Pre-match: Aston Villa v Liverpool | 31 Mar 2013 13:30

   
Aston Villa v Liverpool
31 Mar 2013, 13:30
Villa Park

With the international break over, Liverpool hope to rebound from a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Southampton two weekends ago when they travel to Villa Park on Sunday.

In the reverse fixture at Anfield, Aston Villa came away with a shock 3-1 victory of their own back in December, using their size to easily beat Liverpool's backline through the air. The Reds have since bolstered their ranks in the January market with the arrivals of attackers Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho.

Liverpool - not yet mathematically eliminated from qualifying for a Champions League place - were in a good run of form before succumbing to the Saints in the previous fixture. The Reds currently sit in 7th place on 45 points with just 8 fixtures remaining.

Meanwhile, things at Villa Park have been a bit tricky for Paul Lambert. The Villans sit just above the relegation zone in 17th place - 3 points ahead of Wigan.

Two bright spots for Villa this season have been striker Christian Benteke and goalkeeper Brad Guzan. Benteke has found the back of the net 13 times - included two at Anfield - in his first season in English football, while Guzan is fresh off two clean sheets with the United States in World Cup Qualifying this past week.

On the injury front, both Jamie Carragher and Pepe Reina - absent in the defeat at Southampton - are expected back for Liverpool, according to first team coach Mike Marsh. Joe Allen will miss the remainder of the season following surgery on his shoulder.

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Wasn't a thread for this, so here it is.

Another game that if we win, 4th is back on, if we lose the Mayan prophecy will come true and the world will end. I have paid £85 for a ticket so we better F***ing turn up and show our best, either way I am going to sing my heart out and get leathered.

COYR

 We owe Villa a good hiding after that Anfield debacle,it is time to get back to winning ways.

6-1 Liverpool.

Looking forward to this game but might end up missing it as my daughter's moving house this weekend and no doubt I'll be called in to help out 

I'm expecting a win for the Reds as always, don't care how we achieve it but 3 points is a must.

Cant see saurez playing due to jet lag,beware of villa they could produce a shock result. Look at the last game against the saints, we have to get attacking right away and get a quick couple of goals.Pick reds to win 2-1 though.

Cant see saurez playing due to jet lag

You are joking right? I can't imagine there's anything barring a serious injury that keeps Luis from playing.

I'm calling for 2 goals from our main man.

Did he not come from playing in high altitude in Bolivia midweek to play the full game at the weekend for us earlier in the season? He's in top condition, won't bother him at all.

Another away game against another relegation threatened team. Just hope Brendan have learned from the Southampton debacle and think hard how to handle Villa. Villa will play like their lives are at stake cause their PL future is hanging in the balance. I think we need to match Villa's desire first and foremost to begin the chance of winning this game. Come On Liverpool!

Another game i am not confident at all. I really fear it will be Bentekke show.

Can't call this one, cause we're consistently very inconsistent. 

We should collect the 3 points IF, everyone turns up to put in a proper and decent shift.

Cant see saurez playing due to jet lag

Have you been living under a rock for the last few years?

                                   Reina
Johnson       Carragher        Agger     Enrique
                 Lucas            Gerrard        Henderson
                Coutinho       Sturridge      Suarez

MUST have Reina Carrahger and Agger together for this to get the win. Bentekke would bully Skrtel yet again and give away silly free-kicks. I think Sturridge owes us a big game he has been missing the last couple of games and need to have lucas henderson and gerrard as our 3 midfielders. Johnson also had a poor game at Southampton but didnt they all but he was also bad for England mid-week. Just hope we can bounce back like we have done from a shock defeat. Come on you REDS!!!

Reina; Johnson, Carra, Agger, Enrique; Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson; Downing, Suarez, Coutinho.

F**k knows which Liverpool team will turn up though!

What I'd like to see.
Sometimes we are found wanting in the centre.
I'd like to see Henderson brought in, similar to the floating mid/att role he played before Coutinho took the place.
Would offer us more in midfield. If we don't get an early goal we often get pressed back and Lucas and Gerrard
own their own gets overrun. Henderson, not in a 10 but the floating mid/att role, would help to that end.






Might look something like that.
I think that sometimes when we set up with this 4-2-3-1 or 4-2-1-3 that we have played lately, with Suarez almost like a 10, that we have left Lucas and Gerrard with too much to do.

I like the look of that Racer and the thing about Suarez is that you can play him anywhere in an attacking role and he will be effective but he never gives the protection Jordan would give in your formation.

                  Reina
      Carragher       Agger
Johnson                      Enrique
                  Lucas
     Henderson     Gerrard
                Coutinho
         Sturridge    Suarez.

Let this attacking trio interchange between them and they will cause havoc to their defence.

