New episode. Join me as I reintroduce the podcast and give my opening remarks on the Slot era alongside
@zoneoccupation
, coupled with a brief pre-match discussion on the Chelsea game. Enjoy!
Link:
Nunez haters need to understand this: he will keep missing chances until he starts scoring them. No other striker generates as many chances as he does per game, the day he stops generating chances is the day I give up on him.
Gakpo slander shouldn’t be tolerated. He literally hasn’t had any stability wrt team dynamics & he’s been played out of position more than any of our attackers, 11 goals 4 assists is a more than good enough return for a striker who’s been used mostly for versatility reasons.
Revisionism wrt Gerrard’s ability when comparing him to KDB is hilarious. Gerrard could do everything KDB could do in that SS/high
#8
role, it’s utterly blasphemy to say KDB is clear.
Klopp moving Diaz back to LB worked a treat, the subtle difference being he was able to consistently receive and attack the last line from deep, he had a dynamic advantage going into his 1v1 situations which allowed him to be more effective.
I’m still in awe from that Jones performance. The variation in his passing, knowing when to speed up or slow down, rabid counter-pressing and his ability to connect with his team-mates anywhere on the pitch, TOP PERFORMANCE.
What I saw from Diaz & Kelleher in particular today was insane. The mental capacity to perform to the level they did considering the situation of the team was what wow’ed me, both players took absolute responsibility today, my top 2 performers.
Thinking about it, being first with 13 games to go is insane from a Liverpool perspective. Insanely proud of the boys thus far in spite of all the trials and tribulations.
Gakpo has been sensational today. Very sharp in his movements, Really enjoyed watching him reliably creating separation to get rid of his marker & watching him get us up the pitch with his powerful ball-carrying. Really, really happy for him. My MOTM.
Gravernberch very much still feels like an
#8
putting in a really good shift at
#6
. Being a dribbly type rather than a passer means he can never really make the team tick as a collective.
Rugged & tenacious out of possession, whilst maintaining ultimate composure in possession in a game of such high magnitude, yeah take a bow Wataru Endo.
Generally speaking Hazard was the best player in the league whenever he wanted to be, basically. I’d probably say Hazard is a Top 3 player in Premier League history. In fact, other than Thierry I can’t say for sure I’ve seen better tbh.
Nunez has:
- 15 g/a in 27 games in all comps.
- 10 g/a in 18 games (PL)
Incredible numbers for someone who still hasn’t reached his full potential (shot placement, technical security, ball-striking) yet all Liverpool fans do is criticise him.
This is low-key one of his biggest achievement & what sets him apart from other top coaches like Tuchel, Klopp and Pep.
He holds a disproportionate weightage to culture & connection. He’s also more personally invested at this club.
We will win big thing a with him
People seem to forget earlier in the season Nunez was essentially carrying our whole attack. Without him on the pitch we had no attacking answers. He’s going through a bad patch atm, it’s normal. He’ll be back
Arne Slot has agreed a three year deal as new Liverpool head coach. One of his tasks will be to improve Darwin Nunez who Liverpool are continuing to back.
Firmino was the reason we were able to play with a functional midfield for so long without enough technical ability. His ability to be a +1 anywhere on the pitch was unrivalled, a true false 9 in every sense of the word. My favourite Liverpool player of the Klopp 🌹
Special player, my fave 2 things about him is that he’s physically robust to engage in duels effectively and can create separation in 1v1s to best his marker.
I see a controller, I see a volume passer, I see a first-phase player, I see a double side interior but more a left one, I see a 6'3 versatile technical specimen, Ryan Gravenberch is "HIM".
Absolutely no doubt in mind that our best midfield this season has him as our
#6
. He can definitely function in that role in possession. Would take our buildup to another level.
Trent Alexander-Arnold & myself both learnt the fullback role in
#LFC
1st team.
We were both heavily criticised for what we couldn’t do in that role.
I eventually moved position, will that be the same for Trent in the future 🤔
Given up on Nunez now. This fanbase treats him like a baby. 18 months into his time here and he's on 10 game goal drought. Every excuse under the sun been afforded to him. Most expensive signing in the club's history and you get half a dozen good games a season. Useless.
