Lyon on Wednesday

[DannyMan2006]

Degan is not on it because you need a certain amount of homegrown players

Ayalas not home grown and he's on the B-List. I ask again, is age a factor?

[Imy]

Kuyt has never played RB, why play him over Darby?

The amount of times he's back defending he might as well be

I appreciate what you are saying about Darby, having watched him in the reserves i am unsure whether this is the game to start playing him especially as he'd be facing the speedy and trick cissoko. If he does play i hope he has as an impressive a debut as what Martin Kelly did.

[Imy]

Ayalas not home grown and he's on the B-List. I ask again, is age a factor?

A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after 1 January 1987
and has been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted
period of two years since his 15th birthday by the time he is registered with
UEFA. Players aged 16 may be registered on List B if they have been
registered with the participating club for the previous two years without
interruption.

[DKdan]

From the offal:
Daniel Agger and Alberto Aquilani were included in the Liverpool squad that touched down in Lyon this afternoon - but Glen Johnson and Fabio Aurelio were both left behind on Merseyside.
The Reds' 19-man squad landed at Lyon airport shortly after 1pm local time boosted by the presence of Agger and Aquilani, as well as David Ngog.

However, Johnson and Aurelio look set to miss Wednesday's crunch Champions League clash with Les Gones after failing to recover from calf injuries in time.

Youngsters Daniel Ayala, Stephen Darby, Jay Spearing and Damien Plessis have travelled to France.

Liverpool squad: Reina, Cavalieri, Carragher, Ayala, Darby, Insua, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Kuyt, Lucas, Benayoun, Aquilani, Babel, Mascherano, Spearing, Plessis, Ngog, Voronin, Torres.

[DKdan]

With that squad I would pick:

-------------------Reina-------------------
Darby----Carra-----------Agger-------Insua
-------------Mash------Lucas--------------
Kuyt---------------Yossi--------------Babel
------------------Torres-------------------

Unused: Cavalieri, Ayala, Kyrgiakos, Aquilani, Spearing, Plessis, Ngog, Voronin.

Or we could go for a naughty 3-5-2:

-------------------Reina-------------------
--------Carra----Kyrgiakos---Agger---------
--Spearing---------Mash----------Insua----
------------Aquilani-------Lucas------------
-------------Kuyt--------Voronin-----------

In fact I think the last one would be hard to beat. Spearing, Mash and Insua to close down everything that comes our way.

Carra, Gyros and Agger to stand firm, and as an arial threat at dead balls.

Lucas to harrass their buildup further forward, and Aquilani to put them through to Kuyt and Voronin. I know Aqui, isnt match fit, but neither was Alonso against Juve - these guys play with their brains.
Furthermore their defence is makeshift as ours, and Kuyt will stress them all night snapping at their heels.

Then, when things tire out in the last 30 minutes, we throw on Torres and Yossi to spice things up. Unless we're already 2-0 up, then it's Ngog.

Management really is simple, isn't it...

[-V-]

Bet Rafa surprises everyone and sticks Plessis in the middle with Lucas and Mascherano at right back.

I can just picture Maschers pissed off face

[DannyMan2006]

From the offal:
Daniel Agger and Alberto Aquilani were included in the Liverpool squad that touched down in Lyon this afternoon - but Glen Johnson and Fabio Aurelio were both left behind on Merseyside.
The Reds' 19-man squad landed at Lyon airport shortly after 1pm local time boosted by the presence of Agger and Aquilani, as well as David Ngog.

However, Johnson and Aurelio look set to miss Wednesday's crunch Champions League clash with Les Gones after failing to recover from calf injuries in time.

Youngsters Daniel Ayala, Stephen Darby, Jay Spearing and Damien Plessis have travelled to France.

Liverpool squad: Reina, Cavalieri, Carragher, Ayala, Darby, Insua, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Kuyt, Lucas, Benayoun, Aquilani, Babel, Mascherano, Spearing, Plessis, Ngog, Voronin, Torres.