Going to be a tough game at Villa Park this weekend, after the fiasco at Southampton, I hope we start playing from the first whistle not when we're a goal or two down 

Think we'll nab it by 2 goals to 1, want to see some passion from the lads when they pull on that black away kit on Sunday, hopefully the lads who have been involved with international duty this week are all back and injury free.

Match: Aston Villa v Liverpool

Date: 31th March 2013

Time: 13:30

Competition: Premier League

Form: Aston Villa - WWLLW    Liverpool - LWWWL

Last Meeting: Liverpool 1-3 Aston Villa

Both teams and managers have young squads, are going through transitional periods and won't be happy with the season overall so far. Aston Villa would have been wanting a season safe from a dog fight at the bottom but the inexperience of the squad and a reliance on one player means they sit just above the drop zone in 17th just 3 points above the drop zone but did hit some form ahead of the International break. They won two relegation six pointers against Reading and QPR but this game will be a lot bigger of a test. The key to winning is as always, Benteke. Carragher might be able to keep hold of him for this game and he should be starting but if Skrtel is in defence again, there could be an opportunity for Villa. Of course, the likes of Johnson had a poor game against Southampton and his confidence might be down after England's draw against Montenegro. There are areas Villa can target but their defence could be suspect up against Suarez, Sturridge, Downing and Coutinho. They should be looking for 3 points though.

Liverpool probably didn't want an international break after the defeat against Southampton. The match was a blow after 3 straight wins. I don't expect a line-up any different to: Reina, Johnson, Carra, Agger, Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Coutinho, Downing, Suarez and Sturridge. Seems to be the best line-up at the moment and hopefully there can be some momentum until the end of the season. I think European Football and a good run in it next season is a must to keep hold of Suarez. I wouldn't blame him if he left, it just seems they're aren't many player out there like him, I think he'll stay for another season though. The goal now is 6th, which I think gets Europa League football. But it's best to try finish as high in the table as possible, the rest of the games this season are winnable but the LFC of recent years will make hard work of it, as usual. Let's just hope we can get 6th at least.

Tough game to call but I think LFC should win it. Although a draw seems likely.

We should win.... but depends if we decide to show up or not

Probably liverpool will be flat if villa score first,games after  international breaks generally see a form dip.

After feeling very confident we would get a win over Southampton, I am not so sure about this one.
I don't think we will lose, but I do think a draw is a strong possibility.
Hopefully I am wrong and we bounce back in style!
Just glad the International break is over. I hate them.

If Carragher doesn't start then i really fear the worst. Benteke is going to play f**k with us and Villa know we are weak at the back. I'd even put Wisdom as centre back partner with Carra. We need 'steel', not plastic.

Turn up and it's a 3-1 win for us. Don't turn up and and i see a 3-1 reverse.

It's sad that we see posts asking our players to show some bollocks, it shouldn't even have to be mentioned. Unfortunately it's being asked for a reason and Brendan has to sort that out.

It's weird this Season. Last Season we'd worry about our attackers not turning up, this Season it's the defenders we are worrying about.

Pissed of trying to speculate what team Brendan will put out, and also what attitude they will then approach the game in. Always go for the win for the reds, same again this match. 1 - 3 The Red Men. But to be honest, I wont be betting a penny on us even winning an argument at the mo. So dissillusioned.

Should do well in this game, as I'm in work, we always seem to anyway. Come on you Red Men, lets get over Southampton and crush Villa.

For the love of God play three in the midfield...

Normally I  would be very confident but after last weekend's diabolical performance I'm not so sure. Can see Benteke bullying our defence again.

We need to have a gameplan for Benteke, because if Villa get the ball into him he'll cause us a hell of a lot of problems.

We need to have a gameplan for Benteke, because if Villa get the ball into him he'll cause us a hell of a lot of problems.

Jamie Carragher

Hope our defence can lose the headless chicken impressions and close Benteke down. The fact that he is their only credible hitman should simplify the tactics, on recent showings the simpler the better.

This is how I believe the teams may line up:



Aston Villa using a 4-4-2 formation, whereas we're using a compact 4-3-3 using the fullbacks for width.



The attacking phase of our play:



Always have passing options open, keeping the aforementioned width with the advancing fullbacks.

Notice how Suarez and Coutinho are in the space between the midfield and defence - this is where they are best at operating. They are able to slot a through ball through to Sturridge, one of the fullbacks or an advancing midfielder OR pass their man through glorious trickery and get to the bye-line.

Carragher and Agger would take somewhat deeper positions than usual due to the pace of Agbonlahor and Benteke.



The defending phase of our play:



As noted by the text on the image, we have to close the ball down quickly. We can't afford to sit back and try to win the ball by an interception, because that is how we've been conceding goals this season.

