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Daily Liverpool - Fuham fallout, contract update and FSG's new contract policy?
17 Plays4 days ago
We've had a few days to digest our first away-day defeat in the PL this season and Jesse Sarwar tries to bring some perspective to that defeat. Does Slot need to rotate more? Is Robertson done? And have FSG started a new contract policy?
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Transcript
Liverpool's Performance and Fatigue Issues
00:01:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Liverpool podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. It's Wednesday the 9th of April. We've had a few days now to digest that really, really poor performance over the weekend and a defeat.
00:01:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
defeat away at Fulham, our first away defeat of the season. So we've lost one game at home against Forest and one game away from home. So think it's important to put that into that defeat into a bit of context. I think there's been a lot of talk that, you know, the wheels are coming off and you know, this is a poor league and this is this is going to be the worst title winning team. It's just utter to nonsense. I don't buy that at all. I think any team that goes through a season, you know, losing two games, I think has had a very, very good season.
00:02:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, you know, that aside, it was a really, really poor showing from the team. You know, a team that are champions in waiting and they are still champions in waiting.
00:02:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it was just really frustrating that the team is just looking really, really tired. And I think missing out on an opportunity to go 14 points clear.
00:02:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know that sounds greedy. Look, we're eight points clear at the top of the table, eight clear of Arsenal, who were held to a one-all draw Everton match.
00:02:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
on the Saturday. So it was a chance to extend that lead and to really kind of turn it into a procession. And i know that most people don't want a title or pre procession. They want some kind of jeopardy. But I think just as supporters, I think it was another opportunity to really kind of, you know, to nail down this title and just to really kind of emphasize the dominance that this team has had this this season.
Player Critiques and Team Concerns
00:03:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think that was really disappointing to to kind of not extend that lead and to not give Arsenal any hope, any hope whatsoever, because they will have hope.
00:03:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think any team that are chasing in second place, I think, you know, any professional footballer, is going to think, okay, we've got to keep gotta to keep fighting just in case they do slip up, just in case they do slip up.
00:03:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if they play before us and that 11 points turns into an eight-point lead, you know they've got to hang on for any kind of positive.
00:04:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And that positive will be a double-digit lead going into a single-digit lead. So I think it was a missed opportunity on our part. But there's no getting away from the fact that the team is looking quite jaded now.
00:04:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, that they are looking tired. And I suppose you can forgive them, you know, for for the kind of intensity of this season.
00:04:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
But so just going through that team, I mean, Kelleher, who quite rightly has been lauded as, you know, a fantastic backup to Alisson.
00:04:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he's been average the last couple of games and this game against Fulham. I think, and again, this sounds really harsh, but I think maybe this is the reason why Kelleher is not going to be a Liverpool player beyond this season.
00:05:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
With Marmadashvili coming in and then Alisson, obviously the competition is going to be that much greater. But I think the one area that Kelleher is probably not at an elite level is his distribution.
00:05:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think that was really on show against Fulham. There were just too many times where, you know, he he would hoof the ball long.
00:05:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think that was exacerbated by the fact that Trent wasn't there. So no Trent, no Alisson, It just means that, you know, the the options in terms of of keeping the ball at the back and and building from the back are just reduced. You know, Kanate is not known for his, you know, his kind of skills on the ball. He's he's he's more of a destroyer. He's more of a physical presence.
00:06:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so that just leaves Van Dijk, really, and and Andy Robertson. And so, yeah, I think Kelleher... was poor I think that's probably the the one thing that means that we've probably seen the last of him, you know, unless Alisson is out again against West Ham, which I'd be really, really surprised. I mean, I was surprised that he was out for this game.
00:06:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
but I would think that, you know, injuries aside, it's probably the last that we'll see of Keleher this season and therefore the last that we'll see in a Liverpool shirt.
00:06:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Talking of that back line, Andy Robertson, again, he just just had a poor day and he he's he's had too many of those this season and I love Andy Robertson and I don't want Andy Robertson to...
