Well it’s now brewed in the Netherlands…
Must be Slot’s fault.
I’m just really glad LFC didn’t mess with Dire Straits, Brian Johnson or the Spanish City
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Can’t wait for this one. Big occasion. Newcastle are a good side, just about got into the CL, they are at home with a passionate St James crowd behind them. We are the Champions and there will be an extra few percent on most games this season, as everyone wants to test themselves against the Champions.
The circumstances around this one will mean Newcastle will fly into every tackle. It won’t be one for the faint hearted. Unfortunately I have no confidence in the referee to do a good job, or a fair job. I expect them to give us a kicking, Joelinton and one or two others especially, and I expect to be seething at them being allowed to do so. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. I expect the slightest bit we give back to them will be met with a free kick or yellow. I’m bracing myself for that sort of day.
However…
We have some sublime talent in the side. There’s a sense that we are still some way below our best, but I fully expect us to improve as we go, until, hopefully, we are unstoppable. Another goal from Ekitike would be lovely. I’d love to see Wirtz open his account too. Salah had a quiet opening game but still popped up with a lovely goal at the end. Hopefully we have too much for them, even at this stage as we ease into the season.
What team to pick?
We have been very unlucky at right back. Frimpong injured, Bradley not quite ready yet, and Gomez touch and go for a start, but definitely not ready for a full game yet.
I expect to see Gomez start and then replaced on the hour mark. If he is not up to that yet, it is a choice between Szobo and Jones for me. Jones has played there before, and Szobo has the attributes to make his presence felt too.
I see the temptation to start Leoni, but I would not do that to him. It will be a cauldron, and one of his shoulder challenges will send a diving Claire Balding flying, and he could easily start his Liverpool career with a red. Ease him in for the cup, or to close out a game that is all but won.
My team would be a 4213
Alisson
Szobo Konate Van Dijk Kerkez
Gravenberch Mac Allister
Wirtz
Salah Ekitike Gakpo
Can’t wait.
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I’m not looking forward it at all they’ve developed some fucked up complex and they will be out to injure our players.
My hope is we get a win and no injuries.
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Surely they can’t do that to Newcastle Brown,love the stuff, but a bit hard to find here now.
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MacAllister not pictured with the squad in training. Apparently, wife is due to give birth.
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Oh ffs! Not again 
Can’t they do all their procreating in the autumn, so the babies appear in summer?
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This game has the potential of us losing points. As Slot pointed out, we met them three times last season, and two times, they were superior to us. In the corresponding fixture, we managed to get a draw thanks to a Salah special, but in terms of intensity and speed, they were vastly superior to us over large parts of the game. During the league cup final, they were superior too, and beat us. That was last season. We were settled and solid at the back, and everyone knew what he had to do, which is not at all the case this time around, understandably so with all the changes. Of course, Newcastle aren’t at their best yet either, so hopefully that gives us a chance.
I don’t think that this stupid Isak saga is a handicap for us. The crowd will be hostile, but our players are accustomed to hostile crowds, so they hopefully can deal with that without a problem, maybe even take some energy from it.
Of course, the ref will be important, but after all, we are accustomed too to deal with idiots reffing our games, so nothing new here.
The key will be to be able to close those abysmal gaps we’ve had in midfield and at the back when we lose the ball, and also to control the game a bit better than until now. Hopefully the lads will have used the available time since the last game to maximal effect in training, and will be competitive in this one, fingers crossed!
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To be fair to Endo he was thrown in at RB in a game that was already far too open and probably hadn’t even had a full training session in that role to understand it. I imagine he’s probably spent the last week playing at RB in our tactical sessions.
He did play poorly there against Bournemouth but I don’t think it is completely invalidating of his potential ability to fill in.
Also I would hope we would try to be a bit smarter about the situation. If Gomez and Endo play a half each then neither of them ahpuld be being asked to play like Frimpong. Just a solid classic FB performance would do great. Kerkez can be the one getting forward.
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A slightly left field thought.
This game, in certain corners and minds, is being portrayed as a season defining game - it isn’t. Coming out of this game with a performance of substance, rather than one of blood and thunder, is more important. Obviously a win is ideal but it is only the second game and nothing will be decided by the outcome.
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343
Allison
Konate. Gravenberch. Van Dijk
Szoboszlai Wirtz Mac Allister Robbo
Salah Ekitike Gakpo
Is there a room in the stands where they can deliver…?
Preferably at half time 
I pointed out a while ago that our entire midfield was having babies at the same time and asked if anyone could remember if there was anything special nine months ago. It’s like with Mo and Hendo back then and the Barcelona babies.
Insight into the squad for today from the U21s - Trey is in the U21 team today. Rio is not.
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Is he having a baby?
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That would be far too open, mate.
Only season defining if half of them get crocked.
He is the baby