Pre Match Pre Match - Newcastle (Anfield South) - Sun 16:30
- Thread starter Brizzle
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
-
- Tags
- anfield
So many finals end up with penalties that we should have a plan around them. Last night should be a lesson. That's another reason for starting Darwin and bringing on Jota.
Without going full on Kepa-style last minute subs, it would fill me with a lot more confidence if we had Kelleher, McAllister, Jota, Szoboslai, Trent and Salah on the pitch at the end of ET should it go that far.
Without going full on Kepa-style last minute subs, it would fill me with a lot more confidence if we had Kelleher, McAllister, Jota, Szoboslai, Trent and Salah on the pitch at the end of ET should it go that far.
Gakpo looks a world away from fitness, Jota's not at the races, Chiesa is pointless and Nunez is log.
So, that's Diaz, Salah +1. Fuck knows.
So, that's Diaz, Salah +1. Fuck knows.
Didn't Szobo sign and say he'd never missed a pen? Why would you take him off in the 110th minute? Macca too. Where was Gakpo's pen? Conjecture I know but, needs planning. And I don't think we did well enough.
If Gravenberch can find time and space we will win. Simple as that.
I hope it doesn't hinge on that because he's been one of our most consistently below par players.
What about Southampton? Or Wolves? Are Newcastle better than them? We haven't become a bad team just because PSG beat us, but we haven't been convincing since the Bitters. Here's a reason why.
It depends on which Newcastle turn up because Wolves could do Newcastle. Southampton not. Southampton didn’t even out battle us we were just slow as fuck in the first half and rampant second. Since the derby we’ve smashed Newcastle and out thought City without conceding a goal in those games.
Hmmm... I don't know how I feel about that. Didn't he cock up against them in the league? Ali is in great form, the only thing it makes me confident for is saving penalties, but we're coming off the back of losing a penalty shoot out, so..
Unless Ali is injured that’s fucking stupid.
No place for sentiment when trophies are on the line and Ali is in his best form of the season and we need his shot stopping vs Isak.
totally with you on this, I don't think the players want this cup, they wanted that CL, and in my head I can still see Dom crying on the bench and Salah crying after the game. This cup final is too much for us now.
Agreed. I know who I'd fancy when Isak inevitably goes through on goal.
----------------AB/CK------------------
Quansah---Konate-VVD---Robertson
-----------Gravy-----Macca-----------
---------------Szobo-------------------
-----Salah------Elliott------Diaz------
Eliott or Szobo as the false nine, or failing that, play Nunez, though I suspect his head has gone.
Quansah---Konate-VVD---Robertson
-----------Gravy-----Macca-----------
---------------Szobo-------------------
-----Salah------Elliott------Diaz------
Eliott or Szobo as the false nine, or failing that, play Nunez, though I suspect his head has gone.
I'm not sure Nunez's head was ever present.
True that!
What's the alternative? A non scoring Nunez or Jota? I did say Szobo or Elliott. He can't do any worse than what anyone else has served up lately and if we're going to play four in midfield, Jones is horribly out of form and Elliott would cause more problems and support Salah more, who is clearly struggling (and won't have Trent behind him).
The alternative is Jota.
Just because he hasn't scored for a while doesn't mean that I'd rather have Elliott up front playing in an unfamiliar role.
A cup final is not the time for experimenting, unless it's forced.
So we stick with what's been shite for the last two weeks? It's hardly an experiment, it's the system we've played in quite a few big games lately. Newcastle are strongest in midfield (and with Isak), I don't fancy Gravenberch, Macca and Szobo up against them after a leggy 120 minutes, especially when Grav is clearly already struggling.
Like I said, it's just for numbers in midfield, Szobo can play the false 9 role. Jota wasn't just starved of service the other night, he was horrible in possession too. He wasn't the only one, but the others have outperformed him lately so they get a bit of slack.
Yes we've done it before but not with Harvey.
I don't think he can cope physically with Schär and Burn.
Nunez has 1 goal and two assists in 3 subs performances in the last 3 games (2 vs PSG). If we need a goal I'd take him over Elliott every day of the week. However since we are likely to dominate possession I'd take Jota or Diaz to start at CF.
As far as all assists go this season:
Gakpo 10 (4,292 mins)
Nunez 7 (1,849 mins - best per mins assists bar Mo.)
Trent 7 (2,869 mins)
Jones 6 (1,861 mins)
Diaz 5 (2,711 mins)
Szobo 6 (2,797 mins)
Jota 3 (1,424 mins)
Macca 4 (3,014 mins)
Gravy 2 (3,442 mins)
Elliott 1 (567 mins)
By that reckoning, Szobo, Jota and Elliott all have more or less the same assists to minutes ratio, Szobo's is a bit better than 1 every 500 minutes. Nunez's is better again. There's not much in it really other than to say Nunez's return is better than any of the others, but he's also arguably been the more advanced and on the front foot too, if we consider that Jota drops in and helps the midfield more and the rest are well, midfielders. It doesn't really prove anything either way. Jones' ratio is better than Szobo's, but you wouldn't have him in there ahead of Szobo, would you?
Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle, but no serious damage has been suffered and it is hoped he can still play again this season.
The right back limped off in the Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday with an ankle injury and underwent scans today.
It was feared he had also suffered a knee injury in the fall, but it looks like this has been avoided.
While it is too soon to put any timescale on his recovery, it appears the injury is not as bad as some worried.
Ibrahima Konate, meanwhile, is expected to be fit for Sunday's final after being substituted due to fatigue.
Jarell Quansah will fill in at right back should Alexander-Arnold miss out, with usual back-up Conor Bradley injured.
The right back limped off in the Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday with an ankle injury and underwent scans today.
It was feared he had also suffered a knee injury in the fall, but it looks like this has been avoided.
While it is too soon to put any timescale on his recovery, it appears the injury is not as bad as some worried.
Ibrahima Konate, meanwhile, is expected to be fit for Sunday's final after being substituted due to fatigue.
Jarell Quansah will fill in at right back should Alexander-Arnold miss out, with usual back-up Conor Bradley injured.
Similar threads
