So, after last nights....

performance, are you feeling a bit more confident about the Cup Final?

I personally didn't see any of the game, but going off the media reports and comments on the other thread we seemed to play pretty well and fully deserved the win in Kiev.

So come on, are a few of those negative vibes from previous days swaying over to the positive side now?

Bring on the Scousers i say...and let's hope the pick up a couple of injuries tonight.

Not any more confident at all. If we work as hard as we did last night, and are.more clinical, then we can beat anyone.

I see no reason not to stary the same 11 as last night...
and hope Sturridge breaks down tonight..

Moonchester wrote:hope Sturridge breaks down tonight..

Along with Firminho and Coutinho

Same starting 11 for me too.

Not at all mate. If they had any decent players we would have been in trouble!

They still managed to outrun us but that is purely down to TLMF having a walk in the park. He did do wnough tokeep him warm but his body language says he doesn't give two shits.

Great first half performance...Sterling and Fernando in particular did really well.

Second half, for whatever reasons (2-0 up, manager trying to not let them tire themselves out, tactics)...we were average for 25-30 mins and against a better team, we could have conceded more. In saying that, we squandered several chances as well - none more so than TLMLF's Dzeko-esque miss. However, fair play, he scored a great goal on 90 minutes.
He was more involved in the 2nd half, but against better opposition, like LFC's midfield, he'll be found out again. If the last 18 months have been a 3/10 performance week in week out, then last night's was a 7/10....but we need that 99% of games, not just against poor opposition who give you loads of space.

Am I any more confident about Sunday? Slightly, purely the fact we may be able to field a stronger 11 than we have done lately and Vinny is back.
What concerns me far more and why I can't say I'm confident - is the fact that Caballero will be back in goal....and he's fucking awful.

It's been bad enough playing with 10 men for most of the season, but against LFC, at Wembley, 9 v 11 won't cut it.

Still think we'll get turned over 3-1, 4-2.

Hart - 7
Sagna - 6.5
Vinny - 7
Otamendi - 7.5 (would have been 8 but for that awful header)
Clichy - 6
Fernando - 8.5
Fernandinho - 8
TLMLF - 7
Silva - 7
Sterling - 8.5
Aguero - 8.5

Fernando 8.5

He was excellent last night. Best game in a City shirt.

I have to agree, Fernando was very good last night, but then I think he works better on his own in DM. I mean, it's not as though TLF was helping out back there

I'm going to the 2nd leg, so he'd better be just as good then.

leopold wrote:I have to agree, Fernando was very good last night, but then I think he works better on his own in DM. I mean, it's not as though TLF was helping out back there

Agree...bit of a master stroke playing Fernandinho on the right as well. Wonder if he'll do the same on Sunday?

shakencity wrote:I'm going to the 2nd leg, so he'd better be just as good then.

I was supposed to be going, but I'm on my way to Venice instead.  I'm not sure what I'd rather be doing, to be honest.  I hope they're showing the match in the hotel (which might piss the missus off, seeing as she's the reason we're going in the first place!)

blueboy wrote:

leopold wrote:I have to agree, Fernando was very good last night, but then I think he works better on his own in DM. I mean, it's not as though TLF was helping out back there

Agree...bit of a master stroke playing Fernandinho on the right as well. Wonder if he'll do the same on Sunday?

What, you think Pellers will actually find something that works and stick with it? 

Dino on the right was a revelation.  Just when I thought we were looking horribly bare in midfield, it turns out we have someone who could just be the answer all along.

The Dippers won't give us anything like the space we had in the 1st half and they will press as hard as we did if not harder
So no I am not more confident
The only way we are going to beat the Scousers is to match them all over the park for energy & passion & unfortunately
when that is the case we are nearly always not up for it

My thoughts exactly Tony. European teams tend to allow you time on the ball whereas in the premier league they close you down very quickly. A very ordinary Liverpool made us look pretty average at the Etihad earlier this season just by closing us down quickly & not allowing us to settle they then broke at speed whilst we just ambled around the pitch. If we turn up like that day then watch out for a pasting.

The last time we played that well in Europe was I would say Seville away Weds 4th of November. The next fixture was on the Sunday Aston Villa away score 0-0 and we looked a shadow of the team that had performed so well on the Wednesday. Lets hope lightning does not strike twice.

How did the dippers do after a win in the EL?