Burnley, H, Weds 4 March

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

OK, City's done, move on...

 

One game at a time etc but this week sees the end of the run of 2 games pw and both are at home so we don't have any traveling to do. Massive game in the Cup on Sat but can't really have one eye on that yet however I would consider my team in relation to that - Ibe's cup tied so has to start this (assuming 100% fit).

 

Our rivals in the top 7 have -

 

Man U - Newcastle (A)

a*** - QPR (A)

Spurs - Swansea (H)

Sot'on - Palace (H) Tues

City - Leicester (H)

Chelsea - WHU (A)

 

Newcastle are in poor form - W3, L4 of 10 vs the Mancs W5, L2, although the Mancs aren't playing well

QPR are in miserable form, losing 6 of their last 10 incl 5 of 6

Spurs in better form than Swansea

Leicester are s***e

and WHU won't beat Chelsea

 

So we have to win - Burnley's form is crap but let's not take them for granted, Ings is bound to play a blinder.

 

Physio room says -

 

Ibe - no date (knock)

Johnson, Sakho, Gerrard 3 days

Lucas 3w

Jones, Flanno, Enrique - no date

 

I'd save Gerrard for Sat, thus -

 

Mig

 

Can, Skrtl, Sakho

 

Ibe/Johnson > Moreno/Marko

 

Hendo, Allen

Lallana, Phil

 

Studg

 

I'd rest Sterling

 

Bench - Ward, Lovren, Kolo, a WB/FB, Sterling, Balo, Lambert

 

job's a goodun

[Tommy Cockles]

I thought Ibe was only cup-tied for the last round?

 

Could do without this game, bloody midweek league games. I need at least a week to dwell on today.

[Barnesy_10]

Not getting the full 3 points on Wednesday means today will count for not much as we should be able to get a result against Burnley but they are a better team away than they are at home..

 

Resting Sterling makes sense.. He could offer us something coming on later. I think Sturridge will be well up for a start after Thursday and only getting a small part in the game today.

[Red Yoda]

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

-----------Can Skrtel Sakho

Markovic Henderson Allen Lallana

------Sterling Sturridge Coutinho

 

Bench

 

Ward Manquillo Toure Moreno Lovren Ibe Balotelli

[Conrad]

The team I think Rodgers will play will be the same one as City, other than Ibe possibly coming in if he's fit. And that's the team I would pick.

 

Sterling doesn't need a rest.

[Dan]

Lee Mason.

[Rory Fitzgerald]

Jesus

[David Hodgson]

Ibe is out for a month with a knee injury.

[Dan]

Ibe is out for a month with a knee injury.

 

Balls.

[Conrad]

Ibe is out for a month with a knee injury.

 

that's a blow. is Johnson fit? If so, I'd start him Weds.

[McBain]

The team I think Rodgers will play will be the same one as City, other than Ibe possibly coming in if he's fit. And that's the team I would pick.

 

Sterling doesn't need a rest.

It wouldn't be a rest for me. It would be dropped for a player in better form

[Conrad]

It wouldn't be a rest for me. It would be dropped for a player in better form

 

he linked well with lallana and coutinho yesterday. those 3 play well together, and playing together again Weds will pay dividends I think - even though I agree Sterling isn't pulling up any trees at the moment.

[Swan Red]

Two assists yesterday?

[Earl Hafler]

Sterling for Sturridge. Start the game with a real striker. We're not going to win matches with 25 yard screamers every time

[Barnesy_10]

Why is this a later kick off than the rest of the matches that day?

Its not on TV so I don't get it

[Sion]

Two assists yesterday?

Ha. Couldn't get two easier assists though tbf.

[honourablegeorge]

Would like to see Lallana keep his place.

[Swan Red]

Ha. Couldn't get two easier assists though tbf.

 

Nope but at least he's up with the play, in any case he should really have had 3* had Lallana attacked the 6 yard box when Sterling left his defender.

 

* yeah I know how this s*** works.

[Nebraska Red]

Why is this a later kick off than the rest of the matches that day?

