Pre-Match: Tottenham v Liverpool Carabao Cup SF 1st Leg Weds 8th Jan 20:00 KO

Next up, Spurs in the Carabao Cup Semi Finals.

Expecting a few changes from the United game:

Kelleher

Bradley
Quansah
van Dijk (c)
Tsimikas

Gravenberch
Mac Allister

Salah
Elliott
Gakpo

Jota

Subs:

Alisson (GK)
Alexander-Arnold
Nallo
Szoboszlai
Jones
Endo
Diaz
Nunez
Chiesa

Injured:

Gomez

NB: Team no longer available

Trent and Robertson needs a break! Konate needs his fitness back. Darwin is suspended with 5 yellows.

If Domink recovers well from the flu, I would play him.

Chiesa, Elliott to enter around 65th minute.

We have two cup games coming up

Think we will be strong against Spurs with maybe Jota and Nunez coming in

And Kellher playing both cup games

Kellher

Bradley
Quansah
VVD
Robbo

Grav
Jones
Elliot

Nunez
Jota
Mo

We have two cup games coming up

Think we will be strong against Spurs with maybe Jota and Nunez coming in

And Kellher playing both cup games

Kellher

Bradley
Quansah
VVD
Robbo

Grav
Jones
Elliot

Nunez
Jota
Mo

Nunez suspended.

Nunez suspended.

Against Forest

Nunez suspended.

No he isn't

Kelleher
Bradley
VVD
Konate/Quansah
Tzimikas
Grav
Mac
Szlob
Diaz
Jota
Salah

Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, VVD, Tsimikas; Grav, Mac, Dom; Salah, Jota, Gakpo.

Cannot see Bradley starting. That would suggest he has 45 or 60 in him.

Reason I can't see it is had he been able to do more than 10 yesterday he would most certainly have been brought on earlier.

Have to he careful with any player who is crucial for the league.

The result is secondary in these Cup games (this season), the prime focus is the league, and ensuring players are right for it.

Kelleher, Quansah, Chiesa, Nunez, Tsimi, Endo, Elliott... there's seven. Nyoni? Jones maybe starts as he needs to up it. Bradley to get 20 maybe (hopefully more if he's up to it). Some minutes late on for Konate and possibly Dom if he is back. Fine tuning for the league, that's the priority.

Think we should concentrate on this one first like.

Being a semi it's a big game I guess.

Think we should concentrate on this one first like.

Being a semi it's a big game I guess.

Big game? Thought you lot called this the Micky Mouse Cup?

Oh sh!t I remember now! When you’re still in it it’s a big game/competition.

Well whoever starts, we can’t afford another debacle like the game v munts.
We play like that again and get beaten, that will be the beginning of the downward spiral. The confidence will be gone, the finger pointing will start, and all momentum will be gone.
Strongest IN FORM 11 for me.
Prediction 🤷‍♂️ what Liverpool side are gonna show up.

As it stands, the tactic will be press press press, and concentrate on attacking the Liverpool right side of defence. Get 3 players in there supporting each other, and Liverpool won’t cope with the over load.

That’s my team talk to Spurs !
What are we gonna do about it 🤷‍♂️

Big game? Thought you lot called this the Micky Mouse Cup?

Oh sh!t I remember now! When you’re still in it it’s a big game/competition.

Chill out Keith.

Our club has a proud record in this. Still remember some nerve shredding League Cup semi finals over the years against the likes of City Chelsea and Arsenal.

Get this far you might as well go for it.

Be nice for the new manager to get some silver ware into the club.

No he isn't

Suspension is not carried on into the cups?  Example: Slot was banned then he did it in the cup.

Big game? Thought you lot called this the Micky Mouse Cup?

Oh sh!t I remember now! When you’re still in it it’s a big game/competition.

Just go and enjoy your 'we drew at anfield ' cup

Suspension is not carried on into the cups?  Example: Slot was banned then he did it in the cup.

No banned for Forest only

Have to he careful with any player who is crucial for the league.

Seems to me he was crucial to the league yesterday, and if he'd been brought on at about 50 mins, we likely would have gone on to win. Never know for sure will we, but Trent needed taking out of his misery much earlier than he was. Think that's a major mistake by Arne, as Trent was getting schooled out there, and obvious to everyone.

Suspension is not carried on into the cups?  Example: Slot was banned then he did it in the cup.

It's different for players.

For managers is carries across, for players it only carries across if you pick up a straight red or 2 yellows in the same game i.e Robbo v Fulham. 5/10 yellows in the Prem is served in Prem only.

Just go and enjoy your 'we drew at anfield ' cup

😂 you fcukers lucky 😂

Nothing will be decided tomorrow night, even if we come away with a narrow loss (don't think will be the case), we'll have more than enough to turn it around in 2nd leg.

A mix of first team and rotational players. Kelleher, Bradley, Quansah, Kostas, Endo all come in. Possible Harvey too if Szobo is still unwell. I'd keep Virg and Mo in just to keep the morale of the team going into this high.

Something like; Kelleher, Bradley Quansah Virgil Kostas, Endo Mac, Salah Szobo Nunez, Jota

Would give Nunez a go on the left side with Jota through the middle, not working at all down the middle in this system, maybe see if we can get a tune out of him on the left. Harvey, Chiesa, Grav and maybe Ibou all to get minutes off the bench.

Spurs have Sarr and Maddison both banned for this I believe, with Vicario Forster Udogie Romero VDV Davies and Richarlison all still out.

No Szoboszlai so would like to think Elliott might get the nod to start unless he goes with same 3 . Szoboszlai and Konate both need minutes against Stanley and probably Bradley if not getting many tomorrow

As long as we match the opposition for aggressiveness, we should be ok. We can certainly outplay them, but not if we get bullied like jones and Diaz did v munts.

The match is live in the UK on... Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Football : www.live-footballontv.com/liverpool-on-tv.html

The match is live on TV around the world (+ great for IPTV etc) : www.livesoccertv.com/match/5139427/tottenham-hotspur-vs-liverpool

ITV4 have a 30 minute highlights program for the 1st leg semi-finals on Wednesday night - 11.45pm to 12.15am : www.itv.com/watch/tv-guide/2025-01-08




Match Officials...

Referee: Stuart Atwell, Assistant Referees: Lee Betts and Constantine 'Elbows' Hatzidakis, Fourth Official: Tim Robinson. VAR: Paul Tierney.

^ www.efl.com/news/2025/january/03/carabao-cup-semi-final-first-leg-referee-appointments




'Arne Slot's Carabao Cup Press Conference | Tottenham vs Liverpool'...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh5_wfrJGRY




'Dominik Szoboszlai fitness update' - from LFC.tv...

www.liverpoolfc.com/news/dominik-szoboszlai-fitness-update-0

^ 'Asked if he was expecting to have the No.8 available for the trip to Spurs, Slot told a press conference on Tuesday morning: "Yesterday he wasn't in yet. If he's in today, I would doubt if he's available to start the game. But hopefully he's in today. Yesterday he wasn't."'




'Live: Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool | Carabao Cup Semi-Final Build-Up' - live on Wednesday from 6.45pm...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdUeSSDkrGk