Arsenal (A) - CC Semi Final 2nd (not 1st!) leg, Thu 20th Jan 2022 (7:45pm)

[Strontium]

If it's a choice between forfeiting the match and exiting the competition at the semi-final stage, or having to see Loris Karius in a Liverpool shirt again, then that is an unbelievably easy decision for me.

[dockers_strike]

2 minutes ago, Strontium Dog™ said:

If it's a choice between forfeiting the match and exiting the competition at the semi-final stage, or having to see Loris Karius in a Liverpool shirt again, then that is an unbelievably easy decision for me.

There is another possibility, that of the game being re arranged.

[an tha]

Unless we have u21 players who are positive i reckon the EFL are going to refuse our request.

 

Not saying they should or would be right to, but looking at their rules i think they'll make us play.

 

Unless of course the positive tests has ripped into u21's too.

 

Hopefully not case.

 

"But in order for the postponement to be granted, EFL rules state that clubs must have less than 14 players available - including a goalkeeper - from their registered first-team squad."

 

"However, players under the age of 21 who are not on their side’s first-team squad list, but who have played at least one league match this season, may be counted in the 14.

That suggests Curtis Jones, Tyler Morton and Neco Williams could be included in calculations. Harvey Elliott would also qualify but is still recovering from serious injury.

The same rule also applies to any other contracted senior player at the club who is not on the squad list."

 

[TheDrowningMan]

We’ll see. I think they’d be stupid not allow a postponement, because it just makes their competition look silly. If we’re forced to field an u21 style team for the first leg and lose heavily as a result, there’s zero chance - and quite rightly - we’re going to go stronger in the return, regardless of who is available. 

[Megadrive Man]

48 minutes ago, Strontium Dog™ said:

If it's a choice between forfeiting the match and exiting the competition at the semi-final stage, or having to see Loris Karius in a Liverpool shirt again, then that is an unbelievably easy decision for me.

 

Either way it will end up with the same outcome.

[Barrington Womble]

7 hours ago, TheDrowningMan said:

We’ll see. I think they’d be stupid not allow a postponement, because it just makes their competition look silly. If we’re forced to field an u21 style team for the first leg and lose heavily as a result, there’s zero chance - and quite rightly - we’re going to go stronger in the return, regardless of who is available. 

And of course the other issue is the EFL are always begging for money, support the pyramid etc. You would think the last thing they want to do is piss off one of the teams that funds their existence. And you would think forcing us out of their competition twice in 3 years by fielding a weakened team is not exactly what sky and the sponsors pay for as we are one of the 2 main draws for TV & sponsors. 

 

I wonder if arsenal get a say in any of this? 

[suzy]

Absolute joke if we have to play Karius.

[Elite]

3 minutes ago, suzy said:

Absolute joke if we have to play Karius.

The return of the king.

 

By king I mean utter calamity.

[suzy]

2 minutes ago, Elite said:

The return of the king.

 

By king I mean utter calamity.

Quite.

 

Where is Adrian?

[JustTosh]

If the EFL forces us to play this match with our U 21’s we’ll probably be knocked out before the Anfield match. Consequently we’ll not use any seniors for the 2^nd match either.

 

Next year, when we enter at round 3, Kloppo should still pick his U 21’s. If a team of kids was good enough for EFL in January 2022, it’s good enough in September 2022 as well. We can’t be accused of pissing on the tournament. The EFL will be doing all the pissing themselves

[Arnaud]

9 hours ago, Colonel Bumcunt said:

Yes, I think they have a point. 

The likes of Dixon-Bonner, Beck, Bradley, Blair, Morton, Phillips, Neco, Gordon, Koumetio have all played for us in this year's competition.  

 

Its just yet another example of this season being a completely menopausal bitch that the minute we want to take the competition seriously we have our knees smashed by Covid. 

 

Fuck it, let the kids have a play.  Jones needs minutes, as does Gomez. Robbo has had a rest. 

 

Question is whether to use the kids in this game or the Shrewsbury game.  You could argue to go as strong as possible v Arsenal as we're close to a final and will have players back for the next leg. 

 

Karius

Robbo

Konate

Gomez

Trent

Milner

Henderson

Morton

Gordon

Cannonier? 

Jones

Impossible to say right, many of them could be covid + ?

[Vincent Vega]

 

[rubble-rouser]

Does this mean Dave is in charge? Or Neil Atkinson?

[an tha]

That surely has to be the final nail in this going ahead thursday

[Vincent Vega]

I think it means Karius will also be in charge of managing the team.

[Total Longo]

Corporal Hicks will be in charge.

[manwiththestick]

Bring in the Owl for a one game ship steadying.

[No2]

Is there anything in the rule book preventing us from sending the women's team?

[TheDrowningMan]

58 minutes ago, JustTosh said:

If the EFL forces us to play this match with our U 21’s we’ll probably be knocked out before the Anfield match. Consequently we’ll not use any seniors for the 2^nd match either.

 

Next year, when we enter at round 3, Kloppo should still pick his U 21’s. If a team of kids was good enough for EFL in January 2022, it’s good enough in September 2022 as well. We can’t be accused of pissing on the tournament. The EFL will be doing all the pissing themselves

100%. They’ll have shown once and for all how seriously they take their competition and no one could, in good faith, complain about Klopp sticking to that going forward.

[Em City]

Bring back Colin Pascoe and his shorts for one night only.

[Redder Lurtz]

As sure as night follows day, Alan fucking Brazil, Gobshite Agbonlahor etc laying into Liverpool for daring to ask for a delay. Hoddle suggesting the efl demand to know which players have covid. What, like every other team has had to Glenn? No, because nobody's had to have they. You dribbling fucking tart. 

[Anubis]

Brazil is just a wanker. Agbonglahor is just some no mark trying to stay relevant. Hoddle is quite mad.

[No2]

Klopp has said all along they would be transparent and name names. If it's a Karius situation then that's about as fair as including Glyfi in Everton's available numbers. 

[El Rojo]

16 minutes ago, Em City said:

Bring back Colin Pascoe and his shorts for one night only.

Just bring back his shorts. Draw a pensive manager's face on them. 

[an tha]

28 minutes ago, Redder Lurtz said:

As sure as night follows day, Alan fucking Brazil, Gobshite Agbonlahor etc laying into Liverpool for daring to ask for a delay. Hoddle suggesting the efl demand to know which players have covid. What, like every other team has had to Glenn? No, because nobody's had to have they. You dribbling fucking tart. 

It is fucking ridiculous - I genuinely don't recall this level of scrutiny, from opposition fans or the media or the authorities for any of the other masses of postponements so far in the last month.

I don't even remember a murmur about Leeds postponement against us -  think everybody just took it at face value? 

 

Quite staggering how this is headline news and the reaction to it.