Lille v Liverpool

mike65

6 pm KO Channel 5 from 5.30.

Preview from soccerlens

Liverpool head into the match after a disappointing loss at Wigan on Monday in the English Premier League. The Reds continue to struggle in the Premiership and could salvage their season with a deep run into the Europa League. They advanced to the round of 16 with a 4-1 win over Unirea Urziceni.

Lille are 6th in the French Ligue 1 table and enjoying another solid season. Despite being in 6th place, Lille has the highest goal difference (+22) with 50 goals scored and 28 goals conceded. Their defense will be tested on Thursday as Liverpool will have a fit Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres available.

Players who will be sidelined because of injury are Fabio Aurelio for Liverpool and Nicolas Plestan, Mathieu Debuchy, Tulio De Melo, and Gervinho for Lille.

A win for Lille in the first leg is important with the second leg at Anfield. Liverpool haven’t been strong on the road but still are capable of playing with any team in the world. If they can get strong performances from Gerrard and Torres then it could be a long night for Lille. This hasn’t happened often this season and Lille have not lost at home in the Europa League.

Lille is led by Gervinho who has five goals in the Europa League. The home side should be more aggressive as Liverpool will be content with a draw or even a 0-1 defeat.

Liverpool Squad (BBC) Reina, Johnson, Degen, Agger, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Gerrard, Lucas, Aquilani, Benayoun, Riera, Rodriguez, Ngog, Kuyt, Torres, Cavalieri, Pacheco, Spearing, Darby, Babel, Kelly.

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Six o'clock is a shít time for a game, but when Shels played Lille in the UEFA Cup a few years back, it was a 6 O'c at Landsdowne.

Silly French TV

DubDani

I believe the kick-off times are standard now throughout the whole europe league competition. Half the games always start at 6, and the other half at 8.05. Nothing to do with any specific channels or individual TV rights.

Hoki

Good job i read this post and saw its on at 6 otherwise id have turned on tv3e at 7.45 just like i did for the away match in unirea

I just wanna see a good performance tonight and an away goal , anythings surely better than that pukefest on monday night.

Dont be at yourself

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Reina
Johnson-Agger-Krygiakos-Insua

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Mach-Lucas
Gerrard-Aquilani-Riera

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Torres

for me. Isn't Maxi cup-tied?

mike65

DubDani wrote: »

I believe the kick-off times are standard now throughout the whole europe league competition. Half the games always start at 6, and the other half at 8.05. Nothing to do with any specific channels or individual TV rights.

Is correct, ITV4 has its double barrelled EL coverage from 6 till 10.

Maxi is cup-tied, hoping to see Johnson start this one, we need his probing down the wing as it'll mean less chance of Kuyt screwing up an attack.

Gillington

I think Gervinho is a doubt for tonight,if he is its a big loss

Mr Alan

be happy wit a draw. don't give a **** about the line up, just want to see something from the team and to not pick up any injuries.

Fink Goddie

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

---

Reina
Johnson-Agger-Krygiakos-Insua

---

Mach-Lucas
Gerrard-Aquilani-Riera

---

Torres

for me. Isn't Maxi cup-tied?

I think i'd choose Babel over Riera

super_furry

Honestly can't bring myself to care about this match at all. It's the first time I've felt like this about a Liverpool match since Sounness was in charge.

Fink Goddie

super_furry wrote: »

Honestly can't bring myself to care about this match at all.

Gerrard feels the same

Mr Alan

Fink Goddie wrote: »

Gerrard feels the same

Then he should **** off. Simple as that.

marko91

1-0 dissapointing win by liverpool with boring football and pathetic managerial skills by our great savour that is rafa benitez:rolleyes:...CL spot is gone, ill be happy just to finish 5th!..bye bye torres honestly cant blame him if/WHEN he gets his arse out of liverpool:(

EDIT: i know ill get replys saying im not a true fan for losing all hope blah blah blah, whats the point in lying to ourselves?the club is in shambles, our major players are gone in the summer, we cant even afford to buy world class players...whats worse is this "squad" of players is all benitez, he signed nearly every player...its his failure!..yet you still love him?...he built a squad of players who arent good enough and who dont even care!..in january why on earth did he not buy a striker like WTF??...a injury prone spanish michael owen and a david ngog who isnt even good enough for my local mens team is enough to compete in englan/europe?!...dunno where that rant came from lol

Fink Goddie

Mr Alan wrote: »

Then he should **** off. Simple as that.

