The good news (or is it?) is that I’ll be going to the game, along with numerous members of the family.
I had planned to go home this weekend, but it’s hardly worth it if I have to drive up again tomorrow afternoon when I’m already here anyway. And seeing as I’m saying up here, I might as well go to work, as sit in an apartment in decidedly cold Liverpool.
It’ll be my fifth week of seven days on the trot, something my immediate boss will seriously complain about when he comes back off his holiday, as it’s against company policy. But who cares? Spanish bills don’t pay themselves and even football clubs put money above anything else. Anyway, nobody was against seven days a week over the last 25 years in my case, when it was practically compulsory. And as a self employed person, I’ve previously (not seriously) threatened to take my client to court for restriction of trade. I don’t really think that flag would fly, as being rested regularly is surely sensible.
I’m rattling. I’ve been invited by a red fan to a cafe to meet up, but frankly, I’m more interested in getting a few compulsory jars down my neck. As I’m sure many other travelling fans will. 8pm is a totally irresponsible time for a kick-off, but hey, TV companies chase the money too, don’t they?
Squad news first then and Tilemans is expected to be fit, but has a niggling injury that has omitted him from Belgium’s squad. Hopefully, it’s just pretend, so he doesn’t have to play in a rubbish tournament that nobody wants.
Ross Barkley is definitely out until after the international rubbish and Cash “missed Wednesday’s 1-0 Champions League defeat at Club Brugge due to injury.” That’s from the OS and is as clear as mud. Is he fit or not? Who writes for a Premier league club and puts that in the team news? Probably has a degree though, so it’s all good. Jesus!
Apart from that, I think everyone else is fit and available.
As for Pool, Alisson Becker, Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott and Diogo Jota are ruled out. Some decent players there, although my red workmate isn’t missing Alisson in the slightest. Jota is a big miss imo, but they’re doing fine without him.
What to think then?
Well, I could just copy and paste both manager’s comments, but to sum up, Slot seems to indicate that he knows exactly what Villa and Emery are about. So much so, that he seems to hint that we’re very predictable;
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/liverpool-v-aston-villa-team-news-2
Whereas Emery seems to comment on how we need to be able to play 3 games a week and be mentally and physically in a good place;
https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2024/november/08/emery-quizzed-ahead-of-liverpool
I’m probably reading too much in those comments, but they pretty much align with my thinking.
Liverpool probably have the best form of any team in the world, let alone the Premier league.
Whereas when we play, we look like we’re running in treacle, with no pace or even seemingly much desire to play in the way we did last season, with rapid passing and one touch football eminating from a ball launched from the back. It’s all too slow and if we play like that, Pool will detroy us, in my opinion.
Hence I’m going for a 3-0 loss and I fear it could be a lot worse. Our defence is horrendous, after all.
My red workmate is expecting more like 5-0 and I’d be minded to agree with him, except things are never as extreme as you think.
Which takes me back to the first couple of lines.
Is being able to go to this game a good thing?
The only plus I have in my mind is that we are that big game side that I talked about previously after all and we at least put up a very stiff defence.
Or maybe even nick the points?
Nah, What am I thinking?
UTV!
The most annoying thing about that defeat was it was self inflicted AGAIN.
Everyone knows Liverpool are most likely to score when breaking at speed. Did they not mention that in the training sessions? One goal from our corner. Then they should have scored again in exactly the same way. Then their second goal comes from a useless header from Carlos letting in Salah for a free run at goal.
There’s absolutely no chance of us being top 4 this season. Whether we blame PSR / FFP for not getting a RB in which as proved very costly.
Cash is an injury waiting to happen. I quite like Ned but Emery clearly doesn’t trust him. Ramsey and Onana both seem to be struggling to finish games. Watkins has totally lost it. Rogers looks like the hype has caught him up. McGinn looks unfit and is struggling. And Bailey is a waste of space this season!
After the Barcodes thrashing last season Emery said ‘We won’t change the way we play’ and sure enough the Scousers said our wingers are faster than your full-backs – so Villa got a lesson in the stupidity of being stubborn. Same again this year so one has to ask Emery why we won’t change – is it because you are a one trick pony?
As BFR writes – the belief in the manager having a game plan for each opponent has evaporated, because clearly he doesn’t. An obvious starting point is improving our shooting and heading accuracy. Attempts to hit the ball into the corners of the net miss by so much that the strikers should be told to aim to hit the keeper – then their efforts would nick in off the post.
