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    Roberto Firmino’s debut for Liverpool in August 2015 saw him replace Jordon Ibe as a second-half substitute and join Christian Benteke in attack during an entirely unconvincing 1-0 victory away at Stoke City. Said campaign would end with the Reds stumbling their way to an eighth-place finish.
     
    How times change, with the last few years seeing Jurgen Klopp’s side make a habit of collecting major honours while mounting sustained challenges for those that fall tantalisingly out of reach. For the most part, a hard-working Brazilian forward has figured prominently in those plans.
     
    With the likes of Ibe and Benteke upgraded to Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, Firmino has become a Champions League and Premier League title winner. More of the same is expected in 2022-23, with betting on football very much siding with a Liverpool team that are 12/5 to restore domestic dominance next season.
     
     

     
     
     
    It appears as though a South American frontman will once again form part of Klopp’s quest to deliver silver linings at Anfield, with a veteran of seven gruelling campaigns on Merseyside readying himself for an eighth.
     
    Questions have been asked, on a regular basis at times, of whether that would be the case, with there no escaping the fact that Firmino has only a year left to run on his current contract. While occupying the same boat as Mane and Salah when it comes to personal terms, a similar level of rumour and speculation has been avoided.
     
    Staying put
     
    Firmino has said of his intentions for the immediate future: “My wish is to stay here. I want to be here. I’m happy here. So that’s all I can say, I want to stay.” Said wish appears set to be granted, with nobody about to start nudging him towards the exits.
     
    Given all that he has achieved following a move from Hoffenheim that raised plenty of eyebrows, the right has been earned to dictate what happens with him next. If everybody is happy to prolong a seven-year association, then why not continue and strengthen that bond?
     
    Yes, a window of opportunity in which to generate a fee from any transfer is slowly swinging shut, but funds have already been invested in ensuring that suitable successors to a fabled front three are ready to step into any voids.
     
     

     
     
    Decisions could be taken out of Firmino’s hands, and he may experience a change of heart if game time proves to be in short supply over the first half of the upcoming campaign, but those remain issues to be addressed at another time.
     
    For now, a long farewell should be enjoyed by all concerned. Remember the good times, hope for a few more, and agree that a parting of ways will happen – whenever that day comes – on the best of terms.
     
    Only two more efforts are required by Firmino in order to reach 100 in the famous red of Liverpool and it would be fitting if he were allowed to reach that mark before any farewells are bid. After all, ‘Si senor, give the ball to Bobby and he will score’.
     
     
  • He’s scored 10 goals and only started nine games. He’s a big reason why we have two more domestic cups on the Champions Wall. Whatsmore, when he was brought in from the cold against Southampton in a must win league game, he delivered for us again with the opening goal.
     
    He’s a terrific little footballer who took advantage of the limited chances that were given to him and he probably deserved to play more. I understand why he didn't, as he's got world class players ahead of him, but Minamino is good enough to have been a Liverpool regular. Just not in this era.
     
    Other than Origi, he might just be the most clinical forward we had. He rarely misses, although one that he did miss actually resulted in one of the most satisfying things to happen this season. What was that, I hear you ask? 
     
    Remember when he missed that chance late on against Arsenal in the League Cup semi final 1st leg and Ben White laughed in his face? How’d that work out for Ben White? Not well. Jota ran him ragged in the second leg and Arsenal then choked away a top four spot.
     
    Who’s laughing now Ben White? Taki with his medals round his neck, that’s who.
     
     
    Previous Season Ratings:
     
    N/A 
     
    This Season’s Rating: 8/10
     
    It’s crazy that I’m giving him the same grade as Jota, but what more could Taki have done in the relatively limited opportunities he’s had? 
     
    Best Moment: 
     
    He made a lot of valuable contributions in the cups but the moment that really stands out for me is Southampton away, because of the high stakes involved and because Klopp had been forced to make so many changes. To come in and do what he did after playing so little football for months was commendable.
     
    Worst Moment:
     
    The miss against Arsenal.
     
    The Future?
     
    Enjoy Monte Carlo Taki lad, and thanks.
  • His story begins back at the start of the season when he really still had quite a bit to prove as, let’s face it, last season was basically a write off for poor Kostas. He barely played and could never really show the fans what he could do, not least because we weren’t allowed in the stadiums to watch.
     
    He had COVID and from what I recall an injury or two as well. Then we lost all of our centre backs so Klopp made the decision to run Trent and Robbo into the ground because he didn’t want to make any more defensive changes. The net result was none of us really knew if Kostas was any good or not. So pre-season comes around and Robbo isn’t there after captaining Scotland in the Euros. Kostas took his chance in pre-season and actually started the campaign in the team while Robbo was eased back in.
     
