15 Nov 2023 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool v Brentford - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

1.) 15 Nov 2023
15 Nov 2023 08:29:57
Interesting take on jota ed, I always put down jota the opposite - excellent football brain, just not quite the ability to do it. Always finds a space, can beat a player, and finish well, but as you said, sometimes just ends up tripping himself or taking a wayward touch or pass. Either way, must be a nightmare to play against, thinking you got him twigged but he scores anyway!

{Ed001's Note - I did think that way at first, but after watching the way he is always so slow defensively, always a delayed reaction and letting his man go or being a step or two behind the rest on a press, I think it is the opposite. The ability is there and when he is just doing, rather than thinking, he does great things, but when he has to think about it he trips up or passes to no one. That would explain why he was so good for Wolves, as he was given more freedom to just go and play off the cuff and not worry about what his teammates were doing.

Certainly there is no issue with his effort, he is defo trying, so it is not laziness that is catching him out. And he does extra work in training too, I mean this international break he will stay behind after training to work with Cristiano Ronaldo on his leap, for example. He does that every international break, which is why he is so good in the air. So clearly he is putting in the work.}

2.) 15 Nov 2023
15 Nov 2023 10:33:04
That’s a great review as usual Ed. Interesting about jota as well. Much appreciated mate.

{Ed001's Note - thanks saloe, always good to hear from you mate.}

3.) 15 Nov 2023
15 Nov 2023 11:32:03
Brilliant review, Ed. Your take on Jota i the best description of him that I have ever seen. You can see what he is trying to do BUT it seems the body does not follow he nce, the ball hitting him in the shins and knees or him misplacing a simple layoff or pass. However when his brain gets connected to his eyes and foot like on the goals he scores, he is lethal. Hopefully he can still improve cos he is a hard worker already.

Love your take on Endo as well. Stats mean nothing and I have always said it. As you said, all the recovery runs he makes to delay the counter attack until the cavalry arrives will never show up on the stats cos well, there is not stat for that. I thought he was good and did the job very well, which is who and what he is. If people are comparing him and want flashy stuff like what other DM's like Rodri do then, they did that to themselves. That is none of Endo's business. Endo gave as good as he got and and the bullying from Brentford failed miserably, IMO. Hats off to him.

As for Brentford, they have become terrible to watch over the years and I actually thought they were a breathe of fresh air when they came up with the variety of ways they can play. Now after that game on Sun, I think they have become a more polished version of a Pulis-coached Stoke City with better players here and there, IMO. And Frank has become a right whinger as well like Pulis was, as if Brentford were going to do anything in the game but all he complained about was the VAR decision that was NOT a red card anywhere on this planet. Sad, really.

{Ed001's Note - thanks Oli.}

4.) 15 Nov 2023
15 Nov 2023 12:10:51
I will look at him differently now ( for a bit at least) he does seem slow to defend / press I always thought it was just lack of effort. Great review ed.

{Ed001's Note - that was my initial thought, that he was just a bit lazy, but I don't believe that any more after watching him closely.}

5.) 15 Nov 2023
15 Nov 2023 12:14:09
Agree with 100 percent of that as usual. The match reviews are one of the best features Ed. They are outstanding and so enjoyable.

{Ed001's Note - thank you Davey. It does get difficult to find new things to talk about at times though!}

6.) 15 Nov 2023
15 Nov 2023 12:26:10
Nice one ed. Completely agree about Hotter (as Tarkowski was calling him on whatever channel I was watching) . He is such a strange player at the top level because if he didn’t have such a useful knack for scoring goals he’d be nowhere near the club. He plays like a lost kitten in 80% of the pitch and then turns into a cold blooded tiger around the box. I mean, more power to him if it keeps us on track but it can just be so frustrating watching him at times - far more so than watching Nunez miss sitters and yet, Jota will come along and tuck away lovely goal after lovely goal and I’ll be as guilty as anyone by always leaving an asterisk next to my thoughts of him. Most of us can sense a true superstar in Nunez though so I think he gets a bit of leeway for that. Maybe it’s the footballing brain which sets the perceptions apart.

