Shrewsbury (H) - FAC 3rd Rnd, Sun 9th Jan 2022 (2:00pm)

[Trumo]

With the recent Covid outbreak at the club hampering preparations for the League Cup tie in midweek and causing a postponement, they club has also had to close the training ground in an effort to curb the spread. Jurgen was absent at Chelsea last week, and Pep Lijnders is currently self isolating so Peter Krawietz looks like he’ll be the one taking charge for this game. I’ve not seen anything yet (apart from blooshite theories copied over from their echo chambers) where we are being blamed for not being able to select players or the manager being absent. Still enough time for that though. An inexperienced line-up is predicted to take part in this one on Sunday.

 

Poise. Energy. Tenacity. Ruthlessness. Urgency. Class. Heart. Invention. Organisation.

 

I don’t ask for much.

 

We last met this lot 2 years ago in the 4th round of the cup. The first game at their place saw Jurgen select an XI filled with youth, squad players and a couple of first-teamers. We made awfully hard work of it and the experienced players were very poor that afternoon. It ended up being a 2-2 draw, facilitating the need for a replay. A replay scheduled slap bang in the middle of the Premier League’s enforced winter break where players were not permitted to take part in any games, even lucrative friendlies out in the Middle East. Jurgen took that rule literally and insisted that his first-team squad would all be rested. Even the coaching staff.

 

Oh did the shit hit the fan with the gobshite population of Great Britain. Jurgen and the club were accused on all sides of disrespecting the FA Cup (the FA themselves have done a bang-up job with that all on their own), and Shrewsbury’s chairman decided to crave the limelight like many a small-time club chairman and whinge about how we were doing his club out of much-needed revenue with our decision.

 

Jurgen stuck to his guns, the first-team squad continued chilling out in warmer climes, and Neil Critchley and his squad of under 23s and under 18s took to the field for the replay at a near-capacity Anfield in early February 2020. This was in that bygone era known as the pre-Covid days. They did the club proud with an excellent performance that totally subdued the visitors, and the tie was settled by a spectacular headed own goal by the visitors’ defender Ro-Shaun Williams. Queef in goal, Neco at right back, Harvey (with) Man Bun and Curtis in the wide attacking positions all featured that night, and all have graduated to the fringes of the first team since. All that talking by everyone else, and our lot just got on with the task of winning the game with as little fuss as possible.

 

 

The film that topped the box office was the latest instalment from the DC Universe, Birds Of Prey, centred on mentalist Nu Yoik sexpot Harley Quinn, played by Aussie sexpot Margot Robbie. I haven’t seen it but I have seen the bang-average Suicide Squad in which she first played the character. DC Comics in general haven’t managed to find genuine success on the big screen anywhere near as well as rival Marvel. In the last 20 years, Batman has seen huge success but that was the Christopher Nolan trilogy which is one part very very good, and two parts barnstorming. Outside of Batman and Superman, they’ve not had much joy translating their other superheroes and villains to the big screen. Oh, and Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker of course.

 

 

The game on Sunday presents the youngsters with an opportunity to make a name for themselves like their alumni from 2 years earlier. I don’t know how inexperienced we will go, and whether or not a handful of first-teamers will be involved. I imagine they’ll be kept back for the Arsenal game on Thursday. Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill will definitely not be making light of the Covid situation at Anfield. He has first-hand experience of how badly it can cripple you and change your life, having caught the virus and spent several weeks in ICU. His team are currently mid-table in League One, but when up against the likes of Liverpool, teams raise their game so our lads have to be wary of that. Just go out there and give it all they’ve got. Hopefully, David fucking Coote doesn’t pull a David fucking Coote. Get the job done.

[Anubis]

Can’t stand these cunts. Let’s make sure we get the job done.

[dockers_strike]

As always, irrespective of the team we put out, especially at home, I expect us to win. But, the preparations for this game, not to mention the actual depth of the team is a serious consideration.

 

Guess we wont know how strong a team we can put out until nearer kick off. Will it be a lot of the U23s and even U18s or will there be a smattering of 1st team squad members?

 

If it's the latter, it could be a long afternoon even against Shrewsbury. Again.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I've been consistently impressed in the last few years by the way our young'uns, when they get their first team chance, instantly look like Liverpool players. My main concern for this match isn't team selection, it's the disruption to the preparation; when we're properly prepared, we can beat anybody. Fuck you, Covid.

