Liverpool v Aston Villa 16:00 Sunday Match Thread

MementoMori

Reina
Arbeloa Carra Skrtel Aurelio
Masch Alonso
Kuyt Gerrard Riera
Torres

Subs: Cavlieri, Dossena, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas, Ngog.

Id imagine it will be one from Hyypia and Agger,for the seveth place depending on how fit Agger is.

I'm sure that confidence will be up and I'm hoping the good form continues, I'm also hoping that Utd will have dropped either 2 or 3 points at Craven Cottage, which would give even more impetus to matters.

On the Villa side I'm hoping MON persists with Heskey upfront as opposed to Carew.

Full-back Alvaro Arbeloa, who pulled out of last weekend's win at Manchester United with a hamstring problem, is expected to return to Liverpool's side.

Midfielder Xabi Alonso (ankle) and winger Yossi Benayoun (hamstring), also have a good chance of being involved.

Aston Villa striker John Carew is pushing for a start after scoring as a substitute against Stoke and Tottenham.

Midfielder Steve Sidwell and defender Wilfred Bouma are in line for a return after recovering from ankle problems.

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Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Dossena, Aurelio, Babel, Benayoun, Mascherano, Riera, Gerrard, Alonso, Torres, Kuyt, Agger, Cavalieri, Lucas, Ngog.

Aston Villa (from): Friedel, Guzan, Reo-Coker, L. Young, Knight, Cuellar, Davies, Shorey, Bouma, Milner, Gardner, Petrov, Barry, Sidwell, Salifou, A. Young, Agbonlahor, Carew, Heskey, Delfouneso, Harewood.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7937107.stm

mayordenis

Agger back in to bang in a goal

Bounty Hunter

Im strangley confident we can get something out of this Villa are back to the old Villa id be worried we could mess up against a relegation candidate (stoke) but actually think we could take points from the best.

Please play Carew MON

mayordenis

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Im strangley confident we can get something out of this Villa are back to the old Villa id be worried we could mess up against a relegation candidate (stoke) but actually think we could take points from the best.

Please play Carew MON

absolutely - I'm in no way expecting anything - just hoping we can get a positive result - esssentially every pool game from here on is knock out round stuff.

Bounty Hunter

I fear this game will be 1 match too early for Bouma but id love to see him not only in the squad but as the starting LB so Yong can revert to RB.

I think this will be a great match and really hope its not a repeat of the anti-climatic deadline day first meeting of the season between the two sides altho tbh id take the draw now (not that id actually rule out a win).

mayordenis

Well the potential of having a fully fit squad bar degen (does he even count anymore) is really really good - I would just love Aurelio-Dagger-Squirtle-Arbs at the back but it won't happen.

Highsider

mayordenis wrote: »

Well the potential of having a fully fit squad bar degen (does he even count anymore) is really really good - I would just love Aurelio-Dagger-Squirtle-Arbs at the back but it won't happen.

No carra Is he suspended?

mayordenis

Highsider wrote: »

No carra Is he suspended?

just not as good at football as any of the above in my opinion.
just my opinion, I'm sure most will disagree

ImJohn

Ye sure Alonso will start? I have a funny feeling he'll be on the bench and he'll start Lucas..

mayordenis

ImJohn wrote: »

Ye sure Alonso will start? I have a funny feeling he'll be on the bench and he'll start Lucas..

depends on his fitness really, Lucas did a decent job against the current leaders btw.

Samurai

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Im strangley confident we can get something out of this Villa are back to the old Villa id be worried we could mess up against a relegation candidate (stoke) but actually think we could take points from the best.

Please play Carew MON

yeah i'm quite confident too, i reckon liverpool are over confident verging on cocky and complacent, also carew will be a welcome boost

daithijjj

mayordenis wrote: »

just not as good at football as any of the above in my opinion.
just my opinion, I'm sure most will disagree

not me, if agger and skyrtel were scouse there would be a whole host of fans asking why carra is picked, sentiment shouldnt come into picking the team. Sure hes a great servant but never has had the talent of the other two, never did have and never will have in the future. Even big sami outshone him at old trafford. 4th best CB at the club imo......if only sami had the legs these days?

