Roberto Firmino

[baitman]

****. Origi on the left with Salah down the middle then?

We should have given origi 20 minutes to blow some cobwebs.

[Exiled_red]

We should have given origi 20 minutes to blow some cobwebs.

To be honest I don't know why Sturridge started ahead of him last night.

[Cormack74]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48074538

Roberto Firmino missed Friday's victory over Huddersfield with a muscle tear in his thigh, but Klopp says the striker "is likely to be fit" for their trip to Barcelona.

The Reds face the La Liga leaders in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday and the German was quick to dismiss social media rumours which suggested the Brazilian may miss the rest of the season.

"Do not believe 3% of what is on social media," said Klopp.

"Roberto Firmino is not out for the rest of the season. After training he felt it a little bit and this morning he still felt it. It's a small tear but it's Bobby and he is a machine."

Asked whether he has a plan for Barca talisman Lionel Messi, Klopp said he "had not thought about Barcelona for a second".

"We have enough time," Klopp told Sky Sports. "Five days is enough to prepare.

"So many tried there [to win in Barcelona] and it's not likely that it will happen for us there but it is possible. From Saturday morning I will think about them intensively and we will have a plan for sure."

[labourRed]

I'd nearly go as far to say Firmino is essential for this. Such an opportunity for a team that love to play from the back.

[Phoenix07]

I wouldn't risk him whatsoever. Use Origi. We still have the second leg at home, and two Premier League games to think about.

[danperkins]

He has time, massive loss if he doesn't make but he is also essential for the reutrn leg and other prem games. See how it goes I suppose.

[Mark79]

Based on what we know now, I'd go for this, gives us lots of fluid options to adapt to them as well.

--------------Becker
-Milner---Matip--VVD--Robertson
------------Fabinho
-------Henderson--Gini
---Salah----Mane---Keita

Keita played LW in 4231 earlier in the season and it didn’t suit him. Don’t want to disrupt him now he’s finding form in his midfield position. Origi has done well there when he’s come in. Play him and save a pair a legs in midfield for next Saturday.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Keita played LW in 4231 earlier in the season and it didn’t suit him. Don’t want to disrupt him now he’s finding form in his midfield position. Origi has done well there when he’s come in. Play him and save a pair a legs in midfield for next Saturday.

Yep it is probably the worst position to put him in. It just takes too much away from his overall game plus he does not have the raw pace or power that Mane or even Origi would bring to that wide role.


If Bobby is out I would prefer Origi in the centre and leave Mane and Mo to rule the flanks.

[Buzzo]

The choices are to play Derek on the left and Mane through the middle.

Or play Sturridge who looked understandably rusty last night but may fair better v Barca with those minutes on the pitch.

Or a compact 4-4-1-1 with Salah up front which we have played before.

[spud_gun]

The choices are to play Derek on the left and Mane through the middle.

Or play Sturridge who looked understandably rusty last night but may fair better v Barca with those minutes on the pitch.

Or a compact 4-4-1-1 with Salah up front which we have played before.

Sturridge should play no part in the Barca game.

[labourRed]

Sturridge against Huddersfield is OK. Against Barcelona it'd be like playing them with 10men. That'd go down as a monumental **** up.

We'll come up with another solution if the worst comes to the worst. Perhaps playing Naby left wide in a pressing role, although he struggled there early on in his career.

We'll press from the front away and Sturridge isn't at all suited to that and neither is Origi as evidenced by being booked at half time away to Porto.

[Rigadon]

Shame Oxlade-Chamberlain is not match fit. I expect Origi will play against Barca but wouldn't be surprised to see Shaqiri start.

[Gray]

Has to be Shaqiri for me

[Buzzo]

Sturridge played and scored v PSG earlier in the season. But yeah, not convinced he’d be the right option v Barca.

[rudedog]

When Bobby was injured for the Watford game we played Mane through the middle and he had a brilliant game there.