Leaderboard

I had to go to a funeral with about 20 to go in the game. It was for a young man, 40ish, who took his own life, 4 weeks after his partner passed away from cancer. He left behind a 7 year old daughter and a heartbroken mother and father (I used to play football with him). There was a Liverpool picture on his coffin. It put some perspective on this for me.

This could be Rotterdam or anywhere, Liverpool or Rome, Wherever Arne manages, He'll never need a comb... He'll never need a comb...

I know in theory it's better for us if they'd stayed in but you can't help but enjoy those cheating cunts going out.

These utter cunts chasing everything down, despite being 3-1 down and seconds remaining. I fucking hate being everyone's cup final. If they'd tried this hard against everyone else, they wouldn't be bottom. The difference between this, and the lazy fuckers who gave up against Arsenal is like night and day. Klopp needs to drum this fact into the players. We play against a different opposition, week after week. Anyway, try as you might, you still lost. Cunts. Up the table topping reds.

22 hamstring injuries

Fuck off you cheating fucking cunts. Yes, they miss out on two more games but the name of Manchester City should not adorn the European cup. That name sullies a great competition. Fuck off you cunts.

Work-rate. Incisiveness. Nous. I don't ask for much. This is how it's gonna be. Build from the ground up. We've fucked about enough against these lot this season (an several times in the last few years). A lack of cutting edge in the home game, and a chronic lack of concentration combined with plenty of complacency in the FA Cup tie last month, mean that we must get our shit together for this fixture, which has added importance if we are to remain ahead in the title race. We can't allow the likes of Rashford (who seems totally disinterested most of the time) look like Thierry Henry every time we rock up at the Theatre of Leaks. He's got such a weirdly shaped head by the way. I bet his silhouette profile looks like an American fire hydrant. They are apparently going to be without a number of defensive options for this game, so make that tell. Last season's fixture in August 2022 was a total shitshow. It started badly when we could have been a goal down within minutes had Elanga found the net rather than the upright. The defence had been cut open repeatedly and Trent was having a wretched time of it. We were second to everything, and soon enough the Mancs found the opener when Rashford again found space down the left and squared for Sancho. He still had a bit of work to do but managed to put a defender on his arse before having all the time in the world to place a shot past Ali from 10 yards out. Virg didn't cover himself in glory with his non-attempt to even block the effort. We could have equalised in comical circumstances but the Mancs managed to scramble the ball clear after hitting their own woodwork. Into the second half, and again we let Rashford have the freedom of Old Trafford to race clear and slot past Ali. A quick VAR check to draw the lines to make Rashford onside even though he was more off than on (compare that to the gnat's chuff level of detail we are routinely subjected to), and the goal was given. We had very little fight, but managed a consolation goal when Mo reacted quickest to De Gea's save from Fabio's effort following a corner. We looked a mile away from the 2021/22 side. At the time it was suggested that we were suffering a hangover from the previous season's efforts where we fell just short in the league and in Europe. As the season wore on it became more and more clear that the midfield stalwarts' legs had gone. Jurgen has, at the time of writing, got all the players who were available for selection against Sheffield United, plus Endo coming back. Ibou might be rested if his recovery from the assault last night needs a bit more time, in which case I'd expect Jarrel to step in. Trent and Diogo are probably ready to rejoin the first team in training for next week, so Conor should start, with Danns an option off the bench. Whoever we pick, I want us to be a lot more diligent and less open in the early stages, much more ruthless in any spells when we are clearly superior, and with absolutely none of the complacency evident in the FA Cup tie. Do the job to the level we are capable of. Maximum concentration, motivation, attitude and application from first minute to last. Three points please, although a brilliantly efficient and effective performance is more than welcome in addition. Get it done!