    And he was great. He even had his “Robbo moment” when he fought tigerishly to win and then keep the ball as the crowd went nuts. I can remember the incident clearly, but the opposition isn’t clear as my memory is terrible these days! I think it was Chelsea. The point is, Kostas won the fans over quickly and every time he’s played since he’s been excellent. Any time he’s played we haven’t really missed a step, which is a huge compliment as Robbo is the best left back out there.
     
    His delivery is arguably better than Robbo's but his defending isn't. Kostas hasn't been found wanting defensively by any means, but he hasn't been tested as much against top quality opponents yet. We tend to not have to defend that much anyway though so 
     
    And just like Kelleher he had his chance to be the hero and just like Kelleher he took it. Stepping up to dispatch the winning penalty in a shoot out to deliver a trophy, like a modern day Alan Kennedy. He’s great, such an important member of the squad now and not just because of the impact he’s had on the pitch. Off the field he seems to be in the middle of everything and he’s loved by everyone. I wanna be his mate because he’s clearly one of those people who when you’re in their company you just can’t help smiling.
     
     
    Previous Season Ratings:
     
    N/A 
     
    This Season’s Rating: 9/10
     
    Ok, I might be going a little high on this one just because I love him so much. Does he really justify a nine, the same grade as Robbo? He hasn’t played anywhere near as much, but when he has played you could argue he’s been almost as good. He’s the equivalent of the Bootleg Beatles, he’s not quite as good as the original (in his case Robbo) but he does one hell of a fine impersonation.
     
    Best Moment: 
     
    Scoring the winning pen in the cup final and then declaring “I’m not the Greek Scouser, I’m the Scouse Greek”. No idea what that even meant but it was still great.
     
    Worst Moment:
     
    He didn’t have one.
     
    The Future?
     
    Similar to this season but probably with a handful of extra games as we look to protect Robbo a bit more.
  • Robbo had a slowish start to the season and seemed a little fatigued. No wonder. He ran himself ragged for us the previous season and then had to go and lead Scotland in the Euros. He picked up a knock in pre-season too and was only on the bench for the season opener. 
     
    When he came back into the side he was just a little off. His crossing wasn’t what we’ve come to expect and I can recall discussions on the forum about whether he should be benched for the in form Tsimikas. I never got to that stage because it’s Andy Robbo, he’s a machine and any slight dip in form was never going to last.
     
    And it didn’t. Robbo was brilliant again even if it doesn’t really get talked about as much. I think people are just used to him being so great now that it’s normal. It’s different than with Trent because Robbo isn’t as flashy and doesn’t have the same kind of highlight reel Trent has with all of the outrageous passes and incredible crosses. Robbo is just as effective but in a more orthodox way.
     
    He was even overlooked for some of those Team of the Season line ups for Man City’s Cancelo, who had a great season but benefitted from being more flashy like Trent. He’s not a meat and potatoes type like Robbo. I mean that in the nicest possible way, Robbo is the highest quality meat and the finest potatoes.
     
    I don’t have any gripe about him not making the team of the season as Cancelo won the title and was arguably City’s best player other than De Bruyne. If Robbo had made it though no-one could have argued. Gary Neville described him as “the best full back in the league by miles”. Not just left back, but full back. A quote that Robbo repeatedly used to wind up Trent. 
     
    I don’t know about him being the best, and I definitely wouldn’t say ‘by miles’ but it depends what you’re judging it on I suppose. As an all around full back Robbo has absolutely everything you’d want. He could play full back in any bygone era because his style is so adaptable. Trent and Cancelo are very much the new phenomena of playmaking full backs who spend as much time inside playing passes as they do outside putting in crosses. Robbo is old school but also still very much the marauding attacking full back that the best sides need.
     
    In addition to the usual assists, Robbo had some nice individual moments of glory too and bagged three goals, including a header at the Kop end against Everton. I always say he needs to score more goals and although this was a slight improvement, he can definitely increase that with just a little bit more composure in front of goal. That’s nit picking though really as he’s fucking great.
     
    Previous Season Ratings:
     
    2020/21:   Season doesn’t count
    2019/20:   9.5/10
    2018/19:   10/10
    2017/18:   9/10 
     
    This Season’s Rating: 9/10
     
    Rock solid nine.
     
    Best Moment: 
     
    Scoring the crucial opener in the Anfield derby in front of the Kop.
     
    Worst Moment:
     
    Signing up for that NFT shit. Kinell.
     
    The Future?
     
    Probably more time on the bench than he’d like. This playing every week thing has to stop because he’s 28 now, he’s played a shitload of games over the past few years, and we’ve got a brilliant understudy so there’s no need to overplay Robbo any more.
  • Monaco have emerged as the favourite to sign Taki Minamino as the Japanese international edges closer to the Anfield exit door.
     