Its not on TV so I don't get it

Maybe Dunkin Donuts need the extra 15 minutes to get all the coffee ready.

 

Maybe the local police insist on a later start for crowd safety?

 

It's on TV over here and 2 pm works much better for me.

[Will]

Down Memory Lane

 

YNWA takes a look back at our previous League visits from Burnley as we prepare to entertain them on Saturday for only the second time since an FA Cup Third Round encounter in January 1997. Our League record at Anfield is mixed, reading twenty wins, ten draws and eight defeats.

 

Off the mark

Steve Heighway netted his first reds strike to complete a 2-0 victory in October 1970 after Ron Yeats had opened the scoring just before half time. Fred Baron grabbed his first two reds goals in March 1925, as we won 3-0, with Danny Shone also on target.

 

Most recently

Yossi Benayoun struck his third reds hat-trick, all in different competitions, as we triumphed 4-0in September 2009, with Dirk Kuyt also on target. The Israeli midfielder also had another strike wrongly chalked off for offside before nabbing his third. Most recently before that in the League, we won 2-0 in March 1976, when substitute David Fairclough struck both our goals.

 

The Clarets inflicted one of just eleven home League defeats we suffered in the whole of the 1970’s in September 1974 as full-back Ian Brennan stunned Ray Clemence from thirty yards with his first ever goal for the club.

 

First and worst

We hosted Burnley for the first time in November 1894, suffering our worst defeat in L4 to the Clarets, going down 3-0. Right-back John Curran made his debut in this game, with centre-forward Hugh Henderson featuring for the second and last time.

 

Other reds debutants

Half-back Willie Stevenson made his reds bow in November 1962 as we lost 2-1, with Ian St. John netting our consolation. Andy Lochhead scored the first of his four goals past us, with Ray Pointer also on target. Left-back Peter ‘Max’ Wall made his debut in our 3-2 win in March 1968, the first of only 42 appearances for the reds. Tony Hateley bagged a brace, with Geoff Strong also on the scoresheet. Ralph Coates netted two of his four strikes against the reds.

 

Clinching the title

We secured our third League championship on Easter Monday in April 1922 by beating title rivals Burnley 2-1 thanks to goals from Harry Chambers and Dick Forshaw. Left-half Tom Bromilow played his hundredth League game that day as we regained the title for the first time in sixteen years.

 

Red trebles

Gordon Hodgson scored one of his seventeen reds hat-tricks in his hundredth League game as we trounced Burnley 8-0 on Boxing Day in 1928. Jimmy Clark and Dick Edmed both bagged braces with Bill Salisbury netting the other. The score could have been far greater as Bob Done missed a penalty, we had three goals dubiously ruled out for offside, hit the crossbar three times and the posts twice each. The Clarets had beaten us 3-2 at Turf Moor the previous afternoon.

 

Louis Bimpson grabbed all four goals of the game in September 1953 to record our hundredth competitive hat-trick. Right-back Bert Childs played the first of just two reds games.

 

Penalty saves

Jack Cox, Robbie Robinson and Jack Parkinson were on the scoresheet as we won 3-0 in April 1905. Keeper Ned Doig saved a penalty in what was our final game of the season, as we claimed the Second Division championship for a third time. This is the only campaign in which we have faced each other outside the top flight.

 

Sam Raybould had a spot-kick saved as we lost 1-0 in April 1900, with ex-reds forward Abe Hartley on target for the visitors.

 

Sir Roger’s only strike

Roger Hunt converted his only penalty for the club in November 1963 to complete a 2-0 victory, after Ian St. John had opened the scoring. Hunt only took one more spot-kick for the club, having one saved in an FA Cup Fifth Round victory at Arsenal later that season.

 

Clarets fight-back

We went into a two-goal lead in August 1969, thanks to a Tommy Smith penalty and Bobby Graham header. However, the visitors stunned the home crowd with three goals in quick succession to take the lead, before Tommy Smith bagged an equaliser. There was still time for either side to find a winner, but the game ended 3-3.

