Well Jim7 doesn’t like Caps rage so I respectfully have this title on lower case. It really does warrant a shout considering it is great fun to upset Jurgen Klopp and since we never win at Anfield it might be best to be a bit nasty.
Niakhate needs to play so he can chuck long throw in’s to cause chaos. Taiwo would be helpful but can we pinch a 1-1 draw?
Hopefully not a good panning and a good showing. Happy with a draw, ecstatic with a take the piss victory.
Chicago: Taking the hit.
I imagine a return to a back three. I think I would drop Boly for this one and go with some combination of Worrall - Murillo - Niakhate, I want footballers who are comfortable with the ball at their feet for this game. Toff has done nothing to lose his place but Aurier does, so Aina comes in at his natural position on the right where I think he's far more effective than on the left. Midfield three of Sangare, Dominguez and Mangala largely selects itself, and then I'm playing a front two of MGW and Taiwo / Wood depending on fitness.
I'd rather keep Boly in instead of Worrall. I can't see him dropping angry Serge but I wouldn't be against it given how unfit he looked against Luton, I don't think you can go in against Liverpool away at 75% like he did against Luton.
After Worrall largely being blamed for the second Luton goal, I'll be very surprised if he comes in for Boly.
Worrall has looked excellent in a three, have we all forgotten the Chelsea game so quickly? That was probably the best game of his career.
I'm not big on Boly. He's a very solid defender but he's not great with the ball, tactically Edwards figured out very quickly that if he stopped Murillo playing it and forced Boly to be the outlet it would hurt us and sure enough, we were treated to 75 minutes of Boly launching the ball aimlessly forward instead of using the 70M worth of midfielders in front of him.
Looks like Felipe and Danilo could be back, so wouldn't surprise me if it was Boly/Felipe/Murillo as the three.
Having previously thought part of the justification for selling Johnson was that he was surplus to requirements in these sorts of games, now wondering whether Elanga gets picked ahead of MGW for his pace on the break. Especially with Taiwo out.
I don't think Worrall is any better on the ball though than Boly, ideally you'd like Felipe fit instead but on the face of it I'd pick Boly over Worrall.
It would be a big call to stick Felipe straight back in against Liverpool away.
I'm expecting Worrall, Boly, Murillo as a back three. Serge and Toffolo as wing-backs. Midfield 3 as discussed. Wood and MGW up front.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion I suppose, but I don't think it's really even close as to who is the better footballer out of Worrall and Boly. Again, Worrall has looked excellent in a back three, Boly is decent in a two where all he has to do is clear everything out but when he's asked to actually use the ball he's not good.
If Felipe is back and fit then I'm open to that idea as well.
Will be forever grateful for losing the CAPS, and I fully endorse the title
Felipe, Murillo, Niakhate would be a nice looking back three although two of those are just coming back from injury so would be a massive risk and therefore unlikely. I'm with Russ on Boly - would rather see Worrall in for him (in a 3).
As for wingbacks, if Montiel's fit I'd have him in on the right and Aina on the left. Don't think Toffolo's done much wrong but I think we'll need to be faster on the break on Sunday than he's capable of. Aurier has seemed a bit of a liability in recent weeks so he would be out of the picture for a couple of games for me.
I don't think the current 3 in midfield can be changed which leaves Gibbs-White and Wood by default with Elanga as an attacking option from the bench.
And can we please ask Mr Cooper to stop making all 5 substitutions. It messes our rhythm and weakens the team every time and it's (mainly) unnecessary. If nothing else, at least hold one back for any late injuries meaning just make 2 lots of 2.
If I was Chic I'd have caps locked that last sentence ;)
Most goals from substitutes of any team in the division...
Now correlate that to the number of minutes played by substitutes to make it a meaningful statistic.
I think Aurier is shot. Aina should start ahead of him.
Toffolo should start because he's earned it.
The midfield 3 is the midfield 3.
Interesting comment about Elanga starting ahead of Gibbs White. MGW still doesn't quite deliver enough end product despite all the exciting flair.
And what about the keeper? Time for the Greek?
Cant say I have high expectations for the result.
Don't think that you are putting a new keeper in against Liverpool....you might use the outcome as a reason/excuse to take the old one out next game though.
Mark Crossley has an anecdote about that.
I'm aware...but in a now different era, where keeper kicka da balla, you probably don't want your new keeper to be developing a passing relationship with the players around him, under the scrutiny of anfield and that world class high press.