At my age watching my reds since 1971 i can get very reflective quicker after losing my shit, or worshiping at the Anfield Altar. For me the Title race is run, we will finish 2nd or 3rd. I will enjoy our run in and hope that whatever happens we give JNK something to enjoy, more moments he can look back on. Some will only want to reflect on the season once its over, for me personally that's too late,, Why? because he will be gone by then. Don't get me wrong i want us to win out and see what happens, I want to win the PL for him as much as the next fan, i am just relaxed about it whether it happens or not I look on it like this. Imagine just for a second Klopp was staying to see out his contract. Expectation and the desperation drops, we don't chase the Fairytale or the Hollywood ending, and after last seasons debacle he and the lads had to endure then deliver this: Much changed Squad, New Midfield additions Bajetic, Matip Thiago out all season. Literally EVERY player be missing through Injury for significant periods Encounter countless officiating errors that are beyond belief in key games Consistently give goals away either first or equalisers Only keep 9 clean sheets in 33 games..... Lose one of you strikers because some cunt kidnapped his father! BUT Win a trophy. You will flutter around at the top of the table, possibly winning the League, at least going close. After 33 games you will have only lost 2 Morally Discover that Kelleher is a really top class back up keepe See who this Quansah lad is that none of you had heard of, and how fckin good he is Emergence of Bradley which will see twitter virgins want Trent sold! See Dom look every inch the new Gerrard for a portion of the season when he carried us very early on. huge potential Endo after a shaky start work it out and became a cult hero and looks a fckin steal Macca at 6 now at 8 now doing what we expected him to do even though he looks knackered after a warm up! Joe Gomez being Injury free and fucking sensational every game wherever he played Robbo and Virgil getting their Mojo back The development of Danns, McConnell, and Clarke....... Just because we shit the bed twice v Man Utd (no lack of effort, just Composure and game management) and Palace at Home ("one of those that even City get") we are moping and groaning why? because Klopp is going. That is the only reason. The pressure and emotion we are putting on ourselves, its actually impacting negatively on the atmosphere sometimes when we want to celebrate a generational manager Klopp will be disappointed at the end of the season if we don't win the title, not for himself, but for us, the players, everyone he holds dear, which is why we are so desperate to win for him. I am trying to look at it from HIS perspective. If this very young squad can develop as they should, we are going to be in for a fantastic next few years, they are Klopp players he will get all the reflective glory and deservedly so. I for one am proud of the lads (still 5 to go) despite what happens, as i look around at the other Squads in the PL there is none as powerful and talented as ours, (when they are all fit). We are challenging them on their "Mentality" but they love Klopp as much as we do, we are ALL trying too hard, human nature. Take his departure out of this and what a fuckin squad we have, and what a season we have had given last season and the adversity this season. Look how thin City Squad is now, Chelsea's full of kids and big time knobheads, Arsenal, relatively lucky with Injuries but thin as fuck... We have world class players, we have young players who will be world class players. The sooner we get off the Fairytale train and get on board relishing and celebrating the young talent that is Klopp's legacy the sooner we can enjoy the last few weeks of him. We all want it for Him, but lets look at what we have achieved this season despite all the setbacks, Injuries, Officials, Finishing, Conceding... but lets celebrate what we have done, and relish what they could do in the next 5 years..... and go out celebrating the Man we will miss

Work-rate. Incisiveness. Nous. I don't ask for much. This is how it's gonna be. Build from the ground up. How do we treat this one? We made a right pig's ear of the first leg, making any potential progress in the Europa League the most unlikeliest of scenarios. Defend like we have been, and it's done. Attack like we have been, and it's done. So tightening up and sharpening up are key if we are to stage another European miracle. We've been 3-0 down at half time to some Italians before. Atalanta have been on the fringes of a Champions League place in Serie A all season, but though they are well-organised and pose an attacking threat, we made them look like cultured European heavyweights at times last week. It's not always thus. Our last visit to Bergamo, in November 2020, showcased us at our dominant and ruthless best. Diogo was a new addition to our attack, and he underlined just how much of a goal threat he can provide. He's such an unusual player and that in almost every aspect of attacking play, he doesn't seem to pass the eye test as elite level. And yet he is deceptively strong in the air, has a turn of pace, can dribble his way past defenders with no little skill, can pick out players in a better scoring position, and has a precision to his finishing that belies what often looks like a scruffy shooting technique. And he works his bollocks off. He bagged himself a hat-trick that night. His first came when an inch-perfect through ball by Trent allowed him to shrug off his marker and dink the keeper. His second came soon afterwards when Joe found him just inside the box on the left. He brought the ball down and cut inside the defender before firing low and hard inside the near post. We were flying, especially on the counter. Into the second half, and Mo got in on the act. It came from an Atalanta corner which we cleared. Curtis hammered the ball away into Mo's path, still in our own half, and he simply bombed forward, steadied himself, cut inside the defender and curled the ball into the far corner. You know what he's going to do, the defenders know what he's going to do, but back then they still had no answer for it. Sadio got the goal of the night when he was played in via another inch-perfect through ball. The keeper came flying out to narrow the angle, but Sadio dinked the ball over him and into the net anyway. Again, we've seen Sadio do that on many an occasion. There was still time for Sadio to pick out Diogo's run beyond a beleaguered Atalanta back line. The Portuguese rounded the keeper and rolled the ball into an empty net. 5-0 and we could have had more. However, for most of the last 10 minutes, we either switched off completely or Atalanta found another gear all of a sudden. They created some great chances and were unfortunate that Ali and/or the woodwork came to our rescue. I think we carried that sloppiness into the home fixture. It's hard to know if Atalanta will look to settle the tie early, or play to keep things cagey, hoping that we remain both porous on the counter and profligate in attack. As unlikely as a turnaround is, we have to go for it, and use the game as the first step towards righting the wrongs of the past month or so. I know we need to keep something back for the league (not least because we travel to Fulham and Everton over the next week), but that becomes a bigger challenge if we go into the final stages of the league campaign displaying the same frailties of recent weeks. Being out of Europe and fucking it up in the league would be such a dampener on Jurgen's farewell tour. Try everything we can to stay in Europe, and use it to re-energise the rest of the season. The start of the match in particular needs to be managed far better. Complacency, stupidity and zero hunger have no place at Liverpool FC. Maximum motivation, concentration, attitude and application from first minute to last. Make the semi finals and write another chapter in this club's storied history in European competition. Get it done!

