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Forest 1 - Liverpool 1 - Post Match Reaction
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Liverpool come away with a point after a pulsating contest at the City ground. Jesse Sarwar, Louie Easton and Michael Lake go over all the main talking points.
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Transcript
Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: Match Overview
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Liverpool Podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. Liverpool have drawn 1-1 against Nottingham Forest at the city ground in a breathless game. It's a six point gap now between the Reds and Forest, that point taking them up into second. We still have a game in hand on them. It's seven points.
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
ahead of Arsenal with all games. Equal will be going through all the action and talking points. Joined by Michael Lake. Michael, you've got your breath back, mate.
00:00:45
Michael
Yeah, I mean, it it was ah ah it was a game. That's all I can say. It was it was a game. I think it was it got got very tasty towards the end. Looking forward to talk about it.
00:00:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Louis Easton. Louis.
00:00:58
Louie Easton
Yeah, um frustrating to say the least. An incredible watch though, especially for a neutral, but as a Liverpool supporter, I'm frustrated to not have got anything more than one point in that game, but, you know, plenty of positives to take from it as well.
00:01:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was a great
Game Atmosphere and Key Moments
00:01:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
game. I know it was a huge atmosphere at the city ground. It was like a real cauldron tonight. but so And sometimes, you know, when you're really kind of invested in a game, Michael, you kind of, you're not you're not sure whether the game was actually really good because, you know, what is really kind of gripping for us as fans can be really boring for like a neutral, but this one had, it really did did have a, you know, a real kind of ebb and flow to it. It was like end to end, especially in that second half.
00:01:46
Michael
Yeah, I mean, i mean ah ah we kind of knew that Forrest was going to approach the game in terms of like sitting back, but as soon as they started attacking and like lately in the second half. That's when it really got interesting. I think that's when the neutrals were starting to ah ah enjoy the game when it was just kind of ping the ball, ping the ball, ping the ball, like loads of space in the middle. I think that played more into our hands. That's why we had so many shots towards the end of the game. But was I think it was a thriller for watching it as ah ah as a fan and not in the mind as a neutral. Because I think also the fact that Forest is starting to get little murmurs about the Leicester story
00:02:22
Michael
like I don't think it's gonna happen because we're up there but I like i i I'd rather be competing against Forrest than I would against Arsenal that's all so I'm saying I'd rather compete against a proper club that's won European trophies rather than some Tim pot clubs yep
00:02:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, shots fired. Louis, what do we take out of this game? you know is it you know We this all the time, don't we, when when we kind of draw a game.
00:02:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know does it It feels like two points dropped, but do we take it as ah ah as ah as another positive?
00:02:51
Louie Easton
It does.
00:02:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
or should we start to feel a bit concerned that we're starting to see a few of these draws? We drew 2-2 at Fulham, 3-3 at Newcastle, there's the United draw and now against Forest and you know we are so we are conceding goals.
Defensive Strategies and Player Performances
00:03:11
Louie Easton
Yeah, absolutely. But I think what we also have to admit is the fact that Nottingham Forest is just a decent side. You know, Chris Wood has been terrific this season.
00:03:22
Louie Easton
They've got a brilliant defence. I mean, Matt Sells in goal today was just unbelievable.
00:03:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:29
Louie Easton
Mario as well, their Brazilian sense of back. You know, Forrest did just sit back. let's Let's not try and sugarcoat it. They just sat back for that entire second half. And we had a few opportunities where maybe on another day it goes in. I mean, the Ola Ina goal line clearance on another day that goes in, for example.
00:03:50
Louie Easton
there are plenty of others that I, my head's steaming still from the match, so it's difficult for me to think of them on the spot. But it does feel like we were the better team and probably deserved to win just because we kept on coming and kept on peppering that goal. And because we're Liverpool fans, we're used to seeing our score, you know, last minute equalizers or winners. And when it doesn't happen, is it it does get frustrating, absolutely.
00:04:17
Louie Easton
So from an emotional point of view, it certainly does seem like two points dropped, but maybe from a logical sense, drawing against Nottingham Forest on the same game week where Chelsea have drawn, Manchester City have drawn, maybe it's not the end of the world. I suppose we just have to see what happens in the North London Derby now.
00:04:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, coming off the back of the weekend's win against action Stanley in the FA Cup, which, you know, was a much changed side slot, obviously went for a very strong team. Alison in goal, Trent, Canate, Van Dyke, Robertson, Gravenberg, McAllister, Sir Boslai, and then Salah Diaz, Gackpo.
00:04:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Michael, we we started off obviously, you know, dominant in possession, but, you know, as they've done so many times this season, you know, Forest score just from their first attack, you know, inside the first 10 minutes, Chris Woods, as you know, Louis has just touched on clinical finish. I mean, could we have done more in defence or was that just one of those, you know, bang bang, it's a counter attack, one or two passes and it's in the back of the net.
00:05:23
Michael
I think there were there was maybe one or two errors, but I think it was just so clinical from them. I think ah ah it did start with Kannate kind of doing a quite soft header towards Salah and Salah just getting squeezed out by two Forest players.
00:05:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do you think's going to come better though than Michael? Don't you think you could have...
00:05:38
Michael
And then it was literally, I don't know i don't know whether he could, i think I don't know what he would have done.
