ohmelads

I'm scratching my head because all common sense pointed to rotating for this one (say Hall and Dummett for Trippier and one of the wingers). We were never going to be able to play the same XI all three games and if we do, the fatigue only accumulates. If you have to risk a loss, surely you go a bit weaker at Everton allowing yourself a chance against Spurs and Milan where recovery time is also shorter. Even if we were just gambling on going for the easier points and maintaining momentum, we'd still be giving ourselves a big problem for the two bigger games. We've now put ourselves in a weak position and have two awful options: play the same XI for both Spurs and Milan and watch them struggle to finish the game and get outworked, or rotate and go weaker for the 6-pointer on Sunday and have a go in the final game. Do we know what's happening with Hall? He doesn't seem trusted even for a few minutes even with 13+ players out. Started 1 game this season I think and can't get off the bench when the team are exhausted. Something doesn't seem right.

Howe is all about the team spirit and chemistry which he has carefully cultivated. I don't see him signing a stop-gap coming in as a mercenary. Dubravka is an OK Premier League keeper who knows the group and has trained with them week in week out. Quite a few questioned the signing of Pope when we already had Dubravka. De Gea has a higher ceiling of course, but would he settle straight in immediately with a defence he's never trained with? Maybe, but there's just as much risk of disruption there. I think we'll run with it, providing Dubravka doesn't have a shocker December. The main concern with Dubravka was always more his injuries than his ability. Pope commands the box better but Dubravka is better with the ball at his feet.

PSG will have that extra motivation from 'needing' a result as opposed to Dortmund. But another way of looking at it is Dortmund will have a must not lose mentality and there's greater pressure on PSG to come out and make a game of it away from home. They know we're capable of scoring a few at home so whatever's happening in our game, they'll feel they have to win. That'll leave them open to Dortmund's counters.

All we can do is speculate but it seems most people you speak to, both Geordies and fans of other clubs, think Milan and his agent knew they needed to cash in quick while they had the chance and his agent put the word out to the team or teams he thought had the cash and would jump at getting such a marquee signing. Everyone I've spoken to who follows other clubs (I work with people from all over) thinks it's obvious and finds it funny we've been had. I haven't heard anyone who genuinely believes Milan didn't know. If other players have grassed Tonali up for putting them onto this site, it only adds weight to the fairly obvious assumption that Milan knew and moved quickly. I wonder what that Milan fan thinks - the one that was on here telling us there's no way Milan would sell him.

Not sure if mentioned/posted already, but this is from 4 days ago, from Liverpool's own website: Pawson's refereeing history with Liverpool shows a positive record for the Reds. He has officiated 36 matches involving Liverpool throughout his career, with the team winning 25 of those matches and losing only six. Interestingly, Pawson has awarded four penalties to Liverpool during these encounters but has not issued a single yellow or red card to any Liverpool player. https://www.liverpool.com/liverpool-fc-news/features/darren-england-liverpool-var-everton-27925210 36 matches. That's basically an entire season of games without a yellow card. Extremely anomalous stats. You'd think the PGMOL would flag something like this?

If it's at the other end.

I'd be very surprised if the club don't escalate this using whatever avenues they can. The bets took place while he was at Milan. The investigation surely started before the sale, and that would mean the Italian authorities have watched Milan secure an enormous fee in a sale that stunned their own fans. It's all massively suspicious and there's a clear motive. Of course Milan knew what they were doing, and the Italian authorities will be in the spotlight as well. Proving it is another matter, but presumably we owe Milan in instalments and I would expect we will try to make it as slow and as difficult as possible for them to get their money.

Far more likely it hasn't been lightning. Tonali was a signing that caught Milan fans by surprise and it very much looked like we'd been tipped off about his availability. Now we know why.

Investigations like this don't just come about overnight. The Italian authorities have allowed Milan to sell him for a huge fee right before going ahead with this. The timing stinks and Milan will be laughing all the way to the bank, as well as whoever's getting the kickbacks. We've been had. Not sure what the club can do about it.

Bournemouth were relegated after a fuckup with goalline tech that VAR failed to correct. They also got a pointless apology and threatened legal action but it was Bournemouth so no one cared and it was quickly forgotten.

Liverpool know it won't be replayed, but through the threatening statement and now Klopp's words, they're trying to put maximum pressure on officials. The nickname LiVARpool hasn't come about for no reason. They're stunned it's now them on the end of a joke decision and useless apology. Pressuring officials is what Klopp does relentlessly. They'll get the benefit of the doubt on a string of 50/50s now, as they usually do. Fabinho could commit about 6 yellow card fouls and even a red and still be on the pitch and it made it difficult to counter them.

Seen some people saying it was a battering, horrendous performance, Brighton amazing etc. I can only guess they're going off possession stats, but generally Brighton have looked lost when teams let them have the ball, so that was clearly a deliberate tactic from us. That or I guess those comments are just exaggerated humility. The first goal is Pope screwing up his kickout putting us under immediate pressure, Trippier goes flying in and takes himself out of the game, then Pope in the same move fails to catch a shot straight at him from 25 yards which he'd catch 99 times out of 100 and we're suddenly behind. It's an unforced goalkeeping double error. If you look at the second goal, it's a complete mixup in midfield with a back four left completely unprotected and watching the highlight again it seems to be confusion over who is holding midfield. Ferguson then has all the time in the world. Gordon and Joelinton missed similar chances for us but Brighton didn't make the unforced mistakes and our finishing and decision-making was poor. We had games like this last season (Brentford away) that we won. That's not trying to take anything away from Brighton, who deserved it, but on chances it 3-1 probably flatters them. Last season they actually did batter us there and we drew 0-0. Not sure we'll risk Tonali. We've got options there and I think we'll go back to basics with a midfield unit we know works. I reckon Longstaff will come in for him. You might be right about the wingers - he's got a decision to make with the South Americans and that's the one position where we have someone or the same quality and experience to come in.

