Liverpool v Saints : Carabao Cup 3rd Round

[Patches O Houlihan]

After the performance at Hull we need this game like a hole in the head; especially with league leaders Middlesborough up afterwards.

Following an abject performance there would be a temptation to drop some players and bring in some new ones hoping for an improvement. It is of course very common for a second string side to start in the league cup.

So when the changed team gets humped by Liverpool, and the team that played before were embarrassed at Hull which side do you pick for Middlesborough?

If Still somehow gets a result here then he will have earned his money.

Realistically I think a battling 2:1 loss, where the players show they are playing for the manager and do actually have an agreed plan is about as good as we can hope for.

[SambaMaverick]

Macca

Jelert Edwards Quashie Manning

Aribo Downes

Robinson Scienza Edozie

Stewart

[Willo of Whiteley]

Spread those cheeks lads, it’s going to be a drubbing

[AlexLaw76]

Lots of talk of being brave, but we will be wide open, lots of hoofs to a a striker not suited, and we will be comfortably beaten.

Who cares.

[LGTL]

At least Liverpool should play their reserves, like Isak. 

[Patches O Houlihan]

9 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

Macca

Jelert Edwards Quashie Manning

Aribo Downes

Robinson Scienza Edozie

Stewart

As much as I would like this to be the team I struggle to imagine them doing any better than 5:0.

[SambaMaverick]

13 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

As much as I would like this to be the team I struggle to imagine them doing any better than 5:0.

I think 5-0 is the baseline result I am expecting from this pointless match

[Gloucester Saint]

Could be a chance to go one better than 9-0. SR could really make their mark.

[Badger]

Think we should play Bazunu for this one. Just in case he picks up an injury. 

[SNSUN]

Liverpool have back up players like Mamardashvilli, Bradley, Gomez, Endo, Robertson, Chiesa, Ngumoha and even Isak, who is looking to get his season started and we all know who that could be against.

Whether or not they'll all play, but even those 8 could probably beat our best 11 right now.

I'd play Jay instead of Fraser, Archer instead of Downs, Jelert instead of Manning and Quarshie instead of Jack... but that's why I'm not the manager.

[Saint_clark]

Liverpool's first loss of the season coming up. 

[die Mannyschaft]

Liverpool 1st team at least 7-0. Can't see them playing more than 3 1st team players as this will be wslk over.

Liverpool 2nd team 5-0.

Our negative approach to games will mean we let Liverpool occupy our half 80% of the game. We can't save many shots and Liverpool are not Stoke or Pompey who should of had 5 goals. Based on our performance against so called crap teams realistically Liverpool 8-0

Saints fans could be lucky to see Liverpool 10-0 and say 'I was there '.

I only watched Saints get 1 shot at Everton last season and we had a better team. 

[die Mannyschaft]

39 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Could be a chance to go one better than 9-0. SR could really make their mark.

We could have an xg of 0.00 all 90 mins also, effectively meaning it's impossible for Saints to score. 

[die Mannyschaft]

1 hour ago, SambaMaverick said:

Macca

Jelert Edwards Quashie Manning

Aribo Downes

Robinson Scienza Edozie

Stewart

I'd go with that except Stewart, don't think he's fit enough or be subbed early on or subbed on 80th min.

[Patches O Houlihan]

3 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

I'd go with that except Stewart, don't think he's fit enough or be subbed early on or subbed on 80th min.

Who are you lumping it up to instead? 

Is Arma the most likely to pull a miraculous Shane Long? Will we walk out to the Titanic music?

[die Mannyschaft]

7 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Who are you lumping it up to instead? 

Is Arma the most likely to pull a miraculous Shane Long? Will we walk out to the Titanic music?

Still may not risk him getting injured as no one to lump it to v Boro. Don't forget we will the 5 subs crazy decisions. 

[BARCELONASAINT]

can we not just come to some sort of agreement with Liverpool that they win the tie by default because all of our players have caught the Flynn Downes syndrome....e.g. can't be fucking bothered!

[Turkish]

I for a feeling Damian Downs will not score in this one 

[Badger]

9 minutes ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

can we not just come to some sort of agreement with Liverpool that they win the tie by default because all of our players have caught the Flynn Downes syndrome....e.g. can't be fucking bothered!

Can picture the woman on the end of the phone at Anfield saying “ sorry luv, did you say you’re not putting out a team  cos they’ve all got the shits, or they are shit … , it’s a bad line “ 

[Gloucester Saint]

3 minutes ago, Badger said:

Can picture the woman on the end of the phone at Anfield saying “ sorry luv, did you say you’re not putting out a team  cos they’ve all got the shits, or they are shit … , it’s a bad line “ 

Whoever the chef was at Spurs’ hotel that time with the lasagne hopefully has found new work in the NW.

[bpsaint]

Credit to anyone that bothers going to this one.

Edited Saturday at 23:03 by bpsaint

[Saint Fan CaM]

It’s going to be an embarrassment let’s be honest. I’m not sure I can be arsed to watch.

[sockeye]

It's not going to be a dramatic drubbing, it will just be crap.

3-0 Liverpool.

Who can be bothered? 

[Gloucester Saint]

9 minutes ago, sockeye said:

It's not going to be a dramatic drubbing, it will just be crap.

3-0 Liverpool.

Who can be bothered? 