 

Frank’s farewell

Defender Frank Christie played his fourth and final reds game as we lost 1-0 on Easter Monday in April 1950.

[Will]

Double Agents

 

In advance of our second encounter of the season with Burnley, YNWA looks at the careers of those few who have represented both the Clarets and the reds.

 

Most recent double agents

Midfielder Brian Hall signed on in July 1968 fresh from graduating university, netting 21 times in 224 games and helping us to claim a League title, UEFA Cup, FA Cup and FA Charity Shield. His most memorable moment came when he bagged his first reds goal, the FA Cup Semi-final winner against Everton at Old Trafford in March 1971. He also scored at the same stage against Leicester City three years later. He moved on to Plymouth Argyle in July 1976, later finishing his playing career with Burnley, netting three goals in 43 League games. He returned to Anfield in 1991 to take up the post of Public Relations Manager, a position he held until 2012.

 

Swedish left-winger Alex Kačaniklić signed from Helsingborgs IF in the summer of 2007 and scored in the FA Youth Cup Final in 2009, establishing himself as a regular in the reserves before moving to Fulham in August 2010 as part of the Paul Konchesky deal. He joined the Clarets on loan in March 2013, playing six times without scoring.

 

Loan move

Paul Stewart joined First Division Burnley on loan from the reds in February 1995. He made six appearances for the Clarets as they headed towards relegation. The England international had arrived at Anfield from Tottenham Hotspur for £2.3m in July 1992. His time with the reds was a failure, as he scored just three times in 42 appearances in nearly four seasons. He left for Sunderland on a free transfer in March 1996 after a successful loan spell.

 

Behind the scenes

Left-half Tom Bromilow signed professional terms at Anfield in 1919, having asked for a trial straight from the army. He went on to make 375 appearances, scoring eleven times while helping us to claim two League titles in successive seasons in the 1920’s, as well as earning full international honours with England. He later moved into management, taking over at Turf Moor in October 1932. Although he was unable to return them to the top flight, he led them to the FA Cup Semi-final in 1934, moving on to Crystal Palace in July 1936.

 

Keeper Tony Waiters won five senior England caps in 1964 while playing for Blackpool. He left there in 1967 to take on a coaching role with the reds, but returned to playing with Burnley in 1970, turning out in 38 League games before becoming the Manager of Plymouth Argyle in 1972. Mark Leather has worked as a physiotherapist with both clubs.

 

Scottish double agents of yore

Forward Malcolm McVean scored our first ever League goal after arriving from Third Lanark in 1892, and bagged 43 in total in 126 reds games, helping us to the Lancashire League title and two Second Division championships. He moved on to Burnley in March 1897, but only played four times before returning north to sign for Dundee.

 

Inside-right Jimmy Ross signed from the ‘invincible’ Preston North End for a club record £75 in 1894, helping us to the Second Division title, scoring 39 times in 85 reds games and captaining the side before joining Burnley alongside McVean in March 1897. He could not prevent the Turf Moor outfit from being relegated, though he struck 23 times in 27 League outings as they won the Second Division title the following season. However, he moved on to Manchester City during 1898/99. The ‘little demon’ was a key player in the formation of the Association Footballers’ Union in February 1898, founded in protest at wage restrictions imposed by the FA, and sadly died aged just 36 in June 1902 having succumbed to an acute skin disease.

 

Reserves moving on

Defender Alan Harper never made our first team and moved across the park in June 1983, going on to net five goals in 240 games across two spells with the Toffees, including the 1984 League Cup Final and replay. He joined Burnley on a free transfer from Luton Town in August 1994. He played 42 times in his two seasons at Turf Moor before retiring from playing, as they were relegated into the Second Division.

 

Winger Brian Mooney signed from Home Farm for £20,000 in August 1983 but only ever played one senior reds game, as a substitute for Jim Beglin in a League Cup win at Fulham in October 1986, later enjoying greater fortune at Preston North End. He joined the Clarets on loan from Sunderland during 1992/93, although he was apparently dead set against the move. He played six League games without scoring before returning to the north east.

