Liverpool 4 Stoke City 1 (Apr 10 2016)

[tlw content]

If I was nitpicking I’d bemoan the fact we didn’t score a couple more to fully avenge the humiliating 6-1 from last season. Other than that, this couldn’t have gone much better. There was a distinct end of season feel about it though and Stoke usually offer more resistance than this, but in terms of preparation for Thursday this was just about perfect.
 
Key players were rested, those who did play came through unscathed, young players were given an opportunity and grasped it and, oh yeah, it appears we’ve got a striker dilemma on our hands, and not the shitty type of dilemma we’ve had for two years. No, this is the good kind. Sturridge may no longer be King Dick around here anymore but it’s not because he isn’t pulling his weight; it’s because Origi has stepped up and now looks a legitimate first team player.
 
Encouragingly, Sturridge looked better in this game than he has done since he came back from injury. He was very good both with and without the ball, he got on the scoresheet and just as importantly he came through 90 minutes without flagging. And yet as well as Sturridge did, Origi probably still outshone him. 
 
Choosing between them for the Dortmund game won’t be easy, but maybe Klopp won’t have to? The second half felt a bit like a trial run for Thursday. Is Klopp thinking of going with two up top against his old club? It has to be an option, but maybe it’s his Plan B in case we need to chase the game.
 

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[Red Sun Rising]

I read somewhere that we've scored more goals in 2016 than any other Prem team, Surpised me a little.

 

Good report & analysis.

[Tony Moanero]

Load of shite.

[StevieMax]

As well as giving "wee Joe" a rest I thought Klopp took him off early so that he could get the deserved round of applause that his MOM performance had earned.

[Dr Nowt]

I thought he just did it because the fans have got something wrong again.