please log in to view this image Sunday 31st March 4.30pm Premier League Anfield An international break and a stadium unveiling make our last league fixture seem an age ago. We still have the other test event to go, but then we're back to the business end of the season. A tricky trip to a stadium where we have an appalling record is not appealing at the best of times. With top our top four place on the line and our hosts pushing for the title, it's even less so. Can we recover our form and create a shock or will the Scouse continue to push City to the wire? Liverpool have had a very impressive season so far, bolstered by a couple of important signings. Alisson replaced the hapless Karius, while Can's departure was covered by Keita and Fabinho. Shaqiri also added depth and trickery to their attacking options. Nobody of any real significance was lost either, which maintained their stability. Their league form has been virtually unblemished, as they've won 23 out of 31 games. 7 draws have kept them from leaving the only team to beat them behind, as City have lost 4 matches. Slip ups in the cups haven't derailed their momentum, either. They've lost 5 out of 10 there, falling at the first hurdle in each domestic cup. Does this indicate a depth issue or just remove some distractions? Time will tell, I guess. The meeting at Wembley earlier in the campaign was one of our poorer home performances. We struggled to create notable chances, despite dominating possession and looked ragged at times. Goals from Wijnaldum and Firmino either side of the break won them the match, but a late push made it tight. Despite looking out of it until injury time, Lamela pulled one back and Son was brought down twice in the box. Our blank of spot kicks at the ground was to continue though, as we left empty handed: The match at Anfield last season saw controversy and some fabulous goals in a roller coaster tie. An early goal from Salah appeared to have made the difference, until some very late drama blew it wide open. A thunderbolt from Victor Wanyama leveled things up with ten minutes to go, but there was plenty left. Kane won and missed a penalty, Salah restored Liverpool's lead and then van Dijk brought down Lamela. There was no second miss, as Kane scored from the spot to earn a draw and a lot of inaccurate whining: No injury news yet from either club. No suspensions, barring Pochettino's sideline ban. Lineups for each side's last league game: Spurs: Lloris; Walker-Peters, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Rose; Dier, Sissoko, Eriksen, Alli; Kane, Moura. Subs: Gazzaniga, Foyth, Davies, Wanyama, Lamela, Son, Llorente. League form: WWLLDL. Liverpool: Alison; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Lallana; Salah, Firmino, Mane. Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Moreno, Milner, Shaqiri, Sturridge, Origi. League form: WDWDWW. Referee: Martin Atkinson. TV: Sky Sports. How should we approach this one, given our poor form and long gap between games? Would you try to take the game to Liverpool or defend and hit them on the break? Three or four at the back and one or two up top? Who shouldn't start and who makes the bench?
For the first time in a LONG time, we actually have the joint shortest injury list in the PL (2, with Leicester). Winks is supposedly fit to start which leaves Aurier and Dier out. Take the game to Pool and they'll pick us off. Our defense circa this season simply isn't good enough to cope with their front 3, and that's without all the theatrics and offsides taken into account. We need to approach this game with caution, which means for the love of heaven and earth if our goalkeeper and fullbacks could resolve amongst themselves NOT to concede a stupid early goal in a big game, that would be much appreciated. Pool don't like it when teams sit back and absorb pressure - it's the only time you really notice a Coutinho-sized hole in the team. Firstly, it threatens the Narrative, and secondly, it just isn't fair. So that is exactly what I think we should do. Throw Trippier in at the deep end to see if he meant what he said before playing 0 minutes for England, play Davies on the other side and instruct them both to only venture past the halfway line if/when we're 4 goals up. If not, stay ****ing put in a flat 4 and let Sissoko and Winks do all the running around. Hugo Trippier Toby Jan Davies GOAT Winks Eriksen Alli Son Kane Subs: Gazza, Dave, Rose, KWP (in case Trippier plays like I expect him to), Lamela, Wanyama, Llorente.
Add to that we need to press the living hell out of their midfield, because their midfield only appears creative when teams are focused on Salah and Mane - but when you don't give an inch to Henderson et al they get revealed as the water carriers they are
Both teams really need to win this, but they are at home (so will feel the deluded Mouser pressure much more) . I would set the team as we did in the 2017-18 CL home tie for Dortmund (their pressing game was nullified into loadsa possession but not where it mattered) .
Hugo Tripps, Toby, Jan, Davies Sissoko, Alli Lucas, Eriksen, Son Kane Alli played CM when we done them 4-1 at Wembley last season, put in a great performance as well, scoring whilst performing a disgusting nutmeg on Emre Can. A repeat of that but at Anfield would be very nice.
Gooner insecurities raise their ugly head again ...what? They're not a Gooner? Well why are they sounding like they support a bunch of red-clad Johnny-come-latelys who think the world owes them something in spite of their ignorance of what the offside rule is?
So our player who went on international duty gets injured and 'Pool's players who pulled out of the internationals due to injury are back! What a surprise!!
City go back on top...pressure on Pool to win. Remember the teams that were turning up to party poop on our dreams when we were chasing Lesta? We need to be like them teams tomorrow...determined to break hearts. Our approach will be the determining factor...the longer it goes on the tenser Pool seem to get and the crowd has been nervous last few weeks. They’re midfield trio aren’t all that but our midfield is worse...that’s my concern.
Such a long time since our last league game but I expect a big clue on how we perform in the first 20 minutes of tomorrows game. Come out guns blazing and we have a chance, look tentative and it will be very very difficult. Put caution in the bin where it belongs, the game is about............... you know the rest.
Danny Mills? Is he related to Mrs' Mills, Freddie Mills, & Bertram Mills. because he has little talent of his own to explain his presence as a pundit. I could see him with the massive feet and huge revolving bow tie. please log in to view this image
That is "small club" mentality. Spurs need the 3 pts. That is all there is to it. Squad and manager better know it too.
