Bolton v Liverpool

Poolman SG

Date : 29-08-2009 Saturday

Kick-off 10pm Singapore Time

Venue : Reebok Stadium

Live on Ch 27

Poolman SG

Walk On Walk On Walk On .....

Poolman SG

Liverpool 3-0 .

Will bounce back for sure .

AEW5001 SG

hope they really do so

gary megson's team can be a tough nut to crack

saw how they cut off the link btwn torres n stevie?

they may just do e same

longchiambutz SG

Tale of the game: Bolton have yet to hit the back of the net in the Premier League following single-goal defeats against Sunderland and Hull.

The Trotters will hope to take advantage of Liverpool’s slow start to the season but have beaten the Reds just once in their last nine attempts.

Bolton boss Gary Megson has lost all five of his encounters against Rafael Benítez with his team managing just one goal while conceding 15.

Liverpool have made their worst start to a Premier League season under the Spaniard after losing two of their opening three matches – the same number of games they lost in the whole of last term

Bolton Wanderers: (probable, 4-4-2): Jaaskelainen, Robinson, Cahill, Knight, Ricketts; Davis, M. Davies, Muamba, Taylor; Elmander, K. Davies
Liverpool: (probable, 4-2-3-1): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua; Mascherano, Lucas; Kuyt, Gerrard, Benayoun; Torres.
Referee: Alan Wiley 8 yellow, 0 red.

Last season: Liverpool 3-0 Bolton, Bolton 0-2 Liverpool

Stat of the game: Fernando Torres has scored just two goals in his past 10 Premier League appearances away from Anfield.

Betting odds: Home win 6/1 Away win 8/15 Draw 11/4

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Who’s betting for an away WIN like me?

AEW5001 SG

torres shld not even start

he so tired, how to play?

longchiambutz SG

will the new chap Kyrgiakos start?

tot he shd’ve featured agst Villa; will be good agst Davies too!

Redster SG

go go guys you can do it

AEW5001 SG

Rafa Benitez is confident Liverpool will be challenging for the title come May - and insists his side are under no pressure going into this weekend's clash with Bolton despite two defeats from their opening three games.

The boss believes 'togetherness and hard work' will get the Reds back on track following reversals against Tottenham and Aston Villa.

Asked at a pre-match press conference if his players were now under pressure, Benitez replied: "No, I don't think so. It's too early. Clearly the message for the players is the same - three points from the next game, that's it.

"We have to approach every game thinking about three points and then think about the next game. We cannot be thinking about January.

"Last year I was answering questions in September and October about us being contenders - it was too early. I said we will see in April.

"In football every week is different. You have to start winning games and then confidence will be really high.

"Now everyone needs to be together, working hard and trying to play well.

"Clearly we are not happy with the situation but we talked about draws last year, and maybe now we can manage and get wins instead of the draws and end up with a lot of points too."

Benitez warned against underestimating a Bolton side without a point or a goal from their two opening fixtures.

"We know Bolton are a very physical team that works very hard," he said. "They know how to play, especially at home. The figures don't matter. It will be a difficult game, so we have to approach it with confidence and make sure we are strong."

Gary Megson has come in for criticism from certain sections of the Reebok support, but Benitez rates his opposite number highly.

"He was doing a good job in the last year and hopefully this year, after this game, he will too," said the Spaniard. "For me he's someone who works hard and who is honest."

Benitez was also quizzed on whether Liverpool would conduct any more business in the transfer market before the deadline.

He responded: "Still we are working and we have some clubs asking about our players, but I don't think we'll do too much. It depends on the players, maybe some who are not playing or young players. I don't think we will do too many things."

Asked if there would be any new signings, he added: "I don't think so."

Meanwhile, Liverpool this week discovered they would face Lyon, Fiorentina and Debreceni in the Champions League group stages - three sides the club have never met in European competition.

Benitez added: "It will be good for the fans to see different teams from different cities. The games are not too far away, so that's positive. It will be a really good experience for everyone."

www SG

bolton used to be liverpool's boo-boo team before last season, where the reds were having problem against more physical side.

it is optimistic to compare how liverpool bulldozed them a few months back because the current reds has a completely different presence in midfield, with little confidence to retain possession and draw fouls.

but still, my hunch tells me that the reds should be able to get away with at least a draw.

if not a single bolton player gets a yellow card in the first half, liverpool fans should get worried.

www SG

only glen johnson is playing.

Poolman SG

Insua and Lucas simply create trouble for LFC ...

Just heard Insua is EPL shortest player ..... another record for LFC for using the shortest player in the EPL .

Lucas abd Insua cannot la ...

Soon if Aquilani and Aurelio come back , pls sent this 2 boys to the reserve .

Poolman SG

Our defense from set piece a loop hole , cos we have got shorter players than most EPL teams .

Agenda SG

Wow johnson scored..

AEW5001 SG

Liverpool nearly lost tis match - again.

if not for e sending off of 1 Bolton player.

AEW5001 SG

Rafael Benitez admitted he was delighted with the reaction of his Liverpool players after the Reds beat Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

Liverpool twice came from behind to secure an impressive 3-2 win, courtesy of goals from Glen Johnson, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

Following Monday's defeat to Aston Villa, victory over the Trotters comes as a welcome tonic for the Reds.

"Today all of the players wanted to impress and do well - they knew we needed to improve," Benitez told reporters at a post-match press conference.

"From the first minute, the players were playing with a great determination to win and it was important to have this mentality. I am really pleased with the reaction of the players.

"I think today we showed we have quality and when we play at our level, we can beat anyone.

"We had a game plan and we wanted to keep the ball and have plenty of possession. It was a difficult game and we had to come from behind twice, but I think we showed a lot of character.

"We have to improve on some other things, but at least we have won and we can prepare for our next game a little bit more relaxed."

With the scoreline poised at 2-1 in their favour, Bolton were reduced to ten men in the 55th minute when Sean Davis was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Benitez added: "We had plenty of possession playing 11 against 11. Against ten players, it was easier to keep control of the ball, but sometimes it can be more difficult playing against ten men because everybody works harder.

"We stayed calm and were moving and passing the ball. Last year we did the same and won some games like this, and it is important for the confidence of the players."

Meanwhile, Benitez admitted he was pleased with the performance of Greek debutant Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

He said: "It was a difficult game for Kyrgiakos, but I am really pleased because he was very dominant in the air against Kevin Davies, which is not easy, and also Johan Elmander.

"I think for his first game in England he was really good."

AEW5001 SG

Steven Gerrard reflected on the 3-2 win over Bolton Wanderers and admitted it was the perfect way to respond to the disappointing defeat at home to Aston Villa.

The skipper netted his second goal of the season to win the game for the Reds with a fantastic strike after they twice came from behind to beat Gary Megson's men.

"It would have been difficult going into the international break if we didn't get the result we wanted and this was all about a reaction to the Aston Villa defeat, and I thought we got that," said Gerrard.

"We played really well, showed character and deserved the three points.

"Against Villa we never showed enough character and we didn't play well enough. I certainly didn't play well enough on a personal level and this was all about individuals and the team reacting.

"The manager questioned the whole team after Monday and rightly so. We were no way near good enough and we didn't play close to our standard.

"We have had a couple of good meetings this week and we couldn't wait for this game to come around.

"We went behind twice but again we showed what character we have in this team. Going behind twice there are times when you think you are not going to get a point, never mind three, but we got our rewards in the end and we could have ended up scoring four or five."

The Reds' dynamic number eight believes the team will be stronger after the international break and claimed they will continue to improve.

"We now go away on international duty and when we get back we will have a few new faces back in the squad with the lads who have been out injured, so that will give us a boost," he added.

"We played so well last season and everyone is expecting us to start strong again and win matches but we all expected that ourselves.

"To lose two games was a bit of a shock to us all but it's all about reactions. We know we have got a good team, a team that is capable of fighting for the title and we have got to go and prove that now."

Poolman SG

this results is nothing to me .... we just must keep the winning rhythm on and on .

Just hope after the International break , those the likes of Aurelio and Aquilani can start this season .

Our leaked goals are all related to Insua and Lucas .... so no time for more mistakes .

I never missed Alonso , but i really missed Arbeloa & Hyypia .

And i think when Crucial time , Hyypia's height is vital ...

AEW5001 SG

this results is nothing to me .... we just must keep the winning rhythm on and on .

Just hope after the International break , those the likes of Aurelio and Aquilani can start this season .

Our leaked goals are all related to Insua and Lucas .... so no time for more mistakes .

I never missed Alonso , but i really missed Arbeloa & Hyypia .

And i think when Crucial time , Hyypia's height is vital ...

i miss Alonso e playmaker

Undertaker.Chris SG

If you keep selecting lucas, prepare to have to grind out results. If not for the sending off we could have drop points again.