    It was believed that Leeds were one of the favourites for the 27 year-old and a reunion with Jesse Marsch from their RB Salzburg days, but The Mirror reports that the French club are now in pole position to clinch the deal believed to be around £17million. 
     
    Minamino had few first team opportunities to impress Jurgen Klopp last season but when given a chance he made the most of them with 10 goals from 24 appearances which included a number of important contributions in the League and FA Cups.
     

     
    While he undoubtedly would have been frustrated by not being involved more, Minamino has been the model professional and hence has earned the ultimate respect from Jurgen Klopp who has been almost apologetic for the lack of minutes given to the versatile attacking option.
     
    With Minamino on the brink of departing, it means that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will stay with the Reds for another season and see out the final year of his contract. Aston Villa has been one club who have been keen on the 28 year-old but the fact that he has looked to put his catalogue of injuries behind him and been consistently available for the best part of 18 months means that Klopp wants to hold onto him as a option.
     
    While the future of Neco Williams is still to be sorted with the club reportedly favouring the season-long loan option with newly promoted clubs Fulham and Nottingham Forest showing a keen interest.
     
    With the World Cup on the horizon and the youngster making big strides under Wales manager Robert Page, the best pathway forward for the 21 year-old would be to have first team football at the top level on a weekly basis.
     
     
     
     
     
  • Monday Jun 13:
     
    Apparently Richarlison is off to Spurs, meaning the three biggest cunts in the entire league will all be playing in the same forward line. The Blues are basically selling him for the same amount they bought him for from Watford, which just highlights how fucking woeful they are at transfers. I also can’t help but laugh at the thought of them all singing for Spurs a few years back ahead of the Champions League Final, only to know lose their best player to them. And now “Richy lad” is posting pictures on Insta of him wearing a San Antonio Spurs jersey. Life sure comes at you fast when you’re an Evertonian.
     
    As for us, still no Nunez deal but it’s edging closer and he’s had a medical today so unless there’s a Fekir style incident he’ll be unveiled tomorrow probably. We are also close to signing the kid from Aberdeen, but the price has gone up now apparently (probably because Aberdeen have been reading twitter and think we’re the new Man City). He must be really good because we don’t really need him. Gomez is a capable back up for Trent and we also have Connor Bradley, who is the same age as this Scottish kid. So we wouldn’t be signing him unless he’s boss.
     
    Meanwhile, I don’t follow Curtis Woodhouse on twitter but for some reason loads of his stuff pops up on my timeline. The last day or so has been some top notch trolling of United fans, who are going fucking nuts about it. What's he said? Well it all started with a reply to a tweet asking “when you hear the term over-rated who do you think of”. Woodhouse said “Paul Scholes” and triggered United twitter in a big way. He could have left it at that, but the more United fans went after him, the more he started talking about Gerrard and how he was miles better than Scholes....
     

     
     
    Every word he said was true and what makes it even better is he isn’t even a Liverpool fan. I’ve said this before but I’ll repeat myself because I like saying it. Paul Scholes was a very good player who nobody outside of United gave much of a fuck about, until out of absolutely nowhere Xavi said he was the best player he ever came up against, and suddenly people started talking him up to make themselves sound more knowledgeable. *strokes chin* “Oh Paul Scholes was definitely the best English midfielder of his generation, it’s just that not everyone is knowledgeable enough about the game to see the incredible things he did”.
     
    Yeah, no cunt saw it while he was actually playing. Funny that isn’t it? The myth of Scholes has grown year on year since he retired and it’s all because of people who know nothing trying to make themselves look like some kind of wise football sage. Paul Scholes was never, at any time in his career, one of the top three players at his own fucking club, let alone anything else. There, I feel better having got that off my chest.
     
    Tuesday Jun 14:
     
    Nunez is announced. The unveiling video was disappointing but we’ve set a high bar with those recently and there was always going to be a letdown at some point. His interview was dull as fuck too. He kept saying the same bland soundbites about ‘great club’ ‘fantastic atmosphere’ etc and when he was asked what he would bring to the side he completely avoided it like a LIV golfer being asked about human rights in Saudi Arabia. In fairness, that is probably a sign of humility and him not wanting to say “yeah I’m a fucking boss finisher, great in the air and I’m fast as fuck”.
     
    The only significant thing to come from that interview really was when he was talking about the brilliant forwards we have and he listed Bobby first (and didn’t mention Sadio, for obvious reasons) and then later when he spoke about learning from his new team-mates, Bobby was the only one he mentioned as he spoke about how much he can learn from him and how excited he is to play with him. 
     
