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  • TLW
    The value of statues have been in the news of late and Steven Gerrard has added his voice to the debate albeit in a positive sense.

    The Liverpool legend and current Rangers manager believes that Jürgen Klopp has currently done enough to stand among the greats of the club.

    Klopp has been a transformative figure since his arrival on Merseyside in October 2015, steadily turning around a club who were suffering a deep malaise into a major European powerhouse breaking many records along the way.

    The Mirror (via The Athletic) reported Gerrard as saying:

    “When you look at the scale of the job he’s done, for sure he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as those iconic managers.

    “What you need to take into consideration is that when Jurgen took over Liverpool they weren’t close to being the best team in the country, they weren’t even in the top four.

    “To come to Liverpool when he did, get to the amount of finals that he has, deliver the sixth European Cup and then deliver the first league title after 30 years…For me, someone like Jurgen should be rewarded now.

    While Gerrard believes the German is far too modest to accept the honour, he certainly believes he is worthy.
     


    "Knowing Jurgen, he won’t want to be put in that bracket.
     
    “I know what he’s like, he’s humble and respectful.

    "It seems like in football we often wait until people get older before their achievements are fully recognised.

    “But I know the owners of Liverpool won’t let that happen.
     
    "When Jurgen delivers the league they should already be starting work on a statue of him.”

    It certainly is a interesting debate whether to immortalise the manager in bronze at this present time but whenever the time is, Jurgen will stand proudly among the iconic figures of this great club.


     
  • Tuesday Jun 9:
     
    Harvey Elliott is signing a pro deal. Only three years, which seems a little odd, but probably nothing to be alarmed about as the kid is a fanatical Red and won’t want to play anywhere else, and judging by the way Pep Ljinders talks about him (our ‘little diamond’) it’s clear how much the staff love him. For him to get games though something needs to give. 
     
    Shaq will go (assuming he ever gets over this fucking calf injury), but Harry Wilson might be lined up to take his place in the squad, which would leave Elliott’s position unchanged really. The games that remain in this season might be a useful exercise for him if Klopp can get him some minutes, because if he lights it up then you’d think we’ll probably sell Wilson and fast-track Harvey. Personally I want to see Wilson have at least one year with us to see what he can do, as he deserves that opportunity.
     
    Andy Lonergan is signing a short term extension too, similar to the one Lallana penned. He’s not going to play but this is only right I think. He’s been a part of the squad, training every day and building a rapport with the other keepers. 
     
    Not sure whether he’ll get a medal without playing any games, but I suspect he will because that’s how Klopp operates. He’ll probably get a shitload of medals made for everyone, I reckon Carol and Caroline will get them too. A far cry from the farce after Istanbul when the likes of Mellor and Sinama-Pongolle didn’t get medals (even though it would never have happened without their contributions against Olympiakos) and Rick Parry said nothing could be done about it. 
     
    I never understood that. If UEFA won’t give extra then just pay someone to make them replicas that look exactly like the real thing. Pisses me off that those lads had to make do with runners up medals that Pellegrini cultured from the Milan dressing room for them.
     
    Meanwhile, it’s reported that some progress has been made in talks with Gini over an extension. Hope so, but recent history has shown us that nobody really has a clue where contracts are concerned. The first we usually know is when they’re signed, and everything is dealt with in house and on the down low. I remember being more than a little concerned that Sadio hadn’t signed anything, and then just like that out of nowhere the club are announcing it on social media.
     
    On the face of it there’s no reason for Gini to want to leave, but after this season he’ll have won the Premier League title and the Champions League and might feel like he’s done everything he needs to here and that he fancies a change. He could easily play for either of the big two in Spain if he wanted and for his contract to have run down to this point you have to wonder if that’s in his mind. Real and Barca are on the decline though (Barca will be screwed when Messi's legs eventually go). Worth keeping that in mind, Gini.
     
    I hope he stays as he’s a good player and a sound fella but if he doesn’t I’m not at all concerned about how we will replace him, because other than Alisson and Van Dijk I reckon Klopp would be able to go out and replace anyone else if he needed to. Oh, and Robbo, obviously. No-one can replace him. Not in my heart anyway.

    Wednesday Jun 10:
     
    Having agreed a deal for Werner, Chelsea are now favourites to land another one of our reported targets. Kai Havertz seems to be the bright young hope of German footy and every top club in Europe is looking at him. Not sure we’ll pay the £75m asking price if money really was the reason we didn’t go for Werner though.
     
    The more I think about that, I don’t think that was the case. I mean, obviously it IS about money, but I don’t think it’s that we don’t have £50m to spend. I reckon there’s money there and Klopp decided he didn’t want to spend the bulk of it on Werner. Maybe he’s got someone else lined up and knew he couldn’t get both? Who that someone might be I don’t know. Could be Havertz I suppose, but maybe it’s Sancho?
     
