The Guest

Klopp and the coaching staff are the ones who’ve fucked it up. The tactical set up is a complete mess. We don’t create chances from open play unless it’s a mistake, complete luck or an unreal bit of skill. There doesn’t seem to be any plan whatsoever anymore on how to break down a defence. It’s been like this for months. It’s like they’ve disappeared up their own arse with this full back coming inside nonsense. For the last 15-20 mins of play Robertson was standing in a centre forward position while Gakpo was trying to beat his man on his own to get to the byline to put a ball in with his weaker foot. Left footed Elliot on the other side cutting back in because he’s got no option himself to either play it back to the centre half or loft a hopeful ball in. Meanwhile Trents been drafted back in and instantly just parks himself in the middle with absolutely no option at right back to pass the ball to. Most of the time it’s like we are doing rondos in the middle of the pitch between the midfielders and the centre backs to lead to nothing or give the ball away and get broke on. It’s insane that we are in the position we are really considering how fucking badly set up we are. Taking Nunez and Diaz off was unequally comical as well.

We’ve been tactically shite for ages. The “getting the extra man in midfield by pulling a full back inside” needs to die a fucking horrible death. We are obsessed with it and it makes us lopsided. It’s horrible to watch and provides no benefit. We were top of the league in spite of it. We play on momentum and always have done yet we start every game with the same tactical mess that causes us to play everything safe and slow which then ends up being risky and slow. Van Dijk jogging to that ball that he got nicked off him in the first 10 minutes or so set the tone for the rest of the night. It just feels like everyone thinks it’s too easy. We have loads of shots but it feels like we don’t create chances from building with the ball so when sides take a lead and can defend then we struggle. It needs shaking up which is mental considering how few games are left. If we don’t get away from these tactics then the season is going to fall to bits.

We’ve got no plan or pattern for creating chances. Every week it’s the same shit. I’m loving this latest nonsense of Robertson playing the ball up the line then just sprinting inside to the same position two or three of our other forwards are in pointing in front of him as if Diaz can play the pass through about 2 or 3 of their defenders.

You act like we haven’t been in this position countless times in recent years. When it’s close we never win it. That’s down to the opposition and the referees as much as it is us. We have to be exceptional and win every game when it hits this period and we can’t do it. It’s ridiculous that we have to buy it’s the reality.

Just accept we aren’t winning the league. We’ve ran out of steam. The forwards aren’t scoring and the lads coming back from injury aren’t up to speed. Jones was absolutely horrific. Quansah killed us though. That mistake has been coming since the Brighton game. He was at it all first half in that game as well. He’s got too confident holding on to the ball. He just delays and delays until he’s got one/two options and then plays the highest risk worst one which is easy to get wrong. We fucked it up not playing Konate and swapping today and Quansah in the week.

The podcast was great as usual by the way. I think I’m just more inclined to discuss the bits I disagree with. I feel exactly the same on all the stuff about the management situation. The 3 at the back stuff is such a massive red flag. It won’t suit us at all and not a lot of managers do it so if does go wrong we are 100% more likely to then follow it up with a manager who doesn’t do it and we could end up like United fairly quickly. It’s reaching the point for me where I think they need to go back to Lijnders

Maybe the rashford one was a bit harsh. He 100% has the potential to do derail the season though. Fully match fit he was walking around the pitch in the weeks before his injury. We just can’t afford that in any position on the pitch. Bradley has shown what an actual functioning right back that gets to both bylines provides us. When Trents on it offensively he’s great but he hasn’t been that pretty much all season and when you add that to how horrific he is out of possession then you can’t be just bringing him back in. Paul said he would he would have him as the third midfielder. The idea that you just get him in the team in midfield because he’s too good not to be is the most England manager style nonsense going. It reminds me of that time they shoe horned Rooney into midfield. It’s the most important 10 or so games in the clubs recent history coming up and he’s played in midfield a handful of times and coming back from an injury. It’s absolutely insane to suggest playing him in front of any of the midfielders. It’s far too much of a risk. Klopps whole ethos has been about the team and not individuals. Trents attitude has stunk the place out pretty much all season. Even more so than usual. Personally I think he’s going to bring him back in at right back. We are just lucky the United game has come up before he’s fully fit.

