Liverpool (A) 6/12/20 Build-Up & Match Day Thread

[Jinky]

I really worry about Liverpool in wide areas vs our full backs in a flat 4, they were very exposed at times vs Arsenal.

Totally agree with this. I worry that Robertson and Mane will target Semedo and get in behind him with ease. I assume Marcal will start again and his instruction will be just to sit on Salah wherever he goes.

We can definitely get at them and for that reason I would stick with Traore, Neto & Podence in behind Silva (Fabio has a full week of training to start clicking with them and looked decent against Arsenal anyway).

I'd go with the side that played the majority of the game v Arsenal and see where things stand at 60 odd minutes.

 

[Kenny]

Is Saiss still not available?

Needs a negative tests result. Presume we won't know until Nuno does his press work or some training pics are released

 

[malta mick]

Could someone please explain (genuine question) how Coady was excluded from 2 England matches and ours v Soton when not positive but Salah tested positive and doesn't seem to have been missing from action ? Also the time Saiss has missed ?

 

[Trips]

Could someone please explain (genuine question) how Coady was excluded from 2 England matches and ours v Soton when not positive but Salah tested positive and doesn't seem to have been missing from action ? Also the time Saiss has missed ?

I'll try!

Coady had to isolate has he had been in contact with someone who treated positive, so needed to isolate for 14 days despite previously having the virus. Same as Boris has done recently.

The Salah one is due to loophole to do with quarantining periods after a test. I'm not as clear on this one, but it's to do with isolating for 10 days from his positive test result, rather than 10 days after his negative which meant he was back earlier. Apparently theres some loophole in the government rules

 

[lemonjelly]

You'd drop Moutinho after the last two games? Really?

just catching up with the thread, and this is my thinking. After how good he was v arsenal (my motm by the way) we have people considering dropping him.

That said, I can't figure what I'd do. Think the game suits Donk, but that means leaving Neves out (can't really believed I have typed that!)
I can't see any reason to not play podence, neto and traore either. I think podence would thrive in this kind of match.

patricio
semedo boly coady marcal
dendoncker moutinho
traore neto podence
silva

 

[malta mick]

I'll try!

Coady had to isolate has he had been in contact with someone who treated positive, so needed to isolate for 14 days despite previously having the virus. Same as Boris has done recently.

The Salah one is due to loophole to do with quarantining periods after a test. I'm not as clear on this one, but it's to do with isolating for 10 days from his positive test result, rather than 10 days after his negative which meant he was back earlier. Apparently theres some loophole in the government rules

thanks for the explanation. i couldn't understand how someone positive plays sooner than someone negative.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

You'd drop Moutinho after the last two games? Really?

What would you rather have? A 34 year old against the champions or a 22 year old? Neves has a longer engine in him than Joao and is a better tackler. It's about tactics so yes I would start Ruben for this one especially if we go with a back 4.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

What would you rather have? A 34 year old against the champions or a 22 year old? Neves has a longer engine in him than Joao and is a better tackler. It's about tactics so yes I would start Ruben for this one especially if we go with a back 4.

Is he?

 

[YoungWolf]

I think we take advantage of them having no proper centre halves and apparently Alisson is also a doubt. You'll never have a better chance to attack them.

Not playing tonight and apparently out for 10-14 days

 

[BillyDee]

thanks for the explanation. i couldn't understand how someone positive plays sooner than someone negative.

It is somewhat counter-intuitive that someone who tests negative isolates for longer. The reasoning is that they may be in the early stage of being infected when one is asymptomatic and will not show as positive in a test even though infected.
If someone tests positive then they are further along in the process and so do not have to isolate as long.
Although I did think that two clear tests 3(?) days apart was accepted for elite sportspeople.

 

[sycophantia]

What would you rather have? A 34 year old against the champions or a 22 year old? Neves has a longer engine in him than Joao and is a better tackler. It's about tactics so yes I would start Ruben for this one especially if we go with a back 4.

i'd agree he's better defensively and of course his range of passing is fantastic, however even at 34 I think Moutinho is more athletic and gets around the park better. Tbh I would be happy with either but currently it would be Joao, imo the games he's been rested in this season have given him his bounce back........thought we'd broken him with the mammoth amounts of minutes he spent on the pitch last season

 

[The Bear]

I agree Neves in for Moutinho. We need him defensively and we have enough with the three behind Silva to worry them. Podence, Neto and Traore all need to play as they ran Arsenal ragged at times.

 

[PuntsWolf]

You lot watch a different game to me I’m sure.

Moutinho is constantly the team leader In tackles and interceptions, was outstanding in the last game pressing and sprinting right up until the last minute. To take him out the team against Liverpool would be bonkers.

 

[The Bear]

Personally I think Neves is a better tackler, and he always tracks his runners into the box or is in there making blocks. Something Joao doesn't do anywhere near as much. Including him is purely down to how attacking the opposition will be in and around our box. Any other game and Moutinho would stay in.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Think Neves is generally more conservative, sits very deep and holds that disciplined position screening the back four. He's not particularly mobile though so can get exposed in that position if the game gets stretched rather than sitting in the low block all the time. He does have a tendency at times to get sucked into challenges he shouldn't and beaten too easily as a result.

Moutinho leaves more gaps as he gets about the pitch more and whilst more mobile than Neves he's not exactly Kante so he can struggle to recover in those situations. He generally seems to be more productive than his younger compatriot in winning possession though.

 

[Premier Quality]

Neves and moutinho for me - Donks not been at his best recently, and Liverpool aren’t a massively physical or arial team, so his biggest assets aren’t as needed.

 

[Alan]

Patricio
Semedo - Coady - Boly - Marcal
Neves-Saiss
Neto - Moutinho - Podence
Silva​

Personally think having Saiss as the "shield" would allow both Neves and Moutinho to at least play higher up. Even if they aren't prototypical attackers it wouldn't hurt to have them closer to the box more regularly.

 

[Jack Regan]

I think they showed a graphic yesterday during the Villa v West Ham game that showed Moutinho as third in average tackles per game by midfielders in the league since start of 2018 season.

He has most tackles for us this season too.

 

[Tony Towner]

He's also the most dribbled around player in the PL so basically players run at him a lot, he wins some and loses some

 

[Jack Regan]

And this season both Neves and Donck have a higher average of being dribbled past per game than Moutinho. Depends what you want to read into the stats I guess. From my perspective having watched both consistently since they signed, if it came down to a one on in midfield and I wanted someone to make the tackle I'd have Moutinho over Neves.