Topic: Leeds v Liverpool, 17 April 2023: Match Preview

[Barneylfc∗]

We're going to win today and we're going to get top 4.

Tonight is the night, when two becomes one.

Calm down there Baby Spice. One game at a time.

[Dougle]

Here's my positive prediction. We'll score a few tonight. It's gonna be fun to watch. There you go.

[skipper757]

I mean currently in the bottom half. 

11.  Chelsea:  0-0
12.  Palace:  0-0
13.  Wolves:  3-0
14.  Bournemouth:  1-0
17.  Everton:  0-0
18.  Forest:  1-0

That's 6 aways against sides currently in the bottom half:  3 draws, 3 defeats, 0 scored, 5 conceded

Not good to say the least.

We're going to win today and we're going to get top 4.

Tonight is the night, when two becomes one.

Really need to get going now.  Sides ahead of us will have their own challenges.  Might as well start winning and see where it gets us.

[Barrow Shaun]

Brilliant OP mate.

That 5-4 sticks in the mind, mostly because of them all (the Leeds fans) breaking into applause when we made it 4-0. And God Bless John Barnes.

[marios_moustache]

Just dont know what to expect from us.......

Their crowd will be up for it early on and let's not do anything daft to encourage them.

Remember they got spanked by Palace at home last week, so surely we can get them.

But this season you just never know with us!!!

[Oh Jimmy Jimmy]

would love to see us build on that 2nd half against Arsenal when Trent "dominated" from midfield (Jurgen's words).  Given their best player, Gnonto, tends to play from the left, let's not burden Trent with right back duties as well...just play Gomez there.

Could be a strange game where the season starts here, or could end here!

[Schmidt]

Hope we change things up a little as we've been dire away from home. I'd love to see both Jones and Thiago starting but I'm not sure it'll happen since both lean towards the same side of the pitch, and I think Bobby should be starting as he doesn't tend to shy away from things away from home, possibly Nunez too who I think could benefit from having Bobby close by.

[Fromola]

Here's my positive prediction. We'll score a few tonight. It's gonna be fun to watch. There you go.

If we can't turn these and Forest over we can forget about Europe. We need two good wins this week to set up a good finish to the season. Thiago and Diaz back should hopefully be a boost.

These will be shaky after the 5-1 last time out so we need a strong start.

[Bend It Like Aurelio]

I just hope we aren’t tentative when the match starts with them, really have to set the rhythm and go for the jugular right away. Think with Leeds is that they cannot be allowed to gain confidence in moving the ball or be given time to get a measure of our abilities of the day. Smother them in the first 45, the rest will come.

But if we are lacking on the confidence, and lack aggression, it will be over for us. Leeds will start rolling through our lines.

[RedBec1993]

Same team as last week.

Would have started Nunez against these to be honest.

[duvva 💅]

Same team as last week.

Would have started Nunez against these to be honest.

Confirmed? Diaz on the bench?

[DelTrotter]

Thiago and Darwin on the bench defo makes things much harder.

Good to see Curtis finally getting a few games though.

[RedBec1993]

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Jones, Salah, Gakpo, Jota

Diaz and Darwin on the bench.

[Caston]

Jones Porto performance incoming.

[Chakan]

I don't understand what we're doing with Nunez. Does he still have the cut on his foot or something?

[RedBec1993]

Thiago and Darwin on the bench defo makes things much harder.

Good to see Curtis finally getting a few games though.

Yep he done well last week, only right he gets rewarded.

[RedBec1993]

I don't understand what we're doing with Nunez. Does he still have the cut on his foot or something?

They said it was a really bad deep cut, stitches etc. So possibly.

[Knight]

I don't understand what we're doing with Nunez. Does he still have the cut on his foot or something?

The club doesn't understand what it's doing with Nunez either.

[Phineus]

I don't understand what we're doing with Nunez. Does he still have the cut on his foot or something?

Really odd/frustrating.

[Nick110581]

Nunez was brilliant before WC and just not been given consistent run since.

[disgraced cake]

Jota getting in ahead of Nunez at the minute isn't exciting me. Just don't fancy him for a goal at all and asides from that what's he offering right now?

Strange one for me, great to see Diaz on the bench, though.

