Agree on all of that. The ‘earn it’ thing was fucking laughable, talking about a team that had blitzed just about every fucking team on the planet for the previous 18 months.
Anyway, full strength tonight, it would be a crying shame to drop points here after the events of last Saturday. These have conceded 18 goals in their last 5 away games so I’ve no doubt we’ll get plenty of chances, just need to be clinical.
In terms of “teams to go down” I would limit it to horrible fans and horrible owners. I’d also add horrible bus-parking bores, and dark-arts cheating bastards.
You’re right, I think we would end up with something like a CL group stage.
I’ve not shifted from Burnley, Newcastle, and Everton. If the Ev could go down, while we win the league and sanctions on Usmanov scupper their stadium, they might not recover.
It is vital for us to get three points today. So we can expect a strong lineup. Trent, Robbo and Fab all to return to starting XI after being duly rested v. Norwich, Thiago as well. I guess Klopp might rest Hendo in this one and one of the front three. Matip plays either this one or the final on Sunday i guess.
I hope Elliott comes off the bench and scores as a revenge for the broken ankle in Elland Road. I would start him, but I guess Klopp will take a more cautious approach.
Their aggressive, intense and 1v1 style does leave spaces and that can be suicidal against a team like us, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll beat them every time and with a few goals. Top focus is needed again, not to accept a street fight of a match in a football sense.
Think I’d opt for Matip to start today, save Konate for Sunday, and possible matchup with Lukaku. Matip can get bullied by big, strong strikers (Dzeko gave him fits last week), so I’d rather man-mountain Virgil, and beast Konate be the ones for Chelsea.
Tapping Fabs, Thiago, Keita for midfield, and Mo, Origi, and Mane up top. Harvey on for Thiago around 60’, and Taki for big Div, after he’s helped stake us to a 3 goal lead, otherwise Diaz. Final sub Milly for Naby to see it out late.