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Liverpool To Stick Or Twist?

1-0 up going into the home second leg of a League Cup semi-final is very often more difficult to approach than 0-0, especially with strikers who are firing blanks...

Liverpool may well be unbeaten at home this season but they have scored only 21 goals at Anfield in 12 games across all competitions and 5 of those came at home to Oldham Athletic.

If they concede early tonight to a Manchester City side who have plundered 36 away goals in 16 games across all competitions, then there is a strong likelihood that they will be in for a difficult evening, particularly as after a time of containment, City are threatening to again cut loose.

So how will Kenny Dalglish set his side up with the pressure mounting to make Liverpool's first Wembley appearance since defeat to the rags in 1996?

Will he set out to park the bus again as he did in the first leg? Following Steven Gerrard's early penalty, Liverpool mustered 3 more shots on Joe Hart's goal and conceded 65% of the possession.

For the 1-1 league draw at Anfield last November, it was a different story after Joleon Lescott's own goal equaliser served to galvanise The Reds into a more attack minded approach.

Yet the stakes are much higher tonight. With their cup nemesis the rags to follow at Anfield on Saturday in the FA variant and following the calamitous defeat at Bolton, there are sure to be plenty of nerves around the old ground tonight.

City's quicksilver winger Adam Johnson senses that:

'It is a tricky one for them. Do they try to attack us or try to defend against our quality players for 90 minutes?

'...no matter who we play, we will create chances at some point. We beat them 3-0 at home, so we can score against them.

'Nobody is expecting us to go through so the pressure is off for once and we can go there with freedom, play our football and have a go. It won't be easy but we are quietly confident.

'I don't want to be happy just because I have an FA Cup medal. Even if we win the Premier League, I will strive for more. That's why you see the top players walk away with so many medals at the end of their careers.

'With the players we have, we want to do it again and again. That is the mentality we are developing.'

Follow City's League Cup Revenge Mission At Anfield Tonight On The VMC Forum Match Day Thread


UPCOMING FIXTURES:
all times East Manchester

Tonight 19:45 Liverpool, Anfield, LCSF2
Tu 31 Jan 20:00 Everton, Goodison Park, PL
Sa 04 Feb 17:30 Fulham, The Etihad, PL
Su 12 Feb 16:00 Aston Villa, Villa Park, PL
Th 16 Feb 20:05 Porto, Estádio do Dragăo, ELR32
We 22 Feb 20:05 Porto, The Etihad, ELR32
Sa 25 Feb 17:30 Blackburn, The Etihad, PL





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Writer: Johnny Baguette VMC Newsdesk Mail feedback, articles or suggestions

Date:Wednesday January 25 2012

Time: 8:59AM

Your Comments

What's this about medals Johnson? Everyone knows City players aren't in it for the medals, they're only in it for the money, jeez! Is this game on the Beeb tonight? As in, do we have to put up with the inane ramblings of Lawro and that other knob jockey Hansen?
Bluedub
Liverpool's tactics revealed:

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/london/images/augusst/dd1.jpg

fifthcolumnblue
I hope you guys batter the scousers tonight.
Himwhatwhats
if you can't beat that lot who are garbage then it will be time to give over. mind you dont trip over donkey carrolls drinking trough outside the tunnel. MUFC ONE LOVE
Nobby Allcock
Edin has to be in form for this one. Nobby 1-6 love
Buzz Lightyear
The name says it all really don't it nobby!!!! I think your find that we will be out for a Win tonight... After kenny's reactions to the bolton game. I don't see how people think its a simple task and we will go through, city have a great team and have enough quality to beat any team in europe right now.... I'm looking forward to game and hope its a straight forward where the ref doesn't have to get involved to much. Good luck lads fingers crossed for a great game
muffdaddy1983
dzecko as well? the ref will need plenty of carrots lmao
Nobby Allcock
City do have a great squad, if you take it as names you know and price cost they're up there with the best inthe world. But, i feel that regardless of how much a player costs or how well he is known they're still not up there with Barca. That goes for all clubs, not just city, barca have stars we just don't know yet. I watched their youngsters get a couple of games recently and they will be right up there in that system making everyone else look mediocre soon enough. Still want you guys to win the league before anyone other than us though :)
Himwhatwhats
it will of course be a rubbish match with biased scouse bellends in the studio banging on about how great their team is. I hope liddle ciddy win then we can finish the job on saturday. kenny the harold ramps season over by end of january.
Nobby Allcock
Isn't it about time they stopped with this King Kenny crap? king of midtable is all.
Himwhatwhats
dead right mate. wolves and blackburn have scored more than them.
Nobby Allcock
Tonight's game is far more important to the Scousers than the weekend match against someone else - it's a no-brainer. Win or draw and they get a Wembley Cup Final against a Championship side with guaranteed Euro qualification thrown in. If City go to Anfield tonight and win...it's another reason for the traditional British footballing elite to shift in their seats a bit more. Blue Moon Rising.
Spooks
Don't think either team will regard this game as a simple task Muffdaddy, anything can happen in a cup match. I echo your sentiments about it being a good game with barely a mention of the ref's name all evening, but given the crap that's been served up by the officials all season I won't hold my breat. Wonder who the Cardiff supporters will be supporting tonight? TBH, If I were a Bluebird, I'd be hoping for City to get through - whether it's us or Liverpool they face, it will be a difficult game for them - but if it's us, I'd say we're a pretty good bet to make the Champions League (Not being arrogant, but we're currently 18 points clear of fifth place, not even the FA can stop us finishing at least 4th, surely?!), so Cardiff will be guaranteed European Football whether they win or lose.
fifthcolumnblue
The Dippers have United in a few days in the FA Cup while we have the weekend off, so Dalglish has to work out who can play both and who needs to be rested (hopefully Bellamy).
StuMCFC
BD - love your intial post - yes you are right - not in it to win it, but in it for the money lol! :)

