Anyone who had the misfortune to witness episode one of this turgid affair may shudder at the prospect of this replay. So the best way to sit through another 90 minutes (and possibly extra-time) is to have a wager on it. And a decent one too because there is a fair chance that we know exactly what is going to happen.
In the original tie, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp decided to rest a raft of first-team players. He picked a bunch of kids, fielding Liverpool’s youngest ever team with an average age of 21 years and 296 days.
Unsurprisingly, the Reds did not have the experience to breakdown a wily and well-drilled Argyle backline. And it finished 0-0. Cue all and sundry to proclaim Plymouth as ‘heroic’.
It’s an odd definition of the term. Is it heroic for a gnarled, professional and experienced men’s team to pack ten men behind the ball against a youth team? Is it heroic for the second-best team in League Two (do not underestimate the standard, just look at how the under-21 teams have fared in the ill-fated EFL Trophy against these opponents) to have only 23 per cent of possession against ingenues who only a few years ago were playing boys’ football?
We don’t think so. Plymouth could have wasted a golden opportunity to progress and their men should have been more than capable of giving Klopp an almighty scare. Maybe even winning it.
As it is, they have a second bite – or rather an extra £1 million which may have been their motivation all along – with Klopp hinting that it could be another young Liverpool team to travel to Home Park.
So surely that makes Argyle a terrific bet at 6.5 (Bet365, BetVictor, William Hill) to qualify? They are 11 (same firms plus Boylesports and Betway) to win in 90 minutes. Liverpool are 1.13 (Skybet, Stan James) to go through and 1.33 (Stan James) to win in 90.
Unfortunately not because negative and cowardly Argyle have already been boasting that they will accede and hide from Liverpool. Manager Derek Adams has said he will not change tactics. “I can\’t see that we\’re going to be too cavalier on our approach. We\’ve got to show respect to the Premier League team.”
But they’re not a Premier League team, are they Adams? They’re a Premier League Academy team. One which a seasoned professional outfit should be beating.
The first port of call for value then could be the 2.5 that William Hill offer about under 2.5 goals and that looks the most rational bet. A 1-0 Liverpool success comes in at 8.5 with the same. Another 0-0 is 18 with 188Bet.
Daniel Sturridge looks likely to start for ‘Pool. Alas the layers are alive to this. He’s 1.92 (on green listed bookmakers) to score at any time although he’s as skinny as 1.57. The 4.2 (32Red, 888Sport) that he scores first should be popular indeed.
Calculators
