Pre Match: Liverpool FC V Hull City Saturday 24th Sept: 3:00pm

Hope I am not too early or violating some other protocol in starting this.

We have started the season so well, and there is such a good buzz about the team now it's almost scary. The match we have this Saturday is the type that was difficult for us last season, where we did well against the heavies and not so well vs. the lower-table teams.

Hull have made a decent start to the season for themselves, but we will certainly be favorites. Particularly in light of the Burnley result, the team will need to show that willingness to muck it up in the trenches, be patient and ultimately be resourcful in finding goals against a team that will bunker in, more or less.

The Derby match was probably a pretty good dress rehearsal. It's early enough that a win pretty much assures we move up in the table and, early days or not, I really like seeing us up higher in the table. I get used to it, even.

There will be another selection dilemma up front for Jürgen I reckon, with plenty of debate on here about that, but in the end what I care about is taking another step toward reclaiming the glory for LFC. Looking forward the weekly rise in blood pressure.

Hope the Reds keep another clean sheet, to record, a 2  0 home win over Hull. Interesting to see who is selected to play up front. Seemingly with goals flowing in at the moment.

Same team as against the Chavs I suppose apart from Karius in for Migs.

There again Firmino is really starting to fire so who drops out - glad I'm not the manager.

Can showed he is not yet match fit to start.

Early goal and it should be all over in the first 60mins. Hopefully the lads have their shooting boots on as I can see us creating a tonne of chances just like the Arse who were very wasteful against these.

Gone for a 5-0 win. Reckon we'll smash them.

I predict:

           Mignolet
Clyne   Matip    Lovren    Milner
     Henderson    Wijnaldum
              Lallana
Mane      Sturridge    Firmino

Firmino and Mane have to start and Klopp isn't going to drop Lallana for Coutinho. It's either going to be Sturridge or Phil on the bench, I suppose it depends on what they're like in training the rest of this week?

I don't think Karius will be starting either. Mignolet has been decent the last couple of games and I think it would be a massive knock to his confidence to drop him at this point. Maybe knowing that we have a straight replacement for him waiting on the bench will make him raise his game.

Anyway, comfortable victory for me...4-0

I can't see anyone keeping us out the way we're playing at the minute.

Wonder if Sturridge is fit?

This could be one of the games I would be tempted to put Moreno in for. Provides the width we sometimes lack when teams really sit deep. Is well able to stretch the play. That said, Milner has been progressing in the full back role, but it's the crossing ability & real pace I think could be an asset against a stubborn defence. I can't see them really targeting him either as the onus will be to get a 0-0, rather than try attack us. It might be the game to try let him prove his worth to the first team as an able LB again.

I don't think Hull will play a back 5 or anything like that but the movement of our front 3 will be critical, and expect it to be on point. Let's just hope that they know that it's not a case of just showing up - up to Klopp for that part.

             Mignolet
Clyne Matip Lovren Moreno
             Hendo
         Lallana Coutinho
Mane    Sturridge Firmino

Hull have had a decent start to the season, but I'm still fully expecting us to win comfortably as long as we maintain the form we're in.

You know that feeling you get when everyone around you starts getting over confident.

I'm there, right now.

I'm sure I'll catch up.

That is a fair shout, to be honest.

Let me be more specific re my expectations. I predict a terribly difficult game. It will be a very hard-fought, exceptionally physical battle that will test our midfield 3, big-time. On top of that, Hull will take a primarily defensive posture which will make it difficult for our attacking group to break through. This match will test our steel, our commitment, our patience, our football intellect and at the final moment, our skill.

I don't doubt we CAN meet all of these challenges, but it is a different type of match and we need to establish that we WILL meet them. That is the threshold to cross on Saturday. Hoping for an especially loud Anfield Saturday, hateful (to theirs) and loving (to ours).

Can't wait for this 👍

Mignolet

Clyne
Matip
Lovren
Milner

Lallana
Henderson (c)
Wijnaldum

Mane
Firmino
Coutinho

Subs: Karius; Lucas, Moreno; Emre Can, Grujic; Sturridge, Origi.

Confident of a win here, going for 3-0 to us.

