Topic: MATCH PREVIEW - SPYIN' KOP - EFL Cup Final, Chelsea v Liverpool, 25th Feb, 15:00

[MonsLibpool]

Yep I’d imagine certainly Konate will start. Kind of hope Joe gets the start just because he’s been brilliant and deserves a big final start. But wouldn’t be surprised if was Robbo either, however he’d be better to bring on if we’re chasing the game

I think the width Robbo will give us is more important for this game.

Chelsea are likely to play a low block because they have quite a few players that aren't press resistant like Disasi, £115m Caicedo and Gallagher. So, we'll need width to strech them. They are really average for what they've spent.

Even if they choose to play an open game, Robbo's runs would give us an out ball (diagonal).

[disgraced cake]

I'm going for Konate to start alongside Virgil but wouldn't be surprised to see Quansah come on should it go to extra time and we have subs left. If I'm not mistaken Konate came on for Matip in extra time two years ago, then I think him and Virgil played the FA Cup final.

[Crosby Nick]

I'm going for Konate to start alongside Virgil but wouldn't be surprised to see Quansah come on should it go to extra time and we have subs left. If I'm not mistaken Konate came on for Matip in extra time two years ago, then I think him and Virgil played the FA Cup final.

Yeah Matip started and that goal disallowed for offside in the build up. Konate came on and slotted his penalty.

[tubby]

If Nunez and Salah are fit I reckon there's a good chance Nunez starts.  He's not been out for long, just a little niggle.  Mo needs his comeback managing a bit more so will likely be on the bench.

[Kloppage Time]

If Nunez and Salah are fit I reckon there's a good chance Nunez starts.  He's not been out for long, just a little niggle.  Mo needs his comeback managing a bit more so will likely be on the bench.

If Nunez starts and Salah is on the bench I'd be confident of tearing Chelsea a new one

[mullyred94]

If Nunez and Salah are fit I reckon there's a good chance Nunez starts.  He's not been out for long, just a little niggle.  Mo needs his comeback managing a bit more so will likely be on the bench.

Game might go ET though and Gakpo deserves to start.

I'd rather Darwin at the end of the game only because of ET.

[MonsLibpool]

Game might go ET though and Gakpo deserves to start.

I'd rather Darwin at the end of the game only because of ET.

For a final,  the mentality has to be sealing it as early as possible especially in our situation.  We can't be lax and expect extra time.

[Redley]

I do quite like the idea of having Darwin and Mo on the bench, to put the shits up Chelsea meaning they come out a bit more from the start and we just pick them off with Gakpo, Diaz and Harvey.

[rawcusk8]

Any news on their injuries?

[duvva 💅]

Any news on their injuries?

Don’t think there was any more detail other than they (and Dom) may or may not be available for Sunday.

Ultimately suggests none of them are too far away at least

[Redley]

Any news on their injuries?

Chelsea?

James, Fofana, Badiashile and Lavia out for sure. Silva and Cucurella maybe fit. Everyone else should be good.

[stockdam]

Thanks Zlen.

I suppose that this is as good a time as any to play us as we have a lot of injuries. However, as we saw against Luton, the squad are determined to fight for the team and the manager. Even those who have not played much first team football have stepped up.

As with most games, getting control of midfield will be important and I think Endo, Mac Allister and Gravenberch will dominate. Mac Allister has been getting better and better and is one of our most consistent players.

Our defence has been solid and Gomez, Bradley and Quansah have been excellent.

Diaz will play out of his skin especially if his dad is in the stands. Elliott had a brilliant 2nd half against Luton and ran himself to exhaustion.

If we start a similar team to the one that started against Luton then I’ll be happy as we’ll have Robertson, Konate and maybe Nunez and Salah to come on if needed.

Our squad depth is so good now that we can maintain a very high standard even with so many injuries.

The one thing that will help us to win is the determination to succeed. The squad are ready to win more trophies and I expect us to overcome Chelsea.

[rawcusk8]

Don’t think there was any more detail other than they (and Dom) may or may not be available for Sunday.

Ultimately suggests none of them are too far away at least

Chelsea?

James, Fofana, Badiashile and Lavia out for sure. Silva and Cucurella maybe fit. Everyone else should be good.

yep, was referring to their injuries

[duvva 💅]

Darwin’s smiling. We’re going to win

A bigger pitch means bigger goals surely, he’ll net about 5

[Henry Gale]

Darwin’s smiling. We’re going to win

A bigger pitch means bigger goals surely, he’ll net about 5

That will happen I'm sure of it. Don't know if it will be Sunday but before this season is out it wouldn't surprise me if one game he has like 14 shots and scores 7 of them 

[Jm55]

Darwin’s smiling. We’re going to win

A bigger pitch means bigger goals surely, he’ll net about 5

Depends if it’s got bigger goals as well.

