Seemingly everybody else is too depressed to start this so I thought I might.
For me this really is Slot’s first must win game. Anything less to start this next little run of games is gonna kill us.
No idea how we’ll line up but I do know you shouldn’t be playing out of form players and for that reason I wouldn’t be starting with Salah , MacAllister or Kirkez.
We’ve lost our last four on the trot in the League while Villa have won theirs. It’s time to stand up and be counted.
Guaranteed 3 points because key players were rested.
Given that Mac Allister and Kerkez started last night suggests that they aren’t going to start on Saturday, although Robertson also started, which was odd.
I want to see a better defensive display from us, because that is where i think we have been letting ourselves down.
If we could get to half-time without conceding that would be nice.
FIFY
Their results in last games have been very impressive. Wins against Bologna, Fulham, Feyenoord, Spurs and City. Their last league defeat was ironically against Crystal Palace.
Hoping for some Anfield magic and team gives them the reason to get behind and be vocal. I’ll take a good performance and draw over us looking completely clueless to be honest. Anything that can get the trust back that this side can build over something and has some plan.
Our 4 defeats in a row in the league against Villa’s 4 wins in a row in the league.
Our 6 defeats in 7 games in all competitions against Villa’s 6 wins in 7 games in all competitions.
I didn’t like the Brentford performance and even when Kerkez got that goal just before HT, I had very little confidence we would go on to turn it around in the second half.
So I’d go back to that box midfield shape when in possession from Frankfurt with Wirtz coming inside off the right. Bradley to go forward more than Robbo.
Slot said Gravenberch is the closest one to return from the current players out injured, so that concerns me with Jones, who I’d have at LCM alongside Ryan.
Mamardashvili, Bradley, Konate, vDijk, Robertson, Szoboszlai, Gakpo and Ekitike would complete the rest.
Better tell Marma to come off his line more often and close down the attacker and make himself big!
The power of Anfield will be needed for this one. Usually, I detest this Saturday evening time for a league game, but on this occasion, given the circumstances around this match, under the floodlights, it becomes the chance to reproduce the magic of European nights.
An opposition in top form against a seriously wounded LFC? Villa are favourites for this one, and that’s their problem right there. The crowd will be absolutely pumped up for this I guess.
Start the game with some pressure and attacking intent, in order to get the crowd going, and we certainly have a good chance to win it!
Referee : Stuart Attwell (pictured). Assistants : Nick Hopton, Craig Taylor. Fourth official : Tom Bramall. VAR : Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR : Mat Wilkes.
I have no problem with Attwell, I don’t think he has a bias against us, the VAR on the other hand …
We will have enough problems without the referee.
I am nervous about this one, especially with the other upcoming fixtures we have! Anything other than 3 points and I think we’re fucked and Arne Slot is in big trouble. If we loose to both Villa and City then I think the owners might feel that they have to act. We can’t afford to not be playing in the Champions League next season, not just financially but from a footballing perspective. If we then lost to Forest then I think he’d be 100% on a plane back to Holland regardless of the 2 European games results in between.
I really want to feel hopeful, but I am really not confident that we’ll get anything out of Villa. They are a good team and you can drive 3 tanks through our midfield and defence in most games at the moment. I just hope that something suddenly clicks. Like a big performance from Witz or Salah etc to get us 2 or 3 goals and win the game. Maybe Slot can change something tactically (I can’t even be bothered to debate what exactly right now) to make the difference and get us a deserved win after controlling the game and looking solid.
It needs to be a combination of better tactics/setup and a Steven Gerrard level performance from somebody (Florian, Mo - I’m looking at you!) There has to be someone in this team that can suddenly go beast mode and pull us out the fire like Stevie used to do so often.
Sacked in the morning chants from the away end at some point of the match
Most important match of the season, as usual.
I hope we mange to win!
We will win, and win well.
YNWA
Thats the fucking spirit.
The place is calling each other muppets and cunts and baiting mods and calling for the bosses head and advocating diamonds…
And you step from the debris and fucking rally the troops.
We need to get a good result, not just for the fans, but for the team to boost their morale and to get give Arne some breathing space.
They can do this. We have to do our bit to support them.
Required even more so for the mental health safety of this forum.
