This going to be a real toughie and I reckon 1-1.
Can I take that now. 2nd hardest away fixture left, could live with a draw
Whats the hardest then?
Liverpool are a club in dramatic decline. Much as we were under Sugar. Each year the brand of that once great club is a little more tarnished. Arsenal, Chelsea and Emirates Marketing Project have all overtaken them. And we are chasing them down.
Games like this are increasingly important to them as they desperately try and regain their status as an elite club. They have to win. If they don't, they slip to their normal upper-mid table position and the lie of "the greatest club side in World" is harder to maintain. Klopp will try and paper over the cracks. He will be charming but he is losing control. He is pulling the levers but nothing is happening. Their cult-like fans and media sycophants are frantically attacking anyone who questions the team, manager or club and they justify their aggressive and unreasonable behaviour because they are the "most knowledgeable fans in football". But the truth is they are bullying their own fans by throwing their 'bedwetting' accusations at anyone who questions the Emperor's new clothes.
More and more people are seeing them for what they are: a decent-ish mid table side - a bit better than Everton, Leicester, Southampton, West Ham - with a (mostly) pretty little history who are desperately trying to convince us all they are something they once were.
The result will not change any of this. Maybe we win, maybe we won't but we are going in the right direction. They are in freefall.
As for the game, Klopp may be able to raise the tempo of his "easy listening" football, and given the recent history between the clubs, Liverpool may be able to get a 1-1 draw.
Although a win at Anfield would be nice, if only for the gnashing of teeth on RAWK and the first #Kloppout sightings of the spring. They seem to be turning on their manager a little earlier this year.
Wouldn't disagreeDont laugh, but I honestly think we have more chance of losing at Burnley than Anfield. Although its a close call
And with our recent record, Leicester away (although it should be) wont be easy either
Ranked in descending order after that
West Ham
Swansea
Palace
and finally Hull (as I think they could be down by the last match)
Davies vs Mane in a 3 won't work. It would be great to have Lamela available for this one to disrupt their left side. Son will have to track back better than he did at Scumford Bridge.It will be the same 11 from the Boro game.
We can't really change anything.
We can't go 3 at the back as Davies really can't play wing back.
Son will be wide on the left again as Davies doesn't give us width.
The only other real option is to bring winks in to a 433 with Alli and Eriksen behind Kane like in the 343 but it would be so narrow.
Dunno why some are suggesting we play counter? Ok I do and understand the logic....yet, I believe that Dembele and Wanyama will win the midfield battle (mind you thought this with city away) and give us the platform to start pumping them and asking questions of that questionable defence and keeper....
Second? What's harder than going to anfield from our remaining fixtures?Can I take that now. 2nd hardest away fixture left, could live with a draw
I'd be a lot more confident about this one if Rose was playing. Any updates on his status?
They are still paying £60M a year more in wages and have about £100M better revenue, I know its not as simple but position tends link between the two. Enjoy it while we can is what I say.
Yeah, I'm not saying that we should play like Swansea did or something and just play on the counter. But, their press is just so dangerous when you are playing out from the back, and I think having another classy CM like Winks could help us quickly progress from defense into attack, while limiting them creating those cheap chances.
Asking Dembele and Wanyama to a win a battle against Wijnaldum, Can, and Henderson (who I'd guess will all be in CM) is a huge task for anybody, no matter how good they are. Also, if you can break through their second line of pressing, they are so vulnerable (a little like Poch's first season with Mason and Bentaleb in midfield) and super open, and I think Winks can help break that press by passing around it/ through it.
On the other hand, I guess you can also go over the top of the press, which would make Son very useful. I dunno.
This is gonna be a really interesting game, and I can't wait to see how he approaches it.