TLW

After a rare free week from competitive action, Liverpool head to the South Coast to take on Brighton on Saturday afternoon. It has been anything but a happy new year for the Reds so far 2023 with a poor showing against Brentford and then lucky to walk away with a replay against Wolves in the third round of the FA Cup. Now they face a team who has given them a great deal of difficulties in recent meetings. Like any team with a progressive identity, Brighton have evolved over the years from a team with a backs against the wall mentality under Chris Hughton to a team full of technical quality and players that rival teams covet a great deal. From the outside, it looks like the Seagulls have not missed a beat with Roberto De Zerbi taking over from Graham Potter and telling his players to aim for the stars which has harnessed a new belief. Scott from @weareBrighton explains that what at first seemed to be an uncertain time has actually become a change for the better and talks about why Brighton are a desirable club for young players to evolve their game. Last time we spoke Graham Potter was in charge and putting his stamp on the club, which seemed to be a pleasant change from the dour Football of Chris Hughton. However his departure to Chelsea seemed acrimonious to say the least. What were your thoughts on how that transpired and if you have been impressed with the work of Roberto De Zerbi at this point of time? If Potter had have just gone and taken his own coaching team with him, most Brighton fans would have wished him well. Instead, he and Chelsea waved enough money under the nose of Albion stalwarts like Bruno and Ben Roberts to convince them to up sticks as well. Chelsea then bought our head of recruitment Paul Winstanley and were instantly linked with Leandro Trossard, Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo, Robert Sanchez, the cleaner at the training ground, our mascot Gully and the bloke who drives the team bus. Having already signed Marc Cucurella in the summer, it felt like Chelsea were assett stripping the Albion of everything. That is where the animosity has come from and it hasn't been helped by some bizarre comments from Potter like "I don't owe Brighton fans an apology" and "I'd have stayed at Brighton if I wanted an easy life." Having said all that, the whole episode has been made rather enjoyable by the Albion appointing better head coach in De Zerbi whilst Potter flounders at Chelsea. De Zerbi plays much more attacking football and in the space of four months has managed to sort out the problem of putting the ball in the back of net which plagued Potter for most of his three seasons. He has also managed to connect with the fans in a way no boss since Gus Poyet has managed. Everyone is very excited about what the future holds under him and rightly so. Until Chelsea sack Potter and appoint De Zerbi, at least. Brighton has made an artform of scouting players in places where other mid table (and some top six clubs) just do not look. As far as you know, what is the process that goes into searching for players such as Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister? Recruitment is very data driven, used analytics tools which chairman Tony Bloom developed for his Starlizard betting company. It is no coincidence that Brighton and Brentford are so strong when it comes to recruitment when both are owned by those who have worked successfully in the professional gambling industry using mathematics and algorithms. Brighton is also willing to put in the legwork to sign players from South America which others aren't. Manchester United could have purchased Caicedo before the Albion but found the complex web of third party ownership too much to cut through. One United official infamously described it as "a clusterf**k". Well, that clusterf**k secured Brighton one of the best young players in world football for £4.5 million. Further on Mac Allister, it must be pretty cool to have a World Cup winner in your squad. And the clip of him returning to the club was really well done, a true sign of a strong bond within the squad. How likely is it that you hold onto him for another season at least? Brighton won't stand in a player’s way when it comes to a sale, as long as the buying club meets the asking price. That is why we are seeing so many good young players come to the Albion - they know it is a fantastic place to develop, put themselves in the shop window and if they do enough to earn a move, they will be allowed to take it. Mac Allister will be no different. If somebody comes in during the summer and pays what Bloom wants, then he will probably go. Whilst it would be nice to keep him, nobody would begrudge him a move. He's a world champion, a fantastic player and most important of all a really good bloke with a fantastic attitude. While Brighton have managed to get good return when selling players, what do you believe is the next step to truly establish yourself as a consistent top eight club. Do you think you have the pieces in place or are some more adjustments and additions required? I think the next piece in the jigsaw is already in place - De Zerbi. Potter had Brighton on the periphery of the top eight but without scoring more goals and being able to overcome sides who sat back and defended, the Albion were going to struggle to get much higher. De Zerbi has changed the playing style slightly, got us scoring goals and is instilling a winning mentality. Potter used to talk about Burnley and Norwich as being fantastic teams Brighton did well to take a point from; De Zerbi has told fans to dream of Europe. You can see that attitude rubbing off on the players. Your club with its possession-based style of football has been easy on the eye in recent times but sometimes not received its due reward in terms of the final result. Having scored 12 goals in your last three victories, do you think De Zerbi and his staff have found the solution? Well, Brighton have scored more goals than any other Premier League side over the past six matches, so it certainly looks that way! The likes of Solly March and Adam Lallana couldn't score for love nor money under Potter and now they are finding the net regularly. De Zerbi has introduced Kaoru Mitoma, who looks like being the next Albion player to spark significant