Topic: Champions League QF first leg. Real Madrid away

[Gaz75]

Suspect Klopp will go with.....

                    Freddie

Trent      Ozan   Bolton-Baresi     Robbo

                      Fab

           Thiago        Wijnaldum

Mo                Bobby          Sadio


Don't think he'll start with Diogo, suspect he'll come on circa 65 mins

and get the third goal 😁

[Tony19:6]

and get the third goal 😁

Yes and the first of his hat-trick 

[Too early for flapjacks?]

Must be part of Klopp that's tempted to go with Firmino in the 10 behind Jota, Mane, and Salah. Thiago and Fabinho are best suited to being the 2. But struggle to see Klopp not going with Gini and Firmino in a big away game like this but leaving Jota out also seems impossible. At least we have some positive selection headaches for once!

[Gaz75]

Yes and the first of his hat-trick 

Bolton Baresi 😄, he deserves to win something this season would love to see it happen.

[kesey]

I'd like to see this lineup:

Alisson

Trent
Phillips
Kabak
Dossena

Fabinho
Thiago
Benayoun

Mane
Salah
Firmino

YNWA

Barney Rubble on the bench   

[kasperoff]

Expect Real to be absolute shit-houses to the highest degree. They will pull out all the stops. Diving, snide fouls, talking shite, the lot.

We've seen it enough recently and I hope we are ready for it this time. They'll defo target the inexperience of Kabak and Phillips and try get one of them sent off. Look out for Benzema falling over holding his face every time he goes up and loses a header. Getting back up and throwing an imaginary elbow type gesture.

As is always the case with the likes of Real, Barca, Atletico and PSG, they will cheat like fuck. The ref really needs to have a pair of balls.

[Gaz75]

Expect Real to be absolute shit-houses to the highest degree. They will pull out all the stops. Diving, snide fouls, talking shite, the lot.

We've seen it enough recently and I hope we are ready for it this time. They'll defo target the inexperience of Kabak and Phillips and try get one of them sent off. Look out for Benzema falling over holding his face every time he goes up and loses a header. Getting back up and throwing an imaginary elbow type gesture.

As is always the case with the likes of Real, Barca, Atletico and PSG, they will cheat like fuck. The ref really needs to have a pair of balls.

if it's one thing Real know it's how to win in Europe, I think think the refs we have seen in European games have been pretty good and have seen it all before so I would be hopeful that they won't fall for it.

[vivabobbygraham]

Hopefully Real will be the type of team that plays into our hands by attacking us, like Leipzig did. No reason at all why we can’t beat them. I’d play Jota in the middle of Salah and Mané. Thiago , Fab and Gini in midfield. The back 5 picks itself now I reckon. I do wonder how brave Klopp is feeling tho. Will he go with the front 4 with Firmino in?

It's fuck all to do with how 'brave' the boss is feeling. He's got balls of steel if you haven't noticed. It's about winning over two legs of football against probably the best exponents of it ever. Thing is, we're not bad at it either...

[Dave McCoy]

Think we’re the better team but Benzema vs. Kabak/Nat is a worry.  Hope they prove me wrong as I think it will decide the tie.

[redintweed]

Imagine how Nat Phillips must be feeling...

He looked like being sold before the season started and last season played in the German 2nd Division (admittedly he helped his team get promoted). Now he is playing against Real Madrid in a Champions League quarter final. And could possibly even end up in Istanbul..... What a rise.

It's similar for Kabak too. Goes from playing the first half of the season for an absolutely basket case of a team almost certainly headed for relegation, to a Champions League quarter final against Real Madrid.

Just shows that anything can happen in football. It's a massive game for these two and their performances could be the making or breaking of us in this tie. I know that Kabak has played Internationals but UCL is another step up again. Hopefully they shower themselves in glory.

I think many are underestimating RM. I know they have lost a lot of quality players and have a couple of injuries to big players, but they are still a very good side who must be respected immensely. Like it or not, this is a Champions League quarter final and it's the best 8 teams in Europe left pretty much. Even Porto knocked Juventus out and will be no pushover for the Plastics.

I think Jurgen will go with our standard team for the big games. Thiago takes Hendo's spot and obviously the back five picks itself. Gini and Fabs in midfield as well. That means that Bobby probably starts with Jota to come on after 60-65 minutes. The only deviation to that is that Jurgen thinks Bobby may be tired after Sunday's game (after recovering from injury only last week) and needs more recovery time.

Whatever happens, I have a feeling this tie will not be dull.

