The Soccer Blog: Matchday: Liverpool v. Braga

Thursday, 10 March 2011

Matchday: Liverpool v. Braga

By: Ed | March 10th, 2011
Tweet quarry

Kickoff from Braga Municipal Stadium at 18:00 GMT, 1:00 EST.

Ways to Watch:

Match live on Five in England, 3e in Ireland, and GolTV in the US.

MyP2P.eu
Atdhenet.tv
From Sport

Liverpool:

Reina
Carragher Soto Skrtel Johnson
Poulsen
Lucas Spearing
Meireles Cole
Kuyt

Bench: Gulasci, Pacheco, Wilson, Maxi, Carroll, Flanagan, Ngog

That attempt at a formation is me holding up my hands and saying “huh?” Both Christian Poulsen and Jay Spearing work their way into the squad, and with Lucas as the mainstay, Twitter is a shambles searching for the potential formation. Not that it’s any different from any other matchday, but with three defensive-leaning central midfielders involved there’s a bit more than usual. At the back we the get the scenario I mentioned but didn’t see as likely—Carra at right back, Kyrgiakos and Skrtel middle, Johnson on the left. Front three(ish) as expected, though, with Cole, Meireles, and Kuyt responsible for things in attack.

Braga:

Artur
Miguel Garcia—Kaká—Rodríguez—Sílvio
Salino—Hugo Viana
Alan—Mossoró—Paulo César
Lima

Bench: Cristiano, Paulao, Helder Barbosa, Meyong, Dani, Peterson, Anibal Capela

In the run-up:

Some random notes prior to kickoff…

** From the department of terribly written headlines, we get this glimpse into the mind of skinhead Raul Meireles:

“This is the English style. My first game, against Birmingham, I saw a photo in the newspaper and I was doing a cross and in the picture it looked like I did not have hair. So I cut it off. My daughter shaved it off. She is six. It is a little dangerous, but I trust her. I am happy with the job she did. It was not because everyone looks tough. I just did not like that photo. The weather, with the wind and the rain, is not good for your hair. I am better this way.”

Awkwardly worded headline aside, the legend grows with Meireles, who’s cut a unique figure since his arrival. First it’st the tattoos, then it’s the volleys, then it’s the blue skinny jeans and sailor shirts, and now it’s the importance of nurturing your hair in the harsh climate of northwestern England. I know it’s hard to believe that the shearing abilities of his daughter could be less important than…anything, but apparently he also had some insight into today’s opponent, or whatever. The more he talks, the more I listen.

** Steven Gerrard’s road back to fitness is apparently less straightforward than we originally thought, or it at least contains a detour that bypasses international duty. From the Guardian:

The Liverpool captain has had tests this week and a decision on the best course of treatment is expected on Friday. The club’s manager, Kenny Dalglish, has refused to rule out surgery for the player and should Gerrard have an operation he would be likely to miss the Wales game, on 26 March, and England’s friendly against Ghana three days later.

“For us and for Steven it is a niggling problem that we’ve got to find a solution to,” Dalglish said. “We will know better by the end of the week. By Friday we will know where we stand. Hopefully it is going to be cleared up and he’ll be available for most matches. Everybody has got to be carefully managed, whether they are fully fit or slightly fit. We will know better on Friday. We won’t speculate about anybody, especially Steven. It is a minimal problem but it is a problem that needs to be fixed. If we’ve got time to get it fixed we’ll get it fixed.”

So now we have fitness to add to the list of things about which we have an uncomfortable level of confusion; Noel sorted through the form side of things the other day, but now it looks as though developing consistency is a somewhat delayed project. Of course, there’s always the possibility that the reason he was good against United the other day was precisely because he wasn’t fully fit, and the club could continue to trot out a 65% Gerrard in a deeper role in central midfield, where his body simply wouldn’t allow for the heylookitsanopenspaceishouldrunthereandforgetabouteverythingelse moments that get him (and the squad) into a bit of trouble. Either way, we should know more on Friday.

Kickoff in a few hours, and team sheets will be posted once they’re available.

