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Daily Liverpool: Crossover Manchester City Review
18 Plays1 month ago
Louie Easton joins Jools Jordan-Probert of Daily Man City as they unpack a dominant Liverpool display at the Etihad Stadium.
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Transcript
Introduction to Manchester City Podcast
00:00:09
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the daily Manchester City podcast on the Global Sports Podcast Network. The only network giving you exclusive news and views on your Premier League team, the Premier League, women's and fantasy football, every club, every day.
00:00:22
Speaker
Today
Liverpool's Victory at Etihad
00:00:23
Speaker
we will be reviewing City's 2-0 loss to champions in weight in Liverpool on Sunday... The last crossover was such a big hit that we had to bring him back on again. So I'm delighted to be joined by someone whose grin I hope isn't too smug, Louis Easton. of course not, mate. ah Yeah, thank you very much for having me back. and It was particularly satisfying just because you are the team that have caused us the most grief over years. and the fact that we hadn't won at the Etihad since before Pep was even manager in the Premier League was absolutely shocking and something that desperately needed to be rectified. We managed to get that done um in what I thought was quite a sort of ah dominant, controlling fashion as well.
00:01:07
Speaker
um But yeah, it's a... that it's like Like you mentioned, it does feel like we are champions in waiting now. um And thank you for the second consecutive very kind intro you've given me being on this podcast again.
00:01:21
Speaker
We roll the red carpet out over here, don't worry.
League Standings Impact
00:01:24
Speaker
So, as you said, Liverpool secured the league double over reigning champions Manchester City for the first time in a decade and took a firm grip on recla reclaiming the crown for themselves.
00:01:35
Speaker
Ended 2-0 with goals and assists from both Dominic Saboslay and, of course, Mohamed Salah. City huffed and puffed, garnering 66% of the ball, doubling the amount of shots of the North West rivals, but ultimately to no avail.
00:01:49
Speaker
Arnestlott's side set up perfectly to to diminish City's threat and look dangerous every time they had the ball. And two first half strikes from the league leaders sealed the match and what could potentially be a very famous victory.
00:02:02
Speaker
That is, of course, because Arsenal lost at home to West Ham and the gap between Liverpool and Arteta's side is now 11 points with just 12 games left to play, albeit Arsenal still with a game in hand.
Can Liverpool Win the League at City's Ground?
00:02:12
Speaker
So, Louis, just sum up how it felt at the full-time whistle, knowing your team had secured the victory and league double over City and might even be where you won the title in the reigning champions' backyard.
00:02:23
Speaker
Yeah, it felt absolutely brilliant, as you can imagine. You know, getting across the line, it feels like now. um But, you know, it's not done yet. We've still got, what 11 games to go at this point.
00:02:37
Speaker
so as As much as it feels like at the moment, the title is still not wrapped up, but it does feel like the ah match that won us the league ah if we win the league and look back on this season.
00:02:51
Speaker
um either just ah What I'm looking forward to most now is that match against Arsenal because there are two things that could happen ah well that I'm hoping to happen. One of them is we win the league officially against Arsenal, or the other option is...
00:03:06
Speaker
they give us the guard of honour, which would be unbelievable. That's the goal. now That's the dream, isn't it? That would be absolute. Oh, that would be beautiful. and Also, the first time we will have won the like the Premier League in front of our fans as well.
Liverpool's Defensive Strategy
00:03:21
Speaker
ah But, you know, this game just felt really sort of dictated by Liverpool. ah ah We mentioned in the build-up to this match beforehand, if you remember on the last podcast, that it would be a sort of midfield battle. And ah it didn't seem like Manchester City even had a midfield in the match.
00:03:39
Speaker
It was that easy to get past ah for our players. They were just working harder. running more and just performing better with the ball um and it it was total domination from start to finish and I'm amazed that it was only 2-0 because we created plenty of chances ah I don't even remember Manchester City having a big chance in that match um and Somersla's goal was almost like a half chance anyway So it it was it was beautiful. um Only downside is the Curtis Jones offside. That would have been a three i
00:04:14
Speaker
Soboslai just ah breaking the defensive line a little bit too early.
00:04:20
Speaker
I can't complain too much. That's another clean sheet for us this season. I think it's been 11 in the Premier League now. ah And 10, what is it? 12 goals in our last six matches, I think. Something crazy like that.
00:04:36
Speaker
So ah ah a brilliant three points for Liverpool at the Etihad, to say the least. Definitely. um And where specifically do you think Slott got it right against Papp tactically on Sunday?
