Newcastle v Liverpool - Pre Match Thread

St James' Park, Saturday, 24 November
Kick-off: 12:45, Sky Sports 1

Here we go again then!! Time to get back into the groove from international distractions and isn't it great?

No doubt Torres will be the first name on the team sheet as he's been at Melwood over the international break working on his fitness. Could we see a return for Kuyt who was dropped against Fulham? He did score his first goal for us against Newcastle. But what about Crouch? Probably the best player for England on Wednesday, he scored another beauty and has actually featured in our last few games....
How will our midfield get on after Gerrard going through some tiresome international heart ache with England. I think it will be a great opportunity to get England out of his system. Mascherano coming back from a very tough game for his country away to Columbia? I believe the conditions were quite tough to play in in that game, so will he be rested?
I wonder if Arbeloa and Aurelio will have starts again for us. I think it's fair to say they've put in the graft lately to keep their places?

Will Harold 'Pele' Kewell start and play the full match!!? 

Let's do fat head Sam's geordies in on their own patch and pile even more pressure on him!

St James' Park, Saturday, 24 November
Kick-off: 12:45, Sky Sports 1

Here we go again then!! Time to get back into the groove from international distractions and isn't it great?

No doubt Torres will be the first name on the team sheet as he's been at Melwood over the international break working on his fitness. Could we see a return for Kuyt who was dropped against Fulham? He did score his first goal for us against Newcastle. But what about Crouch? Probably the best player for England on Wednesday, he scored another beauty and has actually featured in our last few games....
How will our midfield get on after Gerrard going through some tiresome international heart ache with England. I think it will be a great opportunity to get England out of his system. Mascherano coming back from a very tough game for his country away to Columbia? I believe the conditions were quite tough to play in in that game, so will he be rested?
I wonder if Arbeloa and Aurelio will have starts again for us. I think it's fair to say they've put in the graft lately to keep their places?

Will Harold 'Pele' Kewell start and play the full match!!? 

Let's do fat head Sam's geordies in on their own patch and pile even more pressure on him!

It's a great chance to ram the words of big fat Sam back down his throat... I hope we absolutely tw*t them... My team....

                                      Reina
 
 Finnan              Carragher            Hyppia          Arbeloa

                                  Mascherano
     
               Gerrard              Lucas              Kewell

                                                   Babel
                                    Torres

We've got to win here, all the other to clubs are playing poor sides and will win. I'm confident we will win by the odd goal, I'd start with Crouch and Torres up front and would like to see Babel get a start on the wing. A win would be extra sweet as I have a severe dislike for Fat Sam and all of his post match Crying. And once again I must say a big thank you to the Lads at Sky for the early kick off, I'll have to crawl out of my pit at 5.30am on a Saturday morning to get up to the North East for this one.

It's a great chance to ram the words of big fat Sam back down his throat... I hope we absolutely tw*t them... My team....

                                      Reina
 
 Finnan              Carragher            Hyypia          Arbeloa

                                  Mascherano
    
               Gerrard              Lucas              Kewell

                                                   Babel
                                    Torres

The problem with this line up is the absence of Crouch and Benayun. Bench Finnan, move Arbeloa (RB), Move Aurelio to (LB), Midfield: Benayun, Gerrard, Macherano, Kewell. Strikers: Torres & Crouch. Subs: Babel, Kuyt, Veronin etc

TIGHT!!

Torres and Crouch up front, Benayoun Gerrard Lucas Kewell in midfield, Arbeloa Carragher Hobbs Aurellio defending.

benni is injured still isnt he?

gerrard is tired - rafa may rest him along with crouch.

masher may get rested as well.

i hope we get a decent midfield even if rafa may think they are tired!

heres mine

                                      Reina
 
 Finnan              Carragher            agger (if fit)          Arbeloa

                                  Mascherano
     
               Gerrard              Lucas              Kewell / (babel- sub)

                                                   diggler
                                    Torres

Yossi Ben-na-noun as that prat David pleat said is still injured boys.

my team

                     REINA
FINNAN  CARRA    SAMI   ARBELOA

STEVIE  MASCH   LUCAS/SISSOKO  KEWELL/BABEL/RIISE

             CROUCH/KUYT    TORRES

Agree with most so far here, have to also add Fat Boy Sam could use a bit of extra pressure so a 5-0 win for us would be nice indeed. My Team selection would be very attacking and I would not Gerrard out for this one and I would also play Crouch. Reason being I think they need to vent there frustrations on this lot and this game would be a good place for them to start to excersie the demons of that England game.

                                Reina
Finnan     Carra     Hyppia/Agger(if fit)  Risse

                   Sissoko

Babel            Gerrard         Kewll

                         Crouch
                   
                  Torres

Reason for Sissoko rather than Masch is the fact that I believe he would be better suited to taking on Obafmi Martins who I see as a real danger in this game and fat boy sam doesnt really have much choice but to play him this time round. Momos leggy type tackling I think would disrupt Martins better than Maschas man on tackling. I would start Ryan on the right because I think Newcastles left side of defence would be suspetibal to pace from that area and with Harry "Pele" Kewlls superior crossing abilities I can see Crouchy get some flick downs for Torres to run onto.

I have a good feeling about this game and we should leave with at least 3 points I also feel they are ripe for the picking at Newcastle at the moment.

would be nice to finally see harry 'ive got a sore ear ' kewell have a good comeback game and play the full 90.

torres to run riot against a poor newcastle back line and gerrard to come good after england disappointments

Taking into consideration we have a midweek fixture against Porto...I wouldn't be surprised to see Kuyt/Torres up front, with Crouch taking a few more days to recover from his England game in time for Porto.

