12/21/24
September 14, 2003
Injury Time for Reds: Milan Baros and Jamie Carragher are both out until after the New Year after breaking their legs in yesterday's first half, Stephan Henchoz aggravated an existing injury playing for Switzerland, and backup goalie Chris Kirkland is out for another six weeks as well. While Carragher's break gets Riise back into the starting XI and Igor Biscan is proving decent in central defense, not to mention a good start scoring by Owen and Kewell, will all this add up to another UEFA Cup finish or worse for LFC?
posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 12:05 PM - 16 comments
(more likely Owen-Heskey, which would cause Smicer to drop out for Kewell) Good analysis except this bit, since I wouldn't really expect five defenders...
posted by billsaysthis at 06:23 PM on September 14, 2003
Where are you getting five defenders? Smicer is an attacking midfielder, as is Kewell. But Kewell has more versatility and speed, and can play as an out-and-out striker. Or are you joking about Heskey? ;-)
posted by worldcup2002 at 06:26 PM on September 14, 2003
Where are you getting five defenders? Traore-Hyppia Finnan-Biscan-Riise Seems like five there to me, buddy.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:46 PM on September 14, 2003
According to ESPN Soccernet's Gamecast, they were considered midfielders. Depends on the formation. Biscan is more solidly defense, and probably Finnan, too. Riise, however, could be a midfielder, perhaps a winger. Apparently, in the Blackburn game, Carragher and Hyppia were played as the back two with Finnan and Biscan in midfield. Then Riise came in for Carragher after Neill broke his leg. But I get where you're coming from. My formation carries a little hope that Riise gets into a more advanced position in midfield (albeit playing defensive midfield with the other two) rather than having to sit back in defence, which would allow him and Finnan to do some overlapping runs or support Diouf and Kewell on the flanks. Riise, Finnan and Biscan can actually play secondary midfield when Liverpool is applying attacking force with Owen, Kewell, Diouf upfront, and Smicer and Gerrard released to feed the front three.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:36 AM on September 15, 2003
Yeah...i am bummed and elated at the same time... Which basically cancels out any emotion. I am glad Carragher is out, and it sounds like he will be out for a while. Now Riise will play in his deserved spot. But Baros...poor kid. Riise playing for Carragher is canceled out by Heskey playing for Baros. Lets hope those young French kids get some playing time now. Did anyone see the game? They didn't play it on FSW.
posted by StarFucker at 09:13 AM on September 15, 2003
Riise needs to be running up, he does crosses into the box better than anyone else on the team when given the opportunity. Finnan is too new for me to know much about his game. Wonder if anyone will be broadcasting the UEFA Cup games this year. ESPN2 had a weekly CL game last season.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:35 AM on September 15, 2003
Okay... This is hard to deal with. Houllier finally starts with an exciting lineup...the kind i have been talking about for 2 years. They start winning games. They start playing well. So what happens? Baros gets his ankle broken!! 
Dammit! I can't wait to see the lineup now. Murphy wasn't even on the bench for Saturday's game!! How aweseme is that?! The good news is, like i've said before is that Carragher is out now and hopefully that means Riise will be playing regularly. I am just worried about the attack now with Heskey. Hopefully, the lineup will look something like this: Dudek Finnan, Henchoz(Biscan), Hyypia, Riise Diouf, Gerrard, Diao, Kewell(Smicer) Owen, Smicer(Kewell) Le Tallec Pongolle Heskey Cheyrou Luzi Traore Hamann should be coming back from injury soon so he can take Diao's place in the starting linup. Or maybe they can use Biscan there when Henchoz gets fit again.
posted by StarFucker at 10:22 AM on September 16, 2003
bill, ESPN is broacasting the Real Madrid/Marseille game today...
posted by StarFucker at 10:22 AM on September 16, 2003
The ironic thing is that Baros was done in by a perfectly legal challenge ... by Babbel, who's on loan from Liverpool.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:02 PM on September 16, 2003
i don't know if thats really ironic...
posted by StarFucker at 01:57 PM on September 16, 2003
SF: yeah, great match, just finished watching it! Marseilles had their game on early but there was just too much firepower to be held off in the end. Final should have been a lot worse than 4-2 if a few passes had been a bit more on target (not to mention if Zidane put a tad less spin on one or two shots). Anyway, what is that list starting with Le Tallec? Sub bench? If so, you need to lose one name overall plus add in the new backup GK. But I like your lineup, seems very aggressive.
posted by billsaysthis at 04:11 PM on September 16, 2003
Luzi is the back up keeper... And why do i need to lose a name? Explain yourself!
posted by StarFucker at 04:30 PM on September 16, 2003
I thought teams only get five subs and you have six, that's why. But you wrote Luzi and I was thinking of this guy, who has yet to play, as Bernardi, the full name is Patrice Luzi Bernardi.
posted by billsaysthis at 08:51 PM on September 16, 2003
Ah yes. Luzi... I'm not sure about 5 or 6. Anyone know for sure?
posted by StarFucker at 11:01 PM on September 16, 2003
Soccernet match reports only list five subs, that's where I checked.
posted by billsaysthis at 05:09 PM on September 17, 2003
I bet Fooker would not be too distraught at the loss of Carragher (he's gone for at least six months), but it appears we may suffer more with Carragher's absence than with Baros, especially with Henchoz out. Bright spots: In defense, Riise should have a secure spot, there will be an extended run for Biscan, and Traore may actually get more of a chance. John Otsemobor is also a young talent (England Youth international) knocking on the door for a first-team spot. In attack, Diouf has given a solid showing, and Owen and Kewell are shaping a deadly partnership, if the last two games are anything to go by (3-0 and 3-1 wins, both away to tough opponents!). And Houllier has also started the once-ignored Smicer in the last two games. So established options are already strong. Furthermore, waiting in the wings are the two young Frenchmen, Pongolle and le Tallec (who replaced Gerrard in the last few minutes of the game). And there's always Heskey (bet Fooker just loves that). This actually forces Houllier into an attacking formation. Given what appears the beginning of a good run (six goals in two games), I'm not sure there's too much to be concerned about (unless more people get injured). My new formation might look like this: Dudek Traore-Hyppia Finnan-Biscan-Riise Gerrard-Smicer Diouf Owen-Kewell (more likely Owen-Heskey, which would cause Smicer to drop out for Kewell)