Tell me, could you possibly be the same Liverpool Gladstone Trotter who, in 1992, fell down the cellar of Spartak Moscow, and received one hundred pounds compensation? I can’t remember that far back sir. Well, let’s try a more recent case then. Could you be the same Liverpool Gladstone Trotter who, in 1995, fell down the cellar of Brondby, and received a two hundred and twenty five pound out of court settlement? Me mind’s a blank! Maybe you were the same Liverpool Gladstone Trotter who, in 1997, fell down the cellar of Racing Strasbourg? How about Celta Vigo, or does Sporting Braga, ring a bell? Whilst we haven’t been more down holes than Tony Jacklin, boy have we made some huge fuck ups in the UEFA Cup/Europa League over the years. I actually researched the litany of exits listed above to make sure they were in the right order and it just made me shudder. And so, the cup match reporter returns for another outing – join me, Dan Thomas, as I try to pick apart the latest UEFA Cup/Europa League fiasco. I have been very dismissive of this competition over the course of the season, and I stand by everything I’ve said. The Europa League is laden with nothing teams as well as 5 or 6 really good ones. We have gotten to the quarter finals without even needing to go into first gear, we’ve been in neutral in fact. And the first time we’ve drawn a good team, we’ve got our arses handed to us on a silver platter. Assuming that is the last European action we see at Anfield under Klopp, it’s a grim way to end it. A really unfitting way for this glorious period to come to an end, drifting away into nothing. I have this down as being one of the worst performances during Jurgen’s time at the club. It’s definitely the most costly. Yes, I know it’s just five years since one of the greatest footballing miracles of all time when the mighty Barcelona were overwhelmed by a raucous Anfield. But this team is not that one – we will go to Bergamo next week, and we might win on the night. Will we go through? Not a chance for me – we simply aren’t playing well enough. Thursday night was a result in the post, a result that has been coming after a string of performances where we were just asking for it. Atalanta played the game perfectly – they contained us with ease after 20 minutes, quietened the crowd down from a quiet whisper to total silence and it’s comfortably their best result in European football. Fair play to them – they man marked us into nothing and got men forward when they had the ball. Gasperini is an experienced manager who knew exactly what he was going to set up to do and his team played it to perfection. They stitched us up a treat. Us on the other hand…. This would be a very brief match report if I used some suitable adjectives – and I have plenty in mind. However, let’s deep dive. Firstly, the atmosphere was dreadful. I wholeheartedly blame the owners for this. I think a second price rise in 12 months is crass, insensitive and reprehensible and has been communicated awfully. You’re already getting your two extra Champions League games next season – there’s your increase in revenue. Get in the sea. And anyone who is saying “it’s only £x” or “give me your ticket then” you can also get in the sea. The cost of living has not come down, bills haven’t come down, going to the match isn’t something we need to go up in price in addition to everything else. And to announce this after that scandalous United result and before a home quarter final. Some real thinking, that. Boneheads. The atmosphere was flat before the game and during it and it’s of no surprise. The club have to own that. I do also think there was some complacency from fans as well – it didn’t feel like a quarter final at any point. It frankly had the feel of a group game when you’ve already qualified with a game to spare. Flat, passionless, barely above a whisper for the majority of the game. We were just awful from start to finish. We were lucky to not go behind inside of three minutes when Kelleher made a great save with his face. I thought it was a foul on Elliott personally but it wouldn’t have been overturned had they scored. Kelleher did all he could – make himself as big as possible, use his body as a goalkeeping glove, and kept it out with his grid. It was another slow start, the same as the Sheffield United game when we could have been behind inside of 5 minutes. It is a pattern, it badly needs addressing, and we will not achieve the heights we can until this absolute plague has been cut right out. We did actually recover from that terrible start, apart from Kostas who had his worst game for the club – possibly the worst game of his entire career in fact. He was so bad he could have been substituted at half time twice – once to get brought on and once to get taken straight off. He was wretched. Again though, it was final ball and decision making that let us down. Gakpo, who I thought was our best player by a mile in the first half, was lively on that left hand side and he could have put Elliott in but didn’t get his head up. Now that I am thinking and looking back, we actually created a few chances at 0-0. Nunez went through and inexplicably stuck it wide. I haven’t seen it back (and I never will) but did he kick the ball onto his own foot or something? It went well, well wide and I was expecting a lovely little clip over the keeper into the net a la Brentford. And from that moment, we barely created a better chance. This is just who Darwin is unfortunately – you don’t know what you’re going to get and this match was one of those days where nothing went right. Elliott did hit the bar and post with a great effort cutting in from the right, really unlucky and it did start to feel like we were building up a head of steam. And then bam, behind. We lost possession far too easily, Atalanta