00:06:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
to leave I don't want him to be sold I i don't want him to walk out the door but he has had a below average season or below par from certainly from his standards you know he's he's been he's been exceptional ever since we picked him up for what what was it eight million pounds something ridiculous from from whole city this is by far this has been his his poorest season and the question marks over him just getting bigger and bigger, particularly with the rumours that are increasing around Kirkes of Bournemouth and whether Liverpool have already agreed terms with him.
00:07:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, there's lots of rumours that something like £30 million will see Kirkes through the door at Anfield. and that he is really, really keen on a move.
00:07:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
mean, you know, we're in that kind of silly season period now where, you know, his dad or his brother posts something about Liverpool and then Kirkes likes it. And then, you know, the whole, know, the internet just goes crazy.
00:08:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
But so I think when Robertson, you know, puts in these kinds of performances, it's no surprise then that, you know, people start talking about potential replacements and whether Robertson maybe it's starting to go over that hill and is on now a, you know, a downward, you descent in terms of form.
00:08:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I would like to think not. I know that it would be no surprise if FSG, you know, kind of showed the door to Robertson.
00:08:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think they will. I think that, so I think he stays. I think Simicas is the one that needs to be moved on.
Coaching Strategies and Rotation Debate
00:08:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then, Robertson you know and Kerkhez I think would be a really good left back option for us you know Kanate had a horror show you know he was just he was just not at it I know that Jones is being kind of Blamed, I think, unjustly for that first goal. I don't really think he could have done much. The ball just, you he expected Canate to win that header and it just kind of bobbles off his knee.
00:09:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Canate wasn't at it. And even Van Dijk. you know, it was it was a subpar performance. But I think if there's one player in that team, one player in that defence, certainly, who gets a pass, it is Virgil van Dijk.
00:09:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because he's just played every single game. And... You know, I think that's grueling for a, you know, for a 20 year old, 25 year old, but, you know, for someone who's like, you know, into his 30s now 33 years old, I think to, you know, to keep playing him week in week out.
00:10:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Most of the season, it was three times a week. Now it's just going to be a week, you know, one one game a week. I just think that it's inevitable that there's going to be fatigue issue. and And that is, I think, an issue, you know, across the team now, fatigue.
00:10:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Arnie Slott has... played pretty much the same team again and again and again he's got this kind of preferred 13 or 14 maximum 15 players that he likes to use and I think now that we're we're out on with the all the other competitions, we're out of the FA Cup, we're out of the Champions League, it means that it's just a game at the weekend now.
00:10:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I just think that he's now going to kind of double down on on this policy now. I think he's going to use this team until the end of the season, just to kind of get over the line with this team and just win the Premier League because clearly this is the team, these these are the players that he trusts.
00:11:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
So now that we're in the home straight, I can't see him now all of a sudden, you know, not playing that midfield three and putting Harvey Elliott in.
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
or Curtis Jones or changing that front three, maybe giving Salah rest and starting Chiesa. I just can't see see him doing that. I think that he would see that as too much of a risk.
00:11:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he'd think, you know, why why change things up now? Just get get over the line now. but But I would support that. I would say that he should change things up.
00:11:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that Harvey Elliott, you know, really, really deserves... start I think that Sabozlai, I think it looks like he's starting to run on empty now.
00:12:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Sabozlai is a fantastic player. And there's there's no doubt for me that he's you know he's going to be a pivotal part of this midfield for the next few seasons. But I do think that Harvey Elliott,
00:12:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
needs to be given more of a chance. It's just, I think it's unfair that he just keeps coming on when, you know, we're a goal down or two goals down.
00:12:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
don't think that's, I don't think that's enough to go on to judge Harvey Elliott. But I just don't see Slott doing that.
00:12:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And similarly with the forward line, Mohamed Salah has been, relatively quiet it's it's difficult to say that uh to say that he's he's completely off the boil but you know he's done his bit he has put you know he's he's put liverpool in this position you know in in terms of winning the title and I think it's only normal that players cannot replicate that form from start to finish in terms of a season there's going to be a few games where they don't score or they don't contribute and Solari's in that situation right now and it's up to the other players to do their bit to step up but I would have no problem with
00:13:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
taking Salah out of the team and give Chiesa a run out. but But I just don't see Slot doing that. Maybe the contract situation is a factor.
