Liverpool (A) - Pre Match Thread

[Centurions]

It was but you can bet the dippers divers will do exactly the same if he rushes out on Sunday. For me we need to cut out the trying to play out from the back and play out quickly to our fast front men. He played against Southampton in the league cup.

He had a superb game in the charity shield no reason he can't do it again.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest Pep won't be turning us into Burnley for 1 match.

 

[BLUEMATT23]

Why all the negativity?
We are the champions and we will not relinquish our crown easily.
Unlucky with injuries but sod it we have to get on with it. This team battles and fights ro the end. Play well we wont need Bravo.
Pep will inspire us. This team finds a way always.
I'm in the positive camp who's with me?
Anyway 3 1 to us.

 

[Blue Theatre]

One (admittedly small) positive about all these injuries, is if we *can* grab a draw on Sunday, it will feel like a win to our boys, and boost confidences.

And Liverpool will feel like they've squandered a big opportunity / put some doubts in their minds ?

 

[Ric]

Probably less stressed about the game now than I would've been if we were at full strength tbh, given that expectation levels are so low. The pressure is more on them with home advantage to turn over a weakened City side and make themselves huge favourites for the title. Anything other than a defeat will be a great result for us in the circumstances,

Would be tempted to go for a 3-5-2 to try and restrict space for their full-backs:

Bravo

Walker
Stones
Fernandinho

Cancelo
Gundogan
De Bruyne
Bernardo
Mendy

Sterling
Aguero

 

[domalino]

You just don’t like Bravo.

it was a risk he had to take. One on one - if there had been other City players covering, it would have been a yellow.

Since when have I not liked Bravo?

It was a risk he decidedly didn't have to take, and one of the reasons VAR spent 5 minutes weighing it up was because the defenders were almost level and it was a marginal red card.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Probably less stressed about the game now than I would've been if we were at full strength tbh, given that expectation levels are so low. The pressure is more on them with home advantage to turn over a weakened City side and make themselves huge favourites for the title. Anything other than a defeat will be a great result for us in the circumstances,

Would be tempted to go for a 3-5-2 to try and restrict space for their full-backs:

Bravo

Walker
Stones
Fernandinho

Cancelo
Gundogan
De Bruyne
Bernardo
Mendy

Sterling
Aguero

Foden for Bernardo (as he has looked well off as of late and I think having Phil on will give us energy and drive) and that’s my team, as well.

 

[Ric]

Foden for Bernardo (as he has looked well off as of late and I think having Phil on will give us energy and drive) and that’s my team, as well.

Yeah, I’d go with Foden too personally but don’t think Pep will though.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Yeah, I’d go with Foden too personally but don’t think Pep will though.

You’re right, probably not.

Then again, the last time I said that I hoped a local lad I rated very highly would start but admitted it was unlikely, Pep did actually put Doyle in. ;-)

 

[kaz7]

Of the six injuries, only two (Ederson and Laporte) definitely make it a weaker starting 11.
Still confident we can do it, and if we do it with six out it will make it all the sweeter.

Rodder is a massiv loss and dave would have started for control

 

[meeesh]

Suggest you watch the press conference.

fast forward to 9.22 to see Guardian reporter ask Pep about conseuqences of losing. Then he asks about Claudio Bravo. Then someone follows it up and asks about tactical fouling. Seriously they have some cheek. Pep dealt with it very well. I don't think he always deals with the press too well, but today he was very good. Jamie Jackson should be embarrassed. Disrespecting our players. They are CHampions. What are you? Your living comes from their play. I wouldn't mind but as Karen wll confirm, JJ very often asks these types of questions. Link to press conference is in the Media Thread if you want it. Easy to find online.

Idiotic questioning like every week from JJ,if we didn't know he was a rag,it would be questionable even more so,but we must let the envious toad off,as he keeps getting in the building.

He is typically asking snide questions and making snide remarks as his team is so shite,must be only pleasure he gets for a weekend,sad but there it is

 

[kaz7]

I would say that we will miss Laporte & to a small extent Ederson and Zinchenko. I don' think we will miss Rodri, Silva or Sane. Maybe we miss them from their bench. I don't expect all to agree, but David Silva, Sane, or Rodri would not be in my first XI. Zinchenko would. Rodri will probably better in his 2nd season. At the moment he is a bt slow and I think it will take him a season. A bit like Jorginho at CFC (though that may also be down to Sarri / Lampard)

Ha jorgie boy isn't fit to lace rodders boots

 

[Fiftyyearsandcounting]

Yeah, I’d go with Foden too personally but don’t think Pep will though.

Milner (if he plays) would single out Foden for a kicking session. For all the talent the young lad has, I'm not sure has the strength and physicality to deal with a modern day version of Vinnie Jones.

 

[kaz7]

That's the spirit Karen

That's all i've got,our defence and keeper are tailor made for their long balls,crosses in and diving,i can't see how anyone is confident

 

[hihosilva]

That's all i've got,our defence and keeper are tailor made for their long balls,crosses in and diving,i can't see how anyone is confident

We can always score more than them

 

[Indaparkside]

Really got a bad felling about this 3-1 or 4-1
Can see it being

 

[kaz7]

True, but how many goals at Anfield? At home he scores every game against Liverpool, but can't remember a great performance from him at Anfield. If pressing is one of our main defensive weapons there, Kun might not be the best option. It's not only about having chances and scoring but also about helping the team defend from the front, that's crucial for the way we play, especially away from home.

They will double up on sergio so there will be space and he can also create a goal out of nothing,every defence is scared of him,we are missing half the team,anyone that leaves him out as well needs to wobble their heads

 

[hihosilva]

Here goes its always wrong
Bravo
Walker Stones Otamendi Mendy
Gundagon Fernandinho Debruyne
Bernardo Aguero Sterling

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

I’d gladly take a draw right now as 6 points behind is nothing after both the injuries we've had and the disjointed start to the season to date.

You'd think that our luck with injuries will change and that our overall form will get back to our normal level at some point.

 

[hihosilva]

Really got a bad felling about this 3-1 or 4-1
Can see it being

Nah, I think we'll score more than 4

 

[gingerprince]

Well i remember preseason posting in the Maguire transfer thread, following Rodri transfer, that I believed Laporte & Ederson

were probably now x2 individual players from our starting x11 that would be hardest to cover with any x2 others within squad.

It is going to be a tough tough game for us on Sunday, whoever Pep decides to play and whatever setup he decides to play.

We will have periods of play when we will be in control and we will have chances, of that there is no doubt. We need to convert

any early chance we have to get in front & then try to keep possession and quieten the game down. Liverpool too, will put us

under incredible pressure at times, they are too good a team not to. We need to not give the ref opportunity to give that freekick

or penalty. We need experienced players to take command of this game. There is no Kompany, others need to step up and grab

this game by the scruff of the neck when needed. If we can get ahead, then even with an injury depleted team we can still win it.

City to win 1 nil and NO Liverpool are not bound to score at least x1 or more...

Bravo
Walker Stones+1 Mendy
Fern
BSilva KDB Foden
Kun Sterling