Build-up LFC vs Birmingham Home

[Lee]

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N166380091107-1423.htm

No Degen, Carragher or Kelly. Questions marks over Gerrard, Torres, Johnson, Skrtel, Aurelio, Riera and El Zhar. Anyone think Babel deserves a start over Voronin? And what's happened to Dossena?

I'd like to see Aquilani get some game time but think we should start with Lucas and Mascherano in midfield as it's where the game will be won or lost in my opinion - Birmingham will use Bowyer, Feguson and Carsley to kick lumps out of our midfielders. Scum. Kuyt's due a goal soon.

Darby at right back I guess if Johnson doesn't make it. Team something like

Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Insua
Mascherano Lucas
Kuyt Benayoun Babel
Torres

or

Reina
Darby Skrtel Agger Insua
Mascherano Lucas
Kuyt Babel Benayoun
NGog

[SK]

i wouldnt put ngog upfront alone..442 with him and kuyt as strikers, if torres isn't fit of course

[DannyMan2006]

Aquilani will come off the bench to play a part I feel. He'll be ready to start come Man City methinks.

Barry Ferguson suspended for Brum which is a bonus.

[Mattshark]

What is shocking is that we may have no one injured for this game!

[DannyMan2006]

What is shocking is that we may have no one injured for this game!

Here's hoping that it will not be too little too late......... I think we can go on and make a really big push after the international break. Some tough fixtures but getting positive results could really help the confidence.

[dww]

Whether or not we get Gerrard and/or Torres onto the pitch I think we will still need other players to step up. I don't think that Voronin has been as bad as people say and Babel continues to look better as a sub. I'd maybe a slight change in formation to make our 4-2-3-1 look a bit more 4-3-3ish with Kuyt and Voronin helping to take some of the physical stuff for Torres (if fit) or Ngog, use Benayoun as a playmaker deeper but ahead of Mascher and Lucas.

[DannyMan2006]

Whether or not we get Gerrard and/or Torres onto the pitch I think we will still need other players to step up. I don't think that Voronin has been as bad as people say and Babel continues to look better as a sub. I'd maybe a slight change in formation to make our 4-2-3-1 look a bit more 4-3-3ish with Kuyt and Voronin helping to take some of the physical stuff for Torres (if fit) or Ngog, use Benayoun as a playmaker deeper but ahead of Mascher and Lucas.

He has Dave. He's had chance after chance and done nothing. At least Babel scores a cracker every now and again in a big game to keep the fires burning.

I thought Voronin was decent enough against Arsenal (other than gifting them a goal) and I think the game against Lyon was tailor made for him to really kick on. To say he fell flat on his face was being kind.

TBH, his performance against Lyon was the last straw for me. I wouldn't play him again if I'm being honest and would not hesitate in bringing Nemeth back if we had the option to do so.

The reasoning in keeping Voronin was his experience, but he completely lost his head and confidence in Lyon. A young U18 lad would not have done any worse.

[dww]

He has Dave. He's had chance after chance and done nothing. At least Babel scores a cracker every now and again in a big game to keep the fires burning.

I thought Voronin was decent enough against Arsenal (other than gifting them a goal) and I think the game against Lyon was tailor made for him to really kick on. To say he fell flat on his face was being kind.

TBH, his performance against Lyon was the last straw for me. I wouldn't play him again if I'm being honest and would not hesitate in bringing Nemeth back if we had the option to do so.

The reasoning in keeping Voronin was his experience, but he completely lost his head and confidence in Lyon. A young U18 lad would not have done any worse.

I thought he did okay against Lyon actually. I agree he hasn't done well in front of goal and in many ways that is the currency he needs to deliver on but he links the game better and harries defenders more than babel and I think it would be easier to get the rest of the team working with him in there than Babel.

I can see why a lot of people are critical of him but at the minute he looks more low on confidence than bad too me. His movement is more what we need that the alternatives. He does at times drift from games too which is infuriating as he is an experienced player as you point out.

The problem at the minute is that we can't find the right balance and none of the options in Ngog, Babel or Voronin can really claim to be the right answer at the minute. Of the three Ngog is the only one who should be happy with what they have contributed this season.

[andrewces38]

I thought he did okay against Lyon actually. I agree he hasn't done well in front of goal and in many ways that is the currency he needs to deliver on but he links the game better and harries defenders more than babel and I think it would be easier to get the rest of the team working with him in there than Babel.

I can see why a lot of people are critical of him but at the minute he looks more low on confidence than bad too me. His movement is more what we need that the alternatives. He does at times drift from games too which is infuriating as he is an experienced player as you point out.

The problem at the minute is that we can't find the right balance and none of the options in Ngog, Babel or Voronin can really claim to be the right answer at the minute. Of the three Ngog is the only one who should be happy with what they have contributed this season.

I'm sure your kidding. I cant think of anything positive to say about that performance I agree with previous post that performance was the last straw for many fans IMO

[DannyMan2006]

I thought he did okay against Lyon actually. I agree he hasn't done well in front of goal and in many ways that is the currency he needs to deliver on but he links the game better and harries defenders more than babel and I think it would be easier to get the rest of the team working with him in there than Babel.

I can see why a lot of people are critical of him but at the minute he looks more low on confidence than bad too me. His movement is more what we need that the alternatives. He does at times drift from games too which is infuriating as he is an experienced player as you point out.

The problem at the minute is that we can't find the right balance and none of the options in Ngog, Babel or Voronin can really claim to be the right answer at the minute. Of the three Ngog is the only one who should be happy with what they have contributed this season.

Voronin has not scored, nor has he provided any assists, or even provided a pass for a goal scoring chance. I agree that some of his play has been tidy, he is better technically with the ball at his feet than people give him credit for. But he does it too far away from the goal for this play to have any impact.

You would think that with a player like Torres in front of him he'd really come to life and would be a usefull player to drift between the lines and make full use of Torres, but he has been abysmal in his link up play with Torres - because like I said, he does his best play too far from goal.

Not good enough.

[dom9]

Rafa has never beaten Birmingham in the league.

[DannyMan2006]

Rafa has never beaten Birmingham in the league.

Always a first mate!

[JohnDoe]

I thought he did okay against Lyon actually. I agree he hasn't done well in front of goal and in many ways that is the currency he needs to deliver on but he links the game better and harries defenders more than babel and I think it would be easier to get the rest of the team working with him in there than Babel.

I can see why a lot of people are critical of him but at the minute he looks more low on confidence than bad too me. His movement is more what we need that the alternatives. He does at times drift from games too which is infuriating as he is an experienced player as you point out.

You talk a lot of sense most of the time but on this occassion, I think you're overanalyzing things. Voronin is ****. That right there, is my analysis.

He's just not a very good football player. He does exactly what I (A man with little footballing talent) would do if I were thrown into the Liverpool line up, playing up front: Stay the **** away from goal so I don't embarrass myself if I ever get a chance to score, and make some neat touches 40 yards away from the action where there's no pressure on me. I would also run around the pitch a lot and appear to be involved with attacks, when actually I'd just be a bystander most of the time, unless the ball accidentally comes near me, and oh god, and I would attempt to... oh wait, lost the ball, never mind.

That miss against Lyon says everything, because I knew he would miss once he got the ball.

[DannyMan2006]

That miss against Lyon says everything, because I knew he would miss once he got the ball.

More importantly John, Voronin knew he would miss when he got the ball.

[andrewces38]

Rafa has never beaten Birmingham in the league.

He's never beaten Torquay in the league either