Rory Fitzgerald

Getting back to the football - if we're the Mentality Monsters, is Klopp's personality and style dealing with this better than Madrid ?

Its completely sapped any pre-match tension/nerves for me and I would think the fans in the stadium have a rather different (more extreme) sense of emotions than us at home.

I've been looking at the time stamps on alot of the tweets and they were from over 2hrs before kick off !! So agree, its not late arrival. Its late processing. But given the Madrid fans are in - it looks like its only 1 side of the ground !

"Police overwhelmed" is a narrative thats put out from one side of the story.

I understand that - but there is also a narrative out there saying likewise. Now, whether those instances means that the whole Liverpool entrances have gone into "lockdown" or - as I'd agree with you - the delays are also likely down to mismanagement. Its then a question if the information below is put forward to justify hugely intensified checks on our end. I don't know. But its something thats out there already.

We did 4-4-1-1 from 76 mins in the 2019 Final, thats where I got the idea from. Milner on the right, Mane on the right and Origi behind Salah. But for the last few mins, Gomez came on for Mane (he was goosed) and Milner flipped to LM and Trent went in to RM so Gomez could have the legs for anything behind. Its a very small sample size of <5mins, but he does have it in his game management locker - hopefully we get a lead so we can find out

A reminder of the pitch positions for the Vinicius goal last year. If Phillips gets that close from that position, then Konate is bridging the difference. Otherwise, gaps between the back 4 look very big. Think Trent had a bad "off" night because for the 2nd goal, if you can remember (I had blocked it out ), he intercepted a similar ball but crouched down to head it to [I am still not sure to who] and gave it right to Asensio

If we are winning after 60min, no harm going 4-4-1-1 Milner left mid, Trent right mid, Gomez right back Make them really play through us than find space around us

Its "Break Glass" kind of situation if they get on Rodrygo is 1st off the bench Benzema & Vinicius Jnr not coming off unless gassed in extra time So for Bale/Hazard to get on, its as a 4th striker if chasing or maybe in extra time

I’ll either have a beer at 7pm or half time. It’s a bit random but if I don’t get the goo to start then I’ll leave it

Good morning all. I have woken up with an inexplicably calm demeanor and positive/relaxed outlook. I've realised that for many more Saturday's into the future, that I'd love to be back at today. And whilst its a 50/50 game, we are downplaying ourselves given we love to say we are either the best team (or joint best) team in the world. So with all that in the mix, I am looking forward today and until it becomes the opposite, then I am going into this confident we are performing and likely winning. Up the reds and have a lovely day all Bonjour, je suis Scouser Tommy. J'achète un billet pour le train ?

I think nerves send me into research mode Did a bit more digging on corners and Man City took similar outswingers and Chelsea’s paid off in the 2nd leg with Rudiger. A small point on this one, the shot which triggered this corner was heavily protested by Madrid players - to a point were I wondered if it was fear.

There’s a lot to be said about the phone bit. I worked on the laptop most of last Sunday afternoon and never looked at the internet during the game. So never had any football related media apart from 90mins of the game. So need some good distractions again

I was absolutely fine for last Sunday and the game crept up on me. But I have been trying to think all week about how to kill the time tomorrow. Saturday is normally a day to savour but tomorrow is a day to kill, it feels like nothing good can be achieved between the hours of 9am to 8pm, thats a long 11 hours ! What are people doing ? I mean, I have contemplated going to the cinema or an early bird meal at 5pm, the local gym closes at 5pm, so thats of no help. I need something to do around 5pm, so that way I can focus on getting to 5pm knowing that the "thing" will help bridge the 5-8pm hours. The game should really kick off at 9.30am !

10 of that 11 for Madrid will start on Saturday - they are not the biggest in the world and certainly not the blockers - similar to the height of the City players in the FA Cup Semi Final trying to defend the outswinger to the on-rushing players. Konate's recent headed goals have all been (very) high outswingers - so we'll miss the near post of Benzema and Casemiro. We generally deploy Diaz to "look interested" at the near post but use him as a decoy hoping he draws a man with him and then the defenders behind take an adjusting step to close the gap (before then adjusting to step out and attack the outswinger). Unfortunately, I have no idea how good/bad Madrid are at defending corners as I cant get the stats on them. But if we can get Henderson, Fabinho, Van Dijk and [Konate/Matip] attacking the likes of Mendy, Modric, Valverde, then maybe something can come of it (.....and Lukaku should have fallen over) - BTW Chelsea corner below was aimed at (and hit) Havertz but he didn't get a good connection on it.

Has something new been said today, haven't seen anything but not been on the internet much this morning. Indeed, his body went limp when Dias challenged him to give away the penalty in extra time.

Ridiculous idea, if we are 6-0 up then why would you change it !

Yeah, would love to see us go 2-0 up and finish in a 4-4-1-1 Alisson Gomez Konate Van Dijk Robertson TAA Henderson Fabinho Milner Firmino Jota Feigning injuries, asking for bookings, Alisson walking to the opposite side of the box for goal kicks, Klopp in a black suit and black shirt

I think these are the likely 3 scenarios with the possible sub options if needed. 1. Best Case - Fabinho/Henderson/Thiago - Keita for Thiago, Milner for either Fab/Hendo 2. No Thiago - Fabinho/Henderson/Keita - Milner for 1st sub, then Jones - assumes no Thiago on bench. 3. Worst Case - Henderson/Milner/Keita - Jones 1st sub, then Ox/Elliott. Or alternatively, if we are losing, ask Henderson and Milner to sit as a 2 and bring on Firmino.

The Fabinho / Thiago situation has me wondering how many risks we can take - or more to the point - risks we have to take. I say that thinking that Fabinho will be fit to play and that is mostly around Fabinho. So here are the earliest subs in the recent Champions League Finals; 2021: Thiago Silva (39 mins, injured) 2020: Boateng (25 mins, injured) 2019: Firmino (58 mins, likely fitness related) 2018: Salah (31 mins, impact injury) and Carvajal (37 mins, injured) 2017: Barzagli (66 mins, tactical as losing 3-1 with 2 goals scored in 61' and 64') Given its the last game of a long season, not surprising that there are some 1st half injuries with 3 of the last 5 having 1st half injuries - albeit Salah's being not fatigue-related, though Carvajal in the same game was off after 37mins with his hamstring.

I have wondered about that and you're right, we do lose something. However, I can't get myself to a position whereby we don't start them. I see this game on a sliding scale, the longer it goes the better it suits Madrid. Whereas I think our greatest time to be the most effective is the opening 45mins - so get the best players on the pitch for that. On that basis, I'd be going for that front 3 and that if we do get into 70+ mins, I wonder how quickly we can play with the players on the pitch to support the new sub that comes on. I could be reading that "sliding scale" thing massively wrong, but its just something I can't get past.

Ben Davies also unlucky to miss out

I just looked at last years squads and Chelsea and City named 3 keepers. Not sure if you can amend the squad if someone gets injured in the warm up once the squads go in, so likely an insurance measure. [Edit: You can replace a player in the squad if injured before kick off] I also think what are the chances that we play 6 players in 1 position e.g. 3 midfielders changed for 3 midfielders - similar 3 strikers off/3 strikers on. More likely to be a case of desperation - midfielders off and strikers on, but still think its unlikely.