Liverpool (a) pre-match thread

[balotellishaircut]

Has to be a 3-5-2 if Mendy is fit surely.



Same team as this but Stones in for Kompany. Kompany can't consistently break the lines with his passing like the other 3 which is vital when trying to beat their press.



Seen multiple people say this now. No Pep team has ever surrendered the control of a football match, it's not gonna happen. Our squad is suited to front-foot football and it's proven to work.

We need to stop coughing the ball up to their press in key areas - and stop the long balls down the channel to their front 3 which always immediately follow - and we win the game. 3-5-2 will solve the second issue somewhat.

i personally think we have to change it, Lyon pressed us and Fernandinho made the mistakes, there was mistakes last night as well, this against lesser opposition. I'm not confident we won't cough up the ball in key areas that's why I'm saying we should play on the break.

 

[Avijit Das Patnaik]

Have a strong feeling that Mendy will be the surprise starter vs Liverpool and that would throw Liv plans into disarray. He should be eating Salah comfortably the way the latter has slight dip in form this season.

 

[Cityfan]

This match will tell a lot about where we are just now.
Not so much the result which may sometimes be due to the vagaries of luck and refereeing decisions, but the performance.
In the league with the exception of Arsenal and Wolves all our matches have been against teams at the bottom where we've been pretty comfortable.
Our Champions League performances have been mixed, now is when we have to step up without DeBruyne, Mendy & Delph, let's hope we can show why we were such dominant champions last season with a rousing performance.

 

[taleofbluehalves]

All depends on the availability of Mendy for me.

With Mendy fit we can play 3 central defenders and have Walker/Mendy as two wingbacks.
People will think that is defensive but it isn't because Walker and Mendy can play as high as normal wingers. Add to that we will still have Aguero/Silva/Silva/Sterling on the pitch so wouldn't call any team with those guys in it defensive. We have had out trousers round our ankles any time we have went there recently, don't see why this change wouldn't work.

Ederson
Kompany Otamendi LaPorte
Walker Fernandinho Mendy
B.Silva D. Silva
Sterling Aguero

If Mendy is not available I think we will see something like last night.
We are due a win here.

Dropping Sane would be madness in my opinion.

 

[typicalcity...]

I’m actually glad my flight takes off to Spain 4:30 Sunday so I don’t have to see any of this until I land and see we won 2-0 with sterling bagging ;-)

 

[Pigeonho]

Yeah don’t drop Sané! He will score on Sunday. As will Sterling and Aguero.

 

[vmsuhail]

He has a good record at anfield.

Don’t need to play like that every week or even for the whole game but it makes perfect sense to take the sting out of a game first.

I wish we could play as you said and get a 0-0, but Pep won't. He will come up with some crazy team selection, but still setup the team for Otamendi/Kompany to chase their front 3 all the way from the half way line. It's going to be fun. I hope Mendy and Sane play, so we can score some as well.

 

[feedthemike25]

Dropping Sane would be madness in my opinion.

I agree , if we play 3-5-2 we would usually drop Sane but Sane has been fantastic recently... and his pace working back when Liverpool break (which they will) will be vital...

I do believe 3 at the back is the way to go and even if mendy isnt fit id be more confortable with Zinchenko LWB than LB in a flat back 4.

Ederson
Ottamendi Stones Laporte

Walker Dinho Mendy/Zinchenko

B Silva D Silva Sane/Sterling

Aguero

This it has to be something like this, id personally drop sterling and see if Sane can take up a more central role with his pace etc - but he may get lost..

Tough call for Pep this week...

 

[pavelsrnicek]

If we want to beat Liverpool we can’t concede a goal in the first 25 minutes. We have conceded early at Anfield in all our recent defeats

 

[wagonman]

I often read on here that everybody is allowed an opinion, no matter whether it is based on experience, knowledge or deep thinking or not.

Well, my opinion is not based on any knowledge, experience or deep thinking.

It is based on blind hope and faith.

Last season we beat the Scouse Scum 8-4 in the Premier League. People forget this after we were cheated in the CL games.

On Sunday we will beat the Scouse victims and Raheem will score the winner in front of the crap filled Kop with the last kick of the match.

The only thing that might stop this happening is if we are already three or four up as the last minute of the game approaches.

Have faith Blues and (continue to) live the dream... this is OUR year (again).

JJ