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    The window slammed shut and the Reds had one shiny new signing, one very near miss and a couple of lads left on loan. Divock is still here though, thank God, as you never know when we might need him to don his Superman cape and save the day.
     
    Chris Smith is joined by Paul Natton and Julian Richards to discuss the ins and outs and the potential future ramifications in the forward line beyond this season.
     
     
     
  • The gaming industry continues to grow thanks to advances in technology and easy accessibility. Now, a simple tap of a button on a smartphone or laptop and you can be playing online, no matter your location or the time of day.
     
    One area that’s seen a boom in popularity is live casino, as people enjoy the benefits of a land-based casino experience from the comfort of their own homes. But what exactly is a live casino?
     
    Live Casino
     
    Live casino offers a completely different casino gaming experience to players, providing an immersive and ultra-realistic encounter that mimics physical casinos. Instead of the uninspiring electronic games that rely on computer graphics, you can now play and interact with real life dealers, cards and roulette wheels. 
     
    Thanks to HD quality video cameras capturing every moment, plus professional dealers and real cards, a live casino replicates the experience of a real-life casino. If you’ve never tried it before, here are our five reasons to give live casinos a go.
     
    5 Reasons to try out a live casino
     
    Play anywhere, anytime
     
    Visiting a physical casino takes time and effort and they aren’t open 24 hours a day. Live casinos are available anytime and anywhere, all you need is a smartphone, tablet or laptop and an internet connection.
     
    The convenience of playing online means you can drop in for five minutes or stay for several hours, all without the hassle of leaving your home. It’s easy to meet up with friends too, and you don’t even have to dress up for the occasion.
     
    So next time you want to play some poker, blackjack or roulette, don’t go to the casino, let the live casino come to you.
     
    Enjoy All your Favourite Games 
     
    Live casinos offer all the games you would expect to see at a land-based casino, including old favourites, poker, blackjack, roulette and baccarat. Not only that, you’re free to move from table to table and check out all the games on offer.
     
    Some live casinos offer side bets to add even more excitement to your gaming experience. You can even wager on players already at the table, meaning you’re straight into the action even if the table is full.
     
    Multi-game features even allow you to play on four different tables at the same time. But no matter what your game is, you’re sure to find it at a live casino.
     
    Dealer Interaction
     
    One complaint people have about online casinos is the lack of social interaction that you get from a land-based casino. Well not anymore.
     
    Live dealers are all professionally trained, courteous and offer a warm welcome to everyone. They will also interact with you throughout the game just like in a physical casino. 
     
    If you’re unsure on the rules or how to place a bet, they are there to offer friendly guidance and not direct you to a page of frustrating FAQ’s. They will also keep the game play moving and ensure you’re never waiting around.

    Not only can players interact with the dealer, but they can also chat to fellow players at their table. But it’s also easy to ignore them if you don’t want anyone to interrupt your winning streak.
     
    Trust
     
    When playing in online casinos, many players don’t trust impersonal computers that randomly decide whether or not they have won. The presence of a real dealer however, makes players feel more comfortable and ensures a more enjoyable gaming experience.
     
    This more natural way of playing means live casinos feel more human and trustworthy. The use of HD video cameras and multiple filming angles, ensures players can see everything that is going on and therefore have total confidence in the process.
     
    Authentic atmosphere
     
    You may be thinking that there is no way to replicate that real-life casino feeling. However, thanks to advances in technology, live casinos provide the ultimate in immersive gaming experience.
     
    Fast reliable broadband means you will be viewing everything that happens in real time and at high quality. While you may not be able to touch anything, you can see the cards being dealt and hear the rattle of the ball on the roulette wheel.
     
    Live casinos are filmed in state-of-the-art television studios that are set up to look and feel exactly like a real-life casino. Cameras are strategically placed around the table to capture all of the action so you won’t miss anything.
     
    Today’s computer graphics are impressive, but nothing matches seeing the real thing with your own eyes. Live casinos give you a front row seat for your own tv show.
     
    Let the live casino come to you
     
    Live casinos are designed to bring together the best of all worlds. A fun, interactive casino gaming experience, without the constraints of a land-based casino or their computer-generated counterparts. 
     
    They provide simple, speedy access to a wide variety of games that are available 24/7. You also gain access to exclusive deals and special offers that are only available to online players. Plus, there’s no dress code.
     
    If you haven’t tried out a live casino yet then what are you waiting for? 
  • Monday Jan 24:
     
    The fallout from that pen we got yesterday is mad. You’d think it was the biggest VAR scandal of the season and that it had been a decisive decision that decided where the points were going. It’s a contentious decision that I personally think they got wrong but we see far worse decisions than that on a weekly basis. It’s odd the way so many pundits and journos have their knickers in a knot over this one though.
     
    I think what’s annoying me most is that we were 2-1 up and the pen was in the 89th minute. In other words, Palace had six minutes to force an equaliser and we had six minutes to kill them off on the break (as we almost did with the pen incident). What was more likely? Us holding on for 2-1 or even scoring again, or Palace equalising? The chances of them snatching a draw are what, 10% at the absolute most? They hadn’t created a chance for about 25 minutes and it looked like we’d finally got them under control. So we were very likely to win the game even without the pen.
     
    Yet Vieira called it game changing and I heard it described on the news as ‘decisive’. Get to fuck. There was none of this shit when City got that armpit handball against Wolves when it was 0-0, or when Bernardo took a blatant dive against Arsenal and got a pen that brought them back from 1-0 down. Micah Richards was fucking pathetic on MOTD2. The novelty has worn off with him now, I never used to mind him as at least he seemed to be enjoying his work, but it turns out his only real usefulness is being able to bring out the fun side of Roy Keane. Still, that’s one more thing than Jermaine Jenas brings to the table.
     
    The thing is, I’m in agreement with those saying it isn’t a pen. What I take exception to is the outrage at what they seem to be suggesting is one of the great travesties of our time. This isn’t a big deal at all. It is if you’re a Palace fan and I’m completely ok with them kicking off as I would be if the shoe was on the other foot. All these so called ‘neutrals’ going mad about it though, behave yourselves knobheads.
     
    Meanwhile, Everton’s managerial search has led them to some Portuguese fella I’ve never heard of who got relegated in Turkey. Yep, that’ll do, sign me up for those shenanigans. Tell you what though, those scenes of Kenwright being grilled by them after the Villa game were fucking grim. I struggled to watch it, it was uncomfortable. He’s an old man having to face a barrage of aggressive questioning from clueless dickheads who seem to be blaming everyone else other than the man responsible for it all. Just because Moshiri has put money in it’s like they’re scared to target him. “Sack the board”. It wasn’t the board that appointed Rafa! 
     
    Kenwright will have been vehemently against that as he isn’t stupid. He knows what Everton fans want and don’t want, because he is one himself. But he’s got fuck all say anymore because he sold to a rich fella because the fans wanted him to sell to a rich fella. Now they’re giving him shit because it turns out the rich fella might be rich but he is also fucking mental. Bill Kenwright is a cringey bastard who is way over the top with his theatrical nature of support. But he’s also a thoroughly decent man who loves his football club and it’s hard seeing him in that situation, especially when it’s Moshiri who should be out there talking to the fans.
     
    Over at AFCON there was tragic news as fans died at the Cameroon match. This seems like an all too regular occurrence in games in Africa. It’s tragic and shouldn’t ever happen, but you wonder just how many of these tragedies need to occur before they get their house in order. Just fucking awful and really harrowing to see. 
     
    Tuesday Jan 25:
     
    Naby is on his way home after Guinea were knocked out yesterday. No piss taking and I’m not going to be snarky here, I’m genuinely happy to get him back because he’s in good form and could help us over the coming months, with the massive provisio that he stays fit of course. I think we’ve looked at our best this season when the midfield has been Fabinho, Henderson and then one of the others that offer something different. Thiago has obviously been the best, but Jones, Elliott, Keita and Ox have all contributed as that midfield player with a bit less responsibility and more freedom to get forward. Milner is more of a safety blanket these days when we need to calm things down. 
     
    Sadio is still over there though after he helped Senegal advance to the semis. He was knocked unconscious, then scored, and then had to go off because he was fucked with the concussion he so obviously had from being knocked the fuck out. It’s easy to use such amateurish behaviour as yet another stick to beat AFCON with, but we’ve seen this happen in the Premier League too so this is a wider problem in football that defo needs sorting. The NFL let this shit go on for years and only got to grips with it when they were hit with lawsuits. Footy will go the same way.
     
    Staying with AFCON and it was pretty sickening to see how yesterday’s tragedy was reported. Headlines referencing a ‘stampede’ which de-humanises it and implies that it’s the fault of the those who died. Sound familiar?
     
    Ranieri was sacked yesterday and now Watford have appointed Hodgson. You may scoff at that but at least he has a track record of keeping teams up. Everton could have done worse than look at him…. 
     
    Wednesday Jan 26:
     
    Mo scores the winning pen as Egypt advance to the quarters. Terrible game by all accounts. I didn’t watch any of it but my dad tuned in because Mo was playing. He said Zaha did nothing but moan and look pissed off. That’s him though isn’t it? Absolutely fucking ridiculous level of ability but always has that hard done to face on him, like everyone is out to get him. Same look that Richarlison has. Only difference is Zaha actually has talent. Shame he has no idea how to harness it properly.
     
    Events across the park continue to amuse. The Portuguese fella issues a statement after fans were vocal in opposing the idea of him getting the job. There was even graffiti at Goodison calling for “Pereira out, Lampard in”. That’s a record even for them. He hasn’t even got the job yet and they’re calling for him to be sacked. Usually you get a least a couple of home defeats before that happens.
     
    Anyway, the board don’t want him but the word is that Moshiri is under the spell of that Joorabchian leech and he’s being advised by him. Pereira is one of his clients, obviously. But the statement he put out tonight was great, it was basically “who the fuck do you think you are turning your nose up at me? You should feel lucky to have me”. God I hope he gets it as he’s already picked a fight with them before he has even one foot in the door. Imagine if he comes in and sacks Duncan.
     
