Pre-Match: S.S.C. Napoli Vs. Liverpool: CL Match Day 1; Wed 7 Sept, KO 20.00

VS
S.S.C. Napoli    Liverpool

A return to Naples for us on Wednesday, last time we were beaten 2-0, with if I remember some dodgy decisions, payback for sure must be on the cards, but with our current form, who knows.

Hopefully we will have some players back from injury, but alas, we have lost some more. Betting as us Evens to win, Napoli 3/1 and 3/1 the draw, make what of that if you will.

Napoli are currently top the Serie A Table, unbeaten, W3 D2 L0, with a GD of +8 so we are defiantly in for a hard game on the pitch, and of course on the terraces too.

Last time we were there can be watched here,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfRlns_ndes

And the pre and post match threads can be perused id you so wish here.
PRE: https://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php/topic,51184.msg2265911.html#msg2265911
POST https://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php/topic,51185.msg2266041.html#msg2266041

Interesting, the team that night consisted of:
 

Adrian,
 Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson,
Fabinho, Milner, Henderson,
Mane, Salah, Firmino.

.... which baring injuries we could play on Wednesday, baring Mane, obviously this won't be close to the team put out.

So fingers and toes crossed, gonna be a bumpy ride for sure.

Massive opportunity to get things in gear and start to click.

Come on lads - do the business

season starts proper now.

Very tough game, Napoli are playing good (top of Serie A) and Naples is a tough away trip. With out form being so out of sorts as much as 3 points would be great to kick start something a draw wouldn't be the worst result

At the minute, I'd take a draw away from these right now, a win could give us a massive boost though against decent opposition.

Away draw would be a decent start to the group.

But were always capable of winning anywhere.

Expect a Salah goal or 2.

I would play Firmino from the start but do not know what position I would play him.

Play Melo to see how he plays. He knows a thing or two since he was with Juve.

Could be the ideal game to Start Melo, for obvious reasons. Nunez starts for me, has to get fully up to speed. I'd rest Mo, Boss has Diaz, Jota & Bobby plus Nunez. Mo could do with a breather or as Bowling did, 'coming up for air'.

So Thiago back in training should make bench and hopefully start weekend . Matip a possible contender to start also maybe give VVD a rest

Allison

TAA
Matip
VVD
Robbo

Fabinho
Milner
Elliott

Diaz
Bobby
Salah

Would we consider Napoli a bit of a boogie team. Seem to remember them causing us problems in recent games.
Taking nothing for granted here. Not sure how many we can 'rest' either, so just hope the lads can up their performance game on game.

I'd bite your hand off for a point right now.

I'd bite your hand off for a point right now.

Me too.

I'd go for Jota, Nunez and Salah up front.

Give Diaz a break.

Fabinho, Elliott and Arthur in midfield.

Can’t afford to be giving Napoli a one goal start

Me too.

I'd go for Jota, Nunez and Salah up front.

Give Diaz a break.

Fabinho, Elliott and Arthur in midfield.

Jota is good shout

I have a feeling we’re going to really turn up for this one

Need a good performance to start off our CL campaign, let's start with an away win against our hosts Napoli !

Just get a point. Hate this lot, so glad ancelotti isnt there as he always beats us.
Not sure if this will
Be any different to previous seasons, proper tough game

I have a feeling we’re going to really turn up for this one

Really hope you're right

I'd settle for a draw here considering our history vs this lot.  They are not as good as previous seasons ( according to my neighbor who is from Napoli ) haha

I'd love to see a 4-2-3-1
get our defending in order first Clean sheets win games , at least they did when we won the league ...
 let the front 4 come up with a goal or 2

Gomez Matip VVD Robbo

  Fabinho      Arthur

Mo    Bobby     Diaz

         Darwin

Impact subs - Elliot , Jota , TAA  , Carvalho (if fit)

Do not want Milly starting , as much as i love the guy

Will be a tough match but we can pull it off.

https://twitter.com/xxx/status/1567054488581677056?s=21&t=Y0fcnSymTxoP3pkMUXcB8g

Might be a long night 🤷‍♂️

https://twitter.com/xxx/status/1567054488581677056?s=21&t=Y0fcnSymTxoP3pkMUXcB8g

Not surprising (giving the injury situation just don't have the bodies) but if Napoli play at a Serie A might work in his favor 

https://twitter.com/xxx/status/1567054488581677056?s=21&t=Y0fcnSymTxoP3pkMUXcB8g

Just an FYI, that twitter account is associated with The Sun

Just an FYI, that twitter account is associated with The Sun

That's the Uncle Fester arsehole isn't it.

