UEFA Champions League/Europa League 30th April - 2nd May *** Spoilers ***

[neckbeardthethird]

For a start not every neutral doesn't want us to win the League. Paddy Power done a survey that suggested only Utd, Everton and Chelsea fans wanted City to win, with every other side preferring Liverpool in varying degrees. And if they did so because of this then they'd be massive hypocrites because in less than a minute I could find videos of every major PL side acting like this or worse.

That is massively at odds with my experience of living in London. Pretty much everyone I know wants City to win and the majority of these people support random London clubs with no great historic rivalry with Liverpool. Why do they want them to win ? The nauseating media love in that surrounds Liverpool FC is probably the primary one and then the obsessive cult like fanbase probably being the second reason.

 

[BaZ87]

That is massively at odds with my experience of living in London. Pretty much everyone I know wants City to win and the majority of these people support random London clubs with no great historic rivalry with Liverpool. Why do they want them to win ? The nauseating media love in that surrounds Liverpool FC is probably the primary one and then the obsessive cult like fanbase probably being the second reason.

I'd say most rival fans that want City to win rather than Liverpool is either because we're historically a bigger rival to them than City and or because it's far easier for them to excuse their own sides performance if City win than Liverpool. As for the nauseating media and other people claiming how unbearable Liverpool fans would be, I'd argue that it couldn't be any worse than the media and Utd fans after they beat Cardiff and Huddersfield in December/January.

And interesting IP for somebody living in London.

 

[Snax]

That is massively at odds with my experience of living in London. Pretty much everyone I know wants City to win and the majority of these people support random London clubs with no great historic rivalry with Liverpool. Why do they want them to win ? The nauseating media love in that surrounds Liverpool FC is probably the primary one and then the obsessive cult like fanbase probably being the second reason.

I'd echo that, based on my experience, from a London perspective. Not many want Liverpool to succeed

 

[chroniclard]

Is this one of the reasons why pretty much every neutral don't want them to win the league? Because of small minority of fans acting like this?

I dunno, footy is extremely tribal, almost everyone "hates" everyone else.

Boss is a Spurs season ticket holder and wants Liverpool to win it, not sure anecdotal evidence means too much.

 

[neckbeardthethird]

I'd say most rival fans that want City to win rather than Liverpool is either because we're historically a bigger rival to them than City and or because it's far easier for them to excuse their own sides performance if City win than Liverpool.

Id understand your viewpoint if you had been dominating football for decades but you've not won a trophy in over 10 years and not won the league in 30 odd years. It's a bit weird for people to want City to win just because you won tons of trophies 3 decades ago, id say its more to do with the things I suggested but who knows.

As for the nauseating media and other people claiming how unbearable Liverpool fans would be, I'd argue that it couldn't be any worse than the media and Utd fans after they beat Cardiff and Huddersfield in December/January.

United get bummed pretty heavily as well but it often lacks the mawkish sentimentality that Liverpool coverage tends to get from Sky and BT in particular. You guys definitely are the media darlings of English football, at least in terms of romanticism. Having said that I grew up during the 70's and 80's when your club and city were taking an absolute battering from the media (unfairly so) so it doesn't wind me up too much... the love in is certainly preferable to the smear campaigns they used to run.

And interesting IP for somebody living in London.

Did you seriously just do an IP check because you were in denial that people in London might not want Liverpool to win the title ? this is borderline approaching the cultist behaviour I was talking about

FYI I should have tons of IP addresses logged on this forum given I use Nord VPN most of the time.

 

[BaZ87]

Id understand your viewpoint if you had been dominating football for decades but you've not won a trophy in over 10 years and not won the league in 30 odd years. It's a bit weird for people to want City to win just because you won tons of trophies 3 decades ago, id say its more to do with the things I suggested but who knows.

United get bummed pretty heavily as well but it often lacks the mawkish sentimentality that Liverpool coverage tends to get from Sky and BT in particular. You guys definitely are the media darlings of English football, at least in terms of romanticism. Having said that I grew up during the 70's and 80's when your club and city were taking an absolute battering from the media (unfairly so) so it doesn't wind me up too much... the love in is certainly preferable to the smear campaigns they used to run.