    Newcastle want Nat Phillips but offered a loan to buy which was turned down. Watford have had a £7m bid for him turned down. Fuck this shit, come on West Ham get your chequebook out, Nat is too good for these bottom feeders. There’s talk that we’re ready to allow Neco to leave as well. If that happens, heads should roll. Keep him until the summer because we might need him. We’re in four competitions so letting anyone go who might be asked to fill in at some point is madness.
     
    Meanwhile…..
     
     
    and also....
     
    WhatsApp Video 2022-01-26 at 09.11.09 (2).mp4
     
    Thursday Jan 27:
     
    Fat Frank is getting the Everton job apparently. They asked to see his CV and he showed them the clip of him shouting at Klopp and Ljinders at Anfield. Didn’t show them the final score of that game of course, but Moshiri said “I love it! You’re hired. Now let me tell you about the time I bought the Liver Birds”. Fucking losers, them getting relegated would be great enough on its own, but if Lampard takes them down I might spontaneously combust from joy.
     
    Meanwhile, Adama Traore is going to Barcelona on loan with a view to buy. Awful for Spurs who thought they’d landed him. They’re in for Douglas Luiz from Villa now, which you’d think will lead to more disappointment as why would you leave Villa right now when the mood there is so optimistic? 
     
    Brighton are reportedly willing to let Bissouma go for £50m. We’re long time suitors but I’d be amazed if we were still interested after the rumours of sexual assault a few months back. He may well be completely innocent of any wrongdoing, but City and Everton have both had to completely write off £50m signings so everyone is going to be extremely careful now about this kind of thing.
     
    Saw an interview with Sergi Canos on LFCTV today and he really impressed me. I remember when he was here and he was a good player but not someone who looked like he’d make it here. He’s done well for himself and is playing regularly in the Premier League now with Brentford, but I didn’t know anything about his journey to get there. He was talking about how a cruciate injury changed his life because he realised he needed to work harder and stop making excuses as that is only lying to himself. I can’t do it justice here but he came across as a sound lad with a really mature outlook and I’m really rooting for him to do well now. Unlike his former team-mate Conor Coady, who can fuck right off.
     
    Friday Jan 28:
     
    Holy fuck! We’re making a signing, in January no less, and it’s an exciting one. These are almost unprecedented developments and a big shift from the norm. There was a story a few weeks ago that we tried to get Luis Diaz and were preparing a £70m bid. I dismissed that as bollocks as there’s just no way we’re spending that kind of money without selling someone to finance it. But there’s been a lot of smoke around Diaz and he does fit the profile of what we like to do with forwards. 24 years old, good experience, great stats (not specifically goals, but the whole package that these nerds look at) and someone ready to make that next step.
     
    Still, we weren’t going to get him this month as it’s not what we do. But then Spurs went for him and the price had dropped to something more reasonable. Diaz didn’t want to go to Spurs (why would he when Klopp wants him) so we brought forward the deal and it looks like it’s happening in the next couple of days once he’s passed a medical. I’d say this almost certainly means Divock and / or Taki are off because we’ll want to recoup that money and reduce the wages. I don’t particularly want either to go but there seems little point in keeping them now, especially with Gordon coming through.
     
    Horrendous couple of days for Spurs but despite their fans going nuts at Daniel Levy, what are they expecting here? If a player has a choice of Barcelona (even in their current state) or Spurs, he’s going to Spain. If he has a choice of Klopp’s Reds or Spurs, he’s coming here. That’s just their current place in the pecking order. Short of doing a City or Newcastle and blowing everyone away with wages there’s nothing they can do about it. We’ve been there. There was a time when Spurs and Arsenal were nicking players we wanted and it was fucking hard to swallow.
     
    I don’t remember Diaz from when we played Porto twice this season so he couldn’t have stood out much, but then Alisson shipped five goals on the only occasion he’d faced us and that didn’t mean anything. He looks boss on YouTube so that’ll do me. Seriously though, we know YouTube compilations can make anyone look good, but this lad was doing some magical shit in the Copa America and some of the goals are amazing. More important than that though, we just don’t get these signings wrong anymore.
     
    There’s nothing like a fancy new attacking signing to get the pulse racing and I’m fucking buzzing now. Everyone will be, even the players (except maybe Sadio as this is potentially very bad news for him).
     
    So yeah, Diaz is going to be brilliant. How do I know this? Because like I say, he’s in that ‘bracket’. Suarez, Firmino, Mané, Salah, Jota. All a similar age when we signed them and with a similar price tag. All big talents ready to take the next step. We just get these ones right, especially when they come in to play for Klopp in this team. 
     
    Of course it is almost 12 months to the day since I was writing about how I thought Ben Davies was going to surprise people and prove to be a better option for us than Kabak (and Rhys Williams), so there is that, but this is different and I’ll stick my neck out and say Diaz will be a superstar if this goes through and we don’t have another Nabil Fekir situation.
     
    Imagine if he comes in and has a Ronny Rosenthal impact on the title race.
     
     
    ….and that was the week that was.
  • John Barnes believes that Yves Bissouma would be the perfect addition to the Liverpool midfield.
     
    While the back four and front three by and large undergo minimal change on a game to game basis, it is the middle part of the pitch which sparks a great deal of debate.
     
    The long-drawn out departure of Gini Wijnaldum last summer left a hole to fill but rather than dip into the transfer market, Jurgen Klopp chose to keep the faith in what he had and give opportunities to some other players in the midfield rotation.
     
    Thiago, Naby Keita, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott have all had opportunities to show their wares.
     
    And while each of them bring a different skill set to the table, because of injuries and Covid infections, they have not been able to nail down a spot on a consistent basis this season.
     
    Klopp has been highly reluctant to break up his midfield core group but with the average age slowly creeping up, Barnes believes it is time to look at a younger option that being the highly rated Brighton star.
     

     
     
     
    Metro via BonusCodeBets reported the club legend as saying:
     
    “From a Liverpool perspective, it would be lovely to Yves Bissouma playing at Anfield.
     
    ‘If you look at the age of Liverpool’s midfielders, a lot of them are aged 30 or older, Yves is young and would be an excellent signing for the club.
     
    Bissouma has certainly sprung to prominence and improved his game under the tutelage of the impressive Graham Potter and has been linked to Liverpool on more than one occasion.
     
    Barnes has no issue if Bissouma is comfortable at his current club but says if he wants to make the step up, he should look beyond Aston Villa and Newcastle who have also been mentioned as possible destinations.
     

     
    “As to whether Bissouma wants to leave Brighton right now and sign for another team in a relegation dog fight, then that’s up to him.
     
    ‘He must decide what is right for himself, but the quality he possesses at this stage of his career – he should be aiming higher [than Aston Villa or Newcastle].
     
    "Newcastle is a great club, but if you ask people Liverpool or Newcastle, then it’s a no brainer [you’d pick Liverpool].
     
    ‘If you wanted to create a template for the ideal Liverpool central midfielder, Bissouma fits it perfectly.’
     
    The Reds have been linked to Youri Tielemans and Jude Bellingham in recent times but Barnes was adamant that Bissouma is the more natural fit.
     
    “Tielemans is a very good hardworking midfielder, but if you look at the nature of what Liverpool midfielders do, in terms of their physicality and the ability to get up and down the field, that isn’t necessarily what Tielemans does.
     
    “Youri is excellent in possession and is perhaps maybe more Manchester City’s style of player. Yves Bissouma would suit the Liverpool style more than Tielemans would. The same as he would with Jude Bellingham.
     
    ‘All three are excellent players though, Liverpool wouldn’t be doing wrong by signing any of them.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  • What a weekend. Stevie went to Goodison and took three points to ruin Big Dunc’s big day. And as you’d expect, there’s a shitload to unpack from this one. I actually watched the whole game.
     
    It’s rare I watch anyone other than us but occasionally there’ll be a game that piques my interest. This was one because the potential for hilarity was off the scale.
     
    Everton are in a terrible run and on the cusp on the relegation battle. A defeat would put them right in it, especially after Norwich won the night before to get within three points of them. They’d just sacked Rafa so the fans were all fired up again because Ferguson was in charge. It’s the hope that kills you, remember. So it was worth watching for that.
     
    But then you add in Steven Gerrard. And Phil Coutinho. And Danny Ings. So many possible little sub plots that could make it even funnier. And last but not least Lucas Digne, who ended his “love affair’ with the Blues to join Stevie a week earlier. 
     
    There was a mood of jubilation and renewed optimism from Evertonians going into this. The big bad wolf had been vanquished and he was the only thing holding them back in the eyes of some. 
     
    Ferguson threw a load of cash behind the bars of the local boozers to pay for the first drink for every fan. Top gesture that and I just don’t have it in me to hold any grudge with him. He hates us but I can’t reciprocate it as I respect how much he loves his club and what he does for the fans of that club. He’s literally the only positive thing about Everton these days. If you’re a Blue the only thing that brings any joy is Duncan Ferguson and his love of Everton and Evertonians. How sad is that? Fucking hell.
     
    Anyway, Gerrard was greeted with the kind of abuse he’ll have been completely expecting. They even dusted off “the baby’s not yours” chant. Classy. Not that Stevie was arsed, he fucking loves all that. He embraces that “wrestling heel” role and was sucking his thumb in response to it. Next time he shows up there I’m half expecting him to walk out there in a Ric Flair robe, “wooooooing” at the Gwladys Street.
     
    Digne was getting pelters too which I thought was amusing because he’d have been welcomed back like the prodigal son if Rafa had still been in the home dugout. Rafa forced him out, he didn’t want to leave, he loves the Blues, this is on Rafa…. what’s that? Rafa’s gone and Dunc’s in charge? Fuck that little French turncoat twat. Signing for Gerrard? He never loved us. Boooooooooooooooo.
     
    I don’t know how they maintain the energy to be Evertonians. It must be fucking exhausting and all of the effort never yields any kind of reward. There’s no pay off (unless you’re one of their many sacked managers), only unrelenting misery.
     