00:04:47
Speaker
Well, I just i just think in we defended ah very compactly. Is that a word? ah Our defense was compact, I suppose you can say.
00:04:58
Speaker
ah you know As soon as we lost the ball, we would flood players back. We'd have a little bit of counter-pressing from our forwards. um but it was very strange the way that we set up. It was almost like a 4-2-4, which we haven't seen much ah in English football since you know the 1960s and 70s.
00:05:17
Speaker
ah So it was very strange seeing Curtis Jones and Dominic Sobosly being in the front line. But when we lost possession, we were quick to drop back. We got players back when we needed to, and we covered the fullbacks perfectly. I thought Trent had a very, very torrid time against Jeremy Doku, and he beat him constantly.
00:05:38
Speaker
And I think I saw on a Sky Sports graphic that he got dribbled past more times in that match than other player in a match in the Premier League this season, which is just insane. I believe it it. That seemed to be what we were seeing, didn't it? But I was going to bring that up later, but I suppose I'll do it now. Yeah.
00:05:58
Speaker
It was a shame well from City perspective that Doku couldn't... Some of the balls in were okay, but as we're always kind of lamenting about Doku, he can do that all day long, but then what happens after it?
00:06:11
Speaker
It's the wrong decision or the execution for the pass or cross just isn't there. Or when he's going to shoot and he comes inside and looks to open his body out and bend it, you can read it a mile off, and then they would just be swamped by Canate, and then the chance goes.
00:06:26
Speaker
But, um yeah. ah So, um the way City lined up without Haaland, but with Doku coming instead, did that surprise you? And how did Liverpool look to deal with that? Obviously, Trent struggled, but as a team, you managed to sort that. Well, the thing is, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahim O'Kanate at the back, it almost feels like it doesn't really matter who's up front.
00:06:49
Speaker
ah It's just if they can get the ball to him or not. And the... the support for your forwards didn't seem to even exist ah in that match.
00:07:00
Speaker
So its it was a bit of genius from Slott getting, ah yeah staying tight and staying compact and ah not giving too much breathing space just because our players would be running all over the place when they needed to. It was almost like organized chaos from Arna Slott. And that's something that we saw so much under Jurgen Klopp and no managers before him.
00:07:23
Speaker
ah It seems to be the Liverpool way and it's been, it was it was dominant. It was perfect because I actually think Manchester City ah dominated on possession like 66% or something and had way more shots. But...
00:07:39
Speaker
there were no big chances. And that came from us not letting them, not letting you guys play your game, you know, not that free flowing football. And when you did get the ball into ah those areas, you'd sort of pass it around and then end up losing the ball anyway.
00:07:58
Speaker
Or, you know, having the ball go out for a corner or something like, sorry, a goal kick or something like that. Yeah, definitely. and On ah or the organised chaos point, um I think, yes, trying to trying to replicate that is reminiscent of Jurgen Klopp.
00:08:15
Speaker
But I don't remember a Liverpool team defending this deep and this effectively. um Yes, there's been periods when you had the best defence in the league, absolutely. Having Virgil van Dijk and Alisson would do that for you.
00:08:27
Speaker
But I think since slots come in, would you agree there's been a lot more impetus on those clean sheets on defensive side? solidity. Yeah, I mean, the stats say at all. We have less possession in majority of the matches we play nowadays.
00:08:41
Speaker
um Maybe not as much in the second half, but it's like the fact that we got a 2-0 lead really did help us make that transition into, you know, if we lose the ball, don't panic.
00:08:54
Speaker
Just invite the pressure and then see ah if they can play their game or not. I guarantee they won't be able to. And that's what happened. So it's...
00:09:06
Speaker
It's just, it's control. And that's what Slott likes. He loves controlling these matches. He loves controlling the midfield. And I think that midfield switch, having those two pivots in McAllister and Gravenberg, who, by the way, both had amazing, amazing games.
00:09:22
Speaker
ah That's been something that we did not see under Jurgen Klopp. And... It's comforting to know that we are a difficult team to beat. We're a difficult team to break down.
00:09:34
Speaker
And um it's very difficult to stretch this Liverpool side. And I didn't... This is the first time all season where I've really thought, wow, we are a team to beat.
00:09:45
Speaker
When you've got players like Phil Foden trying to turn and not finding any shooting gaps, or when he would, it would be straight to Alisson, that sort of thing. So um you i just think Manchester City struggled to cope.