countered quickly and Scamacca’s shot squirmed through Kelleher and in answer to the age old thing, yes “Alisson saves that.” The manner of the goal was frustrating as much as it was concerning – they cut through us way too easily. We nearly went further behind after Kelleher gave the ball away too easily but he atoned for it with a good save as the impressive Koopmeiers closed in on goal. We got to the break and the word “ragged” was being thrown around at half time as well as “disrespectful” and “arrogant.” The sentiment around me was that we should have gone full strength to try and finish the game off and then make changes. Whilst we rotated, I had the team that we put out as capable of winning the match. But we played so poorly the whole thing has spectacularly backfired. You could in theory have made 11 changes at half time. Well, 10, no situation can be saved by bringing Adrian on. As it turns out, it was Tsimikas, Jones and Elliott were the ones who were taken off. Tsimikas was the worst player on the pitch by a mile, Jones has not looked sharp since returning from injury and I think Elliott was a bit unlucky to be honest. But with Salah on the pitch we’ll make at least 5 or 6 chances for him to miss, right? Wrong! We did start the second half well and were pressing for an equaliser. We should have had it as well but Nunez lifted it over the bar. Again. Very frustrating because that puts us right back in it and Atalanta don’t have experience of Anfield on the up with the Reds pursuing a winner. I think we’d have rolled them over. We then got sucker punched. We weren’t building up a head of steam don’t get me wrong, but we were definitely on the front foot and then Atalanta broke down the right, De Ketelaere just stayed onside and swung an absolute peach of a ball across. All Scamacca had to do was guide it with his foot – Kelleher was flat footed and had no chance. Tidy finish, great ball in. 2-0 and getting towards famous European night in the second leg territory. It also caused all of the Atalanta fans in the Upper Kenny to celebrate and cause the usual trouble. I have no idea why that happens but it does in every European home game. It just ends with a load of stewards standing around their fans. But I digress. As that goal went in, Darwin went off. I have no idea if that was pre-planned or what, but bringing Nunez off when you need a goal is not what I’d be doing. As frustrating as his finishing can be, he looks like he is going to make something happen at all times. Diaz came on and played with plenty of endeavour but there was just nothing in and around him. It was such a flat performance we were lucky to end up with 0. Salah was unlucky though, his shot forced the keeper into a good save. We then had the ignominy of a Dejan Lovren moment. The SHOOOOOOOOT dickheads in the crowd got their way as the ball fell to Joe Gomez outside the box. Instead of trying to lift the ball back into the packed box, Gomez decided to blaze it into the Kop. Yet again, playing Joe Gomez’ Shooting Challenge. May I suggest a cross into the box? You have selected POWER DRIVE! Ball is in THE KOP. Would you like to play again? You have selected NO. That just summed the game up, it was a terrible decision when much better options were available. That’s the story of our last month really, since that FA Cup game. We are wasting chance after chance, or not creating a chance because of making a terrible decision. It’s going to kill us if we don’t sort it. Not that I am blaming Joe Gomez for that. I will blame the knobheads in the crowd shouting SHOOOOOOOOOOT though. At 2-0 down in the first leg, you’ve always got a chance. Given the absolute state of how we played, I’d have been happy to take 2-0 and get back to Bergamo still in the tie. It briefly looked like we’d go back at 2-1 but Salah just went too soon – and I don’t think he needed to. He did look just off as the ball went in and I spotted the flag right away – a long time before several people around me did. Jota came on with 15 minutes left and the first thing he did was win a free kick on the edge of the box. But the reality of the situation is that we were putting way too much expectation on someone coming back from months out injured. The fact he’s back for the run in is a bonus full stop as I was worried he was gone for the season. Atlanta should have scored a third before they did, with Koopmeiers firing a good chance across the goal and someone missed a great chance with a header. But it didn’t matter in the end, they were rewarded for the way they set up and the way they played with a third. Ederson (not the dipshit with the neck tattoo) was afforded way too much time to shoot, and Kelleher could only parry the ball into the path of Pasalic who gleefully tapped in. Game over. Tie over? Almost certainly. As the third went in, commence Operation Anfield Exodus. And I don’t blame anyone – but that is as big a mass exit as I’ve seen and as far as the performance goes it was well deserved. It was an absolute shambles – we had the chances for it to be 3-0 the other way but didn’t take them, we shipped a couple of awful goals and it is just a terrible way for Jurgen to sign off in European football at Anfield. You could not rule out us going out there pissed off, fired up and winning 5-0. We’ve done exactly that in the last 3 years. But for me, we’re not playing well enough, we have key players out of form at the exact wrong time and we will end up going out. Star man? The full time whistle. But our “best” player on the night was arguably Gakpo and that is up for discussion because he fell off a cliff second half. Team: Kelleher; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas (Robertson); Endo (Jota), Jones (Szoboszlai), Mac Allister; Elliott (Salah), Nunez (Diaz), Gakpo: View full article

