Your team v Sparta Praha (Europa League Last 16, 2nd leg)

[Insidious]

Realistically, unless there is a cock-up of absolutely monumental proportions, this tie is over, due to a 5-1 aggregate lead.

With this game and the clash against Man United at Old Trafford on the Horizon in the Cup, squad management should be at the forefront. The international break will come at a much-needed time as so many of our lads will be flagging - though if you looked at today's spirited effort in the second half against an excellent Man City side, you'd hardly know it.

Klopp won't field a side as "weak" as mine and realistically as the game gets closer I will likely want to field a (slightly) stronger line-up than what I'm suggesting, but I very much see this as a chance to field a side that can win, but with the most minimal use of senior lads possible. It is imperative that we minimise injury risk in key positions and keep lads fresh for the FA Cup quarter-final (and beyond) especially given how commanding our lead is in on aggregate.

.........................Kelleher

Bradley......Gomez....Nallo....Tsimikas

..........................Clark

..........McConnell.........Nyoni

.......Figueroa......Gakpo........Koumas


I'd aim to use all 5 subs, with no senior lads we might want to use against Man United (Gomez or Bradley let's say) getting more than 60 minutes. Something like Gomez for first-half, Quansah for second-half perhaps, with Nallo getting experience in a relatively low-stakes match.

As much as I adore the Europa League, this fixture will pale in insignificance compared to the fixture just gone by against Man City - but perhaps that may be a good thing so we can charge the batteries mentally ahead of Man United in the Cup.

The international break is getting closer. Dig deep Redmen.

[Kev0909]

Play the kids, have a few on the bench just incase we concede 4 . can't see us having a problem.

[Steveo]

Yep to a degree.

Has to be said - we did that too much v the Saints and were fortunate not to be 3 down at half time.

Defo needs to rest a few senior players but we need to take care of business. Sparta Could have scored plenty in the first leg. Result was flattering

[Insidious]

Defo needs to rest a few senior players but we need to take care of business. Sparta Could have scored plenty in the first leg. Result was flattering

Maybe a "half and half" set-up then?

So (ignoring the keeper) if we have a back-four, play 2 seniors and 2 kids - a midfield three of 2 seniors and one kid (with every intention of at least one of the seniors coming off half-time) and maybe a front three that is one senior and 2 kids (Gakpo the senior, Núñez and Salah getting the last 25 minutes) or something?

[Daffydd]

Play a blend of young and old. I don't think Klopp's midweek selection hurt us yesterday as some feared, but some of our players do need a rest/protecting, while some need minutes.

I'd like to see Clark, McConnell and Koumas play, and Salah & Nunez cameos. Play Adrian if there's even a whiff of a problem with Kelleher!

Sparta aren't dead yet, nothing to lose, and we've been known to concede early!

[teesred]

Play a blend of young and old. I don't think Klopp's midweek selection hurt us yesterday as some feared, but some of our players do need a rest/protecting, while some need minutes.

I'd like to see Clark, McConnell and Koumas play, and Salah & Nunez cameos. Play Adrian if there's even a whiff of a problem with Kelleher!

Sparta aren't dead yet, nothing to lose, and we've been known to concede early!

That first leg could easily have been 5-5.
The scoreline flatters us massively, it would be an epic turnaround for Sparta but if we allow them as many chances as Thursday night it could be a tense one.

[Kev0909]

Comes to something when one of the EPL favs to win the league.........

Scared of losing a 4 goal advantage at home against the mighty sparta

jesus fuck

[Insidious]

That first leg could easily have been 5-5.
The scoreline flatters us massively, it would be an epic turnaround for Sparta but if we allow them as many chances as Thursday night it could be a tense one.

I think the likelihood of it getting genuinely"tense" is a slight stretch, respectfully.

You're absolutely right to acknowledge that they were decent against us, especially in the first half - credit where due - but despite the fact that the scoreline flatters us a fair bit, we ultimately have a 4-goal lead and will be playing at Anfield.

Even if they were 3-0 up after 65 minutes in the second leg, we would only need to score a solitary goal to make it 6-4 on aggregate, with us likely having a fairly strong bench if we field a largely youth/fringe side to start with.

They have to score 4 just to equalise on aggregate - it's a bigger task than what we had to do against Barcelona (we needed 3 to level it) except the equivalent would be us putting in that mesmerising 4-0 performance at Camp Nou, whereas we are getting to play in our Fortress.

It would be one of the biggest shocks in European history if they knock us out.

[Steveo]

it would but we are probably going to field one of the weakest (relatively speaking) starting 11’s in history for this stage of a tournament too.

[teesred]

I think the likelihood of it getting genuinely"tense" is a slight stretch, respectfully.

You're absolutely right to acknowledge that they were decent against us, especially in the first half - credit where due - but despite the fact that the scoreline flatters us a fair bit, we ultimately have a 4-goal lead and will be playing at Anfield.

Even if they were 3-0 up after 65 minutes in the second leg, we would only need to score a solitary goal to make it 6-4 on aggregate, with us likely having a fairly strong bench if we field a largely youth/fringe side to start with.

They have to score 4 just to equalise on aggregate - it's a bigger task than what we had to do against Barcelona (we needed 3 to level it) except the equivalent would be us putting in that mesmerising 4-0 performance at Camp Nou, whereas we are getting to play in our Fortress.

It would be one of the biggest shocks in European history if they knock us out.

Yeah im certainly not expecting us to concede four, we are pretty much through but if Sparta were to score two without reply it would certainly give them a huge boost. Can't imagine us not scoring either so in short I'm talking absolute shit.