    I’ve seen hardly anything of Sancho so I’m not going to bang the drum for us signing him, but what I would say is that I’d much rather we sign a player like him (skilful, creative, goalscoring wide player) than a player who doesn’t really fit with how we play (Werner). Maybe we don’t have anyone lined up and won’t be spending any money because of the corona effect. I’m not ruling that out, but we’ve got a number of players that we could sell to raise cash (Lovren, Shaq, Wilson, Grujic etc) so I have a hard time dealing with the notion that the well has run completely dry.
     
    After some initial reports that the derby was going to be played at Southampton it has now been confirmed it will be at Goodison. I’m glad, even though it would have been hilarious if we’d won the title at St Mary’s after buying half their team. While there’s a chance we could win it at Goodison (come on, Arsenal!) I’m all in on that just because the sad bitter bastards have been trying to claim that we ‘lost’ the title at the Pit last season when we drew with them.
     
    So yeah, here’s to an Arsenal win at the Etihad and then our lads winning the title at the Pit, thus ensuring Goodison lives up to it’s name as “the home of the Blues”. Make it so.

    Thursday Jun 11:
     
    Lovren makes a light hearted tweet about Mo being a mingebag and never paying for coffee. Wasn’t hilarious but it did raise a little smile from me. Harmless bit of fun between two mates. Then I looked at the replies (I know, I know, I must be a sadist). First reply I saw said “Get out of this club!! #LovrenOUT”
     
    I couldn’t let it slide and just replied with ‘Virgin’ but what I really wanted to say was “you fucking horrible shithouse cunt, I hope you die in the most agonising, gruesome way imaginable”. That’s not really the kind of thing you can say on twitter without recourse (unless you’re Donald Trump of course) and given it’s a ‘company twitter’ account I held myself in check. 
     
    It’s fine if you think Lovren or whoever is shit. It’s fine if you express that opinion on forums, social media, wherever. If the player goes looking to see what people are saying about him then that’s on him. Don’t fucking ram your dislike down his throat by sending it directly to him, because that just makes you a cunt. 
     
    So yeah, I’m thinking “I hope you die in the most agonising, gruesome way imaginable”. Is that too much? I suppose it is on reflection. The ‘most agonising, gruesome way imaginable’ part is excessive and I don’t actually mean that. But the bit about hoping these fuckers who do this kind of shit die is pretty much how I feel. I don’t feel good about that but I’m thinking it more and more lately. I’m getting far less tolerant as I get older. Is this normal? I expected it'd go the other way as I get more worldly wise.
     
    I feel like I was more laid back when I was younger, but I find myself hoping all kinds of people die these days. My tolerance levels have just plummeted. The cops over in the US beating the shit out of protestors. I see those videos and think “hope they die”, and I mean it. Nigel Farage spouting his vile rhetoric. “Hope he dies”. I defo mean that. Trump every time he opens his fucking bloated orange gob. “Hope he dies, the cunt”. I think we all feel like that though, don’t we?
     
    Harry Kane every time I see his stupid face. No I’m kidding with that one, I genuinely don’t wish any ill on Sir Harold of Hotspur other than hoping he misses a few pens so I can take the piss. All those other fuckers though. Yeah, hope they die.
     
    On a lighter note. The lads had a friendly at Anfield today against Blackburn and won 6-0. Minamino, Matip, Hoever and Clarkson were among the scorers, which begs the question “just how shit are Blackburn?”. 
     
    Seriously though, one thing that struck me after seeing Clarkson’s goal was that I’m fairly certain he wouldn’t have scored that in a full stadium. By that I mean if you look at how nonchalantly he took it, it had ‘training session’ written all over it. 
     
    That got me thinking, when footy starts up again with no fans, the games will surely have a training session vibe about them and we may well see players doing all kinds of speculative, fancy dan shit. I for one say “is fucking right”.
     
    Predictions for when we start playing again:
     
    Mané to be completely unstoppable. Keita to look like a world beater until one of his hamstrings goes pop. Minamino to look like the Salzburg lad who tore us a new one. Firmino to do something completely outrageous, like score a back heel from 30 yards while waving at the camera. Sky/BT/BBC forced to apologise after their microphones picked up Hendo swearing repeatedly at team-mates during a routine 5-0 win.

    Friday Jun 12: 
     
    The Shrewsbury chairman is still having a pop at us. Fuckin’ weirdo. Turns out they had put in an official complaint about us to the FA (did anyone know about that? I must have missed it as this was news to me) and this week it was thrown out. Their owner, Roland someone or other, is bitching about Klopp’s team selection (a team selection that was good enough to win the game, let’s not forget).

    "This without doubt resulted in a much lesser occasion for our players and fans as well as the financial reward that would have been expected from LFC playing their strongest team and abiding by the FA Cup rules."
     
    Stop talking about the ‘occasion’ and how the players and fans felt when none of that its even remotely relevant to why you put a complaint in. It was about money, you greedy little fuck. More fans made the trip than show up to your home games, and they seemed to enjoy themselves from where I was sat. At least until VAR chalked off a goal.
     
