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Warning to Liverpool

I’m sure you’re inundated with responses to your Liverpool article, so let me add to the pile and make it worse by adding American stuff.

The Golden State Warriors were recently in much the same position as Liverpool; a record setting team, talent top to bottom, and a back office capable of conjuring world beaters from nowhere. They won two titles and proclaimed themselves “light years ahead”.

A bad loss, a player leaving and a couple of key injuries have left them there worst team in the league this year. No dynasty, no more titles and no prospect of any further.

No one is as far ahead as they’d like to think.

Dan, Plastic LFC

Arteta & Arsenal

So over the last week or so I’m hearing two very different camps of opinion on Arteta’s imminent appointment as Arsenal’s next manager.

Those for and those against, obviously.

In regards to the ‘againest Camp’ most of the chatter is covering the lack of experience that Arteta has, ”never managed a proper team’ and might just be a glorified coach at best, not what this current Arsenal need.

On the more positive side, which I’m in, is the talk about his long term vision, the commitment he wants from his players and a possibly ruthless streak in him to move on players who aren’t willing to commit to the cause! this IS what Arsenal need.

I believe the difference in these two sides coming to fruition doesn’t lie with Arteta but with the board! if all the positive been bandied around about Arteta is true then as long as the board back him then i see Arsenal’s future been quite bright.

The rest of this season is probably a write off and come the summer we may lose some big name players like Aubameyang and Lacazette etc, but if its means pushing a hard reset on the current squad and getting the right players in, so be it.

With Emery the club got it wrong, it seemed as though he came in and it was a case of carry on where Wenger left off so to speak, again what the club needed at that time was a clean slate, which is hard to do, as you need to change players, possibly some staff and the long term strategy of the club.

Emery’s failures might just have been a blessing in disguise. it may take time but again I believe if the board do back Arteta, his given time and he gets in the right players for his ideas and system then I believe Arsenal will compete again! Maybe not where Liverpool are right now but at least put ourselves back in the top four and back in the Champions league and just been competitive.

Here’s hoping 2020 brings a new Arsenal.

Donal J, Cork, Ireland

You need luck…

I broadly agree with Lewis’ assertion in the morning mailbox that successful transfers involve a reasonable amount of luck. The very best players can fail miserably if they make the wrong move at the wrong time (just as Alexis Sanchez).

But I personally believe that when it comes to Liverpool, it is indeed all a genius plot. The scouting and coaching go hand in hand, and their success on the back of that planning is plain to see. It can’t be a coincidence that pretty much every single player they’ve signed in the past 2-3 windows has become integral to this juggernaut of a side. Michael Edwards and Klopp have discovered this amazing synergy that has helped them create one of the best club teams in world football today.

No doubt transfers are inherently a gamble. For every big-money flop, there’s a Bosman success story. But just like their results this season, Liverpool have made their own luck in the transfer market. They have a clear vision, and they’re executing it phenomenally well. Just wish my club could get back to doing it again.

DJ, MUFC India

Greenwood vs Haaland

I know this is fanciful but is Greenwood better than Haaland? I think signing talent only raises the expectations on players (look at Aguero since Jesus arrived) so would be happy for Man U to bring players in, but imagine if they swapped the two players, how well would Greenwood go at Salzburg?

Peter Spiller

Merrie-go-round

It’s the Friday before Christmas so let’s propose something bonkers.

We are experiencing the usual managerial comings and goings with plenty of speculation and rumour.

Why not use the vast array of statistics available now to make managerial sackings compulsory?

If their score falls below a certain number, out they go.

Imagine the build up of tension as a team’s results dip.

Yo ho ho!!

Seasons greetings to all the fab people at 365, and all us saps who look at it on a regular basis.

Roger, THFC

Liverpool and their luck…

In relation to recent comments that Liverpool have been lucky in the players they’ve bought in the last few years, there are a couple factor that people are not taking into account in this success. It’s not as simple as buying the right players, but something more fundamental.

One factor is that their dressing room is not filled with huge egos. It was often said that Alex Ferguson was as interested in what a player was like off the field as on it. This has clearly been a factor in their choice of players, as they are generally hard working players who are not hell bent on personal glory and are prepared to do hard work for the team. I would imagine the dressing room would welcome a new player and genuinely try to help them adjust.

A more recent factor is how they have started allowing their new players a considerable amount of time on the side-line to adjust to the new style of play. Liverpool are able to do this due to the success of their current side. There is no need to blood new players immediately, so they wait and give the player time to adjust to the requirements of the coach and their new team mates. Obvious beneficiaries of this are players like Keita and Fabinho who were not instant success stories, but have since become important players.

If a player is played straight away, they are often judged by the fan base and dismissed as failures. Once fans have turned on a player, it is difficult for them to win back the confidence of the crowd. The obvious example is someone like Fred at Manchester United, who was judged instantly by some sections of their fans. United needed to blood him straight away, due to problems in that area of the pitch, and therefore he played him while still adjusting to a new environment.

It will be interesting to see how much time Minamino is given to adjust to his new team mates. I suspect he will be used sparingly or in cup games for most of this season.

Morgan – Dublin

Let’s put this to bed, Fred…

I have a demanding job, but I feel compelled to write in again just to clear a few thing up for these genius Liverpool fans!

I guess I should’ve stated that, I’m not saying Liverpool are not a great team at the moment, they really are, & deserve their place at the top of the league.

But they owe their big lead to luck, & to deny that is just puerile.

Unless this is the greatest football team there’s ever been, you ought to have the odd day when no matter how brilliantly you play, the ball just won’t go in, or the opposition keeper is having a blinder.