00:10:01
Speaker
Yeah, um and it does suit Liverpool sitting deeper because when teams come on to them, of course, that leaves space in for a certain Mohamed Salah. And after this short break, we'll talk all about the the true Egyptian king, reluctantly.
00:10:18
Speaker
ah
00:10:21
Speaker
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00:10:40
Speaker
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00:10:51
Speaker
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Manchester City podcast on the Global Sports Podcast Network. We spoke a bit about the match in the first segment, but now we obviously have to dedicate some time to Mo Salah.
Mo Salah: A Historical Comparison
00:11:04
Speaker
We inevitably spoke a lot about him before the match and the records seem to keep on tumbling for him. So I'll just reel some off. He's now on 25 league goals and 15 assists. This is his fifth 30-goal season in all competitions out of eight so far for Liverpool.
00:11:20
Speaker
Fastest player to hit 50-goal contributions in the top five European leagues this season. No player has scored assist in 11 matches in a league season in those same leagues since Messi eight years ago.
00:11:32
Speaker
So this is all is unprecedented in the Premier League. He's surely going to beat Henry and Haaland's record 44 goal contributions in a 38-game season and probably beat Shearer's 47 in a 42-game season too at this rate.
00:11:46
Speaker
But more than that, he's well within a shroud to break in an all-time single-season goal-scoring record in the Premier League, which of course is Haaland's 36. Might be tough, but definitely doable. But more likely, break the single-season assist record too, which is 20.
00:12:02
Speaker
I'm sure you never get bored of doing it, Louis, so just talk to me about Mo Salah. It feels like every single time I come on here and talk about football, Mo Salah ends up coming up.
00:12:13
Speaker
And when he's in this form that he's in, it's really not hard to see why, because he is a force to be reckoned with. And I saw this this is a stat that is more staggering to me than anyone else, because when you think of the Salah comparisons, and you obviously...
00:12:29
Speaker
think of Eden Hazard because you often see Mo Salah being compared with him now this is a stat that for me ends the debate Salah has now scored and assisted in more Premier League games this season which is 11 than Eden Hazard did in his entire career against the top six teams ah just just Just let that sit for a second.
00:12:54
Speaker
that is That is an unbelievable stat. um so So that that in itself is mind-blowing. um And so it's it's it's just one of these it's just one of these things where...
00:13:09
Speaker
You watch him play and you're excited every single time he gets the ball because he gives you that real lift and that belief that he can go and do something for you. and So he's surpassed Hazard with flying colours for me.
00:13:26
Speaker
i've I've had conversations over the last maybe a couple of years um about Mo Salah, and I've always thought that he is one of the world's best players. And he has been for half a decade now, ah probably indisputably, right?
00:13:39
Speaker
But a people that I've talked to, just general fans, let's say, not people to do with this podcast or whatever, um that say he's still not a patron Henri. and he And the comparisons are to ease and ease and hazard, right? As you always say, that's who gets compared to.
00:13:55
Speaker
But we have to be talking about him in the same vein as Ronaldo when he was at the Prem, Henry when he was at his peak in the Prem. you know Because these are not numbers that anyone else is getting. He's Liverpool's third all-time record goal scorer now, and he's not even completed eight seasons at the club.
00:14:11
Speaker
That's an absolute joke. yeah and like He's got better goal-to-minute ratio than nearly all the top players, and his he's the highest of assists in Europe this year as well. And he's he's got 51 direct contributions to goals in all competitions this season. 51. Bearing in mind we're not even out of February yet.
00:14:33
Speaker
but Yeah, that's messy numbers. We're hitting messy numbers at age 32. Absolutely unbelievable. And he didn't spend, you know, some of the start of his peak in this country too.
00:14:46
Speaker
So it could have even been more really. But I'm sure we could talk about Salah for hours and hours. And I'm sure you have done this season, Louis. So I think it's time to share a bit of the love around and who else stood out for you individually in this game.
00:15:02
Speaker
What, for Liverpool or for Man City? ah Either, either. Well, I mean, there haven't been too many players that did stand out for Man City for me. i mean, Doku, obviously, um he had a decent game against Trent, but like you mentioned, he didn't really get too much um too much change out of Liverpool defence. I thought Guardiola actually did have a decent game. I thought his... eight Because because we we hear a lot about Guardiola...
