Coming off a big win at home against PSG in the Champions League, and a massive point in the league at Chelsea, Liverpool now head on the road to take on Napoli in their second Champions League group stage match of the season. A win would put the Reds in great position in their group almost immediately, taking six points out of six. But Napoli is no easy place to win.
Team News:
Liverpool have named their 23-man squad for the match, and there are no surprises. Everyone who appeared against Chelsea on the weekend will be making the trip and there are no fresh injury concerns for Jurgen Klopp's men. Divock Origi and Dominic Solanke are both making the trip with the size, indicating their respective fitness. Virgil van Dijk showed no ill effects after playing a full 90 minutes against Chelsea with a case of bruised ribs and he should be fit to make the start in Italy against the current second placed side in Serie A. Klopp said of him "Virgil is fine" in what is sure to be music to Liverpool supporters' ears. Napoli, themselves, have no injury concerns to report as well and will be pleased to have a full squad available to them after a 3-1 defeat to Juventus on the weekend.
The question, instead, for Liverpool will be a matter of rotation. Klopp spoke of how he may indeed make "one or two" changes in the line-up for the match, but it is a matter of keeping players fit and firing, especially coming off an intense match last weekend and gearing up for a crucial league tie with Manchester City straight before the international break on Sunday. The key is, as Klopp also mentioned, finding a good sort of rhythm for his side as they progress into the final stages of what has been (and still is) a massive sort of season-defining stretch for Liverpool as a whole. We could surely see Daniel Sturridge rewarded for his point-winning goal with a start on the weekend, we could see a center back shift, perhaps Xherdan Shaqiri entering the squad, or a different midfielder, any way you look at it, Klopp has options.
Projected Liverpool Line-Up: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Keita; Salah, Sturridge, Firmino
Projected Napoli Line-Up: Ospina; Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Rui; Zielenski, Allan, Hamsik, Callejon; Insigne, Mertens
Previewing the Match:
What I'd like to first address, before anything else, is Napoli as a side. Many may be a bit unfamiliar with the side despite them being one of the top sides in all of Serie A. They were held to a 0-0 draw at Red Star Belgrade in their first Champions League match and are going to be desperate for a better result for danger of falling behind early. Manager Carlo Ancelotti was a name actually discussed in the Liverpool job before Jurgen Klopp eventually took it. He's managed a who's who of clubs and the fact that Napoli are perhaps his lowest profile side since Juventus in the late-90s, before they became the powerhouse they are today, is not a slight on Napoli as a club but rather a testament to Ancelotti, whose last three jobs in order of from most recent backwards are Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and PSG, who has had an illustrious coaching career.
Under Ancelotti, Napoli have shown a few different shapes. They were in a 4-4-2 against Juventus, a 4-4-1-1 against Belgrade, a 4-3-3 earlier this season in Serie A, and even a 4-2-3-1 against Torino earlier last month. His personnel with Napoli allows for rotation and multiple ways to attack. Generally, Napoli will lead with a higher press and try to play out from back. Their strong center backs, especially Kalidou Koulibaly, the 27-year-old elite center back, allow them to do so. Koulibaly leads the back end of Napoli with a brilliant passing range from back, averaging 105 passes and 91.4% accuracy. He stands 6'5" and is physically strong and obviously quite good in the air. His center back mate is Raul Albiol who also stands 6'3" with strong passing skills. Together they make up a formidable duo.
In attack, Ancelotti has been gifted with three strong first choice strikers and plenty of midfield options. Lorenzo Insigne is the obvious danger man, standing at just 5'4" but being blessed with brilliant technical ability, he is extremely difficult to track for anyone. Alongside him is Dries Mertens. Now 31, two years ago Mertens was arguably the most in form player in Europe for the second half of the club season. Mertens was brilliant as a false nine that season and remains a potent attacking threat for Napoli. Of course, there is also the chance that Arkadiusz Milik, 24-year-old Polish star, is deployed as a striker as well. Still a younger product, Milik has proven to be very capable for Napoli and at 6'1", he offers something a bit more physical than either Mertens or Insigne would for the Liverpool defense.
Liverpool is going to need to deal with the press if they are to find success. Napoli will be at home and spurred on by the knowledge that they need a result to keep them largely in the picture of knockout stage Champions League football. Both players on the wing for Napoli, Jose Callejon and Piotr Zielenski, offer slightly different things in terms of positioning. Zielenski will surely float a bit more centrally being a center mid by trade while Callejon likely will stay wider. If this does indeed happen, it's going to be important for Trent Alexander-Arnold to get forward as he did against PSG and Neymar via the sideline. Of course, he cannot get burned like he did against Eden Hazard and being out of position is Mertens drops deeper and Insigne gets behind him. I look at the right half of the defense and think it's where Napoli will target attacks: they've seen Trent give up a couple attacking opportunities while being overzealous, they have attacking threats that can lull him out of position, or even perhaps get Joe Gomez out of position, and they have the personnel to make the passes Chelsea did to exploit Liverpool's weaknesses as well.
