Scouser

Jim Boardman and Jay Reid return after a short break just as proper football has been stopped again for another international break. As good a time as any to take stock on the season so far and how Liverpool have adapted to life under the new boss, Arne Slot, and his boss, Richard Hughes. As Jay and Jim discuss, the season has started as well as either could have asked for, with just one defeat in all competitions and the Reds top of the Premier League, still in the League Cup and joint top – goal difference aside - in the Champions League. Given how the summer window went, maybe that’s a better position than anyone expected for Liverpool. With just one player added to the ranks – in the already well-equipped front line – and many more players leaving whether at the end of their contracts or because offers were made that the club didn’t want to turn down, it was a long way from being a dream window. Maybe it’s too early to say if that will hurt as the season goes on, but Jim wonders if it was a calculated risk by the club to give both Slot and Hughes more time to really assess what the budget should be spent on? Part of the reason the club are doing so well might be down to the lack of generosity being shown to opposition forwards. Two goals conceded in the League, one in the Champions League, one in the League Cup. That’s down in no small part to Slot having at his disposal such a top-quality centre-back pairing, one which Jay argues may be the best in the world. As good as they both are, and as hard as it would be to displace them, should we be looking for extra backup for those slots beyond Quansah and Gomez? The last line of defence, when all is well, is the best goalkeeper in the world, Alisson Becker, who has saved Liverpool far too many times to remember, and that’s just this season. Sadly, he’s not the most injury-free keeper in the world, and as Jim and Jay discuss, maybe that injury record was part of the reason for signing a new keeper for next season, one who might be more than a number two to the Brazilian, without being a number one. It’s explained better on the podcast. With the Reds’ international players busy for their countries the inevitable interview quotes keep coming in, and with Liverpool fans waiting to hear if new contracts will be signed by certain key players those quotes can sometimes carry more weight than they should. It does feel as though it would take a monumental mess-up for Virgil Van Dijk not to sign for at least a couple more years, whereas with Salah it’s hard to tell what will happen, he’s still too good to drop down to Saudi football, but will Liverpool offer him enough financially to stay around? With Trent it seems odd to even be considering the idea he might not sign a new deal, or that he’d only be offered one well below his worth to the club. He’s living the dream that Jay and Jim had back when they were kids, the dream of any Liverpool fan growing up on Merseyside and beyond, so won’t that be enough to keep him at Anfield? Well, that’s where those quotes come in, with him talking about what he’s going to be looking back on when his career comes to an end. Is he hinting at going somewhere where trophies might be easier to come by? As Jim and Jay point out, would those trophies mean anything like as much as winning them in the Red shirt of his own childhood dreams? The international break also reduces the hilarity that flows so naturally across Stanley Park from the neighbours, but that’s fine, they aren’t the only side whose name begins with ‘E’ to give us all a lot to laugh about.

Jim Boardman and Jay Reid are back for another episode of Scouser Tommies, sharing their thoughts from Merseyside on all the latest with Liverpool FC. Arne Slot got his Anfield era off to a great start but, just as the momentum was really building up, along came an international break, followed by something of a wake up call with his first defeat as Reds boss, and a home one at that. Up next was a trip to Milan for the first game in the new look Champions League, and with Slot's side a goal down within a couple of minutes, it didn't seem like anyone had woken up. What followed next was a lesson in how to win away in Europe, as good a performance as seen in any of the six campaigns that ended with Liverpool's name back on the European Cup, as the Reds took control of the game and came away comfortable winners against an AC Milan side that had few answers. For anyone lucky enough to miss the Forest game, no names mentioned, it might feel like someone has been on a huge wind-up and that result didn't happen. Opening moments aside, Liverpool looked as good against Milan as they did in those games leading up to the international break, playing in the style that has seen them retain much of what was already good with the addition of more control in their passing, more thought in their movement. For those who weren't lucky enough to escape the Forest game, it brought into sharp focus some of the issues that might be to the Reds' downfall this season if they aren't addressed. As Jay explains, Slot seems to be worryingly averse to rotating his squad, playing the same XI game after game. There were big gaps between the first few fixtures, but coming back from international duty and going into an intense period of two games a week until the next international break, Jay expected more changes. As Jim adds, the squad wasn't strengthened in the summer, more players left than joined, and it really is time to start spreading the workload around. Slot tends to leave his substitutions until late, so those on the pitch are getting a lot of minutes - and those on the bench might be rustier than we'd like when they do get to play. There's another home game up next, again against one of the sides that Liverpool would always be expected to beat. But being expected to beat a side doesn't mean the job's already been done, which maybe was part of the problem in the weekend just gone. After that comes the start of Liverpool's defence of their League Cup, but as good as it is to be lifting trophies in our second home, Anfield South, Jay hopes that Slot prioritises it appropriately and makes more use of his squad. As Jim points out, it's an ideal opportunity to give some of those lads who've mainly been warming the bench a chance to show what they can do in a competitive game. It's been a start most Reds would have been delighted with had they been offered it before the start of the season, so any criticism of Slot is still very limited, and with many Reds it just constructive criticism - and no Liverpool manager has been immune from that from the Kop at one stage or other! Across the park there's plenty of criticism, none of it all that constructive, as they stayed welded to the bottom of the table - but at least they've not got a cup run to worry about. Some things never change…

