ohmelads

He's expressed public disappointment, knowing he scored 19 league goals. We can all read between the lines. He and his PR team know what they're doing and most people have read it that way. They were meant to be challenging the title. We were meant to be a problem for another day. They've had more help from VAR than even Klopp himself could demand and still fallen short. He even uses the Liverpool marketing rhetoric: "We are Liverpool, this means more etc.". He is pandering to their fans but alerting other clubs. As class as he is, this might be the time to sell him. Sooner or later he will lose another yard of pace and be done. He would still hold a high value and I'm sure they're gonna do a Man U and attack the window with massive money this summer.

Liverpool were a second division team with a very mediocre history when they were bought out by the richest sugar daddy of that era and went on to spend unheard of fees before promotion. That led to their dominance (both footballing and financial) of the game and all their money now is a legacy of that. Now they want to kick the ladder away and say it's not fair, when in fact teams with lower spending are finishing above them.

Once. I'll let you guess which team it was against.

Brilliant result and we're in a fantastic position but let's be clear: we still need a point against Leicester. We don't want to go into the last game needing something against Chelsea while Liverpool play a relegated So'ton with another 20 minutes added time.

Who's the mackem on commentary? Ridiculous bias.

It must be nice knowing you can't be countered. They call it 'taking one for the team' but if you can't be booked, you can just press high up and foul the second you're countered.

Fabinho with a textbook cynical yellow to stop a transition. He'll do another dozen of those.

Just as I type that ffs. Howay Bournemouth!

Man U game is worth a watch too. If they drew this and only won 1 of their last 2 (say they lose to Chelsea and beat Fulham), then we'd only need 1 pt from our next two games to finish above them because of GD.

What a performance. A lot were saying don't start Wilson and Isak (with some justification after Leeds) and/or we have to adapt our play because Brighton love teams that press high (again a fair point after they battered Arsenal on their own patch). We stuck to our guns with the mindset that we're at home, we know our strengths and we'll force them to adapt to us regardless of the Arsenal result. Ballsy from Tindall- it would've been easy to say let's do what Everton and Forest did and sit back and counter - but it's paid off. We should've been out of sight before they pulled one back. More of the same intensity needed against Leicester - some rotation inevitable with injuries and fatigue I imagine.

A team of 11 athletes will only get us so far. We do need some more cultured players as well. If we miss out on 4th, people will point to the recent missed opportunities to wrap it up, but you could just as fairly look at all the draws earlier in the season where we couldn't unlock stubborn defences despite overwhelming possession and territory. In an ideal world you'd find someone built like Joelinton with the vision and technique of Modric, but that's not going to happen. I think Maddison could be like our Odegaard. No, I'm not saying they're identical players nor that their roles would be, but he'd move between the lines, he can take the ball on the turn brilliantly and quickly make the right pass, he can find the runners while offering massive goal and assist threat as he keeps proving every single season. As for who makes way, that's a problem we want. We need competition for places, especially playing in Europe. Bruno is playing half crocked and Longstaff is out and our season is in danger of petering out as a result. Top teams have different options and are more able to deal with that kind of situation.

Agree it's a good time to play them. They're a team that can cause anyone problems and they were one of our hardest games of the season at their place, but their defensive form has dipped in recent weeks. Hopefully all these fixtures are starting to catch up with them.

Wonder how much of that is to do with Longstaff being out. He does as much running as anyone off the ball and adds a bit of bite in midfield. The defence are missing that bit of extra industry in front of them I think.

We have two home games while Liverpool have two away games, which is the main positive to take. Liverpool's run of 6 wins has included 4 home games, and the last 5 of those 6 have been very tight games. They've somehow won all but mostly thanks to a string of controversial reffing decisions, and I can see that continuing against Villa if needed. Klopp gave the officials an absolute bollocking after the Spurs game was too close for comfort. They haven't been playing well and they're worse away, but they are facing the teams 19th and 20th in the table. I think they'll win all three and it comes down to us. We can afford a defeat but we have to win twice. Draws now don't do us any good; we could even take 5 pts from 9 and still finish 5th on GD if Liverpool managed a +8 goal difference in their next three. That's not easy to do but in our last 3 wins our goal difference was +10. Also consider that they're playing Southampton who are 20th for a reason and now have nothing to play for. If we draw against Brighton, then it will go to the last day, unless Liverpool slip up. We can wrap it up no matter what before the last game by winning our two home games. If we do that then we can look back on Leeds as a point gained.

