Paul

Cheers Ray. (It was four cans. The reality was even more pathetic than the version Dave referred to!)

I’m sorry it’s annoying mate. Genuinely. I guess it’s just that as a group of mates that’s how we communicate; in fact that chat far precedes the relaunched pod. To be honest, when we’re chatting - speaking only for myself - I’m obviously aware that we’re recording, but the public consumption of the conversation is usually pretty far from the front of my mind as it just feels like an extended chat with the boys; the two tend to blur into each other in my head. I guess we could try and drop the bits we refer to (Tweets, videos, etc) into the relevant thread on here. However, it won’t surprise you to know that I frequently can’t remember the detail of most of what I’ve said, even immediately after we finish recording. Will try and think on though - and also try not to reference it so much. On reflection I may be the worst culprit as I flounder round for a vague memory of something and am not sure where it came from. It’s because I developed a long-standing habit of deliberately avoiding trying to retain things to memory as a coping mechanism for an obscenely stressful job where I was I constantly bombarded with information and expected to act on it. I therefore just relied on various technical solutions (calendar, reminders, emails, etc) instead of my brain. Unfortunately, that has (partially - age and being a tit are factors too) led to the memory debacle to which you’re all exposed every other pod or so. Soz. Must. Do. Better.

Yeah. It probably sounds like we’re doing a bit. I really wish that was the case, but unfortunately it’s all true. It’s partly that my memory has deteriorated with age but it’s also that I don’t even try to retain stuff like results, goals and scorers. Once a game has gone, generally so is all of the detail.

Yeah. Heat of the moment caused (most) of my reaction. I’m barely arsed now.

There isn’t an option for what I’d do, but I think I mentioned it on the pod earlier this season: let this contract run down and then negotiate a new shorter, performance-related rolling deal to keep him for as long as he retains the ability to deliver for the club (even if in an increasingly diminishing role). That way he can still earn huge money if his output remains stellar, but we aren’t risking silly figures on a player who might fall off a post-Klopp/age/injury cliff. Incidentally, I reckon he might be a good No 10 in Slot’s system.

I calmed down considerably about Mo after a bit of time. I was emotional about the shit show we’re in and had had a couple of bevvies too. That footage came to us as we were recording and I was watching it while we were “on air”. My view now is broadly the same as Dave has outlined in the match report. It’s not great and needs sorting, but it’s more saddening than anything else. I just feel disappointed about everything to do with the club after what had been a great season prior to the FA defeat to The Mancs.

Meaning I got it right? Boom!

You misspelled it there mate. It’s L. U. I. S. S. U. A. R. E. Z.

That you, Pep?

The only way we should allow Mo to leave is if he wants to go himself - and I just cannot see that. At the very least, he will see out the final year of his contract. I also think that that is what the club should let him do, before opening negotiations for a new deal. Regardless of how great he is, negotiations with a 32-year-old should see the ball in our court more than his. At that stage, we will know how a new manager wants to use him and can make him an offer accordingly. I wonder if he might be able to change position and move inside. Clearly that would not be suited to a 343 formation, but I think he could play a kind of number 10 role with his range of passing and intelligence. He could be a goal scoring creative player rather a creative goal scoring player. One thing that is absolutely clear to me though is that he will be able to play in the Premier League for at least another five years if he wants to. And if he’s capable, why would we want to let him leave? I would be amazed if he wanted to leave, by the way. He has broken so many records here already and I can certainly see him getting to number two on the all-time scoring list, even if Rushie’s tally is probably unattainable. He already has one regret about his Liverpool career, I reckon: not joining us first time around and going to Chelsea instead. I don’t think he wants another one. It’s absolutely clear to me that he loves it here and I am convinced he believes he can stay in the first team for years to come and cement his reputation as one of our greatest players of all time - as well as win more trophies!

Oh, and we absolutely need to be giving Jayden Danns some more substitute minutes in games. He’s going to be brilliant.

I’m increasingly of the view that we need a “something out of nothing” player this summer. If we get Amorim and his 343, he’ll want centre halves, but I’d just go big on one player who can score no matter what. Yes, I know I’m obsessed, but we need a young Suarez. It seems weird to say that of a team that’s got 127 goals in all comps so far, but we massively lack a player who can get a goal (Or two. Or three.) in the biggest moments, time after time. And that’s what you need at the very highest level - which has to be our aim now Klopp has given us a taste of every trophy. I’ve no idea if such a “something out of nothing” player even exists now, bar Mbappé who’s clearly not possible - or even desirable on money like that with a spoilt brat attitude like his. But if he does, our recruitment staff will know about him and we should go and get him because this lack of a consistent, clinical and prolific eye for goal is not a coaching or tactical issue. It’s about personnel. We’ve got five top forwards but not one of them is deadly in the way we need (now Mo’s game has started to bow to the ageing process). Let’s go and get one.

Wouldn’t be averse to a resurrection of that #punchanazi tag at his expense. He’s vile.

I much prefer his earlier, pulpy crime novels than the big epics he’s ending his career with. Fascinating that he’s actually retiring as a novelist. You don’t really think of it as a job, but that’s clearly how he sees it. And to be fair, he’s 70, so why not?

I think I actually said in the pub, “Look at Dave going all Johnnyh here! He’ll be on the top deck of the bus home after the match at this rate!”