    The fucking balls on this prick though. He’s kicking off about lost revenue but really Shrewsbury were in a great position when you think about it. They had a replay in front of a full house at Anfield. Yes, there were reduced ticket prices, but let’s be honest here, no way were we going to pay full price to watch that game so a full house at half price or half a stadium at full price, there’s very little difference. Unless he was under the illusion that 50,000 of us were paying full whack to watch Lovren, Origi, Minamino etc take on a struggling lower league side? 
     
    So us letting Critchley take charge of a team of kids gave them a great chance to go through. And if they had gone through they’d have had another money spinning tie at Chelsea. So if ol’ Roland is pissed at missing out on a big windfall, he should look a little closer to home. At his manager who parked the bus against a load of teenagers. Or at his players who froze on the big stage.
     
    He should be grateful, as at least the travelling fans saw a close, competitive game that their team were in right until the end. Had we fielded Firmino, Salah, Van Dijk, Mané, Trent etc it might have been 6-0 by half time. They had their chance to beat us at their place when we were fucking terrible. They couldn’t do it, and Klopp did what the Premier League instructed all clubs to do and he respected the winter break. 
     
    Hopefully we draw them again next year and can give him what he wants. A full strength side and a fucking 10-0 whalloping. Tit.

    Saturday Jun 13:
     
    More Coutinho rumours flying around, but none of them coming from any kind of credible source. In other words, it’s almost certainly bullshit. It makes for an easy story though. He’s available, struggling to find a new club, probably would love to come back here, why wouldn’t you write that story if you’re looking for clicks?
     
    One man who is all in on the idea is Stevie Nicol, which is probably enough to put a lot of people off the idea. Stevie says it’s a ‘no brainer’, which is ironic as that’s what a lot of people say about him. Not me, I love arl Chico.
     
    Anyway, here's your weekly Chico:
     
    “Why wouldn't you? I can't think of one reason why you wouldn't. The only place he's excelled at is Liverpool. The place loves him, he loves the place. Can you imagine adding Coutinho to a squad that, right now are still champions of Europe even though they're out of this year's competition, and are going to win the Premier League?
     
    "If it's cut-price, yeah. Listen, this guy's making over £13m clear a year. He's going to have to take a hit. The price to buy him is going to have to take a hit but if the money's right, [it's an] absolute no-brainer.”
     
    Here here, Stevie lad.
     
    Meanwhile, as expected Pedro Chirivella has turned down a five year deal and will join Nantes in a few weeks. Good for him. It’s the right thing to do even though I’ll be sad to see him leave. He seems like a top lad and he’s a really nice little player to watch. He said he’ll tell his grandkids that he played for the best club in the world and for the best coach in the world, and he’s asked Nantes if they’ll play YNWA before games because it means so much to him now. As I said, top lad is Pedro. Good luck to him.
     
    In non-football news today, we saw the ‘football lads’ in London completely embarrassing themselves and the nation they claim to be so proud to ‘represent’. Absolute fucking cunts. Hope they all die. In fact, you can apply the 'most agonising, gruesome way imaginable' tag to it. Fucking vermin. 

    Sunday Jun 14:
     
    Another hack is linking us with Li’l Phil, probably based on what Nicol said actually. The ‘angle’ this time is that Kia Joorabchian has told us that his client desperately wants to come back and would take a pay cut. Hahahaha fucking hell, of course he’ll take a pay cut because there isn’t a club out there that will match the salary Barca gave him. He’s taking a pay cut wherever he goes, so he’s not doing anyone any favours by doing so.
     
    You all know where I stand on this. I’d have him back in a heartbeat if the price was right. I was thinking about this earlier. Who is out there that we could sign, who would make me happier than if we brought Coutinho back? There’s not many you know. Mbappe, obviously. Sancho as well (just because everyone seems to think he’s going to be the next big thing and I don’t want United or Chelsea getting him) and maybe my boy Adama Traore.
     
    Other than those three, no-one would put a bigger smile on face than if we re-signed Coutinho. What can I say, I love a good redemption story.
     
    I do have my limits though. For instance, Karius wants to stay here as number two. Sorry son, not having that. The number two generally plays in the cups and I’d like to have a shot at maybe winning one of them. Also, as we’ve seen this year, the number two occasionally has to play in ‘proper’ games too.
     
    Adrian’s inadequacies got us knocked out of the FA Cup and then the Champions League in the space of a few days, but at least he held down the fort earlier in the season when we needed him. He played his part in the Super Cup too. Would Karius have been able to do that? Highly unlikely.
     
    The main reason this just isn’t possible is because he’s damaged goods. No matter how well he might play, as soon as he made a mistake (and he would, as even Alisson does from time to time) the spotlight on him would be unbearable. Adrian fucked up and got us knocked out of two competitions in a few days and virtually nothing was said in the media. Could you imagine if poor old Karius had done that?
     