00:15:30
Speaker
whether it be good or bad. um But I thought, you know, he seemed quite composed and he did have to um deal with the best player in the world on his side ah for the entire game. this And I don't think he looked too bad. i thought Ake.
00:15:48
Speaker
ah was not doing as well on that side of the Manchester City defence. I don't think he's fully fit either, to be honest. i don't think he has been all season. He's been rushed back. All the centre-backs have been injured on and off from the start of the season, to be honest. And in these big games, you can really see that lack of connection compared to someone like Canarte and Van Dijk, where it's metronomic, that connection between the two.
00:16:11
Speaker
Canarte's been quite inconsistent, but I think he's really redeemed himself ah in this game when it mattered the most. I thought the worst player for Manchester City was probably Rico Lewis. I thought he was he wasn't tight when he needed to be, and some of his decision-making wasn't great. He was quite sloppy on the ball. I mean, do you think that's harsh, or do you think that's a fair ah that's a fair criticism?
00:16:37
Speaker
ah Yeah, he's not been at his best since the start of the season, but I don't think he should shoulder any more particular blame than the general team performance. you know I think they just got outplayed by the the league's best team this year. And there's been many games this season where there have been individual performances that have been really poor, but I don't necessarily think this is one of them.
00:16:59
Speaker
I think Omar Mahmoud as well. I mean, having that goal disallowed was a bit of a sting. But, I mean, it was a very well-taken goal. It's just a shame it didn't count. He's had a couple offside that have been really sharp finishes. i think He's out of position, right? you know he the the The best game he's had, scoring a hat-trick, was when Haaland, he was playing off Haaland.
00:17:21
Speaker
And they dovetail each other and come short together. Or one goes long, one goes short. And Mamouche runs in the space that Haaland vacates, you know. But without Haaland, it's a real struggle to score goals for this team, I think.
00:17:36
Speaker
He's a lot more mobile than Haaland as well. um Yeah, off the mark, definitely. Yeah, he definitely offers a lot more off, ah like sort of off the ball as well. He's elusive.
00:17:47
Speaker
I think he's elusive. and I think Haaland used to be like that, right? But I think Pep likes him to occupy defenders for the attacking midfielders to have space.
00:17:58
Speaker
so but it butt it's so hard to go unnoticed when you're six foot four built like a fridge isn't it absolutely um someone i want to highlight from the liverpool side now virgil van dyke you know the it it's not the fact that he had a lot to do but it's the fact that he just didn't do a thing wrong you know he the on the ball off the ball he just sort of he he he he's just got so much aura about him and so much ah physical stance that he doesn't really get challenged anymore people just suck sort of give up i think teams don't like to press him as much because he's always composed he can pick out a long pass can about a short pass he orders players around tells them where to stand and he is a proper proper captain
00:18:50
Speaker
um And I'm so glad that he got the captain's armband off Jordan Henderson when he left. I did think maybe Robertson at the time just because he had ah he's had a lot of experience in his career as a captain you know for Scotland.
00:19:05
Speaker
ah But when Van Dyke orders people around and always perfectly positioned and he's just turned into this true role model player, and puts out performances like this, it's... Consistently as well.
00:19:20
Speaker
Yeah, consistently, you can't really look past him. um And it's... Do you know what's so amazing is the fact that he will just jog back on a counter-attack and he'll get there at the perfect time for it.
00:19:34
Speaker
He'll be in the right position to clear it. That's his experience, right? it's Obviously, he's got the physicality to get there, but his positioning is never off, you know? Even...
00:19:45
Speaker
It's always accommodating for his centre-back partner as well, who generally is, well, always has been worse than him and and had to develop alongside him. and So we've talked about three players specifically now, um about Trent having issues, but not amounting to anything in the end.
00:20:03
Speaker
um He's not the first full-back to lick his wounds at the Etihad. you know The same can be said for any full-back of the past 10 years. He's still a wonderful player. Van Dijk had that monumental display. And, of course, we talked about Salah.
00:20:16
Speaker
So what have all three of these got in common? They're all out of contract in the summer, aren't they? So just how important is it that Liverpool secure their three best players for the future?
Key Player Contract Renewals
00:20:27
Speaker
And also, how likely do you think it is that each of them actually will?
00:20:33
Speaker
I think Van Dijk will stay just because, you know, he's our captain and he's one of those players where you feel like he'll just still be at the top level at 36, 37 years old um because he's so disciplined and he uses his energy only when he needs to.
