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Klopp’s legacy
It saddens me to bring this up because Jurgen Klopp has brought our club to places I couldn’t have envisaged six years ago – without spending vast amounts of money (if you consider net spend) and he is so in tune with Liverpool fans and the spirit of the club.
But is this the end? Not based on today alone. The demise can be traced back to Watford away in February 2020.
If he left at the end of the season, we would never remember the 20/21 season. We’d remember the good times – great times in fact – that team of mentality monsters which spent two years dominating world football.
If he stays, I fear next season could be more of the same, a group of players unable to give him any more. Mentally and physically exhausted by his methods, his tactics, his demands. If we can’t rip it up and start again (which I’d imagine finances would obstruct), maybe these lads can’t do it for him again?
I want to adore Klopp and tell stories about the good old days. But the longer it’s unenjoyable, the less we’ll tell those stories. Winning teams change managers, it’s not a sin to do so. I admire the loyalty of Liverpool fans toward Klopp, but if Klopp taught us anything, it’s that winning is bloody enjoyable. I’m not saying he should be shown the exit, I’m just wondering if he should leave with hero status rather than drifting into Europa League obscurity.
Damien Ó Ceallaigh
…As sh*t as we have been all season we could’ve been joint fourth were it not for too late goals conceded in the past 7 days. There’s also an irony that if we didn’t lose another centre back to injury then Fabinho would’ve been in midfield for both games and we might’ve had more control in midfield to not concede so many late chances in the first place.
Ultimately we have absolutely no right to finish 4th this season based on how awful we have looked since January. Injuries are definitely to blame for the most part. Klopp is to blame for not signing any defenders on the 1st of January. Firmino and Mané are to blame for both becoming awful at the same time. The transfer committee is probably partly to blame for feeling that 3 senior Center backs and Fabinho would be sufficient to cope with such a busy season after an already busy two years.
This team, after 2 champions league finals in 3 years and 197 points over two league seasons are desperately in need of a rest. Let’s hope that most of them get left at home by their national teams so they can have the summer to recuperate. There’s a chance that Trent, VVD, Gomez and Henderson will all stay home this summer which would be a good start.
Minty, LFC
Early loser: Jurgen Klopp | Early winner: Timo Werner
City’s dominance
From the league cup 16 Conclusions: “This is their fourth successive Carabao and sixth in the last eight years, but they’ve also now won seven of the last 10 domestic trophies. SPOILER: It’s quite soon going to be eight of the last 12”
Wait a minute. So it’s the European Super League thingy which was going to threaten to destroy the soul of football? And when the summer transfer window opens and City/Chelsea spend another 200million to cement their positions dominating available silverware while everyone else watches on wondering how this was ever allowed to happen, I guess that’s not a problem?
The unevenness of the Carabao Cup final should explain the last conclusion about Spurs’ laughable interest in the Super League. It was a ridiculous attempt, until you take a moment to consider how a club without the benefit of an exorbitantly wealthy owner ready to sportswash their reputation is supposed to keep up. Even Leicester City’s owners are in the top 10 most wealthy owners globally.
We all know the ESL was a crass idea lacking fan consultation, but at the heart of it: can anyone honestly blame Daniel Levy for jumping on the coattails, given Spurs are so far away from a team like City on the pitch, despite the years he’s spent trying to build a sustainable football club: new facilities, new stadium, youth team, a decorated world class manager etc.
Meanwhile Gary Neville and co spit fury over the ESL; but no doubt they’ll be back to applauding the “ambition” of the owners at City and Chelsea (and criticise Levy’s apparent lack of) as they continue to absolutely bury any competition outside of the mainstay historical superclubs (one of which Gary just coincidentally happens to be a fan of. Why fix something if it ain’t broke hey Gary). Nice.
Gez
…It wasn’t all that long ago Mediawatch was agog at newspaper pundits querying if Man City’s dominance was a worry. Weird, F365 snorted, no one was concerned when Liverpool won the league at a canter last year and bagged the Champions League before that. Now City are poised to win their 8th domestic trophy out of the last 12 available we have to acknowledge what a superhuman effort Liverpool put in for two seasons and brace ourselves for the Bundesliga-fication of English football. Oh, unless Chelsea’s oligarch or Utd’s vulture capitalists step up. Good times!
Will, LFC
…City are soooo good but have become so boring to watch because of that very reason. Like that school team with the over enthusiastic manager that dicked your team and every other one for five relentless seasons straight. They are a superb team but I can’t be bothered to watch them anymore the mismatch they serve up continuously just turns me off. Super clubs dicking off to their own league would’ve suited me as it’d of meant the steroided up lot would be gone leaving others of a similar ilk to fight it out each week
Duck
16 Conclusions: Manchester City 1-0 Tottenham
Sterling slump
It has long been considered taboo in these pages to suggest that Sterling is a less than exemplary footballer, with F365 using the completely separate issue of casual tabloid racism (which is of course deplorable) as an excuse to rabidly humiliate anyone who would dare to criticize him as a footballer. Well sorry, but Raheem is the glaring weak link in this fabulous City side and has been for months (or years??). He retains the ability to use his pace to pick up balls in the channels, but his usage is consistently dreadful. His shooting is woeful and his dribbling either ends up down predictable blind alleys or simply out of play. I can only think that Pep was desperate not to use Aguero or Jesus before Paris. Sterling is not worthy to be anywhere near this City side.
