Liverpool (A) - Sun 1st Dec, 16:00 | PL | Pre-Match Thread

[roubaixtuesday]

On the bright side, the assisted dying bill should pass on Friday, so there might be options to avoid unbearable suffering this weekend...

 

[SWPISHOME]

I’d give Ortega a start. He’s fucking earned it over the last couple of years and is far less prone to brain dead fuckups.

Right now we just need a bloke who can catch the odd ball and not give our defence the willies.

Ederson is obviously not Claudio Bravo but we’re in a similar psychological state to how we were in Pep Season 1.

There's no denying that Ederson has made mistakes at his time at City, It's going to happen now and again with the way we play.

We also have to look at the bigger picture, We wouldn't have won anywhere near as many trophies as we have done if it wasn't for Ederson, He's vital to the way the team played in all our success. Ortega maybe well be a better shot stopper than Ederson but definitely not able to do what Ederson does from playing out from the back or playing a 60 yard pass on numerous occasions.

We are in a similar psychological state as we were in Peps first season but that's certainly not down to Ederson. Let's be realistic we have far bigger problems than Ederson.

 

[Ric]

Hard to see anything other than a defeat here. The worry is that it could be an absolute pasting on current form. Just hope we take a pragmatic approach to the game. Playing our usual high line would be suicidal in the circumstances. Our best hope is to defend deeper, and try to hit them on the counter.

Think Gvardiol probably needs to be taken out of the firing line, or at least to move across to the centre so that he's not directly up against Salah. Ideally Stones would be fit and we could try that double pivot with Akanji that Guardiola alluded to recently, but presume he won't be available. At a push, I'd go for:

Ederson
Akanji
Dias
Gvardiol
Ake
Nunes
Bernardo
De Bruyne
Grealish
Foden
Haaland

 

[117 M34]

If we crack under pressure 3-0 up at home to Feyenoord then we’ve got no chance at Anfield. Their atmosphere is a myth but one bit of crowd noise against us and we’ll crumble, regardless of the stadium.

Dreading it. Need leaders and characters on Sunday. No passengers.

Their fans are going to be well up for it on Sunday.
Will be like the 2014 game there where they booed every city touch.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

There's no denying that Ederson has made mistakes at his time at City, It's going to happen now and again with the way we play.

We also have to look at the bigger picture, We wouldn't have won anywhere near as many trophies as we have done if it wasn't for Ederson, He's vital to the way the team played in all our success. Ortega maybe well be a better shot stopper than Ederson but definitely not able to do what Ederson does from playing out from the back or playing a 60 yard pass on numerous occasions.

We are in a similar psychological state as we were in Peps first season but that's certainly not down to Ederson. Let's be realistic we have far bigger problems than Ederson.

My post wasn’t about Ederson’s historic contributions. It was about this Sunday.

 

[69FACUPfinal]

Talk about shite timing for one of our Kryptonite games. I have feared the worst for weeks.

And when your luck is out, those shysters play RM tonight who have Vini Jr, Alaba and Touchamendi missing. Another nailed on win for those fuckers. If we were playing RM tonight those RealMardarses are available...

I fcuking loathe them.

 

[sarcastico]

Do not play Gundo or Rico in a pivot. Liverpool will press them to death and get easy goals on the counter.

We need Jack to be at his very best and draw fouls, Foden to find his shooting boots and Haaland to be himself. Also Ake to man mark Salah.

Liverpool arent unbeatable, Saints just put two past them and Forest beat them at Anfield.

 

[bellsouth]

0-0 anyone?

 

[TonyM]

IMO our problems stem from Gundogan, Akanji and Lewis in midfield. It can't unlock anything.

I'd go with Gvardiol as the midfield defender. With 2 more creative players to get forward.

Ederson
Akanji Dias Ake
Foden Gvardiol Grealish
Savio KDB Nunes
Haaland

Actually.... we are fucked. :-)

 

[pudge]

If Gundogan plays, Pep has officially thrown in the towel

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

Can we invade Anfield a couple of hours prior to kick-off and get the game called off.

Oh wait....

 

[Kemper Boyd]

I am fucking dreading this

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

We are going to get well beat arent we?

 

[Roachy]

WTF is going to happen here is anyone's guess. I discounted them in the summer but they've a great start. We really need to put them under pressure and stop this shambolic defending we've seen of late. Dent them and galvanised us is what's required.

 

[MCFC1993]

If everyone was fit (apart from Rodri) I would play:
----------------Ederson
Walker---Dias---Gvardiol---Ake
-----------Stones---Akanji
---------------De Bruyne
Bernardo----Haaland-----Foden

Grealish has a shout too for his work ethic and control.

I genuinely think that's the back 6 to at least get to January with. Start taking pride in keeping the ball out of our net.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

looking forward to this game

dipper.

 

[uwe rosler 28]

Some players need to be fecked off those who flirted with other clubs in the summer wouldn't get a game again same with those who don't want to play through the pain barrier.

Ortega

Akanji
Stones
Dias
Ake

Gundo
Nunes
Foden

Savio
Haaland
Doku

Hopefully they play for the shirt that's enough for me show some fight show some bottle couldn't care less about the result.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Thing is, Anfield away is rarely a ding-dong game is it.

Thinking about it with cold hard logic, my money would actually be on 0-0.

 

[Blue tiger]

As much as a win is desperately needed, at this point I'd happily take a decent performance. Better and more inform versions of City have gone there and not managed to win so hard to see this current out of form team being able to manage it. If the lads dig in an get a bit of pride back it would be a start.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Some players need to be fecked off those who flirted with other clubs in the summer wouldn't get a game again same with those who don't want to play through the pain barrier.

Ortega

Akanji
Stones
Dias
Ake

Gundo
Nunes
Foden

Savio
Haaland
Doku

Hopefully they play for the shirt that's enough for me show some fight show some bottle couldn't care less about the result.

I largely agree with this lineup but I would put Grealish in again, at least he can keep hold of the ball and get the odd snide free kick, even if he isn't really a goal threat.

We need to go into Sunday with a mindset of shithousing our way through the game and stinking the place out. It's not what I like to see but we need to get back to basics.

It's not a game for the luxury players like Doku, as much as when we're playing well I really love his energy and flair.