00:20:51
Speaker
And he's a role model leader as well. Salah, I think, is the big one. because I think Trent's on his way out already to Real Madrid. I can't see him turning down ah ah turning us down for Real Madrid to go and play with Bellingham, to go and play with arguably the best team in the history of football.
00:21:11
Speaker
I don't think it's arguable, is it? I think he'll go there. But Salah will be a big one just because... the demands that he will set out for FSG will be any numbers that he wants.
00:21:29
Speaker
Surely you've got to just slap it on the table, whatever he wants. Imagine losing this player. We've just spent five minutes waxing lyrical about him touching Messi standards, and you and you're going to let him go for free? That's absolutely crazy to me. yeah that's That's the annoying part, the idea of any of these players going for free.
00:21:51
Speaker
I mean, Trent... with With Trent, it's sort of like he came to us from the academy, so he didn't cost us anything in the first place. So i can and I can see the argument for that.
00:22:02
Speaker
Van Dijk we splashed out 75 million for, and he loves the club to bits. He says he's fully committed to the club several times in interviews. um And I just... I can't see him going, especially on a free when he has given... he gives everything to this club, and...
00:22:20
Speaker
you know he's probably going to lift at least two trophies by the end of this season. i can I can see us getting the League Cup and the Premier League, Champions League is a different thing. ah But Salah, I think, is definitely the one to keep a watchful eye on.
00:22:34
Speaker
i i'm I desperately want to keep him, but I'm also really comfortable with FSG just because they've they're a perfect moneyball team and they've got us to this position in the Premier League. But it's not your money.
00:22:48
Speaker
Who cares? Put it on the table and keep your best player, man, surely. this is See, this is the difference between me and you because you yeah obviously you follow Manchester City. You support a richer club than Liverpool.
00:23:04
Speaker
Liverpool have never been a team that have splashed out loads of players unless they knew that they were going to get 100% results from it. That's why we... low we We got Gravenberg for something like 35, 40 million and rather than splashing out and going for 55, 60 for a proven defensive midfielder.
00:23:24
Speaker
Same with McAllister. made 100 for Caicedo, though. So i think I think we can cherry pick examples all we want. it makes It makes financial sense to give Salah what he wants because he's worth 100 million pounds and you're going to let him walk for free.
00:23:40
Speaker
yes He's going to want a contract longer than is ideal, and then you might get diminishing returns in the last year of it, sure. But who can put up numbers like this forever? they No one can, otherwise they're called Lionel Messi and they're an alien.
00:23:55
Speaker
ah But yeah there's someone getting really close to it. So I know what you're saying. and You're trying to be fiscally responsible and that is how you build a club forward. But imagine a step back you'd be taking in the immediate future by losing two of these three world-class footballers.
00:24:12
Speaker
But I think also what you have to look at is if we do win the Premier League and the League Cup and maybe even the Champions League, ah that would give us more right to look at this from ah ah position where the owners have more say in what they want because they will have the ability to go out and spend more money because...
00:24:37
Speaker
FFP means if you win the league or the Champions League that means you get more say in your transfers you get to put higher bids in for players so just sell Harvey Elliott and keep Salah surely I don't want to sell Harvey Elliott because the difference between Salah and Elliott is about 12 years yeah but Elliott is never going to reach that level I know, i know. i understand where you're coming from.
00:25:01
Speaker
But Salah will only be at this level for another two or three years. So I... if youd You'd spend 80 million for a player that would be as good as Salah for three years, though. Yeah, I suppose you have a right... His contract would cost 80 million. Yeah.
00:25:17
Speaker
i Well, think about how many how much money we have to spend every single time he gets a goal. For example, goal bonus has been a joke this year. So I don't I don't know the numbers for sure.
00:25:31
Speaker
I don't know them. But I just think that but our owners are the sort of ones that will make very non-emotional and responsible decisions with their money. Yeah.
00:25:42
Speaker
my mark Michael Edwards is an absolute joy to have at the club because every he gets it 100% right every single time. Who would have known that Salah would turn into this absolute legend?
00:25:54
Speaker
It was him that signed him. He got Mane as well. So I have trust and he's built that trust with us now. um And yeah, i whatever happens, happens. I think Trent will leave.
00:26:07
Speaker
I think Van Dijk will stay. Salah, it's fifty fifty Let's hope that he stays for at least a couple of years. Nicely summarised. um We're going to take one final break. And then when we come back, um we'll find out how Louis sees the end of the season going.
