Topic: LC: Norwich 0 v 3 Liverpool 4’ 79’ Minamino 50’ Origi

[dutchkop]

                 Kelleher,
Joe G   Philips    Konaté     Kostas
Curtis  Milner Oxlade
Taki   Divock     Mateusz-musialowski (Then Ox moves forward and MM moves into midfield)  or kaide Gordon   - or do we see a Salah or Mane play?

[lamonti]

Bradley at RB for me.

[JerseyKloppite]

I'd be for playing a "full rotation" but I suspect klopp will name a few of our stronger players in. I'd be surprised if one of Mane / Salah / Jota didn't start. Midfield we've got the depth to start Ox, Jones and Keita/Milner - with Thiago injured I doubt we'd risk Hendo or Fab. Defence wise, who knows. If TAA is unlikely to be fit for the weekend we shouldn't risk whoever will be starting there. Kostas at LB with Robbo back for Brentford. Phillips in the middle with Gomez or Konate.

[4pool]

Just win.

Not arsed who starts.

[Black Bull Nova]

Is this live on the telly?

Sky must be be expecting Liverpool to be present

Surprised Molby is not in the squad

[him_15]

Take must starts.

[macmanamanaman]

Just spread a rumor that Suarez is back and starting. Norwich will forfeit.

[afc tukrish]

Take must starts.

Leave must finishes...

[kezzy]

Just win the game and then for once give us a fuckin home drawer against lower league opposition. 

[meady1981]

Love the league cup. Can watch Liverpool and not give a flying fuck about the result. Just pure enjoyment.

[NarutoReds]

Please, boss. Please... 

[Magix]

Would like to see Tsimikas and Minamino line up together on the left. Thought they formed an impressive pairing against Osasuna in pre-season. Their strengths complementing each other well.

[peachybum]

I'd be surprised if this wasn't the team

                               Kelleher


Bradley          Phillips          Gomez          Tsimikas


                                Milner
                     Ox                      Jones


         Gordon                                    Minamino
                                  Origi

No idea how strong Norwich will go. Would be nice to get through so these lads have more games to show what they can do. But a PL side away is always going to be tricky.

[MoSzizlak]

According to Wikipedia, it just seemed to be this cup alone, even the final back in the 1960's was over two legs. None of the larger clubs even bothered to enter.

Growing up always remember the league cup as you started round 1 or two over two legs, then the semi was over two legs.

Anfield, 2nd leg v QPR in '86, going for the treble and we score two own goals! I hated QPR for a while after that! 

Watching us win it year after year I never realised the "proper cup" was the three handled one, just assumed it had always been the Milk Cup.

fc

Missed a penalty in that game as well, also beat them 4-1 in the league the following Saturday.

[Dim Glas]

I'd be surprised if this wasn't the team

                               Kelleher


Bradley          Phillips          Gomez          Tsimikas


                                Milner
                     Ox                      Jones


         Gordon                                    Minamino
                                  Origi

No idea how strong Norwich will go. Would be nice to get through so these lads have more games to show what they can do. But a PL side away is always going to be tricky.

I would expect for Norwich to go close to full strength. They desperately need a win for confidence sake more than anything and they know Liverpool could likely make 9 or 10 changes.

[MD1990]

I dont think Milner will play so soon again.
He has been picking injuries last few seasons. I would play Keita instead.

[William Regal]

anyone think we may try a back 3 to give phillips, gomez, and konate all game time?

[Dougle]

Kavah, King Kenny 7, Duvva, Drirfan, Ghost town. 
Thanks for the shout out,   

[Jm55]

Looking forward to tonight, i’d imagine most people around my age think fondly of the league cup as it’s the first trophy I saw us win in 1995, and then again in 2001 before we won anything else.

That said, I do always look forward to these games as a rare reprieve from the incessant tension which accompanies our games domestically, and given our CL group, in Europe as well this season. It’s quite liberating to be able to chill out with a few beers and watch the reds knowing that a defeat is far from the end of the world (although I’d imagine we’ll probably still win anyway.)

I’d expect to see Konate, Tsmikas, Gomez, Minamino and Milner get game time, possibly Keita/Ox although that depends on their fitness and we of course know that Kelleher and Jones will play. Beyond that you’d expect to see a few of the young lads get a game to fill in the remaining gaps.

