Liverpool v Stoke pre-match thread Sat 17/8/13 12.45 ko

So we start off the 2013/14 season with a home league game against Stoke City at Anfield, they held us to a boring 0-0 draw last season as they parked the bus and frustrated the hell out of us.
Let's hope we've learned how to deal with teams like this and can creative something a bit magical and get off to a great start by taking 3 very important points, so important to start well as we all know what happens when you have to start playing catch-up. A win and we're top of the league, all be it briefly 

Be interesting to see Brendan's line up on Saturday, after a very hectic pre-season finishing today with a behind closed doors win against Newcastle at Melwood - Daniel Sturridge played the full 90 mins and scored 2 goals coming out unscathed, so I'm sure he'll be in the team, Aspas too has impressed me along with Jordan Ibe.

New season, lots to be excited about as each new season always is, just get the Suarez situation sorted out and I feel we can move forward and make some giant steps in 2013/14.



Putting a lot of faith in these two men this season.

COME ON REDS MAKE US PROUD

Stoke City and Mark Hughes - really just a continuation of the dire Pulis, happy to make up the numbers in the league. It will be hard graft, as Hughes is about as ambitious as beans on toast.

No ifs no buts we have got to get 3 points,we have had enough sh*te season starts to last us for many a year.

Thank you Cas, I really wanted to get the discussion about this match started but was too lazy to create the thread with a decent OP

Was thinking today which team I would pick if I was the manager... guess I would go with something like that:

                  Mignolet
Johnson - Touré - Agger - Enrique
              Lucas - Allen
                   Gerrard
           Aspas         Coutinho
                   Sturridge

I'm assuming Sturridge will be fit for the game and that Touré is still the player he used to be (hard to judge from pre-season), but I also considered giving Skrtel the job.

I wanted to throw Ibe in that team but perhaps it's too much to ask from such a young player in the first game of the season.

EDIT: what the F**k. I forgot Coutinho in my team. Corrected now. 

Great to see the match thread back for the league

First off lets just pray we come through these ridiculous internationals unscathed

Lets get off to a good start. Were playing good football but not taking enough chances we are creating. Big problem for the season potentially. A fully fit Sturridge would be a boost

2 nil reds Coutinho and Johnno with he goals

Mignolet; Kelly, Toure, Agger, Johnson; Lucas, Gerrard; Sterling, Coutinho, Ibe; Sturridge.

Got to get off to a good start this season, can't be playing catchup from game one like we did last year.

Thank you Cas, I really wanted to get the discussion about this match started but was too lazy to create the thread with a decent OP

Was thinking today which team I would pick if I was the manager... guess I would go with something like that:

                  Mignolet
Johnson - Touré - Agger - Enrique
              Lucas - Allen
                   Gerrard
           Aspas         Coutinho
                   Sturridge

I'm assuming Sturridge will be fit for the game and that Touré is still the player he used to be (hard to judge from pre-season), but I also considered giving Skrtel the job.

I wanted to throw Ibe in that team but perhaps it's too much to ask from such a young player in the first game of the season.

EDIT: what the f**k. I forgot Coutinho in my team. Corrected now. 

No Coutinho?

Fellow countryman aswell?

EDIT just seen your edit ha ha

Pessamistic as ever, I cant see us scoring. I think these feckers will come with 11 behind the ball and kick us to death....as they normally do.

Mignolet; Kelly, Toure, Agger, Johnson; Lucas, Gerrard; Sterling, Coutinho, Ibe; Sturridge.

Got to get off to a good start this season, can't be playing catchup from game one like we did last year.

Sterling Ibe and Coutinho and Daniel if fit is pure mouth watering. Pace and flair to burn

Sterling Ibe and Coutinho and Daniel if fit is pure mouth watering. Pace and flair to burn

Agreed, would just love to see us go out and smash them from the first minute.

Really need it to get away from this depressing transfer window!

Sterling Ibe and Coutinho and Daniel if fit is pure mouth watering. Pace and flair to burn

Yeah I thought of that possibility of using both Sterling and Ibe, but I'm not sure they're ready for that. Sterling is still very erratic, and from pre-season Aspas looked like a clever player.

Agreed, would just love to see us go out and smash them from the first minute.

Really need it to get away from this depressing transfer window!