    No, he’s gotta go I’m afraid.

    Monday Jun 15:
     
    We’ve been linked with Dembele from Barca again. This is one of those weird links that surface all the time when in all likelihood there’s probably zero truth in it all. It won’t go away though for some reason.  
     
    Good video on LFCTV today. It was one of those Nivea promotional vids where they get players to speak to fans. This one was Ox, Lallana and Hendo speaking to the staff and some old folks in local care homes. 
     
    It’s easy for us to assume that the players aren’t having the same problems as the rest of us because they’re so well sheltered and have the best of everything, but Ox was saying how his nan is in a care home and his grandad hasn’t been able to see her, while Lallana revealed that his grandad died in a care home a couple of months back.
     
    The same shit is affecting us all really. It’s interesting to see how the perception of players has changed over the last few months. From having cunt Tory MPs asking them to ‘do their bit’ it’s gone full circle and we’ve now got the magnificent Marcus Rashford feeding tens of thousands of hungry kids and putting pressure on the government to pull their fucking fingers out and do the same. 
     
    He’s being vocally supported by other players and fans from all over the country and it’s putting incredible pressure on the government to reverse their decision. He’ll win because they won’t like the spotlight of exposure that he’s shining on them. Can’t deflect this one by bringing up the spirit of Churchill and referencing non-existent threats to his statue.
     
    Good for you, Mr Rashford. I’ll applaud you when we’re eventually allowed back into stadiums for games. 
     
    Other players have really stood up too. Hendo has been great since lockdown hit, while Sterling has spoken brilliantly again about racism and by and large footballers have done their clubs and communities proud. Of course the bigger headlines will always be made when one of them does something daft, like Grealish or Walker, but our footballers have done far more for the people of this country than those voted into power have, that’s for damn sure.
     
    Meanwhile, Bobby liked an instagram post about that story from yesterday about Coutinho pleading with Klopp to bring him back. I feel like too much is being made of this. He probably just saw a picture of his mate and clicked like. I doubt he had any clue what the post was referring to. But then again….
     
    He's coming home, isn't he?
     
    *puts on crash helmet*

    …..and that was the week that was
  • There may be no fans inside the stadium but Liverpool will still look to produce an iconic match day experience.

    The Mirror reports that You’ll Never Walk Alone will still be played as the players walk out onto the pitch and there is likely to be a number of banners and flags displayed on the Kop.

    The club have engaged with a number of fan groups to discuss how they can make Anfield look as authentic as possible despite the lack of fans due to Covid-19 restrictions.

    They will use the Premier League’s specially designed stadium wraps to cover empty seats in lower tiers, but are also looking at giving the images a more local, personal flavour by using some of the tributes fans are permitted to bring into the stadium.

    While the Premier League has given permission for the clubs to play certain chants and songs at specific moments such as after goals are scored, Liverpool will not go down that route.

    Everything going to plan, the first home game since March against Crystal Palace next Wednesday evening could be a significant one with the title secured with a victory.
     


    Clubs and Broadcasters know that they have to be extremely innovative at this highly unique period of time.

    Premier League clubs have been told they can erect ‘fan walls’ which will see huge screens broadcast images of fans watching from home, and celebrating when goals go in…which will give celebrating players a focus on the terraces.

    As we have seen with the leagues that have resumed like the Bundesliga and La Liga, filtered noise has been noticeable.

    UK broadcasters will follow and to try and create a ‘home advantage’ where possible.

    But there is one thing which may have to be toned down as Jordan Henderson explains:

    “For the players it will be different playing in a big game in a stadium where there’s no crowd because you can hear everybody talking.
     
    "Again, we’ve got to adapt to that situation and try to keep the swearing down to a minimum.

    “I’m more worried about my language when I’m playing! I don’t want to be having to apologise to everybody after every single game so I need to be careful, especially in the heat of the game.

    “I’m sure the manager will have to be careful with his language as well! But he’ll also know we can’t blame the crowd for not being able to hear what he’s saying at certain times of the game.”
  • There has been much discussion over who exactly has been the centrepiece of Liverpool’s outstanding run of form over the past couple of seasons.

    Jordan Henderson has undoubtedly gone to a new level in the with his versatility across midfield and general leadership of the team.

    Virgil Van Dijk has a presence that makes all around him walk taller and is the defender that strikers fear the most across Europe.

    While Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold continue to create chances for the likes of Sadio Mane and Mo Salah to finish.

    In truth, you could name half a dozen players and not be wrong such is the evenness of the side.

    But Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville believes it is the man in goal who has been the major transformative figure.
     
    The Mirror reported the former right-back as saying:

    “I think Allison has made Liverpool win the League.

    “I think when people talk about van Dijk being the missing piece I think that there is an element of that.

    "But, it's Allison for me.

    "When I go back to two years or three years ago, I was very critical of the goalkeepers that were at Liverpool. 

