Priority of domestic cups this season

[El Rojo]

We're in a title race, and we've a relatively small squad of players we can draw upon without affecting performance too much. We'll also be missing Mo Salah for several games early in the new years. 

 

How would you approach the domestic cups? We've West Ham at home next week and then Arsenal away in January. Of course we still have the Europa League from the spring again too after this week's dead rubber. 

 

Can we learn anything from 2021/22, when we bit off more than we could chew with the squad we had by staying honest in all competitions?

 

I think we can name a strong side against West Ham, but the Arsenal tie could be tricky. 

 

Obviously, this isn't a problem that will be experienced by Everton, Manchester United or Chelsea this season. 

 

Anyway, what would you do?

[Pete]

If we're in it, we're in it to win it, however I wouldn't be too disappointed if we don't progress too far.  League/CL qualification is what's important along with the only cup Klopp's never won.  

[Jose Jones]

Might as well win the league cup, we’re in the quarter final.

Play a decent rotated team at Arsenal if we can and see what happens. Assume they will do the same.

[Kevin D]

We should definitely win the league cup, it’s there for the taking.

[Razoray]

Go for the league cup - there are just four games remaining in the competition and the final is before the next European game.

Rotate for the Arsenal game, and for the remainder of the FA cup, as we have done in Europe from August to December. If we are beaten, I wouldnt be too pushed. 

 

I have a bet on a league cup/Europa double so don't fuck around with those two, Jurgen. 

[Turkish Delight]

59 minutes ago, El Rojo said:

We're in a title race, and we've a relatively small squad of players we can draw upon without affecting performance too much. We'll also be missing Mo Salah for several games early in the new years. 

 

How would you approach the domestic cups? We've West Ham at home next week and then Arsenal away in January. Of course we still have the Europa League from the spring again too after this week's dead rubber. 

 

Can we learn anything from 2021/22, when we bit off more than we could chew with the squad we had by staying honest in all competitions?

 

I think we can name a strong side against West Ham, but the Arsenal tie could be tricky. 

 

Obviously, this isn't a problem that will be experienced by Everton, Manchester United or Chelsea this season. 

 

Anyway, what would you do?

 

We won 17 and drew 2 of our last 19 league games in 21/22 and were unlucky to lose the Champions League final. If we went out the league cup and FA cup early it's unlikely to have changed what we did in other competitions.

 

That said the defence notably has a question on depth due to injuries which we need to manage.

 

We don't have a league game after Arsenal in the FA cup for 2 weeks so I think we can and should go strong there. I'd expect minor rotation for West Ham between the two big league games but we rotated in this round two years ago too.

[Scott_M]

We’re 3 games away from Wembley in the League Cup Final, 2 of those games will be at Anfield. We’re indisputably the best side left in it. We should be giving it everything to win it. 
 

I’m less concerned about the FA Cup. Obviously it’d be great to win it again, I feel the draw v Arsenal has scuppered it somewhat. 
 

We were able to field much weaker sides in 2022 and comfortably progress (Shrewsbury / Cardiff / Norwich / Forest), we only played a full strength side once we got to the Semi v City. 
 

IMO, we should be going all out for the league now. If we can progress past Arsenal with another reserve side and continue more or less with that side until April, then great. However, I don’t think we should be playing close to 100% because of who it is. 

[Megadrive Man]

Prioritise the league cup and the league. 

 

It's a hell of a week next week with United, West Ham and Arsenal all at Anfield in the space of six days.

 

I can see Arsenal knocking us out of the FA cup, and I'd be ok with that this season. 

[LFC 6 Times]

Would be heavily rotating against West Ham.

[VladimirIlyich]

The UEFA Cup winners also get a CL spot therefore it would be foolish to not go for that too. Especially given the club's European history.

[UnwelcomeinPeru]

13 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

The UEFA Cup winners also get a CL spot therefore it would be foolish to not go for that too. Especially given the club's European history.

 

This is prudent. From what I hear Everton will (a) overturn the points sanction and (b) finish top four this season so securing CL through the UEFA Cup is vital. 

[Scott_M]

27 minutes ago, LFC 6 Times said:

Would be heavily rotating against West Ham.

We definitely will rotate, it shouldn’t  particularly heavy. 
 

WHU haven’t topped their EL group yet. Both them and Freiburg have 12 points and play at the London Stadium on Thursday. I’d very much doubt they’ll want the extra games of the last 32, WHU will be nearly full strength on Thursday, whereas we shouldn’t be. 
 

As a few have said in the Union SG thread,  anybody pencilled in to start v the mancs should be going to Belgium and I totally agree. 
 

