After a lack-lustre performance mid-week at Wigan and faced with the prospect of playing Tony Pulis’s hard-hitting Stoke at the Britannia stadium in the evening kick-off, who will Roy Hodgson pick to cope with the physical demands that the cottagers will undoubtedly pose?
\nOur midfield against Wigan was out-fought and out-thought for over an hour in that game, with Lucas, Miereles and then young Shelvey failing to compete.
\nThe much-maligned, Christian Poulsen came on late in that game and right away Liverpool looked much more solid in midfield and we nearly got a winner though Stevie G.
\nHowever, the former Juventus man, signed by Hodgson, has failed to really impress since his arrival at Anfield.
\nToo many back-passes, a very defensive approach without imposing himself\u00a0in games have all served to alienate the player from the Liverpool fans.
\nMuch of it is justified and it is believed that the player himself has been\u00a0upset by the howls of derision whenever he dons a red-shirt.
\nBut at Stoke, needs must, I feel.
\nWe need a solid midfield.
\nFor this game I would play the improving Lucas alongside Poulsen with\u00a0Steven Gerrard, Maxi and Miereles or Kuyt in the middle.
\nIt will strengthen our team for a\u00a0difficult match.
\nAt the back, I think Hodgson will restore the Imperious Sotirios\u00a0alongside Martin Skrtel, with Jamie Carragher\u00a0reverting to right-back.
\n2-1 to the Reds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
After a lack-lustre performance mid-week at Wigan and faced with the prospect of playing Tony Pulis’s hard-hitting Stoke at the Britannia stadium in the evening kick-off, who will Roy Hodgson pick to cope with the physical demands that the cottagers will undoubtedly pose? Our midfield against Wigan was out-fought and out-thought for over an hour […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":2245,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n