[Kloppage Time]

Darwin’s smiling. We’re going to win

A bigger pitch means bigger goals surely, he’ll net about 5

Certainly should mean more space for him to run in to

[FlashingBlade]

Poch "After Liverpool, the result was completely unfair because if you watch the game, there were a few penalty [decisions] which would have changed the game."

Fuck me its normally the preserve of fans to talk utter shite

[Zlen]

Poch "After Liverpool, the result was completely unfair because if you watch the game, there were a few penalty [decisions] which would have changed the game."

Fuck me its normally the preserve of fans to talk utter shite

I guess that is one way of looking at it.
Another way would be that if Nunez didn't have his weird crossbar-challenge day - it could have been 10 for Liverpool.

[duvva 💅]

Poch "After Liverpool, the result was completely unfair because if you watch the game, there were a few penalty [decisions] which would have changed the game."

Fuck me its normally the preserve of fans to talk utter shite

I guess that is one way of looking at it.
Another way would be that if Nunez didn't have his weird crossbar-challenge day - it could have been 10 for Liverpool.

I believe it’s what is commonly known as ‘clutching at straws’

[MonsLibpool]

I guess that is one way of looking at it.
Another way would be that if Nunez didn't have his weird crossbar-challenge day - it could have been 10 for Liverpool.

Even if they'd scored first, we'd still have tonked them.

[Redley]

Makes sense, selling off all their homegrown talent

[Number 7]

Nice one Zlen. Thanks for that!

[redk84]

Thanks for tat...love the spyin kops!
Caps responder was hilarious

Injuries make this harder to determine who's gonna win. If we can get salah and nunez on the pitch that helps.....its a final....against chelsea, so its guaranteed to be a tense and boring affair.

Any win will do, preferably with no ET or added injuries!

[Samie]

It's Liverpool in a final. We don;t do boring and routine final wins.

[Raid]

Poch "After Liverpool, the result was completely unfair because if you watch the game, there were a few penalty [decisions] which would have changed the game."

Fuck me its normally the preserve of fans to talk utter shite

Vastly different to what he said immediately after the game where he appeared to acknowledge they were lucky to even be second best, despite the penalty shouts when asked.

Their bulldog fans no doubt didn’t take too well to it

[redk84]

he's right. they were robbed 

clearly refs are on our side this season! because jota got some questionable pen one game or summin

with salah/nunez....i hope we keep both on the bench to be able to unleash later. I'd be happy with the attack that started against luton to carry on here...would be nice to have both of them as options when chelsea tire

[telekon]

Cheers Zlen!

Great to see the Spyin is back. There's some work in getting that sorted. Appreciated.

[Nick110581]

Very excited about this.

Nice to see Nunez and Mo in the pictures.

[killer-heels]

Liverpool TV showing the full 2022 final right now. On its youtube as well, where you get the added feature of a whole load of “Free Palestine” comments in the comments section.

[Reeves]

Cup Final. 3 pages. Shows how far we've come

[Jm55]

Stupid, vile motherfuckers.

She deffo is dead.

[Bobinhood]

Nice op zlen. Great to see that.

Sure they will run us close if they actually try like they did against city but the end of the day we should take them down. Hopefully we get enough players healthy to put 11 out there.

Lets just see if we can beat our total shirt number number of 522 from Wed and still win    Its gonna be tough assuming Konate plays, unless Quansah comes on to see things out at some point.

[duvva 💅]

Cup Final. 3 pages. Shows how far we've come

It’s only been up just over 24 hours and there’s two days to go. Think it’s doing good business in comparison to most previews especially when there’s a lot of talk in the injury and next manager threads

[RJH]

Thanks for that Zlen, nice to Spyin' Kop make return.
I always enjoyed reading them - or at least did when the responders played nice, which they seem to have done on this one.


I did like this comment:

He is probably the best manager we have had since Tuchel still.

Talk about damning with faint praise!
I had to go back and check I hadn't imagined Tuchel being so recent - he left less than a year before Poch's arrival.

[Djibriliant]

I'd love an easy final for once. I can't remember a final where it was straight forward as a 3-0 win.

[Vegeta]

This game is sooo ending 0-0 just bank on it. May as well start the extra time already!

[Jm55]

I was incredibly confident going into this, now massively less so with it looking like Salah and Nunez being out.

[frag]

I was incredibly confident going into this, now massively less so with it looking like Salah and Nunez being out.

If we had one of them available it’d make a massive difference, however, with both out I can see Chelsea making it very difficult for us to get a goal. Have to rely on a set-piece maybe and no mistakes at the back.

[Peabee]

Nice one Zlen. That's a great OP and good to see Spyin' Kop return.