Joe Cole set for Liverpool comeback against Tottenham

[DannyMan2006]

True. Torres actually had some tackling and interception stats from the game, a number in his own box. Overall he appeared to be more involved than Ngog but then e's twice the player so no great surprise.

To me Ngog seems to be right on the cusp of being a very good player. He was very dangerous at West Ham with his dribbling but was just lacking a certain something and him and Torres always seemed one yard of each others thinking.

Quite a few times in the game there partner was the better option instead of going alone.

[DannyMan2006]

I'd probably go 442 and get right at Tottenham from the start. They start badly after European games and it will be a fantastic chance for us to leap above them with a two goal win.

I fear we will play 4231 and will just sit off Tottenham and play safe. Under normal circumstances a draw at the Lane aint a bad result and it wouldn't shock me if Roy was happy to walk away with a point.

[anfieldanfield]

A draw would be a superb result, under the circumstances.

[Buzzo]

Difference of opinion I guess. But 49 apps and 8 goals (according to Wiki) isn't prolific.

I don't think he'll ever play regularly for a club with Champions League football.

He'll have to do for now.

Unbelievable I know, but Wiki's facts are wrong!

He has played 75 times for us and scored 18 according to the Offal

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/first-team/player/24-david-n-gog

[PTP]

I think we will get tore apart - we allowed the likes of wigan time and space - ****ing hell, we won't get the ball of spurs at all as they have some decent footballers - aaron lennon will have a ****ing field day against konchesky. - their midfield is too quick/direct for ours to cope with - i fear lucas(i think he is back?) and meireles/poulsen will just be chasing shadows/following the ball - with the likes of modric/bale/lennon and van der vaart knocking it about, finding space, creating triangles etc... - Our defence will get over run, certainly by lennon vs bombscare, and they will score at least one!!

At the other end of the pitch....well - if torres is on his own and isolated, he won't score. Which away from home seems to be the case with how we play. (other than the one magical moment against wigan...but see below reference that)

Our only hope i can see for a victory is - two outstanding peformances - One from reina, and then something somewhere magical by torres to score/create a goal. - Both are capable....but other than that I just can't see us getting anything

[Buzzo]

I think we will get tore apart - we allowed the likes of wigan time and space - ****ing hell, we won't get the ball of spurs at all as they have some decent footballers - aaron lennon will have a ****ing field day against konchesky. - their midfield is too quick/direct for ours to cope with - i fear lucas(i think he is back?) and meireles/poulsen will just be chasing shadows/following the ball - with the likes of modric/bale/lennon and van der vaart knocking it about, finding space, creating triangles etc... - Our defence will get over run, certainly by lennon vs bombscare, and they will score at least one!!

At the other end of the pitch....well - if torres is on his own and isolated, he won't score. Which away from home seems to be the case with how we play. (other than the one magical moment against wigan...but see below reference that)

Our only hope i can see for a victory is - two outstanding peformances - One from reina, and then something somewhere magical by torres to score/create a goal. - Both are capable....but other than that I just can't see us getting anything

An accurate summary. It is a worrying game. Spurs play exactly the type of football which will cause us mega problems (mind you who doesn't). Our only hope as you say is early moment of genius by Torres and then setting up camp defending a free scoring Spurs team...

Amazing.

[banditos]

Great chance to get something from them on their own patch. They have CL in midweek, while we get the whole week to rest up and prepare. If we come out with Roy's trusty 45......1 away formation against these pricks I will be ****ing fuming. We've gotta go at them or we'll get absolutely dominated (again).

[red g]

Great chance tog et something but we won't, Harry will set them out to attack from the off and we will get well and truly dry-bummed

[PTP]

suprised with some of the comments regarding ngog - to say he did **** all against west ham...well is strange imo - i felt, as did the majority of people sitting around me and speaking to others after that he had a decent game - he worked hard, was lively, caused their defence problems in the first half, and just being their gave the west ham defence something to think about allowing a bit of space for torres. Imo 2nd half - torres was ****ing abysmal - he just stopped. looked disinterested and didn't chase balls down - imo i was screaming for torres to be taken off at around the 60th minute and given babel(who i ain't a fan off at all) a 30 minute run at a ****e team to see if actually does have anything to show us. - And i felt, for his running, work rate and desire, Ngog deserved a goal and he would have worked hard for the remainder of the game to try and score.

