Liverpool - Wigan

[The_weatherman]

Taking my mind of financial doom and food shortage for two minutes. Considering that Torres and Babel are out what would be your team against Wigan? I am hoping for something like this:

-------------Reina

Arbeloa - Carra - Agger - Aurelio

Kuyt - Alonso - Mascher - Riera

------------Gerrard------------

------------Keane-------------

Possibly leaving Mascher out and put Benni on the right with Kuyt up top with Keane. We have a strong squad indeed.

[wiw]

Taking my mind of financial doom and food shortage for two minutes. Considering that Torres and Babel are out what would be your team against Wigan? I am hoping for something like this:

-------------Reina

Arbeloa - Carra - Agger - Aurelio

Kuyt - Alonso - Mascher - Riera

------------Gerrard------------

------------Keane-------------

Possibly leaving Mascher out and put Benni on the right with Kuyt up top with Keane. We have a strong squad indeed.

What I would do

[JohnDoe]

Bruce will do what he always does against us, defend very very deep and try to hit us on the counter. We're not going to get much space against them, so we need to use our clever players to unlock their defence. Keane alone up front wouldn't work, and Gerrard isn't going to see much of the ball in an advanced position behind the front man. He'll end up dropping too deep and leave Keane isolated.

Reina
Arbeloa Carragher Agger Aurelio
Benayoun Alonso Gerrard Riera
Kuyt Keane

Benayoun HAS to play for me, he's our best operator in tight spaces and he's got the intelligence and vision to work on an opening down his flank. Riera is also very suited for this game, with his close control and technique. Aurelio over Dossena because the latter should play the next two games, and Agger to keep the defensive line high. Mascherano isn't needed.

[The_weatherman]

Bruce will do what he always does against us, defend very very deep and try to hit us on the counter. We're not going to get much space against them, so we need to use our clever players to unlock their defence. Keane alone up front wouldn't work, and Gerrard isn't going to see much of the ball in an advanced position behind the front man. He'll end up dropping too deep and leave Keane isolated.

Reina
Arbeloa Carragher Agger Aurelio
Benayoun Alonso Gerrard Riera
Kuyt Keane

Benayoun HAS to play for me, he's our best operator in tight spaces and he's got the intelligence and vision to work on an opening down his flank. Riera is also very suited for this game, with his close control and technique. Aurelio over Dossena because the latter should play the next two games, and Agger to keep the defensive line high. Mascherano isn't needed.

Probably right, I want to trounce them good

[billy_mac]

Bruce will do what he always does against us, defend very very deep and try to hit us on the counter. We're not going to get much space against them, so we need to use our clever players to unlock their defence. Keane alone up front wouldn't work, and Gerrard isn't going to see much of the ball in an advanced position behind the front man. He'll end up dropping too deep and leave Keane isolated.

Reina
Arbeloa Carragher Agger Aurelio
Benayoun Alonso Gerrard Riera
Kuyt Keane

Benayoun HAS to play for me, he's our best operator in tight spaces and he's got the intelligence and vision to work on an opening down his flank. Riera is also very suited for this game, with his close control and technique. Aurelio over Dossena because the latter should play the next two games, and Agger to keep the defensive line high. Mascherano isn't needed.

Agreed with the line up and your thinkings. Just to add to Tommy not being needed (which I agree with), he'll be cream cracked after the haul back from South America. This point shouldn't be lost on Wigwans team. Have Palacios, Valencia and Figuerio all been home for intertnationals. Whilst we can afford to give Tommy a rest, Wigwam can't afford to leave these boys out.

Benayoun has to start. He's in form internationally and has looked lively as a sub.

[Parr_Zee]

Benayoun HAS to play for me, he's our best operator in tight spaces and he's got the intelligence and vision to work on an opening down his flank. Riera is also very suited for this game, with his close control and technique. Aurelio over Dossena because the latter should play the next two games, and Agger to keep the defensive line high. Mascherano isn't needed.

Well said!! The team that automatically popped into my head is the same one as the original post, but now I agree with you...plus, Mascherano played in S.America last night so will not have had much time to recover plus the flight etc

[DannyMan2006]

Well said!! The team that automatically popped into my head is the same one as the original post, but now I agree with you...plus, Mascherano played in S.America last night so will not have had much time to recover plus the flight etc

I to agree with that team. But I wouldn't argue with Pennant coming in either. He showed at the back end of last season that he is simply to good for the poorer premier league teams. Plus he's been at Melwood all week whilst the others have been away.

Either way, after the showing we put on last time out I think we could do with getting back to basics and starting 442, nothing fancy.

[-V-]

Wigan will cause us problems i feel.I have alot of belief in our team but Wigan will not be a walkover for any team this season.

What has happened to Emile Heskey btw? He's gone into the final year of his contract and now seems to be playing out of his skin (looking for 1 final big contract). His form is bloody good and he will be a handful on saturday

[Craig_H]

At least with both Heskey and Zaki undroppable, Wigan wont be flooding the midfield and parking the bus.

[-V-]

Zaki is out of the game. They probably will play 451

[SB]

Bruce will do what he always does against us, defend very very deep and try to hit us on the counter. We're not going to get much space against them, so we need to use our clever players to unlock their defence. Keane alone up front wouldn't work, and Gerrard isn't going to see much of the ball in an advanced position behind the front man. He'll end up dropping too deep and leave Keane isolated.

Reina
Arbeloa Carragher Agger Aurelio
Benayoun Alonso Gerrard Riera
Kuyt Keane

Benayoun HAS to play for me, he's our best operator in tight spaces and he's got the intelligence and vision to work on an opening down his flank. Riera is also very suited for this game, with his close control and technique. Aurelio over Dossena because the latter should play the next two games, and Agger to keep the defensive line high. Mascherano isn't needed.

Have to agree with you. Masher to be saved for the CL and Benny on the right. Hopefully Dirk can find the back of the net playing up front with keane ( who scored for Ireland midweek ).

I'm tipping 2-0 to us

[Resu]

i`d like to see El Zhar or Pennant in games like this. If everybody tries to get in the middle Wigan will just crowd the place, and it will be very difficult to find openings. We need at least one player that hugs the line and takes on players one on one.
Maybe start with Kuyt to get them tired, and then put on El Zhar/Pennant to run at them.
The drawback with this that we don`t really have any good headers up front, espesially with Torres out. So waht we could do is play N`gog towards the end, if we get crosses in.

[Fan65]

. Mascherano isn't needed.

Wow some quote that.

What a squad Rafa has built

[Joe Le Toff]

Benni on the right and Kuyt up top with Keane, Gerrard just behind supporting.
Thought Kuyt and Keane partnership worked well against the Mancs but they need midfielders to get into the box with them.

[the rev leeroy brown]

-----------------------reina----------------------
arbeloa---------carra---------agger-------dossena
kyut-----------masher-------alonso--------riera
----------------------gerard----------------
---------------------keane-----------------