The Bigfooty Liverpool Thread - Champions of England

[Zidane98]

I reckon Keita isn't gonna make it. Being subbed out before half time is an emphatic statement. I hate to say it, but he's a flop.

Swap for Konate

 

[peternorth]

So sad.

 

[jod23]

Yeah Keita is running out of time you would think.

 

[jod23]

Having said that, he wasnt bad at all. It was a tactical change, not a change because he was awful and costing the team.

 

[peternorth]

TAA with the nice assist

 

[The Punter]

Some thoughts:

- If you start Keita, you need to be able to rely on him to do Keita things. I'm not sure what he brings if he's not dribbling directly at the opposition. Gini started doing it in the 2nd half and we got a goal as a result.
- First goal was beautifully constructed by Real, as Vinicius and Benzema were both on the defensive line and Benzema's presence was enough to keep Kabak away from the action. Kabak our best for me.
- Shaqiri remains frustratingly one sided.
- We're in a better spot in the tie than v Barca two years ago. If only we had a crowd.
- Refereeing was again terrible, pitch seemed like it had only been watered in random 2sqm areas around the pitch.

 

[Zidane98]

We gotta press high up the park in the return leg and chase the game. Give them no time in midfield.

That will expose Phillips big time but its a risk we have to take. Maybe Ali can sweep higher than normal to mitigate the risk.

And go with Jota/Bob/Mo up front.

 

[Venkman]

Think we lacked quality all over the pitch really. Keita just not good enough, he can't do 'keita things' because he's just not good enough at that level. Some of the real passing was just top shelf and I think we can't really match them in midfield - better to play Wij, Milner and fab and just try and out liverpool them, got to get the ball up to the front three quicker - we were just too slow and it played in to their hands.

 

[The Punter]

We did better once we ran at their midfield. We need to make them work defensively.

 

[gaskin]

Still not sure how it wasn't a free to Mane and probably a red card just before the 2nd goal.

 

[QuietB]

Gave away three very soft goals. Madrid's first goal was class but the other two

 

[one eyedtiger]

Disappointing result, gonna be tough in the 2nd leg(Do we know if it's at Anfield yet?) but not beyond the realms of possibility. Simply you can't sit off guys like Kroos and Modric and allow them to knock long balls in behind our defense, they have the quality to do it and exposed our slow CB's on multiple occasions.

Do we think we'll see some rotation on the weekend against Villa? I know we can't afford to drop points in the league, but guys like Robbo, Mo and Mane have hardly had a break this season. I wonder if going into the 2nd leg trying to overturn a lead, Klopp will see it as a necessary risk.

 

[Zidane98]

The time has come to go with a Jota/Bobby/Mo front 3 in the 2nd leg IMO. Team I would field vs Villa:


-------------------Aliison------------------

TAA-------Rhys Williams-----Kabak--------Tsimikas


----Milner---------Fab---------Thiago


-----Mo-----Bob-----Sadio



Bench:

Kelleher
Phillips
Robbo
Gini
Naby
Shaq
Sadio

 

[peternorth]

The time has come to go with a Jota/Bobby/Mo front 3 in the 2nd leg IMO. Team I would field vs Villa:


-------------------Aliison------------------

TAA-------Rhys Williams-----Kabak--------Tsimikas


----Milner---------Fab---------Thiago


-----Mo-----Bob-----Sadio



Bench:

Kelleher
Phillips
Robbo
Gini
Naby
Shaq
Sadio

Sadio's that good he can start in two different places

 

[peternorth]

Can we play the second leg in bucharest?

 

[Venkman]

Based on that... I'm not so confident we can get much out of the second leg. Barca was different a few years ago in that we were probably the strongest team in the first leg but Barca got the goals this feels like we're outclassed - you forget about how good guys like Modric and Kroos are and pretty much everyone knows how to beat us now by playing in behind the fullbacks especially with that passing. A few years ago when we had Madrid in the final we looked good early before the Ramos assassination: safe sitting back and trying to get Salah through - but this looked pretty toothless and the defence can't sit on that kind of pressure. To get through from here would take something special from Klopp.

 

[Zidane98]

Can we play the second leg in bucharest?

Whats wrong with Budapest

 

[Cooldude]

I love Jurgen and this season is a multitude of compounded problems, but the high line with makeshift centre backs has been mad

We keep doing it too, even when it keeps backfiring. Normally he's been really flexible since he took over, we won the European Cup in 18/19 playing a deeper line with less pressing, but this season it's been one way or the high way

Kinda like Pep last season when his team keeps getting countered

 

[jod23]

I love Jurgen and this season is a multitude of compounded problems, but the high line with makeshift centre backs has been mad

We keep doing it too, even when it keeps backfiring. Normally he's been really flexible since he took over, we won the European Cup in 18/19 playing a deeper line with less pressing, but this season it's been one way or the high way

Kinda like Pep last season when his team keeps getting countered

We cant defend with a low block though, too many mistakes in us, too much inexperience at the back. I think Jurg wants to cut out the problems before they arise by pressing but we barely pressed at all against Real and they just waltzed through us. We couldnt pass it either, just gave it away constantly.

 

[Fwoy]

 

[RossFC]

 

[Cooldude]

Wait WTF is going on?

 

[Zidane98]

Geez Ali without facial hair will be difficult to get used to.

 

[gaskin]

Surely a photoshop? He has only had the mo for a couple of weeks.

 

[jod23]

Is it a Henry Cavill job?