Liverpool v Benfica - Thursday 8th April, 8.05pm Kick off

Let's move on from St. Andrews to our game on Thursday.

Yossi Benayoun is adamant Liverpool can put their Birmingham City frustration behind them by reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League at the expense of Benfica on Thursday.

While the Israeli international admits there was a lot of disappointment in the dressing room following the 1-1 draw at St Andrews, he claims the Reds will now give everything they have got in front of an expectant Kop to overturn the 2-1 first-leg defecit.

"We are very disappointed with the draw, especially as we went 1-0 up and conceded a bad goal," said Benayoun.

"We missed a few good chances and on another day we could have scored three or four, but all we can do now is think about the next game which is a very important one against Benfica.

"We have to play much better and have the belief we can do it.

"We are only 2-1 down and we have the away goal which could be crucial. I'm sure we can beat them.

"European nights are always great at Anfield in front of our supporters and we hope to give them another special night."

Meanwhile, Benayoun insists the Reds won't be giving up on their fight for the top-four, adding: "We have made it harder for ourselves now but all we can do is win the five games and hopefully the other teams will drop points.

"Birmingham are a hard team to play against and they work very hard. They are having a good season. We knew we needed to win but we have to keep going.

"We won't give up and we will keep trying to make the top-four."

I'm really looking forward to this game. Hope we f***in trash em!

8-0 I'm thinking.

Hopefully we smash this cu*ts.

8-0 I'm thinking.

Hopefully we smash this cu*ts.

Hope so I made an embarrassing typo in the title, hope nobody seen it before I changed it

I am sick of saying we need to get back on form with a win....but i am going to say it again. Lets hope we get back inform with a win. Thank God for the Europa League or i would be completley demoralised.

I'm sick of hearing our players come out with pointless excuses and the attitude of 'on to the next game' as if that makes up for their pathetic play in the game they just played!  

They need to turn up to this one! No excuses! No talk of 'Benfica are a tough' team blah! Beat them! Beat them well! and on to the next game with another win.  

Sick of excuses this season.

Hello YNWA boys 

Looking at my previously post http://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php?topic=28883.msg625088#msg625088 I must admit there were some very stupid people at our ultra section (about the firecrackers), but generalize that to all Benfica fans it's very unfair. We gave it all in support to our team, made what I believe a great football atmosphere and I saw the arrival of the Liverpool fans and they were treated with respect. I know at the end, some Benfica fans went on to shake hands with Liverpool fans.

Either way, talking about football, I expect a very tough game because Liverpool scored an away goal and atmosphere at Anfield/Kop will be amazing. If you checked my blog, can noticed how much I respect your team and know a lot about your squad and Rafa's formation/tactics: http://catenacc10.blogspot.com/2010/03/europa-league-relatorio-14-final.html I even was right about first 11 players who played at Benfica Stadium.

No idea what players we will start with, no idea what formation we will start with, no idea who or when the subs will be made. No idea what to expect anymore, just keep supporting and hopeing. Taking it game by game now, even minute by minute and see what happens. Yeah, I want a win and progress to the semi's but who knows what to think any more,

Now, for 2nd leg and due to Insúa and Babel suspension, my bet will be:

GK P. Reina
RB G. Johnson
CD J. Carragher
CD S. Kyrgiakos ("giant" greek)
LB D. Agger (altough is central defender)
CM J. Mascherano
CM Lucas
RM D. Kuyt
LM Y. Benayoun
CM S. Gerrard (offensive)
ST F. Torres

In Portugal, we have the opportuniy to watch lot's of games because we have a pay-per-view TV and, at weekends, we normally watch Calcio (Italian league), La Liga (Spanish league) and, off course, Premier League. Last Sunday, watched Birmingham 1-1 Liverpool and I must say it wasn't very impressive. How many wins you have in away matches?

At Rossio Square, talked a bit, with some of you, about Benfica players and noticed that nearly 90% fear Di Maria. That's because argentian player are on transfer market and some rumours appoint him to be next hot transfer for 2010/11 season? What do you know really about Benfica squad?

What do you know really about Benfica squad?

I know we'll smash them at home...Come on the Reds, going for a resounding victory at home for this one.

If we watch Di Maria, we're gonna smash these tw*ts!

