Zenit Saint Petersburg (Away) Build Up

[dom9]

Anyone sacking this off for some romantic Valentines action / brownie point scoring?

[Mattshark]

Full team, let's try and win this thing.

I hope we do walk off if our lads get abused.

[Cormack74]

Anyone sacking this off for some romantic Valentines action / brownie point scoring?

No, taking the morning off to do the thoughtful boyfriend bit leaving the first part of the evening free for footie

[RichC]

I fear if I don't do the valentines day bit and sacrifice the football that any remote hope of steak & BJ day will forever disappear!

[Shaggy]

No such thing as Valentines Day in my house

[RichC]

*******

[little dave hedgehog]

No such thing as Valentines Day in my house

we have obviously superior women. compare your lives and suffer, valentine's day celebrators.

[Fosterbloke]

We'll lose. Again.

[The Birdman]

No such thing as Valentines Day in my house

Everyday is Valentines Day in our house married to me...........

[Chazza]

Jimmy Rice @JimmyRiceWriter
Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho definitely ineligible for the Europa League #LFC

[Alex]

No such thing as Valentines Day in my house

we have obviously superior women. compare your lives and suffer, valentine's day celebrators.

Same

First year we were together she got me a card and I got nothing for her, setting the tone for everyone to follow.

[dom9]

You old romantics, you.

[Yozza]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2277727/Liverpool-fallen-Manchester-United-Dominic-King.html#axzz2KadukIgf

Almost four years ago, Liverpool were winning in Madrid and jousting with United for the title. Now they're 29 points behind




Circumstances can often mean certain defeats are felt more acutely than others. Just 48 hours before their greatest rivals’ showdown with Real Madrid, the last thing Liverpool needed was a chastening experience against West Brom.

While it wasn’t as bad as the night in April 1999 when Liverpool were vanquished at Anfield by Leicester City, as Manchester United were coming from behind in Turin to reach the Champions League final, it still brought the current situation sharply into focus.

After all, in 13 days’ time, it will be the fourth anniversary of Yossi Benayoun’s winning goal in the Bernabeu, a night that cemented Liverpool’s positions as one of the pre-eminent forces in Europe’s most distinguished competition.

That Liverpool currently sit 29 points off the relentless pace being set by United at the top of the Barclays Premier League following Monday’s 1-0 setback against West Brom merely illustrates how long the road back to the top will be.

United may be setting an unprecedented pace for how quickly they are accruing victories but that doesn’t make the statistics, or the situation, any easier for Liverpudlians and the meek response they offered after falling behind to Gareth McAuley’s header merely exacerbated concerns.

History demands that Liverpool and United should go head-to-head for the major prizes but, for the moment, the work in progress at Anfield means the rivalry that was apparent four years ago, when the two teams were going head-to-head for the title, has been slightly diluted.

This was always going to be a difficult campaign for Brendan Rodgers and 11 defeats in all competitions illustrates how consistency has remained painfully elusive; what will frustrate the manager even more, though, is the fact Liverpool have shown they are capable of excellent football.

They are also, however, more than capable of flopping when it is least expected and if one game encapsulated their campaign it came at Old Trafford on January 13; if the first half was dreadful, the second half display suggested they are not as far behind United as the table would suggest.
Rodgers, undoubtedly, would have backed his players against West Brom; their three previous league games at Anfield had yielded 12 unopposed goals, while they had received credit for vibrant displays against Arsenal and Manchester City. It is little wonder, then, that Rodgers was seething.
‘It is something that left the players disappointed but they will react in the right manner,’ said Rodgers. ‘They're good guys here, they want to work well and they are very good at moving on. That's something we'll have to do if we want to progress.’

In fairness to Rodgers, he has a point. When they lost against Aston Villa before Christmas, they demolished Fulham in the next game; defeat at Stoke was followed by a thumping of Queens Park Rangers. Failing miserably against Oldham in the FA Cup came before a spirited effort at Arsenal.

So it would be no surprise if Liverpool bounced back in their next assignment in St Petersburg and what could be more timely than securing an impressive away victory in Europe to answer the critics?

What will really help Liverpool in the coming months, as they attempt to claw back some of that deficit, will be the return of Daniel Sturridge. He was sorely missed against West Brom and Luis Suarez, in particular, looked lost without his sidekick.

Focal point: Daniel Sturridge has four goals in his six Liverpool appearances and was a noteable absentee at Anfield, with Luis Suarez forced into deep positions, often without support

Sturridge had been the catalyst for Liverpool’s good form in January and he can give more of the same when he recovers from a niggling thigh injury. He won’t be firing Liverpool back into games against Real Madrid just yet but Steven Gerrard, for one, is confident of what he can do.

‘Like everyone, I have been impressed with Daniel Sturridge since he arrived in January,’ Gerrard wrote in his programme notes before West Brom’s visit. ‘His goals have obviously caught the eye, particularly with that strike against City. But it has been more than that.

‘His all-round play has been excellent and he holds the ball up very well, which is something that you really need when playing away from home. If he continues in this form, he will be a big player for Liverpool for a long, long time.’

[Tee]

Those CL nights were amazing and seem so damn far away right now. Took them for granted, I really did.

[Yozza]

Those CL nights were amazing and seem so damn far away right now. Took them for granted, I really did.

I know mate - how we have fallen

Reminds me of the article Dion Fanning wrote after Rafa was sacked:

In six months, the Benitez era will seem like a golden age

In the dressing room and on the balance sheet, Liverpool have fallen over the edge, writes Dion Fanning

Sunday May 09 2010

I f Liverpool thought this season was bad, the summer may have them looking back wistfully. The release of their latest financial figures might shake some sense into those who think that Rafael Benitez's possible departure will make things better. Liverpool, as the figures show, are in great peril. In six months, the Benitez era will seem like a golden age.



Anyway, enough looking back - onwards & sideways we go!