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Spurs vs Liverpool, Sat 15, 12:30

Lee909

By Lee909,
in FF - Football Forum

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Scooby Dudek
Scooby Dudek

Didn't realise your kid played football

Hades
Hades

Mané is a fucking cunt. Disgracefully selfish display and then should have given away a pen in the last minute. No wonder Salah has lost his rag.

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LF:D Proficient

LF:D

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Arguably our toughest game of the PL season.

I feel Spurs give us more problems than most other teams in the league & last year their performances showed that.

When you play Man City for example, you know exactly how they'll play & you can prepare for that.  Their Plan A is the best in the league (or it was last season) & only ourselves were really able to cope with it & punish them.

Same when you play most teams, you know what they'll do & against all the teams in the league outside the Top 5, wer're clearly better than them, so they're mostly trying to stop us.

Spurs however are tricky, as they are primarily a passing team.  So they'll pass it round the back when there is space.  But unlike a Man City type team, they're pragmatic.  They have no issue going direct to Kane, beating our press and then playing from there.  This mixing up of their game makes them tougher to prepare for I feel.

However we're similar, we mix up our game and Spurs will struggle against us the most as well this season, I'd like to think.  

Last season we gifted them the first two goals.  Our last PL match - we gifted a goal.  Vs Man City in the CL - Van Dijk gifted them a game by not clearing the ball.  Etc etc.  I do not want to see us messing about with the ball, putting our players under unnecessary pressure in dangerous areas.  Alisson is great with his feet, but it doesn't mean if he's under pressure he shouldn't just play safe & go long.  I want to see us be pragmatic this game & take risks in the right areas & not gift Spurs goals or chances.

Re: Selected - The front three will play, as will Alisson.  Van Dijk & Robertson surely will play.  Moreno might be fresh but in terms of gifting opposition chances, he's been guilty of that maybe the most the last three seasons when used.

I don't think Trent has started the season especially well.  Defensively he has been solid.  But his attacking game has not been at its best.  I was surprised he started the season, after being with England & Henderson got an extended break.  Thought Clyne would start the season for that reason.  Clyne is probably a little miffed having watched Trent this season, as he's not been at his best.  Given Clyne is fresh, I'd start him.  Trent I feel will in the long term be a better player.  But currently there's not much between them, especially if Trent's attacking game is off.

I don't want to see Lovren partner Van Dijk.  Gomez deserves to keep his place & if he's physically up to it, then he should start.  However if Klopp wants to give him a break, please let it be Matip as Kane has had Lovren's number far too many times.

Now the biggest decision for Klopp, the midfield.  Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Milner, Keita, Shaqiri gives Klopp a real headache.  I rate all these players. However I do think certain players work better with others.  It's about getting the balance in midfield right.  I don't think that worked vs Leicester.  I've read a lot of people blame Henderson for that (struggles when pressed) or Wijnaldum for that (hiding & not having enough touches).  I think both those arguments have some merits.  However I don't think it's the main issue.  For me whichever CM three is selected one of the three has to offer some penetration.  Henderson, Wijnaldum & Lallana was our best CM three two years ago, a really effect three - & Lallana offered the link between midfield & attack.  Last seaso Coutinho or Ox were doing this too.  In the first few games of the season Keita was doing it.  I feel Shaqiri could do it too (but might weaken us without the ball slightly).  I do not want to see Henderson, Wijnaldum & Milner together as a three again, for that reason.  One of our CMs need to give the opposition a fear they can hurt them and penetrate their midfield with direct dribbling.

Personally I wouldn't go for Henderson in this match as I think Spurs press really well.  So I want to see someone who copes better in those situations.  Not that I think we should be passing it around too much in those dangerous areas & playing with fire often.  But at times it will need to occur.  For me, Fabinho or Wijnaldum need to be the 6 for that reason.  When Henderson went off vs Leivester & Keita came on.  The side were able to deal with Leicesters pressing better & had that penetration in CM which was lacking.  Although I feel Leicester tiring too was a factor.

My issue with having Wijnaldum as the 6 for this match is the lack of height in the team.  Our front three are tiny, add two CMs ahead of him in Keita, Milner or Shaqiri, the two full backs - that would make us small.  Spurs are a threat at set plays.  Two very good takers in Trippier & Eriksen.  Plus a lot of height in their side - Kane, two or three CMs, Dier (or Wanyama) in CM - would be tough to deal with.  This is another reason why I'd lean towards Fabinho, as he has the height which Wijnaldum lacks but he can cope with the pressing better than Henderson.

Therefore my team to start would be: Alisson, Clyne, Gomez, VVD, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Harsh on Milner (although I expect Klopp to start him).  But personally I think Wijnaldum's composure & ability to keep the ball will be more important than Milner's frantic play, which is effective against the right opposition (like the opening day of the season).  Plus having Wijnaldum, it could allow Keita more license to bomb forward & that could really give Spurs issues.

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Grinch Grand Master

Grinch

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Last year was the first time they did trouble us really and even then we should have won one of the games and had Lovren to thank for throwing the Wembley game.   They usually stupidly play a high line against us and get their arses handed to them, even in many of the seasons where they've clearly had a better team over the last decade.

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Jennings Grand Master

Jennings

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I'd like to see us get back some of last season's fluency. The front three still not quite ticking over.

I get that the midfield has a new dynamic to it. I still think that our best mid would be Naby, Hendo, Oxo-Chambo.

In the meantime, I'd go Naby, Hendo, Millie. 

Naby, Hendo, Shaq is a prospect. 

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