We are probably in a rut now until March.
Harsh OLL.
To be fair, he didn’t, we finished forth?
Yes because we were good at most venues. But Old Trafford, St James’s, and Anfield are exceptions – and in most seasons so is Selhurst.
I have to agree with you OLL its sticks out a mile with me. Yes we finished forth but games change when clubs find you out, we punished Liverpool years ago with two fast wingers 7-2 that was the time nobody could touch them, but we did. Our play is repetitive and clubs see that we have to change tactics and play too our knowledge on other clubs. We had almost destroyed a player in leaving him running around like a headless chicken we have to change and quickly.
You can through the whole team and make an account for all of them
Square pegs in round holes
Konsa not a right back
Carlos very very poor should be 4th choice centre back mistake every week !!!!!!
Roger’s Knackered
Watkins at the minute no service no confidence
Bailey waiting for his hamstring to go pop
Maginn needs to play centrally to get the best out of him
You could go on
Don’t become a bad team overnight
Unai will sort it
Onwards
Square pegs round holes
Konsa never a right back .
Carlos mistake every week .
Rogers knackered
Ollle no service no confidence
Maginn needs to play centrally
Bologna we moved the ball around so quick , we are now laboured in our approach
Don’t become a bad team overnight
Unai will Sort it
Bailey was hopeless the first season. He came to life because Diaby was serious compétion for him. He isn’t getting that from Philogene.
I think Emery is waiting/hoping for him to get a goal and find some confidence . Philogene is seriously wasting his opportunities and today, he should have shot when he found himself in the box. At that point anything could have happened, be it a corner won, a deflection that falls to Duran. That chance against Liverpool away comes once every other season for players like him and it was a waste. This lad needs to remember how he felt when he got the chance to come back to Villa and play champions league.
I can’t help but be frustrated when I think how Digne and Moreno was a perfectly solid left back covering. Why we brought another left back when we needed a right back I will not understand. My only thinking there is it was all FF effing P that cost us that one.
First, I have to admit to not having seen the game.
However, I’ve said before that we’ve overachieved and been found out – a view I’ve been criticised for having. I maintain it and also think Emery is of the same opinion,
Now the crunch.
Emery was sacked at Arsenal after a run of five defeats – I’m not suggesting that will happen at Villa (after all Pep has just suffered four consecutive defeats) but my question is – is Emery the World Class coach he’s been lauded as?
The next half dozen games will provide an answer.
International break has come at the perfect time. The next 4 league games include Brentford, Saints, and Palace at VP. And Chelsea away. If we’re in the top 4 after those, all is well, because we should be taking at least 9 points from 12 there. Should. If not, well…
Hitch, he’s a drawing board fanatic, it’s got to be his way or nothing. Don’t get me wrong he saved us no doubt about that but Hitch he’s stubborn and it’s got to be his way. I’ve questioned some decisions lately on player positions even players who play badly somehow get back next match. He’s still the best of the bunch in coaching just wish he would stop working from the back too much and put through balls to forwards.
I agree Bill, what Emery has achieved is nothing short of miraculous but that, in itself, is a curse.
Emery is trying hard to downplay fan expectation given the squad he has and the games we’re having to play.
I’m on the record as saying the next few games will show Emery’s quality but maybe I should say what happens over the rest of this season will define him as a manager. Make no mistake our owners are aggressively ambitious and if Emery fails to satisfy that ambition they will take action.
Good grief. Who designed Arsenal’s training tops? The man from Del Monte? 😏
Garish is the word that springs to mind.
Taking a big step backwards, if you had offered me us being one point off fourth in the Prem and on the same points as Barcelona in the CL I would have bitten your hand off.
It’s been a crazy season, Spuds were supposed to be our rivals and we moan at drawing with Ipswich away yet they lose at home.
We’re still in a good position and we have the quality to reset and kick on. Keep the faith.
Just spotted this for anyone interested…
https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/70286
Silhill brewery – they’re the company supporting Canadian Pete alongside 24/7 services.
Not far from VP and clearly Villans.
I can’t comment on the others, but Tony Morley is a really nice bloke and a good laugh.
As for Pat Heard, he’s my grandsons’ driving instructor (!) and apparently a nice bloke too.
These players stem from the time before the wages went daft and are very down to earth.
Hence I’d suggest this would be a tenner well spent.