[classycarra]

Thing with Nunez is the stink of his lazy lack of effort against City might take a while to wash off for the manager to feel he can trust him to start. Not to mention he hasn't exactly forced the issue by performing great in his sub minutes

Jota getting in ahead of Nunez at the minute isn't exciting me. Just don't fancy him for a goal at all and asides from that what's he offering right now?

Was our main threat in transition against City and set up the first goal against Arsenal.

[number 168]

Yep he done well last week, only right he gets rewarded.

I suppose it all depends on how you define 'did well' as I can't recall anything particulary worthy of note. I hope the lad has a good game but his contributions tend to be marginal.

[Jookie]

I don't understand what we're doing with Nunez. Does he still have the cut on his foot or something?

Could be carrying a knock.

Equally there was a report in the papers this week about Liverpool in general, where it mentioned that Nunez has struggled with the pressing aspects of the No9 role. Additionally Klopp has praised Gakpo’s defensive contributions in that role.

I think when you’ve  lost 8 out of 15 away league games and conceded 24 in the process (more than Southampton have away from home) then having a No9 who wants to play on the shoulder of the last defender but can’t press effectively isn’t potentially a primary concern. Think the aim might be to exploit Leeds on the break with Nunez’s pace as the game becomes stretched.

[RedBec1993]

Thing with Nunez is the stink of his lazy lack of effort against City might take a while to wash off for the manager to feel he can trust him to start. Not to mention he hasn't exactly forced the issue by performing great in his sub minutes

Bizarre take. I mean he came on with under 20 mins to go and we were 3-1 down. Hope the other players bar Konate and Alisson receive the same treatment but can’t see it being that anyway .

[Samie]

[4pool]

Great bench.

Let's do these.

[Samie]

[Nick110581]

Jones os a better player than Elliott so nice to see him in.

[RedBec1993]

Nunez, Diaz, Thiago, Firmino…. That’s some bench. First time this season it’s been strong.

[[new username under construction]]

To be fair there is the possibility that once Jota starts scoring he might go on a mad run and score in every game from now until the end of the season

[OOS]

That team is proper shite!

[classycarra]

Bizarre take. I mean he came on with under 20 mins to go and we were 3-1 down. Hope the other players bar Konate and Alisson receive the same treatment but can’t see it being that anyway .

Bizarre is it? Want to watch it back? Nunez was visibly trying less hard than everyone else (not just the two you mention). Only broke into a jog about three times.

Not working very hard is never a surefire way to convince a manager to promote you to a starting position from the bench. Milner did more to press and block passing lanes from the number 9 and wide areas Nunez played in, and he was playing deep in midfield.

Just trying to guess why he remains on the bench. Hopefully he earns his spot back on merit very soon

Nunez, Diaz, Thiago, Firmino…. That’s some bench. First time this season it’s been strong.

Was just about to say exactly the same. Add Elliot too. Tsimikas may come off it too, given Robertson's really poor run of form

[Nick110581]

Bizarre is it? Want to watch it back? Nunez was visibly trying less hard than everyone else (not just the two you mention). Only broke into a jog about three times.

Not working very hard is never a surefire way to convince a manager to promote you to a starting position from the bench. Milner did more to press and block passing lanes from the number 9 and wide areas Nunez played in, and he was playing deep in midfield.

Just trying to guess why he remains on the bench. Hopefully he earns his spot back on merit very soon
Was just about to say exactly the same. Add Elliot too. Tsimikas may come off it too, given Robertson's really poor run of form

I went to the Brighton cup match and he came on and literally didn’t move. Was concerning.

[SamLad]

That team is proper shite!

Gnonto on the bench - fine with me.

[Cruiser]

Bench looking really good.

[bird_lfc]

Good team, good bench. Expecting a decent performance tonight. Hopefully coming from 2 goals down against Arsenal will give us a lift.

[newterp]

Love this pic - they couldn't find any other picture?

Nah - let's use one where he doesn't look like he knows he's being snapped and doesn't look like he cares.

[JackWard33]

Could be carrying a knock.

Equally there was a report in the papers this week about Liverpool in general, where it mentioned that Nunez has struggled with the pressing aspects of the No9 role. Additionally Klopp has praised Gakpo’s defensive contributions in that role

Hello darkness my old friend

[Paul_h]

we need revenge for what happened at Anfield!
good to see jones start, and (whisper it) Hendo getting back to his best
Diaz to boost the front three even when not playing..

Gakpo gonna score I think..

Lets win all the remaining games. Then see we where we end up!