    This jumped out at me for two reasons. Firstly, it’s clear Bobby must still be an important part of Klopp’s plans because these comments are obviously the result of conversations with the boss. Secondly, we’re all expecting Nunez to be replacing Bobby, not playing with him. Does this mean we’re going to see Nunez playing wide more than we think, or is it going to be a change in formation? It feels like we are going to see some fairly significant changes this coming season.
     
    Meanwhile, Robbo is injured with Scotland, Jota was injured yesterday with Portugal while Mo and Thiago have both been forced to miss games with their countries after picking up knocks after the season ended. This is why Klopp complains so much about the strain on players. They’re being run into the ground and these injuries are the inevitable result of it. 
     
    I don’t know what the solution is because there’s no way FIFA or UEFA are going to ease up on the fixture list because they make too much money from it. All we can do as a club is strengthen the squad to a point where we can rotate regularly without it hurting us too much. In fairness, we’ve done that and have two players for more or less every position now. Some are more important than others, but that’s always going to be the case as how can you have a like for like with Van Dijk, Alisson, Thiago or Salah?
     
    Staying with the internationals though, we recorded a pod tonight while the Nations League games were being played, so when we finished I logged into the group chat and saw the updates posted by some of the lads during the England game. This was me as I read them….
     

     
     
     
    Wednesday Jun 15:
     
    We’re being linked with Bellingham. Not Jude though. His kid brother, Jobe. He’s 16 and meant to be really fucking good, and if we can get him now before he signs pro that would make a ton of sense, and not just because it might help us get big brother in 12 months, although obviously that’s a big bonus. We’re also in for some kid from Arsenal too. I did a little twitter search to see if I could find anything on him, and this came up. The goal is class, but the comment underneath is fucking amazing!
     
     
       
    Classic “Arsenal fan who has never been to a game in his life” vibes about that. Every word of it is gold. “We need the next Messi” as though they grow on trees and he isn’t a once in a lifetime talent. “Any player can strike the ball and end up top corner” Come on, now, it’s a 14 year old kid making his debut against lads four years older than him! “This is Arsenal” Yeah ok mate. Same club that has had Xaka in its midfield for five years. “We need special”. Oh you’re “special” alright.
     
    I’ve seen so much shit on twitter since the season finished and a lot of it has got me angry. This was great though, it genuinely made me smile. So many footy fans are absolutely fucking loopy, and loads of them seem to follow Arsenal.
     
    Meanwhile, he's still at it....
     




     
    Thursday Jun 16:
     
    So the French say they reacted the way they did because they’d been briefed about our fans and our “history of turning up without tickets and forcing gates”. They referenced Hillsborough. I’m just beyond angry at this point. You hear something like that and your heart just sinks. The lies that were told back then (and have been clearly debunked) still retain power now. The lies that were told now will still have power in years to come. While most sane and rational people who take any interest in what’s going on will know exactly what happened and who is to blame, there will still be so fucking many who don’t. They see the initial lie and don’t follow the story beyond that, so the lie takes root and this is what happens.
     
    You know the worst part about all this though? After a week or two passes, any Red or journalist who keeps highlighting the shit that continues to be spouted is told to “stop going on about it” or worse “stop wallowing”. Si Hughes did something in the Athletic on it and I saw him arguing with an Arsenal fan who told him that any other set of fans would have moved on by now and he wanted to read about something else. Si said something like “would you rather we just allow the lies to go unchallenged and just accept the mistreatment of fans?” and the cunt just replied “yes”.
     
    This is how they win. Look at how little coverage the war in Ukraine gets now compared to when it started. Look at how much shit the tories are pulling and how little news coverage it gets now. Look at how no-one gives a fuck about the Saudis buying Newcastle and now the story has switched to “who will they buy this summer with all of their cash?”. This is what happens. There’s an initial outrage and once you ride out that storm you’re home free because people get bored and move on.
     
    On a lighter note, there was a nice little exchange on instagram between Nunez and Suarez today. Got me right in the feels that did, as you all know I still love Suarez and always will. I was also a little emotional when I saw Nunez walking into the training ground with one of those little flask / cup things Suarez used to have for that tea the South Americans all drink. Took me back that did. You what else had me emotional today? A video someone posted with some Sturridge highlights. That lad was fucking incredible for a spell until injuries started to fuck with him. Him and Suarez in that 2013/14 season were something else. Absolute fucking dynamite. Studge has flopped massively in Australia and since leaving here he’s done fuck all. It’s a real shame the toll all the injuries took on him, because he was a special talent. I only have love for Sturridge.
     
