Besiktas v LFC

[David Hodgson]

Let's go with :

 

Mignolet

 

Lovren

Skrtel

Toure

 

Johnson

Allen

Henderson

Moreno

 

Ibe

Lallana

Sterling

 

 

Keeping Sturridge, Coutinho, Can, Markovic, Sahko all fresh for City and Burnley.

 

 

We urgently need Gerrard and Lucas back now to give us options in central mid.

[Conrad]

That side doesn't have any goals in it, and we may well need 1.

 

I'd play Sturridge and Balotelli, and Ibe at RWB.

 

And why disrupt the defence so much - Can should play and Sahko if he's fit.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Heighway 61 Revisited

[Leo No.8]

This squad really has depth now. In days gone by you always saw a significant drop in quality when a couple of players were out. Now the team still looks good even if we rest people or have injuries. BR will have some tricky decisions when they are all fit.

[psl]

Sturridge, Balotelli and Sterling should play. And Lallana. Not Coutinho who is the only one who hasn't had a break.

[Beardsley]

Besiktas have great speed in their offense so I don't want both Lovren and Toure in defense. Both are pretty slow, so Skrtel will have to run his balls off to cover for them.

[Falconhoof]

These games concern me. At home against Besiktas I thought we looked tired in midfield. Against Southampton I thought there were signs of tiredness.

Lots of games, a small pool of midfielders.

It's great though, don't get me wrong, the season is getting more exciting by the day.

The manager has a very difficult job to get these players recovered for the next games, particularly Allen Coutinho and Henderson.

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

Seems mad that we don't ask this more often, but when's Gerrard back?

[David Hodgson]

That side doesn't have any goals in it, and we may well need 1.

 

I'd play Sturridge and Balotelli, and Ibe at RWB.

 

And why disrupt the defence so much - Can should play and Sahko if he's fit.

We can let them come at us and hit them on the counter. Also, I've disrupted yesterday's back 3 by all of one player. I think Emre Can needs a rest.

 

And Sterling and lallana have scored goals this season.

 

Having said this, I'd totally forgotten about Mario. I revise as follows :

 

 

Mignolet

Lovren

Skrtel

Toure

Johnson

Allen

Henderson

Moreno

Lallana

Sterling

Balotelli

Pace , power and guile on the counter. Solidity in midfield. And key players rested for next 2 big league games (Sturridge, Coutinho, Ibe, Markovic, Can, Sahko).

To be able to make 5 outfield changes for City, and strengthen the team, has to be the main objective.

[fred]

You totally forgot about Mario. Somehow I feel he'd see that as the supreme insult.

[Conrad]

We can let them come at us and hit them on the counter. Also, I've disrupted yesterday's back 3 by all of one player. I think Emre Can needs a rest.

 

Midfield is most problematic. Henderson in particular could do with a rest, but we can't afford to rest him.

 

I don't think the 3 centre backs need rotating or resting and I would play the strongest available defence in such a difficult away fixture. Your suggested defence contains only 1 of 3 of the regular centre backs that have helped us keep clean sheets away recently. I know Lovren played on sunday, but out of necessity. I wouldn't keep him in if Sahko is fit

Edited February 23, 2015 by Heighway 61 Revisited

[Red Yoda]

-------------Mignolet

 

------Lovren Skrtel Sakho

 

Markovic Henderson Can Moreno

 

--------Ibe Sturridge Sterling

 

Bench

 

Ward Johnson Toure Allen Lallana Coutinho Balotelli

 

Coutinho scored a wonderful goal but I feel he does need a game off to recharge the batteries a bit.

 

To give us as much pace, power and goal threat in the final third I would like to see Ibe move up further.

 

I would also like to see Can move into the centre of midfield to give us a bit more strength in there.

[Conrad]

This is not the game to move Can into midfield. And Markovic is suspended

[Red Yoda]

And Markovic is suspended

Ah nuts forgot about that, cheers for that.

[richwilks]

Mignolet

Can - Skrtel - Lovren

Ibe - Henderson - Allen - Moreno

Sterling

Balotelli - Sturridge

[Falconhoof]

 

Mignolet

Can - Skrtel - Lovren

Ibe - Henderson - Allen - Moreno

Sterling

Balotelli - Sturridge

 

thats probably what I would go for, or maybe keep sturridge on the bench and drop lallana in with sterling and balotelli. Its not easy to know what stage sturridge is at with fitness and recovery.

[Conrad]

I'd go with that side, if Sahko unfit

thats probably what I would go for, or maybe keep sturridge on the bench and drop lallana in with sterling and balotelli. Its not easy to know what stage sturridge is at with fitness and recovery.

don't want Balo on his own up there though

[Falconhoof]

I'd go with that side, if Sahko unfit

don't want Balo on his own up there though

yeah, thinking of whats best for both of them and the team, on balance its probably best to start both of them and look to kill the tie off. Probably the last thing we need is extra time anyway, so we need to be thinking about scoring goals here.

[Conrad]

yeah, thinking of whats best for both of them and the team, on balance its probably best to start both of them and look to kill the tie off. Probably the last thing we need is extra time anyway, so we need to be thinking about scoring goals here.

 

Coutinho/lallana could come on for sturridge on 60 hopefully

[Ed the Wool]

I'd be tempted to go all guns blazing here for the first 30 mins and get it finished early. Play out strongest 11. Balo on the bench.

[5InIstanbul]

Typically, that's not how you win away matches in Europe. Page 1, line 1, don't concede early.

[Conrad]

Typically, that's not how you win away matches in Europe. Page 1, line 1, don't concede early.

 

absolutely

[Ed the Wool]

Typically, that's not how you win away matches in Europe. Page 1, line 1, don't concede early.

 

You've got a point!

[Epic Swindle]

Hmmmm not sure what I'd do here, really need to keep the momentum up in the league and 2 days to recover including travel is shoite.

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

I really want us to win this competition, for a whole host of reasons, so I'd go strong.

[David Hodgson]

I really want us to win this competition, for a whole host of reasons, so I'd go strong.

I also badly want us to go all the way in this one but we cannot risk jeopardising our momentum in the league.

 

Funnily enough I think that if we work hard and concentrate we're as likely to get a result with a rotated team in Istanbul as without .

 

Kind of like we did away in Madrid .