Jim Boardman and Jay Reid return to discuss all things Red from Merseyside, as Arne Slot goes into his first international break as Liverpool boss with a 100% record and an unbreached defence. The transfer window didn't go as well as many fans had hoped, with only one new signing available to Slot until at least January. Jay recalls Liverpool's new Sporting Director Richard Hughes talking about how the club would make opportunistic signings, which Jay agrees they have, but everyone is wondering where the rest of them are. Not that anyone watching Liverpool's 3-0 demolition of old enemy Manchester United at their old place would have been thinking too much about the need for new signings. Slot was able to put out a side full of talent that embarrassed the hosts, a side that can only get better as it takes on more and more of Slot's ideas. The worry for Jim is that as strong as LFC's first XI might be, it won't stay strong if it gets overused over the course of the season. Three weeks, three games, few changes, nine points, seven goals, not a bad start at all. But after this international break the football is back to thick and fast, a game every three or four days, broken only this side of Christmas by another two international breaks. Some of those games are Champions League games, the Reds back in the big one, but this season sees the start of a bizarre new format that ditches the idea of playing a team home and away, at least for the first eight games apiece. As Jim says, it feels like calculators are going to be needed as the tournament unfolds, and Jay points out it just doesn't seem right that the entrants to the knockout phase won't be decided by Christmas any more. Lots more to discuss this week, as well as finding time to spare a thought for the two sides who hate Liverpool most, neither of which will want to see the number three for a while. As for Reds fans, well there's plenty to be happy about!

Jim Boardman and Jay Reid are back and so is the proper footy, as Liverpool get the new season and the new Arne Slot era underway with three points on the road against Ipswich. That first game was brilliant for Reds fans, or at least Reds fans who missed the first half. As discussed by Jay and Jim, it was a game between a side still getting over its summer holidays and one that was playing in game it’s been waiting years for. As rusty as it was to start with, words at half time, along with a substitution, seemed to make all the difference as what used to be Jurgen’s Reds started to get used to a new set of instructions from a new boss. The return to Premier League action doesn’t mean the end of silly season though, unfortunately, with the transfer window running a little while longer yet. Unfortunately for Reds fans hoping for a strengthened squad, Liverpool’s window seems to be made with one way glass. Talk of a new Reds No.6 has died down since the much-publicised breakdown of the last attempt to bring one in and talk of signings seems to have shifted to a new goalkeeper – but one who won’t actually join any of the club’s squads for at least a year. Meanwhile, players are being allowed to leave, in most cases youngsters that maybe weren’t realistically going to be a regular part of Slot’s plans and would sooner or later stop counting as youngsters in the squad lists submitted to the Premier League and Champions League. Joe Gomez is a more senior name reportedly set to depart, leaving the Reds painfully short of centre-back cover. As Jay and Jim discuss, it’s a long campaign and whilst there are still many youngsters at the club who could provide cover in an emergency, nobody wants to get to the point where a certain centre-back has to be called back into the first team. The long campaign includes Champions League football, but not as we know it, with UEFA showing those Super League upstarts how money shouldn’t come first, by adding an extra two games per club before the knockouts start. Jim tries to explain the new format briefly, but it isn’t a format that wants to be explained briefly. Next up for the Reds is Slot’s first real game at Anfield as Liverpool boss. The recent friendly gave him a taste of what it’s like at Anfield, but as Jay points out, it’s a slightly different type of crowd that goes to a friendly than goes to a league match. And as Jim points out, there’ll be away fans at this one. As always, there’s something to chuckle about from across the park, as Jay and Jim wonder what will happen to Everton’s trophy cabinet when they move to their new stadium.

