"Make Or Break Fixture in South-West Wales"
Ten league matches remain in a campaign not too dissimilar to the previous one. Make it thirteen matches in all, with two trips to Wembley and an FA Cup winners medal to show for and the season will conclude on a relatively high note. This coming a mere two or three months succeeding the 'Rodgers Out' campaign started by a minority of disgruntled Kopites on the manager's back. (I wonder where these select few find themselves in the present day, however).
No, I reckon we are a more stable team than last season, especially where our defence is concerned. The clean sheets seem to be increasing, as the climax to a thrilling battle for European places looms in the distance. Firstly, the reds travel to Wales to take on the Swans in next week's Monday night football.
Important Information and Statistics
Date: Monday, 16th March Swansea League Position: 9th
Time: 8:00 pm, UK Time Liverpool League Position: 5th
Venue: The Liberty Stadium Swansea Current Form: WDLWWL
Referee: Roger East Liverpool Current Form: WDWWWW
Is it on TV?: Yes, Sky Sports 1 HD
Season Defining Match-Week
Each one of us could feel guilty of calling every league match a 'season defining fixture', however this time around, if we take a look at the proximity of the top seven teams, a long with some of the key 'top of the table' fixtures being played this weekend, Brendan could well be looking at third place as an opportunity to qualify for Europe automatically and avoid the infuriating play-offs. (May be even second, if other games go our way).
Points Game Week 29:
2nd - Manchester City 58 Arsenal vs West Ham
3rd - Arsenal 54 Chelsea vs Southampton
4th - Man United 53 Burnley vs Man. City
5th - Liverpool 51 Man. United vs Tottenham
6th - Tottenham 50 Swansea vs Liverpool
7th - Southampton 49
Yes, at least two of the reds' battlers at the top WILL drop points this game-week, and I could bet that the majority of the bookies will have the resurgent Liverpool as favourites to land third spot at the moment.
Will the "Mini-Break" Help or Hinder Liverpool?
A one week break between matches seems the norm for the majority of football clubs across the country. Not if you are Liverpool, who have not enjoyed that privilege for an entire two months. Whether it was the Capital One Cup, FA Cup, or Europa League to battle for, the reds have been kept extremely busy mid-week, and it definitely took it's toll last Sunday against Blackburn.
With Liverpool as dominant as they are at the moment, will the break interrupt their progress and halt a team whom are in high spirits and will no doubt be eager to get a ball rolling as soon as possible? I personally reckon Rodgers' men need the break. Whilst it does not look like it is fazing the players, a lack of crucial rest time may lead to serious injuries, and that is the last thing on Brendan's mind as we enter a pivotal set of fixtures. This being a European week will also come to Liverpool's aid, as City and Arsenal both vie for an unlikely spot in the Quarter-Finals of the Champions League.
Captain Fantastic Returns, but Will He Retain His Position?
Roll back a couple of years, and an injury sustained by Steven Gerrard would spell utter disaster for the Anfield club. Now though, Brendan's men look a rejuvenated team without our sidelined iconic figure. Jordan Henderson is blossoming as our current captain and main man in the centre of midfield, and our overall flow with and without the ball seems to have improved since. Here is a stat for you;
Liverpool have won every single league game without Steven Gerrard this season. (A stat that does not bode well for the returning skipper).
I can agree with the fact that Stevie has carried this football club through thick and thin, and has stuck with his beloved Liverpool even when mammoth-sized offers came flurrying his way. I do not know where we would be without Stevie G. BUT.... the skipper is reaching his mid-30's and I reckon Brendan SHOULD stick with his high-fliers for the time being, thus allowing Stevie to fight for his place from the bench. Does this mean Henderson acquires the armband permanently? Maybe. One thing is certain, if Liverpool are to make it to the FA Cup final, there is ONLY ONE man who will be leading his team out on his 35th birthday, and that is our captain fantastic, Steven Gerrard.
Team News - Four Reds To Return From the Sidelines?
Where injuries are concerned, Rodgers can seem relatively content. Joe Allen and Steven Gerrard both return from the sidelines after a couple of weeks out, whilst Mamadou Sakho played 45 minutes in a recent Under 21 fixture against Everton after being sidelined since our defeat to Besiktas last month. Martin Skrtel suffered a worrying knock against Blackburn on Sunday, however he is deemed fit and ready to be involved on Monday, as Rodgers hailed the Slovakian for his willingness to carry on despite being stretchered off with a neck brace.
On the other hand, Swansea look a hampered team on the injury front, with key players Gylfi Sigurdsson and Bafetimbi Gomis both looking unlikely to feature on Monday. This may come to Liverpool's aid, especially with Swansea's lack of creativity and clinicalness up-front.
A Quick Glance at the Opposition
Garry Monk will himself admit to enduring an extremely 'stop and start' season thus far. When the Swans aren't doing the double over Manchester United, they are letting in five at home to Chelsea, or getting knocked out of the FA Cup by the hands of Championship side Blackburn. Swansea will no doubt look at this fixture as a stepping stone towards a decent run of games to end as high up at the table as possible.
Whereas Swansea's injury worries are concerned, it does not prove a good showing. Gomis' worrying collapse at White Hart Lane could rule him out for Monday night, and after the sale of main man Wilfried Bony in January, Monk's side will struggle to find goals in the team, especially against a defence as solid as Liverpool's.
Top Scorer: Sung-Yeung Ki, 6 goals Red Cards: 4
Goals Scored: 33 Most YC's: Neil Taylor, 8
Goals Conceded: 37 Play-Maker: Gylfi Sigurdsson, 8 assists
Clean Sheets: 10 Biggest Victory: 3-0 vs West Brom
My Prediction and Probable Starting Line-Up
Let us face it, (and not tempt faith) Liverpool are a rejuvenated side since their last league defeat in December. Keeping in mind Swansea's stop-start form at the moment, I am predicting a solid 3-1 win for the red men, with Sturridge, Sterling, and Balotelli amongst the goals.
My probable line-up differs slightly from our last league game against Burnley.
Yes, I think it is finally time to proper release S-A-B in a fixture that would make or break his future in the red of Liverpool.
Come Tuesday morning, Liverpool may find themselves in fourth place and in touching distance of third place Arsenal. That is, if all goes to plan and Tottenham lend us a helping hand in the process. Just a couple of months ago a number of us where contemplating the possibility of a relegation dog-fight for Liverpool, who could not seem to get a foot right. The majority of our summer signings are now beginning to prove their worth and with ten games to go, surely things can only get better for the reds.
"If the league season started in January, Liverpool would be top, two points ahead of Arsenal."
If only Brendan would get his squad of players firing on all cylinders right from the start, Steven Gerrard could be celebrating his 35th birthday by lifting both the Premier League and the FA Cup in his last season in England.
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YNWA !!