Mike, WHU
Crying foul
I see Manchester City retained the Tactical Fouling Cup as well as the League Cup. You have to admire their consistency.
Seán. Dublin.
…Before everyone gets their panties in a twist, the reason the ref had a shocker with Laporte – and therefore remaining on the pitch for that first half – is because he’s let the very terrible Sergio Reguilon off with what was basically a yellow early on against the delightful Phil Foden. He gave Dias a free pass because of this too when he made what was quite clearly a yellow card offence.
The ref created a rod for his own back by giving everyone a free swing and it’s just bad refereeing. Both Sergio and Laporte should have been off in that first half.
The most hilarious aspect of it all is that we (Spurs) managed to create 3 yellow card scenarios against a team that has absolutely walloped us. How terrible are we? Most people understand Bale not starting due to work rate but N’Dombele? The one player who can collect the ball deep and beat a few men to open things up before picking a pass. Odd odd decision.
2nd half coming up but it’s just a matter of time before City rack up a cricket score. The ghost of Mourinho still looms large.
Glen, Stratford Spur
Pass, pass, pass
I’m getting so tired of game now. There’s way too much value placed on possession at all costs; playing out from the back at all costs. It’s like a freaking religion. So little cutting edge and so little outright aggressive attack. I was watching a little of the Chelsea match yesterday and a player made a decisive run with the ball (finally! good!) toward the Hammers 18 years box, flicked it to Kante (I think) kept on his run to receive the perfect 1-2, when Kante then… spread the ball back out wide and then of course the ball back around the penalty area ad nauseam. Gawd!
Who do we blame? Barca? Spain? Gawd. Remember Fergie’s swashbuckling, aggressive sides? Wenger’s Arse for the first 8 years or so? This tip-tapping around makes me want to gouge my eyes out. One of my early coaches was a Scotsmen and he called it Micky Mouse football. This is not a paean to the ‘good old days’ when men were … (whatever) and the pitches were mud. I just want some teams to GO FOR IT!
Dylan, Seattle
Don’t finish seventh
With the dust settling on the League Cup final and with the FA cup final line up sorted, there is now a lot more clarity around European Places. Barring an almighty collapse from Leicester or Chelsea, they will finish in the top 5. That means that whoever wins the cup, the Europa League place will drop down to 6th. With Man City winning the League Cup, 7th place in the league will also be in Europe.
However, it won’t be a Europa League spot. Whoever finishes 7th will have the joy of competing in the new UEFA Europa Conference League, which may as well have the tagline “If you thought the Europa League was bad, you ain’t seen nothing yet!” Even Wikipedia describes it as: “the tournament essentially being the lower orders of the existing Europa League tournament but split off into a secondary tournament.”
The Europa League is often seen as a distraction, an unwelcome tournament to be involved in. It does of course offer a Champions League place to its winner. The Conference League will have a far less glamorous collection of teams and has no such pot of gold at the end. So for the teams competing for that final Champions League spot, if you don’t achieve it, then do all you can to avoid finishing 7th.
Mike, LFC, London
Carra offers refreshments as Leeds and Man United stutter
Bielsa scared
I thought you said bielsa will send his side to play exactly the same way as they have done all season after studying man utd? So… What was that, man utd who notably prefer to concede possession against opponents like leeds had 56% of it, quite unlike the reverse fixture, leeds refused to press as usual, they weren’t even this scared against Liverpool and City. Did the 6-2 scoreline get to bielsa or what?
Also, Paul Ince, oh, paul Ince, the man who said he could do what Ole was doing, certainly, we have found our prick of the week here Dave.
Sa’ad
…Absolutely awful game. But the standard of refereeing has been even worse.
I wish the ESL would have happened so they could take these “Elite” referees with them.
17 free kicks for Man Utd today, vs 7 for Leeds at the time of writing. It was the same against Man City, and the same against Liverpool. I’m sure if I looked at games for these teams vs other clubs it would be the same again.
It isn’t that this is a dirty game, just the decisions always seem to be disproportionately in favour of the big 6.
And don’t even get me started on that woeful penalty decision.
Mat, pissed off Leeds fan
Kroenke out
Arsenal simply will never reach the heights the fans expect until the Kroenkes are gone. I’m completely aghast as how they can possibly think their position is tenable now. Never thought I’d ever say this as an Arsenal fan since my Dad took me to a North London Derby at White Hart Lane one great life changing day in 1969. But I’m hoping for a huge Europa semi final defeat and a PL points deduction so we fight relegation but just barely survive to keep the anti Kroenke protests and sentiment going, and further devalue the club. This will hopefully hasten the Kroenke departure. That’s the only way the club can start to rebuild, improve and meet the expectation of its fan base.
Ken, expat in St. Louis USA, another City that hates the Kroenkes!
Game’s gone
Can y’all start a new weekly segment to complement Prick of the Week?
Like Game Has Gone of the Week.
And you can have Chris Kavanagh be the Jose of the segment.
N.V.M. (Still giddy)
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