Topic: Match Preview: Liverpool FC v FC Sion. Europa Cup. Thursday, October 1st. 8.05pm

[rickardinho1]

Why would he not be?

Maybe he's cup-tied 

[JSteve]

Is Ibe eligible?

He's still Cup-tied...

[DeLeiva]

Am I being wooshed?

[Rush 82]

Am I being wooshed?

Why would anyone do that? 

[Kelvinlfc]

Not sure how he's still 'up and coming' though. He's 22. If he hasn't already forced himself into at least substitute appearances i highly doubt he'll break through into the first team.

I forget he's only 22, but still my point was more why is BR promising him a chance and not including him in squad registrations for competitions such as this one. If we're taking the league cup seriously he won't be starting against Bournemouth either, they'll be going full strength and we only beat them last time almost full strength minus Sturridge thanks to a decision in our favour.

Will be an interesting one tonight as to who plays in the hole behind the front two (if anyone). Coutinho presumably will be rested again, Firmino injured & Markovic on loan. I've heard rumours of Brannagan in the squad. Ings/Origi presumably the front two but its a massive ask for Ings to have played as much as he has especially with his tenacity, wouldn't mind him fresh and firing against the blue shite.

[edeyj]

Torn over selection with this one myself. Really need to be winning our home games if we want to progress in the competition but I want us to be fully ready for our blue brothers at the weekend.

Hard to get too excited over the Europa other than it's a chance for some silverware (and a CL spot). Think we've got more chance of 4th than winning this but it's a hard competition to integrate into the run of league games.

[SwordInYourGut]

No rumoured lineups?

[Caston]

No rumoured lineups?

Nope.

Think it'll be similar to this if we carry on with 3 at the back:

         Can Toure Gomez

             Allen Rossiter
  Clyne                          Ibe
                 Lallana
         Origi               Ings

[Simplexity]

Torn over selection with this one myself. Really need to be winning our home games if we want to progress in the competition but I want us to be fully ready for our blue brothers at the weekend.

Hard to get too excited over the Europa other than it's a chance for some silverware (and a CL spot). Think we've got more chance of 4th than winning this but it's a hard competition to integrate into the run of league games.

Dunno why you would think that we are by far the richest club in the competition we should be favorites, and we are certainly not favorites to finish top 4.

[TheTeflonJohn]

Torn over selection with this one myself. Really need to be winning our home games if we want to progress in the competition but I want us to be fully ready for our blue brothers at the weekend.

Hard to get too excited over the Europa other than it's a chance for some silverware (and a CL spot). Think we've got more chance of 4th than winning this but it's a hard competition to integrate into the run of league games.

I`d rather a day out on the piss with the lads, hopefully watching the reds lift a cup than raising a glass to "Fourth" place, mate.

Full strength today, full strength on Sunday and then full strength after that!

[Nessy76]

I forget he's only 22, but still my point was more why is BR promising him a chance and not including him in squad registrations for competitions such as this one. If we're taking the league cup seriously he won't be starting against Bournemouth either, they'll be going full strength and we only beat them last time almost full strength minus Sturridge thanks to a decision in our favour.

It's mainly down to squad rules. Tex is too old to be on the B list with all the youth team players, but he has too much competition to get a place in the A list. With no club trained players on the A-list, we're reduced to submitting a 21-man list, including two keepers and four association trained players.

If you include him, you'd basically need to drop one of Coutinho, Firmino, Lallana. Every single player in the squad list has more right to be there than Joao does, and every one of them is there for the better interests of the team.

As much as Rodgers has a job to develop players, his first priority has to be to the overall well-being of the team, and he would rightly be slaughtered if he left Coutinho out of the Europa squad, as well as be in trouble with his agent, UEFA, the press and the supporters.

And for what? So that a lad who hasn't earned a place gets a game?

[farawayred]

Nessy, you just screwed the conspiracy theory. Fuck...

[Michel]

Coutinho starts at goal for AZ Alkmaar today.

[edeyj]

Dunno why you would think that we are by far the richest club in the competition we should be favorites, and we are certainly not favorites to finish top 4.

Because it's knock out after this stage and every chance we could get rolled over......e.g. Carlisle!!

[edeyj]

I`d rather a day out on the piss with the lads, hopefully watching the reds lift a cup than raising a glass to "Fourth" place, mate.

Full strength today, full strength on Sunday and then full strength after that!

Hope you're right mate and that we win both games. Can't see BR playing a full strength tonight though.

I'm with you on winning the thing. Hope we do. Just making the point that imo we have more chance of CL qualification through the EPL.

[jdpapa3]

Dunno why you would think that we are by far the richest club in the competition we should be favorites, and we are certainly not favorites to finish top 4.

Probably 1 in 3 to finish top 4 and 1 in 10 to win the Europa league. You can throw everything at it and still succumb to a fluke exit. It's just the nature of cup vs league.

[BabuYagu]

It's a fucking travesty Tex can't play in this, whoevers decision it was to leave him out is stupid. Next to Rossiter probably my favourite up & coming. 

Doing the rounds in the news this morning that he had a heart to heart with BR and has been promised chances.. in what? The league cup? Didn't get a chance against Carlisle iirc? Leaves the FA cup..

Time is what makes this interesting. We are reading this now from Teixeira but the conversation probably happened before a ball was even kicked this season. Suddenly the managers job is under real threat and he needs performances AND results. Hence why you see a full strength team against Carlisle in the league cup. There is no way we would have seen that happen if he had a great start to the season.

