I don’t want to use the term ‘dropped’, but I would absolutely rotate forwards, and a case could be made for any one of the starting 3 to sit.
Taki had an excellent run out against Palace and not heard from since.
2 Likes
I don’t think it’s wise to move Fabinho back into midfield. He’s our no.1 CB at the moment and will continue to be for the rest of the season. If anything, we need to find a solution for the misfiring front 3 and lack of creativity in midfield.
7 Likes
So bizarre whats happening with him.
How do you play well, score and then have no minutes in over a month when we can’t score a goal?
4 Likes
I’d put Matip in, move Hendo to CM and put shaq and Thiago ahead of him.
Then put minamino in for bobby.
6 Likes
I haven’t forgotten the last time the referees decided to have a crackdown on dissent. They announced it after it was generally deemed United had gone too far with their awful behaviour, surrounding and screaming at the ref, sent off Mascherano the following week at old Trafford, and then everything was back to normal a week later.
9 Likes
Salah’s situation is worse because our opponents have basically figured out his playing style (especially when finishing).
1 Like
I was speaking to someone from London a while back and I mentioned in passing the large number of tourists that visit Liverpool by cruise ship. He seemed quite surprised by this and was entirely unaware that it was a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
3 Likes
Still top goal scorer in league and well clear of everyone at club. Salah is been doubled up on because other 2 are offering nothing.
3 Likes
I reckon the the next 4 games define our season and (sadly) it’ll be luck that probably decides which way it goes. I wouldn’t normally care about the FA cup but because of the opposition I would want to win that game and make it as much of a priority as is possible.
As far as who to pick for this game, it is all a bit of a crap shoot. I’m not going to mention the injuries as they are obviously crippling and pretty unsurmountable and I’m not going to carp about how loss of VVD is the root of all things bad. My biggest concern it is in the way we are trying to play it just doesn’t work often enough. It feels like we’re going through the motions, trying to play like we did but without the personal to make that work but trying, trying, trying nonetheless. I think we can gain and retain possession just fine but we are either hopelessly out of form in front of goal or really, really, really unlucky. The problem is that when we gain control and set up shop in their half, teams usually go to an almost 55 or 64 or a 541, this pretty much eliminates Mane and Salah and forces
us to go through the middle. That leaves our intricate game to pick the lock, which has been pretty poor more often than not.
A front three as they are just doesn’t work with the current personal. Either they have to be deployed a bit differently or the system needs changing - maybe 442, with either DO + MS/SM up top or MS/SM up top but more central.
Anyway, hopefully (yes, sadly hope) we can scramble a run of wins. I think there will be more twists and turns but we cannot fall too far behind.
Some
1 Like
I see one problem with Matip returning tonight. He will be needed on Sunday and will he get a big enough break considering his recent injury ?
Up front agree Mo has been doubled up on a lot . I think this is partly because our build up is not direct enough. We seem to be either punting long balls up the middle or taking ten passes where two would do the job. I would like to see our wide players hold the width a bit longer to try to stretch the opposition across the pitch more. If defenders do not go with them they have space to get in behind and fire in low crosses or pull the ball back to a team mate around the edge of the area.
Frankly though is it just a matter of confidence and belief ? Maybe the fact that the club seems to be doing nothing to solve the problems sows a seed of doubt in their minds ? One thing for sure whatever the problem they need to get over it very quickly.
1 Like
Allison
Trent Matip Fabinho Robertson
Thiago
Hendo Gini
Salah Firmino Mane
Now, go out there and sort 'em out!
3-0.
4 Likes
After last night’s results , anything other than a win means we’re probably just fighting for top four. We need to approach this game like it’s a cup final , decided over ninety minutes. And we have to change what is not working. With Matip back at least we have options now.
I’ve already got the feeling this is going to be another horrible watch. Please prove me wrong Reds.
4 Likes
He thinks it’s a mirror
3 Likes
I would quite like to see a midfield of Hendo, Millie and Thiago with Millie obviously taking the deeper role. That gives us a steady reliable player in front of the back 4 and allows Hendo and Thiago to push on more giving us more attacking potential and hopefully more goals.
3 Likes
And last night’s awarding of the three points to City was yet another example of what’s going on.
It is getting to the point where you start to think what’s the point.
But that’s what the establishment wants mate. They want to kick the spirit out of us.
You know, I also think some of the anti-Liverpool sentiment is because the city is the most Celtic of the English cities (and it turns my stomach to say English in the same sentence as Liverpool).
Liverpool is quite irreverent and anti-establishment, quite pro Irish, a bit too mouthy for their liking.
Manchester has become a mini-me London, Birmingham (like the Midlands generally) desperately yearns to be seen as part of the south.
It all feeds into attitude that feeds into people justifying short changing LFC.
Referees do it, the media ignores it, the rest of the league loves it.
I don’t know if FSG can see it, or care that much, but what’s going on is the difference between trophies and not, and might even be the difference between top four or not.
If I had a billion dollar asset that a bunch of no mark officials were trying to destroy, I’d have private investigators all over it.
5 Likes
And that pretty much sums up how things work in this country.
Let those most guilty of things push things until it gets so obvious that something has to be done, then punish someone else for it, reset and start again.
3 Likes
That’s the counter of course. Question I ask myself is it worth compromising midfield when we have Matip plus one other cb. Against this opposition who don’t really have a fast striker who’ll play on the shoulder, Phillips should be more than capable to deal with their ariel game. This would allow us to have our midfield at full strength for the first time in ages. Fabinho and Henderson are needed further up the pitch. Against better / faster opposition then Fabinho can be moved back.
2 Likes
Our ten game winning streak starts against old rusty bollocks tonight,3-0 to us.
11 Likes
Alisson
Trent Matip Fabinho Robbo
Hendo
Thiago Shaq
Salah Minamino Mane
I think we have to be Bobby-less. The time has come to rest Bobby for a bit. Hopefully he’ll come back refreshed and reinvigorated.
Shaq did more than enough against United to warrant a run in the team. I hope this time he and others will be inclined to take a shot. There was a lack of that against the Mancs; too many passes, trying to play our way through when the occasional howitzer might be more fruitful.
Right. Time for bed. See you later. Maybe.
2 Likes
I’m going this
Alisson
Trent Matip Hendo Robbo
Fabinho
Thiago Gini
Salah Firmino Mane
Trent Matip Hendo Robbo
Fabinho
Thiago Gini
Salah Firmino Mane
I understand the desire to play Nat, and Burnet offer nothing in terms of pace and running in behind. But I think we need to stick with the three lads Who we are going to rely on at central defence. I don’t think Nat comes into this, unless we lose one of Hendo, Matip or Thiago. And I think playing a midfield of Fabinho, Hendo and Thiago is a bit of a false dawn for us. It’s our best midfield, but we can’t ever play it.
2 Likes