    They didn’t even get their little moment in the sun with a Big Dunc win over Stevie as Villa walked away with the points, while Stevie was pulling tongues at them and smugly nodding “I’ve still got it!” as he walked off at the end. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the only goal of the game was created by Digne right in front of the Gwladys Street with the last kick of the first half.
     
    He’d been getting dog’s abuse as he prepared to take the corner, which was actually delayed as that loon Mina was throwing his weight around in the box and squaring up to Buendia, a man half his size. Digne eventually takes the corner and Buendia nips in front of Mina and heads one into the top corner. Laugh? I nearly shat. But that was just the start.
     
    The Villa players ran to celebrate with Digne by the corner flag and it was too much for some Blues to take. Missiles rained down and a Lucozade bottle hit Matty Cash on the head before ricocheting to also strike Digne. Both players were on the floor poleaxed (Digne was playacting the fuck out of it, trying to get those fans he ‘loves’ into big trouble) and I couldn’t fucking breathe for laughing. That was the first shot they managed on target. #evertonarentthey
     
    A 19 year old lad has since been identified and charged, but even that was funny as fuck as his name is Roger Tweedle. I don’t know what’s funnier, a 19 year old scouse lad being named Roger, or the whole “Tweedle dumb” thing. I’ll say it again, this is why I gave up writing piss taking articles on the Blues, because it reached a point where their reality was funnier than any kind of parody or jokes I could make about them.
     
    The replay of the goal added another layer of mirth. Pickford and his little arms couldn’t quite get there, but but he got the slightest touch on it which was enough to take over the head of Townsend on the line, who would have been able to head it away had Pickford not got that tiny touch. Then we saw Duncan on the touchline giving it the full Hodgson face rub. Just too funny.
     
    Funniest goal since Divock in the derby. It reminded me of that in some ways due to the extra layers that are there when you watch more and more replays. Every time I watched this I saw something else. There’s a fan in a white hoody having a full on meltdown when the ball hits the net. The whole thing is gold.
     
    As for the game itself, it was BRUTAL. Not in a physical sense, I mean it was brutal to watch. The first half wasn’t great but the second was as poor as anything I can ever remember. No quality, no football played by either team, just long balls and stoppages. Villa forgot how to play football but at least they stood up to the aerial bombardment and intense physicality. Gerrard was understandably delighted with the steel showed by his team whereas Ferguson just looked like a beaten man, he was almost apologetic in his post-match interview. 
     
    They’re fucked. I’m not getting my hopes up too much about relegation because they’ve still got better players than most clubs down there (Calvert-Lewin, Grey, Richarlison, Allan, Townsend etc) but they aren’t well coached, the atmosphere around the place is toxic as fuck and if they don’t win any of their next three games then that really does put them right in the mix. Next up is Newcastle away, then Leeds at home and then Southampton away. They have to win one of those or panic will really set in.
     
    Especially as the other clubs down there have been picking up points and showing signs of life. Except Watford, but they responded to an abysmal 3-0 home loss to Norwich by sacking Ranieri and appointing Hodgson. It isn’t the most inspiring of hires but in their current predicament he might be just what they need. He knows how to beat relegation as he’s done it for decades. If he keeps them up at Everton’s expense maybe our fanbase will forgive him?
     
    That Josh Sargent loser scored twice, the first of which was like Diet-Divock. That was a fluke though, unlike Divock’s at Preston, Sargent just stuck his foot out and tried to get something on it, there was no direction or skill involved in that. His second goal was decent though. Nice header.
     
    Dennis was sent off for a second booking. The first one could have been a straight red but he didn’t learn from it and went in late on Aarons to leave Mike Dean with no choice. Turns out Watford might as well have let him go to AFCON after all as he’s done fuck all and now he’s picked up a suspension. 
     
    Watford’s misery was complete when Kucka put through his own net in stoppage time. Dean Smith has somehow breathed life into the corpse that was Norwich. If they stay up then he’s manager of the year regardless of what anybody else does. Unless Kloppo wins the league in which case I withdraw that remark.
     
    Ranieri can have no complaints. The only game I can remember him winning was at Goodison, and everyone has been beating the Blues these past few months. Except Arsenal of course, the fucking shitbirds. You know the disdain I have for Arsenal anyway, but if they’d beaten Everton like they were supposed to, the Blues would be level with Norwich, two ahead of Newcastle and one ahead of Watford right now. That might actually be the result that keeps them up, so fuck you Arsenal you absolutely pathetic weak cunts.
     
    The Gunners - actually I think they should be stripped of that nickname as guns are threatening and dangerous, two things Arsenal aren’t - couldn’t even beat Burnley this weekend. Burnley who haven’t played a game for three months and who in that time off lost their leading goalscorer to a relegation rival. Finished 0-0 and Arsenal fans are back to being despondent about their team again. 
     
    Remember back in the day I used to talk about the Wengo-meter and how it would wildly swing from in to out based on how they did that week? Nothing has changed. It may not be Arteta In/Out but Arsenal fans quickly go from smug, cocky, delusional about their team’s chances to thinking they’re the worst team ever and that every player has got to go. They’re so fucking neurotic those fans.
     
    They’ll spank someone shit next week and they’ll be giving it the “we need a contract for Laca, he’s better than Jota” and “Kieran Tierney is the best left back in the world blud”. Then they’ll get beat by Watford and they’ll want the whole thing torn down again. A week ago these fuckers were telling the world that Liverpool were scared to face them and faked a COVID outbreak to get a postponement. Fucking mentalists.
     
    Good point for Burnley though and I’m hoping their experience of these bleak, relegation battles will stand them in good stead for the remainder of the season. It does feel like this is the year they’ll go, but as long as Everton and Newcastle are in that mix then I’m all in on Dyche and his boys.
     
    The Mancs beat West Ham with the last kick of the game at Old Trafford. They’re so fucking shit and at least half the wins they have were undeserved. They might get fourth just because nobody else is good enough to just go out and grab it. A few weeks ago West Ham were being talked up. Then it was Arsenal. Now it’s Spurs. But none of them are any good and United will just keep bumming about, playing shit and nicking games they don’t deserve, and by the end of the season they’ll probably back door their way into fourth spot as everyone else falls away.
     
    Newcastle beat Leeds at Elland Road. I have mixed feelings. I want Newcastle to go down and can’t root for them to win any game, but then I’m asking myself “what if it comes down to them or Everton?”. What then? Who would I want to go? It has to be Everton for me even though I know I’d end up regretting that if and when Newcastle turn into the new Man City. 
     
    I am conflicted about this as my hatred of what Newcastle now are and what their fans have always been probably exceeds any dislike I have of the Blues. My head tells me that Newcastle going is for the best, but the heart wants what the heart wants though. And the hearts wants Everton to go the way of Nottingham Forest.
     
    Shelvey got the only goal of the game with a free-kick that Meslier should have saved. He’s shite him. One of those Pickford / Ramsdale types who makes some incredible saves and drops loads of clangers.
     
    Remember when the Mancs wanted to sign Longstaff and Newcastle quote them £50m? Good times. Now you’ve got Newcastle fans bitching because the Mancs wanted a loan fee from them for Martial but then let him join Sevilla for no loan fee. I saw one cunt saying “Racism. Pure and simple”. Sportwashed already. Didn’t take long.
     
    Firstly, every club should treat Newcastle like this now, and secondly why the fuck would Martial want to go there when he could go and challenge for the title in Spain?
     
    Huge result for the Geordies though and a bad one for Leeds, who are still on the cusp of it while having just enough of a cushion to probably feel safe. When my boy Bamford is back they’ll be fine I reckon.
     
    Wolves won again and might be forcing themselves into the fourth place discussion. I’m not exactly sure how they’re doing it considering their lack of goals, but they’re right in the thick of it now.
     
    Two Brentford players clashed heads and it was fucking brutal. Hard to watch that. They were replaced by concussion subs, which is a good thing as previously they’d have been stitched up and sent back out there. Do they have concussion subs at AFCON? I’m assuming not seeing as how Sadio was left wandering around not knowing what day it was.
     
    The game was then stopped because some tit was flying a drone over the stadium. There was 20 odd minutes stoppage at the end of a first half in which Wolves had carried the bigger threat but had no cutting edge.
     
    Jimenez was missing so Fabio Silva was leading the line. He’s got a big reputation and I’ve seen a couple of flashes from him where you can see there’s something there, but he looks to me like the type of striker who will score shitloads in another league but will do nothing over here. He’s not quick, he’s not strong, he doesn’t hold the ball up, doesn’t dribble much…. he might do well in a possession based team that creates loads of chances but that’s not Wolves.
     
    Moutinho put them ahead just after the break with a lovely outside of the boot finish, but my boy Toney levelled soon after with an emphatic thumping volley. Neves restored Wolves’ lead almost immediately and then Traore looked to have wrapped it up in stoppage time with a strong run and finish. No-one thought there was anything wrong with that. There were no appeals, it didn’t even look like there was a whiff of offside about it and then VAR ruled it out because it was actually offside. Deceptive that one.
     
    It all kicked off at the full time whistle and Thomas Franks got a red card from the ref. Hard to imagine him being angry enough or abusive enough to get a red card as he’s such a laid back hippy type. He said he was given a yellow for co ntronting an opposition player and then a second ne because the ref felt he ‘turned around too aggressively’ after being given the yellow. Fucking jobsworth traffic warden twat.
     
    I’ll jump to Sunday now before circling back to the game at St Mary’s as I feel like ending on a high note.
     
    Chelsea have been on a bad run for what feels like months now, but they always beat Spurs. Even in this spell where they’ve struggled they’ve still beat Spurs three times. Spurs at Stamford Bridge are like Everton at Anfield. Or Goodison for that matter.
     
    They were a bit unlucky though this time. Kane had a goal disallowed for the tiniest of touches on Thiago Silva who flung himself to the turf. Enough for a free-kick? Debatable, but the irony is sweet as fuck here as usually it’s Kane doing the flinging and getting the decision. Fuck Harry Kane, well played Thiago Silva you crafty old brilliant bastard.
     