On Maguire: different managers like different types of defenders. Bruce didn't see any place for Schar because he didn't fit how he likes to play (I'm not sure what that style was meant to be, but let's not go there). Howe came in and immediately saw Schar as a key first team player. I think Southgate believes that most teams win major international tournaments through being a strong defensive unit, even when they have had squads full of attacking talent (see how France were tactically last year, for example). When he first came in I recall comments that the FA had looked at past winners and concluded that winning with swashbuckling football and outplaying everyone is the exception rather than the rule. His philosophy very much seems to be that in order to beat the elite teams, we should be defensively tight with a dangerous counter punch. That explains him sticking with two defensive midfielders even against weaker opposition, because he wants us well drilled in that system for when the big games come. Maguire for all his flaws excels in the air and is less exposed when we sit deeper, which is how Southgate wants to line up against the best opposition. That probably explains why he's been better for England than Man U, because Man U play a higher line and expect defenders to be comfortable on the ball. I don't agree with Southgate's stance personally, but I think it's more than blind loyalty. I think he's a cynic and believes that our odds of winning are greater if we can keep it tight against the best teams. He was a penalty kick either side away from being proven right. But there is also a case to say that with the kind runs and circumstances he has had, and the quality at his disposal, he was too restrained and that a tight cagey game suited a slower but hugely experienced Italian side more than it did us at home with a team full of pace and 'fret'. The Henderson one I don't get. Maybe he can't find any other DMs and needs two in his XI.

We took 4 pts from these 4 fixtures last season, with similar overall performances. I think the 3-1 scoreline flatters them in much the same way 5-1 flattered us against Villa. The table will change soon as the likes of Spurs and West Ham play the kinds of opponents we've been facing in the coming weeks, and vice versa.

It's a punch to the stomach but we need to get over it fast. We need to react the same way Villa did. Liverpool know they got away with one. Their fans aren't known for being gracious in victory and the plastic ones are all coming out the woodwork to gloat but their proper fans will know that if they don't improve performances soon, that kind of result's not sustainable. Ignore the kids/idiots/twats coming on trolling and gloating. They feel their cartel is being challenged and it worries them. I bet they don't go on Brentford or Bournemouth forums. Getting back to us, if we can go and beat Brighton, we'd still be able to call that a decent start to the season with a good run of games to follow it. One win and it's a happy place again. I doubt many Villa fans are still reflecting on our game. The main worry now is Botman's injury.

They won't struggle though. Yes they're a limited team, but look what happened with the reffing and VAR in both those games. Is there any reason to think that will change?

What's the punishment for the VAR team this time? A couple weeks after another VAR team helped Man U against Wolves.

More than a bit. Hand to face with force is a straight forward decision for VAR. Ref had his back to it. Have the rules changed this season?

It's a very well-timed and clever run as well. That's a big part of how he gets a lot of goals.

No sponsor two seasons running. Shelvey. Wood. All makes sense now.

He's been used both centrally and out wide by Howe, meaning he can potentially play across three positions. He's shown glimpses (given his limited minutes) of abilities our squad lacks in terms of his creativity and composure in front of goal. I see a real chance he breaks into the first team over the course of a long season. I think he's already forced his way into the conversation and Howe most likely kept him around last season in case of an injury crisis. This season we're playing far more games, so I'd be very surprised if his minutes don't improve. He looks ready.

We'll need him, and Miley too. I think the last time we were in Europe, injuries forced Krul and Carroll into the fold. That was Europa, but still the turnaround of games will mean increased injuries and rotation.

All fair points about his injuries, but Fabinho just had a very poor season showing visible decline and is going for £40m at 29 years old. Yes, he was once a top level player with medals to show for it, but his stock is now far lower and I can't see any other interest in him this summer. I thought Barnes for ASM would make financial sense based on the structure of the two deals and them being similar fees, but if reports are correct, it's a net £15m loss. If we're doing it for a quick transfer kitty boost based on amortisation of the Barnes fee, then we're borrowing against out future windows and that's a very short term fix which will catch up with us and affect us in every window. Considering the pressing needs in other areas of the squad, this one makes less sense now IF these reported fees are true.

That's in a normal market. The Saudis have come in and bought the player from another of their own clubs at an artificial price. Normally a selling club tries to do what Southampton are doing to us with Livramento. Or what everyone else is doing to PIF (Fabinho for 40m for example). Did we drive a hard bargain with PIF to raise the fee? Everyone knows the Premier League and cartel clubs are watching this deal like a hawk.

There'd absolutely be takers in the Premier League at £23M but it was clear early in the window the Saudis were selling the player to themselves. Who would bother bidding at that point? It's not like you're going to beat them on wages or that they'd sell to you over selling to themselves. We'll never know what the market interest would have been. We paid 38M for Barnes but where were the bids for him before that? The fee looks artificially on the low end to avoid suspicion and keep the cartel clubs happy. It's not a great financial deal for us, let's be honest. With fees at the moment, you have to spend much more than that to replace him, as we have.