No Dossena then.

Who to play ahead of Insua then? With Darby at right back the rest of the team picks itself.

Gk: Reina
RB: Darby/Carra
CB: Carra/Kyrgiakos
CB: Agger
LB: Insua
RM: Kuyt
DM: Mascher
DM: Lucas
LM: Yossi/Babel
CF: Aquilani/Yossi/Babel/Voronin
ST: Torres/N'Gog

The ones listed first would be my preference - and likely line up if everyone is fit, though I'm not so sure Aquilani is in a position to start. Think this game has come a week to early for him.

[The_weatherman]

Liverpool squad: Reina, Cavalieri, Carragher, Ayala, Darby, Insua, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Kuyt, Lucas, Benayoun, Aquilani, Babel, Mascherano, Spearing, Plessis, Ngog, Voronin, Torres.

No Dossena?

Darby - Carra - Agger - Insua

Lucas - Mascher

Kuyt - Benni - Babel

N'Gog

With Aquilani and Torres on at the hour mark if needed.

[The_weatherman]

With that squad I would pick:

-------------------Reina-------------------
Darby----Carra-----------Agger-------Insua
-------------Mash------Lucas--------------
Kuyt---------------Yossi--------------Babel
------------------Torres-------------------

Unused: Cavalieri, Ayala, Kyrgiakos, Aquilani, Spearing, Plessis, Ngog, Voronin.

Beat me to it, you have point regarding Aquilani, he could go a long way just on the adrenalin.

[Marky]

No Dossena?

Darby - Carra - Agger - Insua

Lucas - Mascher

Kuyt - Benni - Babel

N'Gog

With Aquilani and Torres on at the hour mark when they're needed.

[cream]

Darby---Carra--Agger---Insua

Lucas------Masch

Kuyt---Aquilani---benni

Torres

Doesn't look too bad, does it

[DKdan]

I'm not to scared about starting Darby. If Agger is fit, that is.
Carra is twice the player when next to Agger, so he can help Darby when needed.

Lyon have defensive problems of their own, and IMO theirs are bigger. Besides, if Darby can't handle himself, when shielded by Lucas and Mash he never will.

He's already played against PSV in the CL so he has had his first taste already...

[Pablo]

Why is everyone picking Aquilani to start?????

He's played 15 minutes of first team football and has just recovered from a virus and Rafa stated he was feeling weak. Madness.

[Exiled_red]

From the offal:
Daniel Agger and Alberto Aquilani were included in the Liverpool squad that touched down in Lyon this afternoon - but Glen Johnson and Fabio Aurelio were both left behind on Merseyside.
The Reds' 19-man squad landed at Lyon airport shortly after 1pm local time boosted by the presence of Agger and Aquilani, as well as David Ngog.

However, Johnson and Aurelio look set to miss Wednesday's crunch Champions League clash with Les Gones after failing to recover from calf injuries in time.

Youngsters Daniel Ayala, Stephen Darby, Jay Spearing and Damien Plessis have travelled to France.

Liverpool squad: Reina, Cavalieri, Carragher, Ayala, Darby, Insua, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Kuyt, Lucas, Benayoun, Aquilani, Babel, Mascherano, Spearing, Plessis, Ngog, Voronin, Torres.

If there are only 19 players in the squad that travelled surely there must be a good chance of everyone in that squad being fit enough to play some part in the game as we will be looking to name an 18 man match day squad

[Exiled_red]

Why is everyone picking Aquilani to start?????

He's played 15 minutes of first team football and has just recovered from a virus and Rafa stated he was feeling weak. Madness.

I very much doubt Aquilani will start, firstly because he's had so little playing time, secondly Rafa usually brings in new players slowly and thridly the injury doubts weren't hanging over Mascherano and Lucas who have been playing that position (centre midfield) this season.