The draw isn't the issue, you'd have probably taken that given the context and location, the issue is having them by the balls and instead of squeezing, you turn around and pull your pants down. Winners don't do that.

Work-rate. Incisiveness. Nous. I don't ask for much. This is how it's gonna be. Build from the ground up. Note the kick-off time. Also note that the clocks go forward by 1 hour on Sunday. It's all club football now until the end of the season following the latest needless international break. I understand that international coaches want to have time with their players as they plan their squads for the Euros, but these games are usually a mish-mash with loads of players dropping out, others getting a game due to recent form/hype, and the debut of a new kit or two. More importantly, these games come at exactly the point where clubs look to knuckle down for the business end of the season. In our case, we always seem to lose a player or two in completely avoidable circumstances. Look how many City and Arsenal players have either cried off or picked up a 'knock' in the last week or so. No doubt they will be 100% come the weekend. The corresponding fixture last season was De Zerbi's first game in charge, after Graham Potter left to take up the big money and set up his peculiar brand of controlling football but no goals at Chelsea. At this point it's a wonder why Boehly and co. just didn't buy Brighton rather than Chelsea, given that they've single-handedly ensured that Brighton don't fall foul of PSR. Jurgen's Reds were sloppy all day at the back (none more so than Trent) so whatever we did at the back was negated by our defensive frailties and lack of energy in midfield. Trossard had put Brighton 2-0 up in the first half, and we got one back before half time through Bobby, but only after a lengthy VAR check. Bobby danced through in the second half to find an equaliser, and we had our tails up for the first time all day. We took the lead when Brighton keeper Sanchez made a right hash of punching away a corner kick. The ball ricocheted off Webster into his own net. We should have used the momentum to make certain of the points, but more sloppy defending led to Trossard firing in his third for a hat-trick. 3-3 it finished, and Brighton were full value for that. Under their Italian coach, they've largely resolved the issue with a lack of goals that Potter never managed to rectify, and they've done it with most of the same squad plus a few more previously unheralded players. They struggled to balance domestic and European commitments earlier this season, but now they only have the league to focus on. Two players that have been a thorn in our side, Mitoma and March, will both be absent with long-term injuries, and they have doubts over the availability of Joao Pedro (who's scored a lot of goals, mainly from the penalty spot, this season) plus Big Game James, who might miss out on a return to face his former club. They use Estupinan and Lamptey for width, and Adingra has emerged as Sadio-lite in recent months. Not just the streak in his hair, but the mix of pace, strength and goal threat from out wide is very reminiscent of our former No10. For us, Robbo is a concern after twisting his ankle in midweek against Northern Ireland. Curtis, Trent and Diogo might be available again. We've heard nothing about Ali so I expect him to be unavailable. Joel and Thiago I don't think we will see again this season. Mo and Darwin didn't feature for their national sides this week. Hopefully we are starting to see an easing of the availability issues that have hampered us in recent months. While it has provided opportunities and experience for the Academy lads, you still need know-how at this stage of the season. Hopefully the training sessions this week are fruitful and effective in getting us prepared and into the right mode for the run-in, as we still have 2 trophies to compete for. City and Arsenal face each other this weekend so there will be dropped points either way. We have a great chance to capitalise, but we will require maximum motivation, concentration, attitude and application from first minute to last, as always. 3 points please. Get it done!

David Coote over here.

Liverpool enjoyed 83.1% possession in tonight’s match, a record by a team in a Premier League match since Opta began recording this data in 2003-04. Manchester United were leading at 99 minutes and 17 seconds, the latest a side have ever led in a Premier League match and gone on to lose. THAT is a good day of football.

Can we stop with this 'humiliate' pish. Let's just get the 3pts by hook or by crook & leave the mouthing off to those cunts.

Work-rate. Incisiveness. Nous. I don't ask for much. This is how it's gonna be. Build from the ground up. After a much improved display and decent result at Fulham, we move onto the second of 4 away games in succession (the first being the trip to Bergamo) when we visit the 'Grand Old Lady'. Like a grand old lady, it's seen better days decades ago and now stinks of piss. Countless times this season, Everton have come up against an equally shit opponent, dragged them down to their level and beaten them through experience. They and Ashley Young got a massive helping hand against Forest, who were denied 3 penalties. Forest's cry-arsing statement afterwards will not have helped their cause, as PGMOL don't take kindly to being called out for their shitness. They of course think they are doing a great job, and are backed up by Howard Webb's book of bullshit excuses. It seems as though every time Everton are staring at the abyss, there will either be 3 sides shitter than them, or they'll come up against an opponent having a stinker. We are absolutely not the former, and we absolutely must not allow ourselves to be the latter. Last season's fixture finished goalless, mainly thanks to the woodwork (the goalposts in this instance!) and the goalkeepers. For us, Darwin, Lucho and Mo all hit the frame of the goal, and for them it was Davies. The goalkeepers were kept busy, although the clearest opportunity fell to Everton debutant Maupay who somehow found Ali's arm when he had pretty much the entire goal to aim at. Bobby had a couple of efforts saved, and was still yet to score in a derby. Incredible really that for the best part of 8 years he was the central fulcrum of our attack yet never registered a goal in a derby. The blooshite were denied a late goal by VAR, who deemed Coady to be offside at the far post from a Maupay cross-shot. This was a far more clear-cut decision than the 'point of Sadio's elbow' decision by David Coote on VAR a couple of years earlier that denied Hendo a stoppage time derby winner (this was the game where Coote forgot that Virg had been recklessly crippled by T-Rex Arms). Fuck off Coady. We'd had a shit start to the season, especially away from home, so a point was better than nothing. Still shit though, considering Fat Frank was in the dugout for the blooshite. Our last game at Fulham saw an improvement in our general play, and more composure in attacking situations. We must do everything we can to get this game under control. Don't do anything that lets Everton off the hook or gives them a head of steam. Hopefully Everton's good fortune was used up against Forest. We should have everyone that was available for Fulham available again for the derby. I want maximum motivation, concentration, attitude and application from first minute to last. No excuses. Dominate them, control them, finish them. 3 points please. Get it done!

Good stuff, Dave. For me, Gakpo has really stepped up. His speciality is picking up the ball on the edge of the attacking third, turning and bursting forward through tight spaces. We need to use that better with the movement ahead of him. He can then install himself as the Bobby replacement, linking the last phase of attack. On your excellent point (made on the pod, too) about the "moment" the ball is played during a VAR check, this is absolutely crucial. If my memory is correct, there are 24 frames per second in digital video. If you filmed a foot kicking a ball, the "contact" will cover virtually all 24 frames - and sometimes more, depending on the type of strike. Now, when two people are running (sometimes in opposite directions, so, unscientifically "twice" the speed!) the offside line shifts massively in a split second. So, the moment the "pause" button is pressed is VITAL. Yet, pundits and journalists never seem to talk about it! There is an arbitrary "press pause there" mumbled by the VAR, and then the lines are the only thing that is analysed! But if a few frames are rewound of moved forward - the boot will still be in contact with the ball ("the moment the ball is played") yet the lines will be in completely different places. VAR is a shambles and it has had a detrimental effect on the sport. Lastly, I just wanted to mention that Alisson corner. My mate used to referee in a Christian league. He loved it. Yes it was physical and competitive, but when it came down to contentious decisions, it was so easy because nobody cheated - if you touched the ball last you admitted it. Sometimes they'd be so honest that there's be a disagreement: "Mate, I did touch it, it's a corner." / "No, you didn't, I did, it's a goal kick..." I couldn't help but think of that league when I saw Alisson touch that ball over. Everything about him wanted the ref to give a corner. So, I think almost subconsciously, he took the goal kick he never wanted to a daft place when our players weren't even in the right positions. I'm not saying he wanted it to result in a goal, but he was defo uncomfortable with gaining an unfair advantage and was prepared to conceded possession. His heart belongs to Jesus, and there's nothin we can do about it!

Wife and daughter are out, so made souvlaki and chips for me and the boy. Slow cooked lamb leg and various accoutrements.

Work-rate. Incisiveness. Nous. I don't ask for much. This is how it's gonna be. Build from the ground up. It's pretty hard to motivate myself to start a match thread after such a chastening evening for the team the night before. Can sort of imagine how Dave must feel when he has to write match reports and other content when you feel so dispirited. They do say though that the best way to get over a setback is to clear your head and get back on the bike. This game, like nearly all of our remaining league fixtures for however long we last in the Europa League, takes place on a Sunday. And boy oh boy do we need to get back on the bike. That said, last year's corresponding fixture saw us in similar form to this past week. It was also a microcosm of our malaise until the last couple of months of the season, as we were too easy to open up at the back. while lacking precision and ruthless efficiency up front. For all our possession football, we struggled to create real chances. Mo fired wide from inside the box, and Darwin was played in only to mishit his effort which bounced off the far post and stayed out. Then we got sucker-punched when Eze got between 2 of our players too easily on halfway and played a ball into Zaha's run. The Ivorian had stayed onside and had space and time to pick his spot, firing his effort into the far corner. The game's biggest talking point came in the second half when Darwin was goaded into retaliating by Palace defender Andersen, who duly hit the deck after being shot. Officials are like WWE refs in these situations, only looking at the retaliatory act rather than the cause. Actually, that's not quite an accurate comparison, and besides, I used to love Eddie Guerrero's shenanigans when the ref's back was turned or if he just so happened to have been 'accidentally' floored. Tierney was the ref, and Darwin was made to walk. His home debut was a dud and it's fair to say he's never really taken off after that. We did eventually get an equaliser, and what a goal it was too. Lucho picked up the ball in his customary left wing spot and dribbles his way through and around 3 or 4 weary Palace legs before hitting a rocket past the Palace keeper. We have seen similar goals from the likes of Sadio and Phil. Anyway, a point only as we continued our winless start to the season. Palace replaced Hodgson with Oliver Glasner a couple of months ago. I don't really know how he's got on as from what I can tell, Palace's general results have followed a familiar trajectory. I know Eze has been in and out with injury issues, and I think Olise is out long term. Whatever they've got, we can't allow them to show it. The crowd may get nervous and edgy if we don't start sharply, but my hope is that the players are so angered by what happened against the Mancs and Atalanta that they want to make every opponent pay for it. Starting with Palace. We've been getting players back from injury, but one or two that have played a lot recently are showing signs of mental fatigue. Those guys need a rest so the ones coming in are hopefully ready. Whoever is selected to start and be on the bench needs to be right up for the fight. I want ruthless efficiency and precision in attack, I want the midfield to dominate and I want the defence to be controlled and impenetrable. That requires maximum motivation, concentration, attitude and application from first minute to last. 3 points please. Get it done!

In The Shiraz. Solid GF recommendation. No complaints whatsoever.

Dave touched on it recently and it got a full airing in this podcast: what defines the Klopp era is the home form. My record in games I've been at under Klopp is P35 W28 D7 L0 F100 A27. That doesn't tell the whole story though. Only once did Liverpool take the lead and fail to win, and that was the 5-5 draw with Arsenal in the League Cup that was won on penalties. Most incredibly though, they've gone behind 13 times in those games. 13! The consensus yesterday was that the Man City-Arsenal game was dogshit viewing, Mr Freedom-For-Catalonia-Slavery-For-Abu-Dhabi and his (footballing) protege stinking the place out with their forensic view of the game. Chris seemed a little awkward about saying it has been a privilege to get to see so many games with Klopp as the manager. I'm quite unabashed about it. It's been such a thrill, and when things go to shit (relatively speaking) in the next few years, I'm determined that I'll view this period as a case of 'tis better to have loved and lost' than marinating in misery.

If I wasn't so certain he's going to Madrid next year I'd agree. If this time next year he's turning down Madrid to stay at Leverkusen then yeah, good on him. He won't though. Hasn't got the balls to take the job now when we need him, he should never be offered the chance again.