I would expect the side that starts v WHU will be stronger than the one v Union SG but weaker than the ones to start v the mancs & Arsenal.

 

What I would say about WHU though, is our bench should be incredibly strong. If it’s close with 30 mins to go, we should be making changes to either see it out or win it. Even if players like Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Salah, VVD, Nunez, Gakpo, Trent etc don’t start v WHU, they all have a role from they have a roll from the bench, especially as they are all competent penalty takers. 

[Scott_M]

15 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

The UEFA Cup winners also get a CL spot therefore it would be foolish to not go for that too. Especially given the club's European history.

I’d be very disappointed if we couldn’t manage at least 5th, I do agree we should be trying to win it. 
 

Klopp has been clear that the aim was to win it from when the season began. Potentially going out the FA Cup early and winning the League Cup shouldn’t impact that. 

[El Rojo]

Agree with the general views on here. Go for the league cup and do our best in the FA Cup without compromising anything. 

 

Away to Arsenal is a rotten draw, though. Even with both likely to play several reserve players, the home draw is a huge advantage. 

[Fowlers God]

lijnders Said at the start of the season we are going for all x4 and for me I am down for that. 

 

I believe. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

2 hours ago, Jose Jones said:

Might as well win the league cup, we’re in the quarter final.

Play a decent rotated team at Arsenal if we can and see what happens. Assume they will do the same.

This.

[johnsusername]

I've only got eyes for the league. It's there to be won. Fuck Arsenal and fuck the oil cheats. 

[an tha]

There is little difference really now between the milk cup and the fa cup and we are of course a lot nearer winning the former than we are the latter right now.

 

So i'd be looking to try and win the milk cup rotating how we have been so far which has beem similar to what we have been doing in the uefa cup.

 

The fa cup draw is an absolute bastard, but it is for them too - just always seems to be us who gets these draws in early stages - i'd fully expect us to be able to put out a side similar to milk/uefa cup sides we have been fielding against arsenal though and we'll see from there.

 

For me the game we really need to take zero chances in is this last uefa cup group game - i am adamant that we should not risk a single senior defender in it - we are walking a bit of a tightrope with defensive resources and would be just our luck to see Gomez or Konate go down in it..... and I think we should leave out as many other senior players as can.

[Bjornebye]

Try and win the lot. Thankfully we've got a stronger squad than in recent years so a few changes won't have a huge impact but sod making massive changes. Not including Thursday night of course, play the coaching staff for all I care. 

 

 

[Harry Squatter]

Don't want to play a 2 legged semi final against Everton as they'll just go out of their way to injure as many of our players as possible. 

 

If we can get past arsenal hopefully we can get a couple of straightforward home draws.

 

 

[Tj hooker]

Squad players and only  players who need minutes on Thursday ,absolutely no need to risk any 1st team  player we may  need in the coming weeks 

[3 Stacks]

I don't really get this thing about having a small squad. The whole reason the attack has been relatively effective is we have more players there to throw at teams than anyone. We have about 10 players we can play at #8. Two left backs. We had 5 usable CB's until the injuries. The only thin position is right back. Depth is really not an impediment.

 

That being said, in 2023, the cups mean shit. If winning the cups hurts our chances to win the league, and it probably would with the added games, you just don't want to win them. Especially with the injuries we have at this moment.

[Trumo]

One more League Cup makes it 10. One more FA Cup makes it 9. A Europa League triumph would be our 10th European trophy.

 

With the domestic cups, the thing to bear in mind is that getting past West Ham in the quarters means a 2-legged semi final in January, so those games will likely be during the period where the PL has its winter break.

 

If it were up to me, I would win the lot and argue the toss afterwards.

[VladimirIlyich]

12 hours ago, Trumo said:

One more League Cup makes it 10. One more FA Cup makes it 9. A Europa League triumph would be our 10th European trophy.

 

With the domestic cups, the thing to bear in mind is that getting past West Ham in the quarters means a 2-legged semi final in January, so those games will likely be during the period where the PL has its winter break.

 

If it were up to me, I would win the lot and argue the toss afterwards.

They are having a winter 'break' now? I wonder how many 'friendlies' will be arranged in Dubai or Saudi Arabia or similar?

[sh#t waffle]

15 hours ago, Harry Squatter said:

Don't want to play a 2 legged semi final against Everton as they'll just go out of their way to injure as many of our players as possible. 

 

If we can get past arsenal hopefully we can get a couple of straightforward home draws.

 

 

I really thought the semi was only one leg as of this season but have just checked and that's not the case. Would absolutely love the chance to knock Everton out, whatever stage it is.

 

I think we will rotate the squad and lose at arsenal, and I wouldn't be too upset.