If we were manager the crowd would love us ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK 

Yeah I thought of that possibility of using both Sterling and Ibe, but I'm not sure they're ready for that. Sterling is still very erratic, and from pre-season Aspas looked like a clever player.

I fully understand those concerns Diego but both were very good pre season and have the pace to unlock the "parked bus" that will be stoke

At last.. a football match!

Great news today about Sturridge, think he has to start on Saturday.

Need to make sure we get a win, we saw last season what damage a slow start can have on a season and especially now with such a young team. Would love it to be playing stylish attacking football display but likely it'll be a scrappy 1-0 against this lot! And at this point, I'd happily take it.

On a side note, just hope the Kop concentrates on the 11 lads wearing the red shirt on the pitch and not waste our efforts singing about a certain want away South American!

 I'd go with,

                    Mignolet

                Agger Toure
Johnson                      Enrique

               Lucas   Gerrard     
Coutinho                              Ibe

               Aspas  Sturridge

Subs: Jones, Skrtle,  Henderson,  Borini, Sterling, Kelly.
   

Well Well Well - here we go again... Lets start positive and build from there - make no mistakes Stoke albeit with Hughes will be the same as before and they have Stoke have done almost no business this summer. Not a lot will really change here and I expect a back 11 to perform well for them. An early goal will really blow the game open for us and we need this.

I differ to many on here and would go with

              Mignolet

Johnson Agger Toure Enrique

      Gerrard   Lucas

Ibe     Couthino   Apsas

         Sturridge

Forget about Ibe and his age etc, we have a very young team so need to deal with that as the seasons goes on. Lets go at them and quite simply go for the throat. We need to make Anfield a place to fear once again and putting 5 past them would go a long way to making that a reality. We can catch them cold here and this is a great opportunity to get 3 points against a difficult team.

We have a long way to go - so lets see if we can enjoy this season from day one! Come on you mighty red men!

The 1st game of the season, where old arguments end and new ones begin.

Can't wait.

Comfortable win - I always vote that at home

Given the reports from the "behind closed doors" game today, it sounds like Sturridge is fit to start and also that Luis Alberto scored a goal, so he may well have played himself into the starting 11 for the game against Stoke as his competition in my opinion is Allen/Hendo/Ibe/Sterling.  I think BR may well opt for the following:

                 Mig
Johno  Toure  Agger  Enrique
          Lucas  Gerrard
              Coutinho
     Aspas            Alberto
              Sturridge

The trio of Coutinho, Aspas, and Alberto all like to drop deep and build from the midfield as we move into the attack.  Both Coutinho and Alberto have an eye for a through ball; Aspas likes to get himself into the box to help finish off chances; and we all know that Sturridge's raw pace, athleticism, and direct style will pose a threat to any CB.  I think this lineup would give us a good blend of possession, creativity, pace, and end product.  Keep one of Sterling/Ibe on the bench to inject some pace late on if needed.

Funnily enough, I think it was a blessing getting our first loss and first goal conceded out of the way against Celtic last week.  Sometimes it add pressure when you have that monkey on your back.  I think we will win this one and get the season started off right, and I have a sneaky suspicion that it could be a rout if we can get on the board early!!  I'm going to hazard a guess and say 4-0 to the mighty Reds with Sturridge bagging a brace and Coutinho and Aspas both opening their accounts!!

Edit:  So f**king irritating that there is an international friendly meaningless f**king game tomorrow that will see two of our important starters risked just days before the start of the league season!!      

                 Mig
Johno  Toure  Agger  Enrique
          Lucas  Gerrard
              Coutinho
     Aspas            Alberto
              Sturridge

Hmmm... I think I like that more than the team I put before.
Luis Alberto seems to be such an interesting player, very curious to see how he's going to perform for us

It's good to be able to talk football again. 

Always a tough game against Stoke but we'll run them ragged for 90 minutes.  So it'll either be 0-0 with 30 odd shots on goal and their keeper playing a blinder or 5-0 'cos everything we touch turns to gold 

 

Come on you Redmen, our resurgence starts on Saturday.

Ah sh*t. Just realised I'm going to miss this. Damn it!

Oh I love this thread, first match of the new season, can't wait!

Hope we start off with a win and we finally start seeing progress in our team and on the league table. We had a great preseason, so I'm a lot more confident this year.

Come on you Redmen let's do this!