00:13:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know that Slot will say that it's not. And I know that the club will say that that's just not a consideration. But I don't see how it can't be a consideration.
00:13:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you've got like your best player, And this is not an Arnie Slott decision in terms of his contract. It's clear from the way that Arnie Slott speaks and has spoken about Salah throughout the season that he wants Salah to stay, that he wants Mo Salah to stay at Liverpool and and to do get a new contract.
00:14:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so would Slott then antagonise that situation at such a delicate stage of the season? Would he take him out of the team where a new contract has not been agreed by both parties and potentially, you know, put a spanner in the works, potentially tip it towards Salah leaving and thinking,
Contract Discussions and Team Dynamics
00:14:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh, I've had enough of this, I'm off.
00:14:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I do think it's a factor. I do think that. Slott will keep Mo in the team, partly one because he thinks that he's our best player and even if he's on off form, he's likely to score or to get an assist.
00:14:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think there's something in the back of his mind thinking, you know what, there's no point antagonising Salah at this stage of the season and at this stage of contract negotiations.
00:15:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not as if we're two or three points ahead and in in the league were 11 points clear so there is a bit of a cushion there but so it's just a shame that Chiesa doesn't get a run out and you do wonder what that means for him at the end of the season because you know, if Salah stays, the same the same argument is going to be forwarded by Slot that, well, you know, Keita can't get a run out because look who's in front of him, that's Salah.
00:15:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, that that question I think is going to be on a lot of our minds as supporters is, Will Slott continue this kind of lack of squad rotation next season?
00:15:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
but Or or is this just ah ah kind of is this kind of first season Arnie Slott, which is let's just win the title. It doesn't matter if we rinse the players, but let's just win the title. And then we reset next season with a bigger squad, more rotation so that we can compete.
00:16:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
on all fronts. Because otherwise, if if if if he doesn't do that, and he does just continue with 14 or 15 players next season, how are we going to compete on multiple fronts?
00:16:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
And also, also if if this is how Arnie Slott does manage, if he doesn't rotate, how is this going to impact on recruitment? Because what player is going to want to come to Liverpool if he knows that the manager has got his fixed 14 or 15 players?
00:16:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
What player, what serious player is going to come to Liverpool if he thinks, well, I'm just going to be a bit part player. I'm going to be like Chiesa. I'm going to be like Harvey Elliott.
00:17:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the flip side to that is also is what players will want to stay. The likes of Chiesa, Harvey Elliott, maybe even some of the forward line. I know that there's been talk about Diaz and Jota maybe being moved on anyway.
00:17:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
But would they want to stick around if if there is this lack of rotation? And this is a strange Liverpool team, even if we if, you know, aside from the manager's lack of rotation, it's just it's a strange Liverpool team in terms of its developmental stage.
00:17:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Normally a team that wins the league, you know, they've been through few seasons of pushing for the title. And obviously we have, we've done that. And there's been this kind of,
00:17:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
gradual kind of development of the squad. But this is a team that but was pretty much done. It was it was set. And then we get a new manager in.
00:18:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, he doesn't change anything in that team. There's no new players that come in. It's the same players that were under Jurgen Klopp. And we're going to win the league.
00:18:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the rebuild is going to probably happen in the summer and beyond. And so, you know, it's a kind of curious flip side to what a normal title winning player team is I think it's a really weird situation that the club is in which is why I think supporters are a little bit unsure as to how to take this season i mean we should be celebrating to the rafters and let's face it we we still will or we should once we seal this title but
00:18:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think the uncertainty that's surrounding players, you know, contract situations, how many players are we going to need to rebuild, you know, our FSG leaving it too late and just, you know, stockpiling the the number of positions that we're going to need to, you know, to change.
00:19:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so I think the fans are a little bit nervous about what next season may brit bring. But i would I would just say for now, look, come on, let's forget next season.
00:19:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's enjoy this one. You know, it's a league title for crying out loud. OK, let's move on to some developments on those contract fronts.
