By Jordan Carreno

The final matchday of the Champions League group stage see Napoli come to Anfield to take on Jurgen and the Reds. Kick off is scheduled for 3:00 PM EST on Tuesday.

Liverpool v Napoli — 12/11/2018 2000 GMT

This is it. One game, 90 minutes to see if Liverpool make their way into the knockout rounds, stumble into the dreaded Europa League, or crash out of Europe altogether. If you’ve been waiting for a Champions League game to sneak out of work for, this is the one. As always, all three LFC Tampa Bay locations will be open, serving, and showing the match. With all that being said, let’s get into the talking points.

Pitch Size

I’ve been waiting to write this one ever since we went to Napoli and looked disjointed and lackluster. After that match, and looking for an explanation for why we were so uncharacteristically poor, I looked into the difference of pitch sizes between Napoli’s ground and Anfield. It turned out that Napoli’s pitch was 15% larger, square meter wise, than Anfield. That extra space played a part in our inability to string attacking moves together and why Napoli found more and more space in behind Liverpool as the game wore on.

Now, the tables have turned. It will be Napoli that has to adjust their play to the smaller confines of Anfield and account for the various issues that will present them with tactically speaking.

The acres of space available to switch play and send a winger behind the fullbacks will no longer be there. There won’t be the extra time and space to take a touch and play a pass, as the press of Liverpool will be much more aggressive and well practiced on a pitch of Anfield’s size. Last but not least, there will be far less ground for Liverpool to cover when countering and attacking Napoli’s goal.

A smaller pitch and closer quarters — Anfield could pose problems for Napoli

Liverpool’s system is built on manipulating space and pressing. When there is less space to manipulate and less ground to cover in the press, the advantage goes to Liverpool. Also it must be said, despite how obvious it may be, that these Reds will be so used to playing Klopp’s system on the Anfield pitch, it must almost be second nature at this point.

Whereas Liverpool had to do all the tactical adjusting in the first match to account for the extra space, Napoli will now have to adjust to playing on a much smaller pitch.

Of course, Carlo Ancelotti is a clever enough manager to come up with solutions to these problems beforehand. However, no amount of pre-match preparation will compare to stepping onto the pitch and doing it. Add in there that the stands will be right on top of the players, unlike in Naples, and that those stands will be full of thousands Scousers filled with drink and a devout belief in the Anfield magic, and the task becomes that much more difficult.

Second Leg Vibes

We’re not yet to the knockout rounds of the Champions League, but the upcoming match against Napoli has turned into a de facto second leg.

With the way things have played out in the other matches of this group, this match sets up exactly as a second leg would. Having lost 1–0 away to Napoli, Liverpool must either win 1–0 or, and especially with an away goal for Napoli, win on aggregate to advance.

Like most second legs, there will be little room for error from the Reds on the pitch if they wish to keep their Champions League campaign going. They must be ready from the first to the last whistle to defend like the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae and attack Napoli with the viciousness of Ghengis Khan’s conquering army. Yes, this will be war, maybe even a bit of blood.

You’ll hear it in the roars from the Kop as they spur Liverpool onward with songs and screams. You’ll see it in the smoke filled air of the pre-match coach greeting and the banners and flags waving on the terraces. You’ll feel it in the pit of your stomach as Liverpool hang onto to qualification or push to finally clinch it.

So, expect it to be full fledged heavy metal football from Klopp and Liverpool come Tuesday night. Expect “Allez, Allez, Allez” to be sung for seemingly 2 hours straight. Embrace the nerves and prepare to be glued to your television, phone, or computer until 5 PM. These are the type of nights and matches Liverpool Football Club is made of and as Klopp said himself, “if something special is possible in football, then it is here.”

Throw Caution to the Wind

Is a return to “heavy metal football” on the cards?

