Braga at Anfield

[Exiled_red]

It's all about renewable energy sources now IMO.







He's nailed on to start tonight, so we might as well get behind him. He's still got some class hidden away in there, he just needs something to go his way. Not totally given up on him just yet.

I'll support him if/when he plays but I'm not expecting him do do anything.

[McDermotX]

I have a feeling we're crashing out tonight

Starting to think the same

Just don't see anything in us with these Europa League games, with vary little difference in approach between the games under Roy and and the ones under Kenny.
Sub-standard players like Poulsen and Spearing playing don't help matters at all, but there's such an unwillingness to put in the effort required from all concerned that earlier talk of the Europa League being our top target this season looks hollow at best.
Right bunch of miserable *******s for the last few games in the competition with no semblance at all that they're enjoying the experience - time to get off their high-horse methinks and be grateful for the opportunity of European football.

Braga are not a good side, that was more than evident in the first leg, but we still need to apply ourselves on the game......not just wait for something to happen. Hope I'm wrong, and we do go out and put a performance on tonight with a few goals to our name, but its probably best to prepare for another shocking game.

[Darkon]

I'd release Lucas more, giving the other DM the role of covering and breaking up as a priority and asking Lucas to link play more. I'm not sure we have been consistent enough in any formation to make generalisations - I would worry if we started Spearing and Poulsen alongside Lucas though.

Thinking about it I don't think Carroll will start. Personally I'd give Ngog a chance but Kenny doesn't seem to be a big fan.

Well the one thing we can say is that we have been consistently poor against smaller teams when we have played 2 holding midfielders, whether or not one of them have been placed a bit more upfield.

In a game we are trailing I see no need for having two players of that types in our CM, it would only hamper us.

You ar perhaps correct that Carroll won't start and perhaps it will leave N'gog up there or a partnership with Kuyt going 442.

[dww]

Well the one thing we can say is that we have been consistently poor against smaller teams when we have played 2 holding midfielders, whether or not one of them have been placed a bit more upfield.

In a game we are trailing I see no need for having two players of that types in our CM, it would only hamper us.

You ar perhaps correct that Carroll won't start and perhaps it will leave N'gog up there or a partnership with Kuyt going 442.

Personally I think having two defensive0ish players in CM and allowing fullbacks to push on is more important that you make out. We've been poor against `lesser' teams irrelevant of strategy this season really IMO.

We are trailing by one - an away goal from them would be killer to us.

[Darkon]

no goals at all would also be a killer

[dww]

no goals at all would also be a killer

Yes but I don't think that adding a DM to give other players freedom is as defensive as you make out. It is a tricky situation that requires us to a well balanced game. We have little natural width in our attacking players so allowing our fullbacks to push on is at least as useful in terms of breaking Braga down as one more attack minded midfielder in my view.

[Darkon]

Yes but I don't think that adding a DM to give other players freedom is as defensive as you make out. It is a tricky situation that requires us to a well balanced game. We have little natural width in our attacking players so allowing our fullbacks to push on is at least as useful in terms of breaking Braga down as one more attack minded midfielder in my view.

but the main problem with this is that most likely carragher will play the RB, leaving no width there and Johnson will be the only fullback offering something forward, and relying on FB for width have thus far not been a succes for us even with more attacking minded players.

Effectively IMO we will end up with only Meireles and perhaps Cole to do the creativity with only 1 of them having shown anything this season. To me it would be very dangerous.

[dww]

but the main problem with this is that most likely carragher will play the RB, leaving no width there and Johnson will be the only fullback offering something forward, and relying on FB for width have thus far not been a succes for us even with more attacking minded players.

Effectively IMO we will end up with only Meireles and perhaps Cole to do the creativity with only 1 of them having shown anything this season. To me it would be very dangerous.

I'd consider swapping those two over to mean one genuinely attacking wing. Also while he is utterly without guile Carragher does some effective running straight down a wing and ****ting the ball in the general direction of the area which if we end up playing Carroll is a fine tactic.

The thing is I don't trust Joe Cole, Pacheco or any of the others to offer much and pressure is a key factor in a game like this. We need patience and possession - the sort of line up you suggest seems to me likely to cede the ball too often and make the game to open. I think this single `creative' player thought process is too simplistic - often under Rafa that wasn't the way we won - it can be as much about controlling where the game is played as individuals `unlocking a defence'. Pinning our hopes on a sudden re-emergence of the Cole of 3 years ago seems desperate and unnecessary to me. It is also a much better idea to have attacking players to bring on late in a game rather that to start - more goals are scored at the end of games and having players who can come on as a boost then is often a very effective tactic.

