Author Topic: Klopps Reds vs Van Gaal's _____: Round 2 (1-1 - Martial 30" - Coutinho 45') (Read 9971 times)

Rush 82 · « **on:** March 17, 2016, 07:55:47 pm »

Cribbed from Zlen's Pre-Match Thread

I've had a silly grin on my face since Thursday.
Kind of like this

Just an honest grin brought on my the way we played. It's not even the result that much, though it's a good scoreline that could have been dramatically better if it wasn't for their only World Class player simply being classy. It's about something that we've last had in abundance during Rafa's high times. It's the crazy relentlessness we've displayed. Relentless is defined as 'continuing without becoming weaker or less severe' and does it ever perfectly define what I saw on Thursday. It is not just the pressing, though that part was impressive - it's simply not giving a sweet fuck about what they had to offer. We brought our top game and made them shrink, forced them into submission and kept them there by working harder, by playing together and by sticking with it. They really had no hope in hell - could have fluked a goal like they did in the league game - but it would not save them in the end, might have just made us angry.

Pump away you crazy diamond

So Round Two on Thursday.
We'll be well rested and I have no doubt - aiming to score one as soon as possible then pick the meat off their bones for the rest of the game. We've been where they are now, confused, unbalanced, some quality in the team but in cohesive and I remember how little it takes to silence the crowd and have them all expecting the worse. Klopp will surely thrive on this and play to scare them even further, press, force mistake, capitalize, rinse and repeat.

Bobby the Player

I would leave the team unchanged, we gave a good performance and could gel even further for this game.
It was a joy to see Lallana, Firmino and Coutinho play together, hunt in packs and work for each other. More of that please, can't get enough. Lucas, Ings, Gomez and Stewart are still unavailable - so nothing new there.

Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Coutinho, Lallana, Finmino, Sturridge
Just about the best we have - let's play this.

We'll know tomorrow if UEFA is going to pursue the Fellaini issue - whatever comes from that he'll remain an absolute prickhair of the highest order - so nothing changes. How are their players always loving little rascals while breaking people's jaws and kneecaps remains a mystery.

It's one player we should worry about and even his amazing performance at Anfield couldn't save them.

Worth how many points a season?

Grin is what it's all about.
I'd like to keep it for the foreseeable and I think it might be here to stay.
As soon as we got out from our injury slump you could see the shape of what is going to become a merciless machine rise from the confusion of early season. So glad we're still in Europa as it's just about the perfect competition to try and win while also restoring the atmosphere at Anfield and bringing back some fun and pleasure from watching Liverpool.

We're on the rise - let's keep it going.
Plus it's always fun to empty the Old Trafford before 90 minutes.

The Team:

Mignolet
Clyne
Sakho
Lovren
Milner
Can
Henderson
Lallana
Firmino
Coutinho
Sturridge

Subs:
Ward Benteke Ibe Origi Allen Smith Toure

Rush 82 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2016, 07:59:06 pm »

T - 8 minutes or so...

Telly showing snippets from the previous game and the pressers...

Don't know what's happening in the ground at the moment. Hope that the off field nonsense by the Manc fans don't affect the game.

Bit concerned about the ref - apparently even more trigger happy than the previous one

Rush 82 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:02:19 pm »

T-5 - Players being shown in the tunnel about to move out.

Countdown, and they're running out...

About to start, Liverpool kicking off in black strip

thegoodfella · « **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:07:36 pm »

And we are a go here

thegoodfella · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:08:27 pm »

1' Quick start already, Rashford and Sakho run for it, and the defender just about gets there.

thegoodfella · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:09:25 pm »

2' Fast start this, Coutinho off side, delayed flag.

And we are closing down well forward, De Gea being harried.

thegoodfella · « **Reply #6 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:10:35 pm »

3' The home team with the ball, losing out to Coutinho and he runs in to some traffic and possession is lost. Fellaini is in the middle with it, passed forward and closed down. Sturridge is away on the right, found with a good pass, he comes inside and get dispossessed. Quite a start this.

Rush 82 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:10:52 pm »

As expected, industrious from both teams, United with some actual energy

Rush 82 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:12:06 pm »

YNWA rings out loud and clear

thegoodfella · « **Reply #9 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:12:46 pm »

4' Clyne is forward, looking for a pass, he gets it off, but Can gives it away with a poor pass to right and United will bring it forward. And we will win it back, away on the right, tackle flying, passed inside, Lallana dribbles away after a clearance, nicely kept by Adam, and passed all the way back to the defenders. We are trying to calm it down a little.

thegoodfella · « **Reply #10 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:14:02 pm »

6' Can almost wins it back in the middle, but United come away with it, passed to the left, long and it is a throw in for us.

