Pre Match: Sunderland v Liverpool (Premier League 17/10/09 3pm)

Back to club football we go then, and the start of a huge period for the Reds.

A lot of selection problems ahead of this one, especially in the centre of midfield. Lucas and Masch aren't expected back until Friday and Gerrard's struggling with a groin injury which f**king Capello made worse apparently. Knocks for Kuyt and Torres too.

Hopefully most of them recover and put in a decent shift and get us three crucial points and set the ball rolling for the crunch times ahead.

Come on You Reds!

Back to club football we go then, and the start of a huge period for the Reds.

At last!

It's been a long two weeks, and a bad two weeks in terms of the injuries our lads have picked up.  As you say Chats, hope they recover quick enough.  At least Agger came through safely.

Can't wait for Saturday. 

No Torres, Gerrard, Kuyt, Masch, Lucas, Kyrgiakos and Aquilani would not be ideal, admittedly. Although i would imagine some will play through the fatigue/pain if necessary.

Plus Masch has had a hell of a round trip too....

No Torres, Gerrard, Kuyt, Masch, Lucas, Kyrgiakos and Aquilani would not be ideal, admittedly. Although I would imagine some will play through the fatigue/pain if necessary.

Can see Torres and Kuyt definitely playing.

Kyrgiakos and Aquilani definitely won't be.

Not sure about the other three, 50/50 I'd say.

Kuyt will be playing! The man has never heard the word fatigue!! Im quite sure he could run home after international duty and still start the game at the weekend!!!

Babel and Kuyt have to travel home from Australia (26 hours) Mascha and Insua have to come all the way from Argentina, Did Lucas go to Brazil? if so he's got to travel quite a way. The rest of the team from all over Europe, how many did Sunderland have away I wonder?.

This is a game we could lose, not because we won't have players out, but some are bound to get tired before the end of the game. What we need is an early goal, get that and it may give the whole team that extra bit of energy, we may need a little luck, god knows we are due some. 2-0 to us...

Hate to say the obvious but we have to take 3 points by any means.

Go with 2 up top for this one, Gerrard back in the middle with Mash or Lucas.

is it stevie was fit for the game?

Hate to say the obvious but we have to take 3 points by any means.

Go with 2 up top for this one, Gerrard back in the middle with Mash or Lucas.

personally i don't think we should go too gun hoe for this one sunderland have sum very decent, pacy, strong & deadly strikers plus some other decent attacking options. they're are no mugs especially (really pains me to say this) under the management of Mr Bruce. i think are 4-2-3-1 formation should do the trick with Gerrard (praying he'll be fit) next to monster & Benny behind nando

personally I don't think we should go too gun hoe for this one sunderland have sum very decent, pacy, strong & deadly strikers plus some other decent attacking options. they're are no mugs especially (really pains me to say this) under the management of Mr Bruce. I think are 4-2-3-1 formation should do the trick with Gerrard (praying he'll be fit) next to monster & Benny behind nando

Yep I agree it wont be an easy game but playing with 2 up top doesnt mean we have to be gung ho. I just think that we should man for man have enough ability in midfield to control the game and provide chances for 2 strikers.

Yep I agree it wont be an easy game but playing with 2 up top doesn't mean we have to be gung ho. I just think that we should man for man have enough ability in midfield to control the game and provide chances for 2 strikers.

i just think in a 4-4-2 Gerrard will empty the midfield too often & leave us a bit exposed against a team full of confidence which will give us another problem of creating chances as we do not have world class wingers which is what i think you need for a flat 4-4-2. i just think in our 4-2-3-1 it will force Stevie to be more disciplined & allow johnson to get forward to give us width & yossi doing what he does best in tight areas on the edge of the box

Doubt I would want Kuyt and Babel to get any involvement in this. They have to come back from Australia, only due back at Liverpool on Friday, it's a massive half a day time difference, I don't think their bodies are robots.

Perhaps to keep them fresh I would rest them and rather they be ready for the crucial game against Lyon, then play them at Sunderland and make them even more knackered.

Yossi's going to have a hangover for missing out on a World Cup place, I reckon. Mascherano should be buzzing, so should Insua having qualified for the World Cup as well as making his international debut.

However, even before we got the preparations against Sunderland going with our players scattered at every corner of the globe, the near hits and misses, it's not ideal in the run up to something as crucial as Liverpool's season.

Doubt I would want Kuyt and Babel to get any involvement in this. They have to come back from Australia, only due back at Liverpool on Friday

Mascherano should be buzzing, so should Insua having qualified for the World Cup as well as making his international debut.

wouldn't this also be true for our argie internationals??

wouldn't this also be true for our argie internationals??

Yeah they are back on Friday as well. But they're in South America, which isn't as far as compared to Australia.

And we can't afford many players to be resting like that.

For me Fabio Aurelio would definitely start on Saturday. He hasn't been involved in anything for the past 2 weeks and has upped his level of fitness since.

Yeah they are back on Friday as well. But they're in South America, which isn't as far as compared to Australia.

And we can't afford many players to be resting like that.

For me Fabio Aurelio would definitely start on Saturday. He hasn't been involved in anything for the past 2 weeks and has upped his level of fitness since.

i would swap insua for aurelio as i see the game on sat being a tight one that could be decided with a swing of his left boot from a set-piece. i would say that macsh & kuyt or too important to be rotated if fit they should start imo

Feel with such an important period ahead, the Reds are at a crossroads to their season already,particularly with such indifferent form. Needing to make up ground in both major competitions in the Premiership and the CL. This will prove a massive test for the players strenth and character.

We shouldn't underestimate Sunderland, they started well at home to Chelsea and went 1-0 up,  and took points of the Scum at OT.  It will be a big test for us, all things considered - injuries and jet lag etc., but I'm sure we can do it.

COME ON THE RED MEN!!!

I think it's proving that we need more depth to the squad, I know its because we have so many internationals in the team but we need some cover for these type of games. Imagine if it was Manure at home this week instead of next week!!!

I think it's proving that we need more depth to the squad, I know its because we have so many internationals in the team but we need some cover for these type of games. Imagine if it was Manure at home this week instead of next week!!!

But if it was Man U then they would have a load of internationals returning too.

Anyway on topic this is definitely gonna be a tough one but I think our class will shine through. I'd take a scrappy 1-0.

I just think in a 4-4-2 Gerrard will empty the midfield too often & leave us a bit exposed against a team full of confidence which will give us another problem of creating chances as we do not have world class wingers which is what I think you need for a flat 4-4-2. I just think in our 4-2-3-1 it will force Stevie to be more disciplined & allow johnson to get forward to give us width & yossi doing what he does best in tight areas on the edge of the box

I can see that - no disagreement on what you say - nice to have a chat with soemone that thinks about things.

I just think that these teams should be more worried about us and having 2 up there to occupy their defence should put them on the back foot a bit.

Still we shall see - no doubt Rafa will surprise us all...
 

Come on you Reds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What kind of team are we gonna have to put out for this one? Stevie, Nando and Kuyt aren't certainties and Masch and Lucas will only be returning from South America on Friday I think.