Topic: League Cup and Club World Cup.

[SteveZissou]

I think hardly anyone is going to agree with me. I believe we should use the Club World Cup to rest key players, so instead of making the fatigue worse, let's turn this around, make it an opportunity to get fresher during the Christmas and New Year period. I would do it in an extreme way, but Klopp could take option 2 which is a balance in order to make sure we win this World thing.

My extreme way:
Don't play either of these 6 players in the semi's and final so they'd be totally rested: Pure Virgil, Trent, Hendo, Salah, Mane, Firmino
Here's the team we can play which will even win the final against the Brazilians:
Becker, Milner, Gomez, Lovren, Robbo, Gini, Milner, Lallana, Ox, Origi, Shaqiri

Option 2:
He would probably play that kind of team in the semi's but in the final he will bring in a few of the others depending on their fitness/readiness.

[dudleyred]

I think hardly anyone is going to agree with me

Not least Jürgen and the players

[SteveZissou]

Not least Jürgen and the players

Yeah, but who cares what they think?

[Circa1892]

I think hardly anyone is going to agree with me. I believe we should use the Club World Cup to rest key players, so instead of making the fatigue worse, let's turn this around, make it an opportunity to get fresher during the Christmas and New Year period. I would do it in an extreme way, but Klopp could take option 2 which is a balance in order to make sure we win this World thing.

I'm minded to agree - Leicester away is more important than the League Cup and Club World Cup combined for me.

But Klopp is a winner. He won't throw anything away - least of all the chance to be champion of the world.

[Paul1611]

And would be a new trophy on the honours wall 👍

[Garlicbread]

So if we win this. Will Fabinho and Matip get medals even though they weren't a part of it?

[Ocean Red]

So if we win this. Will Fabinho and Matip get medals even though they weren't a part of it?

Good question. Does anyone know? Also might they fly out with the rest of the squad? Warm weather could help with their rehab?

[Jon2lfc]

So if we win this. Will Fabinho and Matip get medals even though they weren't a part of it?

You have to be in it to win it, so no.

[Garlicbread]

You have to be in it to win it, so no.

Sucks for them. But hopefully there's more silverware later in the season.

[JerseyKloppite]

Here's the team we can play which will even win the final against the Brazilians:
Becker, Milner, Gomez, Lovren, Robbo, Gini, Milner, Lallana, Ox, Origi, Shaqiri

I think option 2 is more likely. I'd have confidence in the above beating Monterrey but think you significantly underestimate Flamengo. We will play a full strength side for the final.

[Raid]

Would be a wonderful two fingers up if the u23s pull off a win,

[JonnyCigarettes®]

We are the champions, the champions of the world.

(subject to results).

[Eeyore]

I think people are underestimating the mentality part. We win games, that is the minimum. If you want to be part of that you have outdo the people who have the shirt. That is often harder than beating the opposition.

If you are looking at a list of the most successful players in the Premier League then John O'Shea and Wes Brown would be right up there. Don't underrate squad . Our players will give it all in both games.

[Fordy]

Pretty sure Rhian Brewster, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Neco Williams will be getting game time that week and it  will be against Villa. Klopp will take the CWC seriously and will be using senior players who have PL and CL experience. I'd imagine not splitting the squad means not leaving half the senior players at home to play against Villa.

We're talking about 4 players and I think they will get game time at the CWC.

I can see Brewster and maybe Jones or Elliott starting in the semi final game.

We want to win the CWC but it's a good chance to rest a few players, get warm weather training in and get ready for Leicester away.

[Elzar]

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jurgen-klopp-confirms-four-players-17378015

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that four of his young players will be involved against Aston Villa in the League Cup, despite their inclusion in the 23-man squad for the Club World Cup.

The Reds face the unusual prospect of two games in 24 hours later this month when they travel to Villa Park for a quarter-final tie before the semi-final of the Club World Cup kicks off in Qatar on December 18.

Harvey Elliott, Neco Williams, Rhian Brewster and Curtis Jones are all likely to play a part against the Villians before flying out to watch the semi-final game in Doha.
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"The situation is, in this moment, we have 16 adult players, so hopefully in two weeks, if everyone is available, we fly with the 16 there and the four boys come later," Klopp said. "It is a completely normal decision.

"They play the game the day before [at Villa], we play on the Wednesday, they come in and watch the game and they are available for the possible final or the other game.

"But if we don't have 16 - because that is the number you need - then we have one, two or three there to replace them because we can do that with injuries. That is the situation."

[him_15]

I honestly want us to lose the league cup away game, we simply don't need these extra burden.

[rodderzzz]

I honestly want us to lose the league cup away game, we simply don't need these extra burden.

Fuckin stupid that is.