My sister did my nephews easter egg presentation competition. He's 4 and at nursery. He won but only on the basis that all the others had clearly been done by parents but my nephews was clearly done by a young child. She spent 4 hours on it.

We’ve been accepted onto IVF and have our first proper appointment tomorrow. She’s been on a health kick for months, no booze and barely any carbs so has been a right pain in the arse. A few weeks ago she came back from a dog walk banging on about some woman she’d met in the park who she got talking to about angel healing and all sorts of earth and crystal stuff. This afternoon she’s just been to an appointment with her. 90 minutes of massage, oils, soothing sounds etc. apparently the woman has told her she can see us having twins etc. She’s just brought this home and is now convinced not only that it will work but that we’re having twins because some ex-pillhead turned spiritual guide has told her. Whatever works I guess

People need to stop with the ifs, buts and maybes - City may or may not win the league, they may or may not have a better chance if they go out tonight. But fuck me, I don't want them picking up another European Cup. Get them out!

Apple Podcasts giving a transcript these days. @Paul outburst captured perfectly.

It's the only reason he scored. And they still lost.

Watching this game back, with the benefit of replays etc, confirmed that the performance of the officials was, if anything, worse than it seemed in the stadium at the time. It was the best example of applying different rules to each team - or at least different thresholds for the challenges. If it was even handed we’d have had 2 penalties. The faint arm by Mac on the shoulder was nowhere near as much of a foul as the tug on Darwin moments earlier. Likewise, Mo going down over Dunk’s legs in front of the Kop was more of a foul than the similar challenge by Mac seconds later on Baleba(?) in midfield. Neither were fouls but it’s the lack of consistency and even-handedness. And how come linos can spot a big toe being offside (Diaz here, Mo at OT), yet that cunt on Sunday didn’t spot that Dunk was well offside for that header which Kelleher pushed away for a corner… which could have led to a goal, which then would have counted. An extension of the death from a thousand cuts which certain refs deploy against us was on display here….. giving us a non-existent advantage when we clearly would get more benefit from a free kick. Taylor does this…. against Newcastle, when he should have given us a free kick and given Joelinton a second yellow. Instead he gave us ‘advantage’ when we had 2 attackers versus their five defenders and the momentum had gone. Quansah and Bradley brilliant again. I’ve said before, the difference between Bradley and Trent is that the former clearly enjoys the defensive work, relishes it, whereas it looks like a chore for Trent, a necessary evil but he’d rather spend his time pinging passes. Mac Allister - complete performance, excelling in every aspect of the midfield role.

Not enough is being made of how we pulled a top tier centre back out of the U21’s and everyone just accepts it like it’s not a thing. Quansah has had a brilliant season.

With no Alonso, definitely Eva Olid. The work she’s done as Hearts women’s manager makes her the standout candidate.

All of this new manager talk is leaving me just cold and non-plussed. I don't think I'll be excited about anyone. Even if it's Alonso, it'll be like getting a step dad. I mean, yeah, he's a nice bloke and he'll look after your mum and that. But it's still not your dad, your dad is leaving you, and your family isn't gonna feel like it did. I dunno, I feel like with everything going on with the oil clubs skewing everything, VAR, the referring, the constant international football breaks, the fucking horrendous bantah and poverty/tragedy chanting... this might be a natural way just to let it all drift out of my heart a bit.