Chatting with a mate during the boro game when carra came off, he looked non-plussed to be taken off and wasnt too enamoured to play at right back versus united. A few games on the bench might sort the tiredness and attitude out.

mayordenis

It's all depending on Agger's fitness it's against Aston Villa like - not a game to be taken in anyway lightly.

mayordenis

Samurai wrote: »

yeah i'm quite confident too, i reckon liverpool are over confident verging on cocky and complacent, also carew will be a welcome boost

Oh come on, cocky and over confident?
We can't win, even when we have 2 good wins - the team will not be cocky or over confident.

daithijjj

Agreed, it would be criminal to take any team with o'neill as the boss for granted. Villas form has dipped, agbonlahor has had a poor 2 months on the pitch and players are looking tired but while you have the likes of young in the team, you have a chance. Cracking player is young, would love him in our squad, never gonna happen though.

monkey9

Ok, so we're dissing Jamie Carragher now, are we? Oh what super fans we really are!

DeadSkin

Liverpool's form for last 6 prem games WWDLWW
Villa's form for last 6 prem games DWLDLL, not so good.

Liverpool win for me, don't think Alonso will be risked if not fully fit.

On the subject of Carra, excellent defender, he knows he can't play 'football' so he hoofs it, if in doubt kick it out, which is fair enough. He has tried one or two tricks in recent games iirc in the opponents half.
Tiredness is obviously affecting him, but with injuries to Degen/Arbeloa & Agger over the season, he's had to fill in at right back.
There is no doubt in my mind Skrtle & Agger are the future.

kingshankly

Would be great if fulham can avoid defeat . There will be a real buzz going in to this only changes from last week could be arbeloa in if fit, and riera could be replaced by babel
I believe martin O neil has never won a game in march in the premership!!!

PHB

There's always the chance Villa could bounce back. Liverpool might be the match they do it in, the pressure is off them somewhat, they are expected to lose. If they do bounce, it'll be a cracking game that could go either way.

If Villa continue the way they are going, Liverpool will walk this at a canter.

mayordenis

monkey9 wrote: »

Ok, so we're dissing Jamie Carragher now, are we? Oh what super fans we really are!

what are you on about? Dissing? g'way.
Saying I would rather Agger (24, Great Defender, potential to be the very best, goal threat everything) and Skrtel (24, Again Great Defender, potentially going to form a lasting central defnesive partnership with Dagger for the forseeable future) over the aging carragher is anything but dissing.
I hope you're big enough to admit that and not question people's "super fandom" over something like that - it's an opinion I haven't slated Carra or anything like it - I just think we have to look to the future. Alright? Great, thanks.

christ.

daithijjj

monkey9 wrote: »

Ok, so we're dissing Jamie Carragher now, are we? Oh what super fans we really are!

Not sure i know what dissing means young man. Is there an english translation?

Is it wrong to think that we have better players on the ball in agger and skyrtel because i think the inference is, that you may, with your comment, be (dissing?) the talents that may play at the club for many years to come.

DenMan

As an Arsenal fan I will be paying close attention to this game. Liverpool really need to push on now. Great wins over Real and Utd and at home against a team they are traditionally very strong against a win is a must. Hopefully they will be relaxed and ready for the Villa. Pool to win....but it could be a tight affair. If Liverpool score early you fear for Villa's defense.

monkey9

daithijjj wrote: »

not me, if agger and skyrtel were scouse there would be a whole host of fans asking why carra is picked, sentiment shouldnt come into picking the team. Sure hes a great servant but never has had the talent of the other two, never did have and never will have in the future. Even big sami outshone him at old trafford. 4th best CB at the club imo......if only sami had the legs these days?

Chatting with a mate during the boro game when carra came off, he looked non-plussed to be taken off and wasnt too enamoured to play at right back versus united. A few games on the bench might sort the tiredness and attitude out.

What you're saying here is that Carragher is only in the team because he's a Scouser!
Sami outshone him on Saturday??? Sami was brilliant. Carragher did well at right back, he wasn't playing centre back!
And of all things, you're questioning his attitude!!! He didn't care about being taken off against Boro???? F*cking hell, have some respect for the bloke will you.
He's done absolutely nothing this season to be benched. He should always be in the team until his form dips or he starts costing us games. (Yeah, i know he's scored some OG's,)

kingshankly

how can anyone question carraghers attitude defies belief,sure he is not the most cultural defender in the world,but a defenders primary duty is to defend and he has few peers here.
no doubt he isnt a great right back but is a brilliant center half,and will do a job right full if needed.
skirtel was extremely poor when he played right full which just shows how hard it is to transform.
for me carragher is still the first defender on the sheet and you could count on one hand the amount of times he has let us down,an absolute legend in my eyes

daithijjj

monkey9 wrote: »