Another key will be who is in Liverpool's attack. I have Daniel Sturridge in the starting eleven for Liverpool in place of Sadio Mane. I think Sturridge's play against PSG and two-in-two against Chelsea are cause for a reward and Mane is due to have a rest. With Elseid Hysej's ability to drive forward and attack, I am not fully sure that Klopp wants to rest Mane who could really feast against a man out of position and a player who knows country-mate Koulibaly so well, but I think both Hysej and Koulibaly are so good defensively (and in Hysej's case tracking back from attack) that putting Firmino a bit wider to press will have its advantages. It should allow more attacks for Sturridge coming centrally off the left shoulder of Albiol with his own favored left foot. Mo Salah will have Mario Rui stuck on him and Koulibaly defending him as center back on that side. It's nothing new for the Egyptian, but he'd surely love to snag a Champions League goal here.
Finally, we have our midfield battle. I have Jordan Henderson, James Milner, and Naby Keita in for Liverpool. Wijnaldum is set for a rest and Henderson came out after 60 minutes for Keita keeping both men fit. Henderson's going to need to step it up here and direct play with the ball at his feet under pressure. He got flustered against Hazard in the league cup and could face similar frustration if the press gets to him. I have Keita in the starting eleven because I think he offers a more creative driving presence going forward to help mirror Milner, who gets forward well and defends nicely. I put Napoli in a 4-4-2, which seems to be the recent favored position, but this will almost surely look like a 4-4-1-1 just depending on the personnel. In Napoli's midfield, Marek Hamsik and Allan are both so good at pushing forward and making runs (in Allan's case) and passes (in Hamsik's case) to open up the defensive lines of opposing sides. This is where Henderson becomes of such great importance as he is going to serve as the key man to hold the line and break down any of Napoli's moves that may be starting to develop. That goes the same if Wijnaldum is the one who gets the start. My eyes will be on the holding midfielder for Liverpool.
Final Thoughts:
This is a big match for Liverpool in that it is their first Champions League match since a massive triumph at home over PSG. They cannot set themselves up for a let down away from home against another very solid team who will be on the hunt for a great result for themselves.
Score Prediction: Napoli 1: Liverpool 1:
I think this will be another 1-1 draw for Liverpool. Napoli will likely be a bit more conservative than I've let on if they can't find an early goal (which I don't fancy them too). They're a tough side to break down but Liverpool have the obvious quality to do so against any team. Away to Napoli is not an easy place to play, just ask Manchester City, so a draw away there is not bad at all and keeps Liverpool in first place in the group. If I HAD to pick a winner, I would favor Liverpool, but I can see a 1-1 draw in the cards.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for more LFC coverage, including live Tweets during the matches, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Michigan basketball coverage!
Team News:
Liverpool have named their 23-man squad for the match, and there are no surprises. Everyone who appeared against Chelsea on the weekend will be making the trip and there are no fresh injury concerns for Jurgen Klopp's men. Divock Origi and Dominic Solanke are both making the trip with the size, indicating their respective fitness. Virgil van Dijk showed no ill effects after playing a full 90 minutes against Chelsea with a case of bruised ribs and he should be fit to make the start in Italy against the current second placed side in Serie A. Klopp said of him "Virgil is fine" in what is sure to be music to Liverpool supporters' ears. Napoli, themselves, have no injury concerns to report as well and will be pleased to have a full squad available to them after a 3-1 defeat to Juventus on the weekend.
The question, instead, for Liverpool will be a matter of rotation. Klopp spoke of how he may indeed make "one or two" changes in the line-up for the match, but it is a matter of keeping players fit and firing, especially coming off an intense match last weekend and gearing up for a crucial league tie with Manchester City straight before the international break on Sunday. The key is, as Klopp also mentioned, finding a good sort of rhythm for his side as they progress into the final stages of what has been (and still is) a massive sort of season-defining stretch for Liverpool as a whole. We could surely see Daniel Sturridge rewarded for his point-winning goal with a start on the weekend, we could see a center back shift, perhaps Xherdan Shaqiri entering the squad, or a different midfielder, any way you look at it, Klopp has options.
Projected Liverpool Line-Up: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Keita; Salah, Sturridge, Firmino
Projected Napoli Line-Up: Ospina; Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Rui; Zielenski, Allan, Hamsik, Callejon; Insigne, Mertens
Previewing the Match:
What I'd like to first address, before anything else, is Napoli as a side. Many may be a bit unfamiliar with the side despite them being one of the top sides in all of Serie A. They were held to a 0-0 draw at Red Star Belgrade in their first Champions League match and are going to be desperate for a better result for danger of falling behind early. Manager Carlo Ancelotti was a name actually discussed in the Liverpool job before Jurgen Klopp eventually took it. He's managed a who's who of clubs and the fact that Napoli are perhaps his lowest profile side since Juventus in the late-90s, before they became the powerhouse they are today, is not a slight on Napoli as a club but rather a testament to Ancelotti, whose last three jobs in order of from most recent backwards are Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and PSG, who has had an illustrious coaching career.
