Kids watch: Eccleston does the trick, Hammill continues Saint futility, Anderson settles for assists, & more

Nathan Eccleston is looking more and more the business. The 16-year-old Manchester product netted three more goals today in the U18s 5-0 annihilation of West Brom. The same West Brom that held them scoreless just a month-and-half ago. That brings the young striker's tally to 15 in 16 matches. Did I mention that in three of those matches he played less than a total of 120 minutes? The kid's scoring pace has been impressive to say the least. Just imagine our side five years from now if he, David Amoo, Marvin Pourie, Gary Mackay-Steven, and the whole plethora of young International hopefuls continue to progress and develop into Premiership-quality players. We're going to be world-beaters even if a fraction of them 'make it'.

(Oh, by the way, my friend Ciara wanted me to mention that Michael 'Fekkin' Magic' Collins also scored. Typical Irish.)

The thing about Eccleston is that he didn't come with all the hype that accompanied most of our other Academites. I wouldn't necessarily say he came out of nowhere, but he did work his way from a player who wasn't even on the bench at the beginning of the season to playing every minute of our last 13 matches. That is deserving of recognition and commendation alone. In the article I linked above, Hugh McAuley seems to hint at the 16-year-old possibly already moving up the ladder and playing for the Reserves as early as this spring, an impressive feat nonetheless.

Apparently, England has no talent at the youth level, which is easily rubbished by pointing out Eccleston. He plays on a youth side with players from all over the world, Dean Bouzanis is an Aussie, Shane O'Connor and Michael Collins are Irish, Ayala is Spanish, Astrit Ajdarevic and Alexander Kacaniklic are Swedish, Gary Mackay-Steven is Scottish, and Marvin Pourie is from Germany. Pourie and Collins are both forwards as well, competing for time with the Manchester kid, but despite the German's prolific scoring record, he now sits second fiddle to the Englishman.

Since I'm on the subject of the Academy, I was wondering where all our other 'baby galaticos' are? It appears Argentine ace, Gerardo Bruna, despite being just 16, will train with the first team and get some time with the Reserves. Finnish wonderkid, Lauri Dalla Valle, also 16, arrives in January and it is rumored that he'll do the same and young Spanish star, Dani Pacheco, 17, has seen minimal time with the Reserves already. Who knows about Ayala, he might be injured, but I haven't heard much of him lately.

I'm beginning to wonder if Southampton is the right fit for Adam Hammill. Just when it looked as if he was settling in after a two assist outing, leading the Saints to a 4-0 thrashing of Hull, he was essentially a non-factor in his club's 1-1 draw at Coventry. In fact, he was taken off the pitch in the 68th minute with the score at one apiece. At least it ended in a draw. The Saints next play a home fixture on Saturday with Preston, the team of none-other-than Neil Mellor who scored just his second goal of the campaign this season, helping the Lilywhites defeat Burnley.

Paul Anderson has decided to no longer score goals and now just set them up. The 19-year-old Wirral wonder got two more assists today to help Swansea win 3-0 at the Liberty over Southend. Anderson only played 59 minutes before being replaced by Thomas Butler. With Leyton Orient taking it up the arse, 0-1 at the hands of Carlisle, the Swans now sit all alone atop the League One table, a point and a goal clear of the aforementioned Cumbrians, which they travel to on Saturday. Anderson, like Hammill at Dunfermline last season, appears to be turning me into a Swans supporter. Hell, if Rafa goes, this blog will be changed to Swans Banter?

Since Hartlepool wasn't playing a side that featured another Liverpool player on-loan, they won, 3-0. Godwin Antwi started and played the full ninety. The Monkey Hangers head to Swindon next Saturday. Finally, Ryan Flynn failed to make the bench for Hereford. Shocker.

A rant about Rafa, Trojan Horse formations & guerrilla warfare tactics

Formations have basically ceased to matter and as soon as football catches up to evolution, they may all together. Managers like Rafa, Mourinho, Ferguson, and Wenger have realized this for a while now. World class footballers cancel out archaic tactics, allowing them to use guerrilla warfare instead of Napoleonic measures.