interest. And in Evan Ferguson, he may have found an internal solution to the lack of goal scoring striker in the squad. In the last five fixtures with the Reds, you have only tasted defeat on one occasion (with 3 draws and 1 win). What do you think Brighton does that unsettles Liverpool? Brighton just seem to play better against the stronger sides. The Albion have an equally good record against Arsenal and Manchester United and there was obviously the 4-1 humiliation of Chelsea. European Super League Elite Six sides attack when they play Brighton and that has always played into the Albion's hands, certainly under Potter. It has been against sides battling relegation that the Seagulls have tended to struggle. Adam Lallana took over as temporary Player-Manager after the departure of Potter. That sort of senior leadership is invaluable in uncertain times. How is the former Red regarded by the Brighton faithful? Lallana was helping out our Under 23s coach Andrew Crofts who was put in temporary charge when Potter walked. The passing of The Queen meant they never had to manage a Premier League match. When Lallana was signed on a three-year deal, it was clearly with a view to keeping him at the Amex as a coach once he retires. Having said that, he's been enjoying his best run of games and form since De Zerbi arrived. Potter loved using players in different positions and for Lallana, that meant playing as a six one week, an eight the next, and a 10 the next. De Zerbi has used Lallana exclusively as a 10 in a 4-2-3-1 and it's led to something of an Indian summer. He's scoring goals and setting them up like its 2016 again. What is your prediction for this fixture? An entertaining 2-2 draw. And Liverpool to bid £80 million for Caicedo when you all see how good he is. View full article

The impressive performances of Leighton Clarkson north of the border have caught the eye of Championship clubs who are keen to take on loan for the rest of the season. The 21 year-old academy graduate is certainly having his most substantial impact at senior level with Aberdeen in the Scottish premiership this season. To date, the midfielder has made 19 appearances and scored five goals in all competitions including a couple of stunning strikes. While it is important that Clarkson is getting regular game time, it is the impact that he is regularly making to his side which is a exciting development. And with consistent talk about evolving the Liverpool midfield, if he keeps on this trajectory there may be a spot for him in the senior squad down the road. Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin recently spoke about Clarkson’s progress and sees his potential. “We are really pleased with the progress he is making and Liverpool have kept really close tabs on him. They are delighted with his continued development, playing week in week out in the Scottish Premiership. “He has been one of our better, more consistent players of the season. Leighton gives us that little creativity in the middle of the pitch. "He is growing and growing from strength to strength I believe. Liverpool are delighted and are not looking to bring him back.” And when young players catch the eye, naturally other clubs become alerted and that is the case with Clarkson with Reading, West Brom and QPR very keen to the chase to bring him to the Championship this month according to Football insider. If this occurs, the Dons loan will be terminated and an arrangement made with his new club. It is a decision that has to be made in the best interests of the player. Clarkson is naturally well settled at Aberdeen and incredibly well regarded by coaching staff and fans alike. On the flip side, the Championship is widely regarded as one of the most challenging leagues in Europe, and basically if you pass the physical test as a emerging player, that is a major tick in the right direction. In terms of Clarkson himself, he may see a chance of returning to the Championship as the ultimate way of assessing his game and proving a point. Last season at Blackburn, he did not really get a look in only making seven appearances and despite the North-West club wanting to hold onto him, the player made the call. “They wanted me to stay but I couldn’t go through a year of not playing which is why I went back to the under-23s to get to grips with playing football again and get my fitness back. “I could have stayed and sat on the bench for a year but I didn’t want to. I wanted to play men’s football and managed to get a good loan (to Aberdeen). This shapes as another important decision for the club to make this month. View full article

Cody Gakpo says he will be able to adapt quickly with the amount of games that Liverpool have coming up. The new signing made his debut for the Reds in their 3rd round FA Cup clash against Wolves which ended in a disappointing 2-2 draw meaning that there will be a replay required to settle the tie. Added fixtures such as this is a headache for a manager like Jurgen Klopp who is facing a backlog of games and aiming to find ways to rotate his squad as Liverpool look to secure a top four place and progress in the Champions League. But for a player such as Gakpo who is new to the club, it will come as a major benefit in finding combinations with his new teammates. Speaking to the Official site after the result, Gapko said there was plenty of positives and things he can improve on a personal level. “For my own game, I think I showed some good moments and some sloppy moments. So, I can also still improve on those points and keep working and try to help the team as much as I can. "Of course you learn the most when you're playing games, so I'm looking forward [to more]." Gapko believed that there was also positives to come out of the performance on a team level but they did not produce it for long enough. “I think we played in phases really good football but in the end we didn't score enough, so that's a pity. "But I think we showed what we could do, but we can still improve on some points and let's work on that. I think we showed real team spirit at moments, so that's good. "I think we have to go there [Molineux] with great determination and just go for the win." View full article

Liverpool have identified Portuguese star Matheus Nunes as a target as part of their midfield rebuild. 
