épieur

Yep. He went to the core crew who won us the title (+Bradley, Marmadashvili and Ekitike) and asked a result from them and they delivered. Then he gave Wirtz some minutes to build something in a coherent team performance while we're on top. That's fine and makes sense, he's the guy we need most to find his feet outside the core crew, even if it wasn't a good performance and he doesn't look suited to play up top.

Is this the first game this season he hasn't looked lost?

This isn't the time to be trusting players likely to let you down. Villa had an xG of 0.44. They weren't producing any quality chances.

Atletico Madrid.

I think we're spoiled. It's bread and butter stuff for Alisson.

Showing up for every situation on the pitch, in and out of possession. Top performance.

Mo has been encouraging, mainly in how involved he's been. Gakpo has been poor and Ekitike invisible. Think with attackers playing well, we'd be looking grand.

Most players would take a touch or two before trying to place it. Excellent quick reaction from mo.

Had to come from szobo didn't it.

Gakpo doesn't have many strings to his bow does he? Desperate stuff.

Think we're playing alright. Ekitike completely invisible so far

I admit, I have found myself typing "klopp" instead of "slot" an incredible number of times over the 17 months.

And then the corrolary: "And for that reason, I think we should go with a guy whose biggest miracle is coughing out that piece of chicken he nearly choked on once." In a better world, sure let's go with Jorge Klupz and try that. There's literally only two managers out there who can do more than simply gawk and bask in the refracted light of what Klopp offers football. You think Areola could even daydream about crafting a team like the one Klopp made? It's barely even the same sport they manage.

My point is that City are not a club to benchmark oneself against these days.

City away is not a benchmark anymore. It's an opportunity.

People who would pass on Klopp are literally at the "I know she's amazingly beautiful, loving, devoted, great in the sack and way out of my league, but she chews her food a little bit funny and for that reason I wouldn't take her back" stage of the breakup.

In his case, it also leads people to think he's a shortarse instead of 5'11".

Madness. Klopp stepping into that dressing room would be like being touched by the hand of Jesus for these players. People have had spiritual awakenings with less impact than he'd have on the group. I love Enrique, but outside of him I don't see any managers out there that could justify a decision to pass over one of the three best managers in the world, simply because we've tried that already [to amazing effect].

Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Gravenberch, Szoboslai, Ekitike, Isak. That's seven of ten outfield starters with as much pace and power as anyone in the league in their position. But yes, somehow we conspire to look far weaker than we are physically.

Let me see if I can figure out how this goes: We'll start flat and concede an early goal. We then try to play our way into the game, but nothing really comes off except when Szobo or Ekitike take matters into their own hands. Wirtz produces a singular chance that someone should have done better to finish. Gets brushed off the ball and undercooks his passes otherwise. Salah snatches at a few quarter chances that go nowhere. Mac Allister looks like he's having a trial game auditioning for League 1. We actually do score a goal, but regardless of whether it is an equalizer or pulling one back, we immediately fall flat again. If Villa actually need another goal to win it, they go and score the winner soon after.

Moreno was still here when Lazar was bombed out.

I remember reading his piece about how badly he struggled at Brighton for the first six months and was basically considering calling it quits on England and secretly thinking to myself "maybe he has a bottom level we haven't seen". He needs Jurgen.

If Jurgen was ready to step in, I'd pull the trigger today. I don't know who else is worth the gamble here and now. It's frustrating, because I really like what Slot is supposed to be. There was some really bright stuff on display last season. Somehow he's ended up the temu version of himself.

The Hodgson Todge.

Fwiw, Villa had one win in the first six league games this season and the same amount of points as we do from the last six games. We'll probably lose to them because they are good now and we are the opposite, but that game perhaps says more about turning things around after a bad run than it does our inevitable calamity. Conversely, I think we'll beat city because they are up and down themselves and they'll play into our hands. But a win there won't say much about our quality going forwards anymore than losing to villa will say much about how doomed we are going forwards.