West Brom v Liverpool - Saturday 25th April

[DJS]

No thread yet?

 

Seems like nobody's arsed

 

Let's smash these feckers and put some pressure on the pair of Manc tw*ts above us.

 

Ibe's PL cup-tied-ness has been appealed and we won, so he can come back in.

 

Prefer to see 4 at the back and a midfield diamond here. Need 2 up front since our only proper good striker isn't fit.

 

They aren't very good, this is a decent opportunity to get our heads up and jump back on the horse. Then we can smash Hull on Tuesday and the additional 6 points will make us feel better

[Earl Hafler]

Back four, Can holding, Henderson and Allen, Coutino, Balotelli and Sterling.

 

If Can breaks forward, Allen does a Lucas.

[DJS]

Much as I'd love to think there's still something there in Balotelli, I just couldn't trust him to not leave us playing with 10 men. Rather start Borini for his enthusiasm and movement (with the knowledge that they're 'only' West Brom and he surely must be good enough for that level) or Lambert, for the peace of mind of knowing that if a chance comes his way, he's actually a very good finisher (albeit aomeone who, if he has to run fast to get to the chance, probably won't be able to).

 

Either way, I just can't see Balotelli being sufficiently motivated to try all that hard.

 

I suppose the caveat is, if we start him and he's a lazy twunt, we can sub him. If he comes off the bench and decides to be a passenger, taking him off again is a big call.

[Dan]

Back four, Can holding, Henderson and Allen, Coutino, Balotelli and Sterling.

 

If Can breaks forward, Allen does a Lucas.

 

Don't think Can would be able to hold. He clearly has a natural tendency to burst forward. Running out of options there though with Lucas out and Gerrard not being up to it.

[Romario]

It's crazy to think how 3 games have completely crushed us. I'm more interested in the summer signings now and what the plan is for next season.

We're in Newcastle mode or at least I am. Hopefully the players finish strong but I'm not arsed about the UEFA cup spots.

[DJS]

Change of rule means 7th gets a Uefa Cup spot - so there's no avoiding it. Other than by somehow scraping top 4.

[Earl Hafler]

Don't think Can would be able to hold. He clearly has a natural tendency to burst forward. Running out of options there though with Lucas out and Gerrard not being up to it.

He holds in a fashion when playing in a back three. Forward runs from the anchor midfield role would be covered by more defenders than when he plays in right side of defence. And there's Allen near him.

[Swipe]

Not the ideal fixture to bounce back. Not feeling confident about it.

[D.Boon]

Looking forward to this. Good away is West Brom

Edited April 22, 2015 by D.Boon

[Jarg Armani]

I'm excited about the election.

[DJS]

Change of rule means 7th gets a Uefa Cup spot - so there's no avoiding it. Other than by somehow scraping top 4.

Forgot to mention - this is based on the assumption that Arsenal win the cup.

[Hassony]

Mingolet

Johnson lovren skrtel Moreno

Can Henderson

coutinho Markovic

Baloteli sturridge

[Conrad]

any chance Lucas is fit? or Sturridge? If so-

 

Mingolet
Johnson lovren skrtel Moreno
Henderson Lucas Allen
Coutinho Sterling
Sturridge

Edited April 22, 2015 by Heighway 61 Revisited

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Drop Sterling, he's been f***ing garbage recently & needs a massive kick up the a***

[Dan]

Drop Sterling, he's been f***ing garbage recently & needs a massive kick up the a***

 

Why? It's not from lack of effort.

[RedHarvest]

Drop Sterling, he's been f***ing garbage recently & needs a massive kick up the a***

He needs a kick for being a dope about his contract but we're gonna need goals on sat, not many across the team, we need him

[Sion]

Drop Sterling, he's been f***ing garbage recently & needs a massive kick up the a***

 

Don't worry Macca, we're selling him and putting the fee towards Klopp's signing on bonus and wages. £10m signing on bonus and 5 year contract at £6m a year. A straight swap if you would. Think everyone would take that.

