FA Cup v Brighton Build Up

[SB]

So, we expecting a full on line up or a mixture of stars and fringe players?

I'd probably give Coates a start for Agger , maybe Jonjo, Dirk, Carroll, Maxi, Aurelio and Kelly involved somewhere . Doni in goals ?

Is anyone carrying knocks or injuries etc that should be rested?

[SB]

Best Eleven or Fringe and Youth? Who Starts the Cups?

It seems as though every week we say it all over again: The next three games could decide whether Liverpool have a chance of making this at times infuriatingly uneven season a successful one in the end. And this time around we mean it. At least as long as Liverpool come out with three wins signifying advancement to the FA Cup quarter-finals, their first trophy in six years, and victory over a rival for fourth that could conceivably see them one point out of a Champions League spot.

If they don’t manage three wins in the next three games I’m sure we’ll manage to call a later stretch the most important of the season and integral to any chances of calling it a success. But until then, this is when Liverpool get to show if they can finally turn things around and put their struggles behind them. Though given that two of those next three games are against lower league competition in the FA and League Cup, there’s still some reason to wonder just who will be lining up for Liverpool come this weekend and the next.
Who Should Start in the Cups?
Start strong sides but with a few finge players. Some of them deserve it and it could be helpful.Start a weaker side in one match to keep fringe players sharp and the strongest in the other.Start the strongest side possible. Every game matters and fitness shouldn't be an issue.
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The reality is that England’s cup competitions are often seen as chances to give playing time to those who might not start were it an important league match, but does Kenny Dalglish have room to play anything but his best eleven in each and every game from here to the end of the season? Is there any room next weekend at Wembley for sentiment and giving Jamie Carragher what could end up being his last important start for the club he’s spent his career at? Is there room against Brighton to give Daniel Agger or Martin Skrtel the week off in favour of youth development and allowing the likes of Sebastian Coates a major role? And is there even room for Dalglish to give a misfiring player like Stewart Downing another chance to find his feet when he may not give the club its best chance to win?

Without European football, February represents one of the club’s least strenuous mid-season months of the past decade. That means that if there’s a real desire to succeed in all competitions, Dalglish has the freedom to play his strongest side with no need to consider fitness or late-season burnout. In fact, it might even be best for the club’s league prospects if those who will be counted on most to make the drive for fourth are given a taste of glory in the cup competitions.

Beyond the simple need to win the games, with only four matches in the entire month of February there’s an argument to be made that playing youth, fringe, or under-performing players could backfire in less obvious ways. After all, that it would take a near-title winning run of form in the league to make it into the top four seems almost certain, and giving players who will be counted on to make that happen a week or two off when games are sparse could actually lead to them being rusty instead of rested when league action returns.

On the other hand, it’s difficult to entirely dismiss the prevailing wisdom that says the League and FA Cup are suited to blooding youngsters, giving veterans one last hurrah, and tinkering with players and approaches that haven’t quite worked in the hopes that if they can find success it will only make the club stronger in the league.

Stewart Downing might not be the best man to get the job done against Brighton on current form, but if the manager believes he can still come good then a chance to do so would only help the club in March, April, and May. And neither Sebastian Coates nor Jamie Carragher might be the first choices to start at centre back once it’s time to face Arsenal or Everton with three points on the line, but giving one an extra game for experience or the other some action to help keep in match shape could end up crucial to success should a starter stumble down the stretch.

And after all, doesn’t Jamie Carragher deserve a start at Wembley for all his years of loyal service to the club? When you consider that it could make him sharper should he be needed for a league match in March, that only makes any argument to start him more convincing. And surely Stewart Downing must have some potential worth to the club to have convinced Dalglish and Damien Comolli that he was worth £20M. If he starts and scores a brace against Brighton, it can only help Liverpool’s chances of pipping Arsenal, Chelsea, and Newcastle for fourth.

On the surface it might seem a fairly easy choice: Winning every match right now is all that matters, and there’s enough downtime between games to make rotation redundant. But even with that in mind there are legitimate arguments for giving game time to players who most fans wouldn’t want to see on the pitch were it a league match. And so for this week, we want to know what you would do in the coming cup ties.

Would you start the best players available for both games, approaching them as though they were important league or Champions League matches at a time when fitness wasn’t an issue? Would you mix a small number of veterans, youth, and fringe players in amongst whatever you consider the best eleven for each game? Or would you play your best eleven in one match and in the other deploy a squad that relies heavily on less regular options? Give us your vote and let us know any details in the comments section.

http://liverpool.theoffside.com/fa-cup/poll-best-eleven-or-fringe-and-youth-who-starts-the-cups.html

[SB]

Let's get at least one more match out of Fab before he goes. Never made a fuss during his time with us but injuries have blighted his career unfortunately.

