Spurs build up thread

[EwarWoo]

Don't really care who we play or the result as long as we rest our first team.

We have nmor eimprtant things than the Mickey Mouse cup this season.

Let Spurs win it then go **** again.

[pondus]

Lucas on the offal:

Lucas Leiva admits the prospect of playing at the new Wembley stadium will drive him on when Liverpool face Tottenham in the fourth round of the Carling Cup on Wednesday.

The Reds beat Spurs en route to their last League Cup final in 2005 back when the fixture was staged at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

A repeat performance on Wednesday would put Lucas and co in the quarter-finals, just two ties away from a first trip to Wembley since 1996.

"I have never played at Wembley and hopefully I will get the opportunity, but we are only at the start of the Carling Cup," the Brazilian told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"I know it's a very famous stadium. Some of the Brazil internationals are played there but I have never had the opportunity to play in one of them, so hopefully I can play in the final!"

The Carling Cup third round victory over Crewe provided an opportunity for several fringe players to show Rafa Benitez what they could do.

Lucas grasped the nettle with a fine headed goal to add to Daniel Agger's long-range effort.

The 21-year-old is hoping for more of the same on Wednesday night.

"In Brazil I scored goals. I got eight in my best season," said Lucas. "I couldn't get into the box as much last season because I was adapting to the game here. It's totally different here with the pace of the game. But this season I can get into the box more and hopefully get some goals.

"The Carling Cup is an opportunity for us to show what we can do.

"It's an opportunity not just for me but for all the players and the club. The Carling Cup is not as important as the Premier League, but when you play for a club like Liverpool you want to win all the trophies."

[PTP]

haha so many different starting XI's - almost impossible to predict

I think

Cavalieri

Degen/Darby - if degen is fit he should start tho i would like darby given a go
Hyypia
prob agger
Dossena - i would like to see Insua but Dossena needs games to settle

El Zhar - be gutted if he doesn't get his chance, esp if he misses out for pennant
Lucas - defo will start
Plessis - tho it wouldn't shock me if we played alonso for his experience
Benayoun

N'gog - should be starting this game
Other striker could be one of Kuyt, Babel, Torres

[BFG]

Cavalieri
Degen Carra Hyypia Dossena
Pennant Plessis Alonso El Zhar
Lucas
Ngog

[Assassin]

Nemeth should get a run out

[MindGuerrillas]

still injured

[Assassin]

still injured

Ok, thanks......maybe just a hobble then

[magicalbarnes]

So then, maybe:

Cavalieri

Degen
Arbeloa
Hyypia
Insua

El Zhar
Lucas
Plessis
Pennant

Babel

N'Gog

Rest all the "first teamers" for Saturday.

Arbeloa should be rested, he is now first choice at full-back

[pondus]

Arbeloa should be rested, he is now first choice at full-back

He's suspended for the game on Saturday, so he'll get a rest then.

He may be rested tomorrow as well, who knows?

[Joe King]

GERRARD AND KEANE MISS SPURS CLASH [Liverpoolfc.tv]
Jimmy Rice 11 November 2008
Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane will not face Tottenham in the fourth round of the Carling Cup on Wednesday - though Fernando Torres is set to feature.
Rafa Benitez plans to rest several players at White Hart Lane after six games in 18 days, but El Nino could start in a bid to gain match fitness after a five-week absence.

"Gerrard will not be in the squad and neither will Keane," Benitez told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"It's always difficult and you have to change some players depending on the competition. The majority of them can play games in a row but some need to be taken care of.

"Gerrard is one of them at this moment. Dirk Kuyt is another who has played almost every game. Xabi Alonso, Jamie Carragher and Robbie Keane are the same.

"You also have to consider that some of these players have played internationals this season too. I think Keane has played 23 games already.

"We will use players who haven't played every game. I have confidence in them because they are all internationals.

"It's always important to win trophies and this is an opportunity to do that. You must always be ready in every competition. People talk about big names playing but it's more important to talk about good players and we'll have good players playing in the Carling Cup."

One 'big name' not needing a rest is Torres, who requires match practice after missing six games with a hamstring tear.

The Spanish ace will travel to White Hart Lane and may even start against Harry Redknapp's men.

Benitez said: "He will be in the squad and hopefully he can play. He could start."

The 2-1 third round victory over Crewe gave several fringe players the opportunity to show Benitez what they could do.

"It's an important competition for us," added the boss. "We have players who aren't playing but have enough quality - they need games for match fitness because they could be needed later in the season."

Two of those involved in the last round were Damien Plessis, 20, and Emiliano Insua, 19.

With six first-team games under their respective belts, both appear to have bright futures at Anfield.

Asked if they had enough talent to be regulars one day, Benitez replied: "Yes, I think so. Both are good players and they're working hard. We have some young players who are doing this and they could have a great future."

Should the pair start at White Hart Lane, they'll have to be at their best against the Premier League's in-form side.

Spurs have won four and drawn one of their five games since Redknapp took the reins, and Benitez added: "Tottenham are doing well now. They have a lot of confidence, so we'll have to be ready for a difficult game.

"They had two good results and everything changed - it's about confidence. They had quality before, but with more confidence they are dangerous."

Benitez has already led Liverpool to one Carling Cup final back in his first season at Anfield when Chelsea were the opponents at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

A similar run this year would see Benitez lead out a side at Wembley for the first time - a prospect he would relish.

"It would be fantastic," he said. "It's always a great experience to be in a final and if it's at Wembley then it's even better."

[BigChief]

Is this game live on Terrestrial or Sky? I can't find any posts telling me one way or t'other.

[Reece]

Sky

[pondus]

Match Squads: According to BBC Sport

Tottenham: Gomes, Cesar, Hutton, Bale, Gunter, Dawson, Woodgate, Corluka, O’Hara, Zokora, Bentley, Huddlestone, Jenas, Gilberto, Modric, Bostock, Dervite, Lennon, Bent, Campbell, Pavlyuchenko, Stalteri, Rocha, Taarabt, Boateng, Ghaly.

Liverpool: Cavalieri, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Dossena, Benayoun, Lucas, Alonso, Babel, Torres, Keane, Ngog, Pennant, Insua, Spearing, El Zhar, Plessis, Reina, Degen.

[donpisci]

I was hoping Pacheco would be in the squad because he only played in the first half for the reserves on Monday.

[pondus]

I was hoping Pacheco would be in the squad because he only played in the first half for the reserves on Monday.

I'm not sure how accurate that is, as I'm sure I read somewhere that Keane wouldn't travel to London