LASK (A) - EL Group E, Thu 21st Sep 2023 (5:45pm)

[VladimirIlyich]

On 17/09/2023 at 08:34, Trumo said:

Work-rate. Incisiveness. Nous.

 

I don't ask for much.

 

This is how it's gonna be. Build from the ground up.

 

The first European adventure for Klopp 2.0 starts in Austria in the Europa League - a competition where our last game was the disappointment against Sevilla in Basel back in 2016. It says everything about the competition's standing in comparison to the Champions League that I know almost nothing about the teams in our group. Toulouse we have played before, but LASK and Union SG are new.

 

LASK are based in the Austrian city of Linz, which is famous for the Linzer Torte (a fruit filled pastry) and for once being the residence of a certain Fuhrer. The team's stadium is new, having been inaugurated last season, and holds about 20,000. Player-wise, I know sod all.

 

As for us, I would think Jurgen will ring the changes. Defensively we are short of options as the guys we would use as back-ups are currently having to start, but I think Queef and Kostas will start, and Ibou also to get some match sharpness. We might even use Virg for this one, you never know. In midfield, I am sort of expecting Jurgen to go with Endo, Harvey and a first start for Grav, with Doak, Lucho and Diogo up front.

 

Whatever the team, for the love of Jeebus can we please be switched on from minute one! The kick-off time is unfamiliar (as is the matchday), but all our group away games start at 5:45pm. All the home games are in the familiar 8:00pm slot. Concentration, attitude and application. Do a professional job, get the 3 points and get out of there. We have the tools, we just have to use them properly. Get it done.

We'ved a lost a Hendo but gained an Endo. Will it pay to drop an 'aitch?'(It has for the greedy hypocrite anyway.)

[AngryOfTuebrook]

LASK will be able to mock us for our tenuous claim that Mad Alf Heatlump visited our city, when they can prove that he lived in their place.

[El Rojo]

This will be an odd one as Trent, Virgil and Konate didn't start on Saturday and Quansah was cramped up by the end. 

 

Plenty of room elsewhere for changes - Kelleher, Tsimikas, Endo, Gravenberch, Nunez, Elliott, Bajectic and Doak should all be in the reckoning. 

[Pete]

Win & move on. 
Thanks lads.

[Jairzinho]

Tough one this. A loss would undoubtedly be better for the forum.

[Razoray]

54 minutes ago, El Rojo said:

This will be an odd one as Trent, Virgil and Konate didn't start on Saturday and Quansah was cramped up by the end. 

 

Plenty of room elsewhere for changes - Kelleher, Tsimikas, Endo, Gravenberch, Nunez, Elliott, Bajectic and Doak should all be in the reckoning. 

The right-back and centre-back are dependent on fitness and planning for Sunday but Kelleher and Tsimikas should start, in my opinion. The midfield options are Endo, Elliott, Gravenberch and Bajcetic so if Klopp wants to play all 4 of them, then only one of the 5 senior forwards will start or Doak won't. 

 

Unless Endo or Bajectic play in defence.

[etho]

Kelleher

Gomez

Quansah

Matip

Tsimikas

Endo/bajcetic

Gravenberch

Elliott

Doak

Gakpo

Jota

 

[3 Stacks]

Unless he has a prior arrangement to not play the group stage games, I don't see why van Dijk shouldn't play. 

 

At his level now, it's not good to throw him straight into a game vs. Michail Antonio after not having played for weeks. 

[bossy]

Know nothing about them, just win Red Men. 

[Megadrive Man]

1 hour ago, 3 Stacks said:

Unless he has a prior arrangement to not play the group stage games, I don't see why van Dijk shouldn't play. 

 

At his level now, it's not good to throw him straight into a game vs. Michail Antonio after not having played for weeks. 

 

He played for the Netherlands last week.

[3 Stacks]

1 hour ago, Megadrive Man said:

 

He played for the Netherlands last week.

Yeah and some cunt called Idah gave him the runaround in a shite 5 at the back Koeman system. Those games are pretty much of no use for Liverpool.

[Chip Butty]

Print your own tickets. Novel. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

One for the Shitness thread: we'll be wearing the lilac third kit, presumably to avoid a clash with LASK's white and black home kit.

