Your team v Atalanta (Champion's League)

[Insidious]

...........................Alisson

Trent......Phillips........Gomez......Robertson

........................Henderson

.............Wijnaldum................Shaqiri

.....Mane...........Salah...........Jota

Front three can rotate positions at some point during the game. Just want to see those three starting. Mainly Jota as he is really knocking on the door with important goals lately.

Would love to have 9 points from 9 (Atalanta aren't to be taken lightly, but we must have self-belief) to set us up for the second half of the group and what an incredible confidence booster it would be going into the match against City.

I'd love it if the 6th match of the group (or even the 5th as well if we were very lucky) ended up being an opportunity to play a fringe/rotated side right the way through the XI in this hectic season, plus I want a warm-up game for the City match.

Fingers tightly crossed we win the game and the self-belief skyrockets once more.

[Kev0909]

Not firmino

[miller0863]

Bobby is a brilliant player but needs a proper rest. Mané, Salah and Jota being fed by Thiago, Hendo and Shaq might be quite tasty.

[faridtoxteth]

Mane on the left, Sid.
Don't you think?

[Insidious]

Mane on the left, Sid.
Don't you think?

Fancied mixing it up a bit but will happily take that.

[skyebo]

Alisson
Alexander-Arnold
Williams R
Gomez
Robertson
Henderson
Thiago
Jones
Salah
Mane
Diogo

Adrian
Williams N
Shaqiri
Milner
Wijnaldum
Minamino
Firmino

[Nineteenx]

Alisson

Trent Williams Gomez Rpbertson

Henderson Wijnaldum Thiago

Salah Firmino Mane

Phillips isn't available for the Champions League

[skyebo]

Alisson

Trent Williams Gomez Rpbertson

Henderson Wijnaldum Thiago

Salah Firmino Mane

Phillips isn't available for the Champions League

Oh right, i didn't know that.

[Nineteenx]

Oh right, i didn't know that.

I've gone for Bobby because I don't want all four playing because we need the four for some rest and rotation, it's not that I think Bobby's playing great, or is undroppable, he's a player who has always had peaks and troughs and hot spells and barren runs, and he generally plays himself back into form when it's not working for him, if we take him out, he's not going to do that, and I also want the front three to have a few games with Thiago and Henderson both in midfield.

I think it is brilliant we have Jota and was made up when we signed him, I think he's a brilliant option to change games from the bench, I'd start him in time, just not right now, not with the next 2 games ahead

[skyebo]

I've gone for Bobby because I don't want all four playing because we need the four for some rest and rotation, it's not that I think Bobby's playing great, or is undroppable, he's a player who has always had peaks and troughs and hot spells and barren runs, and he generally plays himself back into form when it's not working for him, if we take him out, he's not going to do that, and I also want the front three to have a few games with Thiago and Henderson both in midfield.

I think it is brilliant we have Jota and was made up when we signed him, I think he's a brilliant option to change games from the bench, I'd start him in time, just not right now, not with the next 2 games ahead

I know what you mean.

[CCTV]

................Allison
Trent Williams Gomez Robbo
..........Hendo Gini
.......Shaq Jota Mane
................Salah

Any word on Keita/Matip/Thiago ?

[ianlfc]

I thought Jurgen said Nat Phillips wasn't in the Champions league squad.

[Steveo]

I thought Jurgen said Nat Phillips wasn't in the Champions league squad.
It’s Williams who isn’t in the CL squad - Phillips is I thought:

Edit I got it the wrong way round. Nothing to see here Williams is in - man bun and all

[Insidious]

Phillips isn't available for the Champions League

Sound, thanks.

[ianlfc]

It’s Williams who isn’t in the CL squad - Phillips is I thought:

Edit I got it the wrong way round. Nothing to see here Williams is in - man bun and all
Ha ha, he needs that chopped off. Bloody hipster.

[Nineteenx]

Ha ha, he needs that chopped off. Bloody hipster.

