FC Utrecht v Liverpool FC 18.00 hrs KO

mike65

Warning about the early kick off, its a tea time special.

ITV4


So then Roy Hodgson has already given a heavy hint about tonights game with the clear suggestion that Torres will start tonight, yes things are that bad we're going large in the Europa League, or more likely Roy reckons Nando needs all the match time possible before the testing tie against Blackpool in Sunday Daniel Agger is out with a groin strain. Gerrard has not travelled (see Blackpool ref)

FC Utrecht are not pulling up any trees either, sat 12th in the Eredivisie. They thrashed Celtic at home to reach the Group stage (4-2 on agg) and drew 0-0 away to Napoli in the last tie. Their danger man is without question van Wolfswinkel with 7 goals this season (only 3 other scored).

Rumours of Lucas-Poulsen in the middle.

0-0

Kess73

Utrecht are very average at the moment. The Liverpool team that is doing the rounds as being the team for tonight is pretty damning in my eyes and devoid of ambition against such a poor team.

Lucas/Meireles or even Shelvey/Meireles would have been my picks for the centre of the park against Utrecht.

Lucas and Poulsen both starting is a bit of a joke, and worse it has been shown to be a totally ineffective pairing a number of times this season.

Carragher I would have dropped and played Soto in his place alongside Skrtel as Agger is out with a strain.

SlickRic

it's both damning, and embarrassing.

there is no ambition, no creativity, and no form in that team.

Poulsen and Lucas should never, EVER be allowed to play together ffs. it's just ridiculous.

we're playing against an inferior team. FACHT

this is a chance to get the confidence going in the team, let them loose just a little bit. but this team is set up to be passive, allow the opposition have the ball, and rely on Cole and Torres to pull out something special.

i hope the team belies the whiff it gives off and goes out to impose itself on the game, but i wouldn't bet on it.

0-0 for me, or maybe a grinding, awful looking 1-0 victory.

whatawaster

SlickRic wrote: »

it's both damning, and embarrassing.

there is no ambition, no creativity, and no form in that team.

Poulsen and Lucas should never, EVER be allowed to play together ffs. it's just ridiculous.

we're playing against an inferior team. FACHT

this is a chance to get the confidence going in the team, let them loose just a little bit. but this team is set up to be passive, allow the opposition have the ball, and rely on Cole and Torres to pull out something special.

i hope the team belies the whiff it gives off and goes out to impose itself on the game, but i wouldn't bet on it.

0-0 for me, or maybe a grinding, awful looking 1-0 victory.

We had a chance to get confidence going and to let loose against Northampton last week. We sat off them. I expect nothing different tonight.

joe123

We were rumoured to be after their forward Ricky Van Wolfswinkle. If only for the name he would of been a good signing!

Lucas and poulsen makes me poo out my mouth.

Sir Gallagher

joe123 wrote: »

We were rumoured to be after their forward Ricky Van Wolfswinkle. If only for the name he would of been a good signing!

Lucas and poulsen makes me poo out my mouth.

You must be very bendy.


Anyway, Lucas and Poulsen, gash. Am I surprised by this uninspiring selection, no.

joe123

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

You must be very bendy.

No whatever happens when I see our midfield consisting of those two I vomit out my arse and poo comes out my mouth. Its really horrible.

~Rebel~

Kuyt anytime scorer I think.

We should really win this but i Hate that centre midfield. Its just the worst pairing possible, they both seem to drop a level with they're together.

~Rebel~

joe123 wrote: »

We were rumoured to be after their forward Ricky Van Wolfswinkle.

Apparantly we weren't...

But asked about the speculation by reporters in Holland last night, Hodgson said: "There was no question of him coming this summer. You've hit me with a name that I didn't know we were linked with.

"He's doing very well now and having a wonderful time with Utrecht. But I'd be lying to you if I said he was a player we'd considered before this."

