The Soccer Blog: Matchday: Liverpool v. Trabzonspor

Thursday, 26 August 2010

Matchday: Liverpool v. Trabzonspor

By: Ed | August 26th, 2010
trab

Kickoff from Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium at 18:30 GMT, 1:30 EST.

Streams:

Match shown live in the UK on ESPN(HD).

MyP2P.eu
Atdhe.net
ChannelSurfing.net

Liverpool:

Reina
Johnson Kyrgiakos Carragher Kelly
Kuyt Lucas Poulsen Aurelio
Cole
Ngog

Bench: Gulacsi, Pacheco, Babel, Spearing, Shelvey, Skrtel, Eccleston

Pretty similar to what was expected—draw it up 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1, it’s going to be a primarily defensive affair. That both Aurelio and Kelly start is telling, and Kuyt’s presence on the right serves a defensive purpose as well. I’d expect to see the pace if Liverpool need a goal late, otherwise it’s gonna be ugly. So long as Liverpool come through on the other side, I’ll be fine with it.

Trabzonspor:

Kivrak
Cale Korkmaz Kacar Balci
Colman Gulselam Inan Yilmaz Gutierrez
Yattara

Bench: Zengin, Baytar, Atas, Alanzinho, Badur, Jaja, Oztorun

In the run-up:

Slow day of news so far, but a few things worth mentioning:

—Roy Hodgson has finally confirmed another poorly-kept secret, and this time it’s that he’s interested in the services of Paul Konchesky. Obviously the two worked together during Hodgson’s time at Fulham, and apparently there’s still a level of interest from the Liverpool boss. It doesn’t sound like there’s anything beyond an inquiry that’s occurred, but it’s also not as if there’s tons of time left to do business.

I’ve mostly seen negative reactions to Hodgson’s pursuit of Konchesky—most say that it’s purely a policy-driven move (homegrown, etc. etc.), that he’s not the “type of player” Liverpool should be after, and that it’s just another indicator of how completely f***ed Liverpool’s financial situation is. At this point, you won’t find me disagreeing with much. No disrespect to Konchesky, who’s pieced together a good career in the Premier League with a handful of clubs.

But going after a 29 year-old defender as the only cover for an oft-injured 30 year-old defender just doesn’t make any sense. There’s still no word on Emiliano Insua’s status, but he’s again missing from the squad today, and I’m guessing they’re still trying to move him. Which would leave the depth chart at left back looking something like Aurelio-Konchesky-Kelly-Agger-Wilson; not awful, but a strange assortment of talent. Long-term we’re looking at someone like Chris Mavinga (who, outside of Fabio Aurelio, is the only “true” left back in the system) growing into the role, but that’s still years away.

Anyway, I assume it’d be a move primarily for depth, and it’d be one that is again met with mixed emotions. I guess I’m just waiting for Liverpool to make some sort move in the transfer market in which they actually spend money. Pardon me, that’s crazy talk. Sometimes I just get too excited.

—The only other thing qualifying as news relates to Jamie Carragher’s upcoming testimonial match—the Echo has pieced together a gallery of some of his most memorable moments along with requests for supporters’ favorite memories ahead of the September 4th match against an Everton XI. His third-degree assault of Alvaro Arbeloa in 2009 is conspicuously absent from the slideshow, but I’ll be sure to submit it as one of my fondest recollections of the man.

More and more I’ve read requests for Carragher to be displaced in the Liverpool back line, and I think it’s on the horizon—just not very soon. I think a large part of it is dependent on the left back situation getting sorted, as there’s never going to be another partnership (Skrtel-Agger being the most likely) as long as Aurelio is the only left back in the side. Martin Kelly’s emergence might help matters, and Dani Ayala is on his way up, but there’s still a lack of proven options beyond Carragher, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, and Agger. At this point, if only three are going to be available, I’d still take Carra.

—That’s about it for now.

Oh, one other thing:

Unleash the Trabzonspor!!!