Just an FYI, that twitter account is associated with The Sun

Cheers wasn’t aware of that.

That's the Uncle Fester arsehole isn't it.

The Irish idiot ? Craig something?

Might be a long night 🤷‍♂️

Will be a long night.Hard graft for the 90 odd minutes. Everybody putting in a shift. Away games in Italy are about grinding out a result. Press press and try and create something in their last third. Play Nunez to get hin fully up to speed.

1-1

Will be a long night.Hard graft for the 90 odd minutes. Everybody putting in a shift. Away games in Italy are about grinding out a result. Press press and try and create something in their last third. Play Nunez to get hin fully up to speed.

1-1

Hoping for a Torres against Inter type of away performance - loved that game / goal!

https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/1470462745023758336?s=21&t=SIzA5c2ypFyZuvWIorXSPA

Just an FYI, that twitter account is associated with The Sun

yea I blocked that chunto

First things first, to all reds in Naples tonight and tomorrow night, stay safe.  A very moody place with a section of absolutely moronic people.

Secondly, no idea which Liverpool are going to turn up - although recent form suggests the lethargic slow starting one will. 

Hopefully the Champions League music before kick off activates some kind of internal switch inside them and they enjoy a dominant (and injury free) 90 minutes.

Great to hear Thiago is back in training ahead of this one, hopefully we don't need him to play but maybe he gets a few minutes. Same too for Jota. I suspect we will see Melo at some stage and it's always good to blood players in Europe rather than straight into the EPL I think.

I'd be happy with a draw away at their place and reckon we will get a result. Hoping to see some fluency and movement back in our play. i reckon it'll be a 1-1 draw myself.

I have a feeling we’re going to really turn up for this one

I hope so! And we need to in their ground because their ultras will voice their support.

Who is travelling, be safe.

Wonder what’s the Chances of Klopp starting Bajcetic alongside Fab and Arthur.

Great to hear Thiago is back in training ahead of this one, hopefully we don't need him to play but maybe he gets a few minutes. Same too for Jota. I suspect we will see Melo at some stage and it's always good to blood players in Europe rather than straight into the EPL I think.

I'd be happy with a draw away at their place and reckon we will get a result. Hoping to see some fluency and movement back in our play. i reckon it'll be a 1-1 draw myself.

It suddenly feels like we have options with

Arthur, Thiago and Jota back. Thiago and Jota especially, F***ing massive players for us.

I’m on my knees praying Thiago stays injury free.

Anyone see the training today? Anyone back fit?

Wonder what’s the Chances of Klopp starting Bajcetic alongside Fab and Arthur.

A little above zero I should think dude

Could be a welcome distraction from our sluggish league form. Napoli will probably fancy their chances so it could open things up for us. I don't know why but I fully expect us to win, although a draw wouldn't be a bad result.

Anyone see the training today? Anyone back fit?

Thiago looking sharp, however Jones and Carvalho out

Thiago looking sharp, however Jones and Carvalho out

Fabio another Everton casualty.

Seriously F***ing Hell! Imagine a foreign teams fans being warned like this coming to the UK!

https://twitter.com/LFCHelp/status/1567146841258561537?t=jNzFj8aYEPBdlfF5YNGOOw&s=19

What a feckin dickhead!!! I thought we were playing tonight, i've just bloody tuned in and the b***ard game isn't on for another 24 hours!

What a feckin dickhead!!! I thought we were playing tonight, i've just bloody tuned in and the b***ard game isn't on for another 24 hours!

you divvy, done that before though.

Just hope we can start with a bit of intensity and rythm. Love to see us win this in style, without going behind first !

COME ON YOU RED MEN !

I'd take a draw here

Seriously F***ing Hell! Imagine a foreign teams fans being warned like this coming to the UK!

https://twitter.com/LFCHelp/status/1567146841258561537?t=jNzFj8aYEPBdlfF5YNGOOw&s=19

If Napoli fans are that bad, they shouldnt be allowed to host games.

What a feckin dickhead!!! I thought we were playing tonight, i've just bloody tuned in and the b***ard game isn't on for another 24 hours!