    The Calvin Ramsay deal is done now and it’s being reported that we won’t do anything else now. The plan is to get a midfielder in 2023, which obviously means “we’re keeping our powder dry for Jude Bellingham”. I’m fine with that. I don’t want another midfielder coming in this summer unless it’s to replace Keita, but unfortunately that doesn’t seem likely so I’m happy to stick with what we have rather than bloat the ranks further and reduce the opportunities for Harvey, Curtis and maybe Carvalho if he’s seen as a midfield option.
     
    Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a smokescreen though and we do bring someone in when Ox leaves. If we don’t, then it just makes me suspect even more than we’re going to see a fair bit of 4-2-3-1 this season. Hendo, Fabinho and Thiago are all comfortable in the two, but none of the others really are. It won’t matter though as long as we have two of those available. I think we’ll see that quite a bit this year and we might see Carvalho and Harvey getting some minutes as the 10 in that set up.
     
    Friday June 17:
     
    So much for us not signing a midfielder then. The pocket rocket is back! 32 year old Jay Spearing signs for the Reds on a free transfer after leaving Tranmere. The club missed a trick here by allowing the press lads to report the story first and explain that he’s going to be an Academy coach and turn out occasionally as an overage player for the u21s. Personally I’d have gone big on the unveiling video, given him a squad number and really trolled the Veruca Salt element in our fanbase who are stamping their feet because Madrid outbid us for the Monaco lad.
     
    I’m happy to see Speo back as I watched him come through right from u16 level to the first team and back in the day I knew his dad quite well from watching so many academy games with him and the other dads from that team. Jay has done the journey that the current academy kids are hoping to do and he’s been doing his badges so he should be a great addition to the staff there. I still think if he’d been 6ft 2 he’d have made it at the top level and not had to go into the lower leagues. He was one hell of a centre half and was Steve Heighway's favourite player. As a midfielder he just wasn’t really quick enough and as a defender he wasn’t tall enough. But he was a leader and had a good football brain, two things that should translate well to coaching.
     
    Meanwhile, Sadio is closer to the exit door now after a fee was agreed with Bayern. It’s not much more than the offer that we laughed them out of town with last week. What happened to “don’t get on the plane unless you have a serious offer” then? It feels like we’ve let him go on the cheap here and if we’d dragged this out we could have got more money. Maybe Bayern gave us a final take it or leave it, or we just wanted to get it done and didn’t drag it out just out of respect and gratitude to Sadio. If that’s the case I’m fine with with it, I just thought we’d get more.
     
    It's definitely the end of an era though now. For a few years, as a combination that front three were as good as anything we've ever had and in years to come when we look back, whenever we think of one of them we'll always immediately think of the other two as well. Salah, Firmino and Mané. What a trio.
     
     
    ....and that was the week that was
  • I expected more from Curtis this season. His ceiling is so high that one day I expect him to be one of the best players in the league. I thought we’d start to see it this season but I guess it’s going to take a while longer. One goal is a terrible return for a player of his talent.
     
    I’d say that overall he’s been decent if you look at it in context. That tends to not happen very often though as this team is so great and has so many world class players that we expect everyone to be able to perform to that level, and those who don't are judged more harshly. It's easy to overlook the fact that he's a young lad with not much experience, trying to hold his own in the best team this club has ever had. It's a tall order and all things considered he's doing pretty well.
     
    Not as well as I think he should be and there's definitely a lot more to come from him. I'm one of his toughest judges because I probably rate him more highly than most, so therefore my expectations of him are greater. I don't think he progressed this season compared to last. I don't think he regressed either though.
     
    It felt like a year where he was just treading water, but I'm basing that solely on what we see on the pitch, and mostly I'm only looking at what he's doing with the ball. I'm sure Klopp and the staff have seen big steps in his development in some of the things we don't see. Positioning, tactical discipline, decision making etc 
     
    Occasionally he's been very good, at other times not so good. Overall though, yeah he’s been alright. The lack of goals is really disappointing because a player with his talent can contribute a lot more than he has done. It’ll come though. He scored so many goals at youth level that we know he’s got that in him.
     
    He’s worked so hard on getting the other side of his game up to the levels required that it almost feels like he’s forgotten what got him there in the first place. Curtis has always been cocky and while that isn’t always a good thing, there is a place for it and I hope over the next few years he starts to show that swag that he has.
     
    Currently I think he’s just trying to be the responsible adult and too often he’s taken the safe option whereas in his early days he’d have just imposed his talent and made things happen. 
     
    We’ve seen it in flashes this year. I thought he was brilliant in the second half at Southampton recently, while Porto away earlier in the season was another exciting display full of promise. He had a dip in the middle part of the season and Klopp revealed that he had a good talk with him to get him back on track.
     