00:05:44
Michael
Cause if he had just got a foot on it, it could have gone anywhere. Like it was, like he maybe could have tried to compete a little bit more, but they they were, I think the the header from Kanate,
Impactful Substitutions
00:05:55
Michael
he had time, or you either hit it long so he has something to run onto, you don't like softly cushion it back when there's two forest players in front of him. think I think that might have been, because there was another one later,
00:06:10
Michael
what the konai did and he kind of softly cushioned another header and the forester on the counter-attack and I think that could have been in Slots thinking in terms of like when he brought him off but I'm sure we'll touch on that later but I think or i think the the passing play from Forest I think they knew they had their game plan was sit back not don't let us into the box like we trust our big centre backs and our goalkeeper to win everything in the air. We're just going to let invite crosses and then when we have a counter attack we're going to go for it. they fully went for it. They didn't actually have that many opportunities outside of the one they actually scored with. I think as soon as Wood was kind of like in and he took that shot so like early like
00:06:53
Michael
Alison couldn't have done much. he He got down quickly, but it was just a little bit too far. And I think Wood and Alanga and Hudson and Doy, pretty much all of the forest team is in such good form that like ah ah they just needed one chance. And especially so early with the the city ground is kind of it's one of those places that can maybe hold hold a candle to and for Anfield in terms of once it once it gets noisy, it is very, very noisy. And I think that could have also factored in with the with the players maybe not being switched on instantly.
00:07:27
Louie Easton
Yeah, I did say i did see a stat my dad told me, so don't take these words for for gospel, but apparently Nottingham Forest have had less possession than any other team in the Premier League.
00:07:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah and
00:07:42
Michael
Yeah, I think they said that in commentary, yeah.
00:07:42
Louie Easton
so Yeah, so when they counter, they hit hard. So as soon as I saw those forward passes, I could see a mile off that it was going to be a goal.
00:07:47
Michael
is
00:07:52
Louie Easton
It just it just had that feel about it.
00:07:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I know.
00:07:54
Louie Easton
And, you know, credit to them for taking their but very little ah ah like the little opportunities that they have had this season they have taken.
00:08:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which fair play to do, I mean, you know, if if you're if you're a club the size of Forrest, you know, no disrespect meant, but if you're going up against the big boys, then you know, you know, you're not going to get the bulk of the possession. And so you've got to be really efficient in your attacks in in, you know, how you finish moves often, and they were that in the first half.
00:08:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know Was it a poor first half for Liverpool, Louis, or was it was it more that Forrest really contained us? I just felt that we were looking a bit frustrated.
00:08:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
You saw Liverpool taking shots from distance, which, look, I've always said, I want us to shoot more, but we were doing that you know every couple of minutes in the first half.
00:08:37
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:08:47
Louie Easton
Yeah, there was the Diaz ones. though There was the... Yeah, it it did it did feel like we just couldn't get into our rhythm quickly enough. There were some wild passes as well. You know, we were just struggling to find each other.
00:09:01
Louie Easton
when we were under pressure, we didn't look comfortable. And Forest did force that out of us, fair play to them, but I do think that they definitely deserve to be ahead going into their break.
First Half Challenges for Liverpool
00:09:13
Louie Easton
And I'm just glad that we got that goal in the second half because They were so comfortable in defence and we were almost sort of playing into their hands. I remember seeing constantly Van Dyck on the ball and Canate on the ball and they just said, okay, you do what you want with us. Usually people press Virgil van Dyck and then he takes a player out of the equation, but they were smart to that. They were wise to it.
00:09:42
Louie Easton
And we looked so uncomfortable, I saw us constantly going back to Alison and go. It was a weird first half from a Liverpool perspective.
00:09:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do give credit to Forrest. I think you're absolutely right, Louis. There were so many times where Van Dyke's got the ball and he's literally walking with the ball. He's walking with the ball because no one is is pressing him. No one's coming forward and you've got some you've got a really disciplined bank of midfield and defenders ah that that Forrest have shaped up with. But Michael, do do you think that Sometimes I know there's this narrative that Liverpool are a lot more patient now. You know, we're ah ah we're a bit more kind of deliberate in our build up instead of this kind of gung ho mentality that we had under Klopp. But I think sometimes we we almost kind of, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy in the sense that, you know, Van Dyke's walking, I think sometimes they've got to initiate the urgency.
00:10:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
in terms of like, Van Dyke, get the ball. Don't walk. Even if it's just a two-yard pass, do it quickly. Get some movement going. I just think that we almost played into Forrest's hands there.
