Liverpool vs Aston Villa pre-match thread.

[sid1964]

Can only see a Liverpool victory - 4-1

[Rigadon]

Despite a shit week, we’re still a very good side. We’re having a bad spell, but I think predictions of ‘blood baths’ are premature and confidence should t be that brittle after the last 2 years. 

What we HAVE to do though is score the chances we create.  That is one of the biggest reasons for this mini run of bad form. 

[Demitri_C]

Despite a shit week, we’re still a very good side. We’re having a bad spell, but I think predictions of ‘blood baths’ are premature and confidence should t be that brittle after the last 2 years. 

What we HAVE to do though is score the chances we create.  That is one of the biggest reasons for this mini run of bad form.

Maybe premature but the way we are playing it could very easily happen. Liverpool are far better than spurs and brugges. If we play to the level of those games liverpool will totally obliterate us.

We have to dump this rubbish patient slow play. Take the game to them and get the ball forward quicker. This new style of play is not working and its no pedestrian and predicable.

100 side passes straight and back before we go forward then attack breaks down.

Another thing that seems to have got worse is the passing.  How many times has there been loose passes already? We rarely saw that leading up to xmas last season

[Small Rodent]

The odds for 4+ goals is only 5/2

[Monty]

We have to dump this patient slow play in which we're having a bad run of form within two years of near-miraculous turnaround!

We're dumb as fuck, we are.

[PaulWinch again]

We have to dump this patient slow play in which we're having a bad run of form within two years of near-miraculous turnaround!

We're dumb as fuck, we are.

Yes the style of play isn’t the issue as such, although I think there’s some mixed messages or confusion that’s undermining it. There are various symptoms (glaring defensive errors, diminishing returns in attack) but I think the main issue is a lack of control in midfield. The midfield is simply not dictating or linking play enough - we end up with our defence isolated and our attack unstructured. We’ve got to work out a way of getting the midfield to be much more effective.

[Louzie0]

Despite a shit week, we’re still a very good side. We’re having a bad spell, but I think predictions of ‘blood baths’ are premature and confidence should t be that brittle after the last 2 years. 

What we HAVE to do though is score the chances we create.  That is one of the biggest reasons for this mini run of bad form. 

Away win. We're due a win and they are overdue a loss.

I’m hoping for this and for normal service under SUE to be resumed.

[Demitri_C]

We have to dump this patient slow play in which we're having a bad run of form within two years of near-miraculous turnaround!

We're dumb as fuck, we are.

Yes the style of play isn’t the issue as such, although I think there’s some mixed messages or confusion that’s undermining it. There are various symptoms (glaring defensive errors, diminishing returns in attack) but I think the main issue is a lack of control in midfield. The midfield is simply not dictating or linking play enough - we end up with our defence isolated and our attack unstructured. We’ve got to work out a way of getting the midfield to be much more effective.

I think its a bit of both to be honest mate. Think the style of play and the poor defensive errors are whats costing us. The style of play is so bad compared to last season.

Not sure why we have decided to go this way after all the success we had last year. Its strange

[PaulTheVillan]

Avoiding the local pub this Saturday then. Full of plastic scousers even though they're 100+ miles from Liverpool.

They'll win. Great.

[VillaTim]

Lets see what character the players have and if they are going to roll their sleeves up and fight or meekly roll over with one eye on a comfy two week international break / holidays . We are out of form yes but just as worrying the spirit , passion and fight has also disappeared , feels like something is off in the background .

[BC Villain]

5-1 horror show. At least Meatball won't end up in goal like Platty did at Highbury Easter '91.

We could use Mings instead.  He showed yesterday he's good with his hands at least....

[brontebilly]

Hard to see a positive result but we said same before going to Arsenal last year. It's been a terrible week but players and management can get the show back on the road. A hard fought 0-0 would be ideal. So many difficult selection decisions but I think we should try Tielemans further forward like he played last season with Kamara and Onana behind. Match their three in midfield. If Cash isn't fit we will have to try Kosta. He's quick anyway. Really want to drop Watkins but not sure Liverpool away is a game Duran should be starting.

Martinez
Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne
Kamara, Onana
McGinn, Tielemans, Ramsey
Watkins

[Baldy]

I just looked at our starting eleven against Brighton about 13 months ago when we were at the height of our powers. We beat them 6-1.

From our starting eleven we have lost Luiz, Diaby and Zanioli. We now have Rogers, Onana, Maatsen as extra players, a fit Mings and Bailey and a much improved Tielemans and Duran who were on the bench.

I believe we now have a stronger squad and am also at a loss as to our current form. I can only put it down to Unai is currently trying to find his strongest starting eleven, experimenting, trial and error, new formations, style of play etc and our players need time to adapt accordingly.

I do believe that come January, Unai will achieve his aims and we will go on a Man City style run (they are normally brilliant from January til May).

In the meantime, we just have to be patient.

Liverpool 3 - Villa 0

[Risso]

I just looked at our starting eleven against Brighton about 13 months ago when we were at the height of our powers. We beat them 6-1.

From our starting eleven we have lost Luiz, Diaby and Zanioli. We now have Rogers, Onana, Maatsen as extra players, a fit Mings and Bailey and a much improved Tielemans and Duran.

I believe we now have a stronger squad and am also at a loss as to our current form. I can only put it down to Unai is currently trying to find his strongest starting eleven, experimenting, trial and error, new formations, style of play etc and our players need time to adapt accordingly.

I do believe that come January, Unai will achieve his aims and we will go on a Man City style run (they are normally brilliant from January til May).

In the meantime, we just have to be patient.

Liverpool 3 - Villa 0

I just can't see any reason for such a downturn in form. We've got largely the same nucleus of core players, and we spent a fortune in the summer. I can't see that the players are being asked to do anything different than the way we've always played.

[LeeB]

I just looked at our starting eleven against Brighton about 13 months ago when we were at the height of our powers. We beat them 6-1.

From our starting eleven we have lost Luiz, Diaby and Zanioli. We now have Rogers, Onana, Maatsen as extra players, a fit Mings and Bailey and a much improved Tielemans and Duran.

I believe we now have a stronger squad and am also at a loss as to our current form. I can only put it down to Unai is currently trying to find his strongest starting eleven, experimenting, trial and error, new formations, style of play etc and our players need time to adapt accordingly.

I do believe that come January, Unai will achieve his aims and we will go on a Man City style run (they are normally brilliant from January til May).

In the meantime, we just have to be patient.

Liverpool 3 - Villa 0

I just can't see any reason for such a downturn in form. We've got largely the same nucleus of core players, and we spent a fortune in the summer. I can't see that the players are being asked to do anything different than the way we've always played.

It's quite simply the fact I'd just accepted that we are actually really good and we're here to stay at football's top table, so of course such hubris needs to be stamped out by the football gods.

Here, have 3 increasingly dispiriting deafeats inside a week mortal fool.