    Ziyech put Chelsea ahead with a brilliant goal and he was the best player on the pitch, which pisses me off considering how shite he was at the Etihad a couple of weeks ago. Where was this performance then, you little fucking tit.
     
    Silva doubled the Chelsea lead when he got on the end of a Mount free-kick and somehow Chelsea were denied a penalty when Skipp rugby tackled Azpilacueta to the floor. The ref gave Spurs the free-kick but how is VAR not telling him to check that? There is zero interest from the officials in sorting out the mess from set-pieces.
     
    This was Spurs first league defeat under Conte I think, and they're trying to get Traore in which for me would be a great signing for them. Linking him with Son and Kane would make them a handful for any defence, so I hope it doesn't happen.
     
    I mentioned already that Arsenal drew with Burnley so that just leaves Leicester v Brighton, which ended honours even. Daka put Leicester ahead but they never really looked in control and Brighton were always pushing.
     
    My boy Lamptey came off the bench and was sensational. What a player he is. If not for that bad hamstring injury he got that kept him out for what seemed like forever, he’d be one of the most sought after players in the league. The problem for him is that us, Chelsea and City have three of the best right backs in world football and there’s no room for him. That’s why Chelsea let him go, but he’s fucking boss.
     
    Maupay created the equaliser for Danny Welcrap late on and Brighton almost won it when Dan Burn’s header was cleared off the line, and then Trossard was denied by a brilliant Schmeicel save. I keep saying it, but Brighton are boss. So well coached and enjoyable to watch. Graham Potter is the coach that people (including Brendan himself) think Brendan Rodgers.
     
    Finally, City dropped points for the first time in months. Weirdly, it was Southampton holding them to a draw for the second time this season. I have thoughts on this. Southampton have done well against City because they don’t play scared. Sure, sometimes that will backfire and they’ll lose in embarrassing fashion, but the “he who dares” approach works better against City than just cowering in your own box and hoping for the best as Burnley and others so often do.
     
    I’ve been saying it all season, City aren’t this invincible force people are making them out to be. They’re a very good side with quality all over the park (helps of course when almost every player in your squad cost £50m plus and is on 300k a week) but they have dropped points and will drop more points. Doesn’t mean we’ll catch them because we’re dropping too many of our own, but I wasn’t shocked that they didn’t beat Southampton.
     
    The problem really is that they’re next couple of games are ones they will definitely win. There are some fixtures where I can see possibilities of them slipping up, but Norwich and Brentford do not come into that category and that’s who they have next. After that it’s Spurs though, who beat them on opening day. Stranger things have happened so we need to beat Leicester, Burnley and Norwich and then see where we are.
     
    Southampton were really good though. Such a strange team. They took the lead through Walker-Peters and what a goal that was too. Lovely finish but it was the way Southampton really took to the game to them that was so impressive. No fear, that’s how you’ve got to play against them.
     
    Broja thought he’d doubled their lead but he was just offside. Sterling then had his customary miss from inside six yards. Great save by Herman Munster to be fair, but that was typical Sterling. 
     
    Southampton continued to give as good as they got and chances came at both ends before Laporte levelled with a header from a De Bruyne free-kick. De Bruyne hit the post with a fucking ridiculous 25 yard curling thunderbolt and Jesus also hit the post with a late header as City finished the stronger. 
     
    Armstrong should have been sent off for a studs up challenge on Laporte but only a yellow was given. Strange decision that, especially given VAR’s leanings towards City to this point. 
     
    Southampton centre back Salisu was incredible by the way. One of the best individual performances we’ll see all season. Round of applause for him. 
     
    Grealish wanted to fight Romeu in the tunnel afterwards. Does Grealish actually think he could fight anybody, let alone that grock? I’m impressed by his chutzpah if nothing else.
     
    Guardiola though, what an absolute fucking weird little man he is. Absolute wrong ‘un and a proper unlikeable cunt. Just look at this interview, the fucking oddball….
     
     
     
     
     
  • A hard fought victory after a game of two halves. The Reds started brilliantly but faded and needed heroics from Alisson to preserve a huge three points to close the gap on Man City to within single digits.
     
    TLW Editor Dave Usher is joined by Stu Montagu and John Gallagher to go through all of the talking points, including a couple of contentious decisions that went our way, as well as Ox stepping up and ensuring we haven't missed the AFCON boys.
     
    And as the conversation went off on a tangent, the lads pondered; if Liverpool didn't exist and you were forced to support another Premier League, who would it be?

  • What a strange game that was. Brilliant for 35 minutes, mostly awful for the next 55. Decisions went our way for once and thankfully we had Alisson in beast mode. The net result is a big three points which has closed the gap on City a little and ensured that we’ve come through AFCON completely unscathed. 
     
    Maximum points from both league games and a semifinal win without Sadio and Mo (and Naby, just in case Klopp or Ljinders are reading this) is everything we could have hoped for. We needed others to step up and they have. Mainly Jota - who we would have expected to - and Oxlade-Chamberlain who we probably wouldn’t.
     
    I’m an Ox guy, I root for him and I’m probably more positive about him than most but I’ve said time and time again that he’s a waste of a shirt playing in the front three and that I never wanted to see him there. Yet when Mo wasn’t there and we needed someone to step into the huge breach, he did it and scored in both games he started.
     
    It hasn’t changed my opinion about him playing in the front three, well maybe a little, but that’s irrelevant. We needed someone to step up and he was the one that did it. We’ve scored six goals in the two league we played in their absence and Ox scored one third of them. Good for him. I’m made up for him as he’s a top lad. Of course this one probably shouldn’t have counted because Bobby was offside, but I’ll talk about that shortly. 
     
    We had gone in front early through Virgil’s thumping header from a Robbo corner. About time. He should be scoring half a dozen of these a season. Even at that early stage the goal had been coming as we’d started the game looking really sharp with and without the ball. That opening 30-35 minutes or so was right up there with anything we’ve produced all season.
     
    Palace were overwhelmed, they couldn’t get out and they couldn’t put more than a couple of passes together before we won it back. It was us at our best and we looked really good in and around the box, especially on the left where Robbo and Jota linked up well a few times early on. Curtis was bossing it in midfield too.
     
    So all good, especially when we got the second goal. Lovely cross by Robbo and a fine finish at the back post by Ox, but Bobby was offside in the middle and he made an attempt to head the ball. He didn’t quite get a touch on it but his presence impacts the positioning of the defenders. I don’t know why that isn’t offside but VAR looked and said it was fine, so what do I know? 
     
    It feels like offside has become far too subjective now with phases of play and whether players are active or inactive and all that nonsense. To me that’s got to be offside, but that doesn’t make it so as frankly I don’t know what is technically on or off anymore. For the record, I also thought the Palace goal was offside, but I’ll get to that in due course.
     
    So we’re 2-0 up and cruising and then all of a sudden we went from looking in total command to suddenly becoming ragged as fuck. It felt like it started with a sloppy pass across his own box by Joel that was intercepted by the impressive Olise. He shifted it away from Virgil and got his shot away, but Alisson saved it.
     
    Soon after that Bobby gave it away inexplicably too and Palace were in again. Matete went around Alisson and thought he’d beaten him, but Ali somehow managed to keep his feet moving and spread himself brilliantly to get enough on the shot to divert it wide. Ridiculously good that. 
     
    The best save he made had come earlier when he instinctively flicked out an arm and turned away a powerful close range effort from Matete (I think), but it wouldn’t have counted anyway as there was an offside. Alisson didn’t know that though and it was an incredible save.
     
    So anyway, we went from being in total command to somehow having to hang on for half time. It wasn’t even that Palace had done anything themselves, it was entirely self inflicted but those chances we gave up got the crowd going and Palace suddenly had their tails up.
     
    Half time arrived at a good time for us and I thought Klopp would be able to sort it out by basically just telling the lads to wake the fuck up. We had a few scares that should have served as warnings, but worryingly we came out for the second half completely flat and Palace started to put us under real pressure.
     
    Their first half chances were a result of our mistakes but in the second half they looked a different team and were creating chances for themselves. They were impressive, as they had been when we beat them at Anfield. 
     
    Gallagher headed a great chance wide from close range and then Alisson had to make a really good save from an Edouard back heel. We were giving the ball away continuously and couldn’t the the sting out of the game by keeping possession. It was really poor from us but good from Palace.
     
    And then they deservedly got a goal. Schlupp’s through ball to Matete was excellent but Virgil’s defending left a lot to be desired. He chose to hold the line to play Edouard offside but seemed completely unaware of Matete running in on his blind side. His body shape was terrible, not for the first time this season.
     
    Edouard was offside but Matete wasn’t so suddenly they had two players running through on Alisson’s goal. Ali is great but even he can’t stop two of them as Matete unselfishly squared it and Edouard had a tap in.
     
    Again though, morally that should have been offside. I knew it wouldn’t be because it was much less contentious than Bobby’s. Should it be though? Is there that much difference? I suppose the argument is that Edouard did not go for the initial ball when he was offside whereas Bobby did.
     
    However, if Ox had squared for Bobby to score instead of going himself, would that then have been disallowed? I don’t know but I think it probably would have because the offside player gained an advantage and scored.
     
    My argument for the Palace goal not being legal is that Edouard scored the goal and the only reason he was in that position is because he gained an advantage by running offside. The rules have changed now but not necessarily for the better. Morally both of those goals should be offside but under the modern interpretation the Palace one was fine and ours probably was too, albeit it was more of a subjective call.
     
    We were on the ropes now though. Their fans were making a right noise and Palace are a handful these days. They’ve got pace and skill right across the forward line (unless Benteke is there) and they played with intensity, aggression and a directness that was giving us all we could handle.
     
    We weren’t really posing any threat of our own now either and the inability to keep the ball just meant it kept coming back at us. The closest they came to an equaliser was when Olise made a diagonal run off Robbo and in behind Virgil. He was onside, and Alisson initially came out before realising that not only was he not getting there, but it was a bouncing ball which makes it much easier for the forward to lob the keeper. 
     
