Liverpool Season Opener: LFC v Stoke City // 17 August 2.45pm

This is our season.

Or is it?

The early summer hope that came with interesting, even exciting signings and possible bargains like Aspas and Mignolet has somewhat faded as the grand opening day has drawn closer. Failure to sign a £20m attacking player at least on two occasions - MkhhRyan and Diego Costa - may have left us scrambling for similar players. Luis Suarez has made his desire to leave Liverpool very clear and there's no guarantee he'll be an LFC player in September or what his attitude will be. Overall there's a feeling that despite our best efforts, we are in danger of drawing the short straw and failing to substantially reinforce our squad with the season's kick-off less than four days away.

However, there are positives in the form of promising young players such as Sterling and Wisdom being a little more developed again. Everyone's coming nicely to full fitness and the team should be raring to go.

And on paper the first game of the season is pretty ideal: Facing Stoke City at Anfield, who have not made any big additions to their squad so far and who will have a hard time convincing themselves that Mark Hughes is the right man to get them on the up again. Barring a mini-catastrophe, surely our season will get off with full three points?


Share your views on this long-awaited opening fixture of ours and feel free to update with any team news

And most importantly, bring your best supportive spirit and remember that when supporting the best football club in the world, you will never walk alone.

Incoming for Stoke City

Juan Agudelo- 20 old USA international striker

Alex Grant- 19 old Australia/England Centre Back

Marc Muniesa-21 old Spain Centre Back

Erik Pieters-25 old Netherlands Left back

Elliot Wheeler 19 old England Right back

http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/01/how-will-stoke-lineup-this-season-3907057/

Already this pre-season, speculation as to who will be in Stoke’s starting 11 at Anfield is building.

The friendly fixtures played to date – the first team in the USA, along with those played over here by the under-21′s – may give some hints to the style of play and tactical setup that the new manager is likely to employ heading into the new season.

In America, Hughes preferred to play a 4-3-3 formation which included a real novelty for Stoke fans; left footed players plying their trade on the left side of the pitch.

Although shocking, it shows that Hughes won’t play players out of position just for the sake of it.

Even in the second team fixtures, the tactical setups have consisted of an attacking fluid 4-4-2 formation that morphs magically into a 4-3-3.

It’s also worth noting that it’s not all about the long ball, either.

Sparky alluded to this in the post-Houston press conference (which followed a 2-0 loss), where he was eager to point out his ‘new styles’ which were still to be fully adopted.

What new style? Well, in Philadelphia a week later, it became obvious.

Passing.

Not quite the Barcelona tiki-taki that all teams aspire to (or risk being branded devil-like), but passing football that will mean the Britannia Stadium pitch needs to be cut.

The 4-3-3 formation lends well to the employment of attacking wingers, and Hughes’ eagerness to get Brek Shea and Jermaine Pennant involved also leans towards this.

So, here’s who I think will be the first choice eleven this season – barring any injuries (likely), sales (possibly) or signings (probably).

Goalkeeper: Asmir Begovic

Defence: Andy Wilkinson, Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth, Erick Pieters

Midfield: Jermaine Pennant, Wilson Palacios, Marc Muniesa

Attack: Cameron Jerome, Peter Crouch, Brek Shea.

There’s flexibility of course, with players like Geoff Cameron, Charlie Adam and Kenwyne Jones all likely to feature. But I think this will be the starting choice, and a 4-3-3 tactic that changes dynamically during the match.

What do you think?

Metro Blogs is a place

look Forward to see what Brek Shea can do now had time in the england game

vegfootball wrote:look Forward to see what Brek Shea can do now had time in the england game

You'll have to wait until September or so to see Shea, as he has an injury from preseason that will keep him out for a few more weeks. Even then it may take a while to see Shea really perform as he tends to take a while to find form after returning from an injury.

And Agudelo won't join Stoke until January. I don't expect him to have much impact though, to be honest.

Too bad, the US players were going to be interesting to see in this game. Although I rate both of them (possibly due to bias), so I guess it's a good thing we won't be seeing them this weekend

Win it and we'll get a CL spot.

So for now we'll be playing :


Toure and Allen starting :S

Nishank wrote:So for now we'll be playing :

Mignolet
Glen Toure Agger Enrique
Lucas Gerrard
Aspas Allen Coutinho
Sturridge

Toure and Allen starting :S

Surely Hendo is ahead of Allen in the pecking order? Plus Coutinho might be in the middle anyway, with perhaps Sterling starting on the left?

I don't mind Toure starting. He's definitely the second most in form CB atm, but Allen I dread that. PLEASE HENDO START

Nishank wrote:So for now we'll be playing :

Mignolet
Glen Toure Agger Enrique
Lucas Gerrard
Aspas Allen Coutinho
Sturridge

Toure and Allen starting :S

well going pre-season & Sturridge miss most of it,

i think team & subs be

-----------------Mignolet--------
Glen--------Toure-------Agger-------Enrique----
------------Lucas------Gerrard------
Sterling-----------Allen-------------Coutinho----
-----------------Aspas-------------

subs: Jones, Kelly,Wisdom, Ibe,Henderson,Alberto,Sturridge

think Stoke will have a lot space & joy down are right side

Mignolet

Johnson
Agger
Toure
Enrique

Lucas
Gerrard
Coutinho

Sterling
Sturridge
Aspas

I went for Allen because of dat BR love.
Also I really hope Toure will prove me wrong, He was arguably a scrub for the team finishing 2nd in the league.

http://www.goallegacy.net/t32288-liverpool-season-opener-lfc-v-stoke-city-17-august-245pm

Slowest weak everrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Also, will Sturridge start?

He's just came back from an injury and is not match fit. Think he'll come off the bench at half time.

this was days when could rip up small teams



Stoke City 0-8 Liverpool 2000-01 League Cup

are squad would look so much better if had players like this Stephane Henchoz,Christian Ziege,Markus Babbel,Sami Hyypia,Vladimir Smicer,Gary McAllister,Robbie Fowler,

why can Liverpool F.C. not buy good player any more, have fall that far down, that we just end up a Leeds,Nottingham Forest, Derby & so on

Here I thought we were in the Premier League...

something-red wrote:Here I thought we were in the Premier League...

i was say that the big like i said have crumble & forgot, are we head that way ?

2010-2011 season Transfers

Joe Cole,Christian Poulsen,Brad Jones,Paul Konchesky,Andy Carroll,Danny Wilson

2011-2012 season Transfers

Charlie Adam,Stewart Downing,Sebastian Coates

2012-2013 season Transfers

Fabio Borini,Joe Allen,Oussama Assaidi

yes club buy few bad player over 3 years to have so many bad player who not good enough for Liverpool F.C., is very poor,


any come you red's we need win the open

can wait to see Rodgers last buy for right side of midfield steep up the invisible man

I like how you fail to mention the successful rumors. Anyway, broken record and all that.

stevieg8 wrote: I like how you fail to mention the successful rumors.  Anyway, broken record and all that.

well successful rumors, we have been let down a bit this year, but as soon as we sign someone who good, i will sing day & every day,

come you reds

Sorry, *successful transfers. A little to early in the morning for me I guess.

stevieg8 wrote:Sorry, *successful transfers.  A little to early in the morning for me I guess.

Coutinho & Sturridge are new







that why i don't care about Suárez leave as we got those top player who much better for LFC,

but buys in 3 years & look like 4 years on two good players for a club like LFC it is poor