00:26:25
Speaker
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we've spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. And let me tell you, Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:26:45
Speaker
If you're ready to tell your story, then check out the link in the show Hello and welcome back to the Daily Manchester City podcast with Louis from the Daily Liverpool podcast too.
00:26:56
Speaker
So, as mentioned above, this leaves this result leaves Liverpool in a commanding position at the top of the Premier League tree, 11 points ahead of Arsenal. ah Others on this podcast have spoken at length about how much they don't want Arsenal to do it.
00:27:10
Speaker
I had a message from someone from the Daily Spurs team today saying the same. Does it feel like even outside as a willingness title to Anfield? And what's the atmosphere like around the club right now?
Liverpool's Optimism Under New Management
00:27:21
Speaker
Well, it's very hopeful, obviously. um Some of the newer fans, I think, are a little bit arrogant and a bit cocky because they haven't been in this position um and they don't remember the days where we wouldn't win anything.
00:27:36
Speaker
when back Back in the Hicks and Gillette days, the... We're just an awful time to be a Liverpool fan. and But it's very, very hopeful at the moment. I think the general consensus is everyone expects us to win the league now.
00:27:50
Speaker
um You have to now. Yeah, before before the Manchester City match, it was still like, maybe it will just get to the final day and they might just pip us because... of the trauma that that's happened numerous times with you guys.
00:28:02
Speaker
Uh, but you know, this Arsenal team is nowhere near the Centurions. This Arsenal team is a team that just recently lost to West Ham at a critical stage of the season. Still a bit injury hit.
00:28:15
Speaker
Um, so we got very lucky with, uh, injuries this season. It's not been that case in previous seasons that goes for both Arsenal and um Manchester city, uh, losing key players.
00:28:27
Speaker
Um, only player we've had missing, really, is Diogo Jota, and we've been able to put Luis Diaz up front, and he's done incredibly well there. when Salah's scoring 50 goals or getting 50 assists, you know what I mean? If it was Salah that got injured instead of Jota, I don't know what would have happened. Arsenal's Salah got injured in Saka, though. so Yeah. I think they've done well, you know, kind of, considering. But the general standard of the league, the challenges this year, is obviously so much lower.
00:28:54
Speaker
You were top at this stage last year. However, there was only ah four-point gap and both Arsenal and City had a game in hand at this stage. So, obviously, compare that to this season and the third place is Nottingham Forest and they've lost three of the last five.
00:29:08
Speaker
so I mean, yeah, it was a much more interesting season last season, just a much more heartbreaking end for us Liverpool fans. And it almost felt like a bit of a transitional season. and You know, we knew the manager was leaving at this point at the end of the season.
00:29:22
Speaker
We were still integrating some ah new players in, such as Dominic Soboslai, such as Alexis McAllister, that we didn't really know what but we were getting yet. And... and Well, something that's clearly worked a lot more this season is a lot less Darwin Nunez up front. As harsh as that is, ah we have had... Would you say you're ready to give up on him?
00:29:46
Speaker
Absolutely. Absolutely. I'm ready. i want i I know that he cost us a lot of money and that is something that FSG did actually get wrong. ah Buying him for as much as we spent and not getting someone like Isak, who was clearly the better option as we're seeing now. He was clearly the better option anyway, man. I thought, come on. i it the thing is get Sorry, just getting someone who's had six to eight months on fire at Benfica, that is the number one recipe for flop in in transfer history, surely. well
00:30:17
Speaker
Yeah, well, ah let's not forget Lazar Markovic, another player that signed from Benfica. That was, that was, well, the Serbian Messi, right? Yeah, the Serbian, that was bad. That, that, that entire era was pretty bad for us. know, spending a lot on Ben Teke as well, and he scored one great goal and then didn't do anything else for us.
00:30:40
Speaker
um I actually want to defend Benteke. He got nine goals in like 20-odd starts in his first season at Liverpool. So I think the team struggled a lot more. And I also want to defend Aquilani.
00:30:51
Speaker
He was class, but his injuries were terrible, weren't they? And You spend 20 million on someone that can't even get 20 minutes on a pitch. And then we had some players that left us and did phenomenally afterwards, like Suso and um Iago Aspas.
00:31:07
Speaker
Iago Aspas, he's literally been one of Liga's best players of the last 10 years. I never saw that one come in. No, no, no. I remember when he came to Liverpool, he had the body of like a 12-year-old boy and he took a corner. i didn't and I don't even think it made it to the box.
