So Bournemouth (A)

[Pesam]

I posted a profile of the Bournemouth team last season before we played them in the FA Cup and I mentioned that their midfield was better than a few midfields in the EPL and given that the personnel have not changed that still stands. Ritchie, Pugh, Arter and Surman are all very capable of playing in the top division. I mentioned that up front, despite his decent record last season, Grabban was no more than a decent Championship forward and that their defence was their achilles heal as it is very ordinary.

They somehow managed to get £5m for Grabban and replaced him with a far superior player Callum Wilson who cost them about £2m from Coventry. Wilson will play in the Premier League soon and it's a good opportunity for us to have a good look at him. If Bournemouth are brave and play 2 up front i.e. Pittman/Wilson then they will cause us all sorts of trouble but I have a feeling they will play 5 in midfield and Wilson on his own up front.

Defensively they are still dodgy and I don't think any of their back 4 will ever play at the higher level, it should be a good time for Balotelli to find his goalscoring boots.

I'll reserve judgement on which way I think this game will go until I see what team we select, I would go for................

.......................................Mignolet*............................
Manquillo.........Skrtel.............Sakho..........Moreno
...................................Can....Henderson................
............Sterling............Markovic............Lallana..........
..................................Balotelli..............................

If that's our line-up we win 1-3 or 2-3.

Edit: The (*) beside Mings name is because, even though I know he won't start, I would play him. I don't rate him at all but I still think he's better than Jones :-(

 

[Wiberg]

what's the point?

Christ. Get a can of gasoline and get it over with. Christ!

 

[Modo]

Christ. Get a can of gasoline and get it over with. Christ!

Christ. What? Christ.

 

[RedStar]

Given that we know
Mignolet is out of the side for at least a while and hopefully for good
Gerrard will be rested for Arsenal
Lallana isnt 100% fit and Johnson has picked up a knock
Balotelli is shite if he plays on his own

Id go with

---------------Jones
Manquillo-Toure-Sahko--Enrique
---------------Lucas
-------Can-----------Allen
-------------Markovic
-----Borini-----Balotelli

Manquillo, Sahko, Can and Markovic have an opportunity to play themselves into the first team here as the guys ahead of them in the pecking order have not been pulling up any trees in the last 2 months. Id like to see us continue the high pressing game we started with at Old Trafford with Can getting license to push forward and join the front 3

 

[Ryan]

Must win game for Roy Rodgers.. (sorry Ryan had to steal it).. Let kicks on..

No need to apologise, cos you certainly didn't steal that fucking rubbish effort from me anyway.

 

[Modo]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but was the Man U game the first loss we had since Lucas became a regular?

 

[Woland]

I really thought we'd lost more often in the past six years

 

[StevieM]

Must win game for Roy Rodgers.. (sorry Ryan had to steal it).. Let kicks on..

Would like to see Can and Markovic playing in this one..


-----------------jones--------------
Enrique---skittles---toure--Manquillo
--------------Lucas-----Can-----------
-----------------Lallana--------------
Coutinho------Balotelli------Markovic

I'm not sure Enrique at RB and Manquillo at LB is the way to go.

 

[Modo]

I really thought we'd lost more often in the past six years

nice one.

 

[keniget]

Horrible, horrible game to be going into right now.

It's hard to know how to play this one really. They'll be sensing a 'giant killing' and are riding high anyways, so will be properly up for it.

Jones, Enrique, Toure, Skrtel, Manquillo, Lucas, Allen, Can, Markovic, Borini / Balotelli, Lallana

It's so hard to leave Sterling out.

 

[Portly]

Don't worry - I have done my patriotic duty and put a heavy bet on Bournemouth to win at 5/2.

That guarantees us at least a draw and a replay. 🙂

 

[StevieM]

Don't worry - I have done my patriotic duty and put a heavy bet on Bournemouth to win at 5/2.

That guarantees us at least a draw and a replay. 🙂

Replaaaaaaaayyyy!!!!!!!! In the Cap One Cup????

You've doomed us to a penalty kick shoot out defeat now.

You maniac. You've blown our season up. Damn you Portly, God damn you to hell!!!

 

[Wizardry]

Jones must be tired. I'd play the reserve keeper in this. Other than that, the team looks okay. Sinclair and Wilson on the bench, please.

