Pre-match: Bolton Wanderers vs Liverpool (EPL) - 29/8/09 3pm KO

A tight scrappy affair. I feel like at the moment we can't help but concede a goal, especially from set pieces. 

 I still think though we'll have just a bit more then them so I'm going for a 1-2 scoreline. Torres to get a brace.

just wonder what team is going to show up this week after  2 disasters and one superb win. this should be a win. bolton are a tough physical team who play defensive generally. there are no easy games so come on reds regroup and start thinking  positive

Let's get an early goal. Against Stoke we scored as early as the sixth minute and we've had it by then. But in the two losses against Villa and Spurs, they scored first and it unsettled the team's rhythm. Last season, we can almost be assured that the team can fight back all the way till the final minute even when we're down. But at the rate of the team's current form, let's not bank on comebacks. Score early, get goals. Then when we're back to winning ways, perhaps the team will regain the confidence of last season's. 

Let's get an early goal. Against Stoke we scored as early as the sixth minute and we've had it by then. But in the two losses against Villa and Spurs, they scored first and it unsettled the team's rhythm. Last season, we can almost be assured that the team can fight back all the way till the final minute even when we're down. But at the rate of the team's current form, let's not bank on comebacks. Score early, get goals. Then when we're back to winning ways, perhaps the team will regain the confidence of last season's. 

If it wasn't for Gerrard giving away that penalty we would've taken at least a point from Villa.

This thread is a bit neglected lately with the Champions Leaue group stage draw today.

Personally I think we should go for the same starting XI that played Villa. Every single one of those players know they underperformed and will be desperate to make up for their mistakes. Lets face it we don't have the squad to make any drastic changes.

Thankfully Bolton don't have a winger who can destroy us in the same way Ashley Young did. But Kevin Davies is a very good player and he is well
capable of getting goals. I wouldn't be disappointed if Kyrgiakos played to see how he deals with set pieces. If he can at least bring some composure in the box during free kicks and corners he will be very valuable for us. Whoever is defending Reina's goal has to get into the air ahead of their man and has to be first to every ball, anything less is a liability.

It will be very interesting to see how Gerrard and Torres react to their share of the criticism from the Villa game. I fully expect to see the two of them controlling the games tempo. They can do it so easily when they really put the effort in. And ultimately it can win or lose a game for us.

If we can play at the same tempo we played the second half against Villa we will have no problems.

I don't think there will be many changes to the side maybe Riera coming in on left and dropping Gerrard back into midfield and Benayoun playing just behind Torres.

Hopefully get at them from the off and not let them settle and then we can control the game.

If it wasn't for Gerrard giving away that penalty we would've taken at least a point from Villa.

yeh but we should still have never given Villa the chance to have been ahead to be chasing the game!!

After that slow tempo'd and unconvicing peformance on monday night i think we all deserve some reassurance!...I want to see that fast paced liverpool from last season near the end of the villa game i was scratching my head watchin the boys hold up the ball lookin puzzled as to what to do especially ive noticed lucas is a weak link in the midfield he always holds the ball istead of producing tht fast paced one touch give and go we all love seeing, masch and torres need to chill there beans a bit frustration never promotes a good performace and also riera should be a full time 1st team player! he does a great job down the left side he can score and has been on good form for his country scoring and settin up goals id like to see him back in action whilst begging for the return off danny agger, fabio aurelio and our new signing aquilani!..........my verdict Bolton 1 - 3 Liverpool

Line up:              Johnson              Jamie C                   Skrtel                    Insua (would prefer aurelio)
 

                                           
                                                  Masch                     Gerrard

                  Babel (or benny)                                                                     Riera

                                                                  Kuyt   


                                                                 El nino                                                                             

Lucas time to shine, he will have a half decent game and then people will think hes gonna be a star again, go lucas, you waste of space. id say if Lucas dose not start we will win 3-0 no matter who is in his place but if Lucas plays i predict 2-1 to the Pool.

id say if Lucas dose not start we will win 3-0 no matter who is in his place but if Lucas plays i predict 2-1 to the Pool.

And what would be your reason for this logic, or lack of?

And what would be your reason for this logic, or lack of?

i think with a team of 10 players(Lucas counts as no-one) including Reina, Skrtel, Masch, Gerrard and Torres we are capable of beating Bolton 2-1. However with 11 players(NO Lucas) and with the determination drawn from the recent poor performances we could easily win this 3-0 and if not more.

i think with a team of 10 players(Lucas counts as no-one) including Reina, Skrtel, Masch, Gerrard and Torres we are capable of beating Bolton 2-1. However with 11 players(NO Lucas) and with the determination drawn from the recent poor performances we could easily win this 3-0 and if not more.

So you think our team with Lucas in it is as strong as a ten man team? And that with Lucas we will concede a goal and score one less goal han
without him? Correct me if I'm wrong but that is what it sounds like your saying in my opinion, and if that is what you're saying then I'm baffled. How can that make any sense? It makes no sense what so ever. I think its just a pre judged biased attack on an easy target!

