Liverpool (A) - Sun 8th Feb, 16:30 | PL | Pre-Match Thread

[samuelyeboah]

based on yesterday i am 100% on board reijnders in the #10 position with two of rodri/NOR/gonzalez behind him. cherki semenyo marmoush up top

 

[Father Paul]

Can see it being a loss or draw and this place having a meltdown. But the life of a fan is to always hope for the win.

If we do we'll have to score 3 in the first half as I can't see us keeping them out.

Feels like we're running on empty, especially in the 2nd half.

He'll start Haaland though there's a big argument for Marmoush to start up top.

On top of that we have to contend with the refs and var...

I honestly hope that this obsession with refs and Var has not seeped into the very soul of our football club.Heres the thing. Even if it is true that there is a conspiracy against City, whick imo is unfounded, but lets accept this as true. It does absolutely no good to dwell on it and rumminate as this promotes a negative mindset and decreases performance levels. We clearly face a massive psychologocal barrier when we visit the dippers so believing that they are playing with more than 11 further reduces our chances of success.
With respect to the game itself, I think the only way we can win is if we make changes in the way we normally play. We are not going to do this so we will probably struggle. Hopefully some way is found to salvage something and we manage to turn up after half time this week.

 

[BlueMonkey79]

Those formations without Haaland are a bit pointless, as he is guaranteed to start and rightly so.

Dias or Khusa? Guess Pep will go with Khusa. Dias won't be ready for that game.

RAN or NOR at LB? NOR unless Pep plays him in midfield.

Rodri or Gonzalez: most certainly both.

If Bernardo is fit enough, he starts, which means NOR at LB. If he isn't, NOR or Reijnders (probably the latter)

Front 3: Cherki, Haaland, Semenyo.

A formation with Cherki in midfield and a front 3 of Haaland, Marmoush and Semenyo is too attacking. Pep might be tempted to try it with both Rodri and Gonzalez at DM and us relying mostly on counters (like at the Emirates), but I doubt it. Cherki to start on the right wing.

On form Haaland doesn't have the right to walk onto the pitch. VVD and Konate will have the easiest game of the season against him.

I'd prefer the movement of Semenyo, Cherki and Marmoush pulling their arses all over the Anfield pitch TBH.

 

[JULES]

Ive got $10 at 20¬1 on 3-1 to City

 

[MCFC1993]

Just seen that Pawson will ref this. Ugh.

Surprisingly decent record under him:


I can't recall many decisions from those games. So someone might correct me if we've had rotten decisions in those games we've done alright in.

I do remember the most recent loss to Wolves on there though, the game where Hwang scored the winner when he should have been sent off.

 

[Dax777]

Kick off time 16:30 (GMT).

These 6 need to be miles better for us to stand a chance:
Referee: Craig Pawson. Assistants: Tim Wood, Mat Wilkes. Fourth official: Tim Robinson. VAR: John Brooks. Assistant VAR: Blake Antrobus.

Win or bust, probably bust in all honesty, we just don't win there. Hope I'm wrong.

I'd go with the false 9, we just look more fluid with it.

---------------Donnarumma
Nunes----Dias-----Guehi------RAN
----------------Rodri------O'Reilly
Semenyo--Cherki--Reijnders--Marmoush

Assuming Bernardo is out. Khusanov if Dias isn't fit.

Haaland will probably start though.

To be honest I'd be tempted to start Gonzalez but not sure who for, probably RAN with O'Reilly going to LB.

Might need a 4-0 lead at HT.

For O'Reilly. As O'Reilly will start at left back. But my expectations are your lineup with Haaland for Marmoush.

 

[Dax777]

Donnarumma
Nunes Dias Guehi O'Reilly
Nico Rodri
Semenyo Cherki Marmoush
Haaland

Assuming Bernie isn't fit, I don't think we'll be able to control possession so may as well go for it on the counter.

That's almost guaranteed the 11. The only maybe is Marmoush and Nico G. If Beenie is healthy Nico G starts on the bench. Marmoush got 90 minute mid week too so he might start on the bench.

 

[Ric]

Surprisingly decent record under him:
View attachment 182725

I can't recall many decisions from those games. So someone might correct me if we've had rotten decisions in those games we've done alright in.

I do remember the most recent loss to Wolves on there though, the game where Hwang scored the winner when he should have been sent off.

Can't remember many specific occasions when he's wronged us (although think he was the VAR at Old Trafford the other week when Dalot escaped a red), but I just think he's a cowardly ref who is easily swayed by the home crowd and tends to favour the "establishment" clubs. As someone else said though, I doubt there's any refs who'd be giving us much at Anfield right now.

 

[Zenmanc]

..................Don
Nunes.Ruben.Marc.NOR
.......Rodri......Gonzo
..........The Reindeer
........Cherki. Semenyo
...........Omar/Erl

I think Rodri Gonzo double pivot helps us alot. Rudy is so much better higher up.
I'd opt for Omar to start Erl on at the start of 2nd but of course Erl will start.

