Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
CHELSEA v LIVERPOOL PREVIEW!
28 Plays18 days ago
Liverpool travel to the Bridge for Saturday's big PL clash as the Reds look to go into the second international break of the season on a high after back to back defeats. Irby and Jesse go through all the main talking points:
- Galatasaray fallout
- Slot's tactical approach. does he need to change things?
- Chelsea preview
- predicted team line up and score prediction
Our Sponsors
Bioniq - Don't settle for off-the-shelf solutions made for ANY body. Get what's right for YOU. Right now.
We’ve spent years analyzing blood markers to develop our patented algorithm, enabling us to create a 100% personalized supplement to support your health by optimizing your micronutrient status.
Follow the link and Use code GSPN2025 for 40% of your first month’s subscription.
Zencastr
Built for quality - Designed for growth
A new era for creation is here.
The only complete audio + video platform to get best-in-class recording, intuitive editing, AI-powered growth features, and top-tier distribution tools — all in one place.
Get started for free!
We highly recommend it!
Global Sports Podcast Network - Creating the world’s first network of 30-minute daily podcasts for the world’s biggest sporting export, the English Premier League.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Liverpool's Challenging Week
00:00:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Liverpool podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. It's the Friday forecast and we'll be looking ahead to this weekend's game in the Premier League against Chelsea.
00:01:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll also be looking back on what has been a difficult week for the Reds. I'm in the company of our resident coach, Irby White. Irby, how's it going?
00:01:18
Irby White
I'm doing well under the circumstances of the past six five, six days, the way we're playing.
00:01:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:24
Irby White
But other than that, yeah, things are great.
00:01:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, since our last episode, obviously this time last week, we've lost at Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Then midweek, weve you know we're beaten by you know Turkish champions Galatasaray.
What Went Wrong Against Galatasaray?
00:01:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
So let's let's start with a brief chat about that Galatasaray result.
00:01:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Were you surprised by not just the result? Because look, you can lose away from home in the Champions League. Galatasaray... Whilst they may not be the best team, or although I do think that people kind of underplay how how how good a team they are.
00:02:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it's a very, very difficult place to go. It was a fantastic atmosphere, I've got to say. But the manner of the defeat, the performance, I think we were all expecting some kind of reaction to that Palace defeat.
00:02:16
Irby White
And it's Istanbul is a tough place to go. I mean, obviously we have the history, but Turkish football, it's just, you said it, the atmosphere, the the setting.
00:02:27
Irby White
Galatasaray is a good team. It's a good club.
00:02:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:30
Irby White
it's a It's a good squad. They remind me a lot, not just the their uniforms. I think they remind me a lot of Shakhtar, kind of how they were maybe in the early 2010s, how they had all this South American talent that went on to play in Europe. But they're kind of just feel like that team at the moment, that's just...
00:02:47
Irby White
They're a threat to a lot of big teams, and they're going to probably take some points in the in this group stage, in this group phase, is off of some good Champions League or some good European teams, I should say, that could contend.
00:02:58
Irby White
Just like what you said, I thought i was expecting a reaction after, to be honest, a poor performance in London against Palace, and we just didn't get that. We just didn't get that.
00:03:11
Irby White
I really only got to watch the first half, and it was pretty...
Controversial Penalty Decisions
00:03:14
Irby White
It was pretty bleak. what ti again i'm I'm sure we'll talk about the the the dubious penalty, but still, the the performance itself was quite shocking, if if I have to put it into one word.
00:03:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:03:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, you mentioned the referee or the you know the penalty. you know, it's it's one of those where you just know that if it's given by the referee, it's not going to be overturned.
00:03:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if if it's not given, VAR is not going to intervene. It was a very nothing and nothing. but I don't think it warranted a penalty, right? Now, you could say that I'm being biased, but I i said this post-match with Louis. I just think that That referee, think, it was a terrible referee. And I actually said, as soon as I saw him in the tunnel, I just thought, oh, God, because I've seen him so often in Europe. He's one of those really finickety referees that just kind of end the slightest bit of contact, you know, and he'll he'll give a free kick. And so even our penalty that we got was rightly overturned.
00:04:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was rightly overturned. It was not a penalty.
00:04:24
Irby White
Mm-hmm.
00:04:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
But for me, that that was not the reason that we but we lost that game. Obviously, it didn't help having that kind of referee.