I honestly couldn’t give a flying one, same as any match until SR finally sell up.

[Osvaldorama]

Who cares?

[Pamplemousse]

This is going to be a fucking disaster.

It will be whatever Liverpool like scoring -0 Southampton 

[Nieldy]

Can Liverpool put out there women's team.It still wouldn't be any easier for us.

[Football Special]

The biggest waste of time in the history of wasting time 

The corrupt cup where they fix the draw 

[bangkoksaint]

Hobsons choice here. Do you pick a ‘1st team’ to get them playing together BIM the recent signings. Or as we’re likely to get totally humped do you select a reserve team so any confidence we have isn’t shattered further? 

[Football Special]

2 minutes ago, bangkoksaint said:

Hobsons choice here. Do you pick a ‘1st team’ to get them playing together BIM the recent signings. Or as we’re likely to get totally humped do you select a reserve team so any confidence we have isn’t shattered further? 

I am not even sure we have a 1st team,  quite possibly the replacements will do a better job ,tactically different to every other game this season where there is no expectation on us to attack,  I think Still will revert to a back 5 , McCarthy will get a game ,, might as well play Edozie and Aribo 

There will be plenty of empty seats in our end 

[Thereisonlyonemickychannon]

We are due a 9 niller!

[John Boy Saint]

Just pulling out the sofa from the wall ready to hide behind 😳

[saintant]

Macca

Jelert Wood Quarshie Manning

Charles Matsuki

Robinson Aribo Edozie

Stewart

Probably get hammered but let's give these guys some game time and see if any of them do enough to deserve a spot in the side against Boro - if the two centre backs can't better THB's performance yesterday they may as well give up the game.

Edited 15 hours ago by saintant

[Yorkshire Saint]

I found someone's ticket in an envelope in the concourse at Hull, for this game - belongs to a Carl Hockey if anyone knows him put him in touch. 

[saintant]

3 minutes ago, Yorkshire Saint said:

I found someone's ticket in an envelope in the concourse at Hull, for this game - belongs to a Carl Hockey if anyone knows him put him in touch. 

Have you considered Mr Hockey might have thrown the envelope down in disgust at the end of the game?

[Football Special]

4 minutes ago, Yorkshire Saint said:

I found someone's ticket in an envelope in the concourse at Hull, for this game - belongs to a Carl Hockey if anyone knows him put him in touch. 

He was probably hoping you'd keep it! 

[Stu Man Do]

https://www.empireofthekop.com/2025/09/21/arne-slot-southampton-selection/
 

Good: Liverpool not playing their first team

 

Bad: Liverpools youth team will be heading into the next round 

[AlexLaw76]

10 minutes ago, Stu Man Do said:

https://www.empireofthekop.com/2025/09/21/arne-slot-southampton-selection/
 

Good: Liverpool not playing their first team

 

Bad: Liverpools youth team will be heading into the next round 

It wont be their youth side.

I am sure Isak will get minutes, as will Frimpong, Robertson, Wirtz etc

[whelk]

17 hours ago, Turkish said:

I for a feeling Damian Downs will not score in this one 

Do you think when he jumps he will get to at least 6 inches of the ball?

[Lighthouse]

19 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Could be a chance to go one better than 9-0. SR could really make their mark.

People said this before half our games lat season, and half two years before that and it never was. It’ll probably be 3,4 or 5-0 but predicting double digit defeats all the time is becoming tiresome and cliched. 

[Turkish]

24 minutes ago, whelk said:

Do you think when he jumps he will get to at least 6 inches of the ball?

Did we win the ball yesterday? I don’t think so

The only positive I can take from his “performances”’so far is that he gets in positions to get chances the fact he’s missed them all or doesn’t get on the end of them is something I’m sure our first class coaches can address 

[Vancouver Saint]

Pointless game. Make Bazunu play and let's see if he is capable of denying Liverpool a goal.
I think Slot will give his third-stringers a run-out and they'll beat us 2-0 in a drab game.
Of course, if we do what we've done before and pull off a miraculous 1-0 away win I'll be delighted...but let's get real...

[SaintsBarry74]

1 hour ago, Vancouver Saint said:

Pointless game. Make Bazunu play and let's see if he is capable of denying Liverpool a goal.
I think Slot will give his third-stringers a run-out and they'll beat us 2-0 in a drab game.
Of course, if we do what we've done before and pull off a miraculous 1-0 away win I'll be delighted...but let's get real...

He can play, but surely not as GK?

[Killers Knee]

They could put out their women's team and we'd be on the wrong end of a dicking.

[Mboto Gorge]

20 minutes ago, Killers Knee said:

They could put out their women's team and we'd be on the wrong end of a dicking.

Stephens and THB would probably be beaten in the air for their winning goal 

[saintant]

5 hours ago, Stu Man Do said:

https://www.empireofthekop.com/2025/09/21/arne-slot-southampton-selection/
 

Good: Liverpool not playing their first team

 

Bad: Liverpools youth team will be heading into the next round 

I love the way Slot says 'Isaac has not trained much and McCallister has been missing, I could go on and on' He's got it really hard with such a small squad and so little quality 🙂

[die Mannyschaft]

2 hours ago, SaintsBarry74 said:

He can play, but surely not as GK?

Put him in midfield and just lump it towards goal each time he gets ball. That's not our own goal!

[you muppets]

lube up or their going in dry