Topic: MATCH PREVIEW: Swansea v Liverpool - Saturday October 1st, 12:30

[stockdam]

So we are currently on fire and have stormed into 4th place. Everybody now expects us to score 3 or 4 every game.......and why not?

We are a joy to watch and in all my years of watching Liverpool I am honestly struggling to remember a time when I expect us to score 3 or 4 every game. Our front line is as good as it's been for a long time and even the subs that we bring on as forwards are all capable of scoring every game.

Here's the table..........looks nice, doesn't it.

Back to us in a moment as I want to talk about Swansea first.



Swansea - a team struggling


In contrast to us Swansea are struggling. They have lost 4 out of the last 5 games and have only managed one draw. They are a team that I find hard to be positive about as their form is so poor.

Who did they buy over summer?

Borja Bastón from Atlético for £15.5m (club record)
Llorente from Sevilla for £5M
Alfie Mawson from Barsnley for £5M
Leroy Fer from QPR for £4.8M
Mike van der Hoorn from Ajax for £2M

Hardly inspiring is it? To me they have gone backwards since last season.

Their top signing is yet to start a league game for Swansea.

In case you didn't know, their manager is Francesco Guidolin who came from Udinese. His job will come under increasing pressure if they don't start to pick up points.

In trying to research this game I read some of the Swansea forums. I shouldn't have bothered as it was a bit depressing.......very depressing.

The highlight of the season so far was a 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea. Other than that it has not been good.

I expect Fabianski to be busy but he is capable of having a very good match.

Swansea are at home and if they look back at their recent games against us then the picture starts to change and look much better for them.

Our last visit to the Liberty was an embarrassing 3-1 defeat back in May (we fielded a weakened team). Since 2012, when Swansea were promoted, we have only beaten them once away from home in 5 attempts. That's not a good record and one that we need to start to reverse.




Liverpool - a team on fire


Let's look at Liverpool now. Such a contrast to Swansea. We are playing well and scoring for fun. Mane has been a great signing and has helped to transform our attack. Firmino, Coutino, Lallana and Sturridge are all in great form.

Matip looks like he has grabbed a position and is looking very secure beside Lovren. We have found a new left back in Milner. Have we turned the corner with our defence? We still concede goals so maybe this is still our weakness.

Comparing three of our in-form forwards with two of the Swansea forwards shows how good we have been:

Firmino has created 19 chances and Coutinho 12. Sigurdsson has almost matched Coutinho's number of shots so he obviously is one that we need to keep quiet.

The best stat of all though is that since Klopp has taken over we have score 71 league goals.........more than any other EPL team.


Sorry Swansea fans but I expect that we will be far too strong and will easily win. The pressure will be on Swansea to start to win but I cannot see how against a Liverpool team that is full of confidence and scoring so freely. If Swansea score first then they will fight hard to keep us out but if we score first then I think we'll romp home.

Current betting is about 1/2 for us to win and 5-1 Swansea to win. A draw is 3-1.

Over to you guys to wax lyrically about how good we have been so far. Here are a couple of questions to get you started.

1. Is Adam Lallana the most improved player since last season?
2. Is Matip the best defender that we have had for several years?
3. Is Mane our best signing since Suarez?
4. Is James Milner a revelation at full back?
5. Has Simon Mignolet looked much better this season or is Karius now going to be our No. 1?

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Have we beaten them at their ground since they've been promoted, I can't recall, it seems to be either draws or loses to them. It's a difficult ground to play at for us, so another tough one, but I'm extremely confident after getting past the potential slip up against Hull.

[Garlicbread]

Have we beaten them at their ground since they've been promoted, I can't recall, it seems to be either draws or loses to them. It's a difficult ground to play at for us, so another tough one, but I'm extremely confident after getting past the potential slip up against Hull.

2014-15 we won thanks to a lucky Henderson goal!

[ToneLa]

Our team feels like we are strong across so many areas. It's hard to name a player who ISN'T improving in a way that looks longterm beneficial

Hendo, Milly, Wij, good engines.

Mane, Phil and Roberto...  Phwoar

Llanana needs to start. Love his form lately.

Then you wanna fit in Origi and a certain Mr Daniel Sturridge

The defence seems good, and they're starting to help with goals! And I've left some out...

Tough to see past Swansea getting a swatting. 

