Liverpool FC v Villareal - Champions League Semi Final 1st Leg - Weds 27 Apr @ 20:00

[Gethin]

Reckon these two games are gonna be a right attritional slog - and on that front, who better to play as a warm up than Everton

Up the f***ing Reds

Live on BT Sport

 

[Nebraska Red]

Same result as today will be agreeable.

Start Diaz and Konate ahead of Jota and Matip. Maybe Henderson instead of Keita.

[surf]

40 minutes ago, Nebraska Red said:

Same result as today will be agreeable.

Start Diaz and Konate ahead of Jota and Matip. Maybe Henderson instead of Keita.

mad shout

---------------- allison --------------------

trent ------- jota --- matip ----- robertson

henderson --diaz ---konate --------mane

------------ salah --- firmino ------------

 

[Big Red Machine]

Salah is gonna have to be rested at some point you'd imagine

[Gethin]

31 minutes ago, Big Red Machine said:

Salah is gonna have to be rested at some point you'd imagine

Wouldn't have thought it'll be for this. In a perfect world we put this one to bed on Wednesday so we can rest 3 or 4 from the start in the second leg - but the way the opponents play will make that a really tough ask.

[mofus77]

Real unstoppable force versus immovable object feel to this one. Normally when this happens us we find a way though, lets hope that continues. 

[smithdown]

That was actually good preparation for this so nice one Frank you Benfica B team be11end

Edited April 24, 2022 by smithdown

[Rory Fitzgerald]

I had it in my mind that Villareal played a bit of football - maybe because they had an unfortunate defeat at Old Trafford. But I found this from after the Bayern game.

Oliver Kahn: "There are few less pleasant teams to play against [than Villarreal]."

Emery: "Well, we do need to respect opinions, but they are totally unfair. The match is played in two games: 90 minutes [in Villarreal], where we were better than them, where we got a difference in the scoreboard, and today we played a match in which we haven't lost.

Logically, we played for time, but also in Villarreal we played like this," he added. "Like with the goalkeeper, if they do not want to come and pressure, we gain our time. It is not that we do not want to play, we want them to come and pressure us. Today they did it, that is why it cost us more. [In the first leg], they didn't [pressure us].

"So what I want to say is that each team has tactics, but respect, I will never lose it. If someone disrespects [me], it is not that I will respect him, but I will omit him. [Kahn] said that they had bad luck and that we surprised them... well, one needs to be a man."

 

So yeah, nice one bring the sh*thou$e tactics Frank, seems it was a bit of a warm up.

[McBain]

I'm hoping it'll be a good ebening

[Earl Hafler]

[Cam]

Alisson

TAA Konate VvD Robertson

Henderson Fabinho Thiago

Salah Jota Diaz

I thought about rotating TAA and/or Robertson but then realised I wasn't actually the manager so it didn't matter.  But just in case I become manager within the next 48 hours... Trent was poor first half against Everton but Villareal will have rarely come up against someone like him.  And Robertson looked in need of a rest but his goal will have perked him up no end.  We also need to go at them more than we did Everton, more like we did against the Mancunian teams, so Henderson can drive that.  And Jota in for Mane just for freshness.  Gomez, Tsimikas, Mane all to start at Newcastle.

[dyl]

5 minutes ago, Cam said:

Alisson

TAA Konate VvD Robertson

Henderson Fabinho Thiago

Salah Jota Diaz

I thought about rotating TAA and/or Robertson but then realised I wasn't actually the manager so it didn't matter.  But just in case I become manager within the next 48 hours... Trent was poor first half against Everton but Villareal will have rarely come up against someone like him.  And Robertson looked in need of a rest but his goal will have perked him up no end.  We also need to go at them more than we did Everton, more like we did against the Mancunian teams, so Henderson can drive that.  And Jota in for Mane just for freshness.  Gomez, Tsimikas, Mane all to start at Newcastle.

Agree with most of that, but I'd stick with Mane through the middle - he looked a lot sharper and fresher than Jota yesterday, and seems to be enjoying himself a lot more these last few games.

Edited April 25, 2022 by dyl

[Gethin]

1 minute ago, dyl said:

Agree with most of that, but I'd stick with Mane through the middle

Yeah same here 

[Cam]

Fine, manage the pretend team yerselves, you f'kin ingrates.

*flounces*

[mofus77]

This will be tough, they're super organised and won't budge. Would take any win at this point.

And do not, under any circumstances, concede first.

[D.Boon]

Could be a game for "Operation Konate power header" to open them

up a bit. Can be such difference makers in cagey tight games. 

[Gethin]

Guttman posed an interesting question on TAW. Given the way Villareal set up, do you start with the 4-2-4 / 4-4-2 system we switched to second half against Everton and go something like

     Hendo Thiago

Mo                       Diaz

       Jota Mane

Probably not - but it's an interesting thought

[mofus77]

It is an interesting thought but can't see it. We'll start in our normal shape, nominally 4-3-3, although dependent on which midfielders are playing that can change how attacking we are. 

Fabinho Hendo Thiago allows Hendo to work in that little right hand side triumvirate of him, Mo and Trent. That always allows loads of movement which is what we need to pull them out of position. 

[Molby]

1 hour ago, Gethin said:

Guttman posed an interesting question on TAW. Given the way Villareal set up, do you start with the 4-2-4 / 4-4-2 system we switched to second half against Everton and go something like

     Hendo Thiago

Mo                       Diaz

       Jota Mane

Probably not - but it's an interesting thought

Gutman

or Gutmann

from the German ‘Goodman’ 

meantime, does anyone have 2 spares? ta

[Leo No.8]

We are having a few pre match beers if anyone fancies joining us. 

[smithdown]

2 hours ago, Leo No.8 said:

We are having a few pre match beers if anyone fancies joining us. 

Oh yeah?  Where is this?  Waiting for my ticket to land in Speke first tho 

 

[Hassony]

7 hours ago, mofus77 said:

This will be tough, they're super organised and won't budge. Would take any win at this point.

And do not, under any circumstances, concede first.

I'm fine with them scoring first if the scoreline ends up the same as the last time Emery's team came to Anfield and scored first 

[Zoob]

I had forgotten that Emery was manager of Sevilla when they beat us in the Europa final. 

And then I look back at the team that started for us that day...

Mignolet

Clyne Lovren Toure Moreno 

Milner Can

Lallana Firmino Coutinho

Sturridge. 

Think we'd beat that side 4 or 5 nil with our current team.  Mignolet would probably concede 5 goals from 4 shots on target. 

[épieur]

Honestly think we'll blow them away in the first leg. They have never played a team like this before. 

[Molby]

4 hours ago, smithdown said:

Oh yeah?  Where is this?  Waiting for my ticket to land in Speke first tho 

 

that’s a good question

perhaps THE question. Cos in all the excitement we forgot to decide on a location.

I know this though: I better not be denied my scran at Big Bowl Noodle for a second time, so let’s work on our time-keeping,  guys.

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