Galatasaray 3:0 Liverpool FC Pre:Match & OMG Post Comment

We need to put our stongest team out from now on, they need to gel and we can't just keep throwing youngsters in there.

And most importantly we need their fitness to be at it's best, they'll be knackered after 60 minutes in a prem game.

The thing is it is still a friendly match.  There will probably be a large number of substitutions as well and I would assume from some of the postings if we don't put out our 'strongest 11' people are going to be disappointed.  So prepare yourself folks.

We have to remember, this is still a friendly game.  There is absolutely nothing at stake other than getting people up to speed.  There is a lot of fitness/training going on that we aren't seeing, so I don't think we will get an idea of the S'land line up until probably the last friendly.  Maybe that isn't what some people want but I am entirely sure that KD, the coaches and the sports science bods know what they are doing.

The team shouldn't need so long to gel anyway - it's not as if wholesale changes have been made.  Downing will fit in quite easily and if Gerrard is fit, it's entirely probable that the other new boys will start the Sunderland game on the bench.

I dont see gerrard playing to be honest, we looked very tired against Hull on Saturday which is understandable i guess. There were glimpses but this is a more reasonable away friendly, should be a decent match. I hope a win obv but we have showed our first team could be awesome for me. Looking forward to it

Dont know if anyone has been watching but Stirling in the reserves has been very good, especially in our tour of Ireland

Will this be on ESPN?

The team shouldn't need so long to gel anyway - it's not as if wholesale changes have been made. Downing will fit in quite easily and if Gerrard is fit, it's entirely probable that the other new boys will start the Sunderland game on the bench.

In theory it shouldn't take that long, but you don't want to assume this and then go into the opening weekend and get the team selection or tactics wrong just because you didn't have a good enough look at your options during preseason.  Let's be honest, players like Coady, Shelvey, Spearing, Wilson, Sotis, Robinson, Flanagan, Ngog, Cole, etc will not be in our starting 11 very often this season, so there isn't as much need to get them fit right away. 

An earlier poster made a good point that Suarez, Skrtel, Pepe, Gerrard, and Lucas will all not take part in much of preseason, but they will likely be starters if/when fit.  However, we still need to get a good look at how the new boys Adam, Henderson, and Downing will play with Kuyt & Carrol.  We also need to see how they help to cover our defensive players when we lose possession.  Considering we have conceded 9 goals in 3 games (albeit preseason friendlies) we really need to get a back 4 selected that will absolutely be available for week 1, and get them playing together. 

Preseason games are important for two reasons.  The first is to gain full match fitness and sharpness, and the second is to gel as a team and start working as one unit.  If we neglect to do the second of these properly, I fear that we will pay for it in the opening matches of the season.....

Live on LFC.tv from 7pm tomorrow

im so disappointed cause couldnt find a ticket all cheap areas sold out just some expensive (really expensive ) ones left but i'll buy one of these special scarfs from our store really good ones ^^

In theory it shouldn't take that long, but you don't want to assume this and then go into the opening weekend and get the team selection or tactics wrong just because you didn't have a good enough look at your options during preseason.  Let's be honest, players like Coady, Shelvey, Spearing, Wilson, Sotis, Robinson, Flanagan, Ngog, Cole, etc will not be in our starting 11 very often this season, so there isn't as much need to get them fit right away. 

An earlier poster made a good point that Suarez, Skrtel, Pepe, Gerrard, and Lucas will all not take part in much of preseason, but they will likely be starters if/when fit.  However, we still need to get a good look at how the new boys Adam, Henderson, and Downing will play with Kuyt & Carrol.  We also need to see how they help to cover our defensive players when we lose possession.  Considering we have conceded 9 goals in 3 games (albeit preseason friendlies) we really need to get a back 4 selected that will absolutely be available for week 1, and get them playing together. 

Preseason games are important for two reasons.  The first is to gain full match fitness and sharpness, and the second is to gel as a team and start working as one unit.  If we neglect to do the second of these properly, I fear that we will pay for it in the opening matches of the season.....

Pre-season games and competitive games are completely different. The players will gel better in a competitive environment. Pre-season games might give us a start on the players gelling together and understanding each other, but the players will get that more from competitive action.