00:10:56
Michael
Yeah, I think we took too long on the ball like too often. I think we were trying to like play like cute passes and then just whip a ball in front post. But with having Luis Diaz up front as opposed to Noonez probably wouldn't finish any of the chances but at least Noonez would be making those front post runs or like or Jota when he came on he was making we were making those sort of runs in under lapping runs so the winger would take out the fullback and they'd make the under lapping runs and they'd spread the centre backs around that was what when Jota came on we played like that we played like playing triangles around the around their players in the in the corner as opposed to just
00:11:37
Michael
kind of we'd ping it out to Gackpo, he'd get on the ball, he'd cut inside, he'd pass it to McAllister, we'd just recycle. And that'll be it'll be over and over again, we'd ping it out wide, we'd either put a speculative ball in, we'd shoot speculatively, or we would just recycle and keep possession. And then as soon as we lose the ball, as soon as Trent or I don't know,
00:12:02
Michael
And I call anyone like misplace of the past then Hudson are doing in a language straight honors and we're absolutely pushing us back and I think like we are with two patients who slow like it just works into a team's hand that's sitting deep because if you're slow they can get in position they can kind of hold themselves tight in the middle so then you can't play through if you're if you're quick and as soon as you turn over the ball like because you saw it in the second half as soon as they got a little bit up the pitch and their wingers were up if we turned it over and went quickly
00:12:36
Michael
Salah was in behind like three or four times like towards the end of the game, and he was completely missing for the for the first bit of it. So like I think we need more urgency, but I do say in that like it needs to be urgency within the system that we're playing at the moment. It seems like we're we're controlled, but with that control, people are like, okay, we're just going to slow it down entirely when it needs to still be fast, but you can kind of dictate the tempo to your speed.
Debating Left Back Choices
00:13:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that first half, and that that we did have, I think, a really good opportunity when Diaz, you know, on on the counter attack, he was through and and, you know, he's got, ga you can see he's waiting for Gackpo, but he just kind of delays the pass ah ah a bit too too long.
00:13:20
Louie Easton
yeah
00:13:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, so you know, second half was much, much better. But then, slot, I mean, you know, talk about a substitution, Louis.
00:13:27
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:13:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
67 minutes, Simicast, Jota come on, corner, first touch for both players, Simicast corner, Jota 1-1.
00:13:43
Louie Easton
I've never seen anything like it.
00:13:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
i've never I've seen players come on and score with their first touches.
00:13:47
Louie Easton
I think it was 22 seconds.
00:13:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've seen players come on and score with their first touches. I've never seen two subs come on and one assists the other with their first touches.
00:13:57
Louie Easton
Yeah, I saw the record. I did look it up just in case there was. It's not the fastest. There's been a substitute scoring in the Premier League. That's Nicholas Bentner, who scored that exact goal six seconds after coming in.
00:14:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
and that Is that a step from your dad as well, Louis?
00:14:11
Louie Easton
No, that's from me. well That's from Google, actually.
00:14:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh
00:14:13
Louie Easton
But um no, I've never seen and I've seen so many people say Simakas needs to be our first choice left back now as well. I think that's a bit reactive after that ah ah after that goal.
00:14:26
Louie Easton
But he did seem to make some sort of a difference. Both of them made a difference after coming on. and But I i could ah you couldn't even write that you couldn't even think for that to happen.
00:14:39
Louie Easton
It's that's the what the Premier League is. It's just like, you see so many things ah ah that you could never have even dreamt of. And my dad said to me, for going back to my dad, imagine it was imagine it was Timmy Cass that crossed it to him.
00:14:55
Louie Easton
We didn't realize it was at the time. And then we just saw him running over. to Just I'm speechless.
00:14:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or just thank God he was jotter, because you know that he's a reliable finisher.
00:15:03
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:15:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you know Michael, we've we've just touched on Simicast and Robertson. I don't, I don't know if it's reactive, in terms of this debate now over Simakas and Robertson, because I think the Robertson narrative has been going on, I think for quite a few games, maybe, maybe this season now. And again, there were quite a few instances where he's kind of caught out position or it just doesn't look a hundred percent himself.
00:15:38
Michael
Yeah, I mean, I i think Simakas has played really well the last few times he's played. I think he played well against Akrington. I think he played well when he's come on the last few games. I think like he, I think he was, his crossing of the ball is up there with Trent at the moment. Obviously Trent and his prime outstanding, but at the moment Trent's crossing is hit or miss like our best.
00:16:03
Michael
So I and i think Simakas always seems to be the first man, which is more than what Robertson can do. like He always seems to put it into dangerous areas. And he seems to actually have legs and got energy and and is up for a bit of a fight. He looks like he's about to fall asleep when you when you see a close-up of him, but like at least he can like Run and he yeah has energy and I think like for all like the the stuff you can say about he's not like world-class or anything He doesn't actually need to be he just needs to be better than Robertson, which I think he is at the moment I think him I think the fact that we've got Robertson and Trent as our supposed starting starting fullbacks and then we got Bradley and Simakas who are both actually pushing
00:16:44
Michael
those those two for a starting spot I think that can only be good for the whole team and I think like I think Robertson I don't know what's up with him whether he's just had like a long season last season and he's he's like ah ah tired or he's just not on it or something like that or he just needs a bit of a spell out of the team like I think I don't think he's old. I don't think it's because he's getting old because he's only 30. The drop off won't be that deep. But I think like he needs something to change because at the moment his performances aren't good enough. like
00:17:16
Michael
was falling over, I mean that's obviously not his fault but still, it's kind of just summed up his season so far, the fact that like he he was just slipping all over the place and just seems to give too much space to wingers. And especially when you come up against a guy like Alanga who apparently sees himself as the fastest player in the world.
00:17:35
Michael
like He's gonna have ah ah a bit of a tough time up against him like he was he was serviceable But I think maybe that is an area where we probably need to upgrade in the summer Along with maybe one or two other areas
00:17:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Louis, we got the equalizer from her from a corner and one of my bugbears, something that really frustrates me because I i just don't get it, is that we insist nine times out of ten on putting in out-swinger corners into the box, which for me are easier to defend against as a defender because you and you only have to get a little bit of the ball and and the ball is out of the penalty box.