I know right, he'll be growing a ridiculous hipster beard next, get a fucking hair cut lad for fucks sake

[reddownunder]

I'd start Firmino against City so give him a rest midweek

Alisson
Trent Williams Gomez Robertson
Milner Henderson Shaqiri
Salah Mane Jota

[Nineteenx]

These are the best other side in our group, the game is on Tuesday and then we don't play until Sunday, I expect to see a very strong team as winning this game would be a huge step towards qualification for the knock out stages

[Insidious]

I know right, he'll be growing a ridiculous hipster beard next, get a fucking hair cut lad for fucks sake

Suspect you'd hate my hair and Beard Nineteen :lol:

[Nineteenx]

Suspect you'd hate my hair and Beard Nineteen :lol:

At least there's the positive that we can put him near post to defend corners and his hair will help block the line of sight of opposition players beyond him :D

[Insidious]

West Ham, Midtjylland and Sheffield United were very different stylistic propositions to what Atalanta will offer.

Indeed, Atalanta will be a good test before City. They're a real Football side. Vulnerable on the counter and on the wings. If Robbo and Trent play, we'll get chances.

[Nineteenx]

West Ham, Midtjylland and Sheffield United were very different stylistic propositions to what Atalanta will offer.

Indeed, Atalanta will be a good test before City. They're a real Football side. Vulnerable on the counter and on the wings. If Robbo and Trent play, we'll get chances.

Sounds like a definite game for a 433 with the players operating as we've had so much, actually, all our success with, it would be a great result to get the win there to make it 3 out of 3 in our Champions League campaign

[Nineteenx]

Possibly some very positive injury news tomorrow, not sure what's going on with Matip, that's gone a little quiet having been said to being close to returning 10 days ago, I think they're wrapping Thiago and Naby in cotton wool, to be as sure as sure can be before bringing them back in, as Jurgen said, we really don't want to rush anyone back to have them for 4 or 5 games, we want to bring them back to be able to have a run of 15, 20, 30 or more games

[Nineteenx]

Matip and Naby allegedly in contention

[justincredible]

Who?

[southernboy]

the greek bloke also back in training

[Steveo]

Matip and Naby allegedly in contention

What about Thiago...?

[justincredible]

Matip and Naby allegedly in contention


What about Thiago...?
I'm sick of this guy already.

[ianlfc]

I'm sick of this guy already.

At least you've give him a chance .

[Steveo]

I'm sick of this guy already.

It is annoying I know - and this stop start and then delay so early for a new club in a new league isn’t good at all - but he was lucky to walk after that horror tackle. When I saw it I thought the worst.

[justincredible]

At least you've give him a chance .

I'm getting to be too kind as I'm getting older Ian.

[miller0863]

That made me lol Ian

[Nineteenx]

Alisson

Trent Matip Gomez Robertson

Keita <> Henderson <>Wijnaldum

Salah Firmino Mane

Not 100% ideal with a couple not fully match fit, but if we don't play them to get match fitness, when will they get it, like to see that 3 in midfield with that fluidity and rotation of their positions that was a huge part of our midfield being the best it's ever been in that run of games last season, seen glimpses of it this season with Hendo and Gini with whoever the third midfielder has been letting it down, nothing approaching our best though

It's still a weird one for me, we talk about evolution, working hard to improve and players managing games themselves, then we get a fluid midfield that does that to a ridiculously high level and it wasn't recognised. As brilliant as it was in that run, regardless of who the third midfielder starting at RCM was, to me it seems as though itwas an accidental evolution developed by the players that Jurgen didn't really want, as bizarre as that sounds, because he ditched it, brought players into it that stopped it working and being fluid and has since tinkered with other players positions and movement that were essential to it and the formation

I'm still absolutely bewildered by it, to me it was one of those things that happens not at all frequently when a manager is forced into changes and stumbles on his best team, happened to Whiskey face 3 or 4 times, i don't like to give him any credit ;) but he was very quick to recognise it and stick with it and try to develop it further each time and use his players differently

If i were to use a single player example it'd be like injuries forcing Redknapp to play Bale in midfield, him seeing that evolution then putting Bale back at left back when Krancjaar (i think) back at LM when he was fit because he bought both players for those positions

[Insidious]

Come on lads, get the win.

