image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhein-Neckar-Arena#/media/File:Rhein-Neckar-Arena_Sinsheim.JPG
All that work last season to finish fourth comes to fruition today in leg one of the Champions League qualification.
Last year's squad faced fixture congestion even without European matches and this year's squad isn't much bigger with only three transfers (Salah, Solanke, and Robertson). All three are available for selection with Salah having established himself as a first team pick. Solanke and Robertson are second team for substitution and for selection to the first team during fixture congestion.
Definitely miss having the ability to select Coutinho, Lallana, Clyne, and Sturridge for today's starting XI and VII on the bench.
From my reading around various Liverpool FC web pages, the feeling is that the XI will be more or less the same as the XI from the Watford match with the exception of Milner swapped in for Moreno. Others have voiced concerns that Alexander-Arnold might be too young for such a big start but who is a realistic option at this time? Here is where you miss the more experienced Clyne. Wijnaldum has also come under criticism but again who do you start in his place? If either Coutinho or Lallana were available, Wijnaldum is on the bench. So there you have it. More or less the Watford lineup with probably one change.
In various podcasts there has been much talk about the recent resurgence of "three in the back" formations. Being new to soccer, I'm not fully versed on these tactical decision. However, from what I gather the traditional "four in the back" has the option of the two wide backs pushing forward thus leaving the two center backs as the key defenders. In LFC's case, it has been said Moreno and Alexander-Arnold are attack minded and their strength is in pushing forward. But the downside is they aren't as sharp in their defensive role.
Thus, would Klopp consider a "three in the back" today? This would mean benching Moreno and Alexander-Arnold and plugging in Gomez or Klavan as a third center back. Would three center backs be a more stout defensive set-up? Milner would be added in as a fourth mid-fielder and the front three of Salah, Firmino, and Mane would be unchanged.
Go Reds!
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 15, 2017
Wow! No change from the Watford match!
UPDATE: Hoffenheim 1 Liverpool 2
Alexander-Arnold had a wonder goal from a free kick! He was also caught un-alert in the late Hoffenheim goal.
I heard part of the game via audio commentary at LiverpoolFC.com and the broadcast team was very concerned about Moreno and the repeated line of attack by Hoffenheim on that side of the field. But clearly Klopp stuck to his plan by starting Moreno and when Milner was sent in, Henderson exited. In all, from what I heard of the match, both sides threatened and the score could easily have been higher with Hoffenheim having the one goal edge. But as it stands, LFC has taken an important step toward qualification to Champion's League play. They still have work to do as leg two will be at Anfield mid-week, next week.
Go Reds!
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