    That did spark an upturn in his form and there’s one incident that I recall that seemed to kick start his season again. It was a midweek game at Anfield (can’t remember who we were playing, it might have been Leicester) and he’d started poorly. He gave the ball away, the crowd groaned and then he chased off, won the ball back and started an attack and after that he never looked back. Slump over. He was good after that in the limited chances he has.
     
    Southampton away at the end of the season was a big performance from him and he had some success with England u21s after the season ended too. When you look at the profile of players we sign for the first team, they're usually between 22-25. There's a reason for that. We let them learn their trade elsewhere and then when they're ready we bring them in and develop them further. Curtis hasn't had that, he's still a couple of years younger than players we bring in, so he's ahead of that curve. He won't be classed as a youngster forever though and he will need to step up.
     
    It was interesting to me to hear England u21 coach Lee Carsley (I know, I know) say that the target for Curtis is that he needs to show he's the best player in every game and every training session. At that level, he's dead right. He should be the best player all the time rather than just some of the time. He's not going to be the best player in club games or training, but in time he could be. 
     
     
     
    Previous Season Ratings:
     
    N/A
     
    This Season’s Rating: 7/10
     
    Ups and downs, but for a 21 year old trying to establish himself in arguably the best team in the world, he's done alright.
     
    Best Moment: 
     
    Porto away.
     
    Worst Moment:
     
    Not making the bench for the League Cup final.
     
    The Future?
     
    Much like how I felt this time last year really. Curtis needs to really kick on this year.
  • This season feels like a tale of what might have been for Harvey. That horrible injury he picked up away at Leeds in September robbed us of what was shaping up to be one hell of an exciting season from the kid. It’s crazy to think now, but he actually started the season as first choice and he was keeping out Hendo and Thiago. 
     
    Of course the main reason for that was he had taken part in the full pre-season whereas the senior players were still playing catch up on fitness, but even so, it was still quite the vote of confidence when Harvey started against Chelsea. I can recall being quite shocked by that and it's definitely worth remembering the belief Klopp had in Harvey when we're all clamouring for another midfielder to be added to the mix this summer. If we don't sign anyone, it's because of Elliott, Jones and Carvalho and Klopp's steadfast refusal to block the path of his best young players.
     
    Klopp having the confidence to start Harvey against the European Champions when he had other, vastly more experienced options on the bench, it says an awful lot about how highly they think of him. He also started him in the San Siro against Inter shortly after his return from injury. It's easy to forget that because he barely had a sniff during the run in and occasionally couldn't even make a nine man bench. With a full pre-season behind him though, Harvey might be the one to separate himself from the stable of midfield 'back ups' and really force his way into the reckoning.
     
    The understanding he immediately had on that right hand side with Trent and Mo was surprising and bodes well for the future. The injury was a massive setback but he returned ahead of schedule and even scored in his first game back. After that initial 2-3 week flourish on his return, we didn’t really see much of him until he started at Southampton and showed once again the huge promise that he has.
     
    He's got some valuable game time with England u21s following the end of the club season and that should also give him a nice kick start ahead of pre-season. 
     
     
    Previous Season Ratings:
     
    N/A 
     
    This Season’s Rating: 7/10
     
    Based purely on what we saw from him in his limited starts it could be more, but him barely featuring in the second half of the season was - by his own admission - related to him not performing well enough in training. So I can't go higher than a 7.
     
    Best Moment: 
     
    Scoring on his comeback from injury against Cardiff in the FA Cup. Lovely moment, not least because it was his first goal for the club and it came at the Kop end. Honourable mention to posting an instagram update from the stretcher telling fans he'd be back stronger!
     
    Worst Moment:
     
    Getting that awful injury.
     
    The Future?
     
    It's going to be really interesting to see how he progresses next season. Will he leapfrog Keita to become the fourth midfield option, or perhaps the system will change and we'll see him getting minutes as 10. Whatever happens, I think we're going to see him make a big leap next season.
  • Along with Virgil I’m probably Joel’s number one fan and have been for years. No-one loves him more than me, not even his own wife. I’ve said on numerous occasions he’s the best centre back in the world not named Van Dijk but I am definitely biased. He’s just great though isn’t he?
     
    For the first half of the season I think he was our best centre half, but as the season wore on normal service was resumed and Virg became the top man again. Even I'll concede that. Joel has had to split his playing time with Ibou Konate which may have been a little frustrating for him at times but probably contributed to him going through the entire season injury free. Imagine that! No-one could have seen that coming given his chequered fitness record since coming here.
     
