Liverpool v Bolton FA Cup 4th Round 17:30KO Pre-Match Talk

After our brilliant performance against Chelsea on Tuesday, we welcome Bolton to Anfield on Saturday.

I am expecting a mixed line up with some fringe players getting some game time, as well as a few youngsters, I also expect a few players to be given a rest.

Mignolet

Lovren
Skrtel
Sakho

Manquillo
Henderson (c)
Lucas
Enrique

Lallana
Ibe

Borini

Subs: Ward; Emre Can, Moreno; Rossiter; Ojo; Balotelli, Lambert.

That side is strong enough to beat Bolton and I'm confident we will do so.

It would be nice to see Rossiter come on for Lucas at some point, with one eye on the Chelsea game.

Let's keep Gerrard, Markovic and Sterling ready for Bolton.

I'm going for a 4-0 win to set us up nicely for the Second Leg of the Semi Final on Tuesday!!

 

Be interesting to see the team for this, do expect a couple to be rested, perhaps Moreno, Gerrard, Sterling and Markovic?

                                         Mignolet
                                 Can      Skrtel  Sakho
                       Manquillo  Henderson Lucas  Enrique
                                      Lallana   Ibe
                                          Borini

Ward; Lovren; Markovic, Rossiter; Gerrard, Sterling; Lambert

After our brilliant performance against Chelsea on Tuesday, we welcome Bolton to Anfield on Saturday.

I am expecting a mixed line up with some fringe players getting some game time, as well as a few youngsters, I also expect a few players to be given a rest.

Mignolet

Lovren
Skrtel
Sakho

Manquillo
Henderson (c)
Lucas
Enrique

Lallana
Ibe

Borini

Subs: Ward; Emre Can, Moreno; Rossiter; Ojo; Balotelli, Lambert.

That side is strong enough to beat Bolton and I'm confident we will do so.

It would be nice to see Rossiter come on for Lucas at some point, with one eye on the Chelsea game.

Let's keep Gerrard, Markovic and Sterling ready for Bolton.

I'm going for a 4-0 win to set us up nicely for the Second Leg of the Semi Final on Tuesday!!

 

I could live with that lineup but I'm not a fan of that bench, I think you need guys like Coutinho/Sterling/Markovic available in case things go wrong... after all it's the FA Cup and if you have a bad day, you're out

Ibe is cup tied so no appearance for him.

Lovren, Balotelli*, Manquillo and Rossiter should be the additions. Take Sterling, Gerrard, Lucas and Skrtel out. I would say Can out instead of Skrtel, except that every game he has as a CB is vital to learning the position.

All players being taken out are for resting, not an inch of criticism leveled at any of them.

*Borini if Balotelli is still ill.

I expect totally trashing the opposition.If we play as we played against the Chelsea there will be no problem in completing that goal.I would love finally to see a real striker up fron that will actually score goals.I dont see any Bolton player could cause us any problems so in my mind this is a clean victory

If we can't beat a team with Gudjohnsen and Heskey up front then there is a problem . I expect a beating of the highest order after the performance against Chelsea. Players will no doubt be rested/rotated but even still, our pressure and intensity should not drop because of the lesser opposition (compared to Chelsea). Manquillo, Enrique, Rossiter and Ojo all to play please

Lallana for Gerrard, that is all

Quite excited to see Spearing return, hope he plays Always rated the kid!!!

I just hope we don't underestimate them. sometimes happens after the likes of the terrific performance of Tuesday. Sometimes begin to think you're unbeatable following that, and go into a game at a stroll. Hope that isn't going to be the case, I'm quite looking forward to two Wembley visits again !

Mignolet

Lovren  Toure  Sakho

Manquillo  Henderson  Gerrard  Enrique

Lallana  Borini  Ibe

Purely with next week in mind.

I'm not a fan of resting to many our taking an FA Cup game lightly but I also think we have to think about the week ahead at this stage but I also think the team above is easily good enough to win against Bolton and with a few players like Enrique, Borini and Lovren with something to prove in a way I think I'd go something like this.

I just hope we don't underestimate them. sometimes happens after the likes of the terrific performance of Tuesday. Sometimes begin to think you're unbeatable following that, and go into a game at a stroll. Hope that isn't going to be the case, I'm quite looking forward to two Wembley visits again !

Yeah,just dont get complacent and there will be no problems.All out attack and trash em.

Would probably give a breather to Can, Lucas, Stevie, Sterling, Markovic and Moreno

Mignolet
Lovren-Skrtel-Sakho
Manquillo-Hendo-Rossiter-Enrique
Borini-Lallana
Lambert

Subs: Ward, Moreno, Can, Stevie, Markovic, Coutinho, Sterling

Quite excited to see Spearing return, hope he plays Always rated the kid!!!

I rated him too.  I mean he's no Xabi or anything but there's no way he is worse than, say, Joe Allen.  Hope he plays and puts on a good show.

I rated him too.  I mean he's no Xabi or anything but there's no way he is worse than, say, Joe Allen.  Hope he plays and puts on a good show.