00:19:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've just sent the i spent the last couple of minutes saying that we should be focusing on celebrating the title and not contracts. But yeah, here we go. Contract updates.
00:19:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Virgil van Dijk, after the Fulham game, was speaking to journalists and van Dijk said that there is progress referring to those contract negotiations.
00:19:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's quoted as saying, I don't know, we'll see, when asked if that meant that he would be a Liverpool player beyond this season. And James Pearce, who is a well-respected Liverpool FC correspondent,
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
wrote that the tone was different when Van Dijk spoke to reporters on Sunday. He stopped short of providing any guarantees, but the fact that he mentioned that progress had been made in discussions felt significant.
00:20:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he also goes on to say that internally at Liverpool, there's long since been a confidence that an agreement would be reached. And I think that that, I think, is the general feeling. He's had a couple of below par performances, but that really can't mask the impact that he's had on this team.
00:20:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, in contrast, in contrast, the the impact on this team, were he not to be at the club next season? I mean, for me, it's just inconceivable.
00:21:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's inconceivable that you you let him go. And you just have to hope that FSG ultimately feel the same way and that they come to an agreement.
00:21:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mohamed Salah, it looks like it looks like the sticking point with Salah is the length of the contract. And now Sky Switzerland journalist, Sasha Tovieri, hope I didn't mangle that name up too badly.
00:21:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
He has said that Salah is ready to put pen to paper on a deal with reduced wages, but a longer contract. That's interesting.
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think that is, I think, the stick sticking point for Salah. I think that when you get to his stage and he's like his level of... And the amount of money that is made in the game, the the kind of base wage is almost, I wouldn't say it's insignificant, but this is not the this is not the bulk of Salah's kind of income.
00:22:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
and the money that he makes. This guy is the face of football in the Arab world, in the wider Middle East, across Africa, the wider Muslim world.
00:22:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, he he gets a huge amount of sponsorship money from just that alone. And so if his wages are going to go from You know, is there a real difference when you're at that level of wealth?
00:22:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is there a real difference between you being on £220,000 a week and £250,000 a week? There's no material difference, different to your life site lifestyle. I think it's more of a. An ego thing that, you know, you want to be the best played player at the club if you feel that you are the best player ever.
00:23:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the fact that you know reports are coming out that he's prepared to reduce those wages for a longer contract, I think really, really does show what Salah's motivations here are, and that is is to stay at the club to continue to win more trophies and to break records.
00:23:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think think he is obsessed now with breaking more and more records and just becoming arguably Liverpool's greatest ever player. David Ornstein, another reporter that's very, very well informed when it comes to contract situations.
00:23:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's reported now that on both the Salah and Van Dyke contract situations, that progress is now being made and that it's now a case of, quote, when and not if.
00:24:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I would say those are quite you know positive noises now. coming out of at the club and journalists when it comes to those contract situations. And I think that most of us, I think if you'd if you'd asked us at the start of the season, I think most of us were saying Trent is the one.
00:24:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Trent is the one that's probably going to leave and Salah and Van Dijk are the ones that will say would stay. And I think that most of us would have taken that. Another player that is now you know, in in the kind of contract speculation realms now, and that's ibra Ibrahima Kanate.
00:24:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And according to the Times, Kanate is seeking and increase on his existing salary. He's on £80,000 a week, and he's looking apparently for £200,000 a week on new contract.
00:24:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah week on a new contract Two and a half times an increase on his his existing deal. That's a lot of money.
00:25:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is a lot of money. You know, that will put him in the senior category at the club alongside the likes of Salah, Van Dijk and Alisson.
00:25:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
he's a good player. Is he worth it? Is he worth that much? You know, and, you know, what does that say to the likes of Alexis McAllister? Who, you know, alongside Salah's arguably been our player of the season.
00:25:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's a World Cup winner. you And I think that's FSG's concern. I think that's their big concern is keeping on top of the wage bill because it just creates a knock-on effect. If Canarte gets £200,000 a week, why should McAllister not be on the same money?
00:25:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And I think this is why they are taking some of these contract negotiations right to the wire. It's a risky it's a risky strategy.
