Topic: Premier League Liverpool FC V Burnley: Match Preview. 15:00 16/9/17 Anfield

[Glen C]

Nope, I think you need to go and look at BabuYagu's post when AOC joined. Seems like you're basing this on assumptions, rather than examples.

Firstly, anyone judging a player on performances for England would have to be a lunatic. They'd probably have sold Gerrard if they did that. Same if you think Wenger doesn't trust him to play centrally because of discipline (but trusts Ramsey and Iwobi!) As if Wenger's style of solidity in the middle is a measure we should care about!

Was Lallana "ready to play in the middle" in your view, before he was played there for the first time? Suspect not, but Klopp was right about that one right

Actually i had no problem with lallana in the middle as it made more sense with his style of play.  Im not saying he doesn't have talent and potential, but all we can go on is the games he has played up until now.  With those games he hasn't been impressive in the middle.  If he was he would have played there more often for Arsenal.  I've many Arsenal friends and for ages they've said they don't know why he wants to play in the middle when he's better on the wing.  Now seeing as how they have watched him a whole lot more than we have i'd say their judgement is more accurate than yours.  He may blossom who knows, but for now he seems a lot better out wide than through the middle.

[mkingdon]

I think after the last two games we'll need 2 or 3 goals before everyone, especially the fans, relax.

We just have to eliminate the individual errors that have resulted in conceding in this game. A clean sheet would do wonders for us.

[Bruce Springsteen]

Got to have Sturridge starting. Play Emre Can at centreback and play the Ox in midfield.

[KissThisGuy]

Mignolet

TAA   Matip   Lovren    Roberston

Can

Chamberlain    Coutinho

Salah                         Firmino

Sturridge

I wouldn't mind seeing something like that. 3 - 0 Redmen

[rocco]

Mignolet

TAA   Matip   Lovren    Roberston

Can

Chamberlain    Coutinho

Salah                         Firmino

Sturridge

I wouldn't mind seeing something like that. 3 - 0 Redmen

Whats that 6 changes and a 3-0 win


We have a amazing squad

[KissThisGuy]

Whats that 6 changes and a 3-0 win


We have a amazing squad

I think he made a boatload of changes against Crystal Palace if I remember correctly. It will be interesting to see how he approaches these League games after Champions League.

[rocco]

I think he made a boatload of changes against Crystal Palace if I remember correctly. It will be interesting to see how he approaches these League games after Champions League.

Could easily win with 5/6 changes shows were building a good squad all round .

Think our line up will be very attack minded

[Fiasco]

Mignolet

TAA   Matip   Lovren    Roberston

Can

Chamberlain    Coutinho

Salah                         Firmino

Sturridge

I wouldn't mind seeing something like that. 3 - 0 Redmen

I like that front 6. It has a bit of everything, guile, pace, creativity we might well need all of that to break down Dyche's bus.

[Purple Red]

Mignolet

TAA   Matip   Lovren    Roberston

Can

Chamberlain    Coutinho

Salah                         Firmino

Sturridge

I wouldn't mind seeing something like that. 3 - 0 Redmen

Why does Can deserve to keep his place considering he was by far and away our worst midfielder against Sevilla?

Henderson and Wijnaldum were also poor but Can deserves to be dropped for his showing on Wednesday.

[KissThisGuy]

Why does Can deserve to keep his place considering he was by far and away our worst midfielder against Sevilla?

Henderson and Wijnaldum were also poor but Can deserves to be dropped for his showing on Wednesday.

OK swap Henderson for Can if you want. Thought Henderson was pretty poor against Sevilla, he seemed to give the ball away needlessly at times.

[Purple Red]

OK swap Henderson for Can if you want. Thought Henderson was pretty poor against Sevilla, he seemed to give the ball away needlessly at times.

Oh yeah but he tried at least. Can is a world beater one week then doesn't look arsed the next. Hard to know what to expect from him.

[Fiasco]

Oh yeah but he tried at least. Can is a world beater one week then doesn't look arsed the next. Hard to know what to expect from him.

The contract situation probably isn't helping. You could argue that is his fault, nobody knows for sure about what the issue is. But it can't be helping matters.

I think he deserves a shot a bit deeper anyway, his form there last season was very good by and large.

[classycarra]

Actually i had no problem with lallana in the middle as it made more sense with his style of play.  Im not saying he doesn't have talent and potential, but all we can go on is the games he has played up until now.  With those games he hasn't been impressive in the middle.  If he was he would have played there more often for Arsenal.  I've many Arsenal friends and for ages they've said they don't know why he wants to play in the middle when he's better on the wing.  Now seeing as how they have watched him a whole lot more than we have i'd say their judgement is more accurate than yours.  He may blossom who knows, but for now he seems a lot better out wide than through the middle.