    Olise didn’t quite get enough on it though and Ali was able to get back and just about make the save before crashing into the post. Thankfully he wasn’t injured as that could have been a bad one.
     
    After that we managed to calm things down a bit and kept possession a bit more. The game was still in the balance but we weren’t getting stretched as much and it felt like they’d maybe ran out of steam.
     
    So I think we’d have held on for the win anyway but you never really know as anything can happen in the closing stages, so the penalty was a nice present for us but I take issue with the way it keeps being talked about as being ‘decisive’. Vieira even said it ‘changed the game’. I only know that because I read it, as you know I could never sit through one of his interviews without nodding off.
     
    The fact is we were winning 2-1 and we scored a penalty in the 89th minute to make it 3-1. That penalty didn’t win the game, it just took away any chance Palace had of grabbing a late equaliser. They might have been able to do that but the odds aren’t in their favour. They were running out of time and didn’t really look like scoring at that point, so the points were 90% in the bag by the time we got the penalty.
     
    Palace are understandably pissed off by it and I would be too, but let’s not overstate things here. That penalty didn’t win the game. The game was almost certainly won anyway. It’s also nowhere near the worst decision we’ve seen either and I’m baffled by some of the hyperbole I’ve seen about it. 
     
    It’s not a penalty but it’s not categorically not a penalty either, if that makes sense. Technically, the keeper has come out, not got the ball and collided with Jota. So you can absolutely give a pen for that. Whether you should give it is another matter, as there is more nuance to it than that.
     
    Jota took too long and then made a mess of it by missing the ball as he tried to evade the keeper. He then moves towards the keeper and runs into him. The keeper is also moving towards him so he is not the innocent victim some are making him out to be. 
     
    You can say Jota was clever and initiated the contact deliberately. Maybe he did, I mean he is Portuguese and they learn those things before they even learn to pass or trap a ball. Few do it better.
     
    Personally though I thought it was more that because he didn’t get the touch on the ball it looks worse because he ended up going one way while the ball went the other. Had he not collided with the keeper he would have reached the ball before it went out and might have scored. It wasn’t a certainty as there were defenders on the line and the angle would have been tight.
     
    So I didn’t think it was a penalty but it was definitely worth a VAR check as you need to make sure. I was surprised at how many replays the VAR looked at, and the more he looked the more I thought we were getting it. Not because the replays changed my mind, but because you could tell by how many times he replayed the bit where contact was made that the VAR (Craig Pawson I think) thought it was a pen. Then he checked for offside and you knew he was going to tell Kevin Friend he thinks its a pen.
     
    Friend took a look and immediately pointed to the spot. Fabinho buried it with aplomb once again and we could all take a deep breath and finally relax.
     
    Palace fans have every right to feel aggrieved about the penalty, but all the cryarsing from everybody else is a joke. We’ve been screwed so many times by shot decisions, but the moment we get a dodgy one everyone is up in arms. Fuck off. 
     
    People have short memories. Remember Jota at Spurs? Maybe that played a part in this. The refs will ALL know what a fucking scandal that decision was, so then you have the same player involved in a debatable penalty incident and this time they find in his favour. Maybe the Spurs one influenced this in some small way, who knows.
     
    I don’t really care, I’m just glad that for once it went our way. City have had fucking loads of iffy calls at big moments this season. This was as much of a pen as that one Bernardo got at Arsenal, and let’s not even start on the ‘handball’ they got against Wolves. And both of those WERE decisive.
     
    This one wasn’t decisive, it just made the final few minutes a lot less stressful.
     
    The one thing I do want to say about the pen is I’m irritated that it even came to that as Jota should have finished it off the way he did the other night. Everyone is talking about the penalty when really they should be talking about the fucking incredible ball by Trent that put Jota in. That was unreal, but it will be overlooked now because of the ‘controversy’. If Jota buries that we’re talking about that Trent pass for years.
     
    Still, no harm done and Jota was clinical when it mattered most - the other night in the semi. The only thing that mattered here was winning the game. I don’t care that the performance was patchy as that’s not important in the big picture. Tiredness might have played a part in that as we put a lot into that game on Thursday night.
     
    Maybe it wasn’t tiredness and it was just one of those days. I don’t know and it doesn’t matter anyway. What matters is we’ve coped without Sadio and Mo (yeah yeah and Naby) and by the time they get back we’ll be two points closer to City and looking forward to a cup final. Not bad eh?
     
    Does this change how I see the title race? Not really, because I’ve said all along that City aren’t as incredible as people are making out and that they’ll drop points. That’s not my worry. My worry is that we are dropping too many ourselves and nothing I saw here eases those concerns as we only won this thanks to Alisson’s brilliance. 
     
    My thoughts on the overall title picture haven’t changed but it’s a big positive that AFCON didn’t derail us in the way many feared it would. City have two walkover games coming up so don’t bank on them dropping any more points any time soon. They will slip up again at some point though so we just need to keep winning and then see where it takes us.
     
    Star man is obviously Alisson, by a fucking mile. Robbo was good too (despite having problems with the lively Olise) and I liked most of what I saw from Curtis. Fabinho was decent but overall I felt that virtually everyone was below par to varying degrees. But we won anyway, which is great.
     
    And by the time we play again we might actually be full strength, or at least very close to it. If only we hadn’t completely fucked up that game at Leicester we’d be right up City’s arses putting the pressure on them. Grrrrrr. Will that game ever not haunt me?
     
    Final word on the Palace fans. Now I wasn't there so it's possible I've missed something, but from watching on TV and speaking to someone who was there my impression is that there was none of the usual bollocks about sign on, victims and food poverty. They just sung about their own team (and the ref!) for the whole game.
     
    As I said, I may have missed something but the reason I bring this up is that I remember making a similar observation about them the last time they came to Anfield. They were probably the only set of fans to come here and not go down that road, which is actually very refreshing.
     
     
    Team: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Gomez), Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Jones; Oxlade-Chamberlain (Minamino), Firmino (Milner), Jota:
  • Liverpool didn’t end the year quite as well as fans would have hoped with the world famous reds dropping off the pace set by Manchester City in the Premier League. Pep Guardiola’s side began the campaign as hot favourites in the betting to make it two in a row, successfully defending the title they won at a canter last year.
     
    The betting markets also have Man City as the team to beat in the UEFA Champions League markets, going one better than last year when losing to Chelsea in the final.
     
    It’s fair to say that traders at apps for football betting see things as a one-horse race in England but as any follower of football at any level already knows, it can be risky writing a team off early, especially one with the talent and ambition of Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s side aren’t ready to throw the towel in just yet and their recent form in the league suggests they are preparing to push the Cityzens all the way to the finish line. In Man City are to go on and win the title they will be made to work every inch of the way for it by a dogged and determined reds.
     
    Can Liverpool pull off a huge comeback and topple Guardiola’s men by winning the league or perhaps they will focus on retaining their position, ending as the best of the rest and securing the top four finish needed to qualify for next season’s Champions League. They remain in contention for European football’s most sought after trophy and given their experience in Europe, it would take a brave prediction to write them off from here.
     
    In this article, we look at some of the most popular Liverpool related betting markets and how betting traders rate the reds’ chances.
     
    Premier League outright
     
    The simplest and most popular way to bet on the Premier League season. This market attracts most bets during pre-season when each team has a clean sheet and starting off a level playing field. Bookies continue to update and publish their outright betting odds after every round of fixtures but results this year has seen Man City’s price shorten while the odds of every other club have been pushed out.
     
    What are the chances of Liverpool winning the Premier League title, eating into City’s lead then passing them down the home straight? It’s possible but highly unlikely and the odds-makers are happy enough to offer a quote of around 14/1. They could probably go even higher, and it wouldn’t pull in too much attention. Man City are about 1/20 – yes, nailed on – while Chelsea is as big as 150/1 in places. Ouch.
     
    Top-four finish
     
    A top-four finish is an exciting market this season. Let’s say, for a minute, that Man City will win the league. You are now betting on a team to join them in the top four. The most obvious picks at this stage are Liverpool and Chelsea who are 1/100 and 1/40 respectively. 
     
    Then things begin to get interesting. We currently have Arsenal, Tottenham, Man Utd and West Ham trying to squeeze into the last remaining top-four berth. Arsenal are 7/4 ahead of Tottenham at 9/4, Man Utd at 3/1 and the 8/1 trading on the chances of West Ham. Could the Hammers and David Moyes be rubbing shoulders with Europe’s elite in September?
    Champions League
     
    The Champions League is a separate market but is every bit as exciting as the Premier League betting list. This huge industry for betting is always worth a look either before game one of the group stages or as we enter the knockout rounds. If you are happy to trust the bookies you will see that traders think Liverpool have more chance of winning the Champions League than the Premier League and it’s easy to see where they are coming from with that call.
     
    The Reds are off to Italy on Wednesday 16th February where they’ll take on Serie A giants Inter Milan in the first of two legs. Liverpool will aim to ensure the tie remains competitive heading back to Anfield for the second leg. They are favourites to qualify for the next round and around 6/1 to win the Champions League trophy.
  • Monday Jan 17:
     
    So Rafa has been sacked and, incredibly even by Everton’s standards, Roberto Martinez is the favourite to replace him. The same Martinez who Moshiri sacked after huge fan protests, and the same Martinez that took them to court because they didn’t pay him enough when they sacked him. That Blue who said last week that he’s convinced this is some kind of social experiment to see how far a group of fans can be pushed before breaking, well I think he’s onto something.
     
    I’m almost at the stage where I don’t even think it’s funny. I’m close to getting annoyed by this shit now, kind of like how Arsenal’s frequent bottle jobs leave me more disgusted than amused. Everton’s continued incompetence is almost approaching the point where it isn’t funny, but its not there yet so hahahahahahah.
     