 The quest for fresh blood in the middle part of the pitch has seen a number of players linked with Jude Bellingham undoubtedly the jewel in the crown. 
 Understandably, Liverpool are far from being the only club in the race for such a elite talent, and therefore the club is wise to not put all their eggs in the Bellingham basket and cast their net wider. 
 Nunes is a player who has been on the radar of the Reds for a little while now and were one of the clubs interested in his services before he joined Wolves from Sporting Lisbon in the summer for a club record of £38 million. 
 Despite being seeing as one of the hottest prospects on the market, the 24 year old has really struggled to impose himself on any of Wolves games. 
 To this point of time, Nunes is yet to register a goal and contributed just one assist in this campaign, albeit the Midlands club are the lowest scorers in the Premier League this season, currently sit second bottom on the table and recently undergone a change in management. 
 Nunes has spoken about his underwhelming start to life in the Premier League saying recently; 
 “I want to be better than I was in the last six months, and I think these first six months of 2023 are going to be better individually for me. I have that in my mind and I’m pretty sure that I’m going to show that.” 
 Whether he shows that improvement in form at his current club or indeed at Liverpool is up for debate with The Telegraph (via the Mirror) saying that the move to Wolves was only seen to be a short term adaption measure and he would be free to move to a bigger club once he was truly settled. The plan from the Liverpool hierarchy was to bid again at that point of time. 
 The report also says that if it plays out the way Liverpool would like, the plan is for Nunes to stay with Wolves for the rest of the season and the fee will be around the £44 million mark. 
 While it has not gone truly to script for the attacking midfielder at this point of time, the fact is that Liverpool are still seemingly very keen to get a deal over the line. 
 And If it does come off, it could be another sneaky piece of smart business that Liverpool has made an art form of in the past. View full article

After an incredibly difficult start to the new campaign, the Reds are finally starting to display some of that characteristic consistency that has made the club so successful during the Jurgen Klopp era and there is some blue sky starting to break away from the clouds. While there is plenty of hard work and improvement to be done in the second half of the season to clinch Champions League qualification, with the winning mentality that this squad has ingrained in them, you certainly would not back against them to achieve the main goal. And what better way to celebrate the turn of a new year than a shiny new signing and one that came completely out of the blue just after Christmas Day when it was announced that the club had signed Cody Gakpo from PSV. The 23 year-old winger has become a household name in the Netherlands for his outstanding performances on a consistent basis. The World Cup gave him more exposure and he did not let the opportunity go to waste scoring three goals generally looking like he belonged on the big stage. While YouTube clips give you an insight, they do not tell the whole story. There is nothing like getting an insight from someone who has followed the progress of a player first hand. Jelle Schrans is someone that fits that definition, a big PSV (and Liverpool) fan, he has provided analysis on what Reds fans can expect to see and what Cody can work on to moving to another level. Cody usually plays as a left winger, but he has played as a striker at PSV a few times and has played as a striker in every game he played at the World Cup. I'd say playing as a left-winger suits him better. From there he can cut inside and shoot. He is very good in a 1 on 1 with a defender, and he is able to get out of tight spaces pretty easily. He is a very good finisher, which does make him pretty suitable for playing as a striker as well. When cutting inside, sometimes he chooses to cross the ball into the box. With a striker who is good at heading (which PSV have with Luuk de Jong) he can create a lot of big chances for these strikers or other teammates, which, at PSV, has resulted in goals most of the time. An example of this is the two away games against Ajax this season. In the first game, the Dutch Super Cup, Cody got two assists and a goal. He got those assists in the same fashion like I described above. Cutting inside, crossing the ball into the box and it resulted in a goal. PSV managed to turn the game around before half time going from 1-0 down to 2-1 up thanks to two moments of brilliance from Cody. PSV managed to win 5-3 in the end and Cody scored a goal as well. In the second game, which was a league game, he did exactly the same thing. This time Luuk de Jong managed to score and only had to tap the ball into the net thanks to a great assist from Cody. It clearly seemed to cause chaos in the Ajax defence like it does to other defences. PSV won the game 2-1 which is crucial for the title race. These two games are just two examples to show that Cody is a big game player. There has been a level of criticism that says he hasn’t been that in the past. However this season in particular both with PSV and the national team has shown that he steps up to the mark when his team needs him the most. To sum up his attributes, Cody is a winger who likes to cut inside but doesn't always shoot; he also likes to create chances for others. His pinpoint delivery from crosses have produced many assists and been tough for defenders to deal with. In terms of size, Cody is quite tall which