Liverpool V Southampton: Pre-Match Thread, Sun. 17th Aug 2014 KO 13:30

We all have been waiting for next Sunday to come. Goodluck Reds, makes us dream.

My Prediction team:

                         Mignolet

            Skrtel     Gerrard     Lovren
                             
Manquillo                                        Moreno

                Hendo              Can

                         Coutinho

                 Sterling         Sturridge

Subs: Jones, Sakho, Lucas, Allen, Ibe, Markovic, Lambert

The name on Coutinho is peeling off. Poor.

Can't wait for this game, excited to get another campaign underway.

Strange animal to face as our first opponents and while I expect a win I have absolutely no idea who will be playing for Southampton and for that matter I'd be surprised if Koeman does at time of writing. I have never seen a first team ripped to shreds like theirs has been this year.

Guessing it will only be Lovren that gets any game time against his old team, so sticking a fiver on him to get a goal might be a good bet. Always seems to happen and the way he scored and also got free of his marker on other occasions against Dortmund would give you great encouragement.

Gonna go for a 3-0 win to us, Raheem, Studge and Dejan to bang them home.

Cant see anything but a win for us here,

Expect a pretty cagey affair, but if we score in the first 15 mins i can see a mauling.

Lets go boys.

Wow clint...Glenno doesn't even make your bench....OUCH!!

Wow clint...Glenno doesn't even make your bench....OUCH!!

And rightly so.

Wow clint...Glenno doesn't even make your bench....OUCH!!

He did not earn it but realistically he will be on the bench

Buzzing for this game. I'm on a stag in Liverpool this weekend and was meant to be going to the match on Saturday before they changed the date to the Sunday. Will only catch the first half in the airport now before I catch the flight back 

Team I'm expecting for this is:

                   Migs
Manquillo Skrtel Lovren Moreno
                Gerrard
       Henderson Coutinho
    Sterling Sturridge Markovic

Not sure why people are scared of changes happening too fast, there's only 1 attacker changing (Suarez for Markovic) and at the back the more changes the better, we were a bloody mess last year, what's the bonus of keeping the mess?

The team I'm expecting:



                         Mignolet

Manquillo      Skrtel       Lovren     Johnson

                     Can         Gerrard

Henderson         Coutinho       Sterling

                        Sturridge 

We destroyed Dortmund 4-0 with that team, I don't see why we would change.

Expect Lallana, Markovic to return to the bench to make a cameo later on in the game.

Let's start off with a win, need a win here because of the two tough games afterwards.

My Prediction team:                         Mignolet   
                           
                                       Skrtel     Gerrard     Lovren                       

                        Manquillo                                        Moreno   
                                         Hendo              Can   
                     
                                                  Coutinho         
                             
                                     Sterling         Sturridge

Subs: Jones, Sakho, Lucas, Allen, Ibe, Markovic, Lambert

That's the team I would like too mate (unless we sign a superstar striker in the next couple of days)

Mignolet; Manquillo, Lovren, Sakho, Enrique; Gerrard, Can, Hendo; Coutinho, Sturridge, Sterling.

Think we'll go for Skrtel and Johnson at the back though. This one might be a few days early for both Moreno and Markovic to be playing from the start.

We don't really do it easily on opening day so I'm going for a 1-0 win, Hendo with the winner.

I'd be very surprised if we didn't line up with the same team that beat Dortmund: Moreno won't have trained with the team enough and Markovic might not be fit come Sunday.

Think we'll do these 4-1 with goals from Skrtel, Lovren, Stevie and Sturridge.

Poll added:

Title amended to include the date of the game and kick off time, (BST).

Just hope we get off to a winning start, with no last minute penalty saves. 

Let the mayhem begin.

Guessing you lads are right about Markovic, I'd obviously read more encouraging reports:

Just been tweeted:

Markovic trained alone with physio today. Sprinting and ball work #lfc

Sounds like this game will come too quick for him.

The team I'm expecting:



                         Mignolet

Manquillo      Skrtel       Lovren     Johnson

                     Can         Gerrard

Henderson         Coutinho       Sterling

                        Sturridge 

We destroyed Dortmund 4-0 with that team, I don't see why we would change.

Expect Lallana, Markovic to return to the bench to make a cameo later on in the game.

Let's start off with a win, need a win here because of the two tough games afterwards.

Lallana is out for another 3/4 weeks mate.

Poll added:

Title amended to include the date of the game and kick off time, (BST).

Just hope we get off to a winning start, with no last minute penalty saves. 

Let the mayhem begin.

Thought we were doing things on Indian time, made things interesting

Going for a win.

Koeman and Sammy looked like they were shitting themselves watching us against Dortmund, and I expect a far different philosophy than they had under the previous manager.
They might even park the bus.
I hope not, because I'd like to see our defense tested, but obviously come out on top and not concede.

Team I'm expecting for this is:

                   Migs
Manquillo Skrtel Lovren Moreno
                Gerrard
       Henderson Coutinho
    Sterling Sturridge Markovic

Not sure why people are scared of changes happening too fast, there's only 1 attacker changing (Suarez for Markovic) and at the back the more changes the better, we were a bloody mess last year, what's the bonus of keeping the mess?

I would be happy with this team but I think it will be Can instead of Markovic, with Henderson on the right hand side (as he very often did vs Dortmund, most of his plays came from there) and Sterling on the left. Coutinho as the number 10, behind Sturridge.

I'd be happy with both ways to be honest. It's amazing to have so much versatility in our squad.

Can't wait for the game, so excited!

Thank goodness it's back


Wouldn't mind seeing the exact lineup from Sunday, but hopefully with Moreno in over Johnson. I don't expect Brendan to slot him in so soon though unfortunately.

We need a win here though. Kick off the season with some confidence and take 9 points from our first three games.

Just can't see Southampton being anywhere near what they were like last season. Losing Pochettino and half their squad I feel will just be too much for them (I don't quite think they'll be relegated this season but I personally can't see them finishing in the top half by May). Sterling and Sturridge will absolutely maul their defence and I wouldn't be surprised if it was a similar result to the Dortmund game. Really excited for this one.

We must win this game  there  are no reasons  not win this  game .....Southampton have sold almost it's first team  ...we are  at home  if we play like we did against Dortmund   this is going to be  an easy   game  to collect maximum points......the  same line-up  the one which played against Dortmund ,  just to built up the momentum.

                               Mignolet
   
                        Lovren            Sakho   

Manquillo                                               Moreno/Enrique
                       
                             Gerrard

                                              Can

Henderson                                               Sterling

                             Coutinho


                             Sturridge

Providing they are match fit, i say throw the new fullbacks straight in, Manquillo for sure, if Moreno isn't ready to play because of the deal being finalized or what not, Enrique is more than capable enough to provide us with that width down the left hand side.

Coutinho/Sterling/Sturridge imo can rip this Southampton side to shreds, all we need is our Mr Energy aka Henderson and Can also to press them high in midfield so we can control the play in the middle of the park and attack attack attack.

Feeling really confident about this game, i think will win 2-0 comfortably. (want to say more but i predicted 2-0 in the prediction league )