Some Related Liverpool Posts:Match Preview: Liverpool v. SC Braga, 03.10.11Matchday: Liverpool v. SteauaMatchday: Liverpool v. Sparta PragueMatchday: Liverpool v. SteauaMatchday: Liverpool v. Utrecht

Category: Europa League, Matchday Posts, Miscellaneous, Team News

Tags: Andy Carroll, Europa League, Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool v. Braga, Matchday Posts, Miscellaneous, Raúl Meireles, Steven Gerrard, Team News
Tweet « Match Preview: Liverpool v. SC Braga, 03.10.11 | Home | NoelBleh. The Europa League: Where fun goes to die.alcatrazzledazzleCarroll is nasty, brutish and tallcheekyfellowLook at him climb!alcatrazzledazzleHe's a manimalEdSo Andy Carroll's been doing okay since coming on.cheekyfellowFound a non-Goltv stream, music to my earsalcatrazzledazzleIt's refreshing how GolTV advertises terrible products in both English and SpanishEdIsn't it sort of depressing how badly GolTV and FSC seem to need advertising dollars?

I don't know that I've ever seen a commercial for something that I would use between the two channels, at least now that my acne is gone and I grew new hair where my bald spot used to be.alcatrazzledazzleI know! It makes me think soccer fans are pock-marked, bald sleep apnea sufferers. I'd prefer they think we're beer-guzzling, violent-movie-loving truck drivers.paul koncheskeychristian poulson = the sexNoelBecause when you finish watching him you're filled with shame and just want to go and cry in a corner?EdI'm getting close to being conditioned to pass out whenever I hear the Europa League anthem.NoelMaxi for Poulsen at the half, please. And if he can handle 45, Carroll for Cole.

What, there's still ten minutes in the half? Well, I'll take Maxi for Poulsen now, too.EdSmashing start all around, then.Noelhttp://www.quiroz-solutions.co...

Most reliable stream site lately, if you want to hear Ray and Phil do their thing.NoelWhat a hideous fucking challenge. Fucking hideous. And meanwhile three of Liverpool's five midfielders look functionally useless so far. So much for the potential for a tedious 0-0EdYeah, the 0-0 doesn't account for tape delayed challenges in the penalty area and black holes developing in the midfield.EdI wonder if a player has ever finished a match with a giveaway per minute.KhaineI'm confident we have the right man for that particular job. Sigh...NoelWell then, Spearing, Cole, and Poulsen have all had a "What the fuck are you thinking moment?" already. So that's promising.NoelHi ho, release the kraken with chameleon eyes.Justin BonebrakeYES! Christmas Tree formation!RoscoGreat possibility of width in that line-up.paulCole to go off after 60 minutes and Carroll to come and scare the life out of Braga?

Even if we don't win, I hope we try to keep the ball down and move it around instead of Carra-like hoofing it at every opportunity.NoelI'm guessing at least six of those Braga players are actually three, but for the life of me can't figure out who. At least without Googling, which would just be effort or something. I'm gonna say it's Alan Mossoró and Paulo César, but who's the third?EdSurprise! It's Paulo Cesar, Hugo Viana, and Miguel Garcia.

I separated them a bit more above after you pointed out that it was a 14-man starting eleven.NoelDamn, I was thinking 4231 was their most likely formation, but Alan looked like it had to be a first name. Then again, paired up with Mossoró might have driven that likelihood back down if I'd been thinking.cheekyfellowWouldn't be surprised if Gerrard was given a shot before the Man U game, as he has had them beforeHoffa“Heylookitsanopenspaceishouldrunthereandforgetabouteverythingelse”

hahahaaha when you write like that you truly made the point "The Point", with that said - point taken !Patrick. Match live on 3e in Ireland if anybody wants to know.Yann“Heylookitsanopenspaceishouldrunthereandforgetabouteverythingelse” Wow!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious now has penis envy.
redtrev73In the face of Ed's mighty neologism, even ron jeremy, john holmes and dirk diggler would have penis envy!!!YannHey, doesn't Dirk Kuyt sound just a little bit pornish? I mean the lad sure can score.redtrev73Nearly drowned in my coffee there Yann. "Pornish" is without doubt the best adjective i've heard in ages!! Looking forward to telling my missus later that her new boots are a little "pornish" for my tastes...!!EdLucky you, it seems.blog comments powered by Disqus