02 Jan 2022 11:07:52
Lukaku apparently dropped for today's game, I'd actually rather he played!
He hasn't got much to his game other than being abit of a bully up top and I think VVD and Konate could handle him, a dynamic front 3 of the likes of Pulisic/ Mount/ Ziyech etc will run around and potentially give us more problems.

I think today's game is ours to win, Chelsea have been out of form recently so if we perform to our best then we should win.

Let's hope the boys up top have their finishing boots on!

02 Jan 2022 11:29:01
Gotta think about it from a Chelsea pov maxi. He’s embarrassed them, picking up a massive wage and basically begging for the inter return is horrible.
On us I think it’s safe to admit we’re in bad form now, we need to win every single game to even have a chance starting at Chelsea.
The way the refs are helping City and not even trying to hide it, I’ll go for a 1-1 draw with VVD and Kante sent off straight reds 😂.

02 Jan 2022 11:30:22
The Chelsea forward line don’t create enuff chances nor quality chances hence, the snatch at the ones they get and miss them, IMO. It doesn’t matter who plays, they still struggle. Latest proof? Brighton, who should have won that game had they had a real striker instead of the useless Maupay. For us going in, if we have our shooting boot on, we have a chance BUT do not discount Tuchel parking the bus and playing in the counter like Leicester did.

02 Jan 2022 11:40:38
I thought Lukaku was just being honest. He said he wouldn't have left if Inter had offered him another and I'm guessing improved contract and he wants to go back some day. He says that Inter saved his career after his disaster at Man Utd. Not much wrong with that imo but I could have missed some of it?

02 Jan 2022 12:05:31
Irish Rover - Have you seriously concluded that, having read Lukaku’s comments/ interview, he was just being honest?
In reality, Lukaku made a bunch of preposterous remarks, showing nothing but contempt for the club that paid £100m for him less than 6 months ago.

02 Jan 2022 12:31:06
We're in bad form after losing a game - quality!
Maybe overreacting a touch?

02 Jan 2022 12:36:35
IR I agree with Lowel as in Lukaku is a employee of Chelsea who paid mental money for him but besides the fee surely he has a obligation to his employer not to bad mouth them in public, would you not agree? Also say a current player for Liverpool came out and said how he would love to go back to his former club etc etc. How would you expect JK deal with it?

02 Jan 2022 12:41:51
We need to win today, simple.

02 Jan 2022 12:44:22
Hi Lowel. Maybe you could highlight the "preposterous remarks"? I watched part of the interview on TV but clearly I've missed the comments that are so incendiary. Cheers.

02 Jan 2022 12:45:43
Honestly would rather he was in their squad as he’s a rather lumpen flat track bully who I think we could deal with, Havertz is more likely to cause us problems because of his pace, skill, intelligence and movement.

02 Jan 2022 12:52:55
Imagine that - an employee bad mouthing an employer. That’s the first time I’ve ever heard of such a think in forty plus years working.

02 Jan 2022 12:56:29
If only we had Traore to counter that:)

02 Jan 2022 13:18:53
West Derby. There is a big difference between saying it privately, and coming out with it publicly.

02 Jan 2022 13:36:02
Today’s Liverpool team:
Kelleher: Trent, Konate, VVD, Tsmikas: Fabinho, Henderson, Keita: Salah, Jota, Mane.

02 Jan 2022 14:00:07
Is that confirmed redmersey? Guessing Ali has CV then?

02 Jan 2022 15:02:17
confirmed from a good source who is very rarely wrong. So I’d be surprised if it’s not correct.

02 Jan 2022 15:04:46
Reece James being out is a more noteworthy omission to be honest.

02 Jan 2022 15:37:04
Got one wrong. Milner instead of Keita. Not happy with that. Hendo and Milner together not compatible.

02 Jan 2022 15:43:25
Milner should be ok with Henderson and especially Fabinho in with him. There'll be less pressure on him to get back quickly if he's caught upfield.

02 Jan 2022 15:49:35
We have to go with what's available, whether it makes fans happy or not unfortunately.

02 Jan 2022 16:17:34
Obviously we have to go with what we have, but there are better options than Milner available. (Keita, Ox) He doesn’t have the legs anymore and is always half a yard off closing down. That is compounded when he starts with Henderson. Hope I’m wrong and he has one of his stormers but I think the Chelsea midfield will be too sharp for him. He will definitely get a yellow due to coming on too late.

02 Jan 2022 16:17:04
Milner will help to keep things steady for 60 minutes you'd think and win the fights in midfield.

Imagine we'll then see on of the other CMs come in.

02 Jan 2022 17:22:02
Stupid free kick given away by Milner, going in half an hour too late as usual.

02 Jan 2022 18:56:03
Never a free kick that Milner gave away. Havertz ran into his back. Taylor loves giving soft free kicks.

02 Jan 2022 18:58:16
Lukaku made several contradictory statements in the interview that it is near impossible to give him the benefit of the doubt, IMO. And it doesn’t matter how right you are as an employee, if you had mouth your employer or superior and throw him under the bus cos you think you are right, there are consequences for that and Lukaku knew it. For a guy so smart, he can’t do something that stupid, IMO.

He also said that he went to the Inter board to ask for a new contract and they said no. Right after that, he goes to Chelsea for 400k a week. So he picked the bumper contract against his stated interest to never have wanted to leave Inter? I can keep going.

If such contradictory statements are a sign of honesty and good faith then, I have to go check the meaning of the word itself.

02 Jan 2022 19:31:23
Redflyer,
I hope you’re being tongue in cheek saying it was never a foul by Milner. It has been two years since Milner and Henderson playing together could control a midfield against a top side. I can’t understand how Klopp doesn’t see this. With both together, top teams play the ball around them. Hence Chelsea dominating possession. The Chelsea team and crowd were on their knees after Salah’s goal, and Milner’s stupid and avoidable foul ignited them.

Incidentally, I don’t know why VAR didn’t look at Ruduger’s position when going to head the free kick. He was inches from Kelleher when he punched it and looked to be ahead of our defence.

02 Jan 2022 19:35:07
It was a stupid free kick all day long that Milner gave away.

02 Jan 2022 19:45:23
You're absolutely right OliRed. Employer-employee relations and dynamics are not always easy; we all know this. That's why they always say to keep it behind closed doors, discuss it privately, get it resolved and just do what has to be done. Always better to keep it out of third parties ears (like the media) who will always put a spin onto it to serve their own purposes. Tell your wife or girlfriend that your ex was better and you tried to stay with her, and watch the volcanic eruption that will result.

These are extremely well paid professional athletes. Supposedly the cream of the cream. Surely they can't object to certain rules and a certain amount of discipline?

Knowing Tuchel, he is going to make it very hard on Lukaku. Bring him down a few pegs.

02 Jan 2022 19:54:40
The guy hit a world class strike from that free kick, Milner can't be blamed for that. And as for giving away free kicks, all players do it eventually.
Milner is expert at it!