Liverpool FC v Internazionale - European Cup R16 2nd Leg - Tues 8 March @ 20:00

[Gethin]

2-0 up from the first leg

Inter won 5-0 against the bottom team in Serie A on Friday to go back top of the league, Barella is suspended again for this but they don't look to have any other injury issues. We've got no players suspended or "on a yellow" with Thiago, Bobby & Matip doubtful - Jurgen was talking before the weekend like Bobby would be available for this

Given the 1st leg lead the question is do we start strong and use 5 subs - or do we rotate and have strength on the bench in case it's needed? My suspension is we'll start with a reasonably similar team to the West Ham game, with maybe Jota coming in as I thought Mo looked tired.

Omens from the UEFA website:

Quote

The Reds will not be unduly concerned, however, having won all 34 of the UEFA competition ties in which they won the away first leg. Even on the two occasions they followed up 2-0 away wins with narrow home defeats, in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup against Roma and 2004/05 Champions League against Grazer AK, they went on to win those competitions. 

 

[Barnesy_10]

Rest Mo... He finally is looking knackered. Later than expected with how much he has played and travelled 

[Hassony]

35 minutes ago, Barnesy_10 said:

Rest Mo... He finally is looking knackered. Later than expected with how much he has played and travelled 

Over the last 5 weeks, he has averaged 2.5 games a week 

 

Definitely rest him for this, Diaz, Mane and Jota should be enough fire power to beat them 

[Gethin]

16 minutes ago, Hassony said:

Over the last 5 weeks, he has averaged 2.5 games a week 

 

Definitely rest him for this, Diaz, Mane and Jota should be enough fire power to beat them 

The Jota and Bobby injuries were really badly timed - we ideally needed to give Mo and Sadio a bit more of a rest after AFCON.

The United game being postponed and turning into Forest/Huddersfield in the cup is good for us, as it makes the run to the next international break a bit easier to rotate some players in.

I'd put Mo on the bench for this, Mane for Brighton, as strong as possible away to Arsenal, then both of them on the bench for the cup game.

Hendo's game-time needs managing too and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't start this.

[PaulMcC186]

I'd rest no one. If we concede first it's the sort of game that could get away from us.

[Gethin]

4 minutes ago, PaulMcC186 said:

I'd rest no one. If we concede first it's the sort of game that could get away from us.

That implies that we don't trust the replacements and that there's a drop off in quality. You know that's not true.

Ali

TAA Konate VVD Tsimi

Fab Keita Jones/Elliott/Thiago (if fit)

Diaz Jota Mane

Should be plenty enough to get it done against Inter. If not we have the likes of Robbo, Matip, Hendo, Mo & Bobby on the bench and 5 subs. I don't think we'll go that way but I'm not going to panic if we do.

 

[PaulMcC186]

5 minutes ago, Gethin said:

That implies that we don't trust the replacements and that there's a drop off in quality. You know that's not true.

Ali

TAA Konate VVD Tsimi

Fab Keita Jones/Elliott/Thiago (if fit)

Diaz Jota Mane

Should be plenty enough to get it done against Inter. If not we have the likes of Robbo, Matip, Hendo, Mo & Bobby on the bench and 5 subs. I don't think we'll go that way but I'm not going to panic if we do.

 

It definitely is true that no one is as good as Salah. That's a drop off in quality. Robertson is definitely better than Tsimikas too. 

Edited March 6, 2022 by PaulMcC186

[Gethin]

7 minutes ago, PaulMcC186 said:

It definitely is true that no one is as good as Salah. That's a drop off in quality. Robertson is definitely better than Tsimikas too. 

We're defending a 2-0 lead, at home, against a team that isn't as good as us.

Diaz, Jota, Mane up top is plenty good enough for that, as is Tsimi. If things start to go sideways we'd have a strong bench and 5 subs.

I think Jurgen trusts his squad more than you do.

[PaulMcC186]

2 minutes ago, Gethin said:

We're defending a 2-0 lead, at home, against a team that isn't as good as us.

Diaz, Jota, Mane up top is plenty good enough for that, as is Tsimi. If things start to go sideways we'd have a strong bench and 5 subs.

I think Jurgen trusts his squad more than you do.

You said it's true there's no a drop off in quality. There is. I'm sure Jurgen knows it too.

[Gethin]

4 minutes ago, PaulMcC186 said:

You said it's true there's no a drop off in quality. There is. I'm sure Jurgen knows it too.

I said

23 minutes ago, Gethin said:

That implies that we don't trust the replacements and that there's a drop off in quality.

If you hadn't noticed, for the last 3 months we've been winning crucial games whilst using the squad effectively.

Yes, Mo's the best player in the world but he looked knackered yesterday, so I'd argue that Diaz, Jota, Mane would be as effective for us than Tired Mo, Jota, Mane. Mo gets a rest and is on the bench if we need him.

