Stoke away

[Modo]

Sterling set to return but Allen likely to stay on the bench


PUBLISHED: 15:12 GMT, 24 December 2012 | UPDATED: 15:12 GMT, 24 December 2012

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has no new injury problems to contend with for their Boxing Day trip to Stoke and is unlikely to make any changes.
Winger Raheem Sterling may come back into the side having been rested for the victory over Fulham.
Midfielder Joe Allen, however, may remain on the bench as Rodgers said they were managing a pelvic problem with the Wales international.

Provisional squad: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Gerrard, Lucas, Shelvey, Sterling, Suarez, Downing, Jones, Wisdom, Carragher, Coates, Henderson, Allen, Suso, Cole.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2252875/Stoke-v-Liverpool-Boxing-Day-team-news-Raheem-Sterling-set-return-Reds.html#ixzz2Fz9kE7ew

Owen targets goal against Reds


The 33-year-old will be hoping the trend changes on Boxing Day when the Potters host Liverpool in the Barclays Premier League, a game in which he could make his first Stoke appearance since October 27 having overcome a hamstring problem.
Owen - who departed Anfield for Real Madrid and moved on to Newcastle and Manchester United before joining Stoke this season - told Independent Sports News: "It is a strange feeling really playing against your old club, especially one where you were there for around 15 years.
"Liverpool are a big part of my life and career and I had some of the best times of my life at the club.
"So certainly I have happy memories. I have not been so happy playing against them since; I have never scored and not particularly enjoyed it."

 

[Mersey86]

I saw a comment on BBC Saturday, before the game against Tottenham had finished, that Stoke had been involved in more 0-0s than any other team in Europe's top 5 leagues. So 6-4 to us on Wednesday then.

 

[Modo]

It's up to the rest of the midfield and Enrique and Johnson to win us this game imo.
Suarez is going to be manhandled by Huth and Shawcross. Expect the ref to book Suarez for diving.

 

[Dirkus_Circus]

Judging how the last game against these twats went, I fully expect a red card in the re-match.

 

[Hansern]

Maybe we'll get a penalty after an assult from Huth or the usual holding from Shawcross.

Or maybe not......

 

[Modo]

Webb

 

[Judge Jules]

Oh ****. That's torn that then.

 

[Hansern]

Same team as against Fulham, maybe swapping Suso for Sterling to get a bit more pace in the side.

 

[Glen C]

Same team as against Fulham, maybe swapping Suso for Sterling to get a bit more pace in the side.

i'd be a bit worried about starting sterling against stoke. They don't take any prisoners when it comes to being physical.

 

[SummerOnions]

i'd be a bit worried about starting sterling against stoke. They don't take any prisoners when it comes to being physical.

Sterling can take it. Certainly over Suso or Cole

 

[Hansern]

Sterling had a very good game against Stoke at Anfield

 

[Markeh]

Sterling was one who held his own against them last time unless I'm mistaken.

I want us to beat them so badly.

 

[Judge Jules]

Sterling can take it. Certainly over Suso or Cole

Sterling's a tough little so-and-so. He'll tackle anybody and wins more than his share in the air against defenders who are almost all bigger than he is. I'd defo pick him.

 

[Oncy]

'Nursing a pelvic problem'

Aye, his pelvis has two legs that are shite at football attached to it.

 

[Hansern]

Thats so wrong it hurts.

 

[Gary25]

They dont get much more horrible than Stoke away. Very tough game and one that i'll be watching half pissed.

Probably a score draw.

 

[Wizardry]

I struggle to see how we'll score against Stoke TBH. Luis will be in a headlock most of the game, we'll get nothing from Webb at their place, we've got nobody who'll go over the top of them in the air and they're too neanderthal to be deceived by subtlety.

Short of a great strike from outside the area or a deflection I can't really see it. They're our absolute footballing antithesis. I want to see us embarrass them so badly but fear I'm going to be bitterly disappointed.

 

[Shadey]

Stoke are due a spanking off us.. End of!!!

 

[Farkmaster]

I struggle to see how we'll score against Stoke TBH. Luis will be in a headlock most of the game, we'll get nothing from Webb at their place, we've got nobody who'll go over the top of them in the air and they're too neanderthal to be deceived by subtlety.

Short of a great strike from outside the area or a deflection I can't really see it. They're our absolute footballing antithesis. I want to see us embarrass them so badly but fear I'm going to be bitterly disappointed.

I agree about everything you've said, but they aren't too neanderthal to be deceived by subtlety, if we finish, in fact that's the way we can win. It also depends on the game being officiated well, so too big ifs there.

 

[SummerOnions]

They'll batter us. 2-0

 

[DHSC]

The key, as it is to every game for us, is to score early. In this context it is especially important as it stops Stoke from playing anti-football. I hope we score within 5 minutes.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I Short of a great strike from outside the area or a deflection

I like deflection - we need to keep shooting against these guys, not pussy-footing in and around the box looking for that perfect opening.
Daylight, shoot. Daylight, shoot. Hopefully we can induce some panic in their backline and cause a mistake or two resulting in a deflection, an own goal or a loss of concentration allowing for a pass behind the defender.

Trump card - tell Downing he is auditioning for his new team. That'll get him fired up.

 

[Mamma Mia]

We'll get a pen.

Put money on it.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

We'll get a pen.

Put money on it.

Like this one?
Stoke City boxed pen: £6.00
- http://www.scfcdirect.com/retproddetail.aspx?d=32&id=4121

Even their pens look like shit!

 

[Halmeister]

We won't score. We will lose.

 

[Wizardry]

We won't score. We will lose.

All of a sudden our chances seem higher.

 

[Insignificance]

Its a though one, no doubt about it.

Key is to keep pace on the ball with decent movement. We managed this well last time. With Shelvey on instead of Allen we will also offer Suarez some much needed support inside their box. They will be on his body and ancles all evening so we need to involve the whole attacking line from start to spread the game out.

Have a felling we can win and that we finally gets a soft penalty... come on reds!!

 

[Judge Jules]

We won't get a peno, not with Webb reffing, but otherwise I agree. If we play as well as we can at our best, we'll do these.

 

[Buddha]

I'd love it if we beat these gang of thugs at the Brittania. Love it.

 

[DHSC]

I hope we smash the living daylights out of the baseball cap and his neanderthals because I am getting up at 345am to watch. Managed to convince my boss to let me work from home tomorrow so I can sleep in a bit.