Liverpool FC V WBA FC Official match thread

3o'clock kick offs are rare for us. Hopefully we can enjoy and savor it.

 

Harsh on Lucas. When he's asked to play in that DM position on his own, he's more than able to hold his own. It's when he's pushed further upfield that he loses something.

 

Yeah, Lucas may not have the passing of Gerrard, but he's far superior defensively. He is awful further up though, I have no idea why Rodgers does that sometimes...

 

Balotelli dropped!

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Please make us proud today Lambert.

Johnson on the bench.

 

Mario benched

 

Really surprised by that.

Lambert up top on his own doesn't strike me with much confidence!

Do we reckon gone 433 with Stelring & Lallana or Coutinho either side of Lambert?

 

Johnson back on the bench though!

Means he's nearing full fitness and will no doubt be back in the starting line up in our next game

 

What formation is that?

Hope it's diamond rather than pentagon.

 

Interesting team choice. It once again smacks of BR playing around with new players, new formations and combinations.

We can do this! COYR!

 

My guess is 433. Sterling and Lallana either side of Lambert.

For all you nervous about Lambert, at least we can guarantee he will put in a shift and his finishing is very good. Against Boro he did not seem match fit enough so hopefully his fitness has improve and he will be sharper.

Lambert scored 14 goals last season and 15 the season before, despite often being on the bench. He has 3 goals in 9 for England. Again, often a substitute.

 

Thing with Lambert is he needs a run of games to get match fit, but he' not going to get that with us (unless he makes himself undroppable). Therefor he'll always be coming into the team not quite match fit and never producing his best.

 

Lambert will put in a shift, but he's far too slow and barely gets a touch because of it. Still, hopefully it'll wake Balotelli up. I would have played Borini personally...

Gerrard still starting...and Johnson on the bench

 

Its not that different from last season really.

Tactically it is the same as last season behind the front 3. Just with Lovren, Manquillo and Moreno in, and Manquillo and Moreno are a clear improvement on last season.

 

Most likely:

---Gerrard--Hendo----
Sterling-Couts-Lallana
--------Lambert-------


Other possible:
-------Gerrrard-----
---Hendo------Lallana
---------Couts------
--Sterling-----Lambert

or

-------Gerrrard-----
---Hendo------Couts
---------Lalla------
--Sterling-----Lambert

or

-------Gerrrard-----
---Hendo------Couts
---------Sterl------
--Lalla-----Lambert



Unlikely (favorite):

--------Gerrard----
--couts------Hendo-
Sterling-Lamb-Lalla

 

Lambert will get in the box, get on crosses and not constantly shoot from range.

Balotelli just walks around in small circles and shoots from 30 yards.

 

Lambert has done nothing to warrant a start over Borini. Gerrard has done nothing to warrant a start full stop. Johnson back on the bench. I feel confident /s

Can see us struggling again today

 

Thinking about it a bit more...

Lambert at the very least won't blaze the ball over from 40 yards so we'll have the ball longer in the final third. He does link up well and looks for quick one twos for Sterling to run on to. I've also wanted to see Coutinho and Lallana playing together for a full game for a while now, so I'm excited to see this - as opposed to the (so far) ineffective Markovic.

 

Lambert's passing is very good. In fact our whole team today have fantastic passing technique, apart from Skrtel and Mignolet, who are still passable. I hope we really use this.

 

You'll have to wait a bit longer.

99% sure one of them will get subbed off before the 90 minutes are up.

 

If you watch Southampton games from last season it was Lamberts link up play that brought the best out of Lallana and JRod. He has never had pace, but that doesn't matter as he creates space around him for faster plays to work in.