Pre-Match: Lincoln City vs. Liverpool, EFL Cup (Thurs.24th September 19:45 KO)

Not into the way he gives Ljinders the Carabao Cup press conferences. Don't get me wrong, I think Pep is a brilliant orator & his press conferences are interesting but it should be the manager doing this stuff.

I know the Carabao Cup won't be high on his priorities and he more than likely sees it as a bit of a hindrance but I think letting your #2 take the press conferences doesn't send out a good message and sort of devalues the occasion for both the players who will be getting their big chance & the supporters who have paid for tickets

Unless of course Pep is being prepped for a possible "promotion" in a few years time?

Is Pep leading the team out? Maybe we should stifle him by not giving him such career progressive roles. I fear we will lose him to become a full manager again. We know where this is going. He will eventually become a manager and we will lose a good coach.

And no, whoever I work for shall not stifle me career progression. But I'm all for stifling Pep's career.

No no no. It's actually a good thing. I'm happy for him that he's been given career opportunities in his role. I'll be backing him all the way. Get us the win Pep.

That was a good glimpse into the inner workings of your mind. 

Oh by the way, he's not leading us out tomorrow. He just did the presser. Klopp was having his body hair waxed I think.

I expect he will start against Arsenal. I don't think fitness keeps him from playing vs. Lincoln, just the occasion.

Look at our domestic Cup lineups from the past couple of seasons when we've done so well in the league, Jürgen routinely rotates the entire team so players can keep on the schedule of one match per week when possible. Lincoln is a chance for a number of players to get a game who aren't getting one at the moment, even some experienced first team professionals. It's just not a priority.

As far as blending in, man I feel pity for the rest of the league to think he needs to synch with his teammates even more than what we saw last week. He looked like he'd been in the team forever.

Jürgen mentioned that he had played with Spain and been training with Bayern. He seems fully fit to me.

Thiago is on from the start vs. Arsenal and I didn't see anything last week to suggest he couldn't go the entire 90 minutes if Jürgen wants him to.  But no need to use him tomorrow.

Entitled to your opinion but disagree . Will see

I know the Carabao Cup won't be high on his priorities and he more than likely sees it as a bit of a hindrance but I think letting your #2 take the press conferences doesn't send out a good message and sort of devalues the occasion for both the players who will be getting their big chance & the supporters who have paid for tickets

Unless of course Pep is being prepped for a possible "promotion" in a few years time?

It depends on how people think about Pep. Some possible thoughts depending on the individual. I still think it’s good career progression.

1) number two and therefore maybe an unimportant match.
2) we’ve got a very good number two who can at least step up to cover when number one isn’t around.
3) Unproven. Don’t trust him. Trust only Klopp. Klopp made a huge
4) If he’s not up to it, Klopp wouldn’t entrust him to do it.
5) still unprepared but he needs to learn how to survive at the deep end. He’s being thrown in there to develop.
6) he’s our coach. Back him no matter what. If we don’t, who needs fans.

It depends on how people think about Pep. Some possible thoughts depending on the individual. I still think it’s good career progression.

I'm hoping it's more to do with his progression myself, as to be fair, in the press conferences I've seem from him he's spoken brilliantly so that would point towards him becoming a manager in the future. It's certainly too early to wonder whether the club are considering giving him the job once Klopp eventually leaves, but I'd say there was a chance they could be "testing the water" with stuff like this

Expecting the kids out for this one with perhaps a couple of the more experienced lads in the line up.

Want us to have a good cup run this season so hoping for a decent performance.

If anyone is able to guess the staring eleven for this game correctly could they please let me know what numbers to do in the lotto? Impossible to guess really but I’m looking forward to seeing Minamino again after he really impressed me in pre season

I’m going 5-1 to the reds

Expecting the kids out for this one with perhaps a couple of the more experienced lads in the line up.

Want us to have a good cup run this season so hoping for a decent performance.

Milner will definitely be the captain.

Adrian
Williams
van den Berg
Henderson
Tsimikas
Jones
Thiago
Milner
Minamino
Jota
Elliott/?


just throwing something different out there with Hendo at CB! if we're intending on using Fabinho there more then Henderson is some kind of replacement for the second string to replicate that. it emphasises being on the front foot from the first minute. do we need two out and out centre halves against Lincoln City? not that we have two fit anyway!