[cymrococh]

I hope we try another new formation.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

 

Don't worry Macca, we're selling him and putting the fee towards Klopp's signing on bonus and wages. £10m signing on bonus and 5 year contract at £6m a year. A straight swap if you would. Think everyone would take that.

Dual manager with Brendan? Think it'd work

[Hassony]

Dual manager with Brendan? Think it'd work

 

With Rafa as a DoF

[Cam]

I hope we try another new formation.

Just the one?

[Hassony]

Just the one?

Maybe we'll get Can to play in goal for a bit during the game

[Roscoe]

I hope we try another new formation.

Are there any left?

[WillG]

Anyone know a good away pub for West Brom?

[Will]

Down Memory Lane

 

YNWA takes a look back at past memorable League encounters in the West Midlands, which have featured a host of famous reds debutants, as we prepare to make our 63rd League trip to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. Our League record to date reads 24 wins, seventeen draws and 21 defeats.

 

Most recently

We were held to a 1-1 draw in February 214, with Daniel Sturridge putting the reds in front. A wayward pass from Kolo Touré handed ex-Blue Victor Anichebe a golden opportunity to equalise that he capitalised on. Joe Allen made his reds bow as we lost 3-0 in our opening League game of the season in August 2012. We fell behind to a Zoltán Gera wonder-goal just before half time, with Pepe Reina saving a Shane Long spot-kick on the hour mark with Daniel Agger dismissed for a foul on Long. However, the Baggies were awarded a second penalty when Martin Škrtel was also judged to have brought down Long in the box, which Peter Odemwingie converted. Romelu Lukaku completed the scoring.

 

Centre-backs Daniel Agger and Martin Škrtel both played their hundredth League games for the reds as we triumphed 2-0 in October 2011. Charlie Adam converted an early penalty with Andy Carroll doubling our lead before the break. Six months earlier we lost 2-1, our first defeat there for thirty years. Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger both had to go off injured inside the first half hour before Martin Škrtel headed us in front after the break. However, Chris Brunt converted two spot-kicks for the home side.

 

We extended our run of victories at The Hawthorns to eight in April 2006, a record for either side in this fixture. We won 2-0 thanks to goals from Robbie Fowler and Djibril Cissé, from a sixty-yard Xabi Alonso pass. This was Robbie’s 173rd reds goal, moving him up to fifth in our all-time scoring list ahead of King Kenny. We then won again in May 2009 by the same score to relegate the home side, our twelfth victory over them in a row home and away, thanks to goals from Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt. This was our thirteenth away League win of the season, equally a club record from 1904/05. Álvaro Arbeloa played his 98th and final reds game, being involved with an angry exchange with Jamie Carragher towards the end of the match.

 

Convincing victories

John Arne Riise struck twice on Boxing Day in 2004, with Florent Sinama-Pongolle, Steven Gerrard and Luis García also on target as we won 5-0. Milan Baroš had a penalty saved, with Cosmin Contra being sent off for the Baggies. Michael Owen scored four, including his hundredth League goal, as we triumphed 6-0 in April 2003, our record win over the Baggies, with his final goal being our 700th Premiership strike. Milan Baroš added a brace.

 

John Wark scored an eighteen-minute hat-trick in our 5-0 thumping of the Baggies in March 1985, becoming the only red to score hat-tricks in three different competitions in the same season. Steve Nicol and Kenny Dalglish also scored, while Bruce Grobbelaar saved a Derek Statham penalty. We won 4-1 in May 1922 thanks to a Harry Beadles brace, his final reds strikes, and goals from Dick Forshaw and Jock McNab. Stan Davies bagged one of his four goals past us.

 

Reds debutants

Graeme Souness, recently signed from Middlesbrough, made his reds bow in January 1978. David Johnson netted the only goal of the game. Steve Heighway debuted from the bench as we drew 1-1 in August 1970, with Alun Evans on target in this top-flight meeting and Jeff Astle grabbing his seventh and last goal against the reds. Centre-half Larry Lloyd made his reds debut in a 2-2 draw in September 1969. Bobby Graham scored in the first half, with ‘Sir’ Roger Hunt netting a late equaliser after the Baggies had taken the lead through Jeff Astle and Danny Hegan.

