PODCAST: Liverpool 1 Crystal Palace 1 - Match Reaction

Half an hour in and no mention of FSG criminally under investing in this squad? 

Whinging about reduced pre season is a bit pathetic when all our rivals come out of the blocks firing 

8 minutes ago, Daisy said:

Half an hour in and no mention of FSG criminally under investing in this squad? 

Not sure why we'd go on about it when we dedicated an entire episode to whether we should sign another midfielder less than a week ago.

8 minutes ago, Daisy said:

Whinging about reduced pre season is a bit pathetic when all our rivals come out of the blocks firing 

The point Paul was making, in my view, was exploring possible explanations for our stuttering start. He went to great lengths to point out that the anomaly of this strange season is going to affect different teams differently and the attritional nature of last season combined with the early start could be contributing to the injuries and the struggle to find our form out of the gate. I actually raised the point that City had come out firing in response to it, and both Dave and I had theories of our own. It's called a discussion. 

3 minutes ago, Chris said:

 

Not sure why we'd go on about it when we dedicated an entire episode to whether we should sign another midfielder less than a week ago.

You are talking about why we a struggling so much to start games with the right intensity and no mention of how we are relying on a 37 year old midfielder starting. 

5 minutes ago, Daisy said:

You are talking about why we a struggling so much to start games with the right intensity and no mention of how we are relying on a 37 year old midfielder starting. 

We had an 19 year old midfielder in there too. So, by your logic that should offset it. Never mind the fact that Milner remains one of the most 'at it' players in the entire squad. There were plenty of mentions from Paul in particular, who offered the explanation that it might just be the injuries. 

Hendo, Keita = not deemed fit enough to start
Ox, Jones, Thiago = Unavailable through injury

5 unfit midfield players = criminal underinvestment. Ok. 

3 minutes ago, Chris said:

 

We had an 19 year old midfielder in there too. So, by your logic that should offset it. Never mind the fact that Milner remains one of the most 'at it' players in the entire squad. There were plenty of mentions from Paul in particular, who offered the explanation that it might just be the injuries. 

 

Hendo, Keita = not deemed fit enough to start
Ox, Jones, Thiago = Unavailable through injury

 

5 unfit midfield players = criminal underinvestment. Ok. 

 

We haven't bought a first team midfielder for over three years. 

It's negligent and unforgiveable, and will cause us to lose out on the major silverware yet again. 

12 minutes ago, Daisy said:

We haven't bought a first team midfielder for over three years.* 

 

It's negligent and unforgiveable, and will cause us to lose out on the major silverware yet again. 

And a good day to you too, Sir. 

*it's actually less than two. 

I thought Paul's points and questions about preseason were very apt. The number of non contact injuries (strains, pulls and tears) is not normal surely? We played so many big games last season, a shortened break in summer too. Different clubs have taken different views about how to prepare for this season, at the moment the injury list makes it look like questions need to be asked, as Paul suggested.

Great pod again. Lots of interesting questions and theories. I think the last couple of seasons take a toll on the players.

What is a worry for me is the pre season injuries. Jota and Kelleher were injured as a result of international football not our pre season, but others have which might mean they've been over exerted during pre season?

Paul is absolutely right. He doesn't fall for a trick, he's the aggressor the whole time. He tries to snidely hit Andersen with the back of his head and then after the defender reacts to it with a small shove, he puts his forehead on his chin. It's just ridiculous aggression. 

35 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

Paul is absolutely right. He doesn't fall for a trick, he's the aggressor the whole time. He tries to snidely hit Andersen with the back of his head and then after the defender reacts to it with a small shove, he puts his forehead on his chin. It's just ridiculous aggression. 

Watch the video of them throughout the game. And that wasn't even all of it. There was more to the sending off than just that moment and the couple of seconds before it. Anderson played Nunez like a fucking fiddle all night, niggling him the whole game and getting him more and more riled up until he eventually snapped and got sent off.

That isn't a criticism of Anderson (if anything it's a compliment) and it's not a defence of Nunez in any way shape or form. I'm just adding the context that you're overlooking.

9 minutes ago, dave u said:

 

Watch the video of them throughout the game. And that wasn't even all of it. There was more to the sending off than just that moment and the couple of seconds before it. Anderson played Nunez like a fucking fiddle all night, niggling him the whole game and getting him more and more riled up until he eventually snapped and got sent off.

 

That isn't a criticism of Anderson (if anything it's a compliment) and it's not a defence of Nunez in any way shape or form. I'm just adding the context that you're overlooking.

I saw the videos and thought it was mostly basic defending tactics. Andersen was getting tight, grabbing him a bit, but it wasn't unusual at all. He was just mega riled up. At one point, Andersen grabs him a bit and Nunez tries to back fist him like he's in the UFC. He was massively overreacting the whole time. If he got played by a bit of grabbing, he doesn't have much about him, but I don't think that's the case. He just looked like he took a line of coke before the game. Just has to relax.