Liverpool's Tactical Dilemmas
00:04:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
But from from from a tactical perspective, you know you do coaching, Irby.
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do you think? is the reason that we've we've not really hit our stride this season. And it's almost like, you know, chickens have come home to roost in the last few games. A lot lot of people were saying, oh, you know, you're you're not playing well.
00:04:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, the positive side to that was, okay, that's what champions do. You know, they don't play well and then they win. But then sooner or later, it's it's going to catch up with you.
00:05:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what what is it that you think is not quite clicking with this team? Is it purely down to the fact that we've had a lot of players come in?
00:05:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or is it something a bit more underlying?
00:05:17
Irby White
Just the last point on the referee. I think I saw a statistic. He's given nine penalties in his last 11 European matches, something like that, which is crazy.
00:05:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ridiculous.
00:05:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:25
Irby White
But let's just, we can put that to bed.
00:05:29
Irby White
When i like you said, I'm a coach and sometimes I hate the way that I kind of watch football, even up front with watching watching Liverpool. Sometimes I just, I see it from more of a tactical point of view. I'm not,
00:05:41
Irby White
I'm an amateur soccer coach, right? I'm not slot. I'm not pep clop, all these, you know, tactical geniuses, but I feel like I see the game and I've always seen the game in that view. And I hate that I do it sometimes, but just what I've seen is there's certainly a process that needs to happen with embedding all these players, right?
00:05:59
Irby White
All these superstar players that we've attracted. Isak's superstar, Vert's superstar, Ekotike going to be a star. He's probably been the one that's really hit the ground running, but,
00:06:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean.
00:06:11
Irby White
There's a gelling process and and and that needs to happen. But I also just, everyone just feels like they're a bit on top of each other. We've recruited two outside backs that they they want to be in the final third in in the channels.
00:06:26
Irby White
I blame Rashford and I blame Mbappe for every right-footed striker or winger wanting to come in off the left and and cut in on their right. We've seen that with Eketike. We've seen that with East.
00:06:37
Irby White
We've seen that with Gakapo. and And everyone just kind of feels it's very congested and everyone's on top of each other. And it made it made it easy to defend, certainly on on the weekend against Palace. I felt that they were pretty comfortable with with their back five in in in defense and just kind of keeping us, just having bodies in the box and just giving giving us no room and suffocating us to try to play.
00:07:04
Irby White
And I just think everyone's a bit on top of each other. There's still obviously some The chemistry that needs to be built, I think there's still a lot of coaching that needs to be done on the training ground.
00:07:15
Irby White
But I also just feel like we're not stretching teams enough. you know We have Caracas, we have Frimpong that can stretch teams. I look back at the wingers that we've had in the past of Diaz and Mane, and it's easy to say, we miss Mane, oh, we miss Diaz. They're world-class players, right? Mane was obviously a better finisher than Diaz, but they stretched teams.
00:07:34
Irby White
you know They were able to play on the the the last shoulder of the outside back. and just cause chaos to a back line because once they but beat an outside back, they have the free will to run at center backs. I feel like we don't have that winger and it's not just down to one position.
00:07:46
Irby White
I'm not it's not this is not an attack on Cody Gakpo because he is more of a an inside winger inside forward.
00:07:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:53
Irby White
But since the sale of Diaz, I feel like we're just we've lost the ability to to stretch teams and kind of create 2v1 opportunities, certainly on the left. Sala can do it with Frimpong on the right.
00:08:07
Irby White
That doesn't feel like it's Cody Gakpo's game. And again, it's not an attack on Cody Gakpo, but it just feels like we're just very condensed. where where
00:08:17
Irby White
We're not stretching teams. And that's that's a big thing that what we've been used under Klopp, the side that Arnislav inherited from Klopp, was all these great attacking options that we had with different dynamics.
Evolving Playing Styles Under Arnie Slott
00:08:30
Irby White
Now, i don't want to say we're one dimensional, but I feel like we just haven't unlocked that next dimension of the team. And I'm not worried.
00:08:38
Irby White
You know, I don't think it's time to panic. I listened to so the episode. It's not the end of the season. There's still, I mean, we're about to go into an international break.
00:08:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:45
Irby White
Everyone can kind of reset. But it is a bit of a concern that we just need to, that that the manager needs to figure out.
