Pre Match - Crystal Palace v Liverpool. Sun 23rd Nov ko 1.30pm.

Proper football is back this weekend and I'm sure we're all hoping to be talking about great performances and a win rather than who will replace Brendan or which players never deserves to don the shirt ever again.

Danny should be back for the game, will he start or be on the bench?  Will the defense hold out and get a much needed clean sheet?  Will Brendan stick with his preferred players or twist and throw us a curve ball and change things up?

We owe these lot for last season and with Warnock at the helm now I hope we give them an absolute drubbing.

Liverpool resume their Barclays Premier League campaign after the international break with a trip to Crystal Palace.

Brendan Rodgers' side will attempt to quickly recover from consecutive defeats in the division by Newcastle United and Chelsea.

On the Reds' last visit to Selhurst Park, in May 2014, the home side battled from three goals behind to secure a dramatic 3-3 draw.

                       Mignolet
Johnson  Skrtel  Toure  Moreno
                         Lucas
                 Hendo      Can
    Sterling   Sturridge   Coutinho


Really do not want to see Lovren, Gerrard, Allen or Balotelli selected after their abysmal form this season. I'd be confident in this team. A little experience, a little grit and very dynamic. Why play with anyone who'd offer less energy or grit?

Imo, Balotelli is a complete liability. He offers absolutely nothing in attack. He looks disinterested and I refuse to accept him as a striker who can only play with a strike partner. That's nonesense. He's at a huge club here. He should be capable of leading the line on his own.

                       Mignolet
Johnson  Skrtel  Toure  Moreno
                         Lucas
                 Hendo      Can
    Sterling   Sturridge   Coutinho


Really do not want to see Lovren, Gerrard, Allen or Balotelli selected after their abysmal form this season. I'd be confident in this team. A little experience, a little grit and very dynamic. Why play with anyone who'd offer less energy or grit?

Imo, Balotelli is a complete liability. He offers absolutely nothing in attack. He looks disinterested and I refuse to accept him as a striker who can only play with a strike partner. That's nonesense. He's at a huge club here. He should be capable of leading the line on his own.

Agree with pretty much all of this. Wouldn't mind Lallana for Lucas and playing 4-2-3-1 with hendo and Can as our CM pair, but would be happy with what you listed.

Perfect opportunity to see if Balotelli can make it here with Sturridge back.

No idea who Brendan will pick at the back, and probably won't make much difference.
 I would like to see Lucas start but we know Gerrard's name is glued to the starting line up, we need some creativity and goal threat so I would like to see this ;
                     
                                   Lucas
                                             Can
                                     
                                   Coutinho
 
                  Balotelli       Sturridge        Raheem




                       

Sturridge out, if Brendan starts with Balo up top alone again I might just bloody well explode.

Please, if we're going to play Balo play Borini or Raheem up top with him.

I'd personally be playing:

                            Mig
        Manquillo Skrtel Toure Moreno
                           Lucas
                Henderson Lallana
                        Coutinho
                   Sterling   Borini

Obviously not a chance in hell of seeing that team, but that's what I'd send out.

No Sturridge ... F**k!!!

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/football/clubs/liverpool/article4271549.ece
 

Thanks for putting this up Debs.

We need look forward with some degree of hope and optimism.

Sturridge out, if Brendan starts with Balo up top alone again I might just bloody well explode.

Please, if we're going to play Balo play Borini or Raheem up top with him.

I'd personally be playing:

                            Mig
        Manquillo Skrtel Toure Moreno
                           Lucas
                Henderson Lallana
                        Coutinho
                   Sterling   Borini

Obviously not a chance in hell of seeing that team, but that's what I'd send out.

You see based on how players have performed over the last few games that is the team to play. It's the best team we can put out. And it still screams no goals. Which is depressing considering we spent over £120 million over the Summer.

You see based on how players have performed over the last few games that is the team to play. It's the best team we can put out. And it still screams no goals. Which is depressing considering we spent over £120 million over the Summer.

It's a fair point mate, do think it offers slightly more threat than our usual 4-5-1 but yes you hit the depressing note right on the head.

Sturridge injured AGAIN 

Really disappointed that Danny is still struggling. This is a game we should win comfortably even without Danny, may even do us a bit of a favour to get a good win under our belt before Sturridge comes back.

                                Mignolet

Manquillo          Skrtel        Lovren       Moreno

                       Can   Lucas

Sterling                                      Coutinho           

                         Gerrard
                           Balotelli

I think Gerrard  could be the spark that gets Balotelli scoring. Bring Lallana on once Gerrard tires.