Take the Marseilles match. Yossi Benayoun, who is more of a direct attacking midfielder (and arguably a box-to-boxer) started on the right, yet rarely utilized the flank. There was no need. Having a fit Kewell on the left, drawing out the defense, allowed Rafa to basically cram an extra attacker into the penalty corridor. If he had needed Yossi to play out, the Israeli has shown in the past he's more than capable of adjusting. Then you pull Gerrard forward, push Mascherano way back, Kuyt slightly back and to the left, and voila! You essentially have a five man attacking front, calculatingly spread to open up the middle and cause havoc throughout. Without the pace, skill, and intelligence of such great footballers, this just wouldn't be possible.

The Marseilles match was also a brilliant display of guerrilla warfare. Utilizing our superior pace and skills, we struck quickly and then withdrew, digging trenches to halt our opponent's forward movement. The French side dominated possession, yet rarely entered our penalty box on foot. I can only think of two occasions when they did. This game plan devastates such opponents since they are already entering the match as the lesser side. Expending energy just to fight for a position makes their situation even more dire. It's not only clandestine in it's approach, but it's nearly impossible to penetrate if even done moderately well. The thing is though, it won't work against a side like Man U, who do have players who can beat you on their own.

Playing Gerrard on the right is another deceptive tactic that I hope Rafa utilizes more once Alonso gets back or he becomes more comfortable with Lucas. In position alone is Stevie-G truly on the right. In reality, he has free roam of the pitch, since he has world class cognizance of knowing positioning. Rarely does it cause congestion issues, at least ones that are his fault. If Rafa needs him to go the winger route, he's more than capable, but if Finnan is behind him, there's no need. Finnan is an exceptional wing-back, one of the best in the world. Of course, I don't have the same confidence in Arbeloa, so starting Gerrard in front of him is quite the risk.

One of the things you'll rarely see is Gerrard on the right with Crouch in the middle. Crouch is best utilized as a set up man over the middle or, obviously, a finisher in the box. When Gerrard is given free roam and Crouch tries to play his middle man role, you can just see the frustration on our Captain's face. He's essentially a caged animal and it negatively affects his play. The answer to that is having him play to the right, which he does and will effectively, but it's kind of like raising a puppy without a leash. All of a sudden when they're a grown dog, trying to train him/her on one is no easy task. Trust me.

Wing-backs are a crucial element to Rafa's game plan. Not many sides have the luxury of having two potentially great ones on the left in Aurelio and Riise. When they start together, Riise at midfield, it almost mimics starting Gerrard on the right with Finnan trailing. Riise can play the wing, though I would never mistake him for Harry Kewell, but with Aurelio, a deadly passer and crosser, behind the Norwegian, it's not required. Riise can float around the left-side of the pitch merrily, as long as he keeps an eye on the opposition and his teammates.

The goal of Rafa and ultimately any coach/manager is to have your side playing as a highly-functional organism, free thinking yet relying on other organs to provide the necessary output to succeed. The less static, the less predictable, and the more options, the more impossible it becomes to defend against. Shrouding such tactics under ancient jargon is just another way to get the edge up on the opponent. Unfortunately, when it comes to sides like the one we're to face on Sunday, trench warfare is the only way to go about it without evoking Ragnarok.

Liverpool vs Man U: Which Rafanauts will heed the call?

The Mancs are coming.

If the Premiership title is the Golden Fleece and Gerrard our Jason, is this match merely a stall on the Island of Lemnos or is it the chance to free King Phineas, cursed by Helios for denying the sun? In any case, failure is not an option, though a draw most likely awaits. With the aid of Athena, will Rafargus be able to construct a side to weather the torrential Manchesteranean sea?

With Aggerus apparently unavailable, the anchors of the Rafargo have but two to labor, Hyppiälas and Carracles. With Finnaemon knocked as well, Arbelanta is the only viable option on the right, while on the left, I think Aurelycus gets the start. In recent history, Rafargus has called upon Riiseus to play left-mid in big matches, especially against adversaries with menacing right-wingers like Ronaldon, so I think he'll do so here as well.

Lining up aside the ginger warrior, I fully expect Mascheranion to pair Jason. He has apparently recovered from the knock received in the victory at Marseilles and was back in full training on Thursday. On the right, Benayophon is really our only, but best, option. If he marks as well as he did in France, whomever the Mancs put on the left will be rendered useless and hopefully run ragged in retaliation.

