Pre-Match - Stoke V Liverpool 9 Aug 2015, KO: 16:00

All I've seen today is predictions of draws and Stoke wins based on last season's performance alone. They'll have no Begovic, Shawcross, Nzonzi etc. whilst we will have improved quite a bit.

All I've seen today is predictions of draws and Stoke wins based on last season's performance alone. They'll have no Begovic, Shawcross, Nzonzi etc. whilst we will have improved quite a bit.

Stokealona will probably line up like this:

             Bravo
Alves, Pique, Masch, Alba
           Busquets
       Rakitc   Iniesta
 Messi   Suarez   Neymar

Stokealona will probably line up like this:

             Bravo
Alves, Pique, Masch, Alba
           Busquets
       Rakitc   Iniesta
 Messi   Suarez   Neymar

Imagine how badly that Skoke team would have beaten us by last season?

Now don't get me wrong - as ever with the Premier League getting ever closer, I have a feeling reminiscent of a kid as the calendar edges closer to Christmas Day.

But when thinking about our own prospects I feel discouraged. No doubt that atrocious end to last season is a large factor in these thoughts of negativity but I can't help thinking it's more than that. Unlike most on here I'm not very encouraged by our signings. We seem to have stuck to the same transfer policy as the last couple of years - spend big but not equating those great monetary figures with great footballing figures. Make no mistake - I'm delighted we signed James Milner - a model professional who we know will fight hard and offer leadership to the cause. But the rest? Underwhelmed. I think teams moving forward have to build on defence onwards and our defence quite simply is not up to standard. We needed a goalkeeper and another central defender, ideally to replace Skrtle who quite frankly thrives off the hard and intelligent work of his fellow defenders. Only Sakho would get into a top CL team/squad and the worst thing about that is once again the bloody curse of injury that seems to only cripple our best players.

I've lost some confidence in Brendan as well. Who couldn't after the end of that season and I say so as one of his staunchest supporters. Will he rectify the mistakes he made last season? Will he settle for a team and persevere with it rather than building then utterly demolishing? This wasn't the sort of lucid tinkering that Rafa was fond of because Rafa more or less knew his strongest team - only a couple of players here and there were shifted in and out. Most importantly the structure and style remained and was there. There was broad consistency.

Under Brendan I fear that he's revolving things once more. It seems that no style will remain the same over the course of two seasons. Two years ago we had such speed and such an uber counter attack that was utterly devastating - the sort of which I and I'm sure all you have never seen before. It was football EXTREME! Last season we tried playing more pragmatically with an emphasis once more on possession based football. But now with Benteke leading the line does that suggest a more direct, aerial threat this season? If so it could represent our biggest departure in style. And this is where I worry. When will we have a settled team? When will we persist with the same style across two seasons?

Starting on Sunday, their job is to restore trust after what happened in spring. I'm not thinking about league positions at this stage. For the first time ever I don't have a league position which Liverpool should aim for. All I want is to see evidence and some indications that this squad and this manager are worth persisting with. The task and pressure they face is massive and it's probably not positive pressure either but that's the task they have to face up to after what they subjected the good, loyal supporters of this club to at the end of last season.

Watched them in close season, very organise at the back but when the ball is inside their box and press them hard deep inside their box, their defence will be at sixes and sevens and crumble. No time to play tidy football, just pound their defence from the very first minute. Does BR watches the opposition enough?

Watched them in close season, very organise at the back but when the ball is inside their box and press them hard deep inside their box, their defence will be at sixes and sevens and crumble. No time to play tidy football, just pound their defence from the very first minute.

No foreplay involved? Just straight in there, rough, dirty and pounding her them hard and deep?

Does BR watches the opposition enough?

Clearly doesn't watch enough porn football!!!

I'm sorry, I'm bored, wife and baby are away until saturday, I clearly have nothing else to do

I want Sakho instead of Lovren.

Just to hammer home my wish here is the future captain getting schooled by the current captain in training:

https://twitter.com/lfc_family/status/629308467073916928

I want Sakho instead of Lovren.

Just to hammer home my wish here is the future captain getting schooled by the current captain in training:

https://twitter.com/lfc_family/status/629308467073916928

Seen that as well mate but the positive I got from that is Hendo really seems to have the bit between his teeth and I think he's going to have a stormer this season.

I want Sakho instead of Lovren.

Just to hammer home my wish here is the future captain getting schooled by the current captain in training:

https://twitter.com/lfc_family/status/629308467073916928

Looks like Messi is toying with Lovren.....unless Lovren is really that bad and making Hendo look like Messi?

Anything on Sunday will be an improvement on the game at the end of last season which was the worse shambles I've witnessed, but its the start of a whole new season and we have to be optimistic for a result...different team, new idea's and hopefully 3 precious points 

#wegoagain 

I want Sakho instead of Lovren.

Just to hammer home my wish here is the future captain getting schooled by the current captain in training:

https://twitter.com/lfc_family/status/629308467073916928

Saw that mate, must admit I wasn't impressed, Jordan is hardly renowned for his dribbling ability but if you just notice him at the end (Jordan) it does look like he's off to celebrate the winner in the FA Cup Final which gave me a chuckle.

Mignolet
Clyne Skrtel Sakho Gomez
Can Milner
Coutinho
Ibe Benteke Firmino

That team looks good.