????

Where is Yesil??? You're not even promoting him anymore.

 

[gkmacca]

I thought his presence would go without saying, like underpants.

 

[Gary25]

There'll be plenty of so-called Liverpool fans hoping for a Bournemouth win tomorrow night to feed their Rodgers out agendas.. you can guarantee it.

 

[davud graham]

I'm hoping we win regardless of Rodgers but i just don't expect to win. I can't see how we won't concede goals and if we do they we really will struggle as we can't score to save our lives.

 

[Silver Sean]

Incredible how we can have gone from how we felt last season to seriously worrying about Bournemouth away. Must be the biggest come down since Bez discovered sobriety.

 

[gkmacca]

Actually I was quite worried about us playing Bournemouth last year. They really are a decent side, and they've improved.

 

[Frogfish]

My first priority for this match would be ensuring the players we need for Arsenal are not injured or knackered, after this. That match is crucial, this and this cup, are not. I'm especially not enamoured with a two-legged semi against (likely) Chelsea, Southampton or Spurs in February, giving us 9 matches in 27 days FFS.

I would not start any of those that I see as crucial for the Arsenal match : Toure, Lucas, Coutinho, Gerrard, Sterling, Enrique and Lallana so :

................................... Jones (since we know it will be him)

Manquillo.........Skrtel.............Sakho..........Moreno

...........Henderson .........Can ............ Allen

................................. Markovic

.............. Balotelli .........................Borini


Bench
Ming, Enrique, Lovren, Rossiter, Coutinho, Gerrard, Sinclair, Lambert (not sure how many we can have on the bench for this but I'd choose from those listed).

 

[Silver Sean]

Actually I was quite worried about us playing Bournemouth last year. They really are a decent side, and they've improved.

You know what I mean though. We've turned from Rambo into Corporal Jones in the space of a few months.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

The last thing we need Rodgers to do is put out a "weakened" team again. We need consistency and we need to gain some form. Keep it solid and simple, and keep a clean sheet. Play Lucas and Allen, and play Markovic, Lallana and Sterling. After that he can play who he wants.

 

[Hansern]

Sterling needs a rest imho.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

Sterling needs a rest imho.

I agree, but we have no one else that comes close to his ability. I wish we did.

 

[Frogfish]

The last thing we need Rodgers to do is put out a "weakened" team again. We need consistency and we need to gain some form. Keep it solid and simple, and keep a clean sheet. Play Lucas and Allen, and play Markovic, Lallana and Sterling. After that he can play who he wants.

It's this old chestnut again. What is more important ? Arsenal or Bournemouth ? Because for sure if you force Sterling and a recovering from injury Lallana, to play 3 matches in a week then you are not going to get the level of performance required to beat Arsenal at the weekend.

 

[Hansern]

I agree, but we have no one else that comes close to his ability. I wish we did.

Sadly that's true.
I'd leave him on the bench at least and start Markovic.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

It's this old chestnut again. What is more important ? Arsenal or Bournemouth ? Because for sure if you force Sterling and a recovering from injury Lallana, to play 3 matches in a week then you are not going to get the level of performance required to beat Arsenal at the weekend.

Every match is really important at this stage. If we lose against Bournemouth and play badly again, we haven't a hope of beating Arsenal, no matter who plays. We're a losing team, that is playing badly. we need to change that.

 

[Frogfish]

Every match is really important at this stage. If we lose against Bournemouth and play badly again, we haven't a hope of beating Arsenal, no matter who plays. We're a losing team, that is playing badly. we need to change that.

Arsenal have no match midweek - if we field a tired team we'l get run over and what will that do for morale ? Top 4 disappearing into the horizon ? The squad players and team I posted above should be enough, we hope.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

I actually think whatever team we put out tonight won't win, and the same at the weekend. They're both better teams than us, so it doesn't really matter.

 

[FerrisBueller]

Think this might be a good game to play Lovren and maybe rest Lallana if he has a knock? agree with the rest.

Last thing Lovren needs at the moment is a potential banana skin in the cup

 

[white-sox]

Ye

Last thing Lovren needs at the moment is a potential banana skin in the cup

Yeah I thought that too. Alternatively it might be a good game to gain some confidence.