Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson faces an enormous selection dilemma this week.
As we begin our Europa League campaign on Thursday in Macedonia, he must decide whether to persevere with the Academy and reserve team players who did well enough but were clearly second best in Saturday’s defeat to Kaiserslautern. New boss Hodgson said after the game:
“The sports science people are keen we don’t throw the World Cup people into action, but to throw this team into the Europa League might be a bridge too far for them”
With Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Glen Johnson, Joe Cole and Daniel Agger already back at Melwood, the burning question is, should he go against Head of Sports Science, Peter Brukner, and play some of our first teamers against Rabotniki?
While I, like everyone else, wants desperately for us to win the Premiership, there is always a need for a club like Liverpool to be playing matches in Europe. We need those magical European nights to inspire the fans and the club itself. Lets face it, if Benitez had won the Europa League last season, he might still be the boss. So what should Hodgson do, play the likes of Stevie G and Carra, or stick with the kids?
Hodgson’s choice, he is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t play some of our regular first teamers.I hope he plays our star players, for one half at least.
Follow us on twitter @live4Liverpool
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at editor@live4liverpool.com
We should win with the same team we played last weekend, maybe introducing 1 or 2 more senior players but we don’t need all the W/C players involved, would like to see Joe Cole play some part of the match
Also I guess we could argue “How much time did our W/C players actually play (apart from Kuyt)”
Lets face it, this is over 2 legs if we need a result at Anfield then play some of the big guns
Play the academy players first, any problems in the first half then bring on the more exprience players. The tie is over two legs so as long as it is not a heavy loss the likes of Stevie G can play in the second leg.