Scout Scribbles – Borini Opens Anfield Account
Filed under: Scout Notes - Posted by: Paul
Fabio Borini nets on his Anfield debut as Liverpool ease past FC Gomel in the Europa League. Joe Allen moves closer to completing his move to Merseyside, Spurs slump to a 2-0 loss at Valencia, Martin O’Neill is sweating on the fitness of Stephane Sessegnon, while Brett Holman is determined to nail down a role in “the hole” at Villa next season:
Liverpool 3 FC Gomel 0
With Joe Allen watching in the stands, Brendan Rodgers rolled out his first-choice backline for Liverpool’s second-leg Europa League qualifier last night. Steven Gerrard was the further forward of the midfield three, while Luis Suarez and Stewart Downing flanked Fabio Borini up front. Borini made an instant impact on his first home start since joining up at Anfield from Roma but it was Suarez who caught the eye; he provided a pair of assists, in addition to having seven efforts over the 90 minutes and, intriguingly, also took a direct free-kick. Gerrard had chances aplenty, too – he grabbed his side’s second and struck the post – while the Liverpool skipper also shared corners with Stewart Downing. Glen Johnson served a reminder of his attacking potential from deep by hammering home the Reds’ third to ensure their progress to the next round.
Post-match, Rodgers admitted he was keen to keep Daniel Agger at the club, despite the attentions of Man City. The Liverpool boss revealed the Dane is crucial to his plans for the campaign ahead, saying:
There’s nothing new to add. He’s very important for me. I like to have a playmaker at the back. With Daniel, this is his game – building from behind, stepping out with the ball and making passes and you see his commitment to the cause. For me there’s no update because we don’t want to sell him. He’s a player who is very important for me and it will remain that way.
Rodgers then went on to concede that Allen is close to sealing a move from Swansea, with the midfielder expected to undergo a medical on Merseyside later today:
It’s obviously imminent. If he is up here, it is a sign there has been good communication with Swansea and hopefully over the next 24 hours we can conclude it.
Liverpool Starting XI: Reina; Johnson, Agger, Skrtel (Carragher 76), Enrique; Lucas (Spearing 86), Shelvey (Adam 76), Gerrard; Downing, Borini, Suarez
Valencia 2 Spurs 0
With the news that Scott Parker has been ruled out of the start of the season after undergoing an Achilles operation, Andre Villas-Boas has real problems in the Spurs double-pivot. Jermaine Jenas and Jake Livermore were handed the deep-lying central midfield roles last night but failed to impress and, with Sandro still on Olympic duty with Brazil, the lack of options is having a knock-on effect on Gylfi Sigurdsson. The Icelandic international lined up in “the hole” behind Jermaine Defoe and was handed corner kick duties but the introduction of Rafael Van der Vaart for Jenas was to Sigurdsson’s detriment, with the latter shifted into a more defensive role as the Dutchman took his place alongside Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon in the attacking midfield three.
Tottenham Starting XI: Friedel; Walker (Naughton 77), Gallas, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto; Jenas (Van der Vaart 61), Livermore (Carroll 88); Lennon, Sigurdsson (Kane 81), Bale (Townsend 77); Defoe.
In Other News…
Martin O’Neill revealed he is fretting over the availability of Stephane Sessegnon and Phil Bardsley only eight days before the new season gets underway. The Benin international is of particular concern to the Black Cats boss – he has failed to feature at all in pre-season and his fitness must now surely be a major worry ahead of their trip to Arsenal a week tomorrow. Talking to the local press yesterday, O’Neill went on to say:
Sessegnon pulled out of training the other day and Phil Bardsley has had a bit of a setback with his ankle injury as well. We’ll have to assess those two. They’re going for scans tomorrow morning. Sessegnon’s obviously an important player for us and it’s a concern. But in the overall scheme of things, it might not be such a bad thing. I thought he got tired towards the back end of last season because he had played all the games for us and under a lot of pressure to do well. In the long-term, it might not be so bad but in the short-term, I would obviously like him to have some proper football before the season kicks off.
Brett Holman is keen to win a role in “the hole” for Aston Villa for the season ahead. The summer signing from AZ Alkmaar has mainly been utilised from a wide position over pre-season so far but his versatility earned him plenty of game time in the position with his national side – a factor that he hopes will help him stake a claim on Paul Lambert’s first-team thinking. Holman – who has notched twice in the club’s recent friendlies revealed:
I like to play in behind the strikers and I’m an attacking player. I like to always go forward to create goals, score goals and defensive wise it’s not in my thinking really. When I first moved to Holland it was my aim to move into that role and I sort of moved from left to right. At AZ I played from the left side coming inside and with the Australian national team I play in behind the strikers.
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I hope! »
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“We have dynamic players with good movement, so if he can link with them fine. He can play a bit higher because his timing getting into the box is very good.”
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August 10 at 2:38 pm
I taught Ashley Young how to earn penalties says:
DDG + Harte + Guthrie
Or
Begovic + Ferdinand + Allen?