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/hodgson-denies-striker-link


I really wish we'd stop hearing stories refuting our interest in decent players. I'd rather they left it cryptic, like, "we were interested in a lot of players".

Just when we were crying out for a striker, i'd have much preferred to at least be able to stay in the dreamland that we were at least considering EVERYONE who might have been suitable.

ilovelamp2000

Reina, Johnson, Carra, Skrtel, Kelly, Kuyt, Lucas, Poulsen, Jovanovic, Cole, Torres

That's been the rumoured lineup knocking about today, I've been told that it is the actual lineup too.

timetogetfit

Are all the TV channels only showing this muck,it'll be nothing but a borefest , i would much prefer to watch the city and juve match, it will be a much better game

mike65

Tough! City are not box-office yet.

~Rebel~

timetogetfit wrote: »

Are all the TV channels only showing this muck,it'll be nothing but a borefest , i would much prefer to watch the city and juve match, it will be a much better game

thanks...for...that...



So, apparently Liverpool haven't lost in Holland since 1966...
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/reds-hoping-for-dutch-courage

timetogetfit

mike65 wrote: »

Tough! City are not box-office yet.

I don't think box office and thursday night football go together somehow

opr

timetogetfit wrote: »

Are all the TV channels only showing this muck,it'll be nothing but a borefest , i would much prefer to watch the city and juve match, it will be a much better game

I know being the huge football fan that you proclaim you know the City game is on after the Pool game later in the evening and can be watched on CH5 at a quick glance.

Opr

mike65

Thursday Night ITV4 doesn't have quite the same disdainful ring to it.

joe123

I dont understand why Merieles isnt starting tonight. He needs game time to gel into the team and find his feet.

Being thrown in at the deep end against United and then not giving a chance to build confidence in matches like this. Hopefully Torres will start.

8-10

timetogetfit wrote: »

Is that what you call what Liverpool are doing these days?:rolleyes:

I don't think anyone denies that Liverpool are playing poorly, what's your point? You can watch City instead. He was being helpful in giving you the correct time and channel.

jesus_thats_gre

joe123 wrote: »

I dont understand why Merieles isnt starting tonight. He needs game time to gel into the team and find his feet.

Being thrown in at the deep end against United and then not giving a chance to build confidence in matches like this. Hopefully Torres will start.

I too would have thought that it was the perfect chance to play him deeper alongside Lucas or Poulsen. I still believe that this is the position that Roy has signed him to play in - starting to doubt myself the more Roy plays him further forward though.

SlickRic

timetogetfit wrote: »

Are all the TV channels only showing this muck,it'll be nothing but a borefest, i would much prefer to watch the city and juve match, it will be a much better game

yup, the quality on offer in a City/Juve match should be higher than a Utrecht/Liverpool match.

that's very perceptive of you, well done.

did you really need to tell us?

you see, the thing is, in case you didn't get it, we're Liverpool fans, so guess which one we're more interested in?

~Rebel~

timetogetfit wrote: »

Is that what you call what Liverpool are doing these days?:rolleyes:

...


...anyway...as much as we need a win tonight to regain the habit, we REALLY need a somewhat decent performance. At this point most of the team look so shaky and lacking confidence, would love to see a bit of a rout so we could regain some of the swagger Liverpool teams have had over the past few years...

PiE

#LFC line-up: Reina, Johnson, Carra, Skrtel, Kelly; Poulsen, Lucas; Kuyt, Meireles, Cole; Torres. (via @rorysmith_tel)

Seems Meireles is starting.

So that makes this?

-- Lucas --- Poulsen
Kuyt -- Meireles -- Cole

---

Torres

---

or perhaps...

---

Poulsen
----Lucas ----Meireles
Kuyt

---

-- Cole

---

Torres

---

event

what channel is this on?

come on now OP, need to put more effort in. a few emblems and team line ups would be nice

billymitchell

PiE wrote: »

#LFC line-up: Reina, Johnson, Carra, Skrtel, Kelly; Poulsen, Lucas; Kuyt, Meireles, Cole; Torres. (via @rorysmith_tel)

Seems Meireles is starting.