Midfield- I doubt he'll leave Gerrard out- Masch will be rested due to Porto and/or his Argentinian duties.
Gerrard/Sissoko- Lucas to get the bench against Porto and Newcastle unless Xabi is ready for Porto.

I think he may play Riise in this game...in order to rest Kewell for Porto.....so I'll say Riise/Babel on the wings.
At the back; he may rest Finnan again in time for Porto; play Aurelio and Arbeloa at fullback; Carragher and Hyppia at CB; Agger to come back vs Porto.
So team:
Reina
Arbeloa Hyppia Carragher Aurelio
Babel Gerrard Sissoko Riise
Torres Kuyt

Taking into consideration...vs Porto:
Reina
Finnan Carragher Agger Arbeloa
Benayoun (if healthy, otherwise Babel) Gerrard mascherano Kewell
Torres Crouch

I know they set up differently now with Fat Sam at the helm instead of Roeder, but 3-4-3 has worked very well against the barcodes in the past, and despite the change in style I still feel it will work. I would go with:

                Reina

   Arbeloa  Hyypia  Carra

Babel  Gerrard  Lucas  Aurelio

    Torres  Crouch  Kuyt

I know usually we play to keep it tight at the back as our main priority, but with Alonso still out & Mascherano having travelled halfway round the world and playing twice in a week we have no suitable holding midfielder, and with Agger unlikely to make it back in time we are still a little short at the back, so I would go with attack as the best form of defence in these circumstances. If we do get pegged back at all Aurelio can drop back to make a four man defence, and Kuyt can do a job on the left of midfield. Up front I feel the trio of Torres, Crouch & Kuyt will be a nightmare to defend against, as all are very different styles of players & need to be defended against in very different ways.

I know we usually struggle after international breaks, but I have a good feeling about this one. I'm gonna go with 3-0.

For me the team will again be a very attacking one.

       PR
SF JC AA FA
RB SG LL JAR
     PC
        FT

i think gerrard and crouch should get some rest...prepare for UCL...
                                           pepe reina
  arbeloa         carragher         hyypia           riise
  babel             lucas             sissoko           kewell
                        torres         kuyt

I think gerrard and crouch should get some rest...prepare for UCL...
                                           pepe reina
  arbeloa         carragher         hyypia           riise
  babel             lucas             sissoko           kewell
                        torres         kuyt

Crouch and Gerrard will be simply dying for a game to get Wednesday out of their system ASAP.

I for one cant believe some of the sentaments about Gerrard and Crouch getting some rest!! To be honest I feel this would be a perfect opportunity to play both of them. Reason being any competative person who has had a bad day at the office often wants some way to go out and to prove to others and themselves what they are really all about. I for one would have them playing in both the Jordy game and against Porto, that way they can go out and get the crap with England out of their system, play more determined football, and show all those boo boy cockney tosspots what they are all about.

Im still annoyed at Jock Hansens comments regarding Stevie G and the terrible game he had, not one person stood up and stated about the prefered role he has with his club instead of the awful tactical misgivings that Mclaren gave him. I think we should play em and let Stevie G show what he is really made of. Im usually in agreement with what Jock has to say most of the time and was indeed fooked right off with some of his comments about our Captain.

               Reina

   Arbeloa  Hyypia  Carra

Babel  Gerrard  Lucas  Aurelio

    Torres  Crouch  Kuyt

I was going to post a 442 formation until I seen this and to me it looks as though it would be a good tactic for the Newcastle game, although I would play Momo instead of Lucas for this one. I agree with most that Stevie and Crouchie should play this one as they will have something to prove and will want to get the England game out of their system although Crouch was the best England player on the pitch in my opinion.

The engine room is the most important factor for me tomorrow. Gerrard will be in the middle. If he isn't, then we know for sure there is something going wrong! He'll be desperate to kick a ball in midfield tomorrow and get that smell of defeat off his back. Thing is, who partners him? Mascherano, as much as a battler as he is, the conditions he was playing in the other night were very tough. I watched most of the Argentina game and you could see the high altitude was draining. Not sure if Lucas is a full game player yet - especially away from home. But then Sissoko hasn't featured much at all and when he has, he's not been as good as he can be. I'm looking forward to seeing who starts in the middle tomorrow. I'm thinking it might just be Sissoko and Gerrard....

Wouldn't be surprised to see Kewell start on the left as well. His 'fitness' is getting better and he's bound to start sooner or later. Especially after the praise he's had lately.

The problem with this line up is the absence of Crouch and Benayun. Bench Finnan, move Arbeloa (RB), Move Aurelio to (LB), Midfield: Benayun, Gerrard, Macherano, Kewell. Strikers: Torres & Crouch. Subs: Babel, Kuyt, Veronin etc

TIGHT!!

I thought Yossi was still injured?  Otherwise he starts, Gerrard moved to the middle at the expense of Lucas, who is worth a start sooner rather than later,  and Crouchie was touch and go, but i'd go for the pace of Babel and Torres against a poor Newcastle defence.

Back to the proper stuff (sod england) Torres will be on fire today fit and raring to go I can see him causing the toon defence problems,id be gutted if we dont get all 3 points today,shut that fat sam up Rafa.

No Michael Owen for the Toon is there?

I'm going for 2 - 0  (Torres, Babel)

Reina

Finnan
Carragher
Hyypia
Arbeloa

Gerrard
Mascherano
Alonso
Kewell

Babel
Torres

Let's forget whats been said in the papers and concentrate on getting the right result in their back yard.

after the events of the last few days just to get the win will do we stiil unbeaten and still there is sh*t flying at us come on rafa get youre head in gear we need everyone rowing the same way onwards and upwards i say  ynwa

arbeloa must play!!!