I get it about Joe Gomez, but I don’t like it. Wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if he wants to go in the summer.
As for the team, I’d like to see Mane and Diaz share the game, to get Sadio up to speed and to give Diaz a frame of reference for what’s in the Prem.
To be honest who would you remove from the sub bench that’s the problem Klopp has its a unique problem mind.
It’s what I said not long ago, when we’re all fit (which is almost certain not to remain that way until the end of the season), like now, Klopp will have to leave out 5 senior outfield players out in the stands.
So more often than not, he might opt with only one CB on the bench, Millie to be an option for midfield and RB and the rest a bunch of midfielders and forwards. Less places for the likes of Gomez, sometimes Elliott (of course he’s not in the same situation as Origi par example), Ox, Taki and Origi.
Like I said, it’s hard to expect we don’t have more injuries/suspensions, there’s still the virus around, a lot of games, form can change, need can change in terms of style. But there is also a little hierarchy.
This summer we hopefully get rid of that surplus we have (which we found hard in the last 2 years due to the market being affected), bring 1-2 new players in and we’re good to go.
Its going to be really interesting to see who makes the bench.
I just worked out that despite the ridiculous bench we had against Leicester we will need to make room for Hendo and Mane. With Origi and Gomez still to consider.
Klopp has some really tough decisins to make!
Attack - Start Diaz or Mane? Start Salah?
Midfield - Fab, Thiago, Hendo?
Defence - Konate?
I’d give Matip a day off and have Gomez on the bench.
We’ll see if the Inter game plays any part in Klopp’s mind. Because we had a break now, Burnley will not be such an easy game in his mind (I think) like for some fans. We’ll give everything to try and close to the gap until/just after the Leeds -1 game. No room for big calculations (maybe a few positions here and there), we have to win them all and really get to those -6 points.
But…
With Inter’s system and some key individuals down the spine (could be a very central battle, although Barella will be a miss for them), players like de Vrij as the central of the 3 CB’s and Brozovic as the single pivot in also a midfield 3 (with Calhanoglu being between a #8 and a #10). I think I will want to have Bobby in his usual role there with possibly Jota inside left (with Diaz and Mane on the bench), because it’s hard to leave him out right now. But give Inter some of the medicine called Bobby.
Even if the sides will be also attractive, but maybe at different periods of the game. The left side between Skriniar and Dumfries (where we can unleash Mane or Diaz later in the game), the left side between Bastoni and (probably) Perisic (where hopefully Mo causes some damage).
Anyway enough about Inter, I’m hoping for a similar Turf Moor performance like when we were under similar pressure to win last spring there, a very professional performance, no messing about, we took it 100% seriously.
Loath these fuckers and everything about them. Their brand of “football”, their manager, their thugginess. If can push them further towards relegation by inflicting a heavy defeat, all the better.
First and foremost though, is that we actually win. Keep the pressure up in the title race, maintain momentum for Inter, get on a roll for the rest of the season.
Matip will start as he brings the ball well from defence. Burnley won’t pose too much threat up front.
If Hendo is starting then I guess Jones misses out and Thiago goes left.
Salah, Jota and Mane/Diaz.
I find it odd that the most indispensable player in the team, Fabinho, is the only player we don’t have an able deputy/swap out for.
There is a significant drop in quality when Fab is missing.
Trent also lacks a suitable back up with all due respect to Bradley.
We aren’t really the same without VVD or MS either. Losing any of these four for a sustained period would severely jeopardise our chances of silverware.
Matip will be needed against Inter. Konate is good enough to handle Burnley or why is he at the club?
Henderson did a very good job there before Fabinho arrived and when Fab was not available on the way to the CL and PL title.
With all the #8 options we have I am sure we will see Hendo as a #6 more often from next season on.
Depending on the team which is being played against , Henderson probably can fill in for Fabinho (Hendo’s form permitting ofcourse).
The major drop in quality w.r.t backup is with Trent esp with Neco going on loan. But it’s not as if Neco is reliable defensively even if he does do a shift in offense
I don’t want any of those thugs nearby Matip. Get Konate / Gomez along with Virgil. I’d prefer Gomez as he needs some match practice.
I’d even start Hendo in place of Fabinho as a DM with Jones and Ox. Thiago again is more needed for Inter.
Get Salah / Jota / Diaz in till 60 min and substitute 2 out of those 3 out. Mane probably to get an extended break till Inter
Hendo for me is almost as much of a drop as Neco is from Trent. Hendo can do a job there but so can Thiago, Curtis, Milner and probably Matip. There are lots of makeshift fillers and I would bracket Hendo into that group.
Hendo did a very good job whenever he had to deputise for Fabinho as no. 6, especially if Fab was out for a number of games. The only problem is that no other player is able to play as a no. 6 against a good opposition. Sure, Milner, Jones, Morton and maybe Thiago can all fill this position against a lower league opponent in the cup games, but I would never field any of them as no. 6 against a solid Prem side or in the CL knockout rounds. On the contrary, I would have no issue playing Hendo there if Fab was unavailable.
Because there is no choice but to play him.
Hendo might not be having a great season, not been as bad as some make out but definitely his weakest season for a while. He is more than capable of filing in for fabinho and the drop from Fab to Hendo is in no way shape or form like the drop from Trent to Neco.
Thiago can do a decent job in Fabs role but picks uo a lot of silly yellows doing so - just look at last season while he was playing there, both thiago and the team are better with him in more of a playmaker role.
Milner, much as i love him, cant fill in deep. His legs look shot and hes been a lot sloppier with the ball this year when he has played. This is almost certainly his last season with us as a player - would love to have him stay in a coaching capacity.
Jones has not played that role and it would not be suited to his strengths. Matip has not played that role and his runs work because of the space he has at cb, hed have less space in midfield and be less effective.
Hendo, even with his drop in form, is still actually having a fairly decent season and is more than good enough to play the defensive role in midfield
Agreed. And given the number of players we have who can play the other two midfield positions, won’t make much sense to have another player who’s a specialist like Fab just for back up. Thiago and Hendo are more than capable to cover that position if need be and we should still be pretty good.
I think playing Hendo there unbalances the team too much. He can play there but so can a whole bunch of others. I think Fab’s place is a place we need to strengthen going forward - unless we change system. Hendo should be like Milner has been for the last 2-3 years for the next 2-3 years - filling in adequately (for the fans) where required.