You rated him? You are usually a hard man to please!! Good to know you saw something in him

I thought him and Lucas formed a good partnership. Spearing was very energetic and tenacious, very good short and long passer and had a good burst/acceleration. I actually thought he was a better player than Henderson at the time in terms of game intelligence, possession and defensive play.

Forgot Ibe is cup-tied, revised lineup
         
                                         Mignolet
                                 Can     Lovren  Sakho
                      Manquillo  Henderson Lucas  Enrique
                                     Lallana  Sterling
                                           Borini

Ward; Skrtel; Markovic, Rossiter, Coutinho; Lambert, Balotelli

After our brilliant performance against Chelsea on Tuesday, we welcome Bolton to Anfield on Saturday.

I am expecting a mixed line up with some fringe players getting some game time, as well as a few youngsters, I also expect a few players to be given a rest.

Mignolet

Lovren
Skrtel
Sakho

Manquillo
Henderson (c)
Lucas
Enrique

Lallana
Ibe

Borini

Subs: Ward; Emre Can, Moreno; Rossiter; Ojo; Balotelli, Lambert.

That side is strong enough to beat Bolton and I'm confident we will do so.

It would be nice to see Rossiter come on for Lucas at some point, with one eye on the Chelsea game.

Let's keep Gerrard, Markovic and Sterling ready for Bolton.

I'm going for a 4-0 win to set us up nicely for the Second Leg of the Semi Final on Tuesday!!

 

That'll work in my opinion. Although it's far from our strongest XI, it is still taleneted enough to overcome a team like Bolton. There really ought to be no excuses come Saturday afternoon.

I want to see Balotelli get the opportunity to prove himself in this new 3-4-2-1 formation. We saw in the game against United that we can carve out openings for a lone striker. He probably should have had a hat trick in the 2nd half of that match, but a lack of conviction and an in-form Gea kept him at bay. I'd probably rest Gerrard and Sterling, and give Lovren a chance to get back in the mix. I'd go for:

Migs
Can - Lovren - Sakho
Markovic- Hendo - Lucas - Moreno
Lallana - Coutinho
Balotelli

Keep Borini on the bench and (assuming we are comfortably winning) bring him on for Coutinho around 60 mins so he can rest up for the 2nd leg of the League Cup tie. I'd also try to get Lallana off early if possible. Those two will be critical to our chances of beating Chelsea at the Bridge.

Brendan has confirmed Sturridge, Flanagan and Jones are still out injured and that Balotelli, Allen and Johnson will return to the squad. Looks like Lovren is also back in the squad as well.

We may go into this game with a very strong squad.

Brendan has confirmed Sturridge, Flanagan and Jones are still out injured and that Balotelli, Allen and Johnson will return to the squad. Looks like Lovren is also back in the squad as well.

We may go into this game with a very strong squad.

Be stronger if the first two were fit to play and then ones that are fit to play were the ones missing still.

I think a couple of our squad need some minutes on the pitch.

That being said I'd love to see us on a three or four-goal haul to keep our momentum up.

                 Migs
      Lovren Skrtel Sakho
Manq  Hendo Lucas Enrique
       Stevie      Coutinho
              Balotelli

Live on BT Sport for those who want/need to know.

You rated him? You are usually a hard man to please!! Good to know you saw something in him

Yes I thought Spearing was a good player.  As I said, I didn't think he's world-class or anything, but I thought he was more than good enough to be a good squad player.  He's very good at his position, but people often overlooked the fact that he was a very good passer as well going forward.  Anyone remember that Suarez goal against Stoke in his first season?  Spearing was the one who pinged it half way across the field and put it right at Suarez's feet.  If Gerrard had done that everyone would have said "what a world-class pass" etc.  But it was only Spearing so ho-hum.  Watch the pass at the beginning:

Luis Suárez Wonderful Goal vs Stoke City Carling Cup

Spearing was very underrated.  He was definitely no worse than some of our current midfield options.

Yes I thought Spearing was a good player.  As I said, I didn't think he's world-class or anything, but I thought he was more than good enough to be a good squad player.  He's very good at his position, but people often overlooked the fact that he was a very good passer as well going forward.  Anyone remember that Suarez goal against Stoke in his first season?  Spearing was the one who pinged it half way across the field and put it right at Suarez's feet.  If Gerrard had done that everyone would have said "what a world-class pass" etc.  But it was only Spearing so ho-hum.  Watch the pass at the beginning:

Luis Suárez Wonderful Goal vs Stoke City Carling Cup

Spearing was very underrated.  He was definitely no worse than some of our current midfield options.

F**k me. Are you really jizzing over a thirty yard sideways pass?  Is that the best clip of Spearing you can find in a LFC shirt  ?  If he sliced the defence open then you might have a point but he passed the ball to his team mates feet who was unmarked and positioned out wide. Sunday league players make that pass every single week.

Very average footballer and nowhere near good enough for Liverpool.

No worse than our current midfield options? He is certainly no better than Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Lucas or Can.  Allen might not be flavour of the month with us right now but he is a better player than Spearing too.

Not slagging Jay off here but he is now playing football where he should be. So he wasn't 'Very underrated' at all. If anything he was over praised because he was from Merseyside and if he was foreign he wouldn't have had anywhere near the game time he did.