Liverpool v Arsenal - (CL 2nd leg) Pre Match Thread

The most important game of our season so far concerning silverware. And wont it be great to be back at Anfield.

It's already been mentioned in other threads that the team selection will most probably be similar to last weeks first leg. I'd agree with that. With Torres' exceptional Anfield scoring tally this season, you'd hope that he can bag one or two more to take him past a very good 28. That would be perfect along with a lot of very concentrated and sharp defending. If any other red players feel like chipping in with a goal then that would be boss!

We had a decent result away, but by no means do we have a big advantage. Got to make sure we do the business and go into this game with a professional attitude. Clean sheet essential - a goal or three for us would be beautiful.

I think we need to score at least a goal in the first halve to settle us down, as im sure we are going to camp in the Arsenal halve and we need to make sure all that posession counts.
As for the team selection i aint going to take guesses on who Rafa is going to play, or isnt going to play, as im not arsed what team he picks on Tuesday, as I no what ever he selects it will be the right team for the job.

As for the second half, well im just going to fasten my seat belt and enjoy the ride as we crush Arsenal ha ha.
Ill probaly lose my voice by the end of the game with all the shouting at the tele in the pub and all the celebrating. Cant wait for this one people.

Now, as easy as many think it'll be, it won't. Yes Arsenal are looking tired right now but you got to remember, in the last three games we've played them in they have had a lot more of the ball than we have.

I think their biggest threat to us will be Emanuel Adebayor. He is such a handfully to any opposistion as he's tall, strong, fast and very direct. Similar to Drogba but he's been better than him this season.

Cesc Fabregas is looking tired as he's played in almost every single Arsenal game. I feel that they will score at Anfield on Tuesday, however if we are to go through I believe that we'll need to score 2 goals, maybe 3

Can we beat them in the 90 minutes? Without a doubt. Will we? I honestly don't want to say!

We have already played twice at the Emirate and IMO we were more effective in the second game than the first. It becomes a question of Formation and personnel. I think the formation used in the last game proved to be more effective than the one used earlier; and who can discountenance the exploits of our man Peter Crouch, a singular threat to the opposition? One thing is certain, if we want to win this second leg convincingly, Crouch should start alongside Torres. The tweaked line up: 4 - 1 - 3 - 1 - 1

                  Reina

Carragher  SKetel  Hyypia  Aurelio

              Mascherano

       Kuyt    Gerrard    Babel

          Crouch

                Torres

SUB: Itanje  Alonso  Plessis  Benenyun  Arbeloa  Pennant  Lucas (not Voronin)

This has to be the most effective line up against Arsenal.   

                  Reina

Carragher  SKetel  Hyypia  Aurelio

              Mascherano

       Kuyt    Gerrard    Babel

          Crouch

                Torres

SUB: Itanje  Alonso  Plessis  Benenyun  Arbeloa  Pennant  Lucas (not Voronin)

This has to be the most effective line up against Arsenal.   

Excellent shout there Solodee, a really strong line-up offensively and defensively, I agree 100% that Crouch should start this one after his last performance, he really deserves it. We saw from Saturday that they have trouble containing and getting the ball off him, they were often 2-3 at him at once yet he came out on top more often than not. He gives an excellent outlet should they be putting our central defencers under pressure, and with the through-balls he was playing the other day, he only has to do one for Torres and we know what he'll do with it.

It would be very interesting to see how they would react to it, because they wouldn't be able to focus on both him and Torres so everyone would have a little more  space to work with. Add to that his good pace, he often looks to be moving in slow-motion buts it's just an optical illusion because of his long legs! It must be off putting to play against, and we have the added possiblity of getting free-kicks because he is often fouled too.

I don't believe Rafa will play this team though, I bet he goes for the same line-up as in the first leg. Come on Rafa take a chance on Crouch!

I would play:

                              Reina

   Arbeloa     Carragher       Skrtel       Aurellio

                         Mascherano

     Benayoun          Gerrard            Babel

                     Crouch   Torres

BUT Rafa will probably play the same line up as last game.

