Topic: PRE MATCH THREAD: Sparta Prague vs Liverpool Thursday 7th March, 17.45 ko

[MJD-L4]

Play the kids tomorrow & back ourselves to smash them in the 2nd leg if we come away with a loss.

We can't afford any more injuries/fatigue before Sunday.

[jepovic]

Regardless of what I think, judging by Klopps past choices he will put up a strong team here. He usually doesnt rest players in important games, unless the opposition is very weak

He also knows much more about the status of the players obviously

[JackWard33]

Toulouse and Union aren't hot shit either, but we lost to both of them.  shit happens.

yeah but if we lost tomorrow we'd still go through

[Jookie]

Play the kids tomorrow & back ourselves to smash them in the 2nd leg if we come away with a loss.

We can't afford any more injuries/fatigue before Sunday.

In this scenario, what do you do with the senior players ?


Fly them out to Prague, light training and don’t play them. Is that ideal?


Leave them at home and they do training at Kirkby. Who takes training if coaching staff are in Prague?


I think it’s really easy to say “just play the kids” but interested in how people think we balance the practicalities of this when we have an away game in another country.


That gets beyond the fact that playing all kids would almost certainly knock us out. Also what about the players returning from injury who may need game time? What happens with these players?

[proudred]

Play a strong team ,win by couple of goals. Then put the kids for the home leg.

[Jwils21]

Achterberg
   
Kyrgiakos
Quansah
Danny Wilson

Danns (Neil)
Spearing
Clark (Lee)
McConnell
Koumas (Jason)

Morgan
Yesil


Should be enough.

[DangerScouse]

Regardless of what I think, judging by Klopps past choices he will put up a strong team here. He usually doesnt rest players in important games, unless the opposition is very weak

He also knows much more about the status of the players obviously

Yep, spot on.

[Redley]

I'd hope something like:

Kelleher, Bradley, Konate, Quansah, Tsimikas, Endo, Clark, Mac, Gordon, Danns, Diaz.

Adrian, Gomez, VVD, Robbo, McConnell, Szob, Salah, Nunez, Gakpo, Elliott, Koumas, Scanlon

Switch around Konate/VVD, Mac/Szob, Endo/McConnell maybe on the hour and then try and get twenty minutes for Mo and Darwin

I wonder if Rhys William is available, as I know he played for the U23s the other day but not sure if he's available for the first team if he's been registered for two other clubs this season

[Carra-ton]

Play the kids tomorrow & back ourselves to smash them in the 2nd leg if we come away with a loss.

We can't afford any more injuries/fatigue before Sunday.

Pretty much this. We need to hit City with all we got. Put everything in to that Sunday performance, all the hurt from those previous title run ins. This is Jurgen's last chance to get one on Guardiola.

[deano2727]

I'd be looking to rest as many as possible for this. If we can keep the scoreline tight, we will have enough in the second leg.

There might be a few first-team players who would benefit from 60 minutes here, like Dom, Nunez and Mo (if fit, didn't read about availability).

[tubby]

I get that the City game is key but throwing the kids into a European away vs a cup tie against lower league opposition at Anfield is a world of difference and I think we'll go a fair bit stronger than most would hope.

[spider-neil]

I'd be looking to rest as many as possible for this. If we can keep the scoreline tight, we will have enough in the second leg.

There might be a few first-team players who would benefit from 60 minutes here, like Dom, Nunez and Mo (if fit, didn't read about availability).

Conversely, I hope players just back from injury get minutes for rhythm ahead of the City game. You don't want them coming into a game of that magnitude cold.

[duvva 💅]

With United away in the FA Cup next Sunday. I think both legs of this tie are going to played with an eye to the weekend. I know some will be meh to the FA Cup but we know Jurgen won’t.

I don’t think we can play weak in one leg then strong in the other because of the games that follow.

I’m expecting a mix of first teamers playing reduced minutes and our young stars in both legs

[Schmidt]

I think we'll go quite strong and look to rotate quite a few around the hour mark, depending on who's available. We could even see a half time substitution, maybe with van Dijk and Konate getting a half each so that we always have a senior option on the pitch.

Playing Nunez for an hour then taking him off for Salah gives both minutes without putting strain on them, perhaps MacAllister for an hour and ditto for Bradley.

[Jookie]

With United away in the FA Cup next Sunday. I think both legs of this tie are going to played with an eye to the weekend. I know some will be meh to the FA Cup but we know Jurgen won’t.

I don’t think we can play weak in one leg then strong in the other because of the games that follow.

I’m expecting a mix of first teamers playing reduced minutes and our young stars in both legs

I agree with this.

We’ll pick a team for tomorrow night and next Thursday based on number of factors:

1. We’ll pick a team we think can win
2. Balance that up with a bigger games 3 days later so no unnecessary risks
3. Give minutes, and hopefully rhythm, to players returning to 1st team squad
4. Balance the practicalities of training and game time for those players who have played more recently

It’ll be an approach akin to Southampton but with Endo, Nunez, Szoboszlai and Salah all hopefully available in addition.

