ForeverBlue92
Player Valuation: £80m
We never had 8/9 injury/suspensions in those fixtures either though...
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We never had 8/9 injury/suspensions in those fixtures either though...
I'm not being funny mate, he's been here 5 months now. He was boasting about how he'd done a total squad audit ahead of his interview. If he hasn't realised that our other midfielders aren't fit for purpose in a two-man midfield in the Premier League then that's worse than him just being stubborn.
Last year when we won the derby, Dom wasn't fully fit and was on the bench, Allan was only fit enough for the bench after nearly 3 months out. We played Godfrey as like a weird left-back/centre-back and same with Holgate on the other side. We had James up front with Richarlison, and we had Doucoure and Davies in midfield. Our wingers were Coleman and Gomes with Digne kind of as a full-back.
We had no Mina.
For the derby we could have back Dom (on the bench possibly, so same as February) and Doucoure. Let's say the Allan rumours aren't true, for now, and we'd have Richarlison back from suspension and Mina likely back too.
What are these 8/9 injuries anyway?
Davies, Gomes, Gray, Doucoure, DCL, Mina?
That's six. Richarlison is suspended.
ForeverBlue92
Player Valuation: £80m
I like how you conveniently egnore Liverpool had a few injuries in this game and were on a poor run of about 5 straight defeats at home whereas now they are flying.
Also may I ask whats our derby record of the last 10 years?
I'd love to be optimistic, but in reality we have virtually no chance against the RS. They are bang on form - look how they demolished Arsenal - and we are missing several of our best players. That wouldn't matter if we had a huge squad like Chelsea or Man U, but as we have known for a few seasons now, once we lose a couple of players we are struggling. and we are likely to be without Allan, Doucoure, Grey, Calvert-Lewin, Gomes, Davies and possibly Mina. Our midfield will be either Delph and Gbamin, or a couple of youngsters who few of us have seen. As for our forward line, it could be Iwobi and Rondon, which is virtually taking the field with nine men.
Realistically, if we avoid defeat by more than two goals we'll have done relatively well.
I didn't at all? I was just pointing out we had injuries/issues of our own too and if you look at our squad it could well be very similar to what actually played that day.
Liverpool had VVD, Gomez and Matip out yeah and they lost Henderson in the game.
We all insisted Liverpool couldn't blame injuries last year...
Our derby record is horrific. I'm not expecting us to suddenly beat one of the best teams in the league with ease. I am expecting the manager and players to show a bit more fight and tactical nous than they did against City. We should hopefully have Doucoure, Mina both back and fit to go for it. DCL is probably touch and go.
ForeverBlue92
Player Valuation: £80m
Did we?
Most laughed at the media overhype of VVD's absence but only a druid would claim any side with tons of injuries wouldn't be affected.
ForeverBlue92
Player Valuation: £80m
We've won just 2 of the last 25 Merseyside Derbies
Last won at Goodison in 2010
We have 8-9 players currently out and likely still around 6-7 come the derby but apparently its a must win or Benitez is getting tarred and feathered! lol
This is why the silent majority can not take these cats seriously.
Last won at Goodison in 2010
We have 8-9 players currently out and likely still around 6-7 come the derby but apparently its a must win or Benitez is getting tarred and feathered! lol
This is why the silent majority can not take these cats seriously.
When we won the derby were any of us allowing Kopites to say how many players they had out injured?
Injuries happen - they happened to us last season and people suggesting otherwise are talking complete drivel. We had James, Allan, Digne, Richarlison, Dom and Mina (IIRC) all out at one point just around Christmas.
In fact, remember the Wolves game - that was Jan 12th - we played James and Sigurdsson up front and had Digne on the left wing and Iwobi right wing, with Gomes and Doucoure in midfield. Bloody hell.
The point is we need to stop injuries happening as much as they do to us, which is why I'm all for Benitez changing things up. Though when I see one of the fitness coaches he has hired has a theory that athletes should only ever be at 80-85% fitness because more injuries occur at peak fitness, then I do tend to wonder if he's just replaced one clown with another.
In the last two weeks, one of which was just in training, we've sustained two muscular injuries (Davies and Gray) and possibly a third if the Allan rumours are true. That ain't good.
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We don't have 8-9 players out?
Away from that, yes the derby in isolation is not a must win for any manager or Benitez.
But it's not in isolation. We've currently won 1 in 9. If that's 2 in 10 by the time the derby comes around, and let's hope it is, it's still awful but he might have bought himself some much-needed time/leeway. Because the panic buttons will not be far away from being pressed and rightly so. Any manager would be under pressure after such a run.
Papa Shango
Player Valuation: £70m
Oh absolutely. I am just a big fan of the facts being presented accurately! Our recent record against them is actually OK.
We might have one or two back as well.
Although I'd worry only about the Brentford game in the meantime
Could that be because Ancelotti is a decent manager?
Or am I not allowed to say that anymore
Papa Shango
Player Valuation: £70m
God I wish it was a silent majority!
I think you need to decide what timescales are important to you.
Our manager manager the other lot years ago = Not Important.
The stuff he won years ago = Important.
The games we lost years ago = Important.
The games we didn't lose in recent times = Not important.
The games we are losing currently = Seemingly not that important.
It's very confusing, you are bouncing all over the place.
Papa Shango
Player Valuation: £70m
You can but that also means you have to hate Benitez. There is no middle ground as allegedly all people who rate Ancelotti hate Benitez and nothing else is allowed.
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