Stottie

We'd beaten them five in a row home and away before last season. Eddie as a manager has second most wins vs. Silva. Most is vs. Thomas Frank who we play this week coming.

Eddie was appointed on 8 November 2021, so coming up to four years. What a four years it's been. Fingers crossed for some luck with injuries, so we can get to see him work with the squad options he finally has.

They play late Sunday away at Everton, which should be tricky. One day less for them to prepare, which would normally mean rotation, but they look in need of momentum after losing to Villa and not impressing in the CL. The also-attractive alternative to the above, given SJP is a hard game for Spurs, would be for them to play a load of kids and essentially throw the game. You can't be criticized for not winning a game you didn't try to due to "fixture congestion". They have a massive stadium (=plenty of dosh) and just won Europa. There is no pressure on them to win something. They play Chelsea at home next week, which will get 100x the scrutiny. They must give a good account of themselves in that one. Four PL clubs will go out this round of the Carabao, three at least as good as Palace, Brighton, and us/Spurs. Things are opening up for the eight left in the competition. Fulham play Tuesday, again one day less than us, but its weaker opposition in Wycombe away, so the shorter turn around for them will probably not affect how they line up today. I expect close to unchanged for us today (hard lines Harvey) and then a less rotated than you might expect lineup against Spurs.

Third goal is absolute filth in the match cam. Even better than the shortened clip above. My other highlight is Eddie clearly pissing himself after the Dan Burn control and shot right at the end.

I said it during the summer but it struck me as weird that Isak was anxious to join Liverpool just as Trent, Konate, Diaz, and others (VVD to PSG, Mac Allister to Real) were anxious to leave. Liverpool are a much bigger club than us, but they are not top of the football tree. Pressing so hard to join them now is a little suspicious. Isak could have signed a deal with a lower release clause and gone pretty much anywhere for a lower fee and bigger signing bonus one year later. All he had to do was play twenty five games and convert seven penalties and a dozen crosses from Murph et al. The theory/cover story we got at the time was that it was going to be the last big payday from his agent before retirement.

Someone scoring a goal for a smaller club.

Frankfurt were already winning (!) but had both center halves 15 yards inside the Liverpool half with the halfway line playing Ekitike onside. Any ball out of defence, even a shit one hit by me delayed by the time it takes Ekitike to run 14 yards and he is in. When Ange used similar tactics at Tottenham, the photo was ridiculed to the point of it becoming a meme.

No need for clamour if Isak is injured! I only saw highlights but Frankfurt were awful. The Ekitike goal was a shitshow, but the "did it on his own" angle should strike a chord with the eScousers and Liverpool lackeys in the media.

I can't say I was completely convinced by Tonali before the ban, debut vs. Villa aside, so this was a very astute move by the club. They saw something I didn't. I want to stress this because the media narrative was that the way we treated Isak was somehow indicative of us being a clownshow behind the scenes.

Yes, almost feels like he deserves to be on one of those graphics, like this ancient one that predates us getting Cabbageheed.

Frankfurt up next and they have the worst defence in the Bundesliga. They've shipped 18 goals. Middling for xG but rock bottom for goalkeeping. The only player I know is the Japanese attacker Ritsu Doan, who is tricky and very positive. Could be "fill yer boots" for whoever of Isak and Ekitike gets the nod. Should be lots of goals in the game. There's a good chance Ekitike plays and scores, increasing the clamour for him to play ahead of Isak.

He's scored with two of them, against Union SG and Brighton. I wonder what the season record is. It won't be many more than two.

Took em brilliantly, especially the first. Elanga and Gordon get lots of praise as speedsters but Harvey's no slouch either. That was the kind of goal Mo Salah scores, or more recently Semenyo. His record for us is P75 G17 A9 but only 3,437 minutes (about 38 full games) in 2 and a bit seasons. Over one goal involvement every two games of game time. Two goals off his trusty right boot yesterday, but with him playing on the right.

We are where we are in the Premier League table, but this season, all comps P12 W5 D3 L4 G19 A10 xG 16.5 plus Bradford (say 3) xGA 8 plus Bradford (say 1, for the sitter of a header) We've only really been outplayed by Arsenal and nearly held on in that match anyway. Given the summer disruption and starting the season with only Osula as a recognized striker, that's not a bad record. It's much better than the narrative has been.

Brilliant performance. Great to see Gordon back to his best. I'm sure someone's said it above, but we've now scored more three Champions League games than in eight games in the league! I'm sure the goals will come.

If I remember correctly, Spurs sacked him one week before the Carabao final, which they then lost. It was against Man City but Mou is a spoiler and has always been good at winning ugly. Fast forward a few years and Spurs let Ange get an even uglier win in the Europa before sacking him.

Isak is behind Cabbageheed in the "me! me!" cunt stakes for me. And Owen too, of course. If Isak can develop into the best striker in the world and 125+5M proves to be a bargain price for the forced sale, the animosity will likely continue. If he continues to underperform in a somewhat clueless-looking setup and Wissa bangs em in, the 125+5M will seem like a very good price for him. Woltemade was not bought as our main striker, but has wildly outperformed Isak so far and is three years younger. Even Wissa with his exploded knee has outscored Isak (2 for Doctor Congo vs. 1 in the Carabao).

Here is Isak's touch map yesterday. He only touched the ball once in the left side of the field. That famous dribble against Everton was down the left touchline. Presumably this below is Slot's doing. This is picked at random, but here is the 3-3 against Liverpool at SJP last season.

Ekitike coming on a sub yesterday looked like he was on a mission to shoot on sight and not set anyone up. A big eScouser moan recently has been about Gakpo predictably cutting inside and how they need a "proper" left winger. Gakpo alone was 80% of their goal threat in this match. Based on Ekitike's Bundesliga finishing and the ill fit of Isak who'll have to be persevered with due to the fee, I can't see either getting many more than 12-13 this season in the league. This contrasts with 11 goals and 8 assists from 2000 minutes in Klopp's last season from yes, the one and only Darwin Nunez.

Where Eddie goes, Mad Dog goes. Any sign of weakness from Eddie, which I cannot imagine anyway, would be quickly shut down.

Could be bad to worse for the Geordie Maradona.

I should probably feel sorry for Elanga but I'm more invested in this driving further decline from Isak.

Calendar year (2025) table. Liverpool have conceded 35 in 28, worse than all but Brighton in the top 10, and only because Brighton lost to Forest 7-0 in one game. Now under two points a game, which isn't league winning form.

There he goes!

Mbeumo vs. Kerkez. Go for it little Bri!