Liverpool V Stoke City Match Thread

[The_weatherman]

Lucas and Toure in for Lovren and Gerrard is a step in the right direction in my opinion.

It is, wanted Can in though for Allen.

[baitman]

It is, wanted Can in though for Allen.

hopefully rodgers is going to tell a few of these to run their little furry bollocks off so they can be subbed in the second half.

[DannyMan2006]

Today's issues:

1. Only one summer signing in the team. If Danny was fit, there'd likely be none. £110m on players and I'd want more than that.

2. Whilst I mentioned the above as a valid point, injuries prevented us starting the season with only a couple of new players in the side, which would have been preferable. But by the end of November, you'd have hoped a good few would have settled and been regulars.

3. As annoying as it is, how many of the new signings have made a valid case to be regulars? Only Manquillo has shown any kind of consistency, and he got rinsed v Palace and needs a rest.

4. Stoke are about strength & height. Enrique & Glen suit this game better than Manq (who needs a rest) & Moreno, who has looked iffy at defending high balls. Only issue I have, is I'd have started Can instead of Allen (for his height). Coutinho is lacking, but a game at Anfield suits him better than an away day at Leicester, which will no doubt see Lallana come in.

Remember, it's not just about picking your best side. It's about picking players for the right games & resting them at the right time.

[danperkins]

Rodgers certainly does like a bit of Johnson alright. Can's physical presence and mobility would have been perfect for this game IMO. Lallana instead of Coutinho for work rate.

Ah **** it sure see what happens.

[Darkon]

1-2 Lambert and sterling

[Camble]

Think we'll play Sterling up top with Lambert or as a winger in a front 3?

[baitman]

Rodgers certainly does like a bit of Johnson alright. Can's physical presence and mobility would have been perfect for this game IMO. Lallana instead of Coutinho for work rate.

Ah **** it sure see what happens.

hopefully the above will be second half subs.

[SimonNo7]

Today's issues:

1. Only one summer signing in the team. If Danny was fit, there'd likely be none. £110m on players and I'd want more than that.

2. Whilst I mentioned the above as a valid point, injuries prevented us starting the season with only a couple of new players in the side, which would have been preferable. But by the end of November, you'd have hoped a good few would have settled and been regulars.

3. As annoying as it is, how many of the new signings have made a valid case to be regulars? Only Manquillo has shown any kind of consistency, and he got rinsed v Palace and needs a rest.

4. Stoke are about strength & height. Enrique & Glen suit this game better than Manq (who needs a rest) & Moreno, who has looked iffy at defending high balls. Only issue I have, is I'd have started Can instead of Allen (for his height). Coutinho is lacking, but a game at Anfield suits him better than an away day at Leicester, which will no doubt see Lallana come in.

Remember, it's not just about picking your best side. It's about picking players for the right games & resting them at the right time.

Good post, I was going to post something similar in regards to the new players not necessarily all playing by now. I thought the summer was about buying a couple or a few to slot straight in (Lovren - not proving himself, Lallana - not sure why he's not been given more game time and Balotelli to fill the Suarez void but in a different way) and the rest for, firstly bolstering the squad and for future but if showed something would get given their chance. Oh and Lambert, back-up and plan b.

For me, at the start of season, it would have made sense to play as similar a side as last season and try and continue with how we did for most of last season but unfortunately we seem to have continued with how we played towards the end instead.

[kubrickscube]

Think Can would've been a more muscular option rather than Allen

[Vermilion]

That's about £90Million worth of new signings on the subs bench....We Are The New Galacticos

You talk like it's a lot of money! True Galacticos spend that on one player! Or two or three, season in season out! again!

[Paul12]

Lucas and Toure in for Lovren and Gerrard is a step in the right direction in my opinion.

I agree. You must not pick teams on the basis of sentiment or the amount you have just spent on. It is though a sign of how far off form our players are that Toure gets back into the 11.

[Buzzo]

Did I dream that we spent £100m?

Why are we fielding the coca-cola cup team every game?

Good luck lads.

[Vermilion]

I heard a stat today, that Gerrrad ran as much in the CL game the other night, as he did in a game in 2009 where he covered the most ground he ever had in one game.

Not sure if it was a fact, or an opinion though sounded like a stat though the way he said it on 5 live..

Just saying what my ears heard.

[Buzzo]

Today's issues:

1. Only one summer signing in the team. If Danny was fit, there'd likely be none. £110m on players and I'd want more than that.

2. Whilst I mentioned the above as a valid point, injuries prevented us starting the season with only a couple of new players in the side, which would have been preferable. But by the end of November, you'd have hoped a good few would have settled and been regulars.

3. As annoying as it is, how many of the new signings have made a valid case to be regulars? Only Manquillo has shown any kind of consistency, and he got rinsed v Palace and needs a rest.

4. Stoke are about strength & height. Enrique & Glen suit this game better than Manq (who needs a rest) & Moreno, who has looked iffy at defending high balls. Only issue I have, is I'd have started Can instead of Allen (for his height). Coutinho is lacking, but a game at Anfield suits him better than an away day at Leicester, which will no doubt see Lallana come in.

Remember, it's not just about picking your best side. It's about picking players for the right games & resting them at the right time.

That's a lot of good points there mate

[sinbad]

With the exception of Sterling and the Cout that is a seriously average side.