    Is there a worse run club in football? Half a billion quid spent to get worse. Averaging more than one manager every year, at least half of whom had really good track records until they arrived at Goodison. They appointed a manager that the fans despised (other than Dalglish and Gerrard - who would never have gone there anyway - they literally couldn’t have made a more unpopular choice) and they let him go through the staff like a dose of salts. Scouts were sacked, medical staff were sacked, the director of football was sacked and they let him sell their best player to Gerrard. They also let him buy two new full backs a week before sacking him.
     
    Remember when Kenwright said a director from another club said to him that they ask themselves “what would Everton do, because they always get it right?”. Fucking hell, that’s his best one ever.
     
    Meanwhile, Arsenal are supposedly wanting the semi postponed. The suggestion is they want it rearranged for during the international break, when we’ll be missing the three Brazilians. Cheeky twats. Not a chance in hell that happens because the EFL aren’t hamstrung by their own poorly written rules like the PL are. 
     
    I’m sick of people defending Arsenal (and others, like Leicester for example) and saying they’re just taking advantage of an opportunity presented to them by the PL’s incompetence. Fuck off. There’s no honour here at all. Teams were having games called off because of COVID cases and then all of a sudden cunts like Leicester started trying it on and because they were allowed to get away with it, the likes of Arsenal are now taking the piss as well.
     
    We played against Spurs despite losing our entire midfield. We played against Chelsea despite losing key players and our manager. The game we had called off was only because the training ground was closed and half the squad were isolating (doesn’t matter whether the positives were accurate or not, you still have to then follow protocol). We literally couldn’t play the game even if we wanted to pick kids, because none of them had been able to train that week either.
     
    Yet somehow we’re still the focus of a load of misdirected anger and some cunts are using us as the justification for these other chancers who are calling games off when they only have one or two COVID cases. We’re gonna fuck Arsenal on Thursday and it’s going to be satisfying as hell.
     
    Tuesday Jan 18:
     
    Naby scores a screamer as Guinea progress to the knockouts. He’s been the star of the tournament so far, which doesn’t surprise me because he’d looked sharp before he left. He’ll come back injured though. It’s nailed on. We won’t be getting any of our lads back early though, which is a shame but not a surprise as they all play for nations that would expect to qualify for the knock outs. Now that there’s no chance of them coming back early I hope one of them goes on to win it. 
     
    Over on the other side of the park, Big Dunc is caretaker again as Mad Moshiri decides what he wants to do. Martinez wants to take the job while still coaching Belgium for the World Cup, while now Rooney is being strongly linked. He’s actually doing well at Derby and he’s in a no lose situation there as if he keeps them up he’s a hero and if he doesn’t it’s not his fault anyway. He’d have be thick as fuck to give that up to go back to Eve… ah, yeah I see it, I’ll stop myself there.
     
    Harvey is back in full training. Great news, that probably means he’s back in contention to play in about a fortnight, .
     
    Wednesday Jan 19:
     
    RIP Peter Robinson. Other than players and managers, it’s hard to think of anybody who had a bigger impact on all that success we had. They don’t make them like that anymore, those quiet types that just do a fucking boss job while staying low profile. We replaced him with Rick Parry, which is some Suarez / Balotelli type shit.
     
    Meanwhile, it’s League Cup week so Pep does the presser. Interesting as ever and he had some injury updates for us. Thiago should be back in a couple of weeks but there’s still no sign of Div returning. Klopp said last week he saw him out running, so what’s going on here? Ox is said to be ‘not serious’. Ok, I guess we’ll see him in May then.
     
    He was raving about Harvey’s first day back too and said him and Jurgen would like to pick him straight away but the medical staff would string them up. Encouraging to hear though.
     
    Wait, what’s this I see trending? Suarez to Villa? As Livia Soprano would famously say “I wish the good Lord would just take me now”.
     
    Thursday Jan 20:
     
    Arsenal 0 L 2. Yep, just what should have happened. We don’t need Salah and Mané to beat these fucking bums. We need them if we’re going to score the four or five we usually do, but we only needed Jota to beat them by two. 
     
    I’m being a huge hypocrite here given how absolutely not arsed I’ve been about the league cup in recent years, but I badly wanted this and you could see by the reaction to the goals and at full time that the players did too. There are loads of reasons for why all of a sudden the league cup means more, and the gap that’s opened up between City and us is definitely part of it. Initially I thought that was my main motivation but on reflection it’s not. 
     
    Winning the league changed things because it got the monkey off our back. It doesn’t mean the league is no longer the priority but it no longer needs to be the absolute obsession it had become. The league cup is still bottom of the priority list, but lifting another trophy and updating the Champions Wall, yeah who isn’t going to be excited by that prospect? 
     
    We still have to beat Chelsea, which won’t be easy, but it’s been too long since we were at Wembley in a cup final. I’m buzzing about that but also buzzing about slapping Arsenal back down to size. Where do they get off with the bravado we see from them any time they put a few results together? It’s mental, who the fuck do they think they are? That Ben White sack of shit, laughing at Taki last week. Their fans were loving that too. That’s modern Arsenal. 
     
    One negative today was that cryptic photo Mo’s agent posted. The obvious conclusion to draw from it was that the club have made a contract offer that he and Mo find to be a joke, but keep this shit to yourself knobhead. We’re in a cup semi final and you think it’s ok to post that kind of crap in the build up? Tit. 
     
    Meanwhile, Rhys Williams is back from loan and Nat Phillips might be headed to Watford if they stump up the cash. Williams hasn’t had a good time of it at Swansea but this seems to be a common theme with most of our loan players. That kid held his own in a team that went on a run to qualify for the Champions League next season and he wasn’t being carried by Van Dijk. He was partnering Big Nat. Now he isn’t good enough to get a game at Swansea? 
     
    This is the Klopp effect for me. Players don’t perform as well when they leave him. It happened with loads of Dortmund players and we’ve seen it with loads who have left us. Who has left us and either played as well, or better, than they did under Klopp? Ings has done well but he hardly played for us so we can’t judge. Emre Can, Coutinho, Gini.. even most of the loan lads haven’t thrived. Elliott is the one exception that immediately springs to mind but he’s such a special talent he could shine almost anywhere.
     
    Anyway, glad to have Williams back because he’ll improve far more training with us every day than he will being out on loan. 
     
    See Spurs have had a 315m bid for Adamants Traore turned down? Interesting. If he’s available for anything less than £20m he’s a steal. You know I’d take him, I’ve said it often enough, but I can see why Spurs want him. In Conte’s preferred 3-4-3 he can either play alongside Kane and Son, or he could play the wing back role. Didn’t Victor Moses play there for Conte at Chelsea and turn out to be a revelation? If Traore goes to Spurs he’ll make them better, no doubt about that. And at that price it’s a no brainer. 
     
    Friday Jan 21:
     
    Oh I like this. Looks like we’re making a move for Fabio Carvalho from Fulham. He’s available on a free this summer and he’s meant to be fucking boss. Can play in the front three or as an attacking midfielder, so very much in the Elliot / Jones category. I heard one of the Talksport commentators raving about him earlier in the season and I assumed he was some Portuguese or Brazilian kid they’d signed, but he’s actually an England youth player (born in Portugal) who came through their system with Harvey and he’s seen as being just as good a prospect. Elliott, Gordon…. get them wonder kids signed!
     
    On that note, I watched a couple of our u18 games in the past week and the left back caught my eye. Callum Scanlon he’s called, and when I googled him it turns out he’s the kid we signed from Birmingham for 500k last year. He’s 16 now and playing above his age group. Looks quality. Mind you, there’s a few kids in that team I like the look of. We might go all the way in the youth cup this year, but we’ve got to get past Chelsea in the next round first.
     
    Stevie takes Villa to Goodison tomorrow and some of his pre match quotes have been gold. Basically said they can give him all the shit they want to because he’s got broad shoulders and can handle it. No doubt they’ll dust of “the baby’s not yours” chant and if that’s the case and Villa win I really hope he breaks out the Bebeto celebration at full time. 
     
    This was funny too. 
     
    “How would you feel, as a player, being on the receiving end of one of Ferguson verbal rants?”  
     
    Stevie: “I’ve never wanted to be an Everton player, so would never be in that position”
     
    Bet they boo the shit out of Lucas Digne too, which would be fair enough if we didn’t know that they’d be cheering him from the rafters if it was Rafa in their dug out and not Duncan. Coutinho and Ing will get it in the neck as well, but the potential for hilarity here is strong if Villa weather the early fire and brimstone and let their football do the talking.
     
    I wouldn’t go within a 10 mile radius of Goodison tomorrow because COVID is transmitted through particles in the air, and will all the screaming, booing, spitting and general bile being spewed out there’s going to be fucking big huge mushroom cloud of COVID over that stadium. 
     
    Meanwhile, Carra reveals on Friday Night Footy that earlier in the season Messi sent him a DM on Instagram calling him a donkey because he said on Sky that Messi wouldn’t be a good signing for PSG. This blows my mind to be honest. Not that Messi called him a donkey as in Messi’s mind anyone who can’t dribble past five players falls into that category. He called Milner one too, let’s not forget. Then Milner beat him 4-0, but that’s beside the point.
     
    Why this shocks me so much is that firstly, what Carragher said wasn’t derogatory or or disrespectful. It wasn’t some flaming hot take either, it was a reasonable shout. But even if it wasn’t, I can’t wrap my head around why Lionel Messi, the second greatest footballer ever (behind Diego, obviously) and the best of his generation, would give a flying fuck what anybody says about him, let alone a pundit in another country. 
     
    I could see why Ronaldo might take issue with something said on Sky as he plays over here, and even if he hadn’t come back he at least did play here before and knows the pundits who are talking about him. For Messi to hear about Carragher saying something on Sky and be pissed off enough to send him an insulting message on instagram is staggering to me. Mind you, you’d get this kind of thing with Michael Jordan all the time back when he was with the Bulls. He took every bit of criticism personally and carried it around with him, wanting to get payback for it. He even made stuff up to get himself motivated, sometimes the greats do have incredibly fragile egos and can be unfathomably petty.
     