Beat Villa for a massive fuck you to the organisations of the tournaments.

Get Everton in them semis and twat them three more times in January and destroy any momentum their new boss might get and get them down.

Win WCC in Qatar and then win the league, league cup, European cup and FA Cup.

I hope Leicester beat Villa this week and I hope villa lose next week. They’ll then have four 6 pointers over the Christmas period meaning if they have any sense they’ll rest their main players against us giving us a better chance

[farawayred]

I think people are underestimating the mentality part. We win games, that is the minimum. If you want to be part of that you have outdo the people who have the shirt. That is often harder than beating the opposition.

If you are looking at a list of the most successful players in the Premier League then John O'Shea and Wes Brown would be right up there. Don't underrate squad . Our players will give it all in both games.

Mini mentality Monsters. I like that!

[an tha]

Fitting farce for this mickey mouse shite.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50697723

[So… Howard Philips]

Fitting farce for this mickey mouse shite.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50697723

Maybe we should just have let Tottenham play then?

[an tha]

Maybe we should just have let Tottenham play then?

I was dancing around after winning number 6... not because we had won the biggest trophy in club football, but because we had qualified for some competition with a profile about as high as the charity shield out in Qatar smack bang in the most intense period of our season.

[CraigDS]

I was dancing around after winning number 6... not because we had won the biggest trophy in club football, but because we had qualified for some competition with a profile about as high as the charity shield out in Qatar smack bang in the most intense period of our season.

It’s got a profile much bigger than that around the world to be fair.

Bit of a farce to be changing stadiums this late in the day though.

[free_at_last]

Fuckin stupid that is.

Beat Villa for a massive fuck you to the organisations of the tournaments.

Get Everton in them semis and twat them three more times in January and destroy any momentum their new boss might get and get them down.

Win WCC in Qatar and then win the league, league cup, European cup and FA Cup.

I hope Leicester beat Villa this week and I hope villa lose next week. They’ll then have four 6 pointers over the Christmas period meaning if they have any sense they’ll rest their main players against us giving us a better chance

Villa know that we are playing the kids - they are 5th from bottom and have a busy schedule like everybody else. Surely they'll put out a weakened team but strong enough that they feel would be needed to beat the kids...so, yes, football being football, it's not inconceivable that the kids have one of those nights and beat them

[Red_Mist]

I honestly want us to lose the league cup away game, we simply don't need these extra burden.

No supporter of any team should ever want their team to lose. I understand the extra burden comment but it’s a HUGE leap to want us to lose a game, any game. You lose a game and flip a switch that turns into a run of games. Fuck that, try/want to win everything and see where we end up.

[jillcwhomever]

I honestly want us to lose the league cup away game, we simply don't need these extra burden.

This is a great opportunity for these younger players who otherwise would get limited chances. I certainly hope they give a great account of themselves and if they manage to pull it out of the bag, they deserve another chance as well.

[Welshred]

I was dancing around after winning number 6... not because we had won the biggest trophy in club football, but because we had qualified for some competition with a profile about as high as the charity shield out in Qatar smack bang in the most intense period of our season.

Might be better posting stuff like this in the world cup thread on the main board. Rather than this one that is being used by people that are dragging their arses to another continent to support the lads in a competition you aren't arsed about. Just a thought.

[an tha]

It’s got a profile much bigger than that around the world to be fair.

Bit of a farce to be changing stadiums this late in the day though.

I'd say here that the charity shield has a higher profile.

End of the day i realise plenty will disagree with me, but i just see it as pointless.

[an tha]

Just a thought, but i thought this was the main board.

[CraigDS]

I'd say here that the charity shield has a higher profile.

End of the day i realise plenty will disagree with me, but i just see it as pointless.

Of course it does here, the Charity Shield has been going for 111 years.

We’ve a worldwide fan base though, and a squad made up of players from all over the world, so I’d imagine the Club World Cup registers slightly higher on their radar than the CS.

[an tha]

Of course it does here, the Charity Shield has been going for 111 years.

We’ve a worldwide fan base though, and a squad made up of players from all over the world, so I’d imagine the Club World Cup registers slightly higher on their radar than the CS.

As i said plenty will disagree but for me it's a joke of a competition and a distraction we could do without as we chase what really matters.


It's a back and forth that could go on forever isn't it - nobody is right, nobody is wrong!

Not overly happy with posting from the torygraph but as it is a sports piece i'll make an exception.

This article sums it up for me better than i can....

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/12/20/fifa-club-world-cup-muddled-quasi-tournament-rightly-remains/

[CraigDS]

Not overly happy with posting from the torygraph but as it is a sports piece i'll make an exception.

This article sums it up for me better than i can....

