On Saturday

[Craig_H]

I'd go at the *******s 4-3-3

reina

arbeloa
Agger(has to play*)
Carra
Dossena

Gerrard
Alonso
Plessis

Keane
Kuyt
Torres


Agger has to play, he can bring the ball forward and is an option we missed so badly in these type of games last year - he is confident enough to carry the ball over the halfway line, plus he is too good for the opposition to ignore, and allow to carry on going forward - this creates a chain reaction through their team,

Agger goes forward either 1) the opposition allow him to run into space until he is near their area and can either go for goal or look to set up someone - he is too good to allow him to just run forward so

2) an opposition player will have to close him down! - so he goes forward and someone goes to close, if they have parked the team bus in front of the goal then they will be marking man to man, if agger goes forward whoever goes to challenge will leave some space and a man free - which then means someone else will have to pick up this free space/man which in turn creates more space etc etc

Without agger in the team, we really have noone in defence(we shall see what dossena/degen can offer as the season goes on) who is a danger going forward. So it's easier for teams coming to anfield to defend - they ccan pick up the midfielders/attackers, make it tight, and just let the likes of carra, arebloa, hyppia etc have the ball!!!! Agger tho is different, he is too good with the ball at his feet to allow him to go forawrd unchallenged.

Also - benni is a good option to bring of the bench in tight games, and i'd include a couple of young lads like N'gog and Nemeth - nothing better in a tight game to get some young and enthuastic legs on to try the ****ing hardest to make a name for themselves

I agree with you on Agger with as much emphasis as is possible. He's a MUST for our first team, his ability to bring the ball out of defence is crucial and nobody else seems to do it. Agger playing = more ball retention, less useless long punts, and more space going forward as the opposition players have to come and challenge him.

[Craig_H]

I hope people are right when they say Boro wont park the bus, but i'm cynical about it myself. They'll be scared of us passing them off the park and their fear of Nando Torres will result in them playing a very deep back line and midfielders in front to protect.

Proper 'two banks of four' stuff i reckon it'll be.

[Kenneth]

Not playing Plessis would be a start. We need creativity and he possesses none.

If we resort to long balls to Torres, we'll be in big trouble.

[Exiled_red]

Not playing Plessis would be a start. We need creativity and he possesses none.

If we resort to long balls to Torres, we'll be in big trouble.

They won't leave much space in behind and they have some fairly big defenders that would win most things in the air against Torres and Keane

[Lerpwl]

maybe we should try and pass and move (like SG does) , I'm afraid with Plessis in the team (who is nowhere near ready as he keeps turning back towards our own goal ala Traore and slowing play down) we are never going to challenge or break a stubborn defence down. Chelsea passed and moved on and off the ball, creating space for each other, before anyone says they spent millions this is not an argument as passing and moving costs nothing , it's a style of play we choose not to use because we want to stay compact.......here's hoping for a massive improvement.

[BigChief]

Middlesboro have no reason to park the bus with talent like Tuncay and Alves up front. I'd actually be happy if they parked the bus and not played one of those two personally.

Wheater is going to be key for them at set pieces and specially corners. A not-fully-fit Agger is not the right player for this game. I would have to go with Hyppia and Carra again.

[Rich]

Degen

[Philosophia]

Sack Parry?

[the rev leeroy brown]

i'd stick aurelio in at left back. we need width from our full backs and someone who can swing a half decent cross in. dossena hasn't looked comfortable at all doing this yet.

[JohnDoe]

Reina
Arbeloa Carragher Agger Dossena
Alonso Gerrard
Kuyt Keane Benayoun
Torres

Think this will be the team. Babel won't be rushed in.

We'll win, but not convincingly.

[Woobus]

I'm afraid with Plessis in the team (who is nowhere near ready as he keeps turning back towards our own goal ala Traore and slowing play down) we are never going to challenge or break a stubborn defence down.

He is only in the team due to Alonso not being fully fit and losing players to the olympics. We should have either Lucas or Mascherano back for the weekend with them playing each other in the semis. While I wouldnt like him to be in the team week in week out he is a handy player to have in the reserves and should get better and better.

[Rich]

i'd stick aurelio in at left back. we need width from our full backs and someone who can swing a half decent cross in. dossena hasn't looked comfortable at all doing this yet.

I'd have thought having Dossena overlapping against a team sitting back would help in creating a bit o' space, no?

[the rev leeroy brown]

I'd have thought having Dossena overlapping against a team sitting back would help in creating a bit o' space, no?

i'm hopeful dossena will come good but in the games played so far i haven't seen anything to suggest he's the answer to our full back problems. IMO aurelio ( if fit? ) should play as with boro no doubt parking 10 men behind the ball we will need a better passer / crosser and aurelio has got a good left peg on him.

[Guest]

Not playing Plessis would be a start. We need creativity and he possesses none.

How can you say that !?????

You would make a great trainer.

Plessis has only played a couple of games for us and he's played as a holding midfielder. He has to play it safe first, not doing something silly, that's what the position requires.

There's really a nuance in my analysis and yours, which is rather simplistic.

What does a holding midfielder do ? Have you watched Makelele ?

[Roboklopp]

Thought Danny Agger was as guilty of hoofing it the other day as anyone TBH. I know he doesnt when fit, but he's not at his best at the mo is he? Still, he'll need games to get that way.

Anyway, aye- creativity is a worry for these sort of games. Hopefully Keane will start to bed in properly & then we'll have more options than just SG/FT to win us games.