Draw EFL Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg: Liverpool 0 - 0 Arsenal | Thursday 13th January

Really gutted we lost to City. Should have gotten something from the game. Poor officiating coupled with individual mistakes killed us.

We looked good vs City. We had them on the ropes before the Xhaka incidence.

Hopefully we bounce back from this.
This game vs Liverpool is the ideal game to that.

I expect massive rotation because Arteta knows Liverpool will rotate. I expect some fringe players to come in but don't see a way in @American_Gooner 's
boy Mari and Cedric.

In attack, Nketiah and Pepe should make lineup. In midfield I expect Sambi to take Partey's place.

In defense, White should retain his place. But Tavares and AMN will start in FB.

Prediction.

Arsenal 2-0 Liverpool

Liverpool since Klopp came have always had some disdain for this competition. So I see Klopp fielding a weak Liverpool side. Liverpool are still trying to chase city for the title and they're one of the favourite for the CL. So they might throw this. They have bigger fish to fry.
With their two best attackers going to the Afcon, anything short of winning this should be classed as failure.

 

[A_G]

What? The games during next 10 days will be all likely post-poned and they get a fresh squad with Origi and Minamino back.

So why did you bring up Salah and Mane?

 

[drippin]

So why did you bring up Salah and Mane?

The post-poned games will likely be played when they're back. Not too hard to understand.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

Pepe and Origi to draw lots to decide which team progresses to the next round.

Job done.

 

[Paperino]

How is 14 cases even possible? What kind of test kits do they use? This is a fvcking parody. We should win on walk over ffs.

 

[A_G]

The post-poned games will likely be played when they're back. Not too hard to understand.

They don't play in the Carabao Cup usually and especially not when there's congestion due to PL games they've had postponed, what's so hard about that for you to understand?

 

[drippin]

They don't play in the Carabao Cup usually and especially not when there's congestion due to PL games they've had postponed, what's so hard about that for you to understand?

Having Salah and Mane (and Keita) playing the most important games, makes a huge difference for the freshness for the rest of the attack, like I said earlier. It's not rocket science.

Plus Origi and Minamino coming back from injuries, with less risk to get injured straight again.

It's the perfect time to get games post-poned for them.

 

[Lidl_Reed]

Doesn't matter what we do, we're losing by at least 3 goals at Anfield

 

[A_G]

Having Salah and Mane (and Keita) playing the most important games, makes a huge difference for the freshness for the rest of the attack, like I said earlier. It's not rocket science.

Plus Origi and Minamino coming back from injuries, with less risk to get injured straight again.

It's the perfect time to get games post-poned for them.

Salah and Mane wouldn't have started this game anyway. Not sure what you're on about.

 

[drippin]

Salah and Mane wouldn't have started this game anyway. Not sure what you're on about.

How is it this hard to understand? Of course they wouldn't have, they just played against Chelsea.

If they have like 14 covid cases, aren't they quarantined for 10 days? If so, those games will likely be post-poned and played when those three are back from AFCON, plus Origi and Minamino from injuries.

So, when the games will be played, they will likely have a full attack force for example for FA Cup match or even either of the EFL cup matches. Their current attackers don't have to play all these matches 3 days apart etc.

This means they will have fresh players for every game that was post-poned, because they can rotate 5 attacking players which aren't currently there (unless Origi or Minamino come back now, but they haven't played much and risk injury straight after being out.) They can even take Salah or Mane from the bench against tired players.

Hope this finally helps.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

It's ridiculous they've not turned the semi final of the second tier domestic cup into a one legged affair anyway, given all the Covid issues / fixture congestion.

Part of me thinks Liverpool should just default the tie if they can't put a side out. Don't think Klopp would be too bothered to be honest.

 

[A_G]

How is it this hard to understand? Of course they wouldn't have, they just played against Chelsea.

If they have like 14 covid cases, aren't they quarantined for 10 days? If so, those games will likely be post-poned and played when those three are back from AFCON, plus Origi and Minamino from injuries.

So, when the games will be played, they will likely have a full attack force for example for FA Cup match or even either of the EFL cup matches. Their current attackers don't have to play all these matches 3 days apart etc.

This means they will have fresh players for every game that was post-poned, because they can rotate 5 attacking players which aren't currently there (unless Origi or Minamino come back now, but they haven't played much and risk injury straight after being out. They can even take Salah or Mane from the bench against tired players.

Hope this finally helps.

Have you followed Klopp's Liverpool at all in the domestic cups? He doesn't take them seriously so Salah/Mane won't be playing in the FA Cup ties.

 

[drippin]

Have you followed Klopp's Liverpool at all in the domestic cups? He doesn't take them seriously so Salah/Mane won't be playing in the FA Cup ties.

Haha, do you think I don't know this? Is that the problem, so you can't understand what I say?

It's about rotation. They currently have 5 attacking players out, 2 of them might come back from injury.

If they have to play many games 3 days apart now, they will be knackered after their break from playing games, and can easily get injured again.

With 5 attacking players out, and no possibility to rotate, they have humongously worse chances in the coming games, compared to if the games will be played after AFCON players are back, plus when Origi and Minamino have had 10 more days to get back fitness.

 

[Kav]

Have you followed Klopp's Liverpool at all in the domestic cups? He doesn't take them seriously so Salah/Mane won't be playing in the FA Cup ties.

You’re wasting your time arguing with this one. He’s not too well up top.

He can’t even realize that the stated benefits he’s claiming won’t exist because of the packed football calendar and that anything that gets postponed now will have to be crammed back into a tighter schedule later on.

 

[drippin]

You’re wasting your time arguing with this one. He’s not too well up top.

He can’t even realize that the stated benefits he’s claiming won’t exist because of the packed football calendar and that anything that gets postponed now will have to be crammed back into a tighter schedule later on.

Heh, sorry for you to have lost arguments earlier to me, because you seem quite bitter to attack me out of nowhere.

Yes, surprisingly I do know that is another thing to consider, but we don't even know where the matches will be put. Will some EPL or other games be played after the season. Do you know?

In any case, they will have much better squad to rotate with later, than now.

 

[Paperino]

A bad afternoon for Drippin.

 

[Kav]

You seem to fail to understand. Liverpool does not take this competition seriously. They will always use reserves and second string players for this fixture. They would have rotated anyway.

 

[BIoodBrother]

There hasnt been a delay request yet.
Love it. Klopp hates this competition. Remember when he played the complete u23 to show the FA how ridiculous theyre fixture planning is?
He'll play the U18 this time.
It would be the worst thing to postpone fa cup, league cup and league games for them with CL still in tact.
He'll surely play the 17s and we'll win the first game 3+ goals.
This actually should be a bet if you can place it now

 

[Paperino]

I remember when Liverpool defeated us in this cup despite the fact that Klopp wanted his team to lose.

 

[GDeep™]

Superb posting by @American_Gooner here.

 

[drippin]

You seem to fail to understand. Liverpool does not take this competition seriously. They will always use reserves and second string players for this fixture. They would have rotated anyway.

You guys misunderstand. I have mostly pointed out that this is the perfect time for them to get postponement.

But you guys stuck to some silly Salah Mane argument.

They will also less likely get infections later in the season, because there is immunity.