Downing, Carroll, Adam and Henderson will all be on the pitch at the same time, as they have so far. Carroll and Adam especially. I don't see a problem with how our pre-season is being done.

Thought this was today. b***ard, going to miss it tomorrow

Thought this was today. b***ard, going to miss it tomorrow

Of course it's tomorrow. I'm in work... all day.

Any news on what players have flown over for this...ie....Pepe, Skrtel, Johnson etc?

Thought this was today. B***ard, going to miss it tomorrow

You can always record it?  And then pretend ts live. 

Of course it's tomorrow. I'm in work... all day.

Myself also, only thing to do is go media silent and catch the repeat at the offal...going to try my best to do that myself.

Who are Galatasaray?

28th Jul 2011 - Latest News

Liverpool take on Galatasaray in a prestigious pre-season friendly in Istanbul tonight - but how much do you know about our opponents? Liverpoolfc.tv attempts to bring you up to speed with 10 interesting facts...

Galatasaray Spor Kulubu (Galatasaray Sports Club) is part of the Galatasaray multi-sport club of Istanbul. The club also fields teams in basketball, rowing, athletics, volleyball, water polo and judo.

One of the most successful and renowned clubs in Turkey, they became one of only three European teams to win a continental quadruple in the year 2000 when they lifted the UEFA Cup, Super Cup and the Turkish League Championship as well as the Turkish Cup.

Famous for playing in red and yellow, the club now plays its home games at the Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul, having recently left the Ali Sami Yen Stadi. The brand new stadium has a capacity of 52,695.

The club was founded by a group of students at the Galatasaray Lisesi High School in 1905.

They're nicknamed 'Cim Bom Bom' which is pronounced 'Jim Bom Bom'

Everytime Galatasaray score, the club play the last part of the song 'I Will Survive' by the Hermes House Band.

A number of ex-Liverpool stars have turned out for the Turkish giants in recent years. Rigobert Song played at the club during the mid-noughties, Harry Kewell left this summer after three years in Turkey, whilst Czech striker Milan Baros remains at the Turk Telekom Arena.

Other famous players to have played for the club include Brazilian World Cup-winning goalkeeper Taffarel, Romanian superstar Gheorghe Hagi and striker Hakan Sukur, who holds the record for the number of goals scored in Turkish division history, scoring 249 goals.

They have recently signed ex-Czech Republic defender Tomas Ujfalusi as well as Swedish striker Johan Elmander, formerly of Bolton Wanderers.

Liverpool last met Galatasaray in the 2006-07 Champions League group stage. After winning 3-2 at Anfield in a game memorable for a stunning Peter Crouch scissor kick, the Reds lost the return meeting by the same scoreline at the Ataturk Stadium, though their progression into the next stage of the competition had long been secured en route to the Athens final.

Author: Elliott Bretland

Source

What to expect in Istanbul

28th Jul 2011 - Latest News

As Liverpool prepare to take on Galatasaray in Istanbul tonight, Cetin Cem Yılmaz, sports editor of Turkey's biggest-selling newspaper Hurriyet Daily News, tells us what the Reds can expect to encounter at the Turk Telekom Arena...

Liverpool coming to Turkey - and especially Istanbul - is always a special occasion, and it is not only because of the good memories of the Reds miraculously winning the European Cup for the fifth time in 2005.

Having seen every single game Liverpool have played in Turkey, except the Trabzonspor quest in 1976, I have witnessed how fans here have tried to take it to the next level when it comes to welcoming the Reds.

Creating an atmosphere in Liverpool games is important for local supporters because, in my opinion, they feel the Reds have the best fans in Europe - and that only Turkish fans are on par with them.

That is why the already-boisterous Turkish fans try to raise their game when the men from L4 come to town - last season's electric atmosphere at the Trabzonspor game can be recalled, while I believe 2007's Champions League match at Besiktas is still at the forefront of everybody's minds.

Tonight, the good spectacle will not only be on the stands, though. Galatasaray will take this match really seriously, even if it is a friendly fixture.

Firstly, this is one of the few occasions that Gala will get to play a top European club this season seeing as the Istanbul team is out of continental competition for only the second time in the last two decades.

That stemmed from one of the club's worst-ever league seasons, which brings us to another reason why Galatasaray will not be joking around.

