Liverpool (a) - CL Quarter Final pre-match thread

[city saint]

dipper fan just texted me to say media are over rating a win against a shit everton side and there front three are the best in the league so I asked him how we had scored 13 more than them if they were the best.i havnt had a reply

 

[Stevieatlasblue]

This game will go into media overdrive. Blue shark frenzy at the home game is a must. Get the boy blues over the line.. can't wait for this game at anfield. Come on city.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Sterling cannot handle Klanfield , he played well at Everton but Robinson will just kick him off the park , love the lad as a footballer but horses for courses , would play Gundogan instead and let Walker push further forward on the right , a lot predicting a negative result because of our record at Klanfield but i think this will be the turning point for our club we will lay the Dipper ghost like we have at the Swamp , Emirates , Goodison and other bogey grounds , lets smash the Scouse pretenders to pieces

 

[vincent]

dipper fan just texted me to say media are over rating a win against a shit everton side and there front three are the best in the league so I asked him how we had scored 13 more than them if they were the best.i havnt had a reply

18 points above them and a game in hand. Speaks volumes..

 

[Bentheblue]

The last time the mighty Liverpool finished above us in the league was in 2009.
Liverpool have never ever won the Premier League.(I appreciate they probably still think they won it in 2014)
They are currently 18 points behind us in the league having played a game more.
This season we have scored 13 more goals than them and conceeded 14 less.
Yet the scouse reds think the are better than us.
Nothing for us to fear playing them over 2 legs.

 

[eversince 76]

Really think Bernardo should start in this one over Raz, he always seems rattled against Liverpool. Either way, feeling confident!

Exactly my thoughts for this one. Don’t expect any other changes tbh..

Confident as well. It’ll be tough obviously. As would any other CL QF. No mattter how hard Liverpool and whatever is connected to that club is trying to prove Anfield will be hell. First of all it’ll be another City and I’m sure we won’t see the 20 minutes it all went for them.

 

[cibaman]

Is Delph fit then? An obvious worry area is left-back against Salah. We simply don't have a fantastic defensive left back option but Delph seems to be the best choice. Wouldn't fancy the immobility of Laporte/Danilo there nor the inexperience of Zinchenko.

A score draw is a good result, a win is fantastic.

Think 10 of the 11 pick themselves, Bernardo vs Sterling for the final spot - normally I'd pick Sterling 9 times out of 10, but in a game where we may need a little more control I won't be disappointed with Bernardo in there.

Ederson
Walker Kompany Otamendi Delph
Fernandinho
Sterling/Bernardo De Bruyne Silva Sane
Jesus

If Delph wasnt fit enough for a place on the bench yesterday, I can't see him starting on wednesday. Same with Aguero.

I think the game plan might be to hit them hard on the break early on, score a couple of first half goals and then control the tie. If it is, then I think Sterling might be a better starting option than Bernardo. But, however the match pans out, I think its highly unlikely that we will be chasing the game in the final stages. Its much more likely that we will be trying to contol the game and play out time. I think Bernardo is a much better option coming off of the bench than Sterling in those circumstances.

If Pep decides to start with Bernardo rather than Sterling, I hope its for tactical reasons rather than Pep doubting Sterling's ability to handle anfield. Sterling should be one of the most confident players in the land at the moment. He's finally silenced his England critics, now is the time to do the same at anfield. I think a couple of decent early touches and he'll be flying.

 

[AliBobbyJ]

PLAY WITHOUT FEAR, WIN IN STYLE.

 

[ninjamonkey]

I think Pep will put his trust in Sterling but I really hope he sits this one out. It's something he will get over in time but this is too big of a game, the pressure will be on and we need everybody up for it on top form, if he starts and doesn't perform again it could have an adverse effect on the rest of the season for him. Bring bernardo in and let's dominate the ball, control the game and really shut them up from the off.

No reason to expect to lose there despite our record. If we both turn up, we have the better team by far, the table shows that and we will win. Having said that, a nafrow defeat isn't a terrible result, the only thing I think we absolutely have to do in the first leg is score a couple of goals, if we do that and lose its not a disaster, do that and draw it's still in our favour, do that and win and its clearly ours to lose.this will be a season defining game and i fully expect Pep will have everybody performing.

 

[york away to this!]

And the aggregate score home and away in league was?...