Fourth - who are we going to beat to it?

[Pirate55]

Liverpool tend to bypass the midfield when they're on song - it's the balls into the channels that are dangerous. I'd be tempted to play Vertonghen left back (even though that means Dawson in the middle against Suarez) and tie a 40yd rope between Walker and our right post.

That has to rank with the worst suggestion I have heard on here.

1. Play our best centre back in a position he dislikes particularly against a fast tricky winger like Sterling

2. Play our slowest centre back against one of the worlds in- form forwards, who would completely skin him on the ground

3. Stop Walker going forward and therby neuter his best attribute.

Wow - am I glad you aren't our manager. Presumably the team talk would be" don't worry lads it's time it all regresses to mean.".

 

[Cochise]

Gerrard is indeed the man to rattle. They play with three at the back and always have two from a possible 4/5 dropping into the centre to collect passes off the centre backs (usually Henderson or Coutinho). They usually can then turn and run or pass forward, but always the receiving player is moving back towards their goal whilst other run into the space. Often it seems some magic is required from Suarez or Coutinho to commit a couple of players and then the attack is really on

Personally I'd drop the high line for this game and play like Jose did vs City, with that block of four in the midlde. Liverpool prefer to play through the middle and channels so if we restrict the space there and force them wide we can theoretically stymy some of their best attacking options. I honestly think we would do better working off the counter, getting Paulinho and Ade buzzing around that back 3 and forcing them to play fullback to fullback, really stop Gerrard from finding his range and making it hard for them to drop those little balls into the middle. If they go long though (as they did for the first goal at WHL), we must win the second ball. It's no use Kaboul or Verts winning the header only for Coutinho to receive it in space and play that killer pass.

 

[metalgear]

^ yeah this it for me. Our setup with Saudi Sportswashing Machine would be fine, just more control to frustrate the reds. we have to be careful not to give suarez too much room - he'll easily make a meal of the opportunities when they come. Rose needs to be careful too, I get the sense he's been targetted as the weak link across our back four. "soak and strike" if we can manage it.

 

[Rossi22]

That has to rank with the worst suggestion I have heard on here.

1. Play our best centre back in a position he dislikes particularly against a fast tricky winger like Sterling

2. Play our slowest centre back against one of the worlds in- form forwards, who would completely skin him on the ground

3. Stop Walker going forward and therby neuter his best attribute.

Wow - am I glad you aren't our manager. Presumably the team talk would be" don't worry lads it's time it all regresses to mean.".

Agreed. It should be Vertonghen and Kaboul/Vlad, or maybe even all three. Dawson has his uses against the more direct sides but when playing against the little tricky ones like Suarez and Aguero he should be nowhere near the field.

 

[scaramanga]

That has to rank with the worst suggestion I have heard on here.

1. Play our best centre back in a position he dislikes particularly against a fast tricky winger like Sterling

2. Play our slowest centre back against one of the worlds in- form forwards, who would completely skin him on the ground

3. Stop Walker going forward and therby neuter his best attribute.

Wow - am I glad you aren't our manager. Presumably the team talk would be" don't worry lads it's time it all regresses to mean.".

In your formation who will defend against Suarez/Sturridge running into the channels?

Walker won't be there and Rose/Naughton? That's just scary.

 

[Pirate55]

In your formation who will defend against Suarez/Sturridge running into the channels?

Walker won't be there and Rose/Naughton? That's just scary.

Why won't Walker be there? If he goes forward, Lennon or Capoue will cover. I would play five across midfield to choke off the supply. Rose had the pace to deal with Sterling. Not ideal I agree and would have liked a new left back in the window. But infinitely better than Verts out on the left.

Verts and Kaboul/Chiriches must play in the centre to thwart Suarez and Sturridge. Daws can't cope with their trickery IMO.

 

[scaramanga]

Why won't Walker be there? If he goes forward, Lennon or Capoue will cover. I would play five across midfield to choke off the supply. Rose had the pace to deal with Sterling. Not ideal I agree and would have liked a new left back in the window. But infinitely better than Verts out on the left.

Verts and Kaboul/Chiriches must play in the centre to thwart Suarez and Sturridge. Daws can't cope with their trickery IMO.

Suarez and Sturridge both work the channels though, and Liverpool aren't afraid to lump the ball over the top to them. Who will stop them out wide?

 

[Pirate55]

Suarez and Sturridge both work the channels though, and Liverpool aren't afraid to lump the ball over the top to them. Who will stop them out wide?

Our full backs -- with cover provided by the CBs and the DM.