Normally coming into this type of match, in the Champions League against a formidable opponent, one might expect the Jurgen Klopp of this season to use a bit more caution. Gone are the days where we set out in every match to try and score 6 goals whilst worrying very little if we let in 1 or 2. This season, Klopp has shown a much more cerebral approach to managing each match and has catered his tactics to his opponents. Given the scenario at hand, win and don’t concede or win by 2, now is the time to return to the vintage, full steam ahead Klopp style of football.

I expect Napoli to be cautious despite Ancelotti’s quotes suggesting they will go at us. They will be looking to dampen the atmosphere of the stadium and emotions of the players, especially early on, to avoid a similar fate to that of Roma and Manchester City.

Napoli, and Ancelotti in particular, will know the snowballing effect that an early goal can have on the Liverpool players and the Anfield atmosphere. They will most likely try to keep Liverpool out for as long as possible in hopes of catching them later on as the Reds begin to pile forward.

So, it would be in Liverpool’s best interest to come out and try to end the game in those first 30 minutes. With the crowd in full voice, energy supplies at their highest, and Napoli trying to get a foothold, Liverpool stand to do real damage. Scoring early will put Napoli into a worst case scenario plan of action that they will be doing their best to avoid. It will also fan the flames of the Liverpool crowd who will in turn rev up the engine of this Liverpool squad even more.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Klopp trot out our much more attacking 4–2–3–1 line up in an attempt to kill the game off as quickly as possible. There is no need to set up in the 4–3–3 and counter Napoli as they will most likely try to absorb pressure and counter themselves. Ultimately, if this Liverpool side are as good as we all think they are, they should be able to take on and beat any team they face at Anfield whether it be Port Vale or Napoli. With nothing promised tomorrow, it is on Jurgen and the lads to fully give it a go Tuesday night.

Prediction

We are back to the European table where, depending on how results go, our season may be wrapping up. Neither David nor myself picked up any points in the PSG match and as such are both still on 5 points.

As much as I would have loved for Liverpool to wrap up qualification 1 or 2 matches ago, it just wouldn’t be Liverpool if they didn’t leave it to the last possible chance. This is just part of the LFC experience. A night at Anfield with a chance of creating memories that live on into the future.

I think the smaller pitch is going to give Napoli a rude awakening. They will think that they have figured out Liverpool in the first match and that it will be the Reds that need to adapt in order to get what they’re looking for. I expect them to look rushed, sloppy, and almost rusty in the first 20 minutes. I also expect the Reds to pounce on that window of opportunity and take it.

Liverpool come out in the 4–2–3–1 with Salah, Bobby, Shaq, and Mane leading the line. We score early and create chaos for Napoli. We score again and before you know it, it is 3–0 heading into the half. They change things up and try to give us a go in the second half but now they’re really playing into our hands. Eventually we make it seem silly that anyone ever doubted our qualification. 5–0.

David’s Prediction: Earlier today, I texted Jordan a prediction that saw us jump on the game early and then bury it late, with the Reds winning 3–0. I still think this is possible as we aren’t playing on the Great Plains this time. Our counter attacks won’t die a slow death as they navigate the seemingly 9 million yards between goals.

But I’ve been thinking of it, and I just can’t see us doing this sans the drama. What brand of drama? A frustrating nil-nil deep into stoppage time like Everton? No, no.. This is Europe.

No. Here we do it big. We spot them two goals early and claw one back before half. On the other side of the interval, Klopp makes a change and we absolutely ransack them, scoring three in the second half with the winner coming dramatically in the 87th minute, giving you an absolute body odor fest at the pub as everyone sweats out their pints for the remaining seven minutes before the whistle blows on a glorious, memorable 4–2 victory for the Reds.

It’s another Dortmund kind of night at Anfield as chaos reigns in every Red heart around the world. If you missed that Dortmund match in the Europa League in 2016, don’t make the same mistake twice. Trust me you want to be there for this one. Ditch work, whatever it takes, and join us at the closest pub to you. If you were with us for Dortmund… see you tomorrow. I don’t have to tell you how much fun this can be.