The right honourable Liverpool v PSV Eindhoven before/during/afters match thread

mike65

No squad news yet though most fans can figure out whos likely to be in the party I reckon.

PSV are top of the Eredivisie though only after a late goal against the bottom club. While assuming this'll be a less than tough game could be foolish, Dutch sides rarely put up too much of a fight away from home these days. I see this match being rather like the same game two years ago when Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners (hopefully fewer injuries this time).

The squad for that game

Reina, Finnan, Carra, Agger, Riise, Pennant, Gerrard, Alonso, Gonzalez, Crouch, Kuyt.
Subs Dudek, Hyypia, Fowler, Paletta, Luis Garcia, Bellamy, Zenden

The squad for this one at a wild guess

Reina, Arbeloa, Carra, Skrtel, Dossena, Alonso, Gerrard, Riera, Kuyt, Keane, Torres
Subs Cavalieri, Agger, Masch, Lucas, Benayoun, Babel, El Zhar.

Mike

missingtime

mike65 wrote: »

Zenden

//shudders

I wanna see Liverpool tear them apart.

3 or 4 nil.

Goals: Keane (Torres assist), Riera, Gerrard (Keane assist) and someone from the bench

Guy:Incognito

missingtime wrote: »

//shudders

I wanna see Liverpool tear them apart.

3 or 4 nil.

Goals: Keane(Torres assist), Riera, Gerrard (Keane assist) and Ngog from the bench

Entirely plausible till you went off the rails with the last bit.:)

missingtime

Stekelly wrote: »

Entirely plausible till you went off the rails with the last bit.:)

Yea i know. Edit on the way. I'm tired tho

Why isn't Ngog on the bench anyhoo?

Guy:Incognito

missingtime wrote: »

Why isn't Ngog on the bench anyhoo?

He might well be, thats mikes guess at the squad, nothing official out yet.

~Rebel~

Starting 11 im guessing;

---

Reina
Arbeloa--Skrtel--Carra--Aurelio

---

Masch--Gerrard
Kuyt

---

Babel

---

Keane--Torres

wouldn't be surprised to see Alonso instead of masch, and maybe even Agger given a start instead of Skrtel.

I'd be astonished if Babel didn't start this one though.

bUILDERtHEbOB

I'd play:

---

Reina

---

Arbeloa---Skrtel---Agger---Aurelio

---

Lucas----Alonso

---

Yossi

---

Babel

---

Keane----Torres

---

because rotation is awesome, and this team should beat PSV, couldn't care less about the performance as long as we get a result.

zAbbo

---

Reina

---

Arbeloa---Carra---Agger---Aurelio

---

Masch----Gerrard

---

Kuyt

---

Babel

---

Keane----Torres

---

I'm assuming 4-4-2 as we're at home

Lot's of combinations, especially the CB and CM pairings.

Melion

Im hoping for

Reina

Aurelio
Arbeloa
Carra
Skrtel/Agger

Xabi
Masch

Kuyt
Riera
Gerrard

Torres

My first CL game, cant wait. Tickets dead centre of the Kop too

zAbbo

Melion wrote: »

My first CL game, cant wait. Tickets dead centre of the Kop too

Good stuff, should be a great atmosphere

internelligent

Reina

Aurelio
Arbeloa
Carra
Skrtel

Xabi
Masch/Gerrard

Kuyt
Riera
Gerrard/Keane

Torres

Finding it really difficult to decide on a team when everyone's fit. I don't think the back four I have there will change much. If Agger plays I feel it'll be as a sub. I'd like to see Masch start on the bench in place of Gerrard so Keane and Torres can improve on their partnership. Not sure how bad Masch's injury was so if anything it'll give him a bit of extra time for recovery if needed.
Not wanting to jinx it but I think that PSV are the weakest team in our group so a win is essential as I imagine Marseille will beat them. Also, we want to put these group stage matches to bed and cement our place in the next round ASAP.
I'm hoping this year we'll have a good go at the league. We've had a start that ANY Liverpool fan would've snatched at if offered to them and the last thing I'd want is the team not focused on a league game due to poor results in the CL. Or key players rested in the league as they're needed badly for us to qualify for the next round in the CL.
Strong team put out and if the game's won at 60 mins, take off Masch/Torres/Riera/Gerrard or whoever to rest for the Man City game as that will be a huge test I fear. Bring it on though

Jazzy

Melion wrote: »

Im hoping for

Reina

Aurelio
Arbeloa
Carra
Skrtel/Agger

Xabi
Masch

Kuyt
Riera
Gerrard

Torres

wat, no keane?
makes me wonder wat we spent £20m on if hes not gonna start in a home CL tie

DeadSkin

RTE or UTV have this tomorrow night folks?