So you think our team with Lucas in it is as strong as a ten man team? And that with Lucas we will concede a goal and score one less goal han
without him? Correct me if I'm wrong but that is what it sounds like your saying in my opinion, and if that is what you're saying then I'm baffled. How can that make any sense? It makes no sense what so ever. I think its just a pre judged biased attack on an easy target!

EASY target, I think you mean LEGITIMATE target. Since hell probably score the extra conceded goal that's that taking care of. Also if he dose not start who are our replacements, Babel or Riera with Gerrard back in the center, both can create a goal or even score one(unlike Lucas) so that's our extra goal scored. Now that's not that complicated so what part of it cant you understand or what part of MY opinion dose not make sense?

I like martinlfc's team selection, but I think Dirk out wide on the right, deffo benny ahead of Babel, Lucas is starting to look the part though, and I reckon Rafa will stick with him.

4-0 to us, at least.

EASY target, I think you mean LEGITIMATE target. Since hell probably score the extra conceded goal that's that taking care of. Also if he dose not start who are our replacements, Babel or Riera with Gerrard back in the center, both can create a goal or even score one(unlike Lucas) so that's our extra goal scored. Now that's not that complicated so what part of it cant you understand or what part of MY opinion dose not make sense?

No I definitely mean easy target. So he scored an own goal against Villa, now he's liable to do it in the very next match? Carragher has scored his share of own goals but I wouldn't have him ot of the team for them. Many people would disagree with breaking up the Gerrard and Torres partnership, Rafa himself claimed he had found Gerrards best position just behind Torres. So if we were talking about a direct replacement for Lucas' role we're left with Spearing and Plessis. As much as I admire young Jay Spearing, Lucas' experience puts him ahead of both Spearing and Plessis.  If only it was as easy as naming a player that can create and can score goals. Of course Riera and Babel can create and score but that doesn't mean they will, and personally Lucas is better at treking back and tackling than both of them. The part of your opinion that does not make sense to me is how you can claim one player will cost us two goals.

No I definitely mean easy target. So he scored an own goal against Villa, now he's liable to do it in the very next match? Carragher has scored his share of own goals but I wouldn't have him ot of the team for them. Many people would disagree with breaking up the Gerrard and Torres partnership, Rafa himself claimed he had found Gerrards best position just behind Torres. So if we were talking about a direct replacement for Lucas' role we're left with Spearing and Plessis. As much as I admire young Jay Spearing, Lucas' experience puts him ahead of both Spearing and Plessis.  If only it was as easy as naming a player that can create and can score goals. Of course Riera and Babel can create and score but that doesn't mean they will, and personally Lucas is better at treking back and tackling than both of them. The part of your opinion that does not make sense to me is how you can claim one player will cost us two goals.

Thats just how lowly I rate him as a player in the premiership, Spain would be perfect for him, he wouldn't be closed down half as quick and he would have time to create something. Torres is the best striker in the world at the moment(i am sure we will agree on that) and I think he can score without the magnificent Gerrard behind him. with Mascherano holding in midfield i think we are good enough to allow Gerrard to play center midfield and still roam forward creating chances and scoring, I think that's our problem, we need two strikers and someone creative in center midfield like Gerrard capable of a bit of magic unlike Lucas. Skrtel, Carragher and Mascherano are more than capable of looking after the center of defense so why not put an extra attacking center midfielder and giving Torres a partner up front.

Thats just how lowly I rate him as a player in the premiership, Spain would be perfect for him, he wouldn't be closed down half as quick and he would have time to create something. Torres is the best striker in the world at the moment(i am sure we will agree on that) and I think he can score without the magnificent Gerrard behind him. with Mascherano holding in midfield i think we are good enough to allow Gerrard to play center midfield and still roam forward creating chances and scoring, I think that's our problem, we need two strikers and someone creative in center midfield like Gerrard capable of a bit of magic unlike Lucas. Skrtel, Carragher and Mascherano are more than capable of looking after the center of defense so why not put an extra attacking center midfielder and giving Torres a partner up front.

I know what you're saying but right now, in our current 4-2-3-1 formation Lucas is the best option we have and I think he's doing a decent job, nothing special, just whats needed. Now enough about Lucas before our last four posts get moved to the player thread.

No doubt Torres can score without Gerrard but with the understanding the two have both of them get more goals together. Like I said in the Torres player thread, he will get kicked around by Bolton and won't be given much space, so he'll need someone who really understands his game to put in that deadly ball and Gerrard is that man.

And if we were to give Torres a partner against Bolton, I think Kuyt is the only option that will work well enough to benefit the team. But that would involve a different RW then, most probably Benayoun, who in my opinion cuts in too early and too much for a winger. To me such a move would unbalance the side. So suddenly 3 of our strongest areas on the field change. Bolton would love that and they would be full of confidence seeing Gerrard and Torres partnership broken up and Kuyt in a position where he needs to keep his energy for short spints into the box rather than long runs up and down the wings. Scolari said last season that Kuyt worried him more than Torres and Gerrard because he didn't think his players could keep up with Dirk's workrate.