00:31:24
Speaker
It was the Chelsea game, wasn't it? It was the Chelsea game, he took that corner. And it was it was hopeless. And then we sold him. And, well, we've all seen what's happened then. So...
00:31:35
Speaker
Yeah, Darwin Nunez, I feel like if as soon as we sell him, he's going to start balling out.
Darwin Nunez's Future at Liverpool
00:31:41
Speaker
ah Well, that's if we sell him. But FSG are being quite reluctant to ah sell Darwin Nunez at the moment because we were offered 75 million from Saudi Arabia and they rejected it.
00:31:55
Speaker
shake hands on that. so i I don't understand. So they must see something that we don't. I mean, his work rate is phenomenal. He's always in the right position, but he just scuffs it every time or he blu blazes it over the bar.
00:32:09
Speaker
Side netting, it just goes anywhere. hasn't improved since he joined. That's the worry. He still looks like the exact same player. And that player looked like he was... um such a handful, so hard to deal with, physically great, can get you goals good in the air.
00:32:27
Speaker
But then you're thinking, well, over the next few years, you'll develop that composure, develop decision-making, develop the finishing technique, which a lot of players do do as they get older. But I'm not seeing any of that, unfortunately.
00:32:40
Speaker
It's a harsh one because he has all the makings to be a star. And it's one of those that you can just see the vision and he is still quite young. I think he's what, like 25, 26 years old. um But yeah, you're like, like you mentioned, he just hasn't been able to keep a cool head in front of goal.
00:32:58
Speaker
He hasn't, but he doesn't seem like a natural goal scorer. And when you pay that amount of money for someone, obviously it puts a lot of ah pressure on him and he does care. He does really love playing football, but,
00:33:13
Speaker
you're looking at this from a a business perspective. You're not getting enough product out of him ah with a huge long-term investment. And we'll we'll see we'll see where where he is by the time he ends ah his Liverpool stay, but it's not looked good so far. And also, he hasn't made much of an effort to learn the language. i haven't seen him do an interview in English yet, so...
00:33:35
Speaker
um yeah these are all little things that add up as well um you know just one last line on on um on nunes like you said that he loves playing for liverpool but that kind of um desire needs to be channeled and slot said you know he took that miss against aston villa so poorly that it was detrimental to maybe the team and his own development so um Yeah, maybe there's more to come from Nunes, but he's not better than Jota. So it's not really even that big a deal for you, to be honest. Yeah, he's just more available than Jota. Jota just does stupid things. He gets injured too often and he does these stupid dives in the box, which I just hate.
00:34:14
Speaker
and But anyway, back to back to your point. I just wanted to say that we little word there. I mean, some of some of history's greatest players have loved a D word. And even Harry Kane is the world's biggest D word.
00:34:27
Speaker
oh Yeah, as Liverpool fans, we know that. He's just so smart about it. like He's just so smart about it. and Because he doesn't like do the extras, you know the screaming. like The referees buy it every time. He just goes...
00:34:40
Speaker
and holds his shin every time when he's not even been touched in the shin. And it works every single time. But that's so funny not why we're here. Carry on, sorry. Yeah, yeah, yeah. no I was just going to it's so funny seeing people from other sport and think that's all that football is. But what obviously, why would they think anything else? Because we only get about 60 minutes of in-game action so the ah per 90 in football, paul which is a whole other thing, by the way.
00:35:03
Speaker
You should do the rug do the rugby thing, I think, where the ball goes out, you stop the clock. Simple as that. time and i I agree. i actually agree with you there. I'm not a massive rugby fan. I know you are, obviously. But, yeah, I don't understand why that hasn't even been tested yet.
00:35:19
Speaker
i don't I don't agree with the second though. it's the eye It's the iconicness of the 90-minute tag. It's so entrenched in football, the 90-minute thing, that I think FIFA would never do that, to be honest. And it gives referees more control, which is what FIFA want ultimately too.
00:35:37
Speaker
And we can go down conspiratorial holes here. So I think I'll just wrap up the podcast instead. We'll do that for a wild card one day. How about that? Yeah, yeah good point. So I've got two more questions and for you that are actually relevant.
Future League Dominance Speculation
00:35:51
Speaker
So firstly, do you think this level of ease in racing away for the title will be maintained in the years moving forward? Or do you expect a stronger and better challenge next season? and Hopefully most prominently from City perhaps.
