Stoke (A): The Match

[Slinky Skills]

Lovren.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Real test for Gomez, he's done well in pre season but this is a completely different stage.

Really nervous for this one, some odd results thrown up so far too but I'm still hurting a bit from last season I think.

[RedReet]

God I hope that Lovren puts in a MOTM performance today. I'm so sick of hearing about him already.

[Mattshark]

God I hope that Lovren puts in a MOTM performance today. I'm so sick of hearing about him already.

We'd all be delighted if he did.

[danperkins]

We'd all be delighted if he did.

damn right.

[Exiled_red]

It looks a good side in an attacking sense, but I worry about it defensively, I guess Gomez rather than Moreno adds another defensively minded player back there. Henderson and Milner will have to offer some protection to the back four. Presumably Ibe and Lallana will provide width rather than the full backs, so I won't expect Clyne and Gomez to be getting forward alot.

I'd hope to see Firmino get 20-30mins and possibly a run out for Origi and/or Ings

[Fosterbloke]

We'd all be delighted if he did.

We'd all be surprised if he did. Pre-season has done nothing to suggest otherwise.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Anyone worried we've gone in to this a bit naive with so many attacking players without any real defensive protection + Lovren and young Gomez?

My concern earlier was Henderson being overly fired up with it being his first game as club captain and returning to the scene of a 6-1 beating. Hopefully the line up just looks slightly naive and it comes together. **** me I'm nervous about this.

[Fredo]

Anyone worried we've gone in to this a bit naive with so many attacking players without any real defensive protection + Lovren and young Gomez?

My concern earlier was Henderson being overly fired up with it being his first game as club captain and returning to the scene of a 6-1 beating. Hopefully the line up just looks slightly naive and it comes together. **** me I'm nervous about this.

We're playing with two deeper lying midfielders in a 4-2-3-1, so not really.

[Gibbo]

Is Gomez up against Affelay? We will certainly see what he has about him today, it's exciting to see!

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

We're playing with two deeper lying midfielders in a 4-2-3-1, so not really.

Well like I said I hope it just looks that way on paper, Henderson is at his best when bursting forward with the ball and I'm sketchy on my memory of Milner in a CM role but again it was more box to box.

[calvoboy]

Great to see Gary Mac on the pitch talking to the players, just looks right somehow.

[McDermotX]

Milner on Henderson's flicks

"Been playing too much FIFA"

[brightred]

Great line up, really attacking.

Some bench too!

[McDermotX]

Lads look focused