It’s a delicate balance for Klopp due to a number of factors. Playing the kids or completely re-prioritising the game before City might not be in our best interests. Despite the perceived higher risk of playing games versus training.

[jepovic]

Play a strong team ,win by couple of goals. Then put the kids for the home leg.

That would be more typical of Klopp for sure

[Nick110581]

Is there a press conference today?

[Crosby Nick]

I get that the City game is key but throwing the kids into a European away vs a cup tie against lower league opposition at Anfield is a world of difference and I think we'll go a fair bit stronger than most would hope.

Yeah, we’ll be sensible I think. Won’t be full strength (or what passes for it) and won’t be really weak. We could lose 2-0, give ourselves work to do, not beat/lose to City regardless of what side we put out and lose to aunties in the cup.

That’s a worst case scenario, but it isn’t beyond the realms if we go really weak in cup ties to just concentrate on the league. It’s a really tricky decision for the management team.

[duvva 💅]

Yeah, we’ll be sensible I think. Won’t be full strength (or what passes for it) and won’t be really weak. We could lose 2-0, give ourselves work to do, not beat/lose to City regardless of what side we put out and lose to aunties in the cup.

That’s a worst case scenario, but it isn’t beyond the realms if we go really weak in cup ties to just concentrate on the league. It’s a really tricky decision for the management team.

We shouldn’t be losing to our aunties in the cup. I wouldn’t be ok with that

[JerseyKloppite]

Is there a press conference today?

Yep it's 7pm.

Yeah, we’ll be sensible I think. Won’t be full strength (or what passes for it) and won’t be really weak. We could lose 2-0, give ourselves work to do, not beat/lose to City regardless of what side we put out and lose to aunties in the cup.

That’s a worst case scenario, but it isn’t beyond the realms if we go really weak in cup ties to just concentrate on the league. It’s a really tricky decision for the management team.

Yeah I don't get the call for playing all the kids. I mean ultimately we're going to be required to play some of the kids anyway, we have too many injuries not to. If we lose on Sunday and City go on to beat Arsenal, we might find ourselves watching them go over the hill and into the distance, and our best chance of major silverware is suddenly the Europa League. It's a big trophy (physically ) that would be fantastic for Jurgen to win in his last season. The FA Cup I don't care so much about, it would be great to win but it's the lowest priority of the three tournaments we have left by some way to me.

I'd be paying something like Kelleher, Bradley, Quansah, Konate, Tsimikas, Endo, Clark, Mac, Nunez, Gakpo and Diaz.

Rests VVD, Gomez, Robbo, Szobo, Elliot and Mo from the start. If all goes well we bring off Nunez, Diaz, Mac, Endo and Konate and give run outs to whoever we want.

[Crosby Nick]

We shouldn’t be losing to our aunties in the cup. I wouldn’t be ok with that

Sexist pig.

[jonnypb]

Rests VVD, Gomez, Robbo, Szobo, Elliot and Mo from the start. If all goes well we bring off Nunez, Diaz, Mac, Endo and Konate and give run outs to whoever we want.

I think we’ll go with something like that.

Annoying that city are getting an extra rest day, but we can’t afford to underestimate Sparta away from home.

These games never go to plan, but it would be nice to be able to make wholesale changes and bring some of the younger ones on after 50-60mins

[MrGrumpy]

Kellerher

Gomez
Konate
Quansah
Tsimikas

Clark
McConnell
Szoboszlai


Elliott
Danns
Gakpo

[thaddeus]

Kellerher

Gomez
Konate
Quansah
Tsimikas

Clark
McConnell
Szoboszlai


Elliott
Danns
Gakpo

Danns didn't feature in training today.  I'd expect Darwin and Mo to get a half each.

[Thepooloflife]

Mo looked comfortable in training as did Endo and Szob. Was that Musialowski in the mix.....looked like him ? No Danns though ?

But the pitches looked in superb condition, so well done the groundswork team.

[disgraced cake]

Very excited by the return of European football. I think ultimately it's a nice draw given the situation we're in with the squad, we probably can make changes in both games and go through, personally I'd like to see us go quite strong tomorrow and get part of the job done. Nunez/Endo/Szoboszlai/Salah should all play some portion of the game and while that's great for fitness going forward the main priority is to just win tomorrow. Do that and maybe you can bring a couple more younger players in for the return leg and just keep the bench strong. The only young ones I'd look at starting in Prague are Quansah and Clark, we can't give ourselves too much to do.

Get through this tie, get a few players back when the internationals are done, and then go full strength in every game possible. After this round they do the draw for both the quarters/semis so if we go through it should be interesting to see what the potential route to the final looks like.

[Dougle]

Thanks for that OP Nick. Good memories.