    Credit for that must be given to the new fitness guy who joined last year with the mission of aiding recovery and injury prevention. It’s not just Joel that went injury free either. Oxlade-Chamberlain may not have been involved much but it isn’t because he’s been unavailable. He’s been fit for the whole season too. Naby Keita is another regular sick note who was fit for more or less the entire campaign, but the biggest success story on that front has undoubtedly been Matip. 
     
    I’m fairly sure he was available for every single game this season and he’s been outstanding at both ends of the pitch. He’s contributed important goals and gave us one of the moments of the season when one of his famous ‘mazy ones’ (© Peter Crouch) resulted in a goal that almost blew the roof off the Kop, such was the delight and passion it was greeted with. He’s been threatening that for ages and I can’t wait to see him do it again.
     
     
     
    He also scored vital goals against Villa and Southampton in the run in that kept the title race alive until the final day. He should score more but unfortunately he's got a head like a 50p. What a player though. And what a man. 
     
    Last season we had no centre halves but this time around we’ve had everyone fit. Konate is really pushing Joel now for that spot alongside Virgil and there may be certain games when he’s the more logical choice because of his physicality and recovery speed. The Champions League Final being a case in point where Konate was selected for his speed against the counter attack threat of Vinicius Jr.
     
    By and large though, when the biggest games come around I’d be looking to the experience and class of the man I affectionately refer to as “Big Bird” after the character from Sesame Street.
     
     
    Previous Season Ratings:
     
    2020/21:   Season doesn’t count
    2019/20:   7.5/10
    2018/19:   9/10
    2017/18:   6/10 
    2016/17:   7.5/10
     
    This Season’s Rating: 10/10
     
    He’s a ten and I’ll fight anyone who wants it.
     
    Best Moment: 
     
    Slapping everyone on the head and pissing Hendo off. Classic Joel.
     
    Worst Moment:
     
    Being left out of the Champions League final. Really harsh, but Konate was our best player so it was justified
     
    The Future?
     
    Probably a 50-50 split on starts with Konate.
  • Betting on football is certainly an entertaining way to add to the excitement of each match, however, the football industry is a risky one and your personal biases can easily cloud your judgment and lead to financial losses.
     
    So, if you are looking for a way to simply unwind and take your mind off the stresses of daily life, then you can play the Book of Ra demo without any risks.
     
    Although the dream of winning the quadruple has been crushed by their narrow defeat in the Champions League Final and Manchester City's consistency throughout their Premier League campaign, the 2021/2022 Liverpool season was nothing short of outstanding. 
     
    Beating Chelsea on two separate occasions to lift both the Carabao and the FA Cup are just some of the testaments to the quality of the players Jurgen Klopp had available during the season. While they all played a significant role in this year's success, the following is our attempt to pick the five most notable contributors in the squad that can undoubtedly go down as one of the most feared Premier League sides the football world has ever witnessed.
    #5 Diogo Jota
    We all know stats can often be misleading, but that is not the case when it comes to Diogo Jota's 2021/2022 campaign. 
     
    His 15 Goals, 4 Assists, and 44 Pass interceptions show that the Portuguese striker has been a big part of Klopp's Gegenpressing winning machine. Averaging a little over 3 shots per match and over 7 touches in the opponent's 18-yard box demonstrates how big of a threat Jota has been for Liverpool's opponents throughout the 2021/22 season.
    #4 Virgil Van Dijk

     
    Although there were some doubts about his comeback following his gruesome injury in the 2020/21 season, Virgil Van Dijk has yet again managed to prove the skeptics wrong by being back to his very best. Liverpool's 18 clean sheets throughout the last season are proof of the Dutchman's defensive prowess.
     
    As pleasant as it is to watch him tackling opposition strikers, Virgil's game is much more than that. The leadership of the Dutch man-mountain and his ability to impose his influence on his teammates show that he truly is the backbone of Liverpool's back line.
    #3 Trent Alexander-Arnold
    The task of selecting a starting right-back for England's National team can certainly cause headaches, and players like Trent Alexander-Arnold are the reason for it.
     
    His game-reading ability, his mastery of making progressive passes, and his capability of delivering passes in the final third make him one of the most versatile full-backs we have seen in recent times. Being able to deliver a great cross in high-pressure moments also makes him a valuable asset during attacking set-pieces.
     
    At the age of 23, Trent was second on last season's Premier League assists list, and he is undoubtedly Gareth Southgate's top choice full-back for the upcoming World Cup.
    He has been one of the most consistent Liverpool players for the 2021/22 season, and easily makes it #3 on our top 5 Liverpool players for 2022.
    #2 Sadio Mane
    His incredible proficiency at seeking space behind the opponent's back-line, his killer instinct, and his tremendous finishing ability are just some of the things that make Sadio one of the greatest attacking players in the world.
     