Lucas off the front man or maybe as a more attacking centre midfielder?
If that is the line up, its very chelski with the 3 centre midfielder's and 3 attacking players. It's quiet obvious we dont have any natural width in our squad, so it probably makes sense to try the old 4-3-3

~Rebel~

Glad to have Meireles starting anyway. Even if the other 2 are in the middle together, at least Raul adds of a bit of guile in front of them, and hopefully an easy outlet that they'll use regularly.

whatawaster

Why can't we sign a central midfielder, and play them in central midfield. That's what we need, not for Meireles to slot in one of the three places behind Torres.

We desperately need someone to act as a playmaker from a deeper position. Not sure he's ideally suited to that role, but we've nobody else.

opr

whatawaster wrote: »

Why can't we sign a central midfielder, and play them in central midfield. That's what we need, not for Meireles to slot in one of the three places behind Torres.

We desperately need someone to act as a playmaker from a deeper position. Not sure he's ideally suited to that role, but we've nobody else.

I presumed in previous games Roy was wrongly in my eyes accommodating Gerrard in the middle. If Meireles doesn't play in the middle tonight it would be extremely strange considering the drum people have been banging about Lucas needing to play further forward to see his best.

Opr

everdead.ie

3E starting now

MR NINE

Looks like Meireles is playing right mid and Kuyt up front in a 442

Kuyt playing alongside Torres?

everdead.ie

Passing has been sloppy so far

opr

Meh - Its gone!

Opr

everdead.ie

Loads of balls going through the box and Torres isn't putting in the effort in to get to them kuyt put a lovely chip into the box that cole or Torres should have attacked

D'Agger

everdead.ie wrote: »

should of

We'll be using this phrase alot this season me thinks

MR NINE

PaulieC wrote: »

We'll be using this phrase alot this season me thinks

i'll be using should have myself

everdead.ie

Goal disallowed for an utreact player climbing on a Liverpool player I think.

missingtime

push? didnt see much in that to be fair

evil_seed

We're looking totally unbalanced. There's nohing down the left. Kelly can't go on any overlap cos cole keeps cutting in. Put dirk in the left, ateast he'll hold his position. Passing is atrocious to say the least

opr

everdead.ie wrote: »

Goal disallowed for an utreact player climbing on a Liverpool player I think.

Harsh I didn't see much looked like a good goal.

Opr

D'Agger

MR NINE wrote: »

i'll be using should have myself

Was gona change the error but didn't wanna be a díck about it :pac:

everdead.ie

opr wrote: »

Harsh I didn't see much looked like a good goal.

Opr

Very harsh I think but I think that's why it was a free out

D'Agger

They'll be going at Johnson for the night by the looks of things - don't blame em either he's not exactly brimming with confidence looking at his general demeanor

ShamoBuc

we should win this by at least 3 clear goals - they look fairly poor. We have had loads of shots at goal - more than the total for some recent matches - already. Torres is looking well off the pace. Kuyt, Meireles and Cole to bang them in;)

tok9

This is poor stuff really. Utrecht look far more likely to score

mada999

poor so far in fairness.... kuyt needs to stay up top.... no proper wingers is letting us down as usual

MR NINE

PaulieC wrote: »

Was gona change the error but didn't wanna be a díck about it :pac:

you probably should of

mada999

ShamoBuc wrote: »

we should win this by at least 3 clear goals - they look fairly poor. We have had loads of shots at goal - more than the total for some recent matches - already. Torres is looking well off the pace. Kuyt, Meireles and Cole to bang them in;)

what game are you watchin?!?!

D'Agger

Their LBs an eager beaver by the looks of it

baldbear

It's obvious Torres still isn't fully fit. He's looking that bit slow.
Meireles is playing decent. The Surface is looking fairly greasy.

missingtime

slowest counter attack ever there.