23 Apr 2019 17:58:19
ED01 .

How would you play against Barcelona first game away?
I'm trying to think how to press them whithout having a short blanket at the back if they drop Busquets and the other midfielders to make at least a 7 (+1) man superiority to build from the back.

Maybe Klopp unleashes the full throttle pressing and high tempo like organized mad dogs, or those days are gone without Buvac?

Already nervous.

{Ed001's Note - not sure there is a need for that with Barca being so ponderous at the back. Better to draw them on and look to play balls in behind. Especially behind Busquets as he has the turning circle of the QE2 and literally is unable to run. Just drop off them, let them come forward and put the ball in behind them to the corners for Mane and Salah.}

1.) 23 Apr 2019
23 Apr 2019 19:10:41
I agree with Ed1 especially on that big pitch of theirs probably suit us better with our pace on the break . I think firmino is the key in this game.

2.) 23 Apr 2019
23 Apr 2019 19:34:32
I second that, Ed01. The weak link for me with Barcelona is indeed Busquets and that paper-weight of a central defence they have. There is a reason why according to Sid Lowe, Barcelona are terrified of facing us in the semis. According to Lowe, the Barcelona faithful know they may not have the defence to stop our front 3 and tho they have Messi (the x-factor, IMO), they are not as sure of themselves esp. considering how much damage Utd could have done to them in the first 20 mins of the Q final second leg at the Nou Camp. All we have to do is keep the tie alive after the first leg and let Anfield do what it does on Euro nights. However to do that, we may have to score at the Nou Camp.

{Ed001's Note - that defence is terrible, even some of the Spanish sides are causing it problems and they roll over and die against Barca.}

3.) 23 Apr 2019
23 Apr 2019 20:20:52
I think if we play with two of Milner gini and hendo covering the wings like usual, helping out the full backs, we can leave salah and mane higher. Alba will bomb forward and salah will be one vs one with pique and I know who I will back there.

4.) 23 Apr 2019
23 Apr 2019 20:24:27
Nothing to be nervous about Inshinron, a European semi final is there to be enjoyed.
Plus this is Liverpool we're talking about here, Im sure another classic tie to be enjoyed for years to come in the making.

5.) 23 Apr 2019
23 Apr 2019 20:39:48
With you there, Ed01. Barcelona are dreadful defensively and frankly, always have been since the days of Cruyff cos their idea of defending is tiki-taka/ possession football, based on the mantra of, "If you don't have the ball then, you can't attack us. In fact, I saw a bit of the Barcelona v Sociedad game this weekend and good grief, Sociedad should have scored 3 had they had the self belief to take their chances.

Now, this is La Real Sociedad we're talking about here. A team that is not in the same Solar System as Liverpool right now in terms of quality and ability. If this is what Sociedad is doing to them then they are right to fear LFC. As for teams jsut rolling over for Barcelona at the Camp Nou, these same teams give Real Madrid a tougher time at the Bernabaeu than they do vs Barca.

6.) 24 Apr 2019
24 Apr 2019 01:30:38
Lately we've kind of played a diamond system with firmino at the tip and mane and mo up top, I think that could be useful against Barca, if we can dominate the midfield we beat them. I just fancy our intensity over there's, if our defence deals with their attack we should definately outscore them, anfield atmosphere will play a huge part too if we can get a job done in nou camp.