2-0 Balotelli with both and a clean sheet..... I must be dreaming  

It's a fair point mate, do think it offers slightly more threat than our usual 4-5-1 but yes you hit the depressing note right on the head.

I would drop the ridiculous 4-5-1 with Balotelli as a lone striker in a heartbeat mate it clearly doesn't work and will provide the lowest return on goals. Unfortunately Brendan will not do the obvious thing and drop Balotelli whether through his own stubbornness or stupidity I'm not sure.

The diamond formation is the right option I'd be inclined to play Can instead of Hendo or Lucas as he offers a greater goal threat. Or perhaps play Lambert up top with Borini and Coutinho at the top of the diamond instead of Sterling I think Raheem has been very poor of late and might be better used as an impact sub.

The diamond formation is the right option I'd be inclined to play Can instead of Hendo or Lucas as he offers a greater goal threat. Or perhaps play Lambert up top with Borini and Coutinho at the top of the diamond instead of Sterling I think Raheem has been very poor of late and might be better used as an impact sub.

Yep, after Saint posted his line-up I'd started questioning Can/Henderson so fair enough too. Lambert/Borini/Sterling up top all deserve a chance after having to watch Balo. So absolutely any combination of that I'd be happy enough with.

At this stage I'd just be happy to move away from the 4-5-1, even happier if Gerrard was moved from his deep lying playmaker role, those 2 steps alone would give me some belief that Brendan is adapting to circumstance. This dogmatic stance he has at the moment is unhealthy for him and our chances.

Really disappointed that Danny is still struggling. This is a game we should win comfortably even without Danny, may even do us a bit of a favour to get a good win under our belt before Sturridge comes back.

                                Mignolet

Manquillo          Skrtel        Lovren       Moreno

                       Can   Lucas

Sterling                                      Coutinho           

                         Gerrard
                           Balotelli

I think Gerrard  could be the spark that gets Balotelli scoring. Bring Lallana on once Gerrard tires.

2-0 Balotelli with both and a clean sheet..... I must be dreaming

Couldn't care less who scores.... But I'm loving this formation ! This is where Gerrard can be most affective !

Been waiting for Mario to prove me wrong since he played for City as a £20-odd million striker... I hope he does it in Sunday! 

Do like the idea of Gerrard off Balotelli but we can't do what we did against QPR which we simply didn't get it up to him enough in decent areas (in fact the only time we did if I remember correctly he almost scored). No Coutinho for me, still goes missing in away games but if we keep him on the bench there's a decent chance he'll put in a quality 20 min cameo like he did against QPR.


Mignolet; Manquillo, Skrtel (Sakho if fit), Toure, Moreno; Can, Lucas; Sterling, Gerrard, Lallana; Balotelli.

Must admit that my confidence levels have taken a battering for this one after finding out about Sturridge's injury, just don't see where we'll get the goals here as I doubt our chances of keeping a clean sheet once again.

Yep, after Saint posted his line-up I'd started questioning Can/Henderson so fair enough too. Lambert/Borini/Sterling up top all deserve a chance after having to watch Balo. So absolutely any combination of that I'd be happy enough with.

At this stage I'd just be happy to move away from the 4-5-1, even happier if Gerrard was moved from his deep lying playmaker role, those 2 steps alone would give me some belief that Brendan is adapting to circumstance. This dogmatic stance he has at the moment is unhealthy for him and our chances.

I agree about Brendan mate. I am not too concerned what he does as long as he does SOMETHING different to show he is trying to change our fortunes.

Inevitably gonna be another useless 4-2-3-1 with Gerrard in the 2, Balotelli isolated up top, and a poor performance, been that way since Sturridge first got injured.

Inevitably gonna be another useless 4-2-3-1 with Gerrard in the 2, Balotelli isolated up top, and a poor performance, been that way since Sturridge first got injured.

Mate you have missed out the fact that mario will get subbed on 85 mins for lambert.

Please Boss, pick a team on merit & one that will stuff these eagles.

9-0 please.

I want Lallana and Coutinho to play.

If Sturridge is still out pending that scan, we're kind of fu**ed when it comes to striking options. I'm at a loss. So much so that I think I'd gamble and try some kind of false 9 with Lallana. Hell, if Shelvey did it for us, Lallana can too.

Mignolet
Manquillo - Skrtel - Toure - Moreno
Lucas - Can
Sterling - Coutinho - Lallana
Balotelli

Gerrard for one of the attacking midfielders after 60 mins to play behind the striker..

If Brendans puts balo up top on his own again at the weekend I really will go spare. You cannot as a premiere league manager keep repeating the same mistakes week in week out and expect to see some miraculous change in our form. Lucas and Can got to start, no Gerrard,
Borini and balo, or borini and sterling or lallana up top .