The fact that never happens to Liverpool is just luck, pure & simple. Your RELATIVE (lest these morons wheel out the injuries to Allison etc. yet again) compared to most teams & specially your only rivals is another huge factor. City have their best defender, Laporte, out for the season, as is Sane (one of their best wingers) & Aguero is out for a long spell too. How would Liverpool fare with VVD & Mane out for the season? Would they even be in the top 4? I’m a Spurs fan, Kane misses 2-3 months every season, Loris’s been out for longer than I care to remember etc. Man Utd have been without Pogba virtually all season, but these robots who masquerade as VVD, Robertson, Mane, Salah & Firmino (arguably Liverpool’s most important quintet) just do not get injured, except for the odd game or two just to stop the world from seriously wondering how a player can play 3 seasons with barely any injuries.

And finally, here’s a list of games off the top of my head, where Livepool’s victory (sometimes comfortable at the end) was aided hugely by luck at crucial points:

I do have a good memory, but even I can’t remember all fluky points Liverpool have gained, here’s a selection though:

Last season:

Everton at Anfield: VVD’s skyed shot turns into a literally heaven sent assist for Origi !?

Man Utd at OT: United already without a raft of players lose another 3 in the 1st 20 mins, & Liverpool proceed to create f**k all & yet get an undeserved point with both (the injured) Lingaard & Smalling missing sitters

Chelsea at the bridge: completely outplayed by Chelsea, Sturridge scores the best goal of his career in the 90th minute, & has done f**k all before or since

CL final: The start of VAR’s quest to win Liverpool trophies, the dodgiest handball ever seen sets Liverpool on their way to win the final, even though Spurs are the better team for about 85 mins

This season:

Burnley away: Liverpool’s 1st 2 goals are complete flukes, one of them a cross by TAA which hits a Burnley player’s leg & loops over the keeper. After that game is over.

Palace away: VAR rescues pool again by denying Palace the all important 1st goal, for a foul on Lovren that had absolutely no affect on the passage of play that led to the goal. Last week VAR ruled that the OG Everton scored against United should stand despite a foul on DDG, as the ball had already passed DDG when the foul occured & did not affect the goal.

Everton at Anfield: at 2-1, VVD fouls the Everton forward in the area. MOTD pundits Shearer & Janus both called it a stonewall penalty & a sending off. Even if you don’t think its a certain penalty, it’s definitley a “seen em given”, oh, but never given against pool. 2-2 with 10 men, would they still win?

United at OT again: completely outplayed & should be out of the game in the 1st half, they scored a flukey scrappy goal to get another undeserved point. And all those morons who think Lindelof fouled Origi have never played football, if that kind of contact is a foul, then there’s be 500 fouls in every game.

My beloved Spurs at Anfield: We’re 1 up & early in the 2nd half, Son rounds the keeper, but somehow hits the crossbar with the entire empty goal at his mercy. If Son’s in that situation another 1000000 times, he’ll score 1000000 goals, but of course not against Liverpool. 0-2 game is over. and of course the winner was one of the myriad non-penalties given to Liverpool this year, with ZERO against them.

City at Anfield: game is scoreless & TAA handles the ball in the area, its a stonewall penalty, but of course LSVAR ( Liverpool supporting VAR!) rules it to be perfectly OK, & Liverpool go the other end & score the all important 1st goal

Leicester at Anfield: another LSVAR decision gives pool another last minute non-penalty to gain them all 3 points.

Watford at Anfield: Watford miss a host of chances. On one occasion, their striker completely scuffs his shot from 6 yards with the entire goal at his mercy, the ball goes harmlessly out of play. Same thing happens at the other end with Origi scuffing his shot, but this time it falls to Salah to score!?

I could go on for another half hour, but I’ve got work to do, & something tells me nothing will convince these mentally challenged pool fans any way, but at least the rest of us know we’re witnessing the luckiest team in the history of PL

Fred, London

Forgotten players

I’d forgotten all about ex-Blade Neil Shipperley until recently.

He certainly reminded us all in no uncertain terms.

Football – the gift that keeps on giving…….

Bladey Mick

League Cup conclusions

First ever match between Colchester United and their lesser-known opponents, Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night. A few thoughts:

Seemed like a strong side from Manchester, no messing about from the manager there.

Turns out Premier League footballers are much better than League 2 footballers. We had 20% possession in the first half (I assume it still counts as ‘ours’ when the ball is still in air). We cheered our 43rd min corner as if it were a goal.

That said, it was 0-0 at half time. We couldn’t keep the ball, Man U didn’t do enough with it.

Biggest difference was Rashford. First 20 mins he won about 8 free kicks simply by running at our defence. A few were ‘won’ but mostly he was just too quick for us. He seemed to stop for the rest of the half and we were more comfortable as a result.

He remembered again second half, and in 10 mins the game was done.

Mata slows the play down something chronic, but his passing is excellent.

Genuinely forgot Martial was on the pitch until he scored the 3rd. Presented with a defence that he could’ve ripped apart, based on Val Gaal era Martial, he was pretty anonymous.

Prosser and Eastman were immense for us at the back. Prosser especially. The improbably shaped Lapslie remains my favourite player and was the closest we had to someone keeping possession.

We actually played a bit better when we were a few goals down…but there’s a reason we’re 8th in League 2 and will probably finish 8th in League 2.

Perfect fillip is a good cup run. We’re pretty solid midish-table and lost some good, and well liked players in the summer. Beating Palace and Spurs and an Old Trafford trip has been a huge amount of fun.

Some kind of energy drink apparently. There’s an apple flavour and a mandarin orange flavour according to the intrusive advertising hoardings at Old Trafford.

Jeremy Aves