Pre Match - Man City (a) - PL - Sun 1630
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OK the Front 3 who are they going to be ? Or 4 if you think we'll play Firmino in midfield ahead of Hendo & Fabs.
All over the internet the opinion differs. We have 5 players who could each lay a legitimate claim to a starting position but for different reasons. I've seen virtually every possible permutation forecast.
Salah : probably the world's best player this season, so even though he hasn't scored for 9 games that just means he's due. Plus he always puts the fear of God into teams and can pull something miraculous out of the hat without warning.
Diaz : new boy on the block but what a start and a player he seems to be. Like Mane he doesn't look like one who's going to be above his xG though and needs chances but I love his control, almost any ball in to him he seems to kill dead no matter from where it originated. He has real pace and works his arse off defending too.
Jota : His goal tally is second in the PL only to Mo. Can be deadly both in the box and from headers where he has a shocking (in a positive way) record. However he is likely the least effective presser we have.
Firmino : not the player he was but still a class act and Klopp trusts him implicitly. For goal-scoring and pace he doesn't make the starting lineup, but for control and bringing it all together he may be the man we need on Sunday.
Mane : Still has the pace and played through the centre could be a maverick selection in that position. He looks to be reinventing himself there. His relative lack of control (when compared to Bobby and Diaz) and propensity to give the ball away more often than the others, and that he needs more chances to score (xG - 4.2 last season and - 2.4 so far this season) may be reasons for him to come on later when legs are tiring (but the same could be said of Diaz). His confidence is high at the moment though and he does get himself into good goalscoring, tap-in, positions. And we know how he tracks back.
We won't get a ton of chances compared to most matches and we are going to need a hard pressing front line. Mo is the only one written in ink. Without knowing Klopp's intended tactics (will be play Mane deep to run at Rodri and their CBs for example, or use Bobby as a forward pivot to win back the ball and retain possession under pressure (one of the best in the team).
Klopp gave both Mane & Mo. 60 mins in midweek was that a strong hint?
What we need from our starters : Hard pressing from the front, tracking back to help out our midfielders and WBs and control because we can't afford to cough up the ball too often when in possession.
Me : I'd go Diaz, Bobby & Mo to start and tell them to run their hearts out for 60 mins because after that 2 or even all 3 of them will be substituted. See how they react/play.
Klopp : I reckon he'll go Mane - Bobby - Mo.
All over the internet the opinion differs. We have 5 players who could each lay a legitimate claim to a starting position but for different reasons. I've seen virtually every possible permutation forecast.
Salah : probably the world's best player this season, so even though he hasn't scored for 9 games that just means he's due. Plus he always puts the fear of God into teams and can pull something miraculous out of the hat without warning.
Diaz : new boy on the block but what a start and a player he seems to be. Like Mane he doesn't look like one who's going to be above his xG though and needs chances but I love his control, almost any ball in to him he seems to kill dead no matter from where it originated. He has real pace and works his arse off defending too.
Jota : His goal tally is second in the PL only to Mo. Can be deadly both in the box and from headers where he has a shocking (in a positive way) record. However he is likely the least effective presser we have.
Firmino : not the player he was but still a class act and Klopp trusts him implicitly. For goal-scoring and pace he doesn't make the starting lineup, but for control and bringing it all together he may be the man we need on Sunday.
Mane : Still has the pace and played through the centre could be a maverick selection in that position. He looks to be reinventing himself there. His relative lack of control (when compared to Bobby and Diaz) and propensity to give the ball away more often than the others, and that he needs more chances to score (xG - 4.2 last season and - 2.4 so far this season) may be reasons for him to come on later when legs are tiring (but the same could be said of Diaz). His confidence is high at the moment though and he does get himself into good goalscoring, tap-in, positions. And we know how he tracks back.