What you're saying here is that Carragher is only in the team because he's a Scouser!
Sami outshone him on Saturday??? Sami was brilliant. Carragher did well at right back, he wasn't playing centre back!
And of all things, you're questioning his attitude!!! He didn't care about being taken off against Boro???? F*cking hell, have some respect for the bloke will you.
He's done absolutely nothing this season to be benched. He should always be in the team until his form dips or he starts costing us games. (Yeah, i know he's scored some OG's,)

Well actually no, thats not what i said, its the voices in your head that have taken it that way. I said he was a great servant. I was trying to keep it on topic in the match thread. Sami was great last week, carra has looked drained, previously against boro where he came off with a sour look on his face (didnt shake bennys hand either if i recall), he also had problems with being selected at right back despite us having nobody else to play there. Not so sure these types of things would go down so well with other players in the squad. I think he looks a bit tired and a little complacent also, suggesting sami could be brought in for a game or two to rejuvenate him (carra) is hardly delving into fantasy and disrespecting him.

You say, "he should always be in the team until his form dips"......fair enough. I say, imo, that agger and skyrtel are better footballers than him, younger and for the villa game, i dont think it would be a bad idea to have younger legs against the likes of agbonlahor and young.

The scouser comment was an off the cuff comment on mayordennis's post about looking to the future in the CB position. I never said he was in the team because he was scouse but i do think sentiment could creep in to some fans thought processes as carra enters his 'winter months' at the club and attitudes like "he should always be in the team until he starts costing us games" is most definitely the wrong attitude.

It is not disrespectfull to point out imperfections either but this is not the thread to get into it, criticism does not equal a personal swipe, maybe you need to open your mind a little, suggesting that i disrespected him is way off the mark. With the sentiments that you portray in the above post, your quite happy to pick him relentlessly in the team until he costs us points, this is a silly attitude. He is a legend at the club and it would be a huge disservice to the player himself if he was left on the teamsheet while costing the club. The day will come where the legs will go and its just my assertion that a player like hyypia, who has better qualities on the ball, can see these qualities prolong his career longer than jamie due to those abilities. If jamie was better on the ball then he could push on like sami has but i dont think he does, it would be obtuse of any fan of the club to suggest he has..............am i being disrespectfull?...........i dont think i am.

MementoMori

Seems to be a fair bit of talk that Alonso won't make it so Lucas to come in.

daithijjj

kingshankly wrote: »

how can anyone question carraghers attitude defies belief,sure he is not the most cultural defender in the world,but a defenders primary duty is to defend and he has few peers here.
no doubt he isnt a great right back but is a brilliant center half,and will do a job right full if needed.
skirtel was extremely poor when he played right full which just shows how hard it is to transform.
for me carragher is still the first defender on the sheet and you could count on one hand the amount of times he has let us down,an absolute legend in my eyes

kingshankly, i respect your posts, seen quite of them that we both agree on and i agree with most of what you said here........however, i disagree on two things.

skrtel never played at right back in his life and was up against downing, this is unfair criticism of the player.

carra has played many times at right back and knows the position, he shouldnt be expressing that he is uncomfortable there and does not 'fancy it'. Younger players at the club look up to him for professionalism.

This is not a criticism of him, its just an observation that i feel he has played alot and mental tiredness may be creeping in a little, a weekend off could help him out, my remarks on him coming off versus boro were hardly scathing.

Bounty Hunter

pfft Carragher, Agger, Squirtle, Hyypia it doesent matter the Hulk is going to get ya!

If we do not win this game I will kill myself.

mike65

Steady on, but yep suddenly this game is twice as important. Villa know they have to pick up the pace and if Arsenal win doubly so.

spockety

The United match changes nothing. Anybody who thinks it does is deluded.

All it shows is that Rafa was right when he pointed out that Liverpool just have to keep on going and winning every match they can while United do their own thing.

Before the United match today, Liverpool's match tomorrow was an absolute must win. After the United match today, Liverpool's match tomorrow is still an absolute must win.

spockety

spockety wrote: »

The United match changes nothing. Anybody who thinks it does is deluded.

LOL mate

It change's A LOT. We have a better chance even though it is still an outside chance.

Dossena for a hat trick.

tok9

I'd have no problem seeing this team tomorrow

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Reina

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-Arb---Carra---Skrtel---Aureilo

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Masch

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Alonso(?)