Category: Europa League, Matchday Posts, Team News

Tags: Dani Ayala, Daniel Agger, Danny Wilson, Europa League, Fabio Aurelio, Jamie Carragher, Martin Kelly, Martin Škrtel, Matchday Posts, Roy Hodgson, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Team News
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NoelI for one could go for some Pacheco for Kelly and Aurelio sliding back right about now.RoscoLooks like ngogs nice run has fizzled out!RoscoOh how I wouldve loved him to shut me up jst then haEdBad miss--better overall, but not a great header from him. Blurgh.Tom FooleryCertainly I do agree that it wouldn't be ideal to push Glen into an unfamiliar role, and he does have the legs to keep running from the back...the frustration has clearly gotten the best of me at this point, and my patience is thin. The team did grow as the half went on though. Oh, and Poulsen for Aquilani....FACK! Sorry, it still bugs the hell outta me.RoscoThe lack of width is frightening. Don't know about you but i was under the impression two holding midfielders should allow the wingers to play . . . Well . . . Down the wing.NoelTo be fair, it should allow the fullbacks to provide the width, and Johnson playing as a forward is testament to that... but on the left hand side you've got Kelly and Aurelio stacked, with Aurelio seemingly being told to play inside, so any width is likely to be lopsided at best.RoscoDamn tootin, Johnson seems to be our most attacking player these days!!!NoelAs far as formations go, compare that to City, where he hung around the half line looking like he didn't know what he was supposed to do--that he's been one of the (very) few bright spots in the half is down to having free reign going forward because of defensive cover from the holding mids. It's also why Kuyt is inside tonight in this system rather than being the one asked to provide width on Monday... of course, even as a big fan of his, I can hardly defend his disinterested and sloppy first half performance, especially seeing as he's in the "Kuyt" roll and has Johnson looking good around him.

And they really should be playing it properly imbalanced--Kelly isn't going to provide width, since he's not a natural FB, so Aurelio should be asked to play out wide from midfield while one of the holding midfielders is given more license to move up.

That's an adjustment I'd really like to see... though it's not like I would expect Kelly to provide width from the start, so I'm not sure it should be an "adjustment" in the first place.

Dire half, though. And I've typed enough for now.Noel...oh, though it strikes me that part of why the left side looks so inept is that Poulsen is the left sided holding player. It's not just Kelly and Aurelio who are stacked, it's Kelly, Aurelio, and Poulsen.

Meanwhile on the right you've got a fullback who actually provides width along with the holding mid you'd prefer to see given freer reign and an attacking midfielder who in theory can do the job but is playing like shit.

As it stands the formation is imbalanced, but seemingly more out of ineptitude than design (and if you recall the few times in the last couple of years when Aurelio was pushed up, he was always played more wide--similar to how Reira was--rather than in a more interior role).Tom FooleryRight, so why not drop Fabio, switch Kelly, push up Johnson, and switch/sub Kuyt. This might allow for some play down the wing...God forbidNoelJohnson's providing width fine as is, and the best spot for an attacking fullback isn't always in midfield, otherwise they likely would have already been a midfielder. To me, trying to turn him into that is the same as turning Agger into a Left Back.

Johnson is good as a fullback in a system that uses a fullback to provide width. Play him in that system if you want the best from him rather than trying to play him in a different spot in a different system.EdWoah, woah, slow down on the sense-making, Tom.Tom FooleryWhat was that about starting to drink early?.....Darren_VAll you need to do is score once and they have to put 2 more in... It's still quite doable and likely for 'pool.NoelI'm not so sure about that--on the run of play, they deserve the lead, and Liverpool's shown no real ability to play possession or on the counter so far. And the lack of adjustments seen in the last match makes me... yeah.Tom FooleryTotally, so far we have every right to be negative, we've looked woeful at best. No one looks like they even want the ball. Its like everyone in red is saying, "get that round thing away from me, I don't know how to dribble, or pass, or shoot...". While the Turks look completely comfortable.
New drinking game: Take a shot everytime we see a Carra-hoof.NoelLucas and Johnson have maybe started to look like they're willing to take a run at it every now and then... whether it can amount to anything, of course, is a different story. But Kuyt looks like a man who didn't expect to play, N'Gog's touch is as bad as I've ever seen it, Cole hasn't imposed himself on the game, and... here comes another Carrahoof.Ed"Carra-hoof" has been Twitterized, well done.Darren_VSo your under the table already are ya?NoelFatalism goes hand in hand with supporting certain clubs.EdYes, likely, that's the word.Darren_VWow, you guys are more negative about Liverpool than I am. I don't even cheer for you guy. CrazyEdNot negative, really, just the way things have played out thus far I wouldn't say that anything positive for Liverpool is "likely."