Rush 82 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:14:26 pm »

Deffo calmed things down a bit - filosofee appears to be coming into play...

thegoodfella · « **Reply #12 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:16:34 pm »

8' United looking better tonight but it feels like one good counter and we are in... the home side has the possession at the moment but in their own half and around the center circle. Good pass to the left for Rojo, and he wins a throw in. Passed to Fellaini who is asking for a foul, not sure what for and it is given against him. Ta ref.

thegoodfella · « **Reply #13 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:17:42 pm »

9' And here he goes Fellaini, elbow in to Firmino as they go for a header. The referee gives him a talking but no card even though he saw it clearly.

Rush 82 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:18:04 pm »

Massive elbow (yes, from elbows) into Firmino - unpunished of course except for the FK

thegoodfella · « **Reply #15 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:18:55 pm »

11' Milner is the left back by the way and he puts in a glorious first time cross, just about cleared, the ball pings around the penalty area before it gets cleared.

Rush 82 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:19:39 pm »

Heh! some decent pressing in that short passage of pla.

Klopp hands the ball to the players like a Silver Service Waiter proffering a Gourmet dinner

Jake · « **Reply #17 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:19:43 pm »

God I hope we beat these. Looks like we want it!

thegoodfella · « **Reply #18 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:20:12 pm »

12' Mata fouls Henderson now, a few flying in to tackles here, a yellow is coming soon I think.

And the cameraman decides to show Rooney for a few seconds.

Jake · « **Reply #19 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:20:47 pm »

Horrible chants ring out. Utd fans are dirt.

thegoodfella · « **Reply #20 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:21:11 pm »

13' Sakho shielding the ball nicely, being pressured but he gets the pass to Milner and he wins a throw in.

thegoodfella · « **Reply #21 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:22:06 pm »

15' More chaotic defending, Clyne gets ahead just in time to hook it away.

Jake · « **Reply #22 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:23:00 pm »

16 - Fair to say Utd look more confident, we want it more, Utd fans are shite. 0-0

Rush 82 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:23:04 pm »

15' - Utd FK taken by Mata - Lallana presses Blind into giving up the ball

Jake · « **Reply #24 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:23:56 pm »

17 Utd attack but Sturridge is back defending

Rush 82 · « **Reply #25 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:24:19 pm »

16' - Smalling runs up the pitch and Lallana just caught offside - best break from us so far

Jake · « **Reply #26 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:24:24 pm »

17 Lallana 1 on 1 but he's a mile off

Jake · « **Reply #27 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:24:53 pm »

18 Varela attacks but slips. We clear the lines.

Rush 82 · « **Reply #28 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:25:27 pm »

17' - Whoo - good stop by Migs - corner - Milner caught out there

Jake · « **Reply #29 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:26:00 pm »

18 Lingard on his own in the box! Must bury it! Migs gets a hand to it, although his positioning was way off

Rush 82 · « **Reply #30 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:26:24 pm »

18' - ball ping pongs around in our box and drops for Mata who shanks it!

Rush 82 · « **Reply #31 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:27:36 pm »

20' - Utd playing with more assurance now - passing the ball around until the inevitable long ball is fired in and cleared by Clyne

Rush 82 · « **Reply #32 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:29:12 pm »

21' Great run from Milner down the left comes to nothing. Rashford and Martial combined well outside the box and then Martial skied the shot to the 4th tier

Rush 82 · « **Reply #33 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:30:40 pm »

22' - Fair to say that Utd are controlling the game better than us and looked more dangerous. That said, our defence is looking compact and solid.

Rush 82 · « **Reply #34 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:32:29 pm »

23' - and as I type Sturridge breaks but it comes to nothing and the game rapidly swings to the opposite end. Rashford goes down in the box bu the ref is having none of it.

Urgh - 24' - dreadful first touch from Couts who was on the edge of the box

Rush 82 · « **Reply #35 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:34:53 pm »

27' - much huff and puff but no end product from either side.

As I type, damn you DdG - saves a cracker from Coutinho

Rush 82 · « **Reply #36 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:36:07 pm »

28' - Blind spoken to by the ref - FK comes to nothing

Rush 82 · « **Reply #37 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:37:04 pm »

29' - shot on goal by Firmino from some 20 yards out easily dealt with by de Gea

Rush 82 · « **Reply #38 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:38:04 pm »

30' - Penalty to Utd - Martial brought down by Clyne

Rush 82 · « **Reply #39 on:** March 17, 2016, 08:40:23 pm »

31' - Martial scores - sends Mignolet the wrong way. Well taken penalty to be fair.

and Le Jake should be up as we have a FK on the edge of the box

Ooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh - that was so close - direct curler from Studge hits the top bar - De Gea was beaten all ends up there