 

Wartime guests

Keeper Alf Hobson signed from Shildon Colliery in April 1936 and made 28 reds appearances either side of the Second World War, as well as playing 171 wartime games. Scottish forward Bill Kinghorn signed from Queens Park in April 1938 and netted four times in nineteen reds games. Both of these players guested for the Clarets during the war.

 

Other double agents

Inside-forward Edgar Chadwick had won the League with Everton in 1891, and joined Burnley aged thirty. He top scored with ten goals as they were relegated to the Second Division, before moving on to Southampton in the Southern League. As Burnley still held his Football League registration, the reds had to pay the Clarets £35 in May 1902. However, he only managed 45 reds appearances, netting seven times, before joining Southampton as an amateur in May 1904. He later had a successful career as a coach in Germany and the Netherlands, including guiding the Dutch national side to bronze medals in the 1908 and 1912 Olympics.

 

Jim Furnell signed from Burnley for £18,000 in February 1962, for whom he had played just two League games. He took over in goal during that promotion season, but broke his finger early the following season, losing his place to Tommy Lawrence. He made just 28 first-team appearances before moving to Arsenal in November 1963, and is fondly remembered as Plymouth Argyle’s greatest ever custodian.

 

Centre-forward Les Shannon signed professional terms at Anfield in November 1944, having to wait until April 1948 to make his reds bow. He bagged just one goal in eleven games, as well as six in fifteen wartime appearances, moving on to Burnley in November 1949. He came into his own as a deep-lying inside-forward and wing-half at Turf Moor, netting a total of 44 goals in 281 games before retiring in September 1958. He was the father of recent Under-16’s coach Dave Shannon.

 

Burnley-born left-winger Peter Kippax struck six times in 32 League games as an amateur for his hometown club before joining the reds in 1948, having helped Great Britain to fourth place in the Olympics football competition that summer. He made one League outing, against Birmingham City in March 1949, having already netted in a Wartime League fixture for the reds against Bolton Wanderers in August 1945, before moving on to Preston North End in 1950. Forward Neil Edwards was an apprentice at Anfield, and only played one League game for Burnley, whom he joined from the reds in 1985.

 

Half-back Tommy Gardner signed as an amateur from Orrell in July 1928, and then professionally the following April, but played only five reds games before moving on to Grimsby Town in May 1931. He was eventually capped twice for England during his stint at Aston Villa, from whom he joined Burnley in 1938, scoring three goals in 39 League games for the Clarets. Forward Edmund Hancock signed from Gainsborough Trinity in January 1931, scoring twice in ten reds games before joining Tom Bromilow’s Burnley in February 1933 where he struck 23 times in 112 League games before moving on to Luton Town in 1936. Scottish forward Abe Hartley signed from Everton for £175 in December 1897, but only notched once in twelve outings before joining Southern League side Southampton the following May. He joined Burnley from Woolwich Arsenal in December 1899, scoring five times in thirteen League games as they were relegated to the Second Division, retiring at the end of that season.

[fellafeen]

Does anybody read the previews, the big long posts with double agents and what have you? Gone be the days when Rory Fitz would do a decent tactical preview...

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

HEATMAPS

 

Looking at the midweek fix, all of our rivals have winnable games. Rarely is it as straightforward as the top 5-6-7 teams all win on the same 'game-day' so we must win & avoid being the team that f***s up.

 

A win vs Burnley & there's a good chance we're making up points or solidifying our position

[sutty]

HEATMAPS

 

Looking at the midweek fix, all of our rivals have winnable games. Rarely is it as straightforward as the top 5-6-7 teams all win on the same 'game-day' so we must win & avoid being the team that f***s up.

 

A win vs Burnley & there's a good chance we're making up points or solidifying our position

 

How does a win do anything other than make up points or solidify our position you spanner?

Edited March 2, 2015 by sutty

[Walrus]

Does anybody read the previews, the big long posts with double agents and what have you? Gone be the days when Rory Fitz would do a decent tactical preview...

Never read either tbh.