We need to attack early and gain control. Killing the game IMO will only make it harder and when Arsenal heap on pressure they usually score. 1-0 to us after a 30th minute goal to Benayoun.

Some stats to prepare you for the match.

-The teams are meeting for the third time in a week after two 1-1 draws at the Emirates. Of the 180 minutes played, the teams have been level for 165 with Arsenal having led for three minutes and Liverpool 12.

-The teams also drew 1-1 at Anfield in the League in October.

-Arsenal are Liverpool's 102nd different European opponent.

-Liverpool are playing in the Quarter Final of the Champions League for the fourth time in the last seven years.

-They are looking to reach their 15th European Semi-Final and their ninth in the European Cup.
 
-Rafa Benitez has faced Arsenal in European competition before. He was in charge of Valencia in 2002-03 and won 2-1 in Spain after drawing 0-0 at Highbury in the Group Stages.
 
-This is the seventh time Liverpool have been drawn against English opposition and their sixth in knockout competition. It is the fourth successive season they have been involved in all-Premier League ties in the Champions League.
 
-The Reds have scored 27 goals in Europe this season which is a new club record beating the previous best of 25 set in the 1975-76 UEFA Cup competition.
 
-Ryan Babel played for Ajax against Arsenal in 2005-06. He started the game in Holland that the Gunners won and came on as a substitute in a goalless draw at Highbury.
 
-In the First Leg Xabi Alonso made his first appearance in Europe since last season's final in Athens.
 
-Home and away against English teams the Reds have won three and drawn six with four defeats.
 
-The Reds, with ten, have scored more goals in the last 15 minutes of a Champions League game this season than any other team.
 
-Steven Gerrard has scored in Liverpool's last three home games in Europe. No player has ever achieved four in a row for the club.
 
-Sami Hyypia and Pepe Reina are ever-presents for the Reds in Europe this season having played 11 times.
 
-Liverpool have only ever conceded one goal in six home games against English opposition in Europe. That came in the first game in the sequence when Billy Bremner scored in a 1-0 Leeds win in the Fairs Cup Semi-Final in 1971.
 
-Of Liverpool's 27 goals in Europe this season ten have been scored in the last ten minutes with eight of those coming at Anfield.
 
-Dirk Kuyt has scored seven goals in his last ten European games and is the club's leading scorer in Europe this season with six.
 
-Fernando Torres has scored 28 goals this season with 75% of them coming at Anfield.
 
-Peter Crouch's goal last Saturday extended his record of never having scored in a losing Liverpool game. The Reds have won 28 and drawn four of the 32 in which he has found the net.

I would play:

                              Reina

   Arbeloa     Carragher       Skrtel       Aurellio

                         Mascherano

     Benayoun          Gerrard            Babel

                     Crouch   Torres

BUT Rafa will probably play the same line up as last game.

Would Gerrard be playing in midfield?

I like the team but think we need to be careful to only have one guy holding in midfield - SG running back all the time?

Would have to fit Xabi in there somewhere me thinks... maybe bringing on Crouchy for Xabi if we need goals in the 2nd half...

Im not sure what to think at the moment all this bollox we are being bombarded with from the media is just getting really annoying, the only thing I can think is that Arsenal wont know what Rafa is going to put on the pitch till an hour before, and Im beyond guessing. I think Crouch should have some sort of role on the night,  but what the F**k do I know, I just hope we win.

Would Gerrard be playing in midfield?

I like the team but think we need to be careful to only have one guy holding in midfield - SG running back all the time?

Would have to fit Xabi in there somewhere me thinks... maybe bringing on Crouchy for Xabi if we need goals in the 2nd half...

I agree Don I think RAFA will play Alonso  and bring Crouch on as a sub.The only other change will be Arbeloa in for Sami Hypia.We need to attack from the start and hopefully get a couple of goals B4 half time. I am backing Torres and Kuyt to deliver the goods for us.

We must play very offensively tomorrow and simply go to win the game. No counter attack.

They have proved they can score againt us, and we COULD have lost both games this week.

