Bournemouth at home Friday 15th August 8pm

[vlahka]

I've signed up to Stan Sport.

Same here. Outrageous amount they've charged too. But as I say to a friend of mine, close the eyes, add to card, forget about it and enjoy.

[SB]

Under 20 hours to go until our season starts.

[RedReet]

Under 20 hours to go until our season starts.

I'll be at it too.

Also got me out of a wedding.

[SB]

I'll be at it too.

Also got me out of a wedding.

Lucky ******* on both fronts

[labourRed]

Happy start of the season fellas.

I'm not nervous about tonight's game but i am nervous about the team settling.

It seems we're fiddling around without resolving how we should be playing. A lot of experimenting in preseason with hardly a solid backline due to illness and what not.

I don't like the idea of playing three at the back with Kerkez tucking in, he doesn't seem natural there to me. And it's asking a lot of Frimpong (although he is ****ing rapid).

I do wonder if the safest option is just to start Wirtz on the left of a front three. Playing a forward in a midfield three is, as we've seen, dangerous to the solidity of the team. But we haven't even tried that option, yet.

We may stumble on the perfect system but we're going to be doing it on production, so to speak.

[The_weatherman]

I do wonder if the safest option is just to start Wirtz on the left of a front three. Playing a forward in a midfield three is, as we've seen, dangerous to the solidity of the team. But we haven't even tried that option, yet.

I feel we could see that option against the bigger teams, but against teams parking the bus I think Wirtz will be the number 10.

[Pablo]

It's the start of season, EVERYONE is nervous about their team settling. Every team has been tweaking and fiddling. We are not alone in that. We've had a pretty solid preseason overall I'd say. If you actually look at most of the other team's preseason results they are all pretty poor.

Arsenal have probably had the least upheaval in terms of players leaving and they have bought well. I doubt their style will change much. They have their striker. They have no excuses left now.

City have made major changes, are supposedly making changes to their playing style and have had basically no pre-season. That will catch up with them?

Chelsea's squad looks great on paper, but they will still be too inconsistent to challenge IMO. They have also only had a short break and two pre-season games. Not ideal.

[frank the tank]

Looking forward to the game now.

Will be emotional with Diogos family in attendance and mosaic planned too. Devastating stuff.

It will be interesting to see how we line up alright. Although the suspension of Gravenberch will mean that it will change in the next game anyway. Is Macallister also likely to start from the bench tonight??

It wouldn't surprise me to see Robertson start instead of Kerkez as the link up with Virgil surely isn't up to speed yet. It must be a risk playing 2 new full backs.

However, looking at our attack then it must be reason for optimism. Wirtz will bring a lot to our attack and if we start with Gakpo Ekitike and Salah as our front 3 then it will be good to see how they do with Flor behind them. Especially since Bournemouth have lost 3 of their back 4 from last season.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Looking forward to the game now.

Will be emotional with Diogos family in attendance and mosaic planned too. Devastating stuff.

It will be interesting to see how we line up alright. Although the suspension of Gravenberch will mean that it will change in the next game anyway. Is Macallister also likely to start from the bench tonight??

It wouldn't surprise me to see Robertson start instead of Kerkez as the link up with Virgil surely isn't up to speed yet. It must be a risk playing 2 new full backs.

However, looking at our attack then it must be reason for optimism. Wirtz will bring a lot to our attack and if we start with Gakpo Ekitike and Salah as our front 3 then it will be good to see how they do with Flor behind them. Especially since Bournemouth have lost 3 of their back 4 from last season.

Only way to get that though is by playing competitive games together and, as there will be an international break after the opening three games, if we do not start playing them in the first team now we would risk going into mid September with guys with little starting minutes with their new team mates.


Looking at our opening eight league games, there are plenty of potentially tough games in there.


Bouremouth (H)
Newcastle (A)
Arsenal(H)

International break.


Burnley (A)
Everton (H)
Crystal Palce (A)
Chelsea (A)
Man U (H)


There will also be a league cup game and at least one CL game mixed in with the second group of games.

[peterbread]

I think they will be ready to go tonight. Intensity levels up, Anfield under the lights, first game of the season. Rip into them from the go and set the tone for the season and let everyone else know what we’re going to do to them this season.

[Buzzo]

It’s going to be emotionally charged.

Diogo Jota's family are expected to be at Anfield on Friday for Liverpool's opening Premier League game against Bournemouth.
The league champions are planning to pay tribute to their former forward, who died at the age of 28 in a car crash in northern Spain last month alongside his brother Andre Silva, who was 25.

A moment of silence will be held at all Premier League matches this weekend, with players wearing black armbands, while messages and images will be shown on the big screens in stadiums.

Liverpool confirmed there will also be a fan-led tribute at Anfield, with a special mosaic unveiled in the Kop and the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand during the period of silence.
In his programme notes for Friday's game, Liverpool manager Arne Slot says: "We know that this will be a very emotional occasion, given it is the first league game we have played since we lost Diogo and Andre.

"As I have said previously, the tributes that have been paid throughout the football world, and especially within the LFC community, have been truly special, and I know that tonight we will come together to honour them once more.
"I believe that Diogo's wife, his children and his family will be in attendance and it is important that, as a club, we show that they will always have our love and support as they deal with this most tragic of situations. We are there for them always."

The Liverpool players will display their own tribute with a 'Forever 20' emblem printed on their shirts and stadium jackets. This will remain in place for the season.

The club earned a record-equalling 20th English league title last season with Jota wearing the number 20 shirt, which the club decided to retire after consulting with the former Portugal international's wife Rute Cardoso and other members of Jota's family.

Wolves - the other Premier League team Jota played for - also have tributes planned for their season opener at home to Manchester City on Saturday.

[Mark79]

[ame]https://twitter.com/lfc/status/1956411879229734971[/ame]

[Sus]

Oh man, im not sure I’m ready yet for all the ups and downs over the next 9 months

[labourRed]

Glad to see Ngumoha. No British player in the first eleven not that I care a **** about that.

[baitman]

Good to see mac back, maybe sub at 60 for Endo.