kuyt Plessis Spearing  Benayoun

       Keane   Ngog


I could probably post 2 or 3 more formations with different personnel but I'll leave it at that for now. These are unlikely but just two alternatives Rafa has.


 

Easy win I think.
My prediction would be, 2-0, Torres and Keane to get the goals.

Nice CL icon JD, cool. 

interesting to see if xabi plays in this one

xavi has to play. steve g out so he has to play in my opionion.

xavi has to play. steve g out so he has to play in my opionion.

You honestly think we couldn't beat Standard Liege without Alonso??

with it bein away I'm not really fussed on how we play as long as we win. Come the second leg I'd prefer some more stylish football, but for this one it should be professionally won, grinded out if needed. Nothin flash, just get the job done.

Im guessing

                     Reina

Arbeloa  Carragher Agger  Dossena

                     Plessis

Kuyt              Alonso       Benayoun

                  Keane  Torres

We need to make sure we can get away goals and hope to grind out to win. I believe/hope that Alonso will play this game thus ending the madness of him being sold off and it would give of a much better chance of the team getting the result. Even if Gerrard is 80% fit I would put him on the bench and hope we don't have to use him and keep him fit for the Sunderland game.

My Line-up

----------------Pepe----------------------

Arboloa--Carra---Agger----Dossena

Kuyt----Spearing--Alonso--Yossi

----------Keane-----Torres-----------

I think most of the line-up is pretty simple, I would prefer the pace and work rate Spearing offers in closing down players and making them work to the things Plessis offer but I have a feeling Plessis will start.

I take it we didn't have to submit a 23-man squad like we normally do in the Champions League?

Rafa has played Plessis a bit more in pre-season than Spearing so I think he will go with him.

Reina

Arbeloa - Agger - Carragher - Dossena

Kuyt - Alonso - Plessis - Benayoun

Keane - Torres

I really don't think he will start Xabi. He could still leave and for what he's worth I don't think Rafa would want to rule that out. (Of course, even if he does play he could still go to a team not in the Champions League).

I'd bet my house on Xabi starting on Wednesday as I don't feel Rafa will risk getting a bad result by not playing one of our most experienced players.

I'd bet my house on Xabi starting on Wednesday as I don't feel Rafa will risk getting a bad result by not playing one of our most experienced players.

I think he could bench him and bring him on if needs be. We can definitely win without him, I don't doubt that at all. But he would be the figure to steady the ship if things went awry. I'd like him to play and would feel better for him playing but I Rafa has been very vague on his future so I'm not sure.

If Xabi doesn't play then our central midfield pairing is probably gonna be Spearing and Plessis, two inexperinced players at first team level added to that the importantce of the match and the responsibility of playin in the heart of the game...do you really think Benitez would take that kinda risk? I don't and see Xabi playin the full 90 minutes and I'll even go as far as to say he'll be our MOTM.

The team I'd choose would be:

25) Reina
17) Arebloa
23) Carragher
5) Agger
2) Dossenna
14) Alonso
26) Spearing
18) Kuyt
7) Keane
15) Benayoun
9) Torres

bench. Cavalieri, Darby, Skrtel, Plessis, Pennant, N'Gog, Nemeth

                   Reina

Dossena  Carragher   Agger   Degen

                 Plessis

Kuyt         Alonso       Benanyun

          Keane       Torres

Going for 3 - 0 in Liverpool's Favour!

                   Reina

Dossena  Carragher   Agger   Degen

                 Plessis

Kuyt         Alonso       Benanyun

          Keane       Torres

Going for 3 - 0 in Liverpool's Favour!

Isnt Degan injured?

Isnt Degan injured?

Hope against hope! Aurelio will take his place then.

Im predicting a solid 2-0 Keane and perhaps Alonso