 

Two men made their debuts in our 1-0 defeat in October 1962, goalkeeper Tommy ‘The Flying Pig’ Lawrence and inside-left Gordon Wallace, with Jimmy Melia having a spot-kick saved. They had contrasting Anfield careers, making 390 and 22 senior appearances, respectively. In January 1914, Robert McDougall scored the only goal of the game on his reds debut. This was his only Liverpool goal, and he only played a further seven games for the reds. Inside-forward Arthur Metcalf made his reds bow in our 3-1 defeat in September 1912, with Tom Miller on target.

 

Beaten

WBA’s most recent victory prior over us prior to April 2011 was secured in February 1981 thanks to a back-heel from Bryan Robson, the first of his seven goals past us, and a Cyrille Regis strike, the first of his four strikes against the reds. We lost our third consecutive League fixture 3-0 to the Baggies in October 1965, after suffering the same scoreline in both of the previous season’s encounters. The game was marred by crowd trouble when a stone was thrown into the reds goalmouth, prompting the referee to ask for a PA announcement stating that he would abandon the match if anything more was thrown onto the pitch. Tony Brown netted the first of his eight goals past us, with Clive Clark netting one of his seven and John Kaye scoring one his four.

 

Reds farewells

Right-half Phil Taylor played his 314th and final League game in our 5-2 defeat on Christmas Day 1953, with Alan A’Court and Ray Lambert, from the spot, on target. He took over from Don Welsh as Manager in 1956. Ronnie Allen struck one of his five goals against us, with Frank Griffin bagging the last two of his six, and Johnny Nicholls and Ray Barlow also on the scoresheet. The reverse fixture went somewhat better the next day, ending in a goalless draw.

 

Tom Bradshaw was on target as we lost 2-1 in April 1933, with forward Edmund Crawford playing his eighth and last reds game. Billy ‘Ginger’ Richardson struck one of his nine goals past us, with Jock Carter also scoring. Forward Sam Bowyer made the last of his 48 reds appearances as we lost 1-0 in January 1912.

 

Thumpings

Billy ‘Ginger’ Richardson scored a treble in the Baggies’ record win over the reds, 6-1 in February 1936. Jack Balmer struck our goal while forward Jimmy Collins made his reds bow. Stan Wood bagged two of his five against us, with Jack Mahon scoring the last of his four past us. We suffered another heavy defeat two years later, with Jack Balmer netting our consolation in a 5-1 thumping, with Richardson again netting three times. Ike Clarke bagged the first of his four past us, with Joseph Johnson also on target. Our first trip to the Albion was to their old Stoney Lane ground in September 1894 and ended in a 5-0 defeat, with winger Patrick Gordon playing his thirtieth and last reds game.

 

Milestone games

Inside-forward Kevin Baron made his hundredth reds appearance in a 3-3 draw in March 1952. Billy Liddell, Bob Paisley and Albert Stubbins all struck as Ronnie Allen bagged a brace for the home side, with Reg Ryan also on target. Centre-half Tom ‘Tiny’ Bradshaw played his 200th reds game as we drew 1-1 in February 1935, with our score coming from a George Shaw own goal and Teddy Sandford nabbing one of his five against the reds. Forward John Carlin struck the first of his eight reds goals as we drew 2-2 in January 1904, with half-back John ‘Geezer’ Hughes also on target with his second and last strike for the club

 

Other memorable meetings

We won 2-1 in April 1986, with Craig Madden’s goal standing as the Baggies’ most recent strike against the reds for 25 years. Goals from the old one-two of Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush kept us on course for the double. Kenny Dalglish equalised in September 1978 after winger Laurie Cunningham had opened the scoring to hand us a 1-1 draw after hiding behind keeper Tony Godden and poking the ball home when he rolled it out. These were our first dropped points of the season, in our seventh League match, as Ray Clemence played his 500th reds game.

 

Our first game at The Hawthorns ended 1-0 back in April 1901, with inside-right John Walker on target in the first half to hand us our first League title against the already-relegated Baggies.