What Next for Divock Origi?
Liverpool have added quality in depth over the last season or two, making strides in their bid to turn into genuine Premier League title challengers. The arrivals of Naby Keita and Fabinho in the summer reflect the increasing desire of FSG to put their money where their mouth is, with the owners clearly seeing an opportunity to bridge the gap with Manchester City and vie for some silverware.
Amid that progression, lie individuals unable to break into Jurgen Klopp’s plans, …
Liverpool's Progression Embodied By Those Left Behind
Liverpool have made undoubted progress over the last few years. From a team ridiculed for their defensive mishaps, often succumbing strong leads due to individual errors and a lack of authority, to one able to ride out tight 1-0 advantages with relative comfort, Jurgen Klopp has transformed the very foundations that made a hunt for trophies look so bleak. He’s also ignited a fire within the final third, becoming one of the most enthralling sides within England’s top flight.
Perhaps …
Liverpool’s Next Five Away Fixtures Could Define Their Season
With the international break thankfully almost at an end, attention starts turning back to the Premier League, and for Liverpool, that means a tricky away trip to Watford in their first game back.
Jürgen Klopp has never hidden his disdain for international football, in particular, the Nations League, and so will be glad to have his squad back ahead of their trip to Vicarage Road.
The fixture in the capital is the start of what is a challenging run of …
Klopp's Kryptonite: His Own Stubbornness
Jurgen Klopp’s track record in regard to transfers speaks for itself. All of his transfers have been an unmitigated success (Loris Karius’ decline in the eyes of the football world can be put down to one terrible night at the office). The German's stubborn nature when identifying specific targets, whilst frustrating for fans and pundits alike, have proven to be masterstrokes.
The larger narrative at the beginning of last season, when Liverpool boasted a first choice centre-half partnership of Joel …
Have Liverpool Found Their Coutinho Replacement?
Disclaimer: no, Xherdan Shaqiri is not Phil Coutinho.
However, it is rather satisfying seeing a new “Fab Four” strut their stuff.
Much was made of Jürgen Klopp’s sanctioning of the sale of Phil Coutinho to Barcelona – he was integral to the precursory group stage that led to the Champions League final – and was affably known as the “little magician” among the Anfield faithful.
When Liverpool failed to complete a deal for Nabil Fekir in the summer, the feeling …
Understated Fabinho Growing Into The Liverpool Shirt
Watching a game back is something I would urge any Liverpool supporter to do.
Once you take the in-the-moment emotion out of it, dissecting the match with a more measured mind, you see things you missed, appreciate individuals more and may even realise that you have overrated the performance of others.
On the first watch on Sunday, I didn’t believe Fabinho had enjoyed a particularly impressive afternoon in the 2-0 win over Fulham.
He had kept things neat and tidy …
Brexit Babes Boom in Value as January Approaches
Brexit! And you thought you would be able to avoid politics in the warm, comfortable cocoon that is Premier League football. Any small nudge to the freedom of movement principle could have a nuclear bomb sized impact on England’s top division. Liverpool start a maximum of 5 UK born players for any given match these days. Of all of the players who have seen the pitch this season, 12 players are foreign-born while 7 originate from the British Isles. For …
Liverpool 2-0 Fulham: A Tactical Breakdown
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If Henderson is the Solution, Then What is the Problem?
In the discussion about how Liverpool overcome the sterility in midfield that has affected performances over the course of the season and specifically in Belgrade, many have offered Jordan Henderson as the solution.
Melissa Reddy brilliantly diagnosed Liverpool's problems. In elaborating a point on “midfield balance" she makes the following key points:
Liverpool plays predictable football, arguing that the player on the ball only has a short or no passing option.
No link between midfield and attack; highlighting Chamberlain's absence …
The Story of a Minute: Liverpool 2 Fulham 0
Columnists and pundits rely on controversy.
To them it is the lifeblood of half-time intervals and empty pages, awaiting words both spoken and printed. A handball, an offside, a disallowed goal. All meat and drink if the game is fairly run of the mill and you’ve nothing to talk about.
This extends to this page. I’m about to criticise or at least highlight this phenomenon while doing the same thing. I’m using the existence of ‘incidents’ to fill space. I’m …