We mustn't get over confident or too cocky....not nice to see, just stay cool, calm and collected, and nab the three points almost without anyone looking, I refuse to get too excited for fear of being let down....I remember 2014 only too well, and it's far to early in the season yet to be thinking that far ahead....

The next and only important game is this one, so another clean sheet would be very nice, build on the momentum and take it literally one game at a time, but I just love the way we're playing at the moment, free flowing attractive football, it's great to see.

Anyway Hull won't be any pushovers, we will need to keep our concentration and keep it tight in defence, looking forward to being back on the Kop for this game and if we play anything like we did against Leicester, we'll all be smiling 

YNWA 

Too bad I'm rather cocky these days. We could even play Moreno and Migs without training and win! Pride comes before a fall! I'll start smashing the players into pieces when that happens. 

Gone for a 5-0 win. Reckon we'll smash them.

Gone for 5-2 myself, no reason though.

We often look back at these types of games and say 'if only we'd have beat ....'

So lets just F***ing beat them and see what happens after that. Burnley have already had our pants down so every incentive for the players to ensure they are switched on for this one.

We will have all the ball, i'd like to see us use it better than against Burnley where we got caught up shooting on site.

I'd like Sturridge for this game:
Mignolet
Clyne Matip Lovren Milner
Lallana Hendo Gino
Mane Sturridge Firmino

These are the sort of opponents we always struggle with. I've lost count of the amount of times we have soundly beaten a so called "top" team and then threw all that hard work out the window.

Let's just give them the respect they deserve but no more and finally break the curse that has held us back for so long.

These are the sort of opponents we always struggle with. I've lost count of the amount of times we have soundly beaten a so called "top" team and then threw all that hard work out the window.

Let's just give them the respect they deserve but no more and finally break the curse that has held us back for so long.

Not 'always'.

Not 'always'.

Forgive me.

The sort of opponents we have been known to slip up against in the past.

Gonna be tough. I would say the game will be about discipline and keeping to our defensive structures against an opponent who will be well rehearsed in parking the bus and countering away from home.
For solidity in midfield i would partner Hendo with Lucas and up front i would keep Mane, Firmino and Sturridge to run the lines.

Hard fought 2-0 win for me.

We will be seeing an awful lot of the ball so wouldn't mind seeing our front four of Sturridge, Firmino, Mane and Couts for this one.

This Is Anfield ‏@thisisanfield  1m1 minute ago
Klopp asked if need to be 'angry' against Hull: Yes. They want our point(s), that makes me angry!

Anfield HQ ‏@AnfieldHQ  3m3 minutes ago
Klopp: "We have to think about why people think we have problems vs teams who park the bus. We can all improve."

James Pearce ‏@JamesPearceEcho  5m5 minutes ago
Klopp: "I think we can all improve - the team, the manager, the staff and the fans."

Just a few of the nuggets from the pre-match presser, couldn't agree more with him. Spot on boss.

We will be seeing an awful lot of the ball so wouldn't mind seeing our front four of Sturridge, Firmino, Mane and Couts for this one.

4-2-4 ? Or dropping Coutinho back into midfield?

4-2-4 ? Or dropping Coutinho back into midfield?

Guessing a 4-2-3-1 but I can't see Lallana getting dropped for anyone right now. Certainly going to be a tough team choice for Jürgen. About time our manager started having to make tough selections in terms of having to leave quality players out of the XI, exactly what we all wanted.

This Is Anfield ‏@thisisanfield  1m1 minute ago
Klopp asked if need to be 'angry' against Hull: Yes. They want our point(s), that makes me angry!

Anfield HQ ‏@AnfieldHQ  3m3 minutes ago
Klopp: "We have to think about why people think we have problems vs teams who park the bus. We can all improve."

James Pearce ‏@JamesPearceEcho  5m5 minutes ago
Klopp: "I think we can all improve - the team, the manager, the staff and the fans."

Just a few of the nuggets from the pre-match presser, couldn't agree more with him. Spot on boss.

They want our points, love that from the Boss...

Let's treat Hull with some respect but at the same time show them they are playing Liverpool,let's be relentless & show no mercy during the game.

I hope Klopp will revisit the Burnley game and show the lads the negativity caused during the aftermath of the game.

4-1 win.