    “I said I felt that they would never win the League while the current goalkeeper was in the position.

    “They won the European Cup and they won the League. I put van Dijk just behind but Alison for me has been the biggest impact at Liverpool.”

    Neville knows all too well the impact of having a strong custodian after playing with the likes of Peter Schmeichel and Edwin Van Der Sar at Man United.

    That was certainly not the case when Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius were in goal as the opposition was all too easily able to pick up on any uncertainly by the duo.

    Neville knew that was holding Liverpool back from realising their true potential.
     


    “When I go back to two years or three years ago, I was very critical of the goalkeepers that were at Liverpool. 

    “I said I felt that they would never win the League while the current goalkeeper was in the position.

    “Jurgen Klopp came for me, I don’t know whether he was angry with me but he certainly had a go at me in the media.

    "But once your goalkeeper is calm, authoritative, saves most shots on his goal, gives confidence to the rest of the team, the impact of that is absolutely incredible.

    “For me Van Dijk is one of the best centre halves I have ever seen live but for me, if you're talking about the last two years; what's been the big change for me in Liverpool is the goalkeeper.”

    Neville also feels that Liverpool’s next challenge won’t come so much from the opposition, but from within in terms of keeping the hunger up.

    And he says Jürgen Klopp will be on guard to negate any sense of complacency.
     
    “You need to not think the first one is the holy grail and forget about it as soon as they have won it.

    “That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t celebrate. They should celebrate like hell when they win it in a couple of weeks. But it will come from the manager.

    “He doesn’t strike me as the type who will get carried and think: ‘This is it. I have done it. I have won the European Cup, got my statue and won the league.

    “ He is not that type of guy. 

    “But in terms of back to back titles it’s purely up in your head. It’s obviously not a talent thing.”

     
  • The thought of Jürgen Klopp no longer being manager of Liverpool is something no Reds fan wants to contemplate at this point of time.

    The German has turned around a club who was well and truly at the crossroads on his arrival into a European and domestic power once again.

    It is not just his ability to turn his squad into better players, but better people as well, a rare blend indeed.

    But as we know, (and it has never been so stark than in this uncertain time) that nothing lasts forever.

    There has been much discussion over the past year regarding how long the tenure of Klopp will be.

    He silenced any doubts that it will be in the foreseeable future by signing a extension until the summer of 2024.

    But after that remains a question mark with former Reds midfielder turned pundit Steve McManaman pondering this week whether he may be tempted by German juggernaut Bayern Munich.

    While it will be a terribly sad moment when Jürgen does depart, there is no doubt he will leave the club in fine shape for his successor.

    There will be no shortage of applicants, but there is an individual emerging who has the similar principles in how the game should be played.

    That man is Red Bull Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann.

    The 32 year-old is seen is Germany’s brightest young manager star and after doing a fine job at Hoffenheim at both under-age and senior level, currently has Red Bull in third position in the league and in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after comprehensively dispatching Tottenham in the previous round.

    German journalist Guido Schafer  and used to play alongside Klopp at Mainz and currently covers Leipzig.
     


    He is therefore the ideal person to cast an analytical eye on Nagelsmann and told the Echo why he is such an interesting prospect to keep an eye on. 

    “Nagelsmann is someone who wants [his team to have] the ball. It’s pressing but not all over the pitch and for Liverpool also it’s only in some areas.

    "The idea is quite similar [to what Klopp demands] and the players have to be very intelligent to show the coach they are intelligent enough.

    "It’s not easy to work under these coaches - they want all of you every day. But then you get a better player."

    Journalists like to strike a good working relationship with managers and Schafer said that Nagelsmann is someone who is engaging and some have likened him to a young Jose Mourinho in that he came to management without much of a senior playing career behind him.

    But there is a major difference in their conduct as Schafer explained.

    “There is a big difference in the relationship with the press and the journalists.

    "Mourinho is very arrogant and sometimes the devil. 

    “Julian is the opposite and I like to work with him - if you ask a question, he answers it."

    While there is not a sense of overwhelming arrogance that the Portuguese commonly displays, there is a quiet confidence about Nagelsmann that is redeeming.

    “Nagelsmann is a genius as a coach - but every genius loves himself! Julian loves Julian.

    "He is talented, he is skilful and he is powerful. Sometimes perhaps he forces too much from his team - he knows 20 or 25 tactical formations. 

    Sometimes it is one too much but he is a very good coach.

    "He also has good humour like Jurgen and he is 32! 

    Schafer believes the sky is the limit for the young manager and it is why Liverpool should be keeping a very close eye on him.

    “It’s crazy. His English is perfect and for Leipzig, the best coach in Germany is sitting on their bench.

    "He is an option for every team all over the world."

     
     
  • Arsene Wenger has given a sobering message for Premier League authorities saying that Football will be one of the hardest hit industries if Brexit restrictions are too severe.