00:36:04
Speaker
Well, I mean, I mentioned earlier that this season has just been very strange because Arsenal have missed some of their best players. You know, they had Odegaard, Saliba and more notably Saka out this season. And if they had all of those players fit, it wouldn't look like we were running away with it as much. um And same with City, you know, rushing De Bruyne back from injury, that was never going to work.
00:36:25
Speaker
ah Rushing other players that you mentioned earlier from injury. Every centre back, every centre back. So it's it's one of those things where, it's just a bit of bad luck from the other teams and Liverpool the only ones that haven't suffered from that this season. So I don't think this will be maintained.
00:36:43
Speaker
I think City, what they what you guys just need to do is go back and regroup and rebuild. And I think that is what you lot are trying to do at the moment. um I'm not sure how much longer Pep Guardiola will be there. um I think this is relit a fire in him, to be quite honest. I think if he won five in a row this season, I think he goes.
00:37:02
Speaker
But I think he loves the club so much and he feels so responsible for it. And in part, he is, of course. you know He's the one that sets the team up and refused to adapt when things were going terribly.
00:37:12
Speaker
Obviously, he's such a legend that... he's not ever in danger of losing his job and he has earned the right for it to go however he wants, you know. But and yeah, I think this is he doesn't want to leave the club in in this position. So I think he might even stay longer than he was originally planning.
00:37:29
Speaker
Well, that's an interesting way of looking at it. It could have been short-term pain for even longer-term gain for City, really. Yeah, maybe. be Well, that if you're a City fan like yeah like you guys all are, then it will be the way to look at it, I'm sure.
00:37:45
Speaker
um Yeah, okay, so last question, and I'm definitely going to put you on the spot with this. so Right now, with what you've seen, is this team better than anything you've seen under Jurgen Klopp?
Comparing Liverpool Teams: 2023 vs 2018-19 Champions
00:37:58
Speaker
No, no, ah it's not. a allowed two doesn't That 2018-19 team ah that lost by one point but won the Champions League was phenomenal. and and And I understand when you look back, the individuals weren't great, but the fact that we pushed you guys to the very, very end and only finished behind by one point, still on 97 points in any other season. We win that other than the Centurions.
00:38:26
Speaker
So in any league in the world too, probably at any era, you know? So, so I think that's the best Liverpool team I've ever seen. um Or maybe that short period in the first half of the 2017-18 season when we had Coutinho, Mane, Firmino and Salah all at the club at the same time.
00:38:43
Speaker
That was such a great time to be a Liverpool fan. but um it's that 2018-19 season, the one that won the Champions League, the one that beat Barcelona 4-0 at Anfield while still missing, Salah.
00:38:55
Speaker
um ah said it it's it It was more than just the team. It was the way they played against each other. Henderson as the captain, Milner as the vice captain, getting assists so many, so many I think more assists than any other player in Champions League history in that season where we won the Champions League.
00:39:15
Speaker
ah that would be the team for me. um Okay, so I said last one, but I'm just going to ask you one quick one. Can this team get to that level then? I don't see why not, because we've got all of the makings for that. And this is their second season together, and they're already winning the Premier League, already in a League Cup final.
00:39:34
Speaker
And we'll see what happens in the Champions League as well. But the fact we won the group stage of that is very, very interesting. ah i don't Yeah, I don't see why not.
00:39:44
Speaker
but Let's give it a go. And I'm really enjoying how good we are both defensively and offensively. This is Slott's first season. Imagine what would be like in three years' time when he knows his team inside out and he's been to these ah heights before.
00:40:00
Speaker
And he's not even signed a player yet. ne Well, Chiesa, but do we count him? No, no. you know You know what I mean. yeah He hasn't signed a star player that he's integrated to the first team yet. There we go.
00:40:13
Speaker
Sure. Thank you. on that On that lovely correction, we'll we'll end this episode there. and Thank you all so much for listening. Thank you to Louis for joining us again. Hopefully it won't be the last time we see him on this channel.
00:40:26
Speaker
Stay tuned, like and share everything that we're doing on this journey and stay tuned for and more massive matches to come. ah City of course, got Spurs on Wednesday, so we'll be covering that.
00:40:39
Speaker
um and everything as we get to crunch time for the end of the season. and I've been Jules Jordan-Probert. We've been the Daily Manchester City Podcast on the Global Sports Podcast Network. I hope you have a wonderful of your day.
00:40:57
Speaker
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