00:08:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:08:53
Irby White
I don't know if, and I don't think it's down to personnel. I think it's just maybe a few tactical tweaks.
00:08:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I agree. i agree. And you mentioned that it's a bit congested and that we're not stretching teams. And I made this point on the podcast post-match against Galatasaray. And it it it is something that I've mentioned, think, even before Slott started as Liverpool manager.
00:09:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I had the concern that Slott is, is if if you were to put him between Klopp and Guardiola in terms of his tactical kind of philosophy, I wouldn't say that he's quite in the middle. I think that he he v veers more on the side of Pep Guardiola.
00:09:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, what that means is that, and you've seen even this last season, is that Arnie Slott's teams are built to keep possession, retain possession, and exert control over the game through possession of the ball, which is fine.
00:09:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which is fine. They won the Premier League last season, no problem. Jurgen Klopp's philosophy of exerting control and over the game was almost to have no control in a game in the sense that it was a bit more chaotic.
00:10:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
But what that led to was... More dynamism in our play. It was quicker. We did stretch teams with Mane first and then and then with Diaz.
00:10:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Players were not on top of each other because there was that that kind of speed in the play. But it wasn't just the pace of our players. And I made this point. I'm really impressed on this point. when i When I talk about the tempo of the game, the pace of the game, I'm not talking about how fast Cody Gatpo should be running or how quickly Viet should be running with the ball.
00:10:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's how quickly we get the ball and release the ball in terms of the passing. And what I see, i think, too often this season and is... Literally, our players are walking with the ball.
00:11:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
they're I mean, they're literally walking with the ball. Van Dijk is almost stationary sometimes and just you know looking up for that long diagonal. And then he'll pass it into midfield and then there's this kind of walking pace.
00:11:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I just think that from that base, it's very difficult to then move up not one, but three or four gears you know, to to get that kind of lightning movement.
00:11:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think the the other thing is, I think it invites a deep sitting defence then. Because if if you're just stood on the centre circle and and you're walking with the ball, but the opposition team is just going to drop back and then you've got a 10-man block to get through. so I just think that this is this is the way that Arnie Slott sets up his team.
00:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I'm hoping that he's got the ability and the kind of foresight to change things and to and to allow these players to up the tempo.
00:12:17
Irby White
And you're also inviting a team to, it makes it easy to defend. Like you said, it's easy. You make it easy for a team to just dip sit back and this is what we're going to do. But you also make it easy in transition.
00:12:30
Irby White
you You give the opposition an opportunity to to reset and get set up rather than back to what Jurgen Klopp said.
00:12:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:12:37
Irby White
It was all about pressing but those transitions. Those transitions were huge. And we had obviously the players that were outstanding at that from, you know, the front three to the middle midfield three was just, it worked like a machine.
00:12:50
Irby White
Right. And so we're, we're making it easy on teams to defend transitions. And to your point about just walking it up the field, teams are happy to see that team, you know know, we're not as dangerous when you're walking up the field and you go side to side, sometimes you go backwards to Allison and then you break a line and then just kind of walk it up the pitch.
00:13:10
Irby White
it's frustrating it's frustrating we talk about it even at the youth level, how how easy it is for teams to defend, how you need to play kind of a bit more in transition.
00:13:20
Irby White
And I'm hoping that Slott is not... not going He shouldn't be mentioned the same breath as Amarim, but I think we've talked about with Amarim or just the general thing with Amarim has been he's willing to die on the hill of hit the way he's playing.
00:13:34
Irby White
And I don't think Slott is that kind of manager. I don't think it's 100%.
00:13:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he's bit more pragmatic, isn't he?
00:13:38
Irby White
hundred percent I think it's more of... I'll change a little bit. You know, I still want play with possession, as you said. so He's where he's somewhere more on the Pep Guardiola side, but on the scale of Klopp to Pep.
00:13:51
Irby White
He definitely has elements of both, and I'm hoping that he can, you know dial it a little bit more towards what we saw under Klopp. Now, Jamie Carragher made a great point about it being basketball. You know, we're open on we're we're on the side that's open on transitions.
00:14:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:08
Irby White
And to a point, I actually agreed with him when I heard that.
00:14:11
Irby White
And right now, i just i'm I'm almost comparing it a little bit to just right now, the the Brendan Rodgers philosophy where we almost won the league of just we need to outscore the opponent. And it was just end-to-end, outscore the opponent.
