Pre-match Stoke V Liverpool League Cup semi-final 1st leg, 5th Jan 20.00

As the dissapointment from the West Ham game fades, we turn our attention to Stoke City in the semi-final of the League Cup.



This will be far from easy, we all know how hard it is to perform on a cold wet winters night at the Britannia Stadium and that 6-1 thrashing is still fresh in my mind on Gerrard's last game for the redmen, gosh, that still hurts, but we have beaten them at home already this season, when we went there right at the beginning of the season when Coutinho scored the only goal of the game.

This is a cup semi-final though and like we all know, anything can happen in cup games, tbh, I would take us to beat anyone over two legs, so I'd take a draw on Tuesday and batter them at Anfield  but a repeat of the last game against Southampton would be very nice indeed 



I'm going to be at this game shouting for the REDS on the front row...support support support

Just want to see full bodied passion and commitment for the Red shirt whoever plays !!

Come on you mighty REDS....two games away from a Wembley visit 

I'm worried about this one.

Badly want to win this cup but I have a bad feeling about Stoke away given recent away performances.

Play on the break as we did against Southampton, same team as against Southampton but if Sturridge is not ready to start then Ibe starts.
Firmino as a false 9, Benteke as good a player he is does not fit into our team.

When drew Stoke back in 2015, seemed like a good draw.
But they have hit some form, and their front 3 can do a lot of damage.
We will need to play better than we have been of late to beat them.
Will Benteke start? Be interesting to see.
But we could really be doing with getting past these and into the final, could all do with the lift I reckon.

I only ask one thing, make it worth me going to see the 2nd leg.

Going to have to stop Bojan, Shaqiri and that fella's name who starts with A.

Am sure at one stage we were after the first 2 ??.....wouldn't mind them in our side at the moment or the fella that starts with A.

anyone got a Ouja board so we can try and work out what Liverpool team will turn up. How do you manage people who's performance levels vary so wildly from week to week. We need this really badly and the players owe it to us

No sturridge no chance

We can do this. Jürgen would have had fiery words with his players after the West ham game and the boys will have to give 110%.

Tough game, but an away victory on the cards I reckon. 0-2 red men!

Take us to get through over the two legs, I badly want another trip to Wembley to put that performance against Villa firmly outta my head !! Like others have said though, it all depends which Liverpool side turn up, let's hope its similar to the same one that demolished the Saints !!

We can do this. Jürgen would have had fiery words with his players after the West ham game and the boys will have to give 110%.

Tough game, but an away victory on the cards I reckon. 0-2 red men!

Nice on Mark, yep I reckon we can too but that's only beacuse we will turn up for this game, Arsenal and The Mancs and win them F***ing all because they are the "big games"...who knows who the F**k we have after that and what sort of perfomance we will put in there.

Penalty shoot out win in the second leg anyone?

as Tadders says. We are not up for a fight .

Or are we?

I can only see one outcome for this match, sadly.

We got this.

I am not very optimistic about this game. Sorry.

They have been playing some very entertaining stuff last few games and they front line seem to have stuck a wavelength(Quite the opposite to us sadly). Bojan and Shaqiri look technically very good and the Austrian fella almost hits every shot very sweetly towards goal.

But what do I know? I predicted we would get stuffed against Leicester but we won. Hoping for same result again.

Bogdan

Clyne
Lovren
Sakho
Smith

Can
Allen
Coutinho

Ibe
Lallana

Firmino

Call me crazy.

I've done my bit by not going for a Liverpool win in the prediction league, so that should guarantee a win for us, based on my correct prediction ratio so far. 

If this was a league match I would be more worried, but we seem to do a lot better in cup competitions, we can easily go there and get at least a draw to take back to Anfield.

I'm worried about this one.

Badly want to win this cup but I have a bad feeling about Stoke away given recent away performances.

I'd be worried if you weren't worried.

Think that the lads will be up for this game, unless I am being too optimistic, a performance like the one against Southampton would be great. Hopeful that Klopp will have them fired up for this game.

They're playing well these days. Home crowd will be well up for it.

Take our recent away form into it and we will get done by a few goals, no problem.

Ballsy performance required. Not overly optimistic tbh, but you never know in cup games.

No time for sentimental picks.

Whoever isn't up for a fight doesn't play, too many nicey nicey ball tippy tappy F***ing players at the moment.

Pick some players that will fight for the cause first and foremost, we don't really carry a goal threat so lets keep ourselves in the game and try and nick it over 2 legs.

I think the players will be up for this match especially after the West Ham debacle.I am sure the Boss will have given them a few home truths regarding what is expected of them when representing Liverpool F.C.We need a result here in the first leg no question about that.