Pre-match thread..Liverpool v Spurs League Cup 4th Rd 25/10/16 KO 7.45pm

Coming thick and fast these games as we have our 3rd home game in 9 days.

This time it's Tottenham Hotspur in the 4th Rd of the League cup, after thrashing Burton Albion and Derby County in the last two rounds, it won't be that easy this time against a Spurs side, who, although they only managed a draw against Bournemouth at the weekend, I'm sure they'll be well up for a fight 

Both teams will make changes I think, Jordan Henderson misses the game on a one match ban for a start and I'm sure we'll see a few fringe players, I'd love to see Danny Ings get a start as he's been smashing the goals in for the Under 23's, he deserves a go for me, we may even see Migs back in goal....who knows, sure to be an entertaining evening as I make my way to Anfield for the 3rd time in just over a week...may as well take me bed with me 

I'm in the new main stand on Tuesday, in the lower part, thank goodness I'm not up in the gods 
See those of you who are going for a pre match pint if you so wish, let's roar the Reds on to victory in what will be another step nearer Wembley 

For some reason I hadn't realised that this was a home game. Spurs will surely have to rotate their team, they've had somewhat of a busy schedule as of late with European games and what not. Part of me wants to see a few changes made to see some other lads get game time (TAA, Moreno, Grujic, Ings, Origi etc.) but part of me wants the team to remain as close as possible to our best 11. It's going to be interesting to see what line-up Klopp does go with.

I hope Sky have a better zoom on their cameras than BT Sport did .

Gonna absolutely flog them. Going with a 4-0 win.

Hopefully the lads get through the week without any injury and we can put out the same team.

EDIT: Jumped the gun. Thought this was the Palace thread. F**k it, we're still gonna win 4-0!

Even though we're flying high league wise this represents our best chance of winning a trophy this year.

I'd like to see Ings involved but its been Origi sitting on the bench not Danny so I'm not sure how that works?

Chance to rest the likes of Clyne and Milner, Hendo obviously suspended.

I imagine a few from the U23's like AAT and Grujic have a good chance of starting and Ings provably off the bench.

I think we should field our strongest team and let Spurs know before kick off that we intend to win this match and progress through to the next round.

I think we should field our strongest team and let Spurs know before kick off that we intend to win this match and progress through to the next round.

Agree Billy 100% .

I'd like to see Ojo, Ings...

             Karius
      Matip        Lovren
Clyne       Can       Moreno
        Grujic    Gigi
             Lallana
        Ings      Origi

Good job I ain't manager  real life ain't exactly Fifa on amateur 

Thought this was a pretty funny comment from Klopp:

https://twitter.com/AnfieldHQ/status/790305595987488768

Should be a good game, yes we should rotate the players a bit, but so will Spurs. I fancy us to win and with the amount of prem on prem matches it should then be a good chance of perhaps winning this cup.

Thought this was a pretty funny comment from Klopp:

https://twitter.com/AnfieldHQ/status/790305595987488768

Loving the Boss, home we hammer these cu*ts as my mate Graham loves rubbing it in when we lose against them... Not answered his phone since the weekend .... Wonder why

Klopp: "It's likely there will be a few changes"

https://twitter.com/TonyBarrett/status/790523300850069504

Gone for the draw  1-1

Gone for the draw  1-1

Who to win on the night?

Gone for the draw  1-1

What happen if we draw?

A rematch?

What happen if we draw?

A rematch?

Penalties.

Penalties.

Thanks mate

This is our Europe really. No reason we should be looking at anything other than a strong team and to progress to the next round.

Been too long without a trophy for us, a win here keeps us in the hunt.

Will be a tough but open game I feel. Looking forward to it, and confident we can get through.

What happen if we draw?

A rematch?

Tribal dancing and warfare.

What happened with that Sissoko elbow? He eligible to play in this cup match?

What happened with that Sissoko elbow? He eligible to play in this cup match?

Facing a retrospective ban. Been charged with violent conduct.

I think he can play the game as he won't be handed his ban in time. I could be wrong.

Facing a retrospective ban. Been charged with violent conduct.

I think he can play the game as he won't be handed his ban in time. I could be wrong.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37749695

Hes out . Three match ban to include our game , Leicester and the Arse.

Saw him play in France v us August 2007 .  CL qualifier .

Useless then and useless now.

Hopefully there aren't too many changes to the side. I'd love to see us make deep runs in both cup competitions.

Mignolet
Clyne Klavan Lovren Moreno
Lucas Grujic Wijnaldum
Sturridge Ins Origi

Fancy that team to do the job and think they all deserve game time. Keep the momentum going lads!

So in our contest, is the score at 90 minutes, 120 minutes what we go by?

Klopp says we will have changes, and it is true that he could change the whole team if he wanted.

I would really like to see us go 4-4-2 with Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi up front. I would expect to see Gini and Emre in central midfield. You could Mane on the right and Phil on the left, or you could use Lucas or Stewart as a d-mid and let Phil or Sade play behind the strikers, even in a free role.

Moreno and Klavan might be the most likely to get a game in the back, but the team will probably be somewhere between all change and our strongest lineup.