00:14:23
Irby White
Defense goes out the window. If we concede four goals and we score five, that's fine. We're not doing that at the moment. We're not conceding four. We're not scoring five. But it just it does be –
00:14:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
but We're not creating the chances either. We're not creating as many chances as we were in that Brendan Rodgers season.
00:14:37
Irby White
no. No. No. I feel like we get into the final third and then it just kind of goes back side to side.
00:14:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:14:43
Irby White
And it goes side side and go backwards and we get our nine men inside their half. We do something silly, we lose it, and we're defending a transition. Right? And so you're right. We're not creating the chances. We're not playing the final ball.
00:14:56
Irby White
And so I'm just hoping that, yeah, there is a just a slight shift. And hopefully that can start on the weekend going into the international break. Because going into an international break, the second one of the season, you don't want to be playing poorly.
00:15:09
Irby White
You know, it's just not something...
00:15:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
On
00:15:12
Irby White
It's easy to say I'll take a draw right now against Chelsea, but gosh, going into another international break with two losses and a draw or a poor performance against Chelsea. I don't want I don't want to be sitting for two weeks or just, yeah, yeah we got to be going into an international break with some positivity as as as a fan base.
00:15:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
on that defeat, yeah.
00:15:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100%. What did you make it make of the the team selection against Galatasaray? Because it was an interesting one. He played Frimpong, but not at right back. He started with Sabozlai at right back. Frimpong was at kind of right you know right wing.
00:15:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
No Salah, he was on the bench. Wietz kept his spot. Lots of changes there, which he's got to do, right? It's a long season. One of the criticisms last season was that we we kind of ran out gas around that kind of League Cup final and Champions League game against PSG. So you can understand him doing that, but...
00:16:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm really interested to hear your thoughts on not just the personnel changes, but the fact that Sir Bosley was shifted to right back and then Frimpong was at right wing because we all thought it was going to be the other way around when the team team selection came out.
00:16:31
Irby White
Yeah, I think, and I got a notification on my phone when the lineup came out that it said ESAC and Eketike was starting. And that's when I texted our group and said 442. But then I saw the actual card, lineup card, and I was like, well, they made a mistake, yeah ESPN or whoever sent it out.
00:16:46
Irby White
out But I think when I did see the full team, when I saw noahalister no McAllister, no no ESAC, And we've had we've had managers and we've seen it just all around Europe for the last 10 years.
00:17:01
Irby White
Teams, especially English teams, they say having one eye on the weekend. And I think maybe he had just a little bit of an eye on the weekend. You know, Isak, not up to full fitness. McAllister,
00:17:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:12
Irby White
I think we should talk about that at some point. He hasn't seemed like he's been 100% since March or April.
00:17:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:19
Irby White
And so I think he's had an eye on i on'm Chelsea for McAllister to hopefully get 60 or 75. And if he couldn't start on Wednesday or Tuesday, sir that was a sign of that. And then Salah, 33, 34, 33 years old, 32. I don't know.
00:17:32
Irby White
years old thirty two i
00:17:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah. like three Yeah.
00:17:35
Irby White
you know, return to Chelsea again. He always likes to perform against Chelsea and maybe be thinking if we want to get a good performance and get him going in the league, maybe we just give Salah 30 minutes against Galatasaray. And so I think that was my initial reaction was, okay, he's got an eye on the weekend and I hope it doesn't come back to bite us in the you know where.
00:17:55
Irby White
And it did. And it did. I don't think it's just down to team selection, but leaving... you know we'll get i'm sure we'll get to isac versus eketiki at some point that's probably a position that's up in the air but the way we played on the weekend, needing a reaction after Palace, I would have i still would have wanted to see McAllister and play in that lineup instead of having to come on and try to salvage a point, which we didn't even get.
00:18:22
Irby White
So I was a bit frustrated because that was just that was just my internal feeling. you know I'm sure Slott would deny that, but that was just what I felt when I saw the full eleven
00:18:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. And it was, it was a point of interest that the team selection and we'll be talking about team selection for the weekend as well shortly after this break.
Chelsea Match Preview and Tactical Considerations
00:19:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so the Reds are on the road once again. An away trip to the capital to play Chelsea, Stamford Bridge. It's a Saturday, 5.30pm kick-off UK time. That is 12.30pm Eastern time. Is that right, Irby?
