Liverpool vs FC Porto
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Anfield
Thursday, 29 November 2007
3.55am (SG, GMT+8)
Ch 24 (STAR Sports)
Liverpool Line-Up (Probable):
25. Jose Manuel Reina
23. Jamie Carragher __ 4. Sami Hyypia
17. Alvaro Arbeloa ______________________________________ 12. Fabio Aurelio
8. Steven Gerrard (C) ____ 20. Javier Mascherano
19. Ryan Babel ______________________________________ 7. Harry Kewell
18. Dirk Kuyt ______ 9. Fernando Torres
Substitutes (Probable):30. Charles Itandje, 5. Daniel Agger, 6. John Arne Riise, 21. Lucas Leiva, 11. Yossi Benayoun, 15. Peter Crouch, 10. Andriy Voronin
After a disappointing start to the Reds' Champions League campaign in September, which included unfortunate defeats to French relegation candidates Marseille and Turkish outfit Besiktas, plus a good point against FC Porto, Liverpool have managed to pull themselves from the dead with that 8-0 humiliation of Besiktas at Anfield to still put their qualification hopes in their hands. Liverpool now host the return leg against FC Porto, hoping to go one better against the Portugese giants.
To make matters more complicated, the off-field argument between owner and manager is ever brewing, and most Reds fans will hope that the off-field hierarchy battle doesn't affect the players' on-field performance.
Rafa Benitez should field his strongest side against FC Porto. The back line should be the standard, however only Jamie Carragher's place is set, as Daniel Agger, John Arne Riise or Steve Finnan might pipe Alvaro Arbeloa, Fabio Aurelio or Sami Hyypia of a place. Skipper Steven Gerrard will pull the strings from midfield, and bomb forward often, with Argentine Javier Mascherano just behind him, protecting the back four. Having only played Ryan Babel as a sub, and coming on to score, Benitez should field Babel from the off, creating much havoc at Porto's fullbacks. The return to fitness of Harry Kewell should see him win a berth at left wing, as Yossi Benayoun and Jermaine Pennant should not have recovered yet. Record signing Fernando Torres should start, however it remains to be seen as to who begins alongside him, unless too, we'd never know, Rafa Benitez goes with a 4-5-1. If it's a more likely 4-4-2, Dirk Kuyt will provide the hardworking link-up between midfield and Torres, Peter Crouch will provide the aerial threat and target-man option, whilst Andriy Voronin could do the linking-up work too, but at the same time get amongst a goal or an assist.
So hopefully Liverpool, by the time of Thursday morning, still have their qualification hopes in their hands, and hope Besiktas do them a favour by not losing to Marseille.
Don't sack Benitez!
Bye~!
my thoughts at 2:44 pm