Pre-Match: Atalanta v. Liverpool; UEFA Champions League (Tues. 3 Nov. 8:00 pm)

The team has traveled to Italy for the third of 6 UEFA Champions League group stage matches, looking to maintain a perfect record in this season's competition following wins at Ajax and at home vs. Midtjylland. The opponents on Tuesday are Atalanta, based in Bergamo (Atalanta Bergamasco Calcio if we're being technical). The Italian side has defeated Midtjylland 4-0 away and drawn Ajax 2-2 at home thus far in Group D action.

Liverpool face questions over the matchday roster. On Monday, four players returned to full team training at Melwood, including Joel Matip, Naby Keita, Kostas Tsimikas and Billy Koumetio. Koumetio, like teammate Nat Phillips, is not registgered for UEFA matches at this time so will not be featuring tomorrow.

Thiago remains out of training and did not travel with the squad, as he continued to recover from Richarlison's horror challenge. James Milner also did not train with the team but was photographed boarding to team plane to Italy.

So what are we thinking ladies and gents?

Just to add I have a hunch Neco Williams will start tomorrow with Trent on the subs bench. Wouldn't shock me if Milner or Tsimikas gets the nod at left back as well, with the Man City match looming and tomorrow being our 6th match in 17-18 days. Robbo and Trent have played in all of these.

Just to add I have a hunch Neco Williams will start tomorrow with Trent on the subs bench. Wouldn't shock me if Milner or Tsimikas gets the nod at left back as well, with the Man City match looming and tomorrow being our 6th match in 17-18 days. Robbo and Trent have played in all of these.

Agree and that is why Tzimikas was purchased for games like tomorrow . We have 6 points on the board would settle for a point and make the necessary changes to be as fresh as possible for Sunday

This is the least perfect game in the run up to City who have a bloody stroll against Olympiakos at home.

This is a tough game and I wonder where it ranks in our priorities at the moment.

In an ideal world both full backs need a rest and Gomez. Not to mention the front 3. We will know from eelection if we are interested in winning this group early or whether eyes are on the huge game V City.

Cotton wool for a few before city

                 Alisson

Ttent Williams Gomez Robbo

       Milner Jones Gini

      Mo    Bobby  Jota

Keep hendo.Mane back. Play Gini on the basis Thiago is fit for city. Shaq likewise, keep in reserve tomorrow fresh for the weekend.

Atalanta are attack mad so will leave gaps. In saying that we can drop points here and not be a disaster. If we draw or lost tomorrow but win the weekend ill be ok with that

Yeh would definitely consider benching at least one of the full backs and Hendo and Mane.  We can digest dropping points in this game.  The schedule is just too tough we have to take advantage of our 6 points start. 

Don't play until Sunday, good result tomorrow and will set us up to qualify, worry about Sunday afterwards.

Is Tsimikas available yet? Or does he have Matip-itis

Don't play until Sunday, good result tomorrow and will set us up to qualify, worry about Sunday afterwards.

My thoughts exactly.  Win this and we've got 1 foot in the knockout round with 5 days before we play City.  It would be different if it was like the holiday fixture list with 48 hours between some games, but 5 days is plenty of time for the lads to fully recover. 

Personally, I think we need to be deploying the 4-2-3-1 again with Jota and Shaq both starting in the front 4 along with Mo and Mane.  Play Hendo and Gini as the screen in front of the back 4 and tell Robbo and Trent to stay at home a little more. 

Ali
TAA - Williams - Gomez - Robbo
Hendo - Gini
Shaq - Jota - Mane
Salah

Two games stand in the way of another dreaded international break, but on this occasion it’s more than welcome, Atalanta are punching above their weight and have been easy on the eye in recent times and have taken some notable scalps, alas for them serie A is not a patch on the epl and they will not have come across such a side as ours, albeit somewhat depleted,

There are NO easy sides in the CL irrespective of the league they play in, however, they will be fired up for this especially in their own back yard, so for me we need to play as strong a side as we possibly can, including all our biggest guns, so not too many changes  if any for me....some of you guys will play say Neco, Kostas etc but our back line is already stretched as it is so for me we will need a fullest back line as possible, Alisson, Trent, Rhys, Gomez, Robbo, are my back five,

