Liverpool FC Forum

With only 9 games to go and a solitary point separating us and City this really is crunch time.
We've got a mixed record re these early kick offs but we can't afford to be dropping points at home to a team in the bottom 3 at this stage of the season.

We have one hell of a run coming up, will probably define our season. We should have little trouble with this lot so hopefully if the score dictates we can rest some players. I’m curious to see how Salah responds to getting knocked out of the WC.

Never easy playing against a team that's in serious danger of getting relegated. Plus, most of our players were off on international duty and a lot of them played 2 full matches while most of Watford's players probably had 2 weeks to prepare to play against us.

We were flying high before the break but form pretty much resets after an international break so we must be careful. Which is a shame too because City looked ready to drop some points as well, the internationals came at a perfect time for them.

So an early kick-off, right after an international break, against a team that's fighting relegation, has enough elements to be a banana skin so I hope we go into this fully focused and hopefully pick up where we left off before the break.

Crucial period begins that will define our season. A win and we go top,for a bit, will be interesting to see how City respond. Why do I have a feeling they will drop points against Burnley.

redshade » Thu Mar 31, 2022 6:08 am wrote:Crucial period begins that will define our season. A win and we go top,for a bit, will be interesting to see how City respond. Why do I have a feeling they will drop points against Burnley.

Would be nice but they seem to have a 4-0 average score against Burnley so it would be a miracle if Burnley could get something out of the game.

Pressure can do funny things to teams though and having blown a 13/14 point lead City will be certainly feeling it now.
Nothing worse than when you think a result, never mind a trophy, is in the bag but then you've suddenly got to go and win it again.
If we beat Watford City will be under all sorts of pressure. It will be there written in black and white, us sitting above them.
From 14 points behind to sitting above them, put yourself in their shoes, it would be terrible.
That's why we need to win.

We're gonna wup'em 36-0.    If the lads aren't fired up for this then it's lights out.

Saw an interview with Thiago when he said the international break was a good chance to recharge his batteries. I thought:  'Que...?'  The only player with less used batteries than Thiago is poor old Joe Gomez!

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/roy-hodgson-liverpool-transfer-record-26592942?fbclid=IwAR3Uh8M6Aux7evOx8dyu_FtVzp6vBX5BAus63LT3IxaKpIz9vExxYGX3AOo

We have come such a long way

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Thu Mar 31, 2022 2:35 pm wrote:Pressure can do funny things to teams though and having blown a 13/14 point lead City will be certainly feeling it now.
Nothing worse than when you think a result, never mind a trophy, is in the bag but then you've suddenly got to go and win it again.
If we beat Watford City will be under all sorts of pressure. It will be there written in black and white, us sitting above them.
From 14 points behind to sitting above them, put yourself in their shoes, it would be terrible.
That's why we need to win.

Like Kazza said Many City do tend to whoop Burnly however, pressure is another ball game. Like you said mate, even if it is for a few hours, City having that thought how we've gone above them after having that big lead.

Anyhow back to our game, Trent and Keita are out so I'm guessing we may line up something like this-:

Alli

Gomez Matip VVD robbo

Fab Hendo Thiago

Salah Jota Diaz

Given we've got Benfica coming up also so unsure how Klopp may rotate.

kazza » Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:23 am wrote:https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/roy-hodgson-liverpool-transfer-record-26592942?fbclid=IwAR3Uh8M6Aux7evOx8dyu_FtVzp6vBX5BAus63LT3IxaKpIz9vExxYGX3AOo

We have come such a long way

I was at the Wolves game at Anfield when we lost, I think it was his last game in charge. Never heard the ground so quiet, it was excruciatingly painful. I question why he was ever appointed.

Reg » Fri Apr 01, 2022 11:40 am wrote:

kazza » Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:23 am wrote:https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/roy-hodgson-liverpool-transfer-record-26592942?fbclid=IwAR3Uh8M6Aux7evOx8dyu_FtVzp6vBX5BAus63LT3IxaKpIz9vExxYGX3AOo

We have come such a long way

I was at the Wolves game at Anfield when we lost, I think it was his last game in charge. Never heard the ground so quiet, it was excruciatingly painful. I question why he was ever appointed.

At the time it seemed like he was appointed by the owners out of spite.

redshade » Thu Mar 31, 2022 6:30 pm wrote:

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Thu Mar 31, 2022 2:35 pm wrote:Pressure can do funny things to teams though and having blown a 13/14 point lead City will be certainly feeling it now.
Nothing worse than when you think a result, never mind a trophy, is in the bag but then you've suddenly got to go and win it again.
If we beat Watford City will be under all sorts of pressure. It will be there written in black and white, us sitting above them.
From 14 points behind to sitting above them, put yourself in their shoes, it would be terrible.
That's why we need to win.

