Liverpool Vs Chelsea - Predicted Lineup

curiousOrange SG

This is the formation I would like to see...

MY PREFERRED FORMATION:

--------------------------Reina----------------------------

Finnan------23 Carra Gold-------Sami H------Traore

Stevie G--------Alonso----------Momo---------Garcia

--------------Crouchihno----------Cisse----------------

I hope to see us playing a standard 4-4-2 in this one...we really dont have the personnel (esp. good wingers) to play 4-5-1 yet. Hopefully, Rafa will follow up on his interest in Simao and Speedie Gonzales in January.

Stevie G is probably most effective in the central midfield position...But i would rather see him occupy the right midfield slot for the time being until we buy some decent wingers. I also believe in putting our best attacking player (Stevie) up against their worst defensive player (Del Horno whom I feel is their weakest link in defence...poor positioning, no pace etc...)

Although I'm very impressed by Crouch's performance so far, I think he will struggle against the likes of John Terry and William Gallas. So I would like to see him playing along side Cisse who can benefit from Crouch's link-up play.

TEAM I PREDICT RAFA WILL PLAY:

-------------------------Reina-------------------------

Finnan--------Carra-------Sami H------Warnock

------------------------Alonoso----------------------

Sinama--------------Stevie G----------------Risse

------------------------Garcia-------------------------

-------------------Crouch OR Morienties------------

Any thoughts on the formations? What is your preferred formation and line-up?

ghimpheng SG

Team That RAFA Will play

Jose Reina 25
Jamie Carragher 23
Sami Hyypia 4
Gonzalez Josemi 17
Djimi Traore 21
Sanz Luis Garcia 10
Xabi Alonso 14
Boudewijn Zenden 30
Peter Crouch 15
Florent Sinama Pongolle 24
Steven Gerrard 8

Team That I would Like Liverpool to play

Jose Reina 25 - GK
Jamie Carragher 23 - Center Def
Sami Hyypia 4 - Center Def
Djimi Traore 21 - Right Back
Stephen Warnock 28 - Left Back
John Arne Riise 6 - Left Wing
Dietmar Hamann 16 - M
Xabi Alonso 14 - AM
Steven Gerrard 8 - M
Djibril Cisse 9 - F
Sanz Luis Garcia 10 - Right Wing

The positions I put are Likely To be RAFA benitez Position not my ideal position for players And Morientes is injured should not be playing for this match proparbly Fastest recovery by Next Premiership game against Chelsea

stellazio SG

Wait,i think Benitez will play 4-5-1..So unlike the crouch/cisse partnership will get a chance.. Laughing

curiousOrange SG

I like the idea of using Hamman in the holding midfielder role so that Stevie G and Alonso can move foward more to support the attack.

But Im not sure if Cisse can play the lone striker well. He used to play the lone striker in Auxere...but that's in the French League. EPL is much much more physical and lone strikers usually don't get too much time on the ball.

He don't seem to be too good in holding up the ball. That's why i rather use both Crouch and Cisse. Wink

curiousOrange SG

Yeah...almost every manager in England is using the 4-5-1 formation now...even Bolton!!! Mr. Green 4-5-1 quite boring to watch ah..but support Liverpool mah...so lan lan...boring i also sit down and watch. Wink

ghimpheng SG

I don't see any good play from crouch other than some of his passing but he seems to be running quite slow and indecisive and don't dare to go for the ball I wonder what the reason.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce Admits copying Chelsea Tatics Even though they do not have quality players like Chelsea.

curiousOrange SG

I saw glimpses so far of what Crouch can do...Im hoping he can be our Teddy Sherringham for years to come.

Second goal against Betis - I like the way he dribbled and held up the ball until Zenden moves into a good attacking position inside the box. Then he played an intelligent ball into Zenden's path...even the Betis Captain (who was the defender marking Crouch) admits that they have no idea how to handle a player like Crouch. Laughing

His overall game against ManU and Birmingham is quite impressive as well..a lot of link up plays and flick-ons most notably with Sinama Pongolle who likes to cut in from the right.

But i have to agree he doesnt look like the type of striker who can fetch us 20 goals a season.

The best option is to play both Cisse and Crouch in a 4-4-2 formation. But Rafa is addicted to 4-5-1 at the moment.

Medicated Oil SG

Formation that Ah Ben will deploy:

Reina

Finnan Hyypia Carragher Riise

Sinama Gerrard Hamann Alonso Kewell

Crouch

Reserve:

Garcia, Nando (if he is fit, if not, Cisse), Josemi, Zenden, Warnock

He will need Hamann to hold and spray the ball to Crouch.

Sinama and Kewell will have to be initiated to go forward for the chance.

If you look at Ah Ben's reserve, you will realised that Liverpool is pretty thin and the above is all the best that we have got.

curiousOrange SG

Problem is...kewell is still on mc...dunno until when...sian
So most probably it's Riise or Zenden at left midfield.

Zenden was pants against Birmingham... no pace, can't dribble and give away possession too easily. I rather put Garcia or Riise at LM position.

ghimpheng SG

Kewell is injured how to play ? Morientes is injured too