Referee: JON MOSS
Linesmen: Lee Betts and Michael Salisbury
Fourth Official Mike Jones
Well has anyone clamed down yet?
I wrote the most of this on Friday night when I should have been out on the lash but hey when a fellow RAWK member needs a writeup then drinking can wait.
I knew that I wouldn't do the write-up after the Norwich match as I'd either be out celebrating or if we lost then I'll be like ....... well like grumpy. Well I'm elated at watching Norwich......still laughing at Klopp and that finish. What a game.
Let's look forwards at the Stoke match.
So there's no need to go through who Stoke are and what the recent results have been etc. This is a cup semi and everyone knows how important it is to get to a final.
Let's relive the first leg a bit.
The starting teams were:
Stoke City: Butland, Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters, Cameron, Whelan, Shaqiri, Afellay, Arnautovic, Krkic.
Subs: Joselu, Wilson, van Ginkel, Adam, Walters, Crouch, Haugaard.
Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Toure, Lovren, Moreno, Can, Lucas, Allen, Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho.
Subs: Milner, Benteke, Brannagan, Ibe, Bogdan, Smith, Randal
We stated the match well and pressed hard. Within two minutes we had two corners.
However after 18 minutes Coutinho was on the ground with a pulled hamstring.
16 minutes later the curse struck again and Lovren hobbled off.
We had most of the game in the first half and after 37 minutes our substitute, Ibe scored.
Stoke came into the match much more in the 2nd half but we did well to win 1-0.
Near the end Toure pulled up......another unwelcome injury. Three similar injuries in one game!
There was a bit of a bromance at the final whistle:
The match stats surprised me as I thought we had more of the game.
Overall it was a pretty close game and I expect another tight match. If Stoke score early then it could be a long evening.
We are one game away from the final so let's press all game and don't let Stoke in. Let's get our manager to a final.
A bit of history next.....
We have won the League Cup more times than anyone else.
We're also been runners-up three times. Stoke have won it once and have been 2nd once.
Stoke have progressed from both of their semi-finals in the League Cup.........hmm........but against Stoke in the competition we have not lost, winning 5 and drawing one.
Our current injuries are well documented but with any luck we'll start to see the back of them soon.
Philippe Coutinho - Hamstring - Expected return date: In the next month
Dejan Lovren - Hamstring - Expected return date: Within the next week
Divock Origi - Hamstring - Expected return date: Within the next week
Martin Skrtel - Hamstring - Expected return date: In the next month
Jordan Rossiter - Hamstring - No return date
Daniel Sturridge - Hamstring - Expected return date: In the next month
Danny Ings - Cruciate Ligament - Expected return date: Between three and six months
Joe Gomez - Cruciate Ligament - Expected return date: Long term: At least six months out
Let's enjoy the game as we have a great chance of getting through to a cup final. We are 1-0 up and will need to play well to get through as I expect Stoke to throw everything at us especially in the last 10 minutes of the game if they are still behind.
I expect us to field our strongest team and I'd like to see Joe getting a game.
What team would you like to see us playing?
Will Flanagan get onto the team? Will Lovren be fit? Will Caulker play?
Should we go for an early goal or try to contain the midfield?
Who are Stoke's main dangers and how do you expect them to be setup?
Are you happy with our defending as Stoke will throw lots of balls into our box expecially after watching us against Norwich?
Will Klopp have a new pair of glasses?
Oh and can you try explaining the away goals rule for this game for those who are confused?
Let's go for this and thump them.
I predict we'll see this man doing a fist pump at the end of the match.
As for me..............I'm away for a well earned beer or three after that match I've just witnessed.