Under Ancelotti, Napoli have shown a few different shapes. They were in a 4-4-2 against Juventus, a 4-4-1-1 against Belgrade, a 4-3-3 earlier this season in Serie A, and even a 4-2-3-1 against Torino earlier last month. His personnel with Napoli allows for rotation and multiple ways to attack. Generally, Napoli will lead with a higher press and try to play out from back. Their strong center backs, especially Kalidou Koulibaly, the 27-year-old elite center back, allow them to do so. Koulibaly leads the back end of Napoli with a brilliant passing range from back, averaging 105 passes and 91.4% accuracy. He stands 6'5" and is physically strong and obviously quite good in the air. His center back mate is Raul Albiol who also stands 6'3" with strong passing skills. Together they make up a formidable duo.
In attack, Ancelotti has been gifted with three strong first choice strikers and plenty of midfield options. Lorenzo Insigne is the obvious danger man, standing at just 5'4" but being blessed with brilliant technical ability, he is extremely difficult to track for anyone. Alongside him is Dries Mertens. Now 31, two years ago Mertens was arguably the most in form player in Europe for the second half of the club season. Mertens was brilliant as a false nine that season and remains a potent attacking threat for Napoli. Of course, there is also the chance that Arkadiusz Milik, 24-year-old Polish star, is deployed as a striker as well. Still a younger product, Milik has proven to be very capable for Napoli and at 6'1", he offers something a bit more physical than either Mertens or Insigne would for the Liverpool defense.
Liverpool is going to need to deal with the press if they are to find success. Napoli will be at home and spurred on by the knowledge that they need a result to keep them largely in the picture of knockout stage Champions League football. Both players on the wing for Napoli, Jose Callejon and Piotr Zielenski, offer slightly different things in terms of positioning. Zielenski will surely float a bit more centrally being a center mid by trade while Callejon likely will stay wider. If this does indeed happen, it's going to be important for Trent Alexander-Arnold to get forward as he did against PSG and Neymar via the sideline. Of course, he cannot get burned like he did against Eden Hazard and being out of position is Mertens drops deeper and Insigne gets behind him. I look at the right half of the defense and think it's where Napoli will target attacks: they've seen Trent give up a couple attacking opportunities while being overzealous, they have attacking threats that can lull him out of position, or even perhaps get Joe Gomez out of position, and they have the personnel to make the passes Chelsea did to exploit Liverpool's weaknesses as well.
Another key will be who is in Liverpool's attack. I have Daniel Sturridge in the starting eleven for Liverpool in place of Sadio Mane. I think Sturridge's play against PSG and two-in-two against Chelsea are cause for a reward and Mane is due to have a rest. With Elseid Hysej's ability to drive forward and attack, I am not fully sure that Klopp wants to rest Mane who could really feast against a man out of position and a player who knows country-mate Koulibaly so well, but I think both Hysej and Koulibaly are so good defensively (and in Hysej's case tracking back from attack) that putting Firmino a bit wider to press will have its advantages. It should allow more attacks for Sturridge coming centrally off the left shoulder of Albiol with his own favored left foot. Mo Salah will have Mario Rui stuck on him and Koulibaly defending him as center back on that side. It's nothing new for the Egyptian, but he'd surely love to snag a Champions League goal here.
Finally, we have our midfield battle. I have Jordan Henderson, James Milner, and Naby Keita in for Liverpool. Wijnaldum is set for a rest and Henderson came out after 60 minutes for Keita keeping both men fit. Henderson's going to need to step it up here and direct play with the ball at his feet under pressure. He got flustered against Hazard in the league cup and could face similar frustration if the press gets to him. I have Keita in the starting eleven because I think he offers a more creative driving presence going forward to help mirror Milner, who gets forward well and defends nicely. I put Napoli in a 4-4-2, which seems to be the recent favored position, but this will almost surely look like a 4-4-1-1 just depending on the personnel. In Napoli's midfield, Marek Hamsik and Allan are both so good at pushing forward and making runs (in Allan's case) and passes (in Hamsik's case) to open up the defensive lines of opposing sides. This is where Henderson becomes of such great importance as he is going to serve as the key man to hold the line and break down any of Napoli's moves that may be starting to develop. That goes the same if Wijnaldum is the one who gets the start. My eyes will be on the holding midfielder for Liverpool.
Final Thoughts:
This is a big match for Liverpool in that it is their first Champions League match since a massive triumph at home over PSG. They cannot set themselves up for a let down away from home against another very solid team who will be on the hunt for a great result for themselves.
Score Prediction: Napoli 1: Liverpool 1:
I think this will be another 1-1 draw for Liverpool. Napoli will likely be a bit more conservative than I've let on if they can't find an early goal (which I don't fancy them too). They're a tough side to break down but Liverpool have the obvious quality to do so against any team. Away to Napoli is not an easy place to play, just ask Manchester City, so a draw away there is not bad at all and keeps Liverpool in first place in the group. If I HAD to pick a winner, I would favor Liverpool, but I can see a 1-1 draw in the cards.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for more LFC coverage, including live Tweets during the matches, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Michigan basketball coverage!
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