Xherdan Shaqiri: Liverpool midfielder to miss Red Star Belgrade game in Serbia

[darkstarexodus ★]

Maybe this is a game that Divock re-enters the fray

Sacrifice him to the crowd? I like it.

 

[Halmeister ★]

Right decision, really.

 

[rurikbird ★]

I'm afraid I don't agree. Their defence was there for the taking (the fact that we didn't play well enough to manage it doesn't change that), playing our usual front three was clearly called for (IMHO of course) and we needed Milner in midfield to balance the side properly. With respect I don't see that the inadvisability of picking Shaqiri in Belgrade should have been allowed to override those factors.

We can argue about whether 4-2-3-1 with Milner on the RW (the way we played in the 2nd half) or Shaq in the same position was the best option. Personally I think it’s quite close, but given how shit Arsenal defense was, I’d still be tempted to make this game a bit more open initially with Shaq. Klopp chose the 3rd-best option with a 4-3-3 with emphasis on the wing play and Milner covering for Robertson at LB; it’s impossible to argue that wasn’t a mistake since it had to be changed at half-time.

 

[rurikbird ★]

I also think this was a bit unfair to Fabinho to start him in his first-ever game as the lone DM against Arsenal away. It’s quite unlike Klopp - usually he is careful not to throw players under the bus and even a much weaker Red Star he adjusted the formation to make it easier for him. It was a trial by fire for sure and unfortunately Fabinho got burned.

 

[Hansern]

I also think this was a bit unfair to Fabinho to start him in his first-ever game as the lone DM against Arsenal away. It’s quite unlike Klopp - usually he is careful not to throw players under the bus and even a much weaker Red Star he adjusted the formation to make it easier for him. It was a trial by fire for sure and unfortunately Fabinho got burned.

It certainly was. If fit, Hendo would surely have started.
Hoping Fabinho starts tomorrow and continues the good performances he had prior to the Arsenal game.

 

[moron]

In light of this, he really should have started against Arsenal in a 4-2-3-1. Klopp really didn't make a good choice there – maybe helpful in long term for Fabinho's growth, but far from optimal for this particular game.

I respect your analysis in most things but you are totally wrong on this issue - given the way Dracula likes to setup his team to play (regardless of the defence) - Klopp knows we struggle to contain that sort of play - our midfield always gets overrun against quality opposition in midfield. Milner had to play and God knows what would have happened to daddy long legs if Milner was not in that game to calm things down. Also if Shaq was to play then ideally it would have been in place of Firminio - but then again I had my doubts about Shaq in this game as he would have been up against his best mate from his adopted national side who probably knows all his tricks.

 

[Frogfish ★]

I'm afraid I don't agree. Their defence was there for the taking (the fact that we didn't play well enough to manage it doesn't change that), playing our usual front three was clearly called for (IMHO of course) and we needed Milner in midfield to balance the side properly. With respect I don't see that the inadvisability of picking Shaqiri in Belgrade should have been allowed to override those factors.

I agree. People are going on about how we didn't play well and blah blah blah but no-one would be saying that IF VvD had put even one of his 3 good chances away or if Mane's goal had not been wrongly disallowed (compare the quality of our chances to Arsenal's, they had at best some 50/50 efforts despite their good passing and flicks from midfield). Football is anyway often a game decided by minute fractions or by an official's decision (so the sooner VAR arrives the better), moments that will totally transform some people's opinion of a performance.

 

[manwithnoname]

It certainly was. If fit, Hendo would surely have started.
Hoping Fabinho starts tomorrow and continues the good performances he had prior to the Arsenal game.

Playing against weak opposition at a much slower pace should certainly help him

 

[Woland ★]

Shaqiri should book his own flight and curl a massive turd out in the centre circle.

Fabinho should be made to clean it up.