    In the advent of Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement sweeping the globe, discussion over how Brexit will work has taken a back seat.

    But the legendary former Arsenal manager brought the discussion back to the table as the Mirror reported:  

    “When I arrived, English football belonged to English people. Today, the English Premier League belongs to foreign people.

    “How will that change? That will depend now on how Brexit will be applied to football.

    “I've asked many people, nobody knows. 

    “Will people inside Europe be considered as foreign players who cannot play in the English Premier League? I don't know."

    At this present time, the Premier League is home to some of the best footballers and managers in the game.

    With that comes global popularity that is the envy of other sporting competitions but Wenger says that can change in an instant.

    “If the rules are restrictive, they will kill the superiority of the Premier League.

    “Because today the Premier League depends on worldwide exposure, with the best players and worldwide ownership with multi-billion owners from around the world.

    “Top Managers will only want to come if the best players are there.

    As shown by the success last season of Liverpool and Chelsea in the two premier European club competitions, English Football is currently sitting at the top of the pyramid.

    But as one of the true statesmen of the game, the Frenchman said that it risked taking certain steps backwards and cited an prime example from the past.
     


    “When England was suspended from Europe (late 80s), when they came back, they were far behind.

    “But before they were excluded, they were dominating it.

    “So that shows you, that if you have no different influences, you drop slowly back.”

    But at the end of the day Wenger is quietly confident common sense will apply.

    “I believe you’re intelligent enough in England and love football enough not to destroy what is basically a diamond today.”


     
     
  • Liverpool got back to competitive action in style on Thursday after a three month hiatus disposing of Championship side Blackburn Rovers 6-0 at a empty Anfield.

    It was the sort of complete team performance which would have greatly pleased Jürgen Klopp with six different players appearing on the scoresheet and no evidence of any rust or complacency.

    ‘The new normal’ is a line that has been trotted out by leaders and health experts the world over and it certainly applies to the sporting world.

    From playing in a designated hub like the NBA will do from late next month, to empty stadiums and getting used to artificial crowd noise on broadcasts, these are indeed unique times.

    It is something that the manager touched on after the game:

    "Yes, everything is different. The boys now go home and they didn’t have a shower. It was raining before the game, so that would have been funny if there had been really hard rain and then you drive home in your own car and you didn’t have a shower. 

    “Our meeting was here in the boardroom. We want to have it like this [and] we can organise it differently at Anfield when we play here.

    “But we have no clue how it’ll be at away games and we need to create as awkward-as-possible situations just to not be surprised. 

    “We want to focus completely on football and whatever happens around the games, we just take it like it is. Can we shower? 

    “Yes, good. If not, no, let’s drive home and do it there – all these kind of things – and that’s why we want to get used to it, but it’s all good so far”

    Another realisation since this outbreak took hold is how important fans are to the success of a professional sporting competition.

    It has led to the clubs finding novel ways to adapt and Klopp says while it is far from a desired situation, it is something that you get used to over time.
     


    “It’s different, of course. You need to get used to it, but I like it. After three times, it is completely OK.

    “I thought before – and I don’t have experience in this area – that it would be really awkward, but we have to create our own atmosphere in the games. We have to be lively as well, we have to be animated and stuff like this.

    “Being positive about the things that have happened and so on, that’s how you can create an atmosphere – and it’s what we have to do as well. Apart from that, it is Anfield.

    "We don’t have to discuss it all the time, that it is completely different stuff without supporters. 

    “Football would not be the game [it is] if there were not supporters; we only love it because of the atmosphere and all that stuff – but this is now our situation, so we have to take that, we have to use that and that’s what we try."

     
  • Loris Karius is willing to stay at Liverpool while being firm in the knowledge that he will be in the backup role to Alisson.

    The German keeper has had a tortuous last few years of his career, most notably his calamitous performance in the 2018 Champions League Final and his poor form continued when he was sent on loan to Turkish club Besiktas.

    If that wasn’t bad enough, Karius then was engaged in a wage dispute with his on-loan club claiming that he had not been paid since the Super Lig season had been halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    This led Karius to report Besiktas to FIFA on two separate occasions and eventually led him to cancel his contract and return to his parent club.
     


    In the aftermath, Karius has been open about his experience and looking forward to the next step of his career. 
     
    He has been linked to clubs in his homeland with Hertha Berlin being one team mentioned.

    However the gloveman also realises that he has to be a pragmatist in these uncertain times and if there is no guarantee of first team opportunities at another club, there is no harm at staying at one of the top teams in world football.

    The Daily Mail(via transfermarkt) reported Karius as saying:

    “Of course I have to play if I am going to change clubs. 

    It makes no sense to say: 'I'm leaving Liverpool for a worse club and I'm only number two there.

    “But I'm not in a pressure situation at all, I don't have to change.

    “I can move forward in training at Liverpool. As the second-choice goalkeeper in England you know that you get your chances.

    'I am currently at the best club in the world, play for titles, have the highest level around me every day in training. 