Henderson, Gini  & Shaq in midfield with Jota, Mane & Mo up top, I can see this being a tight affair but there is something about the CL and this team that resonates perfectly, it’s gutting to be without Virgil & Thiago, those two lift us to another level and if we can stay in this comp for the latter stages , and have them both playing in April/ May I’d make us favourites to win No 7, a win tomorrow night would almost guarantee passage into the knockout rounds,

Let’s just get through the next couple of weeks first though, starting from tomorrow night, if I’m honest I’d take a draw right now, but I’m a greedy kunt and want all three points.....


                                                              Alisson
                                            Trent   Williams   Gomez   Robbo
                                                            Henderson
                                               Wijnaldom              Shaqiri
                                                 Jota         Salah       Mane


                     1 - 2  Mighty Redmen


                                                                    Y  N  W  A

I don't think we will see Tsimikas quite yet as he only trained once after more than a month out. Mario an/or Keita are more possible.

I'm thinking
ali
Neco, Gomez, Rhys, Robbo
Hendo Gini Minamino(surprise)
Mo, Jota, Sadio

Subs: Adrian, Matip, Trent, Milner, Jones, Shaq, Bobby

I am not sure of the quality of the opposition tonight. I think Jota should be in the starting line up, giving a chance to rest one of the front three, maybe Bobby. Think a 2  0 win for the Reds, would be perfect, to put us well on the way to the knock out stages, of the competition.

Atalanta seem quite similar to us in that say score a lot but also concede a good deal, if we turn up and play positive front foot stuff then I think we have more quality than they do and should win. I'd play as strong a team as possible, because if we win tonight then we are more or less qualified and can rest some players going into December which might be crucial.

Team I’d play if I was Klopp

                    Alisson

Trent  Williams   Gomez  Tsmikas

    Henderson  Gini   Shaqiri

     Salah       Mane      Jota

Robertson I imagine will play 180 minutes over the international break so it will be a good opportunity for him to get rest tonight. Shaqiri played that left side of midfield 3 against Midgytlland so I’d slot him in there with others still unavailable. As for Jota there’s no way you can deny him a start tonight the way he’s playing.

Everyone knows Atalanta fly forward with Zapata the main danger but they’re also very good at attacking set pieces so Williams will have to be strong like Phillips was on Saturday.

Think it could be a close one so I went 2-2 in my prediction.

Im expecting a game with plenty of chance for both teams. We are a better team, but Atalanta will be tough to beat at home. Hopefully we can nick the points, but i fancy a draw to be honest

                 Alisson

Trent Williams Gomez Robbo

   Wijnaldum       Milner
               Shaqiri
 Minamino Bobby  Jota

I would keep Matip for Sunday, rest Henderson, Salah and Mane for Sunday too.

One thing I hope to see tonight is more shots. Lets fu**ing work the keeper.

For me recently we have become to predictable. Happy to pass around continiously, almost trying to walk the ball into the goal. Long time since I can recall someone hitting a 25 yarder or an edge of the box shot. Test the keeper give em something to think about. Might get a deflection or keeper might spill it to an oncoming forward

One thing I hope to see tonight is more shots. Lets fu**ing work the keeper.

For me recently we have become to predictable. Happy to pass around continiously, almost trying to walk the ball into the goal. Long time since I can recall someone hitting a 25 yarder or an edge of the box shot. Test the keeper give em something to think about. Might get a deflection or keeper might spill it to an oncoming forward

This really annoyed me in both first half’s against West Ham and Sheffield. It’s like unless the players are certain they will score they don’t bother having a pop.

Agree and that is why Tzimikas was purchased for games like tomorrow . We have 6 points on the board would settle for a point and make the necessary changes to be as fresh as possible for Sunday

I'm surprised he hasn't seen more playing time up till now, doesn make me wonder if he has looked the part in training

EDIT: didn't realise he has been injured!

Starting to think that the critics of Thiago's injury record might have been right you know.

Agree with the earlier comments that of the two games this week I'd rather have the three points from the Premier League.  I don't think 18 points are going to be required in this group.