So perhaps, in July, the intention was to have Teixeira involved in the first team squad. We would be playing 4-3-3 this season and he can play in either of the 2 CM positions or even coming in off the flank as Coutinho does. So 4 positions in total for him. Then reality kicks in, he can no longer risk his job on this kid despite what he promised in the summer. He scraps 4-3-3 and swaps a CM (where he was most likely to play) for another center back. and turns the two wide players into a CF and an AM.

Suddenly his oppertunities on the pitch have gone from 4 positions to 2 with a manager much less inclined to try out the kids when the ness bad result feels like it could be his last.

[Nessy76]

Time is what makes this interesting. We are reading this now from Teixeira but the conversation probably happened before a ball was even kicked this season. Suddenly the managers job is under real threat and he needs performances AND results. Hence why you see a full strength team against Carlisle in the league cup. There is no way we would have seen that happen if he had a great start to the season.

So perhaps, in July, the intention was to have Teixeira involved in the first team squad. We would be playing 4-3-3 this season and he can play in either of the 2 CM positions or even coming in off the flank as Coutinho does. So 4 positions in total for him. Then reality kicks in, he can no longer risk his job on this kid despite what he promised in the summer. He scraps 4-3-3 and swaps a CM (where he was most likely to play) for another center back. and turns the two wide players into a CF and an AM.

Suddenly his oppertunities on the pitch have gone from 4 positions to 2 with a manager much less inclined to try out the kids when the ness bad result feels like it could be his last.

He wouldn't be playing tonight anyway, he's not listed in the Europa squad.

[Caston]

Nope.

Think it'll be similar to this if we carry on with 3 at the back:

         Can Toure Gomez

             Allen Rossiter
  Clyne                          Ibe
                 Lallana
         Origi               Ings

Confirmed team

[RobbieRedman]

Confirmed #LFC team v FC Sion: Mignolet, Clyne, Toure, Gomez, Can, Lallana, Rossiter, Allen, Ibe, Origi, Ings

Confirmed #LFC subs v FC Sion: Bogdan, Coutinho, Sakho, Moreno, Brannagan, Randall, Chirivella

[Michel]

I don't like the look of our defence.

[BobOnATank]

I don't like the look of our defence.

and how is that different to any other games?? 

Overall looks fine, should be enough to beat Sion. Bench looks good as well options for both if going well or not so well i.e. throw Coutinho on

[Redman0151]

Surprised Ings plays

[SwordInYourGut]

Confirmed team

Nice one, cheers

[Zoomers]

Confirmed #LFC team v FC Sion: Mignolet, Clyne, Toure, Gomez, Can, Lallana, Rossiter, Allen, Ibe, Origi, Ings

I smell a boring 0-0.

[HeartAndSoul]

Allen and rossiter in midfield has to be our shortest midfield pairing ever 

[Hazell]

Hmmm, I'm not so sure why we're not playing a stronger team in this competition. We've not exactly been good in Europe for years and the contradiction about chasing fourth place because it's a way to get into the Champions League and then playing a weak side and therefore having a greater chance losing coefficient points still holds. More important than that is that's another avenue into the Champions League and even more important than that, it's a chance for us to win a flipping trophy. I know Rodgers has to manage the squad but there's rotating and there's playing a weak side and it looks like the latter IMO.

We might still win comfortably and I hope we do but I don't get teams playing weakened sides in this competition and unfortunately that seems to include us.

[Redman78]

Very little star quality in that team, but that's a group of players with lots to prove, should be enough to win. Good luck boys!

[Red Raw]

Is this looking like a 4-3-3?

[theMilkman]

Hmmm, I'm not so sure why we're not playing a stronger team in this competition. We've not exactly been good in Europe for years and the contradiction about chasing fourth place because it's a way to get into the Champions League and then playing a weak side and therefore having a greater chance losing coefficient points still holds. More important than that is that's another avenue into the Champions League and even more important than that, it's a chance for us to win a flipping trophy. I know Rodgers has to manage the squad but there's rotating and there's playing a weak side and it looks like the latter IMO.

We might still win comfortably and I hope we do but I don't get teams playing weakened sides in this competition and unfortunately that seems to include us.

+1

[Chakan]

Ings starting, going to be a huge risk if we want him fresh for Sunday, specially after being picked for England as well. So no rest really.

[PhilV]

Nope.

Think it'll be similar to this if we carry on with 3 at the back:

         Can Toure Gomez

             Allen Rossiter
  Clyne                          Ibe
                 Lallana
         Origi               Ings

HE'S A WIZARD!! Spot On lol

[Caston]

Is this looking like a 4-3-3?

3 at the back I think

[rob1408]

With Everton at the weekend I can understand the changes, I don't necessarily agree with them, but I understand why Rodgers has done it. 

If he put out a full strength side and lost key players for the derby he'd get slated for that.

[Working Class Hen-Pecked Hero]

Happy Gomez is playing, think he has done well, also hope Origi gets a goal, talk of him being on loan makes me feel a bit meh

[Redinho]

Nope.

Think it'll be similar to this if we carry on with 3 at the back:

         Can Toure Gomez

             Allen Rossiter
  Clyne                          Ibe
                 Lallana
         Origi               Ings

Collect your prize sir  .

[theMilkman]

Ings starting, going to be a huge risk if we want him fresh for Sunday, specially after being picked for England as well. So no rest really.

Bigger risk not to play him imo. We need to win this.

[Snusmumriken]

A little bit worried about Clyne, when will he rest?

[EFoley1991]

This on tv lads?

[Chakan]

Bigger risk not to play him imo. We need to win this.

If he plays on Sunday as well and then for England, that's essentially 5 games in about 3 weeks. That's a pretty big ask for anyone. Specially someone who tends to run around a lot.