    “I am fully aware that I am in a good position to be in Liverpool. I have great conditions there.”

    Football has been littered with players over the years of players staying at a club virtually ‘stealing a wage’ and not really adding any value to their side.

    That leads to a great level of frustration as the less they play, the more they lose currency on the open market and become virtually impossible to move on.

    The role of a back-up goalkeeper is slightly different as a opportunity can arise at any moment, be it a through a suspension or injury as has been seen with the injuries suffered by Alisson during this campaign.

    Karius may feel by training in familiar surroundings with a manager who has been a great support to him and learning from a world class keeper could be beneficial to him as he assesses where he is in his career.

    As has been frequently noted, goalkeepers mature much later than outfield players and at just 26, he has time on his side.


     
  • The coronavirus pandemic has affected nearly every industry, including sports betting companies. With Liverpool matches on hold, online sports bettors have been forced to turn towards alternative forms of entertainment to get through the quarantine. One UK betting service provider said that sports wagering was down almost 75%. So where are all of these sports bettors going to place their bets during the pandemic? 
     
    Luckily, as long as you are willing to switch up the events you are gambling on, there are plenty of other options like e-sports, card betting, and others to keep you going until matches are back on and betting on live sports is available again. You can even place bets on some of these sporting alternatives on sites like this. Here are some of our favourite alternative forms of entertainment until Liverpool matches resume. 
     
    1. eSports 
     
    eSports have become widely popular with their growing base of fans. Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit, eSports were on the rise thanks to the highly-realistic graphics and frequent competitions. And even though most eSports events have been canceled, there are still a wide number of competitions going on, which helps to reduce the amount of risk of coronavirus spreading, but allows competition to happen on a regular basis. 
     
    Now, fans who might have been betting on football matches are starting to pay attention to eSports and placing bets on those games. 
     
    And, you’ll find that it isn’t just bettors that are flocking to eSports betting sites, but also investors and sponsors that are also turning toward this world as well. Thanks to the resilient nature of eSports and its ability to thrive solely online, the potential of eSports is growing every day. 
     
    What is particularly interesting is that there has been an increased number of upsets in the eSports world, which is what makes betting on eSports even more exciting. As a bettor, you might be more willing to bet on the underdog and this chance of an upset is causing the number of bets to increase in the eSports world.  The reason for the rise of upsets is unknown, but it might be because of connective problems, technical issues, or just the simple fact that players are more comfortable or distracted at home. 
     
    While people might turn to live sports betting after the pandemic is over, it is clear that the industry might have gained at least a few new fans. 
     
    2. Online Casinos
     
    Online casinos are another thriving industry that replicates the in-person atmosphere of brick-and-mortar casinos. Online casinos have an advantage because there is often a greater variety of types of games available to play. In addition, many online casinos offer welcome bonuses to new players, which helps to incentivise people to check out a new site and play a few games at almost no financial risk.
     
    Here are a few of the games that are available at online casinos: 
    Poker: Poker has always been one of the most popular casino games because it requires a little more skill than other casino games. You'll be able to find live dealer games, allowing you to feel like you are in a Las Vegas Casino, or you can choose a video poker if you want to focus more on the game and get through hands more quickly.  Slots: Slots are the most prevalent casino game available, with more than 90% of online casino games falling into this category. The reason why they are so popular is it is relatively low-risk, but the potential for a big pay-out is what makes it so fun. The graphics on the slot games tend to be high-quality and help to emulate the feeling of a live casino. Progressive slots tend to be popular because of the millions you could potentially win if you hit a jackpot.  Blackjack: Blackjack might be another game that Liverpool fans might want to turn to during the pandemic. It requires skill to play and tends to be an exciting way to pass a few hours. You can join a table by yourself or join a live dealer table.  Roulette: Roulette is another high-energy game for new players. It requires just a little bit of knowledge, so it might be a great game for people to break into at an online casino. The game is based on chance, and you place your bets based on the number you think will come out.   
    Online casinos can be a great option because it allows you and our friends to come together and still play games. The sense of competition is still strong, and it can be a fun way to pass a few hours while in quarantine. 
     
    3. The Lottery 
     
    The lottery has been going on for lifetimes now, but more people might start paying attention to it now that they are stuck at home. The lottery is still going strong, with daily and weekly drawings. The best part is you don’t even have to leave your house to purchase a lottery ticket. You can simply head to the lottery website and enter the numbers you want to choose. And, to make it even easier for you, you can set up an advanced play, where the same numbers will be drawn for you week after week until you win!
     
    During the pandemic, more people might be dreaming of hitting it big and winning millions of pounds; the lottery can be a fun way of making that dream come true. 
     
    4. Bingo
     
    Online bingo is booming in Europe. The popularity of the game might be because of its fast-pace and the fact that you can bet as much or as little as you want on each game. There are different variants available, including 75 Ball Bingo, 80 Ball Bingo, and 90 Ball Bingo. These games will vary in how quickly the game goes, the card arrangement, the number of fields, as well as the number of balls called. 
     
