Nottingham Forest (A) - FAC Quarter Final, Sun 20th Mar 2022 (6:00pm)

[Trumo]

Every season, someone starts a thread before the 3rd round draw asking which team people want us to be drawn against. Year after year, I suggest either Nottingham Forest (home or away) or Sheffield Wednesday (away). We have faced neither in the 21st century, not even in the League Cup, believe it or not. Forest dropped out of the Premier League in 1999, and Wednesday followed a year later. Both our games against the Owls were before the New Year, before Y2K was going to send the planet into meltdown, and at a time when the then-(New) Labour government had OK’d not one but two major infrastructure projects in London that would spiral out of control financially in a way that would make the average Tory weep with pride. Both the Millennium Dome (now the O2 Arena) and Wembley Stadium have eventually managed to see significant returns on investment, but both were examples of the fiscal madness at the tail end of the 20th century. Anyway, my point is that, though not in the 3rd round, we have finally been drawn against one of these sides in the FA Cup. It’s a chance for the team to reach Wembley and the semi finals, so what is required?

 

Skill. Control. Application. Bravery. Strength.

 

I don’t ask for much.

 

As I pointed out above, it has been ages since we played this lot. The last actual fixture was in early April 1999 when we travelled to the City Ground and came away with a point against a side that had been demolished 8-1by the Mancs a couple of months earlier. Redknapp and Owen had scored for the Reds either side of a Dougie Freedman equaliser, and Pierre van Hooijdonk was allowed to claim an equaliser in the final minute. 1998/99 had been a dogshit season for Liverpool, full of lowlights. Well off the pace in the league, out of Europe and the domestic cups early, and having to watch the Mancs claim the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League. The absolute nadir of the season was not even being incapable of beating a piss-poor Forest side that would finish rock bottom, 11 points from safety. It was the night we meekly fell to a home defeat to Leicester on the same night that the Mancs clawed back a 2-goal deficit to win in Turin against Juventus to reach the Champions League final. The gods were definitely smiling on them that year.

 

April 1988 wasn’t the last time these two met in the FA Cup (that would be a year later), but the 1988 semi final at Hillsborough showed a Liverpool team that rated as one of the very best in the club’s history. The attacking firepower of Aldo, Beardo and Barnesy meant that the Reds overcame Brian Clough’s men 2-1. It was merely 4 days later when they put on a masterclass at Anfield against the same opponents to win 5-0 with a performance that left Preston legend Tom Finney to proclaim it as the finest display of football he’d ever witnessed. The cup semi saw Aldo give us the lead from the spot after Barnes had been felled in the box by Steve Chettle. He got the second with a goal that was awarded Goal of the Season by Match of the Day. Barnesy and Beardo worked the ball brilliant down the Forest right, with the brilliant Barnesy picking out Aldo in the middle. The Ireland international slid in to fire a fire-time volley past Steve Sutton at the Leppings Lane end, and we had one foot in the final and an opportunity to claim the club’s second league and cup double. A defensive mix-up involving Brucie following a long throw-in gave Forest hope as Nigel Clough pounced to fire home, but in truth Forest were outclassed.

 

An unwanted stat: every time Gary Gillespie played for Liverpool in a final, Liverpool lost.

 

 

The big film at the box office in April 1988 was Tim Burton’s brilliant horror/comedy Beetlejuice. Starring Michael Keaton in tip top form, ably supported by Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones and Winona Ryder, and soundtracked by the calypso strains of Harry Belafonte, the film is a wild ride. Burton’s films, whether they work or not, have always been visually inventive and Beetlejuice is a prime example of Burton’s flair. So many standout scenes, and though I haven’t read anything suggesting it, I’d imagine that Jim Carrey’s The Mask was heavily influenced by Beetlejuice. More cartoonish than horror/comedy, but the humour in both is very similar. Burton and Keaton would go on to even greater success the following year following the release of Batman.

 

 

Forest this season have done pretty well. They’re on the fringes of the play-offs in the Championship under former Liverpool academy coach Steve Cooper, and a number of their players have caught the eye this season. The most notable is Djed Spence, on loan from Middlesbrough, who from what I’ve seen is almost a clone of Trent in the right back position. An excellent attacking outlet blessed with quality delivery, he’s one to watch. Welsh forward Brennan Johnson is another who has caught the eye. In the FA Cup, Forest have had their best season in decades and have seen off Arsenal and Leicester, amongst others.

 

I’d expect Klopp to rest one or two for this one as we’ve had a hectic schedule over the past couple of months. We’ll probably see Kevin in goal, Ibou, Big Joe and Kostas at the back, perhaps the likes of Curtis and Ox in midfield, and Taki in attack. The manager has strength in depth, but whoever is picked needs to ensure they are up for it. We have come this far, we can go even further. The right level of motivation, attitude and application will see that we do.

[sir roger]

Shouldn't have mentioned that Leicester game, Trumo, it has brought on my PTSD.

Not sure whether that Ian Marshall goal or the Stephen Ward one for Wolves under the Owl was the more depressing.