If they're talking about out wide as an attacker, I'd strongly disagree with them. At least in a Liverpool context. Our wide forwards are who we rely on for goals. He doesn't score goals. Playing him there just because he's quick would blunt our biggest strength in attack.


I'm sure they have seen him more than me, but they haven't seen him play in a three man midfield as imposing/dominant as our first choice was last season, or with someone dedicated to tidying up behind him as well as Henderson was doing pre-injury.


On Lallana, I see their style of play as very similar though AOC is blessed with better pace and power. Both weren't scoring enough goals for us and Arsenal when part of a front three, but still looked like good players. I don't see why the clear talent/ability wouldn't translate deeper in midfield in the same successful way Lallana's did.

[pjk66]

shame this isn't on TV. dodgy stream me up!

[tommy LFC]

Such an important game. Our league games after this are Leicester away, Newcastle away, United at home and Spurs away. Add in cup games and Leicester away, Spartak away and Maribor away make it 6 of our next 8 away from home. Basically, we need to make this count!

Burnley won't be easy, especially as they've beaten Chelsea away and got a point at Tottenham. The key for me is starting Firmino and Robertson. Don't get me wrong, Sturridge can still start but I think everything relies on Firmino in games like this. Robertson's attacking ability could also be key, even though Moreno looked great mid week, I just think Robertson is better and offers more in games like this.

[Flaccid Bobby Fowler]

we looked a bit fucked that second half mid week and with this 3 days later id go with fresh legs - a change in midfield and up top:

-----------------------Miggs-------------------------
Gomez----------Matip------------Klavan---------Robertson
-------------------------Hendo-----------------------
---------------Gini----------------Coutinho-----------
----Ox----------------Stuurridge---------------Salah--

Lovern needs to be sent into orbit / dropped.
Can looked painfully slow and off the pace on Wednesday
Friminho also looked goosed
Mane ruled out
Moreno although was great imo, leaves to much space and will undoubtedly be targeted regardless

Need a big performance from Gini this week.

[Pistolero]

Mignolet

TAA   Matip   Lovren    Roberston

Can

Chamberlain    Coutinho

Salah                         Firmino

Sturridge

lacks nicknames....

[Gnurglan]

Coutinho looked a little rusty vs Sevilla, but I expect him to start this one. Mane will be a loss, but our attack should be fine with Coutinho, Salah and Firmino/Sturridge. It's the defence that we will focus on. Just like the OP stated. We have looked bad recently and we need a strong defensive performance.

Burnley is a must win game. We need to find a way to secure three points. It's games like this one that we have managed to fuck up and I'd like us to show we can do the job we need to do. It's games like this one, wins in games like this, that will put us in the mix for a title challenge. How we respond, after the City disaster and our disappointing points loss vs Sevilla can be important. A win and we're back on track. A draw or defeat and.., well, let's just win, shall we?

[JD.]

Just try and blow them away.

What's the point of setting up defensively? We can't defend for shit - mostly due to not very good defenders - so just take the 13/14 approach and try blow teams away early and win 5-2 or 6-3.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Just try and blow them away.

What's the point of setting up defensively? We can't defend for shit - mostly due to not very good defenders - so just take the 13/14 approach and try blow teams away early and win 5-2 or 6-3.

0,5,5 Formation?

[UntouchableLuis]

Few different options for this one but I'd go:

Mignolet

Gomez
Matip
Lovren
Moreno

Henderson
Gini
Coutinho

Salah
Oxlade
Firmino

[hesbighesred]

I'd rather see Coutinho on the left and Chamberlain in midfield - we've got the cover not to have to move Firmino and with Coutinho we keep that absolute goal threat on both flanks.

Either way I have a feeling we might just rip Burnley to pieces - in amongst the (mostly understandable and occasionally absurdly over the top) hand-wringing about the defence I think it's being slightly forgotten that we had real troubles carving out chances against the likes of Burnley last season. I don't think that was the case against Watford or Palace and I think we've got every chance of absolutely obliterating them. Yes, we'll concede some sloppy goals and crumble sometimes, but many leagues are won based on swatting aside the lesser sides in the league, and I think we have the potential to do that this season.

Teams with poor attacks who come at us trying to get at our weak defence are going to be annihilated on the break, teams that do two banks of four we'll find away around. West Brom will give us trouble, though.