Adrian
Williams
van den Berg
Henderson
Tsimikas
Jones
Thiago
Milner
Minamino
Jota
Elliott/?


just throwing something different out there with Hendo at CB! if we're intending on using Fabinho there more then Henderson is some kind of replacement for the second string to replicate that. it emphasises being on the front foot from the first minute. do we need two out and out centre halves against Lincoln City? not that we have two fit anyway!

Henderson not available for this one.

Hope there’s a good mix of experience and kids.
Don’t want any upsets, should be aiming to win it all this season. 😊 👊🏻

Do not know how seriously Klopp takes this competition, probably play a few kids. A balance of experience and youth most likely to be fielded tonight. It would be nice to add this trophy to our ever growing list of silverware achieved under Jürgen, however small !

No Gomez no Matip. Looks like VVD will have to start which isnt ideal. Sepp likely in with him

No Gomez no Matip. Looks like VVD will have to start which isnt ideal. Sepp likely in with him

Virgil may start but he really doesn't have to. Jürgen plays the long game and with midweek games basically all season due to the compact schedule, I think he is going to use this competition as a chance for a break.

Ljinders said yesterday that last season they used the Cup as a chance to find out if players were talented enough, but this season we are past that phase and we now have enough first team players to compete in it. I think that means the regular starters in the league will sit out these matches. I think the various teams on this thread omittting the regulars should be enough to see off Lincoln.

But we'll find out for sure in about 8 hours.

Trust is the key word I reckon, who does Jürgen trust when the big guns are unavailable or which of the younger players does he trust to cope with the pressure, in pre-season we were all impressed with Billy Koumetio, could he be trusted to play in alongside say Fabinho given that he was so good against the Chavs, it’s a bit of a head scratcher this since we are without Joe & Joel and don’t necessarily want to play Virgil, I’m not so sure of Van de Berg if I’m honest not seen enough of him to cast judgement,

In this competition we usually play the kids with a smattering of first teamers, I don’t see that changing given the schedule we have, a shorter pre- season and the amount of games we could end up playing, it’s definitely not a priority but we still need to honour it by giving it a real go, we do have a bigger squad to use with added quality so it’s possible Jürgen puts out a fairly stronger X1 than usual,


The back 4 will need to be solid so he might give Fabinho another go there, and to lessen the risk of injury play Koumetio instead of Virgil, can’t see Henderson being risked if he is fit to play, so Milner in as Skipper, then it’s anyone’s guess from there, but I do think we’ll see Jota, Minamino, Jones & Elliot, probably Origi instead of Brewster , Williams & Tsimikas as full backs, it’s a guessing game and a bit of a trial for some but  whoever plays I don’t think Lincoln will be too taxing.



                                                                          Y  N  W  A

Just looked this up to satisfy my own curiosity. Let’s look at Jürgen’s lineups in the domestic cup competitions last season and how many changes he made from the previous league match.

League Cup Vs. MK Dons: Kelleher, Hoever, Lovren, Gomez, Milner, Keita, Ox, Lallana, Jones, Elliott, Brewster
(previous league game vs. Chelsea: Adrian (Allie was injured), Trent, Matip, Virgil, Robbo, Fab, Gini, Hendo, Sadio, Bobby, Mo) – 11 CHANGES.

League Cup Vs. Arsenal: Kelleher, Williams, Gomez, Van den Berg, Milner, Lallana, Keita, Ox, Elliott, Origi, Brewster (and even younger with the subs – Kane, Larouci, Clarkson, Koumetio)
(previous league game vs. Spurs: Alisson, Trent, Lovren, Virgil,  Robbo, Fab, Hendo, Gini, Sadio, Bobby, Mo) – 11 CHANGES

I won’t include the next game with Villa because this was when the team was in Qatar for the Club World Cup. Suffice to say it was 11 CHANGES.

FA Cup vs Everton: Adrian, Williams, Phillips, Gomez, Milner, Chirivella, Lallana, Jones, Elliott, Minamino, Origi
(previous league game vs. Sheffield United: Alisson, Trent, Virgil, Gomez, Robbo, Hendo, Gini, Milner, Mane, Bobby, Mo) – 10 CHANGES

FA Cup vs. Shrewsbury: Adrian, Williams, Lovren, Matip, Larouci, Fabinho, Chirivella, Jones, Elliott, Minamino, Origi.
(previous league game vs. Wolves: Alisson, Trent, Virgil, Gomez, Robbo, Hendo, Gini, Ox, Sadio, Bobby, Mo). – 11 CHANGES.

Different circumstances for the replay with Shrewsbury, but again, 11 CHANGES.