Jim Boardman is once again joined by Jay Reid for a look at the latest from Liverpool on the Reds and as always there’s plenty to talk about. Football’s summer break is almost over, at least in terms of competitive club fixtures, but for a lot of the Reds squad there hasn’t been much time to rest at all. International commitments for many of the players mean new boss Arne Slot has had less time than he would have liked to really get a look at what he’s going to be working with. Pre-season fixtures gave him some insight on some members of his squad, but he might not get to start with what he thinks is his first-choice line-up before the season starts for real with the 500-mile round-trip to Ipswich on August 17th – at 12:30. That trip to the US was successful for the Reds, three wins in three games, opportunities for the manager to really get to know his youngsters, a first chance for a number of the first team to impress and a 3-0 win over one of the main rivals. It’s only pre-season, but a win’s a win against that lot. For Jay and Jim the transfer silly season is best avoided, but sometimes a name will seep through that’s worth a look. Strong links to a certain midfielder, a move that some on social media are happy to make things up about, suggest that the Reds might be making the kind of move they really could have done with making a year ago. Liverpool should have enough room for a couple of decent signings, not just the one in the headlines now. However, the clamour from some to get players signed early seems to be one that doesn’t really suit where the Reds are this summer. As Jim points out, it might have been possible to get some signings done sooner had Liverpool only brought a new Head Coach in this summer, or only a new Sporting Director, but it seems like it was more sensible to wait, assess and then move for new faces. As Jay points out, Slot told us this was the plan back on his first day at the club. Profit and sustainability rules have to be kept in mind of course when it comes to working out who to sign, but Liverpool have enough coming in from commercial deals, TV money, shirt sales, gate receipts and the rest of it to have a decent budget. And that’s before any possible Covid allowance is taken into account… And Liverpool would be able to do that without the need to join a consortium of clubs that were making unusual but convenient last-minute deals with each other as the deadline for PSR kicked in. On this week’s show Jim and Jay discuss all the above and more.

Jim Boardman and Jay Reid are back after a bit of a break and ready to get their pre-season underway. A new era is underway at Anfield, but it’s all kind of low key and behind closed doors as the international Reds slowly return from their exploits in Germany and the US. As much of England reels from the latest tournament exit of their ‘brave’ heroes, this time without pens, many in Merseyside are smiling. Liverpool’s relationship with England – the club’s fans or the city’s people – has been strained for as long as most of us can remember, and not just for football reasons. But when we are talking football, it’s the same as it ever was, as Jay and Jim try to explain. For those Reds stars playing for countries who do respect them it’s been a busy spell, although only Alexis Mac Allister will be arriving back at the Axa with a winner’s medal. Diaz and Nunez both had good tournaments, as did Euros joint top scorer Cody Gakpo, at least on a personal level. Cody’s club and country skipper Virgil Van Dijk was interviewed in the aftermath of going out of the Euros to that struggling England side and asked about his future. His response, along the lines of needing to get some rest after an emotional season – and it was definitely emotional – has been twisted in some quarters. As you’d expect. However, as Jim and Jay point out, he does have some thinking to do, but it’s unlikely any of the options he has in mind including Anfield early. We’ll see. It's been a quiet transfer window so far, but with the Reds starting their pre-season fixtures a couple of weeks later than usual, with no trips to the likes of Tranmere, Chester, Wigan or Wrexham, maybe it’s not worth panicking too much about it just yet. A new manager working for a boss who’s new to the club, not to mention the other changes to the structure, aren’t exactly conditions for having half a dozen signatures done before any of the players are back off holiday. As seems to be the case far too often, Jay and Jim find themselves talking about a topic that relates to football but has little to do with what’s going on the pitch. The scenes in the Copa America, first of all with players worrying about the safety of their families, and then fans worrying about their own safety ahead of the final. Football absolutely has to fix this, as a matter of urgency, before football fans and their families once again have to pay a price nobody should pay to see a game of football. You’ve had 35 years to get this right, 35 years where you’ve found every possible way to squeeze every last cent out of the supporters, whilst doing little to look after their safety. FIFA, UEFA, CONMEBOL and each country’s FA should be putting measures in place to ensure events of this nature are handled properly. Jim and Jay have a few simple ideas that could reduce the risks we see. And stop blaming it on fans. With news also breaking that FSG have binned their efforts to buy a French club, Jay and Jim discuss whether it’s right for clubs to be run by organisations with multi-club ownership models. There are pros and cons to it, of course, and done right it could be a boost to the sport, although as Jay points out, in one part of Merseyside any talk of club ownership is a touchy subject.