As for King Kenny - Ive already said in other posts its King Ken DODD c Mr Mankini :D
niteworlok
I guess sarcasm is lost on you NW.
Bluedub
Great first half by us but the ref WTF is he doing just took the complete shine off our Performance.... De jong goal was quality I'm sure he will say he slipped to add to the quality lol.
muffdaddy1983
wow, you guys have been at the end of some ***** decisions this season. No effing way that was a penalty for pool. And im not even a city fan.
Sajit
You should be out of sight MD. We were ******** awful that half, penalty decision was bollox but can't begrudge Pool the equaliser to be fair.
Bluedub
now pls dont go blaming the ref for the peno i mean he was only trying hes best, still funny though after tellin us get over it
123spurs
Lescott shouldn't have even been playing, pay back is a bitch, so glad you lost, Ballotelli is a nasty cheating scumbag, I wish he would f' off back to Italy, justice for Sunday, well done Liverpool, one more trophy slips out of your grimy hands, sure proof, money can't buy everything. Fvckin good !!
YidEdy
Ballotelli is a scumbag just like the Gallaghers, unlike Tetleys, I'm bitter.
YidEdy
I know Sajittti your a dirty scumbag gooner, f' off back to wool which you low life
YidEdy
Glad to see Spurs fans have moved on from the spanking we gave you on Sunday. Muppets
rojo2010
A scumbag - just like Huddlestone then, yeah?
rojo2010
How is Liverpool beating us justice for Spurs? Go away mate you're making a show of your fanbase.
Bluedub
Best team won tonight ,and City are not coping with these pressure games and high expectation and the defence is leaking too many goals
nickster
Nickster, tell me something mate, do you believe your pathetic attempts of planting a seed of doubt are going to have any effect on anything?
Bluedub
BD - having a bit of freindly banter with you, dont you worry, sarcasm is NOT lost on me
niteworlok
Nickster, not sure if you watched the game, but it was actually a draw. This game was lost in the first leg. Old news. Thought Sunday's game was a bit of a pressure cooker. 3pts in the bag though.
rojo2010
I think nickster is saying that the better team over 2 legs went through to the final......
niteworlok
"Best team won tonight". Call me pedantic, but that's simply just not true :P
rojo2010
He's right that the better teams over two legs went through, I don't believe anyone's questioning that. He's talking through his arse about pressure games and about our defence which is the best in the league.
Bluedub
Ok the best team went through tonight and they go to wembley ohh yes they must be the winners . BD the seed of doubt was aleady planted when you guys went out of Champions league . then the FA cup now the Carling and you may even mess up the title in the coming weeks, its all in the game you cant win everything
nickster
Only reason we came out of that with the draw tonight was down to one man, J Hart. Liverpool absolutely deserved to go through overall, no question. No hunger from our lads for this one. Priority is the Premier League. That'll do pig, that'll do.
rojo2010
Nickster, I never claimed we can win everything, I never claimed we'll win anything in fact. We are still in the driving seat to win the league at the moment so I'm still smiling mate.
Bluedub
Nickster, we were unlucky to go out of the CL (very tough group), unlucky to go out of the FA Cup (refereeing decisions) and not arsed about going out of the Carling Cup. No seeds of doubt 3pts clear of the pack.
rojo2010
Just having a bit of banter boys, to be honset City have been playing some cracking football and have world beaters in the team and great manager and should be more than 3 points ahead of UTD who are having a strange season. I think the only thing that will beat city is City themselves if they come through the crunch games they do have the squad to do it come squeeky bum time time.
nickster
You're having a strange season but you still had a record start, City would be well clear in most seasons at this stage with the points haul we have.
Bluedub
See guys, we can all be friends :)
niteworlok
lol NW, of course we can have some banter but when people come on here talking nonsense ( not your good self btw ) they are going to be called out on what they say.
Bluedub
Not all spurs fans are "smarting" i've been more than civil on here. The "hammering" you talk of though? i never saw that on sunday. Payback? hmm, payback would include spurs receiving something. I don't get the coming on here and slagging off, i reserve that for the goons and the goons alone. Like i've said before, the only other team i'll enjoy seeing win the league is you guys as it's not the usual f'ckers thinking they're untouchable. Unlucky for last night, richards handball was a joke, ball to foot to hand= no penalty!
Himwhatwhats
BD - I agree totally - we as other teams do have some people who take these things too far and spout crap and troll people when there is no need.....
I enjoy coming onto your site and reading the articles - there is more life here than ours yes, seems just like me posting on there at the moment lol
niteworlok
 

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