Starting to think that the critics of Thiago's injury record might have been right you know.

Agree with the earlier comments that of the two games this week I'd rather have the three points from the Premier League.  I don't think 18 points are going to be required in this group.

I was one, but tbf that was a proper knock he took against everton.

Happy enough with a draw tonight, then one more win pretty much see's us through.

I was one, but tbf that was a proper knock he took against everton.

Maybe I thought he had been back in training longer than he has.

Happy to give him the benefit of the doubt then - didn't think it was a big hit but maybe he still had loads of unpacking to do in his house. 😉

My thoughts exactly.  Win this and we've got 1 foot in the knockout round with 5 days before we play City.  It would be different if it was like the holiday fixture list with 48 hours between some games, but 5 days is plenty of time for the lads to fully recover. 

Personally, I think we need to be deploying the 4-2-3-1 again with Jota and Shaq both starting in the front 4 along with Mo and Mane.  Play Hendo and Gini as the screen in front of the back 4 and tell Robbo and Trent to stay at home a little more. 

Ali
TAA - Williams - Gomez - Robbo
Hendo - Gini
Shaq - Jota - Mane
Salah

We do this and the mid field will be over run again. It clearly doesn’t suit our style of play !

Go full throttle tonight, no resting players unless its for a knock or some such. If we win, were on 9 points and top of group, can use rotation a lot more in final 3 games, cos job is done. ;-)

I imagine the back 4 start, or at most Milner in for Robbo.

Midfield i think Hendo and Gini are definitely in and who plays with them depends on health.

Up front i think we see what we have seen the past few games: the front 3 get 30min of rest.

                            Alisson
       Trent   Williams   Gomez   Robbo
                Gini    Hendo   Shaqiri
              Mane       Salah       Jota
 

As  Full  a side as possible,  Atalanta away is far from easy, win tonight we're practically thru to the KO stages and we can rest rotate and totally relax, and concentrate on defending our league title,

Be interesting to see how this lot cope with our intensity, I want us in their faces from the start and don't let them breath, I fancy us to grab all 3 points and take a unassailable lead at the top of the group,  but please please play with pace, a high line & a high tempo, do this and they are fu**ed ! !

0-2 Mighty Redmen



                                         YNWA

Ali
Neco Williams Gomez  Robbo

  Jones Milner Gini

Jota Salah Mane

I would really want to bench Robbo but don't think the Greek will be ready for this game maybe off the bench.   We have 6 points and it is another game after 3 days.  We have the opportunity of 5 subs so we can readjust if we get desperate. 

Tough game, this; these are decent free-scoring outfit.

Rotation probably required, but I'd be inclined to go as strong as possible with us not playing till Sunday.

Would take a draw now, ahead of the City game, so I'll go 2-2.

We do this and the mid field will be over run again. It clearly doesn’t suit our style of play !

Your very quick to slate the choice of other poster’s X1’s but you do not offer your own selection, so please if you don’t mind enlighten us with your X1 that will suit our style of play ! !






                                                                             Y  N  W  A

No way there is a nil in this game. Will go 2-2 or 4-3 depending on line ups

            Alisson
Neco Matip Gomez Tsimikas
   Gini Hendo Jones
Shaq Minamino Jota

Be resiliant and maybe grab one upon the break.
So many games, am sure Jürgen will rotate again similar to Midgetland
Would ideally rest TAA and Robbo if possible as some have said.
Hard to rest Hendo given injuries.
Don't think the regular front 3 did any better than the backups when they came on, so would start with them on bench again.
COYRs!!!!!!!!!!!

                   Alisson
Neco - Williams - Gomez - Tsimikas
              Hendo  - Gini
    Minamino - Shaqiri - Jota
                    Salah

Not sure if Tsimikas is back yet, if not Robbo.

Very, very tough night ahead of us. Point would be fantastic.

                   Alisson
Neco - Williams - Gomez - Tsimikas
              Hendo  - Gini
    Minamino - Shaqiri - Jota
                    Salah

Not sure if Tsimikas is back yet, if not Robbo.

In squad supposedly