4 wins from 4 in all comps since we lost Van Dijk. If we managed to notch up the 5th on the spin it would be such a confidence boost prior to City, then it's international break time.

[Nineteenx]

Come on lads, get the win.

4 wins from 4 in all comps since we lost Van Dijk. If we managed to notch up the 5th on the spin it would be such a confidence boost prior to City, then it's international break time.

Yes, let's get the win and another vital 3 points tonight then it's 5 days until our next game which is why i've gone so strong

[Kev0909]

Firmino is not starting

YES FUCK OFF!!!!!

[Steveo]

Jota starts but the midfield is Hendo Gini and Jones again.. hmmm..

Personally I would’ve saved Jota to tandem with Shaqiri again - cause real problems after Bobby and co soften them up.

Atalanta are no mugs and will give us a bloody nose if we are as poor as we were v Ajax. We need to start performing like we can.

Put this competition to bed until 2021.

[skyebo]

Jota starts but the midfield is Hendo Gini and Jones again.. hmmm..

Atalanta are no mugs and will give us a bloody nose if we are as poor as we were v Ajax. We need to start performing like we can.

Put this competition to bed until 2021.

Who is Jota coming in for Steveo ?

[Steveo]

Who is Jota coming in for Steveo ?

Bobby

Similar lineup as started v West Ham - except Williams not Phillips and Jota not Bobby

[skyebo]

Bobby

Ok, thanks. Kev will be pleased.

[dicko1969]

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Williams, Gomez, Robertson, Jones, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Jota, Mane

[dicko1969]

Bobby is class don't forget it.
Massive part of the squad.
Just needs some confidence and support.

[skyebo]

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Williams, Gomez, Robertson, Jones, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Jota, Mane

Thanks Dicko.

[Nineteenx]

Team confirmed:


Alisson

Trent R.Williams Gomez Robertson

Wijnaldum Henderson Jones

Salah Jota Mane

Good line up and a strong bench, Jota gets a start so we're surely expecting to score 7 in this one. Let's be a good as we can possibly be in our press, counter press and winning second balls, in our passing and clinical with our opportunities to create chances and in finishing them, get the win here tonight and another vital 3 points.

Come on come on come ON Liverpool, come the fucking FUCK on Liverpool, let's get the win here tonight and another vital 3 points

[ianlfc]

Keeping Bobby and Joel for the City game then.

[skyebo]

Matip on the bench, if he's fit enough for the bench i would have thought he'd be fit enough to start the game. He prefers to play an inexperienced defender there instead. Not that i'm complaining, Matip and Gomez together don't fill me with confidence.

[Steveo]

Keeping Bobby and Joel for the City game then.

Looks like it - makes sense too but does leave us a little inexperienced for an away day in Italy.. Williams and Jones... hmm

No sign of Thiago

[Kev0909]

Keeping Bobby and Joel for the City game then.

Or maybe bobby has finally just been dropped after stinking the place out for long enough and matip is only just back from injury?

Remember in champions league we can have x2 bigger bench, so may aswell include matip even if he's not 100%

[Nineteenx]

It's probably lining up like this


Alisson

Trent R.Williams Gomez Robertson

Jones Henderson Wijnaldum

Mane Salah Jota

Would have preferred as many constants as possible personally and I don't like Jones on the right, but Jurgen does love a good old tinker these days

As long as we get the win and another vital 3 points, it's all good

[faridtoxteth]

Why would he not keep Salah on the right and Mane in the middle to accomodate Jota?

[skyebo]

Why would he not keep Salah on the right and Mane in the middle to accomodate Jota?

As Nineteen said, trying something different. They should be clever enough to change things themselves if it's not working, they have nothing to lose by doing that.