As always, the league and the Champions League should be our priorities this season. I think there needs to be some rotation to protect our thin squad. Alisson Gomez Konate Virgil Kerkez Jones MacAllister Szoboszlai Ngumoha Salah Gakpo I would give rests to Gravenberch, Wirtz, and Ekitike and use them from the bench.
For the love of God Arne -- play Ramsay at RB! The absolute LAST THING we need is for Joe to get another knock.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot says the current Premier League is so much more focussed on set-pieces than it was last season. He adds that "it has gone through the roof" in terms of how important it is and says "it is almost impossible to win the league with a set-piece balance like ours." Arne Slot said he had used six different players at right-back this season in his pre-match news conference before Wednesday's win at Sunderland. He was forced to start with Wataru Endo in that position at the Stadium of Light, but the Japan midfielder was withdrawn after an hour with an injury that looks set to end his season. "We don't expect a positive outcome," said Slot. "We have to wait and see. We expect not to have him for quite a long time. That is not the first time with our right full-backs. We have accepted this every time. We have to find solutions to keep performing well." Conor Bradley is already out for the season, while summer signing Jeremie Frimpong is not expected to return from injury in time for this tie. However, regular stand-in Dominik Szoboszlai returns from a one-match suspension, picked up for his red card against Manchester City, while Joe Gomez is also an option after returning from injury to replace Endo on Wednesday. Midfielder Curtis Jones has also filled in at right-back this term, while there have been calls for 22-year-old Scottish right-back Calvin Ramsay to be promoted to first-team duties. Liverpool manager Arne Slot started with a question on squad rotation: "The load management is important because the last thing we could use right now is another injury. "That is always the difficult balance for the manager, including his medical staff, what is the best decision to make every single time. It is also true that a player could get injured if he has to play three games in seven days. But it also happened many times that a player could play three games in seven days. "So that's the challenge we are having, but the most important thing is we have to train today, see how the players are doing, listen to how they feel and then make the best possible decision." Liverpool manager Arne Slot on whether he is looking at any youth players: "I am always looking at them because today they trained again, all of them. But seriously, a few of them come closer and closer to first-team football and a few of them already had it with Rio [Ngumoah] and Trey [Nyoni]. "Games like this could be an option for them as well but it's finding the right balance because we do play a very strong team in Brighton. Finding the right balance in who to play is something we are going to think about even more." Liverpool manager Arne Slot on the importance of Virgil van Dijk staying fit to lead the team: "He's been fit every single time and I have said this before how big of an accomplishment that is for a player of his age because he is not the youngest any more. He plays every three days, but that is not a coincidence because if I look how much work he puts in on a daily basis to recover to be ready for the next [game] immediately. "It is always harder to stay fit in a team that has had so many setbacks, so it tells you a lot about what he does off the pitch in recovery but definitely also about his mental strength that he is able to stay with the team and bring in very good performances while leading the team on and off the pitch by example." More from Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Virgil van Dijk and how important the Reds skipper is for set-pieces: "I would almost say that in the current Premier League it is the only attribute you should have - doing set pieces well. "Yesterday I again watched a game in which set-pieces were almost part of everything that happened during the game. "It's vital that he has already scored a few goals for us this season and definitely last season as well from set pieces. He's a big threat in the air offensively and defensively he's important for us not to concede. So yes, [he's] vital and I hope he will score many more for us in set pieces this season." Liverpool manager Arne Slot on the fitness of midfielder Wataru Endo, who was stretchered off with a foot injury in Wednesday's win at Sunderland: "We still need to do some assessments but it's clear and obvious that he will be out for quite a long time." "Don't forget that he is a good centre-back and a good midfielder as well. If you look at the number six and two centre-back positions, we are quite vulnerable in there as well, if something happens. So let's try to make sure the players we have stay fit now."
yeah- that blots his copybook for me. Endo and Jones should be resting mac and Gravenberch more in games against trash sides. If Endo for Mac, then Grav in mac's spot, Endo in Grav's if Jones then Jones for Mac, etc...
The problem, this season anyway, is there really are no ‘games against trash sides’ Depending of course, what you really mean by ‘trash sides’ There are really no easy games in the PL this season, except maybe Wolves…
The fact that these games go into to extra time now makes it harder to rest players and use them from the bench. If you bring on someone like Wirtz for the last 30 minutes, he ends up playing a full hour if it goes to extra time. Come to think of it, a match going into extra time could be our downfall in the Champions League. Some of the best players can barely last a full 90 let alone 120, and we have no options on the bench.
Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Salah, Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo. Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Ekitike, Robertson, Gravenberch, Nyoni, Ramsay, Morrison, Ngumoha
I don’t like Gakpo’s game with this new team. Too predictable and slow. Would have liked to see Mama today