Jim Boardman and Jay Reid are back with the latest on LFC from Liverpool, and it’s not just the heavy rain pounding down on the city to remind them it’s summer. Jurgen Klopp is now the former Liverpool manager, Arne Slot is officially set to become the new Head Coach and the sports pages will soon be more interested in cricket and tennis than football. Klopp’s departure was preceded by a 2-0 win at home to Wolves, with a goal apiece from contenders for the club’s player of the year and young player of the year awards. The stats told a story of how good the performance was, even if the Kop end wasn’t to get a goal to see the manager off, but it was the send-off that followed the match that might live on longest in the memory. Not that the Kop were waiting for the end of the game to start the leaving do, with some of the most sustained singing you’ll hear as almost every page of the Anfield songbook got an outing. As Jay says, there was plenty of recognition for players past and present, especially those who were key to the success Liverpool had under Klopp. The post-match celebrations saw recognition for numerous members of the departing backroom staff, something Klopp had insisted on, but as Jim says, once Klopp got on the stage you could sense he wanted to dispense with any formalities. The way he effectively announced Arne Slot as his replacement was one of the ways he did it, although as Jay points out, fans on the Kop didn’t realise it was Arne he was singing about! In this week’s show Jay and Jim recall some of the key moments from Klopp’s era, and at just how well the man himself fitted in here in Liverpool. An honorary scouser, he fitted in from day one and leaves with the freedom of Anfield, at least in the eyes of the fans. Did Klopp turn us from doubters into believers, or just remind us how good we can be when we allow ourselves to believe? As Jim and Jay discuss, the contrast to a couple of his predecessors was striking, as were the similarities to some of his more illustrious predecessors. Klopp’s announcement of Arne Slot as his successor was followed by the official announcement from the club, hardly a shock to anyone, he’ll officially join the club on June 1st. A new era awaits, and Klopp’s words on how to prepare for it resonated with Jay and Jim: “Go full throttle into it,” Klopp said, “You welcome the new manager like you welcomed me, you go from the first day. Keep believing, push the team.” This week: • Klopp’s last game • The songs • The speech • The goals • The memories • The difference – between him and a couple of his recent predecessors • The similarities – between him and a certain illustrious predecessor • “I’m one of you now. I love you to bits.” – he always was, and same here • The next man – Arne Slot • The pronunciation • The squad he inherits • The new job title • Will he stick to the same system he’s known for? • What’s the future for some of the squad • International call-ups • Avoiding the general election

Jim Boardman and Jay Reid are back with the latest on LFC from Liverpool, and with the realisation that the next time they do a Scouser Tommies, Jurgen Klopp will have had his last game as Reds boss and every bit of output about LFC will be entitled “Auf Wiedersehen”. Last time out Liverpool beat Spurs 4-2, a convincing win – if you ignore the last twenty minutes or so – and a maybe the last ‘normal’ game at Anfield for the ‘normal one’. It’s all pretty academic now, but Jay and Jim were glad to see a return to using the full width of the pitch as the boss went for a nostalgic approach, making the most of the two full backs who played such a huge role In the Reds success under Klopp. Whether Trent should start in midfield, nip there during games or stick out wide as a full-back is a worry for another manager now. With Klopp’s penultimate home game out of the way he’s now got his penultimate game overall to come next week against Villa. Technically Villa can still lose their place in the Champions League, but Liverpool can also technically still win the league so let’s be realistic – it’s not exactly going to be the hardest fought game of the season at Villa Park. In the press conference ahead of that game, Klopp spoke about his regrets over not playing Harvey Elliott more, praising him for his performances over the season, whether on the wing or right midfield, maybe sensing that the youngster is finally at that point now where he’s no longer to be thought of as a youngster. Something for the next boss to think about, and if LFC get Arne Slot as expected maybe young players will be given even more of a look in. The boss was also asked about the speculation about Darwin Nunez’s future, speculation he knew nothing about, a reminder once again not to believe everything you read, especially when other agendas might be at play. Klopp admitted he’s no longer involved in what happens to Reds players, but you know he’d know if something was planned. If Darwin was unhappy, it wouldn’t be helped by the blerts on social media who decided they could send him abuse in the comments, leaving him to delete all his recent posts relating to Liverpool FC. Abuse on social media is one thing, but you’d expect ex-players, working as pundits, to show a bit more respect to current players, rather than hurling abuse of a different kind, from the safety of retirement, acting like they believe players deliberately miss chances or misplace passes. After the Villa game the inevitable fixture will be here, Klopp’s very last match stood on the touchline as Liverpool manager, against Wolves at Anfield. Well, that’s if he doesn’t get a yellow card against Villa, because then he’d get a touchline ban. As Jim and Jay point out, the PGMOL have lined up a selection of their finest for that game, so maybe Klopp will have to watch from the Kop. Also coming up is a night with Klopp at the Echo Arena, or whatever it’s called these days. Upwards of £37 a ticket, with a 9,000 capacity, not to mention the sales of beer and merchandise, there’ll be a few quid coming out of the pockets of LFC fans that night, and as Jay and Jim discuss, it doesn’t really feel like it’s the right thing to do. Not yet. As always, there’s something from the neighbours to raise a smile.