Mascherano of course will be able to hold the centre of the field for us, but I can't see him having too much to do against Bolton. Hopefully if all goes well they will be pinned back in their own half, resorting to high long balls up to Davies to ease the pressure. But when called upon he will make the right challenges allowing whoever is beside him to attack more.

What you're saying is all very possible and we will see something similar at some stage this season I'm sure but right now I think it would unbalance a team that is already low on confidence.

I like martinlfc's team selection, but I think Dirk out wide on the right, deffo benny ahead of Babel, Lucas is starting to look the part though, and I reckon Rafa will stick with him.

4-0 to us, at least.

thanks. And its understandable to prefer beanyoun to start over babel you can always expect 110% and a good chance of a goal or an assist from little benny, but im seriously still not coniviced by lucas as a controlling midfielder i dont think he has a good enough ability to pick out players quick enough (like alonso used 2) and doesnt seem to show any drive to go forward he holds the ball up to much slowing down an attack hopefully aquiliani will provide something when hes FIT!

That's our problem though, we have to be more positive against teams like Bolton,we are a bigger and better club. There was too many draws against lower opposition last season, we've already lost the same amount of games as last season so that means we need to improve on the amount of draws, we are not going to do that against a team who will park a triple decker and a fleet of buses in front of goal with one striker, we just have to be more adventurous and have attacking tactics,maybe just maybe the problem lies with Benitez and he dose not think we are good enough to do this.

I think that we all have to be positive as we are still in august and form is temporary and class is permanenet, everyone should remember how many games we drew last season we won't draw that many this season the style of play Rafa has adopted against the smaller teams but i do believe that Rafa has got to play Gerrard in the centre of midfield against the top 8 teams(we do lack creativity with the loss of Alonso)and until our new Italian signing is match fit i believe Lucas maybe is not quite ready(will he ever be)sometimes Rafa should give other players like Spearings a chance,i think the time has come to play a right midfielder in that position rather than Kuyt and why didn't Rafa sign Distin(or even Lucas Neill) with prem experience rather than a hot headed 30 year old greek that struggled in Scotland with Rangers(got more cards than good performances),on saturday i'm going for a confidence building 2-0 pool win,oh and a quick message to the two yanks get your cheque books out Rafa is not a miracle worker we won't win the prem with only one quality striker-Ngog(still learning)kuyt(doesn't score enough goals and misses to many chances) and voronin(garbage).

                                  Reina
Johnson          Skrtel                 Carragher        Insua

                    Lucas                  Mascherano

Benayoun                                                        Riera

                        Gerrard
                                    Torres

Some of you might say why keep Lucas why keep Lucas i will tell you why its because he has kept the ball the best so far out of most players he breaks up play well and he will put a 110% in against Bolton the creativity i think will come from Masch and if not we have good wingers that can spice up the game unlike against Aston villa were Benny was playing crap and so was Kuyt but Benny might play better on the right and Riera i am sure can give us that extra spark of creativity and pace that we crave so badly. I am not breaking up the Torres and Gerrard partnership as i think the more they play together the closer we are to seeing them BOTH back at their best. Well that's just my opinion anyway.

I think that we all have to be positive as we are still in august and form is temporary and class is permanenet, everyone should remember how many games we drew last season we won't draw that many this season the style of play Rafa has adopted against the smaller teams but I do believe that Rafa has got to play Gerrard in the centre of midfield against the top 8 teams(we do lack creativity with the loss of Alonso)and until our new Italian signing is match fit I believe Lucas maybe is not quite ready(will he ever be)sometimes Rafa should give other players like Spearings a chance,I think the time has come to play a right midfielder in that position rather than Kuyt and why didn't Rafa sign Distin(or even Lucas Neill) with prem experience rather than a hot headed 30 year old greek that struggled in Scotland with Rangers(got more cards than good performances),on saturday I'm going for a confidence building 2-0 pool win,oh and a quick message to the two yanks get your cheque books out Rafa is not a miracle worker we won't win the prem with only one quality striker-Ngog(still learning)kuyt(doesn't score enough goals and misses to many chances) and voronin(garbage).

i agree with everything you said except i am glad i will never see Lucas Neill in a Liverpool shirt and thats the truth.

That's our problem though, we have to be more positive against teams like Bolton,we are a bigger and better club. There was too many draws against lower opposition last season, we've already lost the same amount of games as last season so that means we need to improve on the amount of draws, we are not going to do that against a team who will park a triple decker and a fleet of buses in front of goal with one striker, we just have to be more adventurous and have attacking tactics,maybe just maybe the problem lies with Benitez and he dose not think we are good enough to do this.

Yeh i agree with you there you its obvious why rafa has pushed stevy up with torres more but were losing having him havin complete midfield control as hes given to much of that resposability to LUCAS WHO CANT DO IT PLAIN AND SIMPLE! you barely now see the wingers coming in on a fast attack and driving the ball into the box like agaisnt villa it was nothing but slow paced passing, no1 being able to find torres in a good position and generally crosses that led to nothing, the goal we scored to be fair i dont think many strikers would have directed it that quickly and skillfully as torres did but thats why hes the best, riera should defintly come bck and i dare say push kuyt further forward he does have a good header on him and is good at finding position.