QPR vs Liverpool - Kick off Sunday 1330 BST

If you buy into "bib theory" then it looks like orange bibs will be our starters. That would suggest:

Migs
Manquillo - Skrtel - Lovren - Enrique
Gerrard - Can
Sterling - Coutinho - Lallana
Lambert

Quite OK with that. Means Hendo, Allen, Studge, Mario, Johnson and Moreno will start against Madrid. Sterling and Stevie need to start mid week as well, so will be interesting to see when BR would send in Markovic and Lucas respectively.

Quite OK with that. Means Hendo, Allen, Studge, Mario, Johnson and Moreno will start against Madrid. Sterling and Stevie need to start mid week as well, so will be interesting to see when BR would send in Markovic and Lucas respectively.

If all goes according to plan I'd imagine BR is going to want to put Allen and Markovic on for Stevie and Sterling around the hour mark to save them for the CL tie against Madrid. Although, it could be Studge on for Sterling (if he is fit) to start getting him back into the groove.

Should Johnson come back in at RB?

discuss.

Should Johnson come back in at RB?

discuss.

Unless he's become brilliant all of a sudden i'd much prefer Manquillo there instead .

Unless he's become brilliant all of a sudden i'd much prefer Manquillo there instead .

Small steps in improvement from Johnson would be a start so if he stops being sh*te and goes to just average that would be a good start never mind brilliant.

I doubt he is capable of doing brilliant anymore and debatable if he ever did.

Should Johnson come back in at RB?

Should Johnson come back in at RB?

discuss.

No.

End of discussion for me Fed.

We need three points, whether we play well or not. We should beat QPR without too much hassle as long as our defence doesn't gift them soft goals.

GJ coming back and him being the answer to some of the problems we've had this season, is like that definition of insanity
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
Although Einstein wasn't the first or the only person to word it that way.

He probably will play I think, I'd rather he didn't... could lead to goals against us (CB's left stranded) and we'll have to do everything from the left attacking-wise.

Unless he plays on the left!

Dont rate Johnson but still think he will get nod in the big games due to his experience and tbh Manquillo is not as good as i hoped Manquillo was brought in as cover for Flanagan/Johnson

No     "  Soo War Ez  "       ' arry.

Have to give old 'arry credit.

He dedicates quite a few pages in his new book to Luis.
Respect.

The best England Manager we never had.

I'd like to see Sterling play up front with Balotelli meself. No Studge for another month means the manager needs to find another so a solution is needed and that is the one I would try.

Don't worry boys and girls.

I think Lambert should play with Mario ahead of him. We need to get an alternative strike force up and running because this season is going to be over soon unless we get a settled side together that can win football matches

I think Lambert should play with Mario ahead of him. We need to get an alternative strike force up and running because this season is going to be over soon unless we get a settled side together that can win football matches

Totally agree.  There is little to no point in playing either of them on their own.  Either Borini tags with one of them, or they both play.  One target man up front has not worked this season.

I think your both bonkers, Play two target men up front instead of one is what you are suggesting. We would get totally over run in midfield and wouldn't have nearly as much of the ball as usual. It might have worked in the 80's but I'd be very worried if Brendan decided to go down this route, really worried. I'd prefer to see Sterling given a shot up top with either of our target men.

The other alternative would be to give Stevie a run out behind Balotelli.

No.

End of discussion for me Fed.

and me.

G.J. needs to be pensioned off.

Losing Studge for a further 4 weeks is a right kick in the Bawbag,  but not all is lost as yet, cannot see a Balo /Lambert front two working their to similar imo,  but I can see a Balo / Borini pairing working if given enough time, Balo needs a decoy and Borini could prove the ideal foil,

For a few weeks last season he banged a few in for the black cats and was pivotal for them staying up, he was given a chance by Gus Poyet allowing him a run of games,  so why not give the lad a go, he refused to move on in the summer believing he would get his chance,  let's give him his chance see how it goes,
Look I'm not saying he's the answer,  far from it, but  if he can give Balo the space he needs then why not,?


                        Mignolet
Johnson  Skrtel Lovren Moreno
                Hendo Gerrard
        Sterling.              Lallana
                   Borini
                                  Ballotelli

Bench ; Jones, Toure, Manquillo, Markovic, Lambert, Suso, Rossiter

Ok we're understrengh but should still have too much for Harry's hopefuls,

I'm predicting a 0-2 Redmen victory with Lallana and Balo bagging the goodies,

Onwards & upwards

YNWA

     

I think your both bonkers, Play two target men up front instead of one is what you are suggesting. We would get totally over run in midfield and wouldn't have nearly as much of the ball as usual. It might have worked in the 80's but I'd be very worried if Brendan decided to go down this route, really worried. I'd prefer to see Sterling given a shot up top with either of our target men.

The other alternative would be to give Stevie a run out behind Balotelli.

Lambert plays DEEP.

Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno; Can, Henderson; Sterling, Gerrard, Lallana; Balotelli.

Did think that Sterling needs a rest but not too many other options for us really. Don't think it's a game for Markovic and using Coutinho leaves us short on width and pace.

We will win tomorrow.

Bad news re Daniel.  Hope it does'nt become a recurring problem.  He's very capable, will get lots of goals.... but needs to be fit.  I'm no expert on his career to date, but injuries seem to have been a problem in the past. I think we'll be in the Window for an additional striker in Jan. 
No Top 4 (or aspiring top 4) team can continue without top firepower. 

Whats going on with Mario? I'm hoping when he starts scoring he can't stop, but he does'nt appear to have ever been a goal machine.  But, we need a minimum of 20 goals in all comps from him, if not more. 

Lambert plays DEEP.

He drops deep at times but he is still a target man, he does his best work with his back to goal, he's big, he's strong, decent in the air and not particularly mobile. Ditto for Balotelli. It won't work.

Losing Studge for a further 4 weeks is a right kick in the Bawbag,  but not all is lost as yet, cannot see a Balo /Lambert front two working their to similar imo,  but I can see a Balo / Borini pairing working if given enough time, Balo needs a decoy and Borini could prove the ideal foil,

For a few weeks last season he banged a few in for the black cats and was pivotal for them staying up, he was given a chance by Gus Poyet allowing him a run of games,  so why not give the lad a go, he refused to move on in the summer believing he would get his chance,  let's give him his chance see how it goes,
Look I'm not saying he's the answer,  far from it, but  if he can give Balo the space he needs

     

I see your thought process mate but Borini simply doesn't scare defences, he runs hard, works hard and is an intelligent player but he can't take anyone on, he isn't a great threat with long shots, he just doesn't offer enough threat, he's workmanlike. Playing Borini means leaving a better player out of the side.

For me there are two options, play Sterling up there with Balo or stick Stevie back in the hole and see what he can do there.