[Mr_Shane]

Already can't wait for this. If we play the way we know we can play we should win

[Giono]

In the past I could have imagined this being a banana skin potentially...now I'm confident that we can roll over them. Nobody will look forward to facing us.

[Frizzo]

I'm still getting the hang of how this works, but if we lose this one the season's over right?

[sms1986]

I'm still getting the hang of how this works, but if we lose this one the season's over right?

The negative ones have had little to cheer about lately, they'll probably destroy the forum with a flood of negativity if we do lose!

[Halibut-Thumb]

So important to win this to keep the momentum going for the United match.

[Felch Aid]

So this is where we typically slip up.

I dont think Klopp cares who the opposition is at the moment. We do our thing and just steamroller the opposition in every area.

Cant see Can, Origi or Sturridge getting into the side yet. That is pretty awesome. The nerves have also gone.

Think we can score 2 and shut them out. As a bonus giggs might be in charge for his first defeat.

They caused city a few problems but lacked quality when they needed it most.

[Realdidi]

I think we just need to blow them away early then they'll confidence will wain

[ZeusMetallica]

Same team again for me.

[redintweed]

Same team again for me.

Hard to drop anyone with the way they played against Hull. Hopefully get a few up and rest a few again after 60 minutes. But we shouldn't just assume an easy victory. Burnley taught us that. The lads have to work just as hard as they did against Hull and continue that into the second half.

But still can't see anything other than a win. Whether it is hard or easy, I'm not worried. We need to keep this run going. It would be great going into the United game with us ahead of them on the table and Mourinho under pressure.

[chromed]

You know the red men are playing well when the next pre match thread is up at 2am on the Sunday 😂

In our current form you would think that we will win well and comfortably. However it does have the potential to be a banana skin of a match.

Personally I think we have bucked up our ideas and shock defeats to the smaller teams will come few and far between this season.

My prediction 0-2 Firmino, Wijnaldum

[Lasardine]

Unchanged for me. Unless Lovren for Klavan but I'm not too fussed as he played great.

[Kenny's Jacket]

Hahahaha  we must be doing well.   Dont we normally do these threads around a Wednesday?

[El Lobo]

So this is where we typically slip up.

Aye, like Hull.

[Lasardine]

Aye, like Hull.

If it didn't happen against Hull, it's happening against Swansea. These things don't last too long with us. Guidolin to pull off a masterclass and save his job.

[Felch Aid]

Aye, like Hull.

City were given a good game to be fair and its on their turf. Still confident.

[sms1986]

If it didn't happen against Hull, it's happening against Swansea. These things don't last too long with us. Guidolin to pull off a masterclass and save his job.

And what if it doesn't happen against Swansea?

[Zoomers]

And what if it doesn't happen against Swansea?

This is becoming quite a riddle.

[stockdam]

You know the red men are playing well when the next pre match thread is up at 2am on the Sunday 😂

Ha ha ..... you don't realise the pressure. I was out last night and didn't get home to late so I posted it then rather than waiting until today.

I couldn't really think of much to say about Swansea as they are turning into a pretty dull team. I'm not trying to have a go at Swansea here but they do seem to be slipping backwards and I feel they will struggle this season. Yes there is a possibility that they beat us but for me that will only happen if we relax and don't work hard. These are the games that will make or break our season. In the past a good run of form has been halted against one of the weaker teams. Now we will see what the team is made of.

[El Lobo]

Ha ha ..... you don't realise the pressure. I was out last night and didn't get home to late so I posted it then rather than waiting until today.

I couldn't really think of much to say about Swansea as they are turning into a pretty dull team. I'm not trying to have a go at Swansea here but they do seem to be slipping backwards and I feel they will struggle this season. Yes there is a possibility that they beat us but for me that will only happen if we relax and don't work hard. These are the games that will make or break our season. In the past a good run of form has been halted against one of the weaker teams. Now we will see what the team is made of.

They really should have gone all out to get Brendan back when they had the chance.

[Durlmints]

The highlight of the season so far was a 1-1 draw away to Chelsea. Other than that it has not been good.

Don't you mean a 2-2 draw at home against Chelsea?

[stockdam]

Don't you mean a 2-2 draw at home against Chelsea?

Err how did that happen.....yes. Thanks, I'll update the OP.

[Solomon Grundy]

Another big test for us. We don't usually play well there. Even with our solitary victory, we didn't play that night and were lucky to come away with a win. They played well in the 1st half against City as well, so it could prove to be a tricky fixture for us. Saying all that, the way we're playing at the moment and the confidence that is running through the entire squad, we should have more than enough quality to beat these. We can go 2nd as well if win, if only for a short while.

