Liverpool V Swansea City 17/02/2012 KO 15.00

Big game for us coming up and surprised to see no pre match thread so far so I thought I'd have a go.

A must win game for us I feel as much as to shake off our current bad run and to get some positivity back before the massive task of overturning the deficit in the Europa League game on Thursday.

TEAM NEWS

Liverpool have Daniel Sturridge available after he was cup-tied against Zenit St Petersburg.New signing Philippe Coutinho also had to sit out that game, but could make his full debut.

Swansea boss Michael Laudrup must choose between Garry Monk and Kyle Bartley to replace the injured Chico Flores.The Swans returned from a warm weather training camp in Dubai this week with no further injury concerns.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
-Swansea are unbeaten in their last four games against Liverpool in all competitions (W2, D2).

-Liverpool have failed to score in any of the three Premier League meetings between the sides - two 0-0 draws and a 1-0 defeat.

-The Swans have never won in 11 league matches at Anfield (D3, L8).

-The last time Swansea lost to Liverpool was an 8-0 away defeat in an FA Cup third-round replay in January 1990. It remains Swansea's joint-highest defeat.

Liverpool
-Liverpool are the only club yet to win against a side currently in the top half of the table (14 matches).

-They are the first team in Europe's top five leagues this season to have 500 shots (including blocked shots).

-The Reds are currently on an eight-game winless streak in home games played on a Sunday.

Swansea
-Only 10 of the 29 league goals Swansea have conceded this season have been in away games.

-Swansea have dropped just two points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, fewer than any other team.

-Michu has scored five headers in the league this season, more than any other player.

Sturridge will be a massive boost if fit and also if selected Coutinho could be a creative spark the we have missed over the last week or so but what we need to see is us imposing our game on them and getting the much needed three points.

Fair do's Si.

I'm assuming a lot of us are feeling a bit sh*t lately. The big arsehole that was West Brom and then F***ing Zenit, feels like we've been winded to be honest.

No matter how much of an enthusiast you are, LFC can kick you good style in the bollocks at times.

All the more reason to go out and tw*t Swansea all over the show. I'm assuming there's a few people who've already wrote us off for Sunday. I can't blame them to be frank and I'm not that confident myself.

But if ever there was an excuse to learn how to close people down, then this game provides that platform. The fundamental elements of defending need to be put in place in this game.

I'm expecting a huge mastery of defending.

Good work Si on the op 

I think Kenny's just said it all for me really  It actually gets quite depressing when you make the effort to get up early every home game, costing me a small fortune every time I travel up, and then your faced with a miserable result, and the journey home always seems twice as long   

I just want a bit of consistency in the team, would be lovely to know your going to see a good game of footy with the right result at the end, another Norwich game would be boss, so nice and relaxed watching that game and know we're not going to lose.

It will be far from easy against Swansea, i've gone for a very tight win for the Redmen, at least it sounds like Sturridge will be back anyway.

several of key things for me going into this game

- what would our midfield look like
- is suarez able to find his touch again.
- how well we can handle their striker

I'm cautiously optimistic but I know once we go down a goal, we'll be done for.  I just hope sturridge and suarez are able to create some magic fast and early.

Will be a tough match. 

Reina

enrique  Skrtel   Agger  johnson

lucas coutinho Gerrard

downing suarez

sturridge

or swap out lucas for henderson.  Sterling unfortunately has been poor lately so I wouldnt start with him.

How many goals have we conceded from the arc at the edge of our box? It started with Gera strike in the opening game against WBA and it still continues into the last game against Zenit. I'm loosing patience, I'll try something incoventional and just plonk Enrique to patrol the arc and make sure no opposing players gets a free shot at our goal and let him bomb forward to support the attack at every given opportunity. It's as good as converting him from a wing back to a full midfielder. We need combative players in midfield where we got overan in the game against Zenit.

Wisdom will cover the right back and switch Johnson to the left. 4th is as good as out of sight, BR might as well try something different and see how it works.

 It's time to get back on the bike so as to speak,no excuses we have got to go out and bring the 3 points in and get back on a winning streak.I am fed up with dominating games only to throw the points away with stupid mistakes,if some players think that life at Anfield is difficult then show them the door.

Sturridge is playing so we have a chance of winning as our attack looks dangerous and capable of scoring when Sturridge leads the line.Hope he keep up his good form before getting injured.Our defence is so poor any team will fancy themselves scoring against us.If i'm right,the majority of our starting line-up for the past month or so consists of senior,experience players with some youngsters forming up the rest.Our squad is young but our starting line-up isn't.Maybe,the problem with our transition doesn't just falls to young age,quality or the recent growing pains claims.

We need to win this game.... simple as that. We certainly should win this game.

I would rest Suarez for this one especially if Coutinho is fit enough to start.

                                    Reina
 Johnson         Skrtel               Agger           Enrique

                                Lucas

               Henderson          Gerrard

        Downing   Sturridge  Coutinho   

Although I would like to play an extra midfield player I don't think Allen's form is up to much at the moment, so Downing gets the nod for me over Borini or Sterling.

