It’s post-derby week in Liverpool and Jim Boardman and Jay Reid are back with big smiles for this week’s episode of Scouser Tommies. Any victory is cause for celebration, but there’s a specific kind of joy that comes from a derby win, especially when it arrives with the sort of comedy unique to the residents of the Rhyl Dickinson.
As our hosts discuss, it was a Merseyside Derby with all the usual nerves in the build-up, all the usual nonsense from the blue quarter of the city, and, with a disallowed goal, a penalty shout spurious even by their usual standards and a 100th-minute winner, all the ingredients for another long spell of fume from the fans of “the most irrelevant club”.
The celebrations for the first ever derby goal at their new ground turned out to be celebrations for the first one chalked off by VAR. They celebrated it like it had ended a three-decade wait for a trophy, but no sooner had they started adding it to their ever-growing “it’s just not fair” dossier than Cody Gakpo had set Mo Salah up for the real first ever derby goal at their new ground.
The laughs had started with their comedy air-raid siren and continued with their Beatles-stealing tifo, but the punchline came at the end. They did get a goal back, but just as they were readying themselves for a famous 1-1 draw, up popped Virgil van Dijk with that late, late winner. “Where did the ref find all that time?” they asked, apparently forgetting the two stretcher delays.
Jay and Jim also find time to get into the football itself, with praise for the way Liverpool kept their heads in a game that can so often drag everyone into chaos, for tactics that worked and players who carried them out, and for the big moments from Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk that settled it. After the season Liverpool have had, it was a welcome break from so much grim football. There was even praise for the ref.
There’s also discussion of some of Arne Slot’s recent comments on his new theme of transition and what they might mean for his future. As the hosts point out, there needs to be clarity on what comes next if the next phase is going to be built properly, whoever ends up doing the building.
Also this week, there’s a look at Spirit of Shankly’s planned yellow-card protest over ticket prices, why this matters far beyond one ground or one club, and why it’s vital that the message makes its way across the Atlantic and into the eyes and ears of owners who haven’t been seen on Merseyside in a while.
Dave Davis hosts Trev Downey to look at the big five summer decisions he would make with focus on:
• Slot departing
• Midfield and the need for a DM
• Goals and pace needed in the team
• Fitness and training need sorting
• Structure above to sort and the fitness issue
Dave Davis looks at the big five summer decisions he would make with focus on:
- Slot departing
- Goals and pace needed in the team with Diomande, Barcola and others looked at
- Midfield and the need for a DM
- Structure above to sort and the fitness issue
Dave Hendrick & Karl Matchett discuss the Ibou contract news that broke this morning. They then discuss the Arsenal loss to Man City from Sunday before looking at managers in the Premier League.
Darth hosts Si and Hamzah to discuss the CL exit to PSG, Hugo Injury and the big derby win at Everton:
Part 1: PSG
* Lineups and Gameplan
* Stats review, possession, XG, XT, EPV, Shots, Pressures, Monte Carlo
* Hugo injury discussion and prognosis
* Opening 30 analysis
* Mo Salah's immediate impact
* Clear and obvious?
Part 2: Everton
* Lineups and Gameplan
* Stats review, possession, XG, XT, EPV, Shots, Pressures, Monte Carlo
* Why does Konate struggle so much vs Beto?
* Curtis Jones role and analysis
* Mama injury update
* Premier League open-play XG trends - LFC context
* Rio Winner vs VVD Winner?
* LFC vs Set Plays update
Statspacks:
PSG: https://barts78.github.io/DrBarts2526/Season%202526/CL/CLMD%20QFL2/docs/CL%20Match%20day%20QF%20L2%20Dashboard.html
Everton: https://barts78.github.io/DrBarts2526/Season%202526/EPL/MD%2033/docs/Match%20day%2033%20Dashboard.html
Dave Hendrick looks at all the LFC related news & gossip. He looks at the news tha Ibou Konate is seemingly close to signing a new deal at Liverpool. He then looks at the win over Everton this weekend.
Dave Davis is joined by David Lynch to discuss:
• Derby victory, Curtis, Mo and VVD shining, plus Wirtz views
• Szobo comments, Diomande, Wharton and Barcola latest and possible Alisson and Mac departures
• Slot comments and judgements, Ibou quotes and Champions League qualification
Dave Davis looks at all the latest Liverpool FC news with focus on:
- Salah and VVD the key, Jones contributing and Liverpool looking up rather than down now
- Wharton and Diomande links, Jones and Mac likely departures and Konate developments to come