_blank_

RTE deffo showing it.

~Rebel~

Jazzy wrote: »

wat, no keane?
makes me wonder wat we spent £20m on if hes not gonna start in a home CL tie

For the premiership. We didn't have a problem with the champions league.

None the less, I expect Keane to start, but he is most definately a signing to further our ambitions in the premierleague over anything else.

zAbbo

~Rebel~ wrote: »

For the premiership. We didn't have a problem with the champions league.

None the less, I expect Keane to start, but he is most definately a signing to further our ambitions in the premierleague over anything else.

Keane is needed for the long run, to cover Torres/Gerrard in our 4-2-3-1 formation.

I thought he did well against Everton too, just needs to break his duck soon

~Rebel~

zAbbo wrote: »

Keane is needed for the long run, to cover Torres/Gerrard in our 4-2-3-1 formation.

I thought he did well against Everton too, just needs to break his duck soon

yes thats true, but i have a feeling we'll see a lot more of Keane then Gerrard in the center of that 3. I think we'll be seeing more of Gerrard in the midfield 2 this year then we have for a while, based on what both Rafa and Gerrard have said.

We've played with pretty much a 4-4-2 in most games this year so far, particularly when Riera and Kuyt are on the wings

pesireland

I guess the staring line up will be

reina

Arbeloa
Carragher
Agger
Dossena

Leiva
Alonso
Gerrard
Babel

Keane
Torres

Subs:
Kuyt
Riera
Hyypia
Masherano
Ngog
Aruelio
etc

Eire-Dearg

Reina
Arbeloa Agger Carra Aurelio
Babel Masch Gerrard Riera
Torres Keane

pesireland

i don't think rafa will put out a strong team, he will keep them back for city on sunday

zAbbo

He will start a strong team, Torres certainly doesn't look match sharp yet, and Masch also needs games.

From what he said earlier, Babel will probably start. Kuyt who is a Euro favourite of Rafa's might not start in favour of Benayoun.

mike65

The official squad

Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Skrtel, Dossena, Aurelio, Babel, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt, Torres, Keane, Cavalieri, Lucas, Riera.

Mike

MementoMori

To whoever asked it Ngog isnt on the bench due UEFA squad rules about nationality - which is a bloody nuisance.

I'm hoping for (an) early goal(s) - seems like ages since we have won a match in the first half and been able to take it easy in the second and rest players. It mightn't matter hugely now but later on in April and May it might be handy.

My guess at team

---

Reina

---

-Arbeloa--Carra-Skrtel-Dossena
-Kuyt-Alonso-Gerrard---Babel--

---

Keane

---

---

Torres

---

Likely subs - Cavailieri, Agger, Aurelio, Lucas, Benayoun

I would like to keep Masch rested - I think he will be a key player against Man City - the analysis on MOTD where it showed how Wigan didnt give the City midfield any time on the ball, were constantly harrasing them, would lead me to believe this is a game where Masch could successfully wreck havoc for us.

I think if the game is won in the first half e.g. 2-0 up we might see Agger or Benayoun as the likeliest subs with a rejigging of the formation. Gerrard, Torres and Kuyt are the most likely to be among the first subs.

For what I've heard PSV havent been playing well.

PSV lost their opening group match 3-0 to Atletico Madrid and were booed off by their fans after a lacklustre 1-0 win over Volendam at the weekend.

A win for us and a win for Atletico would probably be the best result - would be nice to not have to field the strongest team in the last few group games.

Will be keeping an eye out for Affelay (due to the mild rumours during the summer linking us to him) and Kronkamp (always wary of the curse of ex players)

From BBC

Liverpool midfielders Javier Mascherano and Yossi Benayoun are both fit for the Group D tie against the Dutch side.

