Sunderland build up

[Shaggy]

Don't recall going into a league game so collectively flat as this. Hopefully they'll surprise us all and drub 'em.

[Marky]

We'll win this one quite convincingly.

Not that it matters all that much now.

Probably *shrugs*

[wiw]

Don't recall going into a league game so collectively flat as this. Hopefully they'll surprise us all and drub 'em.

Not counting on it to be honest, are you? Really dreading going

[Pablo]

Why are you all so negative, we beat Madrid only 5 days ago, we'll be alright.

[Joe King]

Why are you all so negative, we beat Madrid only 5 days ago, we'll be alright.

Yeah, of course. We beat the mighty Madrid and got an awesome result against the terrific and gutsy Boro.

[Marky]

Don't recall going into a league game so collectively flat as this. Hopefully they'll surprise us all and drub 'em.

Very flat indeed

[Craig_H]

We will draw

Team Benitez will play

Reina
Kuyt N'Gog Hyypia Carragher
Gerrard Lucas
Dossena Insua El Zhar
Babel

I shouldnt laugh, but hey.

[pondus]

We will draw

Team Benitez will play

Reina
Kuyt N'Gog Hyypia Carragher
Gerrard Lucas
Dossena Insua El Zhar
Babel

I shouldn't think 'what a childish ****ing moron', but hey.

[sinbad]

Can already predict.......hoofing from the back, loads of huffing and puffing mixed with an elephants first touch from Kuyt. Still 0-0, or trailing 1-0 from Sunderlands only attack on goal at the 70 min mark, and that's when Babel after running down blind alleys will either go off or come on as sub.

[Icon]

We will draw

Team Benitez will play

Reina
Kuyt N'Gog Hyypia Carragher
Gerrard Lucas
Dossena Insua El Zhar
Babel

Reina might not start....

[ric.williams]

with the league gone why not try out NOT using two holding midfielders at home to a 'weaker' team. try a different system and give the youth a go.

if we dont win though expect the boo boys will be out at anfield tonight

[pondus]

Insua is in the squad and could be set for his first game since january 3rd.

Darby is injured apparently, or else he would be in the squad as well

[andrewces38]

Everytime we play wether It's on TV or the net or Im at the game I always have a few beers ,But to be honest without Torres tonight Im feeling like I would when watching the reserves I just hope I can cheer up and get excited about the game ,at the moment though I cant see it happening,Im looking more forward to watching the youth team at least they play with a bit of flair and look like scoring goals,God help it when Rafa get's his paws on the Acedamy h:

[pondus]

Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse have been passed fit for the match tonight. Malbranque is also expected to feature, but Tainio needs a late fitness test.

[PTP]

everyone is expecting this to be dire, as shaggy says we look/feel flat now as the league has finally slipped away.

Hopefully this will have a different effect on the players now who to me have looked nervy/too rigid in league games as the pressure built.

I'd like to see rafa and the players relax a little, forget baout the problesm in the league and go out and enjoy their football and try and play with some fluidity and attack a little - team selection is a bit difficult with no right back and neither carra or on las sat performance skrtel looking comfortable there - i'd like too see us try and peg the visiting team back a little by flooding plyers into the box and overrunning them in their half so the can't get forward

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

-----JC-----Hyypia-------Skrtel


Kuyt----alonso---Mascher--------Aurelio


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


-------Ngog------Babel----------



tell ngog and babel to get into the box as much as poss, gerrard to do what he does, and when either kuyt or aurelio push on the three at the back with mascher in front should be able to cope

In fact i have thought of the is before, when at games,certainly the typical home games that have us all so frustrated, with the other team playing 10 men behind the ball, often Alonso or Mascher drop back so deep to collect the ball that they are practically playing centre back, and in many games i have felt we could afford to sacrifice one of the centre backs for a more attacking player and say fair enough, if alonso is going keep dropping deep, he can plug that gap, so we have 6 men attacking which would pin these teams back on their own boxes and if a break does occur it will only ever be one or two opposition players in advanced positions as the rest have been pinned back - now surely the three centre backs along with xabi should be able to cope - and if they don't and concede well **** it, cause we will still be attacking and trying to get at the opposition which i would rather see now than playing out for another 'safety 0-0"