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--Kuyt

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Dossena-

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Gerrard

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Torres

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If alonso isn't fit then lucas... I think Dossena deserves a start and thats where i'd play him... if not him then babel cause Riera s off form imo

kingshankly

Christ lads we have a chance now.
momentum is with us now ,we simply have to win tomorrow too many times we have slipped up after a utd slip up. we have to grab this half chance with both hands.
tbh if we dont win tomorrow we dont deserve to win the league we got to turn the screw on utd because they are shell shocked at the moment.
come on red men

prendy

spockety wrote: »

The United match changes nothing. Anybody who thinks it does is deluded.All it shows is that Rafa was right when he pointed out that Liverpool just have to keep on going and winning every match they can while United do their own thing.

Before the United match today, Liverpool's match tomorrow was an absolute must win. After the United match today, Liverpool's match tomorrow is still an absolute must win.

agree 100%. we were behind on Friday and were behind now. We had to win against villa regardless of Man u's result. their slip up jus means we have a better chance.
To use a poker expression i think we should be all in tommorow. all or nothing.

International break is next so no resting comes into the equation. i would start the same team as the man u game with the exception of alonso for lucas if he is fit.

PHB

The United match changes the psychology.

Before Liverpool knew that they had to win to stay within an outside shot of winning the title. Tomorrow they know that they have to win to be fairly serious title challengers, over-taking Chelsea.

How Liverpool perform tomorrow, as the expected winner, will tell you an awful lot about how good Benetiz and the squad are.

bUILDERtHEbOB

I think Sami might start to combat Heskey/Carew's aerial threat, with Carra right back.

I would imagine Babel will start too.

Zatman

1-0 Villa Gareth Barry in the Kop End. Would be a great story

kingshankly

Zatman wrote: »

1-0 Villa Gareth Barry in the Kop End. Would be a great story

i see you put the one on the home side an own goal in the kop end would be funny all right

wynters

Zatman wrote: »

1-0 Villa Gareth Barry in the Kop End. Would be a great story

Have a fiver on Barry and a 0-1 result. It's 175-1 with Paddy Power.

After all the "You can stick Gareth Barry up your ar$e" stuff from the Liverpool fans in the last game, it would be VERY nice to see him get some payback, knocking Liverpools title challenge in the process! Karma's a b/tch...

HashSlinging

United losing yesterday is a huge boost for Liverpool's challenge but its proves nothing apart from at least paddy powers publicity stunt of paying out early might backfire, happy days then, my auld lad got 180 from them..

Liverpool have been in this position before and have not been able to capitalise on it. Martian O'Neill could very well spoil this run for us, its a serious possibility, our recent performance's have been stunning, best results in years in the league and champions league.

I'd say it will be a high scoring game, 3 - 2 or something with Torres/Gerrard getting the winner.

Possible.

200motels

Today's match is like the rest of our fixtures a must win, we must go for it from the start, Utd are going through there bad spell now, every team has one, we must capitalise on that and put pressure back on them as they are not going to play badly for long. I think we'll win 2-0 today. We can win the league, it's only a slim chance but a chance none the less.

Mr_Roger_Bongos

COME ON VILLA! COME ON VILLA!

200motels

THE ONLY CHANCE OF VILLA GETTING ANYTHING TODAY IS IF WE DON'T TURN UP. VILLA MY A...

PHB

Do people think their point is better if they use bigger font or something?

PHB

PHB wrote: »

Do people think their point is better if they use bigger font or something?

I like it, can read it easier with this hangover

kaimera

PHB wrote: »

Do people think their point is better if they use bigger font or something?

different colours would help as well...except for kaG

kaimera

kaimera wrote: »

different colours would help as well...except for kaG

Shh Denis, shh. Go back and hide under that camel

Headshot

of course im hoping for a villa win but I just cant see it(but I couldnt see a fulham win yesterday either)

So for villa to get anything out of this game,they'll have to score first

so im going for a 1-0 to villa or should i say my wallet is going for it :pac:

PHB

I disagree, I think the way Villa could win this game would be 80 minutes of Liverpool pressure with one of those days written all over it, chance after chance missed. Then Young hits them on the break.

That said, I've really no idea how this game will pan out. But it'll tell us an awful lot about Liverpool in how they respond.

spockety

PHB wrote: »

I disagree, I think the way Villa could win this game would be 80 minutes of Liverpool pressure with one of those days written all over it, chance after chance missed. Then Young hits them on the break.

That said, I've really no idea how this game will pan out. But it'll tell us an awful lot about Liverpool in how they respond.

Respond to what? Thrashing Real Madrid and Manchester United in their last two games? :eek: