[PL] Hull City (home) Build Up thread

[Alex]

Ride that wave

[RedReet]

thats also why i'd be inclined to play Sturridge - if we get a half chance dropping in and around the area he's the one player in the squad you'd want it to drop for.

it's a tough one - based on the home performance against Leicester I felt part of the reason firminho ran the show was the runs in behind and out wide made by Mane and Sturridge which opened up gaps and little pockets for him to operate in and cause damage. If you swap say coutinho for Sturridge and firminho goes up top does that take away those runs other than Mane?

it's a good spot to be in but it'll be interesting to see who he goes with. Unless there's any knocks then surely Mane/Lallana/Firminho are all guaranteed starters atm so it's between Sturridge and coutinho

Personally, I’m not too worried who Klopp plays.

Regardless of who’s picked, if one or more of them show up on the day, we’ll have too much for Hull. Our problem normally is that either all 4 are on fire and we blitz teams or none of them can get going and we struggle. Happens with and without Coutinho, with and without Sturridge, so it’s less about the individual and more about their appetite on the day.

This was all before Mane though, so his presence alone fills me with confidence. Also, that Chelsea match was a bit of a rarity and almost contradicts what I said above as none of our attackers were great that day, but we still controlled the game and were good value for the win.

Basically, we are gonna stuff them.

[Norbs]

Bobby "the teeth" Firmino

What a ridiculous and pointless thing to say

[Yozza]

Liverpool news conference

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has not trained this week as he has had a few "issues" since Friday's win at Chelsea but will do so today, according to Jurgen Klopp:

"Sturridge should train today. Lallana and Gini [Wijnaldum] will be ready. Joe Gomez is doing well but he's not team training yet."



Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, whose side are sixth in the Premier League, guards against complacency before facing Hull, who lie 12th.

"The atmosphere is important both from crowd and team. I would like to see everyone come with right expectations," he says.

"When we can win against a team people think are stronger than us then why can a team who are 'weaker' not win against us?"



More from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who wants his side to wear their angry faces against Hull on Saturday.

"We feel good, we feel strong. We need to be angry against Hull - they want our points," he says.

"We need to be maximum concentrated.

"I think we all can improve: players, coaches, manager.

"I don't want to say anything about Hull. We don't have to rate the opponent before the game and say 'This one is easy'."



Jurgen Klopp is asked about the goalkeeper situation at Anfield with Loris Karius playing in the EFL Cup against Derby instead of usual first choice Simon Mignolet.

"It is not place to announce line-ups but we have to think about it. Obviously it's different to changing midfielder," he says.

"When I decide it is a decision for one player and not against another player."



Prompt and punctual, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has arrived for his news conference and starts with an assessment of the EFL Cup draw.

He says: "First draw I saw live. West Ham v Chelsea made me smile, United v City - nice. I'm happy to be playing at home (against Tottenham)."

Cheeky, Jurgen...


As Radio Merseyside's Mike Hughes mentioned in the 10:45 entry, this is only Liverpool's second game at Anfield this season.

Their first - a 4-1 demolition of champions Leicester - set the bar high.

But Klopp says: "We are 100% aware of the difficulties we could have in this game. I know we will be ready."

[Yozza]

Jürgen Klopp offers Melwood injury update ahead of Hull clash

Jürgen Klopp today confirmed Liverpool will welcome back Adam Lallana and Georginio Wijnaldum into the squad for Saturday’s Premier League encounter with Hull City – and is confident Daniel Sturridge will join them for the Anfield fixture.

The trio didn’t figure in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over Derby County in the EFL Cup third round as the manager elected to make seven changes to his starting line-up.

Lallana and Wijnaldum were left out as precautionary measures at the iPro Stadium, but have undergone normal preparation routines at Melwood ahead of Saturday. Sturridge, meanwhile, was back in training on Wednesday and Klopp is optimistic he will be ready to take on the Tigers.

The boss told his pre-match press conference at Melwood: “Adam and Gini were not in the squad [at Derby], but they will be ready – they trained yesterday completely normal.

“Daniel made something like a final test yesterday, so he had three days without training but should be in training today. It depends on the training [whether he is fit for Hull], so it’s not only [about] being part of the training. I think [he will be available] but we will see.

“All of the other players trained all of the time but had little issues. Gini got a knock on his knee, it was swollen but was not a risk, but he was not at 100 per cent for the Derby game. He was not in the squad but trained on the day.

“The same with Adam Lallana, who felt the intensity of the last games a little bit, so there was no reason to try anything with him. He was not in the squad, but trained. It was different to Daniel, he had a few issues after the game and didn’t train – but trained yesterday.

“Now we have two days until Saturday and we will see who will train all of the time and is ready for the game. The other players from the bench they had no problems and have no problems.”

Klopp also provided an update on Joe Gomez, who hasn’t figured for Liverpool since last October due to injuries.

“[He is doing] good,” said the German. “Not in team training but good.

“Everything that he is doing at the moment he is doing without problems, so that’s good but, of course, he has a little way to go.”

[Yozza]

'No decision yet on which 'keeper will start - but it's a positive situation for LFC'

Jürgen Klopp has yet to make a decision on whether Simon Mignolet or Loris Karius will be handed a starting berth against Hull City on Saturday – but insists whichever goalkeeper he does opt for does not mean they will necessarily remain first choice for the rest of the campaign.

Karius was given his competitive debut for the Reds in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over Derby County following his summer transfer from FSV Mainz.

The German missed the first few weeks of 2016-17 after sustaining a broken hand during pre-season, meaning Mignolet started all six of the club’s opening fixtures to the campaign.

But with Karius fit once again, Klopp has a decision to make on who begins between the sticks at Anfield on Saturday – and the manager believes the selection dilemma is a positive one for Liverpool.

He told his pre-match press conference: “This is not a place to announce line-ups, but of course, we have to think about it in a very positive way.

“I was never a goalkeeper, but my father was a goalkeeper so I have a little bit of experience with them. It’s obviously a little bit different to if you change a midfield player or something, it’s hard to start one game for them then not the next, so I know about this.

“Whatever decision I make for the next game is not a final one, it doesn’t mean we will go like this through the next five years or something.

“I can imagine that the view of this is different though [than to choices for other positions], but that’s all. It’s a decision on a very high level, because I’m really happy with both of them.

“I’ve got nothing to say about this here, but like always, when I decide for the next game, it’s a decision for the player and not against another player. That’s always the same, so you have to wait and see.”

Karius was one of seven changes Klopp made to his line-up for the EFL Cup tie against Derby on the back of last Friday’s 2-1 win at Chelsea.

Having shaped his squad over the summer transfer window, the 49-year-old admits he is delighted with the options he has at his disposal within his ranks and has full confidence in whatever team he puts out.

Klopp continued: “I was not in doubt I could bring different line-ups. I said before the Derby game that we would for sure have a strong line-up because we only have strong line-ups.

“I am also really pleased with the development of our U23s, with two impressive results in a row now against Leicester, which I saw, and against Tottenham, which I heard about.

“We had moments which were not that easy in the past but now in this moment it is good and we have to keep it, take it and use it. That’s what the job is.

“I didn’t need the time to see I can change line-ups and [think] then we could still perform - I was sure about this.”

Liverpool will go into Saturday’s contest on the back of an encouraging start to the season – an opening that has seen them win their last three outings in all competitions against Leicester, Chelsea and Derby.

One reporter at this morning's media briefing asked Klopp whether he harboured feelings that ‘something special’ could happen at Anfield this term.

The boss responded: “I felt this when we started in the pre-season, but what is ‘special’? That’s the question.

“We feel good, we feel strong, we love to work together – all that is right, but the problem is there are a lot of very, very good sides out there and unfortunately they all play in the Premier League. That’s the only problem we have, so we need to be ready for each game, we need to be maximum, concentrated, greedy, kind of angry – all that stuff that you need at the highest level in sport.

“The basis is absolutely OK and, as I said before the start of the season, there is no time for finding or looking for excuses. We want to perform, that’s what we want. We have the biggest expectations on ourselves and we have to show that.

“Nothing has happened until now, really nothing. It’s all about talking about a few games, five plus two cup games. We need to find stability, we need to create solutions for each situation in a game and that’s what we are still working on. It’s not that we think now we have got the clue, so let’s use it in each game.

“Football is too difficult for this – it’s quite a simple game but it is difficult to win because the other team can cause you real problems. We are experienced in this, handling situations like this and it’s not about celebrating ourselves.

“It’s better to have an optimistic new mood around rather than everything is in doubt. It is up to us to use this.”

[Yozza]

Klopp: How Liverpool can beat 'bus-parking' teams

Jürgen Klopp wants his Liverpool team to prove that their Burnley slip-up was exactly that by putting another newly-promoted side to the sword when Hull City visit Anfield on Saturday.

The Reds' second outing of the new season ended in frustration as they went down to a 2-0 defeat at Turf Moor, despite boasting 80 per cent possession and taking an incredible 26 shots at goal.

That result remains the only blot on the copybook for Klopp's side this term, with impressive wins over Arsenal, Leicester City and Chelsea as well as a draw against Tottenham Hotspur accounting for the 10 points they have claimed thus far.

And, while the manager concedes his team will have to be better when they take on the Tigers, he does not believe they have a problem in picking apart opposition who sit deep.

"That's something like a rumour - I don't know. We are able to create chances against each team," he told reporters at his pre-match press briefing.

"We did it [against Burnley], maybe we didn't score so we have to think why, and many people think we have big problems against - how you call it - bus-parking [teams].

"But I saw not a lot of space against Chelsea. I cannot remember a lot of space against Tottenham - they were with 10 men behind the ball when we had the ball. We are all involved in defending so that's how it is. We have to find solutions."

The German also highlighted the mental approach to games against so-called lesser teams as an issue, specifically when it comes to missing chances.

He believes the reaction of both of his players and fans when an opportunity is squandered is often helpful in 'big' games, but less so in other fixtures - and he is keen for this to change.

"I think we all can improve, and by all I mean the coaches, manager, and the crowd because it is all about expectations," he added.

"If you create a chance against Chelsea, if you miss it is still positive because you showed the way to create a chance.

"But if you create a chance like this against Burnley and you miss it, it's not positive, it's negative for everybody. It feels like, 'It should have been a goal!' or whatever.

"We have to learn to take the games as they are and not rate the opponent and say, 'this game is easy'. No football game is easy. So the question is: Is it possible to create the most special atmosphere at 3pm on Saturday afternoon at Anfield? I would say yes, so let’s try it.

"Missing a chance is positive, because it means you have created a moment where you could score and that is the most difficult thing in football.

"If we have it in a big game and miss the chance, you can hear it in the stadium, it’s exciting. But if you miss a chance in another game it’s like ‘oh my god’. You miss a chance in a big game, it’s like ‘woah’ then clapping and ‘go again, go again.’

"Miss a chance in another game, and it’s ‘come on, not the same rubbish again’. We have to go to Anfield on Saturday and set the tone for the afternoon, we have to be in the most positive mood we have ever been in. We all have our role to play."

Klopp went on to urge his players to focus on exploiting the weaknesses in Hull's game that he and the coaching staff have highlighted, rather than the name of the opponent they are facing.

"We are in a good moment, and we would make it less good if we start thinking now, ‘but Hull is coming'," he insisted.

"We should not care about the name of the opponent, and we didn’t care about it before we played Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal - not the name, not the players - only focusing on the style of play, what we have to do where are our opportunities, where is the space we can create.

"We don’t think, ‘Okay, what’s the name? For them only 50 per cent of preparation time.’ No! We are 100 per cent aware of the difficulties we can have in this game. For the players and us, it’s very important to learn to take it as it is."

[kev776]

------------Karius
Clyne--Matip--Lovren--Milner
------------Hendo-
-----Coutinho--Lallana
--Mane---Sturridge---Firmino---

This team is Spotty Dog.

Perfect time to start Karius.

They will park the bus, Hendo sat in front of the back 4, the rest run riot.

This manager lark is a doddle

[Shaggy]

Echo have just deleted this tweet

[Mark79]

It's back up now.

James Pearce has also tweeted it.

[G]

No brainer, if he hadn't got injured he'd have played all the games so far, no doubt about it even though some disagree.

[Chris]

Yep, never in doubt really. This is another Matip > Skrtel upgrade. Can't wait.

[G]

We have a centre back partnership now that are getting used to each other, makes sense to get the keeper that has a future in asap so they can learn each others ways. Hopefully injury in the defence ****s off for a few years and we get settled.

[redmike65]

Well if he does well that's Migs goose cooked.

[G]

Mig's goose is cooked either way cos he's not good enough. If Karius isn't either we'll buy someone else. We won't know that for at least a season though, maybe even two but in the meantime any of his mistakes and any poor distribution will be jumped on by some and used as proof that he's not any better than Mig. Took De Gea quite some time to grow into what he is now.