 

Just get these beat, Reds.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Could see the covid hit first teamers back if they show two negative tests. Might help their fitness.

[Allan]

2 minutes ago, Babb'sBurstNad said:

Could see the covid hit first teamers back if they show two negative tests. Might help their fitness.

I think we should go pretty strong to start and hopefully put the game out of sight before the break, then make changes in the second half. With 5 subs allowed from 9 selected, that should cover key areas.

 

If it were me picking the XI, I'd be looking at something along these lines:

 

Kelleher; Williams, Gomez, Matip, Robbo; Fabinho, Morton, Milner; Gordon, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones.

 

Subs: Pitaluga, Bradley, Beck, Koumetio, Konate, Henderson, Dixon-Bonner*, Firmino, Woltman.

 

If Kelleher isn't available (rumoured to have had a positive covid test), then I'd have Alisson start. I don't think that Adrian should be considered for selection unless both Alisson and Kelleher are not available.

 

Give Matip, Robbo and Fabinho 60 minutes tops, with Konate or Koumetio, Beck and Henderson or Dixon-Bonner coming on, depending on the state of the game - if it's tight, go with the more experienced subs, if we're a few goals to the good, give the younger lads a run.

 

Leaves you 2 subs to play with.

 

I'd certainly not involve Virgil or Jota in this fixture, regardless of who may or may not be available for selection.

 

Other youngsters that could come into consideration for the bench may well be James Norris & Mateusz Musialowski from the 23s, and Stefan Bajcetic & Luke Chambers from the 18s. I'd suggest there's an outside chance for Melkamu Frauendorf and/or Bobby Clark, depending on the number of attacking options available from the senior squad.

 

Harvey Blair and James Balagizi haven't played much football in the last couple of months or so, so I don't think either of those would be considered.

 

*I'd have had Clarkson on the bench for this instead if he hadn't already been out on loan. If he plays in this game, he'll not be able to play elsewhere on loan this season, so his selection will depend on what the club want to do with him for the remainder of this campaign.

[an tha]

Given how much training first teamers have missed lately with covid and training ground closed and given Klopp's usual reluctance to risk 1st teamers v lower league sides, and a stretched squad with AFCON and with bigger games to come I expect a really inexperienced side.

 

All guesswork as have no idea who has and who does not have covid and who is out of isolation or even if those out of isolation have trained..

 

But feel something like this - followed by as strong as can go on Thurs.

 

He does not like playing players without training does he - so not sure if those 1st teamers would be out of isolation/training in time...if training ground is even open

Got a feeling covid permitting it might be something like this:

 

Adrian

 

Williams
Koutemio
Gomez
Beck

 

Morton
Dixon-Bonner
Milner

 

Gordon
Balagizi
Origi

[Chris]

6 hours ago, Anubis said:

Can’t stand these cunts. Let’s make sure we get the job done.

 

To be fair, their old ass chairman is a dickhead. He's a grumpy old man. But the club is a good one. Biased because I'm from Shrewsbury, but still...

[alles ist gut]

Not the faintest idea about a line-up yet, but Blair and Balagizi have both posted on their respective Twitter accounts this week to confirm that they are both still injured.

[sir roger]

Charles Darwin , Joe Hart , Peter Vaughan ,, Geoffrey Hornblower Cock , Red in Sweden and Chris , your boys will take a hell of a beating.

[Code]

I thought this game was off, there is a press conference now, we will know more soon. 

[dockers_strike]

7 minutes ago, Code said:

I thought this game was off, there is a press conference now, we will know more soon. 

FA have said all ties involving PL teams must go ahead or else. There's no PL 'experience' required for young players either meaning if you have fit U23s, you have to play them for any missing first teamers.

[an tha]

Liverpool will field a side mixed with youth and experience for Sunday’s Emirates FA Cup third-round tie with Shrewsbury Town at Anfield.

 

The Reds returned to the AXA Training Centre on Friday after the facility was closed for a 48-hour period following a significant number of suspected positive COVID-19 test results among the playing squad and staff.

 

With Jürgen Klopp and Pepijn Lijnders isolating, training was led by Peter Krawietz – and the assistant manager offered an update on the situation when addressing the media on Saturday lunchtime.

 

“I can’t tell you exact numbers, but obviously the situation is like that for the game tomorrow,” he said in relation to the club’s number of suspected positive COVID-19 tests. “We have a squad, we have a team, we can play and we will try to win this game.

