Liverpool v Derby (1st September 07 - Prem) - Match Preview

Anfield
Saturday
Tommo's Birthday
3pm

Will we get our first win at Anfield in the Premiership?
Will Rafa drop the goalscoring Kuyt and Crouch in favour of the goalscoring Voronin and Torres 
Will I stop asking questions, and post my opinion?

Yes.

Three points to kick off an important September in style.  Torres and Kuyt to start.  The team selection is absolutely anybody's guess to be honest.  Benayoun probably deserves a place in the squad and Mascherano and Sissoko looked brilliant together, especially with Alonso's dip in form.

Get your score predictions in at www.lfcreds.com/PredictionLeague/

thanks for the reminder JD, got in early and have posted 4-0...think it's gonna be an easy one with Torres double, Babel to open his LFC account and another towering Hypia header.

P.S A special Happy Birthday message for Tommo mate.....have a great day with lots of goals and lots of bevvies mate.

I've predicted 3 - 0 with goals from Torres, Babel and a late one from Kuyt (he does take his time doesn't he). I know we will create like a 100 scoring chances but our finishing has not been top notch. I'm sure Rafa is working on that and I see September a month where we will smoothen the whole scoring process. The way we have been playing, not team deserves less than 3 goals from us (for the reasonable sides) and 4 (for the not so reasonable ones)

To be honest I think we should rout this lot, but they may well just come shut up shop and hope for the best turning it into a frustrating afternoon. If Torres is playing he will have their defenders running around like headless chickens, I predict a 2-0 win but it wont be easy.

If Spurs can stuff them 4-0 then we should be able to.

They have absolutely no decent players of note.

Well I have to say the way they played against Pompey was a respetable performance. After watching them against Spurs they seemed a little nervous but do bear in mind that Spurs had been on the end of a couple of harsh defeats and were out out for a killing. Although we have the quality its sides like this who can make for a frustrating afternoon, and although you point out the fact that they have no decent players of note they are a "team" and can play some good football at times and be there for each other. Those sorts of teams can be very frustrating to play against, If you can download the Pompey game have a watch JD they were not a bunch fly be nights and we all know pompey are a good side. I do though however predict a nerves may well get the better of Derby and we should win the game quite comfertably but it will be frustrating at times, no disrespect to Derby however but thats the way I see it.

I have changed from a 3-1 prediction that I have had all week to 5-1 after Tuesday night's performance. I reckon we will convert more chances but maybe let one slip after we take our foot of the pedal from being 4-0 up

I will leave it up to Rafa to pick the team, that really is going to be difficult. Especially with Benayoun's performance last match but can you really leave Pennant out after his start to the season. The strikeforce is really really difficult to pick. Kuyt and Crouch were wasteful yet they both got on the scoresheet, Torres and Voronin are both flying at the minute. Some say a nice choice to have, but I for sure wouldn't know who to pick. Central midfield I would leave with Masch and Sissoko and I would like to see Babel get another start. But whatever team we pick, Derby will be routed!!

i was born in derby and most of me family still live there, im predicting a slaughter if they lay down n take it like they did against spurs but even if they do put up a fight i still think itll be a 2-0 win over the rams. i think theyll be playing extremely defencively.

If Spurs can stuff them 4-0 then we should be able to.

They have absolutely no decent players of note.

From what I heard from a mate who's a Spurs fan they didn't go there for a draw, which they're likely to do against us, and left themselves open to attack. When teams put 10 men behind the ball we struggled last season, but with the extra creativity in the side we should be able to turn them over with ease. I'm going for 2-0 in this one.

From what I heard from a mate who's a Spurs fan they didn't go there for a draw, which they're likely to do against us, and left themselves open to attack. When teams put 10 men behind the ball we struggled last season, but with the extra creativity in the side we should be able to turn them over with ease. I'm going for 2-0 in this one.

That was one of the serious problems last season, not being able to cope with teams who come for the draw! Have every confidence we'll turn them over even if they throw 10 behind the ball!

Hopefully we can over shadow Spur's rout of them! Although in the past we've always seen the job done at about 3-0! Hopefully Rafa wants blood!  Throw down a real title challenge!

I'm going for a 3-0 win for the Reds, goals from Torres (2) and Babel. Even if they get 10 men behind the ball, we should be too creative and too strong for a 90min shut-out job.

the very fact spurs thumped them 4 nil will mean they will st out to keep it as tight as possible so id take 2 nil now at this minute. In saying that if we score early we could go on to bang in a few alright. Id actually be more intrested in us playing well and winning by 2 then being sloppy and winning by 4

 Reina
Finnan
hyppia
agger
insua
pennant
benayoun
masch
babel
torres
crouch

Reason i left kuyty out is he must be knackered after his effort midweek and i want to see torres and crouch bang in a few to get the confidence up. I left Riise out cos i dont think he s playing well and arbeloa i think needs a rest

We should walk this game with or without Stevie,has Crouch done enough to earn a start?will Rafa rest Kuyt? i think he might go for Crouch and Nando to start this game.

