Daniel Agger

Agger aswell as Alonso have not travelled to Marseille.

Hope this means they're not ready for Sunday and Hyypia/Sissoko play.

Originally Posted by Stickman

To be fair to him he hasn't played the last 2 years home games against them. Suspended for city red in rio last minute winner game where our midfield was Richardson oshea Fletcher giggs

And he was on bench last season. Flu or something.

Not really getting this "Ronnie never does it in the big games" business. It's not like he's 28 or summat. Last season was his first consistently good one and we were shite as a team the previous two.

Originally Posted by legendary saf

Agger aswell as Alonso have not travelled to Marseille.

Hope this means they're not ready for Sunday and Hyypia/Sissoko play.

We can beat these dippers whoever plays, we are a better team.

Originally Posted by legendary saf

Agger aswell as Alonso have not travelled to Marseille.

Hope this means they're not ready for Sunday and Hyypia/Sissoko play.

Press reports are suggesting that they won't be playing. Have to say, I quite fancy our chances against the Mascherano-Gerrard-Carragher-Hyypia axis. Horrible lack of pace at the back and it really doesn't look like the kind of line-up that will control possession very effectively. They'll probably sit deep and be quite hard to break down if we can't get an early goal though.

My main concerns would be shots from outside the box from Gerrard given his goalscoring form of late, as we've left ourselves open to these on a number of occassions this season when the midfielders have got sucked out of position, and the possibility of getting caught on the break with Torres isolated against Vidic (we all know how he can struggle against pacey strikers).

Other than that I don't think they look too troubling on paper, although in football how things look on paper often has little bearing on reality.

Originally Posted by legendary saf

Its not a scoop, but lets be honest. Apart from the game at old trafford in 2004 for Benitez's first game against us Ronaldo has never delivered against Liverpool. I wish he becomes as fearless in big games as he was back then.

He needs to relax, its clear hes got a lot of pressure on him to perform and in the end he tries to hard, keeps doing unnecessary things and in the end has a very average game.

I hate to say it but spot on saf. Hat off to you for admitting it too, with you being a Ronaldo die hard.

He trys far too hard in big games Ronaldo like he is trying to prove a point that he is one of the best players in the world or something cutting in etc. He just needs to do what he does to every other team on Sunday and he will absolutely destroy their back 4. I can't see Agger starting in this, if he does he will be very rusty. Hypia gets worse with every game and 'Carra' is being shown up for the clogger he is.

I completely agree. It's like a load off this because I thought we weren't allowed to speak about it.

Don't forget Rafa's rotation. I suspect Babel and Crouch will feature, Kuyt and one from Kewell/Benayoun to be benched?

One report on Wednesday seemed to suggest Alonso was fit but I seem to recall the fat jabba sauing pre match that Alonso was another week away from any sort of first team football.

Originally Posted by Whalefish

Don't forget Rafa's rotation. I suspect Babel and Crouch will feature, Kuyt and one from Kewell/Benayoun to be benched?

One report on Wednesday seemed to suggest Alonso was fit but I seem to recall the fat jabba sauing pre match that Alonso was another week away from any sort of first team football.

Alonso would be a bonus for them but again, he would be rusty. Is it only me who doesn't buy into this Mascherano hype? To me he just sits in front of the back four getting 'stuck in' and wastefully gives away possession all the time? People make out he is the best defensive midfielder in the world. I honestly believe he is quite average and can be picked off getting behind him.

He'll play a blinder Sunday. MOTWYW.

I suspect the line ups and systems will be similar to this;

VDS

Brown
Rio
Vidic
Evra

Hargreaves
Anderson
Giggs

Ronaldo
Tevez
Rooney



Reina

Arbeloa/Finnnan
Carragher
Hyypia
Riise/Arbeloa

Mascherano
Gerrard
Sissisoko

Kuyt
Torres
Kewell