Tactical Analysis of Slott's Decisions
00:18:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
An in-swinger is so much more difficult to defend against because I've seen so many instances where everyone misses the ball and the ball lands in the in the back of the net because the goal team can't react to an insuing in-swinging ball that misses everyone and we score from that.
00:18:28
Louie Easton
more.
00:18:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just don't understand why we don't mix things up a bit more
00:18:38
Louie Easton
Yeah, I tell you what I think part of the thinking is, is an in-swinger's easier for a goalkeeper to come out and collect it. So it has to be absolutely perfect. An out-swinger, while it's more difficult for the forwards, it goes further away from the goalkeeper and there's more chance of, you know, recycling the ball on the edge of the box, maybe passing it back and having an in-swinging cross maybe. that's that That's me trying to make sense of it though. I do think in-swingers I think the payoff from an in-swinger, as we saw, is much greater. And I think maybe the thinking is just keeping possession.
00:19:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, that's an an annoyingly good point, that is. um um But so coming back to the substitutions, I thought Slott, Michael was quite brave in his substitutions in terms of, you know, he puts Gravenberg at centre back next to van Dyck, although having said that,
00:19:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
It looks like, you know, if you said to Gravenberg, look, you know, you're going to have to replace Alison and go in goal. You probably think he'll give you a six, seven out of 10 performances just so relaxed about playing in any part of the part of the team.
00:19:54
Michael
Yeah, I mean, he's he's tall enough to be in goal, so he could probably give it give it a good shift. and But I think like that slot's got balls for taking off Kanate to go down to basically one centre back, because Grandbirch is still stepping into midfield. It wasn't wasn't like he was sta sat next to Van Dijk, but i mean it made sense with how the game was going, as we said earlier.
00:20:16
Michael
like Van Dijk and Canate just weren't getting pressed when they were on the ball, so they're not going to have anyone near them to deal with, like and they've only got Chris Wood really to go up against, and I think Slott thought Van Dijk could handle that, and like and it kind of meant that we could kind of attack more. like we had We brought on Jota to play a two up front, we had like four attackers, three midfielders,
00:20:41
Michael
two fullbacks and a centre back. I think that's the most attacking and you can be with still being solid. I'm obviously having that added bonus of Grabbing Burch being able to kind of drop in when needed. But I think like it i mean it worked. we We scored straight after it, but I think also once that happened, we just started having more we having better play, whether it was just because we had attackers on that were kind of linking up a little bit better, or whether it was because like We were just overwhelming them because they were they were happy to defend to defend against like Just the just the outfielders minus the center backs But then as soon as they've got another striker and we're literally we were literally throwing everyone forward it was so at some point it was literally Van Dyke by himself at the back and he did and he was
00:21:29
Michael
And I didn't feel any panic with that. like He is one of the players that like if he is by himself at the back, eye I'm like, it's fine. You're against Chris Wood, he's not going to outpace you and you're strong enough to deal with it. As long as your boys can get back and help you out eventually, I'm not not panicking. But like I thought it was it was a really like it it was it was a brave decision i don't think many managers would do it especially against like a forest team that's in such good form and also like
00:22:00
Michael
Slot is expected to win. So if that if he did that and it didn't come off, everyone's going to be like, well, what are you doing? like or Or if Forrest had scored, like a Slot is getting pelters for it. But because it because it worked and suddenly we became the team that we were meant to be, I think it was it was a great tactical decision.
Midfield Dynamics
00:22:18
Michael
It's obviously come with its with risks.
00:22:18
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:22:20
Michael
But like the the tactical ah ah tweaks that a Slot makes is just is on point and has been all season.
00:22:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And we, we nearly, I mean, it looked like we were, you know, we were going for the win and we were going to get that win. You get that goal line clearance, which I don't know whether it was more him clearing off the line or, just hitting him, but, yeah, it finished, uh, one, one, we're going to go for a quick break. And when we come back, we'll go through some player ratings.
00:23:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, player ratings. Louis I'm giving him him a seven because it was just a very a standard
00:23:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
He didn't really make any mistakes. I don't really think he could have done much about the Chris Wood goal. all It was just clinical finish.
00:23:39
Louie Easton
No.
00:23:42
Louie Easton
He just terrifies me whenever he dribbles it out of it and makes a risky pass. And it comes off every time, but that man is, he plays with my heartstrings constantly.
00:23:55
Louie Easton
And that's something that I do not miss about Kelleher. That's the fact that he would not be afraid to blast it down the pitch. But yeah, because it came off, I'll give him a seven.
00:24:06
Louie Easton
Yeah, I agree with you.
00:24:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:24:08
Michael
yeah i mean i would have gone a little bit a little bit lower just because like i mean not much he could have done but he still did concede so i would probably would have gone like a 6.5 but it's not far off yeah
00:24:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Harsh, very harsh.
00:24:21
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:24:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, but back four then. let's Let's start with the ah ah full backs.
00:24:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Trent, Louis, what what are we looking at?