They'll need some luck to prevent conceding another if they're going to continue to give away possession like they have, and they'll need to create something in attack other than hoofing it up to the forward men.NoelWell, that was fast. Good to see the experience of Carragher playing the offside trap to perfection.EdLiverpool's lineup released, post updated.

Trabzonspor's lineup now up as well.AmpleforthEd, I couldn't help but notice that you've been implicated in the abetting of blog theft, that's f**ked up dude

http://spurs.theoffside.com/team-news/onward-to...NoelCatfight!

But seriously, when I steal the blog out from under you, Ed, I'm gonna send Bill Gates to take away your internet access so you can't return like that and have it lead to any awkward moments.

And I am assuming the writers here get compensated with occasional shipments of hard liquor for their efforts. Otherwise just forget all that stuff about stealing the blog from you.EdLibelous!

Playing FIFA with someone does not constitute abetting--had I told him something during the course of playing like, "hey, you should think about writing on the blog even though someone else took over because you didn't do sh*t for three months," that would be abetting.

Sadly at 2am after copious amounts of Busch Light I didn't have to proper faculties to come up with something so clever. Plus that was in July--the moment has passed.AmpleforthYour quick jump to the defense reeks of guilt. Or maybe I'm just smelling the lingering aroma of farts and throw-up from a July bender. Either way, it ain't good. In all likelihood, this Wes guy was just name dropping to up his cyber-cred, we all know the name Ed carries a lot of weight in this small circle of friends.NoelSeems that Roy the man manager hasn't exactly put his arm around Mavinga's shoulder and told him he's a top bloke: http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/breves2010/2010...

Coles notes translation: Mavinga feels he's being pushed out by a move towards becoming a fully "English" club at all levels, has been told English kids will be given preference, has been given no suggestion he's in any future plans under the new regime, and unsurprisingly now seems to very much want away, feeling it's the only way he'll have a shot at a career.EdChrist, even using a free translator I can see he's on his way out. Also, he apparently enjoys cats playing the banjo.

What a crock of shit--should he leave, that's only Martin Kelly and Danny Wilson as younger defenders who can play left back, neither of which is, actually, a left back.NoelIf what he's saying paints an accurate picture of the situation, it's more than just that. Then you have to worry about what's going to become of players like Suso, Silva, and LDV, too. Meanwhile the whole Rafa youth set up was finally in something resembling a finished state and pushing players into the fringes of the first team with a handful of really tantalizing prospects for a couple of years down the line.

Five years to set up a system, six months to set it back to what it was under Houllier?EdGlad you took it a step further, because I thought about it, laughed nervously, and then pretended to ignore it.NoelI thought about it, laughed nervously, and then decided it's never too early to start abusing my liver.justinAfter the defeat to Citeh, I was so depressed that I tried to seek solace in watching a season review of Liverpool's 08-09 season, but it only made the sinking feeling even worse *lol*

The fluidity, confidence and even the resilience that we'd been accustomed to before seems to be missing from the side since last season.

After a positive flurry of news regarding the ownership and some transfers earlier this season, reality hit pretty hard in the face with that 3-0 defeat. Nonetheless, it has to be recognized that we did start off with very tough fixtures which on paper we would probably have lost those two games but you have to wonder what if we'd won that game against Arsenal instead of drawing it.

It's a tough time to be a Liverpool fan, tough time to keep the faith, its hard really. But I don't think we're that bad a side, but other teams have been getting much better and we haven't been able to compete on that front.

I'd withdrawal symptoms after that Citeh defeat and couldn't bear hearing any sorta news about Liverpool but it's time to put that behind and look forward to a good game against Trabzon.

I hope the boys do the fans proud.blog comments powered by Disqus