    Although he went through a goal-scoring dry spell in the Premier League, Sadio managed to lead Senegal to victory in the African Cup of Nations. Coming back from his national duties, Sadio successfully silenced the critics by delivering numerous sensational performances and scoring many vital goals for Liverpool this year. His mix of determination and physicality and his unwavering capability to press the opponents make him a key asset to Jurgen Klopp's style of play.
     
    Mane played 46 matches in all competitions and managed to bury the ball in the back of the net on 23 different occasions. 
    #1 Mohamed Salah

     
    31 goals and 16 assists in 45 appearances vividly tell the story of the spectacular season the Egyptian King had. His 23 goals in the Premier League helped him share the Golden Boot with Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min, and his 13 assists placed him at the top of the assists list. 
     
    From his hat-trick at Old Trafford to his dazzling solo goal against Manchester City or his myriad of incredible performances in the Champions League, Mo Salah's never ceased to amaze with his constant excellence throughout the last season.
     
    Liverpool's talisman was recognized for his extraordinary performances by being awarded the prestigious PFA Players' Player of the Year award. We definitely can't think of a more deserving recipient, can we?
  • A bit more difficult to grade this lad because he hasn’t played too many games. When he did play he was extremely dependable though. Klopp described him as the “best back up keeper in world football”, something which clearly seemed to get under the skin of Pep Guardiola who sarcastically referenced it a couple of months later. I’m fairly sure he isn’t the best back up keeper in world football but nevertheless he’s very good.
     
    So much so that any time I see a team sheet without Alisson, as long as it’s Kelleher there in his place I’m very relaxed about it. Is he as good as Alisson? Of course not, but he’s done well enough to earn the trust of Klopp, his team-mates and the fans. His finest hour came at Wembley when he was given the nod to start as Jurgen kept his word having told him in the summer that he would be the League Cup goalkeeper.
     
    Many fans would have gone with Alisson but a manager needs to have the trust of his players, and if you tell a goalkeeper he will play in a certain competition, it isn’t a good look if you go back on that just because you reach the final. Guardiola did the same thing in the FA Cup only for it to backfire as we made his back up keeper look very stupid. It was the right call picking him though if assurances had been given.
     
    Klopp on the other hand, was rewarded for his loyalty to Kelleher who was the Wembley hero in the penalty shoot out. Not for his goalkeeping (he didn’t save any of Chelsea’s eleven penalties), but his ability with his feet. He converted the winning penalty in some style, but it’s also worth remembering that he played very well during that game and made some important saves, including a fabulous close range block from a Lukaku effort.
     
    He'd played well all the way through the competition and was unfortunate to be left out of the semi final first leg at home to Arsenal. Alisson was given the nod in that, not because Klopp wanted to go with his best line up due to the importance of the game, but because Alisson needed a game for his rhythm. The second leg was even more important as the tie was in the balance. Klopp went with Kelleher for that one and then kept him in for the final.
     
    It's a compromise that you need to make if you want a high quality second choice keeper, but there is risk involved if it doesn't go well. Guardiola found that out to his cost in the FA Cup semi final when his back up gifted us one goal and could have done better one at least one, if not both of the others. He was right to pick him though, even though it backfired. Without the incentive of at least some playing time, it's tough to keep hold of any good back up.  
     
    In Kelleher's case there's also good reason to get him games because he's still a kid and needs the experience of playing matches. While his development benefits from training every day with Alisson and our brilliant coaching team, he also needs to play so it's a tough needle to thread. 
     
    Not so long ago I didn't think he was anything special. I wasn't alone. Klopp himself said it was John Achteburg who saw the potential in Kelleher and this is "his project". Now we can can all see it. Kelleher is brilliant with his feet (definitely better than Alisson in that regard) but his all around game seems to be improving year on year and that means it's going to be difficult for us to keep him for much longer.
     
    The lad himself says he doesn't know what will happen this summer. He's too good not to play, but still young enough where he could bide his time and learn from the best. We'll see what happens, but have we ever had a better second choice keeper than this kid?
     
    Previous Season Ratings:
     
    N/A
     
    This Season’s Rating: 8/10
     
    Very good performances any time he was called upon and he gives off an air of assurance and confidence that I don’t remember in many of our back up keepers. I don’t worry when he has to play.
     
    Best Moment: 
     
    Scoring the winning pen in the League Cup Final shoot out.
     
    Worst Moment:
     
    Not saving any pens in the same shoot out.
     
    The Future?
     
    Giving him ALL of the domestic cup games might persuade him to stick around for another year, maybe two, but eventually he’s going to move on because he’s far too good to be sat on the bench but he’s not going to be good enough to displace the best keeper in the world who still has many years left.
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