FA Cup vs. Chelsea: Adrian, Williams, Gomez, Virgil,  Robbo, Fabinho, Lallana, Jones, Minamino, Origi, Sadio
(previous league game vs. Watford: Alisson, Trent, Virgil, Lovren, Robbo, Fab, Gini, Ox, Sadio, Bobby, Mo) – 8 CHANGES.

Obviously the wild cards for today are fitness of some players AND uncertainty about who might be getting loaned out or sold. But the pattern is pretty much for Jürgen to change every position in the starting lineup..

Completely forgot about this.

Will be out tonight so going to miss it, shame as I was looking forward to seeing a few players. Hoping Jota gets a start, and the likes of Minamino, Jones and Elliot are all involved.

Arsenal await in the fourth round.

No Gomez no Matip. Looks like VVD will have to start which isnt ideal. Sepp likely in with him

Likely to be rhys Williams with sepl

Just looked this up to satisfy my own curiosity. Let’s look at Jürgen’s lineups in the domestic cup competitions last season and how many changes he made from the previous league match.

League Cup Vs. MK Dons: Kelleher, Hoever, Lovren, Gomez, Milner, Keita, Ox, Lallana, Jones, Elliott, Brewster
(previous league game vs. Chelsea: Adrian (Allie was injured), Trent, Matip, Virgil, Robbo, Fab, Gini, Hendo, Sadio, Bobby, Mo) – 11 CHANGES.

League Cup Vs. Arsenal: Kelleher, Williams, Gomez, Van den Berg, Milner, Lallana, Keita, Ox, Elliott, Origi, Brewster (and even younger with the subs – Kane, Larouci, Clarkson, Koumetio)
(previous league game vs. Spurs: Alisson, Trent, Lovren, Virgil,  Robbo, Fab, Hendo, Gini, Sadio, Bobby, Mo) – 11 CHANGES

I won’t include the next game with Villa because this was when the team was in Qatar for the Club World Cup. Suffice to say it was 11 CHANGES.

FA Cup vs Everton: Adrian, Williams, Phillips, Gomez, Milner, Chirivella, Lallana, Jones, Elliott, Minamino, Origi
(previous league game vs. Sheffield United: Alisson, Trent, Virgil, Gomez, Robbo, Hendo, Gini, Milner, Mane, Bobby, Mo) – 10 CHANGES

FA Cup vs. Shrewsbury: Adrian, Williams, Lovren, Matip, Larouci, Fabinho, Chirivella, Jones, Elliott, Minamino, Origi.
(previous league game vs. Wolves: Alisson, Trent, Virgil, Gomez, Robbo, Hendo, Gini, Ox, Sadio, Bobby, Mo). – 11 CHANGES.

Different circumstances for the replay with Shrewsbury, but again, 11 CHANGES.

FA Cup vs. Chelsea: Adrian, Williams, Gomez, Virgil,  Robbo, Fabinho, Lallana, Jones, Minamino, Origi, Sadio
(previous league game vs. Watford: Alisson, Trent, Virgil, Lovren, Robbo, Fab, Gini, Ox, Sadio, Bobby, Mo) – 8 CHANGES.

Obviously the wild cards for today are fitness of some players AND uncertainty about who might be getting loaned out or sold. But the pattern is pretty much for Jürgen to change every position in the starting lineup..

After all of that, this was just posted on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/TheKopHQ/status/1309110156878393347

Could they have gone just for the morning training session? ;-)

I expect a large number of kids with a couple of oldies like Milner sprinkled in. Kids doesn't necessarily mean fresh off the academy, as players like Neco, Jones and Elliott are still "kids" but have played for the 1st team already. Would also think Sepp is playing today.

I expect a large number of kids with a couple of oldies like Milner sprinkled in. Kids doesn't necessarily mean fresh off the academy, as players like Neco, Jones and Elliott are still "kids" but have played for the 1st team already. Would also think Sepp is playing today.

Even Sepp trains every day with the first team. Yes, Ljinders spelled it out similar to what you are saying here. It does seem that maybe Rhys Williams and Layton Stewart may be in the squad so they would be the exceptions re pulling from the Academy...but these may have been training at Melwood for the past few days anyway. The club has conspicuously not shown any of those training videos for the past 4-5 days.

Really looking forward to this one now - and it's my day off so I get to watch!

No Gomez no Matip. Looks like VVD will have to start which isnt ideal. Sepp likely in with him

I'd be amazed if Virgil is anywhere near this game Bri.

Jürgen would sooner play himself than risk him.