We won't get a ton of chances compared to most matches and we are going to need a hard pressing front line. Mo is the only one written in ink. Without knowing Klopp's intended tactics (will be play Mane deep to run at Rodri and their CBs for example, or use Bobby as a forward pivot to win back the ball and retain possession under pressure (one of the best in the team).
Klopp gave both Mane & Mo. 60 mins in midweek was that a strong hint?
What we need from our starters : Hard pressing from the front, tracking back to help out our midfielders and WBs and control because we can't afford to cough up the ball too often when in possession.
Me : I'd go Diaz, Bobby & Mo to start and tell them to run their hearts out for 60 mins because after that 2 or even all 3 of them will be substituted. See how they react/play.
Klopp : I reckon he'll go Mane - Bobby - Mo.
Mane (70 mins vs Walker) then Diaz... Jota …. Salah
Absolutely not. No way Thiago sits this out. Unless he’s dead again.
Alexander-Arnold is like an exhibition"
More from Pep Guardiola, who gave one of his more interesting press conferences today. The line we’ve put at the top of this page – Klopp is my biggest rival – may well hog the back pages tonight, but over on the BBC site there are some more detailed quotes, with Pep giving a boss’s-eye view of the way Liverpool have developed. (The square brackets are ours, not the Beeb’s.)
“We know we are going to defend parts of the game and sit back. Not because we want but [it’s] almost impossible [not to] for what they do. They make the pitch wider and higher, quality in the middle. Four, five years ago they were more direct, not too much between the lines.
“Now they have a good build-up with Alisson, Matip, Thiago drops [back?]. Threats in behind – Alexander-Arnold is like an exhibition, deep runners in behind. Set pieces, every corner is a threat.”
Like an exhibition! Something for Gareth Southgate to think about.
More from Pep Guardiola, who gave one of his more interesting press conferences today. The line we’ve put at the top of this page – Klopp is my biggest rival – may well hog the back pages tonight, but over on the BBC site there are some more detailed quotes, with Pep giving a boss’s-eye view of the way Liverpool have developed. (The square brackets are ours, not the Beeb’s.)
“We know we are going to defend parts of the game and sit back. Not because we want but [it’s] almost impossible [not to] for what they do. They make the pitch wider and higher, quality in the middle. Four, five years ago they were more direct, not too much between the lines.
“Now they have a good build-up with Alisson, Matip, Thiago drops [back?]. Threats in behind – Alexander-Arnold is like an exhibition, deep runners in behind. Set pieces, every corner is a threat.”
Like an exhibition! Something for Gareth Southgate to think about.
From Pep:
It will be massive, and an important three points [are at stale] but if we win there will still be seven games remaining, 21 points to
[On Liverpool] “In the time I’ve been here both teams are the top two in the last five years. It’s been an incredible and marvellous contender. I said many times my opinion about Liverpool, how admired they are, Jurgen has been as a manager the biggest rival I’ve ever had in my career and I think what both teams propose, the way they play, is good for the football – we are ready for the challenge.
It will be massive, and an important three points [are at stale] but if we win there will still be seven games remaining, 21 points to
[On Liverpool] “In the time I’ve been here both teams are the top two in the last five years. It’s been an incredible and marvellous contender. I said many times my opinion about Liverpool, how admired they are, Jurgen has been as a manager the biggest rival I’ve ever had in my career and I think what both teams propose, the way they play, is good for the football – we are ready for the challenge.
He's got a loony streak about him which I like. 😀
Radio saying Dias is still out. That will hurt them if true.
Don't care, only care not to lose!
I don’t believe that.
LMAO I did think that too ha
Yeh ya right like..I’m just being fucken daft haha I like bein daft now and again it’s invigorating 😀
Just seen a couple of posts on twitter sayin he’s out too…we shall see 😀
Yeh scarey init haha
Me too 😀
If you’re a yank and know bout SNL, he’s like the Greek version of Pete Davidson.
Bet you he’s a hit with the ladies too especially cougars.
Bet you he’s a hit with the ladies too especially cougars.
....have you guys met Dantes?
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