Even if Spurs rotate, I still expect a difficult game.

Difficult game to predict, Spurs having one eye on Europe. Think it could be a score draw, with penalties the decider !

So in our contest, is the score at 90 minutes, 120 minutes what we go by?

Not sure if you're referring to our prediction league (I'll let our mods handle this). But the actual match format is 90 minutes followed by extra time, failing which, penalties.

Gone for the draw  1-1

and we win on pens.

We are one trophy overall ahead of the Mancs .   
We need to pull away and make that gap bigger again.

Think we'll win this as long as the changes aren't to many. Think I'd also give Ings a run with either Studge or Origi, and the other on the bench. Need Bob or Couts behind them though. I also wouldn't rest Mane for this one, he's been vital to us. Will likely be Can or Gigi in the centre with Can sitting a bit deeper. Clyne, Lovren, Matip, and Moreno at the back with Migs in goal.I think Llalana might need a rest due to him coming back from injury, but jeez we'll miss his energy if he does. Think I'd play him, and put Lucas in front of the back four to tidy up later on behind the centre mids.
In a nut shell,                                             Migs.
                                             Clyne.   Lovren.    Matip.   Moreno.
                                                 
                                                               Can./Gigi
 
                                                 Mane           Couts            Llalana

                                                          Ings       Sturridge/Origi.


Have to take a peek back. Think I went for 2 - 1 in the prediction league, if so I'll stick with that. May have been 2 - 0 but a win's a win.

We can play a few more fringe players in the next round, depending on who we draw. Always the optimist, sure we'll go through, and there won't be many tougher teams to play than spuds. Glad they're hung up on european games as well. They may need to make more debilitating changes than us   
I don't think i'll get to watch or listen to this game so it's gonna be a long nervous night for me.

                                               

Barrett saying AAT, Ejaria, Grujic and Ings likely to start tomorrow.

Barrett saying AAT, Ejaria, Grujic and Ings likely to start tomorrow.

Good, as much as we should take the competition serious we also need our squad players to be as near to match ready as they can be. I don't think a few of those are too far from competing for a first team place and are rightfully getting their chance.

Clyne, I think, has been one of our weaker performers and I want to see a bold showing from AAT to really put the pressure on. Ejaria I thought looked excellent in preseason and rightfully should get a start. Ings has been banging them in left, right and centre. He's apparently been stellar in terms of his training and I really hope he plays well as his efforts deserve it.

Really looking forward to Grujic, possibly more than the others, I think he's a big talent not only in terms of physical stature but the way he plays the game. That in between role seems made for him from what I've seen and his physical attributes should help out massively on set pieces.

Really looking forward to this one, should be a cracker. Whoever wins this will have a massive chance of lifting the trophy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37749695

Hes out . Three match ban to include our game , Leicester and the Arse.

Saw him play in France v us August 2007 .  CL qualifier .

Useless then and useless now.

That's a shame. He's useless.

Barrett saying AAT, Ejaria, Grujic and Ings likely to start tomorrow.

Very excited for Grujic and TAA but Ejaria hasn't been impressive in the u23s. Rather see someone like Harry Wilson get a run.

All I am hoping for is a injury free passage to the next round. We have to take this seriously, and we will.

Don't like this lot, never have... always overrated, always praised beyond what's warranted.

They have bother scoring... we score, we win. I reckon we will want to keep the momentum going and the team selected will reflect that.

Ate and sh*t them at White Hart Lane without the proper result... that changes tonight.

I hope we don't rest too many players. This is a great opportunity to bag some silverware.

I think we will definitely need to rotate a few players and keep them fresh for a tough game against Palace over the weekend.
I would rest Clyne and Milner in defence, rest Firmino, Mane and Lallana up front.

So my team:      Mignolet

          T.A.A    Matip  Klavan  Moreno
                          Lucas
              Grujic              Wijnaldum
                       Coutinho
            Ings                      Sturridge

Ate and sh*t them at White Hart Lane without the proper result... that changes tonight.

Thats fighting talk ....... 

I hope we pound the living sh*t out of them tonight..

4-2 win...

Most of us said at the start of the season that top 4 and a cup was our minimum aim. Why field a reserve team in a cup competition against Spurs then? I'd understand possibly if we were playing a league 1 side at home but we're up against title contenders here who are currently playing in the champions league.

Get the strongest 11 out and F***ing smash them.

           Mignolet
TAA Lucas Klavan Moreno
           Can
      Grujic  Gini
Ejaria Sturridge Ings

perhaps??   

I hope Ings gets some game time. He has been working hard in the reserve team and not even a word of complain. Out for about a year and a first team spot would do him a world of a good in terms of confidence while we need more penetration into the oppo defence apart from Mane and I sees Ings being the player to do just that.

Just need to sneak a win here - keep the momentum going

3-2 to us with Ings bagging himself a goal.

YNWA

can appreciate people saying put out our strongest team. But lads if were hoping to contest the league we cant bring the same players to the well every game. It will run dry before may. Plus we have some very god players not seeing game time and they'll need it A) to keep there spirits up and B) eventually they will be needed due to injuries , suspensions or poor form and how could they be ready if they have had little or no serious game time?