00:19:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's good to have you here so that I can make sure that I'm right on that. The Reds, we're winless in our last four visits. to the bridge, three draws and that 3-1 defeat last season. Although I think the title was already wrapped up by then. So maybe that was a kind of mitigating factor.
00:19:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Chelsea, you know, it's really difficult to kind of, you know, it's it's really difficult to kind of assess Chelsea and and and think what kind of opposition they're going to be because therefore their form guide literally it it tells you exactly who they are. They've they've played six, they've won two, they've lost two and they've drawn two.
00:20:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's a complete mixed bag. I mean, we're saying this every week. I mean, we should have enough to beat Chelsea, but I think...
00:20:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
This one could be a tricky one. it's It is Stamford Bridge. it's It's a Saturday late fixture. It's going to be under the lights. It's the last one before the international break. And we're coming off not a particularly good run.
00:20:42
Irby White
Chelsea's but just one of the one of the most difficult teams, big, big traditional big six teams to to wrap my head around right now. Since the, I mean, even since the Todd Bowley era has begun, managers in and out, but understanding Maresca's tactics,
00:20:59
Irby White
I feel like the way the pundits analyze it and the way I see it or just try to understand it, it feels like it changes week to week and the narrative changes week to week. You know, Enza Maresco was nominated for manager coach of the year at the Ballon d'Or awards.
00:21:15
Irby White
And then they go on this run of just getting past Lincoln in the cup, losing to Brighton.
00:21:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
One minute.
00:21:22
Irby White
drawing Brentford, getting demolished by Bayern Munich. And it's just, but then the narrative, I feel it can change in a week if they go on a five game win streak, which they're capable of doing. They have the players.
00:21:35
Irby White
They're just a strange team to to analyze and assess tactically, but just where they're at. You know, I feel like they take one or two steps forward and then they take two or three steps back.
00:21:45
Irby White
and they make these big strides, you know, winning the club world cup felt like a big thing for them. I know we've all kind of talked about the club world cup, but it felt like maybe just a step in the right direction for them. And now they're just sitting in a weird position.
00:22:00
Irby White
When we go to play Chelsea, though, I talk about with my friend Michael, who became a Chelsea fan around 2010, 2011. twenty eleven And I tell him there's still the history every time we play Chelsea, no matter the form they're in, no matter the form we're in.
00:22:16
Irby White
You know, there have been years where Chelsea have really not been on it, even under this Todd Bowley era. And then we go and play Chelsea and it just kind of feels like that hatred is still there. That rivalry is still there, especially when we go to the bridge.
00:22:27
Irby White
it's been a tough place for us to go as long as I've been a supporter, no matter how, how good we are, how good they are. i mean, I remember going, go, I remember when we played their Conte's first season, the year they won the league when Henderson scored that beautiful goal over courts wall that just, you couldn't have, so you couldn't have, he couldn't have struck it any better to get over a guy at six, seven and just thought, Oh my, you know, maybe the tide has turned and then Chelsea go on to win the title.
00:22:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:22:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:22:54
Irby White
We come, we come in fourth. Right. It's a tough place to go, obviously, and it's just been but a ground that has seen mixed success for us from Europe to to cup competitions to to the league over the last 20 years since I've been a supporter.
00:23:09
Irby White
And I'm looking forward to it. I'm not sure what to expect considering the form they're in, the form we're in.
00:23:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:23:16
Irby White
And I'm just hoping that we can go into the international break with three points against a team that's been kind of a thorn in our side the last couple of years.
00:23:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
However many years, yeah. I mean, they've got a few injuries. I mean, Cole Palmer looks like he's going to be out for this game. Liam DeLapp is still going to be out for this game. He's got a hamstring injury.
00:23:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Andre Santos looks like he was injured in that win over Benfica midweek. So they've got a few players out. But as we've said, you know they do seem to raise their game for these Liverpool matches. And as I said, it's it's a late afternoon game.
00:23:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so i think our team selection, again, it boils down to what Arnie Slott does here. You mentioned Jamie Carragher, which is a you know a great point. And i actually do agree with Carragher about...
00:24:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know Slot going back to basics effectively, which is let's pick a settled team that you're used to, that is proven, okay especially in that midfield area with that tried and tested trio. I know that Vietz is the big signing or one of the big signings this summer.