It's not bedwetting. It's living in the real world and it's your experience as a fan. People are quoting statistical models and maths as if they've never seen the end of a football season, the build up of pressure at both ends of the table, the dark arts from certain managers and the shit they get away with, VAR, injuries. Its a multi billion dollar industry and everything is coming to a climax. The media work on narratives. Of course they say it's done and dusted and we have it nailed because that sets up a narrative for a miraculous comeback by the super league clubs. When Liverpool are 2/1 before our game, it's clear bookies see the situation.

We need 6 points from 6. We always get shafted at Stamford Bridge. Chalobah on Murphy, Havertz on Burn. Yeah it's blatant but are blatant and "clear and obvious" the same? VAR will pull the same shit again. We have to win the home games with zero room for error. Wolves had fuck all to play for and it showed. Southampton are down and have nothing to play for against Liverpool.

Defending one on ones has never has been his forte because of pace and the fact he has licence to attack, but he has played in teams that are very well drilled in Atletico and Newcastle (his role was more defensive in Spain). The issue we'll have is replacing him in 12 months or so because of age and the same goes for Schar and Wilson and Murphy and Almiron will start to lose pace in a couple years (and they both heavily rely on pace). I think that's why we overpaid for Gordon and are targeting youth.

Funny. But being serious, I wonder if Firpo took a bung to get himself sent off. The ridiculous dive, then the shocking tackle, then playing volleyball in the area and then cleaning out the last man. Could've been sent off twice. The 'tackle' his eyes are on the leg, not even the correct leg, his studs are up, he's nowhere near the ball. I don't see how on earth VAR miss that or decide the ref has got it right within the laws of the game. It's an easy decision. Firpo did finally get his red in the 91st min and then we got a few seconds of the ball in play. We were poor, let's be honest, but all we ask is the ref to take charge of the game. He was having a laugh and joke with Ayling in the tunnel before the game. At least try to stay professional. I said before the game that managers like Allardyce tend to get away with more and we saw it with Dyche and Everton with the Longstaff tackle. Just ref the game and not the occasion.

Also think we'll do well to come through this one without injuries. Everton felt the same and look what happened to Longstaff. Absolutely clattered and we didn't get the pen. That makes it even more important we get the 3 points here. I see this as must win in terms of momentum and the teams behind us, even if it isn't mathematically.

Allardyce will stick to what he knows. Probably his best attribute is organising defences and set pieces (I know West Brom conceded loads). He'll have them set up deep and try to frustrate us and try to counter and exploit set pieces. The longer it's 0-0, the more the crowd will sense an opportunity. I think they'll be very physical and try to turn it into a dogfight with some rough early challenges that you often get away with early on in games. If we get drawn into tit for tat and arguments, we'll be playing the game on their terms and get the crowd up for it. I hope we get a strong ref and that we don't get sucked into playing the game they want. Hopefully we can move the ball quickly and have too much movement for them. Needless to say first goal is always crucial but especially so here because I feel like refs tolerate a bit more bullshit with certain managers and he'll do everything he can to break up the game.

That was all just PGMOL marking their own homework and giving themselves a decent score. Total nonsense.

It's not an easy decision but I think I'd stick with Isak and Wilson. Against the weaker teams lately we've started badly with one on the bench and then mauled teams with them both on the pitch. Arsenal are not only far better opponents than Leeds, but play a very different way. Leeds have conceded 69, the worst in the league, and I think this game will be a case of whether or not we put away our chances.

Nowt wrong with anything you've said except the last line which is an exaggeration. If Liverpool win their games, WDDL in our last 4 would see them above us. Any win against Leeds is vital but a big win could see us put our GD out of reach (unless Southampton are already relegated by the last day which looks likely and completely rolled over for Livarpool, who we know are capable of cricket scores on their day too). Beating Leeds by any margin would be a bit deflating for Liverpool I feel, but especially if we can do it by a couple of goals. They already know they need to win their games, but if we draw or lose, it's a shot in the arm for them and Man U.

I agree it is must win. Livarpool aren't playing well but they'll win all their games regardless. Klopp gave the officials an absolute bollocking for not helping them even more and leaving the Spurs game so tight and it seems to have worked. If we don't beat Leeds, all the pressure falls on us going into a dangerous game with Brighton. We'll do well to get through Leeds without injuries but I don't care so long as we win.