Jim Boardman and Jay Reid are back as Liverpool’s Premier League season draws to a close and we get one game nearer to the end of the Jurgen Klopp era. Jurgen himself is clearly sensing the end is in sight, if his press conference ahead of the visit of Spurs was anything to go by. He’s not exactly kept his thoughts to himself these past few years about TNT/BT’s 12:30 Saturday kick-offs, but knowing he’s not got any more of them to face he was happy to really go to town on the broadcaster. As Jay and Jim point out, he’s saying the kind of things that anyone who really loves the game should be saying about those running it and should be saying once Klopp goes. The boss also had a great line for anyone who says TV should be able to mess teams about, because it’s TV’s money that allows them to have such great players. They’ve got it the wrong way round, said Klopp. If the assembled journalists at the press conferences were hoping for Klopp to say something about Mo Salah that their editors could turn into sensational headlines, they were to be disappointed. Klopp was never going to be as quick to criticise Mo as he was to criticise TNT, even if he had good reason to. Some Reds fans allowed themselves to be dragged into a battle that wasn’t there between Klopp and Mo but, as Jim and Jay say, what kind of manager and player would LFC have if there was no tension at that stage of a season that had promised so much? The Reds next game is against the team that benefitted from some of the worst refereeing in living memory in the reverse fixture, Spurs, so bad that PGMOL actually admitted to the errors. PGMOL wouldn’t want anyone to think they were abusing their monopoly by putting out officials unsuited for a fixture, especially not after what happened in the previous meeting, so they have sent a ref from Greater Manchester. As Jay and Jim say, maybe this game will be the one where Klopp gives the PGMOL a special send-off. This week: • Look back at West Ham away • Look ahead to Spurs at home • Klopp’s press conference • Huge point being made about TNT’s money • Full of fun, real sense he’s already packed his desk • Laughing about his latest meeting with the ref from that Spurs game • Doesn’t fancy the FIFA president job • Got an award from the PFA • Do people realise what he’s done for the English game? • Opportunity for people to build on what he’s started? • New home kit • Inspired by Rome ’84 – yet somehow not inspiring • If you’re going to do pinstripes… • New kit deal already rumoured • Nike making way for Adidas? • Could they use the other logo? • Ground move for LFC Women • Back in front of Red seats • Everton’s party over? • Klopp v Salah nothing like it was billed • Champions League football next season again!

Jim Boardman and Jay Reid are back and feeling a little bit bruised after an event that hasn’t happened since Paul Konchesky was the star of Roy Hodgson’s version of LFC. Meanwhile, as what has been an amazing ride under Jurgen Klopp stutters towards the end, it sounds like Liverpool have lined up his successor. There are mixed feelings from fans about Arne Slot as the next boss of Liverpool but as Jay and Jim discuss, all they have been hearing – from people who know Dutch football and know Liverpool – points to him being exactly who the Reds need. It certainly feels like there’s something to look forward to after a few weeks no Reds want to look back at. A rare derby defeat at Goodison Park has left the blue quarter of Liverpool parading around like they’ve won a trophy and the rest of us feeling like we’ve lost three. Everton invited their neighbours to their now traditional just-avoided-relegation party this year, and Liverpool brought gifts. The neighbours will say they ended the Reds’ title hopes, but Liverpool were already done. All good things must come to an end and in football they often end before they are mathematically impossible, so whilst at the time of recording there was still a theoretical chance of the title, the miracles required were way too far-fetched. Especially when one of them was for Liverpool to find their form again. So Klopp wasn’t to get his fairy-tale ending, but maybe now the pressure is off and the players he puts out could try and entertain us instead of everyone else. Next up is a trip to West Ham, and our old mate David Moyes, so the potential is definitely there for the nightmare to continue. Especially if we dwell too much on the fact that there is still a mathematical chance that Liverpool don’t qualify for the Champions League. It’s not the best of endings to the last season under the German, but it does still end with a trophy, and there is still time to settle some scores on the pitch.