i don't think hyypia should be in the starting line up against Barcelona. He will always be remembered as one of Liverpool's greats, but now he is too slow paced for tough games such as this, and he has been making costly mistakes lately. this game is too important to have a sluggish defender up against argueably the best team in the world. Sami should be left for the easier games such as sheffield wednesday or watford,The barca game is far too valuable!I feel we can win this game but we can't task the risk with sami, even if he is experienced

Reina
Finnan
Carragher
Hyppia (experience in Nou Camp)
Aurelio
Gerrard
Alonso
Sissoko
Risse
Kuyt
Bellamy

I would only play Aurelio because I believe Riise is far, far better on the left wing than Zenden or Gonzales. If either of those start on the left we will suffer on that side. They are both below standard. Gonzales might improve; Zenden never does.

Hyypia has never really let us down in a crunch European game so I would back his experience in this game ahead of Agger.

The rest picks itself.

gonna be interesting to see what system rafa plays next week in the nou camp. with momo back will stevie get pushed out right again? hope not, i'd go with momo & stevie g in the middle with momo holding and letting stevie run rampant!
i imagine rafa will go with his spanish contingent tho so expect to see xavi as well. dare we play 3-4-3? why not, take the game to barca, that'll shock em! seriously tho it's more likely to be a defensive display and that would play into barca's hands in my eyes. if we came away with a 1-1 draw i wouldn't complain. then get them back at anfield and give them a good sorting!! come on redmen!!!

Spot on richie as the system is gonna have to be pefect! For this game I would push stevie wide as he is a better defensive option than pennant and have finnan behind him job sorted on the right! On the left lets give aurellio and risse a run as the Brazilians distribution can be class at times and if Bellamy or Khuyt get the service you feel they will score as they know the importance. I really don't wanna see crouch out there unless it's the 82nd minute and we need to try something fresh as you feel Puyol and Thuram will be tapping their pockets all night!
Eto's pace is a real worry and all though Hypia reads the game like a master, Barca's attacking movement is world class and no doubt a lot of pace will be needed for recovery tackles! So for me the 2 center backs should be Agga and Carra (have trust in the young Dane... he is a natural footballer)
OK the midfield needs to be gritty disciplined and clever so i wanna be a bit radical!!. If javier gets approval let hime become the holding midfielder (he will be well up for it) alongside Momo and push Xavi up just a little so we can see those clever passes and touches which made him such a success in his early anfield carear!! Up front as I previously said Bellamy or Khuyt (bellamy my preferred cos of his speed)!

Flipping Reina will have to start cos I'm sure Jerzeys confidence is shattered but in an ideal world I'd have Carson or Dudek... if Reina F's up ...?????? Not too sure I could forgive him or Rafa :)

yep that european feeling is creeping... anyone going out there ?

i play them like this:
REINA
ARBELOA
HYYPIA
CARRAGHER
RIISE
PENNANT
GERRARD
ALONSO
ZENDEN
BELLAMY
KUYT
subs:
MARTIN
FINNAN
AURELIO
SISSOKO
MASCHERANO
GONZALEZ
CROUCH
i prefer ARBELOA to FINNAN because he has alot of experience against barca with real madrid and deportivo. i prefer HYYPIA to AGGER because he has alot of experience

would have to start with a 4-4-2 formation with a agger and carra in the centre and i think rafa might start with tha new guy arbelo or samething cause i was reading an article about him and how he shut down ronaldiniho in a game and i think risse will start on the left
now on the wings i think speedy will relish in the european game on the left and gerrard on the right then later he will drift in
hopefully the new arge will play but i dont think it will happen so sissoko and alonso in the centre
the strikers has to be bellamy his pace will destroy puyol and thuram unless and i mean unless zambrotta plays then he wont be as dangerous he will partner kuyt

Carra
Carra Carra Carra Carra
Carra Carra Carra Carra
Carra Carra

let's face it we all love momo. cracking player that, in time, i believe will become a liverpool legend. who cares if he doesn't score when he's literally tearing the opposition's legs off their hips with his ferocious tackles? (well, that's how i see it!)
since he has been out and stevie has been moved back to central midfield duties look at the stats.we have been a much improved unit. (take note rafa). i'm not taking anything away from momo but problems are ahead.
alonso, sissoko, gerrard. 3 of the top midfielders in the country all playing for liverpool. aren't we lucky? yes! thing is can they all play together? possibly, but rafa isn't a 3-5-2 fan. for me that is the only way to play all 3 with, for xample, finnan and riise as wing-backs. then sami, carra and agger at the back with bellamy and kuyt up top. it could work, given time.
but 3 doesn't go into 2 and this is where the problems are going to be. i don't care what u say, stevie hates it wide right, the body language tells us so! xavi is a lovely passer of the ball in a molby-esque way! (and he has a dcent shot on him 2!). all 3 have 5-star qualities but none more than stevie g, he is the total package. decision time 4 rafa!

The only tactics that can be fruitful on an away game at Nou Camp.
Bellamy Kuyt
Gerrard
Rise Finnan
Alonso Sissoko
Agger Hypia Carragher

Reina

At 70th minutes sub: Pennant for hypia and we move to 4-4-2 then sub Fowler or Crouch in last 10 mins.
And hope the strikers has practice how to put the ball in the net during the past few days!!

May be we can avoid using Alonso for once during the first or second half so playing both Momo and Gerrard in midfield. Alonso is kind of useless in the team, we don't need players who just pass the ball (mostly to reina) but players who can bring the ball forward and score, so i think it would be much better to have adventurous wingers like pennant and rise, together with kuyt and bellamy upfront, the game against newcastle prove to be a rapid one, just that the strikers were absolutely awkwrds and useless but they have got some time to train to put the ball in the net if they've not been Mast_r_b_ting in portugal!!! Hope they do score this time when they get the chance!!

Here is a link to a brilliant story which my friend told me about.it has been posted on the Liverpoolfc.tv messageboard.i think it is inspired by mitch albom's book 'the five people you meet in heaven'. it is fantastic, especially the bit about marcus babbell! :

the five players you meet in heaven