 

[Pirate55]

Gerrard is indeed the man to rattle. They play with three at the back and always have two from a possible 4/5 dropping into the centre to collect passes off the centre backs (usually Henderson or Coutinho). They usually can then turn and run or pass forward, but always the receiving player is moving back towards their goal whilst other run into the space. Often it seems some magic is required from Suarez or Coutinho to commit a couple of players and then the attack is really on

Personally I'd drop the high line for this game and play like Jose did vs City, with that block of four in the midlde. Liverpool prefer to play through the middle and channels so if we restrict the space there and force them wide we can theoretically stymy some of their best attacking options. I honestly think we would do better working off the counter, getting Paulinho and Ade buzzing around that back 3 and forcing them to play fullback to fullback, really stop Gerrard from finding his range and making it hard for them to drop those little balls into the middle. If they go long though (as they did for the first goal at WHL), we must win the second ball. It's no use Kaboul or Verts winning the header only for Coutinho to receive it in space and play that killer pass.

Agreed. Don't play the high line here. absolute suicide to let their forwards have any space. Restrict the space with two banks of four and spring the counter attack. Sorted.

 

[scaramanga]

Our full backs -- with cover provided by the CBs and the DM.

Our current full backs won't be there - they play well ahead of our centre two. So we could split the two, but that would need a DM very good at reading the game.

Sandro's not fit yet and I haven't seen anything from Capoue/Bentaleb/Dembele/Paulinho to suggest they'd be great at that yet.

 

[Pirate55]

Our current full backs won't be there - they play well ahead of our centre two. So we could split the two, but that would need a DM very good at reading the game.

Sandro's not fit yet and I haven't seen anything from Capoue/Bentaleb/Dembele/Paulinho to suggest they'd be great at that yet.

Agreed, but I still think that option is better than moving Verts out wide and playing Dawson in the centre, where he will be horribly exposed against Suarez.

 

[Armchair Expert]

Are we pretty confident of picking up three points against Norwich to stay in contention then? Norwich away looks like a difficult match to me...

At the risk of stating the obvious, the longer we hang in there the better. Chalk 'em off one by one.

 

[diego_maradona]

Yea let's focus on Norwich first. We know there's no easy games in this league and they've generally always given us a tough game.

 

[Rossi22]

I just hope the Europa doesn't mess with our top 4 chances. 120 minutes in Milan last year was followed by a loss at home to Fulham. Lennon and Bale get injured in game against Basel, we drop points at home to Everton. Replace either game with a win and we finish top 4 and maybe Bale is still here.

 

[paxtonwolf]

I just hope the Europa doesn't mess with our top 4 chances. 120 minutes in Milan last year was followed by a loss at home to Fulham. Lennon and Bale get injured in game against Basel, we drop points at home to Everton. Replace either game with a win and we finish top 4 and maybe Bale is still here.

This was the killer blow. I've said it before, if we had played Fulham at home after the 1st leg, and Liverpool away after the the 2nd leg, I am convinced we would have finished 4th.
Although can you imagine the tension at WHL on that final day v Sunderland with it still 0-0 going into stoppage time, but the emotion when Bale got the winner (if it had panned out the same way in that game)

 

[Jurgen the German]

I just hope the Europa doesn't mess with our top 4 chances. 120 minutes in Milan last year was followed by a loss at home to Fulham. Lennon and Bale get injured in game against Basel, we drop points at home to Everton. Replace either game with a win and we finish top 4 and maybe Bale is still here.

I'm hoping Sherwood will rest a few for the Europa League, especially if we win the first leg comfortably.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

It feels like Liverpool are on a roll now. To say they always look like scoring, is an understatement. They now only have 1 game a week to focus on, so will be chomping on the bit every weekend (and that suits their game perfectly ie relentless) Suarez and/or Sturridge will need either suspension or injury to take them down a level.

I honestly think Arsenal are the ones to focus on. They have far more tough games on their schedule and look to be flaking apart a bit. Giroud is exhausted and Walcott out for the season, Ozil anonymous and not sure when Ramsay (big miss for them) will be back. They're still a good team but feel they are doing well because their confidence is high, if that can be chipped away things like their solid defence could start looking a bit sh*tty again.

 

[Luda2013]

For me it all hinges on us beating Liverpool at anfield. Do that we are in business otherwise we'd effectively be 9 points behind arsenal with 11 to play.

 

[Jordinho]

We have Norwich(A), Cardiff(H) and Chelsea(A) before the NLD. They have Sunderland(H), Stoke(A) and Swansea(H). If we go into that game 6 points behind we've probably done pretty well.

 

[metalgear]

For me it all hinges on us beating Liverpool at anfield. Do that we are in business otherwise we'd effectively be 9 points behind arsenal with 11 to play.

we need to make provisions for the expected odd loss to a relegation struggler at home.