What a game it's going to be, a humongous game in our season. After the shamballs that was the Spurs game, we need a game against good opposition to prove our worth. Spurs are getting good far too soon for my liking, having played Arsenal, United, City and us and being only a point behind us with a game in hand they are in a fantastic position. We need to make a statement to ourselves that we are a top quality side, to get some belief back into the team, as lets be fair, we've been uninspiring yet effective so far this season.
Personally, I don't know how we can win this game on the performances of late, however I know we need to. Maybe the fact it's United might motivate the team like it has in the past, we need a thunderous performance to stand a chance. If we can match up to them though, there defence is there for the taking, Norwich pissed all over them at Old Trafford, it was a crime they got nothing from that game, Suarez, Downing, Carroll, Bellamy, Gerrard could cause them hell.
This brings me on nicely to what's shaping up to be the perfect time for a return to the starting line up for Gerrard. He's got quite a few minutes under his belt now and will have a nice two week rest (thanks Fabio), he just has to start, and for me, in the middle. I'm hoping after many months of him being out, with pretenders like Nasri and Modric trying to take the mantle of best attacking midfielder in the premier league away from him and it being against United, the stage is set for a big Gerrard performance. We need one, we're overdue one.
So the team for me has to be
--------------------------Reina--------------------------
--Kelly-----Carragher-------Skirt---------Enrique--
-Bellamy-----Gerrard-------Lucas-------Downing-
-----------------Carroll-------Suarez------------------
A couple of hard choices in here, first being the exclusion of Dirk, he's a player that doesn't look good on paper but he's never a player you want to leave out. It's a hard situation as I think it's about time Bellamy got his chance, his fight, pace and direct play, he'll be a big threat, and I imagine he'll be very much up for this game. So maybe Downing should go, probably a justifiable argument, however I just prefer him in the team to Dirk at the moment, but to be fair, any two of those three and I'll be happy. As for Carroll, he just has to play after his goal, especially as there is something slowly forming between him and Suarez. I'd like to see a big performance from him.
Gerrard has to go in the middle for me, we can't afford a midfield of Adam and Lucas against United. Lucas wins out over Adam for me as his partner, I just think Lucas will be a better partner.
It's going to be a very hard game on Saturday week, I'm not very confident but we just have to win, we can't keep up with the attitude that we're only dropping points for our hard games (Stoke away, Tottenham away) so it's okay. The buck has to stop here and we have to start performing. I want to be in the champions league next season, it's where we belong.
Personally, I don't know how we can win this game on the performances of late, however I know we need to. Maybe the fact it's United might motivate the team like it has in the past, we need a thunderous performance to stand a chance. If we can match up to them though, there defence is there for the taking, Norwich pissed all over them at Old Trafford, it was a crime they got nothing from that game, Suarez, Downing, Carroll, Bellamy, Gerrard could cause them hell.
This brings me on nicely to what's shaping up to be the perfect time for a return to the starting line up for Gerrard. He's got quite a few minutes under his belt now and will have a nice two week rest (thanks Fabio), he just has to start, and for me, in the middle. I'm hoping after many months of him being out, with pretenders like Nasri and Modric trying to take the mantle of best attacking midfielder in the premier league away from him and it being against United, the stage is set for a big Gerrard performance. We need one, we're overdue one.
So the team for me has to be
--------------------------Reina--------------------------
--Kelly-----Carragher-------Skirt---------Enrique--
-Bellamy-----Gerrard-------Lucas-------Downing-
-----------------Carroll-------Suarez------------------
A couple of hard choices in here, first being the exclusion of Dirk, he's a player that doesn't look good on paper but he's never a player you want to leave out. It's a hard situation as I think it's about time Bellamy got his chance, his fight, pace and direct play, he'll be a big threat, and I imagine he'll be very much up for this game. So maybe Downing should go, probably a justifiable argument, however I just prefer him in the team to Dirk at the moment, but to be fair, any two of those three and I'll be happy. As for Carroll, he just has to play after his goal, especially as there is something slowly forming between him and Suarez. I'd like to see a big performance from him.
Gerrard has to go in the middle for me, we can't afford a midfield of Adam and Lucas against United. Lucas wins out over Adam for me as his partner, I just think Lucas will be a better partner.
It's going to be a very hard game on Saturday week, I'm not very confident but we just have to win, we can't keep up with the attitude that we're only dropping points for our hard games (Stoke away, Tottenham away) so it's okay. The buck has to stop here and we have to start performing. I want to be in the champions league next season, it's where we belong.