Firstly, a heartfelt welcome to our French guests. I’m sure that you’ll get a big Klopp-like virtual hug from us.
FC Bordeaux take their name from the Girondists, a late 18th Century Jacobin group that campaigned for the end of the monarchy but later failed in their attempt to resist the spiralling momentum of the Revolution.
Despite coming back twice on Sunday to earn a hard fought away draw, their current form does not suggest that they will be any more successful on Thursday night, when the corkscrewing energy that we’re building up under Jurgen Klopp should overwhelm our visitors.
Head 2 Head
Recent Meetings
Current Form - All competitions
A wise man once said
you can’t do better than go away from home and get a draw. One of Brendan’s last hurrahs was to do just that in the corresponding fixture in (the factually accurate but horrendously named) ‘Matchday 1’. Brendan received some warm and some lukewarm comments for blooding a fair few youngsters at the ultra-modern Matmut Atlantique which is surely the prettiest football stadium, Plough Lane excepted, known to humankind and makes our refurb of the Main Stand look rather unimaginative. (What
is the French for 'your stadium development is fuckin' shite' ?)
But as another, equally wise man once said,
no-one hands you cups on a plate and with this in mind I think we will see a much stronger line-up for the return fixture, particularly as a win takes us through to the knockout stages.
There has been much talk of our inability to replicate recent exciting away league form at home so this game – against opponents who have the joint third worst defensive record in Ligue 1 and who have lost all five of their previous matches in England without scoring – surely provides the ideal opportunity to capitalise on Saturday evening’s watershed performance and result?
A chance, then, for the team to banish the anxiety that has been hanging over Anfield like yellow fog on the Mersey with a display of working class ballet to get bums off seats (and to stop bums heading for the exits) for 90+ minutes, even if our
Premier Danseur Noble has tweaked a hammy.
And with their revolutionary choreographer standing on the touchline, urging them not to accept an incomplete victory, I predict an absolute cracker.
Bordeaux InjuriesJussie, Bellion, Brechet (doubt), Rolan (doubt)
Liverpool Injuries
TEAMS
LIVERPOOL
22 Mignolet
02 Clyne
04 K Touré
06 Lovren
18 Moreno
24 Allen
21 Lucas
11 Firmino
07 Milner
33 Ibe
09 Benteke
SUBS
20 Lallana
23 Can
27 Origi
32 Brannagan
34 Bogdan
37 Skrtel
56 Randall
BORDEAUX
16 Carrasso
17 Biyogo Poko
06 Sane
21 Yambéré
03 Contento
18 Plasil
11 Chantôme
10 Saivet
09 Rolan
20 Ferreira Vieira
27 Crivelli
SUBS
07 Traoré
14 Diabaté
19 Maurice-Belay
26 Guilbert
29 Poundje
30 Prior
37 Ounas
REF
Alon Yefet