[JD.]

0,5,5 Formation?

Diamond. Salah and Studge up top. Firmino just off. Ox and Coutinho in the 8s. Try and score 5.

[Red Raw]

Mignolet

TAA   Matip   Lovren    Roberston

Can

Chamberlain    Coutinho

Salah                         Firmino

Sturridge

I wouldn't mind seeing something like that. 3 - 0 Redmen

lacks nicknames....

Can't fault the symmetry though . . .

[Alonso_The_Assassin]

Off to this one tomorrow. Few weary bodies from Wednesday. Can definitely see Robbo and Chambo getting the nod. Phil too.

Massive game tomorrow. Need a win to round off the week.

[lessthanmatt]

And STILL we must wait to see Firmino, Mané, Coutinho and Salah on the pitch at the same time

I think we will be fine. Too much "meltdown" about being blown away 10 vs. 11 at the Etihad, and throwing away a victory while looking comfortable on Wednesday. Still, a win would crush the nerves... it's a good habit to get into!

[Keita Success]

Good to get this game so quickly after the Seville disappointment

[PaulF]

I want us to finish comfortably top 4, and to do so I don't think we can be dropping points two games in a row.

[Suareznumber7]

And STILL we must wait to see Firmino, Mané, Coutinho and Salah on the pitch at the same time

Next Champions League game I would think we'll see those 4 together. 

[RK7]

I want us to finish comfortably top 4, and to do so I don't think we can be dropping points two games in a row.

Yep, a win tomorrow and we're back on track, 2PPG. Draw and we'll need to win the next two to get back on track, lose and we'll need to win 3 on the bounce which is unlikely with the fixtures coming up.

[JoeCole]

Burnley beating us  last season kind of set the tone for how the majority of our games against lower sides would go. And now, this game has kind of arrived at a pivotal moment. If we win then we'll be back on track, but failing to win would make it look like a very poor start (8 games played and already points dropped to Burnley, Watford, an average Sevilla, and getting thrashed by City).

I'd like to see Studge and Ox get a start, and I suppose Phil needs to be brought back in at this point as well. Don't include Lovren in the squad, for the love of god.

[slaphead]

Think Lovren is a shoe in to start tomorrow personally. He (rightly) took a lot of criticism this week and I'm sure Klopp will want to give him the opportunity to put that right.
He obviously rates him. Lovren frustrates the life out of me, on the face of it he has everything you need to be a excellent centre half.
I'll take any kind of win tomorrow, but I'd love a performance without any stupid errors so our defending isn't the subject of every single TV/radio/online debate for the next week.

[ICHK]

1-1, Salah and Wood. Massive fan of Sean Dyche and how he has got Burnley punching well, well above their weight. He should be on our shortlist if Klopp leaves anytime.

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

Mignolet

TAA
Matip
Lovren
Robertson

Henderson
Wijnaldum
Coutinho

Salah
Firmino
Sturridge


Or Chamberlain for Sturridge perhaps.

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

1-1, Salah and Wood. Massive fan of Sean Dyche and how he has got Burnley punching well, well above their weight. He should be on our shortlist if Klopp leaves anytime.

Dignitas would be more likely to get on my shortlist

[David Struhme]

I'd like to see

Mignolet

Gomez
Matip
Masterson
Robertson

Henderson
Oxlade
Coutinho

Salah
Sturridge
Firmino

[ICHK]

Dignitas would be more likely to get on my shortlist

Well in an ideal world Klopp will stay for life, or failing that Simeone, Emery, Zizou or Conte will be tempted here. But with the budget we work on we are looking at Dyche, Pulis etc al, so let's hope Jurgen has unconditional love for us.

[darragh85]

1-1, Salah and Wood. Massive fan of Sean Dyche and how he has got Burnley punching well, well above their weight. He should be on our shortlist if Klopp leaves anytime.

 

[Red-Dread]

1-1, Salah and Wood. Massive fan of Sean Dyche and how he has got Burnley punching well, well above their weight. He should be on our shortlist if Klopp leaves anytime.

er, ok 

I can see Burnley getting a bit of a mauling tomorrow myself, especially if we score early.

Klopp will have the boys pumped for this, no way will he be wanting to play catch-up to the extent we'd be doing in the event of a loss.

The last two games demand a response, and we'll get one.

4-1 I reckon

[John C]

I'd like to see Firmino rested for rested sake, that's all, but which gives Sturridge a good chance for 90 minutes. I'd also like to see our new Ox replace either Can or Gini. In fact it's more than a request please JK.