The Never Used XI’s

Klopper76

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I’ve just seen this on Twitter and to me it can’t be true, but apparently this Liverpool team never played together:


The article also has some surprising United, Arsenal and Chelsea XI’s that never or rarely played together, despite people probably talking them up frequently.

That Liverpool side looked like one that started frequently during the 19/20 season but apparently they never started a game together.
This United team only started one league game together: Schmeichel; Neville, Stam, Johnsen, Irwin; Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs; Cole, Yorke.

Any others that people know of?
 

Dancfc

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Can't think of anything lineup wise for us maybe something will pop up later.

On a sort of related note Thiago Silva nearly went the whole season last year without playing with Kepa (first time the pair saw as much as a minute together was the FA Cup semi final).
 

OleBoiii

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Some surprises in that article. Injuries must surely have played a big part?
 

Pexbo

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I’ve just seen this on Twitter and to me it can’t be true, but apparently this Liverpool team never played together:


The article also has some surprising United, Arsenal and Chelsea XI’s that never or rarely played together, despite people probably talking them up frequently.

That Liverpool side looked like one that started frequently during the 19/20 season but apparently they never started a game together.
This United team only started one league game together: Schmeichel; Neville, Stam, Johnsen, Irwin; Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs; Cole, Yorke.

Any others that people know of?
I assume the Liverpool one is mostly down to Matip/Wijnaldum coincidentally not starting together with the rest of the 9 who must have played 100+ games together in an 11?
 

LawCharltonBest

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The record for the same XI starting together in the PL being 19 times is crazy. I'd have guessed over 100.
 

OleBoiii

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The record for the same XI starting together in the PL being 19 times is crazy. I'd have guessed over 100.
That's more than two and a half seasons worth of football, though.

Considering injuries, ageing, youth players breaking through and the constant need to improve the first team through transfers, it actually makes a lot of sense that the record is just 19 games. All it takes is 1 out of the 11 best players to be injured or on a downwards spiral(or simply getting outperformed by another player). Most teams also don't have a definite starting XI that is clearly the best option. There's usually a few questions marks.
 

anant

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The Chelsea one is shocking actually!
 

Gio

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I assume the Liverpool one is mostly down to Matip/Wijnaldum coincidentally not starting together with the rest of the 9 who must have played 100+ games together in an 11?
Imagine so. Don't think it's that surprising given the second CB and midfield unit have been regularly rotated, when it's the rest of the defence and the front 3 that people remember.

The United 99 line-up is more interesting with Butt and Scholes sharing minutes over the course of the season, but again the second CB and the strikers were often rotated, so it's not that much of a surprise
The record for the same XI starting together in the PL being 19 times is crazy. I'd have guessed over 100.
I wouldn't be surprised if that record was far surpassed if we went back another 10-15 years when there was next to no rotation.
.
 

Hansi Fick

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I’ve just seen this on Twitter and to me it can’t be true, but apparently this Liverpool team never played together:


The article also has some surprising United, Arsenal and Chelsea XI’s that never or rarely played together, despite people probably talking them up frequently.

That Liverpool side looked like one that started frequently during the 19/20 season but apparently they never started a game together.
This United team only started one league game together: Schmeichel; Neville, Stam, Johnsen, Irwin; Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs; Cole, Yorke.

Any others that people know of?
It's only because the odd man out here is Matip - Lopp's favoured first choice central defense in the title winning season was Van Dijk-Gomez, wasn't it (In fact, Gomez' contributions and quality used to get, and still are, hugely underrated)?
Apart from Matip that's exactly the first choice starting 11 from that season, as for example away to City.
 

Trequarista10

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The record for the same XI starting together in the PL being 19 times is crazy. I'd have guessed over 100.
Yeah this is more insane. I read this thread before the article, and I assumed you meant 19 consecutive games. I can't fathom it being 19 games total.
 

DWelbz19

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(In fact, Gomez' contributions and quality used to get, and still are, hugely underrated)?
Doesn't seem to be the same player these days, injuries have taken their toll. It's the polar opposite to Matip who despite being so injury prone tends to come back like nothing happened. Until he gets injured again.
 

Klopper76

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It's only because the odd man out here is Matip - Lopp's favoured first choice central defense in the title winning season was Van Dijk-Gomez, wasn't it (In fact, Gomez' contributions and quality used to get, and still are, hugely underrated)?
Apart from Matip that's exactly the first choice starting 11 from that season, as for example away to City.
He's dropped off a bit following his injury last season. Klopp prefers Matip and then Konate imo.

I think that Liverpool XI started the Champions League Final in 2019 together which is why it's overhyped.
 

LawCharltonBest

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I'm surprised we didn't break that record in Sarri's season alone.
Probably false memories but it seemed like that successful Mourinho side from 2004(05?) played together loads too without getting injuries ever. The XI they had seemed pretty unbreakable with all of his “untouchables”
 

Dancfc

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Probably false memories but it seemed like that successful Mourinho side from 2004(05?) played together loads too without getting injuries ever. The XI they had seemed pretty unbreakable with all of his “untouchables”
The only true untouchables that year were Cech/Terry/Maka and Lamps.

There was a lot of rotation between the wingers (Cole,Robben,Duff), Drogba and Gudjohnsen aswell as Gallas often flicking between CB and LB so I could see why we never had the same consistent line-up there. I wouldn't be surprised if that one wasn't too far behind that United line-up in the all time record.

Mourinho's title team 10 years later had a lot more of a settled Xl look to it (especially as the season went on) with 10 sure starters and Ramires or Oscar number 11 depending on the tactics.
 

Spaghetti

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It's only because the odd man out here is Matip - Lopp's favoured first choice central defense in the title winning season was Van Dijk-Gomez, wasn't it (In fact, Gomez' contributions and quality used to get, and still are, hugely underrated)?
Apart from Matip that's exactly the first choice starting 11 from that season, as for example away to City.
Change Matip for Gomez and there are 2 appearances for that starting XI.

Klopp’s most used XI has been named 4 times.