Unleash The Momo for the derby

[Benitez]

MOMO SISSOKO is winning his fitness battle ahead of this weekend's derby.

 

But injured duo Jamie Carragher and John Arne Riise remain doubtful for the trip to Goodison, as neither have yet resumed training.

 

Sissoko has made most progress since suffering damaged medial knee ligaments in the recent Champions League qualifier.

 

Manager Rafa Benitez is hopeful the African will be declared fit after his swift recovery.

 

Of greater concern are the ankle injuries to Carragher and Riise, neither of which have fully healed yet.

 

Carragher will know by Wednesday if he can step up his comeback at Melwood to give himself a realistic chance of facing the Blues.

 

Riise, who is still receiving treatment at Melwood, has now been ruled out of Norway's Euro 2008 qualifier with Moldova on Wednesday.

 

Liverpool insist there was no chance of their full-back being fit enough to play in the game.

 

At this stage, both Carragher and Riise are no more than '50-50' for a derby place.

 

Benitez faces an anxious wait to see if the rest of his international contingent return unscathed on Thursday morning.

 

The international double bill couldn't have come at a worse time with Liverpool facing three tough away fixtures - at Goodison, against PSV Eindhoven next Tuesday and Chelsea on September 17.

 

ere

Edited September 4, 2006 by Benitez

[Bigal]

with 3 huge games coming up, I wouldnt risk carra or JAR on saturday, especially with them alehouses

[CarraLegend]

We could do with one of them back at least (Carra or Riise I mean). That said, we have the players to easily dispose of these like we usually do so no problem.

 

I think Rafa might go 3 at the back if Carra is ok and Riise still out.

 

Great news about Momo.

[allez les rouges]

of an a tangent slightly. There is a certain website that shows regular training photos from melwood. which recently have included momo training.

 

lets say rafa wants to be a bit clever and leave the opposition guessing by saying there is no way momo will be playing,(just like ginsoak does) then some newcastle fan who loves pies would have spread the news all round the net.

 

surely this is a perfect excuse to burn him like a witch?

[Leo No.8]

My team for the derby if Momo is fit:

 

Reina

Finnan

Warnock

Hyypia

Agger

Gonzalez

Sissoko

Gerrard

Pennant

Crouch

Bellamy

 

subs: Kuyt, Alonso, Dudek, Aurelio, Garcia.

 

Horses for courses - Aurelio might be caught by the pace of a derby so I'd go for Warnock at left-back, and Xabi risks being kicked to death (I'd play him at Anfield but not Goodison). That side has plenty of experience, strength and attitude.

 

There are plenty want to see Kuyt, but I'm not sure a derby match is an ideal game in which to make his first start.

[Sion]

I'd start with Fowler, being a derby. Warnock maybe as well. Get the local lads in...

[CarraLegend]

Alonso has to start. That mistake has been made before and he can mix it with anyone now, he loves a scrap.

[smokescreen]

My team for the derby if Momo is fit:

 

Reina

Finnan

Warnock

Hyypia

Agger

Gonzalez

Sissoko

Gerrard

Pennant

Crouch

Bellamy

 

 

Has Rafa ever gone with Momo and Stevie both central?

 

Dont think he has, and dont think he should. A bit of a lack of discipline there.

[Benitez]

aye, no worries about Xabi liking a good scrap - stick him in

 

If JAR isn't fit, then stick Warnock in so he can kick a few an all

[Guest Kuzco]

I wonder why people keep thinking Alonso is a pussy?

 

Might be because he is spanish.

 

I've seen him put some crunching tackles in this season.

[Bigal]

Play the sheriff at centre back

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Xabi's a right hard-nut. Just because he doesn't play at 100mph, he's more than able to take a kicking & certainly gives it back

[Guest Paris 81]

Don't think it's the game for Xabi to be honest, whether he's improved defensively or not. It'll be hectic and I doubt he'll have any time on the ball to play his passing game.

[smokescreen]

Don't think it's the game for Xabi to be honest, whether he's improved defensively or not. It'll be hectic and I doubt he'll have any time on the ball to play his passing game.

 

Its precisely that reason why we need him in there.

 

His intelligence buys time.

[CarraLegend]

Don't think it's the game for Xabi to be honest, whether he's improved defensively or not. It'll be hectic and I doubt he'll have any time on the ball to play his passing game.

 

He didnt looked bad when we t****** them at their place last year while not even getting out of first gear. He's defensively sound, he's one of the best passers in the World, he's intellegent, he works his b******s and he can scrap. He's exactly the sort of player you want in a Derby.

[Cooldude]

Xabi has to play

 

He is as tough as they come, and if he ain't Spanish he'd be seen as the hardass that he is.

 

We can't be afraid of the blues****s playing prison alehouse football and drag ourselves down to their level. Rafa made that mistake in his first Derby. We should just stick somewhere near our best side out there, play proper football, and we'll belt the blues****s and expose them as the ordinary Sunday League team that they are

 

If we play into their hands and turn it into some sorta physical scrap, then they'll love it

Edited September 4, 2006 by Cooldude

[fred milne]

Its precisely that reason why we need him in there.

I agree. If he doesn't play then there's a risk we play at a tempo that suits Everton.

 

Granted tackles are going to be flying in but he can handle that and we need him in there to control the game.

[koppper]

I see Kuyt playing a big role in this

[Lee W]

Crouch and Kuyt up front for me with Cahill's comments pinned on the dressing-room wall.

[jkfelix]

Sorry if wrong, but wasn't Alonso ace when we played them with 10 men and won 3-1? Why are we even questioning him in the side this time around?

[Tommy Cockles]

Play your best players.

[Cooldude]

Sorry if wrong, but wasn't Alonso ace when we played them with 10 men and won 3-1? Why are we even questioning him in the side this time around?

 

Because he's Spanish and apparently it's essential to pigeon-hole 95% of all continental players as flashy footballers who are too weak to sustain any physical contact.

[Jacko]

The league has to be our priority even with a squad as big as ours. I'd be looking to play the strongest possible team at Everton and then make 2-3 changes for PSV and then back to the strongest team for Chelsea.

[Damian_de]

Rafa made that mistake in his first Derby.

 

Not only that but he admitted he made it. Xabi will play, nailed on cert.

[Cooldude]

Not only that but he admitted he made it.

 

Off topic: One of the things I love most about Rafa. He's a genius and the best in the world as we all know, but he makes mistakes, too, and he's a big enough man to admit it and change it ASAP. Unlike a lot of other ego-centric managers who would never admit they did anything wrong