[gkmacca]

Unless we know for sure that a European opponent is absolutely shite I think the rule of thumb should be: what selections would we make for a cup game against a Championship side at the top of their table? Because some of the suggested XIs I've seen would probably struggle.

 

Quansah shouldn't play. It amazes me that no matter how many youngsters end up crocked after being played too much, some fans still happily expect them to play two or three times a week even when they've clearly struggled with fitness at that level.

 

Robbo needs a rest, Elliott deserves to start, most of the forwards can play part of the game, and aside from Mac - mind the gap -Allister the midfielders pretty much pick themselves with Endo coming in. Start strong, then send on the subs. 

[Scott_M]

18 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

Unless he has a prior arrangement to not play the group stage games, I don't see why van Dijk shouldn't play. 

 

At his level now, it's not good to throw him straight into a game vs. Michail Antonio after not having played for weeks. 

I wouldn’t be against him getting some minutes. In the COVID19 season, in the league cup, pretty sure Rhys Williams played the full game but VVD & Fabinho or Gomez did 45 mins each. 

[dave u]

15 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

Yeah and some cunt called Idah gave him the runaround in a shite 5 at the back Koeman system. Those games are pretty much of no use for Liverpool.

 

Doesn't matter how they play, it's a game of football that means Van Dijk still has some sharpness despite his lay off. 

[RobbieOR]

Think people are going to be surprised how strong we go in this. Based on who didn't play on Saturday and that winning the group early means it can be put on the backburner until the spring. 

 

We've also never been great under Klopp with a weeks rest, it disrupts the rhythm.

[Bjornebye]

Midfield 3 of Endo, Gravenberch and Bajetic please. Tsimikas in for Robbo. Queeve in goal. Doak in for Mo. 

 

[Scott_M]

1 hour ago, RobbieOR said:

Think people are going to be surprised how strong we go in this. Based on who didn't play on Saturday and that winning the group early means it can be put on the backburner until the spring. 

 

We've also never been great under Klopp with a weeks rest, it disrupts the rhythm.

You expecting stronger than what people have posted?

 

There might be 1 or 2 more senior players starting than posted, I genuinely still think it’ll be mostly a league cup side. 
 

I do wonder what the bench might be. I wonder if Clarke, McConnell etc will travel. 
 

Whoever plays, we’ll need to be bang up for it. Our best side struggled against Salzburg a couple of years ago and this will likely be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, game in their history (same could be said for Union SG as well, although I’d have hoped we would have qualified by the time we go there).

[an tha]

We can and IMHO absolutelty should navigate our way through this group without taking unnecessary risks with key men....especially off back of busy international periods where key men have been playing a lot of games and travelling.

 

We have a squad that has enough players in it to do so without the teams we put out in it being full of kids nobody has heard of.

 

That said though we should be protecting areas we are currently or have recently been a bit stretched in, which is the back line - playing VVD in this would IMO be silly.

 

Play Endo at RB and make a centre half pairing out of Gomez/Matip/Quansah, with Tsimikas at LB.

 

Plenty of options in midfield who need games....Gravenberch, Elliott, Bajcetic - I would have said Thiago too but that of course would be silly talk...

 

We currently have 5 senior forwards and Doak....plenty of rotation options available there again without it needing to be kids.

 

 

[3 Stacks]

Van Dijk is not too big to play this game.

[sir roger]

Are there height restrictions in the Europa this season ?

[Scott_M]

Given how long he’s been out, I think I’d be surprised to see Bajectic start. 
 

I assume he’ll certainly get some minutes though. 
 

Thinking out loud, of the players who started v Villa & Wolves, Jones wasn’t away on international duty. Could see him being involved. 

[Scott_M]

1 minute ago, sir roger said:

Are there height restrictions in the Europa this season ?

Could rule Matip out. 

[sir roger]

1 minute ago, Scott_M said:

Given how long he’s been out, I think I’d be surprised to see Bajectic start. 
 

I assume he’ll certainly get some minutes though. 

 

Played half an hour for Spain u21's last week, but yes, might not start.