Torres - on the other hand had really just stopped trying. And in a game were we where 3-0 up he didn't need to be on the pitch.

Also - as craigs pointed out....Whilst I am not jumping to ngogs defence because i think he is going to be a superstar or anything like that - i do feel a bit for him - he's a young lad who we snapped up for what £1.5m - he's a bargain at that price, and has done more than we could've expected - yes he's had some ****ing shockers, and i agree that he is out of his depth at times...but thats not his fault! - I have said this all along regarding ngog and felt the same with insua - they shouldn't have been in the position they have been put.......the gulf in class between torres and ngog is huge - there really should be another striker in there too fill the void...if ngog, was 3rd choice, well then i'd think we'd be ok (by ok...i am not saying we'd destroy all in front of us....but in our position it's not like we can afford to have torres, tevez eto and aguero as our four strikers) - unfortantuley we just haven't been able to spend say £7m on a homless guy like bebe, or have adebayor, tevez, ballotelli on the books meaning we can sit santa cruz on the bench and send bellamy to the championship on loan.

Yes Ngog - may never go on to be top scorer in the prem, or first choice for france - but for a £1.5m buy from pretty much obscurity - he's done well....if wenger/ferguson had signed him, and he'd achieved/done what he has so far.....people would rave about him imo. -

[Reece]

I actually think N'Gog has got a good chance of becoming a top class striker. Just my opinion but I see enough in him to think that.

But regardless of me bigging him up It once again seems that people cry out for a young player to be given a chance, and then when one is, unless they tear up the league they should be sold. No time is allowed for development. No doubt it would be the same with Pacheco (if he ever got the chance). A couple of stinkers and "Rubbish. Sell him.".

[Shaggy]

Been said before but I think Ngog has a bit of the Trezeguets about him. Definite potential and I totally agree (Reece) about the terrible impatience with young players.

[Craig_H]

I actually think N'Gog has got a good chance of becoming a top class striker. Just my opinion but I see enough in him to think that.

But regardless of me bigging him up It once again seems that people cry out for a young player to be given a chance, and then when one is, unless they tear up the league they should be sold. No time is allowed for development. No doubt it would be the same with Pacheco (if he ever got the chance). A couple of stinkers and "Rubbish. Sell him.".

Yeah, i agree. Not 'Drogba' or 'Torres' level perhaps (although at 21, it's early to say) but i certainly think he can develop into a very good player who would be first choice at most PL clubs, once he's had a few more years. Potentially, he could reach the kind of level that anelka is at, once he's the finished article. Years away yet, but definite potential there.

[Dalglish]

He's already come on a lot this year - his touch, his hold up play and his finishing have all improved greatly. I like NGog.

[badpiggy]

He's already come on a lot this year - his touch, his hold up play and his finishing have all improved greatly. I like NGog.

Yeah absolutely. Although at the moment he seems to be stuck with holding up the play more. He seems like a good guy who's willing to put the head down and work hard to develop different parts of his game.

[the rev leeroy brown]

ngog, lucas, maxi . . . . . . 3 players who i love to rip to shreads as they are not good enough for my team.

this was my train of thought on all 3 players for the majority of thier time here. . . . . . i thought i am not ashamed to admit i got wrong.

for the past year and a bit lucas has been one of our most consistant and best players and must IMO start against spurs.

ngog is never going to be a world beater and if he leaves us it will be to a mid table team at best BUT he is playing better than i ever expected him to this year and is exactly what torres needs - a big man to take the bumps and be the "target" man. 442 is the way to go with our players for sure and its shown with our best performances being in this formation and as such ngog must start against spurs.

maxi - goddam it - has been **** since we bought him but he is again improving like ngog. whilst he too will not leave us for a club any better than say a wigan, he is one of our best performers of late and IMo must also start.

for me cole (the original subject of this thread) should start from the bench:

pepe

johnson
carra
skittles
konchesky

raul
lucas
kyut
maxi

ngog
torres