I think those of us (not too many) who expect us to win because we are who we are etc etc ... are gonna have a surprise coming. It is a club, management, squad and supporters very much on the same page. I saw the second leg against Gala for some bizarre reason and they ran them ragged. This is their World Cup final and it's gonna be loud and aggressive in that stadium tomorrow night. They will give it everything. As they should. We'll have to battle.
No way I would send out a youngster based team, not that I think Klopp will.

Weirdly the fact the squad has basically no time to train and has been pushed to the limit time and again of late makes this both a competitive match and a  training session. I think it pretty much opens the whole squad up to being available tomorrow night. It's the last "training session" before 115FC on Sunday.
If Mo is going to be used on Sunday then I expect he'll get minutes in Prague, Likewise everyone who'll start on Sunday.

So, Kelleher, Bradley, Virg and Konaté, Robbo. Endo, Macca, Szobo. Diaz, Nuñez, Mo will all play some role tonight. As will 5 from Quansah, Cody, Harvey, Tsimikas, Gomez, Mc Connell and Bobby Clarke either from the start or the bench.

If we can spare Harvey's legs I would, likewise Cody.

I think it's going to be a cracker of a game in a great atmosphere and hopefully we take an advantage to Anfield.

[Anfield Kopite]

We shouldn’t be losing to our aunties in the cup. I wouldn’t be ok with that

Disagree. My Auntie Mary is a really tough opponent, hard in the tackle and full of running. Auntie Jane is very creative. Auntie Kath is shit though. Smells a bit too.

[Rusty]

im thinking the line up will be
kelleher
Gomez VVD(Konate on ht) Quansah Tsimikas
        Endo
Eliott  Gravenberch (if fit)Clark

Gakpo    Danns   Diaz

we can hopefully bring on Mac,Nunez,Salah,Szono off the bech in the 2nd half

Love the old 4-1-3-3 formation. We should definitely play that against City.

[killer-heels]

Play the kids' parents.

[duvva 💅]

Play the kids' parents.

What about their aunties?

[Samie]

Jayden Danns is suffering from concussion after a heavy collision with the Nottingham Forest keeper on Saturday.

[@IanDoyleSport]

[newterp]

So - he's out tomorrow and Sunday most likely.

[Fordy]

Liverpool travelling squad: Gomez, Endo, Van Dijk, Konate, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Mac Allister, Salah, Adrian, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, Robertson, Clark, Gordon, McConnell, Kelleher, Koumas, Quansah, Bradley, Musialowski, Mrozek.

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/mohamed-salah-named-liverpool-squad-prague-trip

Musialowski in the squad the lastest youth player to be involved the 1st team squad.

[SuperStevieNicol]

Danns didn't feature in training today.  I'd expect Darwin and Mo to get a half each.

Is he injured? Not in the travelling squad.

[SvenJohansen]

Was looking at Sparta's last 4 matches and they had a lot of bookings in those matches, even a red card in each of their last two matches. One match they had 7 bookings and in another 5 yellows and a red. We could be in for an assault tomorrow. The referee is going to have to be strong and competent, so not a PL one hopefully.

[ScubaSteve]

We never play great on a back of resting players. All first team players need some game time, it’ll just depend on when to use them.

I still think this is a more realistic chance for us of winning than the league. We’re riding our luck.

[Air Jota]

We never play great on a back of resting players. All first team players need some game time, it’ll just depend on when to use them.

I still think this is a more realistic chance for us of winning than the league. We’re riding our luck.

I'll give you Nottingham as riding our luck, but where else in recent league games, with all the injuries have been riding our luck? We have some key players back anyway which helps greatly for the upcoming games.

We've just had 4 games in 11 days, with most of the players playing more than what they would otherwise if the injuries werent as big as they are. There were tired legs in the last game. We cant afford to go with the same all over again and then proceed the same way vs City.

Giving some minutes to the players coming back, but the rest should be recovering for the biggest game of the season

[Samie]

We never play great on a back of resting players. All first team players need some game time, it’ll just depend on when to use them.

I still think this is a more realistic chance for us of winning than the league. We’re riding our luck.

Go back to the deepest part of the ocean and stay there.

[Fromola]

I'll give you Nottingham as riding our luck, but where else in recent league games, with all the injuries have been riding our luck? We have some key players back anyway which helps greatly for the upcoming games.

We've just had 4 games in 11 days, with most of the players playing more than what they would otherwise if the injuries werent as big as they are. There were tired legs in the last game. We cant afford to go with the same all over again and then proceed the same way vs City.

Giving some minutes to the players coming back, but the rest should be recovering for the biggest game of the season

I wouldn't say riding our luck but we were fortunate to have Burnley and Luton at home when we did. Any away game, or a stronger team at home and it would have been a real struggle, but so it should be with all the players missing. Forest was always going to be tough away.

Even with a strong team out tomorrow will be a grind though. The 3 aways were in the group. Sparta will be well up for it.