00:24:31
Louie Easton
Listen, he's... I understand he's underneath the magnifying glass now, but it was a mixed bag.
00:24:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Was it a mixed bag today? Was it a mixed bag?
00:24:39
Louie Easton
Yeah, he made some unbelievable passes, like that one to... I know nothing materialised, but that one to Salla, where he just dribbled into cells in the end, that I i couldn't believe my eyes.
00:24:50
Louie Easton
I understand that it's sort of a norm with him, is and you sort of expect it of him now, just because he has the ability and he's done it time and time again. but defensively a little bit shaky and also he did punch a Nottingham Forest player in the face maybe yeah depending on who you are that's a that's a point up yeah I know you're from East London so you like that's like a gold medal for her you no I it's it's a it's a five it's a
00:25:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
that Does that go up? Does that move? That's a point up.
00:25:20
Louie Easton
yeah i'm I may be being harsh and I'm always defensive of the Liverpool players, but unfortunately not as defensive as Trent Alexander-Arnold. so yeah sorry sorry Sorry, sorry, sorry.
00:25:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ooh. That's below the belt. That's below the belt. OK, what about Robertson, Louis? What about Robertson?
00:25:37
Louie Easton
I want to defend him again. that he fell over. yeah I understand that he then dealt with that situation he a little bit better than Trent Alexander-Arnold for me.
00:25:51
Louie Easton
I give him a six.
00:25:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Really?
00:25:52
Louie Easton
is that If that's lenient, fair enough, but I'm a massive Robertson fan and he was so good for us last season and everyone seems to have forgotten that.
00:25:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Michael?
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Michael?
00:26:02
Michael
Yeah, i mean he's I mean, Robertson has been good for us for the last few seasons, not just last season.
00:26:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:07
Michael
but Yeah, I think both of them had their ups and downs. I think I would actually say Robertson was the worst, the worst out of the two.
00:26:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:15
Michael
Personally, I think like Trent kind of redeemed himself once we actually started playing football. Like he he started making the passes he needed to. Like, I mean, he did get beaten a number of times on that on that side with by Hudson Adoy.
00:26:29
Michael
Like he actually you got rinsed. So like that does go against him. But I think Robertson like yeah I don't remember him doing anything like progressive. and and And his defensive work wasn't particularly memorable. like I'd probably say like say like a.5 for Robertson and a 6 for Trent. like There's not much in it, but I think neither of them were spectacular.
00:26:54
Louie Easton
Well, can I just, sorry, Jesse, do you, because of these questions being asked about both fullbacks and the fact that this season in particular has been a very new season ah ah in terms of a system for our fullbacks, do you think that that's just, do you think that's what the case is in terms of they're being asked to do a lot more and under clop they were asked just to stay up and let Kanate and Van Dyke and
00:26:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
looks like yeah
00:27:24
Louie Easton
maybe the defensive midfielder cover a bit more.
00:27:26
Michael
I think in some ways they're getting asked to do much, much less. I think like they're not getting asked to go up and they're not are getting asked to like sprint all the way back. I think the their starting positions are better for them this the season. like they are sort of like next to the deepest midfielders so it's not like they're having to sprint back and then you can kind of say oh it wasn't in the right position he's having to recover like all those sort of uh get out of jail free cards like he's like obviously both of them their attacking aspects have dropped because obviously they're not bombing forward but their defensive aspects like this system kind of should help with them and Trent started really really well like he was
00:28:08
Michael
he was actually playing really well and it seems like as soon as he's got into January and the talk has been more about this contract I don't know whether that's just me or whether like it feels like he's not running as hard he's not tackling as hard and he's not even trying as hard like he like he's playing his game his passes don't seem to be coming off as much as they as they have been but like I think he's he's been putting in sort of
00:28:23
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:28:37
Michael
mid-level, he's putting putting in average performances, but for Trent, average is lower than what it should be.
00:28:43
Louie Easton
It just seems like he's too much of a professional to let this sort of thing ah ah affect him, but it it has really been since Real Madrid have put in a bid for, well, they did put in a bid for him, didn't they?
00:28:55
Michael
Yeah.
00:28:55
Louie Easton
Yeah, it seems like it's been since then that he's just been running a lot less from what I've seen.
00:29:01
Michael
Yeah, like it feels like he's been joking more.
00:29:02
Louie Easton
It's it's it's it's a crazy allegation to make against him, given the fact that he is a scouser, he's the vice-captain, and he given he's given everything for this club.
00:29:08
Michael
yeah
00:29:13
Michael
yeah he's given everything to the club but I think like he needs to be if he was gonna be he would come off a lot better if he was more transparent with what his thinking is if he had said like at the end of the season I'll make my decision if Liverpool don't offer me the right and right amount i want to I want to stay here but like if they don't offer me the right amount I'm going to Real Madrid I want to be one of the best players in the world like that is the next step in my career, I've won everything here, maybe in the future I'll come back.
00:29:38
Michael
like if he If he was more open and honest about it, maybe I'd see it more, but at the moment it feels like his head's already in Madrid, it feels like he's already kind of
00:29:45
Louie Easton
yeah i agree
00:29:47
Michael
One foot out the door and he's jogging about I want to see Bradley more like if the if he's gonna kind of take liberties and feel like he gets that right back spot just because he does like I think maybe it's time to as much as he's Amazing going forward. He's not being amazing going forward of recent so I think maybe get Bradley and give him a little bit more game time so then when he if he does have to replace Trent, which it's looking more likely he will, like he's then got that that experience under his belt and he can just slot right in.