They have recovered from minor injuries and their return leaves Rafa Benitez with plenty of midfield options.

PSV lost their opening group match 3-0 to Atletico Madrid and were booed off by their fans after a lacklustre 1-0 win over Volendam at the weekend.

They have former Liverpool defender Jan Kromkamp and ex-Manchester City keeper Andreas Isaksson in their squad.

Liverpool have made their best start to a domestic season since 1996 and are in great form having beaten Everton 2-0 in the Merseyside derby on Saturday.

Benitez knows a win on Wednesday will put his side well on the way to qualification for the knock-out stages, but he is refusing to take anything for granted in what will be his 250th game in charge of the team.

"When you are playing well and winning games, with everyone talking about how good you are, it is important to calm down and get people talking only about the next game," he said.

"We have to make sure we do not listen to what is being said but just concentrate on the future.

"But it is better to manage expectations, like we are, than be bottom of the table and trying to motivate players."

Liverpool beat and drew with the Dutch side in the 2006-07 group stages and then triumphed 3-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

"PSV are a different side with a different manager and many players since the last time we played them in Europe," Benitez explained.

"Yes, we have beaten them at Anfield twice, but that is when things can be dangerous. People expect things to happen.

"The fact that PSV lost their opening group match to Atletico Madrid is also a problem for us.

If you look at the current squad, there are far more options, not just in personnel but also formations that we can comfortably play

Kromkamp, who played 18 games for Liverpool during the 2005-06 season, speaks highly of his old club and believes they can win both the Champions League and Premier League this season.

"They can copy what Manchester United achieved last season in winning both the European Cup and the Premier League.

"They certainly have the quality. In fact, even when I was here I believed they were capable of winning anything they took part in.

"Having watched them a few times on TV this season, I can see their confidence is high and they are certainly able to win both the major tournaments."

---

Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Skrtel, Dossena, Aurelio, Babel, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt, Torres, Keane, Cavalieri, Lucas, Riera.

Karmafaerie

I can see Babel starting.
He's a good history against PSV.
He should get a "nice" reaction too.
Once Ajax, always Ajax to the PSV fans.

rosboy

AURELIO THE ONLY CHANGE FOR REDS

Fabio Aurelio starts against PSV tonight as Rafa Benitez makes just one change from the side which beat Everton at the weekend. Listen to the game live online from 7.40pm BST.

The left-back replaces Andrea Dossena, while Javier Mascherano has to settle for a place on the bench after recovering from a calf strain.

The Reds XI in full is: Reina, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Carragher, Skrtel, Gerrard, Alonso, Riera, Kuyt, Keane, Torres. Subs: Cavalieri, Dossena, Agger, Mascherano, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N161527081001-1850.htm

Vokes

Reina, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Carragher, Skrtel, Gerrard, Alonso, Riera, Kuyt, Keane, Torres.
Subs: Cavalieri, Dossena, Agger, Mascherano, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas.

Nalz

3-0 to the Pool after a cautious opening 30 mins

Keane to get a scrappy goal

Tusky

The Reds XI in full is: Reina, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Carragher, Skrtel, Gerrard, Alonso, Riera, Kuyt, Keane, Torres. Subs: Cavalieri, Dossena, Agger, Mascherano, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas.

Just as Babel starts to look like hes really improved and developed, Rafa sticks him on the bench for a few games on the trot. Typical Benitez. Very frustrating.

Subs: Cavalieri, Dossena, Agger, Mascherano, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas.

Very strong bench.

Nalz

Dossena out is a good move imo

Jazzy

positive team. looking for a good performance.
i like the way pool are going. i really hope i continue to get proved wrong

Jazzy

woof!

kuyt sure does score a lot of deflections... do i care tho? heck no

whatawaster

Jazzy wrote: »

woof!

kuyt sure does score a lot of deflections... do i care tho? heck no

he's our lampard

MementoMori

Woot Great start

PSV look a bit shakey

Couple more goals before half time and bang on the subs at the 60 min mark

MementoMori

Trilla wrote: »

Dossena out is a good move imo

Don't know if I'd agree on this - Aurelio hasn't looked massively solid with regard to his positioning tonight, which given how absolutely junk PSV have been playing is a bit of a concern. Would be nice to get the second goal to really kill the game.

