A short trip to Stoke City is the test for Liverpool following a rather boring International break, as they look to continue their good run of form.
Ghost of the Past
Not saying that this is very likely to happen, but Stoke City have 2 ex-Liverpool players who could be dangerous throughout the course of the game. Like Liverpool, Stoke City come into this game unbeaten, with a win and two draws, and they’ve made themselves a relatively strong side.
Peter Crouch and Jermaine Pennant are the two ex-Liverpool players that I’m talking about, but I should think that this match would be more of a case of Liverpool finding ways of breaking through Stoke City’s tough defence at their fortress that is the Britannia Stadium.
Good News from the Break
We’ve come through this break relatively unscathed, with only Charlie Adam’s slight injury when playing for Scotland perhaps the only issue that has come forward following the break, but he has had a full week off, so I reckon he would be back into the team for Stoke.
Steven Gerrard (remember him?) has set a return date now, and Liverpool fans are just raring to see him get back to action. He is set to return in just over a week’s time, with him setting the game against Tottenham Hotspur as the date for his comeback from injury.
Talking Tactics
Liverpool are going to have to deal with Stoke’s long ball specialists, namely (throw in taker first, footballer second) Rory Delap and Matthew Etherington, who is superb with the dead ball.
But we definitely should be able to take away 3 points from this game. One question would perhaps lie in whether Carroll will play following new comments from Capello (once again) complaining about his drinking habits and John Terry ‘trying’ to help him.
But otherwise, I personally see Liverpool playing something like a 4-3-3, and I reckon that Kenny Dalglish might just leave Andy Carroll out of the team and use him as an impact sub. Besides, Liverpool coped really well against Bolton 2 weeks ago with Suarez the lone striker up front, so I don’t think it is a far fetched idea.
But then again, word is that Adam is ‘doubtful’ for this encounter, so if the aScot doesn’t make it, Dalglish may have to re-think.
Possible Liverpool Lineup
(4-3-3) Reina, Flanagan, Carragher, Coates, Enrique, Henderson, Lucas, Downing, Suarez, Carroll, Kuyt.
Submitted by Two Liverpool Fans