Up front, the great Torreses will certainly start, but whom shall be paired with him is a mystery. Crouchion is too much of a defensive liability and turns over the ball way too often. Giving a side like the Manchestereanans the ball on the counter is like giving a dragon oil, you're going to get burnt. Voroninus I can see, but I think Kuytalus is the best choice. We won't get pace from any other forwards to begin with, except for maybe Babeleus, but he's not ready to start in a big match like this, so Kuytalus' defensive attributes should come in handy. The other option is Kewellius, but he's so much better on the wing.

My final call:
Reinaus
Aurelycus
Hyypiälas
Carracles
Arbelanta
Riiseus
Mascheranion
Jason (Gerrardius)
Benayophon
Kuytalus
Torreses (the Great)

Bench:
Itandjemus
Babeleus
Kewellius
Lucas
Crouchion

As I mentioned prior, I believe this will be a draw, but hopefully at least one of excitement. May the Gods shine upon us.

Today's Banter: Calm down Mr. Babel, Arbeloa relishes Ronaldo, Sir Alex wanted Torres, & more

Apparently Ryan Babel is not fond of the 'super sub' label. Sensitive, are we? Well, Mr. Babel, you shouldn't confuse 'super sub' with 'one who is not good enough to start', that clearly does not apply. Unfortunately there are other players who have more experience that play the same positions as you. Your abilities are duly noted and in due time, you will be a starter, I have little doubt of that. Don't let meaningless words hinder your progress, the biggest obstacle for a young athlete is his ego. Why do I get the feeling that something was manipulated in translation here? Anyhow, the author of the linked article mixed deceptive math and words to make the Dutchman sound like the God of all subs. It was a nice touch.

Álvaro Arbeloa is ready to cage Cristiano as he did Messi in his Liverpool debut at Camp Nou. The 24-year-old fullback is expected to start on the right as Finnan looks out with a knock. To the Spaniard, what position makes no difference, as long as he plays. I'll be curious to see who we play on the left. I have my ideas and will post them in due time, but whomever gets the call will need to step up and contain the Portuguese winger.

You can spot an envious Man United fan a mile away. They are the ones who write things like 'Ferguson didn't want Torres' or 'Man U rejected El Niño'. Well, their leader has spoken and he says different. Sir Alex Ferguson states that he attempted to bring Torres to Man U on multiple occasions, but believes he failed due to the language barrier, an aspect Rafa had the advantage. Though I think that had something to do with it, the mystique of the club, where the fans are not products of the fear of losing, was more important. Torres is already revered and idolized on a level that not even Cristiano Ronaldo can match. It's almost as if he's the adopted son of most supporters with the uncanny ability to channel that positive energy into amazing results on the pitch. A factory like Man U just can't compete with that.

I don't always have respect for Ferguson. For the manager of a club which has received the Michael Jordan treatment from the refs for years, he doesn't take it very graciously when the tables are turned. What goes around, comes around, in life and sport equally, how you endure the lows shows true character. I will credit the Scot with one thing though, he's keen to truth, whether he brings it into the limelight or not is his own discretion, honor aside. Standing up for Rafa in the Spaniard's recent quarrel with the owners is more than just taking the side of another manager. It was taking the side of truth and common sense. As the nine-time Premier League winning manager said, "You ask yourself where that comes from and there’s obviously some undercurrent of a dispute somewhere along the line, but with Rafa’s record, it’s strange." Strange, indeed.

Kids watch: Academy kids destroy Wycombe, Southampton finally wins with Hammill, Antwi loses to Peltier, & more

The U18s began their double defence of the FA Youth Cup with a resounding 5-0 shellacking of Wycombe. The Wanderers were undefeated in thirteen contests coming in while racking up a ridiculous +27 goal difference. Though they managed to hold our boys for the first half, an explosion of goals in the second, led by a brace from Nathan Eccleston, crushed the young Chairboys' hopes and dreams of the upset. I was utterly shocked to read about this win, especially considering Wycombe's dominance of all previous comers and the fact that it was at their house. Here are some other pics from the contest.

Adam Hammill may have finally had the match that gives him the belief of shining in the Championship. The flashy left-winger set up at least two goals and possibly three in the Saints 4-0 demolition of Hull City last Saturday. The most important aspect is that his side won, a first when the 19-year-old starts. Hopefully this will give George Burnley confidence in the youngster to make him a regular starter.

