Premier League 2018/19 Season Preview
After an enormously entertaining World Cup full of drama and decadence, we the football faithful have been cast into the darkness of a month without the beautiful game. This has not stopped the majority of the big Premier League clubs from making money moves in anticipation. Ahead, we preview what to expect from them this season.
Arsenal
Arsenal’s relatively early business in securing the tenacious Lucas Torreira (aptly auto-corrected to terrier), supplemented with the earlier additions of Borussia Dortmund’s spine, …
Liverpool Need to Take Advantage of World Cup Hangovers
The Premier League season starts in just a few days. And the spectre of the World Cup still hangs over the Premier League’s top six. This was a World Cup in which the Premier League’s top teams all had plenty of players not just participating but going the distance – and certain teams will benefit from that.
Liverpool need to be one of the beneficiaries.
It’s expected that Roberto Firmino and his Brazilian teammate Alisson Becker will start against West …
Liverpool 2018/19: A Tactical Preview
How do Liverpool play? It's a simple question, but with the arrival of both Naby Keïta, Fabinho and Alisson, as well as the progression of Liverpool's tactics under Jürgen Klopp since he joined in 2016, the answer requires a more detailed response than the question initially indicates.
There are three main tactical phases in football: on-ball, off-ball and the transition. With Liverpool's signings and their skillsets, the on-ball phase may be the one most different this season. Hence, we'll start …
Team Management and Squad Depth All Point to Success
In my last piece, which you can read here I discussed the potential for Liverpool to be genuine league title contenders. I still stand by that. The current squad, as it stands, is good enough.
No Excuses
The encouraging thing is that Jurgen Klopp has continued to defy the critics throughout his tenure at Anfield. He doesn't always do things in a way that perceived "popular" thinking would expect. That's natural as he is the man who sees everything on a day-to-day …
Faux Forwards and False Expectations
Aside from the strange machinations of Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, otherwise known as Tite, we are all generally aware of the value of Roberto Firmino at this point. Brazil was boring with Jesus, boisterous with Bobby, and ultimately the exclusion of the Reds' frontman would prove to be their undoing.
Back on Merseyside, Bobby Firmino has been lauded for his incredible all-around game in the middle of Liverpool's attack. He finishes his campaign with 30 goals and 14 assists in all …
Chelsea's Academy: The Gift that keeps on giving… to Liverpool
Is it the red-headed stepchild, the rented mule, the red-headed mule…? Whatever analogy you choose, Liverpool keep going back window after window to raid Chelsea’s academy for standout stars anxious for first-team opportunities.
The London club has been fantastic at recruiting and developing talent to a certain level and has, for all intents and purposes, a farm club in Vitesse that they can use to get players first-team appearances as a stepping stone to Stamford Bridge. On paper, the way …
Dominic Solanke Needs a Championship Season
Liverpool FC’s first signing of the 2017 summer window left many supporters scratching their heads. Rumours of major incomings were being tossed all over social media, which made sense given the momentum that Jürgen Klopp was able to generate following the 2016-2017 season. The Reds were able to finish top-four in the EPL and were guaranteed Champions League for the 2017-2018 campaign, hopes were high. When the announcement that the Reds first signing was Dominic Solanke, the then 19-year-old academy …
2018-19 Premier League fixture reaction. The season we win it?
With the recent disappointment of the proposed Nabil Fekir signing falling through, Liverpool fans have been in need of a distraction to take their minds off the circus that the transfer window rumour mill. Not only is the World Cup due to begin today (hooray football is back!), but the 2018-19 Premier League fixture list has also been released. As a fan base, we have the tendency to dwell on frustrations of the past, so the 2018-19 fixture list is …
Organising Chaos Against Real Madrid
I shared a thread on Twitter recently about my thoughts on how Liverpool can beat Real Madrid, and it received such positive feedback that I’ve decided to expand on it here. The thread is linked below for those that want to check it out:
https://twitter.com/DistanceCovered/status/996345845749637120
Now, as I’ve mentioned in the thread, the key factor when determining whether Liverpool are likely to win against any opponent is whether the opposing team is vulnerable in transition or not. Liverpool are gradually …
Win!
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more
Allow me to explain if you will. You’ll need coffee. Tissues optional. Heart necessary. Fortitude compulsory.
If 2011 was the season that started me, this season could so simply have been the one that finished me. Back then, so many years ago, I became a father for the first time. …