Following a dismal campaign that saw three coaches, including Frank Rijkaard and Gheorghe Hagi, being axed, the Istanbul side returned to Fatih Terim, their most successful coach, who was the mastermind behind the UEFA Cup victory over Arsenal in 2000.

After being appointed, Terim started from scratch. He parted ways with no fewer than 10 players, including fans' favorite Harry Kewell, and landed many high-profile players.

Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, who enjoyed lifting the Copa America title with Uruguay alongside Luis Suarez, Czech veteran Tomas Ujfalusi, Swedish forward Tomas Elmander and Turkish internationals Selcuk Inan and Ceyhun Gulselam were signed, and Brazilian Felipe Melo was loaned in.

Muslera will not take part in the game, but Melo may make his Istanbul debut.

The club is still in the market for at least two transfers, with Emmanuel Eboue of Arsenal and Diego Forlan from Atletico Madrid amongst their targets according to the Turkish media.

Thursday's game will be the first time this season that Galatasaray have played a home game in its Turk Telekom Arena, which is dubbed as the most modern stadium in the country.

After its opening in January, the fans have had little to cheer there, so the team will try to do its best to make the return to their home worthwhile.

Given Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Trabzonspor - the other three members of Turkey's perennial 'big four' - have been involved in serious allegations in match-fixing investigations, Galatasaray have been the only top team in the country that solely focused on football during summertime.

Liverpool's visit to Istanbul will be a breath of fresh air to Turkey's football fans hassled by chaotic times, while it will be a great test for a Galatasaray side hoping to make up for a miserable season.

Source

The friendly game for the preseason preparations between Galatasaray and Inter Milan ended in a 0 – 0 draw at the Rewirpower Stadion in Bochum on Sunday July 24. It was their fifth friendly pre-season game and tonight's showdown is their final scheduled friendly game.

After making their debuts at Hull City, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Alexander Doni will be hoping for more action at the Turk Telekom Arena.

Any news on what players have flown over for this...ie....Pepe, Skrtel, Johnson etc?

I searched whole a bunch of media, but I couldn't get anything for that, sorry from me.

I'll probably be home halfway through the secnod half. I haven't seen one second of live action yet. It's bullshit.

Preseason games are important for two reasons.  The first is to gain full match fitness and sharpness, and the second is to gel as a team and start working as one unit.  If we neglect to do the second of these properly, I fear that we will pay for it in the opening matches of the season.....

Agree with the first one.  The second however may have been true years ago, but now it is more about getting the whole squad some match action.  I would say the second option is more for trying things out, players in different positions, formations etc, just so the players have had some experience of them.

KD: It'll bring back memories

28th Jul 2011 - Latest News

Kenny Dalglish is relishing Liverpool's return to the city of one of their greatest ever triumphs.

The Reds take on Galatasaray in their latest pre-season friendly in Istanbul tonight and the boss admits it will inevitably conjure up memories of that famous Champions League success back in 2005.

"It's a great game for us and everyone is looking forward to it," Dalglish said.

"It's a shame we're not playing at the Ataturk as that stadium will always have a special place in everyone's hearts.

"But everyone has great memories of Istanbul after what was achieved here back in 2005.

"That was a fantastic achievement.

"This game is only a friendly but we will try to get the maximum we can out of the game.

"We're playing at a new stadium and Galatasaray will pose a decent test for us."

Following tonight's encounter Liverpool will take on Valerenga in Norway on Monday night.

It is a fast turnaround but Dalglish is keen to his side step up a notch in their preparations for the new season.

He added: "We've got two games in the space of a few days and the players need to get more minutes in than they've had so far.

"But we will do whatever the situation dictates and we won't leave players on longer than needed just for the sake of it."

Author: Paul Hassall

Source

It'd be an acid test for us and we'd lose this if we send out an unorganized bunch of lads against a well organized mind-attacking team.

I hope we do good tonight and have more positives to take from it.

As KD says 'This game is only a friendly......'

Looking forward to it. I finish work at 8. I am hoping I can stay away from the scoreline until the delayed coverage on LFCTV and watch it at 10....whether that will happen or not is a different matter though.

At the risk of being a lazy b***ard and not reading the previous posts...

When is LFCtv showing this?

Live at 7 on LFCTV with a repeat at 10. At 9 it's time for the moaning bas**rds on This is Anfield