Godwin Antwi has continued his futile streak when it comes to on-loan 'derbies'. The twenty-year-old has now been on the third losing side of Hartlepool when they face a club featuring another Liverpool player on-loan. This time it was Lee Peltier and Yeovil Town thrashing the Monkey Hangers, 3-1, at Huish Park. I'm not sure if it's a continued sign of hard luck or an emphasis of his value to the side, but after going up 1-0, Antwi had to go off the pitch to receive treatment and while his side was down to ten men, the Glovers scored a pair to take the lead. Both players played the full ninety.

Swansea is on a roll and though Anderson has cooled off on his goal-scoring pace, when the 19-year-old Wirral product plays, the Swans usually get a result. In fact, they are undefeated in his last 19 appearances. Unbelievable. Their lastest match was a 6-2 drubbing of Horsham in the FA Cup. Though Anderson failed to net, he did have one disallowed for reasons unknown and assisted on at least one other. The Swans still sit atop the League One table with a match-in-hand and a considerable goal difference differential of 13 over table top sharers, Leyton Orient. They play Southend at the Liberty on Saturday.

Finally, Danny Guthrie played the full match in Bolton's 4-1 win over Wigan at the Reebok. The 20-year-old failed to score, but did collect his first career Premiership booking. Ryan Flynn has still yet to feature for Hereford and if you haven't heard, Besian Idrizaj, Craig Lindfield, and essentially Robbie Threlfall, have all concluded their loan spells. Cheerio.

I think Rafa has been reading this blog

I'm kidding, of course, but he came out today with an interesting statement:

"Between what we have spent and recovered we're at a similar level to those at the top, but not the biggest sides... Manchester United have spent £70million (this year) and we have spent 40 something and recovered £26m... Many people say we have to win the title because of the money we have spent but other teams such as United, Chelsea, Newcastle or Aston Villa have also spent a lot of money.... Arsenal have been spending a lot on young players for years and now are reaping the rewards... All the top teams spend money but this does not guarantee the league title because Chelsea and United are very big with a base created over a number of years."

Though his numbers may be a little exaggerated on the Manc end, he essentially reiterated what I said in this post. In Rafa we trust.

Today's Banter: Injury updates, Guðjohnsen wants 'revenge', & Man U build-up

It looks as if Xabi Alonso may be available on Sunday, while Steve Finnan looks a scratch. The midfield maestro has been deemed fit by Rafa, but it's unclear whether he'll feature or not. I'm thinking two things here, first, Benitez may just be setting a ploy, as Man U will definitely be more worried about Xabi than Mascherano, due to the former's awesome passing abilities. The other thing is that he may actually be fit, which is fine by me, but will he play? I would hope so, with Mascherano pairing and Gerrard on the right, but if he's not fully fit, he shouldn't.

Finnan, on the other hand, is not a very big concern. We have Arbeloa and with the return of Aurelio on the left, the Spaniard only has to cover the right. If the Irishman is definitely out, I expect Fabio to start on the left with Riise in front of him, giving us at least some sort of wing-back option in the Brazilian. Agger, by the way, is definitely a no-go.

Eiður Guðjohnsen apparently wants 'payback' for his side being booted by Liverpool last year in the Champions League. Fair game, though I don't really care who we get on December 21st when the drawing is held, but I think Guðjohnsen should be careful what he wishes for. Call me crazy, but I think we'll draw AC Milan and Barça will get Arsenal, rematches of the last two finals. The funny thing is, if we do draw the Spanish side, I doubt the former Chelsea forward/attacking midfielder will make more than a cameo in either tie.

The tension for Sunday's showdown with Man U is already bringing about words from the neighbors to the east. Sir Alex Ferguson believes form will be thrown out the window, though I'm not sure what the hell he's talking about. Both sides are in great form and though they barely boast a better record overall, we have scored considerably more goals. Is he claiming his side is in better form? If so, good, let them be cocky.

As for the players, Guadaloupian striker Louis Saha brings up last year's fiasco and how it 'kick-started' the Mancs run to the title. Ah, yes, the match where Carragher wasn't allowed to defend and Man U players were allowed to grab jerseys, but Liverpool were not. Can't wait to see who the ref will be, if it's Mike Riley I might not even bother to watch. Surprisingly, Wayne Rooney talks some sense, talking about the Marseilles match and our recent form: "They did very well and got an excellent result... They are scoring a lot of goals but probably the best thing we can do is concentrate on our job rather than worry about them." If Roons thought that was doing very well (against the 'French'), well, hopefully he hasn't seen nothing yet.