[Darkon]

I'd consider swapping those two over to mean one genuinely attacking wing. Also while he is utterly without guile Carragher does some effective running straight down a wing and ****ting the ball in the general direction of the area which if we end up playing Carroll is a fine tactic.

The thing is I don't trust Joe Cole, Pacheco or any of the others to offer much and pressure is a key factor in a game like this. We need patience and possession - the sort of line up you suggest seems to me likely to cede the ball too often and make the game to open. I think this single `creative' player thought process is too simplistic - often under Rafa that wasn't the way we won - it can be as much about controlling where the game is played as individuals `unlocking a defence'. Pinning our hopes on a sudden re-emergence of the Cole of 3 years ago seems desperate and unnecessary to me. It is also a much better idea to have attacking players to bring on late in a game rather that to start - more goals are scored at the end of games and having players who can come on as a boost then is often a very effective tactic.

I don't have great faith in cole delivering as well, don't get me wrong, Pacheco we have seen far to little of for me to judge him beforehand.

But under Rafa we still had better attacking players, and not least better individuals up front than we do now, not least with Torres playing up front being able to take on some defenderse which we will be lacking in this game. We also had Gerrard, also unavailable in this game and alonso or mascher that are far more dynamic in the DM than Poulsen and Spearing and who delivered much better passes. And on the wings we had Benayoun, Riera, Little Luis depending on the period, so we where far from reliant on so few players to create somthing.

We need dynamic and moveable players that can create something in a game like this, and the longer we leave it at scoring the less chance we have especially considering the lack of confidence our players have facing a bit of adversity.

4 defenders, lucas holding mid, Meireles a more free box-to-box Kuyt and Cole on the wings and then either Carrol/N'gog up front or Carroll/Pacheco for me would do it. 5 players with main focus on defensive responsibilities should be more than enough for a game where the opposition will sit back for most of the game IMO

[dww]

I don't have great faith in cole delivering as well, don't get me wrong, Pacheco we have seen far to little of for me to judge him beforehand.

But under Rafa we still had better attacking players, and not least better individuals up front than we do now, not least with Torres playing up front being able to take on some defenderse which we will be lacking in this game. We also had Gerrard, also unavailable in this game and alonso or mascher that are far more dynamic in the DM than Poulsen and Spearing and who delivered much better passes. And on the wings we had Benayoun, Riera, Little Luis depending on the period, so we where far from reliant on so few players to create somthing.

We need dynamic and moveable players that can create something in a game like this, and the longer we leave it at scoring the less chance we have especially considering the lack of confidence our players have facing a bit of adversity.

4 defenders, lucas holding mid, Meireles a more free box-to-box Kuyt and Cole on the wings and then either Carrol/N'gog up front or Carroll/Pacheco for me would do it. 5 players with main focus on defensive responsibilities should be more than enough for a game where the opposition will sit back for most of the game IMO

I think we have to be more fluid than that - defend with either 3 or 4 from 6. To some degree I agree with your assessment of the problems in the team but Braga are not Barcelona and I tend to think that giving Kuyt and Meireles and the fullbacks the freedom of movement is more beneficial than a nominally more attacking player who if they get into the game is likely to have to start deep.

Without Suarez we have little pace on the break and have to be looking to push up/press higher on the pitch.

I really think that Cole and Kuyt on the wings is a bad idea - we will be too easy to push deep and neither have shown any signs of being able to consistently play from deep this season. It's a problem I have complained of before but the problem is largely one of having few players who complement one another. I guess at the end of the day both your idea and mine are compromises we aren't happy to make, just feel are necessary. Will be interesting to see how Kenny deals with the situation.

[Muddled]

We need Snoop on the case!

I'm hoping for Carroll from the start, Kuyt on his own is just not the best way to go about attacking a team.

[Muddled]

As for these calls for Pacheco, something just doesn't sit right with me.

Three managers have refused him game time, surely that is not a coincidence?

[banditos]

As for these calls for Pacheco, something just doesn't sit right with me.

Three managers have refused him game time, surely that is not a coincidence?

Didn't he miss training or go AWOL after the U21 championships? Maybe he has an attitude problem.

[danperkins]

It is quite without him being around isn't it?

The ban is over so he'll be back..eventually

Does he really have to come back

[Shaggy]

Looks like Carroll may start. Academy striker Adam Morgan tweeted that he fancies a Carroll hat-trick, followed by this from Stanloy Victor:

TSCollymore Stan Collymore
I believe Andy Carroll will start for #LFC this evening.