may seem a bit unusual for a winger. And while the physicality of the Premier League takes a bit of getting used to, his size could be a major attribute. While cutting inside has become a trademark element of his game, it can also be viewed as a weakness as he does it so regularly. Defenders in the Premier League will be alert to this part of his game and he may have to alter it slightly without losing the elements that have made him the player he is. If I have to name someone Cody reminds me of it is Sadio Mane. Quick with and without the ball on his feet, able to get past defenders easily in a 1 on 1 and has great goalscoring ability. Hopefully Cody is able to adapt to the Premier League as Sadio did. I would say Cody is the brightest star of this Dutch generation under the age of 25. There have been many other players that have transferred abroad, but didn’t seem to really fulfil their potential. An example of this is Steven Bergwijn. PSV sold him for around €30 million to Tottenham, but after a good start he became a benchwarmer and unfortunately did not break through. I am very confident Cody will succeed at Liverpool, especially with a coach like Jurgen Klopp. Having that kind of figure guiding Cody through the different phases of his career will see him reach his potential. View full article

Jurgen Klopp was delighted with the defensive performance of Trent Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool’s scrappy 2-1 win over Leicester at Anfield on Friday evening. In a overall performance that wont linger too long in the memory bank, it was Alexander-Arnold who deservedly won high praise. The 24 year-old has always been a wonderful attacking full-back with pin-point delivery from set pieces and providing crosses for the forwards. But the English international has increasingly been criticised for what he doesn't do in a defensive sense with opposition teams seeing him as a vulnerable member of Liverpool’s back four. His task on Friday evening was to keep the lively Harvey Barnes under check who has been one of Leicester’s most potent attacking weapons this season with six goals in the league. And with their other creative outlet James Maddison on the sidelines with injury, Barnes was bound to see a lot of the ball. But it was the diligent performance of the full-back which won the battle convincingly. In a statistical sense, Alexander Arnold won four tackles, made three interceptions and was successful in six ground duels from seven contested. Speaking after the game to the assembled media (per the Official Site) the manager was full of praise for the Man of the Match. “Really good, and not the first time. It was good, to be honest. It was really good, very helpful and very important in these moments. Very, very helpful. I think everybody knows how good Harvey Barnes is in these moments and Trent did exceptionally well. Speaking on Sky Sports, Alexander-Arnold said he understands why the focus on the defensive side of his game has been a talking point. "I think that was due to the World Cup coming up and people think that if I'm not playing then it is because of that reason and then people hone in on that. Some of it I've not helped myself in certain situations. I'll hold my hands up to that. "In certain situations I could have been better but it is a part of my game I do try to work on and I focus on to try and help the team win games.” While not happy with the overall performance in a stylistic sense, Klopp said this time of the season has always been about gritting your teeth and collecting as many points that you can. “I’m getting closer to I think 1,000 games in the job and I saw these games unfortunately pretty often, so that can happen and then it’s very special when you can win them because these are the games that decide about getting where you want to be or not. That’s why it’s so important we could bring it over the line tonight. That’s what we did." With two more injuries to Andy Robertson and Harvey Elliott coming out of the contest, Klopp is unsure about who he will be able to select for the clash on Monday evening against Brentford which was already shaping as a challenging fixture. “We have just two days and we don’t know exactly who can go again and stuff like this. But Brentford have the same situation. They are in a really good moment, I think. I saw big parts of the Tottenham game, a lot of things were really good. Didn’t see obviously yet anything from the West Ham game but will watch it as well. “I have no information about that yet. And we had our problems then with the way they play, so we have to make sure we are ready for that. That’s all I’m concerned about in the moment.” View full article

Jurgen Klopp says that Liverpool pounced at exactly the right time to sign Cody Gakpo. In keeping with the methodical way that the club has conducted its transfers in recent seasons, the Dutch winger was a player who was identified as a player of interest and then negotiations were undertaken between PSV and Liverpool. And while other clubs made it publicly known they were interested in the 23 year-old, it felt like a surprise late Christmas present coming down the chimney for Reds fans as there was very little in terms of linking Gakpo to Liverpool. The disruption to the Premier League season due to the World Cup has been widely discussed and while undoubtedly a inconvenience in terms of timing, it gave Football fans a opportunity to familiarise themselves with players that they may not have taken note of previously. Gakpo was one of the breakout stars of the tournament scoring three goals and his link-up play and overall skill-set certainly catching the eye. Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Friday night clash with Leicester City at Anfield (per the Echo), Klopp spoke about how these types of transfers are executed by the club. “He is a young player with a lot of potential,” If he would have already been scoring 40 goals in Spain or whatever he would be unaffordable. “These kind of things, it’s all about timing, getting these boys at the right moment that they didn’t already score 55 goals per season and stuff like this. That’s why we were really convinced. “He could always make the next step, and that makes it interesting. We believe in our process, when players come here – especially offensive players – they have all made a step forward because of the way we work and the way we can help them. That makes it massively interesting.” And while Liverpool have sprinted out of the gates and made a signal of intent, Klopp says that they are still going to stick to the script when it comes to their spending model. “In principle it’s like this for all people in the world, the money you spend has an impact on the money you can spend (in the future),” he said. “It’s not that increases it. It has nothing to do with each other. We know what we want to do and we will see if we can do it. “It’s about money, of course, but it’s more about how it always was – about the right players. And we are really, really happy that we could get Cody.” Klopp didn’t waste the opportunity to give their rivals on the red side of Manchester a clip in terms of how to handle negotiations in the right way. “I like what Pep Lijnders said – ‘we discuss these things in the boardroom and not in the press room. To bring in Cody in the way we brought him in is a really good sign. Especially the job Jules (Julian Ward) did was exceptional. “Quite a few people were involved and knew about it, but nothing came out which is very, very helpful in all departments.” View full article

Jurgen Klopp says that Champions League qualification is the main goal of his team for this season after registering a 3-1 win against Aston Villa on Monday evening, which is their third league win in succession. While this campaign has been stop-start season due to the World Cup, Liverpool have struggled to get any true momentum in the league from the get-go, in fact this current winning streak is their largest of the season so far. That inconsistency has really put pay to any hopes of going one better than last season, but there is still plenty to play for and speaking to assembled media after the victory (per the Official site), Klopp said plenty of work still needs to be done. “Look, we have to be the pain in the backside for everybody. That’s how it is. Of course, we have to chase. We are not in the best position, there’s [a] difference between us and other teams, we all know that. The first two [or] three are maybe too far away. “But we have teams, we are there, they are in the Champions League spots at the moment. We have to do our part, we have to do our part and that means winning football games and we will see how close we can get. “It must be the target to qualify for the Champions League and for that we have a lot of games to go for and we all have to go through difficult moments in games, between games, after games, all these kind of things. And for today, we got three points and that’s the best way to get closer to these spots." The performance of Darwin Nunez was rather symbolic of his time with his new club. At times wasteful and frustrating, but at others extremely exciting and when you scratch under the surface, you can certainly see there is a great deal to work with. The fact that his performance earned Man of the match honours was indication of how much of a handful he was for Villa defenders despite not getting on the scoresheet. Klopp said the involvement of Nunez for the third goal by youngster Stefan Bajcetic was a fantastic piece of play. "What I really love and it’s so special that in the third goal, I think pretty much everybody here, if you’re ever in a situation like that, that (Nunez) had where he just missed the last little touch to score a goal, we all would have just hammered the ball and try to force it. “And he passed the ball to Stefan, so we can score the third goal, that makes him really special, the work-rate he put in, the spaces, the depth he creates for us. Pretty much he’s unstoppable in the moment when we keep the ball and pass it in the right moment, there’s no defender who can really catch up speed-wise. “I know all the stories around and it’s all fine, but we are completely calm, everything will be fine. He played an exceptional game tonight and we won 3-1 and that’s all that counts.” View full article

Alexis Mac Allister is the player that clubs in the top six should be looking at very closely according to Graeme Souness. After not playing a minute in Argentina’s shock defeat to Saudi Arabia in the opening group game, the midfielder came into the starting lineup for the second fixture against Mexico and was a ever present from that moment on as the South Americans claimed their third World Cup defeating France in a final for the ages. For the very casual football fan, seeing a player represent Argentina who plays his club Football for Brighton may seem a bit out of place, but even his Irish ancestry is a tale within itself. And in truth, the club career of Mac Allister has been on the slow and steady path rather than an overnight success. Coming to England via Argentinos Juniors at the age of 20, he naturally took a while to adapt to the tempo of the league, something that he has managed to do on a more consistent basis in recent times. Playing for managers such as Graeme Potter and more recently Roberto De Zerbi has most certainly suited the skillset of the 24 year-old