Pre-Match: Liverpool V Porto (06/03/18 - 19:45) 2nd Leg, Round of 16 (Agg. 5:0)

Honestly thought I would have seen this posted already.



Time to crack on but I'd expect an altered side for this one in advance of the game at the weekend. I'd like to see Ward get the nod for this one game but Klopp mightn't want to disrupt either.

NB: Team no longer available

Possibly swap Lallana in for Ben, or if you want a stronger strikeforce play one of Bobby/Mane/Mo.

NB: Team no longer available

Either way it should be a decent game, and reckon we can do them again like we did at their ground.

 

I'd rest anyone who started Saturday bar one/two as that is the team I would go with for United.

We still want to go into that game with a positive result. 3-1 Reds. 

Just read that Jürgen intends to rest nobody!

What does that say to the squad players on the fringes? I don't trust you to see out a 5-0 lead!

Sigh.

TBH think Jürgen Klopp should start off with a strong side, at least for the first half anyway. Chance to make substitutions, at the half way mark, or after 60 minutes. Interesting though to see what actually his starting line up will be, on the night.

Just read that Jürgen intends to rest nobody!

What does that say to the squad players on the fringes? I don't trust you to see out a 5-0 lead!

Sigh.

What are you sighing about?  It's a Champions League game at home...you reckon the likes of Salah, Firmino or Mane want to miss out on that?  Porto will come out and attack, our front three will have a field day, score lots of goals and keep the momentum going for the United game.

Making wholesale changes would be ridiculous IMO.

rather get a few goals, go 7-0 on agg before bringing on ings or solanke etc..  if we put out weakened side we might be getting a 5-0 hammering just like we gave to Porto. If it's 0-0 at 60 minutes triple sub no problem.

rather get a few goals, go 7-0 on agg before bringing on ings or solanke etc..  if we put out weakened side we might be getting a 5-0 hammering just like we gave to Porto. If it's 0-0 at 60 minutes triple sub no problem.

Yeah I think start fairly strong then rest players.

What are you sighing about?  It's a Champions League game at home...you reckon the likes of Salah, Firmino or Mane want to miss out on that?  Porto will come out and attack, our front three will have a field day, score lots of goals and keep the momentum going for the United game.

Making wholesale changes would be ridiculous IMO.

He was willing to rest top players for a Merseyside Derby this season but won't for a game we have already won.

Bigger fish to fry. I don't care if they want to play. He is the manager and a rest would do them good. It will be the only game remaining we can realistically rest players.

Think it’s a bit odd going full strength for this. Should be resting Bobby and Salah at the very least.

We made 59 changes to our starting line up from the start of the season to the end of December. Only one team in recent history has made more in their opening 16 games (Man Utd in 2001/02). As Klopp said in Marbella a few weeks back, we've done most of the resting and rotation, so expect to see strong teams throughout the rest of the season. With that said, and despite what Klopp's said already about the Porto game, I think we'll see a few changes like Lallana starting for fitness and maybe one of the front three on the bench.

“We made our rotation in the winter—in November and December—to be now 100 percent fit,” he said.

“Now we are 100 percent fit the best players will play all the time.”

https://www.thisisanfield.com/2018/02/Jürgen-klopp-explains-plans-rotation-premier-league-champions-league-run/

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/292893-Jürgen-klopp-porto-champions-league-rest-team

I don’t think Klopp will make wholesale changes and i don’t think it’s a good idea losing not good for momentum for the big game on Saturday. Porto will want to exact some sort of revenge and bearing in mind they are a free scoring side ( wouldn’t have thought it in the first leg mind).

VVD has not played many game so he doesn’t need resting, Matip has been getting plenty of rest so should be playing.
TAA looked a bit jaded in the last game and will be better suited for Mancs so Gomez comes in if fit.
Moreno can also come in.

Pick of Gini, Lallana, Milner and Can, I would rest Henderson.