Harvey Elliott today:
10 ball recoveries
67% ground duel completion
3/4 dribbles completed (75%)
Accurate long balls 5/6 (83%)
6 passes into the final third
❤️
This season against teams who are well-equipped in defending in low blocks for long periods of time your Brentfords, Everton’s etc, Liverpool have been disgustingly fast when breaking from opposition corners, it’s been frightening.
It is what it is. There’s no-one to blame, no-one to scapegoat, we’ve done our best but this is as far we can go this season. 3 more games until this book ends, let’s go out with our heads high.
The reason why we’ve fumbled AGAIN. Is not because of our attackers. 3-1 is a score line that should defended comfortably by a supposed elite team, it’s down to the way we’ve managed the game-state, AGAIN.
This performance has been amazing to watch, the level of counter-pressure has been insane. Collapsing & chasing from all sides and always making sure we always have a ‘net’ around the ball for a more effective counter-press, this is Klopp football.
The bubble Liverpool are in is going to get popped disgustingly if we don’t learn how to manage/play in a variety of game-states. History tells you this recent run of results simply isn’t sustainable.
No one is understanding that the reason why Szoboszlai isn’t as impactful in the final is because of a lack of angles. Nothing to do with his work-rate or pressing.
Selling Thiago would be a mistake. Not only is his still our best midfielder but he’s also quite literally a great influence off the pitch for our new batch of midfielders. I would totally be against selling unless it’s for a monster fee.
Chelsea have more than matched Klopp's record, albeit with their own brand of chaos, since he joined Liverpool. The coming final will tip the balance.
#CFC
since Klopp:
🏆 Premier League
🏆 Champions League
🏆 Europa League
🏆 FA Cup
🏆 Club World Cup
🏆 Super Cup
MacAllister receiving with the ball facing the goal without being pressured is a dangerous player. Sensational performance, so many nice disguised passes.
Sure there’s a few things to discuss tactically about the team but I think since Klopp’s announced he’s leaving it’s been above all a psychological effort from the boys to get over the line the way they have. This is Klopp’s last season, don’t talk to me about sustainability.
Szoboszlai was sensational. Really impressed with Grav and Macca’s defensive work too. Tsimikas’ willingness to turn inside & use both feet was also nice to see in comparison to Robbo.
It is what it is. Too many key injuries & players not being match fit messed up our dynamics. Lack of physicality in attacking duels and in behind threat meant we struggled to make in-roads. None of the attackers who started offered 1v1 threat, ball just couldn’t stick up top.
Absolutely no need for any Liverpool fan to be defending our intent on acquiring a feeder club. It is an unethical to do and further increases inequality in within the support.
Our away games against Arsenal and City this season tells me im right in my assessment that we’re just a tier below those 2. In between the boxes we’re not as clean and fluid as them.
My MOTM. Been his biggest fan for the longest, You just don’t discard a profile like this so easily.
This was a proper complete performance. Counter-pressing, combination play, gravity, pausa, technical consistency all on show. Long may it continue.
Imagine you’re a Liverpool attacker going into games knowing your team will most definitely concede and so knowing you’ll have to be extra clinical to win games for the team in the midst of a title race. The mental strain of is clearly excessive and unsustainable.
Really happy for Gomez, the perseverance needed to come-back from the amount of injuries he’s had cannot be overstated, let’s hope this is the start of a new beginning for him.
The stark reality is that Liverpool currently don’t possess a midfield player who you’d want as a first choice starter next season. Not one. And few that should be retained even as reliable squad options. That 250 million budget is going to have to stretch to 3 to 4 new lads.
I’ll never forget the way Liverpool fans spoke about Jones these past few years up until last season. Talent was always there but the concept of development not being linear is lost on some. Same thing happening with Darwin right now.
Elliott changed the game, unrivalled ability to receive in any situation and make the right pass, very mobile and active in his duels too. The others weren’t on his wavelength.
Agreed. There’s a jitteriness in the fanbase about Nunez, it feels to me Liverpool fans are scared he’s going to be a flop because of the money we paid. Nunez objectively has shown progress since his arrival, he’s very obviously made big steps, take the pain that comes with it.
You can say “stop defending him” but, I’ll back him while he wears the shirt.
It’s ridiculous fans still find a way to abuse him, even after Jurgen Klopp mentioned the “social media reactions are distracting”.
Players see your hate, players are human, players get affected too.
Good time to bleed from a loss in opinion, reset then after the international break we go again. The 2nd game at OT is a serious banana skin, I also don’t like how big their pitch is.