[rafathegaffa83]

I think this going to be quite tricky. The type of massive banana skin (a la Burnley) that we're prone to botching. They were pretty awful against Chelsea, but for five minutes of madness, when they scored two goals. They produced their best effort of the season against City, but conceded a penalty and ended up losing 3-1. They also a decent game against Hull, but proceeded to conceded twice in the last 15 minutes, despite dominating large parts of the game and failing to score. They've been quite defensively compact under Guidolin and have strayed from the more attacking possession-based football they played under Martinez, Sousa, Rodgers etc.

[Lasardine]

And what if it doesn't happen against Swansea?

Trying not to get carried away

[Garnier]

if they park the bus,the lads have the ability to break the bus down
if they come at us,there are going to be spaces to exploit

tough match i think,they are desperate for points after a poor start

[Lasardine]

I think this going to be quite tricky. The type of massive banana skin (a la Burnley) that we're prone to botching. They were pretty awful against Chelsea, but for five minutes of madness, when they scored two goals. They produced their best effort of the season against City, but conceded a penalty and ended up losing 3-1. They also a decent game against Hull, but proceeded to conceded twice in the last 15 minutes, despite dominating large parts of the game and failing to score. They've been quite defensively compact under Guidolin and have strayed from the more attacking possession-based football they played under Martinez, Sousa, Rodgers etc.

He'll be looking to keep his job so he's gonna set up not to lose I reckon. Although they had a bit of possession yesterday v the best team in the league

[BER]

Actually felt a twinge looking at Mane, Countinho and Firmino's stats.

[bodhisattva]

A week to prepare for this I'm expecting us to come out with the same sort of intensity as yesterday. As Klopp has said there's no reason why we
can't play this way away from Anfield, Swansea have some good players and will look to play through the press but the way we're playing the focus
has to be on our intensity and performance.

Expect the same team except Lovren in have to be confident going into these games now.

[TrueNorthRED]

It's the dreaded last game before an international break, isn't it!? Just win by any means or margin possible.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Any way any how lads just win, beat these fuckers going into the break and then after the break we got the Mancs at home.

[Phil M]

Swansea played some very nice stuff v City in patches and created chances so this will be far from an easy game.

Over the last few seasons we've found it tough going there.

They're on a terrible run, no wins in their last 5 league games and just 4 pts on the board.

Their last home win was against us, the 3-1 back in May when Ayew took us apart.

They won't be looking forward to us coming given our form, they have to come out and play which will suit us so hopefully
another 3 pts to keep the red machine rolling on.

[Magz50]

Let's twat these twats!!

[TheFlyingScouseman]

If I remember correctly, wasn't the 3-1 against these in May a really open attacking game, which both sides had numerous chances, I also think we rested key players because of the Europa.

So this time around, with our current attack I see no reasons why we can't simply outscore them, and even keep a clean sheet, with our new solid looking defence.

3-0 Redmen

[vinothmct]

This will be a bigger test than Hull since its away and defensive Team

Swansea no longer play attacking Football. Its low block team with high balls to Llorente. If we could win this and smash Mancs i'd start dreaming.

City were so lucky to come away with 3 Points. Anything other than 100% Effort then we would be in for a tough afternoon.

Come on You redmen

[Phil M]

Swansea no longer play attacking Football. Its low block team with high balls to Llorente.

Err, that's not true at all.

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

If I remember correctly, wasn't the 3-1 against these in May a really open attacking game, which both sides had numerous chances, I also think we rested key players because of the Europa.

So this time around, with our current attack I see no reasons why we can't simply outscore them, and even keep a clean sheet, with our new solid looking defence.

3-0 Redmen

They completely outplayed us to be fair, but yes we did rest players. It was by far the weakest team we put out at the back end of last season, actually.

Our starting line up was: Ward, Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Smith, Stewart, Chrivrella, Ibe, Ojo, Coutinho, Sturridge.

With two inexperienced centre-mids we could not get on the ball, and Skrtel and Lovren put on their usual defensive partnership. Their third goal was the most laughable goal of the season from a defensive perspective.

Get the first goal and we will win this one comfortably. I just hope we work ourselves into the game instead of going all out and conceding an early goal, ala Burnley.