Like Kazza said Many City do tend to whoop Burnly however, pressure is another ball game. Like you said mate, even if it is for a few hours, City having that thought how we've gone above them after having that big lead.

Anyhow back to our game, Trent and Keita are out so I'm guessing we may line up something like this-:

Alli

Gomez Matip VVD robbo

Fab Hendo Thiago

Salah Jota Diaz

Given we've got Benfica coming up also so unsure how Klopp may rotate.

As I say mate it's bad enough when you blow a result that seems to be in the bag never mind something as big as the league title, nothing worse than being 2 or 3 up in a game seemingly cruising to victory, subconsciously already adding the 3 points to your points total only to find next minute it's 3-3, your players look shellshocked and now you are praying you can hold on for the draw.
Imagine what City must be feeling, I watched one of their fan podcast type things on YouTube the other week and their fans openly admitted they thought they had already won it. They were pig sick.
What we need to do now is hit our best form of the season, brush teams aside and look uber confident, we need to put it in their heads that after clawing back such a big lead it's pretty much inevitable that we are going to finish the job off, let's face it if the roles were reversed that's what we'd all be thinking - these jammy effin so-and-so's are going to do it etc .
We need to convince them that resistance is futile because fate has already decided who's going to lift the trophy, we need to convince them that it's already written in the stars like years ago when everyone would say a certain teams name was on the FA Cup. Things like that have a habit of becoming self fulfilling prophecies.
Psychology plays a big part in sport and we need to play on their anxieties and as good as they are after blowing such a big lead believe me they'll have plenty. If we start looking iffy and scraping wins it will give them a lift, we not only need to win we need to win convincingly.
COYR.

+1

I’ll also add that we need clean sheets which thankfully we have been getting lately. If they think it is hard to score on us is just another dimension as is our better forward line. Ruben Diaz is injured so we should face a weaker defense when we play them.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Sat Apr 02, 2022 9:29 am wrote:

redshade » Thu Mar 31, 2022 6:30 pm wrote:

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Thu Mar 31, 2022 2:35 pm wrote:Pressure can do funny things to teams though and having blown a 13/14 point lead City will be certainly feeling it now.
Nothing worse than when you think a result, never mind a trophy, is in the bag but then you've suddenly got to go and win it again.
If we beat Watford City will be under all sorts of pressure. It will be there written in black and white, us sitting above them.
From 14 points behind to sitting above them, put yourself in their shoes, it would be terrible.
That's why we need to win.

Like Kazza said Many City do tend to whoop Burnly however, pressure is another ball game. Like you said mate, even if it is for a few hours, City having that thought how we've gone above them after having that big lead.

Anyhow back to our game, Trent and Keita are out so I'm guessing we may line up something like this-:

Alli

Gomez Matip VVD robbo

Fab Hendo Thiago

Salah Jota Diaz

Given we've got Benfica coming up also so unsure how Klopp may rotate.

As I say mate it's bad enough when you blow a result that seems to be in the bag never mind something as big as the league title, nothing worse than being 2 or 3 up in a game seemingly cruising to victory, subconsciously already adding the 3 points to your points total only to find next minute it's 3-3, your players look shellshocked and now you are praying you can hold on for the draw.
Imagine what City must be feeling, I watched one of their fan podcast type things on YouTube the other week and their fans openly admitted they thought they had already won it. They were pig sick.
What we need to do now is hit our best form of the season, brush teams aside and look uber confident, we need to put it in their heads that after clawing back such a big lead it's pretty much inevitable that we are going to finish the job off, let's face it if the roles were reversed that's what we'd all be thinking - these jammy effin so-and-so's are going to do it etc .
We need to convince them that resistance is futile because fate has already decided who's going to lift the trophy, we need to convince them that it's already written in the stars like years ago when everyone would say a certain teams name was on the FA Cup. Things like that have a habit of becoming self fulfilling prophecies.
Psychology plays a big part in sport and we need to play on their anxieties and as good as they are after blowing such a big lead believe me they'll have plenty. If we start looking iffy and scraping wins it will give them a lift, we not only need to win we need to win convincingly.
COYR.

Nail on head 100%.

The more efficient and ruthless we look in each game the more their bums will go...the fear of losing out after being a mile ahead is one heavy millstone that we can hang around their necks every time we play.

Liverpool team news
Starting XI: Alisson, Gomez, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson, Henderson, Jones, Thiago, Jota, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Kelleher, Konate, Tsimikas, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mane, Diaz.

Good enough XI to do the job inside an hour-- Fabinho to manage the game along with Mane and Diaz to add the icing on the cake in the last 30mins.

4-0 Salah, Jota, Diaz , Mane

By the way...look at that bench!