1988 – The Dollywood Foundation Parton originally launched the organization in her home county of Sevier County, Tennessee, with the goal of decreasing high school drop out rates. She then started the Buddy Program, in which Parton gave $500 to every seventh and eighth grader who finished high school. According to the organization, the initiative was successful and the dropout rate declined from 35 percent to just 6 percent. 1989 – $500 scholarship Parton offered a $500 scholarship to every student in Sevier County who wished to attend Hiwassee College. 1991 – Eagle Mountain Sanctuary at Dollywood The 30,000-square-foot aviary managed by the American Eagle Foundation shelters the largest collection of “non-releasable” bald eagles. Parton’s efforts to preserve the bald eagle earned her the Partnership Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2003. 1995 – Imagination Library The Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library began sending one book per month to each enrolled child in Sevier County from birth until their first year of school. The library was founded in honor of Parton’s father, who was unable to read. As of now has given away 224,000,000 books. 2000 – The Dolly Parton Scholarship Every year, the $15,000 college scholarship is offered to five high school seniors in Sevier County, Tennessee. According to the Dollywood Foundation, the scholarship is awarded to those who “have a dream they wish to pursue and who can successfully communicate their plan and commitment to realize their dreams.” 2007 – Benefit concert for new Sevier County hospital The concert raised $500,000, and both Dollywood and Parton’s Dixie Stampede dinner theater pledged $250,000 each to the project, for a total of $1 million. LeConte Medical Center, the new hospital and cancer center in Sevier County, opened in 2010 and features a 30,000-square-foot Dolly Parton Center for Women’s Services. 2016 – Telethon after devastating East Tennessee wildfires The Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund, which aimed to help residents hit hardest in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, raised more than $13 million. Chris Stapleton, Chris Young, Kenny Rogers, Lauren Alaina, Alison Krauss, Reba McEntire, Cyndi Lauper and more appeared at the event. 2016 – My People Fund To continue her wildfire relief efforts, Parton launched the My People Fund, which provided $1,000 a month for six months to families whose homes were completely destroyed amid the natural disaster. The fund also donated around $8.9 million to those in need. The initiative still helps residents pay for rent and utilities, plus food and mental health resources. 2016 – Special Merit Scholarship Parton awarded a $30,000 scholarship to two-year-old Evey Johns in celebration of Imagination Library’s accomplishment of shipping out one million books per month. 2017 – $1 million donation Following the release of her I Believe in You children’s album, Parton donated $1 million to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in honor of her niece, who was treated for leukemia at that hospital. 2020 – Coronavirus efforts Parton donated $1 million to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University, which helped fund Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna’s vaccine is 94.5% effective against coronavirus, according to early data. 2021 – Middle Tennessee Flooding Relief Parton and her Smoky Mountain businesses raised $700,000 to help residents impacted by the catastrophic flooding in Middle Tennessee in October 2021. Parton chose United Way of Humphreys County to receive and distribute the donation at the suggestion of her friend and fellow country music legend Loretta Lynn. 2022 – Dollywood Education Coverage The Dollywood Co. announced in February 2022 that it will cover 100% of tuition, fees and books for any employee who is furthering their education. The investment in employee education was made via Herschend Enterprises, Dollywood’s operating partner. The program is available to all seasonal, part-time and full-time employees at Dollywood Parks & Resorts. Herschuend’s GROW U. offers more than 100 fully funded diploma, degree and certificate programs with 30 learning partners in areas including business administration and leadership, culinary, finance, technology and marketing. The company also provides partial funding — up to $5,250 per year — for 150 additional programs in fields including hospitality, engineering, human resources and more. Employees can enroll in the program on their first day of employment. 2022 – Pediatric Infectious Disease Research Donation Parton made yet another $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville in June 2022, this time aimed at helping pediatric infectious disease research. The donation will aid Vanderbilt’s Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases to continue its effort in understanding how viruses and bacteria cause disease, understanding and preventing resistance to antibiotics, diagnosing and treating infections in children with cancer and more. 2022 – Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Parton received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2022. The award, presented by the international family of Carnegie institutions to honor innovative philanthropists, debuted in 2001 and is normally awarded every two years. It was not issued in 2021 due to the pandemic. And many, many more. Fell free to add your own. She could also knock up a decent tune and sing a bit...

This team is done and probably has been for some time. It's tragic that what was an absolutely magnificent side, probably one of the best ever put together, with Mane, Firminho and Salah, didn't win more because of the oil cheats. This lot have given up, part of that is on Klopp, he looks checked out to me too, and he's lost a lot of authority over lads like Salah it would seem. I can forgive a Liverpool side a lot, fuck knows we've seen some shite ones down the years, but putting in these kinds of performances against the mancs and the shite is unforgivable frankly.

Doesn't help our league chances but always nice to see those cheating cunts lose, especially in the champions league.

Dave's talk of this all being part of the narrative is a lovely idea. If this was a Hollywood movie this would definitely be the part where everything looks bleak and hopeless for the protagonists. In the movie Klopp and the players would at about this point learn some important life lesson which would help them finish the movie triumphant.. There would be a joyful final scene in which they paraded the premier league trophy through the streets of Liverpool in front of millions of happy fans and then one final still of Klopp rising his fist in triumph to the crowd (with maybe a brief cut scene to chief antagonist Pep Guardiola miserably watching the scenes on TV at City's training ground and then turning his fury on Howard Webb who stands quivering in front of his desk, demanding to know how Webb's PGMOL gimps allowed this to happen). Unfortunately, as we've seen before, the Premier League doesn't seem to do happy Hollywood endings. The only lessons ever learned are bleak ones. The bad guys always win and never face any consequences for their actions. This all just seems to be shaping up to be another really shitty ending in which, even if we somehow sort ourselves out again and win all our remaining games, City just mechanically tick off win after win while friendly officials step in to help out if things are ever in danger of getting a bit dicey for them Football is really shit sometimes. Thanks for the pod. I feel pretty much the same. Not angry, just disappointed. This hasn't happened through lack of effort or desire, but the pressure has definitely got to most of the players. Sometimes strengths become weaknesses if not used wisely, and passion and desire just seem to have turned into desperation in the past week for this club.

I'm not sure what Robbo has said wrong here, basically saying the players made the crowd anxious "I'm not sure. The crowd were anxious today, and rightly so the way we were passing the ball, giving it away and giving chances. Maybe we reacted to that. Maybe players who aren't as experienced at being in a title race. Some of the shithouse calls, are a bit well, shithouse. We've ran out of steam, and players are tired. It happens.

Sunday morning.

2 points, fucking VAR has cost us more than that this season.

Dave Of The Dead. If I ever find myself barricaded in the Winchester I want Dave there with his putter.

Honestly, I've been wondering this - the sheer size of Klopp is one of his assets. In western cultures, like it or not, big people always have an advantage over smallies. (I'm a smally and I'm telling myself this is the reason I've never got to the top. For me, it's certainly more pertinent than my caustic personality, sallow social presence, poor dress dress and questionable personal hygiene.)

Angry Bird

Zoned out of all this new manager stuff but I read The Athletic article today. Apparently this fella is a big personality and players love him. That’s half the battle won. You need a bit of that. Look at the league now. Klopp, Guardiola, Arteta. All dominant managers who transcend their clubs really. Even Emery and that fat twat at Spurs. Cult of personality.