[Bobinhood]

Think we’re the better team but Benzema vs. Kabak/Nat is a worry.  Hope they prove me wrong as I think it will decide the tie.

Well hes great technically if he can get the half yard and hes smart and experienced but i think they match up fine. Better than some speed merchant with the same footwork. Also hes hopefully never gonna get or get to the ball anyway.

[kj999]

Why bother qualifying for next years if we might not win it then either?
Ridiculous comment if you ask me.

We definitely have a chance of winning it!

Agreed. Classic "Arsenal under Wenger" mindset. Obsessed with qualifying for the CL whilst never coming close to winning it.

[jckliew]

60 minutes we play it 'safe' with Thiago, Gini and Fab with Mane, Bob and Mo.

Then, we release Jota for Mane to nick the away goal for a win.

[lovestospooge]

predicting jurgen will do something slightly mad but more likely genius

4231
Ali
Trent Nat Kabak Robbo
Fabinho Thiago
Salah Bobby Mane
Jota

[Nick110581]

Jota did the presser. Reckon he starts.

[daveonthespionkop1900]

i really miss CL games being on ITV.. last stream i used killed my laptop. come on you reds

[Larse]

Think Klopp will go with the 4-2-3-1, Thiago-Fabinho double pivot and Firmino as a 10.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

Gini definitely comes in for me, so I think it will come down to Bobby or Jota missing out here unless he doesn’t play Thiago but that seems mad.

I don’t think the front three looked good until Jota came on v Arsenal, or least as good. Not sure if it was the instant goal that took the pressure off but they seemed to relax and settle into the game more at that stage.

It’s a huge game, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Milner for Gini and the front three going again with Jota to come off the bench. But can he drop Jota? I came into this post expecting Firmino to play but think I’ve talked myself out of it. Nice problem to have for the manager!

Glad Hazard hasn’t made this leg - he loves a show against us. Think this will be very difficult - they have pedigree in this tournament - more than us, and have players there who have won FOUR of these trophies. They shouldn’t be underestimated, nor should their manager. They don’t have Ronaldo but he wasn’t winning those on his own.

Confident the boys can go there and get a result to take back to Anfield that will give us something to play for.

[Jwils21]

Think we’ll see


——————Mignolet —————
Manquillo - Skrtel - Kolo - Moreno
—— Can —— Lucas —— Allen —
—  Markovic — Borini — Lallana

[red1977]

I said the performance against Arsenal was important leading up to this. Hopefully that performance has set the tone and the players have taken confidence from it and can repeat it. A draw would be a good result, however with home fans not in Anfield for the 2nd leg home advantage is less integral. Think we will do fine tonight.

[slaphead]

Cannot wait for this game now. As heavy weight of a European match as you'll see. On Saturday for the first time in god knows how long you looked at our bench and seen real quality and touch wood we came through with everyone ready again. Couple of touch choices to make for the boss but the one with absolutely no doubt on Fabinho. He runs games. Class act. It's a shame Ramos isn't playing the wanker. Lets go reds

[[new username under construction]]

i really miss CL games being on ITV.. last stream i used killed my laptop. come on you reds

Just switch BT on for 1 month then cancel

[wampa1]

i really miss CL games being on ITV.

Chatting with a mate about this last night. I'd watch all those CL games on ITV. Didn't matter who was playing, it was European Cup football and that was enough. I'd get to know players and catch up on European leagues, form, and gossip. Now everything is behind a paywall and I've lost all interest in all that beyond Liverpool.

[Hendollama]

Hope they’ve reinforced it.

[number 168]

Think we’ll see


——————Mignolet —————
Manquillo - Skrtel - Kolo - Moreno
—— Can —— Lucas —— Allen —
—  Markovic — Borini — Lallana

Lucas was magnificent that night. Showed Rodgers what being a Liverpool player is all about.

[Jwils21]

Lucas was magnificent that night. Showed Rodgers what being a Liverpool player is all about.

With that lineup I remember fearing the worst, but on the night it was far from our worst showing. Arguably better than the home fixture where we had Henderson, Gerrard, Coutinho & Sterling playing.

[Crosby Nick]

With that lineup I remember fearing the worst, but on the night it was far from our worst showing. Arguably better than the home fixture where we had Henderson, Gerrard, Coutinho & Sterling playing.

Yeah we actually played ok and had a couple of half decent chances to equalise I think. Not sure how much of that to Real probably just doing enough and feeling like they had the game under control.

