Liverpool (N) - FA Cup - Sat 16th April, 15:30 (BST) | Pre-Match Thread

[blue b4 the moon]

Sit back and counter, Grealish Sterling and Jesus up front for the press. if we don’t have a high line they will struggle to get in behind, if we lose let’s hop Chelsea get to the final and beat them.

I agree a change of game plan for this one, lets see how they do against a flat back 7 and let Raz run at them.

From the thoughts on here there'll be nobody bothering travelling on the free coaches, flappers everywhere.

 

[ftg89]

Seen a couple posters say last night was great prep for the weeks to come. Couodnt be further from the truth

That last night will have sapped the players mentally and physically with only a few days rest , one of which is travelling home

Might do us good for such games in years to cone for experience but no good for saturday

I predict a few changes throughout the team

Travelling home in absolute luxury most of us can only dream of. We have one of if not the best back room team with the top equipment for rest and recuperation on hand to get the players back healthy and fit.
come on City!

 

[DMA's]

It's clearly the game we can take the biggest risk in by not playing our strongest team. We need to protect KDB, Foden, Rodri, Walker, etc, for the run in.

Ederson
Cancelo
Dias
Stones
Ake
Fernandinho
Gundogan
Bernardo
Jesus
Sterling
Grealish

We can play similar tactics to what we did at the Etihad and still have a good chance with this team.

Only put Dias over Laporte to get him some minutes and rest Eric - who's been outstanding this season.

With kdb out with a reported calf issue we can’t lose either gundogan or Bernardo. No way I’d risk Bernardo for this game

 

[willipp]

Got similar feelings to the FA semi against Chelsea last season.

I feel for all the fans who have paid out for this as i think Pep will maybe not write it off, but certainly it wont be anywhere near like our strongest possible line up. Can see Steffan, Zinc, Gundo, Fern, Grealish, Sterling, Jesus all starting and then who knows, even a few kids could get a chance.

 

[Otamendi's Beard]

Bernardo also needs protection, we can't afford to run him in the ground.

Also, we can't use the same tactics, because we won't be fresh enough to press them as intensely as we did at the Etihad. We'll have to choose the right moments to press.

Interestingly, we may need to use Liverpool's tactics from 2-3 years ago when they used to sit back and counter us. Pep is starting to use the weapons of the opposition: long balls, counters, shithousery, etc. That's something new for us and may help us big time.

Jesus, Sterling and Grealish are fresh so we can certainly press high and pin their full backs again. The long balls over their full backs / high line were key in the first game. Fernandinho is great at those passes too.

Agree on Bernardo but he's one of our fittest players. If KDB is unavailable then we'll need his heart and desire in the middle. Plus he hates the scousers as much as us.

 

[bondsman]

The players will want to play I’m sure and I don’t think you can rest too many for an FA Cup Semi Final. However I think we will struggle given those twats rested their first 11 last night bar Matip and we had lumps kicked out of us. Could be the game Grealish makes a statement in. Decent game for Dias to return in. I’d like to see Delap get on the pitch in this.

 

[Blu3m00n91]

Steffan; Cancelo Stones Dias Ake; Rodri Gundo Bernardo; Jesus Sterling

It's clearly the game we can take the biggest risk in by not playing our strongest team. We need to protect KDB, Foden, Rodri, Walker, etc, for the run in.

Ederson
Cancelo
Dias
Stones
Ake
Fernandinho
Gundogan
Bernardo
Jesus
Sterling
Grealish

We can play similar tactics to what we did at the Etihad and still have a good chance with this team.

Only put Dias over Laporte to get him some minutes and rest Eric - who's been outstanding this season.

Steffan has to start and I’d play Foden over Bernardo in the middle

 

[blue61]

Got similar feelings to the FA semi against Chelsea last season.

I agree I think it will be similar to the Chelsea game also. I am expecting something like this line-up

Steffan
Zinchenko Ake, Diaz, Cancelo
Bernardo Fern, McAtee
Grealish, Raz, Jesus

I seem to recall he played Palmer and Edozie against Chelsea, so expect McAtee for this one

At the end of the day something has to give and we have been unfortunate in playing the Madrid game at home first. The travel always has an effect when it is Wed - Sat game

 

[abu13]

Of the 4 games against the dippers and Athletico this is the one I was least bothered about, i wonder now with the injuries to KDB and Walker if Klopp may go with a slightly weakened side and push everything into the league run in.

 

[Cobwebcat]