00:24:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I honestly think that he's got to go for that tried and trusted trio of Gravenberg, McAllister and Sir Bosley, just to give us a bit of stability and consistency, know, going into this international break and then really kind of building from there.
00:24:52
Irby White
For me, it's not just the midfield. I completely 100% agree with you on sticking to the the midfield of last year and putting Saboslaw back in the the attacking mid-10 space and with Gravenberg and McAllister leading that pivot where they were just absolutely outstanding together last year.
00:25:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:09
Irby White
Dropping Verts, you know, 100 and whatever million spent on him, leaving him out in a big match in the Premier League. and so It's a hard thing to do. It's hard thing. I don't want to say to justify, but just think he's got to be.
00:25:22
Irby White
I've used the word numerous times ruthless, but go back to to what worked with the midfield. And I think we have to go back to as similar of a team as we had last year.
00:25:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:32
Irby White
You know, in my mind, I think the only Two players that should start that were not at the at the club last year Marmodashvili due to Allison's injury only and Eketike or Isak at the nine because Darwin's gone because, you know, as we know, Jalta is sadly no longer with us.
00:25:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:52
Irby White
And so those are the Trent Alexander-Arnold's no longer part of the club. And so I think you have to go with as many players that were at the club last year. So for me, that's Connor Bradley on the right, Robertson on the left, Gakpo on the left, up top, and then your choice at the nine position.
00:26:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, no, I'm 100%. If you could look at my Word document, I've got to Marma Dashfully, obviously in goal. We'll talk about Alisson in a few minutes, but a back four of Canate, Van Dijk, and then Bradley and Robertson.
00:26:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because I just think that with Bradley, you know, I just think that there's that solidity there. And Robertson gives you that experience.
00:26:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then we we've spoken about the the midfield with three. And up top for me, it's got to be Salah Gakpo. And I would start with Isak because as much as I think that Ekotike has probably been the best signing in terms of the the performances and the impact that he's had on our team,
00:26:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he did go down, you know, slightly injured midweek. They said that, you know, he thought it might be in a hamstring. And then he then he's thinking, well, actually, I think it's just a cramp. But they said that about Frimpong as well when when he first went down.
00:27:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
So i'm I'm thinking that, look, start with Isak. He's not a bad striker to start with. And then if we really do need him, then bring Eketike back in. But I'm 100% with the the back four as well. I think that's another area where you just need that stability, the experience.
00:27:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you know what? Let's just get a run of... Good results. Let's get some rhythm into the team. And then you can start taking certain players in from just certain positions here and there and rotating.
00:27:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've mentioned Marmadashvili, who's going to start on
Goalkeeping Concerns and Future Prospects
00:27:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Saturday. And I've got no qualms about that. Every time I've seen him, he looks really assured, really comfortable.
00:27:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
a very imposing physical kind of presence. You know, he's very much in that kind of courtois, you know, kind of mould, really big.
00:28:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. But Alison Becker, as much as I love the guy, and I do blame Canate for him getting that injury with a just an absolutely horrendous pass, which really, the the contract offer that we have apparently made Canate, we should rip that up and take off at least 25 grand a week, just on the basis of that pass alone, which caused Alison Becker bless him, he sprinted five yards and he's just done something.
00:28:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
But He's in the last year of his contract. Are we seeing, you know, the kind of phasing out of Alisson as well? Not because of his ability, which is completely, you cannot question, but just his his availability and his his fitness record, which is the only thing that you can we we you can level against him.
00:29:01
Irby White
Yeah, the fragility of his body. you know I feel like in the last decade, we've had a number of players that just their bodies are made of glass. I go back to Daniel Sturridge and
00:29:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:13
Irby White
Naby Kate, Joel Motip, all outstanding football players. you know When they got back to their fitness and were able to play six, seven matches, you know I still die on the Naby Kate to Hill of when he got six, seven matches back in the legs, we'd see the best of him and then injury.
00:29:29
Irby White
But you know I digress. Allison, I think he's the same way. I think his just maybe his body is made of the glass, and when he's forced to do those five, 10 yard sprints on a recovery or to come out or when he has to do these little things, a hamstring goes and I'm looking forward.