 

“There’s a difficult situation out there. We had a couple of injuries, illness, COVID cases and this is the situation we have to deal with. We still have to wait for a few results as well; the players are not here [yet] for today, so they have to do their test before they can join the building and this is why I cannot speak about the exact numbers.”

 

Krawietz confirmed Liverpool have recalled one player from a loan to join the squad for the visit of the League One side, but suspected positive COVID-19 tests among the U23s set-up will impact selection considerations.

 

He said: “The situation with the loan players, yes, we have one loan player back and he will probably join the squad tomorrow.

 

“Of course, we are searching for options for this game and for the squad for tomorrow nearly everywhere, but we found enough players to build a team and have a squad for tomorrow.

 

“In the U23s we had a few COVID cases as well. A few players are back now again and can join the squad and we will choose a team which is able to follow our football way.

 

“Can we expect a perfect set-up for tomorrow? No, of course we can’t but we can always show the right and perfect reaction to what is happening on the pitch. This is what we try to do, a proper team performance with experienced leaders in the team and young players who will get this fantastic experience to play at Anfield and feel the support of our supporters.”

[torahboy]

34 minutes ago, an tha said:

Liverpool will field a side mixed with youth and experience for Sunday’s Emirates FA Cup third-round tie with Shrewsbury Town at Anfield.

 

The Reds returned to the AXA Training Centre on Friday after the facility was closed for a 48-hour period following a significant number of suspected positive COVID-19 test results among the playing squad and staff.

 

With Jürgen Klopp and Pepijn Lijnders isolating, training was led by Peter Krawietz – and the assistant manager offered an update on the situation when addressing the media on Saturday lunchtime.

 

“I can’t tell you exact numbers, but obviously the situation is like that for the game tomorrow,” he said in relation to the club’s number of suspected positive COVID-19 tests. “We have a squad, we have a team, we can play and we will try to win this game.

 

“There’s a difficult situation out there. We had a couple of injuries, illness, COVID cases and this is the situation we have to deal with. We still have to wait for a few results as well; the players are not here [yet] for today, so they have to do their test before they can join the building and this is why I cannot speak about the exact numbers.”

 

Krawietz confirmed Liverpool have recalled one player from a loan to join the squad for the visit of the League One side, but suspected positive COVID-19 tests among the U23s set-up will impact selection considerations.

 

He said: “The situation with the loan players, yes, we have one loan player back and he will probably join the squad tomorrow.

 

“Of course, we are searching for options for this game and for the squad for tomorrow nearly everywhere, but we found enough players to build a team and have a squad for tomorrow.

 

“In the U23s we had a few COVID cases as well. A few players are back now again and can join the squad and we will choose a team which is able to follow our football way.

 

“Can we expect a perfect set-up for tomorrow? No, of course we can’t but we can always show the right and perfect reaction to what is happening on the pitch. This is what we try to do, a proper team performance with experienced leaders in the team and young players who will get this fantastic experience to play at Anfield and feel the support of our supporters.”

Krawietz displayed a Stasi trained silence on names, places and tactics. Masterful!

[Kevin D]

Won't watch a second of this, if that cunt Musialowski is playing.

[Code]

Taffarel in goal?

[Red_or_Dead]

This isn't on the telly is it?

 

 

[VladimirIlyich]

1 hour ago, Red_or_Dead said:

This isn't on the telly is it?

 

 

Bet365 seem to be able to show games on their website. I imagine other bookies can too.

[Red_or_Dead]

4 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Bet365 seem to be able to show games on their website. I imagine other bookies can too.

Cheers, Vlad.

 

 

[El Rojo]

If Krawietz doesn’t end his team-talk with a rallying question of ‘are you gonna go my way?’ prior to kick-off tomorrow, he’s missing a trick. 

[Allan]

ESPN+ are showing the game over in the States, so there should be a stream or 3 available.

[No2]

3 hours ago, Red_or_Dead said:

This isn't on the telly is it?

 

 

It's on Premier Sports

[Allan]

5 minutes ago, No2 said:

It's on Premier Sports

Ah, so it is, but only in Ireland. Will definitely be plenty of streams available then.

 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I might take my boots to this, just in case.

[Chris]

8 hours ago, Code said:

Taffarel in goal?

I mean, if Karius is the alternative…