GK P. Reina
RB G. Johnson
CD J. Carragher
CD S. Kyrgiakos ("giant" greek)
LB D. Agger (altough is central defender)
CM J. Mascherano
CM Lucas
RM D. Kuyt
LM Y. Benayoun
CM S. Gerrard (offensive)
ST F. Torres

I don't think we'll play Lucas and Masch. We'll probably go with Mascherano and Gerrard/Aquilani, with Kuyt/Gerrard up top with Torres.

I know we'll smash them at home...Come on the Reds, going for a resounding victory at home for this one.

You watched our 2nd leg at Velódrome, vs Marseille? We draw 1-1 at home and we're loosing 1-0 at '70 minutes (Niang goal). If you look at statistics or watched highlights, can remember we won 1-2 with a great performance on a difficult atmosphere too (Marseille fans are great too).

Really, you cannot think smashing Benfica will be easy just because crowd will be against us. This season, Benfica showed can play good in difficult away games.

What do you know really about Benfica squad?

A bunch of cu*ts, led by the biggest c**t.

A bunch of cu*ts, led by the biggest c**t.

Jesus? 

Jesus? 

Luisao!

Eem,

Yep, 4x4x2 more offensive could be an option altough think Rafa will be conservative with that double CM (Mascherano + Lucas/Aquilani).

As for Benfica team, we probably go same way, because Saviola is injured. So, just to share information, you can expect:

GK J. César
RB M. Pereira
CD Luisão
CD D. Luiz
LB F. Coentrão
CM J. Garc ía
CM C. Martins
RM Ramires
LM Di Maria
AMC P. Aimar
ST O. Cardozo

Formation is like and 4x1x3x2 with Aimar supporting Cardozo, our cirurgical finisher.

Talking about favorites players, suppose you love captain S. Gerrard, the loyalty of J. Carragher too, the bravey of J. Mascherano and, off course, the goals of "El Niño" F. Torres.

As for Di Maria, most mediatic player, we (Benfica fans) like him, but I think is a bit overrated. Obviously, he's got pace, technique, dribble (very good at 1v1 actions, passing the opponent defender) and crosses attributes. However, sometimes he lack composure and have poor decisions.

Cardozo is one of the favorites, because he's a great finisher (30 goals this season, 19/Portuguese League, 9/Europa League) with a strong left foot, altough not a pacey striker. However, our nice technical and fast football is based on other players: P. Aimar and J. Saviola, favorites of the crowd. They have experience, good technical attributes and are very intelligent discovering space to make optimal passes.

When I was reading forums, here and at RWK, noticed some of you referred our attacking players altough I must say Benfica strenght is on the defence, mainly due to CM J. García (ex-Real Madrid) action, consistency by Ramires (brazilia international) and both central defenders. I know portuguese league is less competitive, but we only have 1 defeat (Braga, 2-0) and just 12 goals conceded (5 home and 7 away).

2 - 0 will do nicely. Will be a wreck after the game. Agger and masch to come back in with lucas benched.

All we have to play for this season now is the Europa League. Its clear the players were disappointed with the result yesterday, but they need to focus on Thursday night.  We are the mighty reds and nothing can take that away from us.  

We are all 100% behind you lads, so pick yourselves up and go for glory.

Dont know what team will be picked, who can tell these days, but I hope whatever it is, we dominate the midfield releasing Gerrard and Lucas to break forward, with Aquilani proving himself with quick accurate service to the lads up front.  

Hasn't been enough service to Torres, so sort it lads.  

And one more thing,  fill that gaping hole in the defence.  Couldnt believe what I was seeing yersterday, being pulled out of position and following the ball like school kids along the back line.

Lets make it a great night to remember.  

What the fu** is this??!!

Luisao receives two yellow cards without being sent off?

2 yellows cards, no red??!!

Benfica will be without Javier Saviola for their Europa League return with Liverpool on Thursday, according to reports in Portugal.

The Argentina playmaker has sustained a broken toe and is likely to be out for up to three weeks.

Saviola has been one of the key players for the Portuguese league leaders this season and his absence is a major blow for manager Jorge Jesus.

Benfica could also be without commanding centre-half Luisao, with the Brazilian currently nursing a knee problem.

Gutted Luisao may be out. I want him to feel the pain of an embarrassing defeat.

If anybody on the Kop wants to make a banner just in case Luisao is playing, a good message would be "Luisao- bastardo de engano sujo"

(dirty cheating B......)