Liverpool 4, Marseilles 0: player ratings

Pepe Reina 5.5
Clean sheet much to the work of his defense, so basically the average outing for the Spaniard. Marseilles was off-target most the day.

Alvaro Arbeloa 6.5
A zonal marking beast throughout who probably kept possession for the longest durations, but in reality had a poor passing day.

Jamie Carragher 6
Not much more you can ask from Carra, he irritated the l'OM attack to no end and really wasn't called upon to go kamikaze.

Sami Hyypiä 6
Like his fellow centre back, the Finn dug the trenches and absorbed Marseilles attack whenever it progressed to his spot.

John Arne Riise 6.5
Had the Norwegian not gotten the 'assist' on Gerrard's penalty call and played full out on defense, his grade would have been much worse. He is so wasteful on attack right now, it's appalling.

Yossi Benayoun 6.5
Yossi made up for a poor attacking display with a tremendous defensive effort and was a huge reason their attack rarely made it passed our midfield.

Steven Gerrard 7
The captain's performance sort of epitomized our effort as a side. He contained, marked, and tackled with remarkable efficiency, but on attack he took a lot of risks, most which didn't pay off. Instead of calculated intrusions into enemy territory, waiting to open up the defense, we were like a lightning cloud with an endless amount of bolts, striking at every opportunity. The problem with that approach is if you don't play defense intelligently and communicate well with your teammates, the opposition is going to murder you on the counter. Luckily our midfield was impenetrable.

Javier Mascherano 6.5
Ditto for the Argentine who tied for the high in tackles with Gerrard on 6. Hope his injury isn't too serious.

Harry Kewell 7.5 Man of the Match
King Harry set up two goals with astounding passes and though a lot of his brilliant attempts didn't make their destination, his effort was commendable. Hopefully he's back for good.

Dirk Kuyt 6.5
Effort, effort, effort, and a nice goal to boot. Truly showed his value as a marking forward and hopefully getting on the score sheet will only boost his confidence.

Fernando Torres 7
Another match, another goal, and what skill. Could still improve though, especially with his passing, but he drove the Marseilles defenders mad.

Fabio Aurelio 6
Got the assist on Babel's goal and I cut him some slack for minor defensive mistakes because it was his first match back in a month.

Ryan Babel 7
Our super sub strikes again. I can't wait until he adapts more to this level of play and learns to utilize his strengths best. What he needs to do is just study Torres since they both benefit best from their pace and strength.

Lucas N/A
I really wish Benitez would have taken Gerrard out for Lucas with about 20 minutes to go considering the Man U match is Sunday, but that's Rafa for ya.

Overall, as I tried to convey in my match review, it was an interesting yet odd match. I can't recall a match where we used the counter so effectively after absorbing the Marseilles attack. Efficient doesn't begin to describe it. Anyhow, not sure if that game plan will work Sunday. Cheers.

Liverpool 4, Marseilles 0: a most uncanny affair

If I've ever watched back-to-back Liverpool matches that were exact opposite affairs, I can't recall. Where we dominated the Reading match yet loss, Marseilles was technically the better side today, yet had no chance to win. Where our side was most impressive today was essentially the deciding factor. The closer the French side got to our box, the better our defense became and our counter was quick and deadly, which only added to l'OM's worries.

It was vital that we got two goals in the opening eleven minutes and were able to assert control by letting Marseilles expend energy on attack. I'm sure we'll hear bullocks on the penalty from Gerrard-haters, but the l'OM defender shouldn't have went for the tackle when he was already beat. It was a brilliant Kewell ball that sent our captain through and lead to the call which ended up being just a preview of what the Aussie was to offer our side.

About eight minutes later the Socceroo set up Torres, who twisted and turned his way to a smooth finish into the opposite end of the goal. At that point we were able to play back and tease the opposition, all the while being able to threaten on the counter. Though I can't admit to thinking we had it sealed, it was hard to imagine Marseilles outwitting Hyypiä, who was once again at the top of his game.

I kind of think Gerets panicked by making his third and final sub at the beginning of the second half, bringing on Cissé in what I'm assuming was intended to be an inspirational move. If it was the sentiment, it was crushed minutes later when Kewell once again came through, setting up Kuyt with a clever curling pass in the box off a rebound. The Dutchman caught, controlled, and finished to perfection, in essence ending the match by making it a three goal margin.