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/12/20/fifa-club-world-cup-muddled-quasi-tournament-rightly-remains/

Again though, the headline ‘under the footballing radar’ suggests it’s seen as unimportant worldwide, but it really isn’t, it’s mainly here that it is.

[Magix]

Don't see how it can be argued the CWC isn't higher in profile. The prize money (and the rolling monies from grandslaming the UEFA tropies), the exclusivity. Loads of international eyes will be on the event thanks to us too.

[an tha]

Again though, the headline ‘under the footballing radar’ suggests it’s seen as unimportant worldwide, but it really isn’t, it’s mainly here that it is.

I think it is only seen as something big in south america because they don't have club football that has the same profile globally as ours and European footy as a whole - so for them it is their chance to show they are as good, to beat these lauded european teams.

That is all well and good, but a one off game against those eurooean teams proves nothing IMO.

I read somewhere FIFA are looking to expand it and make it a summer job...not sure if i even fancy that but maybe if you had a month long comp with all the best teams in it, then maybe that might be something that could grow and become something.

For me the comp as it is has no proper tradition, all the different attempts at rejigging it etc, have just left it looking like an after thought, something nobody is quite sure how it is meant to work and what it is meant to be.....i am sure i read we weren't even sure it was on this year for a while.

For instance maybe something like the champions /top 2 of all the top european leagues, the champions league finalists, the winners of the best leagues from around the world and the finalists of these continent cups like the libertadores etc

32 teams - world cup style comp.

But with all the international stuff that goes on and players hardly getting any rest at all even in summer now, i can't see where it would fit.

[Red Beret]

I can understand how much of a distraction it might seem when you're desperate to end a 30 year title drought, especially if we dont win the thing.

But I don't like this attitude of calling it a charity shield either. Sneering at the CWC has, to my mind, a touch of the Little Englander about it. It fails to embrace the global platform of football.

As I understand it, this competition is highly sought after on the continent; it smacks of institutional arrogance to look down on it.

[CraigDS]

I can understand how much of a distraction it might seem when you're desperate to end a 30 year title drought, especially if we dont win the thing.

But I don't like this attitude of calling it a charity shield either. Sneering at the CWC has, to my mind, a touch of the Little Englander about it. It fails to embrace the global platform of football.

As I understand it, this competition is highly sought after on the continent; it smacks of institutional arrogance to look down on it.

I typed Little Englander in my reply to the Telegraph article and totally agree. It screams of that.

[davidlpool1982]

Again though, the headline ‘under the footballing radar’ suggests it’s seen as unimportant worldwide, but it really isn’t, it’s mainly here that it is.

Who'd have thought that an insular, naval gazing country with delusions of grandeur on the world stage that is currently trying to leave it main trading/security/social block with its closest 27 neighbours would look down on an international competition because its not held here?

That said, I'm surprised a little that UEFA haven't leant on the FA a little here. We're representing the club mainly obviously, but at the same time we represent the FA and UEFA here. We took the one space offered to UEFA affiliated teams in this tournament on the world stage, you think they'd have tried to maximize our chances of winning it.

From the FA point of view, having the official "Best Team in the World" playing on our shores would add a bit of gravitas to the league and football in general to it. You can be damned sure the Spanish/French/Italian FA's would have sorted it for their clubs because they recognise the advantage it has.

[jillcwhomever]

I can understand how much of a distraction it might seem when you're desperate to end a 30 year title drought, especially if we dont win the thing.

But I don't like this attitude of calling it a charity shield either. Sneering at the CWC has, to my mind, a touch of the Little Englander about it. It fails to embrace the global platform of football.

As I understand it, this competition is highly sought after on the continent; it smacks of institutional arrogance to look down on it.

Good post. Not every team gets the opportunity to win this, so I cannot blame Klopp for wanting to try.

[Red Beret]

Who'd have thought that an insular, naval gazing country with delusions of grandeur on the world stage that is currently trying to leave it main trading/security/social block with its closest 27 neighbours would look down on an international competition because its not held here?

That said, I'm surprised a little that UEFA haven't leant on the FA a little here. We're representing the club mainly obviously, but at the same time we represent the FA and UEFA here. We took the one space offered to UEFA affiliated teams in this tournament on the world stage, you think they'd have tried to maximize our chances of winning it.

From the FA point of view, having the official "Best Team in the World" playing on our shores would add a bit of gravitas to the league and football in general to it. You can be damned sure the Spanish/French/Italian FA's would have sorted it for their clubs because they recognise the advantage it has.

Presumably the FA also have a low opinion of it!

[CraigDS]

Presumably the FA also have a low opinion of it!

Doesn’t make them any money so doubt they give a shite.

[newterp]

So what happened? Not enough immigrant workers to complete it in time? Or did too many die under those great working conditions.