Up front Solanke for Firmino and then take off Salah and Mane after 60mins.

Full strength team apparently. Right decision IMO. Start off full strength, then bring on subs to rest Salah, Bobby, Mane.

He was willing to rest top players for a Merseyside Derby this season but won't for a game we have already won.

Bigger fish to fry. I don't care if they want to play. He is the manager and a rest would do them good. It will be the only game remaining we can realistically rest players.

Aye and what happened in that game?  We dropped points.

We've only got three league games for the rest of March.  And all this coming off a 10 day break after the first Porto game.  If anyone needs a rest then I give up.

We can go full strength tomorrow and coast through the game in about fifth gear.

Well, I'd be resting some key players. We're away to Man U on Saturday and we should be maximising our chances of winning that game. I think it's pretty well established that teams find it harder to pick up the points at the weekend after a midweek European game, so the fact this one is basically already won is a bonus that we should be taking full advantage of. It's also a great chance for Ings, Solanke etc to get some game time and CL experience. We're so far ahead I'm not even worried about putting Moreno in there.

                     Ward

Gomez   Matip      VVD    Moreno

  Lallana        Gini        Milner 

         Ings     Solanke  Woodburn

     

Klopp more or less said after the Porto game that he will be fielding a strong team. He won't short change people who pay hard cash to see the top players. Also the resting of players is over. It's full steam ahead.

He may have a few on the bench or whatever but it will be a strong team. Keep the winning habit going. Little bit risky going into the United game.....little bit risky..

...on second thoughts this campaign has played havoc with my nerves and I think I might need to ready myself for the Mancheater game...yeah..so I'll rest myself for the Porto game...hot bath, clip me toenails, scratch me arrrse....check the score bout 10 ish...all set for the weekend battle..

Changes will probably be at outside back (Gomez and Moreno) and midfield (Milner, Gini and Lallana). I expect him to start the terrific trio unless one of them is "ill." He never calls it "resting" players and always says "I went with the side that gives us the best chance of winning.

We will play to win the match.

I wouldn't make changes for this. Certainly not wholesale changes to the extent that it resembles a League Cup eleven. This is the CL knockouts after all and as great as the first leg result was it is as important to win this leg and not lessen chances of victory and with it our current momentum. Porto are still a good side despite what happened to them in the first leg. They'll want to make amends, he'll bent on not wanting the aggregate score line not to get any bigger. On that basis it's right that we start a team in anticipation of these challenges and not least a side fitting of a CL knockout tie at Anfield.

Could do with giving run outs to likes of Lallana , maybe Gomez, Moreno, Clyne and Ings

Where we can rest the big guns, I would do so - Man U at the weekend is a bigger challenge, and could cement top 4, and set us up for 2nd

The way we are playing, could even think of resting players, for the trip to Old Trafford. Although I obviously said that with tongue in cheek.  No strongest side for both games, they are both important fixtures.

We don’t need guys rested to beat the Mancs, let them go out and give Porto a whipping, they will be ready for the game against the scum. Good call on Klopp’s part IMO.

Not a fan of fielding a lesser side in the 2nd leg of a game especially at home, irrespective of a 5 goal lead,

I'd field a full strength side to see the game through, and if we're 3 up by HT I'd move things around then, and only then,

Porto are fu**ed mentally, they know it and we certainly know it, however, we still should do the professional thing and see the tie out with the upmost respect to them,
I'd  go thus.....

                           Karius
       Gomez Lovren Van Dijk Robertson
                 Milner          Wijnaldom
                              Can
           Salah       Firmino       Mane

Bench: Ward, Matip, Henderson, Oxlade, Lallana, Woodburn, Ings

Lets get the job finished then perhaps we can rest one or two, i want us to be utterly and totally ruthless irrespective of the first leg result  !!

4-0 MIGHTY REDMEN


YNWA

                           

Club statement says Gini and Woodburn will not be available for this one as they recover from illness.