I am becoming worried that this might end up being like the Covid season where we become a shadow of our usual selves due to the fixture congestion resulting in loads of injuries and mental and physical fatigue. Just like that season the authorities could have made adjustments to accommodate the unusual circumstances and alleviate the problem by scrapping the league cup for a year or condensing the Champions League, but once more greed has won out over common sense and they're not prepared to give up any income at all. Let's hope it does at least affect other teams as well at other points of the season. 

1 hour ago, 3 Stacks said:

I saw the videos and thought it was mostly basic defending tactics. Andersen was getting tight, grabbing him a bit, but it wasn't unusual at all. He was just mega riled up. At one point, Andersen grabs him a bit and Nunez tries to back fist him like he's in the UFC. He was massively overreacting the whole time. If he got played by a bit of grabbing, he doesn't have much about him, but I don't think that's the case. He just looked like he took a line of coke before the game. Just has to relax.

I agree it wasn't anything particularly bad and I agree it reflects badly on Nunez. That wasn't my point and I wasn't saying it to defend Nunez, I was just adding context to the red card by saying it wasn't an isolated moment where he lost his head, it was part of a simmering feud that was going on.

The thing he saw red for wasn't as bad as the two that he didn't connect with. 

The needling was happening all game and he was getting more and more worked up by it. It wasn't even that bad, mostly just little shoves when the ball was nowhere near them, and I assume the odd stamp on the foot, verbals etc

I saw the swing he had at Anderson and he's lucky that didn't connect as it was probably even more stupid than what he was eventually sent off for. 

The Palace lad baited Nunez all night and eventually landed his fish.

We may not like it and some will call it shithouse behaviour etc - but it has been a part of the game at all levels forever.

The Palace lad did it perfectly and Nunez was fucking stupid.

Hopefully he learns from it.

Not sure if it was mentioned but Anyone else notice that VVD did that thing, that he did a couple of times last season when one on one, were he ran back in a straight line rather than go out to cut out Zaha for their goal?

38 minutes ago, Mathewbet1 said:

Not sure if it was mentioned but Anyone else notice that VVD did that thing, that he did a couple of times last season when one on one, were he ran back in a straight line rather than go out to cut out Zaha for their goal?

Mentioned it in the match report, but hadn't seen it when we recorded the pod.

It was strange that Virgil pulled up and let him shoot. Maybe he thought him putting in a block would increase Zara's chances of beating Alisson. 

Could have slid in to try and block but that would have been undignified and he might have got his shorts dirty. 

Rolls Royce defenders can't be seen to be doing unedifying stuff like that. Leave that kind of demeaning shit to the meat and potato players like Robertson, eh Virg?

I think it might be coached in terms of percentages or VVD does it to stop himself from looking silly  …keep the attacker slightly wide so it requires an excellent finish or piece of skill which will only happen 1/5 times, whilst rush the attacker and you risk getting done on the inside leaving him 1/1 with the keeper ? I saw a video with virg saying he will always do everything to make the attacker make the first move  - that’s also part of his strength you will never see him dive in like most defenders do. When he does the above however it looks like he’s just letting the attacker have a free run on goal, in the particular channel they are running in , and it looks quite bizarre 

17 hours ago, an tha said:

The Palace lad baited Nunez all night and eventually landed his fish.

 

We may not like it and some will call it shithouse behaviour etc - but it has been a part of the game at all levels forever.

 

The Palace lad did it perfectly and Nunez was fucking stupid.

 

Hopefully he learns from it.

Courtesy of NoelM. 

21 minutes ago, Josef Svejk said:

Courtesy of NoelM. 

AKA defending. 

That video makes me wish I’d pushed back harder on Dave. I didn’t because he was at the match and I wasn’t and had a better view of the tussle than me.
 

But Dave’s “not defending him” did leave room for extenuating circumstances due to constant provocation, but there’s absolutely fuck all there you don’t see during most games. It’s just defending. 
 

What an absolute tit he’s made himself look. Darwin, not Dave. 
 

It’ll be completely lost on Darwin but this summer he came in for a lad who was fucking exemplary for 5-6 years. The model pro who I’m now missing a fuck load more than I did a week ago. Our players don’t pull this shit. Proper pissed off with him still. 

It was also a spill over from the pre-season game a few weeks ago apparently. Anderson played it to perfection and even admitted the plan beforehand was to get under his skin. Chipped away at him over and over with annoying little shoves, nudges, pulls, verbals until eventually he got the reaction that allowed him to finish it. Mission accomplished. Played him like a fiddle.

Now everyone will try do it, because why wouldn't you. So Nunez better calm himself down. He's said it won't happen again and apologised for his "ugly attitude" so that's a good first step.

Annoying as fuck he has ruled himself out of Old Trafford though.