    You’ll be able to find tons of games online that are available to UK players. 
     
    While it might seem like the pandemic will never end, it will be over soon, and life and matches will resume as normal. Matches will be held again soon at Anfield but, until that officially happens, find a new hobby that allows you to still bet without having to leave the comfort and safety of your own home. 
  • Steve McManaman believes that Bayern Munich could be the next stop in the managerial career of Jürgen Klopp.

    Klopp has built a Liverpool team to be on the verge of greatness having won the Champions League, Super And Club World Cups in the last 12 month and sitting tantalisingly close to ending the league drought.

    Not only has Klopp brought success to the club, he has brought a sense of boundless energy and joy which resonates throughout the whole club and translates to the supporters.

    It is all about unity and that is a remarkable quality in itself especially when you take into account how volatile the footballing landscape can be.

    There has always been a level of speculation regarding what the next step for the German will be when he decides to leave the Reds

    He signed a new long-term deal at Liverpool last December which keeps him contracted to Anfield until 2024 despite much chatter that he was thinking of taking a sabbatical at the end of his current deal in 2022.

    At the announcement of the re-signing, the manager stated:

    “For me personally this is a statement of intent, one which is built on my knowledge of what we as a partnership have achieved so far and what is still there for us to achieve.

    “When I see the development of the club and the collaborative work that continues to take place, I feel my contribution can only grow.

    “This club is in such a good place, I couldn’t contemplate leaving."
     


    However McManaman believes that a club like Bayern could come calling in the future and Klopp would look closely at the possibility.

    Metro(via the Daily Star) reported the former midfielder as saying:

    “I think he really adores Liverpool and the Premier League.

    “But you could see him going back to Germany and managing Bayern Munich.

    “The way that club is run - and the way German managers are treated there - you wouldn't rule it out. 

    “A few years ago it looked like Bayern were on their last legs.

    “But now, along with the more experienced players, they've got a plethora of youngsters who are hungry.

    While McManaman believes a return home to the Bundesliga would temp Klopp, he says Spain would not be on his radar especially the way clubs are run in La Liga.

    “I'm not sure Klopp has any desire to manage Real Madrid or Barcelona and I don't see why he'd go to La Liga though.

    “They don't have the aura that they did when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were doing battle every week. 

    “There is also all the politics behind the scenes at Barca with the board and players.

    “Real is a different scenario.
     
    "They need to refresh their squad and they are bringing in young players like Vinicius Junior - but they aren't ready yet.”

    With his links to Borussia Dortmund, it would be a big call for Klopp to make the jump to one of their fierce rivals.

    There is also the lure of the National team job which he has also been heavily linked with in the past.

    Whatever Klopp chooses to do in the future, he will do with the blessing of everyone associated with the club

    But for now, lets just enjoy the next few years with Jurgen in charge and look to claim a few more honours along the way.  


     
  • Jürgen Klopp has paid a glowing tribute to Adam Lallana after the out of contract midfielder signed a short term deal to stay on with the Reds until the end of the season.

    Lallana is set to depart the club in the off-season with a reunion with Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City a clear favourite to win his services.

    In normal circumstances, Lallana would have already played his final game for the club, but with the extension of the season due to the Covid-19 pandemic he has agreed to play out the season with the Reds.

    Klopp has never hidden his respect for Lallana throughout his tenure often speaking in glowing terms about the veteran.

    Once again he was very proud of the 32 year-old after this gesture as the Mirror reported.

    “What I can say – and want to say – is even the way he has handled this extension tells you all you need to know about the person and his character. A top-class professional and an even better person.

    “He wants to be here to finish the job and do it properly, but it says everything about him that his biggest concern was blocking the progress and opportunity of a player who is under contract for next season also.

    “But his role is too important to lose him before this season is done. 

    So, it’s fantastic we can delay our messages of gratitude and good luck until the end of July now.”
     


    Despite not getting the amount of first team minutes he would like, Lallana said that the decision for him to finish what he started at Liverpool was a no-brainer.

    “I am really pleased to have the chance to finish this season – it means a lot to me and my family.

    “One of the big personal positives about committing to this short-term extension is that I will now get to say goodbye to the people who mean so much to me in the right way.

    “The gaffer has been different class and we’ve had an honest conversation about what my role will be in the remaining weeks."

    “I want to contribute in the most positive way possible that helps him and the team, not just for the remaining matches of this season – but also what they’ll need to consider for next."

    “I feel in my time at Liverpool I’ve always looked to do the right thing in every decision I’ve made.

    "I think this one fits into that category as well, so I’m buzzing to be seeing out this campaign and hopefully get to celebrate something memorable with an amazing group of people.”

    Other confirmed departures from the club in the summer include Nathaniel Clyne, Pedro Chirivella and Andy Lonergan.


     
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