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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 5,936
1st Team Squad
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OP
1st Team Squad
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 5,936 |
Having watched that Newcastle v City game again it's apparent City's heavy schedule is catching up with them. Some derided Klopp for his cup team selections however it's starting to look like a masterstroke.
City cannot possibly maintain a solid attempt at hauling in Liverpool if they carry on in the likes of The FA Cup which still has fixtures further down the line:
Quarter Final Weekend of Saturday 16 March 2019
Semi-Final Weekend of Saturday 6 April 2019
The Final Saturday 18 May 2019
then there's the Champions League:
9/10 April: Quarter-finals, first leg
16/17 April: Quarter-finals, second leg
30 April/1 May: Semi-finals, first leg
7/8 May: Semi-finals, second leg Saturday 1 June: Final
That's a potential 8 further fixtures for City to be penciled in "if" they continue in the FA Cup & CL.
Liverpool would have to seriously go off the rails from here on in for City to have a chance at overtaking us in the PL. Tonight we have to put some final nails in their coffin...7 points gap and reducing the GD, maybe overtaking it with only 14 games to go will probably have Pep going all in on the CL, knowing his paymasters crave it.
Come on Redmen, NO fc.uk ups tonight!
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 5,936
1st Team Squad
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OP
1st Team Squad
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 5,936 |
It's highly likely City are going to advance to the Quarters of The FA Cup because they have Boro or Newport on 15 Feb. The next round - Quarter Final Weekend of Saturday 16 March 2019 when they are due to play @Man Utd in the PL.
Then there's the CL again it's highly likely they'll overcome Schalke over 2 legs meaning they'll be possibly playing a further 2 midweek games in mid April in the Quarter Finals.
If City are putting it all in for all comps they'd be very lucky not to pick up further injuries and bans to key players, something they've not avoided previously this season when the scheduling was kinder to them.
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 6,054
1st Team Squad
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1st Team Squad
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 6,054 |
Watching City last night they did look abit devoid of ideas, the passing was not as crisp as usual and lots of missed passes which is unusual for them, I think the fatigue of the recent games is catching up with them.
We now need to continue with then next game is the biggest mantra, get a win and we put further pressure on City, City's next 3 games are:
Arsenal (H) Everton (A) Chelsea (H)
which are not easy games, the battle for Top 4 is now on with Utd's recent run of wins, teams watching City lose against CP/Leicester/Newcastle will now play City thinking they can get something, whereas earlier in the season it was a done deal City would win as the opposition walked out on the pitch.
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,077
Under 23 Player
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Under 23 Player
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,077 |
I'm not able to watch this game as I'm up for work at 2am so I'm hoping to wake to a nice 7point gap between us and city.
At the very least it can't be any less than 4points as another game goes by.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,595
1st Team Squad
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1st Team Squad
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,595 |
I'd play: Alisson Fabinho, Matip, VvD, Robertson Henderson, Wijnaldum Shaqueri, Firmino, Mane Salah.
Picking Shaqueri because of Harry McGuire, as I think Shaqueri is best able to take the unmerciful and inevitable kicking, elbowing and general roughing up from him. Otherwise I might have gone for Mane there with Keita on the left, in an effort to play him into form. An inform Keita would be invaluable in the run in. I'm going for an optimistic, if not confident, 3 - 1 here. The proverbial clean sheet would be lovely.
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 5,936
1st Team Squad
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OP
1st Team Squad
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 5,936 |
After last night's result I don't think Klopp will want to take chances on players so I believe VVD sits this one out. More often than not Puel plays a 4321 but at the big teams he likes to play 433 as was the case in Leicester's 2 big recent wins home v City and @Chelsea.
Obviously Leicester's biggest threat against us has been Vardy but Klopp also mentioned the likes of Maddison. Gray and Pereira. The CB's in VVD's absence pick themselves in Lovren & Matip but thrusting Camacho into a game like this @RB would be madness, so for me Klopp may have a potential surprise in store @RB.
I posted previously that I'd like to see Wij @RB just because he'll bring a solidity there and allow Shaqiri to bomb down the right and cut inside. Fabinho must play CM alongside Hendo because of his ability to pick out a pass and control the middle.
I think we'll put in a big performance tonight and win handsomely.
Liverpool 4 v 0 Leicester
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 6,054
1st Team Squad
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1st Team Squad
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 6,054 |
I'd play: Alisson Fabinho, Matip, VvD, Robertson Henderson, Wijnaldum Shaqueri, Firmino, Mane Salah.
Picking Shaqueri because of Harry McGuire, as I think Shaqueri is best able to take the unmerciful and inevitable kicking, elbowing and general roughing up from him. Otherwise I might have gone for Mane there with Keita on the left, in an effort to play him into form. An inform Keita would be invaluable in the run in. I'm going for an optimistic, if not confident, 3 - 1 here. The proverbial clean sheet would be lovely. Is Fab fit? he went off with his hamstring against CP, can't see Klopp risking him unless he's 100% on a cold night.
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 5,936
1st Team Squad
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OP
1st Team Squad
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 5,936 |
Fab has been training and Klopp said he was good to go although he did pick up that illness in Dubai that VVD has.
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,526
KopTalk Editor
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KopTalk Editor
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,526 |
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