From that point forward, the Ligue 1 club would have needed six crazy minutes reminiscent of Istanbul to get back into the match. Just for good measure, Babel added a fourth in the closing minutes, when he beat the then worn Marseilles defense and netted his sixth career goal for Liverpool.

Overall it didn't feel as dominate as the final tally, but anytime my captain, the kid, and the new John Barnes score, it's been a good night. I will admit to being disappointed in the French crowd though. Being of such descent, I was embarrassed over their actions, especially the throwing of cigarette lighters. Anyhow, player grades tomorrow, but my man of the match was Kewell. Cheers.

Liverpool at Marseilles: Every man has his own destiny...

Trophies only bring ephemeral happiness, like a drug that only feeds the desire for more... but that doesn't mean they're not worth the pain and suffering. No matter what though, I expect them to leave it all out on the pitch. Bury your heart at Stade Vélodrome, boys.

Here's the line-up:
Reina
Riise
Carra
Hyypiä
Arbeloa
Kewell
Gerrard
Mascherano
Benayoun
Kuyt
Torres

Bench:
Itandje
Finnan
Aurelio
Babel
Crouch
Lucas
Hobbs

Honestly, I believe this our best XI, so I don't see how Rafa can be blamed or praised from the start, no matter the result. What he does tactically during the match is something entirely different.

If we truly judge the wisdom of a man by his hope, I'm either the most hopeless man alive or just dumb as dirt. Godspeed.

Today's Banter: Sissoko steamed over omission, John Barnes helps out Sunderland, Besian to return early, & more

It appears Momo Sissoko's days at Liverpool are numbered. The 23-year-old lashed out in frustration after being omitted from the traveling squad to face Marseilles today. Being that his family is from France and would have a rare chance to see him play, the defensive midfielder felt he should have at least been included. Sorry, Momo, but you're wrong. Your form has been relatively poor this whole season and the only person you have to blame is yourself. Lucas may not get to play much either, but his attitude doesn't get in the way of his performance. At this point, I can't see Momo being kept around through the January window. It's disappointing, but he's not mentally capable of being in a rotated squad and it has obviously affected his play.

The legend who is John Barnes will be lending a helping hand of sorts to Roy Keane and the Black Cats by doing some pseudo-scouting for the Premiership club. The former winger will be running clinics in the Carribean and if upon seeing a player with the potential to benefit Sunderland, he'll be sent across the pond to trial under Keane. Barnes was born and raised in Jamaica before moving to England as a 13-year-old.

Besian Idrizaj, who was doing all of nothing on-loan to Crystal Palace, has been given permission by Neil Warnock to cut his year-loan early and return to Liverpool. Thank God, but like Craig Lindfield, the 20-year-old Austrian is going to find slim pickings when it comes to playing time, especially with the very recent emergence of Krisztián Németh. I guess we'll see if he'll be sent out on loan again, which would probably be best for everyone.

Finally, Rafa has stated that today's match will have no ramifications either way on whether or not he'll receive promised transfer funds in January. If they don't win today, I honestly don't know if Benitez will be around anyhow. Players and fans talk big, but I just can't see either wanting to leave LFC, except for Mascherano and maybe Xabi, but no one else will be going anywhere.

Liverpool at Marseilles: Does it matter what Rafa does?

I'm still in shock that Lucas didn't see the pitch on Saturday. Not that I think it would have mattered. The official had already cashed the check.

Honestly, I have no clue what kind of side Rafa will field tomorrow. Whether Agger or Alonso will be available is unclear. The only thing that I'm sure of is that Hyypiä will start, everything else is a guessing game. I'm hoping Rafa shows some guile.

I would go with Aurelio on the left if available, if not probably Arbeloa since it appears Finnan will go on the right. Carra and the Finn are the only options in the middle.

On the left in the midfield, I like Kewell. His European experience is invaluable. Gerrard and Mascherano should anchor the middle with Benayoun on the right.

Up front, I'm guessing Kuyt and Crouch, pending the fitness of Torres, of course.

Here's my final answer:
Reina
Aurelio (or Arbeloa)
Carra
Hyypiä
Finnan
Kewell
Gerrard
Mascherano
Benayoun
Kuyt
Torres (or Crouch)

Bench:
Itandje
Babel
Riise
Hobbs
Crouch (or Sissoko)
Lucas
Voronin

That's pretty much our entire squad.

Three points is the only option, everything else is unacceptable.

If you should go skating,
On the thin ice of modern life...