Should be a decent night anyway, you never know, if we get through we might finally get a shit team at home.

[the_red_pill]

Leave must finishes...

[plura]

I'd be surprised if this wasn't the team

                               Kelleher


Bradley          Phillips          Gomez/Konata          Tsimikas


                                Milner Keita
                     Ox                      Jones


         Gordon                                    Minamino
                                  Origi

No idea how strong Norwich will go. Would be nice to get through so these lads have more games to show what they can do. But a PL side away is always going to be tricky.

Change Milner for Keita and I'm in for this. And maybe Konate instead of Gomez. Give some fringe and younger players the chance and save what we can. Might get tricky but for the best long term.

[Barrow Shaun]

Just win.

Not arsed who starts.

Pretty much my thinking too.

[Cracking Left Foot]

I can see Gordon starting after Pep Lijnders talking him up to the press this week - really excited to see what he can do. Maybe a front three with Div and Taki.

Ultimately, I know Jurgen couldn't give a toss about this competition, but I'd imagine Farke won't be that fussed either, given Norwich's terrible start to the season. 2-0 win for the Reds I'm saying.

[Jayo10]

Kelleher

Bradley
Gomez
Konate
Tsimikas

Jones
Milner
Ox

Minamino
Origi
Gordon


I'd pair Konate with Gomez. VVD and Matip saved for Brentford. Need to get these 4 top CBs used to playing in different combinations.

With all due respect to Phillips he is there to cover injuries. Have a feeling they won't want to start Gordon without one of Mane/Salah to assist though

[Barefoot Doctor]

Why on earth would anyone start Nat Phillips when we've got Gomez and Konate to play there? Unless we're playing Gomez at right back to shoehorn him into the side I'm expecting him to watch the full 90 from the bench. No one wants Gomez at right back so hopefully Bradley starts.

Pretty much the team I'm expecting.

Because he's a senior player who just signed a new long-term contract, and he hasn't featured yet this season. And unlike Gomez/Konate, he's almost certainly not getting minutes in the PL or CL, so this is the only option really.

I think Gomez and Konate would be everyone's preferred pairing tonight, but I do think Klopp will start Nat - although could easily be wrong. On the other hand, I reckon Gomez and Konate are starting together at Porto (to give Matip and Virgil a rest ahead of City) so he may want them to get time on the pitch together to build a partnership.

[El Lobo]

Maybe use Nat as a DM, he's definitely got the passing range and mobility for it

[Welshred]

Because he's a senior player who just signed a new long-term contract, and he hasn't featured yet this season. And unlike Gomez/Konate, he's almost certainly not getting minutes in the PL or CL, so this is the only option really.

I think Gomez and Konate would be everyone's preferred pairing tonight, but I do think Klopp will start Nat - although could easily be wrong. On the other hand, I reckon Gomez and Konate are starting together at Porto (to give Matip and Virgil a rest ahead of City) so he may want them to get time on the pitch together to build a partnership.

So instead of giving game time to one player coming back from injury and another who has only just signed for the club and needs time to get used to how we play you'd rather we played a far, far inferior player who we tried to sell all summer? Makes zero sense at all. Gomez/Konate should be playing in central defence as their need for game time far outweighs Phillips's need considering they'll be the players rotating into the side in the event of an injury to Matip and Virgil.

Maybe use Nat as a DM, he's definitely got the passing range and mobility for it

good one

[Too early for flapjacks?]

Because he's a senior player who just signed a new long-term contract, and he hasn't featured yet this season. And unlike Gomez/Konate, he's almost certainly not getting minutes in the PL or CL, so this is the only option really.

I think Gomez and Konate would be everyone's preferred pairing tonight, but I do think Klopp will start Nat - although could easily be wrong. On the other hand, I reckon Gomez and Konate are starting together at Porto (to give Matip and Virgil a rest ahead of City) so he may want them to get time on the pitch together to build a partnership.

Surely it's more valuable to give the minutes to Gomez and Konate. They are both players we intend to rely on in the coming months and both would benefit from playing. Leaving one of them on the bench and selecting Nat would just be a sentimental call.

[Gerry Attrick]

Gomez and Konate will play. The only question is whether Gomez is at fullback or Connor Bradley.

