Match Day Stoke v Liverpool, Saturday 8th April 15:00

[SALTIRE]

Match chat.

 

[SALTIRE]

Would've took a draw here had we beat Bournemouth, but despite the injury crisis, this is now a must win.

 

[G-Dragon]

Another points dropped here.

 

[SALTIRE]

Need to see who is going to be fit first before I do my prediction, but last night they played at January's level which is not a good sign.

 

[G-Dragon]

3 of our best players out for rest of the season is just unreal.

 

[Bilo]

I don't know, I think we'll win. If we win one, draw one for the rest of the season we'll make the top four I'm sure.

I'm thinking a lot about tactical flexibility though, now that all our good players are injured. That's one thing you have to give to Rodgers, he was very pragmatic and it helped him at times. Looking at our fit players and the fact that both Sturridge and Origi have had their best performances next to one another, a 4-4-2 diamond* makes all the sense in the world. It gets our best players on the pitch and we're already overloading the middle anyway so the fact that our wide threat will go out the window doesn't really hurt us too much.

It'll never happen though, we'll play a variation of 4-1-4-1 even if we have to play Milner up front. Our pressing, I suppose, is too complicated to do in any other formation; at least with only a few days of practice. But it's starting to look like a glaring weakness of ours, or perhaps Klopp. But just the fact that we're weak down the middle without Henderson, our three or four best attacking players who are fit all want to play through the middle, and we're not threatening down the flanks anyway would force many managers' hand. And I do believe it would give us a huge benefit; I mean just shifting Firmino to one flank is guaranteeing no goals will come from that flank, at least. It's an absurd trade-off, really.

* Mignolet; Clyne, Matip, Lovren, Milner; Can, Wijnaldum, Coutinho, Firmino; Origi, Sturridge.

 

[Pagnell]

Always a shit fixture no matter how bad Stoke are at the time and never one I'm confident in winning. I'm going for a tight win to us though. Just. We won't keep a clean sheet.

1-2

 

[Ablur]

Probably the weirdest line-up and formation I've seen in the last few years. We'll lose #noballs

 

[Bilo]

Allen off. He's come a long way since leaving us you have to say.

 

[Bilo]

Seen them given but not stonewall penalty shout for Liverpool, counter attack, 1-0 Stoke at halftime.

 

[Renegade]

Fair play Klopp, bringing on your two best players at half time. Might have been a good idea to start them.

 

[Pagnell]

A lesson in frustration watching Liverpool against lower half opposition. It seriously fucks me off. I'd actually sooner play top 6 opposition every week, how fucking stupid is that?

 

[Pagnell]

Saying that we score. Let's move on and win it now.

 

[Bilo]

That was coming you have to say.

 

[Pagnell]

Get in. Perhaps the players read my post. Somehow.

1-2

 

[Renegade]

And the two best players score. Novel!

Fantastic from Firmino.

 

[Bilo]

Klopp has murdered Hughes tactically so far in the second half. Going from 1-2 to 2-1 in the middle, with the added quality of Firmino and Coutinho, changed the game. The addition of Sturridge was good as well, showing again how useful his talents still are in a front two. With a quarter to go you'd want another though.

 

[Pagnell]

We just need to hold this lead now, or better still increase it. We're fucking hopeless and conceding in this position.

 

[Pagnell]

Absolutely vital win for our top 4 ambitions. We went from totally fucking hopeless in the first half to by far the better team in the second and deserved the 3 points overall.

You can sort of see Klopp's logic of not playing our two best (fit) players. We have serious injury issues and he didn't want to potentially make the issue worse. Nearly cost us here though, thankfully he rectified it rather than stubbornly staying with the wrong selection

 

[SALTIRE]

Didn't see the first half and thought Liverpool were slumbering at the start of the second, but as the game went on they got better and better, and what a goal from Firmino!

Massive win that.

 

[Pagnell]

You didn't want to see the first half. One of the worst 45 minutes for Liverpool I can recall, certainly recently. Most other top flight teams would have made us pay with more than a single goal lead going into the second half.

 

[SALTIRE]

Well I'd have took a draw at Stoke had we beat Bournemouth so 7 pts out of 9 this week with a decimated squad isn't bad at all. Let's hope some more players are available for next week's game now away at West Brom.

 

[Pagnell]

Just a shame about City winning. Also need Arsenal and United to both lose or draw one or more of their 3 games in hand for us to stay top 4 going into the final straight.

 

[SALTIRE]

Just a shame about City winning. Also need Arsenal and United to both lose or draw one or more of their 3 games in hand for us to stay top 4 going into the final straight.

They've both got tough fixtures remaining. We're 9 points ahead and even though they have the 3 games in hand, I'd rather have these points in the bag. West Brom next will be tough for us though tbf.

 

[G-Dragon]

Phew! What a game from Mignolet. Those saves would have been just unreal even for a world class keepers. More of those and we don't need to look for a new keeper in the summer.

 

[SALTIRE]

Phew! What a game from Mignolet. Those saves would have been just unreal even for a world class keepers. More of those and we don't need to look for a new keeper in the summer.

Agreed. If Mignolet continues like this and for what he's been like most of the season, then yep, we may not need a new keeper after all.

 

[Bilo]

Mignolet has always had it in him though, as a shot stopper he's up there with the best in the league. I just feel that we're never going to be solid in defense with him in net, and one game where he shows how amazing he can be at his best doesn't change it. I mean you only need to go back one game for a good reminder how his nervousness affects our build up play and general defensive organization.

But yes, yesterday he was fantastic. In a Simeone team, or even Mourinho, he could have been fantastic on a regular basis as well. But he's got a ceiling he'll never break so long we play a high line with mobile centre backs.

 

[SALTIRE]

He is overall becoming more confident and decisive which is what we've been crying out for him to be, and his punching has improved vastly as shown by Stoke trying the long balls all game and him coping easily with their brutes.

 

[G-Dragon]

WBA is the real test.

 

[johnnytodd]

WBA is the real test.

of who plays the most boring football?