Dave Davis is joined by Ben Bocksak to discuss:
- The United Game and Thoughts
- Pass Marks for Some
- The Europa Draw and How We Fare
- FSG and Multi Club Updates
Guy & Karl discuss the upcoming Euro 2024 "Paths" (playoffs) that will decide which nations qualify for the upcoming Euros this summer. They also look at the England squad and how they'd pick it, and what they expect Gareth Southgate to pick it.
Dave Davis talks though the headlines including:
- Richard Hughes appointed Sporting Director
- Hughes pieces: Background and Links to Head Coaches
- Howard Webb PGMOL Statements
- Liverpool to open academies in Saudi Arabia
Barts is away but Darth hosts Hamzah and Si to review another 2 games for #LFC.
The lads start by reviewing the Europa League win over Prague, discuss the UEFA draws and then the epic FA Cup defeat at Old Trafford.
Part 1 - Sparta
Lineups and Gameplans. Stronger than expected?
Match summary and key stats: Possession, XG, XT, Big Chances, Shots
Sparta providing so much opportunity - why?
Bobby Clark, the LFC pressing production line continues
The routine brilliance of Mo Salah
- One of the greatest single match stats performances you will see
- How rare is 0.5 XA p90 over 2700 minutes?
- Does Salah's XA benefit from playing with a "proper 9"?
Part 2 - UEFA draws
- Atalanta reaction and thoughts
- Champions League draw. What does this change for City, Arsenal and LFC?
Part 3 - Man United
Line ups and gameplans
Match Summary and key stats: Possession, XG, XT, Big Chances, Shots
When will we have XG models that include deflections?
Is this what the statistical profile of a footy match played like a basketball match looks like?
Opening period tactial analysis. United on top - why?
LFC regaining control - how?
Do the 2nd half narratives stand up to scrutiny?
LFC triple sub - a turning point?
LFC defensive shortcomings - right-side focus
How does 3-2 get turned into 3-4?
Statspacks
https://drbarts.quarto.pub/match-day---el-r16-leg-2/#player-analysis
https://drbarts.quarto.pub/match-day---fa-cup-qf/#match-summary
Dave Davis is joined by David Lynch to discuss:
- The United Game and Thoughts
- Liverpool Threw It Away But Positives To Look Forward With
- FSG and Off The Field Matters
- Strongest Back Four
On the latest RAW, Trev Downey, Dave Hendrick and Guy Drinkel do their best to pick apart a mightily disappointing loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter final at Old Trafford. In a game of poor decisions by some of the Reds and the referee, Klopp's men conspired to grasp defeat from the jaws of victory in a way we've, thankfully, become very unaccustomed to.
On the latest episode of The Anfield Index Podcast, Trev Downey, Kam Brainch and Lisa Marie Hanahan reflect on the Europa League draw, pick apart the return of Michael Edwards and the news of FSG's plans to expand their football portfolio and look ahead to the FA Cup fixture against United at Old Trafford.
In this week’s Scouser Tommies, there’s plenty for Jim Boardman and Jay Reid to talk about, with the Reds continuing their quest for silverware and loads going on behind the scenes to try and ensure there are more of these quests in the years to come.
Since the last episode the Reds have fallen from the top of the Premier League table, but only on goal difference, a minor detail that seems to be getting forgotten in all the hype. There’s a big deficit of goals to make up if that is how the title ends up being decided, but as Klopp’s side showed in the Europa League, they certainly know where the goal is.
Liverpool dropped a position because the game against Manchester City ended all square of course, and, although three points would have been nicer, as Jay and Jim discuss, it feels like City will feel the two dropped points more than the Reds. Given the injuries Liverpool have to contend with, and the unsurprisingly lenient refereeing the visitors got to benefit from, a point was a decent enough outcome. Even so, it was hard not to wonder what might have been, had the PGMOL guidelines on fouls and cards not been rewritten yet again without our knowledge.
Maybe the best way to deal with playing against an extra man so often is to go out and win before they can have any influence on the game, exactly what another hybrid LFC team did against Sparta Prague in the Europa League. The line-up was perhaps stronger than many expected, given Liverpool’s 5-1 lead from the first leg, but as Jay points out, sports science may be playing a part in who gets picked and who doesn’t, a complete rest isn’t always what a player needs when working back to full fitness. The 11-2 aggregate win meant the post-match interviews were bound to include talk of quadruples, but Jim wonders if TNT Sport had to try so hard to push 20-year-old Conor Bradley into admitting that one would be quite nice.
As Conor pointed out, Liverpool need to take one game at a time and see where that leads us, and the next game is in another competition. With one domestic trophy already in the bag, and with it being the only chance the opposition have got of winning anything this season, an already massive game seems to take on even more significance. The FA Cup quarter-final tie against Manchester United will also be a chance for a larger and no doubt louder traveling Kop than usual to make itself heard inside that dilapidated (their words) theatre of dreams (also their words!). And maybe it’s not us the authorities over there are really worried about.
It was also the week where Michael Edwards was confirmed as taking on a new role as part of the overall FSG group, and he’s got plenty to do, not only overseeing a new director of football for the club but looking at FSG buying a sister club. It’s a concept not to everyone’s liking, but as Jay and Jim discuss, it has its plusses.
This week:
• LFC 1-1 v Man City
• Another refereeing masterclass
• More sarcasm
• LFC 6-1 v Sparta
• Maybe the goal difference in the league doesn’t have to be a worry
• Europa League draw
• Could have been a lot worse
• One game at a time – but look at that possible final
• A trip down the Lancs
• Not the most welcoming city – to anyone
• They had an M.Edwards as director – what’s else was he famous for?
• International break ahead
Dave Davis reviews Jurgen Klopp’s unique pre United presser and covers:
- Q&A’s for both plus injury updates galore
- Sparta Lessons
- Train of Thoughts Around Line-up
- United Threats and Importance For Them