{Ed001's Note - Nunez tends to play with joy whereas Jota often looks a bit sulky, I think that makes a difference. I doubt Jota actually is miserable, but he can look a bit like it at times.}

7.) 15 Nov 2023
15 Nov 2023 13:21:30
I can imagine. You do a great job of taking each game on it merits and evaluating performance, both team and individual on the day. Love it but it must be difficult.

I mean there's only so many ways to say Alisson is amazing. Unless he is a spectator. Literally your only two options every game.

{Ed001's Note - that is the most difficult part, I mean how many ways can you spell GOAT?}

8.) 15 Nov 2023
15 Nov 2023 15:15:08
great read as usual

on Alisson, i really feel for him. he's the guy that's so excellent he makes everything looks easy while his counterparts makes everything look hollywood like cause they ain't as good and have to fly around to recover from their mistakes. when they cover their mistakes, they are lauded, when they ain't, we are told they did their best and was beaten by an un-savable shot. but there, Alisson makes the same saves or closes the angles to prevent even a shot week in and out without the hollywood factor and then he's now seen as just a normal and good gk.

on Nunez, his finishing is still erratic, at times, missing the easiest sitters, and then he scores brilliant goals next. his offside overhead goal was reminiscent of Fowler's offside goal when he returned in 2006. but what makes it fun to watch Nunez is that he makes the impossible seem likely. so often his pace and power will create chaos or opportunities that otherwise wasnt there or will only emerge because he is the player chasing the ball. and i think i got used to Firmino's way of pressing and winning the ball that it took me awhile to realise Nunez was also pressing albeit in a very different way. he probably won't win as many balls via pressing as Firmino did but he certainly hurries the opposition to play poor passes or exercise the poorer options.

finally on Endo, i think if one is used to watching the ball and not the game, they won't see his value. i certainly wish he won more duels and from there initiate attacks, which i guess is why he said he did well but wasnt great, but he definitely brings more solidity and defensive stability to our midfield. my guess is the way he plays DM, you may appreciate it more if you were a player in the team or watching him up close live as it would have been easier to spot his contributions in those settings as the attacking team's move keeps slowing down or breaking down due to him. but watching on TV, focusing more on the ball, with commentary that is not shouting spectacular each time he tracks back to delay attacks, his contributions may be missed.

{Ed001's Note - spot on regards Alisson, the best goalkeeper in the world by a distance right now, but somehow he doesn't even make the top 10 list. He is just too good to be appreciated by most.}

9.) 15 Nov 2023
15 Nov 2023 18:28:46
Ed01, AB1 is just too good to be on the list. That is what Im starting to think at this point.

{Ed001's Note - that's a fair point, gives mere mortals a chance.}

10.) 15 Nov 2023
15 Nov 2023 20:26:08
I have no issues with Alisson not being rated by others.

We know he is quality. Would not swap him for any keeper in world football.

11.) 16 Nov 2023
16 Nov 2023 00:12:38
I've tried to find it but failed,

Stat turned up today on Facebook that clearly showed Allison was head and shoulders the best at saving expected goals barring pens, Ederson was about 5th and joy of joy Pickford was in the bottom 3.

12.) 16 Nov 2023
16 Nov 2023 08:55:11
Thanks Ed, I see what you mean, so he’s instinctively very good, but not necessarily tied to the football brain. Glad to hear he’s putting the shift in, I’m sure klopp will be happy. Stuff to work on, but it’s always good to have someone with the knack of putting the ball in the net.

{Ed001's Note - that's what I think anyway. I think the work he is doing on his coaching badges should help improve him a lot as a player as he will gain more tactical understanding. Then the game should come more naturally.}

13.) 16 Nov 2023
16 Nov 2023 19:01:53
Didn’t that Jota stat go the way of the dinosaur against Toulouse?

I mean we should have drawn with that goal chalked off but technically….