The shout that Trent should come back in and start ahead of any of the midfielders including Szoboszlai is absolutely wild. It’s like people have a lobotomy when it comes to him. He’s been absolutely shocking for most of the season and has the potential to completely derail the title run in. Just having Bradley running up and down the line with some intent has transformed the team. Trents effort makes Rashford look like Kuyt.

Do you reckon they even checked to see if young was offside? He certainly looked it from where his foot was. They haven’t once showed the wide angle which suggest they’ve forgotten to. Probably have Howard Webb on with Owen in a week or two saying it’s irrelevant with stupid interpretation.

I think with the sanctions Usmanovs under it 100% won’t be legal. The only way he’s getting money in is via illegal means though. The fact that these shady characters are the only people they’re considering and they’re throwing money at the club every month via loans they can’t ever expect to get back as they would be last on the list if it went under. Add to the fact they’re clearly refusing to show where this money is coming from. The whole thing is mental. It has to be Usmanov because who else would be doing what they’re doing?

I keep seeing this thing about Moshiri’s management being atrocious etc. the reality was that they were aiming to be like Chelsea. For whatever reason money wasn’t an object to Usmanov. He was happy to throw good money after bad and so on. The problem for Usmanov was that unlike Chelsea when they started they weren’t the only club doing it and they weren’t in London so they weren’t going to attract the same calibre of players. They were happy to cheat their way through financial rules and the fans were complicit. It’s now only a problem because the Russian billionaire can’t keep funnelling money in. The same thing would happen at City if their owners pulled the plug and it nearly did at Chelsea until various muppets decided to value them at 2.5bn and they’re getting what they deserve now. The stadium was an insane decision from the off. It was never going to pay for itself never mind increase revenue enough to make them profitable. The fans completely deserve this mess for their own arrogant behaviour and head in the clouds thinking about the stadium. The only saving grace for them is that it probably is actually Usmanov getting the money into the club under the guise of 777 to keep them going and that’s the reason it’s dragging on. The reality is that nobody in their right mind would buy them with all that debt not even those clowns.

Seriously though there’s a chance he comes back in and completely trashes the season with his attitude. Hopefully he’s out for the season. Bradley and Quansah really struggled with their left side today. It probably would have been a massacre if Trent had played.

It still doesn’t make sense. Why would a company that are clearly on their arse and struggling financially pretty much everywhere be keeping a company they don’t own afloat. A company that isn’t going to be able to pay these “loans” back if they don’t take over and won’t make anywhere near the profit to cover the investment that these loans would turn into. Everything is so dodgy it’s hard to tell what everyones motives are. The more I think about it the more it makes sense that the only person possibly benefitting from this is Usmanov. If they go under then he loses everything he’s invested. It’s possible that since he’s had a lot of his assets frozen and that he’s on all these lists because of the Russia Ukraine war that maybe he’s struggling to get his money to Moshiri to keep the club going and the stadium being built. Nobody seems to know where 777’s money is coming from that they are loaning to Everton and maybe the premier league are suspicious as well. They’re already linked with all sorts of gangsters in the US so maybe he’s doing via them. The premier league can’t stop Everton loaning money but the longer they just let it go on the more ridiculous is looks on 777’s behalf.

I’m talking about the final few years Sturridge. Gakpo is better than that but the attitude is very similar.

There’s 100% an issue developing between him and Nunez. Gakpo reacts like a school kid when somebody doesn’t play him but then is the greediest player in the team when he gets it. Nunez has started reacting in the same fashion back to him. He’s the only one at the moment but he won’t be for long. He stinks of Sturridge at the moment. He gets left out and seems to think his route back in is scoring goals. Every situation he just holds on to the ball and holds on waiting for a shooting opportunity. He will then either give it away from being crowded out or lay it off but the chance has gone for other players. He needs it spelling out to him.