[PaulF]

I can see Gordon starting after Pep Lijnders talking him up to the press this week - really excited to see what he can do. Maybe a front three with Div and Taki.

Ultimately, I know Jurgen couldn't give a toss about this competition, but I'd imagine Farke won't be that fussed either, given Norwich's terrible start to the season. 2-0 win for the Reds I'm saying.

Or Farke uses it to fine tune his team and look for a confidence boost?

[Barefoot Doctor]

So instead of giving game time to one player coming back from injury and another who has only just signed for the club and needs time to get used to how we play you'd rather we played a far, far inferior player who we tried to sell all summer? Makes zero sense at all. Gomez/Konate should be playing in central defence as their need for game time far outweighs Phillips's need considering they'll be the players rotating into the side in the event of an injury to Matip and Virgil.

I've no particular interest in Phillips getting minutes, and think Gomez and Konate should both start. But I'm trying to guess what Klopp will do, and I reckon he'll want to give Phillips some time on the pitch, in part for his role last season and in part because of the new deal.

And I think that with Matip and Van Dijk both being managed, there's going to be loads of opportunities for Gomez and Konate in the PL and CL, as we've seen in the last week when both started in massive games for us. So it wouldn't entirely surprise me if it was one of them on the bench tonight, with one of them partnering Phillips. Or we just play all three of them, with Gomez at RB or maybe even three at the back (unlikely, but it's only the League Cup...)

Or he just benches Phillips, who knows 

[Dench57]

No reason trying to shoehorn Phillips in when Gomez and Konate need the minutes.

Would like to see Gordon, Minamino and Origi up top, but Jurgen usually starts one of the front 3 in these doesn't he? Ox, Curtis and Keita in midfield. Preferably no other first teamers.

[Circa1892]

Wouldn’t be totally surprised to see Phillips play the 90 and Gomez/Konate get 45 each. Both had busy games last week, gets minutes into them and leaves them both fresh in the event they’re needed at the weekend.

[Crosby Nick]

Wouldn’t be totally surprised to see Phillips play the 90 and Gomez/Konate get 45 each. Both had busy games last week, gets minutes into them and leaves them both fresh in the event they’re needed at the weekend.

I think Arsenal in the cup last year he played Virgil and then Joe(l) for 45 mins each didn’t he?

[Barefoot Doctor]

I think Arsenal in the cup last year he played Virgil and then Joe(l) for 45 mins each didn’t he?

Not quite - Gomez replaced Virgil for the last 30 mins in that one.

Might be thinking of the Lincoln game in the previous round, where we fielded a proper League Cup side with the exception of Virgil, who then came off for Fabinho in a pre-planned change.

[mrantarctica]

The context is that we have Brentford, who are flying high, Porto at the Dragao which will be very very tough and then the blockbuster Man City at home. Add Norwich and that's 4 games in 12 days, of which the last 2 are very tough games that we will need our best selves to win. After that, there's a little bit of a pause before another busy period. I think many of the fringe players will feature. Expect Millie, Kostas, Ibou, Gomez, Nat, Curtis, Taki, Ox and Origi to all feature at some point. As others have pointed out, we could see some of our key players just get 45 minutes e.g. Ibou/Gomez or Hendo/Fab, Naby/Millie, Mane/Jota etc.

[Lynndenberries]

Don’t really care who plays. I mainly just want to see Kaide get some minutes.

[Wabaloolah]

I think Klopp will want to find out how the partnerships work now when he can, and still give some game time to all four. Though he probably has set the partnerships already and do Matip and Gomez together again. Will be interesting to see for sure. All four of them look interchangeable, which will be such an asset going forward for us.

no chance Virgil starts in my opinion

[redk84]

I do love the domestic cups

I know they are never the priority but always good to win silverware. And actually like that we get to see the players on the fringe of the squad

I expect changes here again and hopefully an exciting game

[Fromola]

We picked a reasonably strong team for Arsenal last year, but it was before the CL started and the international break (it was the game before the Villa thrashing).

Having already picked up injuries (Thiago/Elliot) it's not worth risking players for the LC with City coming up and an away CL game.

Given the AFCON in January, and another international break, we could do without facing City or someone twice in a semi final that month anyway, so if we go out in the LC it's not a big deal. We'd have made more signings to cover if we were that bothered about the cups.