Sparta Prague 1 Liverpool 5 (Mar 7 2024)

[tlw content]

 

 

I don’t think any of us seen this coming. The team was much stronger than expected and the scoreline was way more emphatic too. I thought we’d see a much changed team and I didn’t particularly care about the result, because if it had gone wrong we still had next week’s second leg to turn things around. 

 

Instead we got pretty much the strongest line up Klopp could have picked, with the one exception of Quansah starting ahead of Van Dijk. The logical assumption there was that we’d see a repeat of last week in the FA Cup, with Konate and Virgil doing a half each. For whatever reason Klopp didn’t do that and now we need to wait until Sunday to see just how fucked up a decision that was. If Ibou doesn’t make that game then it’s all on Jurgen’s shoulders. It isn’t being wise after the event either. He doesn’t play twice a week, we know this. He needs protecting, which we saw last week against Southampton. Why the fuck would you take that risk with City coming to town three days later? Just so reckless.

 

Look, if Konate had been hurt by a tackle or picked up a head injury, that would be different. You can’t legislate for that and you can’t pick your team worrying about things like that. Muscle injuries are different. We all know about Konate’s hamstrings, so seeing him go off a minute after the break because he felt something was infuriating. It’s the one negative on an otherwise perfect night for us. 

 

The performance was ok but it probably didn’t warrant the result we got. The scoreline flattered us because they caused us a lot of problems and we needed Kelleher performing heroics, especially in the first half. They were getting in down our left hand side almost at will, but equally we looked like we could score any time we went forward.

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[Fowlers God]

Cant believe we lost 3-2 and the match report never mentioned it once. 

[El Rojo]

Good stuff, Dave. 
 

Weirdly, I’m not that stressed on Konate potentially missing Sunday given some of the brilliant improvisations we’ve seen from Gomez and others this season. 
 

Kelleher would have been a season-defining loss if he hadn’t just been winded. 
 

We should really be starting Adrian in the second leg, if that isn’t too much of a risk at 5-1 up. 

[piphomer]

31 minutes ago, El Rojo said:

We should really be starting Adrian in the second leg, if that isn’t too much of a risk at 5-1 up. 

Big if...

[Jordy Brouwer]

1 hour ago, piphomer said:

Big if...

 

Christ he's not THAT bad. 

[dave u]

I'm defo starting Adrian next week. Along with Clark, McConnell, Danns, Koumas, Gordon and maybe one or two others.

[Creator Supreme]

54 minutes ago, dave u said:

I'm defo starting Adrian next week. Along with Clark, McConnell, Danns, Koumas, Gordon and maybe one or two others.

Cue 0-4 after 90 mins before Adrian throws another one in, in extra time.

[SasaS]

4 hours ago, Fowlers God said:

Cant believe we lost 3-2 and the match report never mentioned it once. 

 

They just write what they want now, regardless of what actually happened.

[Arnaud]

2 hours ago, SasaS said:

 

They just write what they want now, regardless of what actually happened.

You would have never seen that with the printed fanzine back then. Golden time ….

[Pidge]

8 hours ago, Fowlers God said:

Cant believe we lost 3-2 and the match report never mentioned it once. 

 

McManaman on the graphics this week

[dave u]

I updated the opposition badge on the template but forgot to change the score. I'm old, what do you want from me.

[DalyanPete]

I'm with you on Kelleher, he has been superb since he came in. We have got to keep him here.

MacAllister is showing us now why he's a world cup winner although I do wince when he gets tackled. Can only assume he has a low pain threshold but every foul against him looks like its career ending.

[Supremolad]

While I get the angst over Konate's injury, I think it is great we put this tie to bed in the first leg. It helps us be fully relaxed and mostly rested going into the FA cup at Old Trafford. Imagine having to fight hard to overturn a first leg defeat 3 days before going away to Utd. Especially after a stressful game against City.

 

Nah, I'm happier with the empathic nature of the 5-1 win and wouldn't swap that for a defeat because of one injury. Injuries can happen at any time and we have coped all season with numerous key men out. Ibou could have been completely rested for the Sparta game but it doesn't mean he couldn't have snapped his hammy 5 minutes into the City game.

[Supremolad]

We could play our best football and still not win against City. While I desperately want a win on Sunday, a defeat against City certainly doesn't mean the league title race is over. But a defeat against Utd definitely puts us out of the FA cup.

 

I'd rather we go there with the best chance of progressing to the semis which the 5-1 away win at Prague would now afford us.