Looked like a pen there on Keane - I think he was slightly unlucky not to get it.

_blank_

MementoMori wrote: »

Looked like a pen there on Keane - I think he was slightly unlucky not to get it.

It looked like he was slipping anyway.

Definitely contact all the same.

MementoMori

Slippy ball and pitch making for some poor passes

LuckyLloyd

\o/

citytillidie

Woohoo get in there Robbie

_blank_

Nice.

lol though.

Berbatov last night, Keane tonight.

MementoMori

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of many

The Torres Keane combo strike - Gorgeous ball in from Torres, Sweet Finish and previously lovely dancing feet from Kuyt.

Given how little PSV have offered going forward, unless Liverpool really screw up that has to be the game - I think this could be 4 or 5 given how poor the PSV defence look

stick-dan

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

GWAN KEANO!

whatawaster

Des wrote: »

Nice.

lol though.

Berbatov last night, Keane tonight.

Bent tomorrow? nah

Mr.Nice Guy

A nicely taken goal from Keano.

_blank_

What's the Keane song?

"Let it be"

darkskol

Half time and 2-0 up, delighted Keane got his first and it was a "proper" goal too not a deflection of his backside or anything.

Tusky

Des wrote: »

What's the Keane song?

"Let it be"

Cant make out the words myself.

This has to go down as more of a bad performance by PSV than a particularly good one by Liverpool. Liverpool haven't needed to get out of 2nd gear..it really looks like a training match. Seems to be an incredibly slippy surface on the pitch which has broken down a few Liverpool attacks.

Delighted for Keane. Great work by Kuyt and Torres for his goal. Hope Benitez doesn't shut up shop and stick Dossena on left wing and Mascherano for Gerrard. Instead, he should bring on Babel and Benayoun and get a couple more goals - would do the teams confidence a world of good to win 4 or 5 nil, and its definitely possible.

MementoMori

Reina - bored out of his skull I’d say
Arbeloa - continuing his fine form of this season - as in all the games I’ve seen him this season
Carra & Skrtel - solid as ever very little to do really
Aurelio - seems PSV are intent on going down the right any chance they get, done reasonably well in terms of getting forward (put a couple of nice balls into the box) but wasn’t too impressed by his performance in a defensive sense - positionaly, tracking back etc- I think long-term Dossena looks the better option - Great problem to have though
Riera - hasn’t been as impressive as in previous games - would expect to see Babel for some stage of the second half - still solid performance
Gerrard - only concern is that with this 4-4-2 formation he is too far away from the opposition goal and also when playing alongside Alonso he has to do too much tracking back/defending - probably odds on for MOTM
Kuyt - nice one for his goal and did very well in the build-up to Keane’s goal but was only involved in patches - possible sub in the second half - not really the type of game that suits him massively
Alonso - been pretty average - done nothing too memorable - gave away one very cheap free -
Torres - slipped three or four times - needs to switch his boots - got free for both the Pool corners but hasn’t been massively impressive - cross for Keane’s goal a delight though
Keane - very decent performance - typical busy performance - great to see him off the mark - would say he’s the likeliest Liverpool player to be next scorer

All in all a decent performance but the opposition havent been up to much - they have been massively disappointing - offered very little overall - don’t think they had a shot on target - Being beaten all over the field really

oobydooby

Robbie should develop a new celebration to go with his new song...

whatawaster

oobydooby wrote: »

Robbie should develop a new celebration to go with his new song...

i think he said when he joined he'd only do it for his first goal

oobydooby

MementoMori wrote: »

Gerrard - only concern is that with this 4-4-2 formation he is too far away from the opposition goal and also when playing alongside Alonso he has to do too much tracking back/defending - probably odds on for MOTM

Giles made a few interesting (and positive) comments before the match about him watching Liverpool against Everton and htinking Gerrard was playing a perfect central midfielder's role, which he hadn't been doing before. I find it very hard to judge a CM from the telly. But it's noticeable how deep Gerrard is playing when Liverpool are attacking. Also Robbie has been hanging back covering sometimes when Kuyt Reira and Torres are up front.

oobydooby

whatawaster wrote: »

i think he said when he joined he'd only do it for his first goal

Well that's a few monkeys off his back now so. Robbie for a hat-trick.