    Difference is, Jordan used it as fuel to destroy people and it always worked because nobody could beat him. Messi on the other hand has bottled most of the really big games he’s played, the little shitbag. He took Carra’s criticism of him being a bad signing for PSG and followed it up with… wait for it…. one league goal in six months!! Wow, you really put him in his place there Leo. If I’m Carra I’m posting up that stat along with this….
     
     

     
     
     
    ….and that was the week that was.
  • After sealing their passage to the Carabao Cup final, Liverpool look to get their mind back on league action on Sunday when they travel to South London to take on Crystal Palace. Despite residing in the upper reaches of the second half of the table over the years, Palace love nothing more than when the big boys come to Selhurst Park. They may not always claim the three points, but they make sure you are in for one hell of a battle.
     
    Terence Ford from @RedNBlueArmy1 took us through their current nine year journey in the Premier League, talked about the early impact of Patrick Vieira and the exciting group of fledgling Eagles graduating onto the big stage.
     
    This is the ninth consecutive year that Palace are in the Premier League. A pretty outstanding effort for a club of your resources especially when you think of all teams that have fallen by the wayside during that period. Can you take us through that stretch of time and highlight a few memorable moments and perhaps a few unsung heroes?

    So let’s get the obvious answers out of the way first. Crystanbul. Suarez crying. Dwight Gayle always scoring against Liverpool. Winning three in a row at Anfield. When Sakho celebrated the win with Benteke at Anfield when he was still a Liverpool player. Mile Jedinak’s free-kick at Selhurst. For a good chunk of the early part of those 9 years, we had your number. Sadly, that has since fallen by the wayside and after the feast, it is back to famine whenever we play you.

    You’re not the only ones though. We have recently gone 3 unbeaten in a row at Old Trafford and the Etihad seeing us losing only one game in seven in Manchester. Patrick van Aanholt becoming the first player to score an injury-time winner at Old Trafford in the Premier League era and Andros Townsend’s wonder-volley at City the main standouts from those matches.

    Securing 40 points at Everton in a 3-2 win in the middle of a five-game winning streak at the backend of the first season back in the Premier League was an incredible feeling. Finally, Jordan Ayew scoring the only goal against our rivals Brighton in the final away game before COVID will live long in the memory of every Palace fan. 

    As for unsung heroes, Joel Ward, who was signed as a Championship right-back, has managed to stay in the starting eleven for most of those nine years. He even walked off the pitch in our recent FA Cup win in the South London derby against Millwall singing “fuck off Millwall South London is ours”. The guy is a legend.

    James McArthur has been brilliant since he joined in 2015 and seems to reinvent himself every year. Unfortunately, this game is a bit too soon for him after a long layoff. Marouane Chamakh, believe it or not, is highly thought of by Palace fans. Seeing him play every week made the stick he received when playing for Arsenal seem ludicrous. The guy was very gifted technically and gave his all for the cause. 
     
    Perhaps the biggest of the lot is Jason Puncheon. He singlehandedly kept us up in two of those seasons and scored in the Cup Final to boot. For a sprinkle of Liverpool flavouring, Martin Kelly has been with us for a long time now. Whilst never really nailing down a regular place, he has rarely let us down when called upon and famously scored the only goal at Spurs on our run to the FA Cup final in 2016.

    There has been a bit of a sea change at your club, from one of the masters of old school methods in Roy Hodgson to someone with a progressive mindset in Patrick Vieira. How did the fans view the appointment of one of the most iconic midfielders in Premier League history and what has impressed you in his tenure so far?

    ‘One of the masters of old school methods’ feels like the biggest backhanded compliment I’ve ever heard! Roy did a fantastic job for Palace but most were happy when it all came to a natural conclusion at the end of last season.

    We were all delighted to get in a young manager with fresh ideas and with a want to play on the front foot. The fact that it is such an icon of the Premier League who is largely loved (unless you’re Spurs or Manchester United) was an added bonus.  
     


    In your view how good a player can Conor Gallagher become and do you think there is any hope of keeping him on loan from Chelsea beyond this season?

    When playing as an advanced midfielder in a three, the kid is something special. His understanding of how and when to press is second to none and it results in so many chances and goals for us.

    Comparisons are going to be made to Frank Lampard and that is high praise indeed. It is still very early in his career and he still has much to learn, but it’s hard not seeing him climbing to the top of the game. All that being said, he needs oooooh let’s say three more seasons at Palace to cut his teeth before he makes that climb.

    Jokes aside, he leaves us at the end of the season and gets into the Chelsea team in all likeliness. 

    Speaking of keeping players, are you quietly confident of holding onto Wilfried Zaha for the rest of his career?
     
    Unfortunately for Wilf, the horse has bolted. I do no doubt that he is good enough to step into a top-six team and thrive, but ill-advised contract extensions for three seasons in a row and his importance to our survival made it impossible for us to sell unless the fee was astronomical. At no point could he engineer a situation where he was at the end of a contract meaning we had to consider lower offers. 

    He only has 18 months left on his current contract but I fully expect him to sign a new one in the summer and in doing so he will have a chance of ending his career with the second-most appearances of any Palace player (currently 4th).
     


    From the outside Palace seem to have a squad with a good blend of youth and experience. A couple of young defenders in Marc Guehi (pictured above) and Tyrick Mitchell have certainly caught the eye. While Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze have shown flashes of their raw talent. Do you think that quartet is one that Vieira can look to build a team around?
     
    In the short term, yes, but long term I don’t think that is the strategy. In the last five years we hoarded players, contracts run down, and transfers fees in were few and far between. Now, the idea is to sign young talent, put them in the public eye, and sell them on for big profits. It’s all about keeping the Club as self-sustainable as possible.

    Unless, of course, we somehow ‘do a Leicester’ or break into the top four for a season, then maybe the strategy would be adjusted slightly. Naturally, that is very unlikely. Currently, Eze is still getting up to speed after an achilles injury and is a long way from his best. Olise is an incredible talent and there are flashes of Robben about his game. You’ll be worried whenever he picks up the ball on Sunday. 

    A trip to Selhurst Park to play Palace is certainly a fixture where Liverpool expect to work very hard for the three points. Have you noticed any differences in the way Vieira sets up the side when coming up against the elite sides of the division compared to the rest?
     
    Ironically, the 7-0 at Selhurst last season was actually a lot harder than it sounds! We missed three sitters in the first half and your boys found the top corner every time they shot at goal. 
     
    Seriously, I don’t think we have made it hard enough for you in recent visits to Selhurst but we hope things can be different this weekend. Expect us to press you high and try to force mistakes in your passing out from the back. It worked a treat for us in the 2-0 win at the Etihad this season as the gall of it seemed to shock City into a nightmare of a performance. We hope for a repeat of that this weekend. 

    Both sides will be missing key playing due to AFCON. Despite this, who from Liverpool will Palace need to keep under wraps to get a favourable result?
     
    Mane has 13 goals and 3 assists against Palace in 15 games. We don’t have to fear anyone now. 
     
    That being said, Jota is a goal machine and Trent Alexander-Arnold is on fire so we naturally will have to worry about those two. Que goals from Fabinho and Matip.

    Do you have a score prediction?
     
    A very optimistic 2-2. 

    We are not struggling to score as we have in the last two seasons, but we are leaky at the back and have moments where defending set pieces appear to be considered optional. Hopefully, it won’t be one of those days for us.
     
  • Vindication! That’s what I’m feeling right now. As shite as we were last week I said we’d go to the Emirates and take care of it because we’re miles better than Arsenal, with or without Sadio and Mo. The lads know it too. They were probably as pissed off as any of us that they somehow allowed that bunch of fucking losers to escape Anfield with a draw.
     
    I know I go on a lot about the complete lack of respect I have for this Arsenal team and you’re probably sick of it, but honestly, not beating them would have been a scandal that I’d have struggled to ever forgive. I still bristle any time I think of them beating us in our title winning season. I also bristle remembering how they celebrated it, the self satisfied pricks.
     
    They over celebrated last week too. 0-0 at half time and they're acting like the job is done. Then you've got that Ben White turd laughing at Taki when he missed that late chance. The fucking nerve of ANYONE from Arsenal laughing at ANYONE from Liverpool. Who the fuck do they think they are? This is why they're shit. They think they're better than they are and have massive delusions of grandeur. 
     
    We’re better than Arsenal in every single area of the park. The only one of their players I’d look twice at would be Saka (Martinelli is decent too but he’s always injured) and their manager is a complete phoney. Even the keeper who they're creaming themselves over, I wouldn't even take him over Kelleher.
     
    Arsenal's shitness offends me in so many ways. Let me put it this way. You know how on old school video games at the end of each level there was a boss that you’d have to beat? I’m talking about games like Golden Axe, Double Dragon, Streets of Rage, that kind of thing. Sometimes you’d beat the boss, sometimes you’d lose to the boss.When you lost to the end of level boss of course it was disappointing, infuriating, whatever, but you also know that it’s tough and that there’s no disgrace in losing to the boss. 
     
    Losing to Chelsea in the final would come into that category. Chelsea are an end of level boss that you need to beat.
     
    To get to that boss, however, you have to beat up a load of bums who will generally die when you hit them once or twice. They aren’t there for any other reason other than to make up the numbers and to help you hone your skills for when the big test arrives. Any time I got killed by one of those it was purely down to carelessness and I’d be furious with myself. That’s Arsenal. 
     
    One or two punches kills them and there’s absolutely no excuse for ever letting them even get one hit in, let alone ending your game. They’re the only team to lose to Everton in the last six months or something. Remember that. That’s who Arsenal are. Losers.
     
    And I’m delighted to say we showed that in this game. We weathered a bit of an early… I don’t want to say storm as that would be overstating it, so I’ll say it was an early breeze. Arsenal came out with their tails up, no doubt boosted by their cute little pre-match light show that I assume was inspired by an Elton John concert or something. Looked like loads of them were holding up lighters but it was probably just the lights from their phones, as no-one loves filming the match quite like Arsenal fans.
     
