Match Day Thread Liverpool v Chelsea

Just off pre season, Id play VVD and Konate. i was really impressed by his passing from the back especially on the deck. Those passes that by pass midfield will be key if Chelsea over commit. He is rapid and with Virgil guiding him through the game, he should be fine.

The 343 is easily exposed by diagonals so I see a situation where Jota will sit this one out and Firmino coming in as well as Thiago for Keita. Our most important weapon though is the return of Fabinho to cut out supply to Lukaku. More worried about Havertz though.

 

If he's not fit, he shouldn't have even been on the bench versus Burnley

 

if he was considered fully match fit he would have started . Do expect him to start this one due to experience and familiarity but it was nice to see we do have a capable reserve and hopefully Tsimikas will be utilised this season to ensure Robbo isn't flogged into the ground again .

 

A player can be on the bench in order to get a few minutes on the pitch and ease him back into match-fitness without being fit enough to start.

 

So far we have seen images of robertson running on his own and shot of him in team training of some form.

We cannot know where.match fit means but to be in the bench would suggest fairly ready.

Now if tsimikas broke his leg after 30seconds we cannot know if klopp would call over gomez or robbo as the event thankfully didnt occur, however he has to be close and gets 7 days closer now.

I am assuming he is really ready. He was ready in preseason, he was back training after a week so fitness is no issue

 

He was fit enough to be in the bench and now he's had another seven days too. He wasn't out that long so his fitness levels won't be too affected anyway.

Plus, it would have been very harsh on Tsimikas and it was only Burnley

 

This man is the referee. Antony Taylor by name !.

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Lawro has gone for a draw.
Liverpool v Chelsea (17:30 BST)
Both of these teams have not been tested in their first two games but we are all looking at one battle in this contest - Virgil van Dijk up against Romelu Lukaku. That is going to be a really interesting one between two top-class players.

It all depends on what service Lukaku gets; the best players in the world cannot play well without decent service and Liverpool will be working on trying to stop that. It will be difficult for the Belgium forward, but there is no doubt he is a first-class signing.

He is really suited to the Premier League and a Chelsea team that have a good chance of winning the title will be set up around him.

This will be a very tight game and Chelsea are strong defensively too, but the Blues will take a draw now. We won't get open football because you don't want to give anything away. It is still early in the season but if Chelsea win at Anfield, it is a massive statement.

Lawro's prediction: 1-1

Tom's prediction: I'm hoping for a Liverpool win but I actually think we will see a high-scoring draw. 2-2

 

Lawro often favours the draw in these big games................3-1 Liverpool

 

Quite a few key battles in this game. Hugely tactical.

Rightly or wrongly, it’s not Lukaku I fear, as VvD and Matip will compete well against him.

I’m more concerned about Jorginho pulling the strings from deep when we lose possession and releasing Werner, who will surely beat our high line, into the space that TAA will leave, at least once. We need pace at the back and Jorginho needs to be given absolutely no time on the ball. It will be a real test.

I know it’s a cliche, but we really do need need an early goal so that they change their approach or I fear they will nick a couple…

Klopp normally gets these big games right….let’s hope that continues

 

In the big games trent rarely leaves massive space behind. I am sure we will be all over jorginho as not only is he a good passer but he is also a flake under pressure.

Kante you can let run all over. The more the better in fact.

Werner. Meh he might get a run but he is as likely to make a terrible miss as get it on target.

 

And I thought that I was being flippant about Lukaku

 

its the truth. His record in his chelsea career has been absolutely shocking litany of misses

 

oh, I agree with you about Werner, although he is due a goal….I was referring to your comments about their central midfield.

 

look, is kante the most skillfull and incisive player in the world? No IMO. he's got a couple goals running about the place but you want him bossing our guys and making interceptions not chasing about higher up. His worst seasons for cheslea were when they refused to play him in his best role and pushed him higher up as a no 8. I'd love to see him in fabinhos pocket rather than making life hell for firmino.

Jorginho is a flake. If we pressurize him he won't be the guy dancing past our guys and opening the pitch up. He is a continuity player. If we out man them in the middle thats were we will do well. Its the same as toni kroos last season, i think we fans knew precisely what not to do but the team did it anyway. sate right off and never pressed him. Give jorginho, kroos or indeed thaigo time on the ball and they will hurt you.

Its a 343 formation with a strong emphasis on sound defense. we can nullify that midfield and I honestly expect trent to not go forward that much at all. I expect him to be pinging it at salah down the line actually.

 

Arsenal got in behind their defence a couple of times. I think we can definitely exploit the space behind the wing backs.

 

which is exactly what i said.

Pumping balls long. VVD and trent will be pinging at salah, maybe the right side CM. (maybe)

Both sides will cancel each other out if a high intensity game off the ball but little time to do fancy stuff on the ball.

We certainly wont be stood in their half pressing high up leaving half the pitch for werner to run in.

I'd take a 0-0 at HT. Tuchel is a one trick pony, he will naturally think defensively and won't be able to influence the game as much from the sideline as he can from the dressing room. literally last year he could have beaten our lot by 5 or 6 but he was so focused at hoofing it over the top at werner they won 1-0 and wasted most of the game.

 

If he thinks that defensively, which is a real possibility, then they will repeat this tactic…with them breaking at speed on us. It’s going to be an interesting game.

 

look at how they treated city. In all 3 games last season he ended up with against them (Fa cup, league and CL final) they did a similar thing. defended a certain way and made sure city wouldn't score first. I think they will see us in a similar way. Stop us scoring first, stop us winning ball high up and then maybe score one with the tactic to go long at the two guys.

It for sure will be interesting but IMO it will be a tactical game, dominated by defenses.

 

A goal in the first 5 minutes, hopefully by us, will make this an epic game. Hopefully the crowd will scare Werner and Lucky will revert to not being able to trap a bag of cement.