It's not that weird. You only have to look at the reaction of Utd supporters, even wanting their side to lose to City to see that historical rivalries count for a lot. Do we get a lot of good press? Absolutely but that's down to the fact that we're one of the biggest and most supported sides in the country, it's pretty standard and that results in a lot of bitterness towards us as a result. We have won a trophy in 10 years too btw.

Anyway despite all that, the survey Paddy Power carried out seems to suggest that only a few clubs supporters would prefer City to win the title:

https://twitter.com/paddypower/status/1120677768763670528

Did you seriously just do an IP check because you were in denial that people in London might not want Liverpool to win the title ? this is borderline approaching the cultist behaviour I was talking about

FYI I should have tons of IP addresses logged on this forum given I use Nord VPN most of the time.

It takes 1 click to see your IP and I checked because you generally seem a little suspect backed up by the fact you're using a VPN to hide your actual IP.

 

[Purdy]

People must forget the bad press we experienced not too many years ago, Suarez, hounding out Hodgson (which was hilarious seeing the England fans having to endure his nonsense after their high horse routine after Hodgson repeatedly insulted the club and fans), Rafa was largely disliked for before and especially after Ferguson felt he was a threat.

We’ve got Klopp now, we played the most exciting football in the league last year, still good this year, of course the media will like us. It’s like 13/14, people wanted to watch Liverpool, they scored loads and conceded loads, other years not so much adored.

 

[Robbo]

Aaaaaaaaanyway...

Hoping for a good game later. If there's one team who can exploit Barca's dodgy defence it's Liverpool on the counter attack. I think they've got a good chance as long as they can keep Messi quiet - easier at Anfield than the Camp Nou.

 

[Snax]

I think Liverpool are going to smash Barca.

Barca have moments of greatness but have looked lethargic this season. Liverpool's energy will be unstoppable for Barca- think it will actually be embarrassing

 

[chroniclard]

I am quietly confident we can get a good result. Just hope we put up a decent showing!

 

[BaZ87]

If Barca play like they did in the 1st leg vs Utd or start of the 2nd leg then we're going to have a lot of joy. Barca have so much individual talent in attack that anything's possible with them though.

 

[Snax]

If Barca play like they did in the 1st leg vs Utd or start of the 2nd leg then we're going to have a lot of joy. Barca have so much individual talent in attack that anything's possible with them though.

I think that's fair- moments of individual brilliance could get them to win but in terms of team coherence and average level of play, Liverpool are for me either #1 or #2 in Europe.

 

[nicktay2605]

I don't think Barca are that great defensively, it's just waiting for someone to exploit them. Liverpool have had joy against City in recent years and Barca play their full-backs further forwards than City do and play a higher defensive line, so I can see Liverpool getting joy on the break.

The only thing that would change my opinion of the match a bit is if Firmino doesn't play, he'd be a huge loss for Liverpool. He's perfect against a team like Barca and Sturridge/Origi/Shaqiri (Shaq if Salah were to play through the middle) simply aren't the same, Firmino doesn't give defenders a moment's peace whereas those three have a lesser work rate and don't have the quality linkup with Salah and Mane that Firmino has.

 

[BaZ87]

Firmino only on the bench. Alisson, Gomez, Matip, VVD, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Milner, Keita, Mane & Salah.

It'll be interesting to see how we set up, whether Keita plays on the left or whether we go with a diamond in midfield and split forwards.

 

[omnomnom]

Has to be a diamond surely. Otherwise he'd have just played Divvy?

 

[ThestigGT999]

Hope biscuits scores

 

[Mark1989]

Alisson, Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Wijnaldum, Keita, Mane, Salah.

Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Firmino, Henderson, Shaqiri, Origi, Alexander-Arnold.

Don't get Milner over henderson especially based on Henderson form in past couple weeks.

 

[Trusty]

Why is Gomez starting? He's hardly played recently. Arnold must be annoyed..

 

[sneakysnail]

Why is Gomez starting? He's hardly played recently. Arnold must be annoyed..

because Gomez is a beast and other teams exploit TAA down the wing. It's just Klopp being more defensive. Gomez was starting a lot before his injury and klopp was benching TAA for him in games against aggressive wingers as well.

 

[Mark1989]

Why is Gomez starting? He's hardly played recently. Arnold must be annoyed..

Trents been exposed for weeks and is simply knackered as mentioned prior to his injury gomez was starting games next to dijk and was doing very well