Atletico Madrid Home Wed Mar 11 KO 8.00pm
This topic contains 93 replies, has 25 voices, and was last updated by Blueowner 3 years, 12 months ago.
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March 9, 2020 at 5:15 pm #1833601
Our visitors hold a one goal advantage over us going into this second leg of the last 16. Their approach will likely be a cagey one with them trying to catch us on the break.
They do have a couple of injury issues with Morata likely out with an arse injury (not kidding), defender Lodi is a doubt too as is Thomas Lemar. Felix and Costa expected to lead the line.
I think we will dominate possession and expect a better performance than what we have seen recently. Henderson will likely start in place of Fabinho who, speaking of arses, has been playing like one so off to the bench you go. I think this will be starting XI: Adrian, Trent, Gomez, VVD, Robbo, Hendo, Gini, Milner, Mane, Bobby and Mo.
As for the result, well, it’s hard not to see them score, right? Since we thrashed Everton at Anfield back in early December we’ve played 22 games in all comps (minus the Villa LC game). In the first 17 games after that Everton game we conceded just 4 goals (2 of those were at Shrewsbury). In the last 5 games (since Henderson got injured) we’ve conceded NINE. The discipline has not been there since Jordan got injured.
Atletico have struggled tho to score goals in Europe this season averaging just over one per game but Costa will fancy his chances against our right side (as Antonio, Deeney and Wilson have done recently) and expect him or Felix to score but I expect us to score too but it might not be enough. I’m going 2-1 to us and losing on away goals.
March 9, 2020 at 5:35 pm #1833603Ye I tvibk they will score rob
High line is starting to cause us a few problems now
Going to be very hard to score againest them
I think we are going out but hopefully my negativity is proved wrong and we really put in a performance and get a good result
We could have the played for 3 days in the away leg and still wouldn’t have scored
Horrible team to play againest
March 9, 2020 at 6:55 pm #1833612Very difficult game!!
March 10, 2020 at 2:38 am #1833723Key to this will be a fast start. We absolutely have to come out of the blocks flying before they can get settled. If we continue to see the same passages of ponderous play and dithering about with the ball that we have seen recently, we’re not going to get anywhere. Start to finish high intensity. This is the most important game of our season. With Alisson out and VVD off his game I doubt we can keep a clean sheet here. As of right now I believe we’ll need at least 3 goals to progress.
March 10, 2020 at 10:13 am #1833790Such optimism! With Robertson and Hendo starting I expect us to go through, just. Also Salah and Mane appear to be scoring again, no problem.
March 10, 2020 at 11:43 am #18338261-0
1-1
2-1The most three likely scorelines and all we get is extra time
March 10, 2020 at 4:28 pm #1833953What, with Sean back to his pessimistic best and Timetogobr saying positive things about the club, just wondering if I’ve entered a time machine or a parallel universe.
March 10, 2020 at 4:28 pm #1833954With Henderson now passed fit to play the biggest question will be who to play in midfield?
I have serious doubts about starting Fabinho in the holding position. He has been quite poor lately. Atletico will sit deep and try to hit us on the break. We will very likely dominate possession. Fabinho has been a bit of liability lately.
There’s a strong argument to start Henderson in that holding position instead.
He just returning from that hamstring injury so the “6” position would be arguably less demanding on his legs than the “8” position.
Gini I think is a shoe in to start, he tends to show up in these big games.
That leaves one more position left. For me it’s between Milner and Ox. Milner can provide that fight, experience and tempo for a game like this whereas Ox gives that drive from midfield and a greater goal threat.A few tough decisions for Klopp to make.
March 10, 2020 at 5:06 pm #1833961Good summary Ginger, I fully agree. As regards Milner vs Chamberlain???? Maybe start with Ox – as we need to score goals; and have Milner in reserve to bring on when we’ve got the lead and need to shut up shop. Sounds easy ‘on paper’. I was at the Bournemouth game and this Fabinho form thing is now embedded in the crowd such that there was a general groan/moan whenever he messed up to the extent that it was expected (e.g. the move for Fraser’s attempt/goal-line clearance). On a night when everything has to be tuned to perfection, we don’t need the distraction of the home fans getting irked and dispirited by one player’s display.
All that said, I suspect that Fabinho will start.
March 10, 2020 at 7:42 pm #1833995I’d agree RH I think we’ll prob go with Ox and then Milner will be first midfield sub bar injuries later in the game to bring in that xtra nous.
March 11, 2020 at 4:22 am #1834050I think we’ ll knocked out. Its the perfect scenario for atletico: park the bus, playing on the counter, time wasting, play acting… Hope im wrong.
March 11, 2020 at 7:50 am #1834068Milner must start.
March 11, 2020 at 6:09 pm #1834268Expecting a very frustrating game tvis evening
We need to defend really well and hopefully are high line is not exploited
These be time wasting from first minute , using every trick in the book to slow the game down
March 11, 2020 at 6:55 pm #1834278Its Henderson, Oxlade and Wijnaldum in midfield… Good lineup, can’t wait for the game mates
March 11, 2020 at 7:01 pm #1834280Sean, they can’t employ those time wasting tactics at Anfield, they can’t play the same game at Anfield as in Madrid as their fans went a long way in convincing the ref that everything was fine… Anfield will never allow them to take extra seconds on the ball, we will not stand for it, same goes for the play acting… if they go down that road at Anfield a strong ref will punish them for it!
March 11, 2020 at 8:01 pm #1834291Interesting no Fab tonight. Hope Henderson is ready. This may well be our hardest game of the season so far.
March 11, 2020 at 8:06 pm #1834295Very lucky!!
March 11, 2020 at 8:20 pm #1834298What has happened with VVD??
March 11, 2020 at 8:37 pm #1834299Atletico has been very tough as it was expected…
March 11, 2020 at 8:41 pm #1834300We had 3-4 chances to score but we could not….
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