Match Day Thread Liverpool v Manchester City

if city is his big audition then he will give his all. if he's already got a city deal in back pocket he will be a liability

 

?? if we win 6-0 at home in qf of cl I would jizz myself to death so would be incapable of worrying about second leg.

 

The smaller car park opposite the main one on Stanley Park was shut on Sat for the Everton game
Has this been open for Liverpool games?

 

Because Liverpool is a bigger fish.

 

Massive, massive ****ing game................

 

It’s owned by the RS and only opens for their games, not sure if it’s pass only though

 

hope we give TAA some help if he plays at RB though i wouldn't be that surprised to see Milner there if it wasn't for the paucity of fit MF's.

 

So tactics then, we all know that both teams will attack and we know that at Anfield at least we will press hard and look to stop them controlling the game. Will Pep go long and avoid the press? This could work especially if they can target TAA but that's only one option so would be a bit risky, going long down the middle doesn't work as they don't have a big man and we have VVD.

I think it'll be a battle against our press and their ability on the ball we are going to have to concentrate to the very end and keep working hard.

 

Manchester city likes to cross the ball from wide areas, we need to prevent their crosses as much as possible.

 

I think it will be a battle for possession. I doubt pep will go long. He doesn't have the players for it. HE can try play passes wide diagonally to stretch us but is that the same thing as long.

He's got a lesson from 5 minutes of madness in the league game where his side imploded under the press. Its not about long so much as not making errors

I think city will back themselves to pass their way out of our press. Once the ball gets to midfield we have to back off and then they come into their own.

Team shape and who makes errors of positioning will decide this IMO

We can absolutely destroy them in terms of intensity for an hour but that doesn't mean goals if they don't cough up errors.


our issues:

1. balls into aguero, loves to get behind a cb and exploit. destroyed klavan doing this. VVD needs to mind his position. We also need a CM to step into CB slot EVERY time one goes forward carrying ball.

2. Balls wide to sane/sterling. I think city will look to exploit our full backs pushing on. We would be wide to hold one full back and send one one. Not sure tta has this in him. Again mane and salah tracking is vital.

3. marking silva and debruyne... next to impossible to man mark both.


their issues:

1. LB slot.

2. LCB with salah running. Otamendi couldn't cope. Komany might be in. that will be interesting also



I think we can hurt them in the RW channel... i really do but to do so we need to lock it down on the other side. I could see mane sitting deeper and robertson held slightly to acheive this.

If I were klopp I would be looking at the LB/LCB channel and looking to press high and fast and then drop off. Striking this balance will be tough.

 

A lot comes from Kev pressing him and stopping his influence on the game will be important.

 

All this close analysis is lovely, but I reckon both sides will just go gung-ho - slug it out and see who comes out on top.

 

Probabaly right there, it's an interesting tactical battle but there's a quote that I don't quite remember but it's along these lines.

Any battle plan becomes null and void once troops are under fire.

 

I think city will try and go long to beat the press, and our right side will definitely be targeted.

Also i wouldnt be surprised if they stick Laporte at full back against Salah. That should be an interesting battle, but it would mean that we can afford to give TAA protection if he plays.

 

did it at weekend.

all ready to go.

but i still can't see guardiola pumping long balls here.

They only need beat one initial press into midfield then dominate possession.

I simply cannot see them playing long. Spreading it wide yes. long and "vertical" no.

 

Joel Matip is likely to require an operation on a thigh injury, Liverpool can confirm. (@lfc)

Season over for Matip

 

Sell, Sell, Sell before expiry date.

 

Just read this and with Gomez out as well we're looking short at the back. I suppose we just need to deal with it.

 

We will certainly need to concentrate on that right hand side, it's not only Sane who's a threat there Silva does most of his work there.

 

Where do we get at City? Stretch them with Mane and Salah and get at the full backs. Walker has improved from his Spurs days but he'll struggle against the quick feet still as he's a big lad. Bobby will have to put a shift in but that's standard.