JRC

Quite excited to see this the other way round - of course defensive solidity has to be the prime concern at the moment, but longer term he could be a catalyst for re-inventing Centre Back in the way we have already done for Full Back - a modern libero or variant on the classic creative Brazilian Centre-Half (*subs - check sexy Portuguese word for this in Jonathan Wilson's book). He has already, I think, adapted his initial relatively pure DM role into one where he gets forward effectively and disruptively - imagine him doing the same from CB with tactically savvy and technically excellent players like Thiago, Henderson and Gini ahead of him to respond and adapt. Of course Gomez, Matip and VvD are good on the ball and can step out, but if anything our most recent shift has been for them to go long as an alternative for opposition coaches to think about. The watchword of this group has been adjusting tactically as teams adapt to the problems we cause them; the grounding for our dominance in the 70's and 80's (and influence on all sorts of teams) was Paisley converting midfielders to defenders (Thompson, Hughes, Smith even). A talent like Fabinho coming out of defence could be another change like that.

Still had one good game in him...

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The Brighton Free Kick issue wasn't the speed it was taken but the Brighton player in the wall. Atkinson was objectively and indubitably wrong to allow it as the laws stand.

Returning to his spiritual home. We should go for that Fraser Hornby at Reims as well while we are at it.

Keita and Gomez were both excellent on Monday, poor tonight. How we respond now matters, not ripping the team up and starting again. Like Spurs 3 years ago, make sure it's a long time before we feel this way again after a match - which we are still very capable of doing

It was only as the video reached the end that I realised that they were all from the one game, not career highlights. I know it should have been obvious from the opposition kit, lack of crowd etc., but the sheer magnificence blinded me to everything else. Pure porn. (Also - the brilliant instant control of the recipients, even under direct pressure. Compare with Maitland-Niles attempt to trap Luiz's pass - although he was offside anyway, of course)

Those last few pre-lockdown games, and post-lockdown/post-title form allowed the doubts to bubble up. Sufficient doubts to validate fears that these early fixtures could prove both challenging and telling (the Ev and City still to come soon, of course) - and could even derail our defence of the title within 5 games. Well f*** me - and f*** you, doubters - we look not just marginally but significantly stronger than last year. Already at our most imperious, technically and tactically awesome, class in depth. Could still all go pear-shaped, but you would wish for a start like this - already psychologically monstering our challengers.

OK I rarely visit the toxic and click-baity Football365 any more, except when there is an assurance I can wallow in admissions of our brilliance - like this week. The 16 conclusions on the game are pretty good and spot on - maybe some points I would cavil at, but I'm biased -, and this sentence made me smile, not least for being so accurate about the game the other night.. " Jurgen Klopp, in truth, has created a monster. Liverpool have so many different ways of hurting an opponent that it often becomes an exercise in plugging bullet holes in a canoe bound for a waterfall in a tsunami. "

There is almost an argument that Hodgson's continued quite goodness at mid-table/looking over their shoulder at relegation clubs proves his total incompatibility with the Liverpool role (and England - if I cared). He may even -seems unlikely - have started to accept that himself.

And has had timely and lucky breaks - PSG away and post-lockdown form. There's little else to suggest he is anything more than the PL relegation and Championship mediocrity manager his CV evidences.

I know. Given the veneration afforded Salah in Egypt - especially by colleagues - I know that what Elneny would have to say about that would be that Tyler was being a t***.

I assumed it was Cole, who has started to be on quite regularly since they changed a lot of the presenters - and has usually been not bad, to be fair. Wasn't listening this morning for long, so didn't hear what he said. Jamie O'Hara rarely impresses, but he was fulsome in his praise this morning.

I have long since stopped giving Football365 regular attention, but felt like seeing what they had to say today. The 16 conclusions are generally good with a couple of points I would disagree with - fair enough, I'm biased - but this made me laugh, not least because it is true - "Jurgen Klopp, in truth, has created a monster. Liverpool have so many different ways of hurting an opponent that it often becomes an exercise in plugging bullet holes in a canoe bound for a waterfall in a tsunami"

I'm happy with the new ruling about the arm out of natural position - after that match v Chelsea when Carvalho got away with at least two handballs when he set himself to block shots with a fair impression of Peter Schmeichel doing star jumps. As has been pointed out, once you 'inentionally' make yourself bigger and create the opportunity to block the ball with your hand, all questions of how close, how hard, whether you could have got out of the way, whether you were looking at the ball etc. are all irrelevant. Which is why I don't understand the new 'deflection' caveat which would maybe have meant the first penalty against Leeds should not have been given. The logic in excluding deflections simply doesn't make sense.

Had to laugh at his response to the MOTD(?) interview about the pressure of the second pen - "I've scored one in a CL final!". Tbf, the injury time one to take Egypt to the World Cup was pretty pressured as well.

He referenced the slight deflection. But the stuff about natural position and body shape render any consideration of deflections or closeness redundant.

I was going to add that coda but it still hurts

Weren't we already in a run of draws, but a couple more followed? Either way, we won more points per game post rant than we did before. Because of the narrative of Ferguson's cool mastery of mind games, what doesn't get mentioned is how insane some of Ferguson's responses were - he talked about how he had had his sports scientists analyse us, he was fuming about it in a number of press conferences; and followed up with the ridiculous stage-managed 'disrespect' thing with Allardyce in the April. (The narrative dissonance is also true of the Keegan rant - that started with Ferguson going mental first)

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