Notice how we're pressing higher and more aggressively than Villa in the previous image. This is to cut off passing lanes, thus giving them no options, forcing them in to a mistake and making them commit an error; possibly leading to a clear-cut chance, but at LEAST leading to them conceding possession.

If we take our chances and play as we know we can, I can't see Villa scoring. It'll be a 4-0 rout. We simply have too much kwalitee.

I would line up perfectly as above. We got our own "Gary Neville" with the expert analysis

 Henderson in a central 3 midfield, I don't like the 4-2-3-1 with Suarez playing behind Sturridge. The gap is too big.

4-2-1-3 is perfect

Lets hope more of this:

Liverpool 3x0 Aston Villa - "Let's pretend we've scored a goal"

Weimann will definitely start. He is their second best player lately behind Benteke.

Never seen a pre-match talk so united on a starting XI, definitely agree (as long as all fit) it should be. Reina, Johnson, Carra, Agger, Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho, Sturridge, Suarez.   Feel abit hard on Downing losing a place but think Henderson could just keep us in control of the game, and if things get a bit tighter we could bring him or Lucas off later on.

Sturridge aint scored in a couple now so would like to see him get 1 or 2,
Very wary as of the 3-1 grim defeat in december, but think we can do the business.
2-0, Sturridge (2)

We owe this mob one - I'd really like to see us aggressive from the off. They're full of fear especially at home. As long as we turn up and do our job properly it should be out of their hands. We're owed a performance after Southampton and the reverse fixture.

Some history and some amazing goals vs Villa.

Fab 4 goals v Villa on Vimeo

This is how I believe the teams may line up:



Aston Villa using a 4-4-2 formation, whereas we're using a compact 4-3-3 using the fullbacks for width.



The attacking phase of our play:



Always have passing options open, keeping the aforementioned width with the advancing fullbacks.

Notice how Suarez and Coutinho are in the space between the midfield and defence - this is where they are best at operating. They are able to slot a through ball through to Sturridge, one of the fullbacks or an advancing midfielder OR pass their man through glorious trickery and get to the bye-line.

Carragher and Agger would take somewhat deeper positions than usual due to the pace of Agbonlahor and Benteke.



The defending phase of our play:



As noted by the text on the image, we have to close the ball down quickly. We can't afford to sit back and try to win the ball by an interception, because that is how we've been conceding goals this season.

Notice how we're pressing higher and more aggressively than Villa in the previous image. This is to cut off passing lanes, thus givng them no options, forcing them in to a mistake and making them commit an error; possibly leading to a clear-cut chance, but at LEAST leading to them conceding possession.

If we take our chances and play as we know we can, I can't see Villa scoring. It'll be a 4-0 rout. We simply have too much kwalitee.

  That right flank of ours concerns me, hope our midfield can provide some assistance to Johnson because quite frankly he's been cack at the moment. Think maybe just maybe Brendan has realized that and is one of the reasons he hasn't previously gone the 4-3-3 instead accomodating Downing into the side who would offer slightly more defensively than playing a Suarez or a Coutinho out on the right. Admittedly I haven't been able to watch a full match for a very long time so I could be way off here.

Again today we play a team that have a lot more to play for than us - they lose this and they could be in real trouble... They still have to play Utd and Chelsea so that is potientially 0 points from 3 games with only 5 more to go after that. Make no mistake they will be up for this game and to be honest, I would much rather be playing someone like Fulham or West Ham as they really have nothing to play for!

Last time out we were over ran by a team who really needed a win, and we need to expect the same today. However, as I said last week an early goal and they could crumble. It could be a rout as they are a very poor side - and if we can keep Sylla and Benteke out of the game for long periods they will be totally lost... Also, the home fans have once or twice turned on their team, this could again happen and will effectivlly win us the game...

For me this will be one or the other, either another display like at Anfield or we batter them... I hope for the latter! 0 - 6 Liverpool with Suarez stealing the show with a hat trick and Sturridge getting 2, Couthino to finish the rout..!

Come on you mighty Redmen...

Have to win: simples.

Game on Sky Sports 1?

Have to win: simples.

Game on Sky Sports 1?

Yeah, pre-match starts at 1pm.

4-3-3 it seems.

Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Enrique, Lucas, Henderson, Gerrard, Downing, Coutinho, Suarez.

I just hope the lads dont turn up with their flip flops on,the remaining fixtures are all winnable and it would be nice to finish the season on the up !

Since there is no pressure on us today, i expect a win. We always loose when we have some thing to gain, like WBA game, Southampton game etc.

Live topic with confirmed team news: http://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php/topic,44599.new.html#new

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