The travel will be taxing on the body, going across so many time zones and for such a long haul flight. It will be made as pleasant as possible, in the best seats, and the players will be on top of every last detail to minimize the effects, but it will still be taxing.
It is not an even playing field, and having the early game puts us at a disadvantage.
With that said, a team like Wolves will look at our squad and think, “Damn right it’s not an even playing field, I wish we had to pick a team from that group!”
Bottom line: even with circumstances going against us, we really ought to have too much for Wolves, and if we don’t beat them, blaming the outcome on the South American travel will seem like sour grapes.
If the coach isn’t going to play them. And especially for the position of keeper , why not take one of Ederson and Allisson (alternate them if need be w.r.t call-ups) , and let the other guy stay back with their club. You don’t want either of them to be just warming the bench. In case a substitute is needed , Brazil isn’t exactly short for goalkeepers in their league.
Reading the Nunez article makes it just sound like tiredness, not an injury. He is learning to put a shift in and press from the front, per Klopp and Bielsa requirement, and with all the travel and it being so early in the season, he was tired after 65 mins in the second game for Uruguay.
The article had a positive spin on it, that at least Bielsa could see that, and subbed him off, rather than flogging the player to the point of injury.
Hopefully he comes back, gets some rest and light training, and is good to go again. Probably from the subs bench for Wolves.
And a word for Ben Doak too - centre forward for Scotland u21, showing his versatility. Apparently he did very well.
Hopefully Trent will be ok.
I wouldn’t blame him or Klopp if missing the internationals was a precautionary move. Particularly the way Southgate treated him in the past.
Gomez and Matip at CB.
MacAllister at 6, Jones/Thiago and Dominik
