Manchester City vs Liverpool Pre Match Thread.

[Matty]

I assume, as this is our first home game of the season, we'll bring the trophy out as the teams enter their field? I'm personally hoping we wheel it out in a speedboat to emphasise the Bullseye "here's what you could have won" nature of this opening game!

 

[Blue Is the Opposite of Blue]

 

[lfcjoe]

Liverpool fan here, I come in peace.

Expecting a tight game next Monday. Neither of our teams looked too sharp on Sunday, city looked more comfortable than we did though. Rodgers got the tactics all wrong against Southampton, he played Lucas alongside Gerrard which lead to a complete lack of mobility and control in midfield, allowing Wanyama and Schniederlein to dominate. If we start Lucas on monday we will be crucified by Yaya and co, so expect to see Allen or perhaps Emre Can to match your physicality. Our other glaring weakness on Sunday was Glen Johnson, another atrocious performance by a player who has clearly lost any ability to perform competently. He was destroyed by Clyne and I fear for what Citys attacking full backs (and perhaps Navas if he starts) could do to Johnson. That's why I hope Moreno starts left back, although the etihad is amongst the trickiest of places to give a youngster a debut anything is better than Glen Johnson. I think Lovren is a top player but I'm not convinced our defence is up to scratch to cope with your attackers. If we are to win this game I presume the goals will be from counter attacks, from Sterling and sturridge in particular and perhaps Markovic if he's handed a start. Without the added trouble of Suarez, I do fear Kompany will keep Sturridge quiet - especially since he played poorly against Saints. I would be happy with a draw from this game - while I fancy us to sneak a victory while a lot of your players aren't fully fit, its also clear that City have more big game players and that ultimately won them the league last season.

Steven Gerrard will get a torrid time from your supporters, but I guess its coming to us for all the unsporting boos from our fans at the game in April. But some of the stick he's getting is going too far, youse did win the league after all and there isn't half as much hate for city on liverpool forums as there is for us 'dippers' on here.

May the best team win on Monday, a massive game and massive pain in the arse to have to wait til Monday!

 

[Luck95]

My team would be

Hart
Zaba
Komp
Demi
Kolarov
Toure
Fernando
Silva
Navas
Dzeko
Jovetic

 

[Blumers Bloomers]

Don't know why but I am strangely confident about this one, think we'll romp it. Yes they've got a bit of pace/movement up front but nothing we can't deal with, but other than that I see nothing to fear.

4-1 City

I fecking detest Rodgers as well, I'd absolutely love us to really humiliate them just to see the look on the pompous twit's face

 

[shemnel]

Can we see Aguero starting this one or will he continue be given time to get up to fitness? Jovetic and Dzeko again?

 

[supercity88]

I don't think Liverpool were particularly good at the weekend and Southampton had a lot of the ball. They didn't have that same zip on the counter but Saints were set up very well to contain it. I think we need to play the same way, we are better than Southampton when we have the ball and will create chances. I think we need the extra man in midfield. With Fernando/Fernandinho we have players capable of starting attacks, they aren't just redundant when we have the ball. That way we can contain their counter attacks - particularly Sterling, and keep the ball and grind them down. I don't think we need to go toe to toe and try to just out attack them. We are better than them man for man so if we match their style of play we will beat them.

Hart, Kolarov, Demichelis, Kompany, Clichy/Zab/Sagna, Fernando, Fernandinho, Yaya, Silva, Nasri, Dzeko.

Bring Jovetic and Aguero on for Nasri/Dzeko if required.

That way we can pressure their midfield without allowing them to draw us out of position and release Sterling/Sturridge. The key will be learning from the game last season at Anfield and getting Silva on the ball dictating play.

You mean letting Lucas kick the shit out of him like he normally does?

Lucas won't get near him!

 

[Blue Is the Opposite of Blue]

I don't think Liverpool were particularly good at the weekend and Southampton had a lot of the ball. They didn't have that same zip on the counter but Saints were set up very well to contain it. I think we need to play the same way, we are better than Southampton when we have the ball and will create chances. I think we need the extra man in midfield. With Fernando/Fernandinho we have players capable of starting attacks, they aren't just redundant when we have the ball. That way we can contain their counter attacks - particularly Sterling, and keep the ball and grind them down. I don't think we need to go toe to toe and try to just out attack them. We are better than them man for man so if we match their style of play we will beat them.

Hart, Kolarov, Demichelis, Kompany, Clichy/Zab/Sagna, Fernando, Fernandinho, Yaya, Silva, Nasri, Dzeko.

Bring Jovetic and Aguero on for Nasri/Dzeko if required.

That way we can pressure their midfield without allowing them to draw us out of position and release Sterling/Sturridge. The key will be learning from the game last season at Anfield and getting Silva on the ball dictating play.

You mean letting Lucas kick the shit out of him like he normally does?

Lucas won't get near him!

I take it you forget the 1-1 draw at Anfield in 2011 when Lucas marked Silva out of the game?

 

[shemnel]

It's not beyond possibility that Jovetic and Aguero will both start, silva and nasri in behind playing plenty of stuff along the floor, but it would be harsh on Dzeko to be dropped.

 

[cheekybids]

When you see that team and remember how shit England was in the World Cup I feel confident.