Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has sounded a word of caution about using youngsters despite the injury crisis that has taken hold at Anfield:
“We have to be very careful. The Academy has progressed fantastically well over the last 18 months or so. We’ve got to be mindful of the fact that those youngsters need to be protected. They’ve played a lot of games at their level and if we are going to put anyone in, it won’t be a problem – but we’ll have to make sure we are sensible. The worst thing for us would be to put someone in and they have a bad game. That would be detrimental.”
I am whole hearted agreement with this statement that our young stars should not be risked before they are ready, as in the long run it could damage their development, but in the context of the match v Manchester City tonight, I feel there is a very little choice.
One fundamental thing is clear: s back four comprised of four centre backs, none of which are blessed with a great deal of pace, is deeply concerning going into a match against a side such as Man City. I am all for experience, but I cannot see how persisting with a centre back partnership of Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Martin Skrtel will really benefit the team.
Although Soto has good aerial abilities, the two errors he made against West Brom last week were fundamentally down to a lack of mobility, while Skrtel alongside him seems to lack any composure unless alongside a quicker partner such as Daniel Agger. If they face Carlos Tevez or Mario Balotelli tonight, the Reds will certainly not keep a clean sheet.
In addition, picking Jamie Carragher at right back will have its own problems tonight. David Silva will wonder infield invariably from the left, and Carra’s lack of pace may see him found wanting. Adam Johnson meanwhile will be looking to exploit Danny Wilson who, although has shown an ability to play left back, is more used to playing centre half.
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the last time we played man city we where totaly bossed out the game , the mid was over run , city where stronger and faster all game.
playin new blood is a risk but one im prepered to see us take.
hope the half wit boo boys bear these facts in mind if it dosent work out!
go for it kenny
its a good oporutnity
our seasons over in the main anyway
lets show some progress for the future
Man City raped us at Eastlands back in August due to Hodgson’s ineptness and his decision to play 4-4-2 which got us completely destroyed. Kenny should continue to play 4-3-3 to make sure we have enough bodies in midfield first to battle against their midfield of Yaya, De Jong and Barry. Playing Soto would be a complete disaster against the likes of Tevez and Balotelli so Carra should shift back into the middle to partner Skrtel. Kenny Dalglish should pick this team:
Reina
Flanagan Carragher Skrtel Aurelio
Poulsen Lucas
Meireles
Kuyt Carroll Suarez
Subs: Gulacsi, Soto, Wilson, Spearing, Shelvey, Cole, Jovanovic.
Poulsen????????
Help!
yeh polusen!
another player written off as it suits the trend
no matter hes a exp international with proven worth!
lets just write him off eh?
merriless was introed gradualay as carragher and gerrard verified on tv recently.
mireless came good after a while. but the relectance to give players a chance as it was bought by an unpopular manager is stupidity!!, we have no one else also.
so it dosent matter kenny play the kids or whoever they will be slaughtered by the ‘me now mtv’ generation.
4-4-3 ? surley u mean 3 5 2?
Agger quicker than Skrtel? Only in his head surely.
Very worried about Kyrgiakos. Would rather risk Flanno on the right with Carragher, Skrtel and whoever is fit on the left.
Playing it safe gains us absolutely nothing – so what if we manage to beat Man Cit with our more experienced players? it wouldnt change anything, the season would still be a waste, we’d still need to get rid in the summer while but our youngsters would still have no experience of top flight football.
.
Reina
Flanagan, Carragher, Wilson, Aurelio
Lucas, Coady, Meireles
Suarez, Carroll, Jovanovich
Subs. Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Poulsen, Cole, Suso, Kuyt
Good call David (Tully)!
Flanagan on the right was a revelation tonight. Spearing did a pretty good job, Carroll was great, Meireles was at his imperious best and Lucas bred confidence to our midfield. My player of the match, however, was Kuyt, whose energy made weighed the balance in our favour on so many occasions. Well done Liverpool, a great team effort and a fantastic result.
hahahhaa…. Now… big star name at liverpool..
watchout…. the kid will rapping you….
flanagan,kelly,jonjo,spearing & wilson <>
johnsan,maxi,joe,poulsen,soto <>
…………….gulasci……………..
kelly….flanagan……ayala……wilson
………….. spearing……………..
…….pacheco….jonjo…sterling……
………….suso…..elestone……….
3 more years… look.. what they can do.
Kelly is a natural centre-back, as is Wilson; Flanagan is a right back; Pacheco plays in a more advanced role than Suso; Coady is a better prospect (and better player already if you watched them in the reserves this year) than Spearing or Jonjo Shelvey; Ecclestone hasn’t really proved that he is better than Ngoo or Morgan still either