We can't start our strongest XI in every game - and the squad is strong enough that we don't need to worry when we don't. We're 2-0 up at home. If we'd lost or drawn the first leg, it would be a different selection conversation.

[PaulMcC186]

3 minutes ago, Gethin said:

I said

If you hadn't noticed, for the last 3 months we've been winning crucial games whilst using the squad effectively.

Yes, Mo's the best player in the world but he looked knackered yesterday, so I'd argue that Diaz, Jota, Mane would be as effective for us than Tired Mo, Jota, Mane. Mo gets a rest and is on the bench if we need him.

We can't start our strongest XI in every game - and the squad is strong enough that we don't need to worry when we don't. We're 2-0 up at home. If we'd lost or drawn the first leg, it would be a different selection conversation.

You said it's not true there's a drop off in quality. There clearly is.

[Tommok]

Is Origi fit? 

As in not injured - he's obviously a looker. 

[Gethin]

5 minutes ago, PaulMcC186 said:

You said it's not true there's a drop off in quality. There clearly is.

I wish I'd put the word "noticable" between "a" and "drop off" for the hard of thinking

The team I posted is 3-4 players off being our strongest XI and it's still plenty strong enough to win against Inter (and against probably 17 of the teams in the PL). It gives some obviously tired players who probably won't be at their best a rest. I also said I don't think we'll actually do that.

The drop off in quality is pretty negligible 'cos we've got an excellent squad, but if you want to argue for playing the same XI every week and have them f***ed after the International Break when the schedule gets absolutely mental then knock yourself out.

 

[muleskinner]

They beat bottom of the table salernitana 5-0 on Friday night

[Tommy Cockles]

Me & Pax are up for it, mate that we are staying with is not off work until after 5 so if anyone is in town & fancies a quick beer & a chance to meet the forum legend late afternoon, let me know.

[Molby]

40 minutes ago, Tommy Cockles said:

Me & Pax are up for it, mate that we are staying with is not off work until after 5 so if anyone is in town & fancies a quick beer & a chance to meet the forum legend late afternoon, let me know.

we are out from 1.30 (light lunch then drinks) in town 

play your cards right and you could end up meeting some forum legends 

we’ve been forced not to play our first choice team and rotate all season

if we don’t we can’t sustain this challenge on all fronts and could end up hitting a wall 

that’s partly why we have managed to regroup after the disappointments of Dec and Jan

but it also means that many games have been closer than they needed to have been out of sheer necessity

think this game falls in to that category as do harder games where we make subs at certain times to minimise injury and fatigue 

[Ripley]

1 hour ago, muleskinner said:

They beat bottom of the table salernitana 5-0 on Friday night

Was Rigobert playing CB for Salerno?

[Tommy Cockles]

3 hours ago, Molby said:

we are out from 1.30 (light lunch then drinks) in town 

play your cards right and you could end up meeting some forum legends 

Ha ha. Ok cheers mate. Your mobile number still the same? 

[Earl Hafler]

7 hours ago, Hassony said:

Over the last 5 weeks, he has averaged 2.5 games a week 

 

Definitely rest him for this, Diaz, Mane and Jota should be enough fire power to beat them 

I'd rest Jota, too

[Cam]

8 hours ago, Gethin said:

The Jota and Bobby injuries were really badly timed - we ideally needed to give Mo and Sadio a bit more of a rest after AFCON.

The United game being postponed and turning into Forest/Huddersfield in the cup is good for us, as it makes the run to the next international break a bit easier to rotate some players in.

I'd put Mo on the bench for this, Mane for Brighton, as strong as possible away to Arsenal, then both of them on the bench for the cup game.

Hendo's game-time needs managing too and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't start this.

I like this, I like it a lot.

If we're debating Lijnders vs Gerrard then I don't see why we can't throw Gethin in to the mix too. 

[Gethin]

1 minute ago, Cam said:

I like this, I like it a lot.

If we're debating Lijnders vs Gerrard then I don't see why we can't throw Gethin in to the mix too. 

The only thing I'd throw me into is the f***ing sea.

[Molby]

2 hours ago, Tommy Cockles said:

Ha ha. Ok cheers mate. Your mobile number still the same? 

course

the more reliable one is, the less one’s number changes 

[Swagger]

I think Minamino starts this one. 

[psl]

3 hours ago, Swagger said:

I think Minamino starts this one. 

I think he goes full strength to start. Inter score first and it all gets very nervy. Hope to take the lead and bring some off.

[charlie clown]

18 hours ago, Molby said:

we are out from 1.30 (light lunch then drinks) in town 

play your cards right and you could end up meeting some forum legends 

 

As wonderful as you all may be, I think you've got this the wrong way round. There is no forum legend greater than Paxton Cockles.