midfielder down to the ground with the results showing in his general statistics. After producing a career best five league goals last season, he has already equaled that tally in just 14 games during this campaign. Souness is known as someone who is as tough and forthright a pundit as he was a player and is certainly one not to give praise lightly. But in a Daily Mail piece (via Metro), Souness was glowing in his view: “The Premier League returns on Boxing Day and there will be a few coming back from the World Cup with their tails up, and some others in need of being picked up. “I bet there will be no player feeling more confident than Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister. It is very easy to focus on how fabulous Messi was for Argentina, but in the games I covered, Mac Allister was their best player. ‘The ball he played for their second goal in the final, for Angel Di Maria, was sublime. Messi put him away around the corner. He took one look, had a couple more touches and never looked again before squaring the most perfect pass for Di Maria to put it past Hugo Lloris. Wonderful. “He’s a top-four player and the big guys will be looking at him now and thinking, “We’ll have some of that”. He has proven he can play at the highest level and has already done it in the Premier League. ‘There is very little risk attached to this boy. He can create, score and works his socks off – that type of player, they are hard to find. ‘At his age, Brighton won’t be able to keep him for long and good luck trying to negotiate a new contract. I’m just disappointed he’s not playing for Scotland with a name like that!’ In a very smart piece of business, Brighton extended the contract of Mac Allister just before the World Cup until 2025 with an option for another year. While the likes of Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez have been frequently linked, keeping a eye on the progress of this World Cup winner is certainly worthwhile. View full article

After a six-week break for the World Cup, normal service is resumed on Boxing Day when Liverpool head to Birmingham to take on Aston Viila. It has been well documented how challenging the first half of the season has been for the Reds but it certainly has not been a walk in the park for Villa either. After a promising beginning to his Permier League managerial career, things went south reasonably quickly for Steven Gerrard. And in October and just 40 games in charge, the services of the Liverpool legend were dispensed of. @LiamDaviesJoun. From the 7500 to Holte website explained what he thought about the decision and what he hopes Gerrard’s successor Unai Emery can achieve. The Steven Gerrard legacy at Liverpool is etched in stone forevermore. But at Villa it could not be more different. Are you able to pinpoint what led to his downfall and if you felt the right decision was made to end his tenure? I’d say it is difficult to say exactly what went wrong for Gerrard – it was more a combination of factors that led to his sacking. The obvious reason is that results weren’t going his way and that’s sometimes fine if we were playing well, but we simply weren’t. The players looked immobilised in games and distinctly lacked a sense of freedom in their play. There were glimmers of an effective system during his tenure, but after 11 months in charge and two transfer windows, you’d expect to see the foundations of what he wanted to achieve. He also struggled to form a healthy relationship with the Villa fanbase, which was half due to the inconsistency in results but additionally the way he handled himself in media conferences (see Cameron Archer question) and post-match where he’d refuse to acknowledge the fans for weeks on end. His final match versus Fulham was really the cherry on top of what was a poor start to the 2022/23 campaign. He was unlucky with injuries at times, losing three players who he brought to the club (Diego Carlos, Boubacar Kamara and Lucas Digne) during an important period, but it just never looked like it was going to work out for him and so the decision to relieve him of his duties was certainly the right one in my opinion. The media love a feel-good footballing story, but in the game we love there are very few fairytales. Over the years the narrative has been pushed that Gerrard is heir apparent to Jurgen Klopp. While journalists get paid good money to push storylines like this, the best judges are often fans. The large consensus on TLW is that he is not the individual to follow Jurgen, and as true fans we just wouldn’t want to see him slated by the mob on Social Media constantly calling for his head if things go pear-shaped. As someone who has observed Gerrard’s managerial style from close quarters, what do you believe should be the next step for him, (perhaps something like a Championship club and build up his stock again?) I think your majority consensus is correct and whilst Klopp’s job is such a difficult one to follow, I imagine you’d want an established man in who can somewhat follow suit. The Lampard at Chelsea scenario coincides here for me – of course the ‘legend-like status’ will never fade, but his legacy is somewhat tarnished at Stamford Bridge following his sacking and I feel that may happen to Gerrard if he was to be Klopp’s successor. I think waiting it out and building up his stock as you said would be the next best step in his managerial career, especially if he hopes to manage Liverpool one day. Looking to do something similar to what Kompany appears to be doing with Burnley seems appropriate. I’d say Gerrard should shoot for a high-end Championship job to gain promotion with and give the Premier League another go with a fanbase who are already behind him and trust in