 

[MCFC1993]

Can't remember many specific occasions when he's wronged us (although think he was the VAR at Old Trafford the other week when Dalot escaped a red), but I just think he's a cowardly ref who is easily swayed by the home crowd and tends to favour the "establishment" clubs. As someone else said though, I doubt there's any refs who'd be giving us much at Anfield right now.

That's a fair point, I actually didn't consider games he'd VAR'd on. I think you're right though, he comes across as a bit of a homer.

Its going to take more than the ref on Sunday but it will be factor. Ref, luck and god knows what else!

 

[alexmcity]

That's almost guaranteed the 11. The only maybe is Marmoush and Nico G. If Beenie is healthy Nico G starts on the bench. Marmoush got 90 minute mid week too so he might start on the bench.

It's almost guaranteed that the starting 11 won't include all of Cherki, Haaland, Semenyo and Marmoush, as that would be too attacking. And it's impossible that our midfield consists of Rodri, Bernie and Cherki: would be lightweight and soft. Rodri, Gonzalez and Cherki might be possible but still improbable.

 

[waspish]

With this useless fuck of a referee Pawson who runs around like a Zombie A Liverpool player could break one of our players legs in pen area and won’t give it! He ambles through a game just waiting for the bloke in his ear to tell him what to do!

 

[Digsy's Dinner]

Donnarumma
Nunes Khusanov Guehi Ait-Nouri
Cherki Bernardo Gonzalez Reijnders Semenyo
Marmoush

 

[domalino]

Can't remember many specific occasions when he's wronged us (although think he was the VAR at Old Trafford the other week when Dalot escaped a red), but I just think he's a cowardly ref who is easily swayed by the home crowd and tends to favour the "establishment" clubs. As someone else said though, I doubt there's any refs who'd be giving us much at Anfield right now.

We don't get him very often, only 5 games vs the other big 6 teams in the past 10 years.

If anyone wants to pour over the record -

Craig Pawson - Balance sheet at Manchester City matches (Detailed view)

This page contains a statistic about the balance of the referee Craig Pawson at games of Manchester City.

www.transfermarkt.co.uk

It's sort of rendered meaningless by the lack of BIG games, but in 30 games he's never given us a red card, and has given us 9 pens vs the opposition 3.

 

[Dax777]

With this useless fuck of a referee Pawson who runs around like a Zombie A Liverpool player could break one of our players legs in pen area and won’t give it! He ambles through a game just waiting for the bloke in his ear to tell him what to do!

Rodri, Bernie for sure unless Bernie is injured. Nico G ( Maybe) depends . Haaland, Semenyo and Cherki almost definitely the attacking 3.

Definitely
Donna
Nunes
O'Reilly ( either DM or LB)
Guehi
Rodri
Bernie
Cherki
Semenyo
Haaland

Potentially:
Khusanov ( Id say he starts ahead of Dias but that's a tossup).
RAN ( if O'Reilly plays CM)
Gonzo ( if O'Reilly plays LB or Beenie cant go)

Possibly
Phil (Pep might prefer him to Cherki to start a big game. But i doubt it)

Less likely
Marmoush ( coz he got 90 minutes)
Invisible man ( Cos he got 90 minutes)
Doku ( coming back from injury)

Unlikely
Rico, Ake, Max,

 

[lionheart]

Ive got $10 at 20¬1 on 3-1 to City

I will have whatever you are drinking mate.

 

[ScottSinclair]

Need to do them on the counter

 

[pbueno16]

It's almost guaranteed that the starting 11 won't include all of Cherki, Haaland, Semenyo and Marmoush, as that would be too attacking. And it's impossible that our midfield consists of Rodri, Bernie and Cherki: would be lightweight and soft. Rodri, Gonzalez and Cherki might be possible but still improbable.

Marmoush will be the one who misses out because Haaland can’t not play. Bernardo not being fit enough is the only reason Marmoush has a chance of starting but I think Foden has a better chance of starting in that scenario. Midfield would be Rodri, a Nico and Bernardo/Foden behind Semenyo, Cherki and Haaland.

 

[alexmcity]

Marmoush will be the one who misses out because Haaland can’t not play. Bernardo not being fit enough is the only reason Marmoush has a chance of starting but I think Foden has a better chance of starting in that scenario. Midfield would be Rodri, a Nico and Bernardo/Foden behind Semenyo, Cherki and Haaland.

Reijnders is more likely to start than Foden. On current form, Foden is behind any of the midfielders (other than Lewis), especially away from home (even when he was in form, he struggled at Arsenal and Madrid).

Back in 2021 Foden was exceptional at Anfield (in both games: February and October). He tormented their defence. Sadly, he seems nowhere near that level now. Here's hoping he scores the winner at Anfield. Might help him big time.

 

[noseve]

Just as much chance of the opposite being true - Salah's done fuck-all all season and never tracks back. Liverpool's defence is shite all the time when pressured - like ours in a second half!

Can't argue with that - but I'm talking about at our end. That's where everything falls apart, from what I've been watching this past year or longer?