Coutinho, Firmino, Mane, Milner should be nowhere near the squad tonight. Origi and Sturridge to start with Ings getting a run out. Stewart Id like to see in the middle with Grujic 

COYR

YNWA

Just get a win and go through to next round. 

 

And it's off to the match I go.....we love to see the lasses with the red scarfs on, we love to hear the Kopites roar !!! 

Enjoy the game everyone, live on sky sports later, taking my seat in the new main stand for the first time this season, should be good and it will be nice to see the Kop in full flow instead of being in it !!

Let's do these good and proper and find ourselves in the hat for the next round 

Come on you mighty REDS !!

Hope to see no more than 3 or 4 changes, play a strong side and look to win it. Spuds have Europe, so can't have the same will to win this one. In saying that, they don't roll over easily, so wouldn't like to see wholesale changes.
Obviously have to keep keep an eye on the main prize (PL) but when not in Europe this comp has a bit more significance imo.

But lads if were hoping to contest the league we cant bring the same players to the well every game. It will run dry before may. Plus we have some very god players not seeing game time and they'll need it A) to keep there spirits up and B) eventually they will be needed due to injuries , suspensions or poor form and how could they be ready if they have had little or no serious game time?

Surely if we 'have some very good players not seeing game time' [now] the well won't run dry later? 

Truth is... it's as broad as it's long.

-----------------------------------------------

I'm not sure when or why categorisation of trophies started (for Reds
fans) but the fact is, the league cup has been good to us. I'd hate to see us piss on the competition or throw it away because someone was afraid that maybe, perhaps, possibly (29 league games from now), our best players will all be too tired (and their replacements too rusty) to win at home to Middlesbrough. 

Not sure if you're referring to our prediction league (I'll let our mods handle this). But the actual match format is 90 minutes followed by extra time, failing which, penalties.

Sorry, yes, I mean the prediction contest. The League Cup has shunned replays for as long as I can remember.

Surprised to see so many of you leaving Divock Origi out of the team. I would expect him to be perhaps the highest priority for getting back into a rhythm with match action. Unless perhaps Jürgen intends to use some of those players tonight and some vs. Palac, keeping an overall stronger lineup for each - but if Barrett is correct it sounds like it will be heavy changes tonight.

But Divock needs to play.

Anyone want a free ticket to tonights match? Front row, first tier new main stand. No messing, I just can’t make the game and don’t know anyone who can go. First to request will have it, I only have 1.

Starting 11
Mignolet
Arnold
Klaven
Lucas
Moreno
Gigi
Grugic
Stewart
Ings
Sturridge
Origi

Both squads and starters rotated, 2 nil redmen!

Surely if we 'have some very good players not seeing game time' [now] the well won't run dry later? 

Truth is... it's as broad as it's long.

-----------------------------------------------

I'm not sure when or why categorisation of trophies started (for Reds
fans) but the fact is, the league cup has been good to us. I'd hate to see us piss on the competition or throw it away because someone was afraid that maybe, perhaps, possibly (29 league games from now), our best players will all be too tired (and their replacements too rusty) to win at home to Middlesbrough. 

Bub, you have a way with words that most of the time for me anyway makes perfect sense!

Starting 11
Mignolet
Arnold
Klaven
Lucas
Moreno
Gigi
Grugic
Stewart
Ings
Sturridge
Origi

Hope the bench is strong because I'm just not a fan of Lucas at CB.

Hope the bench is strong because I'm just not a fan of Lucas at CB.

I think he does a decent job there to be fair to him. Maybe not him and Klavan though, Matip has to be in there if Lucas is.

Surely if we 'have some very good players not seeing game time' [now] the well won't run dry later? 

Truth is... it's as broad as it's long.

-----------------------------------------------

I'm not sure when or why categorisation of trophies started (for Reds
fans) but the fact is, the league cup has been good to us. I'd hate to see us piss on the competition or throw it away because someone was afraid that maybe, perhaps, possibly (29 league games from now), our best players will all be too tired (and their replacements too rusty) to win at home to Middlesbrough. 

Who said p*ss it away, why would playing Origi and Sturridge instead of Coutinho and Firmino be pis*ing it away?

And the tiredness that COULD cost us, would come long before last day of the season. A lot our teams have seen the same 11 start. Most of those also spend time with there national sides. The next 2 months are busy periods. Add our style of game to that and anyone who thinks players wont feel it are fooling themselves. They will need a rest or they will get injured and when that happens we will just expect Grujic or Ings or Lucas to step in and continue as if nothing was wrong. Doesn't work that way. Players need to play competitive games to be sharp.

Id love to win the league cup but if getting players a rest and other players game time means we might not win it but were stronger for it come March April and May going for the title ill be happy

Still no official team news ?

Still no official team news ?

Oops.. my phone just refreshed/updated and I found it !

It could be this line-up according to the Echo
Liverpool: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Klavan, Lucas, Moreno, Stewart, Grujic, Wijnaldum, Mane, Origi, Sturridge

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-team-selector-time-12072546

personally I would hope not so many changes
but Klopp is the manager and surely he knows best

YNWA