[Bjornebye]

 

 

[aws]

All change for this one as half the squad badly need the minutes. 

[aRdja]

Kelleher; Milner, Konate, Gomez, Tsimikas; Morton, Keita, Ox; Elliott, Taki, Origi

[AngryOfTuebrook]

They've had a good run, but it needs to end now. There should be no surprises, because we've seen what they can do against Premier League clubs. But we've got a squad that's strong enough to get the win and progress to meet a grown-up team at Wembley.

 

Just get these beat, Reds.

 

[s(k)aturation]

 

Great tie, a traditional old rival of ours.

 

Bob Paisley and Cloughie will be looking down proudly from above, hopefully.

 

And Sir Kenny in the stands.

[Pete]

Going to watch this with my dad. He's a Forest fan and tried his damndest to get me to follow them too.  
Been to several LFC/NFFC games at Anfield with him so it'll be nice to watch with once more.  

[Moctezuma]

1 hour ago, aRdja said:

Kelleher; Milner, Konate, Gomez, Tsimikas; Morton, Keita, Ox; Elliott, Taki, Origi

 

That team is understandable given the need to rest players, but I would be surprised if Morton starts, I think it's more likely Elliot will be played in one of the further forward midfield roles with one of Bobby or Jota starting in the front line depending on recovery/likelihood of injury reoccurrence.

 

I also reckon in recent outings that teams have pressed Morton a bit more aggressively (as he is perceived to be our weakest outfield player) and this has lead to a slight loss of confidence from him. I'm not sure I want that repeated in a situation where their fans are likely to be raucous with them probably wanting to get a quick start and high tempo.

[sir roger]

I assume Curtis will be involved as well

[Em City]

                  Kelleher 

 

Trent    Gomez   Konate    Tsimikas

 

                 Fabinho 

 

       Elliot            Jones

 

Mo           Bobby       Taki    

 

Would love to see us at least get to the semi finals so we shouldn't leave too many out. 

[Scott_M]

4 hours ago, aRdja said:

Kelleher; Milner, Konate, Gomez, Tsimikas; Morton, Keita, Ox; Elliott, Taki, Origi

 

It's an FA Cup quarter final mate, not a League Cup 2nd round game. We're a win away from Wembley again and 3 wins from the winning it.

 

They are on a good run, the clubs have history, they'll be bang up for it.

 

I'd be going significantly stronger than that. 

[TheDrowningMan]

5 hours ago, aRdja said:

Kelleher; Milner, Konate, Gomez, Tsimikas; Morton, Keita, Ox; Elliott, Taki, Origi

Seems about right, with a few first choice players on the bench, Should be more than good enough to dispose of Forest.

[Anubis]

 

“Did somebody say cup game?”

[Creator Supreme]

8 hours ago, s(k)aturation said:

 

Great tie, a traditional old rival of ours.

 

Bob Paisley and Cloughie will be looking down proudly from above, hopefully.

 

And Sir Kenny in the stands.

Clough will be looking upwards mate (if any of that old shite were true)!

[Creator Supreme]

Scabs 2 Strikers 0! I think that Spence will rip us a new one!

[alles ist gut]

1 minute ago, Creator Supreme said:

Scabs 2 Strikers 0! I think that Spence will rip us a new one!

His name’s DJed, not Louie

[Jose Jones]

Wouldn’t mind winning this one. Would totally rest Mo and Sadio. Maybe start Jota, with Diaz on the bench.

 

Kelleher

Milner Konate Gomez Tsimikas

Elliot Hendo Jones

Minamino Firmino Jota

 

 

[Pureblood]

We hate Nottingham Forest.

[YorkshireRed]

4 hours ago, Pureblood said:

We hate Nottingham Forest.

Wrong thread, but we’re also mildly irritated by Everton too. 

[VladimirIlyich]

2 hours ago, YorkshireRed said:

Wrong thread, but we’re also mildly irritated by Everton too. 

Dont even mention Man United either.

[Aventus]

7 hours ago, Pureblood said:

We hate Nottingham Forest.

 

3 hours ago, YorkshireRed said:

Wrong thread, but we’re also mildly irritated by Everton too. 

 

51 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Don't even mention Man United either.

How do you feel about Liverpool? 

[YorkshireRed]

13 minutes ago, Aventus said:

 

 

How do you feel about Liverpool? 

I want to spend the rest of my life with them. 

[JohnnyH]

I’d play all our most tired players. Let them experience what the working man has to deal with. #SoldiersWages

[Scott_M]

Some serious underestimating Forest in here. 
 

They’ve already beaten about 3/4 strength Arsenal and Leicester sides and I know the sides posted above should be good enough to win, I wouldn’t any where as many chances. 
 

Alisson, Trent, Konaté, VVD, Tsmiskas - Hendo, Fabinho, Keita - Salah, Firmino, Jota. 
 

I wouldn’t be overly upset if Keheller played. 
 

We’re allowed to use 5 subs. Get the game won and think about resting players when we’re 0-3 up.