00:30:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Michael's going to change his mark to three out of 10 now.
00:30:23
Michael
yeah You've made him worse!
00:30:24
Louie Easton
yeah
00:30:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, let's let's move into midfield. Gravenberg, McAllister, Sir Boslai, Louis, your ratings for for those three, your assessments on Gravenberg.
00:30:36
Louie Easton
Are we not doing the sensor back, sorry?
00:30:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
We are was just, I was just making sure that you're paying attention.
00:30:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
So let's go to Martin and Van Dijk.
00:30:42
Louie Easton
Okay. Okay. Van Dyke, Dyke, ah again, I just think he's, we we it he doesn't stand out because he does everything so right and he positions himself so well to the point where you're just sort of immune to seeing it. But honestly, it's it's one of those days, again, it's like, if we didn't have Van Dyke, we might have lost. I think maybe it did go a little bit under the radar, but I'm going to give him an eight.
00:31:11
Michael
but
00:31:11
Louie Easton
and And for Kanate, I think was decent as well. He went through a couple of glory runs into midfield. That came off really well when we were struggling to break the lines in the first half and I thought that he tried very hard. So I'll probably give him an 8 as well.
00:31:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he was doing his best impression of Matip there, wasn't he, Michael?
00:31:32
Louie Easton
yeah Yeah, I was thinking that as well at the time.
00:31:35
Michael
yeah i think yeah yeah i think i think i would also say the van dyke was very unlike like no one talks about him because he is that good i think i would probably give him a about an eight like especially when he was playing by himself like i never felt like worried or anything like that like there was a there was one or two occasions where he was the last man one-on-one with one of the attackers and just stood them up and
00:31:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you're marking the centre back to you, Michael.
00:31:58
Michael
and there was no there's no bother Kanate I would probably go a a lot of with Van Dyke I'd give him an eight with Kanate I'd go a little bit lower just because I did notice that few times he did make the wrong decision in terms of like heading it back and maybe should have just got rid and and took took a leaf out of the forest defender's book to be fair like they were they were willing to just boot it if if they needed to
00:32:08
Louie Easton
Okay.
00:32:24
Michael
um um And I think sometimes our centre backs can get just caught out by trying to play pretty football a bit too much.
00:32:29
Louie Easton
Okay.
00:32:30
Michael
I'd probably give Canate sort of a seven, I reckon. It it was like it was a good good performance, wasn't the best.
00:32:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, Lou, let's let's try this again, then. Midfield, Graven Burke McAllister, Sir Bosley, give us your ratings.
00:32:40
Louie Easton
Okay.
00:32:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
so
00:32:45
Louie Easton
Well, look, I'll say I'll i'll go on to McAllister first, just because I think while he did lack creativity, you could tell that he was trying. And, you know, he was working really hard to pass the ball around and keep it moving in the first half, especially.
00:33:05
Louie Easton
I think a seven is probably fair for McAllister. For Grevenberg basing the fact that he switched positions halfway through the second half and played out of position and did a very good shift there. I think I'm also going to give him a seven. Maybe a bit harsh not to give him an eight but I don't think he did enough in midfield and I thought it was a poor match by his standards in midfield. I think he's been better this season and I think he's been more efficient at breaking the midfield line which he's struggled to do. Granted, Forest were absolutely terrific off the ball. But Soboslai, I think, was probably our best player. I thought he was he was up and down the pitch
00:33:52
Louie Easton
helping out uh on and off the ball and really trying to thread the ball through to the forwards and i think he was so unlucky not to get an assist especially for that salah one where he skied it at the end but you know he held onto the ball for the perfect amount of time you know really kept his head during tense moments of the match and i think he was
00:33:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
It happens.
00:34:14
Louie Easton
the The only criticism I'd say is he was a bit unselfish. He had an opportunity to shoot, but he decided to square it to Giotta in the second half. I can't remember what minute it was in or anything, but you know the moment I'm talking about, and I think he's going to get an 8.5 from me.
00:34:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Michael, you may field.
00:34:35
Michael
i too far I think all of the midfielders had like good enough games that like you can't really complain at them, especially with like Graham Burch moving into center back and stuff like that. I think, yeah, I agree with McAllister actually wasn't that creative today. Like he tried a few things. and they they all They all were playing well, like sort of like flicking it around the corner to each other and kind of linking up well. I'd also say they performed pretty similarly. I'd probably give McAllister a seven.
00:35:04
Michael
grab him a 7.5 just because I rate the drop him back and center back and still being able to... and you did I thought he did break the lines a few times, especially in the first half, quite early on. he was He was able to kind of get to the edge of the box quite a lot, which you don't normally see from him. He's normally... Well, he had a few shots as well, then he's normally sitting him right back, was interesting to see. Probably give him a 7.5 just because he's...
00:35:28
Michael
as I said, he dropped back and sent back and erased it. But I also agree. sus by like he is I think we miss him when he's not playing. I think he is he is the engine of this team and he he is everywhere in terms of like he presses as the striker, he drops deep as a midfielder, he
00:35:37
Louie Easton
Yeah, absolutely.
