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

[vmsuhail]

We need to Mourinho / Allardyce the fuck out of this game. I just want to see Dias and Gundo making snide tackles and shithousing from the first whistle.

Bernardo has been SHITE lately but tbh considering it's the victims I'd still play him. Nobody in our squad is better at shithousing the murderers than him.

Gundo making tackles? this game will bypass Gundo. Bernardo, I agree

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I know this is swimming against the tide, but the City team that showed up on Tuesday, without the subs and complete defensive shuffle (Pep?!!!) in the last 15 mins, will do just fine at Liverpool.

Make no mistake, they know how dangerous we can be, and they know ALL the pressure is on them to win and waltz to the title next May, so let’s see who turns up.

There’s been a few games this season where they’ve struggled and missed a City load of chances, so it’s not out of the question that we can get a result. However, it’s also not out of the question that we lose an early goal, heads go down as the crowd gets up, and we crumble AGAIN.

This is why we play on grass, not paper!

11 v 11, Mano a Mano, may the best team win!

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Their closing down and work rate is going to cause problems given how sloppy we've been. Surely Pep closes things down for this one and stacks the middle, if that sees us defend a lot better then perhaps we'll see more of it.

Their work rate is all about SHAPE! When they lose the ball, they “do a Pep,” which is close down the ball for 5 seconds and if they don’t win it back they then “do a Slot” and drop into a 4-5-1. It’s THAT work rate we lack…or just don’t have the legs for anymore, to be more precise.

I went with a 4-5-1 for this, with our wingers staying home until we are looking for an outlet, then breaking wide. However, it’s the dropping into a defensive 4-5 shell that we appear incapable of doing.

We have no problem getting 5 up onto the front line, with 3 in support, but getting the full backs goalside and the wingers tucked into midfield? Not so much!!!

This 90 minutes COULD define our season in many ways. A defiant City (D or W) keeps the season alive, but a 3 or more goal deficit and Liverpool get crowned before Christmas and Coty get pilloried in the press, the “they’ll spend their way out of it” and “couldn’t happen to a nicer team” comments will be flying, and then everyone will be looking for the 115 to bury us this season, by making sure we aren’t in the Champions League next season, or adding to the misery by tacking on a penalty to next season (minus points to start)…and that is if the 14 don’t petition for relegation!!!

Big weekend ahead…

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Their work rate is all about SHAPE! When they lose the ball, they “do a Pep,” which is close down the ball for 5 seconds and if they don’t win it back they then “do a Slot” and drop into a 4-5-1. It’s THAT work rate we lack…or just don’t have the legs for anymore, to be more precise.

I went with a 4-5-1 for this, with our wingers staying home until we are looking for an outlet, then breaking wide. However, it’s the dropping into a defensive 4-5 shell that we appear incapable of doing.

We have no problem getting 5 up onto the front line, with 3 in support, but getting the full backs goalside and the wingers tucked into midfield? Not so much!!!

This 90 minutes COULD define our season in many ways. A defiant City (D or W) keeps the season alive, but a 3 or more goal deficit and Liverpool get crowned before Christmas and Coty get pilloried in the press, the “they’ll spend their way out of it” and “couldn’t happen to a nicer team” comments will be flying, and then everyone will be looking for the 115 to bury us this season, by making sure we aren’t in the Champions League next season, or adding to the misery by tacking on a penalty to next season (minus points to start)…and that is if the 14 don’t petition for relegation!!!

Big weekend ahead…

Don't think you're far wrong.

 

[Withnail]

Just hope Dias is fit, not saying he will fix all our problems in defence, but his leadership qualities have been missed.

 

[Dewey6]

Not quite. His and the club's whole concept is playing the way we do. As a result the team would find it difficult to play a very different style. After getting battered a few times against Liverpool he did start to play a bit more cautiously and stemmed the tide.

I think the last few trips to Anfield show we can, we have certainly not gone as hard there recently since Salah and Mane bummed us a dozen times.

 

[Agueroooooooooooo]

I know this is swimming against the tide, but the City team that showed up on Tuesday, without the subs and complete defensive shuffle (Pep?!!!) in the last 15 mins, will do just fine at Liverpool.

Make no mistake, they know how dangerous we can be, and they know ALL the pressure is on them to win and waltz to the title next May, so let’s see who turns up.

There’s been a few games this season where they’ve struggled and missed a City load of chances, so it’s not out of the question that we can get a result. However, it’s also not out of the question that we lose an early goal, heads go down as the crowd gets up, and we crumble AGAIN.

This is why we play on grass, not paper!

11 v 11, Mano a Mano, may the best team win!

Agree with all of that except the last 5 words.
May City win, even if we're shit.

 

[Mike S]

I know this is swimming against the tide, but the City team that showed up on Tuesday, without the subs and complete defensive shuffle (Pep?!!!) in the last 15 mins, will do just fine at Liverpool.

Make no mistake, they know how dangerous we can be, and they know ALL the pressure is on them to win and waltz to the title next May, so let’s see who turns up.

There’s been a few games this season where they’ve struggled and missed a City load of chances, so it’s not out of the question that we can get a result. However, it’s also not out of the question that we lose an early goal, heads go down as the crowd gets up, and we crumble AGAIN.

This is why we play on grass, not paper!

11 v 11, Mano a Mano, may the best team win!

I agree that we played ok for 75 minutes but you’ve got to take into consideration that we were playing a bang average Feyenoord team…..

I’d snap your hand off for a draw on Sunday …..

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

The annoying thing is this season is going to be a bit like the Leicester season. The least shite team will win it by default, not because they’re actually any good.

If we even vaguely get our shit together it’ll be a draw on Sunday.

 

[RobinHood]

I know this is swimming against the tide, but the City team that showed up on Tuesday, without the subs and complete defensive shuffle (Pep?!!!) in the last 15 mins, will do just fine at Liverpool.

Make no mistake, they know how dangerous we can be, and they know ALL the pressure is on them to win and waltz to the title next May, so let’s see who turns up.

There’s been a few games this season where they’ve struggled and missed a City load of chances, so it’s not out of the question that we can get a result. However, it’s also not out of the question that we lose an early goal, heads go down as the crowd gets up, and we crumble AGAIN.

This is why we play on grass, not paper!

11 v 11, Mano a Mano, may the best team win!

Not a bad post except the second bit of the last sentence - may City win - only this.