00:26:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, Canarte's going to be out of contract at the end of next season. So you'd think that the club will be trying to avoid the kind of situation that we are now in with Salah and Van Dijk. But again, begs the question, why was this not sorted out when when he's got two years left on his contract as a opposed one?
00:26:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
to one And I just think there's there's been a lot of criticism of FSG and the club when it comes to these contract talks and these contract renewals. And I'm just wondering whether, because these guys
Ownership Strategies and Player Negotiations
00:26:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
aren't stupid. If there's one thing, there's one thing that they know thing or two about, it's how to run a sports business and about money.
00:26:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I'm just wondering if this is FSG's new policy on contract renewals, because the kind of perceived wisdom in football on contract renewals is that clubs start negotiating with players when they, you know, when they're approaching that kind of two years left to go on their contract mark.
00:27:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, there there's that well-known situation at Manchester City. I think James Milner's book, Karl Kopach mentioned this. He's been reading or listening to James Milner's new book.
00:27:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
where he states that any Manchester City player that's got two years left on his contract is just given an ultimatum. You sign in a renewal or, you know, you'll be transfer listed.
00:27:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, that said, i mean, Kevin De Bruyne is, he's running down his contract and he's leaving at the end of the season. So there is that as well. But I'm just thinking, is this now the new policy from FSG?
00:28:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
because they are very risk averse. And are they so risk averse that renewing a contract with two years still left to go, are they thinking that that's not good business practice?
00:28:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
So if if a player's doing well, he's already on a decent contract, he's got two years left, which is, don't know, are they thinking that's still a lot of football? Is that there's a lot that can happen in that two years?
00:28:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
So are they thinking, why should we give them a 50% increase in their wages when we don't know what they're going to be like in that next two years? And so they they they just let they let that contract run down, off obviously offer terms, but not go kind of crazy that, look, two years left, you've got a sign.
00:28:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. So, yeah, I'm just wondering if if this is the new club policy moving forward, you know, because we've all been wondering why they've they've let this drag on.
00:29:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Why have they let the Trent Alexander-Arnold contract situation drag on? Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, you know, saying that they've, you know they've They've taken their eye off the ball or there was a lot of instability surrounding the sporting director position, hence the stall on player contracts.
00:29:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe we're all wrong. Maybe this is deliberate. Maybe this is how it's going to be at Liverpool. So you know we'll we'll see how that develops. There's also news on Harvey Elliott.
00:29:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Liverpool apparently may be prepared to let him go. Reports suggesting that the club have put £50 million pound price on his head.
00:29:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not sure about this. And when I say I'm not sure about this, not about the the validity of that story. i I just don't think that it would be the right thing to do. I think Elliot should stay.
00:30:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it's clear that Slott, for whatever reason, he just doesn't fancy him. There is something there. You know, what I i don't know. it's not that he's not a good footballer I think he's a fantastic footballer he's he tends to perform every time that he comes on all I can think of is that one game Plymouth in the FA Cup where we you know we were knocked out and we were everyone had a stinker and he didn't play well but Other than that, I can't really think of a reason why Elliot should be so sidelined by Arnie Slott, other than just doesn't like him as a footballer, or not as a personality, but just the kind of footballer that Arnie Slott wants for that midfield.
00:30:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because there is a stark contrast between him and Sabozlai, who he is in competition with. They are two completely different players. So Bosley is much more athletic, he's more dynamic, he's bigger, he's taller, he's stronger.
00:31:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is that the, you know, archetypal Arnie Slott midfielder rather than a more, you know, kind of diminutive, you know, Harvey Elliott?
00:31:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know. I think it's a shame either way because I would love Elliot to stay at the club and I think he's, it'd be a big miss for us. But that is all for today. Don't forget to follow us on your preferred podcast platform so that you get the very latest content when it drops.
00:31:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Follow us on social media at GSPN Liverpool. You can email us at gspndailyliverpool at gmail.com. Join us again on Friday where we'll have the pre-weekend review against West Ham.
00:31:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Until next time, thank you for listening.