Critique of Liverpool's Front Three
00:35:47
Michael
goes out wide to link up with Salah, he comes to the to the other side to link up with Gackpo and McAllister, he is everywhere and I do think he needs to shoot more like Leipzig, he would he had a fought like a tractor engine, he would be able to absolutely smacky wacky doodle them but he just isn't doing it for us whether he's just not getting the getting them like space or he doesn't feel confident enough. like He is just trying to create, which I rate, we've got goal scorers, but I think sometimes he just needs to put his foot through it, because he can do it.
00:36:18
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:36:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:36:19
Louie Easton
And i it's yeah it's strange as well, because I remember earlier in the season, we were all complaining about him not doing enough, just but that's just because he sort of goes under the radar.
00:36:19
Michael
and
00:36:20
Michael
yeah
00:36:26
Michael
o
00:36:30
Louie Easton
Once he's one of those players, if you watch the game through his perspective and you watch his movement on the pitch, you've realised he's doing a lot more than he gets credit for.
00:36:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:36:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I thought I thought you had a great performance and yeah, a hundred percent. I think you should be shooting more. And what's more is when Curtis Jones, Jones comes on. You really see the difference in the kind of style of play.
00:36:40
Michael
yeah
00:36:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think Jones can get a bit frustrating sometimes, especially if you're chasing the game. So I think he tends to hold onto the ball a bit too long.
00:36:59
Michael
Yeah, he really likes to like get the players to come to him and then try and beat them.
00:37:02
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:37:04
Michael
like He likes that.
00:37:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which is fine when you know when you're 2-0 up and you know you're you're just controlling the game and yeah you're youre you're just dominating possession.
00:37:10
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:37:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think when when it's 1-1 or you're 1-0 down and you're chasing a game, there's too many times where you know we've we've got a flowing attack And then Jones gets the ball in and around the penalty area and he just almost stops on the ball and then kind of plays it back, which is, it is a bit frustrating, but, let's move on to the the front players.
00:37:32
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:37:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Salah was a bit quiet. Gackpo Diaz. I thought Gackpo played pretty well. I think Diaz was, you know, his, his usual self, Michael, but Mo was not his usual self today.
00:37:48
Michael
no Mo went missing for the first sort of 70 minutes of the game and then suddenly turned came alive in the last 20. I think out of the front three, Gackpo was the best, if you're not including Jotter, obviously. But I think at the at the very start, Gackpo and Diaz were both doing really well, getting on the ball, kind of turning players and driving. Diaz was doing that. He was getting into really, really tight spaces and trying to Getting shots off and kind of just moving the ball quickly I think after that like after this first sort of 15 minutes Maybe after even they scored like Diaz did go a little bit off the boil. I think when he plays he's He is sort of a false striker like he doesn't really push the back line at all Especially when it's too big boys just because he knows he's not gonna win it So he always dropped deep he moves around a lot which is good in some respect, but I think actually today we would have
00:38:44
Michael
it it would have helped with having sort of a striker on the pitch who would just kind of stay in the middle, make runs across the front post, stuff like that, just because of how the crosses we were putting in. Speaking across, this Gackpo was putting some really good ones in, especially when he cut in on the right foot. he was He was pinging some really good ones in that they've struggled to deal with at some points. We got a few corners just from them. And Salah, when he turned up, he turned up a little bit. but like It's nowhere near is gay the the game he should have been playing today.
00:39:14
Michael
I think Nico Williams actually came gay like kept him quite quiet, and Elliot Anderson helped him out massively. They doubled up on Salah quite a lot. And Salah felt really, really exposed, like just by himself on the right wing.
00:39:28
Michael
like He's normally over there by himself, but like there was literally no support all, when especially when they were doubling up on him. It just felt like so a little bit unfair. Yeah.
00:39:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but even he's finishing though, even when he put doubled up and then, you know, the the the one that Louis mentioned where, um, suppose like, you know, tease him up and it's a classic Salah situation where he opens up his body and you know, that kind of far corner is just, you know, beckoning to him and it, and he's just absolutely skies it.
00:39:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, uh, so what, what are we going for in terms of scores on the doors for the, front door front three Salah gap podias?
00:40:02
Michael
7.5 for gakpo, 7 for dias and 6.5 for sala.
00:40:08
Louie Easton
hi
00:40:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
my
00:40:11
Louie Easton
That's very high.
00:40:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah i've got to pan these um'm goingnna band these point five shenanigans are um'm I'm
00:40:19
Louie Easton
yeah
00:40:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
blue
00:40:24
Louie Easton
He's had you there, Jesse.
00:40:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
is that we
00:40:25
Louie Easton
You can't deny it.
00:40:26
Louie Easton
and Yeah, no, that's way too high for me.
00:40:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
louis front three
00:40:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
but what's what's to
00:40:30
Louie Easton
I think the front three, Bard, Gackpo, and Jota, obviously, who was the substitute. I think they all were quite disappointing today, especially Salah. I mean, a lot of Salah's shenanigans weren't his fault.
00:40:42
Louie Easton
I mean, in the first half, he was absolutely nowhere to be seen, but not just his finishing, but also his one-on-one dribbling. You know, I'd rather see Rio and Gamoja take on Nico Williams at this point after that Accrington Stanley performance.