So simple rule, go out to win the game and that will take us through... I would not bet for a second on a 0-0... because they will probably score like they have in all games against us this season.

If SG has a good game, not an averadge game... a good game... we will win.

Changing formation now would be risky. We've stuck to this formation for quite a while now, it's done us good and we must hold onto it till the end of the season at least. I say we try out a new 4-4-2 formation in pre-season, but please not in the most important game of our season.

If it's not broken... then don't try to fix it!

I would play:
                            Reina
Carra.          Hyypia             Skrtel        Riise
           Alonso              Mash.
Beny.                   Gerrard                 Babel
                           torres

We need to score first...so I hope we'll start with both Torres and Crouch...

                               Reina

   Arbeloa     Carragher       Skrtel       Aurellio

                         Mascherano

     Kuyt          Gerrard            Babel

                     Crouch   Torres


All the back 5 can defend ...and any of the front 5 can score...

I agree with don here, today of all days we need to kill this game off soon. Arsenal's young guns are talented, but they have fragile heads.

I would actually change the formation to suite this offensive mindedness and do it like this:

                                            REINA
CARRA               HYYPIA                   SKRTEL          AURELIO

                       ALONSO                   MASCH
GERRARD                                                              BABEL
                       CROUCH                   TORRES

why?........

Provides a monster of an attack while not neglecting defensive proirities. Crouch is the spanner in the works.  Arsenal just havent got a clue as to what to do with Crouch. And while they're busy scratching their heads over Crouch........Torres, Gerrard and Babel will blast Almunia through the back of his own net.

Venom...

Your team looks good too man...lots of experience in the middle and I don't see the kids overpowering that easily...

(Now we know how Rafa feels)

Personally I think we should stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation that has served us well recently, but if we were to go 4-4-2 I completely agree with Venom-C that Gerrard should be on the right. Against one of the best passing teams in Europe who also like to play predominately down the middle we need to have two defensive midfielders in the middle, not Gerrard marauding forward & leaving gaps for Arsenal to expose.

Eddie - We can start with Venom's 4-2-2-2...and then switch it to 4-2-3-1 after scoring 2 goals 

I don't see any reason to change from the current formation for such an important game. The 4-2-3-1 gives us a good balance between a solid defesive base while giving us more options in attack. If we did go 4-4-2 and leave Masch as the only defensive midfield player then I feel we would be too open and vulnerable to Arsenal opening us up with their passing.

I also think we will have to score in this one as I don't want to be going into the last 10-15 mins sitting at 0-0.

I don't see any reason to change from the current formation for such an important game. The 4-2-3-1 gives us a good balance between a solid defesive base while giving us more options in attack. If we did go 4-4-2 and leave Masch as the only defensive midfield player then I feel we would be too open and vulnerable to Arsenal opening us up with their passing.

I also think we will have to score in this one as I don't want to be going into the last 10-15 mins sitting at 0-0.

And we can't let them score first because then they will get confident and start thinking that they can beat us. We have to score first, defend tightly and not give away the ball much.

Anybody else realise that if SG doesn't want to play wing/libero it means Crouchy gets squeezed out of the team... to allow Xabi and Masch to manage midfield.

SG behind Fernando means no Crouchy. Simple.

SG in midfield means no Xabi. Simple.

SG on wing with freedom means 4-4-2 with Crouchy and Fernando up-front.

IRWT

I don't see any reason to change from the current formation for such an important game. The 4-2-3-1 gives us a good balance between a solid defesive base while giving us more options in attack. If we did go 4-4-2 and leave Masch as the only defensive midfield player then I feel we would be too open and vulnerable to Arsenal opening us up with their passing.

I also think we will have to score in this one as I don't want to be going into the last 10-15 mins sitting at 0-0.

alonso

I just hope we win.

Knowbody labour under any illusion this is going to be a very difficult encounter!
I personally don't give a flying F**k who Rafa fields, as long as we walk away with the result.
It's going to be hard, very hard cause Arsenal are good.

IN RAFA WE TRUST