his methods. Whether that means waiting for the next season and cherry-picking one of the relegated sides or choosing a current Championship side who are struggling, such as Norwich. From having a reasonably inexperienced manager in charge, your club have managed to sign someone of incredible pedigree on the European scene in Unai Emery. He is someone who has gone head to head against Klopp in the Champions League with Sevilla and most recently Villarreal. And while his Arsenal experience was not a pleasant one, he appears to be motivated to put things right in the Premier League. How excited are the Villa fans that he chose your club to do that? Us Villa fans are over the moon. On face value he appears to be just what we needed: an experienced man with proven tactical nous and a clear desire to win. This appointment epitomises the ambition of our owners who want success, mainly a trophy or Europe, and we all believe Emery can be the man to achieve that. After Gerrard’s sacking, there didn’t seem to be many immediate options in the managerial market and poaching Emery from a European-contesting club in Villarreal really surprised many of us. He has stated that he hopes to make amends in the Premier League and prove himself in the best league in the world, so the fact he came to our club to do that is superb. He has made a bright start with two good league wins, but the performances and immediate impact on the team is the standout positive so far for me. We’re all hoping for a repeat of the 2015/16 Europa League final come Boxing Day! Which player(s) do you think Emery would be looking forward to working with the most in your squad and what area of the pitch needs most work? Leon Bailey is the name that pops into my head straight away. If I recall correctly, Emery tried to sign Leon from Leverkusen during his time at Arsenal and based on the success of Danjuma at Villarreal, I believe Bailey can be just as effective in this Emery system. So too can Emi Buendia, who is another player that many Villa fans feel they haven’t seen the best of yet. Emery turned Giovanni Lo Celso into a world-beater at Villarreal, so we’re hoping he can do the same with our Argentine playmaker. With that being said, the attack does need work. The Villa fanbase are divided when it comes to Ollie Watkins and his abilities, and based on reports, it looks like we’re in the market for a forward or wide player in January. The defense, especially centrally, is another area that needs looking at. Konsa and Mings, whilst fan favourites, are replaceable but hopefully the return of Diego Carlos in the next month or so will add that necessary quality at the back. Emiliano Martinez played a pivotal in Argentina winning the World Cup and on face value seems to be a true character. Someone you truly love on your side and despise if you are in the opposition camp. What sort of leader is he in the Villa squad? He is a superb leader and is one of the most valuable players in the side; a fan favourite too. When the captaincy was set to be changed ahead of the current season, many Villa fans hoped Martinez would be the man chosen for the armband. He is everything you would want from a captain: vocal, loves the club and has character. He is contracted to 2027 and despite a great campaign in Qatar, it looks like he will be staying at the club. If all things go to plan and Emery gets us on the right path, I believe Martinez can continue to be a big player for us and possibly be the one to lead the side onto the pitch each week. It remains to be seen what effect (if any) the season hiatus has had on Premier League teams. Has the Villa coaching staff treated this period, like a mini pre-season? Most definitely. It’s hard to say whether it came at a good time for Villa as we were on the back of two top victories in the league and so spirits were high in the camp, but it allowed for valuable time to be spent on the training ground and for the new staff to implement their playing styles and philosophies. We only had four players travel to Qatar, so Emery was able to work with most of the squad over in Dubai and prepare for the upcoming fixtures in the best way possible. Hopefully the break will have served us well! Liverpool will be looking to make sure they rectify their inconsistencies from the first part of the season starting with this fixture. Emery is known to be meticulous in his preparation for games, so how do you think he will look to set up against the Reds? As I previously stated, Emery has made a big difference in such a short space of time, with one of the improvements being the shape of the side out of possession. We line up in a rigid 4-4-2, making us hard to beat and break down, with the two wide men doubling up on the opposition wingers and full-backs – something that will be particularly necessary in this fixture I would assume. This shape was seen during the mid-season friendly games too, so it looks like that’s how he wants us to set up and how it is likely to look on Boxing Day. Out of possession we are expansive and fluid, with the two wide midfielders, typically McGinn and Ramsey/Buendia running inside to help the two forward players and the full backs overlapping to provide support and width. Our strongest area under the new gaffer has been the central midfield with Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara who appear to be a match made in heaven in the middle. In the previous victory against Brighton, we ended the game with a back line of seven players. Whilst seemingly negative and not particularly pretty, it helped us over the line, so if the score line is favourable towards the end of the game, expect to see something similar. Over the years Boxing Day fixtures