Reina
Finnan
hyppia
agger
insua
pennant
benayoun
masch
babel
torres
crouch

Reason I left kuyty out is he must be knackered after his effort midweek and I want to see torres and crouch bang in a few to get the confidence up. I left Riise out cos I dont think he s playing well and arbeloa I think needs a rest

I agree with your reasons for leaving Kuyt, Riise & Arbeloa out, but feel if we're going to play an inexperienced leftback (Insua) we need someone in front of him who's gonna offer a bit more protection than Babel. If playing Crouch & Torres together up front I'd want to see two out & out wingers banging in the crosses for them all afternoon, Babel will cut in on his preferred right foot more often than not.

I agree with your idea of Benayoun in the middle though, unless we play either himself or Leiva in there we're gonna be left with a central midfield that's pretty defensive against opposition that, let's face it, aren't that good.

Personally I'd go for:

                       Reina

Finnan       Hyypia    Agger      Arbeloa

Pennant  Benayoun  Mascherano  Babel

               Torres     Voronin

It depends how Derby line-up.

In the opening game they basically had a 5-man defence with Andy Todd in front of a back 4 and they drew 2-2. Then against Tottenham they went 4-4-2 and a bit more attacking and got trounched 4-0.

It's very likely they will just come to defend and hope for a 0-0, in which case I think it'll be 2-0 like the Sunderland game.

If they come and decide "we're not expected to win here, so we might as well have a go at it and if we get beat then that's all we expected anyway" then I think we could be in line for 4-0 or more. If they attempt to make a game of it they will get ripped apart and I hope we start putting them away.

I'll predict 3-0 though. Torres to get 2 and Alonso.

id say 4-0  easy win starting 11
                                                reina
                                                 arbeloa
                                                hypia
                                                agger
                                                finnan
                                                 sissoko
                                                 benayoun
                                                  alonso
                                                  babel
                                                  kuyt
                                                  crouch

I hope Rafa doesn't let sentiment get in the way of selection. I know it is not generaly his way but we need to start with our strongest possibe 11 and not take anything for granted. I think that is what undone us a couple of times last term. As we have started so well and are looking so strong we have to keep going on that front. Strongest side out and I predict 4-0

I agree with your reasons for leaving Kuyt, Riise & Arbeloa out, but feel if we're going to play an inexperienced leftback (Insua) we need someone in front of him who's gonna offer a bit more protection than Babel. If playing Crouch & Torres together up front I'd want to see two out & out wingers banging in the crosses for them all afternoon, Babel will cut in on his preferred right foot more often than not.

I agree with your idea of Benayoun in the middle though, unless we play either himself or Leiva in there we're gonna be left with a central midfield that's pretty defensive against opposition that, let's face it, aren't that good.

Personally I'd go for:

                       Reina

Finnan       Hyypia    Agger      Arbeloa

Pennant  Benayoun  Mascherano  Babel

               Torres     Voronin

I think you have the team almost right with the back four and striking pair, however I don't think that Pennant and Benayoun will play that well starting together as both players like dominating the right wing and they would bounce off each other too much.  Benayoun deserves a start after his performance on Tuesday but Pennant is such a key player that he needs at least a half time apperance to seal the deal.  I predict 3-1 as the lower teams do have the odd trick of stealing 1 back.

I would like to see Yossi start this one after his performance on Tuesday. Although I'd like to see Babel start as well and if Benayoun was picked on one of the wings it would leave Pennant out. So I'd agree with Eddie or maybe a 3-4-3. Something along the lines of:

                    Reina

      Finnan    Agger    Arbeloa

Pennant  Masch   Alonso/Sissoko   Benayoun

           Voronin Torres  Babel

My worries about this formation though are, Riise would not be in the four across midfield so there would be no one to slot in at left back to make it a 4-4-2 when they are attacking, our back four looked a little shakey now and again against Toulouse without JC (although having Mascherano and Sissoko in the 11 would help as they are both fairly defensive).

Reina

Finnan Agger Hyppia Arbeloa

Pennant Mascherano Sissoko Benayoun

Torres Crouch

I think a very attacking attitude should be taken to build up confidence.
I did like to see a line up like this;

                    Reina

    Finnan      Hyppia      Agger

               Mascherano

Pennant     Benayoun        Riise

                 Voronin
       Torres              Babel

And if we were under threat it could slip back to this;

                    Reina

Finnan     Hyppia Agger   Riise

               Mascherano
Pennant Voronin Benayoun Babel

                  Torres
 

A day out for Derby Fans/players, training ground exercise for us. 4-0/  Torres to bag 2!

My opinion about starting lineup's here:
                                     Reina

Finnan              Hyypia                 Agger            Insua/Arbeloa

Riise           Benayoun/Sissoko     Mascherano          Babel

                     Torres              Crouch/Voronin

I agree that Arbeloa really need a little break, he played full 90 min in 5 first games. I wish Riise will play, He need a first goal to help his confidence, and then I think if Crouch is in side, Riise is needed to pass the ball from the side, his passing skill is really good. I think Torres and Crouch will be an ideal striker line for this match, with Torres's speed and Crouch's head, we can attack and pass the ball on even if Derby county keep 10 mens under the centre line to defend all the match (if they don't expect to win, they will sure expect to draw). With Crouch in, I think Benayoun will be a great choice in the midfield position, his personnal skill is really good, he can take and pass the ball thought Derby's defenders when Crouch find a place to finish, while Torres run to attract others defenders.

About the score, I think 2-0 will do, against a team like Derby County, I'm not sure about an easy win.

By the way, nice signature you got there! pragmatic!