The Carling Cup 2011/12 Thread

[Hobo]

Reina, Johnson, Enrique, Skrtel, Agger, Downing, Kuyt, Adam, Henderson, Gerrard, Bellamy. Subs: Doni, Kelly, Carroll, Maxi, Coates, Carragher, Shelvey.

Craig Bellamy starts up front in the Liverpool team to face Man City tonight.

[MJB]

Liverpool v Man City

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enrique, Henderson, Adam, Downing, Gerrard, Bellamy, Kuyt.

Subs: Doni, Carroll, Maxi, Coates, Carragher, Shelvey, Kelly.

Man City: Hart, Richards, Savic, Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong, Barry, Zabaleta, Silva, Nasri, Dzeko.

Subs: Pantilimon, Milner, Johnson, Aguero, Hargreaves, Clichy, Rekik.

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

[Dingle]

Very happy to have Dzeko as lone striker, not that I prefer him to Aguero, but haven't seen much from him in a while so should be a good game to assess him. Shame Milner isn't on, I'm sure De Jong will get a yellow card and necessitate the sub at some point though. Odds for City to win this? I'd fancy them.

[Dingle]

JOE FUCKING HART! Glorious save. Bad by Lescott, bad bad boy! Good tempo at the start, hope it continues.

[MJB]

Good stop from Joe Hart inside the opening five minutes. Sound familiar?

[Dingle]

Whilst first team football is obviously great for Savic's development, I swear it's going to be a defensive error that would be the death of City in this game. Hopefully that isn't the case.

[Cheeky Hughes]

Pretty nasty chants about Lescott there.

[Dingle]

What they saying? Can never understand chants.

Penalty that, although I didn't see it at all until the slow-mo.

[Cheeky Hughes]

First was calling him The Elephant Man, second was of the same ilk.

[Baddar]

Chanting about Lescott isn't funny.

But that old joke about there being one new face at Manchester City in the transfer window - Joleon Lescott and Carlos Tevez are fighting over it, is.

[Dingle]

I have no idea what it even means, but my mother once said that Lescott has "a forehead made for buttering bread". Probably time I put her in a home though.

Oh Bellamy, red card under 'Van Persie' rules?

[Dingle]

Oh for fucks sake Savic. Mancini, just buy Hummels and/or Subotic and you'll be fine.

[MJB]

Savic should be subbed at half time. Poor sod looks completely out of place.

DE JONG!!!!!

WHERE THE FUCK DID THAT COME FROM?!?!?

[Cheeky Hughes]

Big Nige!

[Baddar]

Oh wow.

NOW! - NOW, WE HAVE A GAME!

[/Andy Gray]

[Baddar]

Big Nige!

You raci-

Oh, nvm.

[Dingle]

Ahaa! Whether he slipped or not, that was brilliant. Brilliant. Second goal ever I believe for City and yep, commentator confirms. Well then, this makes the match MUCH better. Similar to Palace/Cardiff I suppose. I'd still consider taking Savic off at half time though, far far too nervous and playing terribly.

[Thrilla]

Penalty.

[Cheeky Hughes]

Fuck off Dowd.

[MJB]

PENALTY!

Arms up by Richards apparently, well one looked to be. Gerrard to take it obviously . . .

and SCORES! 1-1 on the night and 2-1 to Liverpool on agg.