Unirea build up

[PTP]

I use the term loosely...i mean it more as to keep them from getting injury in a game they really shouldn't be needed for, allowing fringe players some match time.

aye - the players have had a week or so off, so rested isnt the issue

the issue for me is, that are squad should be capable of getting a result against these at home in this competition. And at the moment the city game is ****ing massive now. and with no torres, we need all our 'main' players to start, thats reina, carragher, mascherano, gerrard, kuyt and Ngog at the moment - i don't see the point in risking any of them

[PTP]

If we fielded Maxi, we'd be in serious trouble i think??

oh ****, is that little ****er cuptied?

ok, where the **** is that el zhar lad - give him a game

[SK]

it would be nice to go all the way, i know it's a second rate competition, but as for the carling cup, the final is still a very memorable occasion imo.

i'd like us to go into this game with the intent to win 2 or 3:0, then we can give some players a rest in the return leg.

i don't know much about Unirea but their record in this season's CL has been impresive, and don't be mistaken - the romanian league is very strong, and their clubs are in the group stages of the CL on regular basis in the last few years.

i'd go with

.....................Reina
....Degen-The Greek-Agger-Insua
Babel-Masch/Lucas-Aqua/Steve-Riera
..................Kuyt-N'gog

[The Birdman]

I don't understand some of the posts in here, they missed out on CL qualification by 1 point yet most are advocating picking a side that stands a good chance of getting beat.
We've played about 1 game a week recently so they aren't tired and we would never choose to pick a team for a CL game that mattered with Spearing, Darby and Pacheco in it.

I honestly think we should keep a track of early opinions because if we progress towards the final a few on here will change their tune and become glory hunters.

No-one would have agreed with a weakened CL side this week before the City game so this game is no different, injuries happen so you can't try to second guess them.

Pick the strongest available team for every meaningful game, this is a winnable competition and I can't quite understand fans on any football club not wanting to win a league or a cup

[the rev leeroy brown]

No-one would have agreed with a weakened CL side this week before the City game so this game is no different, injuries happen so you can't try to second guess them.

difference is that, to me anyway, the CL is the second biggest prize we can win behind the league itself. to prestige of being the best in europe is enormous. this game is different because it is in the europa league......the tourny for the also-rans.....the ones not good enough for the big stage. it's like celebrating being the best of the worst IMO. a trophy, that again to me, is as pestigous as the carling cup. 4th place is far more important than the europa league.

Pick the strongest available team for every meaningful game, this is a winnable competition and I can't quite understand fans on any football club not wanting to win a league or a cup

its not that we dont want to win a cup, its that it doesnt bother me if we dont win it. its a nothing trophy to me.

[SK]

every trophy is important, and the longer you go without trophys, the bigger the pressure is to win then, and the harder it gets.

i wouldn't mind winning it, and for sure, we must take the competition seriously

[Kenneth]

I don't understand some of the posts in here, they missed out on CL qualification by 1 point yet most are advocating picking a side that stands a good chance of getting beat.
We've played about 1 game a week recently so they aren't tired and we would never choose to pick a team for a CL game that mattered with Spearing, Darby and Pacheco in it.

I honestly think we should keep a track of early opinions because if we progress towards the final a few on here will change their tune and become glory hunters.

No-one would have agreed with a weakened CL side this week before the City game so this game is no different, injuries happen so you can't try to second guess them.

Pick the strongest available team for every meaningful game, this is a winnable competition and I can't quite understand fans on any football club not wanting to win a league or a cup

But it really is. This is a competition where the effort of winning and possible consequences in the league far outweigh the benefits of winning it, which the odds are against anyway.

[-V-]

I don't know if this is true but I heard that since over the past couple of months Unirea have lost their coach and a few key attackers. They supposedly left the club after the champions league exit.

I would mix the team up a bit, start Pacheco, Riera, Ngog and Babel

[PTP]

I don't understand some of the posts in here, they missed out on CL qualification by 1 point yet most are advocating picking a side that stands a good chance of getting beat.
We've played about 1 game a week recently so they aren't tired and we would never choose to pick a team for a CL game that mattered with Spearing, Darby and Pacheco in it.

I honestly think we should keep a track of early opinions because if we progress towards the final a few on here will change their tune and become glory hunters.

No-one would have agreed with a weakened CL side this week before the City game so this game is no different, injuries happen so you can't try to second guess them.

Pick the strongest available team for every meaningful game, this is a winnable competition and I can't quite understand fans on any football club not wanting to win a league or a cup

Hmmm – disagree really – i for one am not suggesting we should field a team that consisted of say Kelly, darby, san jose, spearing, plessis, Pacheco etc and just **** it off as it’s a **** competition – and I think most people in this thread are the same – it’s similar to the carling cup, in the sense that most people at the early stages are a bit meh, but obviously when or if you progress to the qtrs/semis/final etc then interest will grow. That said, i would like to think that our squad is good enough to field a mix of first teamers, fringe players or players trying to get fitness/prove their worth and a couple of highly thought of youngsters, in this game – if it isn’t well whats the point of having a large squad or signing these players – the management, coaches, scouts and players should all be sacked

I totally agree – no-one on here would want a weakened team for a champions league game- but there is a hell of a difference in importance between the two competitions – and unfortunately, the way football is, and I totally hate saying this because it’s such a ****ing joke that this how this sport has gone – but right now 4th place is far more important and more vital and would be more seen as a more successful season, than say finishing 5th but winning the europa league – it’s a sad state of affairs, but thats the reality.

