CL Group Stage - Match Day 1 Game Thread

CPT Neuron

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First and foremost, I hope the TNT app works as well as FoxSports did for streaming purposes, otherwise I'll be "sick" a few afternoons...

Barcelona/PSV and Inter Milan/Tottenham are the early games, followed by Monaco/Athleti, Brugge/Dortmund, Schalke/Porto, Galatasary/Lokomotiv, Red Star Belgrade/Napoli, and Liverpool/PSG.

There are some nice match ups in the mix today, with the "prime viewing" clearly Liverpool/PSG this afternoon (though I may be biased).

It will be interesting to see if Klopp gives the nod to Sturridge or Shaqiri if Firmino can't go with his eye injury. I expect no other changes in the team from the weekend's XI. Henderson and Fabhino have done nothing wrong per se, but I can't see either of them forcing their way in at the expense of Milner/Keita/Gini for this match.
 

bosox4283

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Wait...FoxSports/Soccer is no longer carrying the Champions League matches? Can I pay for the TNT app or do I need to have cable?
 

Senator Donut

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Wait...FoxSports/Soccer is no longer carrying the Champions League matches? Can I pay for the TNT app or do I need to have cable?
Turner has all of its matches available online: $2.99 per match, $9.99 per month, or $79.99 per year. I don’t know where they get off charging double what ESPN+ (which has more content) costs, so I’ll be watching a lot of games in Spanish, which has a new rights holder: Univision. Three of the fivr matches will be on free over-the-air stations, the other two will be on Galavision.

Edit: The Univision Deportes app is letting me watch the Inter match despite not being a Galavision subscriber. Tottenham looks dumb in white shorts with those tops.
 
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pedro1918

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It will be interesting to see if Klopp gives the nod to Sturridge or Shaqiri if Firmino can't go with his eye injury. I expect no other changes in the team from the weekend's XI. Henderson and Fabhino have done nothing wrong per se, but I can't see either of them forcing their way in at the expense of Milner/Keita/Gini for this match.
Liverpool lineup:

Alisson, TAA, Gomez, VVD, Robertson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Salah, Sturridge, Mane.
 

CPT Neuron

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Surprised, but only a little, on the Henderson over Keita nod - but as the Captain, these are the games Hendo is supposed to lead in...
 

SocrManiac

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I'd rather Liverpool played with 10 than starting Sturridge. He's a net negative, doesn't fit the system, and is a horrific decision maker.

It doesn't fit Klopp's system, but it would have been interesting to see Firmino dropped for Henderson, then look at a 4-4-2 diamond. Henderson and Keita together would be interesting at least.
 

CPT Neuron

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Does Klopp go with a 4-2-3-1, letting Sturridge play as a target? Milner and Henderson covering the back 4 and Mane-Gini-Salah across the middle. Not a ton of creativity in that 3, but with the defensive strides made, a tactical approach to maximize defensive stability against a very potent attacking PSG front 3?
 

PedroSpecialK

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50 seconds in, Cavani pirouettes down and motions for a card for Henderson.

I better start chewing on some rawhide
 

PedroSpecialK

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I really don't like going with both Wijnaldum and Henderson in midfield... not a lot of creativity from the middle of the park right now
 

teddykgb

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Will Milner ever relinquish his spot in this XI?
May be moot now but he was gonna get carded the way he was playing Neymar.

Liverpool were all over PSG who couldn’t really play it out. More favorable decisions your way as well I think (Univision for me) with Neymar looking onside and a pass in build up offside?
 

CPT Neuron

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Really entertaining first 45 there. Granted, I have a rooting interest, but that was good soccer being played by both sides. I would imagine it is an excellent watch for the neutral.
 

teddykgb

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Really entertaining first 45 there. Granted, I have a rooting interest, but that was good soccer being played by both sides. I would imagine it is an excellent watch for the neutral.
I wouldn’t say it’s been great. I don’t like Teuchels approach at all for PSG. Liverpool thrive on inviting you into the midfield and pouncing on you. PSG have turned the ball over so much in those spaces and are lucky Firmino isn’t fit or they’d be dealing with a lot more trouble. Their midfield is consistently outnumbered and they’re unable to build anything but counter attacks, which may be what you have to do with Liverpool committing so many men to the ball but it doesn’t feel like a well rehearsed plan. I don’t understand what DiMarias role is but with Neymar staying forward and Cavani dropping deep they are having a hard time breaking the lines
 

PedroSpecialK

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I wouldn’t say it’s been great. I don’t like Teuchels approach at all for PSG. Liverpool thrive on inviting you into the midfield and pouncing on you. PSG have turned the ball over so much in those spaces and are lucky Firmino isn’t fit or they’d be dealing with a lot more trouble. Their midfield is consistently outnumbered and they’re unable to build anything but counter attacks, which may be what you have to do with Liverpool committing so many men to the ball but it doesn’t feel like a well rehearsed plan. I don’t understand what DiMarias role is but with Neymar staying forward and Cavani dropping deep they are having a hard time breaking the lines
Agreed, Di Maria puzzled me as well - I thought he'd be playing as kind of a central attacking mid / #10 but he's been dropping off and hugging the sidelines a lot more.

It's been a bit sloppy on both sides, Liverpool gave up a few more counters than they should be comfortable with. Van Dijk being on a yellow is concerning going into the second half, I wonder if we see Fabinho in for Wijnaldum at some point to add backline support
 

PedroSpecialK

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WHEW SALAH

What... how late was that FK given? Looks to be reckless by Sturridge but I didn't see the official on the end line give it