I just wonder whether there is enough midfield coverage in it though for our soft defensive center.

People starting Can are just crazy. I mean if they're just doing it for fantasy, then fair enough, but if it's a prediction then surely they haven't been following us the past few weeks. Absolutely no chance of Can or Firmino starting. Let the lads settle in.

The lineup seems easy to predict: Mignolet, Skrtel, Lovren, Clyne, Gomez, Henderson, Milner, Coutinho, Lallana, Ibe, Benteke
The bench almost writes itself too: Bogan, Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Can, Firmino, Ings

Although there are always surprises. We might even see Alexander-Arnold on the pine instead of Moreno. Also, I'm not sure about Can and Lucas on the bench, but I think a lot of that is just amazement that we have the luxury of two midfielders on the bench! Neither of which are Joe Allen!

I would love to see Teixeira sneak onto the bench and I honestly think he is next in line after those 18 I mentioned. I think he is next best in line to play that attacking role in bursts, perhaps Origi is in contention there too.

I want Lucas to start but there should be enough in the middle of the park with Henderson, Milner and Coutinho. Remember, we will play a 4-5-1 when defending, our attacking midfielders in Coutinho, Lallana and Ibe will all provide fantastic support in defense and attack. Firmino should be good cover in these areas after 60 minutes. Can and/or Lucas will be great cover in the middle. Ings should be the second striker if we need. So, taking it one game at a time, we look pretty good for this one!

We are so spoilt for choice;

                   Migs

  Clyne  Skrtel  Sakho  Gomez

           Hendo Milner

       Ibe   Coutinho  Lallana

                  Origi

This is based strictly, on the pre season tour games.

We'll beat Stoke. Pretty confident about this one.
I think our attacking line of Firmino, Benteke, Ibe and Coutinho will be too much to handle for our oposition in most cases. Benteke will be a hit this season but not just scoring himself but other players will also benefit from his impact. When Sturridge is  back this will only get better.
Our defence is now stronger with Clyne and Gomez has huge potential and could be a signing of the season.
Was a little pesimistic a month ago but this could turn out to be an excelent season for us.
Really think we could seriously push for europa league if our team chemistry  develops.
Lets just have that momentum by beating Stoke like 2013/14 when we had SAS.
I see the lads want to push very hard.
Coutinho will be a beast this season so I predict double figures for him.

Come on You Reds, dont dissapoint!

YNWA

People starting Can are just crazy. I mean if they're just doing it for fantasy, then fair enough, but if it's a prediction then surely they haven't been following us the past few weeks. Absolutely no chance of Can or Firmino starting. Let the lads settle in.

I don't understand? Can needs to settle in?

I don't understand? Can needs to settle in?

Only assuming it has something to do with Can playing with Germany during the summer? But you'd imagine anyone who's played throughout the summer would be ready anyway as a result.

Only assuming it has something to do with Can playing with Germany during the summer? But you'd imagine anyone who's played throughout the summer would be ready anyway as a result.

he didnt start pre season til late... like Firmino etc

they arent ready for 90min yet...

I want Sakho instead of Lovren.

Just to hammer home my wish here is the future captain getting schooled by the current captain in training:

https://twitter.com/lfc_family/status/629308467073916928

I am sorry but where was he "schooled" there F***ing ridiculous some people on here the lengths they would go through to push an agenda. Reading the top of the post without playing the gif I though I was going to see Henderson nutmeg him 7 times flick it over his head and finish with his cock.

When you play it you see a common and standard 1 on 1 training drill where the defender is asked to " jockey" the attacker not actually tackle him which Lovren does and puts a block in at the first attempt of a shot. Fail to see where any of this "schooling" comes to play, someone take me through it.

Only assuming it has something to do with Can playing with Germany during the summer? But you'd imagine anyone who's played throughout the summer would be ready anyway as a result.

Yep. You're probably right that's what he meant.  Didn't get the gist of the original message.

Thing is I'd argue that the lads who have played a bit of competitive footy over the summer might actually be the ones better placed to help us rather than the ones who haven't!

No foreplay involved? Just straight in there, rough, dirty and pounding her them hard and deep?

Clearly doesn't watch enough porn football!!!

I'm sorry, I'm bored, wife and baby are away until saturday, I clearly have nothing else to do

No foreplay, it's too mild. I'd introduce a gag session here. Yeah pound them deep and hard in the most brutal manner that we can imagine and pin them in their half and on the ground. It's ok bored people is capable of coming up with brialliant ideas.

Yep. You're probably right that's what he meant.  Didn't get the gist of the original message.

Thing is I'd argue that the lads who have played a bit of competitive footy over the summer might actually be the ones better placed to help us rather than the ones who haven't!

Be inclined to agree with that. Probably a bit sharper than some may think.

Yep. You're probably right that's what he meant.  Didn't get the gist of the original message.

Thing is I'd argue that the lads who have played a bit of competitive footy over the summer might actually be the ones better placed to help us rather than the ones who haven't!

I'd be inclined to agree, depending on how their fitness holds up with less training time.
What I mean is that some players are more naturally fit than others, and keep a better level of natural fitness, so they don't have to work as hard to get back in shape.

Not sure if I've explained myself properly there, but hopefully people get the gist.