00:29:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:29:45
Irby White
don't say i'm looking forward to it but I'm eager to to listen to the, his pre-match press conference tomorrow to get more of a, an assessment and get more insight on, on what the deal with Allison and, and Eka TK are.
00:29:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:29:59
Irby White
With Marmadashvili, I'm excited, but I'll go back to your point about the phasing out. I hope it's not because I think he's one of the best goalkeepers. He's by far the best goalkeeper I've ever seen play at the club.
00:30:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:10
Irby White
He's a top five goalkeeper I've ever seen play you know with my friends. Everyone makes these all-time 11s, and he's definitely – in contention to be one of the all-time 11 keepers that just I've seen, you know, if I were able to put together 11 guys.
00:30:26
Irby White
And so I hope it's not the the phasing out, you know, Marmodesh, really, he's still young. He's still got time to grow and to learn from the best, arguably one of the best keepers to play for the club.
00:30:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:35
Irby White
And so,
00:30:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:38
Irby White
I'd love to get see him get another year or two. Now, if Allison, if he's you know his body's starting to break down and maybe he's losing in training, and in if we do give an extension in a year, and he sees that he's no longer the number one, you know he's a guy that could go back to Brazil and spend time with his family.
00:30:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:55
Irby White
I don't know if he's the kind of guy that would go to to Saudi Arabia to get one last paycheck or if you'd go to the States. I'm not sure, but just... I'd love to get the most out of him before Marmadashvili is the number one. I do want to say I'm excited to see Marmadashvili because I only got to see him once last year against mar Real Madrid.
00:31:14
Irby White
And it could have been a game where Valencia was playing at Madrid in the Bernabeu. And I'm not sure if they got a result or not, but he was outstanding.
00:31:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:31:20
Irby White
And I was just, it gave me a comfort that for the next six to 10 years that we have
00:31:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:31:27
Irby White
you know another great keeper on our hands.
00:31:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:31:30
Irby White
But under the circumstances, you know you don't you don't want to see Marmadash Philly coming in for another Allison injury. But this is why you go and spend $25-30 million on a backup keeper.
00:31:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Right. Predicted scoreline. I think I've got a pretty horrendous record this season of my predictions.
00:31:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think that this is the game. I think that this is the game that we we we come back and really show
Predictions for the Chelsea Game
00:32:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
what we're about. I think that Chelsea...
00:32:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even though they are going to be up for this game, I think that i think they're the kind of team that we can we can get something out of. So with that predicted defensive lineup, if we do play with that back four, I'm going to say that we're going to win 2-0.
00:32:26
Irby White
I guess I'll give two predictions because if he goes with that lineup in that midfield that we suggested and hopefully defensively, we've got that solidity and transitions were we solid. I think we would win it with that lineup.
00:32:41
Irby White
Unfortunately, I'm going to have to go with two, two, because even with that midfield, maybe, the defensive issues are still there surrounding Kanate, right? And that's such a big hole. You know, Connor Bradley is going to have to attack the flanks and go up the channels a little bit.
00:32:54
Irby White
And if we get caught, you know, with João Pedro and, and who's the, who's the Portuguese winger. I can't seem to think of his name.
00:33:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:33:04
Irby White
Yeah. And Neto, you know, if those two are attacking Kanate down, down their left side, our right side with, with Bradley or Frimpong having to make a recovery, That worries me. And I think that's an area of the pitch they'll target specific specifically if Fren Pong is playing.
00:33:20
Irby White
And so... I don't think we'll lose, you know, and maybe we'll come back and see. I look like an idiot if we do lose a third successive match. But I'm going to go to to You know, I feel like we will be up for it to not go into the international break on a loss.
00:33:36
Irby White
I'd love to get a win, but just i feel like the defensive issues are still there. But I feel like we're going to create more chances and we're going to put away some chances. i'm just I'm just worried.
00:33:47
Irby White
I could see it us being up to two, one with five minutes to go and conceding a stupid goal where we've, where we've been in control. And so I'm going to go to two.
00:33:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Some more last-minute shenanigans then.
00:33:59
Irby White
Yeah. Unfortunately.
00:34:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, that's so that is all for today. You've been listening to the Daily Liverpool podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. We'll have all the post-match analysis and reaction talking points.
00:34:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
So do please join us again after the Chelsea game. Until then, from myself and Irby, thank you for listening.