CL Quarter Final Draw - Liverpool A Apr 4th - H Apr 10th

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I genuinely don't think it is about buying into media bollocks. I totally take on board your points about the 4-3 defeat but I suspect the reason some blues are not as confident as they perhaps should be is our record there. That is reality not media spin. You say it was just one of those days but the problem is it is usually just one of those days when we play at anfield. We have had a better team than them for about 8 years now and our record there is still really poor. I absolutely know we have a significantly better team than them currently but I still don't share your optimism about us beating them comfortably. I think this is 50/50 and like Bert I am worried that we could have a mountain to climb in that second leg.

Liverpool don't have a big match mentality. They choked the Europa League Final and only seem able to raise themselves for one-off occasions.

They conceded three at Arsenal, four at Spurs (another two at home), five against City. Five over two legs against Sevilla.

Drew at home to Chelsea. Loss and a draw at United.

This is all being masked by seven against Spartak, five against a Porto team that are in all but name these days.

No doubting, flat-track bullies when it comes to Watford, West Ham etc.

There's a huge gulf between us and them when it comes to mentality and overall quality.

 

[nozzyblue]

We have been allocated 2,700 mostly at £48

Tickets criteria 21,500 to 18,500

Where have you seen that mate? Cant find anything on the OS

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

you can upgrade online mate , did my lads yesterday.

Superb, cheers pal.

 

[willipp]

No, can't fucking stand them, it's just the way I see it. They have a way of playing against us that involves a relentless and fairly effective high press. We beat that press, we will be fine but if we lose our composure like we did in the 4-3 then things are likely to unravel again like they did in that 10 minute spell. I'm not sure how saying that makes me a closet scouser but whatever.

Completely agree with you. They are the only team that have the players and system to press us effectively and the only time this season we have fallen to pieces was against them where we just totally lost our composure and ability to retain the ball. Id play Bernardo on the right as i feel he gives us more control of the ball, where sterling is more direct and threatening. Don't be afraid to go long (a bit like we did against Barcelona last season in the second half) and make sure the first 15 minutes is as dull and dour as we can make it.

 

[Armaan]

I think this would be the best possible outcome. Let them start to believe after the 1st leg, then fucking murder them at God's own stadium. That would be beautiful.

No no,what would be more beautiful would be to finally demolish them at Anfield.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Liverpool don't have a big match mentality. They choked the Europa League Final and only seem able to raise themselves for one-off occasions.

They conceded three at Arsenal, four at Spurs (another two at home), five against City. Five over two legs against Sevilla.

Drew at home to Chelsea. Loss and a draw at United.

This is all being masked by seven against Spartak, five against a Porto team that are in all but name these days.

No doubting, flat-track bullies when it comes to Watford, West Ham etc.

There's a huge gulf between us and them when it comes to mentality and overall quality.

I agree with most of what you say there but for all their lacking big match mentality they do seem able to raise their game specifically against us at anfield. Hopefully this time we go there and our class tells.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Salah will quite probably play on their right so I guess he could be up against Delph, Danilo, Zinchenko or even Mendy? But they have pace right across their front line so there's bound to be some moments where they expose us at the back no matter who plays where. We just need to be ultra composed in possession when they are pressing us and not give them the ball cheaply in our own half like we did in the 4-3 because as far as I can see that's all they do to us that other teams don't, they press us to fuck around our own box and with their pace they do it very effectively. People talk about the mistakes we made in the 4-3 but I don't believe it's a coincidence that we made those mistakes against liverpool. Remain calm and beat that press and it's a different game, start shitting our pants and it'll be another long night there.

Mourinho actually exposed their press and went long into the channels. I do think this is a game where we need to mix it up and by-pass the midfield with clever balls into the corner channels for Sane and Sterling/Mendy to have their full-backs running back towards own goal.

Rashford did it and he's no Sane.

Another thing we could avoid is the hanging switched crossfield ball we normally do so well? It's just another ingredient which allows Liverpool's players to be overly aggressive and upset our rhythm and keep the crowd invested, as they can make it a duel physically.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Completely agree with you. They are the only team that have the players and system to press us effectively and the only time this season we have fallen to pieces was against them where we just totally lost our composure and ability to retain the ball. Id play Bernardo on the right as i feel he gives us more control of the ball, where sterling is more direct and threatening. Don't be afraid to go long (a bit like we did against Barcelona last season in the second half) and make sure the first 15 minutes is as dull and dour as we can make it.

Agree with all that. Our best starting 11 has Raheem and Leroy on the wings but for the first leg I'd start with Bernardo for the reasons you say plus Raheem seems to have a bit of a mental block when it comes to going back there. Bring him on at some point when they start to tire after all their pressing.

 

[kwm1988]

No, can't fucking stand them, it's just the way I see it. They have a way of playing against us that involves a relentless and fairly effective high press. We beat that press, we will be fine but if we lose our composure like we did in the 4-3 then things are likely to unravel again like they did in that 10 minute spell. I'm not sure how saying that makes me a closet scouser but whatever.

Your talking sense mate.The other posters talking shite.Thinking Walkers gonna be marking Salah for one even though they play on opposite sides lol.Its gonna be two tough games especially at Anfield.the 4 3 wasn't a fluke they deserved to win and have been are toughest opponents so far this season.the mistakes we made that day weren't by accident.Liverpool harried us in to them are whole team were rattled that day.hopefully we will be more composed this time and will have learned from that.Having David silva and Kompany could be massive for us.they also have VVD who didn't play that day also though should be mentioned.Second leg at our place clinches it I believe just need a sensible mature performance in that first leg.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I agree with most of what you say there but for all their lacking big match mentality they do seem able to raise their game specifically against us at anfield. Hopefully this time we go there and our class tells.

That was my caveat mate. They can only do it for one-off games, the whole dynamic of this tie is a dilemma for Klopp, as they are a team of extremes, they have no happy medium.