00:40:57
Louie Easton
No, no, that's, uh, you know, how many times did we see Salah just run at the defenders and lose it? And it's happening every match now. It's not a coincidence. He's just simply not good enough in one-on-one situations.
00:41:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Take that contract away from him.
00:41:12
Louie Easton
yeah I won't go that far just yet. However, I do i would like to see more of Kiesa and Harvey Elliott at some point soon. But, you know, this is the first time Sellers had a match where he hasn't got a direct contribution to go. And it was bound to happen at one point. And it happened against the team who I believe have the most clean sheets in the entire Premier League at the moment.
00:41:35
Louie Easton
and And when you're up against a defence that's good, that double up on you, you're bound to struggle. So, you know, I'm not expecting world-class performances in and out. if We can week out from Salah, but it's he was frustrated today and he didn't cope very well. and That's why I'm actually going to give him a five. I was thinking of maybe even giving him a four, but, you know, he did have some decent shots at goal. I mean, the one where he had barely any backswing in the middle of the in the middle of the box towards the end where cells had to tip over the bar for a corner. That was that was impressive.
00:42:16
Louie Easton
As for Lewis Diaz, I was very disappointed, especially in the first half, because he had those... because because he didn't have the same energy. he was He wasn't, you know, moving over to the left wing and trying to shuffle inside as much as we like to see him. He wasn't getting into the box, he wasn't attacking crosses, and the odd shot that he did outside the box was very frustrating and tame. and he And there was just no influence from him. when he was Even when he was dropping back from midfield, he just laid it off to the side and he lacked creativity. And what we love seeing from Lewis Diaz is his ability to sort of make chances out of nothing, just with a burst of pace. And I really wasn't seeing enough of that. So he's going to probably get my lowest rating and I'm going to give him a four.
00:43:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
h from Eastern.
00:43:11
Louie Easton
ah I understand that it's an unpopular opinion, but it's my opinion, alright guys? It's just an opinion, and opinions are objective.
00:43:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
These are post-match blues.
00:43:22
Louie Easton
And lastly,
00:43:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Post-match blues.
00:43:25
Louie Easton
Yeah, i'm I'm frustrated just because I've really wanted to move further away from our competitors and we failed to do that again on the same time where Chelsea and Manchester City drop points.
00:43:36
Louie Easton
So yeah, there are definitely blues.
00:43:39
Michael
They're not all competitors anymore.
00:43:42
Louie Easton
No, but but the thing is, with the way that we're playing and the way City have been playing recently, I do i do think that there could be some sort of miracle on the cards there. i'm not I will never write off Man City. we It could be mathematically impossible for Man City to to catch up with us, and I still wouldn't write them off. They're that good.
00:44:03
Michael
Yeah, City and Arsenal are just 10-pot clubs.
00:44:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:44:07
Michael
That's just what they are, so they're not never going to compete.
00:44:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:44:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:44:09
Louie Easton
no Good teams, though.
00:44:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's true. but so So we've taken a point from today.
Looking Ahead: Liverpool vs Brentford
00:44:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brentford up next on Saturday. Feels like a must win now, that one, Michael. You can't you can't you can't go go to Brentford now and get a draw or God forbid, lose.
00:44:29
Michael
Yeah, I think, like, i'd I'd like to see some of the other players get ah get get a bit of a run out, like, sort of a Harvey Elliott, even a Jaden Dan's, like, a striker. If Nunez is going to be out for a little bit, like, have him on the bench, like, or just start Jotter. Like, oh that I would also like to see that. I think, like, at this moment, it's quite an opportunity to sort of rotate a bit more, like,
00:44:54
Michael
just give other players an opportunity because some of the performances that some of our key players have put in on aren't good enough. so yeah ah saw all All I can say is that like we need to win against Brentford and I think we could, we've got to be wary for the same sort of stuff that we should have been wary about for Forest, about getting like hit on the counter and stuff like that. And I think once Kanate gets more into the swing of things after his injury, I think we'll be much better.
00:45:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Louis, thoughts on Brentford?
00:45:25
Louie Easton
Well, they are a very difficult away match. They have had a fantastic home record. I mean, the first half of the season, they had the best home record out of anyone in the Premier League. And, you know, getting a draw out of Manchester City where from 2-0 down, away from home midweek,
00:45:46
Louie Easton
after losing to Plymouth on the weekends, it's a great way to bounce back. And for Liverpool Football Club and everyone will try against us 100%, you know, we always seem to bring the best out of every club we play. And that's a blessing and a curse watching this team when we're so good and we're so on song. So it will take one heck of a performance and it will really It will really give us some good motivation to go on after a little bit of a spell of difficult sir matches and difficult results that we've had to take against United Spurs and now Forest. So this is this does feel like a must win for Liverpool, especially if we do want to pursue that Premier League trophy.
00:46:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Well, we'll see what happens. That's all for today. Give us a follow on your preferred podcast platform so that you get the very latest content when it drops. Follow us on social media at GSP and Liverpool. You can email us at GSP and daily live at white gmail dot.com. Join us again on Thursday as the daily Liverpool podcast team go head to head with the daily Brentford podcast team ahead of this Saturday's Premier League game.
00:47:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
For myself, Michael and Louis, thank you for listening.