Really just got to take our chances and defend much better than we have recently and it should be a walk in the park. Going for 2-1 after our recent problems, but in all honesty I can see us scoring 4 or 5 if the players respond in the right manner.

How many goals have we conceded from the arc at the edge of our box? It started with Gera strike in the opening game against WBA and it still continues into the last game against Zenit. I'm loosing patience, I'll try something incoventional and just plonk Enrique to patrol the arc and make sure no opposing players gets a free shot at our goal and let him bomb forward to support the attack at every given opportunity. It's as good as converting him from a wing back to a full midfielder. We need combative players in midfield where we got overan in the game against Zenit.

Wisdom will cover the right back and switch Johnson to the left. 4th is as good as out of sight, BR might as well try something different and see how it works.

I'd say equally or more concerning is the way we defend crosses. Seem to be conceding from corners alot recently.

Good work Si on the op 

I think Kenny's just said it all for me really  It actually gets quite depressing when you make the effort to get up early every home game, costing me a small fortune every time I travel up, and then your faced with a miserable result, and the journey home always seems twice as long   

I just want a bit of consistency in the team, would be lovely to know your going to see a good game of footy with the right result at the end, another Norwich game would be boss, so nice and relaxed watching that game and know we're not going to lose.

It will be far from easy against Swansea, i've gone for a very tight win for the Redmen, at least it sounds like Sturridge will be back anyway.

I certainly know where your coming from Cas its a long depressing ride home for some thats for sure ,there was a time think it was around early 2000s when we seemed to be winning one losing one you know the drill.

Remember my dad saying at the time its more like driving a thousand miles home rather than the 200 odd but in all that time i still had faith the next time we went that we would win ,sadly for me anyway that faith is slowly being destroyed ,getting fed up of seeing our players in the press saying they should do better ,i want to actually see them give a fck and look like its hurting them as much as us ,as for sunday i hope we go and smash the fckers ,but that is hope and not the reality speaking.

Great OP.

I'd go: Reina; Wisdom, Skrtel, Coates, Johnson; Lucas, Henderson, Suso; Downing, Sturridge, Coutinho.

Save Gerrard and Suarez for Thursday when we're really going to need them on top form.

sh*te OP Si, leave it to the usuals in future please.

















 

Only joking mate, great first match thread!


Like others, I'm not too confident which is sad. Normally when I expect us to fall though I end up pleasantly surprised.

Sturridge fit?

not ready for this yet, still got the arse with our last 4 results.

not ready for this yet, still got the arse with our last 4 results.

I was a bit like this mate but we have to look forward.

Honestly? I've rarely been this pessimistic going into a game as I think on current form it will be a tough one but if we play as well as we can we still have too much quality in our side to be troubled by them in my opinion.

Reina

Johnson  Carra  Agger  Enrique

Lucas  Gerrard

Henderson

Downing  Sturridge  Suarez

I'd still leave Coutinho on the bench for now and bring him on early in the second half as the side I've picked is, I feel, our strongest at the minute.

A tough one to call this as it comes so soon after some disappointing results.

Swansea are no pushovers as we've already found out this season but if we play at our best we should have enough to win.

I too am losing faith, patience and if I'm being truly honest, I'm losing interest and that for me is the most upsetting.  I'm really having to fight hard to justify how much time and effort I'm spending on my team and I haven't felt like this since Souness 

Still going for the win as otherwise what's the point.  3-1 to the Redmen.

I'm assuming a lot of us are feeling a bit sh*t lately. The big arsehole that was West Brom and then f**king Zenit, feels like we've been winded to be honest.

Not to mention throwing it away against an Arsenal side there for the taking and a City side in utter disarray atm. Seven dropped points in three games does not make me confident going in to this game.

Not on the box I take it?

Id give Luis a rest here if Sturridge is fit. In fact Id probabaly make a few changes to Thursday for both rest and because some need to be left out for form

Wouldn't mind see us 3 at the back with Lucas sat in front of them. 3 1 4 2 formation, chance of it though are 0

               
              Reina

   Wisdom Carra Skrtel

              Lucas

Johnson Gerrard Suso Coutinho

          Borini Sturridge

I would take a draw here to be honest,win would be awesome though.

                       Reina

Johnson   Agger     Carra     Enrique

                Lucas    Gerrard                               

Borini           Coutinho        Suarez

                    Sturridge

I think Coutinho in the hole could provide us with a bit more creativity than having Henderson, Gerrard and Lucas all sort of hanging around and taking turns to push forward. Also, I still don't rate Downing and Sterling isn't on form, so I think Borini should be given a go.

I have been to more cheerful funerals. The game is at Anfield, we are playing Swansea..... not Barcelona. 

I have been to more cheerful funerals. The game is at Anfield, we are playing Swansea..... not Barcelona. 

Thank f*ck 

I think we shoud sit back and hit them on counter  against swansea.
if we allow them to get their passing game against us they would destroy us. Hoope Br will motivate the players and break their passings as ealry as possible. No shame in playing the dirty tactics against better teams. It worked well for chelsea last season

I have been to more cheerful funerals. The game is at Anfield, we are playing Swansea..... not Barcelona. 

Well we'll make them look like Barca when they are on the counter!!!