Mr Alan wrote: »

be happy wit a draw. don't give a **** about .

Somebody got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning

bUILDERtHEbOB

marko91 wrote: »

1-0 dissapointing win by liverpool with boring football and pathetic managerial skills by our great savour that is rafa benitez:rolleyes:...CL spot is gone, ill be happy just to finish 5th!..bye bye torres honestly cant blame him if/WHEN he gets his arse out of liverpool:(

EDIT: i know ill get replys saying im not a true fan for losing all hope blah blah blah, whats the point in lying to ourselves?the club is in shambles, our major players are gone in the summer, we cant even afford to buy world class players...whats worse is this "squad" of players is all benitez, he signed nearly every player...its his failure!..yet you still love him?...he built a squad of players who arent good enough and who dont even care!..in january why on earth did he not buy a striker like WTF??...a injury prone spanish michael owen and a david ngog who isnt even good enough for my local mens team is enough to compete in englan/europe?!...dunno where that rant came from lol

Are you seriously calling Torres a Spanish Michael Owen?

flugel

Defo wanna see Aqualini in from the start tonight. Would like to see Babel start up front along side Torres too. Gotta try something different.

dfx-

Fink Goddie wrote: »

Gerrard feels the same

....About the entire season so far the way he has played

whatawaster

This absolutely has to be used to give the likes of Babel, Aquilani etc game time.

The players who made a particular show of themselves the other night – Kuyt and Gerrard in particular, should be nowhere near this team.

I’d personally like to see:

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Reina

---

Johnson----Kygriakos----Agger

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Insua

---

Mascherano

---

Aquilani

---

---Babel

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Riera

---

---

Torres

---

N’Gog

---

Kelly instead of Johnson if he’s not yet ready to start.

Will the Rafa have the guts to change a system that hasn’t worked all season?
Will he have the guts to drop Gerrard, Kuyt and Carragher and Maxi, which is what they deserve?

Riera played crap against Unirea a few weeks ago, he was left out, and now it’s time to give him another chance, I feel.

New approach needed – 2 attacking full-backs, 2 wingers, 2 out and out strikers. Worth a try at least Rafa?

flugel

whatawaster wrote: »

This absolutely has to be used to give the likes of Babel, Aquilani etc game time.

The players who made a particular show of themselves the other night – Kuyt and Gerrard in particular, should be nowhere near this team.

I’d personally like to see:

---

Reina

---

Johnson----Kygriakos----Agger

---

Insua

---

Mascherano

---

Aquilani

---

---Babel

---

Riera

---

---

Torres

---

N’Gog

---

I'd stick Babel up front instead of Ngog and horse Gerrard out on the right.

marko91

bUILDERtHEbOB wrote: »

Are you seriously calling Torres a Spanish Michael Owen?

im comparing them because they both do be injured for 50% of every season...torres is phenominal but hes no use watchign the game from the stand.

Ush1

Gervinho man to watch.

SlickRic

i'm with whatawaster here.

regardless of whether we win, i'm serious, if he doesn't play Babel and Aqua, for me, it's another nail in the coffin.

if Gerrard swans around for another 90mins with no desire, and nothing is done about it, i pity you all for having to read my reaction afterwards.

cruiserweight

Friend of mine from Lille says that the word in the media there is that Gervinho is out injured

leninbenjamin

whatawaster wrote: »

I’d personally like to see:

---

Reina

---

Johnson----Kygriakos----Agger

---

Insua

---

Mascherano

---

Aquilani

---

---Babel

---

Riera

---

---

Torres

---

N’Gog

---

Drop N'Gog, put on Lucas instead and play Aquilani in a more advanced role, give Babel license to come central and you've a team.

JimsAlterEgo

Kuyt and Gerrard will start

putting 50 lids on pool not too win, just looking around for best odds.

