Phil Thompson looks at Liverpool's FA Cup fourth round replay against Shrewsbury and questions if Jurgen Klopp has made the right decision in fielding the kids.
On the replay
It is a week away. I am trying to get my head around it. You always get a result like this in the FA Cup. Away from home, it is always difficult.
The lads were fantastic against Everton. It is nice to see the character of the young lads playing in these games, against this Sky Bet League One side. The pitch is a bit bobblier; you have the smaller crowds, so you get to see these players.
Maybe at 2-0, it felt a little bit too comfortable. Liverpool had some good chances in the first half, but there were mistakes in there too.
On Jurgen Klopp's decision
It will be interesting, I know Jurgen Klopp said it will be the under-23s, but I still think you need those players like Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren and Fabinho in there, who need games as they haven’t had many games. That is why it is a mess.
The mid-season break is a mess. They have put the replay dates bang in the middle of it. Only our league could do something like this. I do hope Jurgen uses this to give these players match time. They need more match practice and it does not matter over differing eras where you play in, you need match practice to get back up to speed and gain the match fitness in general.
It is Klopp’s prerogative. Us as Liverpool fans could do most things, but for us to be in the position where we are - European champions and world champions - it is hard for us to start complaining.
I will go along with Jurgen, whatever he sees fit. He has not got too much wrong, but at home, I hope he recognises that these players need games. For these players who have not played much to have more time off to rest rather than play, it would be detrimental to them individually as well as the team.
Neil Critchley can run the team, but it will be like the reserve league of old where you have some senior heads playing in and around them, so there are benefits to come from it too.
In Klopp, we trust!