[OOS]

Quietly confident. Just get the job done.

[slaphead]

Glamour tie, ugly win. Straight in, no kissing. Get it in get it out get it home get it washed. Job done.

[Raid]

Must be part of Klopp that's tempted to go with Firmino in the 10 behind Jota, Mane, and Salah. Thiago and Fabinho are best suited to being the 2. But struggle to see Klopp not going with Gini and Firmino in a big away game like this but leaving Jota out also seems impossible. At least we have some positive selection headaches for once!

I think we'll revert to type here and bring Gini in, but you can't make a case for leaving Jota out in his current form. If we do bring Gini in, Mane should probably sit out, and he can probably have no complaints if so.

[Studgotelli]

Isn’t their left back right footed? That nullifies Salah imo so we may move Salah upfront, Firmino behind and Jota/Mane on the wings. Firmino to press their DMs like a dog.

[The Test]

I think we'll revert to type here and bring Gini in, but you can't make a case for leaving Jota out in his current form. If we do bring Gini in, Mane should probably sit out, and he can probably have no complaints if so.

Sort of agree but we also have to remember Mané and Salah with protection from refs are different animals. Then again Mané off the bench is a terrifying prospect for any defence.

I think we can bully them out of the game if we press with the correct intensity. As above will be dependent on the refs assessing correctly what is and is not a foul as they'll be dropping like flies at the slightest touch.

[redwillow]

I think all 4 attackers start, question is who plays as the two midfielders. Got a feeling it could be Gini & Fabinho

[jepovic]

Real away in CL is always a tough match, so defense and experience will be priority.
I think we'll start with Firmino, Gini and Mane. Jota will come in as sub

Wouldn't be surprised to see a cautious game. Both teams that have been struggling a bit, and there's a lot of respect for each others' attacks.

[DelTrotter]

Expecting us to be pretty comfortable over 2 legs, just don't fall in to that dumb trap we did v Atletico and take a narrow loss with no away goal please.

[Sharado]

A decent result tonight and suddenly this absolute mess of a season has the potential to have an extrao7dinary ending. Into these reds.

[Yorkykopite]

A month ago we would have had no chance. But now the tide is with us.

Last time we played them we couldn't get near Modric and Kroos. Three years on, I'm hoping that some of the vim has gone out their play. But even if it hasn't they will face a far superior Liverpool midfield than they did in Kiev. With Fabinho anchoring and Gini and Thiago playing at pace and energy levels Real are not used to in La Liga this could be a very different story.

The loss of Ramos and Carvajal is quite a blow for them, especially Ramos who is one of those players who fortifies everyone else's character in the team - like Gerrard used to do for us. They don't have a great record in big matches when he's missing. And Liverpool are the biggest club they have faced since Kiev.

We need at least one goal tonight. But three would do very nicely. Is it possible? Again, a month ago the answer would have been 'no chance'. Tonight, why not? The Liverpool team picks itself by the away. The brilliant Jota will see action after the 65th minute.

Allez les Rouges.

[kesey]

Kin ' ell.

I haven't been this excited for a game since Atleti at home.

[Jookie]

This feels like the biggest game we've played in a while. Maybe since the Atletico Madrid game last season or the home league game against City last season.

Think we'll go tried and trusted where possible. Wijnaldum in midfield with Thiago and Fabinho. Firmino, Mane and Salah up front. Jota on the bench to be added later in the 2nd half as the game hopefully opens up a bit.

[smutchin]

Suspect Klopp will go with.....

                    Freddie

Trent      Ozan   Bolton-Baresi     Robbo

                      Fab

           Thiago        Wijnaldum

Mo                Bobby          Sadio


Don't think he'll start with Diogo, suspect he'll come on circa 65 mins

Yep, sounds about right to me. I think the team pretty much picks itself for this one. I get the argument that there's a risk putting Philips up against Benzema, but I think the last few games have shown how much more we gain from having Fabinho back in midfield - not least to mitigate the risk of the back line being exposed.

Diogo is on fire at the moment, no question about that, but the front three is the front three. If you are going to drop one of them to bring him in, there's probably as much of an argument for dropping Sadio as Bobby. And I doubt we'll start with all four.

I can't see Naby getting a look in, except perhaps as a late sub for some minutes, depending on how the game is progressing.

Don't know about anyone else, but I'm not feeling at all nervous about this one. Real Madrid will never be pushovers but it feels like the tide is starting to turn for us, and we'll be good enough to overcome them over two legs.