Scouser Tommies: One Last Time
Jim Boardman and Jay Reid are back for another episode of Scouser Tommies on the eve of the Merseyside derby, just after seeing the Reds drop a couple of points over Newcastle..
Since the last episode Slot’s side have taught lessons to both Real Madrid and Manchester City, but last time out they were unable to complete the job up in the North East, and a lot of focus has been on the part of Alisson Becker’s deputy in that scoreline. Arne certainly isn’t going out of his way to make Kelleher feel any worse than he already does for misjudging the situation right at the end, is that what we expect from the boss?
Jay’s also spotted an interesting sequence on how often (or not) it is that Arne’s men drop points.
The Newcastle game was also yet another Mo Salah show, the Egyptian king scoring two of the Reds three and setting up the other. Has any Liverpool player seeking a new contract ever proved so emphatically that he should get it?
Rumours abound that something might be close, but rumours like this are just an extension of silly season, meaning it’s probably best to wait for something official before celebrating, same with Virgil and Trent. Jay and Jim are holding out hope for a special festive photo of all three celebrating new deals, and they’ve also got the hashtag to go with it.
As big as those games were against the sides from Madrid and Manchester, for most Reds on Merseyside the derby is on a level of its own. Not because the opposition are flirting with dropping down a level for the fourth season in a row, but because it beats any other fixture in the calendar for how important it is to win it.
It’s not just important for the points that might be on stake, or the progression it might bring in a knockout competition, and maybe you have to live here to truly understand it, but losing that fixture is unthinkable. Especially when the whole weekend follows it, thanks to the early kick-off.
Losing there last season wasn’t really that big a deal, logically, even with the manner of the defeat. Liverpool were already out of the league in real terms and were getting ready to say goodbye to the old boss.
The match wasn’t going to make any true difference to where LFC ended the season in the table. But losing it, and losing it the way we did, hurt. And of course it would have been cause for a DVD release across the park if DVDs were still a thing. So yes, they do keep mentioning it at every opportunity. At least it stops them mentioning Collina, but still, there’s one way to stop it...
This will be the last Merseyside derby at Goodison, unless the FA Cup draw throws another one in, and for Jay and Jim there’s no better way to say goodbye to that place as a Red than to say it with a win.
Assuming it’s still standing by kick-off, given the latest weather warning.
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