Jump to content

Liverpool Away Build Up - SEMI FINAL


Saint Garrett

Recommended Posts

Yep its pretty poor, but that shows what fans think of this cup. Personally, I'm not willing to let the rare occasion of a semi final pass me by. Whether it will be worth the time and money I'm not sure as we usually come up short badly in these `big' games. See you all there.

 

I don't think its too bad. I remember a semi final up there is the late 1980's when we barely got 1,000 up there for the second leg. The first leg finished 0-0 mind. That game wasn't on TV and didn't follow an expensive euro campaign either. Getting 3,500+ to the other end of the country given the past few weeks and the expense of this season isn't something most Prem clubs would have done IMHO. Hull only took 1,500 to Man Utd a fortnight ago and they'd have been back in bed by midnight. We'll be lucky to be home by 4am!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you got some inside info? I pray to god that he is fit to play!!!

 

He hasn't got inside info, it's just nothings been confirmed either way. I'm leaning towards him being able to play given that he walked off. Honestly, i'd quite happily give him injections and then lose him for 2 weeks to recover rather than have him miss this game and be back for the weekend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He hasn't got inside info, it's just nothings been confirmed either way. I'm leaning towards him being able to play given that he walked off. Honestly, i'd quite happily give him injections and then lose him for 2 weeks to recover rather than have him miss this game and be back for the weekend.

 

I'd take 3 weeks, back for the 5th round of the cup :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty obvious that he's not going to play.

 

Get through this one without him and it'll be one of our greatest achievements . Just can't see it happening , it was hard enough with him. Pretty impossible without, if you ask me. Liverpool maybe missing their two best players but their Sturridge and Orgi would walk into our side , they're pretty decent replacements. We're going to be using a kid that's hardly played a game. Personally I'd really think about putting Betrand in there with McQueen at LB, it's not as if they're going to be chucking balls into the mixer. They'll do us with movement and cleverness. You may get away with a naive nipper heading and tackling , but he's not going to have faced movement , quick feet and quick thinking like this before . Bertrand will be more attuned to it and he did well in a 3

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited by Lord Duckhunter
Link to comment
Share on other sites

People moaning like f*ck about us selling Fonte. I would not want him in the side having put in a transfer request and been left out of the team all of january. Firmly believe it would do more harm than good.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man...time for Stephens to prove himself. He's not a kid anymore, he's 22 and whilst he might not have played in the Prem he has experience of first team football - nerves should not be a factor if he has plans to be a top flight defender.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty obvious that he's not going to play.

 

Get through this one without him and it'll be one of our greatest achievements . Just can't see it happening , it was hard enough with him. Pretty impossible without, if you ask me. Liverpool maybe missing their two best players but their Sturridge and Orgi would walk into our side , they're pretty decent replacements. We're going to be using a kid that's hardly played a game. Personally I'd really think about putting Betrand in there with McQueen at LB, it's not as if they're going to be chucking balls into the mixer. They'll do us with movement and cleverness. You may get away with a naive nipper heading and tackling , but he's not going to have faced movement , quick feet and quick thinking like this before . Bertrand will be more attuned to it and he did well in a 3

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

'A naive nipper' - so the logic is no youngster without a set amount if experience could play well against a decent team cos they won't have faced such quality opposition before.

I like to think like McQueen he'll seize the moment and surprise us all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People moaning like f*ck about us selling Fonte.

 

There'll always be something for them to moan about. Expect soon it will be Romeu isn't playing with same desire now he is tied down. We should have learnt from Leicester spunking all that money on new contracts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Massive, massive game for the club, fans and players this. Especially Stephens as he seems likely to start, its a huge risk, huge reward kinda game for him. If he's able to withstand the no doubt apocalyptic scale of attacks from the likes of sturrige, coutinho, origi, firminho, nivea, then it'll be the making of him as a future top class centre half. If he cracks under all the pressure and god forbid makes a few grave mistakes that the dippers punish, then I doubt he'll recover from being responsible for this club missing out on Wembley. So #prayforvirgil #prayforstephens!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would put in a back 6 of Fraser, Cédric, Stephens, Yoshi, Bertrand, McQueen; with Cédric and McQueen allowed to move forward like usual but with the added extra man back there. Romeu and Classic in front and the usual 3 up in attack (Tadić, JRod and Redmind for this one). Should be good enough to give them a game.

 

Won't happen though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would put in a back 6 of Fraser, Cédric, Stephens, Yoshi, Bertrand, McQueen; with Cédric and McQueen allowed to move forward like usual but with the added extra man back there. Romeu and Classic in front and the usual 3 up in attack (Tadić, JRod and Redmind for this one). Should be good enough to give them a game.

 

Won't happen though.

 

 

I'd be tempted to do the same but Leicester showed what happens when you give team a system to play that they haven't had plenty of time to practise in training. Trying in introduce a new system in this game might do more harm and good now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd be tempted to do the same but Leicester showed what happens when you give team a system to play that they haven't had plenty of time to practise in training. Trying in introduce a new system in this game might do more harm and good now.

 

Very true mate, very true.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

very nervous for this. Really think we should get at them for the first 20 minutes to get a goal and put the pressure on them. Incredible to think that, despite the stick he gets, Puel is only 90 mins from a Wembley final.