In an ideal world, well sort of , we will finish 4th and win the europa league. – If football was about competing and being a sport, then obviously winning the europa cup would be more important – but in reality, as it is – 4th place is more important than the europa cup and therefore should take priority. As a result, the city game is more important than the unirea game

Back to the squad – Not underestimating unirea at all – but I would have confidence, maybe blinded by bias , that a starting XI that looked something like - cavalieri, degen, agger, kyriakos, aurelio, babel, lucas, aquilani, riera, Pacheco and kuyt – would be capable of beating most teams in Europe at home apart from the obvious choices such as real Madrid, barca, inter, the top say 6 in england etc etc

[PTP]

every trophy is important, and the longer you go without trophys, the bigger the pressure is to win then, and the harder it gets.

i wouldn't mind winning it, and for sure, we must take the competition seriously

whilst i do agree with the statement in a sense, that in sport, surely winning something is important- sadly it's no longer true - the reality is, that 4th place and qualifying for the champions league is far more important than winning the europa league. - Ask any city, villa and spurs fan - right now, would they rather finish 4th or win the Europa cup. And i'm pretty sure most of players would rather finish 4th and play in the champions league next season, than sya finish 6th but win the europa cup

it's a sad state of affairs, but thats how it is

[Exiled_red]

Hmmm – disagree really – i for one am not suggesting we should field a team that consisted of say Kelly, darby, san jose, spearing, plessis, Pacheco etc and just **** it off as it’s a **** competition – and I think most people in this thread are the same – it’s similar to the carling cup, in the sense that most people at the early stages are a bit meh, but obviously when or if you progress to the qtrs/semis/final etc then interest will grow. That said, i would like to think that our squad is good enough to field a mix of first teamers, fringe players or players trying to get fitness/prove their worth and a couple of highly thought of youngsters, in this game – if it isn’t well whats the point of having a large squad or signing these players – the management, coaches, scouts and players should all be sacked

I totally agree – no-one on here would want a weakened team for a champions league game- but there is a hell of a difference in importance between the two competitions – and unfortunately, the way football is, and I totally hate saying this because it’s such a ****ing joke that this how this sport has gone – but right now 4th place is far more important and more vital and would be more seen as a more successful season, than say finishing 5th but winning the europa league – it’s a sad state of affairs, but thats the reality.

In an ideal world, well sort of , we will finish 4th and win the europa league. – If football was about competing and being a sport, then obviously winning the europa cup would be more important – but in reality, as it is – 4th place is more important than the europa cup and therefore should take priority. As a result, the city game is more important than the unirea game

Back to the squad – Not underestimating unirea at all – but I would have confidence, maybe blinded by bias , that a starting XI that looked something like - cavalieri, degen, agger, kyriakos, aurelio, babel, lucas, aquilani, riera, Pacheco and kuyt – would be capable of beating most teams in Europe at home apart from the obvious choices such as real Madrid, barca, inter, the top say 6 in england etc etc

I'd expect a similar team, a couple of big names rested, and replaced by youngsters/players with a point to prove, other than that still a fairly strong spine of regulars

[SK]

whilst i do agree with the statement in a sense, that in sport, surely winning something is important- sadly it's no longer true - the reality is, that 4th place and qualifying for the champions league is far more important than winning the europa league. - Ask any city, villa and spurs fan - right now, would they rather finish 4th or win the Europa cup. And i'm pretty sure most of players would rather finish 4th and play in the champions league next season, than sya finish 6th but win the europa cup

it's a sad state of affairs, but thats how it is

no-one is saying that it's one or the other, i want us to finish 4th(3rd if possible) and go on to win the only competition we can still win. winning breeds confidence and brings out the hunger in the players to go on and win more and more.

[Carras_Shin_Pads]

Wouldnt mind Cara making an appearance, get the legs ticking over before Sunday. He's apparently been cleared fit!

I'd like to see babel head the attack, and i'll punch rafa in the nose if he doesnt play Aqualani, with or without his tummy bug!

[PTP]

no-one is saying that it's one or the other, i want us to finish 4th(3rd if possible) and go on to win the only competition we can still win. winning breeds confidence and brings out the hunger in the players to go on and win more and more.

well of course, surely every liverpool fan wants to win every game

but - if you had to choose, winning the uefa cup and finish say 5th, or finish 4th. what IS more important?

[Carras_Shin_Pads]

well of course, surely every liverpool fan wants to win every game

but - if you had to choose, winning the uefa cup and finish say 5th, or finish 4th. what IS more important?

If we win the uefa cup we get into europe, if we come forth we get in to europe. So it surely doesnt matter if we come 5th and win?

It would be funny if we finished 5th and won europe, i'm sure eufa said that they would sacrifice fourth place to the winners?