Guy:Incognito

marko91 wrote: »

1-0 dissapointing win by liverpool

Can you have a dissapointing 1-0 away win in Europe (with the obvious exception of drawign a team of part-timers from the arse end of nowhere in a country of 10,000 people)

evil_seed

just backed lille 2-1 @ 9/1. i'll have one eye on the scoreline but wont be hunting for a stream like I normally would. betting on it makes it barely interesting

_blank_

evil_seed wrote: »

just backed lille 2-1 @ 9/1. i'll have one eye on the scoreline but wont be hunting for a stream like I normally would. betting on it makes it barely interesting

Backing against Liverpool?

Fink Goddie

Des wrote: »

Backing against Liverpool?

Sure why not, if they win your happy, if they lose you get a consolation.

Kess73

marko91 wrote: »

im comparing them because they both do be injured for 50% of every season...torres is phenominal but hes no use watchign the game from the stand.

Would take Torres over Owen from any era.

Torres did in his first season with Liverpool something that Owen has never done his entire career.

Johner

15/8 for a Lille win looks value.

5starpool

Kess73 wrote: »

Would take Torres over Owen from any era.

Torres did in his first season with Liverpool something that Owen has never done his entire career.

2 things actually. He also got universal adoration from the Liverpool fans.

Kess73

5starpool wrote: »

2 things actually. He also got universal adoration from the Liverpool fans.

Hehe that is true. Owen was never really embraced by the terraces.

Rockee

Kess73 wrote: »

Hehe that is true. Owen was never really embraced by the terraces.

Now that you mention it, did The Kop even have a song for Owen while he was scoring the goals?? I cant recall

Anyway, I'll go for a 1-1 today.

Mr Alan

owen isn't fit to lace torres' boots. not now. not ever.

Rockee

Team:

The team in full: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel, Torres. Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Riera, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, El Zhar, Kelly.

Mr Alan

great to see Johnson back.

Kess73

Rockee wrote: »

Now that you mention it, did The Kop even have a song for Owen while he was scoring the goals?? I cant recall

Anyway, I'll go for a 1-1 today.

He had a few generic type chants for him. But never received the adulation that the likes of Fowler got.

Tusky

Rockee wrote: »

Team:

The team in full: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel, Torres. Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Riera, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, El Zhar, Kelly.

Rafas handling of Aquilani makes my brain ache. It really doesnt make any sense at this stage.

Sir Gallagher

No start for aqua again surprise surprise.

Ush1

Johner wrote: »

15/8 for a Lille win looks value.

Not bad, hows Gervinho first goal scorer along with that?

whatawaster

F*cking joke that Gerrard gets in the team ahead of Aquilani, and that Kuyt plays after his performance on Monday.

Sir Gallagher

whatawaster wrote: »

F*cking joke that Gerrard gets in the team ahead of Aquilani, and that Kuyt plays after his performance on Monday.

Why not! If it ain't broke don't fix it..... er... oh...

K-9

Mr Alan wrote: »

great to see Johnson back.

Yeah plus Agger and Babel.

All ruined by keeping Gerrard and leaving Acquilani out.

Mr Alan

well hopefully we'll see a reaction from Gerrard tonight.

whatawaster

Mr Alan wrote: »

well hopefully we'll see a reaction from Gerrard tonight.

Reaction to what though? He's been crap all season, there was nothing particularly special about Monday.

What was the point in spending 17 million on Aquilani if we're not going to use him in games like this/at all?

Headshot

gone for Babel to score anytime

Daemos

whatawaster wrote: »

What was the point in spending 17 million on Aquilani if we're not going to use him in games like this/at all?

Ask Rafa

Headshot

oh and hopefully Gerrard does the live and prosper sign if he scores

Kess73

Tusky wrote: »

Rafas handling of Aquilani makes my brain ache. It really doesnt make any sense at this stage.

It doesn't. He goes and states that Aquilani won't feature much in the league during the run in and mentions that there will be Europa Cup games for Aquilani. Then in the very next Europa cup game, Aquilani does not get a start.

I wonder how Aquilani feels about his big move now.

One thing that this season has shown us is that form counts for nothing with this current Liverpool squad, and that there are a number of players who will get games no matter how poor they do over a period of time.

niallo27

Anyone going to get behind the team in here