 

Head says 2-0 Liverpool in 90. Heart says 1-1 with a last minute Yoshida header.

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm going for an early goal and then park that great big bus, spending the remainder of the game with one striker standing on the centre spot and everyone else defending that box like it's the only raft available on a sinking ship.

 

(Everyone else does it to get the result so why shouldn't we?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would put in a back 6 of Fraser, Cédric, Stephens, Yoshi, Bertrand, McQueen; with Cédric and McQueen allowed to move forward like usual but with the added extra man back there. Romeu and Classic in front and the usual 3 up in attack (Tadić, JRod and Redmind for this one). Should be good enough to give them a game.

 

Won't happen though.

 

I absolutely would not do that !

We would be sitting very deep, giving the initiative to Liverpool to play at will. Much better to play the same system as v Leicester and bank on scoring at least one, that way they need at least 3 to win the tie !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is VVD fit or not.

 

Pulling my damn hair out here!!!

 

Mind you, I still think we'll win whether he's there or not!

 

Liverpool have a complex about saints these days. The ones who left don't like playing us, their fans no they've raped and pillaged us over the years but they are always the favourites... and yet we nearly always give them a game plus a few hidings...

 

We'll need to score for sure, but I think it might take 2 goals - and I think we'll do it. Go Saints!!!

 

Standard disclaimer - if we lose because of a week defence and no VVD then its 100% going on Les' head. :p :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There'll always be something for them to moan about. Expect soon it will be Romeu isn't playing with same desire now he is tied down. We should have learnt from Leicester spunking all that money on new contracts.

 

Always people moaning about moaners

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me:

 

Forster

 

Cedric

Yoshida

Bertrand

McQueen

 

Romeu

 

Davis/Hoj

JWP

 

Tadic

Long

Redmond

 

Personally would play Stephens at CB and Bertrand at LB. Having VVD out (if as seems likely) id rather weaken one position than weaken two. Having Maya and Bertrand next to him will be a help but if we really think he can make it then this is the sort of chance he should be grabbing to kick on.

 

Cant get Long out of my mind ofor this. Huuuge Jrod fan so think it seems silly not to start him but the option of Long really does keep a back line honest and if we do start to drop deep we have a really option on the counter (admittedly likely an option to shin the ball a few times, get in to a scoring position and balls it up, but hey its an option)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally would play Stephens at CB and Bertrand at LB. Having VVD out (if as seems likely) id rather weaken one position than weaken two. Having Maya and Bertrand next to him will be a help but if we really think he can make it then this is the sort of chance he should be grabbing to kick on.

 

Cant get Long out of my mind ofor this. Huuuge Jrod fan so think it seems silly not to start him but the option of Long really does keep a back line honest and if we do start to drop deep we have a really option on the counter (admittedly likely an option to shin the ball a few times, get in to a scoring position and balls it up, but hey its an option)

 

My thinking was that McQueen, whilst clearly less capable than Bertrand, has shown he is a very capable deputy whereas Stephens is completely untested. Bertrand has also done a stellar job at centre back in the past.

 

As much as I like JRod, if we have our backs to the walls then he won't give us much. Long will, as you say, keep a defence in their toes with his pace and can seize on any mistake as he did v Leicester.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So start with this? Plenty of press and energy, maybe Sims later for freshness.

 

 

Forster

 

Cedric Yoshida Stephens Bertrand

 

Clasie Romeu JWP

 

Redmond Rodriguez Tadic

 

Starting with Clasie and JWP in the same lineup is never a good idea. I'd swap in Hoj for Clasie and then be prepared to switch them at 60mins or so.

 

Can't decide if I'd put Bertrand in where Stephens goes, and stick McQueen on the left or not. McQueen's good, deserves a run, but at the expense of Bertrand in his strongest position?

 

Would stick Long on for Redmond or Tadic in the second half, assuming we're not trailing, have him up top with JRod and tell everyone else to stay the **** back, just lump balls to those two!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Liverpool fans are not confident. Swansea more or less copied our tactics and they're worried teams have got them sussed out. Henderson and Clyne have knocks as well so they're doubtful.

 

I've just been on their forum and they feel pretty confident to me. On the train up there now.

 

 

Pubs anyone !!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Didn't Stephens have a really good game for Middlesbrough at Old Trafford during his loan spell last season? I think keep Bertrand at LB, he is one of our best players on his day and his energy and pace allows him to get up and back brilliantly, and if we are looking under pressure then just limit his ability to go forward and help out Stephens if he's struggling. As good as McQueen has been, he's still not a player I would feel 100% comfortable with defending against Firmino etc., whereas Bertrand I would, so may as well allow Stephens his Sam McQueen moment of coming into a massive game with little experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Didn't Stephens have a really good game for Middlesbrough at Old Trafford during his loan spell last season? I think keep Bertrand at LB, he is one of our best players on his day and his energy and pace allows him to get up and back brilliantly, and if we are looking under pressure then just limit his ability to go forward and help out Stephens if he's struggling. As good as McQueen has been, he's still not a player I would feel 100% comfortable with defending against Firmino etc., whereas Bertrand I would, so may as well allow Stephens his Sam McQueen moment of coming into a massive game with little experience.

 

As I recall, Stephens played defensive mid at Old Trafford for Boro.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...