    Anyway, they came out swinging and we didn’t start well. A lot of the ‘threat’ they posed came from us just passing the ball to them. Joel especially kept doing it, while Virgil’s early distribution wasn’t great either. I’ll give credit where it’s due though, part of that was down to Arsenal pressing high and with intensity. Rather than be worried about that though I was happy. Much rather they try and have a go at us than sit back like they did last week.
     
    In fairness, last week’s Mourinho-like display was forced on them because of the sending off and I had no problem with it as going toe to toe with us isn’t something they can do with eleven men, let alone ten. Thankfully this time the inevitable Arsenal red card didn’t come until we were already home and hosed so it had no bearing on the game.
     
    In those early stages they were quite lively and the crowd were into it, but they needed to score in that spell to have any chance because we were always going to settle down and then start to play our football, and when that happened they'd be in trouble. The closest they came to a goal during that spell was a free-kick from Lacazette that Kelleher tipped onto the bar. It might have been hitting the bar anyway but he got a touch to make sure.
     
    I’m glad he got the start in this even though under normal circumstances you’d want the best keeper in the world in your team. He hasn’t been showing the form of the best keeper in the world this season, but he’s still Alisson and normally you’d pick him. But if you say to Kelleher at the start of the season “you play in the League Cup games” then you should stick to it. Last week was harsh on him but Alisson needed the playing time and besides, Kelleher had been able to get the Chelsea league game in because Ali had COVID, so that evened it out. 
     
    It was a big call from Klopp to pick him (and Kaide Gordon, who I’ll get to in a bit) but it was the right call and Kelleher did what he needed to. Which wasn’t much really, Arsenal barely threatened us but Kelleher did see a lot of the ball with his feet and he really caught the eye once again with how calm, assured and impressive he is in that area. In that regard I trust him more than Alisson.
     
    One of the biggest myths in football is how amazing Alisson is with his feet. He really isn’t. In fact he’s better with his head! Seriously though, Alisson is decent with his feet but no more than that. In terms of footballing ability, Kelleher is probably second only to that ugly, tattooed cunt at City.
     
    So anyway, the free-kick was Arsenal’s big moment but it didn’t go in and before long we were ahead. Lovely goal too. Started with Kelleher and we just played right through Arsenal’s press. What was interesting about it is Trent’s position. That had to be something we’d worked on to beat their press because he popped up in an area they just weren’t expecting him to be.
     
    Bobby’s flick found him and then Trent released Diogo down the left. It didn’t look particularly dangerous initially but as soon as he megged the full back he was then cutting inside onto his strong foot and Arsenal’s defence had a problem. Remember the goal he scored against them in the league game from the other side, cutting in on his left and leaving Ben White on his arse? Similar thing, left him on his arse again. Not laughing now are you, knobhead?
     
    The shot wasn’t well struck but it wrong footed Ramsdale and went in. Fowler-esque from Diogo yet again. The similarities between them are remarkable. So many of his goals just look like Fowler. Even this. I can remember a few Robbie right footers that dribbled in just like that.
     
    The camera closed in on Arteta’s face on the touchline a minute or two later and he looked haunted. Like a man who had no idea what to do. The goal really took the wind out of Arsenal’s sails and while I wouldn’t say they gave up, it looked like they had no belief whatsoever. That's them though, they wilt when under any kind of pressure.
     
    Our approach to the game wasn’t exactly what we’re used to seeing though and it seemed to me that we deliberately played more cagey than usual and were happy to concede more possession than we’re used to seeing. We didn’t press high, we dropped off. The whole team was deeper than usual and that worked a treat.
     
    Arsenal are only really dangerous on counter attacks so it made sense for us to let them have the ball more than usual and then pick them off when they made mistakes, instead of letting them try to do that to us. 
     
    It felt like we were always in control of the game but as ever, you need the second goal to make sure. I’m struggling to think of any real moments of danger they had. There was a chance for Lacazette that he ballooned over, but can you really call it a chance when it’s him? He doesn’t score anymore and has been shite for a couple of years. The only reason he plays is because Aubamayeng doesn't give a fuck and the only other alternative is Eddie Nketia, a player destined for a modest career in the Championship. 
     
    Lacazette was one foul away from a red card at that point having been booked just before half time and then followed that up with another quick foul. The ref was right not to book him for the second one but it’s one of those where you know it’s probably his last chance.
     
    So he was subbed midway through the second half but Arsenal could have subbed any of their forwards our midfielders not named Martinelli. He was the only one who had any life in him. The others were shite, even Saka who got no change out of the brilliant Robbo.
     
    I've never seen what the fuss was about with Odegaard (average every single time i've seen him), while Smith Rowe was crap as well. He’ll probably look great against Burnley at the weekend because that’s modern Arsenal. Players will turn it on sporadically against shite teams, their fans get all chesty about them and start proclaiming them as superstars until they come up against someone decent and disappear, at which point the fans fury is unleashed all over youtube and twitter. It’s the Arsenal Way.
     
    We had chances to kill them off but it wasn’t going in for us. Konate hit the post with a header from a corner. He’d replaced Matip at half time, a move I assumed had been pre-planned but Klopp said afterwards it wasn’t and that Joel just didn’t look quite right. That’s true, he didn’t, but he had to train on his own one day this week so you wonder if there’s a minor issue there he’s dealing with.
     
    No matter, Konate was very good when he came on and it’s encouraging seeing him go close with that header as we need to see more of that from him. 
     
    Kaide Gordon should have scored but blazed over the bar from close range. He needs to hit the target there as it was on his left peg. Amazing play by Jota to set that up though, he destroyed Ben White out wide and cut it back perfectly for the kid, who had done brilliantly to make space for himself. Just a shame about the finish.
     
    It’s not inconceivable that he could have scored three or four goals already instead of the one he has. He’s had chances each time he’s played and that’s encouraging, because his finishing has always looked really good in youth games so once he hits his stride he could really take off.
     
    He was a whisker away from getting on the end of a brilliant cross by Trent too. Trent was really starting to dictate things in the second half and seemed to be playing much higher up the pitch than he was in the first half. Robbo got forward more too.
     
    Arsenal were the re for the taking and eventually the second goal came via Jota. What a fucking goal that was. Martinelli ran into trouble and fell over, and from that moment Arsenal were in trouble. Trent had the ball with time and space, the Arsenal backline were pushed up the pitch and Jota had peeled away the second he saw Trent had the ball.
     
    It was very similar to the incident in the first leg when Xhaka was sent off. That time it was Robbo picking him out but it was basically the same pass and the same run. Once again Jota took it on his chest, but this time Xhaka wasn’t there to hack him down. Instead White - again, not laughing this time - had to look on as Jota took it in stride and dinked it over Ramsdale with a finish that Fowler would have been proud of.
     
    Great goal, but the linesman didn’t think so as he put his flag up to cut short Jota’s celebrations in front of the away end. I didn’t think he was off but you can’t always tell in real time because of camera angles and not knowing exactly where the line is.
     
    Jota definitely didn’t think he was off but we live in an age when players will appeal for literally anything and then kick off when they don’t get it, so that’s not the best barometer really. I mean, in the first half Martinelli wanted a pen for a Fabinho challenge that was as clean as a whistle.
     
    But Jota was right. The lines didn’t even seem necessary as you could see immediately that Gabriel was playing him on. It was close, yes, but not THAT close. The lines proved it beyond any doubt and Jota got to celebrate again. It was funny because initially it looked like he didn’t know if he should as the moment had gone, but Fabinho was running to the away fans and grabbed Jota to drag him over. Milner then got involved and was pushing him towards the fans and the whole team ended up giving it loads. It was fucking boss, love that.
     
    That was game over as Arsenal were done. They still had time to go the full Arsenal though and end up with ten men. Hilarious. The first booking for Partey was harsh I thought, but the second could easily have been a straight red as it was awful. 
     
    That was just so Arsenal. Honestly, if I didn’t know the identity of the team and you asked me “which team would fly a player back from getting knocked out of AFCON on the day of the game, put him on the bench and then bring him on only for him to pick up two yellows and get sent off and pick up a suspension when they only have one other midfielder available” I’d say Arsenal every fucking time. It’s standard Arsenal behaviour and has been for over a decade.
     
    Partey put out a statement today apologising for it. He’s got some way to go if he’s going to catch Granit Xhaka though, who has issued 19 instagram apologies in his time at Arsenal. 
     
    We could have scored more goals if we’d pushed for them but there was no need and we saw the game out comfortably to book our place in the final. I’m not even really thinking about that yet as its a month away and form can change quickly. Regardless of form I think it’ll be a really tight game but at least we should have Sadio and Mo back.
     
    We have one more important game to negotiate without them and if we can just get those three points at Palace then that’s a huge boost for everyone. We were all worried about the implications of AFCON on our season but so far we’ve negotiated it safely. Just one more win please, lads.
     
    Star man is Jota who was just too hot for them to handle. I like him on the left as he seems comfortable out there. He usually played there for Wolves and it’s probably his best position. I liked his link up with Robbo and Curtis (both had great games) and that side worked well for us.
     
    The other side wasn’t as effective although Trent was obviously massively influential on the game. I expect Minamino will get the nod on Sunday and he’s entitled to be upset that he didn’t start this one. I’m happy for Gordon that he’s getting an opportunity but Taki has been sharp when he’s played this season and leaving him on the bench was a surprising call.
     
    He scored at Palace last season so hopefully he can repeat that on Sunday and we can pick up the win.
     
    I don’t expect many more changes (other than Alisson coming back in) because after this we have yet another fucking break. As much as I don’t like that, the silver lining is that when we come back we’ll have Elliott available again and maybe Thiago as well. 
     
    We’ve come through that iffy spell we had relatively unscathed other than the fact that City have pulled away from us, but as I’ve said before I’m not letting those league ruining cheating twats define how I judge our team.
     
    We’re in a final, we were flying in the Champions League, we’re still in the FA Cup and we’re second in the league, ahead of every other club that’s playing by the rules. Can’t really complain about any of that.
     
     
    Team: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Matip (Konate), Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson (Milner), Jones; Gordon (Minamino), Firmino (Williams), Jota:
     
     
     
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