August 10 at 2:39 pm
I taught Ashley Young how to earn penalties says:
SOrry thats DDG + Haangeland + Guthrie
OR
Begovic + Ferdinand + Allen
August 10 at 5:23 pm
The Mighty One says:
First one.
August 10 at 9:13 pm
Xabi says:
neither
August 10 at 2:40 pm
ROHAN 11 says:
Best GK rotation for 10.5???
August 10 at 2:43 pm
I taught Ashley Young how to earn penalties says:
De Gea and Jaaskeleinen
August 10 at 2:46 pm
vilmorez says:
Anyone for Jenas as a 4.5 mid then?
August 10 at 2:49 pm
Gervinho with the header says:
Haha no chance
August 10 at 2:47 pm
npjones says:
Hey all. Any Fulham or QPR or Villa fans around? Or anyone who knows the inside scoops on these clubs?
My draft looks like this
Al Habsi/Ruddy
Boyce/Turner/Fabio/Lescott/A’ole
Maloney/Noble/Michu/Bale/Dempsey
Bent/Torres/Tevez
I have concerns over going into season with Dempsey having not featured in preseason – what’s the deal here?
Fabio seems touted as OOP. Is this really gonna happen with all R’s forwards and wingers? I don’t care, i just want him on the pitch. Will he play in DEF? Is he their best RB/LB?
Bent – will he be fit and firing? Could be gold under Lambert!
Thoughts? Rip my team to bits?
August 10 at 2:49 pm
npjones says:
plus… grav fail? :/
August 10 at 3:08 pm
Wilfreds Boomers says:
Fabio -> Hughes
Then you can invest in a premium, non Fulham, midfielder. Dempsey is a big risk.
I’m a villa fan- my cover is Ireland who could explode. Or he could flop if Holman plays in the hole. If I could afford Bent I would have him, he will get goals
August 10 at 11:08 pm
DJFootball says:
Dempsey is likely to end up at Liverpool. Lots of posturing with Fulham asking silly money, but as the end of the transfer approaches I think they will soften, or risk losing him for free next summer.
August 10 at 2:53 pm
tortam says:
A) Kagawa and Toure
or
B) Silva and Song
August 10 at 3:11 pm
Wilfreds Boomers says:
A for me
August 10 at 3:17 pm
anish69 says:
hows my team looking lads:
De Gea Jussi
Lescott Cuellar Clyne Collocini Hangeland
Lamps Pienaar Siggy Yaya Maloney
Graham Torres Tevez
2 mill in the bank for torres>rooney in GW2
August 10 at 3:47 pm
gprentice says:
Please help:
1) Sinclair & Dembele
2) Michu & Pienaar
August 10 at 6:19 pm
The Mighty One says:
2 all the way.
August 10 at 4:01 pm
arvin_98 says:
RMT Please!
Szczesny
Hangeland Clichy A Cole (Captain) Stevens (AVL)
Hazard Silva Noble
Pog Torres Aguero
Subs: de Gea (GK) Coloccini, Pienaar, Guthrie
August 10 at 4:42 pm
billy_robertson2005 says:
heres my team with players only from clubs outwith the top 6
RMT please.
Green
Pearce – Hangelaand – Shawcross – Rangel
Guthrie – McLean – Noble
Pogrebnyak – Graham – Lambert
August 10 at 5:06 pm
magman says:
Thoughts?
Frederici 4,5 (Jaaskelainen 4,5) -> Need a better combination that have diff. Home and Away matches
Harte 4,5 – Terry 7,0 – Hangeland 5,0 – Baines 7,0 (McCartney 4,0) -> Will Harte play? Penalty taker?
Toure 8,0 – Hazard 9,5 – Bale 9,5 – Michu 6,5 (Allen 5,5) -> Allen worth keeping if joining Pool?
Torres © 10,0 – Progrebnyak 5,0 (Graham 6,0 on from GM 2) -> Torres Capt for gm1? Then Switch with Rooney, RVP or Agüero (Have 3,5 in the bank)
Running up is Pearce instead of Harte, Terry out with Koscielny or Rafael. And what about players like Jelavic, Petric and Holt will they be a good addition to a the top strikers?
August 10 at 7:36 pm
Daniel.mf - SSC Napoli Societa Sportiva Calcio Napoli says:
And FPL is having problems again. Can’t log out. Damn. That is all I need with very limited access after Sunday
August 10 at 10:32 pm
Breast Rummage Albion says:
Hello people, Can I have your expert opinion on my team.
DEGEA/green
COLE/ HANGELAAND /LESCOTT demel harte
MATA/ VALENCIA / DYER / NOBLE/ maloney
GRAHAM / ROONEY / AGUERO
is valencia a risk? will he be a consistent starter. some reports saying he may start RB
August 10 at 10:46 pm
kroky says:
Mata hazard or fatty? My head is wrecked
August 10 at 10:50 pm
Breast Rummage Albion says:
Mata, think lamps will play more of a conservative role. Hazard is a bit of a gamble imo. What do you think of my team above?
August 11 at 9:03 am
taubstar says:
+1