have proven to be unpredictable and quite high scoring contests, have you got a prediction on how this game will play out? As previously mentioned, it is all up in the air as to how this mid-season break would have affected certain teams. That mixed with the unpredictability and chaos that typically comes with Boxing Day fixtures, it is a really tough one to predict. The spirits are high in the Villa camp and Villa Park will be rocking, but the quality in that Liverpool side is undeniable and Salah loves a goal against us! For a neutral I feel it will be an exciting watch with two expert tacticians in Emery and Klopp going head-to-head once again. I’d love for us to emulate the performance and result against Manchester United in Emery’s first game, but a lot of the success on that day was down to Man United’s lack of a press – something that hasn’t been seen from Liverpool in years! I want to say the score line will be tight as Emery is expected to play that rigid shape once again and given Liverpool’s inconsistencies this season, I feel we can get a result. I realise I have played it safe there, but I do think it’s a difficult one to call - I’ll sit on the fence and opt for a 1-1 draw. View full article

Jurgen Klopp has given a hint that Liverpool will be active in the January transfer window. The winter window is notoriously a difficult one to get business done but not impossible, which was shown as recently as 11 months ago when Liverpool virtually swooped in and grabbed Luis Diaz from the grasp of Tottenham, a deal that the North London club cannot believe they didn’t get over the line to this very day. It is also further proof that despite Klopp previously outlining his hesitancy to add to a settled squad during the season, he will act if he views the player as a perfect fit, and who could ever forget the Christmas present of Virgil Van Dijk in 2017. Speaking ahead of the resumption of Premier League action on Boxing Day against Aston Villa, Klopp gave an inkling that they will be in the market (per the Echo). “January, in our situation, is a window where we always say at this moment [that] from the sports side we are always prepared, that's how it is," he said. "It is always clear what kind of ideas we have or how the necessity is from our point of view but all the rest doesn't lie 100 per cent in our hands. "We always work with what we've got, so that will not change. You can imagine the situation we are in, yeah, we are probably looking. If something happens? We will see." The financial model of Liverpool under FSG has won respect for its responsible method of living within their means and not splashing out recklessly. The midfield has often been cited as an area of the pitch that needs a facelift, but to do that in the current Football landscape, you need money, and a lot of it to compete with the big spenders. The speculation of new investment coming into the club has been bubbling away for a few months now, and while nothing concrete has been announced, you sense that it will happen sooner rather than later. Klopp gave nothing away on that front, but stated that he will welcome it if it eventuates. "I don't know about the amount of money and stuff like this and what you need exactly, I’m not against investment, to be honest, that's clear. "We will see what the future brings. Nobody knows that at the moment, but I'm convinced it will be good. The future is bright for us, but at the moment we have to sort the situation so nothing to do with future investment/investments so that's what we're working on." View full article

Preston North End is hoping to take exciting talent Bobby Clark on loan for the second half of the season. Clark has impressed all observers in the youth setup since joining from Newcastle United in August 2021, the club where his father Lee made over 200 appearances over two separate stints. The 17 year-old attacking midfielder scored 13 goals from 23 appearances in the U/18s during the 2021/22 season as well as getting experience in the Premier League 2 competition during this campaign. His progress has certainly caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp who has given him exposure in the pre-season tour of Asia and also made his Premier League debut in the 9-0 rout against Bournemouth. In more recent times Clark made more positive steps forward on the mid season training camp in Dubai providing a delightful assist for Darwin Nunez in the big win against AC Milan and earning due praise from the manager. Clark recently discussed the tough decision in leaving a club that means so much to his family, but is already indebted to the opportunities given to him at the Reds. “Obviously it was tough moving from my hometown at the start but I've settled in really well now. I came here and I've been given opportunities already, which I'm grateful for. Hopefully, I can carry on getting them." Liverpool has a good knack of sending promising players away on loan and finding the right club to nurture their talents. Harvey Elliott reaped the benefits at Blackburn, and Tyler Morton is currently receiving rave reviews over his performances at the same club. Sepp van den Berg had a very successful two-season stint at Preston before moving on to Schalke for this season. Deepdale Digest report that Preston would like to take Clark on and give him first team opportunities as they aim for a playoff spot in the Championship. The word coming out of Liverpool is that they are more than likely to hold onto Clark for the rest of this season. But if there is a change of thought from Liverpool in the weeks ahead or even next season, expect Preston and their progressive minded manager Ryan Lowe to be at the front of the queue. View full article