Yes mate, that premature Ejaculation is a bi*ch isn’t it   

Always tough going here, don’t expect anything different tonight, definitely our hardest opponent in the group stage so for me the performance tonight outweighs the result, if we can get a win here we can probably book a place in the KO stage, a draw would be absolutely fine, and a defeat though not ideal won’t put us out of the comp,

It’s not in our mind set to sit back but I think Jürgen will play it cool, I’m going with a midfield trio of Fabinho, Milner & Bobby, with Nunez & Lucho & Mo up top, and the usual suspects at the back, absolutely no reason to change apart from rotating Robbo & Kostas, if Calvin was ready we’d probably see rotation there too with Trent, so we could see Matip on laters with Joe going RB, no way will Jimmy last 90+,

Haven’t done too well here in the past so I’m erring on the side of caution and would be ecstatic with a draw, cannot see either Ajax or Rangers getting anything there, so drawing will give us kudos over them two,


                                 Allison
                    Trent   Gomez  Virgil  Robbo
                          Milner    Fabinho
                                 Bobby
                      Salah   Nunez   Diaz


Bench; Adrian, Matip, Kostas, Ramsey, Thiago, Melo, Jones, Elliot, Bajcetic, Jota


Like I said performance for me is more important for us going forward,slowly slowly we are getting back to somewhere near a more familiar look & feel, we have to consider also the slight change in attack, Nunez will take another 2/3 games to settle in and for everyone else to acclimatise, we still aren’t at full strength so I’m certainly not expecting us to be as free flowing, so indeed a draw or even better a win would be a fantastic result.


1-1


C’mon Redmen  !!!



                                                                    Y  N  W  A

Our boys have had enough cruising through the past matches... Come out firing tonight. They've been relaxed for too long. Time to execute everything perfectly.

My predictions have been off the mark this season. Therefore I am going for a draw hoping that I am proved wrong and the Reds come away with a win.

Going to very tough this one and they are playing well.

Will take a 0-0.

First time in what seems forever we’re going into a game where I don’t think we’ll win. A draw will still be a very good result though.

Ali

Gomez
Matip
Virgil
Tsimikas

Fabinho
Milner
Elliott

Salah
Carrolls sister
Diaz

Either Thiago or Melo will start be surprised if Eliott does

First time in what seems forever we’re going into a game where I don’t think we’ll win. A draw will still be a very good result though.

Ali

Gomez
Matip
Virgil
Tsimikas

Fabinho
Milner
Elliott

Salah
Carrolls sister
Diaz

Why belittle Nunez, OK he messed up V Palace but give the lad a chance. If he doesn't make it here it should not be for want off support.

Why belittle Nunez, OK he messed up V Palace but give the lad a chance. If he doesn't make it here it should not be for want off support.

Yea, wtf is that about.

First time in what seems forever we’re going into a game where I don’t think we’ll win. A draw will still be a very good result though.

Ali

Gomez
Matip
Virgil
Tsimikas

Fabinho
Milner
Elliott

Salah
Carrolls sister
Diaz

What’s with the ‘Carroll’s Sister sh*t bud ? Unlike you to be belittling new fish, anyhoo, can’t see Elliot starting, too tough a game for him, he’s a lightweight for this game and will get found out very quickly, we need a solid engine room for this hence Fabinho & Milner, and Bobby tracks back well too,

In our current guise I agree a win seems a bridge too far but then, we are Liverpool and we are capable of anything, fancy a draw myself, which will be just fine.


1-1



                                                                   Y  N  W  A

Not going to be an easy game, can't see either team keeping a clean sheet.

Just tongue in cheek lads, haven’t been impressed with him so far, makes lukakus first touch look like prime Ronaldhino. Not going to write the lad off after a month.

Just tongue in cheek lads, haven’t been impressed with him so far, makes lukakus first touch look like prime Ronaldhino. Not going to write the lad off after a month.

Why would we sign someone with a sh*t touch, surely it’s just a confidence thing.

Why would we sign someone with a sh*t touch, surely it’s just a confidence thing.

He has strengths but his first touch and close control isn’t great. It’s not a new thing either,  seen plenty of evidence from his Benfica days. I don’t think the guy lacks confidence either so not sure that’s an excuse. I share the same reservations about him based on his start but here’s hoping he can prove me wrong. To be fair, I actually thought he played fairly well against Everton. Get him involved tonight and hopefully he can build on it.

Let's hope these players show some desire and hunger to win a game. Currently they don't look bothered.

Won't hold a high line tonight so Trent will come under pressure, some say he's not a great defensive right back but he'll have to turn up tonight and if his game is not there, games like tonight will expose that.

Our midfield will have to graft and fight, snarl it up for them. If we were pissed off with Newcastle over the dark arts, Napoli take it to a new level, these guys are professional dick heads.

https://twitter.com/iandoylesport/status/1567568630392537088?s=21&t=YkRXaEtNzHqm4-kYPxMBfA