Liverpool chiefs have no plans to renew Aurelio's contract beyond the current campaign, which will see the ex-Valencia full-back potentially returning to his native South America.

Aurelio, however, remains hopeful of enjoying an extended run in the team before the season ends.

"I am feeling good," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"I am enjoying the training sessions every day and improving. I am available and waiting for an opportunity to get on the pitch again.

"It’s up to the manager to decide who is involved in each match, but my aim is to be available as much as possible and see what his thoughts are."

[Muddled]

I don't think there is room for sentiment in the LG Final (did anybody get an answer to that?) to play Carragher; he's played in cup finals before, now we need our best defensive partnership to see this through. But that's for another thread.

Yes, give Carragher some game time against Brighton alongside Skrtel (for me), Kelly and Aurelio either side, Reina in goal. Spearing, Adam and Gerrard in the centre (dependent on Gerrard and how he's holding up). Downing left to try and quickly get over his non-performance against Man Utd, Maxi right (if fit) and Suarez up top to continue getting some game time. Rest Bellamy for the game against his home-town club when he will be desperate to perform, all whilst keeping his knees in check. (more brackets).

Reina

Kelly
Skrtel
Carragher
Aurelio

Spearing
Adam
Gerrard

Maxi
Suarez
Downing

[Reece]

I don't think there is room for sentiment in the LG Final (did anybody get an answer to that?)

[PTP]

I don't think there is room for sentiment in the LG Final (did anybody get an answer to that?) to play Carragher; he's played in cup finals before, now we need our best defensive partnership to see this through. But that's for another thread.

Yes, give Carragher some game time against Brighton alongside Skrtel (for me), Kelly and Aurelio either side, Reina in goal. Spearing, Adam and Gerrard in the centre (dependent on Gerrard and how he's holding up). Downing left to try and quickly get over his non-performance against Man Utd, Maxi right (if fit) and Suarez up top to continue getting some game time. Rest Bellamy for the game against his home-town club when he will be desperate to perform, all whilst keeping his knees in check. (more brackets).

Reina

Kelly
Skrtel
Carragher
Aurelio

Spearing
Adam
Gerrard

Maxi
Suarez
Downing

yeah i'd pretty much go with that - with a view of getting in front and comfortable and then look to swap gerrard/suarez for henderson/carroll for last 30 mins

[lickedlollipop]

Let's get at least one more match out of Fab before he goes. Never made a fuss during his time with us but injuries have blighted his career unfortunately.

[Muddled]

Nicey needs to get himself explained.

[Muddled]

yeah i'd pretty much go with that - with a view of getting in front and comfortable and then look to swap gerrard/suarez for henderson/carroll for last 30 mins

Absolutely - in an ideal world, those would be the perfect substitutions at the perfect time.

[DannyMan2006]

I'd start Carroll with Suarez to see if there is any point in continuing with that somewhere down the line.

[Exiled_red]

I'd start Carroll with Suarez to see if there is any point in continuing with that somewhere down the line.

[Roger]

hoping to see kelly, adam, maxi and carroll in the starting line up.

could see gerrard being rested and maybe agger too. carragher could come in which is understandable.

as carra has said in the press, we shouldn't be taking brighton lightly considering the teams that have knocked us out of domestic cups in the last few years.

[frank the tank]

I'd go with a strong lineup to be honest.....

------------------------REINA-------------------------

KELLY--------SKRTEL----------AGGER------ENRIQUE

------------------------SPEARING----------------------

JOHNSON--------------GERRARD----------BELLAMY

---------------CARROLL-----------SUAREZ------------

[baitman]

I'd go with a strong lineup to be honest.....

------------------------REINA-------------------------

KELLY--------SKRTEL----------AGGER------ENRIQUE

------------------------SPEARING----------------------

JOHNSON--------------GERRARD----------BELLAMY

---------------CARROLL-----------SUAREZ------------

i would almost agree... what a bunch of fussy ****s we are, eh

for me;

------------------------REINA-------------------------

KELLY--------SKRTEL----------COATES------ENRIQUE

------------------------SPEARING----------------------

JOHNSON--------------GERRARD---------------MAXI

---------------CARROLL-----------SUAREZ------------

if we are cruising [hopefully not a big if] i would be sure to get sterling, flanagan shelvey and coady on for a jog around.

[Muddled]

Nicey needs to get himself explained.

The LG cup is an abbreviation for League as in the English League Cup as in what it was called before Carlsberg and most recently Carling bought the naming rights ...Assbag