Jim Boardman and Jay Reid are back as a shambles of a season limps closer to its end, and as Anfield makes it as clear as it can that this is far below the standards expected. The mood in the ground shifted from the frustration of recent months to something much more visceral. Anyone who knows Anfield knows that a line has been crossed, there is no going back, and delaying the inevitable will only drag out the pain.
The big talking point this week is of course the substitution that saw Rio, the brightest player on the pitch, hauled off just as he looked like the only lad capable of making something happen. As Jay and Jim discuss, whether it was "cramp" or a convenient excuse, the reaction from the crowd told the real story. It wasn't just a moan about a change; it was a collective, instinctive rejection of the manager's decision-making. For a fanbase known for its patience, the boos spoke to a situation supporters are genuinely struggling to fathom. The trust has evaporated, and as the hosts point out, starting next season with a manager who has zero goodwill left in the bank is a recipe for real trouble.
Beyond the tactics, there's the worrying state of the squad itself, and how hard a sell it might be for any incoming manager. The new regime, the head coach and his bosses, have assembled a fragmented collection of players that looks increasingly like it was put together to win a game of Top Trumps, not football matches, and plenty of the mainstays are on their way out this summer by the sounds of it. There is so much work to do to put things right.
None of that excuses the strange choices the boss makes with the players he does have: his apparent disdain for youth, his baffling tactics, his terminal game plans. The identity of this Liverpool side has become a total blur, and as Jay points out the Reds are fast becoming a "basket case" club, much like the one down the M62 where huge fees and talented names have rarely added up to a coherent team.
There's also a look ahead to Friday night's visit to Villa Park, in itself a reminder of just how badly Liverpool's recruitment policy has served them. Questions need to be asked about how the Harvey Elliott saga was allowed to unfold the way it did, but that's only the first of many about what they did last summer. As for the game itself, there isn't much optimism to be found, even if Villa end up fielding a second string side with one eye on their big European night.
The best thing about a Friday kickoff? At least it leaves the weekend free.
